Alicia Shelly, MD FACP

In Part 2 of my Ask the Obesity Doctor series, I’m answering more real questions from viewers about GLP-1 medications and some of the concerns I hear most often. I’m covering important topics around medication safety, compounded and counterfeit products, potential medication interactions, side effec...

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...

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 helpi...

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...

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 j...

I had a patient walk into my office recently looking frustrated. She sat down, crossed her arms, and said, "Dr. Shelly, my medication has stopped working. I lost 32 pounds, but for the last six weeks my weight hasn't budged. Am I immune to this medication?" If you've looked at the scale lately and w...

"Doc, do I need to take this forever?" It's one of the most common questions I hear in my office, whether it's someone's very first visit or someone who's already lost 30, 40, even 80 pounds and is feeling great. In this episode, I break down why your body fights so hard to regain weight after you l...

I hear this from so many of my patients: "Dr. Shelly, I haven't changed anything—not my diet, not my exercise—but I'm gaining weight and my body just doesn't respond the way it used to." If you're a woman in your 40s or 50s, you're probably nodding right now. In this episode, I'm walking you through...

A patient asked me this recently: "Dr. Shelley, I've heard that GLP-1 medications can cause muscle loss. Does that mean they can hurt my bones too?" It's an excellent question—and one we don't talk about nearly enough. In this episode, I'm walking you through what the research actually shows about G...

Can retatrutide finally be the breakthrough obesity treatment we've been waiting for? The answer is yes—and the data is stunning. In this episode I'm walking you through the biggest obesity medicine discovery from the ADA's 86th Scientific Session: retatrutide, a triple hormone receptor agonist show...

Can I restart my GLP-1? The answer is yes — but it requires a strategic plan. In this episode I'm walking you through exactly what happens to your body when you restart a GLP-1, why the timing of your break matters more than you think, how to restart safely without landing yourself in misery, the bi...

A patient finally decides to prioritize their health. They wait weeks for an appointment. We talk, we plan, and they leave with hope. Then the pharmacy calls with a price tag over $1,000 a month and that hope disappears. If that's happened to you, I made this episode for you. Because what most patie...

If you stopped your GLP-1 medication and now feel hungrier, nauseous, or unsure how to restart safely… you’re not alone. In this episode, you’ll learn why restarting Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Saxenda isn’t always as simple as picking up where you left off and the common mistakes that ...

Medicare has spent years telling obesity patients: your medication isn't covered. Starting July 1, 2026, that may finally start to change. In this episode, I will break down the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Demonstration Program — what it is, who qualifies, and which medications may be covered. This is...

Your weight loss medication was denied. That moment of hope is gone. But this is not a ‘you’ problem. It's a system problem. In this episode, I break down why insurance denials for weight loss medications happen so frequently, and more importantly, what you can actually do about it. From formulary e...

Weight loss plateaus on GLP-1 therapies such as Wegovy and Zepbound are increasingly understood as a function of biological adaptation rather than patient noncompliance. In this episode I will be discussing CagriSema, an investigational combination therapy expected to launch between late 2026 and ea...

If you’re looking for weight loss options but don’t want injections, things just changed in a big way. In this episode, I break down a new class of weight loss pills, including Foundayo (orforglipron), the newest GLP-1 option that was just approved. Unlike older treatments, this pill is designed to ...

If Wegovy has helped you — but not enough — the answer may not be more willpower. It may be a higher dose. The FDA just approved a new 7.2mg version of Wegovy, and the clinical data is turning heads. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know about this new higher dose — what the rese...

You're doing everything right — watching what you eat, trying to stay active — and still the weight won't budge. If you have PCOS, this isn't a willpower problem. It's biology. And once you understand the cycle driving it, you can finally start to break it. PCOS creates a vicious cycle between high ...

If you've been struggling to lose weight and your thyroid came back abnormal, it's natural to connect the dots. But here's what I need you to know, the thyroid is not the whole story. In this episode, I break down exactly what your thyroid does and doesn't do when it comes to your weight. Yes, hypot...