By: Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
The Ozempic train continues to go down the track, but at what risk to the end-user? This weight loss drug has been touted as a “miracle weight loss drug” by many celebrities. Sure, their transformations are impressive, but are the risks truly worth the reward?
In an effort to lose weight, Americans are flooding their doctor’s offices to hop on this “so-called” weight loss drug. With little long-term studies on Ozempic, are people ultimately putting their health and lives at risk?
While I’m no doctor and am certainly not telling you to use Ozempic or not, I’m simply laying out a foundation on which you should make your own decision.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into Ozempic, and how it can improve weight loss, along with the risks and other methods you may want to try before asking your doctor for a script.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.
How Ozempic Can Help You Improve Weight Loss
If you want to get all scientific, Ozempic is known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist (or
Glucagon-like peptide-1).
Taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist is typically prescribed to patients by a doctor as a treatment method for type 2 diabetes as it helps better control blood sugar levels by supporting the release of insulin.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at things), another characteristic of Ozempic and these GLP-1 receptor agonists is its ability to (possibly) combat obesity.
While the drug was meant for diabetics, many doctors are prescribing Ozempic to help their patients lose weight. While there’s nothing wrong with that, we need to dive a little deeper into the subject to get the full picture.
Additionally, Ozempic helps slow down digestion, ultimately helping the individual feel fuller for longer. What this means is the drug can also be used as an appetite suppressant — potentially supporting weight loss.
Ozempic, by itself, does not cause any sort of weight loss or fat loss. By simply altering hunger, an individual taking this drug will naturally eat less because they won’t be as hungry. This essentially puts them in a caloric deficit, leading to weight loss.
If you’re already grabbing your phone to schedule an appointment with your doctor to grab yourself some Ozempic, I implore you to pump the brakes and continue reading. Ozempic may be enticing for many, but it’s not all butterflies and rainbows where by simply taking Ozempic it will cure all your weight loss issues. As with many drugs on the market, there are some potential side effects.
The Ugly Side of Ozempic
Without flooding you with a bunch of lawsuits that have been filed, you may want to hit up Google and search for “Ozempic lawsuits.” There are quite a few. Why, you may ask? Well, Ozempic sounds good on paper, but the side effects can be harsh and too much for many.
And while you’re at it, a Google search for “Ozempic side effects” could be enough to cause you to steer in the other direction away from Ozempic.
If you look at some of the common side effects of the drug, you will find that Ozempic can cause:
• Interactions with other medications
• Allergic reactions
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Gallstones
• Thyroid issues
• Pancreas issues
• Water retention
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• And MORE!
Are you still thinking about using Ozempic? Let’s dive into some other methods you should try first.
How to Improve Weight Loss Without the Use of Prescription Drugs
As mentioned above, Ozempic can help control blood sugar levels as well as support weight loss by improving satiety and fullness. But what happens when you get off the drug?
If you look at most drugs out on the market today for weight loss, it’s a crutch that people use for a quick and simple solution to a much more complex issue. What many find when they get off of these drugs is that they gain all the weight back (and more).
But why is that? The answer is quite simple — they haven’t learned anything or changed their habits and behaviors. People stop using Ozempic and continue eating the way they always have. Only now, they have nothing controlling blood sugar levels or causing them to feel full.
What you’re potentially left with is massive weight gain rather than weight loss.
Putting a Plan Together
All roads lead to poor behaviors and habits. We all get so accustomed to eating certain foods in certain quantities and have normalized sitting all day and being less active. You need to change those habits.
A better option to try before going the route of Ozempic would be to:
• Fix your eating habits
• Exercise and move more
• Leverage natural supplements
The old saying, “Nothing works unless you do,” is truer today than ever. But everyone is looking for a quick fix, which is why Ozempic is so popular. Take a pill and lose weight — who wouldn’t want to do that, right?
But for many, the side effects quickly turn them off, and they stop using Ozempic altogether. I’ve seen it firsthand with some of the people I know who thought this “miracle drug” was the answer to their body weight issues. They learned the hard way that the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Below is a three-prong approach you need to establish daily to support your weight management goals:
1. Make Changes to Your Diet
If you can change your nutrition habits by eating smaller meals, consuming fewer
overall calories per day, and substituting unhealthy choices for healthier ones, you may notice a drastic difference in your weight loss results.
You don’t need to completely eliminate all the foods you enjoy, but be smarter about portion control and maintaining a caloric deficit that supports weight loss.
If you’re unsure if you’re meeting your daily recommended caloric intake and macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), try logging your meals with something like MyFitnessPal. It’s a free app that helps you record your food intake.
2. Move More and Get Some Exercise
Another thing to focus on is moving more throughout the day — stop being so
sedentary.
If you find yourself sitting more than you are moving throughout the day, fix it.
Take a walk during your lunch break or after dinner, hit the gym a few times a week, park in the pack of the parking lot and walk rather than circling the parking lot for the closest spot, use the stairs instead of the elevator... simply move more.
Sitting is the new smoking and leads to many health risks that people overlook.
3. Leverage Natural Supplements
The last piece of our trio is natural supplements.
Natural supplements hold many of the same benefits that a drug like Ozempic can produce.
For instance, there are supplements that can help you manage your appetite, blood sugar, energy, and overall weight management.
What supplements are we talking about? Supplements like Vitamyna Slimmer You.
With powerful ingredients like Adrenal Max Ext., Berberine, Chromium Polynicotinate, Green Tea Extract, and Fenugreek (all ingredients that have been shown to help support weight management), it’s the perfect combination to help you regain your confidence and support a slimmer, healthier you.
By making the appropriate changes to your nutrition, exercise, and supplement routine, you have the ability to reach your weight management goals without the use of prescription drugs.
Even better, you can do it without the harsh side effects so many people claim when using drugs like Ozempic.
Leverage the strategies listed above and give Vitamyna Slimmer You a try for yourself today to support your health and weight management goals!
