Peptides: Who Should Use GLP-1s (And Who Shouldn’t)

Not every tool is for everyone. I want to make it clear that GLP-1s will not:

• Build muscle

• Fix your diet automatically

• Replace strength training

• Give you a six-pack while you watch Netflix and forego the gym

They are not a replacement for effort, they should be an amplifier of discipline you are actively creating. 

If you train hard, eat intelligently, and structure your life like a professional, GLP-1s will create consistency to your fat loss to a level you didn’t think was possible.

But if you sit on the couch, still eat hyper palatable trash food, and “wait to get lean,” you’re wasting the best pharmacological tool available for hunger control and new habit formation.

GLP-1s are powerful, but they are precision instruments, not toys. If you’re going to use them, you need to understand whether they’re appropriate for your goals, your biology, and your discipline level.

Let’s define exactly who benefits from GLP-1 agonists, and who would be a poor candidate that they should not use them. 

You’re a Good Candidate If…

You’ll benefit from GLP-1s if any of the following apply:

1. You’re Carrying 25+ Pounds of Excess Fat

These compounds shine when body fat is significantly elevated. If you’ve been overweight or obese for years, your hunger cues are hijacked. GLP-1s can help reset the metabolic thermostat and cognitive governor.

2. You’ve Tried and Failed Diets Repeatedly

As I said at the beginning, this isn’t about “not trying hard enough.” Failing repeatedly at dieting is discouraging. We want fat loss to be permanent, not repetitive.. If you’ve ground your way through low-carb, keto, fasting, cleanses and rebounded every time, GLP-1s can be helpful in finally allowing you to follow a NORMAL, non-crash diet approach and create healthy eating habits and relationship with food. 

3. You Have Insulin Resistance or Pre-Diabetes

GLP-1s were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. If your fasting glucose is high, your HbA1c is creeping up, or you crash after high-carb meals, you’re a prime candidate to benefit from GLP1s. These drugs restore insulin sensitivity and normalize glucose control.

4. You Eat Emotionally or Compulsively

If you’re stuck in binge-purge loops, nighttime overeating, and overall addictive food behavior,  GLP-1s can suppress the reward loop long enough for you to rewire habits and regain control.

5. You’re Willing to Train and Eat Intelligently

If you cannot do this, don't use GLP1s. These drugs won't work if you do not work. But if you’re committed to lifting weights, hitting your protein goals, and maintaining structure, they can make fat loss feel almost effortless. Discipline becomes easier, not harder.

You're a Poor Fit If…

Let me be clear, not everyone should be on a GLP-1. I am not of mind that EVERYONE must take these drugs to lose bodyfat. These compounds are powerful, and misuse leads to muscle loss, hormonal disruption, and stagnation.

Avoid GLP-1s if:

1. You Don’t Train or Eat Intentionally

GLP-1s blunt appetite so well that people stop eating enough. Without protein and training, you’ll lose muscle fast. The scale goes down, but so does your metabolic rate and physique quality. You’ll be skinny-fat — or just skinny and weak.

2. You’re Looking for a Shortcut

If you think this is a fat-loss free ride, forget it. You still have to lift, hydrate, eat clean, walk, and track progress. GLP-1s remove hunger, they do not remove responsibility.

3. You’re Underweight or Have a History of Disordered Eating

GLP-1s are contraindicated for those with anorexia, bulimia, or any kind of extreme disordered eating. These people often already struggle with appetite and nutrient intake. Further suppression can be dangerous.

4. You’re an Athlete in a Performance Phase

Strength athletes, endurance competitors, and really any kind of professional in-season athlete should not be using GLP-1s. You need calories, intensity, and nutrient absorption, not suppressed appetite and slower digestion.

Grey Zones (maybe you don't need them, but they could be useful )

Some people fall in between.

• If you’re borderline overweight but have food obsession issues, GLP-1s might be a reset tool.

• If you’re metabolically healthy but want to make dieting Easy, short-term use could help with discipline.

If you’re on TRT or other hormone therapy and want to metabolically optimize, GLP-1s can be another tool to get dialed in.

The key here is intention.

If you’re using the compound strategically to correct behavior or address metabolic function, it has utility.

If you’re using it to avoid doing work, it’s a crutch.

The Goal Is NOT Lifetime Dependency

This isn’t about being on medication forever. It’s about using a pharmacological intervention to:

• Normalize your hunger

• Restore satiety signals

• Create cognitive space to build real-world habits

• Achieve metabolic vitality

• Exit the cycle of crash dieting and rebound eating

The best users of GLP-1s are those who see them for what they are: a chemical advantage to restructure behavior.

Not a permanent solution. Not a personality transplant. Not a miracle shot that keep upping the dose while not going to the gym.

You still have to show up. You still have to train. You still have to make the necessary changes to sustain the results.

Bottom Line

GLP-1 agonists work when used by the right person, for the right reason, at the right time.

• If you’re fat, metabolically compromised, and struggling with hunger, they can be a godsend.

• If you’re undisciplined and lazy, you’ll waste your own time.

• If you’re serious about changing your life, they’ll make it easier, faster, and more sustainable.

Choose wisely.