So You Made a New Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight — But Where Do You Start?

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight? If so, you’re far from alone. Traditionally, almost half of the people who make New Year’s resolutions vow that this will be the year they lose weight.

You’ve probably been one of them. We all have at some point, right? But we know all too well how it’s going to end. You stand an 80% chance of not keeping that resolution. In fact, chances are you’ll ditch that resolution by the middle of February.

But don’t be discouraged. Because this year is different. Yes, really. That’s because of advances in medicine that are making it possible to lose weight — and keep it off. Advances that are changing the way doctors and weight loss professionals think about how we approach the whole topic.

At Texas Vitality, we are in the forefront of these exciting changes, and we want to help you turn 2024 into the year where things are different. A revolution is under way that will turn your resolution around. Keep reading to learn more.

Have You Made This Resolution Before? How Did That Work Out?

This year, you’re going to go to the gym five days a week. At 6:00 a.m. This year, you’re going to eliminate all sugar. All alcohol. All carbs. You’re going to count every calorie. Every rep. Every step. You’ve got an app to help you. Or a spreadsheet. This year is going to be different.

Except, let’s be honest. Isn’t that the same resolution you made last year? Of course it is. We all do it. And it’s a truly wonderful thing that the new year gives us the feeling that we can start over.

In 2024, you now have the chance for a true do-over. A chance to turn things around for longer than a few weeks. And it starts with acknowledging that all those resolutions in the past were only short-term fixes. Yes, exercise is key to your health. Yes, you want to eat healthy — but when it comes to losing weight, let’s acknowledge the plain fact: diets don’t work.

Why Diets Don’t Work

Diets don’t work for a lot of reasons. Sometimes you just don’t have the motivation to make the radical lifestyle changes that you intend or want to make, and you may not have the support from friends, family, and work colleagues that can help you succeed.

You might not have the right plan in place, or possibly you just don’t have time for the extra meal planning and cooking that’s involved with more complex diets. Or maybe your goals just aren’t realistic (Losing 30 pounds in 2 months? Probably not gonna happen.)

Maybe you get discouraged when you encounter a setback. You’ve stuck to your diet, you’ve gone to the gym like clockwork — and yet those pounds aren’t going away. If you find yourself nodding to this one, you’ve just hit upon one of the key reasons diets don’t work: your body might need more than behavior modification to reach your weight loss goals.

What’s Different This Year? Your Options

For far too many people, lifestyle and behavior changes simply aren’t enough to move the needle on the scale. You can do everything right and still not drop the pounds you want to see disappear.

But you have more options now than you’ve ever had, thanks to the FDA approving new weight-loss medications that are proven to help adults lose weight. These medications, which are approved for weight management for adults who are overweight or obese and have certain health conditions related to weight, are true game changers and unlike anything those of us in the medical community have ever seen.

How Does Medical Weight Loss Work?

One of the many hormones that your body produces is known as GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1). Your gut, pancreas, and nervous system combine to release this hormone when you eat to let you know that you’re full and to help you feel satisfied. At least, that’s what it does if your endocrine system is working properly.

Do you find yourself eating more than you really want to at times? Or do you find it difficult to know when you’ve had enough? That might be a sign that your endocrine system is a bit out of whack (it’s a technical term).

That’s where medical weight loss medications come into play. They mimic the action of your natural GLP-1 hormones to help you feel full quickly, so you don’t eat so much. They also slow your digestive system so that fewer calories are absorbed into your body. In addition, they target GLP-1 receptors in your brain to regulate your appetite. You’re simply not as hungry anymore, and you’re likely to find that your brain just isn’t as focused on food as it used to be. Over time, the result is safe, steady, reliable weight loss.

Two major active ingredients are involved in this weight loss revolution. Semaglutide is the main ingredient in medications marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. Tirzepatide is the ingredient that you’ll find sold under the brand names Manjaro and Zen Bound, which was just recently approved by the FDA.

Mounjaro and Zepbound, in fact, appear to be even more effective at enhancing weight loss than medications containing semaglutide. That’s because they mimic two hormones rather than one. Not only do they do the work of GLP-1, but they also step in for the gut hormone known as GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). As a result, they’re even better when it comes to regulating your appetite, with the result of greater weight loss in most people.

These drugs were initially developed to help treat diabetes through regulating blood sugar, but medical researchers quickly realized their remarkable results where weight loss was concerned. All these medications are delivered as injectables that you can take on your own at home, injecting them just once a week. They’re all intended for long-term use.

Is Medical Weight Loss Safe?

These GLP-1 agonists, as semaglutide and tirzepatide are known to scientists, have been researched and studied for more than 16 years. When you take them as prescribed, they are considered safe for weight management.

Of course, not every person can take every medication. That’s why, at Texas Vitality, we take the time to assess your overall health. We look at your weight, your BMI, your medical history, the other medications you’re taking, and any risk factors you may have to make sure that medical weight loss is the right choice for you. For example, if you have a family history of thyroid cancer, we’re likely to advise against treatment with these medications. Most people, however, are able to take them very safely as prescribed.

What Results Can You Expect With Medical Weight Loss?

The amount of weight you’re likely to lose with either semaglutide or tirzepatide depends in part on the dosage you take. Weight loss isn’t ultra rapid with either medication — but that’s a good thing, as overly rapid weight loss can be unhealthy. You can expect to see the weight come off steadily and reliably, week after week — unlike diets that often show great results for the first month or two, then dribble away into the same-old, same-old routine of up and down with no ultimate results worth discussing.

With medical weight loss, you can expect an average weight loss of 3.6% of your total body weight at the 3-month mark if you’re taking semaglutide and 5.9% of total body weight with tirzepatide. At the 6-month mark, people taking semaglutide can expect to have lost 5.9% of total body weight, with that number rising to 10.1% those taking tirzepatide. Those numbers rise even more to 7.9% of total body weight (for semaglutide) and 15.2% for tirzepatide at the 1-year mark.

Dosage makes a difference as well. Eli Lilly conducted a study of non-diabetics taking tirzepatide that showed a 16% loss of total body weight at the 17-month mark for those taking a 5mg dose, compared to a loss of 22.5% of body weight for those taking the maximum dosage of 15 mg per week.

What does that look like on the scale? If you started at 220 pounds, that 16% loss would take you to 185 pounds. A 22.5% loss would leave you at a trim 171 pounds.

Are You Eligible for Medical Weight Loss?

The FDA’s guidelines encourage medical weight loss for anyone who has tried to lose weight through lifestyle changes but hasn’t succeeded in losing at least 5% of their total body weight. You also must have a BMI of 30 or higher — or a BMI of 27 or higher if you also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or another medical condition related to being overweight. If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you’re almost certainly eligible without having to check your BMI.

Other Tips for Losing Weight and Staying Healthy

Medical weight loss works regardless of your exercise routine. But exercise is still important to maintain a healthy body. So is healthy eating — and because medical weight loss works through reducing your appetite, you need to focus on eating healthy to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to get you through your day (though you’re likely to find yourself more interested in healthy foods naturally when taking these medications).

To keep yourself healthy as you embark on your medical weight loss journey, you can make wise choices about your diet by limiting sugary desserts, eating small meals throughout the day, focusing on lean protein such as fish and chicken, and avoiding the empty calories found in alcohol and soda.

Whatever exercise program you prefer, you’re likely to find yourself more inspired as you watch the pounds drop off. Focus on activities you like to do, whether that’s pickleball, running, or hitting the weight bench at the gym. Strength training of some sort is important for your body’s overall health, and you should aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. Remember, with medical weight loss, you’re going to lose weight no matter what, so you can devote your exercise time to core strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health, and your own personal fitness goals.

Medical Weight Loss at Texas Vitality

Are you ready for a New Year’s revolution instead of the same old New Year’s resolution? We’re ready, too — ready to help you understand the game-changing medications of semaglutide and tirzepatide, ready to help you turn your weight loss journey toward success.

We believe in your health and vitality, and we offer the cutting-edge medical support you deserve to achieve your goals. Contact us today to learn more about medical weight loss and to get 2024 started well.