The Hard Truth: 

Weight loss medications are not magic. Losing weight will require constant effort. 

They do not fix your metabolism or correct your adrenals. Medications like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Mounjaro work by reducing your appetite and hunger. Which in turn leads you to eat less food. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. If you are not losing weight while on one of these medications, you are not in a calorie deficit. Full stop. 

Unveiling the Truth:  Wegovy’s Impact on Weight Loss and Calorie Deficit

Yes, I know there are a lot of influencers that say, ‘I tried every diet in the book. Nothing else worked, but then I went on Wegovy, and the weight started coming off. Therefore, Wegovy fixed X issue, and calories don’t matter, etc.’

The only thing Wegovy fixed was that they started consistently eating in a calorie deficit. There was no other magic that occurred. Even if they had insulin resistance – which Wegovy and others don’t fix, the fat they lose corrects it. Further, insulin resistance does not impede weight loss. 

In no way am I saying weight loss is as easy as calories in vs. calories out; that is the foundation. There is a laundry list of crap that makes it hard AF to ensure someone achieves a calorie deficit consistently, everything from finances to the environment we all live in. Unfortunately, if you struggle with your weight, you are likely dealing with some genetics that causes you to gain weight more easily. 

Understanding the Weight Loss Journeys

We all know people that are naturally skinny. Like the smart kids in school, it seems like they don’t even need to try and can eat whatever they want. They are the people who, when offered a cookie, will say, ‘No thanks, I am not hungry.’ ‘Excuse me? I did not ask if you were hungry.’

Unfortunately, for you, me and everyone else that has ever struggled with their weight, we don’t have that luxury. We will need to work hard to lose weight and keep the weight off. We may also need to use medications or surgery as tools. It will require you to put in constant effort. 

A constant effort will involve some form of tracking whether you count calories, use hand portions, do daily weigh-ins, or do meal prep every weekend. It will involve increasing your activity, managing stress, and obtaining adequate sleep. It will require planning, preparation, and mindfulness. 

Taking Charge of Your Weight Loss and Embracing Responsibility

If you think the above sounds depressing and that life is unfair, you have the wrong mindset. You didn’t ask to be fat. You didn’t ask to develop emotional eating patterns following a childhood of abuse. You didn’t ask for any of the problems life has given you. 

However, it is your responsibility as to how you respond and deal with those problems. Even choosing to do nothing is a response. No one is saying you MUST deal with it. However, that means you would have to accept where you are. You have to accept that you are not going to lose further weight.

Taking responsibility is not saying what happened to you is okay or that you can’t be mad because you were dealt a sh*t hand. Taking responsibility is taking your power back. It says you can do something about this. Whether it is booking an appointment with your doctor to discuss medication or starting to track your calories. With responsibility comes action, and action leads to progress.    

Uncomfortable Realities on the Road to Weight Loss

It won’t be easy, but when has easy ever led to a fulfilling life? Easy leads to short-term pleasure and reward, but it does not lead to fulfillment. Stop asking for easy. Stop wishing you didn’t have problems. Instead, look at your problems as challenges. Challenges for you to overcome, to learn from, and to solve. Further, turn your focus to the effort, not the end result. The result will come, but the effort you put in is here right now.  

If you are still pissed off about the naturally skinny kids, I assure you they have a similar predicament. Their problems are just different from yours. We all have a story, and we all have sh*t to shovel. And I believe shovelling that sh*t and learning to become the best version of ourselves is what is the meaning of life. 

There is power in knowing the truth, but I have no doubt many of you may not like what I had to say. That is okay. In the coming weeks, I will build upon the above with a focus on the barriers, strategies, and steps you can take to maximize your effort.

Until next time, remember you can’t take that next step until you take the first step. 

Dr. Dan

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