GLP-1s, Weight Loss, and Why It All Feels So Complicated

If it feels harder lately to resist the urge to shrink your body, that’s understandable. The cultural landscape has shifted, and with it, the pressure to get smaller has quietly but forcefully returned.

Thinness is not only back in style; it feels more possible than ever. In some ways, it resembles the “cool new product” everyone suddenly has and wants. It can feel like being back in high school, holding onto a flip phone while everyone else shows up with a BlackBerry or iPhone (if you know, you know). Lately, it’s hard to scroll social media, have conversations, or even watch commercials without GLP-1 medications entering the discussion.

The Cultural Shift Around Thinness

Whether or not someone is taking a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, the broader cultural message has shifted. Ultra-thin bodies are once again being celebrated as the ideal, even among celebrities and influencers who were once praised for pushing against that norm.

While weight loss medications can be medically appropriate and even life-changing for some people, their rise has blurred an important line: thin does not automatically mean healthy.

Once again, weight loss and thinness are being framed as “health,” “discipline,” and “taking control.” The message is unmistakable: shrinking is being rewarded. And of course that’s enticing. We live in a culture that has long equated thinness with success, worth, and virtue. Wanting relief from body discomfort or hoping life might feel easier in a smaller body is deeply human.

Respecting Body Autonomy

I want to be clear: I respect body autonomy. I am not here to shame anyone for taking a medication, pursuing weight loss, or making decisions about their own body. GLP-1 medications can be medically appropriate and genuinely helpful for some people. At the same time, we rarely see the full picture of what dramatic or rapid weight loss can cost the body, especially when it’s positioned as the gold standard of health.

Health is not one-dimensional. It includes physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. When weight loss becomes the primary marker of health, those other dimensions often fade into the background.

Rapid or extreme weight loss can bring consequences that aren’t visible in before-and-after photos, including:

  • Loss of muscle mass

  • Changes in bone density

  • Hormonal disruption

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Fatigue

  • Impacts on immune health

So does the psychological toll of constantly monitoring intake, restricting, or fearing weight regain if someone stops the medication.

Why Letting Go of Dieting Feels Harder

For many adults trying to heal their relationship with food and their body, this cultural moment has made letting go of dieting feel harder than ever. Choosing to eat adequately, listen to hunger cues, or remain weight-neutral can feel like swimming against a very strong current.

If part of you feels pulled back toward old patterns, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed or lost progress. It means you’re responding normally to a culture that has shifted its values again. And yes, it can be exhausting.

Opting out of dieting right now doesn’t mean opting out of health. Often, it means choosing a more sustainable, compassionate version of it, one that honors your body’s complexity rather than trying to override it. Going against diet culture in this moment requires discernment, patience, and resilience.

Supporting Yourself Through This Moment

If this brings up internal conflict, doubt, or grief, you don’t have to carry that alone. Support can make a meaningful difference when navigating conversations around food, body image, and health.

Here are a few ways you can support yourself:

  • Reflect on your values: What truly matters to you, and how does your relationship with food and your body fit into that?

  • Notice your feelings: If conversations or images about weight loss come up, pause and get curious. What does that bring up for you?

  • Share with someone you trust: Talking through your feelings with a friend, partner, or support group can help process them.

  • Set boundaries: Limit exposure to content that triggers comparison, and follow people or communities focused on curiosity, creativity, and connection rather than appearance.

If this brings up internal conflict, doubt, or grief, you don’t have to carry that alone. Support can make a meaningful difference when navigating conversations around food, body image, and health. If you’d like help unpacking this or finding steadier ground, I’m here to support you.

And if you’ve already decided to take a GLP-1 medication and are finding it hard to nourish your body, meet your needs, or feel grounded in your relationship with food, I can support you there too.

You can book a complimentary discovery call here.

Brittany Modell