April 8, 2025 • 10 mins
In today’s episode, Ashlee dives into the conversation about weight loss medications like Wegovy and Ozempic. These medications are gaining popularity, but before you consider them, it’s important to understand their potential risks—including muscle loss and a slower metabolism. Ashlee emphasizes that while these medications can help some people, they shouldn't be the only tool in your journey. Tune in as she shares her honest thoughts on weight loss meds, why sustainable habits are key to long-term success, and how to approach your health holistically.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- The role weight loss medications play in appetite control and metabolic function
- The risks of muscle loss and a slowing metabolism from weight loss meds
- Why sustainable, long-term habits are more important than quick fixes
- How to make an informed decision with your healthcare provider
If you’re considering weight loss medications or just curious about their impact, this episode will give you the clarity you need to make the best decision for your health journey.
Check out my Stress Eating Survival Kit with links to my favorite meditations, EFT tapping strategies, affirmations, and stress management techniques in the show notes below.
Connect with Ashlee:
Resources:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello there and welcome back to another episode
of Step Up the Scale.
I am so excited that youdecided to spend your time here
with me today, and today isgoing to be a good one, because
we are diving into a topic thathas been getting a lot of
attention out there in thewellness world and I've been
getting so many questions aboutit, and that is weight loss
medications.
(00:20):
Now, I know that this can be asensitive topic, and my goal
here is not to judge anyone orshame anyone at all for their
choices.
I just want to be here to giveyou a well-rounded perspective
from myself, who's been adietitian for the past 14 plus
years and has seen so manythings evolve in the last year
since these medications havegained such popularity.
(00:42):
But before we dive in, I wantto clarify that this episode is
not intended to be medicaladvice.
If you're considering weightloss medications or any other
treatment, it's important toconsult with your healthcare
provider to discuss what's bestfor you, based on your
individual needs and yourmedical history.
My goal is to provide you withinformation and perspective, but
(01:03):
always, always seekpersonalized advice from your
doctor or qualified healthcareprofessional.
So I want to start off bysaying that I am by no means
against weight loss medicationswhatsoever.
In fact, I have clients whotake them.
I have friends who take them.
I think we all probably knowsomebody in our life who's
currently taking one of thesemedications, so there's
(01:25):
absolutely nothing wrong with it.
But I just want to make surethat you have all the
information and that you'reaware of the bigger picture,
including some risks that youmight not be thinking about,
like muscle loss and slowermetabolism, which we'll get to
more later on.
So let's explore this topictogether without any judgment.
We're just going to be havingsome real talk about it today.
(01:45):
Okay, when I'm talking aboutweight loss medications, the
ones that I'm mainly talkingabout today are things like
Wagovi, ozempic, zetbound.
You know, these areprescription medications that
are designed to help withappetite control.
They can help to increase yourfeelings of fullness and they
can potentially help you manageyour weight by targeting
(02:06):
metabolic functions.
So they've gained so muchattention recently because,
let's face it, of course, theycan produce significant results
for some people, and one of thecraziest things that I hear so
much is that these medicationsactually just they slow down
that food noise.
It's like the food chatter inyour brain and it just blows my
(02:27):
mind how that can happen.
I'm like holy cannoli.
I can't imagine if I'm notthinking about food a lot.
Actually, I talk about it as aprofession, so you know, it's
kind of crazy to me to thinkabout it in that way.
So it just totally blows mymind that it can actually help
to reduce that food noise thatcan be in your brain, because I
know that for so many of us thatfood noise can just get really
(02:49):
overwhelming.
So it's kind of cool thatthere's something out there that
can actually help with that,right?
So here's the thing I knowthere's a lot of debate out
there when it comes to thesemedications.
Some people see them as liketotal game changer, especially
for those who've struggled withweight loss for years and have
tried so many other things.
Right, of course, like you'refrustrated, you're like heck,
(03:10):
yeah, give me something that'sgoing to help me.
And then there's others outthere that are arguing that
relying on meds doesn't addressother like underlying behaviors
and emotional patterns and otherthings that can contribute to
weight gain.
And of course that can be true.
But I feel like you can do boththings at once, right?
You know I get it Like weightloss is such a personal thing.
It's emotional, it'sfrustrating, and if you're
(03:33):
looking for a solution thatworks for you, you're probably
willing to try like anything,right, you're like heck, yeah,
let me try it.
But I just want to make surethat we look at the whole
picture and and one of thebiggest reasons why I started
Step Off the Scale was to helpwomen get away from focusing on
the number on the scale so much,and the last thing I want you
(03:54):
to do is getting up in themorning and being like, okay,
I'm getting up, I'm running tothe scale seeing what my weight
is this morning.
Did it go up, did it go down?
Did it do this, did it do that?
Oh my goodness, that patterncan just make you effing crazy,
right?
But instead, if you get up anddo something that is more
beneficial to you, like readingand meditating or doing a little
(04:14):
bit of exercise, that sets yourday off on a whole other
precedent.
So I know like I'm talkingabout weight loss, medications
and weight loss today, butweight loss is not my sole focus
and I really think that notfocusing on it as much actually
helps you lose more weight inthe long run.
(04:35):
So that's just.
You know my perspective, mythoughts, after 14 plus years
working as a dietitian and alsoworking in my own business for
the last three years.
So this is where I stand.
I don't believe that there is aone-size-fits-all approach when
it comes to health.
For some people, weight lossmedications might be a
completely, extremely helpfultool on their journey right, but
(04:58):
I also want to remind you thatrelying on medications alone,
without addressing the emotional, mental and behavioral patterns
around food, is like putting aBand-Aid on a wound that really
needs more attention.
So let's talk a little bitabout the risks, because no
matter what tool you're using,it's important to understand the
potential downsides.
And one of the big risks that Isee of these weight loss
(05:20):
medications is that they canlead to muscle loss over time,
and when your body loses muscle,it impacts what's called your
basal metabolic rate, or youmight see that abbreviated as
BMR, and basically that's howmany calories your body burns at
rest.
That's just you like living,breathing, existing, not doing
any additional activity.
If your basal metabolic rate,that calorie burn number, goes
(05:44):
down, that can make it so muchharder to maintain weight loss
after stopping medication.
So that's a biggie and I don'tthink that's talked about nearly
enough, and here's why muscleloss is a big deal.
When you lose muscle, yourmetabolism slows down, and when
your metabolism slows down, itcan make it harder to keep
weight off in the long term, andthat can lead to a cycle where
(06:07):
weight loss is achieved on themedication, but if you stop
taking them, the weight comesback because your body isn't
burning as many calories anymore.
So that is a big big thing, andthat's why I'm a believer in
building long-term, sustainablehabits that actually help to
support your body's muscle massand metabolism.
It's not about a quick fix.
It's about creating habits thatwill make you feel good in your
(06:29):
body and keep that metabolismrunning strong right, and what I
really want for you islong-term wellness.
I want that sustainability, andthat means supporting your
metabolism through healthyhabits like building the muscle,
nourishing your body with goodfood and taking care of your
mental and emotional health.
Those are all so important.
(06:51):
We can't rely solely onmedications or quick fixes.
True transformation happenswhen we focus on your mind, your
body and your spirit, in myopinion.
So the power of habits likestrength training, getting
enough protein, staying activeand managing stress are all
things that help to keep yourmuscle mass up and keep your
(07:11):
metabolism functioning well, andthat's what's really going to
help set you up better forlong-term, sustainable success.
So if you're considering weightloss medication, I really
encourage you to have an open,honest conversation with your
health care provider.
They can help you weigh thepros and cons and make sure that
a medication fits into youroverall health plan in this.
(07:43):
So you need to have theconversation and figure out what
works best for you.
Is this the right thing for youfor weight loss and is this the
right thing for you for yourmental and physical well-being?
I need you to really thinkabout that and always remember
there's no shame in seekingmedical help if it's part of
your journey Absolutely flippin'not.
But it's also important to takea holistic approach to your
health.
Your wellness is about morethan just a number on the scale
(08:04):
or a pill or an injection thatyou take right.
So, no matter where you are inyour journey, it's important to
remember that you deserve tofeel good in your body, whether
or not weight loss medicationsare part of that.
It's about finding the balance,understanding what works best
for you, whether it's medication, nutrition, exercise or
something else entirely butalways, always, focus on
(08:27):
long-term habits that supportyour overall health, and if
you're thinking about weightloss meds, I just want you to
ask yourself am I seeking aquick fix or am I ready to make
sustainable changes that willsupport my health for the long
run?
I hope that today's episodehelped you feel more informed
and empowered when it comes toweight loss medications, and
remember, there's no right orwrong answer here at all, and my
(08:50):
goal is always just to supportyou in making the best decision
possible for you, and I'd loveto know your thoughts on this
episode.
Do you have any questions,experiences, things you wanna
share?
Come find me on Instagram atAshley the Dietitian.
I would love to hear from youIf you found today's episode
helpful.
I'd be so grateful if you couldleave a review and share it
(09:12):
with a friend who might need tohear it.
And, as always, come hang outwith me on Instagram.
I'm always there sharing reallife updates and probably
whatever my next craft beerchoice would be.
So you can also find the linkto follow me on Instagram here
in the show notes, and you'llalso find a link to my brand new
stress eating survival kit.
That is where I share all myfavorite tips and tricks for
(09:35):
managing stress and emotionaleating, and I can't wait to see
what you think about it.
Thanks so much for joining meon another episode of Step Off
the Scale and I'll see you soon.
Take care of yourself.
Well, hello there and welcome back to another episode
of Step Up the Scale.
I am so excited that youdecided to spend your time here
with me today, and today isgoing to be a good one, because
we are diving into a topic thathas been getting a lot of
attention out there in thewellness world and I've been
getting so many questions aboutit, and that is weight loss
medications.
(00:20):
Now, I know that this can be asensitive topic, and my goal
here is not to judge anyone orshame anyone at all for their
choices.
I just want to be here to giveyou a well-rounded perspective
from myself, who's been adietitian for the past 14 plus
years and has seen so manythings evolve in the last year
since these medications havegained such popularity.
(00:42):
But before we dive in, I wantto clarify that this episode is
not intended to be medicaladvice.
If you're considering weightloss medications or any other
treatment, it's important toconsult with your healthcare
provider to discuss what's bestfor you, based on your
individual needs and yourmedical history.
My goal is to provide you withinformation and perspective, but
(01:03):
always, always seekpersonalized advice from your
doctor or qualified healthcareprofessional.
So I want to start off bysaying that I am by no means
against weight loss medicationswhatsoever.
In fact, I have clients whotake them.
I have friends who take them.
I think we all probably knowsomebody in our life who's
currently taking one of thesemedications, so there's
(01:25):
absolutely nothing wrong with it.
But I just want to make surethat you have all the
information and that you'reaware of the bigger picture,
including some risks that youmight not be thinking about,
like muscle loss and slowermetabolism, which we'll get to
more later on.
So let's explore this topictogether without any judgment.
We're just going to be havingsome real talk about it today.
(01:45):
Okay, when I'm talking aboutweight loss medications, the
ones that I'm mainly talkingabout today are things like
Wagovi, ozempic, zetbound.
You know, these areprescription medications that
are designed to help withappetite control.
They can help to increase yourfeelings of fullness and they
can potentially help you manageyour weight by targeting
(02:06):
metabolic functions.
So they've gained so muchattention recently because,
let's face it, of course, theycan produce significant results
for some people, and one of thecraziest things that I hear so
much is that these medicationsactually just they slow down
that food noise.
It's like the food chatter inyour brain and it just blows my
(02:27):
mind how that can happen.
I'm like holy cannoli.
I can't imagine if I'm notthinking about food a lot.
Actually, I talk about it as aprofession, so you know, it's
kind of crazy to me to thinkabout it in that way.
So it just totally blows mymind that it can actually help
to reduce that food noise thatcan be in your brain, because I
know that for so many of us thatfood noise can just get really
(02:49):
overwhelming.
So it's kind of cool thatthere's something out there that
can actually help with that,right?
So here's the thing I knowthere's a lot of debate out
there when it comes to thesemedications.
Some people see them as liketotal game changer, especially
for those who've struggled withweight loss for years and have
tried so many other things.
Right, of course, like you'refrustrated, you're like heck,
(03:10):
yeah, give me something that'sgoing to help me.
And then there's others outthere that are arguing that
relying on meds doesn't addressother like underlying behaviors
and emotional patterns and otherthings that can contribute to
weight gain.
And of course that can be true.
But I feel like you can do boththings at once, right?
You know I get it Like weightloss is such a personal thing.
It's emotional, it'sfrustrating, and if you're
(03:33):
looking for a solution thatworks for you, you're probably
willing to try like anything,right, you're like heck, yeah,
let me try it.
But I just want to make surethat we look at the whole
picture and and one of thebiggest reasons why I started
Step Off the Scale was to helpwomen get away from focusing on
the number on the scale so much,and the last thing I want you
(03:54):
to do is getting up in themorning and being like, okay,
I'm getting up, I'm running tothe scale seeing what my weight
is this morning.
Did it go up, did it go down?
Did it do this, did it do that?
Oh my goodness, that patterncan just make you effing crazy,
right?
But instead, if you get up anddo something that is more
beneficial to you, like readingand meditating or doing a little
(04:14):
bit of exercise, that sets yourday off on a whole other
precedent.
So I know like I'm talkingabout weight loss, medications
and weight loss today, butweight loss is not my sole focus
and I really think that notfocusing on it as much actually
helps you lose more weight inthe long run.
(04:35):
So that's just.
You know my perspective, mythoughts, after 14 plus years
working as a dietitian and alsoworking in my own business for
the last three years.
So this is where I stand.
I don't believe that there is aone-size-fits-all approach when
it comes to health.
For some people, weight lossmedications might be a
completely, extremely helpfultool on their journey right, but
(04:58):
I also want to remind you thatrelying on medications alone,
without addressing the emotional, mental and behavioral patterns
around food, is like putting aBand-Aid on a wound that really
needs more attention.
So let's talk a little bitabout the risks, because no
matter what tool you're using,it's important to understand the
potential downsides.
And one of the big risks that Isee of these weight loss
(05:20):
medications is that they canlead to muscle loss over time,
and when your body loses muscle,it impacts what's called your
basal metabolic rate, or youmight see that abbreviated as
BMR, and basically that's howmany calories your body burns at
rest.
That's just you like living,breathing, existing, not doing
any additional activity.
If your basal metabolic rate,that calorie burn number, goes
(05:44):
down, that can make it so muchharder to maintain weight loss
after stopping medication.
So that's a biggie and I don'tthink that's talked about nearly
enough, and here's why muscleloss is a big deal.
When you lose muscle, yourmetabolism slows down, and when
your metabolism slows down, itcan make it harder to keep
weight off in the long term, andthat can lead to a cycle where
(06:07):
weight loss is achieved on themedication, but if you stop
taking them, the weight comesback because your body isn't
burning as many calories anymore.
So that is a big big thing, andthat's why I'm a believer in
building long-term, sustainablehabits that actually help to
support your body's muscle massand metabolism.
It's not about a quick fix.
It's about creating habits thatwill make you feel good in your
(06:29):
body and keep that metabolismrunning strong right, and what I
really want for you islong-term wellness.
I want that sustainability, andthat means supporting your
metabolism through healthyhabits like building the muscle,
nourishing your body with goodfood and taking care of your
mental and emotional health.
Those are all so important.
(06:51):
We can't rely solely onmedications or quick fixes.
True transformation happenswhen we focus on your mind, your
body and your spirit, in myopinion.
So the power of habits likestrength training, getting
enough protein, staying activeand managing stress are all
things that help to keep yourmuscle mass up and keep your
(07:11):
metabolism functioning well, andthat's what's really going to
help set you up better forlong-term, sustainable success.
So if you're considering weightloss medication, I really
encourage you to have an open,honest conversation with your
health care provider.
They can help you weigh thepros and cons and make sure that
a medication fits into youroverall health plan in this.
(07:43):
So you need to have theconversation and figure out what
works best for you.
Is this the right thing for youfor weight loss and is this the
right thing for you for yourmental and physical well-being?
I need you to really thinkabout that and always remember
there's no shame in seekingmedical help if it's part of
your journey Absolutely flippin'not.
But it's also important to takea holistic approach to your
health.
Your wellness is about morethan just a number on the scale
(08:04):
or a pill or an injection thatyou take right.
So, no matter where you are inyour journey, it's important to
remember that you deserve tofeel good in your body, whether
or not weight loss medicationsare part of that.
It's about finding the balance,understanding what works best
for you, whether it's medication, nutrition, exercise or
something else entirely butalways, always, focus on
(08:27):
long-term habits that supportyour overall health, and if
you're thinking about weightloss meds, I just want you to
ask yourself am I seeking aquick fix or am I ready to make
sustainable changes that willsupport my health for the long
run?
I hope that today's episodehelped you feel more informed
and empowered when it comes toweight loss medications, and
remember, there's no right orwrong answer here at all, and my
(08:50):
goal is always just to supportyou in making the best decision
possible for you, and I'd loveto know your thoughts on this
episode.
Do you have any questions,experiences, things you wanna
share?
Come find me on Instagram atAshley the Dietitian.
I would love to hear from youIf you found today's episode
helpful.
I'd be so grateful if you couldleave a review and share it
(09:12):
with a friend who might need tohear it.
And, as always, come hang outwith me on Instagram.
I'm always there sharing reallife updates and probably
whatever my next craft beerchoice would be.
So you can also find the linkto follow me on Instagram here
in the show notes, and you'llalso find a link to my brand new
stress eating survival kit.
That is where I share all myfavorite tips and tricks for
(09:35):
managing stress and emotionaleating, and I can't wait to see
what you think about it.
Thanks so much for joining meon another episode of Step Off
the Scale and I'll see you soon.
Take care of yourself.
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