What We Don't Hear About GLP-1s: Mental Health & Identity with Kate Lyman

Are you considering GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, or Zepbound for weight loss, or do you know someone who is? This conversation provides a nuanced conversation about GLP-1s and considerations around starting them.

In this episode, host Nikki Naab-Levy chats with Kate Lyman, a nutrition coach with a Master's in public health about the unspoken potential ramifications of using these drugs, from a mental health and behavior change perspective.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between the clinical and social media definitions of "food noise".
• Why weight loss on a GLP-1 does not automatically equate to better body image or health.
• The potential for GLP-1s to replace "food noise" with new fixations or obsessions in (e.g., scale-watching, body composition) in some individuals.
• The mixed mental health outcomes of GLP-1s, including studies linking them to an elevated risk of anxiety, major depression, and suicidal behavior in some populations, while others (like those with binge eating disorder) may see positive benefits.
• Recommended lifestyle support and interventions that can be used alongside medication to ensure fat loss while protecting and maintaining muscle mass and bone density.
• The importance of having coping tools outside of food when a previous coping mechanism is removed.
• The cultural and identity shifts that often come with rapid body weight loss and being treated differently by the outside world.
• Why these medications are currently intended for long-term use and aren't necessarily an appropriate intervention for all individuals.

Connect with Kate

• Instagram: @klnutrition
• Website: https://www.katelymannutrition.com/
• Podcast: How to Fitness Podcast

Connect with Nikki

• Instagram: @naablevyfitness
• Website: http://naablevy.com

Free Nutrition & Fitness Resources

• Take the 1 minute quiz to get your free personalized strength workouts
• Get your free macros and calories calculator + guide

Research Studies & Papers Referenced

• What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity [PMID: 38004203]
• Association of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists With Risk of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [PMID: 39945396]
• Use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in eating disorder populations [PMID: 38135891]

Timestamps

00:00 | Intro: Cultural Context, Mental Health, and Nuance about Who Should or Shouldn't Take GLP-1s.

00:40 | Introducing Kate Lyman: Behavioral Health Expert & Nutrition Coach

03:00 | The Need for Education and Behavioral Support with GLP-1s

05:23 | Weight Loss Doesn't Automatically Equal Health: Coping Tools Outside of Food

06:44 | Defining Food Noise Beyond Pop Culture and Social Media

09:41 | The Potential for Obsession Shifts: Food Noise Replaced by Scale Focus

14:56 | Mental Health & GLP-1s: What the Literature Says About Anxiety & Depression

24:10 | Essential Lifestyle Pillars: Protein, Strength Training, and Water Intake

28:06 | The Long-Term Reality of Taking a GLP-1 to Maintain Weight Loss

40:04 | The Role of Stigma & Weight Bias in Influencing GLP-1 Usage