Welcome to the Body Peace Podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the complicated world of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro, a topic that touches nearly every conversation happening right now around body image and GLP-1 medications and how these drugs intersect with disordered eating patterns. We look closely at what it means to make choices about our bodies with our eyes wide open, without pretending these decisions happen in a cultural vacuum.

We talk about the intense pressure from weight stigma and the cultural belief that smaller bodies are better, pressure that shows up constantly in our work in individual therapy, group therapy, and body image counseling with clients trying to sort out what they actually want from what diet culture has told them to want. We also unpack the promise of erasing “food noise” and look at the real risks of weight cycling when stopping these drugs, risks that anyone doing counseling for chronic dieting or binge eating treatment will recognize immediately. This is where the conversation around GLP-1 and disordered eating becomes especially important, since starting or stopping these medications can unintentionally reawaken old patterns of emotional eating or restriction.

Our goal is to support body autonomy and help us step off the battlefield of fixing or controlling ourselves. Whether we choose to explore these medications or stay far away, we deserve a supportive space to navigate our relationship with food and our bodies without any shame — the same kind of space we try to offer through eating disorder treatment, eating disorder therapy, and eating disorder recovery work more broadly. For anyone already working with an intuitive eating therapist or a HAES-informed therapist, or exploring weight-inclusive therapy and body acceptance therapy on their own, this episode offers grounded, judgment-free information to bring into that process.

Key Takeaways

• We honor body autonomy by making healthcare choices with our eyes wide open.
• Weight cycling causes more physical health risks than remaining in a larger body.
• Food noise is actually important information from our body that we should listen to closely.
• Starting weight loss medications at a young age can easily trigger lifelong disordered eating habits.
• We must release shame and choose supportive communities that nurture our whole wellness.

Resources

• sizeinclusivemedicine.org (GLP-1 Informed Consent Form) – https://sizeinclusivemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MSSI-GLP1-Informed-Consent-1-1.pdf
• Body Peace Podcast Episode with Dr. Asher

Connect with Jennie

Jennie Kramer LCSW-R, CEDS

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• Contact: jkramer@mbhany.com