June 4, 2025 • 26 mins
The weight loss landscape is experiencing a seismic shift. Weight Watchers—a diet industry giant for decades—has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while pharmaceutical options like Ozempic soar in popularity. This dramatic reversal reveals something profound about our relationship with weight management.
Why pay for weekly weigh-ins and point-counting when a simple injection eliminates hunger altogether? The diet industry's fundamental premise—that willpower and accountability are the primary tools for weight loss—is crumbling under the promise of effortless results through medical intervention. While these GLP-1 medications offer legitimate benefits for those with clinical obesity or metabolic disorders, they've rapidly expanded beyond their intended use to become lifestyle drugs for anyone seeking quick results without behavioral change.
The troubling aspect isn't the medications themselves but the mindset they foster. When we outsource responsibility for our habits to a pharmaceutical solution, we miss the opportunity to develop lasting skills for mindful eating, emotional regulation, and consistent self-care. The drugs may silence hunger, but they don't teach us how to navigate our relationship with food when they're discontinued. True transformation requires more than biological intervention—it demands psychological evolution.
The sustainable path forward combines the best of both worlds: appropriate medical tools when needed alongside simple, consistent habits that compound over time. Mindful eating, proper hydration, enjoyable movement, quality sleep, and self-respect create results that last regardless of what's trending in the weight loss industry. Weight loss isn't difficult because we lack information; it's challenging because we prioritize perfection over progress and quick fixes over lasting change.
Ready to break free from the cycle of diet trends and pharmaceutical shortcuts? Check out my book "Shut Up and Choose" on Amazon or my video course "Effortless Weight Loss Academy" at learnshutupandchoose.com. Stop waiting for the next miracle and start creating your own solution through small, smart choices made consistently with self-respect, not fear.
Lose Weight Without Starving or Obsessing! Learn the simple, no-BS system that helped me lose 140 pounds naturally—no extreme diets, no endless gym hours, just real, sustainable fat loss for real people.
Join the Effortless Weight Loss Academy HERE
Please leave me a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts.
Send me questions or comments to Jonathan.Ressler@gmail.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
If you're a whiny snowflake that can't handle the
truth, is offended by the wordfuck and about 37 uses of it in
different forms gets ass hurt.
When you hear someone speak theabsolute, real and raw truth,
you should leave Like right now.
This is Shut Up and Choose, thepodcast where we cut through
(00:25):
the shit and get real aboutweight loss, life and everything
in between.
We get into the nitty gritty ofmaking small, smart choices
that add up to big results.
From what's on your plate tohow you approach life's
challenges.
We'll explore how the simpleact of choosing differently can
transform your health, yourmindset and your entire freaking
(00:48):
life.
So if you're ready to cutthrough the bullshit and start
making some real changes, thenbuckle up and shut up, because
we're about to choose our way toa healthier, happier life.
This is Shut Up and Choose.
Let's do this Now.
Your host, jonathan Ressler.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Hey, welcome back to Shut Up and Choose the podcast
where we cut to the noise, thenonsense and all the bullshit
that died in the streets Allthose internet gurus and
Instagram influencers arethrowing your way.
But today I really want to talkabout the diet industry and
really I want to talk about themassive dinosaur in the room
(01:36):
which is Weight Watchers.
Yeah, that Weight Watcher isthe one your mother, your aunt
and probably maybe even you paidgood money to join so you could
sit in a circle and count somepoints and feel guilty about
bread.
Well, guess what?
The diet industry's posterchild just filed for bankruptcy
Chapter 11.
That's what they did.
(01:57):
It turns out that all thosefrozen meals and weekly
weigh-ins couldn't keep up with.
The little thing called OzempicWeight Watchers right now is
trying to wipe out over abillion dollars in debt, and
that's not like I didn'tmisspeak.
1.15 billion gone why?
Well, basically because peopleare ditching decades of eat this
(02:19):
and not that brainwashing for aonce a week injection that
actually works, kind of.
We'll get into that.
You don't need willpower whenyour appetite disappears faster
than Weight Watchers' stockprice.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not here to sell you onOzantica.
I'm not your doctor and, I'mdamn sure, not your drug dealer.
(02:39):
But I am here to talk to youabout why it matters, because
this isn't just a companytanking.
It's a massive shift in howpeople are thinking about weight
loss.
The diet industry is shaking inits crazy, overpriced
keto-friendly boots.
And here's the kicker If youthink that this drug is going to
fix what decades of bad habitsbroke, you're missing the point.
(03:03):
It's still about choices.
Whether you're counting pointsor skipping dinner because
you're not hungry, you're stillthe one in charge, and if you
hand over all your power to aneedle or a brand or a trend,
you're just outsourcingresponsibility, and that's
really not how this works.
It just doesn't work that way.
(03:24):
So, yeah, weight Watchers mightbe down for the count, but the
real question is are you stillplaying the same losing game?
So stick around, because I'mgoing to unpack this whole mess
for you and I'm going to giveyou something better than a plan
.
I'm going to give you someperspective, all right, so
here's the deal Weight Watchersofficially filed for Chapter 11
(03:44):
bankruptcy on May 6th of thisyear, 2025.
That OG diet brand that's beenmaking people feel guilty about
toast since the 60s is nowcrawling into court begging to
erase $1.15 billion of its $1.6billion debt.
That's not just bad business,man, that's a fucking disaster.
(04:07):
It wasn't just some quiet slipinto irrelevance, it was a
full-blown headlines everywherehow the mighty have fallen
moment.
And, honestly, it was comingand it was coming fast.
Weight Watchers didn't justtrip.
They face-planted into 2025,trying to play catch-up in a
world that moved on fromcounting points.
(04:27):
And now people are into poppingprescriptions.
Hang on, let me back up for asecond.
In a last-ditch attempt to stayrelevant, weight Watchers
actually bought a telehealthcompany in 2023.
That was a smart move, right?
They saw the writing on thewall.
People weren't interested injournaling meals or squeezing
into meetings with these foldingchairs that kill your ass.
(04:49):
They wanted a Zempik, wagovi,manjaro, glp-1s real drugs, real
fast, real results.
So Weight Watchers said, hey,okay, fine, we do drugs now, and
tried to pivot.
But the problem is they pivotedway too slow and way too clumsy
.
So, despite launching theirvirtual service to prescribe the
(05:10):
GLP-1s, they still posted amassive loss of $345 million
last year their subscriptionbase.
They were bleeding out.
Why pay $20 to track yoursadness in an app when you take
a weekly injection thatliterally makes you forget to
eat right.
And here's the cold hard truth.
Weight Watchers built an empireon the idea that people needed
(05:31):
constant monitoring, shame andcommunity peer pressure to lose
weight.
That only works if peoplebelieve they can't do it on
their own.
But GLP-1s, they're cutting thecord, they're saying hey, maybe
your problem is a lack ofwillpower, maybe it's biology.
Take this and let's see whathappens.
And that's a death sentence fora company whose whole identity
(05:53):
is based on willpower as aservice.
So now Weight Watchers is insurvival mode, telling creditors
don't worry, this is astrategic move.
Yeah, yeah, sure you can slap aspit on it.
But this is what happens when abrand ignores real innovation
for too long.
The real kicker they're hopingto be back on their feet in 45
days.
45 days after decades ofteaching people to lose one
(06:16):
pound a week.
Talk about irony.
Look, this isn't just about abrand going broke.
It's a symbolic collapse of awhole diet culture mindset
that's finally cracking.
The business of guilt is losingground to the business of
chemistry, and that says a lotabout where we're headed.
But hang on, before you startcelebrating and signing up for
(06:37):
your miracle shop, pump thebrakes, because what's replacing
Weight Watchers might be shiny,but it's not necessarily
smarter, and that's what I'mgoing to tell you a little bit
more about in a second.
So while Weight Watchers wasbusy spiraling, it was Zemp and
its cousins Wagovi, jaro Zepanwere out here absolutely
(06:58):
dominating the weight loss world, like they just dropped the
hottest mixtape of the decade.
Right, you've got celebrities,influencers, your co-worker in a
county, maybe your grandmother?
Everyone is suddenly magicallydropping 30 pounds and swearing
they're not on anything.
A little spoiler they're onsomething.
So let's break this down.
Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptordrug originally created for
(07:22):
people with type 2 diabetes, butside effects include included
dramatic appetite suppression.
So now it's the darling ofHollywood, the boardroom and
definitely your Instagram feed.
These drugs work by mimicking ahormone that regulates blood
sugar, slows down your digestionand makes you feel full for
longer.
So the translation is you don'twant to eat Like like at all.
(07:45):
The fridge is full, the cookiesare calling, but you're out
here shrugging like food isboring.
It's every diet marketer'sworst nightmare and every
emotional eater's secret fantasy.
But here's the kicker it's notjust working.
It's working fast and peopleare losing serious weight,
sometimes 15% of their body mass, in a matter of like months.
(08:07):
And this time they're not doingwith kale crunches and shame
smiles, they're doing it withscience, which sounds awesome,
right?
Well, yeah, kind of, becausewhile these drugs are legit
medical tools that can help withobesity, they're quickly
becoming the ultimate shortcut,the escape hatch for decades of
bad habits, and the narrative isshifting from let's build a
(08:28):
better lifestyle to let's numbthe hunger and call it fixed.
And that's where this thingkind of gets tricky.
So the old diet and resultsstruggle.
You need us to help fightyourself.
Glp-1s sell relief.
You don't have to fight at all.
That's why Weight Watcherscouldn't keep up.
They were selling VHS tapes.
(08:49):
In a world of streaming, thehustle is over, the drug is
doing all the work, but here'swhat nobody wants to say out
loud If the only thing stoppingyou from binging is a
pharmaceutical leash, you're adrug addict.
Have you actually changedanything?
Let's be clear Ozempic can belife-changing and even
life-saving for peoplestruggling with obesity or
(09:12):
metabolic disorders.
I'm not anti-medication, I'manti-magical thinking.
If you use it as a tool, greatfine.
If you use that as areplacement for responsibility,
that's where I have a problem,because when you come off it and
most people will at some pointwhat's left?
No habits, no coping skills andall the same triggers waiting
(09:34):
to punch you in the face.
So yeah, ozempic may havekilled Weight Watchers, but the
real danger, it might also bekilling the motivation to change
, and that is what's reallyimportant out here.
And that is what's reallyimportant out here the
motivation to change and theunderstanding of why you want to
(09:56):
change it.
All right.
So look we, we've established itas epic and the glp1 thing
rolled in like the avengers ofweight loss right.
Pounds are dropping, dietcompanies dying, people are
giddy.
But now it's time to ask thequestion no one on social media
seems to give a shit about isthis actually a good thing?
Let's start with the upside,because yeah, there is an upside
.
These drugs are helping people,really helping people.
(10:16):
If you've been trying everythingand still feel stuck, glp-1s
can be a legit lifeline.
They reduce appetite, theychange your brain's hunger
signaling and for many, theyfinally make weight loss feel
possible.
That's huge.
No sarcasm about that part.
It's not just a lazy way out,like the internet trolls love to
say.
It's a medical tool for peoplewith medical problems, and in
(10:38):
that context I'm all in.
Tools exist for a reason.
But here's where things get alittle bit dicey.
These drugs are goingmainstream faster than anything
I've ever seen in my life.
Now it's not just peoplestruggling with clinical obesity
.
It's people who want to losethe last 15 pounds, tone up for
their wedding or get thatcelebrity jawline without giving
(10:58):
up DoorDash.
Suddenly, everybody wants toskip the work and jump straight
to the reward, and that, myfriends, is where the house of
cards starts to shake.
Let's talk about the sideeffects.
Let's talk about the stuff thatpharma commercials say really
fast at the end Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation,
fatigue, gallstones, possiblethyroid tumors.
(11:20):
These things aren't like justtic-tacs you're popping in your
mouth.
They're serious meds withserious side effects, especially
if you're taking them just tolook hot at your high school
reunion.
The long-term data well, that'sstill developing.
We're just now learning whathappens when people take GLP-1s
for years instead of just months.
Will the weight stay off?
Will your body adjust and stopresponding?
(11:41):
Will your face melt into thatinfamous ozempic gaunt?
Nobody really knows yet, andthat uncertainty should make you
pause.
But if you go a little bitdeeper, the real danger isn't
physical, it's psychological.
These drugs completely removethe hunger cue.
You just don't want food, andfor people with binge eating
(12:03):
tendencies or emotional eatingpatterns, that sounds like
fucking heaven.
But here's the hard truth.
You're not really learninganything.
You're not building skills,you're not learning how to deal
with boredom, stress, you're notpracticing moderation or
portion control.
You're just outsourcingself-regulation to a
pharmaceutical babysitter.
And when you stop taking it,the hunger comes back, the
(12:27):
cravings come back.
The same life you were tryingto avoid slaps you in the face
and now you've got no copingtools, no game plan and probably
no make that definitely asmaller bank account.
Weight watchers suck because itmade people neurotic.
Glp1 suck if they make youpassive.
Same disease, just a differentflavor.
(12:49):
And while we're talking aboutthe money and we have to talk
about the money because, unlessyour insurance is fucking
magical or you're filthy rich,these drugs are expensive we're
talking about like $900 to$1,300 a month out of pocket.
Some plans cover it, but mostdon't, and even when they do,
it's usually just for the shortterm.
So if your weight loss journeyis entirely dependent on a
(13:11):
medication, you can't affordlong term.
What happens next?
You guessed it Rebound weightgain plus a side of shame.
Now you're back to where youstarted, only more frustrated
and financially drained.
You know what's free Drinkingmore water, walking 20 minutes a
day, sleeping, cooking yourfucking meals Not sexy, but
(13:36):
sustainable.
That's the game most peoplestill don't want to play.
So here's where I'm going to hityou with the truth.
The scariest part of all thisis that people are starting to
believe they don't have tochange, that medication is
enough, that discipline isobsolete, that choosing doesn't
matter anymore because the drugwill make the choice for them.
And that's a fucking lie.
Ozempic isn't evil, but if themindset that it creates.
(13:56):
That can be pretty fucking evil.
When you believe your bodyisn't your responsibility
anymore, you hand over control.
When you think hunger is aglitch instead of a signal, you
ignore what your body is tryingto teach you.
When you use a drug to silenceyour cravings without asking why
they exist, you miss the pointof the journey entirely.
I'm not saying everyone shouldditch the meds.
(14:18):
I'm saying that they're a tool,not a solution.
Like a hammer, a hammer canbuild a house or smash a window.
It's not about the tool, it'sabout how you use it.
And if you're using it to avoidthe hard work of habit change,
of accountability, of learninghow to actually take care of
yourself, then no, it's not agood thing.
It's just another diet wrappedin a syringe.
So, bottom line, you can takethe drug, but you still have to
(14:41):
do the work.
And if you're not willing toshow up for yourself without a
prescription, you're notchanging, you're just delaying
the consequences.
So, as you know, I am a bigbeliever in choice.
You know the story WeightWatchers is belly up.
Ozempic is everywhere.
People are dropping weight likeit's hot without changing a
(15:01):
damn thing about their habits,their relationship with food or
their mindset.
And now, here you are, standingin the middle of all this chaos
asking what the fuck should Ido?
Well, simple, you should shutup and choose.
No, really.
Stop outsourcing your health totrends, to fads or
pharmaceuticals.
Stop handing your power tocompanies, influencers or
injections.
Stop acting like you're somehelpless bystander in your own
(15:22):
life.
You have to choose.
You still have to choose.
You have to choose what goesinto your mouth when you're
tired, when you're stressed oryou're bored.
You have to choose whether ornot you're going to drink that
water, go for a walk or sit onyour ass on the couch all day
and watch TV.
You have to choose you.
Not the temporary fix, not theeasy way out, not the shiny new
(15:44):
toy you.
Ozempic might help you getthinner, but it won't teach you
how to eat when no one'swatching.
It won't teach you how to sayno when the cake shows up at the
office.
It won't teach you how to dealwith your emotions without a
spoon in your hand.
That work is still yours, italways has been, and don't get
it twisted.
This isn't about judgment.
It's about ownership.
(16:05):
You can take the drug, you cango to therapy, you can buy the
damn protein shake and heroin ifit makes you feel special, but
if you're not doing the work,none of that sticks.
You don't need the perfect plan.
You need a pattern of showingup, of choosing better more
often, of being honest when youscrew up and being brave enough
to try again.
(16:25):
Weight Watchers is dead becauseit's old struggle.
Ozempic is thriving because itsells surrender.
But success, real, lastingsuccess, it's built on choice,
over and over again.
So what can you do?
How do you move from here?
Well, I think it's pretty easy.
You don't need a new diet, youneed new decisions.
(16:47):
If you're tired of quitting byThursday or starting fresh every
Monday, it's time to stopfantasizing about the finish
line and start owning the nextchoice you make.
That's what Shut Up and Chooseis all about Small wins made
consistently stacked over time.
So I'm just going to give youseven small, smart choices you
(17:07):
can start making today to buildreal, sustainable momentum.
The first thing is just chooseto eat one mindful meal a day.
Not a perfect meal, not a mealwith macros that look like a
spreadsheet, just one meal whereyou actually slow down, you put
your phone away, you payattention, taste the food,
(17:29):
notice when you're actuallysatisfied, mindful eating is how
you rebuild trust with yourbody.
You don't need a meal plan, youneed a moment of awareness.
Do that once a day, that's it,then keep doing it.
Do that once a day, that's it,then keep doing it.
Second tip I'd give you ischoose to drink water before
(17:49):
anything else.
You want a morning routine.
Forget journaling under themoonlight or any of the other
crazy shit.
People tell you Drink waterbefore your coffee, before your
phone and before your excuses.
Hydration I know it soundsbasic, but so does brushing your
teeth, and you still do thatevery morning.
Well, hopefully you do.
Anyway, most people are walkingaround dehydrated, mistaking
(18:13):
thirst for hunger, and wonderingwhy they feel like shit.
Start your day with water.
Let that be your anger habit.
That's easy, doesn't take a lotof work, doesn't take a lot of
effort.
Start every day with a glass ofwater.
Third thing choose to move in away that doesn't suck.
You hate the gym like I do?
Cool, fuck it.
(18:33):
Don't go, but walk, dance,stretch, I don't know.
Carry groceries with intention,you know?
Whatever, your body isn'tbroken, it's just bored.
Movement shouldn't feel likepunishment for eating.
It should feel like proof thatyou're alive.
So choose something that youcan do on your worst day, not
just your best.
(18:53):
I know I can't go to the gym onmy best day, so choosing going
to the gym is just a disasterfor me.
Choose something you canactually do, because that's the
movement that sticks.
Next thing I tell you is chooseone snack to upgrade, not
eliminate.
Okay, this isn't the cleaneating bullshit that everyone
(19:15):
talks about.
This is choosing better, notperfect.
If you're used to grabbingchips at three o'clock, swap it
out for something with protein,like Greek yogurt, beef, jerky,
hard-boiled egg, whatever.
Don't go from chips to celeryand pretend that you're going to
stick to it.
You're not.
It ain't going to happen.
You're not going to make thatmassive change.
The goal here is notrestriction, it's replacement.
(19:37):
Make one snack smarter and thenstick to it until that becomes
a default.
It's simple shit.
Next one is choose to sleep likeit actually matters.
This is something that I had tolearn over time.
But if you're trying to loseweight on five hours of sleep a
night, it ain't going to work.
You know.
It's just not going to happen.
(19:57):
Lack of sleep wrecks yourhunger hormones, screws with
your willpower and makes youcrave shit the second you wake
up.
You don't need a sleep tracker.
You need respect for the factthat Netflix will still be there
tomorrow.
I'm working on this every day,but go to bed 30 minutes earlier
yeah, that is a weight losshabit.
(20:18):
Sleep is a weight loss habit.
Not only is it a habit, it's abig one.
Next thing I tell you is chooseto track your progress.
I talk about this all the time.
Choose to track the things thatmatter, not perfection, right?
Stop obsessing over the scaleand start watching your patterns
.
Are you drinking more water?
(20:39):
Are you moving every day?
Are you saying no thanks tothat third drink?
Notice I didn't say the firstdrink or the second drink.
If you're saying no thanks tothat third drink, that's
progress.
Perfection is a myth.
It's bullshit.
Progress is a mindset.
Don't wait until you're down 20pounds to feel proud.
Celebrate the fact that youdidn't quit after one off day, I
(21:02):
don't know.
Get like one of those cheapwall calendars off Amazon or
something and mark every daythat you show up for yourself.
That's the streak that actuallycounts is showing up for
yourself.
The last one is chooseself-respect over sabotage, and
this one's a big one for me.
It's a backbone of my book.
It's a backbone of everythingthat I did.
(21:23):
Every time you make a choicewhat to eat, when to sleep, how
to move you're either voting foryour future self or abandoning
it.
You don't need more discipline,you need more self-respect.
Discipline is fucking overrated.
Willpower is overrelated.
What you need is self-respect.
Ask yourself this simplequestion, and I always talk
(21:46):
about mindful eating.
This is mindful eating.
Is this choice something aperson who values themselves
would make?
If not, then stop and make adifferent decision.
It's that simple.
It's not about guilt.
It's about integrity.
You deserve to live in a bodyyou feel good in.
But you don't get there byhating your weight is skinny or
(22:08):
outsourcing every hard decisionto a drug.
You get there by choosing you,by choosing you over and over
again.
So weight loss isn't aboutoverhauling your life overnight.
It's about compoundingconsistency.
If you do only one thing fromthat list above, you're already
ahead of 90% of the people stillwaiting for the right time.
(22:33):
If you want results, stopwaiting.
You want to change.
Shut up and choose.
One meal, one walk, one glassof water.
That's where the momentumbegins.
You don't need to be perfect.
You just need to choose better,more often, with self-respect,
and not fear.
(22:53):
That's how you win and that'show you keep winning over and
over again.
Weight loss is not difficult.
It's about small, smart choicesmade consistently over time.
That's it.
You know what to eat.
You know what to do.
This is not science.
(23:14):
Yes, the drugs are science.
This is not science centuryinvention.
All you have to do is thinkbefore you eat.
Eat mindfully.
Choose better, make small,smart choices.
(23:36):
So that's my thoughts on thiswhole Weight Watchers Ozempic
crazy world that we're living in.
It doesn't have to be crazy.
You don't have to get caught upin the chaos.
This is simple.
Weight loss and sustainableweight loss are simple If you
make simple choices.
Lower the bar, make those smallchoices that you don't think
(23:58):
mean anything.
If you're doing that, like Isaid last week, you're doing it
right.
That's the way to do it.
If you want to hear more aboutmy journey of losing 140 pounds
over the last year and a half orso, buy my book on Amazon.
It's called Shut Up and Choose,same as this podcast.
It's an Amazon bestseller.
We get great reviews.
(24:20):
I get emails every week ofpeople who tell me it changed
their life.
It's something I'm really proudof.
If you're more of a visuallearner.
I have a video course.
It's just 23 short video course.
Each video is about five toseven minutes.
You can watch the whole thingin a couple of hours.
That's called the EffortlessWeight Loss Academy.
You can get that atlearnshutupandchoosecom.
(24:45):
That's learnshutupandchoosecom.
Again.
People are using it.
They're loving it.
It's actually been moresuccessful than I thought it
could be.
I'm really excited about that.
So, with all that being said,you have to decide.
What's it going to be youwaiting for the next miracle or
are you ready to create your ownfucking solutions?
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Good.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Now you know what to do.
Shut up and choose.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
You've been listening to Shut Up and Choose.
Jonathan's passion is to sharehis journey of shedding 130
pounds in less than a yearwithout any of the usual
gimmicks no diets, no pills.
And we'll let you in on alittle secret no fucking gym.
And guess what?
(25:32):
You can do it too.
We hope you enjoyed the show.
We had a fucking blast.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review.
We'll be back soon, but in themeantime, find Jonathan on
Instagram atJonathanWrestlerBocaRaton.
Until next time, shut up andchoose.
If you're a whiny snowflake that can't handle the
truth, is offended by the wordfuck and about 37 uses of it in
different forms gets ass hurt.
When you hear someone speak theabsolute, real and raw truth,
you should leave Like right now.
This is Shut Up and Choose, thepodcast where we cut through
(00:25):
the shit and get real aboutweight loss, life and everything
in between.
We get into the nitty gritty ofmaking small, smart choices
that add up to big results.
From what's on your plate tohow you approach life's
challenges.
We'll explore how the simpleact of choosing differently can
transform your health, yourmindset and your entire freaking
(00:48):
life.
So if you're ready to cutthrough the bullshit and start
making some real changes, thenbuckle up and shut up, because
we're about to choose our way toa healthier, happier life.
This is Shut Up and Choose.
Let's do this Now.
Your host, jonathan Ressler.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Hey, welcome back to Shut Up and Choose the podcast
where we cut to the noise, thenonsense and all the bullshit
that died in the streets Allthose internet gurus and
Instagram influencers arethrowing your way.
But today I really want to talkabout the diet industry and
really I want to talk about themassive dinosaur in the room
(01:36):
which is Weight Watchers.
Yeah, that Weight Watcher isthe one your mother, your aunt
and probably maybe even you paidgood money to join so you could
sit in a circle and count somepoints and feel guilty about
bread.
Well, guess what?
The diet industry's posterchild just filed for bankruptcy
Chapter 11.
That's what they did.
(01:57):
It turns out that all thosefrozen meals and weekly
weigh-ins couldn't keep up with.
The little thing called OzempicWeight Watchers right now is
trying to wipe out over abillion dollars in debt, and
that's not like I didn'tmisspeak.
1.15 billion gone why?
Well, basically because peopleare ditching decades of eat this
(02:19):
and not that brainwashing for aonce a week injection that
actually works, kind of.
We'll get into that.
You don't need willpower whenyour appetite disappears faster
than Weight Watchers' stockprice.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not here to sell you onOzantica.
I'm not your doctor and, I'mdamn sure, not your drug dealer.
(02:39):
But I am here to talk to youabout why it matters, because
this isn't just a companytanking.
It's a massive shift in howpeople are thinking about weight
loss.
The diet industry is shaking inits crazy, overpriced
keto-friendly boots.
And here's the kicker If youthink that this drug is going to
fix what decades of bad habitsbroke, you're missing the point.
(03:03):
It's still about choices.
Whether you're counting pointsor skipping dinner because
you're not hungry, you're stillthe one in charge, and if you
hand over all your power to aneedle or a brand or a trend,
you're just outsourcingresponsibility, and that's
really not how this works.
It just doesn't work that way.
(03:24):
So, yeah, weight Watchers mightbe down for the count, but the
real question is are you stillplaying the same losing game?
So stick around, because I'mgoing to unpack this whole mess
for you and I'm going to giveyou something better than a plan
.
I'm going to give you someperspective, all right, so
here's the deal Weight Watchersofficially filed for Chapter 11
(03:44):
bankruptcy on May 6th of thisyear, 2025.
That OG diet brand that's beenmaking people feel guilty about
toast since the 60s is nowcrawling into court begging to
erase $1.15 billion of its $1.6billion debt.
That's not just bad business,man, that's a fucking disaster.
(04:07):
It wasn't just some quiet slipinto irrelevance, it was a
full-blown headlines everywherehow the mighty have fallen
moment.
And, honestly, it was comingand it was coming fast.
Weight Watchers didn't justtrip.
They face-planted into 2025,trying to play catch-up in a
world that moved on fromcounting points.
(04:27):
And now people are into poppingprescriptions.
Hang on, let me back up for asecond.
In a last-ditch attempt to stayrelevant, weight Watchers
actually bought a telehealthcompany in 2023.
That was a smart move, right?
They saw the writing on thewall.
People weren't interested injournaling meals or squeezing
into meetings with these foldingchairs that kill your ass.
(04:49):
They wanted a Zempik, wagovi,manjaro, glp-1s real drugs, real
fast, real results.
So Weight Watchers said, hey,okay, fine, we do drugs now, and
tried to pivot.
But the problem is they pivotedway too slow and way too clumsy
.
So, despite launching theirvirtual service to prescribe the
(05:10):
GLP-1s, they still posted amassive loss of $345 million
last year their subscriptionbase.
They were bleeding out.
Why pay $20 to track yoursadness in an app when you take
a weekly injection thatliterally makes you forget to
eat right.
And here's the cold hard truth.
Weight Watchers built an empireon the idea that people needed
(05:31):
constant monitoring, shame andcommunity peer pressure to lose
weight.
That only works if peoplebelieve they can't do it on
their own.
But GLP-1s, they're cutting thecord, they're saying hey, maybe
your problem is a lack ofwillpower, maybe it's biology.
Take this and let's see whathappens.
And that's a death sentence fora company whose whole identity
(05:53):
is based on willpower as aservice.
So now Weight Watchers is insurvival mode, telling creditors
don't worry, this is astrategic move.
Yeah, yeah, sure you can slap aspit on it.
But this is what happens when abrand ignores real innovation
for too long.
The real kicker they're hopingto be back on their feet in 45
days.
45 days after decades ofteaching people to lose one
(06:16):
pound a week.
Talk about irony.
Look, this isn't just about abrand going broke.
It's a symbolic collapse of awhole diet culture mindset
that's finally cracking.
The business of guilt is losingground to the business of
chemistry, and that says a lotabout where we're headed.
But hang on, before you startcelebrating and signing up for
(06:37):
your miracle shop, pump thebrakes, because what's replacing
Weight Watchers might be shiny,but it's not necessarily
smarter, and that's what I'mgoing to tell you a little bit
more about in a second.
So while Weight Watchers wasbusy spiraling, it was Zemp and
its cousins Wagovi, jaro Zepanwere out here absolutely
(06:58):
dominating the weight loss world, like they just dropped the
hottest mixtape of the decade.
Right, you've got celebrities,influencers, your co-worker in a
county, maybe your grandmother?
Everyone is suddenly magicallydropping 30 pounds and swearing
they're not on anything.
A little spoiler they're onsomething.
So let's break this down.
Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptordrug originally created for
(07:22):
people with type 2 diabetes, butside effects include included
dramatic appetite suppression.
So now it's the darling ofHollywood, the boardroom and
definitely your Instagram feed.
These drugs work by mimicking ahormone that regulates blood
sugar, slows down your digestionand makes you feel full for
longer.
So the translation is you don'twant to eat Like like at all.
(07:45):
The fridge is full, the cookiesare calling, but you're out
here shrugging like food isboring.
It's every diet marketer'sworst nightmare and every
emotional eater's secret fantasy.
But here's the kicker it's notjust working.
It's working fast and peopleare losing serious weight,
sometimes 15% of their body mass, in a matter of like months.
(08:07):
And this time they're not doingwith kale crunches and shame
smiles, they're doing it withscience, which sounds awesome,
right?
Well, yeah, kind of, becausewhile these drugs are legit
medical tools that can help withobesity, they're quickly
becoming the ultimate shortcut,the escape hatch for decades of
bad habits, and the narrative isshifting from let's build a
(08:28):
better lifestyle to let's numbthe hunger and call it fixed.
And that's where this thingkind of gets tricky.
So the old diet and resultsstruggle.
You need us to help fightyourself.
Glp-1s sell relief.
You don't have to fight at all.
That's why Weight Watcherscouldn't keep up.
They were selling VHS tapes.
(08:49):
In a world of streaming, thehustle is over, the drug is
doing all the work, but here'swhat nobody wants to say out
loud If the only thing stoppingyou from binging is a
pharmaceutical leash, you're adrug addict.
Have you actually changedanything?
Let's be clear Ozempic can belife-changing and even
life-saving for peoplestruggling with obesity or
(09:12):
metabolic disorders.
I'm not anti-medication, I'manti-magical thinking.
If you use it as a tool, greatfine.
If you use that as areplacement for responsibility,
that's where I have a problem,because when you come off it and
most people will at some pointwhat's left?
No habits, no coping skills andall the same triggers waiting
(09:34):
to punch you in the face.
So yeah, ozempic may havekilled Weight Watchers, but the
real danger, it might also bekilling the motivation to change
, and that is what's reallyimportant out here.
And that is what's reallyimportant out here the
motivation to change and theunderstanding of why you want to
(09:56):
change it.
All right.
So look we, we've established itas epic and the glp1 thing
rolled in like the avengers ofweight loss right.
Pounds are dropping, dietcompanies dying, people are
giddy.
But now it's time to ask thequestion no one on social media
seems to give a shit about isthis actually a good thing?
Let's start with the upside,because yeah, there is an upside
.
These drugs are helping people,really helping people.
(10:16):
If you've been trying everythingand still feel stuck, glp-1s
can be a legit lifeline.
They reduce appetite, theychange your brain's hunger
signaling and for many, theyfinally make weight loss feel
possible.
That's huge.
No sarcasm about that part.
It's not just a lazy way out,like the internet trolls love to
say.
It's a medical tool for peoplewith medical problems, and in
(10:38):
that context I'm all in.
Tools exist for a reason.
But here's where things get alittle bit dicey.
These drugs are goingmainstream faster than anything
I've ever seen in my life.
Now it's not just peoplestruggling with clinical obesity
.
It's people who want to losethe last 15 pounds, tone up for
their wedding or get thatcelebrity jawline without giving
(10:58):
up DoorDash.
Suddenly, everybody wants toskip the work and jump straight
to the reward, and that, myfriends, is where the house of
cards starts to shake.
Let's talk about the sideeffects.
Let's talk about the stuff thatpharma commercials say really
fast at the end Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation,
fatigue, gallstones, possiblethyroid tumors.
(11:20):
These things aren't like justtic-tacs you're popping in your
mouth.
They're serious meds withserious side effects, especially
if you're taking them just tolook hot at your high school
reunion.
The long-term data well, that'sstill developing.
We're just now learning whathappens when people take GLP-1s
for years instead of just months.
Will the weight stay off?
Will your body adjust and stopresponding?
(11:41):
Will your face melt into thatinfamous ozempic gaunt?
Nobody really knows yet, andthat uncertainty should make you
pause.
But if you go a little bitdeeper, the real danger isn't
physical, it's psychological.
These drugs completely removethe hunger cue.
You just don't want food, andfor people with binge eating
(12:03):
tendencies or emotional eatingpatterns, that sounds like
fucking heaven.
But here's the hard truth.
You're not really learninganything.
You're not building skills,you're not learning how to deal
with boredom, stress, you're notpracticing moderation or
portion control.
You're just outsourcingself-regulation to a
pharmaceutical babysitter.
And when you stop taking it,the hunger comes back, the
(12:27):
cravings come back.
The same life you were tryingto avoid slaps you in the face
and now you've got no copingtools, no game plan and probably
no make that definitely asmaller bank account.
Weight watchers suck because itmade people neurotic.
Glp1 suck if they make youpassive.
Same disease, just a differentflavor.
(12:49):
And while we're talking aboutthe money and we have to talk
about the money because, unlessyour insurance is fucking
magical or you're filthy rich,these drugs are expensive we're
talking about like $900 to$1,300 a month out of pocket.
Some plans cover it, but mostdon't, and even when they do,
it's usually just for the shortterm.
So if your weight loss journeyis entirely dependent on a
(13:11):
medication, you can't affordlong term.
What happens next?
You guessed it Rebound weightgain plus a side of shame.
Now you're back to where youstarted, only more frustrated
and financially drained.
You know what's free Drinkingmore water, walking 20 minutes a
day, sleeping, cooking yourfucking meals Not sexy, but
(13:36):
sustainable.
That's the game most peoplestill don't want to play.
So here's where I'm going to hityou with the truth.
The scariest part of all thisis that people are starting to
believe they don't have tochange, that medication is
enough, that discipline isobsolete, that choosing doesn't
matter anymore because the drugwill make the choice for them.
And that's a fucking lie.
Ozempic isn't evil, but if themindset that it creates.
(13:56):
That can be pretty fucking evil.
When you believe your bodyisn't your responsibility
anymore, you hand over control.
When you think hunger is aglitch instead of a signal, you
ignore what your body is tryingto teach you.
When you use a drug to silenceyour cravings without asking why
they exist, you miss the pointof the journey entirely.
I'm not saying everyone shouldditch the meds.
(14:18):
I'm saying that they're a tool,not a solution.
Like a hammer, a hammer canbuild a house or smash a window.
It's not about the tool, it'sabout how you use it.
And if you're using it to avoidthe hard work of habit change,
of accountability, of learninghow to actually take care of
yourself, then no, it's not agood thing.
It's just another diet wrappedin a syringe.
So, bottom line, you can takethe drug, but you still have to
(14:41):
do the work.
And if you're not willing toshow up for yourself without a
prescription, you're notchanging, you're just delaying
the consequences.
So, as you know, I am a bigbeliever in choice.
You know the story WeightWatchers is belly up.
Ozempic is everywhere.
People are dropping weight likeit's hot without changing a
(15:01):
damn thing about their habits,their relationship with food or
their mindset.
And now, here you are, standingin the middle of all this chaos
asking what the fuck should Ido?
Well, simple, you should shutup and choose.
No, really.
Stop outsourcing your health totrends, to fads or
pharmaceuticals.
Stop handing your power tocompanies, influencers or
injections.
Stop acting like you're somehelpless bystander in your own
(15:22):
life.
You have to choose.
You still have to choose.
You have to choose what goesinto your mouth when you're
tired, when you're stressed oryou're bored.
You have to choose whether ornot you're going to drink that
water, go for a walk or sit onyour ass on the couch all day
and watch TV.
You have to choose you.
Not the temporary fix, not theeasy way out, not the shiny new
(15:44):
toy you.
Ozempic might help you getthinner, but it won't teach you
how to eat when no one'swatching.
It won't teach you how to sayno when the cake shows up at the
office.
It won't teach you how to dealwith your emotions without a
spoon in your hand.
That work is still yours, italways has been, and don't get
it twisted.
This isn't about judgment.
It's about ownership.
(16:05):
You can take the drug, you cango to therapy, you can buy the
damn protein shake and heroin ifit makes you feel special, but
if you're not doing the work,none of that sticks.
You don't need the perfect plan.
You need a pattern of showingup, of choosing better more
often, of being honest when youscrew up and being brave enough
to try again.
(16:25):
Weight Watchers is dead becauseit's old struggle.
Ozempic is thriving because itsells surrender.
But success, real, lastingsuccess, it's built on choice,
over and over again.
So what can you do?
How do you move from here?
Well, I think it's pretty easy.
You don't need a new diet, youneed new decisions.
(16:47):
If you're tired of quitting byThursday or starting fresh every
Monday, it's time to stopfantasizing about the finish
line and start owning the nextchoice you make.
That's what Shut Up and Chooseis all about Small wins made
consistently stacked over time.
So I'm just going to give youseven small, smart choices you
(17:07):
can start making today to buildreal, sustainable momentum.
The first thing is just chooseto eat one mindful meal a day.
Not a perfect meal, not a mealwith macros that look like a
spreadsheet, just one meal whereyou actually slow down, you put
your phone away, you payattention, taste the food,
(17:29):
notice when you're actuallysatisfied, mindful eating is how
you rebuild trust with yourbody.
You don't need a meal plan, youneed a moment of awareness.
Do that once a day, that's it,then keep doing it.
Do that once a day, that's it,then keep doing it.
Second tip I'd give you ischoose to drink water before
(17:49):
anything else.
You want a morning routine.
Forget journaling under themoonlight or any of the other
crazy shit.
People tell you Drink waterbefore your coffee, before your
phone and before your excuses.
Hydration I know it soundsbasic, but so does brushing your
teeth, and you still do thatevery morning.
Well, hopefully you do.
Anyway, most people are walkingaround dehydrated, mistaking
(18:13):
thirst for hunger, and wonderingwhy they feel like shit.
Start your day with water.
Let that be your anger habit.
That's easy, doesn't take a lotof work, doesn't take a lot of
effort.
Start every day with a glass ofwater.
Third thing choose to move in away that doesn't suck.
You hate the gym like I do?
Cool, fuck it.
(18:33):
Don't go, but walk, dance,stretch, I don't know.
Carry groceries with intention,you know?
Whatever, your body isn'tbroken, it's just bored.
Movement shouldn't feel likepunishment for eating.
It should feel like proof thatyou're alive.
So choose something that youcan do on your worst day, not
just your best.
(18:53):
I know I can't go to the gym onmy best day, so choosing going
to the gym is just a disasterfor me.
Choose something you canactually do, because that's the
movement that sticks.
Next thing I tell you is chooseone snack to upgrade, not
eliminate.
Okay, this isn't the cleaneating bullshit that everyone
(19:15):
talks about.
This is choosing better, notperfect.
If you're used to grabbingchips at three o'clock, swap it
out for something with protein,like Greek yogurt, beef, jerky,
hard-boiled egg, whatever.
Don't go from chips to celeryand pretend that you're going to
stick to it.
You're not.
It ain't going to happen.
You're not going to make thatmassive change.
The goal here is notrestriction, it's replacement.
(19:37):
Make one snack smarter and thenstick to it until that becomes
a default.
It's simple shit.
Next one is choose to sleep likeit actually matters.
This is something that I had tolearn over time.
But if you're trying to loseweight on five hours of sleep a
night, it ain't going to work.
You know.
It's just not going to happen.
(19:57):
Lack of sleep wrecks yourhunger hormones, screws with
your willpower and makes youcrave shit the second you wake
up.
You don't need a sleep tracker.
You need respect for the factthat Netflix will still be there
tomorrow.
I'm working on this every day,but go to bed 30 minutes earlier
yeah, that is a weight losshabit.
(20:18):
Sleep is a weight loss habit.
Not only is it a habit, it's abig one.
Next thing I tell you is chooseto track your progress.
I talk about this all the time.
Choose to track the things thatmatter, not perfection, right?
Stop obsessing over the scaleand start watching your patterns
.
Are you drinking more water?
(20:39):
Are you moving every day?
Are you saying no thanks tothat third drink?
Notice I didn't say the firstdrink or the second drink.
If you're saying no thanks tothat third drink, that's
progress.
Perfection is a myth.
It's bullshit.
Progress is a mindset.
Don't wait until you're down 20pounds to feel proud.
Celebrate the fact that youdidn't quit after one off day, I
(21:02):
don't know.
Get like one of those cheapwall calendars off Amazon or
something and mark every daythat you show up for yourself.
That's the streak that actuallycounts is showing up for
yourself.
The last one is chooseself-respect over sabotage, and
this one's a big one for me.
It's a backbone of my book.
It's a backbone of everythingthat I did.
(21:23):
Every time you make a choicewhat to eat, when to sleep, how
to move you're either voting foryour future self or abandoning
it.
You don't need more discipline,you need more self-respect.
Discipline is fucking overrated.
Willpower is overrelated.
What you need is self-respect.
Ask yourself this simplequestion, and I always talk
(21:46):
about mindful eating.
This is mindful eating.
Is this choice something aperson who values themselves
would make?
If not, then stop and make adifferent decision.
It's that simple.
It's not about guilt.
It's about integrity.
You deserve to live in a bodyyou feel good in.
But you don't get there byhating your weight is skinny or
(22:08):
outsourcing every hard decisionto a drug.
You get there by choosing you,by choosing you over and over
again.
So weight loss isn't aboutoverhauling your life overnight.
It's about compoundingconsistency.
If you do only one thing fromthat list above, you're already
ahead of 90% of the people stillwaiting for the right time.
(22:33):
If you want results, stopwaiting.
You want to change.
Shut up and choose.
One meal, one walk, one glassof water.
That's where the momentumbegins.
You don't need to be perfect.
You just need to choose better,more often, with self-respect,
and not fear.
(22:53):
That's how you win and that'show you keep winning over and
over again.
Weight loss is not difficult.
It's about small, smart choicesmade consistently over time.
That's it.
You know what to eat.
You know what to do.
This is not science.
(23:14):
Yes, the drugs are science.
This is not science centuryinvention.
All you have to do is thinkbefore you eat.
Eat mindfully.
Choose better, make small,smart choices.
(23:36):
So that's my thoughts on thiswhole Weight Watchers Ozempic
crazy world that we're living in.
It doesn't have to be crazy.
You don't have to get caught upin the chaos.
This is simple.
Weight loss and sustainableweight loss are simple If you
make simple choices.
Lower the bar, make those smallchoices that you don't think
(23:58):
mean anything.
If you're doing that, like Isaid last week, you're doing it
right.
That's the way to do it.
If you want to hear more aboutmy journey of losing 140 pounds
over the last year and a half orso, buy my book on Amazon.
It's called Shut Up and Choose,same as this podcast.
It's an Amazon bestseller.
We get great reviews.
(24:20):
I get emails every week ofpeople who tell me it changed
their life.
It's something I'm really proudof.
If you're more of a visuallearner.
I have a video course.
It's just 23 short video course.
Each video is about five toseven minutes.
You can watch the whole thingin a couple of hours.
That's called the EffortlessWeight Loss Academy.
You can get that atlearnshutupandchoosecom.
(24:45):
That's learnshutupandchoosecom.
Again.
People are using it.
They're loving it.
It's actually been moresuccessful than I thought it
could be.
I'm really excited about that.
So, with all that being said,you have to decide.
What's it going to be youwaiting for the next miracle or
are you ready to create your ownfucking solutions?
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Good.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Now you know what to do.
Shut up and choose.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
You've been listening to Shut Up and Choose.
Jonathan's passion is to sharehis journey of shedding 130
pounds in less than a yearwithout any of the usual
gimmicks no diets, no pills.
And we'll let you in on alittle secret no fucking gym.
And guess what?
(25:32):
You can do it too.
We hope you enjoyed the show.
We had a fucking blast.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review.
We'll be back soon, but in themeantime, find Jonathan on
Instagram atJonathanWrestlerBocaRaton.
Until next time, shut up andchoose.
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