GLP-1 Medications & Nutrition Support for Long-Term Health

GLP-1 medications have transformed the conversation around weight management and metabolic health—but are they the complete solution?

In this episode of the NTI PodTalk, Dianne Koehler is joined by functional nutritionist, Colleen Flynn, to discuss one of the most talked-about topics in health care today: GLP-1 medications. While these medications have enhanced the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, they have also sparked important conversations about nutrition, gut health, muscle preservation, and long-term metabolic health. Listen in as they discuss the benefits and limitations of these medications, common GLP-1 side effects, and why nutrition practitioners play a vital role in helping individuals achieve better outcomes with GLP-1 medications and build healthy habits that last long after treatment ends. Colleen also shares practical strategies for supporting clients before, during, and after treatment, including ways to encourage natural GLP-1 production through nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices.

Whether you’re a nutrition professional, student, or simply curious about GLP-1 medications, this episode offers a balanced, evidence-informed look at how nutrition and lifestyle remain the foundation of lasting health.

About Colleen:

Colleen’s work is rooted in her own story. After years of chronic symptoms, burnout, digestive issues, adrenal dysfunction, and feeling completely disconnected from herself, she rebuilt her health through functional nutrition, light-based rhythms, and getting back to the basics of how the body is meant to operate. That transformation shaped her entire philosophy: healing isn’t about restriction; it’s about alignment.

Today, she combines functional lab testing, nervous system work, lifestyle design, and practical nutrition to help both men and women understand the real root causes behind symptoms like weight plateaus, fatigue, gut issues, inflammation, and hormonal shifts at every age. She’s known for making complex science feel human, accessible, and deeply empowering.

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Dianne and Colleen discuss GLP-1 Medications:

01:35 – Colleen’s health journey
06:20 – What is GLP-1 and how it functions in the body
08:35 – How the medication differs from the body’s natural hormone
16:02 – Common side effects and considerations
24:13 – Benefits beyond weight loss
31:17 – Protocol for clients on GLP-1s
41:53 – Nutrition professionals remain essential in the era of GLP-1 medications
44:27 – Connect with Colleen

Medical Weight Loss with Dr. Abby Bleistein

NTI’s PodTalk is available on all major podcast platforms! Find us by searching “NTI PodTalk” in your favorite podcast platform or following any of the links below.

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Become a student at Nutrition Therapy Institute! You will gain the knowledge and skills to support your own health, and the health of your family and community. Attend an informational webinar to learn more about NTI and our training program!

This discussion is not intended to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy, nor in any way imply that Nutrition Therapists who graduate from NTI are qualified to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy. The scope of practice for graduates of NTI is to deliver therapeutic nutrition guidance to our clients which helps support their natural biology to achieve optimal function in whatever wellness path they are on.