The Truth About Weight Loss Drugs: Why Habits Matter More for Lasting Results

Have you noticed the buzz around weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and others lately? They seem to be everywhere, with many claiming these medications are the “secret” to effortless weight loss. While it’s tempting to think that these drugs could be the magic solution to years of weight struggles, the reality is a bit more complex.

Sure, weight loss medications like these can help you lose weight quickly, but they don’t address the root cause of why you gained the weight in the first place—or why you might end up gaining it back once you stop taking them.

So, what’s the truth behind these weight loss drugs, and why is focusing on health coaching and habit change so crucial for making weight loss last? Let’s dive in.

What Weight Loss Drugs Actually Do

Weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy (which both contain semaglutide) work by suppressing your appetite. They do this by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which helps regulate hunger and glucose levels. The drugs essentially make you feel fuller for longer, leading to a reduction in food intake.

Now, that might sound like a dream come true. And for many, it’s an easy way to kick-start weight loss. But the problem with relying on these medications is that they don’t teach you how to sustain your weight loss once you stop using them.

You may lose weight in the short term, but without changing your habits, the weight can come right back after you stop taking the medication. This is why it’s crucial to understand the limitations of weight loss drugs and why they should never be seen as a long-term solution.

The Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Drugs

As with anything, there are pros and cons to using weight loss drugs. Let’s break it down so you can better understand how they work and where they fall short.

Pros:

1. Rapid Weight Loss: Weight loss medications can lead to quick reductions in body weight. Studies have shown that drugs like Ozempic can help people lose an average of 10-15% of their body weight over several months. If you’re looking for fast results, this is certainly appealing.
2. Reduced Appetite: These drugs help curb your appetite, making it easier to eat less without feeling deprived. For people who struggle with constant hunger or emotional eating, this can be a game-changer.
3. Improved Blood Sugar Levels: Drugs like Ozempic are also used to manage type 2 diabetes, as they help lower blood sugar levels. So, if you’re struggling with diabetes or prediabetes, this could offer a dual benefit.
4. Convenience: For many, taking a once-weekly injection or daily medication is far easier than committing to restrictive diets or exercise routines. It might feel like a more manageable option when life gets busy.

Cons:

1. Temporary Solution: While weight loss drugs can help you shed pounds, they don’t address the underlying behaviours and habits that led to weight gain in the first place. As soon as you stop using the medication, the weight is likely to return unless you’ve developed healthier habits.
2. Side Effects: Weight loss medications can come with side effects, such as nausea, stomach upset, diarrhea, and headaches. For some, these side effects are severe enough to cause people to discontinue use.
3. No Focus on Lifestyle Change: While the drugs might help you eat less, they don’t teach you how to build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. They don’t help you manage stress eating, emotional cravings, or unhealthy thought patterns surrounding food.
4. Expensive: Many weight loss drugs can be pricey, especially if you don’t have insurance coverage. Over time, this could become a significant financial commitment without ensuring long-term success.
5. Dependency: There’s also the risk of becoming dependent on the medication. If you rely on a drug to control your appetite, you’re not learning how to listen to your body’s natural hunger cues or build the mental strength to manage your eating habits without assistance.

Why Health Coaching and Habit Change Are Crucial

You might be thinking, “So, what’s the solution if I don’t want to rely on medication for weight loss?” The answer lies in health coaching and habit change.

Weight loss medications, while effective in the short term, don’t teach you how to make lasting changes. That’s where habit change comes in. When you focus on building healthy habits—like mindful eating, stress management, and consistent exercise—you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. And the best part? These habits will serve you long after you stop taking weight loss drugs.

Health coaching provides the accountability and guidance you need to make these habits stick. You’ll learn how to:

• Manage emotional eating and cravings without feeling deprived
• Develop a positive relationship with food and your body
• Move your body in a way that feels good, rather than for punishment
• Understand the why behind your eating habits, not just the what

When you build these habits, they become second nature. Instead of relying on a pill to suppress your appetite, you’ll learn how to nourish your body with the right foods, manage your stress, and create balance in your life.

The Key to Keeping the Weight Off

Here’s the bottom line: weight loss drugs might help you lose weight in the short term, but without changing your habits, you’re likely to regain the weight once you stop taking them. These medications don’t teach you how to maintain your weight loss for life—they simply help you lose the weight. That’s why if you do go down the weight loss drug route, I always recommend doing a course of 1:1 Health Coaching BEFORE starting any weight loss drug, otherwise you run the risk of gaining the weight back and wasting thousands. It’s also important that any weight loss drug you use is approved by and overseen by a medical professional.

To make weight loss last, you need to build the right habits that will support you long after the weight loss medication is gone. Focusing on habits like mindful eating, consistent exercise, and healthy mindset shifts is what makes the weight loss permanent.

The Importance of Habit Change

The key to sustainable weight loss is habit change. Without changing the way you think about food and developing new behaviours, any weight loss—whether it’s from a pill, a crash diet, or even exercise—will eventually be unsustainable.

When you focus on building habits that fit your lifestyle, you’ll find that losing weight becomes less of a struggle and more of a natural progression. These habits will support you for years to come and help you keep the weight off for good.

Ready to Make a Change that Lasts

If you’re ready to make lasting changes and build habits that will actually keep the weight off, I’d love to help. Health coaching is about guiding you through those first crucial steps to build a lifestyle that supports your goals, not just a quick fix.

Check out my Mind & Body Transformation Coaching Programme to learn more about how I can help you build those life-changing habits. Together, we can create a plan that’s tailored just for you—one that leads to lasting weight loss, better health, and a healthier relationship with food.