GLP-1 Hub: Support, Community, and Weight Loss

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Losing weight with a GLP-1 is only part of the picture. Without regular movement and strength training, losing muscle can affect how you feel today, and your ability to stay active and independent in the years ahead.

In this episode, Ana talks with fitness-industry veteran Craig Lewin about why maintaining strength matters during GLP-1 weight loss and how beginners can start without feeling intimidated. Craig shares approachable options ranging from walking and resistance bands to adjustable dumbbells and home gyms, along with advice for choosing exercise equipment that fits your abilities, limitations, goals, and lifestyle.

They also discuss the importance of finding a form of movement you genuinely enjoy, building accountability, and preventing your new equipment from becoming an expensive clothes rack.

**IN THIS EPISODE**

- Why strength training has become a bigger priority in fitness and healthcare
- How GLP-1 weight loss can affect muscle, strength, and everyday function
- Why maintaining muscle is especially important as we age
- Simple ways to begin with walking, resistance bands, or adjustable dumbbells
- How a personalized fitness assessment can account for your goals and limitations
- Choosing equipment you will realistically use
- How follow-up, accountability, and social connection can support consistency
- Why strength is about independence and quality of life—not only appearance
- How to find Johnson Fitness & Wellness stores and support

**ABOUT THE GUEST**

Born in Zimbabwe in 1977, Craig Lewin immigrated to the United States with his family in 1984 and grew up in Dallas, Texas. He began his career in the fitness industry at age 16 as a cashier and went on to build more than three decades of experience in fitness industry.

In 2010, Craig became a partner in a 21-location fitness retail business in Texas. After selling the business at the end of 2021, he joined Johnson Fitness & Wellness, where he now serves as Executive Vice President of the world’s largest specialty fitness retailer.

Craig met his wife while attending the University of Texas, and they have four sons, including twins, ranging in age from 15 to 22. He describes his personal and professional journey as living the American Dream. His firsthand familiarity with the benefits and challenges associated with GLP-1 use has strengthened his commitment to helping people protect or rebuild their strength through accessible, sustainable exercise.

**CONNECT WITH CRAIG**

Johnson Fitness & Wellness:
https://www.johnsonfitness.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/johnson.fitness

**SPONSOR**

This episode is sponsored by Johnson Fitness & Wellness, who specializes in home fitness, strength training, and helping beginners find appropriate equipment. Learn more or find a nearby store:
https://www.johnsonfitness.com

Tyde Wellness offers clinician-guided GLP-1 programs with personalized dosing, nutrition support, and access to a care team. Visit https://tydewellness.com/GLP1Hub and use code GLP1Hub50 for $50 off your first month. Eligibility and treatment are determined by a licensed healthcare provider. Individual results vary.

**CHAPTERS**

00:00 Why Exercise Matters for the Future
00:28 Strength Training During GLP-1 Weight Loss
01:45 Meet Craig Lewin
03:10 Why Strength Training Has Grown
06:17 GLP-1s, Weight Loss, and Muscle
09:36 Protecting Strength as We Age
12:49 Simple Ways for Beginners to Start
17:23 Getting a Personalized Fitness Assessment
19:54 Choosing Equipment and Building a Plan
23:45 Keeping Equipment from Collecting Dust
26:52 Finding the Motivation That Works for You
29:16 Exercise, Independence, and Quality of Life
33:12 Johnson Fitness & Wellness Resources
36:04 GLP-1 Hub Closing and Food Challenge

MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
📬 Get The Steady State, Ana's weekly newsletter with GLP-1 guidance from a dietitian who's on one: http://join.glp-1hub.com

🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode helped, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🌐 Shop GLP-1 essentials, meal plans, and recipes: https://shop.glp-1hub.com
📷 Follow on Instagram: @glp1hub
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GLP-1hub
*Some of the links shared are affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
*The content of this show is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The goal of this show is to provide various points of view about GLP-1 Medications. The personal and professional opinion of the guests and their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ana Reisdorf or GLP-1 Hub.

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If you’ve reached your goal weight on a GLP-1, you may be wondering what comes next. Do you stay on the same dose indefinitely, move to a lower dose, or gradually taper off?

Ana speaks with Henrik Gudbergsen, MD, PhD, about the emerging evidence around personalized GLP-1 dosing and structured tapering. They examine what early observational research suggests, why lifestyle and behavioral support may matter during maintenance, and why stopping medication will not be appropriate, or possible, for everyone.

**IN THIS EPISODE**

- Why the least effective dose may be more appropriate than automatically increasing to the maximum
- How Embla’s gradual GLP-1 tapering approach works
- What early observational data suggests about maintaining weight after tapering
- Why nutrition, exercise, coaching, CBT, and acceptance and commitment therapy are part of the program
- Whether most people should expect to remain on GLP-1 medication long term
- How insurance coverage and cost can limit personalized dosing
- Why GLP-1 prescribing differs between Denmark and the United States
- How future medications, genetics, health conditions, and the gut microbiome may shape more individualized treatment

**ABOUT THE GUEST**

Henrik Rindel Gudbergsen, MD, PhD, is the medical lead and advisor at Embla, a digital weight-care company combining low-dose GLP-1 treatment, behavioral coaching, and digital tools. He is a practicing physician, associate professor, and principal investigator on anti-obesity medication trials, with a PhD in medical imaging and obesity research.

Henrik has spent more than 15 years at the intersection of clinical medicine, pharmaceuticals, and digital health. His previous experience includes roles at Novo Nordisk, Radiometer, Philips Healthcare, and IBM Watson Health, along with board-level experience in software as a medical device.

**CONNECT WITH HENRIK**

Embla:
https://www.joinembla.com/

Henrik’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdA5N4TeytPYmbfXjEPJDA

Read the GLP-1 study discussed in this episode:
https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dom.70096

**SPONSORS**

This episode includes messages from:

gutzy Organic—organic fruit and vegetable pouches with 8 grams of fiber:
https://gutzyorganic.com/

Johnson Fitness & Wellness—fitness equipment, expert guidance, delivery, and professional installation for your home workout space:
https://www.johnsonfitness.com/
Use code GLP1Hub5 for an exclusive GLP-1 Hub listener offer.

**CHAPTERS**

00:00 Can you taper off a GLP-1?
00:28 Episode introduction
01:47 Meet Henrik Rindel Gudbergsen
04:26 Why Embla uses the least effective dose
07:18 What the early tapering data showed
10:07 Behavioral support beyond diet and exercise
11:14 Sponsor: gutzy Organic
11:52 Why human coaching matters
13:16 Can most people stop GLP-1 medications?
18:02 Insurance barriers and personalized dosing
20:31 New real-world research from Denmark
23:28 Sponsor: Johnson Fitness & Wellness
24:43 How dosing practices differ between Denmark and the U.S.
26:07 The future of personalized obesity treatment
28:03 How Embla combines medication and coaching
29:41 GLP-1 Hub membership and closing

MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
📬 Get The Steady State, Ana's weekly newsletter with GLP-1 guidance from a dietitian who's on one: http://join.glp-1hub.com

🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode helped, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🌐 Shop GLP-1 essentials, meal plans, and recipes: https://shop.glp-1hub.com
📷 Follow on Instagram: @glp1hub
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GLP-1hub
*Some of the links shared are affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
*The content of this show is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The goal of this show is to provide various points of view about GLP-1 Medications. The personal and professional opinion of the guests and their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ana Reisdorf or GLP-1 Hub.

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Fiber is suddenly showing up everywhere, from soda and candy to pasta and protein snacks. But more fiber isn’t automatically better, especially when it leaves you feeling bloated, uncomfortable, or confused about what your body actually needs.

Registered dietitian and GLP-1 user Ana Reisdorf sits down with David Istier, founder and CEO of gutzy Organic, to discuss the gut microbiome, prebiotics, probiotics, and why different sources of fiber can feel different in your body. David also shares how his experience helping launch GoGo squeeZ in the United States—and the health challenges he faced while building his own company—led to the creation of gutzy.

For people taking GLP-1 medications, the central takeaway is simple: eating less makes the nutritional quality of what you eat even more important. Ana and David discuss how to look beyond protein and fiber marketing claims, prioritize real food, and find convenient options for days when appetite is low.

**IN THIS EPISODE**
- What the gut microbiome, probiotics, and prebiotics mean
- Why different sources of fiber may feel different in your body
- How fiber became the food industry’s newest marketing trend
- Why more fiber isn’t automatically better
- What to consider when choosing fiber-fortified foods
- Why nutrient density matters when you’re eating less on a GLP-1
- How GLP-1 medications are changing the food industry
- The challenge of combining convenience with real-food ingredients
- David’s journey from GoGo squeeZ to founding gutzy Organic
- What’s inside gutzy’s fruit, vegetable, fiber, and plant-protein pouches

**ABOUT THE GUEST**
David Istier is the founder and CEO of gutzy Organic. Originally from France, David began his career in food marketing and later helped launch GoGo squeeZ in the United States. After experiencing significant stress and health challenges while building his own company, he became interested in plants, prebiotic fiber, and gut health. That experience eventually led him to create gutzy Organic and its refrigerated fruit-and-vegetable pouches.

**CONNECT WITH DAVID**
Website: https://gutzyorganic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutzyorganic

**SPONSOR**
This episode is sponsored by gutzy Organic. David Istier is the company’s founder and joins the conversation to share his experience as a food entrepreneur and his perspective on fiber, gut health, and the food industry.
https://gutzyorganic.com

Tyde Wellness — GLP-1 programs with licensed providers, dosing adjustments, nutrition guidance, and long-term support
https://tydewellness.com/GLP1Hub — code GLP1Hub50 for $50 off your first month

**CHAPTERS**
00:00  The problem with protein and fiber buzzwords
00:24  Why more fiber isn’t automatically better
01:32  Meet David Istier and the story behind gutzy
05:20  The gut microbiome, probiotics, and prebiotics
09:26  How fiber became the new protein
11:29  Acacia fiber and gutzy’s real-food approach
16:07  Different types of fiber and digestive comfort
18:21  Why eating less makes nutrition more important
21:49  How GLP-1s are changing the food industry
24:05  Building and explaining a new food category
25:39  What’s inside gutzy pouches and where to find them
28:39  Closing the fiber gap and improving food literacy
30:39  Connect with gutzy Organic
31:53  Ana’s final takeaways and nutrition challenge

MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
📬 Get The Steady State, Ana's weekly newsletter with GLP-1 guidance from a dietitian who's on one: http://join.glp-1hub.com

🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode helped, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🌐 Shop GLP-1 essentials, meal plans, and recipes: https://shop.glp-1hub.com
📷 Follow on Instagram: @glp1hub
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GLP-1hub
*Some of the links shared are affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
*The content of this show is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The goal of this show is to provide various points of view about GLP-1 Medications. The personal and professional opinion of the guests and their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ana Reisdorf or GLP-1 Hub.

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Tara Rothenhoefer was one of the earliest participants in a tirzepatide clinical trial, before the medication had a brand name. After a lifelong battle with obesity, she began the trial in 2020 at 342 pounds. Eighteen months later, she had lost 132 pounds. But when the study ended, she faced a year without medication, uncertainty around access, and the emotional work of learning how to live in a body she had never known before.

In this episode, Tara shares what changed when food noise finally quieted, why medication alone was never the whole story, and how she learned that “more weight loss” is not always the goal.

IN THIS EPISODE
- Tara’s lifelong experience with obesity, dieting, and weight stigma
- How a radio ad and a clinical-trial opening changed the course of her life
- What it was like to join an early tirzepatide trial with only a 25% chance of receiving the medication
- The role of nutrition support, movement, and gradual behavior change
- Losing 132 pounds in 18 months—and what happened when the trial ended
- Navigating medication access, shortages, judgment, and compounded medication
- Why the scale and clothing sizes can become a new kind of obsession
- Recognizing when continued weight loss was no longer healthy
- What long-term maintenance looks like after a major weight change
- Using medication as one tool in a broader, ongoing relationship with health

ABOUT THE GUEST
Tara Rothenhoefer is a wife, mom, and grandma who, after a lifelong battle with obesity, joined a clinical trial for tirzepatide in 2020 that led to her 222-pound weight loss. Featured on numerous national platforms, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and the Tamron Hall show, she now shares her journey to encourage and inspire others, while navigating maintenance and living life in a small body for the first time ever.

CONNECT WITH TARA
TikTok and Instagram: @tacklingtara
Links and resources: https://linktr.ee/tacklingtara

SPONSOR
Tyde Wellness — GLP-1 programs with licensed providers, real dosing adjustments, and long-term support
http://tydewellness.com/GLP1Hub — code GLP1Hub50 for $50 off your first month

CHAPTERS
00:00  From clinical trial to a 222-pound weight loss
01:11  Meet Tara Rothenhoefer
03:16  A lifelong battle with obesity and dieting
04:48  Finding the tirzepatide clinical trial
08:15  Taking a chance on an unknown medication
10:58  What the trial support looked like
13:56  Movement, nutrition support, and early results
16:54  Losing 132 pounds in 18 months
20:00  When the trial ended and medication access disappeared
29:00  Shortages, stigma, and public attention
35:11  When weight loss went too far
40:24  Long-term maintenance and listening to her body
43:03  Connecting with Tara

MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
📬 Get The Steady State, Ana's weekly newsletter with GLP-1 guidance from a dietitian who's on one: http://join.glp-1hub.com

🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode helped, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🌐 Shop GLP-1 essentials, meal plans, and recipes: https://shop.glp-1hub.com
📷 Follow on Instagram: @glp1hub
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GLP-1hub
*Some of the links shared are affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
*The content of this show is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The goal of this show is to provide various points of view about GLP-1 Medications. The personal and professional opinion of the guests and their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ana Reisdorf or GLP-1 Hub.

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Your scale isn't measuring weight...it's measuring fear, shame, and whether you believe your GLP-1 is working.

Registered dietitian Ana Reisdorf sits down with Brian Baumal, a registered psychotherapist who lost 100 pounds, kept it off for 14 years, and recovered from two eating disorders. He explains how the scale can become exposure therapy, why shame drives the "lose it fast" thinking that sets you up to fail on Ozempic or Zepbound, and how to stop tying your worth to a number.

IN THIS EPISODE
- Why weight gain on a GLP-1 sends you into a spiral (and how to stop it)
- Using the scale as exposure therapy: the CBT-E "collaborative weighing" technique
- How shame causes quick weight loss goals, black-and-white thinking, and failure
- Why Ozempic and Zepbound don't eliminate food noise completely — and why that's normal
- Habit change vs. the underlying psychology of emotional eating

ABOUT THE GUEST
Brian Baumal is a registered psychotherapist based in Toronto, Canada, trained in depth psychotherapy with a practice focused on the emotional and unconscious drivers of weight, eating, and shame. He has adapted cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders (CBT-E) into a weight management approach. Brian lost 100 pounds and has kept it off for nearly 14 years, and is recovered from two eating disorders — exercise bulimia and binge eating disorder.

CONNECT WITH BRIAN
Website: https://alivapsychotherapy.com

SPONSOR
Tyde Wellness — GLP-1 programs with licensed providers, real dosing adjustments, and long-term support
http://tydewellness.com/GLP1Hub — code GLP1Hub50 for $50 off your first month

CHAPTERS
00:00  The scale is measuring more than weight
01:21  Meet Brian Baumal, RP
03:17  Why weight judgment feels so personal
04:36  When the scale makes or breaks your day
05:16  The scale as exposure therapy
08:40  Challenging the spiral in real time
13:14  Breaking the panic-weigh cycle
15:41  Shame, quick fixes, and all-or-nothing thinking
20:29  Habits vs. the psychology underneath
23:49  Food noise isn't going away — and that's okay
28:24  Working with Brian + final thoughts

MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
MORE FROM GLP-1 HUB
📬 Get The Steady State, Ana's weekly newsletter with GLP-1 guidance from a dietitian who's on one: http://join.glp-1hub.com

🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode helped, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🌐 Shop GLP-1 essentials, meal plans, and recipes: https://shop.glp-1hub.com
📷 Follow on Instagram: @glp1hub
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GLP-1hub
*Some of the links shared are affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
*The content of this show is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The goal of this show is to provide various points of view about GLP-1 Medications. The personal and professional opinion of the guests and their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Ana Reisdorf or GLP-1 Hub.