Weight Loss Drugs: Miracle or Mixed Blessing?

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are all the rage right now. Every second headline screams about how they’re revolutionising weight loss, while social media is awash with influencers and celebs crediting them for their newly svelte figures. But before we all start queuing up for a prescription or—worse—clicking ‘Buy Now’ on some dodgy website, let’s take a breath and have a little chat.

The Real Medical Use

Let’s be clear: these drugs were designed for people living with obesity (not just those who want to fit into a smaller jeans size by next summer). And even then, they’re usually only prescribed if the individual also has at least one obesity-related condition—things like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnoea. They are not meant to be used as a standalone solution. Doctors recommend they be combined with—shock horror—good nutrition and exercise. Yep, the old basics still apply!

A Place for Everything—Even Weight Loss Drugs

Just like bariatric surgery, these drugs do have a place. For some, they can be life-changing, helping to manage serious health conditions. But here’s where the issue starts: they’re now being seen as a quick fix, a miracle cure, a shortcut past all the ‘boring’ parts of health like cooking real food and moving our bodies. And that’s where things start to unravel.

Some allied health professionals, including personal trainers and health coaches, believe we should embrace this shift and support clients who choose to use weight loss drugs. Don't get me wrong, if a client has been recommended this pathway by their GP as the best solution for their particular health circumstances, then absolutely, I will be there to support them. But this needs to be in a way that helps them to eventually transition to a lifestyle where they no longer rely on these drugs. However, to actively encourage this as a first-choice pathway without proper medical intervention? That, in my view, plays into the quick-fix culture and skirts dangerously close to endorsing unregulated and potentially harmful approaches to weight loss.

The Side Effects No One Talks About

Another key issue? What happens when you stop taking these drugs. Studies are showing that many people regain the weight once they stop, often because they haven’t addressed the habits that led them to struggle with weight in the first place. If the only thing keeping weight off is a medication, what’s the long-term plan? Endless prescriptions? That’s not exactly a sustainable or empowering approach.

Like any medication, weight loss drugs come with side effects. And they’re not just a minor tummy ache. We’re talking nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, fatigue, and even muscle loss. In some cases, people have reported that their appetite has been so suppressed that they struggle to eat enough to maintain basic nutrition. Then there’s the potential for gallstones, pancreatitis, and serious gastrointestinal issues. I don’t know about you, but this sounds more unappealing by the minute.

And yet, people are still snapping these up online, often from unregulated sources. A quick Google search will reveal that some unregulated sellers are offering these drugs without prescriptions, which can lead to serious health risks. It's important to get medications through reputable sources and with proper medical guidance to avoid unnecessary risks.

Mindset: The Missing Piece

And then there’s the issue of why people feel the need to use these drugs in the first place. Social media and celebrity culture have turned them into the latest ‘miracle cure,’ but what they don’t show is the reality—the fatigue, nausea, muscle loss, and the mental health toll of rapid, dramatic weight changes.

Losing weight quickly can have unexpected psychological effects. Many people struggle with a disconnect between their new body and their self-image, leading to emotional distress or even body dysmorphia. There’s also the anxiety of maintaining the weight loss—when it happens rapidly, without sustainable habits in place, the fear of regaining the weight can feel overwhelming.

Additionally, appetite-suppressing drugs can disrupt natural hunger signals, making it harder to trust your body’s needs. This, combined with social pressure and the unrealistic belief that weight loss will solve all of life’s problems, can lead to increased stress, mood swings, and even disordered eating patterns.

Here’s the crux of the issue: weight loss drugs don’t deal with the underlying habits, mindset, or emotional triggers that lead to weight gain in the first place. Emotional eating, boredom snacking, stress-related binges—these don’t magically disappear because a drug makes you less hungry.

For lasting change, many of us need to dig deeper. Why do we turn to food for comfort? Why does the thought of eating more vegetables feel like a punishment? Why do we sabotage ourselves when we start making progress? Why are we so desperate for a quick fix? Why do we believe that thinness equals happiness? These are questions that weight loss drugs simply can’t answer. In many cases, real change requires professional support, whether that’s from a health coach, a nutritionist, a therapist, or all of the above.

The Basics Still Matter

Another point worth raising? The ethics. With the surge in popularity of weight loss drugs, people who genuinely need them—like those with type 2 diabetes—are struggling to access prescriptions. When weight loss becomes a commercialised free-for-all, it leaves those with genuine medical conditions behind. And then there’s the cost—these drugs aren’t cheap, and they’re not always covered by insurance. If the only ‘solution’ is one that requires a lifetime of expensive medication, is that really a solution at all?

Deep down, we know what makes up a healthy diet: real food, more veggies, fewer ultra-processed options, balanced meals, mindful eating. But our modern lives are built around convenience—takeaways, ready meals, TV snacks, weekend drinking binges (because ‘we deserve it’ after a hard week). And in the short term, these feel like small, harmless choices.

The irony? The longer we lean on these conveniences, the more we risk our health. The short-term fix eventually leads to long-term consequences—type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain. And at that point, the ‘fix’ is often much more extreme: medication dependency, food restrictions, or major lifestyle overhauls that feel overwhelming.

I Get It—Truly

Look, I’m not here to judge. As someone who has lived with obesity (and wow, what a weighty title to be saddled with—there’s a whole other blog post in that alone), I get it. I know how easy it is to reach for comfort food, to eat out of boredom or stress, to grow up in a culture where drinking pints and throwing back hardcore shots was seen as a badge of honour (or was that just me?!).

But then you hit a point—a wake-up call. Maybe it’s when your joints start complaining every time you attempt a kitchen disco. Maybe it’s when your GP raises an eyebrow at your blood test results and starts using words like ‘cholesterol’ and ‘glucose levels’ in a way that makes you feel slightly nauseous. And then you realise—you’re at a crossroads.

That epiphany moment when you finally accept that you need to take more ownership of your health. That you can’t just wing it anymore. And then comes the big decision: do you take the grown-up route, commit to doing it properly, making real, sustainable changes? Or do you try just one more ‘miracle cure’ and hope this time it will be different?

So, What’s the Alternative?

If you're considering weight loss drugs, your first step should always be to seek advice from your GP. They can help assess whether it's the right approach for your specific health needs and ensure you have the right medical supervision.

Instead of viewing them as the answer, consider them as a tool that should be part of a broader, well-considered approach to your health. And if you’re not medically in need of them, consider whether a different approach might work better in the long run—one that doesn’t just focus on weight loss but on feeling better, moving with ease, eating in a way that feels good, and actually enjoying life.

Because ultimately, no drug, diet, or ‘quick fix’ will do the real work for us. But small, sustainable changes? Those have the power to last a lifetime. If you're ready to take a more sustainable approach to your health and need guidance on where to start, reach out. Whether it’s making small changes to your eating habits, finding enjoyable movement, or tackling the mindset shifts that truly create lasting results, I’m here to help. Let’s do this the right way—together.