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The High Performance Journal - March 18th, 2025

Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably have heard of Ozempic.

It's being promoted as a miracle weight loss drug, and from my experience, I'm seeing a lot of doctors (and even medspas) prescribing it.

What many people have to understand is that there are no free lunches, especially regarding medications.

So, in today's newsletter, I want to share five reasons why I would never take Ozempic and what I would recommend instead.

You ready? Let's go 🔥

Why I Would Never Take Ozempic (And What I'd Do Instead)

To illustrate the effects of Ozempic, I want to share a story from one of our clients:

His name is Larry (name withheld).

At his doctor's recommendation, Larry took Ozempic while making lifestyle changes through our ​coaching program​

At first, things were great, but as time went on, Larry started to experience terrible side effects.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, we want to know what Ozempic is and what it does.

Dan's Note: We are not against people taking Ozempic while coaching with us, but we will make sure we have a game plan to taper off of it in a responsible way to avoid the adverse effects of what you'll see below.

What Is Ozempic?

Ozempic (aka. semaglutide) is a prescription medication primarily used to manage blood sugar levels in people who have type 2 diabetes and is now being prescribed to obese people.

It does this through controlling hunger through your GLP-1 receptors.

How Does It Control Hunger?

1. It suppresses appetite: It manipulates the satiety sensors in your brain, specifically your GLP-1 receptors. This helps reduce feelings of hunger and increase feelings of fullness, leading to lower overall calorie intake.
2. It delays gastric emptying: By slowing down the movement of food from the stomach to the intestine, Ozempic extends the sensation of fullness. Food stays in the stomach longer, reducing the frequency of meals and snacks.
3. Reduction of food cravings: Semaglutide is associated with less hunger and food cravings, especially for junk food.
4. Neurological changes: Ozempic can activate neurons that reduce hunger and cravings while delaying the release of chemicals that stimulate eating.

Sounds good, right?

Well, not quite.

While many people consider Ozempic a shortcut to fat loss, they must understand that this is not a decision to be made lightly.

Why I Would Never Take Ozempic (And What I'd Do Instead)

1. Side Effects And Dangers

While Larry was losing weight with us, he was also experiencing severe nausea to the point where he couldn't eat and couldn't even function at work because of how sick he felt.

This is one of the many different types of side effects that could come from taking a medication like Ozempic.

Others include vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and, in rare cases, thyroid cancer, gastroparesis, liver or kidney failure, pancreatitis, acute kidney injury, hypoglycemia, and even vision loss.

There's also Ozempic Face, in which people lose too much weight too quickly, making them look hollowed out and older.

2. Weight Regain

A study of almost 2,000 adults, published in the peer-reviewed journal ​Diabetes, Obesity​,​ and Metabolism​ in April 2022, showed that patients who stopped taking the drug regained two-thirds of their weight within a year.

Even though Larry had dropped 20+ pounds in a very short amount of time, due to the side effects, he had to get off of the medication.

What happened next was shocking: His hunger returned, and it felt even worse than before. Despite his best efforts, he regained all the weight he had lost.

This is normal because it's been shown that people regain up to 2/3 of their body weight once they get off the drug.

3. Muscle And Bone Loss

I talk a lot about ​muscle​ and that we need to ​maintain our metabolism​ by keeping as much of it as possible as we lean out.

But one of the worst problems with people who go on Ozempic is that people can lose up to a third or even 40% of their weight from lean body mass due to not making the necessary lifestyle changes.

You also run into bone loss when you lose muscle and lose weight rapidly. In rare cases, what we're seeing is people going on Ozempic and being diagnosed with things like osteoporosis.

Thankfully, while Larry was on Ozempic, we were strength training and following a high-protein diet, so even though he had lost 20 pounds, he did not lose lean mass like many other people do when they take this medication.

4. Lifetime Subscription

When you take a shortcut to blunt hunger, you inevitably deal with the idea that hunger will always return. This is why a medication like Ozempic is meant to be taken for the long term.

Also, if one does regain the weight once off the drug, they'll have to get back on it to lose it again.

Something we're starting to find is that the longer that you stay on these drugs, the more prevalent the side effects become.

5. There Are No Shortcuts

Looking at Ozempic as the solution for obesity is missing the forest of the trees. The main issue with weight gain and modern health, especially in countries like the United States, is the widespread consumption of highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyle.

While a very small number of people may benefit from taking Ozempic, the vast majority who saw this as a shortcut will be set back further than they think.

As my friend Dr. Suneel Dhand posted,

Ozempic works

Just like Opioids and Vioxx worked

The question is not whether it works or not

The question is the addiction, toxic side effects, and human misery that go with it

— Suneel Dhand MD (@DrSuneelDhand) June 9, 2024

What I Would Do Instead Of Ozempic

Now, the reason people love Ozempic is because it lowers hunger.

While it may not be as effective as the Ozempic, we can mimic the GLP-1 hormone that tells your brain you're full through lifestyle changes.

1. Eat More Protein

Protein increases the production of GLP-1. It also makes you feel fuller and slows down digestion. The aim is to get 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

2. Fix Your Sleep Habits

When you lack sleep, you lower the GLP response, making you feel hungry all the time. Aim to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep to make sure that you keep your hunger in check. If you need a free guide on how to do this, click here​.

3. Increase Your Fiber Intake

Volumize your meals by adding more fiber-rich vegetables to your diet. Fiber mimics GLP-1 by increasing satiety and reducing hunger hormones.

4. Take In More Healthy Fats

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help increase GLP-1 secretion. Plus, fat is the slowest macronutrient to digest. It takes about six to eight hours to break down.

5. Exercise Regularly, Specifically With Resistance Training And Walking

Resistance training and walking can naturally boost GLP-1 levels. Being active can also make your body more sensitive to the GLP-1 you already have.

Take The Long Path

"The longest way round is the shortest way home."
- C.S. Lewis

One thing I will mention is that there is a subset of people that will benefit from taking medications like Ozempic:

Type 2 Diabetics and the morbidly obese.

Also, others who are not type II diabetics or morbidly obese get benefits from taking Ozempic.

For me and many others, the risk-to-reward ratio (and cost) of taking Ozempic is too high.

As for Larry, he has lost the original 20 pounds using the lifestyle changes recommended above without using Ozempic, and he has also built a few pounds of muscle.

A mentor once told me, "The long path is the shortest, and the short path is the longest."

It may take longer, but you can get lean by doing the right things if you are patient.

I hope this newsletter helped point you in the right direction and got you a little bit healthier.

Onward and upward. 🚀

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

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References:

1. Wharton S, Calanna S, Davies M, Dicker D, Goldman B, Lingvay I, Mosenzon O, Rubino DM, Thomsen M, Wadden TA, Pedersen SD. Gastrointestinal tolerability of once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg in adults with overweight or obesity, and the relationship between gastrointestinal adverse events and weight loss. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022 Jan;24(1):94-105. doi: 10.1111/dom.14551. Epub 2021 Oct 4. PMID: 34514682; PMCID: PMC9293236.
2. Abi Zeid Daou C, Aboul Hosn O, Ghzayel L, Mourad M. Exploring Connections Between Weight-Loss Medications and Thyroid Cancer: A Look at the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System Database. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2025 Mar;8(2):e70038. doi: 10.1002/edm2.70038. PMID: 40055991; PMCID: PMC11889434.
3. Bikou A, Dermiki-Gkana F, Penteris M, Constantinides TK, Kontogiorgis C. A systematic review of the effect of semaglutide on lean mass: insights from clinical trials. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2024 Apr;25(5):611-619. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2343092. Epub 2024 Apr 18. PMID: 38629387.
4. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022; 24(8): 1553-1564. doi:​10.1111/dom.14725

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.