Understanding Your Options

If you’ve spent any time online this year, you’ve seen the ads, the headlines and the conversations about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. They’re everywhere, and for some people they’ve been genuinely helpful. But not everyone wants to go down that path — and not everyone is a suitable candidate. If you’re weighing up your options before you fill a script, here’s what I’d want you to know.

What GLP-1 Medications Actually Do

GLP-1 medications work by mimicking a hormone that acts on both the brain and the body. Centrally, they influence the hypothalamus to enhance feelings of satiety (feeling full after eating or not feeling hungry at all); peripherally, they enhance insulin secretion, slow gastric emptying and reduce glucagon secretion (the hormone that increases blood glucose levels) (Moiz et al., 2025; Rosen & Ingelfinger, 2026). For some people, this translates into meaningful changes in weight and blood glucose control. They can be a legitimate part of a treatment plan for the right person, prescribed and monitored by a GP or specialist.

Why Some People Are Looking for Another Option

Like any medication, GLP-1 therapies come with considerations. Gastrointestinal side effects are the most commonly reported adverse events, and questions remain around long-term safety, ongoing cost and what happens after a person stops taking them (Ilias et al., 2025). Some of the adverse side effects are mostly gastrointestinal due to the delayed effect on gastric emptying and can include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and reflux (Moore et al., 2023; Rosen & Ingelfinger, 2026).  Other side effects can include dizziness, headaches and a rapid resting heart rate (tachycardia) (Moore et al., 2023).  GLP-1 medications are effective in reducing weight and hunger cues, although this results in rapid weight loss (producing sagging skin and a drooping face in some individuals), and the loss of muscle tissue (Fabi et al., 2026).  The other complication is the long-term effectiveness of GLP-1 medications and if a patient stops using GLP-1 medications, there is a high chance of the weight returning (Rosen & Ingelfinger, 2026).

A Different Starting Point: Addressing the Source of the Problem

A nutritionist approaches stubborn weight, metabolic syndrome, obesity and pre-diabetes in a different way.  The root cause is a dysfunction of how the body responds to insulin, and targeting this through tailored diet and lifestyle choices can yield long-lasting results.  I work by addressing insulin resistance first, which makes weight loss possible, and at a safe rate (not a sudden shock to the body), so that muscle loss and sagging skin are minimised.  I have trained with Metabolic Balance®, which takes this one step further by finding a list of foods that will also help reduce inflammation.  This food list is built around your blood test results, so it is tailored to your body specifically.

What the Metabolic Balance® Program Involves

The program starts with an initial consult and a blood test referral, followed by a plan built specifically around your results. From there, you’re supported through six coaching sessions as your body moves through the different phases of the plan, with check-ins timed around exactly when you need them — before a new phase starts, so you know what to expect and how best to approach meal planning.  If you want to find out more about Metabolic Balance® click on the links below:

Is This Approach Right for You?

Nutrition isn’t a replacement for medical treatment, and it isn’t the right fit for everyone. What it does offer is a structured, evidence-based option to try first — or to run alongside other care, in consultation with your GP.   If you are taking GLP-1 medications, a nutritionist can guide you towards the most nutritious food to support your body as every mouthful matters for clients on GLP-1 medications.  If you are considering removing this medication (under the supervision of your GP), a nutritionist can support you in navigating diet and lifestyle to minimise weight regain.

If you’d like to talk through your options, I offer a free 20-minute discovery call to talk through your goals and answer your questions, with no obligation to go ahead.

References

Fabi, S., Yoo, J., Kaufman-Janette, J., Dayan, S., Boyd, C., Sangha, S., & Ashourian, N.  (2026).  Aesthetic concerns and nonsurgical treatment trends in patients with GLP-1 agonist-associated weight loss. Dermatologic Surgery, 52(6S), S23–S28.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000005166

Ilias, I., Zabuliene, L., & Rizzo, M. (2025). GLP-1 receptor agonists in diabetes and weight loss: The double-edged sword of innovation and risks. Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare, 6(1530811). https://doi.org/10.3389/fcdhc.2024.1530811

Moiz, A., Filion, K. B., Tsoukas, M. A., Yu, O. H., Peters, T. M., & Eisenberg, M. J. (2025). Mechanisms of GLP-1 receptor agonist-induced weight loss: A review of central and peripheral pathways in appetite and energy regulation. American Journal of Medicine, 138(6), 934–940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2025.01.021

Moore, P. W., Malone, K., Van Valkenburg, D., Rando, L. L., Williams, B. C., Matejowsky, H. G., Ah,adzadeh, S., Shekoohi, S., Cornett, E. M., & Kaye, A. D.  (2023).  GLP-1 agonist for weight loss: Pharmacology and clinical implications.  Advances in Therapy, 40(2023), 723–742. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-022-02394-w

Rosen, C. J., & Ingelfinger, J. R.  (2026).  GLP-1 receptor agonists.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 394(13), 1313–1324. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra2500106