Which is Better: Weight Loss Pills or Weight Loss Plates?

Are you thinking of taking your weight loss regime to the next level? Have you been considering whether you should ask your doctor for weight loss pills? Well, then, stay tuned, because this post is definitely for you!

Weight loss pills have gained quite a bit of popularity in the mainstream media as people try to understand the effects, side effects, and long-term impacts of taking them. In fact, there are a lot of misconceptions regarding weight loss pills and/or fat burner supplements. Regardless of whatever social media suggests, one thing is clear: you should always consult your medical practitioner before taking a weight loss pill. 

In some extreme cases, doctors will recommend the patient to use weight loss pills, but sometimes changes (small or drastic) in your regular diet can also contribute to helping you lose weight. This is where discussions of using weight loss pills versus weight loss plates come into play. 

But, before we get into that, let’s explore the ways in which weight loss pills work to help reduce body weight and body fat.

How Do Weight Loss Pills Work?

So, how do weight loss pills fulfill their purpose of making you lose weight? Well, weight loss pills (i.e. Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda) aim to increase the levels of GLP-1 hormone in your body.  

GLP-1 is a hormone that is made in the gastrointestinal tract (your gut) when you eat. Yes, you read that right! Food is actually what stimulates the release of GLP-1 from your intestinal cells. In fact, certain foods help the release of GLP-1 hormone more than other foods. This hormone is linked with fulfilling multiple purposes like appetite regulation, digestion, and balancing your blood sugar. 

The way that it works is that after GLP-1 is released, it then sends a signal to your pancreas, which causes the release of insulin. This, in turn, signals your cells to take in glucose from your blood, which lowers your blood sugar. In other words, it basically helps improve insulin function, which further helps to balance your blood sugar levels.

Moreover, GLP-1 hormone improves satiety—feelings of being full or the sense that you’ve had enough to eat—by not only slowing down your digestion, but also decreasing the hormone Ghrelin (known as the hunger hormone).

So, if you’re wondering how benefits of GLP-1 hormone are used clinically to help with weight management, then below are two ways in which this occurs:

• GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: 

Medications: GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as liraglutide and semaglutide, are used as medications to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight loss management. These drugs mimic the effects of natural GLP-1, which then helps to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce appetite​​ in patients.

• Weight Loss Effects:

Significant Weight Loss: Clinical trials have shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists can lead to significant weight loss in individuals with obesity by reducing their hunger and increasing their satiety. This, thereby, lowers their overall caloric intake​​, and helps with their weight management.

Therefore, weight loss pills have managed to help some people lose weight by increasing their feelings of being full, reducing their hunger, and regulating their blood sugar. The question that occurs, then, is: Should everyone struggling with weight gain use weight loss pills? Let’s find out in the next section!

Are Weight Loss Pills Safe to Use?

As mentioned previously, weight loss pills are usually recommended by medical practitioners to patients struggling with diabetes, irregular insulin levels, consistent weight gain issues, and obesity. 

Although most of these weight loss pills have shown to be safe (as long as it is prescribed by a doctor) and have helped patients with their weight management, some of these drugs do contain certain side effects that could impact the overall well-being of individuals. 

In fact, some over-the-counter medications and fat burner supplements claim to be “natural weight loss pills,” but they should also be used with caution after consulting a medical practitioner or a registered dietitian. 

The thing is that GLP-1 agonist medications were originally and specifically designed to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. 

This means that these patients’ bodies were already suffering from insulin resistance, which means that they weren’t producing enough GLP-1 naturally (as we talked about earlier). Therefore, they needed a drug that would do this artificially to help balance their blood sugar levels.

It’s important to understand that these medicines or weight loss pills don’t promote the release of your natural GLP-1 hormone. Rather, what happens is that they stimulate the same receptors as your natural GLP-1 hormones would, and that’s how they mimic the effects of them in your body. And because these effects aren’t of your natural GLP-1 hormones, some people can suffer from side effects (depending on what type of medication they are taking) like: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, insomnia, irregular heart rate, dry mouth, dizziness, and sometimes even a high risk of weight regain after stopping the use of these weight loss pills.

So, if you’re wondering, whether these weight loss pills are safe for you to use? Then, your best bet is to talk to a medical health professional, who can better guide you for understanding what types of weight management techniques (medicines, diet, and/or exercise) are most suitable for your particular concerns.

What is a Weight Loss Plate?

As we mentioned earlier, weight loss pills don’t stimulate the release of your natural GLP-1 hormones; rather, they mimic the effects of them. This means that they aren’t addressing the specific concern of your gut not making its own GLP-1 to help you with your weight management efforts. 

Watch this short video on weight gain to understand how weight can be influenced by many other underlying conditions.

Therefore, why not consider using a *weight loss plate instead? A weight loss plate is a balanced diet plate that helps you feed your good gut bacteria (using probiotics, prebiotics, and polyphenols) to help the release of natural GLP-1 hormones, which then help you feel full for longer (high satiety) and prevents you from craving junk food (appetite regulation).

So, what boosts the natural release of this hormone? A healthy gut-food diet for weight loss with things like protein, healthy fats, fiber, some bitter foods, and certain herbs and spices like curcumin (in turmeric) and cinnamon have all shown to be great sources of boosting the release of the GLP-1 hormone in the body. 

Surprisingly, a combination of protein with calcium has shown to have better weight loss results. So, things like greek yogurt can be an excellent source to help you lose weight. Also, lean meats and eggs are great in helping you feel full for longer.

Here is a list of some other great foods that can help you lose weight by influencing the release of GLP-1 hormone:

• Healthy Fats: Nuts, Seeds, Avocado, and Olive Oil.
• Fermentable Fibers/Soluble Fibers (Prebiotics): Whole Grains, Beans, Legumes, Flax Seeds, and Chia Seeds. Remember when you feed your good gut bacteria, it helps promote the growth of butyrate in your gut, which further increases the levels of GLP-1.
• Bitter Foods & Foods Containing Flavonoids: Dark Chocolate, Green Tea, Bitter Gourd, and Berries.

You should aim to include the 10-20-30 Rule for weight management on a daily basis. This rule is a simple way for you to remember to have about 10 grams of fiber, about 20 grams of healthy fats, and about 30 grams of protein for every meal to not only help feed your gut bacteria well, but also support your weight loss goals. We talk about following this rule along with other sustainable weight loss habits in our WOW (Winning Over Weight) Program.

Here are some ideas for you to incorporate this 10-20-30 rule in your daily diet:

• For Fiber: Add whole grains, beans, lentils, and vegetables. Chia seeds and Flax seeds can also help you add more fiber in your diet.
• For Healthy Fats: Add nuts and seeds(pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds) to your diet. Avocado, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, and nut butters can be great additions as well.
• For Protein: depending on your preference you can include foods like greek yogurt, eggs, lean meats, cottage cheese, or plant-based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, and edamame. 

In other words, if you incorporate a plate for diet control on a regular basis, then that can help you regulate your appetite, improve insulin levels, prevent inflammation & further weight gain, help you lose weight, and keep it off. And to top it off, it can also help you feel healthier and happier on a regular basis.

So, if you want to boost the release of natural GLP-1 in your body, you must focus on specific foods, herbs, and spices that help you lose weight and keep it off!

*Disclaimer: Some people are required to take weight loss pills as recommended by their medical practitioner. Make sure to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian prior to stopping the use of weight loss pills, for your individualized diet plan, and especially before making any medication or dietary changes.

What Are Some Natural Sources to Help You Lose Weight?

Now that we’ve talked about including weight loss plates as a healthier alternative to weight loss pills, let’s take a look at which specific foods, herbs, and spices can help you lose weight. 

Certain foods, herbs, and spices take care of your good gut bacteria and naturally help release GLP-1 hormones, which make you feel full for longer and reduce your appetite (especially for junk food). This can help make sure that you do not overeat, you feel energized to focus on your exercise regime, and can prevent further weight gain.

Here are some foods to consider adding to your daily diet to help boost the levels of satiety hormones and reduce the levels of the hunger hormones in your body:

Bitter Foods

Bitter foods like dark chocolate, kale, arugula, coffee, green tea, eggplant, and brussel sprouts are all great foods to include on your weight loss plate. Interestingly, the receptors for bitterness on our tongues are known to play the role of an evolutionary natural defense system; over time, it has helped us to differentiate between safe foods and foods containing toxins or poison.

Nevertheless, some bitter foods (like the ones mentioned above) are great for stimulating the release of GLP-1, slowing digestion to make you feel full for longer, and reducing the hunger hormone, ghrelin. This makes sense, because if something is bitter in taste, we usually don’t eat too much of it.

In fact, some studies have shown that things like tea, green tea, or coffee can improve digestion, metabolic health, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people using them moderately and on a regular basis.

Fenugreek

If you’ve ever tried your hand at an Indian recipe, then you have most definitely come across fenugreek as a seasoning for meat and curries. Fenugreek comes in the form of both leaves and seeds, and they carry a very strong flavor that is used to enhance the taste and smell of food.

Fenugreek is believed to have many benefits to weight loss and for people struggling with type 2 diabetes. It has the ability to increase GLP-1 levels naturally in the body by slowing down gastric emptying (the time it takes food to empty out of your stomach). Also, the fenugreek seeds are rich in fiber, which increases your levels of satiety and keeps you feeling full for longer.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a great spice that we not only use for our lattes, but also for adding a touch of intense bitterness and smell to our food. Studies have shown that cinnamon can slow down our absorption of carbohydrates to prevent the spike in glucose and insulin levels in our body.

This slower absorption of carbohydrates ensures that your body isn’t going to experience a sudden energy crash; rather, you can reap the benefits of energy-rich carbohydrates over a span of time without overeating to sustain those energy levels. This is great for when you want to reduce your body weight through less calorie consumption and lots of exercise!

Curcumin

Curcumin is a compound in turmeric that gives the spice its color, flavor, and anti-inflammatory & antioxidant properties. Turmeric is another spice that is widely used in Indian cuisine, but it is gaining a lot of popularity around the world for its numerous benefits in health, beauty, and overall wellness.

Studies have indicated that curcumin can help naturally increase the levels of GLP-1—mimicking the effects of weight loss pills—which can regulate blood sugar levels, reduce chronic inflammation, and help in weight loss efforts.

Basically, these herbs and spices are great sources to build up your weight loss plate, so that you can naturally increase your satiety from foods and decrease cravings of junk food. Of course, the spices and herbs listed above will not independently reduce your body fat and weight, but including them in your balanced diet plate can help provide long-lasting benefits that most, if not all, weight loss pills cannot supplement.

Conclusion (and some delicious recipes!)

Considering the shift from weight loss pills to weight loss plates can be challenging, especially if you are struggling with stubborn weight gain. But, it may be quite beneficial to make this change if you are looking for long-term advantages of healthy eating and keeping off those stubborn pounds for good. 

Here are some delicious recipes that can help you build your weight loss plates on a daily basis:

• Breakfast: Try this delicious, Tropical Green Smoothie that is full of healthy fats, fiber, and protein to start your morning right!
• Lunch: Make this Greek Style Chopped Salad that is full of gut-friendly vegetables and protein-filled chickpeas to give you lots of energy through the rest of the day!
• Dinner: Make these gut-healthy and filling Spicy Black Bean Tacos that are perfect for a delicious dinner that doesn’t break your weight loss regime!
• Dessert: Make this gut-friendly, Tofu-Chocolate Mousse that is full of the benefits of dark chocolate (polyphenols) and keeps the sweet-tooth cravings at bay!

Want to see actual results? Take a look at this video of a client sharing their weight loss journey while working with me on understanding the causes behind their weight gain and how to better establish a balanced health regime!

For more information in making the shift from weight loss pills to weight loss plates:

Join the WOW (Winning Over Weight) Waitlist Today!

*Disclaimer: Some people are required to take weight loss pills as recommended by their medical practitioner. Make sure to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian prior to stopping the use of weight loss pills, for your individualized diet plan, and especially before making any medication or dietary changes.