Are GLP-1s the Easy Way Out?

There’s this idea going around that if someone starts a GLP-1 medication, they’re taking a shortcut or cheating. That the meds stop them from overeating, so the weight just melts off, and all their problems magically vanish.

Except we’re not magicians, and that’s just not how anything in life works.

GLP-1s do change the game, but they’re not a free pass. They can make things more manageable, but they don’t erase the need for effort or commitment. They’re tools meant to lower appetite, slow digestion, and turn down the constant food noise.

For most women, though, taking a GLP-1 medication doesn’t make the work disappear; it just shifts it.

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GLP-1s Change the Conversation in the Brain

GLP-1s don’t just help you eat less; they actually shift how your body and brain respond to food. These medications mimic natural gut hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar. When they’re working, food stops feeling like an emergency. You don’t get that loud, anxious hunger that drives mindless eating. That doesn’t mean cravings totally fade away, but it quiets things down enough to give you a second to pause and make an actual decision. That’s a big deal for anyone who has spent years feeling out of control around food.

GLP-1s Slow Down Digestion

This means food stays in the stomach longer, helping you feel fuller with less. But it also means you have to be more careful about what and how much you eat. Heavier, greasy, or high-volume meals can leave you feeling nauseous (or worse).

So even though your appetite is lower, eating becomes its own kind of challenge. You still need to get enough nutrition in, but now your body may have a harder time handling the same portions or foods you were used to. That adjustment can be tough, physically and mentally.

GLP-1s Positively Impact More Than Just Appetite

Some people see improved blood pressure, insulin resistance, cholesterol, and inflammation. This isn’t just about weight loss; it’s about what starts working better inside the body when energy balance shifts and the metabolism finally stops freaking out. As a society, we should want this kind of healthy outcome for everyone.

GLP-1s Aren’t the Finish Line

GLP-1 medications interrupt a metabolic downward spiral long enough to give you control and a real shot at lasting change. But control doesn’t stick without structure. That’s where habits, routines, and consistency come in.

Because here’s something most people don’t realize: over half of users stop taking GLP-1s within the first year,¹ usually due to side effects, cost, or insurance issues. That’s an important stat to remember, because a comprehensive review published in PubMed² shows many people regain some or all of the weight lost after stopping.

However, rebound isn’t automatic, and it’s not inevitable. It doesn’t erase the work you’ve done, unless you have nothing to fall back on. That’s why what you build now matters, especially if you ever choose (or need) to come off the medication.

Why You Still Have to Do the Work on GLP-1s

GLP-1s can help by getting you on the right track, but here’s what they don’t take care of:

• Emotional eating triggers (like using food to soothe stress, boredom, or anxiety)
• Reward-seeking habits (like needing something sweet after dinner, even though you’re full)
• How to move your body in a safe, consistent way (you never learned how to build strength or protect your joints)
• Chronic stress, poor sleep, or burnout (which all affect hunger, mood, energy, and recovery)
• Your environment, relationships, or coping tools (like the people, places, and routines that influence your habits every day)

What Actually Works Long-Term

The women I work with who get the most out of these medications aren’t relying on the shot alone. They’re working with it by building routines and staying consistent because they know long-term results come from what they do, not just what they take. The women who do best long-term:

• Learn to move their body consistently. This doesn’t mean they spend two hours at the gym every day; it just means regular, consistent movement. They fidget, garden, stand at their desks, walk to work, etc. They make movement part of their life, not something that only happens if and when they feel motivated or during a structured exercise session.

• Focus on strength (not just weight loss) to preserve muscle and mobility. They’re not always “lifting heavy”. They’re building a body that can do more things, like standing longer, not leaning on things for support, walking farther, and getting off the floor easily. That kind of strength matters more than how much weight they can lift, since most of them are not training to become power lifters or bodybuilders.

• Build meals with enough protein to keep blood sugar steady and cravings low. They stop skipping it and start planning for it. Protein becomes a regular staple in all their meals. It’s never an afterthought, especially when overall calorie intake might already be lower because of the meds.

• Eat enough fiber to stay full and keep things moving. Fiber helps with fullness, digestion, and blood sugar control, especially when hunger is low. They know their body still needs nutrients and regularity.

• Get serious about sleep, hydration, and stress. They might not tackle everything at once, but they know they’re all connected. Each affects hunger, recovery, mood, and progress. They are the core habits that support everything else.

• Replace old habits and patterns (snacking, soothing, numbing) with something better. They figure out their why and start noticing when they’re eating out of habit, boredom, or emotion, and begin practicing new ways to deal with it.

What If You’re Ready to Move Again, But Nervous?

If the idea of stepping into a gym or asking a trainer for help feels intimidating, I get it. Some fitness spaces haven’t always felt welcoming, especially if you live or have lived in a larger body, starting from scratch, or doing things differently (like taking a GLP-1).

But I want you to know something: most trainers, like me, want you here. We’re not rolling our eyes; we’re rooting for you. We want to support you in any way that we can.

These medications don’t replace movement. They help you get to a place where movement actually feels possible, maybe even enjoyable, for the first time.

As a trainer, I understand that GLP-1s make exercise and a healthy lifestyle more accessible. They give women the space to breathe, reset, and maybe even just to try…

That’s not cheating. That’s progress.

And if going to a gym feels like too much at the moment , that’s totally okay. You don’t have to go to one right now. Or ever. You can start at home, go for walks, or even do one strength session a week in a quiet space. The goal is just to start. Everything else can build from there.

Final Thought

Most people have no clue what it actually takes to unlearn habits that have been in place for years, sometimes since childhood.

They don’t see the work it takes to stop using food for comfort, shift one’s entire routine, or handle the emotional and mental toll of real, lasting change.

When someone gets help for alcohol, gambling, or drug addiction, they’re praised for being brave. But when someone gets help for living with overweight or obesity, they’re often shamed. Shamed when they don’t try, and discouraged when they do.

That makes zero sense.

Especially when what they’re doing takes just as much strength, courage, and commitment.

So, if you’re taking a GLP-1 and someone tries to make you feel bad for using a tool to get healthier, remember this: It takes real strength to face something this complex head-on. But the reward of peace, power, and complete control over how you live your life is totally worth every bit of effort.

If it feels hard right now, that’s okay because it probably is. But that just means you’re in it, and I promise it won’t always be this difficult. Your body and brain will adapt. Your health and, therefore, your life will improve. You just need to give it a little time.

If you need any support while you’re figuring it out, I’m here.

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Resources

1. Rodriguez PJ, Zhang V, Gratzl S, Do D, Goodwin Cartwright B, Baker C, Gluckman TJ, Stucky N, Emanuel EJ. Discontinuation and Reinitiation of Dual-Labeled GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Among US Adults With Overweight or Obesity. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Jan 2;8(1):e2457349. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.57349. PMID: 39888616; PMCID: PMC11786232. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11786232/ ↩︎
2. Abdullah Bin Ahmed I. A Comprehensive Review on Weight Gain following Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Obesity. J Obes. 2024 May 10;2024:8056440. doi: 10.1155/2024/8056440. PMID: 38765635; PMCID: PMC11101251. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11101251/ ↩︎

Photo Credits

Woman in the Forest by Slatan @xilius

Woman Training in the Gym by pixelshot @pixelshot