How do patients’ lived experiences at conferences combined with the real-world data they gain from tools like BIA—create a fuller, more honest picture of obesity care?

In this episode of In the Know with Nina, I sit down with two incredible patient advocates, Michael Donnelly-Boylen and Zachary Niemiec, to explore where hard data meets lived experience in obesity, bariatric surgery, GLP-1 therapy, and body composition.

We talk about what it feels like to be one of only a handful of patients in a room of thousands—and how their presence at ObesityWeek helped shift conversations toward stigma, access, and patient-centered care. Both share what it was like to have clinicians and researchers seek them out to understand the real stories behind the data. Then we dive into the numbers: how body composition tools like DEXA and seca BIA informed their journeys, clarified their goals, and in some cases completely reframed what “progress” looks like. From weight-limit barriers to interpretation challenges to the motivation that comes from seeing skeletal muscle change over time, Mike and Zach show why accessible, in-clinic body composition matters—especially for people in larger bodies.

This episode blends science, advocacy, and humanity to highlight why obesity care needs both data and the people behind it.

Key Takeaways

• Patient presence changes the science. When people with lived experience show up at scientific meetings, research conversations become more grounded, empathetic, and connected to real life.
• Body composition is personal. Seeing skeletal muscle, fat mass, and lean soft tissue trends helps patients validate what they feel in their own bodies—and challenges assumptions driven by scale-only thinking.
• Access to measurement is an equity issue. Traditional tools like DEXA often have weight or size limitations, leaving many patients without essential data. Clinic-based BIA offers a more inclusive experience.
• Words matter. DEXA lean soft tissue, fat-free mass, and skeletal muscle describe different things—and using the right terms prevents confusion and fearmongering around muscle loss on GLP-1s.
• Strength and function motivate. Muscle health—not just weight—is becoming a more meaningful marker of progress, especially as patients enter maintenance.
• Maintenance is its own journey. Keeping obesity in remission while building muscle, confidence, and capacity is different from active weight loss—and deserves its own goals and metrics.

About my Guests

Michael Donnelly-Boylen is a patient advocate and community builder who uses social platforms to support individuals navigating GLP-1 therapy. He focuses on access, policy, and helping patients find evidence-based voices in a rapidly growing online landscape.

Zachary Niemiec brings eight years of lived experience in bariatric surgery, GLP-1 therapy, and advanced liver disease. He uses his platforms to speak candidly about stigma, maintenance, body composition, and why obesity care must include all tools—surgery, medication, lifestyle, and support.

How to Connect

Michael Donnelly-Boylen

TikTok: @MikeOnAMission2

Instagram: @mike.on.a.mission2

LinkedIn: donnellyboylen

Newsletter (Substack): The Mission Report – GLP-1 access updates & evidence-based creator recommendations

Zachary Niemiec

TikTok: @lucky_finz

Instagram: @lucky_finz

LinkedIn: Zachary Niemiec