how can i lose weight without medication?
Embarking on a weight loss journey is a highly personal and oftentimes stressful endeavor that can feel like a constant uphill battle from the start. not only because starting a new routine is challenging in itself but combine that with the flood of (mis)information and public opinion on the “optimal” approach to weight loss; it’s no wonder the vast majority of us are turning to straight forward medications like ozempic.
the reason drugs, like ozempic, work well for weight loss is because they mimic the action of your body’s glp-1 hormone, sending a signal to your brain that you’re full to reduce appetite. so logically you may ask yourself, can’t i just not take these medications, eat less, then lose weight? ehh sorta but also not really.
our bodies are always in a state of flux so the idea that eating in a 3500 weekly calorie deficit (since 1 lb of fat is roughly equal to 3500 calories) will help you lose 1lb of fat per week is not as simple as it sounds.
this general calculation of fat to calories is only credible in a vacuum — which is not reflective of normal life. you’ll have days where you drink a ton of water and days where you don’t, that influences this number. there will be days you sleep more than others, that influences this number. you’ll have days where you eat more salt than others, that influences this number. you get the point. this is a good start but should not be your single focus when looking to achieve healthy sustainable weight loss.
eating in a 200-400 daily calorie deficit should be your first step when approaching a weight loss journey, but long-term adherence to this alone is low and the reasons why may be confusing if you’re not well versed in physiology. so let me break down what you need to do and know, to lose weight sustainably without medication.
after a caloric deficit the next thing you should focus on is training your metabolism to be more efficient.
your metabolism is a function of how efficiently you can breakdown then use or store nutrients from food. if you are newer to exercise, are more sedentary, and/or have a low amount of muscle mass, your metabolism — or more accurately, your metabolic rate — will be lower. this means you’ll be less efficient at using and storing nutrients which usually results in greater fat accumulation compared to someone who works out consistently, is more active, and/or has more muscle mass.
if you fall into the former category and were only focused on eating in a caloric deficit, without adding more activity to your routine, that deficit will be extremely difficult to stick to for the long term — imagine trying to eat 1500 or so calories every day for at least 6 months to a year. this is not to say this is impossible but it’s very difficult to do and most will not be able to sustain this pattern of eating for the period of time needed to actually lose the weight they desire.
you need to remember that weight loss is a slow gradual process, it will not happen in a month so you need to take a long-term approach when deciding on a strategy.
to find your metabolic rate you can get a general estimate through online formulas or more accurately through body composition machines like a dexa or in-body — your local gym or doctor should have something like this.
your next move, after deciding on a sustainable caloric deficit, should be to add exercise to your routine, but probably not the kind you’re thinking about.
when looking to lose weight I would recommend strength training over cardio. now, before you get all up and arms, both are key players in a healthy routine but often i see people crushing hours of cardio, not lifting weights (or picking up 5lbs for reps), then complaining they don’t have the “toned” look they are hoping for. only to then add more time on the cardio machines because “they probably weren’t doing enough”. ahhh!!
the issue isn’t that you’re not doing enough, the issue is you’re training for the wrong goal.
cardio is excellent at improving your the function of your cardiorespiratory organs and cells, but when it comes to your metabolic rate (what we’re looking to increase for sustainable weight loss) the effect is negligible. to increase your metabolic rate we need to increase the amount of muscle mass you have and that’s done through resistance training. this means picking up something heavy relative to you, lifting it for 6-10 reps, resting for a little, then doing it again. i’ll admit this seems counterintuitive; if you want to lose weight shouldn’t you do hard things that gets you sweating and burns hundreds of calories? this issue with just doing this type of workout is, again, this isn’t addressing the root issue. you need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight and if your metabolic rate is low it will be much harder to sustain this deficit long term. what this type of workout does is burn calories in the short term, temporarily raising your metabolism, which will likely be offset by the smoothie you have waiting for you after your workout class.
we shouldn’t focus on burning short-term calories during a workout but rather improving your ability to use and store nutrients from the foods you eat. less high intensity cardio, more resistance training. this will increase your metabolic rate which will make being in a caloric deficit much easier to sustain — it’s a hell of a lot easier to eat in a 2000 calorie deficit than 1500 calorie deficit for months to years.
finally, after deciding on a sustainable caloric deficit and incorporating resistance training into your routine, the last thing you should consider is increasing your daily activity — walking, standing, taking stairs, etc. this non-exercise activity is called Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (neat). all the small movements you do, down to shivering from the cold and twitching your leg when seated, slightly increase your metabolic rate. granted, this increase is small and you won’t lose weight just by twitching your leg, but combining regular movement with a caloric deficit and resistance training will work together to raise your metabolic rate making it easier to stay in a caloric deficit long term achieving the desired weight loss you’re hoping for.
so overall you need to be in a caloric deficit for a good amount of time (at least 6-9 months, probably more) to achieve sustainable weight loss, and just eating less will be very difficult to sustain for that time period. so instead of starving yourself here’s what a sustainable weight loss plan can look like; start with a 200-400 calorie deficit (200 if your metabolic rate is lower, you can always increase but better to be more conservative to start and don’t go above 500 calorie deficit), begin resistance training 1-3x a week with a qualified trainer or safely on your own, try to add more activity into your day like taking the stairs vs elevator, parking farther from the office, talking a quick lap around the house every 50 minutes, and stick to this plan for at least 6 months but probably longer. There’s no secret to weight loss, and the process to do this isn’t sexy. just show up with whatever you have that day, count the small wins, and give yourself grace. i wish you nothing but the best and if you have any questions feel free to comment below!
miles is a trainer, speaker, writer, and consultant who specializes in performance and longevity within the health and wellness space. with over ten years of experience, a masters degree in exercise and nutrition science and multiple strength and conditioning certifications miles aims to combine practical application with research to provide actionable strategies for people looking to live longer and excel athletically.
