Weight loss expert says starting GLP-1s before vacation is 'one of the biggest mistakes'

It’s almost Summer, and if you thought you could quickly get into shape by beginning GLP-1 jabs prior to a planned vacation, think again.

There is so much pressure to get into tip top shape before traveling to a sunny destination abroad or local.

However, Caroline Balazs BSc, MSc, IP, weight loss expert and founder of SkinnyJab, says you should hold fire on the weight loss jabs before venturing on your getaway.

While it might sound like the perfect time to begin a new health journey, there are some important setbacks it can cause, and it might even ruin your vacation.

Recently, Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, told UNILAD users should take heed during a heatwave, and 'to maintain wellbeing and ensure the treatment remains safe and effective.'

But now, there are other reasons to stay away from the drugs within the next few weeks.

Caroline Balazs warned against starting GLP-1 before vacations (Getty Stock Images)

Balazs said: “Starting a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide right before a holiday is one of the biggest timing mistakes people can make.”

She explained that she can 'understand why people do it’, nothing that people just ‘want to feel slimmer, more confident and more in control before they go away’.

However, she said it can come with health implications.

Balazs revealed: “In reality, they may be swapping holiday confidence for nausea, dehydration and stomach issues.”

She said that the ‘first few weeks are usually when side effects are at their strongest’, which is why it’s a good idea to stay away from the jabs right before departing on a journey.

The expert explained that this happens because 'our body is adjusting to a medication that changes how your gut moves and how your brain responds to food, so nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, appetite changes and food aversions can all hit before you’ve seen any real weight-loss benefit.'

"That’s not something you want to discover on a long-haul flight, in hot weather, on a boat trip, or at a restaurant you’ve been looking forward to," she said...and she's right.

It also needs to be stored properly (Getty Stock Images)

Revealing that the medications cause gastric emptying to slow down, she said this means that food typically 'sits in the stomach for longer'.

When paired with things like 'travel, heat, alcohol or unfamiliar food, it can make you feel really unwell.'

She warned: "People need to be really honest with themselves about why they want to start right before a holiday. If the hope is that they’ll suddenly feel slimmer, more confident or ‘holiday ready’ within two weeks, that’s not realistic. Meaningful weight loss takes months, not days, and what they’re more likely to notice early on is nausea, diarrhoea, food aversions, dehydration and a holiday spent feeling anxious about their stomach rather than enjoying themselves."

Balazs added: "I call it ‘all side effects, no payoff’. The medication may be very effective over time, but the first few weeks are not usually the glamorous transformation stage. They are the adjustment stage.

Dehydration is another risk people underestimate. If you’re vomiting or experiencing diarrhoea and you’re somewhere hot, you can lose fluids quickly. In some cases, dehydration can become serious enough to need medical attention, so it’s not a risk I’d encourage anyone to take lightly."

However, it's not all health-related. There's the issue of storing your GLP-1 too.

"There’s also the practical side. GLP-1 medications usually need to be kept refrigerated before opening, and travelling with them means planning ahead with a medical cool bag, hand-luggage rules and sometimes a doctor’s letter," she explained. "That’s manageable if you’re already established on the medication, but it’s a lot to juggle if you’re brand new and don’t yet know how your body will respond."

"The risk is that someone spends months saving for a trip, then starts a new medication at the worst possible moment and ends up scared to eat, scared to drink, or too unwell to enjoy the holiday they were trying to feel better for.

So if you start just before a holiday, you may be taking all of the downsides with none of the benefits yet. If you’re already on a GLP-1, speak to your prescriber before travelling. If you’re thinking of starting one before a holiday, it’s usually better to wait until you’re back, settled, and able to monitor your body properly," said the expert.

Well, it's hard to argue with that.