EXCLUSIVE: Nutritionist Trainer Carli Jay Talks Ozempic— ‘Still Not A Solution’

With women’s bodies often being highly scrutinized due to objectification and unattainable beauty standards constantly being pushed in our faces, it’s understandable why many of us are conscious of our figures.

People who are on the plumper side of the body frame spectrum might be even more hyperaware of their size in general, given the prominence of fatphobia in American society. A research study published in 2017 revealed that people who are obese are more dissatisfied with their bodies compared to “normal-weight persons” and that obese women are more dissatisfied with their bodies than obese men.

Most people desire to be thin or at least not obese, which is why drugs such as Ozempic have become a hot ticket. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s approval of Ozempic basically normalized it for the masses by owning up to shedding pounds with the big O and big-upping its benefits, so they seemingly outweighed any potential negatives.

Even though Ozempic isn’t FDA-approved to be a weight loss drug, semaglutide was FDA-approved in 2017 as a type 2 diabetes medication, and the seeming upside of the weekly injection is weight loss. At the face of it, Ozempic and drugs WeGovy and Mounjaro —Mounjaro, like Ozempic, isn’t FDA approved for weight loss but is as a Type 2 diabetes medication — seem like a dream to those who want to reach their dream pants size quickly.

According to UCHealth, “Ozempic and Wegovy are helping many people lose considerable weight — about 12% of body mass, on average — which can dramatically improve a person’s health.” As enticing as it may be to use such drugs, it could be more trouble than it’s worth.

Certified Nutritionist Trainer and Wellness Life Coach Carli Jay, who knows firsthand how hard it is to lose and keep off extra pounds, still advocates for getting fit without the help of medications that can assist with weight loss.

After spending 28 years of her life being severely overweight, Jay realized that it was time to make a change once she experienced feeling “pins and needles from a trapped nerve.” The “wake-up call” was enough to get her moving.

“At my largest I was 280lbs, [and it was in] February of 2014 when I got that wake up call. Over the course of the two years that followed I lost 140lbs, half my body weight, all natural,” Jay told ACHDA Digital Media Generation.

Jay’s inspirational fitness journey is what motivates her to speak out in support of natural weight loss methods opposed to newer forms.

So far, about 15.5 million adults in America have taken injectable diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro to lose weight, Gallup poll published in May.

“These drugs are not a long-term solution for a healthy lifestyle change or to lose a significant amount of weight,” Jay said. “Yes, diabetic patients may see weight loss as a side effect of taking these because it is helping to change the makeup of your internal system to do with cravings, food, hunger, insulin, etc. That affects diabetes patients.”

Also, according to a Gallup poll, 3% of U.S. people are taking the injections for that sole purpose. Jay believes that eventually, “long-term negative side-effects” may ensue.

“I do believe in years to come we probably will see some long-term negative side-effects of people taking these drugs when they were not intended for them in the first place,” Jay revealed.

Numbers most likely continue to soar since the usage of diabetic drugs that have semaglutide has “rapidly gained popularity,” with people wanting to lose weight after the FDA approved WeGovy in 2021, the poll explained.

Ozempic and products like it are efficient at shrinking someone’s size because they imitate a hormone that suppresses appetite. This makes someone less likely to overeat, which in turn helps them shed extra weight. While a semaglutide shot might feel like the answer to one’s weight loss prayers, it shouldn’t be favored over traditional diet and exercise because it still doesn’t get to the root of the problem.

“[Ozempic, WeGovy, and Mounjaro] are still not a long term solution to a healthy life. You’re still going to have to do the work of changing your lifestyle your routine, daily habits, food, exercise etc… Putting in the work is where the real results happen,” Jay explained. “So even if you take WeGovy, you still have to control your cravings, eat better, move your body… All the stuff you have to do to lose weight naturally. So why not just do these things anyone and don’t put a fabricated drug in your body that has so many other health side effects.”

Jay encourages people to eat a healthy diet and exercise rather than integrate drugs into their fitness regimen because it’ll be better in the long run.

“Everyone always thinks weight loss is so hard and it’s almost like society, the media and sometimes even the fitness industry likes to preach that, when in reality once you actually start, weight loss isn’t that difficult you just really have to work with yourself, your mindset and remember why you’re doing this; for longevity and health for the one body you get in your lifetime,” Jay noted.

She added: “Ozempic will not magically change your mindset or your bodily habits. You’re still going to have to do that inner work with yourself. It also doesn’t help your cardiovascular system your lungs your heart or your skins elasticity going back to its normal size after the weight loss. Regular cardio exercise, good foods and weights helps these things improve.”

In addition to being a Certified Nutritionist Trainer and Wellness Life Coach, Jay is also a Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in weight loss. She’s also the author of Half the Size, But Twice the Life, a biographical story that depicts her incredible weight loss journey.