Life After GLP-1s: Exchanges and Changes
Life After GLP-1s: Exchanges and Changes
We spend a lot of time wondering what it will feel like to reach a hard-won goal. But we rarely ask ourselves what life will look like after the win.
Athletes know this well. Even after a championship, they can feel empty.
There must be something larger than the game itself.
Take GLP-1s, for example. There is a lot of excitement about finally making a goal weight possible, but less thought about what happens afterward.
Consider two possible scenarios after stopping GLP-1 medication: exchanges and changes.
These aren’t guaranteed outcomes. Habits matter, but they don’t eliminate the possibility of weight regain. Whether to stop medication is a decision made with your doctor.
Scenario one: An exchange
After stopping the medication, she notices her appetite creeping back up. Cravings build, and food noise gets louder alongside the daily stress of her job.
She’s too tired to cook, let alone exercise. So she skips it and satisfies her hunger by clicking the Grubhub button.
Food that was once off-putting while on the medication is appetizing again. She’s eating faster and having bigger portions.
Before long, she’s back where she started. Only this time, she is significantly weaker, with a higher percentage of body fat. Frustration builds, so she goes back on the medication, and the cycle continues.
An exchange was made. In this case, medication for weight loss.
Scenario two: A change
She stops the medication with her doctor’s guidance and uses the behaviors she developed with her coach.
She eats protein-forward meals. She eats slowly. She has food planned and prepared before hunger strikes. She stays active through strength training and walking.
She goes to the grocery store even when she doesn’t feel like it, because it has become part of her routine. She chops, slices and dices her meals for the week.
At restaurants, she chooses quality dishes, making sure to include a vegetable or salad. She enjoys time with friends and family without worrying about undoing it all.
A change was made. In this case, her behaviors and actions changed to support a better life.
What will you carry forward?
The behaviors you practice now are the ones you’ll have available afterward.
What you decide is within your free will.
It’s not just about losing weight. It’s about who you become on the way to losing weight.
Josh
The Body Is Primary.
Build your plan for afterward.
The grocery store. The kitchen. The gym. Let’s work on the parts of your week that need to change.
Keep reading: Fitness Is Last explores where food, rest and training fit together.