How do GLP-1s change more than your weight?
Mindset and resilience with GLP 1 medications and mental health; recreational figure skating (Yulin Kuang); perception as predictive inference
Mindset and resilience connect medical research, personal story, and cognitive theory in surprising ways. Here we examine GLP 1 medications and mental health; recreational figure skating (Yulin Kuang); perception as predictive inference. Each topic brings a different lens on how change takes hold. As a result, readers will see science, practice, and lived experience intersect.
We begin with emerging clinical findings about GLP 1 medications and mental health. Clinicians report mood shifts tied to weight loss, sleep, and energy, yet safety questions remain. Next, we follow Yulin Kuang, an adult skater who finds resilience on the ice. Her story reveals how physical practice reshapes confidence and purpose.
Finally, we consider perception as predictive inference through cognitive science. Anil Seth and others argue that the mind builds predictions that shape experience. Therefore perception links with how people interpret bodily change and recovery. Together, these strands offer a practical map for personal transformation.
GLP 1 Medications and Mental Health: An Indirect Connection
The growing use of GLP 1 medications for weight management has led to important discussions about their effects on mental health. While these drugs primarily target metabolic functions, experts observe significant, though often indirect, psychological benefits. As Rekha Kumar, MD, notes, “The connection between how we feel physically and mentally is profound.” This relationship is key to understanding the full impact of GLP 1 treatment.
How Physical Changes Can Improve Mood
The mental health benefits of GLP 1s stem largely from physical improvements. Weight loss and better metabolic health can transform a person’s daily experience. According to Rachel Goldman, a psychologist, “Changes in weight and metabolic health can improve energy levels, sleep quality, physical comfort and overall functioning, which all play a role in mood and emotional regulation.”
Key benefits include:
- Better Sleep and Higher Energy: Improved metabolic markers often lead to more restful sleep and increased daytime energy.
- Reduced Decision Fatigue: By regulating appetite, these medications can lessen the constant mental effort of food choices.
- Improved Psychosocial Functioning: Eduardo Grunvald, MD, reports that “Generally, weight reduction from GLP 1 drugs leads to increased self esteem, improved psychosocial functioning, less depression and anxiety.”
Managing the Journey with a Circle of Control
Navigating the emotional side of a health transformation is crucial. Tools that build resilience can be incredibly helpful. The Circle Of Control What I Can and Cannot Control workbook is a perfect companion for this journey. It guides users to identify and release anxieties tied to things outside their influence. By focusing on what they can control, such as their mindset and daily habits, individuals can feel more empowered. This structured approach helps manage the emotional overwhelm that can accompany significant life changes. You can explore this helpful resource here: Circle Of Control.
A Note on Safety and Suicidal Ideation
Concerns were previously raised about a potential link between GLP 1 medications and suicidal thoughts. Dr. Grunvald acknowledges, “Post marketing reports have raised some concerns regarding increased risk of suicidal thoughts, but studies have failed to link strong associations.” It is important to note that the FDA has since removed its suicidal ideation warning for these drugs, as major studies did not find a significant link.
However, every individual's experience is different. For this reason, Dr. Kumar emphasizes that “Everyone’s journey is unique, which is why personalized clinical support is essential—and why GLP 1s complement, but never replace, dedicated mental health care.”
Recreational Figure Skating and the Art of Adult Ambition: Yulin Kuang’s Story
Personal transformation often begins with a single moment of inspiration. For Yulin Kuang, that moment arrived during the 1998 Nagano Olympics when she was just seven years old. Watching the world’s best skaters, a dream took root. However, it wasn't until two decades later that she decided to chase it. Her journey into recreational figure skating is a powerful lesson in resilience, patience, and the joy of pursuing a passion just for yourself.
From Spectator to Skater
In 2018, at the age of 27, Yulin Kuang finally stepped onto the ice for her first formal lesson. She sought guidance from respected coaches, including Sharon Carz and the late Frank Carroll, who famously advised, "Mileage, dear, that's the key." This wisdom became a cornerstone of her practice. Kuang now spends about five hours a week on the ice, embracing the slow and steady process of improvement.
She reflects on the unique dedication the sport demands, stating, “I think figure skating does attract a certain obsessive type because it takes so many hours just to get so mediocre.” Yet, it is within this challenging process that she finds her purpose and strength.
Chasing the Single Axel
Every skater has a goal, a jump or spin that represents the next level of achievement. For Kuang, that goal is the single Axel. It's a notoriously difficult jump, but she remains determined. She humorously estimates she is “about 1.15 of the way there,” a testament to her persistence and good humor. This ambition is not about winning medals, but about the personal victory of mastering a difficult skill.
Key milestones in her journey include:
- 1998: First inspired by the Nagano Olympics as a child.
- 2018: Began taking adult skating lessons at age 27.
- Present: Actively training for several hours each week with a focus on landing a clean single Axel.
Her coach once told her, “Don't try to jump down, just jump up. Gravity will take care of the rest.” This advice serves as a metaphor for her entire journey: focus on the effort, and the results will follow.
| Feature | GLP-1 Medications & Mental Health | Recreational Figure Skating (Yulin Kuang) | Perception as Predictive Inference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Insights | Mental health benefits are indirect, arising from physical improvements like weight loss and better metabolic function. | Pursuing a difficult physical passion as an adult cultivates resilience, patience, and a strong sense of self. | Our reality is not a direct reflection of the outside world but a set of predictions generated by our brain from the inside out. |
| Expert Quotes | “The connection between how we feel physically and mentally is profound.” — Rekha Kumar, MD | “Mileage, dear, that's the key.” — Frank Carroll | “So it’s more accurate to think of our conscious experience as a series of predictions that we’re incessantly and subconsciously fine-tuning...” — Anil Seth |
| Main Benefits | Increased self esteem, improved mood, better sleep and energy, and reduced decision fatigue. | Enhanced confidence, mental discipline, physical fitness, and the joy of mastering a skill. | Greater self awareness and the potential to reframe our experiences by understanding and updating our internal predictions. |
| Common Challenges | Managing physical side effects, navigating emotional changes, and ensuring it complements dedicated mental health care. | The slow and often frustrating pace of progress, risk of injury, and the high time commitment required. | Grasping an abstract philosophical concept and applying it practically to challenge deeply ingrained perceptions. |
The Mind as a Prediction Machine: Perception as Predictive Inference
What if your reality is not a window to the outside world, but a story your brain tells itself? This is the core idea behind perception as predictive inference, a fascinating theory explored by cognitive and computational neuroscientist Anil Seth. As detailed in a video from Psyche/Aeon, this concept reframes our entire understanding of conscious experience. It suggests that what we perceive is not a direct report of external reality. Instead, it is a constant stream of predictions our brain makes to best guess what is out there.
Building Reality from the Inside Out
According to this model, perception is an active, creative process. Our brains are not passive receivers of information. They are constantly generating hypotheses about the causes of sensory signals based on past experiences and internal models. Anil Seth explains it this way: “So it’s more accurate to think of our conscious experience as a series of predictions that we’re incessantly and subconsciously fine tuning – a world we build from the inside out, rather than the outside in.”
What does this mean in practice?
- Perception is a “best guess.” What you see, hear, and feel is your brain’s most likely explanation for the sensory data it receives.
- Experience is subjective. Since our predictions are based on our unique personal histories, our perceptions of the same event can differ dramatically.
- The brain adjusts. When a prediction is wrong (a “prediction error”), the brain updates its models, which is how we learn and adapt.
How Predictive Perception Shapes Mindset and Resilience
This theory has profound implications for personal transformation. If our reality is a set of predictions, then our mindset is the engine that generates them. A person with a resilient mindset is better able to update their predictions in the face of challenges. For example, instead of predicting failure after a setback, they learn to predict growth and opportunity. This cognitive reframing allows them to build a more empowering internal world, demonstrating a direct link between the science of perception and the art of personal resilience.
The Three Pillars of Personal Transformation
From the clinical world of GLP 1 medications and mental health, to the personal journey of recreational figure skater Yulin Kuang, and into the philosophical depths of perception as predictive inference, we find a powerful, unified message. Each of these seemingly separate topics provides a unique pillar supporting the architecture of mindset and resilience. Together, they show that personal transformation is not a single event, but a dynamic interplay between our bodies, our actions, and our minds.
The discussion on GLP 1 medications reveals the undeniable link between physical and mental well being. It shows how addressing metabolic health can create the foundation for improved mood and self esteem. Yulin Kuang’s story builds on this, illustrating how choosing a challenging passion builds resilience through deliberate practice and patience. Her journey is a testament to the power of dedicated action in reshaping self belief.
Finally, the theory of perception as predictive inference gives us the cognitive blueprint. It explains that our reality is actively constructed, not passively received. This understanding empowers us to see that by changing our physical state or our habits, we are, in effect, updating the predictions our brain makes about who we are and what we can achieve. Whether through medicine, mileage on the ice, or a shift in mindset, the path to a more resilient self is a journey built from the inside out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do GLP-1 medications directly improve mental health?
The current understanding is that GLP-1 medications improve mental health indirectly. The primary benefits, such as increased self esteem, reduced anxiety, and better mood, are linked to the positive physical changes they cause. These include weight loss, improved metabolic health, better sleep quality, and increased energy levels. Experts emphasize that these medications are not a replacement for dedicated mental health care but can be a complementary part of a holistic wellness plan. They support the body, which in turn supports the mind.
Are there serious mental health risks associated with GLP-1 medications, like suicidal thoughts?
While post marketing reports initially raised concerns about a potential risk of suicidal ideation, extensive studies have not found a strong association. As a result, the FDA has recently removed its warning on this issue for GLP 1 drugs. However, because individual responses to medication can vary, it is crucial for patients to maintain open communication with their healthcare providers and report any changes in their mental state. Personalized clinical support remains essential throughout any treatment involving these medications.
What can we learn from Yulin Kuang's recreational figure skating journey?
Yulin Kuang’s story is a powerful example of how pursuing a challenging physical activity as an adult can build mindset and resilience. Her journey teaches the value of patience, dedication, and finding joy in the process of improvement rather than just the outcome. By setting ambitious goals like the single Axel, she demonstrates that personal growth often comes from embracing activities that require consistent effort and push us beyond our comfort zones, regardless of age or initial skill level.
What is 'perception as predictive inference' in simple terms?
'Perception as predictive inference' is the theory that our conscious experience is not a direct reflection of the outside world. Instead, it is a “best guess” or prediction generated by our brain based on past experiences and sensory information. According to neuroscientist Anil Seth, we build our world from the inside out. This means our mindset and beliefs actively shape what we perceive as reality, rather than the other way around.
How do GLP-1s, figure skating, and predictive perception all relate to personal transformation?
These three topics offer different pathways to personal transformation that ultimately connect. GLP 1s show how changing our physical state can improve our mental well being. Yulin Kuang’s skating illustrates how disciplined action and goal setting build resilience and self belief. Predictive perception provides the underlying cognitive framework, explaining that both physical changes and dedicated actions work by updating our brain’s predictions about ourselves and the world. By changing our bodies and behaviors, we fundamentally change our perceived reality and our potential for growth.