For decades, weight loss has been framed as a simple formula: reduce calorie intake, and the number on the scale drops. Medications like GLP-1s have intensified that formula, delivering results at a pace that can feel almost unreal.
And to be clear, they work. Appetite decreases, consistency becomes easier, and weight comes off.
But according to Nikkiey Stott, that speed is exactly where the conversation starts to fall short.
“The issue isn’t weight loss itself,” Stott explains. “It’s how fast it’s happening, and what might be lost along the way.”
Rethinking weight loss with Nikkiey Stott
Nikkiey Stott has built her career around helping women over 40 rebuild strength, confidence, and metabolic stability. As co-founder of WarriorBabe, she works closely with women navigating perimenopause and menopause, life stages that fundamentally shift how the body responds to diet and exercise.
“At WarriorBabe, we challenge the idea that getting older means slowing down or declining,” Stott says.
The focus is not simply on losing weight, but on building a body that can sustain energy, strength, and health long-term, and that distinction matters. WarriorBabe operates less like a traditional fitness platform and more like an education-driven coaching system. Women are taught how hormonal changes affect fat loss, recovery, motivation, muscle development, and, more importantly, how to adjust their approach accordingly.
Instead of defaulting to restriction, they are given structure, strategy, and accountability. “These factors are what lead to lasting results,” Stott adds, “not quick fixes that don’t hold.”
When results come at a cost
GLP-1 medications have reshaped the weight loss landscape by targeting hunger at the biological level. For many women (especially those who have struggled for years), this shift can feel like relief. Eating less no longer requires constant effort, and progress becomes visible relatively quickly.
But there is a physiological trade-off that often goes unaddressed. “In a calorie deficit, the body can lose both fat and muscle — unless you give it a reason to preserve muscle,” Stott explains.
When weight loss is driven primarily by reduced calorie intake (the kind that also depletes protein intake and doesn’t include resistance training), the body compensates by breaking down muscle tissue along with fat. And muscle plays a far greater role than many people realize.
“Muscle isn’t just about appearance,” Stott says. “It supports metabolism, movement, and overall health.”
Losing muscle can mean more than just a smaller frame. It can lead to decreased strength, slower metabolism, and a harder time maintaining results over time.
Moving beyond the scale
Part of the disconnect comes from how progress is measured. For years, the scale has been treated as the ultimate indicator of success. But it only reflects total weight, not what that weight consists of.
“At WarriorBabe, we don’t prioritize the scale,” Stott says. “We look at strength, muscle, and effort.”
A lower number may look like progress on paper, but if it comes with significant muscle loss, the long-term impact can be counterproductive. Many women find themselves regaining weight or struggling to maintain results, often repeating the same cycle.
The question is no longer just about how much weight is lost but what remains.
Understanding the midlife body
For women over 40, these concerns become even more relevant. During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes begin to influence nearly every aspect of physical health. Estrogen levels decline, muscle-building processes slow down, and recovery becomes less predictable.
These shifts are often misunderstood. “Women tend to think their bodies are failing them,” Stott says, “but the body is actually adapting.”
The real issue is that many weight loss strategies have not evolved alongside these changes. Approaches that may have worked in earlier years often become less effective, or even counterproductive, in midlife.
Why strength training is fundamental
At the core of Stott’s approach is a clear priority: strength. Not as a secondary goal, but as the foundation.
“Strength training isn’t optional,” she explains. “It’s necessary.”
Resistance training sends a signal to the body to preserve muscle, even when calories are reduced. Without that signal, the body defaults to efficiency by holding onto less metabolically expensive tissue, often at the expense of muscle.
This understanding is why the conversation around GLP-1s needs to evolve. The medication itself is not the problem. The issue is the assumption that it removes the need for intentional movement and muscle-building.
“If you’re using GLP-1s without strength training,” Stott says, “you’re missing the piece that protects your long-term health.”
A more complete approach to weight loss
GLP-1s have made weight loss more accessible for many people who previously struggled to see results, but accessibility without understanding can create new challenges.
Stott is not opposed to the use of these medications. What she challenges is the idea that weight alone defines health.
“I’m not against GLP-1s,” she says. “I’m against relying on the scale as the only measure of progress.”
At WarriorBabe, the focus is on longevity and building a body that functions well, not just one that looks smaller. Because the future of women’s health is not defined by shrinking. It is defined by strength.