Am I "Cheating" if I Use a Weight Loss Medication?
Weight Loss Medications: A Valid Tool, Not a Cheat Code
Have you ever felt guilty about considering weight loss medications, as if using them would somehow be "cheating"? After years of strict diets, countless exercise routines, and frustrating plateaus, many of our patients ask this very question. Modern weight loss medications aren't a shortcut—they're a scientifically-backed tool that, when used appropriately, can be a valuable part of your health journey.
The Weight Loss Struggle Is Real
Maybe you've struggled with weight your whole life, tried every diet on the planet along with every new exercise trend but haven't been able to lose the weight you want. Or potentially you notice you've gained a few extra pounds a year as you entered your mid to late 40s and that extra weight doesn't seem to want to budge despite you not really changing how you eat or your exercise. Maybe you work out 5 days a week, "watch" what you eat and still seem to have extra weight you don't want. Do any of these scenarios sound like you? At Concierge Medicine of West Michigan, we talk to patients all the time with these concerns!
Understanding New Weight Loss Medications
If you are frustrated with your weight, you no doubt have heard about the new weight loss medications. You've probably thought about how nice a medication for weight loss could be. Maybe you've even tried one. There are many good reasons to consider a weight loss medication but not everyone seems on board. Some of the arguments are against the lack of long term data, concerns about needing these medications long term, the side effect profile. It is important to appropriately evaluate any medication but let's look at some of these concerns further.
The Latest Treatment Options
While there are a handful of weight loss medications on the market, the two newest ones that are receiving all the press are semaglutide and tirzepatide, brand names are Wegovy and Zepbound respectively. These medications were initially studied and used under different brand names for the management of diabetes and have been on the market for several years so while the long term research about weight loss effects are still pending, there has been years of research done on these medications.
Addressing Long-Term Use Concerns
These medications may need to be used long term. Or they may not! This is one area where the longer term data will be helpful. But if one of the arguments against these medications is that they need to be used long term, there are many other medications we should also be rejecting! No one debates that someone with diabetes or hypertension should not take a medication to treat their condition just because it might have to be used long term. Do we ideally need and want to have lifestyle management with a nutrition and exercise focus as a part of the management plan, absolutely! But that doesn't mean that we can't use these weight loss medications for chronic use.
Understanding the Risk vs. Benefit
Side effects are a risk of any and every medication. These weight loss medications are no exception. The risk vs. benefit conversation is one you should be having with your personal physician to determine if you are a good candidate to start one of these medications. Of course you could have a side effect but you know what, excess weight, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, all problems these medications help address, are huge risk factors for cardiovascular disease. And you know what kills more people in this country than anything else? Yes, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer.
The Bottom Line
If these new weight loss medications can be used appropriately as a part of a nutrition and exercise plan, they are another tool that can be used to help improve patient's health and quality of life. They are not for everyone and we always do need to do more research, but these medications are not cheating.
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