What You Need to Know About Wegovy: A Trainer’s Perspective
As a preface to this blog, let’s start with an important note: your trainers at Repke Fitness are not licensed medical professionals. We don’t prescribe medication, nor do we pretend to know how genetic factors impact prescription treatments. What we can do is educate you on topics we’re familiar with or ones you ask about often. At Repke, we promote healthy lifestyles and living. If you’re considering a medication like Wegovy, that’s a conversation to have with your doctor.
The Facts About Wegovy
In June 2021, the FDA approved an injectable weight-loss medication called Wegovy. This drug is a semaglutide, a compound previously approved for type 2 diabetes treatment under the name Ozempic. To put it simply, semaglutides help suppress appetite by slowing the emptying of the stomach, making you feel full longer.
The primary difference between Ozempic and Wegovy is the dosage. Wegovy is administered at a higher dose, which has been shown to produce better results for weight loss.
To qualify for Wegovy, you need a BMI over 30, or a BMI over 27 combined with another weight-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes. Wegovy is one of only six medications currently FDA-approved for long-term obesity treatment.
If you experience positive results and can tolerate the medication’s side effects, it’s something you can stay on long-term. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and constipation, so these should be discussed with your doctor.
The potential benefits of Wegovy are promising. In clinical trials, participants lost 14.9% of their body weight on average, compared to a 2.4% reduction in the control group. For some, Wegovy may even aid in diabetes remission. It’s also particularly helpful for individuals with genetic markers for obesity, offering weight loss where other methods might have failed. It also has some good cardiovascular benefits like reducing risk of stroke and heart attacks.
A Balanced Approach to Weight Loss
While these results are exciting, let’s take a step back before jumping on the medication-only bandwagon. America ranks as the 14th most obese country in the world. To truly address obesity, we need to look inward—at our food environment, sleep, lifestyle, and habits. Are you lifting weights, walking regularly and staying active? In our opinion, if you’re taking Wegovy you should also be trying to live a healthy lifestyle doing some of the things we mentioned above.
For some, medications like Wegovy may be the right choice due to factors outside of their control, and that’s completely okay. But even with medications, long-term health depends on sustainable lifestyle changes.
Eating better, exercising regularly, and building healthier habits are key to mitigating the risks of chronic diseases associated with obesity. If medication is part of your journey, great! But it should work alongside a healthy lifestyle—not replace it.
Additionally, relying solely on medication comes with its own challenges. Cost is a big factor. Wegovy can run upwards of $1,000 per month, and most private insurances don’t cover it. Over the long term, that cost can outweigh the effort and investment in lifestyle changes.
How Repke Fitness Supports You
At Repke Fitness, our goal is to help you transform your outlook on health, fitness, and nutrition. While we may not be part of your medical team, we’re part of the team guiding you toward sustainable success. If you and your doctor determine Wegovy is the right fit for you, we’re fully supportive and here to help you along the way.
Ultimately, the best path is the one tailored to your needs. Whether that includes medication, changes in diet, committing to regular workouts, or a mix of all three, we’re here to guide you.
If you have questions or want to explore how fitness fits into your overall health plan, bring them to your next session. We’re always happy to chat and work together to create the healthiest version of you. Give us a call at 667-771-5336 or reach out here in our contact us page.