Coffee Cup Memos

With the rise in popularity of GLP-1 medications, it is not surprising that they are being advertised as new weight loss agents. We had over-the-counter caffeine pills in the 80s and Fen-Phen prescriptions in the 90s, both that suppressed appetites to help reduce people’s food intake. Surgical interventions were also introduced to reduce stomach capacity so that it forced people to eat less but still feel full after their meals. In spite of all these medical advances, the tried and true formula for weight loss remains unchanged:

Weight Loss = Calorie Deficit + Increased Physical Activity

When done sensibly, we can reach a target weight by eating less and moving more. However, we always want to have the quick fix, especially when we are preparing for a wedding or high school reunion; all eyes will be on us and we want to look fabulous!

Sadly, we are not patient enough to stop and evaluate why we even gained weight in the first place. I know several people who want to start GLP-1 injections because they want to lose a few pounds. They have tried their best to shed the extra weight only to fail; so it’s understandable why they feel the need to get a little help from medicine. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I also try to paint a fuller picture for them so they know what else is necessary for long-term weight management.

I shared information from a few medical articles that all say that medication in the absence of a comprehensive approach — proper diet, exercise, and behavior health support — will not yield optimal benefits. In fact, physicians warn that people actually gain their weight back because they haven’t changed their health habits. The yo-yo effect of weight loss and gain leads them back to square one.

Everyone’s metabolism slows down with age, and we consequently gain a few pounds whenever we delight in a few more savory dishes and delectable desserts. They give us pleasure for a moment, especially when we are in good company, but we end up feeling shame and guilt when we notice the full weight of our enjoyment settling around our waistline. Over time, our clothes feel more snug than usual. nothing makes me feel worse than putting on a pair of pants that I cannot comfortably button; the suffocating squeeze around my gut makes me feel like a sausage! I hate thinking about buying bigger clothes because it’s depressing.

Now my clothes don’t fit, I’m sluggish, and I feel like a bloated mess. So much for my positive self-image! My confidence levels are down and I want to hide. My goodness! What have I done to myself? My feelings are what pharmaceutical companies target. They are offering a solution, and for just a few hundred bucks a month, I can use their medicine to help me feel better and get the results I need.

I think most healthcare professionals would agree that weight loss is best achieved slowly by adopting healthy sustainable habits. There is a place for breakthrough medications, but as I mentioned, the benefits are limited if people don’t make any changes.

What? You mean I have to really work on this?

Yes, it is going to be hard for the first 2 to 3 weeks. But I promise you this — once you start losing weight, you’ll be more motivated to stick with the healthy habits that are working for you.

Are you choosing healthier food options by eliminating things that just kill your metabolism instead of speeding it up?

Are you doing some strength training and cardio exercise daily?

Do you have a strategy for managing food cravings, particularly in moments of stress and negative emotions?

I love food — pizza, burgers, fried chicken, and ice cream — but I know I shouldn’t have them all the time. Reducing their frequency is a good starting point for me. Some people like to keep a food journal, which I think is great because it brings forth more self-awareness, accountability, and helps them be mindful of what they’re eating. I tried that a few times, but it became a chore, and I was just too lazy to keep it up.

What I do instead is take a cognitive pause before I let a craving overtake me. I think about those damn pants squeezing all remaining dignity left in my belly — the Sausage Test — which is usually enough reason for me to consider other options lighter in calories.

The quality of food choice does matter. For example, if I have an 800-calorie allowance remaining for the day, I shouldn’t waste it on that jumbo chocolate chip cookie they sell at the Costco food court — that thing has 750 calories! It really isn’t filling, and I know I’m going to be hungry when I wake up from the sugar crash. I am not disciplined enough to just stop eating.

I recently started skipping breakfast in the morning, just drinking coffee with a little half-and-half. I also drink water to stay hydrated and keep things moving along inside my body. At about mid-morning, I have another cup of coffee just to keep me focused and to curb my hunger. I am running on catecholamines and burning just a bit more fat to get me halfway through my day.

Around 1:00 or 2:00 o’clock is when I begin to eat — it’s a fairly light lunch with some sort of protein, veggies, and fruit. I have a decent-sized dinner around 5 – 6:00 o’clock, again being mindful that I don’t need to overload myself with junk. I eat a little dessert, but try to limit my portion. If at all possible, I stop eating by 7:00 p.m.

I noticed that I started to lean out a little. I mustered up some courage and stepped on a scale, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I lost 4 pounds in three weeks. My pants are a bit looser, and I am feeling pretty good. Holy moly! Let’s keep this train going! And so I’m now going on morning walks around my neighborhood at least 3 to 4 days a week. I also started a pushup routine to add a little strength training so I don’t atrophy and end up looking like my friend’s dad.

The progress I’m making encourages me, and I want to continue this journey. I am not looking at a number on a scale; I am more focused on how I feel and how my clothes fit. My sleep is more restful, I have better mental acuity, and I have greater acceptance and confidence of who I am as a person.

I share my story because I want other people to be encouraged and inspired to make healthy changes for themselves. The hard work really is in the planning and committing; you have to stick to a few strategies long enough to see results. I recommend starting small; the simpler the launch, the more confidence and motivation you gain to keep going.

Every win you achieve inspires you to challenge yourself with a new goal. You’ll be leaner, stronger, and have a more positive attitude in the long run. As a bonus, you might save a lot of money by avoiding unnecessary medical expenses.

So now it’s your turn.

1. What challenges are you facing with your own weight management?

2. What are some small goals that you can set to help you get to where you want to be next week and the weeks after that?

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2026, May 5). Taking GLP-1s? Make sure you exercise. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exercise-for-glp-1-use

Codella, R., Senesi, P., & Luzi, L. (2025). GLP-1 agonists and exercise: the future of lifestyle prioritization. Frontiers in clinical diabetes and healthcare, 6, 1720794. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1720794

Olukorode, J. O., Orimoloye, D. A., Nwachukwu, N. O., Onwuzo, C. N., Oloyede, P. O., Fayemi, T., Odunaike, O. S., Ayobami-Ojo, P. S., Divine, N., Alo, D. J., & Alex, C. U. (2024). Recent Advances and Therapeutic Benefits of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders. Cureus, 16(10), e72080. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.72080