Episode 219: Microdosing GLP-1s: Does It Actually Work?
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Release Date: 10/27/2025
Episode 260: Muscle Matters: Are You Losing Muscle While Losing Weight?
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Losing weight is only part of the goal. Preserving muscle, maintaining strength, and improving your overall health matter just as much. In this episode, I’m discussing why muscle preservation deserves more attention during weight loss, particularly as GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide make substantial weight reduction possible for more people. Some lean mass loss can occur during significant weight loss, but lean mass is not the same as muscle. The goal isn't to make you afraid of weight loss medications. It's to help you understand how to protect your muscle, support your...
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Episode 259: What Is a Peptide, Really? GLP-1s, Retatrutide, & the Truth Behind the Hype
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
If someone tells you, “It’s just a peptide,” that should be the beginning of the conversation, not the end. Peptides are chains of amino acids, but the word tells you very little about what you're actually taking. It doesn't tell you whether something is a supplement, medication, investigational drug, FDA approved, or even whether the product contains what the label says it does. In this episode, I break down what “peptide” really means and why the term has become so confusing in the world of weight loss. I explain the differences between FDA-approved medications, compounded...
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Episode 258: MariTide: Could the Next Generation of Weight Loss Medications Be Once a Month?
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Obesity treatment may be moving beyond weekly injections. In this episode, I’m taking a closer look at Maritide, an investigational obesity medication that is still being studied and is not FDA approved for the treatment of obesity. What makes Maritide particularly interesting is that it takes a different approach to the hormonal pathways involved in weight regulation. Unlike tirzepatide, which activates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, Maritide activates the GLP-1 receptor while blocking the GIP receptor. I also break down one of its most intriguing possibilities: less frequent dosing....
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Episode 257: Perimenopause and Weight Gain: What’s Happening to Your Body? with Casey Peterson
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Have you noticed that your body seems to be changing even though you haven’t changed what you’re doing? Maybe the weight is starting to settle around your middle. Your sleep isn't what it used to be. You're struggling to maintain muscle, your energy feels different, and suddenly the things that worked for you in the past aren't working anymore. If that sounds familiar, you may be wondering whether it's simply aging or whether something else is happening. In this episode, I’m joined by Casey Peterson, a nurse practitioner who specializes in medical weight management and hormone health,...
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Episode 256: Why Am I Not Losing Weight on a GLP-1? 4 Reasons Why
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
You’re taking a GLP-1 medication, but the scale isn’t moving the way you expected. Maybe you’ve even watched someone else say they lost 20 pounds in two months and wondered, “Why isn’t this working for me?” If you’ve been asking yourself that question, I want you to know that your experience with a GLP-1 medication may look very different from someone else’s. In this episode, I’m breaking down four reasons you may not be losing as much weight as you expected on a GLP-1, and what I look at when a patient tells me their medication isn’t working. I’ll also talk about...
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Episode 255: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 2: GLP-1 Safety, Counterfeit Medications, Side Effects & Ozempic Face
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Have you ever wondered whether compounded GLP-1 medications are as safe and effective as brand-name medications? Or how you can tell if a GLP-1 or peptide product is fake? In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I’m continuing my Ask the Obesity Doctor series, where I answer real questions you’ve left on my YouTube videos and social media. This time, I’m talking about safety. I’ll answer five questions about compounded GLP-1 medications, counterfeit and black-market products, medication interactions, side effects, and something I hear frequently from patients:...
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Episode 254: Ask the Obesity Doctor Part 1: GLP-1, Contrave, Thyroid, Dosing & Calories
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
What questions do you have about GLP-1 medications and weight loss? In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I’m doing something a little different. I’m answering five real questions that viewers have left on my YouTube videos and social media about weight loss medications. I’ll talk about whether you can take Contrave with a GLP-1, whether GLP-1 medications are an option if you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease, and whether it’s safe to increase your dose faster if you aren’t experiencing side effects. I’ll also explain what to do if you need to...
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Episode 253: One Month Into the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: What You Need to Know
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
One month into the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, I've learned that getting approved is less complicated once you understand the pathway. But there are several important details that can cause delays if you don't know what to look for. In this episode, I walk you through what I've learned from helping patients navigate the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge during its first month. We cover who qualifies, which medications and formulations are included, when you may need to use Medicare Part D instead, and what your doctor, pharmacy, and you need to do to keep the process moving. I'll also explain why your...
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Episode 252: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 2)
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Summit night on Kilimanjaro started at 11:40pm in complete darkness, with nothing but a headlamp and the next step in front of me. Nine hours later, I reached the roof of Africa. If you've ever felt like your health journey is moving backward before it moves forward, this episode is for you. In this part two finale, I'm sharing the final four lessons from my Kilimanjaro climb: why progress sometimes means going higher before you go lower, why trusting the process matters before you see results, how I made it through the hardest section by focusing on just 15 steps at a time, and why...
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Episode 251: The Mountain Within: What Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Taught Me About Weight Loss, Health & Resilience (Part 1)
Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Over a week ago, I stood at 19,341 feet on the roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, harder than any Ironman or marathon. But somewhere between the rainforest and the summit, I realized I wasn't just climbing a mountain. I was watching my patients' weight loss journeys play out in front of me. In this episode, I'm sharing the first four lessons Kilimanjaro taught me about health, resilience, and what it actually takes to accomplish something hard. From the invisible prep work no one applauds, to why "pole pole" (slowly) is the secret to going further, this...
info_outlineSeen TikTok videos about taking "just a little bit" of Ozempic or counting pen clicks instead of using the prescribed dose? That's microdosing, and it's showing up everywhere—from social media to patient discussions.
In this episode, I will cut through the hype to explain what microdosing GLP-1 medications really means, why people are trying it (spoiler: cost and side effects), and what the research actually says. I will discuss the concept of "super responders" who seem to do well on lower doses, the lack of scientific backing for DIY microdosing, and the real risks of using compounded or diluted versions of these medications.
Tune in to learn why working with your healthcare provider is essential for safe, effective dosing—and discover legitimate ways to manage side effects and costs without compromising your results.
Episode Highlights:
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What microdosing GLP-1s actually means
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The difference between super responders and unsafe microdosing
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Why professional organizations don't endorse microdosing
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Hidden risks of compounded and diluted medications
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Safe alternatives for managing side effects and medication costs
Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly:
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Website | drshellymd.com
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Facebook | www.facebook.com/drshellymd
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Instagram | @drshellymd
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Linked In | www.linkedin.com/in/drshellymd
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Twitter | @drshellymd
About Dr. Alicia Shelly
Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014. In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss, where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, “Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.
Resources:
FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) 👉 Click