Health
Ozempic, other weight-loss drugs may strengthen New Year's resolutions, experts say: Health goal 'boost'
New year, new motivation?
For 2024, some of the most common New Year’s resolutions include adopting fitness and diet regimens, plus losing weight, according to a Forbes survey.
As weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy peak in popularity, experts believe these meds could make it more likely that people stick with their resolutions.
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Galit Shokrian, a Los Angeles-based CEO and co-founder of the online weight loss program Trimly, agreed that the widespread use of GLP-1s will impact the way people approach New Year’s goals.
GLP-1 agonists, which include semaglutides, are medications that help to reduce blood sugar and aid in weight loss.
“Semaglutides are a total game-changer in New Year’s resolutions this year,” she told Fox News Digital.
As weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy peak in popularity moving into the New Year, semaglutide experts believe these meds could make it more likely that people will stick with their resolutions. (iStock; SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
Millions of Americans make resolutions to lose weight each year — but 40% to 50% give up by the end of January, according to Shokrian.
“The introduction of semaglutide and tirzepatide treatments are finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off,” she said.
(Tirzepatide, another GLP-1 medication, is sold under the brand name Mounjaro.)
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“They kickstart a new lifestyle for someone who needs a boost in getting to their health goals.”
Losing weight via medication “staves off future health complications, increases confidence, increases sex drive and allows patients to become more active,” Shokrian noted.
Galit Shokrian, co-founder and CEO of Trimly, said semaglutide and tyrzepatide treatments are “finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off.” (Myles Pettengill III)
Colin Banas, M.D., M.H.A., Virginia-based chief medical officer at the medication data platform DrFirst, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that he’s “never seen a therapy adopted so quickly.”
He said, “Our research shows that 80% of Americans believe more people will take these drugs for weight loss in the future, most stating it will become the norm.”
Semaglutide medications have “transformed” lives, effecting “dramatic results” for people who previously had complications with weight loss, Banas added.
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Avantika Waring, 9amHealth’s chief medical officer and a trained physician and endocrinologist in San Francisco, noted that these previous complications have led to many failed resolutions.
“So many people make weight-loss resolutions for the New Year but find the months ahead to be challenging and frustrating because weight-loss and lifestyle changes are not easy to maintain,” she told Fox News Digital.
Wegovy is an injectable prescription weight-loss medicine that has helped people with obesity. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
With the aid of semaglutide and related drugs, Waring said people are seeing quicker success with their weight-loss efforts.
“I predict this will get them even more motivated to make resolutions and stick with them, because they’re more likely to see a real impact,” she said.
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Insurance plans, said the physician, often require a “demonstrated commitment to lifestyle change” in order for people to access these drugs.
“So it will be even more important to start with a firm commitment to a healthy lifestyle to ‘supercharge’ those New Year’s resolutions,” she said.
Colin Banas, Virginia-based chief medical officer at the medication data platform DrFirst, said he’s “never seen a therapy adopted so quickly.” (DrFirst)
Although semaglutide treatments are “quickly changing the paradigm” for how people approach weight loss, Banas said it’s important to remember that it is “not a magic wand.”
He added, “For sustained weight loss, people will still need to exercise and follow a healthy diet.”
“Semaglutide and tyrzepatide treatments are finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off.”
A recent study by Morgan Stanley found that weekly exercise doubled — rising from 35% to 71% — after participants began taking weight-loss medication.
Teddy Savage, national lead trainer at Planet Fitness in Maryland, told Fox News Digital that he doesn’t foresee fitness motivation decreasing in 2024.
A Planet Fitness gym in New York is pictured on Nov. 2, 2023. Teddy Savage, national lead trainer at Planet Fitness, told Fox News Digital that he doesn’t foresee fitness motivation decreasing in the New Year. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“The COVID-19 pandemic opened people’s eyes to the importance of getting and staying healthy, so I’d say more people are making their health a priority,” he said.
“We always see more people committing to their fitness goals in the New Year, which is great,” he added. “We encourage everyone to start slow, set achievable goals and enjoy the journey.”
He also said, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
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Despite the growing popularity and availability of weight-loss drugs, Savage said staying active should remain a priority.
“Physical activity is always a key ingredient to overall health and well-being, and we believe it’s important to prioritize fitness no matter the time of year,” he said.
A recent study by Morgan Stanley found that weekly exercise rose from 35% to 71% after participants began taking weight-loss medication. (iStock)
Savage also noted that mental health is just as important as physical health. “It’s not just how you look, it’s how you feel.”
Said Savage, “Regular exercise benefits your heart, muscles and body, but exercise also has immense mental health benefits. It can help you sleep better, feel less stressed, and ready to tackle all that 2024 brings.”
For optimal wellness, Savage said it’s important to have a “full-body workout consisting of both cardio and strength training while eating a balanced, nutritious diet.”
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Comedian Amy Schumer, 44, has recently come clean about her struggle with Cushing’s syndrome, leading to a dramatic weight loss.
Schumer’s transformation has sparked conversation online, to which she responded in a now-deleted Instagram post that shut down speculation about cosmetic enhancements.
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” she emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler.
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Schumer doubled down that her weight loss was not about her appearance, but about staying alive.
“Not to look hot, which does feel fun and temporary,” she said. “I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can kill you, but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”
Amy Schumer attends Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City on the left. On the right, Schumer later poses for a photo posted to Instagram after her weight loss. (Marleen Moise/WireImage; Amy Schumer/Instagram)
“Sorry for whatever feeling it’s giving you that I lost that weight,” she added. “I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro]. Sorry to anyone they let down. I’m pain free. I can [play] tag with my son.”
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The actress also addressed her shifting hormones, saying that she’s “happy to share more if anyone has any questions about how I’m looking or feeling or where I am in my perimenopause process.”
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” Schumer emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler. (Amy Schumer/Instagram)
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
Schumer previously revealed that she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause extreme swelling, fatigue and potentially fatal complications.
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, provided more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“Cushing’s syndrome is caused by prolonged, high exposure to cortisol, which is your body’s main stress hormone,” he said. “Usually, the excess cortisol is a result of prolonged steroid use. We see this many times with patients who have some autoimmune disorder.”
Balazs said the “key” to Cushing’s syndrome is not just weight gain, but a “specific redistribution” of fat caused by too much cortisol.
Amy Schumer is photographed during a guest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 13, 2024 (left), and later seen walking through midtown New York City on Oct. 28, 2025 (right). (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images)
Fat may be driven to the abdomen, chest, upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”) or face, sometimes considered “moon face,” the doctor said.
Cortisol also breaks down protein, which leads to a thinning in the arms and legs. “Weight gain can be tough, involuntary and hard to manage,” Balazs added.
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Cortisol stimulates “hunger centers” in the brain, raises blood sugar and promotes fat storage, especially deep belly fat, according to the doctor.
Cushing’s syndrome can also cause high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes, per Mayo Clinic.
In addition to weight gain in certain areas, other symptoms may include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and underarms, as well as acne, slow wound healing, and thin, frail skin that bruises easily.
With Cushing’s syndrome, fat may accumulate in the abdomen, chest, face or upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”). (iStock)
Women with Cushing’s syndrome often experience thick, dark hair on the face and body, as well as irregular periods. Symptoms among men can include a lower sex drive, reduced fertility and erectile dysfunction.
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
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Those with symptoms should contact their doctor immediately, especially if they are taking steroids to treat health issues like asthma, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, as these medications can exacerbate the condition.
The Mayo Clinic has reported that the “sooner treatment starts, the better the chances for recovery.”
“I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro],” Schumer stated in a social media post. (George Frey/Bloomberg)
For patients like Schumer, weight loss is typically not the main goal, Balazs noted, but it is a “critical sign” of successful treatment.
“The primary goal is to normalize your high cortisol levels,” he said. “I believe Amy Schumer got treated first for her underlying problem. Once the cortisol is normalized, which is the most important step, there’s a role to use adjunct medications to decrease weight.”
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Among GLP-1s, Mounjaro is an “excellent choice to decrease deep belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity of cells,” Balazs added.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s rep requesting comment.
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