Beyond the Buzz: Exploring the Truth Behind Ozempic for Weight Management

Sarah McLachlan: 0:03

Hey there, I'm Sarah McLachlan. Thanks for joining me on the Chaos to Calm podcast, a podcast designed for women over 40 who think that changing hormones might be messing with their mood, metabolism and energy and want to change that in a healthy, sustainable and permanent way. Each episode will explore topics related to health and wellness for women in their 40s, like what the heck is happening to your hormones, what to do about it with nutrition, lifestyle and stress management, and inspiring conversations with guests sharing their insights and tips on how to live your best life in your 40s and beyond. So if you're feeling like you're in the midst of a hormonal storm and don't want perimenopause to be horrific, then join me on Chaos to Calm, as I share with you how to make it to menopause without it wrecking your relationships and life. Hello and welcome to the Chaos to Calm podcast, episode number 19, where we are continuing our journey and unraveling the mysteries or the issues in perimenopause so that you can navigate this phase of life and it not be horrific.

Sarah McLachlan: 1:20

I am your host, Sarah, the perimenopause naturopath, and today I'm really excited to be diving into a hot topic, and that is the trend of using drugs like Ozempic for weight loss. So we are going beyond the buzz and exploring the truth behind Ozempic, and does it make for sustainable weight loss. Let's dive in. So, before we get started, let's understand exactly what Ozempic and drugs like it, because there are others on the market now, and in America there's some specifically made for weight loss that aren't diabetic drugs. So, yes, ozempic is on label is a prescription drug primarily used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and it has gained so much popularity as a weight loss aid that now it's becoming harder for diabetics to get and we're often seeing shortages of it here in Australia. So I want to talk you through how it works. I think it's really important that you always understand how something that you're taking or something that you're doing or using how it works makes it easier for you to stick with things when you understand how they work, but it also helps you make informed consent around what you're doing.

Sarah McLachlan: 2:33

So Ozempic belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonist, so it's a semi-glutide injection it is, and comes in different size doses there. So it works by mimicking the action of a hormone in your body called glucagon, like peptide 1, and that hormone, glp-1, helps regulate your blood sugar levels and also contributes to appetite control. So by activating the GLP-1 receptors, ozenpic can reduce your appetite. It slows down how your food leaves your stomach, so that's how it reduces your appetite and it promotes a feeling of fullness. In that same way, it also helps your pancreas produce more insulin when your blood sugar is high. So we get the the glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells and it helps prevent your liver from making and releasing too much of its own glucose. So, yeah, it can seem like a magic solution. I mean, you only have to go search in your news app. I went and did that today on Apple News. There is a mountain of stories on Ozenpik and celebrities and people losing weight on it. So it does seem like that magic wand for sure.

Sarah McLachlan: 3:55

But I really think, like I said in the intro, you really got to consider the limitations of something that you're taking and the potential side effects and the risks to you. Now you always hopefully whoever's prescribing things like this to you is discussing those with you. But it's also really important that you ask questions or ask to see the sheet that comes with the medication and read through that, because that outlines all of the risks and side effects that might be there. Often I see with people, especially if they're taking multiple medications, that sometimes their side effects or the things that they're experiencing they actually don't realise the side effects of the medications that they're on. So let's have a talk about the physical side effects that might come with using Ozenpik for weight loss, and then I want to talk through some other things to think about before you just dive in and say, yes, hit me with this, I want to lose that weight now. So, yeah, like I said, it's really essential to be informed and prepared for any challenges that may arise, and it's true for any medication, supplement or product that you're using, as I said.

Sarah McLachlan: 5:04

So some common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation or constipation, and some people might also experience headaches, dizziness, changes in your appetite. Well, I guess that's what you're expecting that it will be reduced. So those side effects can vary in intensity and duration and you really need to tune into them and pay attention to them, because, remember, always, symptoms or side effects are a sign or a flag from your body that something isn't right, something isn't working well for your body there. So, rather than just ignoring it it is you know you do need to tune in and think about what is happening in your body and you know, potentially, if your blood sugar level dropped too low, you might feel dizzy or you might get really angry or sweaty and or faint and things like that too, and that can present its own dangers. You know, hitting your head or blacking out while you're driving or any of those things Puts you and other people at risk as well. So something, two things that are interesting.

Sarah McLachlan: 6:14

I read a couple of news articles recently and one was talking about the effect that Ozempic can have on relationships, either, you know, with your partner, but also with your friends or other family members, and it was saying how some partners of people who were using Ozempic were really judging them as cheating or taking an easy option or an easy route out. Of course, there's other factors that play at that. You know there was people's own goals or whether they could or could not use Ozempic. That might be guiding how they're reacting and responding there, but I thought that was really interesting. Another person in that same news article mentioned that they had stopped going out with their friends because they felt really bad for their friends when their friends were eating in front of them because they were using Ozempic, their appetite had really disappeared and so they weren't eating much and they, you know, weren't often eating when they went out, but their friends were hungry and they were supposed to be out for a meal. So, yeah, so it stopped them socializing, which is super interesting there as well.

Sarah McLachlan: 7:20

And another article I read today which was wasn't really funny but it was interesting. It was talking about Ozympic face and butt and fingers and hands, and essentially what underlies them all is that if you have rapid weight loss, you can get really saggy skin, and so it was talking about how you might end up with sort of really droopy or saggy skin. And actually it speaks to one of the other side effects that with Ozympic so it doesn't differentiate you just lose weight. It's not always fat mass, so you might actually lose muscle mass, which is, as we age, that's not a great thing for us to do but it also your muscles, especially your big muscles, like the ones in your legs and your biceps and those ones they are glucose burning factories. So if we're losing muscle mass, we're losing that capacity to use the glucose in the foods that we're eating. So in the long term it's going to come back and bite you, essentially because if you stop taking Ozympic, you're going to find yourself struggling to maintain your blood glucose levels there.

Sarah McLachlan: 8:28

So, yeah, when you lose muscle mass, you lose things like collagen in your cheeks and your face. So if you've ever been on a really restrictive or strict diet, you might've found yourself looking really gaunt after a period of time or your cheeks get quite sunken and that's a sign that you've lost collagen and lost muscle mass and that's not a great place to be. And when you're losing weight, if you've got weight to lose, you want to lose the fat mass, especially the stuff around your abdomen, which puts you at risk of chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome. Yeah, so Ozympic face is when you've got saggy skin, and that can happen, you know, on your arms and around your legs and your stomach, particularly if you've lost a lot of weight there. So some of the other things that Ozympic can do.

Sarah McLachlan: 9:12

It does have some quite serious side effects as well and you know the risk of these would vary as well and some of them would be quite rare. But you know, possibly it can impact your thyroid and cause thyroid tumors, and you might if you've had problems with your pancreas or kidneys. It's not appropriate for you there either. And, of course, you're not using that if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Anyway, lost while you're breastfeeding or pregnant is not safe because of the danger of releasing toxins into your bloodstream that pass to the baby through your breast milk or placenta when you're releasing fat mass.

Sarah McLachlan: 9:50

Anyway, I've digressed a bit there because we are from very menopause, which is not necessarily the most fertile time, although, yeah, it could be. So, yeah, so it can impact your relationships as well as your physical self and your muscle mass. You know, as we age, it's really important that we have strong muscles and it protects us from falls like falling over as we age, like into your 80s or 70s and 80s. If you fall, then you have a higher risk of dying in the time following that, if you have a break or a fracture, particularly in something like your hip or your thigh bone. Anyway, I'm really digressing now. I'm gonna come back to it. We're talking about Ozim pic. Sarah, come on, let's just get with the program here.

Sarah McLachlan: 10:36

So, yeah, I was just really blown away by that. I'd not really even thought about how it might impact someone and their relationships. So it's really interesting, yeah, and so the biggest thing, from my perspective too is if you don't have an appetite and you're not eating, you're not gonna get the nutrients that your body needs to nourish it and support it. So I think there's a really real risk of nutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies and that can have a flow on effect to developing other diseases or illnesses or impacting your immune system and maybe developing autoimmune conditions and your brain function and memory and concentration and all those sorts of things as well. So it seems like a magic wand and a great kind of fix, but I really encourage you to think about all of these sorts of things that I've brought up and looking after your body. Now, the other big thing I wanna say as well is that OZMPIC and weight loss drugs like it, even using things like shakes and other pills as weight loss or meal replacement stuff, they're not long-term solutions for weight loss or weight management.

Sarah McLachlan: 11:51

They don't teach you how to eat. They teach you how to eat to support and nourish your body. They don't address your underlying habits and behaviors. They don't address underlying drivers of your weight gain, whether it's hormones, your thyroid, your female hormones, blood glucose, insulin. They don't address any of that. So when you stop taking the meal replacement shake or whatever, or you stop using Ozempic. What's going to happen then? You go straight back. Well, you may even still just be doing the same behaviors and eating in the same way, and you're going to go back to gaining weight and be right back where you were. So you get that real yo-yo effect.

Sarah McLachlan: 12:29

You need something more than that that's going to give you long-term results, because quick fixes like Ozempic meal replacements, other things like that they might provide you with results, but those results are temporary and they often fall short that when it comes to sustainable or maintainable weight loss. So, yeah, what quick fixes have you tried? I've never tried shakes or meal replacements. I will say that because it doesn't appeal to me. I just like to eat my dinner or eat my lunch or whatever. So, yeah, have you ever used any shakes or diet pills or medications to speed up your weight loss process? I'd love to know if you've used any or what your experience was, as I think, sharing our experiences, particularly if they're not necessarily successful weight loss or if you've then rebounded and regain the weight.

Sarah McLachlan: 13:25

It's really important for people to hear those stories and balance out the magical panacea that we're searching for. So I think I want you to know that it's crucial to understand that true and lasting change. It requires a holistic approach. So let's explore some more why relying solely on Ozempic or some other kind of meal replacement or drug might not be the best choice for you in the long term. So, when it comes to achieving sustainable weight loss, a holistic approach is key. Like I've touched on it a bit already.

Sarah McLachlan: 14:02

What does this mean? Well, it means addressing not just what you eat. Sometimes the food's the easy bit. It is for my clients. They get a personalized nutrition plan. They literally know what to eat. It tells them you eat all these things, you'll be great. But your lifestyle, your behaviors, underlying drivers like your thyroid or your insulin and blood sugar levels and iron levels, vitamin D there's so much that impacts your weight metabolism and, yes, behaviors, habits, all those sorts of things the environment that you're in as well. So I'm going to go through some quick tips on how to look or have that holistic approach to managing your weight.

Sarah McLachlan: 14:45

Now I'm going to give you some actionable tips that will help you with your goals and prioritizing your long term health and happiness. I think that's really important in the short term. Yeah, you might want to fit into a dress for someone's wedding in a few months time, or your, your major birthday, your 50th or 40th or whatever it is. But in the long term, if you invest in your health and your happiness, your body will thank you for it and you get to enjoy life and do life and eat the foods and drink the things without that sense of deprivation or missing out. That is entirely possible. It is possible to lose weight and not miss out on life, not feel deprived and yet not miss out on the celebrations.

Sarah McLachlan: 15:29

So, first and foremost, think of food as medicine. Focus on incorporating those whole foods into your diet, foods that are rich in nutrients and support your body's overall well being, because nourishing your body, it goes way beyond calories. In fact, you know I've mentioned it before calories is such a dodgy way to think about food and it's such old science hasn't changed since, like the 1900, early 1900s, like 1900. It's just not valid and suitable. You really got to think about providing the right fuel for optimal health and if you want help with that, you know that that's something I love doing for my clients is helping them with their personalized nutrition plans. But you can also go and download the freebie on my website. It's on my podcast site as well, so you can find that at www. chaostocalmpodcast. com. That's the balance meal formula guide that I've got there.

Sarah McLachlan: 16:25

Because, yeah, a zenbech might suppress your appetite and keep you feeling full for longer, but it doesn't teach you how to nourish your body and how to you know, put your plate together with nutrient dense foods. So weight loss is not just about calorie counting or following a generic meal plan or exercising more. I mean, if it was, we would just do that and it would work right. But you get to your 40s and perimenopause and it definitely shows you that that is not what weight loss is about. You need to understand how to eat for you and how to support, nourish your body so it feels safe to release fat. That is protective Physically, metaphorically, your body won't release it if it senses any hint of famine or undernourishment. So that's why it's really important to take the time to understand your body, its unique needs and how to put your meals together in a way that suits your individuality, your biochemistry, your hormones, your metabolism, your phase of life, your lifestyle, your budget all those things.

Sarah McLachlan: 17:22

Knowledge really is power knowledge in how your body works and also how to support it and nourish it. I like to think of it, as you know that saying give a person a fish and they eat for a day. Teach them how to fish and they have food for life. The same principle applies here to food and understanding how to nourish your body. When you learn to eat in a way that supports and nourishes you, it becomes a lifelong skill. You feel good, it's self-perpetuating, you want to keep doing it and if we take it to the next level, it's empowering because it puts you in control of your well-being now but into the future as well. But also it's maintainable because you understand how to balance and do celebrations, festivities, drinks, meals out, all that sort of thing. With the rest of the time you really truly get a sense of actually what that moderation or the 80-20 that everyone's always talking about, what that actually means.

Sarah McLachlan: 18:25

So I think when you work with a naturopath or a nutritionist, especially one who does blood tests to assess what's happening in your biochemistry or physiology, you can really learn that skill, and it is a skill how to create meals that cater to your body's needs and optimize your nutrient balance, your hormone balance, and will support your body to release any excess fat mass. You benefit, obviously, in terms of body composition, but you'll also benefit from better, more consistent energy, mood and hormone balance now and ongoing. And I think the important part of that as well is that learning what to eat, learning how to eat to balance your blood glucose levels and keep your insulin in a nice, healthy range so it's not going too high, so that you are not in fat storage mode and that's what I really want. I want all women to have that knowledge. I want them to have that understanding of their bodies. It's what I strive to teach my clients. It's what I like, you know. That's why I'm doing this podcast, so I can teach you in some way as well. I want you to be able to listen to your bodies and interpret what it needs and honor that need as well. Make informed choices. That's going to support your health as well as your weight management goals there as well.

Sarah McLachlan: 19:38

Next tip I want you to pay attention to your lifestyle factors. So, yeah, move your body, but stress management techniques you know I talk about that all the time Quality sleep, like seriously the fundamentals. Sleep water, some sunshine, moving your body they're all crucial components. But when I say moving your body, I want you to find something that you enjoy, whether it's walking, yoga, dancing, whatever, something that brings you joy, so that it's not just another chore to have on your to do list. Now it's also really essential to address emotional and psychological aspects of weight management emotional eating, self sabotaging behaviors stress will exacerbate that cravings, emotional eating and self sabotage, and they will impact your weight. So this, I think, is bigger than just you know. Sometimes doing it on your own is hard because we're not objective. So I really encourage you to seek support from a naturopath or nutritionist is also a life or a health coach like me, and it's really quick to help you identify and overcome those challenges.

Sarah McLachlan: 20:48

Are you aware of the challenges you face when it comes to making sustainable changes to eating habits? Do you even know how you get in your own way? I'd love to know what what they are for you. Please do share them with me, what you think your challenges might be or what your roadblock or obstacle is. Most often, when I ask women that question, they usually say that either they don't know they don't know what to eat or what to do, or themselves. Is there a biggest obstacle? So quick fixes like Ausempic they might promise you a shortcut, but the truth is that that long-term weight management, long-term health, really requires a comprehensive, a holistic approach that is personalized to you, your biochemistry, your phase of life, and more so as you embark on that journey, especially in perimenopause.

Sarah McLachlan: 21:40

Remember it's not just about suppressing your appetite or cutting your calories or those quick fixes. You deserve better. You really do. You and your body deserve better. Your body has carried you through so much in this life already and you've still got so much more life to live. So do you want to live it being restricted or worrying about your size or your shape or fitting into a dress for a birthday or whatever?

Sarah McLachlan: 22:11

Or would you rather learn about how to work with your body and support it and nourish it and love it in the way that you both deserve, you and your body, so that it feels nourished and supported and strong and capable of carrying you through the next 40 or 50 years of your life as well? I know that's what I want. Everything that I do these days is designed to be getting me a strong and capable old lady body. When I'm an old woman, I still want to be strong and I want to be mobile, and that's what I'm choosing now is by eating the foods that work well for me and working out that balance for myself how to nourish and support my body so that I will be a strong old woman. So that wraps up today's episode on the truth about Ozempic for weight loss.

Sarah McLachlan: 23:04

Remember quick fixes don't work in the long term. You really deserve to prioritise yourself and your health and your wellbeing, and embracing a holistic approach to yourself and your weight and weight loss, if that's what you desire, is imperative. I think so. Thank you so much for joining me today on Chaos to Calm podcast. Just remember, you do have the power to transform your relationship with food and your body and your perimenopause experience. It's never too late. Never, ever too late to benefit from changing things up or having a different, you know, taking a different course of action there.

Sarah McLachlan: 23:44

Thank you for sharing your time with me today. It's so appreciated and if you did enjoy this episode, you found it useful. Please don't forget to subscribe to Chaos to Calm and also share it with a friend who may find it helpful. And until next time, stay healthy and nourished and informed. It's really common for women over 40 to experience the chaos of changing hormones, mood, metabolism and energy, but I hope you know now that common doesn't have to equal normal for you or them. You can help others understand they aren't alone in feeling this way and that perimenopause doesn't have to be horrific. By subscribing, leaving a review and sharing this podcast with other women in their 40s and beyond. Thanks so much for listening and sharing your time with me today in this Chaos to Calm conversation. I love you guys and I hope you enjoyed the episode and it's really nice.