What Is GLP-1 and Why Is It Everywhere Right Now?
- Dr. Sandra Mckenzie
- Nov 20, 2025
- 2 min read
Understanding the hormone behind the weight-loss conversation
By Dr. Sandra McKenzie, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist
GLP-1 medications have become a cultural conversation, trending everywhere from medical conferences to celebrity interviews. When world-class athletes like Serena Williams spark dialogue around performance, metabolism, and longevity, the world pays attention.
Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about GLP-1 medications — the weight-loss injections celebrities whisper about, doctors prescribe more frequently, and patients are curious but uncertain about. But before we decide whether they are a miracle or a mismatch, we need to understand what GLP-1 actually is.
There are a number of GLP-1 (or related) medications that are popular today for weight loss (or metabolic/diabetes care, with weight loss as a side or approved benefit).
Common GLP-1 Medications include:
• Wegovy: FDA-approved specifically for weight management
• Ozempic: Approved for type 2 diabetes but widely used off-label for weight loss
• Saxenda: Approved for chronic weight management
• Zepbound: A dual GLP-1/GIP agonist approved for weight loss
• Mounjaro: Approved for diabetes but often leads to weight reduction
• Trulicity: Primarily used for blood sugar control, sometimes influencing weight
So, What Is GLP-1?
GLP-1 is a hormone your body naturally produces in the gut. Its job is to:
Help you feel full
Slow how quickly food leaves the stomach
Support insulin release when glucose is high
Reduce glucagon (which prevents excess sugar release into the bloodstream)
When insulin resistance develops — especially driven by excess abdominal fat — the body’s natural GLP-1 response weakens. That’s when hunger feels harder to control and weight becomes harder to lose.
How GLP-1 Medications Work
GLP-1 medications mimic that natural hormone. They help people:
Feel full longer
Reduce appetite
Improve glucose control
And yes — that is why they work.
But here’s the part the commercials don’t mention:
When the medication stops, the biology often returns to its old patterns. And without new habits in place, weight regain is common.
Understanding the science is empowering. It allows us to make decisions based not on pressure or trends, but on clarity and intention.
Key Takeaway
GLP-1 medications are a tool — not a solution. The most powerful transformation still comes from behavior, identity, and lifestyle alignment — supported by nutrition, rhythm, movement, sleep, and stress restoration.
There is no injectable replacement for lifestyle mastery.
Curious about whether GLP-1 is right for your journey — or how to use lifestyle medicine to amplify or step away from medication support?
Schedule Your Free Discovery Call
Let's explore your goals and see how I can support your journey to living younger, longer, and stronger.
Disclaimer:
These insights are for wellness education and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe. This content does not replace individualized medical evaluation. Any personalized recommendations require a formal consultation and health history review.
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