The mighty cheat meals or cheat days! Are they a godsend from the dreadful process of dieting or another remnant of diet culture?

Depending on the article or gym bro you are talking to, a cheat meal is defined as the abandonment of a rigid or restrictive dietary pattern to consume a large number of calories via what is usually considered ‘bad’ foods.

Let’s take a closer look at cheat meals and find out what’s really going on.

The honeymoon phase of dieting. It is great while it lasts but like the honeymoon phase of dating and marriage, eventually the novelty and excitement wear off.

Then the hard part begins as our prefrontal cortex comes back online and is no longer blinded by an influx of dopamine, oxytocin and other hormones.

Is this diet or relationship going to be something that we can actually sustain?

Let’s see what’s possible.

We have all been there, the honeymoon phase of any new relationship, where your partner can do no wrong, and all their annoying quirks are cute. The same flood of emotions and stupidity can occur when people start the latest diet trend or fad, or a new weight management medication like Saxenda, Ozempic or Contrave. But, like the honeymoon phase in a relationship, eventually, the novelty starts to wear off. In the case of weight-loss, the number on the scale starts slowing down.

Let’s take a look and see what could be the cause.

Which is better?! Saxenda or Wegovy? Y’all wanted to know and it just so happens a trial published in January of 2022 answered this very question!

The authors of this paper directly compared Saxenda 3mg daily and Wegovy 2.4mg once weekly. Who came out on top? Let’s take a look!

I have had several subscribers and followers asking about hair loss with the GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Saxenda – they have either been experiencing thinning of their hair OR they know someone who might be experiencing it. Let’s take a look and see what could be the cause.

If you have diabetes, you very likely have heard of metformin, or if you have been paying attention to the news in the last couple of years, you may have also heard of it being recalled. Now I am not here to talk about how bad metformin is; actually, quite the opposite! Instead, today we are talking about why some people might lose weight when taking metformin. Let’s go!

We have dealt with the top end, but what about the back end? Today we are talking about mitigating 2 other common side effects, constipation and diarrhea, that can occur with the GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic and Saxenda.

But before we get into how we manage those side effects, let’s talk about what constipation and diarrhea actually are.

Nausea is one of my least favorite bodily sensations to feel. Nonetheless, I am sure every single one of us has experienced nausea, and/or vomiting on many occasions over the course of our lives. The problem with nausea is it is like fatigue, it is nondescript and could have countless causes, everything from early pregnancy to a viral infection and everything in between.

Nausea is also a common side effect of the GLP-1 RAs medications used for diabetes and obesity.

This will be Part 1 of a multi-part series where I review how to manage the most common side effects that come with the GLP-1 RAs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Saxenda.

Today we are starting with heartburn! Let’s go!