The Rise of Ozempic: A Personal Trainer's Perspective

by Amanda Jane Snyder

The Rise of Ozempic: A Personal Trainer's Perspective

The Rise of Ozempic: A Personal Trainer's PerspectivePhoto byAmanda Jane Snyder

It's 2024 and Ozempic is all the rage in weight-loss. After years of trying to lose weight through different diet and exercise programs, many people are relying on this weight-loss drug for a last resort effort. As a personal trainer, many folks have been asking me what I think of Ozempic and if I fear this will put an end to my business.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or, GLP-1. It is used to treat obesity and diabetes. Ozempic is a brand name amongst a number of other GLP-1s. These drugs work by mimicing this natually occuring hormone in the body that helps control blood glucose and promotes feelings of fullness. Other examples of brand name GLP-1s are Wegovy, Trulicity, Mounjaro and others. They all contain a GLP-1 including semaglutide, tirzepatide and more. These weight loss drugs have been around for since the early 2000s, treating patients with diabetes, but more recently they are readily available through insurance for weight-loss, we see celebrities using them, they're all over social media, and so they're on the rise.

Are Fat People Just Lazy?

As a personal trainer who's business has relied on helping people lose weight, you might think I'd be completely against these drugs. And many personal trainers and fitness professionals are. They refer to it as "cheating" or that these people just haven't put in the proper effort and are impatient. It's not new for people to lable fat or obese people as lazy. And the use of this drug has just accelerated that.

But the truth is, just because you haven't been able to lose weight, doesn't mean you're lazy. There's many reasons why someone might not be able to lose weight. It's not always about just gritting and bearing it. In fact, will-power is usually unsustainable. With so much misinformation in the diet and health space, it can be so hard to know the "what" and the "how" behind weight-loss. The truth is, people who are fat or obese have lower levels of our body's naturally producing GLP-1s. The reason why their levels are lower isn't entirely understood. But it could be due to other hormonal factors related to ghrelin, leptin, and even the gut bacteria which all contributes to satiety. Plus, your gut craves what you consume. So if your body is currently used to consuming sugar, fat, salt, and other highly processed, high calorie foods, your body will expect these foods, and crave them. It can be really hard to just cut these foods out cold turkey. It's a vicous cycle!

Will Ozempic Replace Personal Training?

When a client or a potential client comes to me and says, "I just started taking a GLP-1" my response is:

"Thanks for letting me know! I'd love to support you as you navigate this journey".

You see, for most people who are taking a GLP-1, because of the reduction in appetite and calories, there's a greater risk for muscle loss alongside fat loss. As a personal trainer, I can help them by continuing to provide a structured resistance training program, monitoring their protein and calorie intake to make sure they're consuming enough nutrients, and provide encouragment for their desire to get healthy!

If someone is using a GLP-1 and is on their last-stitch-effort, they likely don't have a resistance training program in place, and are probably not eating enough protein to promote muscle retention and fat loss. My assistance will make their journey so much easier for them to eventually come off of the drug and not only lose weight, but maintain it and sustain it for life!

I don't claim myself to be an expert in GLP-1s, but I have successfully helped a handful of clients lose weight and keep it off while taking these drugs.

Amanda Jane Snyder is a Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Mindset Coach living in Brooklyn, NY. She has been vegan since 2016. She specializes in mobility, injury prevention and strength and conditioning.