From group chats to newsfeeds, it can feel like everyone’s talking about GLP-1s. But what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how do we stay centred?
These medications have quickly become part of everyday conversation, sparking curiosity, confusion, and for many, that all-too-familiar pressure to ‘fix’ their bodies. It’s easy to assume body image advocates would be up in arms about GLP-1 use, but more than one thing can be true at once. We can be ok with people making their own choices about using GLP-1s and feel upset by the return of relentless body-shrinking pressure. And we can stay open-minded to people utilising their bodily autonomy while also questioning what happens when powerful pharmaceutical companies dominate the conversation, pay influencers and fund the research. So, let’s bust some myths and share some practical ways to keep perspective.
Myth 1: GLP-1s are an easy way out
For decades, we’ve been told weight loss requires willpower and sacrifice. So, when a medical option appears to make it easier, people often call it ‘cheating’. But that’s not fair or true. People using GLP-1s often have to work really hard on eating well and staying strong. Low appetite can make it tricky to get enough nutrients and maintain muscle mass. And side effects are common — nausea (50 percent), diarrhea (33 percent), and vomiting (20 percent) were found in one US study. That’s not easy. “The fact that ‘Obes*ty Medicine Specialists’ now recognise that shame and stigma harm health — just like we’ve been saying for years — can be seen as a win,” says Dr Zali Yager.
Myth 2: You can’t support body acceptance and GLP-1s
At first, it seemed like GLP-1s clashed with body acceptance. After all, we’ve worked for decades to reframe health conversations as weight neutral. But using a GLP-1 doesn’t automatically mean rejecting body acceptance. People have complex reasons for their choices, and the last thing we need is more shame. The real divide isn’t between body acceptance and GLP-1s. It’s between shame and compassion. People can want to lose weight and still know their worth isn’t defined by size. When we reduce choices to ‘good’ or ‘bad’, we miss the truth that every body, and every story, is different.
Protecting your peace in the GLP-1 era
This wave of attention has left many people feeling self‑conscious, judged, pressured or just over it all. Here’s how to protect your peace.
- Don’t join the chorus. You don’t owe anyone your opinion about bodies or medication. Change the subject or gently say, “I’m trying not to talk about bodies and weight these days.”
- Keep health chats private. Your health deserves care and professional advice, not public commentary
- Curate your feed. Mute or unfollow accounts focused on body size or ‘before and afters’. Follow those celebrating strength, energy, creativity and rest instead
- Anchor in what doesn’t change. Your worth, your relationships and your joy aren’t tied to your body size. When the conversation drifts to numbers, come back to what actually sustains you
- Reclaim real connection. Ask people how they feel, instead of focusing on how they look. We all deserve spaces where being seen has nothing to do with shrinking
This is an excerpt from the Embrace magazine. Download your free copy here to debunk more GLP-1 myths and find more expert advice like this.
