The GLP-1 “Easy Way Out” Myth
Why people get uncomfortable when weight loss doesn’t require suffering.
People think that if you don’t suffer enough, then it doesn’t count.
That’s really where the whole “GLP-1 is the easy way out” narrative comes from.
And honestly… it says a lot more about how we were raised to think about weight loss than it does about the medication itself.
Listen instead:
Why I Started These Weekly Meetings
This is the first GLP1 Girl Code meeting, and the idea is simple.
Every Monday we sit down and talk about the things that aren’t talked about enough in the GLP-1 space.
If you scroll social media, you’ll see plenty of before-and-afters.
You’ll see people explaining exactly how they lost the weight.
You’ll see people who are already at maintenance and “living their best life.”
But what we don’t talk about enough is the messy middle.
The weeks when nothing seems to be working.
The moments when we feel discouraged.
The identity shifts that happen along the way.
That’s what these meetings are for.
Some weeks will be practical.
Some weeks will be mindset.
But every week we’ll talk about something real.
And we’ll always end with one small action to focus on for the week ahead.
Before we even get into today’s topic, though, I always like to start with a quick check-in.
How are you feeling right now?
Did last week feel productive?
Are you excited about the week ahead?
Or are you overwhelmed and just trying to get through it?
For me personally, today happens to be a heavy cycle day. I feel bloated, but also weirdly productive. I’ve actually made it to the gym a few times this week, which hasn’t happened in a while.
Wherever you’re at right now, just take a minute to notice it.
That matters.
The Idea That Weight Loss Has to Hurt
Let’s talk about today’s main topic.
People feel deeply uncomfortable with the idea that someone might lose weight without suffering.
For decades we’ve been taught that weight loss equals pain.
I remember hearing the phrase “beauty is pain” constantly growing up.
When we think about losing weight, we imagine things like:
Waking up at 5:00 a.m. for workouts
Going to the gym five days a week
Completely cleaning out the pantry
Eating foods we don’t actually like
Feeling hungry all the time
How many of us have done the classic “start over Monday” routine?
Sunday is the binge.
Monday is the brand-new person.
We wake up early.
We go to the gym.
We throw out all the snacks.
And somehow we’re supposed to live like that forever.
Then people start a GLP-1 medication.
Suddenly the hunger quiets down.
The food noise fades.
We’re able to make changes without constant suffering.
And that makes people very uncomfortable.
Why Some People React So Strongly
When people are uncomfortable, they often lash out.
Think about who the criticism usually comes from.
It tends to fall into three categories.
1. People who have never struggled with weight
Some people have always been naturally thin.
They’ve never experienced food noise.
They’ve never had to battle constant hunger.
So they genuinely don’t understand what this feels like.
2. People who worked extremely hard to lose weight
There are people who wake up at 5 a.m., work out constantly, and maintain their body through intense discipline.
When they see someone reaching similar results without that same suffering, it challenges their belief system.
3. People who lost weight “the hard way”
Some people were in our shoes once.
They lost weight through strict dieting and extreme effort because GLP-1 medications weren’t available to them.
Now they see others achieving results differently, and it feels unfair.
But here’s the thing.
None of that makes our success less valid.
Most of us have spent years trying everything before finding something that actually worked.
The Truth: GLP-1 Isn’t Actually Easy
The idea that GLP-1 makes weight loss effortless is a huge misunderstanding.
Anyone who has actually been on these medications knows that.
Yes, the hunger is quieter.
But the journey still comes with challenges.
There are stalls that last weeks or months.
There are side effects.
There are mindset struggles that don’t magically disappear.
Your brain still plays games with you.
Your body changes in ways you didn’t expect.
Your identity shifts as you lose weight.
Those things are hard no matter how the weight comes off.
Taking a GLP-1 isn’t cheating.
It’s simply using a tool that finally works with your biology instead of against it.
Our Weekly Action
Each week we end with one simple focus.
This week’s action is this:
Zoom out.
If you’ve been feeling like your progress doesn’t “count” because you didn’t suffer enough, take a moment to look at the full picture.
Look back at where you started.
Look at the stalls you pushed through.
The habits you’ve built.
The food noise you’ve learned to navigate.
You’ve overcome more than you probably give yourself credit for.
So this week, the goal is simple:
Be proud of yourself.
Because you’ve come a lot further than you think.
If this resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it.
And remember:
You’re doing so much better than you think.
xo - nyk
I have come to look blankly at people who think we have not suffered enough and say, "Ohhhhh, so people with asthma should suffer more in order to get an inhaler?" "Diabetics should go into diabetic comas before some random doctor says, 'Okay, I guess they've earned their medication now.'" It's absurd.
My suffering was not only with dieting and the whole dieting dance we know all too well, but my insides were doing the suffering no one could see. My heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, BRAIN, and more, were all suffering. That person staring at us with disdain simply could not see it, so it was discounted or ignored. Believe me, I suffered more than my share. I write and speak so people don't have to get where I did, so I don't give one whit about people's "I suffered, so you should, too" mindset.
I do want to mention one more category of people I've found that think we are taking the easy way out and that is people who do not have access to the medications -for all the reasons we know about... insurance coverage, no insurance, no $$ for compounding, no physical access, etc. I completely understand their frustration and they are welcome to take it out on me. I can handle it.
You’ll be proud to know I who hates to exercise, actually did Tai Chi on YouTube 4 days this week. First exercising in years. I was 151.0 today. I have not seen 150 again since last Friday and Saturday but I’m close, lol. I was surprised that my legs were sore from the Tai Chi. The workout for beginners and seniors must have done something. Very low impact and slow deliberate movements and my legs hurt to sit down lol. I will continue since after 33 lbs, I do need to tone up.