Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are two new anti-obesity medications (AOMs) that are making it possible for people with chronic obesity and type 2 diabetes to lose significant amounts of weight, with the goal of achieving better health and longevity. But the drugs’ manufacturers clearly state that the medications are designed to work in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Learn what types of diet and exercise are best for weight loss patients, and the many benefits of adopting permanent lifestyle changes as part of your weight loss journey.
How AOMs Promote Weight Loss
Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are members of a new class of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) aimed at helping obese patients with metabolic disorders to lose substantial amounts of excess body weight.
Originally developed to help patients with type 2 diabetes, both drugs act by stimulating insulin secretion in states of hyperglycemia (high circulating blood sugar), and by suppressing glucagon – a peptide hormone secreted from the pancreas that stimulates glucose production. Both delay gastric emptying and work as appetite suppressants.
But obesity and type 2 diabetes are lifestyle-related metabolic disorders, and treating the symptoms alone is not enough to promote optimal health. As long as patients continue to make unhealthy lifestyle choices their symptoms will persist, even if the drugs help them achieve temporary weight loss and lower blood glucose levels.
One study followed nearly 2000 adults who were treated with 68 weekly injections of either semaglutide or placebo. In a one-year followup after treatment was discontinued, study participants had regained two-thirds of their lost weight, along with a reversal of any metabolic benefits. Net weight loss for the group post-treatment was only 5.6 percent. Researchers concluded that ongoing treatment would be necessary to retain any improvements in weight and health in the long run.
Lifestyle Changes are Key to AOM Success
Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows how hard it can be to drop a few pounds. For obese patients, weight loss is even harder because their excess body weight often comes with joint pain and reduced mobility. But failure to make lifestyle changes can result in chronic metabolic conditions that are life-threatening.
When used responsibly, AOMs can help jump-start weight loss, reduce systemic inflammation and relieve overloaded joints, making it possible to exercise with less discomfort. At the same time, dietary changes can help to further lower blood glucose and expedite weight loss.
Speeding up weight loss results on AOMs can help patients to save a significant amount of money. According to a recent value-for-money analysis, the total cost of losing just one percent of body weight over the course of a year was $1350.97 with semaglutide, and $683.49 with tirzepatide. Considering that obesity is categorized as more than 30 percent over optimal body weight, staying on AOMs for a long time can be costly.
Lifestyle Changes Help to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Multiple lifestyle factors contribute to obesity and diabetes, including sleep habits, stress management, and chemicals and toxins in food, air and water. In fact, a distinct category of chemicals often used in food processing and packaging has been identified and labeled as obesogens. Exercise and nutrition are the two most impactful factors when it comes to combating obesity.
People who lose large amounts of weight without making lifestyle changes soon learn that weight loss alone does not solve their health problems. Many people end up with saggy skin, poor muscle tone, poor posture, and lingering metabolic issues. Moreover, once the weight-loss intervention is terminated, most people quickly regain their lost weight.
It is important to distinguish between weight loss diets and lifestyle changes. Most people see dieting as a temporary solution that is quickly abandoned once weight loss goals are achieved. By contrast, lifestyle changes are more permanent, encompassing behaviors that become daily habits. If you want to manage your weight and maintain your health, it’s important to make behavior changes you can live with for years to come.
Improving Skin and Muscle Tone
Skin and muscle tone are of particular concern after weight loss. Excess body weight causes the skin to stretch and lose its elastic properties. At the same time, many people lose significant amounts of lean muscle along with body fat. Exercise combined with good nutrition can help minimize muscle loss and restore skin’s elastic properties.
One recent study explored the effects of exercise on the skin’s mechanical properties that give skin its tone and elasticity. The 70-day experiment monitored the exercise intensity of 25 females in their 30s. Researchers concluded that moderate-to-intense physical activity positively affected the skin’s mechanical properties.
Another study of 56 middle-aged females found that both aerobic exercise and resistance training significantly improved skin elasticity and its upper dermal structure, and resistance training also improved dermal thickness.
Toning up your skin and muscles as you lose weight will not only accelerate fat loss, but it will improve your posture and increase your energy. Your clothes will fit better, and your self-esteem is likely to improve.
Physical Activity Benefits and Guidelines
Starting to exercise can be hard at first, especially if you are severely overweight. Many people are reluctant to exercise in public for fear of being judged, and finding appropriate exercise gear can be a challenge. But people who summon the courage and determination to exercise often find the fitness community to be welcoming and supportive.
If exercise is a foreign concept to you, hiring a personal trainer can help you learn the basics, and give you the professional support and motivation you need to keep going.
Benefits of regular physical activity include:
- Improved cardiovascular fitness
- Enhanced cellular insulin sensitivity
- Improved muscle strength and tone
- Preservation of lean muscle vs fat
- Enhanced sleep quality
- Reduced systemic inflammation
- Improved joint function
- Reduced anxiety and improved mood
- Reduced blood glucose
- Enhanced fat metabolism
Follow these tips to get the most from your exercise program:
- Start slowly and increase your intensity gradually
- Choose activities you enjoy – walking, biking, and swimming are favorites
- Hire a trainer, or find a workout partner to help you stay motivated
- Alternate between aerobic exercise and resistance training
- Synchronize breathing and movement during exercise
- Drink plenty of plain water before, during and after exercise
- Give yourself ample time for recovery between exercise sessions
- Take time to stretch daily to promote healthy joints and fascia
- BE CONSISTENT! Consistency is the number one key to exercise success
- Above all, KEEP MOVING for a lifetime of health and wellness
Dietary Modifications for Health and Weight Loss
Diet is an umbrella term that encompasses any and all foods you consume. Technically, humans are always “on a diet,” whether good or bad. Eliminating “diet” from your vocabulary and replacing it with “nutrition plan” is a good first step toward making positive changes.
The nutritional value of food is determined by the density of beneficial micronutrients it provides. Your body needs vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in nutritious food to function at its best. It also needs protein and fat to support cellular metabolism, and to build and repair tissues. Nutrient-dense foods not only provide the basic substances your body needs to thrive, but they also provide fuel for energy production.
Many popular foods have high energy value but little-to-no nutritional value. Such foods give you “empty calories” that your body can burn for energy, but they do not provide essential nutrients. Consuming more energy than you burn forces your body to store extra energy as fat. Over time, a low-nutrient, high-energy diet combined with a sedentary lifestyle leads to metabolic disorders and obesity.
Benefits of healthy nutrition include:
- Improved gastrointestinal health
- Enhanced cellular function
- Improved physical appearance
- Stronger hair, skin and nails
- Reduced risk of metabolic disease
- Improved organ function
- Increased energy and vitality
- Reduced fatigue
Follow these guidelines for a nutrient-dense diet you can live with:
- Enjoy seasonal fresh fruit in moderation, preferably early in the day.
- Eat a variety of greens and watery vegetables.
- Choose organic proteins from pasture-raised, grass-fed and wild-caught sources.
- Completely eliminate sugary beverages and juices, and opt for spring water.
- Stay away from fast and processed foods.
- Steer clear of “diet” sodas and foods that are full of harmful chemicals.
- Eliminate all seed oils from your diet and opt for organic grass-fed butter and cold-pressed oils like olive, avocado, coconut and peanut.
- Avoid deep-fried foods.
- Boost your gut health with fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha.
- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for fresh food, and avoid packaged food products.
Get AOM Injections and Infusions in NYC
If you’re ready to jump-start your weight loss journey, Invita Wellness is your one-stop-shop for AOMs and nutrient supplements that support healthy weight loss. In addition to semaglutide and tirzepatide injections, we offer NAD IV therapy, lipotropic B-MIC injections, and a host of IV Vitamin cocktails designed to meet your nutrient needs.
Contact Invita Wellness today, and get the support you need for total health and weight loss success in NYC!
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Resources
Azuri, Joseph, et al. “Tirzepatide versus semaglutide for weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A value for money analysis.” Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 25.4 (2023): 961-964.
https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dom.14940
Jakicic, John M., Renee J. Rogers, and Timothy S. Church. “Physical activity in the new era of antiobesity medications.” Obesity 32.2 (2024): 234-236.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/oby.23930
Nakagawa, Noriaki, et al. “The relationship between habitual physical activity and skin mechanical properties.” Skin Research and Technology 27.3 (2021): 353-357.
The relationship between habitual physical activity and skin mechanical properties
Nishikori, Shu, et al. “Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices.” Scientific reports 13.1 (2023): 10214.
Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices
Wilding, John P H et al. “Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension.” Diabetes, obesity & metabolism vol. 24,8 (2022): 1553-1564. doi:10.1111/dom.14725
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441470/
