Weightless: A Doctor’s Guide to GLP-1 Medications, Sustainable Weight Loss, and the Health You Deserve

Endocrinologist Salas-Whalen offers a compassionate and comprehensive guide to losing weight with GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. She walks readers through the process of evaluating GLP-1 medications (short for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, appetite, and digestion) and explains that obesity is a chronic disease that can be controlled, not cured. After providing tips on how to find a supportive medical provider (ideally, one who’s board certified in obesity medicine) and navigate cost and insurance coverage, Salas-Whalen outlines advice for how to have success with a GLP-1 prescription, encouraging a low dosage to start, adequate protein intake, and regular muscle-building exercises to keep the body strong. She also provides examples for meal portions (it’s often hard to consume enough protein once appetite decreases) and troubleshooting for common side effects, such as constipation, dehydration, and hair loss. She maintains an empathetic tone throughout, even apologizing for how doctors have shamed patients struggling to lose weight, and shares her own experience taking a GLP-1 medication short-term after giving birth, which she says allowed her to return to a healthy weight. This accessible resource is a must for those considering or taking weight-loss medication. (Dec.)