GLP-1 Medications: What I Think Everyone Should Know - July 2026

Over the past year, I have found myself having the same conversation over and over again. Clients ask me whether GLP-1 medications are the miracle we've been waiting for or whether they're something to avoid. My answer is almost always the same:

It's more complicated than that.

There is little debate that medications such as Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro®, and Zepbound® have changed the treatment of obesity. According to a 2024 KFF Health Tracking Poll, approximately 1 in 8 American adults report having taken a GLP-1 medication. Clinical trials of the newest GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP medications have shown average weight losses of 15–21% of body weight—results that were once achieved primarily through bariatric surgery.

For many people, these medications have been life changing. They have improved blood sugar control, reduced obesity-related health risks, and offered hope after years of frustration with dieting.

But I believe the most important question isn't whether these medications work.

I think the better question is:

"What does successful weight loss and weight maintenance actually look like and how can I best improve my health?"

As a nutritionist who works with many different nutrition challenges, my definition of success goes far beyond the number on the scale. I want to know whether someone is losing excess body fat while preserving muscle, maintaining adequate nutrition, improving their health, and building habits that will continue supporting them long after the medication is stopped.

One of the Most Fascinating Changes: Food Noise

One of the most common phrases associated with GLP-1 medications is the reduction of "food noise."

Food noise refers to the constant mental chatter surrounding food.  This includes…thinking about what to eat, battling cravings, negotiating with yourself, or feeling of being preoccupied with food throughout the day.

For some people, these medications dramatically quiet that internal dialogue. Many describe feeling free for the first time in years.

As someone who has spent my career helping people heal their relationship with food, I find this fascinating.

For some individuals, reducing food noise may be one of the greatest benefits these medications provide.

Is Hunger Really the Enemy?

One statement I hear frequently from clients taking GLP-1 medications is:

"I'm never hungry anymore."

For many people, this feels like freedom. But I often find myself asking a different question.

When did hunger become something we were trying to eliminate?

Hunger is not a character flaw.  It is not a lack of willpower. It is not something our bodies invented to make life difficult.

Hunger is one of the body's most sophisticated biological signals. It exists to help us meet our nutritional needs and keep us alive. Just as thirst tells us we need fluids, hunger tells us our body needs energy.

A healthy relationship with food doesn't mean never feeling hungry.  It means learning to recognize hunger, respond to it appropriately, and also recognize fullness.

The goal is not to eliminate hunger. 

The goal is learning to trust our body's signals while making choices that support both physical and emotional health.

Looking Beyond the Number on the Scale; Let’s look at Body Composition

Perhaps the biggest shift occurring in obesity medicine isn't how much weight people lose.

It's what kind of weight they lose.

Current research suggests that approximately 60–75% of the weight lost with GLP-1 medications comes from body fat, while roughly 25–40% comes from lean mass.

That statistic has received a lot of attention, but it is often misunderstood.

Lean mass is not the same thing as muscle.

Lean mass also includes body water, connective tissue, and organs. During successful weight loss, organs such as the liver often lose excess fat and return toward a healthier size. That means some of the measured loss of lean mass actually reflects healthier organs rather than muscle wasting.

The real concern is preserving skeletal muscle, because muscle plays a vital role in strength, mobility, blood sugar regulation, metabolism, bone health, and healthy aging.

This is one reason nutrition remains so important while taking these medications.

Nutrition Still Matters

One misconception I hear is:

"Since I'm eating less, I don't have to think as much about nutrition."

In reality, the opposite is true.

When you're eating less food, every bite becomes more important.

People taking GLP-1 medications may unintentionally consume too little protein, carbs, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, healthy fats, or even total calories.

This is especially important because preserving muscle requires more than simply eating protein. It requires adequate calories, carbohydrates to fuel activity, resistance training, and meeting overall nutritional needs.

One of my greatest concerns is that people become so focused on the number on the scale that they overlook signs their body is becoming undernourished.

Weight loss is not always the same thing as improved health.

If someone loses 30 pounds but also loses significant muscle, develops nutrient deficiencies, feels exhausted, or develops a more unhealthy relationship with food, we need to ask whether the approach is truly supporting long-term well-being.

Who Should Be More Cautious?

Like many medical treatments, GLP-1 medications can be incredibly helpful for the right person.

At the same time, additional caution may be appropriate for individuals with a current or past eating disorder, chronic restrictive dieting, low body weight, malnutrition, or an intense preoccupation with weight and body shape.

Within the eating disorder field, one concern is that appetite-suppressing medications may worsen, trigger, or disguise eating disorder symptoms in vulnerable individuals.

In a June 24, 2026, recent study, 32% of those with an eating disorder were using GLP1s, 10% said they had misused GLP1s and 9.9% reported using non-commercial compounded products.

This doesn't mean these medications should never be used. It means they should be prescribed thoughtfully and monitored carefully by healthcare professionals who understand both nutrition and mental health.

What Happens When the Medication Stops?

This may be one of the most important questions of all.

Research shows that many people regain weight after stopping GLP-1 medications. That doesn't mean the medications failed. It means they work while they are being used.

The more important question becomes:

What habits are being built while the medication is helping?

• Are you learning how to nourish your body?

• Are you strength training?

• Are you developing a healthier relationship with food?

• Are you building habits that will support you years from now?

Medication can be an incredibly valuable tool, but lasting health almost always requires skills that extend beyond a prescription.

My Takeaway

People often ask me whether I think GLP-1 medications are "good" or "bad."

The answer is not that simple.

I believe GLP1s are powerful tools that can improve the lives of many people when used thoughtfully and appropriately. What concerns me is when the conversation becomes only about weight loss.

As a nutritionist, I want us to ask better questions.

• Are you adequately nourished?

• Are you preserving muscle?

• Are you improving your health?

• Are you supporting your mental health?

• Are you building habits that will continue serving you long after the medication is stopped?

Health is about much more than body weight. The goal should never be to simply weigh less.

The goal should be to become healthier.

Sometimes those goals overlap beautifully. Sometimes they do not.

Regardless of whether someone chooses to take a GLP-1 medication, my hope is that we shift our focus away from simply achieving a smaller body…to expanding our definition of health. Weight is one piece of the puzzle, but it is not the whole picture. True health also includes adequate nourishment, preserved muscle, metabolic health, emotional well-being, and a peaceful relationship with food.

If you or someone you love is considering a GLP-1 medication, or you are already taking one and would like support in protecting nutrition, preserving muscle, and developing a healthier relationship with food, my team and I would be honored to partner with you on your journey towards better health.

In good health,