In mid-January, I began taking Tirzepatide, which is a type of GLP-1 (it’s a little different, but let’s go with it for simplification) similar to the brand name Zepbound. Ozempic is the competing brand that everyone’s heard of.
Since then, I’ve read tons of success stories about how this medication has changed lives. And I’ve read the ridiculous negative comments from people who’ve never tried it.
Isn’t it fun how dramatic people are online?
I’ve been taking a small dose for almost two months, and I’ve experienced seven mind-boggling benefits beyond weight loss.
First, I have had weight loss. I’m down about 12.5 pounds in ten weeks. I went from 140.3 to 127.6. My clothes fit so much better!
Now, to the non-weight loss stuff…
1. It slows down the digestive system.
The person in the comment above said it “paralyzes” the digestive system, which happens only in rare cases. But, yes, a GLP-1 does slow the system down.
While this can cause constipation in some people (which they‘re able to easily manage), it also allows you to feel fuller faster and for longer. This is part of why weight loss is easier on these medications.
But, for me, as a sufferer of IBS, slowing down my digestion has helped so much. Everything is running smoothly, which keeps me from running to the bathroom. This has been a total game-changer.
If I didn’t have any other benefit, this one would keep me on Tirzepatide indefinitely.
2. It actually allows me to eat intuitively.
I feel like the people that were online a couple of years ago telling everyone to eat intuitively had it out for the rest of us. You can’t eat intuitively when you’re brain is constantly poking you, reminding you that there are Girl Scout cookies in the pantry. The only way to stop the poking is to give in.
That’s why I can’t stand the high-and-mighty people who love to scream in social media comment sections to “Just use willpower! Have some discipline.”
Sure, it’s fairly easy to have discipline…for a short time. I was able to keep things under control enough to complete 75 Hard. But the poking comes back louder than ever once the goal is complete. That’s why so many people try every diet under the sun and yo-yo themselves to even higher weights. Me included.
But now, because my mind is calm, I’m able to eat intuitively. I know when I’m actually hungry, when I need more protein, or when I’ve eaten too much and need to take it down a notch the next day. I don’t need to count calories. (Although, I do once in a while just to see.) I can feel it.
More willpower and discipline won’t solve the problem long-term. Fixing your brain will.
3. Food is more for fuel now, and less for pleasure.
Food isn’t as exciting or pleasurable anymore. Some people don’t like this aspect of the GLP-1 medication and would consider it a downside. I think it’s a giant upside.
I still get hungry. I still eat. I still enjoy it. But now I eat, and then I stop eating. Before being on a GLP-1, I would eat my portion, then have another scoop, then maybe one more. And then I’d lick the spoon while cleaning up the kitchen. I just couldn’t stop eating the food when it tasted so damn good!
Now, while it still tastes good, it doesn’t light up that thing in my mind that says, “I need more right now!” Everything is a bit dulled and now I eat because I need to.
4. It completely removed my addiction to these things.
I get myself addicted to the dumbest things, and these Necco wafer candies are my dumbest. I explained in this Substack how bad it was. I would start eating one roll, finish that one, then eat another. Sometimes I’d even start another roll!
Once I had a little taste, I couldn’t stop. The sugar high was real. They’re about 220 calories for each roll, so you can see how that adds up.
My daughter provided sound advice when she told me to “Just stop buying them.” But again, it’s this gnawing in the brain that won’t stop until I give in.
“Just go to the store. Just get some. Stop at the store to get some. We’re almost out. Just go get them. It’s not a big deal. Get some.”
Now, I have them, and they still taste good. (Except on shot day and the day after because they don’t taste like much more than a cracker, which is so weird!) But I can have a few, then I put them away.
I’m telling you, this one is an absolute miracle. I never thought I’d be able to stop eating those things.
Another miracle is that I’ve also naturally reduced my coffee consumption. I used to drink two large cups, then go to Starbucks for a Grande. Now I’m down to 1–2 cups per day, and I only go to Starbucks once in a while.
Before the medication, I was craving coffee life crazy. I even bought decaf so I could have more in the afternoon without it ruining my sleep.
5. I am more motivated to lift weights.
One thing I see about the downsides of taking a GLP-1 is that “you lose all your muscle” on it. But I think that’s true of any weight loss program, especially if you lose it rapidly.
I don’t like lifting weights because I think it’s boring as all hell. But I’m much more motivated now than I used to be.
Before, my thought process was: “What’s the point in lifting these weights when I can’t get rid of any of the fat that’s sitting on top of them?”
Now that I know I can lose weight, it makes the idea of building muscle much more appealing. It doesn’t feel like wasted effort.
6. For the first time ever, I can actually focus on something
I have taken some ADHD tests online, and they always say I don’t have it. While I’m sure they’re not the proper, standardized tests, I think they’re right. I don’t think I have true ADHD.
Yet, now that I’m on these medications, I can focus so much better. Problems seem easier to solve, I can write for a full 90-120 minute session without needing to get up every twenty minutes, and I can actually “see” what I’m trying to achieve so much more clearly.
It’s like a fog has been lifted.
I can finally be productive. I can get everything done in a day that needs to be done. And it’s so easy now. So, so easy.
It’s wild.
7. I feel freaking amazing.
I had this goal that I wrote about on October 29, 2024. The goal was to feel as good as humanly possible.
The first, and most important step, was to take a break from alcohol. In fact, today marks the 11th month of my one-year, no alcohol challenge!
Doing that one thing improved my life dramatically. However, by not having my diet under control, I could never truly feel as good as humanly possible.
I tried numerous diet plans to get it under control. I really thought I had it figured out when I tried intermittent fasting. “The less I eat, the better I feel!” That’s true on some level because I was able to give my body a break from digesting food all the time.
But when I decided to really try and do a “clean” fast, it backfired so hard that I completely gave up.
I thought I would be missing this piece of the “feel as good as possible” puzzle forever.
Thankfully, GLP-1s came along, and I decided to not listen to the naysayers and try it for myself. Taking this medication has completely changed my life. I feel freaking amazing.
Finally!
Even more benefits?
There are even more benefits to these GLP-1 drugs that researchers are looking at. Because they reduce inflammation, they may also help with:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Heart attacks
- Alzheimer’s
- Strokes
And because they regulate dopamine, they’re also being looked at for alcohol and other addictions.
Plus, according to this article from mplsheart.org:
“Scientists are learning more about GLP-1 medications every day! Beyond blood sugar and weight management, emerging research has shown GLP-1’s may be beneficial in treating liver disease, pancreatitis, sleep apnea, kidney disease, and even polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women.”
Here’s a video I got clickbaited into watching because I thought it was an “Uh oh, now what’s wrong with Ozempic?!” type of video. I’m happy about it though because it turns out, this doctor shares all the benefits and promising upcoming research.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there’s something unique about this medication that isn’t just about weight loss. It does something to regulate the brain.
When your brain is regulated, you can accomplish so many more things in life! Your thoughts aren’t scattered, you’re not constantly trying to drum up the willpower to not eat the chips in the pantry even though you can’t stop thinking about them. (That uses up so much mental bandwidth, which is exhausting.)
Everything is just…calm.
Chill.
Of course, these medications aren’t for everyone, and yes, you should talk to a doctor about them. But if you’re struggling with your weight (or your mind) why not at least look into it?
I understand that everyone sees the extreme cases of people overdoing it and then looking “skeletal”, but there are many, many more cases of people who used them to get healthy and are now maintaining a perfect weight. Just search YouTube and you’ll find plenty of success stories.
And if you feel guilty about it…why?
I’ll never understand this thought people have that something needs to be hard in order for us to be worthy of it. If there’s a path of least resistance, why not take it?