I’ve been asked about my thoughts quite a lot recently, so here are my two cents on the new craze for GLP-1s/semaglutide/tirzepatide.*

Well, that’s the thing, weight loss jabs are not that new, but have blown up in popularity over the year or so.

Ozempic and Wegovy are GLP-1 agonists and contain a synthetic chemical which mimics the hormone glucagon: glucagon-like peptide 1 (i.e. GLP-1). Mounjaro is a dual agonist, which means it mimics another hormone as well as GLP-1, which is GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).

These cost about £180-£220 for one treatment course here in the UK.

There is no doubt that tirzepatide/semaglutide works and I believe it is a powerful tool that can be used to help people shift large amounts of weight.

How they work

The reality? Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy essentially put users into a significant calorie deficit – they eat much less food (due to decreased appetite, slower digestion, more satisfaction after eating and better insulin regulation) and drop weight fast as a result. The powerful impact comes also from the reported drugs’ impact on our desire for food. I’ve listened to copious accounts of people who have taken the drug, as well as spoken to people personally who’ve taken it, and they all report the idea of ‘food noise’ (or other ‘addiction’ noises) quietening. Finally they’re not thinking about food in some capacity all day; they’re finding they’re more akin to that friend we have who says they’ve simply ‘forgotten’ to eat breakfast and lunch.

The drug has notable potential for those struggling with addictions/bad habits, food of course being one of them. Habits which tend to be linked to coping with stress and seeking dopamine rushes, such as alcohol and substance abuse, gambling and online shopping. Ozempic/Mounjaro/Wegovy interact with a region of the brain called the mesolimbic system, which overlaps with the brain processes that dictate addictive behaviours.

It’s important to note that there are of course downsides – no medication is without its side effects and a lot of people are taking the drug in a nonsensical way. Micro-dosing (according to your body’s metrics) is the best way to take the agonists, but most people take a one-size-fits-all dose (fault of the drug companies) which does not fit all, as we are not all the same. Visible side effects commonly found by people who take too much include: nausea/being sick, abdominal pain, fatigue, constipation and diarrhoea, and side effects around internal health include: severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) and vision issues. Visually, people develop wrinkles, sunken eyes, a gaunt look, thinner lips and sagging skin.

Absolute non-negotiables to stay healthy while taking GLP-1 agonists

If you decide to take the drug, there are some things you cannot compromise on while you’re doing so:

Strength training. Being on a GLP-1 agonist means you drop weight fast, but about 40% of the weight lost will be muscle mass if the body is left to its own devices (muscle is a tissue that requires a lot of calories to maintain – it’s ‘expensive’ – so the body will try to get rid of it first). This is incredibly detrimental as having muscle mass and strength has been shown in copious studies to categorically be the most important thing for longevity, health and successful aging. Muscle IS medicine. You absolutely have to be lifting heavy, to retain your muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis as much as possible. You won’t build muscle as your calories will be too low – the strength training is about preservation.
Some people report a general apathy feeling towards lots of things when on the drug (linking to the muting of desire I mentioned earlier), which can make motivation to workout hard. But remember, in this case it’s not about waiting for motivation, it’s about dedication!

A High protein diet. That’s hitting 2g per kg body weight every single day. Sadly, we don’t store protein, so it’s not a case of averaging over the week.

Without heavy, regular strength training and a high protein diet, you will end up as what’s known as ‘skinny fat’ – i.e. slim, but having very little muscle mass/’tone’. This leaves you metabolically busted and does your future self a massive disservice. Having less muscle comes with it’s own health problems – you’ll become frail, deteriorate quicker and become significantly weaker, meaning your quality of life will decrease as you’ll be less physically able. Using the drug without these measures means you’ll come out the other side in a worse position than when you started, which sets you up to be yo-yoing on and off the drug for years/the rest of your life and having to eat even less as time goes on.

Work on your attitude to food. GLP-1 agonists can be very powerful at helping alter behaviours to food while the drug is taken. However, this is the time you also need to work hard on figuring out the root causes of your poor relationship with food. Ideally, do therapy at the same time. Obesity is interlinked with mental health – there are often deep-rooted reasons why people overeat. This links to point 2! Don’t let GLP-1s be a temporary relief/plaster.

Eat well when you do eat. Yes, you could just eat one share bar of Dairy Milk for your days’ food and feel full, but you’ll feel terrible and you’re not fixing the deeper issue of how and why your eating habits got you to the point of being overweight. If you’re eating barely anything, micronutrients have to be one of the top priorities. This ties in with point 2.

My thoughts

When taking the drug I think it’s vital to make use the mental clarity you’ll have for improvement of future you (who isn’t on the drug). If you don’t, I believe you’re setting yourself up for failure and reliance on the drug. It’s the same if using it for addictions – without addressing WHY you get urges to drink and compulsively online shop etc., these desires will only come right back once the drug has worn off. Boots appears to be offering programmes and coaching alongside the drug, which is a great step.

Overall, I am still learning a lot about GLP-1s, but I can safely say that I don’t think they’re ‘cheating’. They’ve got extremely powerful uses for those in real, immediate need (obese patients who’s high body fat puts them at serious health risks). But, you can’t deny that having a drug dictate your weight loss means you’ve not gone through the emotionally difficult journey, self-education, lessons learned and hardship that ‘normal’ fat loss entails. These drugs reiterate that it’s the PROCESS which people are desperate to skip, but that’s the part which ensures you’ll keep the weight off sustainably in the future. It’s why studies show those who fad diet come back with much more body fat than they did before – it’s because they have not learned about nutrition and the science of how we lose fat… how can you maintain something you don’t understand? Without education on top of the GLP-1s, you’re throwing money at a problem that is likely to keep coming back.

*I must clarify, I am not a doctor or trained to give out medical advice. This article is about my opinions of the drugs and courses of action that must be taken alongside taking the drug, based on the research I have done.

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One of my wonderful clients is a really good example of that; I’ll call her A.

A is extremely busy, working a stressful senior level job in central London, only working from home once or twice a week. She travels a fair amount for work and she is a mum of a young child. All of this is what led her to contact me… she already weightlifts and loves it, but with strictly one hour for lunch, she barely finds the time to fit it in. If she does, by the time she discounts travel time there and back, plus time to eat and shower, she only has about 25 minutes to actually train. She told me she runs around like a ‘headless chicken’ and clock watches to move onto the next set quickly.

Of course, this experience wasn’t helping her stay consistent as the gym was proving a stressful affair. To top it off? Her gym is incredibly busy, so often she just used what equipment she could and stuck to what movements she knew and enjoyed. She lacked proper guidance and routine.

Fundamentally, she knew she needed advanced programming to stimulate progressive overload, accountability and the convenience I provide by bringing the gym to her. That’s why she signed up with Fitness by Georgia.

She was keen to try and get back to the weights she was lifting pre-baby, which she felt was ambitious but she wanted to give these a go. I thought this was a great goal!

I worked hard on creating her an appropriate in-gym programme. This meant:

• Taking into account how much time she actually has to train
• Factoring in that she can’t always go as much as she’d like, so there aren’t too many days scheduled (making it unrealistic) and sometimes has to skip a session
• For every 1st option exercise, I provided two other alternative exercises that use different equipment in case what we want to do as first choice is taken
• Pushing her out of her comfort zone, incorporating exercises that were perhaps new to her or she’d only ever done different versions.

I designed our in person sessions to be challenging and a solid foundational workout, so even if she didn’t get to the gym at all one week, she’d still have had an impactful session with me. As A likes change, I switch the routine up once a month to keep things fresh, but I employ techniques to keep the movements tough, even for A’s level of strength!

“I love training with Georgia. She has taken my strength training to another level and really adapted her programming to suit my busy life. I’ve achieved things I didn’t think possible, all thanks to her perfect mix of honesty, accountability, and empathy. Also, if you ever need a motivational pep talk thrown in the mix, she’s the trainer for you!”

Now, just 2 months into us working together, she has hit the highest deadlift and leg press weights she ever has! The weights she has reached far exceeded what she thought she was capable of which was an absolutely wonderful moment to share with her. Just a few weeks before, she had a moment of doubt, wondering if she was being too ambitious in aiming for her pre-baby weights. I’m so glad she didn’t let that wobble get to her too much, and instead, harnessed that energy.

Consistency, smart training, and accountability helped A build her strength and exceed her own expectations. With new milestones already smashed, I can’t wait to see what the next three months bring for A!

Does some of this sound familiar to you? Do you resonate with A’s challenges and her situation? Do you wish you could see real results and get stronger and fitter, without the stress? Get in touch today to see how I can help you.

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Especially come January, up pops all the aggressive adverts on socials, promoting discounted gym memberships and faddy exercise products that do not work. Family, friends and colleagues begin incessantly dwelling on how they ‘need’ to exercise and ‘detox’, that they’ve put on weight or they feel unhappy in their body. 

My bug-bear are the ‘fitness influencers’ in full swing, slashing prices on their cookie-cutter fitness app or exercise programme which hasn’t been created by them. It’s important to remember a lot of these people lost weight, got fit, but then capitalised on their following by getting someone else to write a gym programme which they can palm off as their own. Their figure is not representative of what you will gain from following their programme, and most of these people are not qualified. For many influencers, it’s their life to be fit and healthy which is hardly comparable to your average working mum or dad of 3 children who sleeps 5 hours a night.

Bearing this in mind, I’ve put together a list of some Instagram ‘influencers’ you should follow in 2025; not all ‘influencers’ are made equal. My focus is on suggesting accounts which provide fact-based information, be it in different forms, so you can be educated, rather than be demoralised or made to feel unhappy about yourself. Here we go…!

1. Ben Carpenter: @bdccarpenter. Ben is extremely knowledgeable on all things fat-loss, having written well-researched books on this. He is kind, extremely empathetic, funny and the information and theories he shares are detail-dense but easy to understand. He always cites studies, is notorious for his balanced viewpoint and is highly credible in the online fitness space. I would always recommend following Ben for honest, factual and myth-busting health and fitness advice. He wants every person to feel comfortable and able to move more. Ben weightlifts and lives with Crohn’s disease.
2. Graeme Tomlinson: @thefitnesschef_. Graeme is Scottish, has a dry sense of humor and his videos probably aren’t to everyone’s taste. However, his message is important and it comes through strongly in everything he does: ‘anything in moderation’. He highlights calorific similarities/differences in commonly perceived ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods, showing that everything can be fit into your diet if it’s factored in. There are always the same comments on his posts from people missing the point of his content – e.g. ‘but of course eating Maccies isn’t as good for you as eating an avocado on toast, regardless of whether the avocado has higher calories!!!!’. He is correctly highlighting that just because something is nutrient dense does not mean it necessarily has less calories (which is what matters on a weight-loss journey). He is a nutritionist and also an author.
3. James Smith: @jamessmith. Much like Graeme, James has a no-bulls*** approach to weight loss and health, and for the longest time has preached about the calorie deficit in a way people will understand. He is good with analogies and making information clear for the masses. If you want to easily understand key principles for weight loss and getting fit, he’s a good person to follow… if you can handle lots of swearing! James has written multiple books. James used to weightlift, but now primarily does JuJitsu.
4. Sohee Lee: @soheefit. Sohee is just wonderful! She is down to earth, seems sweet as anything and is now married to Ben Carpenter. She has a PhD and is extremely knowledgeable about health and fitness. Her content is often geared towards women and the tribulations we often come up against. Her content is non-patronising and clear, while also feeling reassuring. Sohee has a PhD and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction. Sohee runs and weightlifts.
5. Layne Norton: @biolayne. Layne is credible in the fitness industry, holding a PhD in Nutritional Sciences. His content is often focused on calling out false information on social media, always citing references and studies, as he is determined to make sure the masses don’t get sucked into believing non-truths. His content can include lots of yelling, which can be intense, but his messages are valuable as he stresses the importance of human randomised control trials. His content tends to be most relevant for those on a health and weightlifting journey. Layne is a competitive weightlifter, so knows a lot about building muscle and strength, and has published books and papers.
6. Bret Contreras: @bretcontreras1. Bret is universally known as the ‘glute guy’ – the man who invented the hip thrust. He’s now got a line of glute machines he designed based on studies and on his work in his ‘glute lab’. He used to post more about his opinions based on facts/science/studies, whereas now he’s turned a bit more to calling out false glute information on social media. His knowledge on the anatomy of the body, particularly the glues, is mind blowing and he definitely knows his stuff. Bret has a PhD and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction. He has written books and papers.
7. Tyna Moore: @drtyna. Tyna is focused on hormones, building and maintaining muscle and metabolic health. She works with peptides – GLP-1s are her specialty – and focuses on holistic medicine and microdosing as is appropriate for each individual. Her podcast ‘Doctor Tyna Show’ is great, but the details and topics can be complex. Tyna is an author and weightlifts as she is extremely consistent in her message that building and retaining muscle mass is vital for sound metabolic health and a longer life, as is consistent with the studies.
8. Mind Pump: @mindpumpmedia. This is a coaching business and the #1 health and fitness podcast run by three men with copious amounts of weightlifting experience (bodybuilding, college football etc.). Their podcasts are long, with about 1 hour being a general chat which often includes some health/fitness topics but it can be anything. The gem of their podcasts are the talks on studies and the speaker questions/phone-ins from those needing help. Sal, the main man, is worth following on social media (@mindpumpdistefano) as his knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, nutrition, health and medicine is outstanding. He has written multiple well-respected books. He respects data and science and brings this nicely into the podcast. Anyone who is into health and fitness, particularly weightlifting, and listens to podcasts should listen to this! Their gym programmes are evidence-based and I’ve seen people achieve amazing results from them.
9. Jazz Hennessy: @Jazz.fitness_. Jazz is an English online fitness coach. Jazz is technically less qualified than my other recommendations, but the way she puts facts and useful information into very relatable and easy to digest forms is valuable. Often I watch her videos and feel she describes theories or elements of health and fitness very similarly to how I would. She often does videos explaining how to do exercises properly, alongside videos on nutrition. 

If you’re interested in personal training with me, get in touch and we can chat about what I can do for you.

The post New Year, no nonsense: fact-driven fitness experts you should follow appeared first on Fitness by Georgia.

Now consider this statement if the house is your body. Isn’t it funny that people won’t hesitate to sort a problem that involves a big part of their lives – their home – but when it involves themselves, they’re reticent. People will pay £100 an hour for a plumber or an electrician to come and fix something in their house, but they’re less likely to pay to look after the thing that’s going to carry them through their whole life.

Some may argue that moving more and eating well isn’t a question of whether you ‘want’ to do this or not. It’s about, as an adult, taking responsibility for your body, your future and your mental health – in life we have to do things we sometimes don’t want to, because it’s the right thing to do. But this approach isn’t always realistic, as some people are not motivated by this more negative stance. Perhaps thinking about this in a different way can be powerful: we are lucky if we are able to move our bodies, eat well and get regular fresh air. We all know the unparalleled benefits that exercise and good nutrition brings: better sleep; more energy; better bodily functions & mobility; being able to do more with your life; improved physique; living longer; reversing some health conditions; less niggles and injuries and better mental health.

So, why is it that we humans can be so apathetic towards looking after ourselves when we need it the most? Our bodies are our true home. It’s what carries you, your brain and your soul through your whole life. 

Statistically only 16% of the population in the UK has a gym membership. When you put that into perspective of how many people are likely not exercising much or at all, it’s quite shocking. Of course, not everyone who keeps fit has a gym membership, like my clients for example, but it’s a good indicator of the situation the UK is in, which is increased obesity rates.

I think there needs to be a better societal connection between good movement, weightlifting and nutrition and the direct benefits, rather than just focusing on the improvements in health markers. These are the stories like the 75 year old who can now pick up their grandchildren, the busy office worker whose low back doesn’t hurt anymore, the stay at home mum whose core strength is returning and her hormones are being balanced beautifully or the keen golfer whose body is stronger and so now they can return to playing the game they so deeply love.

Let’s reflect on this, and consider how we can put time aside to work on bettering ourselves inside and out, whether we’re at crisis point or not.

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