Guest blog by Susan Thompson, CWP
GLP-1 drugs have been a top headline in the news and on online feeds for the past several years. The abundance of weight loss and diabetes management testimonies has increased, as have the number of individuals who are seeking prescriptions and looking to try the drugs.
While these articles and social media posts share personal testimonies, it’s important to consider:
- Are the drugs right for your health journey?
- What questions should be asked beforehand?
- And should you consider a health coach for support if you add these medications to your own health journey?
First, what are GLP-1 drugs?
GLP-1 medications started to be prescribed by physicians as early as 2016 and were originally designed for type 2 diabetes management, showing promising results for weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, “the function of GLP-1s is to boost the amount of insulin our bodies make to keep our blood sugar within a normal range, as well as provide the sensation of fullness after a meal. The same effect on insulin regulation and appetite happens when GLP-1 receptor agonists come into play.”
The result of taking a GLP-1 is:
- Satiety after and between meals
- Improved glucose levels
- Less thoughts about food
Sounds great, right? But there can be side effects, metabolism changes with weight gain and loss, a significant financial cost, and a small percentage of people may not experience weight loss. Anyone taking these medications should also consider that with any long-term weight loss goal, behavior must change for lasting effects. This is where partnering with a health and wellbeing coach can be especially helpful. With a health coach, you’ll have a guide and expert to help you on your weight loss journey.
Working with a coach brings attention back to an individual’ s goals and values, in other words, their “why”? When an individual starts thinking about their why, they become very clear on their goals and what is motivating them to make a change. This process can tie goals to intrinsic motivation, such as being healthy to take care of family, staying active as one ages, and feeling confident and good about oneself.
Paulette’s Schembri, a National Board-Certified Health Coach with a specialty in stress management as well as a certified Mental Health First Aid instructor, supports a range of clients with health conditions and life changes such as diabetes, obesity, and menopause, to name a few. Over the past few years several of her clients have begun or expressed interest in taking GLP-1 drugs.
Working side by side with their PCP, Paulette’s approach is to make sure her clients are aware of the pros and cons of the medications so they can make educated health decisions before starting them. Equally important, she asks probing questions they may not have considered when the conversation of GLP-1s comes up, like:
- Why is this important to you?
- How do you want to feel?
- Why do you think this will work well?
“I believe the best approach when working with clients who have a goal for weight loss, is to guide them to use intuitive eating and listen to their hunger cues. This supports improved hormone regulation and better metabolism, before adding the GLP-1’s”, says Paulette. She also adds, “clients don’t often consider how hormones are affected by GLP-1 medications, or what plan of action they will put into place if they quit taking the drug. If the medication ceases, so does the effect.”
This is valuable for anyone considering GLP-1s but can be of specific importance if an individual quits taking the medication. It is essential they are prepared and have good health habits in place to manage the potential weight gain and stress that comes with it.
A good coach works not only to help an individual establish those goals but also offers weekly accountability and progress checks to see what is working well and what is not. A coach can help guide their clients to adjust and find solutions to stay on track, resulting in developing long-term healthy habits.
GLP-1 drugs can be a successful tool for weight loss and diabetes management and Paulette has several clients who are having success taking the GLP-1 medications with her support. She also has clients who have tried the medication and find out it is not a good fit for them. One such client did not have the weight loss she expected and decided to discontinue use. She made up her mind she was going to rely on her new habits of intuitive eating, dealing with her stress with healthier approaches than eating, and made changes to her activity program. By keeping her coaching sessions, she created an accountability step for herself, and she has lost (and maintained) a 50 lb. weight loss the “old fashioned way”—with lifestyle changes and no prescriptions.
In summary, everyone has their own health journey to follow. Health coaches can offer valuable guidance to anyone wanting a trusted advisor to support diabetes management or a weight loss journey with or without using the popular GLP-1 drugs.
At Personify Health, our coaches support every phase of the GLP-1 journey, from prior authorization, to utilization, to successful discontinuation. Participants receive a personalized GLP-1 coaching plan and focused educational content on medication and symptom management, developed by our medication management coaches and other clinical experts.
Transform Weight Management is part of a winning digital therapeutics suite a winning digital therapeutics suite to support Cardiometabolic Syndrome and create a framework for successfully using AND discontinuing GLP-1s.
GLP-1 Support: Ask about how we support every phase of the GLP-1 journey, from prior authorization, to utilization, to successful discontinuation. Participants receive a personalized GLP-1 coaching plan and focused educational content on medication and symptom management, developed by our medication management coaches and other clinical experts.
Meet the author
Susan L. Thompson, CWP, has over thirty years in the corporate wellness and fitness industry. She is currently a health and wellbeing program manager for Personify Health.