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Licensed psychologist Dr. Jen McWaters, and wellness coach Kaitlin Reed, join forces to help women create an abundant life through holistic wellness practices, mindset shifts, and fostering a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. Join us as we take a deep dive and uncover the raw truth about mental health, nutrition, fitness, and beyond, offering insights and strategies for transformative growth.
Dr. Jen McWaters is a licensed psychologist and a holistic wellness coach for women. She is a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional and is passionate about helping high-achieving women overcome their mental blocks, find freedom from anxiety, and create an abundant life inside and out. Find out more about her work at: awakeningholistichealth.com
Kaitlin Reed is a fitness, nutrition, and mental wellness coach on a mission to help women build the body and life they deserve and desire. She has BAs in Health Promotion and Wellness & Fitness Management, MA in Performance Psychology, currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Health Psychology. Her goal is to help women finally understand the science and strategy of nutrition and exercise so they can achieve their goals and live an empowered life. Head over to kaitlinreedwellness.com to learn more.
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your personal physician if you have any personal medical questions.
Welcome to the Counter Culture Health podcast. I'm doctor Jen McWaters. And I'm coach Caitlin Reed. We're here to help high achieving women overcome mental blocks, find freedom from anxiety, create an abundant life, and build the body and life that they deserve and desire. In this weekly podcast, we'll uncover the raw truth about mental health, nutrition, fitness, and beyond.
Intro:Let's get to it.
Jen:Hey guys. Welcome back to counterculture health. Today, we have our own Reed walking us through what is all the buzz around GLP-one Agonists, also commonly known as Ozempic. There's lots of other medications that fall underneath that title, but she's gonna walk us through what that's about, some of the pros cons for some benefits, and some other things to be considering, especially if you are someone who has been curious about this drug and have considered trying it. We have had lots of people request for us to talk about this, so we are finally doing this episode.
Jen:So, Kaitlin, why don't you get us started and tell us more about what what are these drugs, what are they commonly called, and we'll go from there.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Such a hot topic right now. So we get to finally address this and hopefully provide some clarity around around this topic too. But I think, first, it's important to define what a GLP one is. A GLP one is a hormone that is produced naturally in our body and small intestines after eating.
Kaitlin:It helps regulate blood sugar, digestion, and metabolism. It triggers the pancreas to release insulin, which helps remove glucose from the bloodstream. It impacts the brain by, controlling hunger and satiety, enhances memory and learning, promotes neurogenesis, decreases inflammation, modulates reward behavior, which I think is very fascinating, and reduces food intake, which is what we hear, most of all with that. Then we have all the the GLP one eggnus, which is what all the buzz is about, which are the medications that mimic the GLP one hormone. And this can include, Trulicity, Ozempic, semiglutide, tirzepatide, Manjaro, Wegovy.
Kaitlin:So those are all the medications that we have now that can mimic this GLP one hormone, that is naturally occurring in our body.
Jen:Wow. And it's a big moneymaker right now. Right? Like, it's popular. I I was just telling you before we recorded that, I mean, I go to a party.
Jen:I hear people talking about it and their experience being on it. I have clients who have experience being on or are on it now. It's really the buzz. And, you know, obviously weight is a problem, especially in the US and particularly we know how weight can impact our physical health and our mental health and how we heal about ourselves. So it it is something that needs to be addressed.
Jen:We just wanna think about what are the risks and benefits if you decide to go on this because any medication has risks. We just wanna be eyes wide open before we step into something and just know there's no typically, there's no miracle drug or miracle cure, and it's more multilayered, more multifactorial as to why someone gets to that place and what needs to happen for them to fully recover and heal.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And I think what we want to drive home is that it's this is not, for or against topic. This isn't, supported or, I'm totally against it.
Kaitlin:It is so individualized, and, there are people that it that can benefit from it. There might also be people that are taking it that maybe shouldn't be taking it. But at the end of the day, nothing beats, as we know, sleep, nutrition, exercise. So this shouldn't be a substitute for. It can be, in addition to.
Kaitlin:So maybe we can talk about who could benefit from it and maybe who shouldn't who should not be taking it. Okay.
Jen:Walk us through that.
Kaitlin:Yeah. There are, you know, there are some people that could be, GLP 1 deficient or resistant, so their body is not efficiently producing enough or their body doesn't recognize the GLP 1. So they're struggling with, hunger, and appetite, and binge eating or something like that. So those people could truly benefit from something like this. You know, people that have tried everything and anything, they've done the nutrition.
Kaitlin:They've done the strength training. They've managed their stress. They've tried everything, and they're just continue to struggle with their weight, and it seems like nothing is working. I think those people could truly benefit from this. We know the risk of obesity.
Kaitlin:And so we have to think about, are the risks of obesity and being overweight, you know, worth the risk of possibly taking this this medication. You know? And so it's really important to think about that of I think the risk from obesity and being overweight far outweigh the possible possible risk of, you know, taking the GLP one agonist.
Jen:Yeah. And I like to think too about what is the long term game plan. So I always think about that with psychotropic medication as well. They try to be more medication neutral, but definitely lean towards, you know, natural when as much as possible and meds as a last resort to your point. And if meds are gonna be introduced, having a exit plan.
Jen:Because what often happens with medication is we go on them. They do benefit us. It feels like it's working. And then years can go by and you're on this medication and eventually you might have side effects and or now you have those dependence. And then it may not maybe align with some other health goals you have or let's say you wanna get pregnant or it meant you can't be on when you wanna get pregnant.
Jen:And then you're in this difficult position of how do you get off of these drugs, but still maintain the results that you got, whether that's mental health or physical. So that's always something to keep in mind. Right? It's like, what is gonna be the exit plans? We're not dependent on an injection every single month to maintain the progress.
Kaitlin:Yep. Yep. Such an important, piece of this is working on habits and behavior and so that you don't revert back to habits and behaviors that you were doing before medication. And that's where working with doctor or coach or someone to help you and guide you through that, can be so helpful and important, because the point of being on this is to improve your health and your lifestyle, not just take this medication as a quick fit, and continue doing what you're doing, but just not being on a medication. You know, we don't want to take this and continuing to eat a ton of processed food or fast food or, you know, we want to change the quality in foods that we're eating too.
Kaitlin:We want to add in exercise and and not continue to be sedentary while also taking this medication. Right.
Jen:And so let's maybe talk about what are the risks involved. Because to your point, we know that one of the things people throw out there is the concern for loss of muscle mass, and there are, you know, ways to offset that, which is one of your areas of expertise. So walk us through that. Like you said, what are the things you have to do to offset the risk? So what are the risks, and then what's gonna be the way to offset that?
Kaitlin:Yeah. Well and, like, common side effects of these, medications are nausea, vomiting, pancreatitis, gallstones, you know, a lot of
Jen:Thyroid issues too is my understanding or impact on the thyroid.
Kaitlin:Yep. Yep. So those are, of course, you know, to be aware of, But I've also heard a lot that it's about the dosing too. You know, people that experience and, I mean, it's very individualized like we said before. Everybody reacts and responds to medications differently.
Kaitlin:But a lot of what has been said is that people that experience pretty extreme side effects from these is they're on a really high high dose, and it might just be too much for them. And there's a lot of research around microdosing with this medication too that can be very, helpful and beneficial. So I think it's all about the dosing too to be aware of. You know, if you're having side effects, maybe backing off on the dosing and see if you re respond better to a microdose or smaller dosage too. But like you mentioned, the the big talk is about how dangerous they are in losing muscle mass.
Kaitlin:The reality is is that and this is all because when you go on this medication, you eat less. So you're in a calorie deficit. The reality is is that anyone that's in a calorie deficit, regardless if you're taking this medication or not, is at risk of losing muscle mass because you're in a deficit and you're not eating you're you're it's spending more than what you're consuming, and so there's always a risk of losing muscle during that process. That's why it's so important to make sure you're eating a high protein diet and strength training along with taking this medication. If if that doesn't happen, if, you are at higher risk of losing muscle mass, which we know metabolically puts us in a worse position.
Kaitlin:So it's not that GLP one agonist cause muscle loss. It's the calorie deficit that people are in that contributes to muscle loss that happens regardless of if you're on this medication or not. But protein and strength training decreases the risk of losing a ton of muscle, during this process, and the goal is always to maintain the most amount of muscle as possible while dee decreasing body fat.
Jen:Is there a ideal or rough range of the ideal pace for losing weight? Because to your point, I think some of it's the rapidity of it, how quickly that happens, people losing lots and lots of pounds really quickly, some muscle mass where just can't catch up. So is there an ideal range?
Kaitlin:That's a tough tough question.
Jen:I didn't prep for that one. Well, it's okay.
Kaitlin:No. Well, it's very it's very nuanced. People that are severely overweight tend to lose weight a lot of weight quicker because, you know, extra water weight, inflammation, all of that. People that I I think a you know? So they might be losing £5 a week or something.
Kaitlin:I think a safe range, a realistic and sustainable range over the long term is a half a pound to a pound a week, maybe £2 a week. And £2 is on the high end. You know, and a lot of people, that seems, like, so slow, and it's gonna take them forever, and it's not enough. And, but you have to think about long term and sustainability. How sustainable is it to lose £5 a week for the rest of your life and then also try to keep that off?
Kaitlin:It's not so when when you approach it, slower and in a realistic way, that half pound to a pound a week, it is sustainable to keep off, for the rest of your life and and to keep keep up with.
Jen:That makes sense. That's a good answer. And I think that's, like you said, more realistic and sustainable and can allow your body a time to adjust to the change as well and the change to your lifestyle and what you're eating and give you a chance to also build muscle and hopefully, you know, enough to replace as you go to.
Kaitlin:Yeah. I have yet to see someone that lost a lot of weight very quickly keep it off. Typically, they gain it all back and then more afterwards. So always thinking about, yes, it might be frustrating in the moment and seem slow, but in the long run, it's going to better serve you and be, the best option.
Jen:So it's important to have really realistic expectations when you go into a weight loss journey, whether it's using medication or not is what I'm hearing you say. Yeah.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Which is why it's so important to work with a coach to kind of, reel you in some type a good coach, I should say, you know, that, can reel you in sometimes when you're frustrated or feel like it's not going fast enough and remind you of the long term goal in this process.
Jen:Yeah. I agree. And, you know, neither of us are physicians, so we're not the ones that would be prescribing these medications. But, I've worked with clients who have been or or are on these medications. And that is what the work is focused on is helping them change their lifestyle, giving them accountability for that, providing education around that, and really working on that transformation of the mindset and relationship with food so that on the back end, they can sustain their results hopefully without or with minimal medication.
Jen:And that takes time. It takes time to shift your thought patterns. It takes time to potentially work through trauma, takes time to change relationship with food, learn how to manage urges, especially if you struggle with disordered eating. So it is a process. It is not a quick fix at all if you wanna do it the right way and sustain your results.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Yeah. The interesting part too is that, protein and fiber are, like, a natural way to increase or stimulate, GLP 1. So you know? And, of course, we know the importance of muscle with blood sugar and insulin too.
Kaitlin:So it's, you know, it's just very interesting that protein, you know, we talk about all the time. Here it is again. Protein helps naturally stimulate GLP 1. So, interesting. Yeah.
Jen:I would suggest that maybe that would be some so for people who, again, maybe haven't tried everything, there's research out there that would support doing the lifestyle modifications and changing up your nutrition and going making sure you're getting sufficient protein to see if that is what unlocks the key to helping you get there. And then, of course, medications always are as a last resort. We just wanna make sure we are trying other things first, and that's cool that that is out there right now. It's fascinating. And, naturally, after you and I have been talking about protein, I've been more conscious of that with myself, but also with my clients.
Jen:And I honestly have yet and and I work with majority, almost all women. I've yet to really meet one client who's actually getting even close to what her daily intake of protein should be, And that's Yeah. Telling.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Significantly low. I mean, most people are under a 100 grams a day, which is just severely deficient.
Jen:So as a reminder, if you haven't listened to our previous episodes, please go back. There's some really good ones early on about protein and strength training and the importance of those. But remind us again, I mean, I know what it is, but you tell us, how much protein should you be getting per day as a rough estimate?
Kaitlin:One gram of protein per pound of goal body weight. And if you're happy with your body weight, then 1 pound of, or 1 gram of protein per pound of current body weight. Yep. That means So if you're
Jen:a £150 and that's a good stable weight for you, you're not trying to lose weight, then that'd be a 150 grams of protein during the day. And think about, like I think you said it's a handful of, let's say, like, meat would be 20, 25 ounces.
Kaitlin:Palm size. Size. Yeah. Yeah. It's about 30 grams of protein.
Jen:30. And some people like, 4 ounces. Four ounces. Yeah. So 4 ounces is 30 grams.
Jen:So most people I know, like, they're having maybe a meal, maybe 2 meals if they're lucky a day that has that much palm sized protein, which is not even a 100 grams.
Kaitlin:Not even close.
Jen:Not even close. Yeah. Yeah.
Kaitlin:So then it's you know, no wonder people feel the way that they do, with that. But we also know that, you know, changing behaviors is is really hard. And so sometimes taking these medications, it can give people that, like, boost to be able to change. You know? They might just not be able to do that on their own, and we just need a little something to help them to make change, and this could be it too.
Kaitlin:You know, same thing with, medications for mental health. You know, someone might be so severely depressed that they can't put up and and make change. But if we give if medication can give that little boost so that they can start making change. So, it is a tool in the toolbox for sure.
Jen:And you said earlier there's some people that maybe shouldn't be on it. I'm curious about that list.
Kaitlin:Yes. Yep. So, just to kinda recap, people that this could be helpful for is, people that have tried everything and for years just continue to struggle with their weight and not being able to make change, probably have over £30 to lose, struggle with excessive hunger even after they have eaten and still shouldn't be hungry. They still feel hungry. And also people that experience a bigger reward from food because that can happen too.
Kaitlin:So I think those people are the ones that could benefit from this. Now I think where the controversy controversy and where people are against this is because there's a lot of people that are taking this that probably shouldn't be. And I think that that comes down to the people that are taking this for purely aesthetic reasons that have £5 to lose, even 15 or £20 to lose. It's not appropriate for that. Or someone that just wants to lose a few pounds to look good in their bathing suit or whatever.
Kaitlin:Like, that is not what this medication is meant for, and that is not the people that should be taking this, in my opinion.
Jen:And how do you feel about folks who have a history of disordered eating or in a diagnosed eating disorder?
Kaitlin:Uh-huh. If you've binge eating, possibly, it could it could be very helpful for them. Now people that are on the other end of, anorexia, body dysmorphia, probably not a good idea, and that's a very slippery slope to go down.
Jen:Yeah. I agree. It's nuance. And there's so, again, so many things that can contribute to being overweight. So you wanna work with really solid professionals that are in there and in it to help you look at the root cause and maybe use this as a tool.
Jen:But sometimes there can be. I don't know of any with this in this arena, but, you know, doctors that are profiting on this drug. I mean, it is a very profitable drug. Clinics that are very profitable because of this, and they're focused on making that money and may not be spending the time. So you had the root cause or assessing people for appropriateness or if they have disordered eating going on or other things that would suggest that maybe they shouldn't be on this or at least not try this right now without doing some other things first.
Kaitlin:Yeah. And the other interesting part on that is how much more expensive it is in the states compared to other countries, which I don't know.
Jen:It's a whole another rabbit hole. Right? Like, the cost of drugs, it's it's kinda wild. Yeah. But it is you know, in all things, I always remind people, it's a business.
Jen:Right? Like drugs do help people. They can help people, but the companies that make them are corporations that are for profit that make money. So always be a good consumer. Do your research, really understand the side effects.
Jen:Look at all other options first before you do a medication, if you can. Again, there might be reasons why you have to go after that and just have a good provider if you do, but just be conscious of that. Just because other people are doing it doesn't mean it's right for you. Just because a lot of people are doing it doesn't necessarily mean it's safe. You have to really make a very mindful decision with with any of these things.
Kaitlin:Yep. Yep. Very good point. I think the most fascinating part for me, anyways, about these drugs is the impact that it has had on, like, addictive behaviors. It and this goes beyond food is alcohol, drugs, gambling, porn.
Kaitlin:It has shown, and I think that goes that goes along with the impact that it has on the reward system in the brain, how it has helped people, with addictions and those type like, hedonistic behaviors too, which I think is very fascinating. So this could possibly be helpful for people that not only are struggling with weight, but also addiction and and some of those other, addictive behaviors too.
Jen:That's a good point because the the stories that always are really interesting to me and curious are when people are using this drug and having either these other unintended benefits or maybe that's why they're taking it. It's actually not for weight, but they're microdosing for other reasons. So I've heard really interesting things. Like, I was telling you, a random person I went into in a party and just having, like, these digestive issues that result because of the drug. Well well, that's what's that about?
Jen:You know, there's no I mean, I don't know at least the pathway for that, but that's interesting. And I think is it doctor Tina that you and I both follow on Instagram too? She talks a lot about this. So if you guys are curious, it's deep dive. She talks a lot about that.
Jen:It's doctor Tina with a y. And I think she talks about it for, like, hormonal things too and changes that happen or, like, especially with menopause.
Kaitlin:Yep.
Jen:So that's interesting.
Kaitlin:And I don't
Jen:think we fully know yet all of the effects, benefits, and risks that we have with this drug, but it's interesting that it is impacting other systems and pathways and things we did not expect.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Well, it makes sense. Like, a lot of our hormones are produced in our gut. Right? So if we're having gut issues, then our hormones are gonna be out of whack.
Kaitlin:So we can get, that straightened out, how that impacts us overall. So, It's just the, like, how is
Jen:it helping the gut? You know? And that's my thing because I you know you know about gut rebuilding, and it's work to do that to, you know, resolve a gut issue. So it's like, what is this medication doing where people are having, like, a gut issue resolved? Like, that's fascinating.
Kaitlin:Yeah. Yeah. And I should have touched on this when we were talking about muscle, but it there it's also shown to be muscle sparing. The the calorie deficit and low calories is what causes the decrease in muscle, but the medications are what's getting blamed for it. So, there's studies out now that show, these GLP one drugs being muscle sparing when you have high enough protein and strength training along with it.
Kaitlin:So that's very fascinating as well.
Jen:That's interesting. So, again, if you do it, do it the right way.
Kaitlin:Yes. Yes. Yes. If you do this, make sure you're eating enough protein, eating well, and strength training is the way to go with this medication.
Jen:Awesome. Well, thank you for that overview. That's super helpful. And, again, there's it's never gonna be black and white. There's no right or wrong with this.
Jen:And so I apologize if you were hoping for that when you were listening of, like, is it good or bad? Because as always, it's always nuance and it depends.
Kaitlin:Yep. That's always it depends.
Jen:So, but I hope this was helpful for our listeners and thank you for taking the time to research those topics. I know we've been asked for this or asked about this for a while. So if you guys have further questions and wanna reach out to Caitlin, you can do that. You guys have our information in the show notes and we hope you guys have an amazing day and we will see you guys next week. Thanks for joining us on the Counter Culture Health podcast.
Jen:To support this show, please rate, review, and share with your friends and family. If you wanna be reminded of new episodes, click the subscribe button on your preferred podcast player. You can find me, Jen, at awaken.holistic.healthand@awakeningholistichealth.com.
Intro:And me, Caitlin, at Caitlin Reed Wellness and Caitlin Reed Wellness.com. The content of the show is for educational and informational purposes only. As always, talk to your doctor and health team. See you next time.