Is It Cheating?

Many people considering GLP-1 medications are carrying far more than questions about weight loss — including guilt, shame, and the feeling that needing help somehow means they’ve failed.

By Hana Paterno
Licensed Naturopathic Doctor

One of the things I hear most often from patients considering medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound isn’t actually about side effects.

It’s usually some version of:

“Does this mean I’m cheating?”

Sometimes people say it jokingly. Sometimes they say it quietly. But there’s often something heavier underneath the question.

A lot of people have spent years blaming themselves for struggling with weight, appetite, cravings, emotional eating, or constantly thinking about food.

They’ve tried to be “good.” They’ve started over more times than they can count. And after a while, many people start to feel like if they can’t figure this out on their own, they’ve somehow failed.

So when a medication suddenly makes food noise quieter or helps things feel more manageable, people can feel relieved… but also conflicted.

I’ve had patients tell me they finally feel normal around food for the first time in years, and then almost immediately feel guilty for feeling that way.

Some people have spent so many years thinking about food, controlling food, feeling guilty around food, or starting over after “bad” weekends that they almost don’t know what to do when that constant mental chatter quiets down.

And honestly, I think the conversation around these medications has become way too simplistic.

On one side, there’s messaging that they’re miracle drugs. On the other, there’s judgment that people are taking the “easy way out.”

In reality, most of the patients I see are not looking for an easy way out.

They’re exhausted.

They’re frustrated.

And many of them have spent years feeling at war with their own body.

That doesn’t mean these medications are right for everyone. They’re not magic, and they absolutely don’t replace the importance of nutrition, muscle health, movement, sleep, stress, and long-term support.

But I also think we’ve underestimated how complex metabolism and appetite regulation really are.

Weight is not just about willpower. Health is not just about discipline. And I don’t think shame is a particularly helpful starting point for either.

I think people deserve honest information, thoughtful support, and more nuanced conversations than they’re currently getting.

Because most people aren’t looking for shortcuts.

They’re looking for some relief.