Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

Coaching Tools

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Weight Gain After Stopping Semaglutide: A Health Coach’s Guide to Post Medication Success

Drawing upon nearly two decades of dedicated experience as a Health and Weight Loss Coach, I’ve been actively engaged in the ongoing dialogues centered on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, with a specific focus on discussions related to weight regain.

My current clientele typically falls into three distinct categories:

  1. Those intentionally avoiding these medications for various reasons
  2. Those currently using them seeking nutritional guidance and accountability
  3. Those bidding them farewell due to bothersome side effects, missing the pleasure of eating, or financial considerations

For those contemplating the discontinuation of semaglutide or tizepatide, a prominent concern is how to minimize weight gain.

In this article, I’ll unravel the intricacies of post GLP-1 weight gain, drawing insights from both empirical studies and practical coaching experience. Whether you’re contemplating the discontinuation of these medications or seeking guidance for continued success, join me as we navigate the multifaceted terrain of life after semaglutide or tirzepatide.

Although scientific studies on the effects of stopping GLP-1 medications are limited, it’s clear that weight gain is a common change observed. A 2022 study indicated that one year after stopping Ozempic, individuals regained approximately two-thirds of the weight they had initially lost.

Another study showcased similar results, revealing that individuals who took Ozempic lost around 10% of their body weight but gained back an average of 7% within a year of stopping the medication.

Here are some tips to guide you post-Ozempic, Wegovy, or other GLP-1 medications:

Increase Fiber Consumption:
Embrace the concept of “smart carbs” by choosing options like sprouted bread, oats, beans, and quinoa, rather than resorting to the elimination of carbohydrates entirely, a strategy often deemed unsustainable.

Support for this approach comes from a 2017 randomized control trial that revealed the effectiveness of lower carbohydrate approaches in comparison to low-fat diets for increasing satiety. Furthermore, these lower-carbohydrate strategies have demonstrated efficacy in managing both diabetes and facilitating weight loss.

Break a Sweat:
Regular physical activity is crucial for preventing chronic conditions and supporting mental well-being. A consistent exercise routine aids in maintaining weight loss. A 2017 analysis recommends incorporating moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes per week to enhance the sustainability of weight loss.

Resistance training also plays a pivotal role in maintaining muscle mass and enhancing weight loss in women. As women age, they naturally experience a decline in muscle mass, which can impact metabolism and contribute to weight gain. Engaging in regular resistance training, such as lifting weights or using resistance bands, helps counteract this muscle loss by stimulating muscle growth and strength.

Choose Satiety-Packed Foods:
Choose foods high in fiber, lean proteins, and healthy fats as your primary choices to counteract the tendency to overeat induced by hyper-palatable options such as cookies and pizza.

Shift the Focus to Health:
Move beyond scale fixation and prioritize health metrics such as blood sugar, cholesterol, and liver enzymes. Your overall well-being should take precedence over a singular numerical measure.

Tapering or Other Medications:
As our understanding of long-term weight management evolves, ongoing research is likely to unveil more effective methods for minimizing weight gain. Despite the relatively new nature of this scientific research, experts are exploring various approaches to address the challenges associated with maintaining a healthy weight.

Dr. Alexandra Sowa, an obesity medicine specialist based in New York, shared insights with the Wall Street Journal, suggesting that strategies such as tapering and incorporating additional weight-management medications, such as Qsymia, could be beneficial in preventing rapid rebound issues commonly associated with GLP-1s. To determine the most suitable approach for your specific health history, it is essential to engage in a thorough discussion with your healthcare provider. Their expertise can guide you toward a personalized and effective weight management plan.

In the pursuit of weight loss, maintaining focus on overall health is paramount. Both physical and mental well-being contribute not only to a longer life but a better one. While GLP-1 medications may aid in weight loss, it’s essential to recognize that they may not be suitable for everyone.

For those exploring alternatives, it is essential to embrace a personalized, enduring dietary pattern. The emphasis should be on finding a sustainable, long-term dietary strategy tailored to your individual needs. This means steering clear of extreme and restrictive diets like no-carb or keto, and instead, focusing on a balanced and realistic approach.

Before discontinuing any medication, especially if underlying health conditions are present, consulting with a healthcare provider is essential. This ensures a collaborative effort in addressing concerns about potential withdrawal symptoms or long-term effects associated with stopping medications like Ozempic, allowing for a seamless and healthy transition.

đź’™ Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one health coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.

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Mastering Behavior Change: Unveiling the Power of Friction and Controlling Cravings

Embarking on the journey of behavior change goes beyond mere resolve; it’s about understanding the dynamics that shape our habits. According to social psychologist Wendy Wood, author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits,” the pivotal force behind eliminating bad habits is friction – making them inconvenient. Let’s delve into this concept and apply it to controlling cravings, particularly when faced with the tempting allure of Easter sweets.

Cravings, fueled by an intricate interplay of internal signals and external stimuli, often lead us astray from our health goals. In an ideal scenario, our desire to eat would align solely with internal cues indicating hunger. However, our modern environment bombards us with constant images and smells of food, triggering cravings even when we’re not physically hungry.

The science behind these cravings reveals that merely seeing, smelling, or thinking about food can set off a complex biological response. This includes a surge of insulin, a drop in blood glucose, stomach relaxation, and the feeling of needing more food to achieve fullness – processes that were evolutionarily advantageous in times of food scarcity but are less helpful in today’s food-rich world.

Attempting to employ willpower to overcome cravings often feels like an uphill battle due to the biological cascade that occurs when we resist the urge to eat. To effectively control cravings, it becomes imperative to reduce triggers as much as possible.

With Easter celebrations approaching, here are some specific tips to navigate the tempting world of sweets:

  1. Delay Sweet Purchase:
    Hold off on buying sweets as long as possible to minimize the time they’re in your immediate environment.
  2. Hide Sweets:
    If sweets have already found their way into your home, enlist the help of a family member to hide them away, making them less visible and accessible.
  3. Choose Disliked Options:
    Opt for sweets you don’t particularly enjoy. This diminishes the appeal and reduces the likelihood of indulging.

In essence, the key to managing cravings lies in making healthy options convenient and visible while rendering unhealthy choices inconvenient and out of sight. By understanding the science behind our cravings and applying practical strategies, we can pave the way for healthier habits and a more empowered approach to behavior change, even during the sweet-filled Easter season.

đź’™ Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one health coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.

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Is a Continuous Glucose Monitor Right for You?

You know, those nifty devices that started out helping people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels? Well, turns out, they’ve become a hot topic for the health-conscious crowd without diabetes too. The big question: Should you jump on the CGM bandwagon? Let’s break it down.

Why Consider Riding the CGM Wave?

1. Peek into Metabolic Health

First things first, your blood sugar levels are like the MVPs of metabolic health. More than 35 million people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, and an extra 96 million are in the prediabetes club. Even those who seem super healthy might have some blood sugar quirks. CGMs can be your sidekick in figuring that out.

2. Beyond the Blood Sugar Basics

Traditional measures focus on fasting glucose or HbA1c, but CGMs give you the full scoop on what happens after you eat. Big spikes after meals? They’re linked to a higher risk of heart issues. CGMs help you see the whole picture.

3. Your Personal Glucose Story

Here’s the cool part: Everyone responds differently to the same foods. Genetics, meal choices, and the context of when you eat all play a role. CGMs spill the beans on your unique responses, so you can tailor your food choices like a pro.

4. Motivation Boost

Ever used a fitness tracker to get off the couch? Well, CGMs can be like that for your eating habits. Seeing how your lifestyle affects your blood sugar might just be the nudge you need to make healthier choices.

Why You Might Skip the CGM Ride

1. Stress Over Normal Swings

Guess what? Your blood sugar naturally goes up and down. It’s normal! But some folks stress over every little blip on their CGM. Let’s keep it real – normal swings aren’t something to lose sleep over.

2. Carbs Aren’t the Enemy

CGMs might unintentionally make carbs seem like the bad guys. Sure, some are better choices than others, but it’s not a black-and-white “carbs are evil” situation.

3. Mind Games with Expectations

Believe it or not, what you expect can influence how your blood sugar reacts. It’s like a mind game! Stressing over carbs might do more harm than the carbs themselves.

4. Watch Out for Disordered Eating

For some, staring at glucose levels can turn into a stress fest. If you’ve got a history of tricky relationships with food, CGMs might not be the best fit.

Making an Informed Decision

Deciding whether CGMs are right for you involves considering your goals, mindset, and personality:

  1. What do you hope to learn? Identify specific goals or patterns you wish to uncover through CGM use.
  2. How will you use the information? Recognize that CGM data is a tool, not the sole determinant of health. Understand how you’ll interpret and apply the insights.
  3. Is there an alternative? Explore whether there are equally useful methods or technologies that align with your goals without the need for continuous glucose monitoring.

While continuous glucose monitors offer valuable insights, their suitability depends on individual needs and circumstances. Before diving into CGM use, carefully assess your objectives and consider alternative approaches to achieve your health and fitness goals.

đź’™ Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.

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How to Sleep Better – When You’ve Tried Absolutely Everything

I’ve been there. Oh, have I been there.

  • It’s 2:47 am, and you’re wide awake
  • Your bedroom is cool + crisp
  • You’re wearing an eye mask – or using black out shades
  • You haven’t touched caffeine since 10 am
  • You’ve listened to sleep stories on your Calm app.
  • And if you count one more stupid lamb, you’re going to scream

You’ve done everything right. Why can’t you sleep?

As it turns out, good sleep hygiene isn’t always enough.

Meanwhile, sleep loss can become a nightmarish cycle. The more nights you spend tossing and turning, the more you might:

  • Associate your bed with anxiety and sleeplessness
  • Sleep in, withdraw from daytime activities, and/or obsess about sleeping
  • Develop a belief that you’re doomed to be a “bad sleeper”

The good news: There’s help.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, the following strategy has the potential to transform your sleep life in the same way it transformed mine.

Ready?

Train yourself to believe you can handle less-than-ideal sleep.

“I have to fall back asleep, or tomorrow is ruined.”

“I need a solid night’s sleep, or I’m going to blow my presentation.”

“I’m never going to be able to get through the day tomorrow.”

Sound familiar?

Frustratingly, it’s often your thoughts that turn one bad night into a pattern of bad nights.

When you worry, your body becomes alert and vigilant. This state of physiological arousal interferes with sleep, and—if it continues over time—you may even begin to define yourself as “a bad sleeper.”

Often, the best approach isn’t medication, supplements, or even some otherwise great sleep hygiene.

It’s addressing the underlying thoughts and emotions.

Build the skill: Reframe your thoughts.

Write down the thoughts or beliefs that come up when you don’t sleep well.

For example:

  • I’ll never sleep well again.
  • I can’t work out / think clearly / be in a good mood because I’m so tired.
  • My bad sleep is going to cause me to get some terrible illness, like cancer or heart disease.

Notice how worried thoughts tend to:

  • Use absolutes (like “always” or “never”)
  • Predict the future (even though you’re not a licensed fortune-teller)
  • See things as “all-or-nothing” (“If I don’t sleep well, I can’t do ANYTHING.”)

Now, reframe those beliefs using a nuanced perspective.

For example:

  • I might lose sleep occasionally, but other nights will probably be okay.
  • I’m not feeling my best, but I can do some exercise / work and maybe find a few moments of joy in my day.
  • Sleep is just one aspect of good health. If I don’t sleep well, I can still make sure I eat nutritious foods, drink enough water, and maybe get outside for a few deep breaths.

Compassion in particular can activate your calming nervous system. Imagine: all those people, just like you, staring at the ceiling. Send them some imaginary kindness for their suffering, and mentally reassure them that they’ll be okay too.

Knowing a bit about sleep physiology can also be comforting.

For example:

  • You probably drift into light sleep without realizing it. Ever caught someone snoozing during a movie, and when you called them on it, they swore they were awake?
  • Your brain will eventually make you sleep. Often, even if it doesn’t FEEL like you’ve slept, you probably have. And although some nights you may sleep less, over time, your body will generally fall into a pattern of sleeping at least 5-6 hours a night.

With a little trust in your body, and some intentional reframing of your thoughts, you can train yourself to go from feeling like crappy sleep is a disaster, to feeling like it’s about as devastating as forgetting something at the grocery store.  

đź’™ Robyn

Interested in a one-on-one coaching relationship with me? It would be an honor to work with you if and when the time feels right.

To learn more about Personal Health Coaching click HERE. 

To schedule a Discovery Session click HERE.