My GLP-1 Journey
Welcome back to One Day Better, where I share small steps that can help make today just a little better than yesterday. This newsletter is free and reader supported so please share it with a friend! This week, I’m writing about:
My GLP-1 journey
The risks of overworking your brain
Dessert for breakfast
Joyscrolling!
My GLP-1 Journey
I was super sick last week and couldn’t write this newsletter. But to be clear, I wasn’t fighting an illness — I was GLP-1 sick.
My fellow GLP-1 jabbers know the feeling. Some days this drug just knocks you off your feet: fatigue, nausea, migraines — or, in my case, all of the above. It was a rough few days, but it’s something I’ve come to accept as part of life on a GLP-1.
For those who don’t know, GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. It’s a new class of medications — originally developed to treat diabetes — that’s now transforming the landscape of obesity and weight management.
I started using a GLP-1 about a year ago, and it has been life-changing. I began because I needed to lose weight to qualify for a less invasive hiatal hernia surgery. Life on the drug was rough at first. Because of my already-compromised digestive tract, I suffered debilitating side effects.
I used to joke that GLP stood for “Good Luck, People!” There’s so little support out there and even many doctors don’t fully understand how these drugs work yet. Through trial and error — and a lot of Reddit deep dives — I slowly learned how to eat and live while taking a GLP-1.
Despite the bumps, life is better. I’ve lost more than 50 pounds, which allowed me to qualify for the surgery. As a result, I now sleep better than I have in years. And amazingly, the chronic pain I had suffered for years because of rheumatoid arthritis has disappeared.
That’s why I get so frustrated by uninformed takes suggesting that GLP-1s are the “easy way out.” The Atlantic recently published a bafflingly unscientific piece claiming these drugs have “killed diet and exercise.” For me — and for countless others — GLP-1s make diet and exercise possible. My daily step count has tripled since starting the medication.
The hardest part of life on a GLP-1 is navigating a medical system that doesn’t yet understand how to support people on these drugs. I was doing well on the lowest dose, but when I switched insurance providers, the new plan forced me to take a higher dose — and the side effects returned. It’s frustrating to know my insurance company, not my doctor, is making these decisions for me. But that’s the reality of our healthcare system.
So why am I telling you all this?
If you’re on a GLP-1, I hope you’ll share your experience. If you’re thinking about trying one, I hope you’ll reach out with questions — I’m here to support you. And if someone in your life is using a GLP-1, maybe this story will help you better understand and support them.
More than a decade ago, I wrote an article called “The Fat Trap” for the New York Times Magazine. The point of the article was to highlight the extreme challenges people face when trying to lose weight, and the biological changes our bodies undergo when we diet. Writing it really helped me to personally reframe the challenges of weight loss. “Clearly, weight loss is an intense struggle,” I wrote. “One in which we are not fighting simply hunger or cravings, but our own bodies.” You can read the full article here.
GLP-1s have been a game changer for weight management, but they are in no way a get-out-of-jail-free card. You still have to show up, do the work, power through the side effects and commit to a new way of managing your weight as a chronic condition. It’s not always easy, and yes, I still have days where I don’t feel great — but those are offset by the many more days I feel optimistic about my health. This medicine isn’t magic — but it finally makes the hard work feel possible.
Can Long Hours at Work Change Your Brain?
We already know that working too many hours can take a toll on your health — it’s been linked to heart disease, diabetes and burnout. But a new study suggests the effects might go even deeper — all the way to the structure of your brain.
In a small but intriguing study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, researchers looked at brain scans from healthcare workers, some of whom were regularly working 52 hours or more each week. Compared to colleagues working standard hours, the overworked group showed changes in brain regions linked to emotional regulation, decision-making and memory.
One area, (the left caudal middle frontal gyrus which supports working memory and attention) was 19% larger in the long-hours group. While more brain volume might sound like a good thing, in this context it could reflect that the brain is working harder to manage chronic stress, not functioning more efficiently.
The study is small, and it’s unclear whether long hours caused the brain changes — or if people prone to overworking already have these patterns. Still, the findings add to growing evidence that how much we work (or don’t rest) shapes our brain health.
One of the most popular stories I wrote at the Washington Post was about the importance of rest for your brain, offering 9 ways to improve your rest habits. You can read the story here.
At Thrive Global, where I work, we’ve created one-minute Resets that help you take a brain break and recharge. I love watching Resets throughout my day. Try them here! If you’re having trouble choosing one, try swimming with sea turtles!
Is your breakfast basically dessert?
In the U.S. and UK, studies have found that many people consume more sugar at breakfast than at any other meal. A UK study found that children’s breakfasts often exceeded half of their daily recommended sugar intake — before they even start the school day.
Eating a sugar-heavy breakfast (especially one low in fiber or protein) can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes, mid-morning energy crashes and increased hunger and cravings throughout the day.
Sweet breakfasts are not universal. Many cultures emphasize savory or protein-rich breakfasts like fish, rice, soup, eggs, spiced lentils, vegetables and even salad! The idea of starting the day with sugar is largely a Western construct, shaped over time by food marketing, convenience culture and the rise of processed foods.
Anahad O’Connor and Aaron Steckelberg at the Washington Post have a great quiz about breakfast and sugar. Take the quiz here.
Joy scroll with me!
Here’s my weekly roundup of good news and interesting links to counteract the gloom.
A superager’s workout: Last week I shared my conversation with Dr. Eric Topol about his new book. You can read more about him in this Washington Post feature about how he exercises. Read more.
Doughnut showdown: A mural of doughnuts, painted by local students for a bakery in New Hampshire, was nearly taken down by town officials who said it violated signage laws. But after almost three years, a judge ruled in favor of the bakery — and the mural gets to stay. See the mural.
A cat’s quinceañera: Holly, a 15-year-old cat, had a quinceañera — and her party went viral. Join the fun.
Autumn, the 3.5-legged dog: Autumn is missing a paw, but her owner calls her “3.5 legs of perfection.” If you like to see pictures of a pampered dog dressed in ridiculous outfits, you’ll enjoy this instagram feed.
Sunny cures: Scientific American has a cover story on the surprising ways that sunlight may help treat autoimmune disease. Read here.
Do leisure better: Arthur C. Brooks makes the case that leisure shouldn’t always be lazy. (I listened to the audio article, which might be a lazy way to learn this information.) Learn more here.
Planning a vacation? Consider one of these longevity retreats. Like many pre-packaged vacations they are pricey, but it’s a good list with some less-talked about destinations for those interested in a wellness-focused retreat. Explore here.
Redefining old age: The WSJ reports that for a growing number of Americans, old age has undergone a profound transformation. Read more.
Creatine is all the rage: The WSJ’s Sumathi Reddy explains creatine. The bottom line: it has promising benefits for strength, brain health and aging — but it works best when paired with exercise and healthy habits. Read more.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week. Let’s keep the conversation going! Send me your comments and ideas. Drop a note in our subscriber chat or message me directly on Substack!
Every week, the One Day Better newsletter celebrates the power of small steps. If you enjoyed reading, please share it with a friend. This newsletter is free and reader-supported. If you’d like to support my work, you can make a contribution here.
Tara Parker-Pope is an Emmy Award–winning journalist who shared in the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now the Chief Content Officer at Thrive Global. This newsletter represents her personal views. Learn more at taraparkerpope.com
Grateful for your post. As a former food professional and still a writer whose work is heavily food focused, I have avoided the conversation and have been very private about it. I have liver fibrosis and genetically high risk cardiac disease, and had a Covid stroke in September 2020. Post-menopause, I gained significant weight that I could not lose no matter what I did. A year ago, my cardiologist put me on Wegovy, and it has been a godsend. I haven’t lost a ton of weight—17 lbs—but all of my markers have come way way down, my fibrosis is now stage 0 (from stage 2), and my neuro-inflammation markers are way down. I’m grateful for it. The first few months were rough, but I had been used to feel ill pretty much all the time. I still have the odd queasy day, but rarely.
I am so grateful for Mounjaro. My therapist suggested it for a skin picking disorder I have and it didn't work at all, but I ended up losing some stubborn weight and honestly, I feel so great. No shame at all. I am wearing a bikini this summer and do not care (I'm 59) It is so freeing to just not even think about weight or whether I should order the salad or the rib eye. I eat healthy, move a lot, am a solid size 6 which makes shopping not frustrating for once, and I feel sexy again! I micro-dose now because I don't want to get smaller. My only criticism is that it should be available to everyone, not just people who can pay the exorbitant price. Happy you found it too. I think talking about it is important, and no one should feel bad about taking it. And no one should feel bad for NOT taking it.