Dr Adam Staten, a practising GP based in Milton Keynes, has issued a vital warning for anyone considering popular weight loss injections. While these GLP-1 medications have helped many patients shed pounds and reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, Dr Staten cautions that they are not a 'magic bullet' and that without planning for the future, users risk regaining all the weight they lost once treatment ends.
Key Question Before Starting Injections
Dr Staten advises that before commencing any injection treatment, patients must ask themselves: 'What lifestyle do you want to end up with?' He explains that the injections are just a tool, and some people haven't given enough thought to what happens after stopping them. 'Keeping the weight off after stopping jabs is definitely doable, but you have to have done other things alongside the medication,' he said.
Need for Permanent Routine
The doctor believes that patients must use the period while taking the drug to implement a permanent routine that does not feel like a daily chore. Without making conscious adjustments to activity levels and eating habits, the weight is highly likely to return. Many medical professionals were initially doubtful about these jabs, but remarkable real-world results have shifted opinions. Some users now choose to stay on low doses indefinitely, but this option is not feasible for every household budget due to ongoing private prescription costs.
Focus on Nutritional Quality, Not Just Calories
Dr Staten highlights a major shift in modern thinking away from strictly counting calories. Instead, patients should focus on the overall nutritional quality of their food. For example, avocado on toast can contain a similar number of calories to a fast-food meal, but the fresh ingredients make it a far superior choice. He also advises boosting protein intake from the start of the weight loss journey to make progress truly sustainable.
'The biggest misconception is that it's this wonder drug,' Dr Staten said. 'You take it and lose weight, and don't need to do anything else, but people should be asking themselves what changes they are going to make in order to maintain their weight loss.'
