“The Only Easy Day was Yesterday”

I used to work with Navy SEALS a lot when I was in the Air Force. Many of them wore t-shirts with that saying on the back.

In other words, every day is hard. I’m sure it was with their training. But I agree with that statement and how it can apply to life in general.

Then I came across an article that contradicted this idea. It’s title is:

“No, Diet and Exercise Are Not Better Than Drugs for Obesity”

The article is talking about popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. The author, a medical doctor, referenced a study called the Look AHEAD study that followed participants for four years of lifestyle changes compared to other drug trial studies such as the SELECT trial.

The results were dramatic in favor of the drugs. Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise resulted in an average 4.7% total body weight loss. Over the next 4 years the participants seemed to maintain most of the loss.

Contrast that with the 4 years on semaglutide medications (Ozempic and Wagovy) and tirzepatide.

Semaglutide participants lost an average of 10.2% Tirzepatide people lost an average of 25.3% with ‘no signs of suggestive of pending regains’.

Drugs sure sound wonderful based on these study results.

Especially in light of the comparison the author makes to the TV show The Biggest Loser. The show had obese people competing in teams over a 6-month period to lose the most weight. Many of the people gained a lot of their weight back after the show.

But wait. There’s more! the author claims the obesity medications also significantly reduced the risk of other medical concerns such as:

• Type 2 diabetes

• Hypertension

• Sleep apnea

• Fatty Liver disease

What a miracle, right? Take the medication and get skinny. And healthy! Piece of cake.

Not in my opinion. I don’t want this article to go over the side effects of weight loss drugs, or the downsides. I want to talk more about the philosophy.

I’ve helped several people lose a significant amount of weight in my assisted living homes. We’ve used some of these weight loss drugs.

In my opinion, there is one thing that determines sustained weight loss and overall health improvement.

Mindset.

People have to really WANT to lose the weight. They have a reason or purpose for it. And they make it a big part of their life.

When I’ve talked to some of the Navy SEALS, they told me the people who made it through SEAL training were the ones who looked at it as if they had to do it. Nothing else mattered.

Those people who think “Well I’ll try SEAL training and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll try serving on battleships” never make it.

Maybe you don’t have to have the passion of a Navy SEAL, but you need to have a large desire to lose the weight and keep it off.

It’s important. It can be a life or death matter.

Those weight loss drugs won’t change your mindset. Often they facilitate making people less motivated to lose the weight. They make it too easy.

It’s better to adapt the ‘only easy day was yesterday’ mindset. Realize weight loss is hard work. Realize it’s for life. Embrace it. If you want to use the drugs, fine. Just realize they aren’t necessarily a panacea.

You’ll feel better both physically AND mentally because of your attitude shift. And you’ll probably maintain those losses far better than just relying on prescriptions.