Things you might not know about GLP-1 medications…

Written By Nicole Hagen

In our current thin-is-in-again diet culture climate, talk of GLP-1’s is everyyyywhere. And because I frequently get asked about them, I thought it’d be helpful to address a few facts about GLP-1 medications.

Firstly, GLP-1 receptor agonists are medications that mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is naturally released in the gut after eating.

GLP-1 medications work by:

  • increasing feelings of fullness

  • slowing gastric emptying

  • reducing appetite and food noise, and

  • improving blood sugar regulation

In short, GLP-1 meds make it easier to eat less by changing hunger and satiety,

not by “burning fat” or speeding up metabolism.

GLP-1 medications are primarily indicated for:

  • people with obesity (BMI ≥30) or

  • people with a BMI ≥27 with weight-related conditions such as:
    + type 2 diabetes
    + insulin resistance
    + cardiovascular risk factors

GLP-1 medications are not designed as a cosmetic weight-loss tool or a first-line intervention for people without metabolic risk and/or who have not employed dietary and lifestyle interventions.

GLP-1s medications are intended for long-term use

Similar to medications for blood pressure or diabetes, continued use = continued results.

Research consistently shows appetite and hunger signaling return when medication is discontinued,
with a significant portion of lost weight being regained - especially without strong habit support.

GLP-1 medications can produce great short-term weight loss, HOWEVER:

  • lifestyle habits still determine health outcomes, and

  • long-term success still depends on behavior, support, and sustainability

The bottom line: GLP-1s lower the barrier to weight loss by reducing biological resistance, but long-term outcomes still depend on how someone eats, moves, and supports their body in conjunction with medication support.

GLP-1s can be a powerful tool for appetite regulation and metabolic support, life-changing for the right population, and work most effectively when combined with nutrition coaching.

Nicole Hagen

A Nutrition Coach, adoptive mom, dog mom, and mint chocolate chip ice cream lover.

I didn’t always have this business: the Masters degree in Nutrition Science and Public Health, the passion, the clients... in fact, years ago you could have found me endlessly counting calories and trying to find my worth on the scale and at spin class, exhausted in my pursuit of (what I thought was) health and happiness.

In my early twenties, I struggled with crash dieting and disordered eating. Little did I know, those circumstances would be my one-way ticket out of my restrictive relationship with food & fitness. Those experiences led me here: to the life-giving, sustainable, habit-based nutrition philosophy I embody today. Today you can find me living life without a calorie counting app and spending time with my husband, one year old son, and our two crazy golden retriever pups.

I enjoy spending my free time reading, sipping on matcha lattes, and dreaming of ways I can help other women create healthy, confident relationships with food without selling their souls to food rules and calorie counting apps.

Because nothing lights me up more than helping women live full and vibrant lives without food fear, rules, or restriction. I want to be that permission granter in your life that whispers: “you really can do this” while the rest of the world continues to settle for short-term satisfaction.

https://nutritioncoachingwithnicole.com/
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