The Medication Stigma: Why GLP-1 Weight Loss Shouldn't Be a Secret

The "Secret" to Success: Navigating Shame and Secrecy Around GLP-1 Use 

Why do we whisper about weight loss medications when we proudly announce our new workout routines? The stigma surrounding medical approaches to weight management runs deep in our culture, and it's time we talked about it openly.

The Atlanta Wellness Clinic tackles this thorny issue head-on as licensed nutritionist Catina Wilson and co-host Millie explore the shame and secrecy that often accompanies GLP-1 medication use. Catina shares compelling insights about why medical support for weight management deserves the same respect as treatments for other health conditions. "You've got high blood pressure. Do we say that you shouldn't take medication for that?" she asks, challenging the double standard that pervades our thinking about obesity treatment.

Throughout this thoughtful conversation, we dismantle the notion that weight loss medications offer an "easy way out." Instead, Catina reframes these prescriptions as tools that level the playing field for those battling hormonal imbalances, genetic predispositions, or environmental factors beyond their control. The medications may quiet food noise and slow digestion, but patients still must do the work of developing sustainable habits, maintaining proper nutrition, and incorporating regular movement. For many, these medications provide their first real opportunity to build lasting healthy routines without fighting an uphill hormonal battle.

 Ready to reframe your thinking about medical weight loss or start your own journey? Visit ATLWellnessClinic.com or call 770-726-8978 for a free 10-minute weight loss consultation that might just change your perspective—and your health.

To learn more about Atlanta Wellness Clinic visit:
https://www.ATLWellnessClinic.com
Atlanta Wellness Clinic
1827 Powers Ferry Rd. SE, Bldg 1 STE 250
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
770-726-8978

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
welcome to the Atlanta Wellness Clinic podcast
hosted by licensed nutritionistand clinic owner, katina Wilson.
We're here to kickstart yourweight loss journey because,
let's be honest, the only thingwe want gaining weight is our
wallets.
From medical weight loss andnutrition coaching to body
contouring, we help metroatlanta women get real results.

(00:24):
Let's dive in.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
There's no shame in seeking help, but that doesn't
mean the stigma isn't real.
In this episode, we talk openlyabout judgment, self-worth and
why medical support deservesrespect.
Welcome back everyone.
Millie.
I'm co-host and producer backin the studio with licensed
nutritionist and clinic owner,katina Wilson.
Katina, how are you?
I am doing great, fantastic.
Producer back in the studiowith licensed nutritionist and
clinic owner, katina Wilson.
Katina, how are you?

Speaker 3 (00:46):
I am doing great, fantastic day.
How are you?

Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'm doing quite well.
I'm really grateful we'rediving into this.
It's such an importantconversation that so many people
are afraid to have.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthe secret to success.
How do we navigate shame andsecrecy around GLP-1 use, you
know?

Speaker 3 (01:02):
it's such an interesting topic because you
know, I remember when I firsttold friends and family that I
was even launching this wellnessclinic and that GLP-1s were
going to be probably the centerof one of the service offerings
that we were going to have, somany people people who I

(01:23):
considered close friends hadtold me that they themselves had
been on GLP-1s, but they wereso afraid to tell people what
they were going through, theirjourney and that the fact they
were on this medication and then, the more I dug into it, I felt
like this was just somethingthat you know, I wanted us to
talk about on this podcast,because I don't think there's
any shame in using medicationlike this to help you achieve

(01:46):
your health goals.
Why people are secretive orfeel shame, I think a lot of it
just comes down to society.
It comes down to what we see onthe media.
We're just so obsessed with thestruggle calories in and
calories out, exercising really,really hard until you can't

(02:07):
exercise anymore, and you knowwe're just so obsessed with
those things, and people are soobsessed with doing it the hard
way, you know, or what theyconsider it to be the right way,
and I think you know theproblem is we don't recognize
that obesity is a disease like alot of other diseases, like
alcoholism and things like that.
I think, you know, it's juststarting to come to a point

(02:29):
where people are recognizingthat obesity and an individual
struggle for weight loss.
There's a whole host of reasonswhy people struggle.
It's not always due to justsheer willpower.
Sometimes it's hormonal,sometimes it's environmental,
you know, sometimes it's evengenetic right, and so you know
there's no shame in seeking helpthrough a medical professional

(02:52):
when you struggle.
You've got high blood pressure.
Do we say that you shouldn'ttake medication for that?
Or you have diabetes and youhave to take insulin?
Do we say that you're cheatingbecause you have to take that
medication?
So you know it's such aninteresting topic because there
are quite a few people again,people that even that I know
that as they were going throughtheir own journey, they were
afraid of what others might say,you know, as it relates to

(03:15):
taking these medications to getinto better health.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
And so how do you support clients who feel like
choosing medication is cheating?

Speaker 3 (03:27):
So I remind them and I know you, know you and I've
chatted about this before, youknow on some of our other
earlier episodes that at the endof the day, this medication,
it's a tool, right, you know, ifyou've got some challenges, you
know, with losing weight due tohormonal imbalances or due to
genetics, you know thismedication is really going to
help, like, balance those thingsoff right.

(03:49):
So it's almost like it's goingto level the playing field.
And so what I remind people is,as you're taking this
medication, this is youropportunity.
This is your time to really,like, learn better habits,
different habits.
This is your opportunity tofigure out what's going to work
for you.
The medicine is going to do alot of it for you, right?

(04:09):
It's not a pass, you know, toeat Reese cups and ice cream all
day, every day, and think thatyou know, once you stop the
medicine, you're going to losethat weight and keep it off.
But it is a tool.
It is an opportunity again tolevel the playing field and to
give you an opportunity to startto learn how to make improved

(04:31):
choices, different choices, moremovement and things like that.
And so I remind people that themedicine is going to do a lot
for you, like quieting the foodnoise, slowing down.
You know the digestive systemso that you know you're going to
take in.
You know fewer calories and soit's just an opportunity again,
you know, to just start to learnand really like build that

(04:53):
muscle of better habits,different habits than maybe what
you were doing before.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
And I think one thing that is important to remember
is that shame, I think, issurrounded around how other
people feel about your choices,because if you're confident in
what you're doing, then youdon't really have that shame.
And knowing that you could takecelebrities, for example,
people are never going to besatisfied.
If they're big, they havesomething to say.

(05:19):
If they take, you know, glp-1s,they have something to say.
So I think that's a good way tokind of just relieve yourself
of some of that shame is thatpeople are going to have their
judgments, you know, either wayit goes, and there's a saying
you know, everybody's got a youknow what.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
And they also have an opinion, right and when that
opinion is valid to you.
You know it's really up for youto decide.
It's not at the end of the day,it's not any really anybody's
business, right?
So you don't have to share.
But you certainly should notfeel shameful because, again,
this is a tool.
It's something that a medicaldoctor is only going to
prescribe if they feel like.
You know this is something thatis going to help you again

(05:57):
overcome some of those geneticchallenges that you know would
be difficult to overcome, youknow otherwise.
Or balance out some of thosehormones and things like that.
Right, you know you're not justgoing out there and just
grabbing something off the shelf.
You know this is something that, in partnership with your
doctor, they're going to helpyou together make the best, you
know, decision, you know, basedupon your health.
If you want to, if you want toempower others with the

(06:21):
knowledge of how thesemedications work, you know great
.
But there's no need to feelshame about it because, again,
it's not the easy way out.
I have many patients that willtell you it's still a lot of
work, right, because you knowyou still have to eat enough.
You know we have some patientswho have problems eating enough,
right, because of themedications work so well and so
we have to remind them to eatand to drink and to do things

(06:42):
like that.
So it's not the easy way out.
You know it's a tool to helpagain, you know, people onto
that better path for betterhealth, but it's certainly not
the easy way out.
And the thing is, is that thismindset of having to struggle,
eating things with no taste, nofat, no salt, exercising in the

(07:04):
gym, you know, several hours aday, twice a day you don't have
to struggle either.
Right, this medication is thereto help, but you still have to
do your part with the hydrationand the movement, as well as the
nutrition.
You still have to do your part.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yes, and a lot of those opinions, I think, are
based on a lot of assumptions.
They're assuming that that'syour first choice, when you know
, like you said, some peoplehave tried the diets, they've
tried you know everything elseand this might be a last resort
for them to to get kickstarted.
They're assuming people aren'teating right.
They're assuming people aren'tin the gym.
So a lot of those opinions arebased on a lot of assumptions.

(07:41):
So we can just kind of let goof what other people think.
But what can loved ones andcommunity and family members do
to reduce that shame and offerencouragement to people who
might be feeling that way?

Speaker 3 (07:53):
You hit it on the head, offer encouragement, keep
your opinions to yourself good,bad or otherwise.
Right, because you know, evenwhen people are losing weight
and you want to be positivesometimes that still feels, you
know, a little uncomfortable totalk about somebody's body.
Like why are we talking aboutpeople's body and how they look
anyway, right.
You know it's their personalchoice what they want to do and
how they want to do it.
And if it's not hurting youagain, why are you offering?

(08:14):
You know, your opinions, yourunsolicited opinion, in most
cases right, but I know.
But I think what loved ones cando is just be there to support,
you know, to encourage andmaybe even to learn you know,
ask good questions, thoughtfulquestions about the process and
their journey.
But you know, but not in ajudgmental way.
Don't judge, and I think whenpeople feel judged, I think

(08:36):
that's where the shame comesinto play.
Absolutely, I think everybodyjust needs the shame comes into
play.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
Absolutely, I think everybody just needs to feel
strong in their choices andthank you so much for opening
the door to that conversationand changing the tone around
just the thought process ofusing these medications.
Thank you so much for yourinsight today.
We'll see you on the nextepisode.
All right, thank you.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Have a great day, Millie.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
That's a wrap on this episode of the Atlanta Wellness
Clinic podcast.
If you're ready to kickstartyour weight loss journey, and
not just your bathroom scale andfrustration, visit
ATLWellnessCliniccom or call usat 770-726-8978 for a free
10-minute weight lossconsultation, because the best

(09:22):
time to start was yesterday.
The second best time right now.
See you next time.