Health With & Without Medication

Dr. Angela Tran D.O., is a board-certified obesity medicine physician and the founder of Med-Fit Medical Weight Loss.

She’s not on GLP-1s herself, but she works with patients every day who are and has seen firsthand how these medications can give people something they haven’t had in years: a pause.

She makes a point to remind women that you can be healthy and lose weight with or without medication.

When She Faced Her Own Challenges

Dr. Angela shared that when she had gestational diabetes and thyroid problems, GLP-1s weren’t even available yet.

And she was honest, if they had been, she would’ve said yes in a heartbeat.

Not because of weight, but because she was scared of what could happen long-term, and of not knowing what her body might decide to do next.

But she knew she had to be congruent with the message she was giving her patients, to live what she teaches.

For her, that meant showing that health is possible with or without medication and helping others find what works best for their own bodies.

Tips For Healing the Whole Person

Dr. Tran shared some practical, real-world tips for healing, focusing on mindset, movement, identity, and the kind of everyday habits that help you feel whole again.

Food Noise

We talked about that constant chatter in your head around food. She made it clear that GLP-1s don’t delete food noise.

They create a pause.

That small slice of time where you can take a breath and make a different choice. In that space you get your mind back for a second. Sometimes you notice you don’t want the food after all.

She describes food noise like fear that may never disappear, so you learn to stop letting it run the show.

She uses these steps to keep her own food demon at bay:

* Keep a safe snack available (She loves sugar-free Jell-o)

* Plan meals in advance

* Track when you last ate

* Create distance between the signal and the action

Identity

Dr. Tran emphasizes that identity is deeply tied to our weight and that language matters, when attempting to heal the whole person.

For example:

Say this: “I am a person who sometimes binge eats.”Not this: “I am a binge eater.”

Say this: “I am a healthy person learning new habits.”Not this: “I am an unhealthy person.”

You are not your hardest day. That shift opens the door to growth instead of guilt.

She gave the best analogy for this:

“If your car is smoking, that doesn’t mean you are a bad driver. We just need to figure out what is wrong with the car.”

— Dr. Angela Tran, D.O.

It’s a visual you can feel. It strips out the shame and points you toward the real work. Check the engine. Stop blaming the driver.

Start fixing the system.

Movement

Dr. Tran works hard to reframe exercise as moving energy, rather than a punishment. Think movement as energy in motion.

* Walk

* Dance

* Stretch

* Meditate

It’s not about burning calories, it’s about shifting what’s stuck, to create space inside yourself.

Self Advocacy

She makes a point that good doctors don’t just hand you a script and send you out the door.

They ask and answer questions:

* Who is your support team?

* Do you need a dietitian?

* This is what happens at month one, month two, month three.

* This is how you handle side effects.

* This is what to expect when people start commenting on your body.

The plan they create for you lives two steps ahead.

She explains that you are the decision maker and that it’s important to advocate for yourself.

If the information does not feel right, get a second opinion. If a clinician treats obesity like a character flaw, find one who shares your belief that this is a treatable medical condition with many tools.

Key Takeaways

Dr. Tran is the kind of doctor who makes you exhale the second she starts talking. She’s warm, grounded, and deeply compassionate.

Her mix of science, honesty, and heart makes you feel like you’re being cared for by someone who actually cares. Anyone would be lucky to have her in their corner.

If you take anything away from this episode remember this:

* You are not broken

* You’re definitely not alone

* And you don’t need to change a thing, other than letting go of whatever’s holding you back

My favorite takeaway is this:

“You don’t hate exercise, silly. You’ve just got to do what you enjoy.” (Like line dancing.) 💃💕

Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medication, treatment plan, or lifestyle. The GLP-1 Studio Podcast, which used to be called the GLP-1 Collective Podcast, is now produced by GLP-1 Studio LLC. This episode has nothing to do with the GLP-1 Collective nonprofit. This is not a paid advertisement. I am not an affiliate. Everything I say in this episode is my personal opinion. It does not represent the views of the nonprofit, GLP-1 Studio, or Dr. Angela Tran and her clinic. Now let’s get into it.

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