In this second post, it is essential to establish some proven facts about GLP-1 medications and how each fact has personally impacted me. I have many other topics I'd like to discuss in future posts, but let’s start here.
 
(Note: I take Ozempic, but also commonly used are Mounjaro, Wegovy, Zepbound, and others. Each of these has specific FDA-approved uses, and there are some differences in their ingredients and functions. Your provider will be able to help you to determine which one, if any, could be best for your situation. None of this is medical advice. Please be sure to talk to your own medical provider for advice.)
 
Fact: These medications are not a quick fix. I hear people say this often: “People on weight loss medicine are just looking for an easy way out or a quick fix because they don’t want to do the work to get healthy.” There is no quick fix or easy way out when you are on a GLP-1. Quite the opposite, in fact.
My experience: I have worked very hard on my health, but the medication did not do that for me. It simply helped me to do it successfully. We are all different, and there is nothing helpful in comparing our journey with someone else’s. My weight loss has been very slow. I have lost an average of .5-1 lbs per week. I have experienced long plateaus where I didn't lose any weight, and some short stretches where the weight seemed to fall off without any effort on my part. It has not been a linear experience. But I have seen the scale move down overall, and the slow process has been fine with me because it has never just been about a number on a scale. It is so much more than that.
 
Fact: These medications do not melt fat away; they are not magic or a simple fix for lazy people who don’t want to diet. They are not “cheating” to lose weight; you still have to do every bit of the work. Nobody on a GLP-1 is taking it because they are lazy.
My experience: Nutrition has been super important for my weight loss. By that, I mean you have to be in a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, no matter how you are doing it. What I don’t mean is that you have to engage in diet culture. Diet culture is focused on rule following, and when the scale doesn’t budge, the sense of failure and shame takes over, and the cycle repeats (lose, gain, lose, gain more). The medication helps me stick to a healthy, balanced way of living. I do not fad diet; I eat and enjoy any and all kinds of food. No food is “bad” in and of itself unless you misuse it, of course. Common sense says that a steady diet of junk is never a good idea, so I eat those kinds of things in moderation when I really want to. I have learned to enjoy focusing on protein, fiber, healthier food choices, and good hydration. Those are the key ingredients in losing weight on any diet, including when taking a GLP-1. I no longer obsess about these things; they have become my natural habits because of the way Ozempic has changed me. The medication has helped to change my approach to food. I don’t experience cravings very often anymore, and I no longer obsess or fret about counting calories. I have a reasonably consistent eating pattern now, and I make the healthiest possible choices most of the time (although not all the time, as I do treat myself too!). If I stall in my weight loss, I take a closer look at what I am eating, just long enough to face reality and get back on track with a calorie deficit if I realize that I haven’t been as mindful about my health as I need to be as a good steward of my God-given body. Ozempic keeps me from overeating because I physically feel full after a reasonable meal and have no desire to keep eating, and it has taken the “food noise” (mental obsessions and constantly thinking about food and eating) away so that I don’t have urges to eat when my body is not really hungry. Naturally thin people do these things automatically. People with the disease of obesity do not. We often benefit from the extra help a GLP-1 offers as one tool in the health tool belt.
 
Fact: GLP-1 is useful for lowering A1c in Type 2 Diabetics, which I have. GLP-1 helps your body produce insulin and lowers your glucose numbers.
My experience: My doctor uses the A1c number to assess how Ozempic is working for me and determine whether I need a dose adjustment. Weight loss is a factor, but not the primary concern. She calls it a “side effect”. When people call Ozempic “a weight loss drug” or “the fat jab”, I want to tell them that it is neither. It is a diabetes management (or other qualifying diseases) medication. Some people lose some weight while taking it. Some GLP-1 medication is approved for weight loss for those who meet criteria, but the one I take was prescribed for my uncontrolled Diabetes.
 
Fact: GLP-1 medication can regulate blood sugar levels, promote satiety, and delay gastric emptying. This means that after a meal, the hormones impacted help you feel full for longer, reduce the rate at which your stomach empties, and ensure that your blood sugar levels remain stable. They also act in the brain’s hypothalamus, which, among other things, controls feelings of fullness and satiation.
My experience: YES. All of these benefits combined have enabled me to achieve a life-changing weight loss. In the past, I lost plenty of weight on diets and always gained it back (and more). This is common with the disease of obesity, for a variety of nuanced reasons.
 
Fact: Obesity is largely metabolic, which leads to behavioral factors, but it is not just behavior, and it is not a person’s ‘fault’. This is why counseling alone was never enough for me to lose weight. It is also why obesity is known now as a disease, not just a behavioral problem. While it is true that medicine cannot fix what is broken inside of us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - only Jesus can do that, it is also true that medication can impact the brain and body in ways that clear the mind of food noise and emotional and spiritual confusion in such a way that the mind is finally clear enough to absorb proper counseling and spiritual input. Is everyone who is overweight also struggling with satiety, food noise, and metabolic problems? Probably not. Some will diet and lose weight and keep it off without medication, of course. These medications are not for everyone. But for those who need them, they are a game-changer.
My experience: Understanding this has freed me from a lifetime of guilt and shame (self-inflicted and inflicted on me by others and society in general.) Have I needed to make behavioral changes? YES. Could I have mustered the strength to do better? I tried. And tried harder. For years. It never worked well, and it never ‘stuck’, which I deemed a personal failure (resulting in shame and imposter syndrome, especially as a people-helper.) Ozempic has been the tool that has helped me to do all the necessary things to get healthier. I could not succeed without it; no amount of “trying harder” was going to change me. That does not make me weak; it makes me a human who has accepted her physical limitations and found a way to overcome them. Ozempic has made it better. I no longer have food noise, I no longer turn to food for comfort, I no longer eat past satiety, and I no longer indulge in constant cravings. I get full, a feeling I had never experienced before with Ozempic. My results are not because I tried harder, or did the right food-related bible study (I have done many), got the right kind of counseling, read the right bible verses about self-control and gluttony (have had those thrown at me more times than I can count) or not because I just need to repent of my sin (what does that really look like when it comes to eating anyway?). Still, my success is because my doctor prescribed a proven, safe medication that addressed my body metabolically, hormonally, and mentally. It gave me the ability to stick to a new way of eating, and my A1c is now normal. The weight has gradually come off, which is beneficial for my overall health.
 
Fact: Two things can be true at the same time.
My Experience: Big pharma is a problem in our country, and these medications are not accessible enough to everyone who needs them. This is a huge problem. This has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the medication. That is entirely separate from the business side of big pharma. Medication can be good, and Big Pharma is bad; both are true at the same time.
Additionally, people sometimes abuse medications in various ways. Some providers might be prescribing them without proper criteria. Some people might be self-dosing and taking them improperly. All of these factors have nothing to do with the effectiveness of properly using GLP-1s, prescribed by a qualified provider and used as directed. People abuse medication, and that is bad, but medication itself, used properly, can be good; both are true at the same time.

Fact: If you stop taking the medication, you are at risk of gaining it back. You might need to be on it for the rest of your life.
My experience: Any weight loss plan can help you lose weight, and when you stop that plan, you are likely to regain the weight. It is the same with a weight loss medication. It works as long as you take it properly, and when you stop using it, you are no longer getting the help you need for success. This is not a bad thing about GLP-1s, it is common sense.
 
Fact: These medications have been extensively researched and studied for over two decades and are not new. Side effects are known, although rarer than the media and naysayers would have you believe.
My Experience: You may be concerned about their lack of testing or potential long-term effects for those of us who are on them, but there is plenty of research available. These medications have been available for over 20 years. There are side effects associated with any medication, and these are no exception; however, the study shows that serious side effects are extremely rare. There are ‘side effects’ of obesity and yo-yo dieting, and all the health problems that come with it. I had to realize that the side effects of my weight were far more scary and dangerous than any slight chance that a GLP-1 would cause me long-term damage. Sometimes we have a choice to make, and I have no regrets or concerns about the choice I made to take Ozempic.
 
My challenge to you:
If you are someone who has judged, assumed, criticized, or been against someone taking a GLP-1 medication, either for weight loss or Diabetes and other qualified medical diagnoses, I hope that you will reconsider your stance. I have heard a lot of naysaying in Christian circles, and that is why I am compelled to bring this up and share my journey.
God allows, in His common grace, medical care that people can choose to use or not. It is not a moral issue for someone to be on medication of any kind. It is a choice they are free to make. Any concerns you have, unless you are a medical professional or expert in a specifically related field, should be addressed between the person and their medical provider. I get very concerned about laypeople advising people on medication choices, even if they believe they can prove the harms and woes of certain medications and Big Pharma. Your opinions are just that – opinions. Opinions can be wrong (mine included). In our Christian communities (including biblical counseling), there is no place for addressing medical concerns with opinions. Please encourage people to do their due diligence and then support them on their health journey, regardless of whether you agree with their choices. I am passionate about giving grace, extending kindness, and viewing science and medicine as gifts from God, provided for our benefit and His glory. Ozempic, included.
 
I did not write the following. It is an excerpt from an excellent, reader-friendly book that helped me to understand GLP-1 medication more thoroughly, but in lay-person language. I recommend this book:
Decoding GLP-1: A Guide for Friends and Family of Those On The Pen, by Dave Knapp
 
Here’s an excerpt from Dave’s helpful book that explains more science about the facts I mentioned above. Please read it and get educated:
 
Essentially, the medication helps your body produce insulin when you need it, on demand. When you eat, GLP-1 levels naturally increase, signaling the pancreas to produce more insulin. This helps lower blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to be taken up by cells for energy. GIP is another incretin hormone with similar functions. Both GLP-1 and GIP work synergistically to regulate blood sugar levels, promote satiety, and delay gastric emptying. This means that after a meal, these hormones help you feel full longer, reduce the rate at which your stomach empties, and ensure that your blood sugar levels remain stable. They also act in the brain’s hypothalamus which, among other things, controls feelings of fullness and satiation.
The effectiveness of GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists lies in their ability to mimic natural incretin hormones, and in their resistance to being broken down by enzymes in the digestive tract. These medications are designed to have a longer duration of action than the body’s own GLP-1, providing sustained benefits throughout the day. When you inject a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it travels through your bloodstream to various organs, including the pancreas, brain, and stomach. In the pancreas, the medication enhances the release of insulin in response to food, just like natural GLP-1. In the brain, it acts on appetite-regulating centers, helping you feel full and reducing cravings. In the stomach, it slows down the emptying process, ensuring that you feel satisfied for a longer period after eating. One of the most remarkable benefits of GLP-1 medications is their impact on weight loss. Clinical trials and real-world evidence show that these medications can lead to significant and sustained weight loss.
Research has shown that these drugs can also improve cardiovascular health. Studies have demonstrated that GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes. ⁵ This is particularly important because people with diabetes and obesity are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, GLP-1 receptor agonists have been found to have positive effects on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inflammation, and sleep apnea. Perhaps even more exciting is the potential to reduce occurrences of the many cancers that are associated with obesity by treating obesity with these medications. ⁶ These combined benefits make incretin mimetic medications a powerful tool in managing not only diabetes and obesity, but overall health. There are ongoing studies suggesting that GLP-1 medications, like semaglutide, may also play a role in reducing amyloid plaque in the brain, a significant factor in the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Recent research has shown promising results, indicating that these medications could potentially offer neuroprotective benefits. ⁷ This expanding area of study highlights the potential for GLP-1 medications to impact not only metabolic health but also cognitive health, offering new hope for those at risk of neurodegenerative conditions. As these studies continue, they may open up new avenues for treatment and prevention, further emphasizing the importance of these medications in broader health contexts. The effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists is not just supported by scientific research but also by countless real-world success stories.
 
Thank you for reading. See you next time! As always, feel free to comment here or on my social media posts.
 
Ellen

Diabetes, Ozempic, and 100 lbs

I have experienced a 100 lb weight loss over the past two years. I still have more weight to lose, but this milestone of 100 lbs was the first goal I wanted to reach before I started to share about this journey. I want to share my insights on various aspects related to the body, obesity, mental health, spiritual well-being, and weight loss.
 
As I recover from knee replacement surgery, I have some extra time to process my recent health journey and get some thoughts down in writing. I am old-school and prefer to do this on a blog page instead of doing videos on social media, at least for now, since I process best in writing. I am also aware that it is never just about me. Our life experiences shape us, grow us, and refine us, but they are wasted if we don’t use them to help others along the way. My entire counseling/mentoring ministry is born out of my own life struggles and victories.
 
This health journey is one that I have kept mostly quiet, but that ends today. There is always some risk in sharing such a personal journey. There can be a cost, too. It is easy to be misheard and misunderstood. It can bring assumptions and judgment. It can seem self-serving at times. So be it. At my age (68 as I write this), I am far less concerned about these risks than I would have been even 10 years ago! So, here we go:
 
Health journey. That is a loaded phrase. We are embodied souls, meaning we are both material and immaterial, and the two cannot be separated. Our mind and soul are affected by our physical bodies. Our physical bodies are affected by our minds and souls. A health journey is never just physical. It is also emotional, mental, and spiritual. When one aspect changes, the others also change. I have changed a lot in the past few years!
 
There is so much misinformation about obesity in our society, and it is a sensitive subject for many people. It is tied to heavy shame, a feeling that I am no stranger to. If you read my health journey posts in the coming weeks/months, please keep an open heart and mind. Be willing to trust facts, not opinions, and repent of harmful attitudes. Be willing to learn and grow. Be willing to do your own due diligence. Don’t assume that “everything is spiritual” and that obesity is simply a “sin issue” and lack of self-control. Don’t just read opinion pieces and call that research. If weight loss topics interest you, there are many trusted, experienced, highly skilled, and trained scientists and medical professionals speaking on the subject of weight loss these days. I’d be happy to share links to some that I have been helped by. There is solid, trustworthy science-backed information out there, and the knowledge of obesity medicine has and is changing rapidly these days. All of this has been to the great benefit of people like me, as I have struggled with obesity my entire adult life.
 
Before 2023, I had lost about 20 lbs by counting calories and staying in a deficit. Then I stalled, and the weight just would not come off. This is a repetitive cycle in my life, landing in shame every time. I have had Type 2 Diabetes for many years, and my doctor noted two years ago that my A1c was no longer benefiting from the common medication I was on. Even the 20 lb loss did nothing to improve the increasing A1c results. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to all kinds of scary, bigger problems (heart disease, kidney disease, even blindness or limb loss). When I heard this kind of news (again), it would send me into a spiral, with intrusive thoughts like “It must be my fault. I cannot get myself together. I must need more willpower. I have failed again. I am less-than and undeserving because I am overweight.”
 
In addition to my own voices in my head, I would hear the voices of people in my past. Voices I haven’t entirely shaken to this day.
~My mom, who heavily focused on my weight and told me often, “Ellen, you are obese, you look terrible, you need to be on a diet.”
~My former pastor, who told me, “Ellen, how can you be a role model in ministry to women when you are so overweight?”
~My former boss, who marked me down on an employee evaluation for “appearance”, noting a weight gain after I had a baby.
These shaming events marked me forever, but this recent journey has helped me to face them head-on.
 
When my doctor expressed her concern in November 2023, she suggested that I start taking Ozempic, a GLP-1. I immediately said no, thank you, because I had only heard the misinformation about it. (The nay-sayers are always plentiful and loud.) The doctor still advised that I seriously consider Ozempic, and said to let her know if I want to try it.
 
After that appointment, I did my due diligence. I tried to find articles or resources in the world of biblical counseling (which had been my profession and community for over 20 years). I could not find much, and what I did find was solely based on opinion, generally shame-provoking (“you have a sin issue and no self-control, just eat better, be more disciplined to please God”, etc.) I found this extremely discouraging, lacking in expertise, and eye-opening. We need more voices on this topic from a more informed perspective because these medications are becoming more utilized and respected, and being a counselor does not necessarily make you an expert in weight loss and medical issues. We need to be very careful to give counsel from truth, facts, and grace instead of opinion. We cannot deny the work of true experts who have given their lives to study and research. We must always be willing to be wrong, and to be honest, I think much of the counseling community I have experienced has been wrong on the topic of obesity.
 
Instead, I learned a lot of helpful information about Ozempic and GLP1 use from the world of science and medicine, and with my family’s blessing, I decided to try it. I am SO GLAD I did. It has, quite literally, changed my life. It began with the understanding that obesity medicine professionals have come to view obesity as a disease. I agree with this, now that I have learned more about it and engaged with this journey in my own life.
 
The most important change is that my A1c is no longer in a diabetic range because Ozempic worked for me! This is not just about the weight loss; it is about many other ways I have changed as a result of taking Ozempic.
 
A GLP1 has changed me physically, emotionally, mentally, and therefore spiritually. I want to talk more about this, bring some education about GLP-1s to this blog, and maybe shed some light on the amazing gift this kind of medication is to people who struggle with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and a growing list of other things that are addressed by this class of medications. There will be no medical advice here, just my own experiences and understanding.
 
If you have different opinions based solely on bias, misinformation, or a lack of education, buckle up. These medications are not the weight loss drugs of the past, not even close. Medicine always comes with some risk, true. You may hear about the muscle loss, the “Ozempic face” or “Ozempic butt”, gastroparesis, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal side effects. Any weight loss will cause skin to sag, so that is a no-brainer and not caused by the medicine. Digestive issues do occur, but they are usually mild, short-term, and manageable. Don’t buy into all the hype against these medications - people love to hop on that bandwagon for all kinds of reasons, which we will talk about in other posts. The medication may not be for everybody.
 
But unchecked obesity also comes with risks that for someone like me are even greater. I genuinely believe I was headed for an early death. Now I have renewed life and better health, neither of which would be possible by simply trying to do another diet that doesn’t work for my body or address all of my metabolic issues. I take medical advice from a trusted provider with the necessary education and skills, and urge anyone else to do the same if you want to explore your own options.
 
I had to choose - stay obese and risk more health problems and probably early death, or take a GLP1 to manage diabetes (with a side-effect of weight loss) that might have some pesky side-effects (mine have been easily managed). I chose the help of Ozempic, and it has worked very well for me, and I could not be more grateful for that. I fully intend to stay on it, get to the healthiest weight for my body, and keep the diabetes in remission.
 
If you are interested in this journey, on your own journey, considering medication, or worried about loved ones who take them, know that I will be talking in future posts about all kinds of aspects of GLP1 use (see topics listed below). I will also talk about all that this journey has taught me about myself, about others, and about God. I could write many posts on various topics related to obesity, weight loss, and mental/emotional/physical/spiritual health. If for no other reason than to keep a journal for myself to look back at. But I do hope that someone reads it and finds it helpful.
 
More later, lots more to come...thanks for reading! If you have any questions or private comments, feel free to send me a message by using the contact form on this website, or dm me on any of my social media accounts. You can also leave a comment under this post.
 
Check back periodically for new posts. I’m not on a deadline, and posts will get written as I get inspired!
 
Brainstorming: Things I want to talk more about in no particular order, eventually:
*Obesity: is it a disease or simply a lack of self-control and therefore a sin issue?
*The stigma of obesity and overweight in general, what it is like to live in a larger body, why some people don’t want to admit they are on GLP1 medication, and why people judge
​*How does weight loss impact you spiritually, emotionally, and mentally?
*The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual connection to obesity
*Food noise, what it is and what it isn’t
*Why “eat less and move more” isn’t enough for some people
*Is nutrition and exercise vital if you are on a GLP-1?
*What is a GLP1, how do they work, and are they untested and unsafe, or well tested and proven safe?
*Is taking a GLP-1 cheating and taking the easy way out?
*How does a GLP-1 help you eat healthier and move more in sustainable ways that you couldn’t accomplish without the medicine’s help?
*What kind of diet and exercise are required to lose weight, or is the medicine going to melt the fat away regardless?
*Why are there so many naysayers when it comes to using medication?
*Is Ozempic (and Mounjaro) a “weight loss drug” or a diabetes treatment?
*What about side effects?
*What are the risks vs benefit?s
*What about loose skin and muscle loss?
*Is it just a big money machine and not really about helping people, is big pharma a problem with these medications, and does that negate their effectiveness (can two things be true at the same time)?
*Why do these medications cost so much, and why won’t some insurance companies cover it?
*What about compound versions? Are they safe?
*What happens when you stop taking it? Do you have to stay on it for the rest of your life?
*What else would you like to know? Send me a message, and I’ll add it to this growing list of future topics related to weight loss and health!
 
My hope is in faith, not medication. However, medication is a kindness from God that helps me on my journey as I seek to follow Him. It is simply one tool in the weight loss tool belt. It does not take weight off, but it enables me to do the things I need to do for losing weight sustainably.
 
We may disagree on points of theology or doctrine and what it means to live the Christian life, but I hope we can all agree that Jesus is Who He says He is. This is why I write this blog: 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”