GLP-1 medications work. What makes the difference in long-term outcomes is what’s built around them — comprehensive lab work, body composition monitoring, monthly provider check-ins, and a plan for what happens after you reach your goal.
Led by Dr. Sarah Long, DNP, FNP-BC · Foundation by Dr. Live Long at medAge · $75 new patient deposit applies toward your first visitThe conversation around GLP-1 medications has shifted dramatically in the past few years — and for good reason. For patients with metabolic resistance, hormonal contributors, or significant weight-related health conditions, these medications can produce outcomes that diet and exercise alone rarely achieve.
But a prescription is not a program. Medication without labs, without body composition monitoring, without provider oversight, without a plan for after — produces different long-term outcomes than a structured, supervised program. The difference isn’t minor.
When patients come to us after other programs, the most common concern isn’t that the medication didn’t work — it’s that they lost weight but lost muscle alongside it, that no one was watching what was actually changing in their body, or that they had no guidance when they regained weight after stopping. That’s the problem we’re built to solve.
Dr. Long offers both tirzepatide and semaglutide under physician supervision. The right medication for you depends on your medical history, prior medication experience, insurance coverage, and clinical goals — all of which are assessed at your consultation. Both programs include the same clinical infrastructure: comprehensive labs, InBody body composition tracking, monthly provider check-ins, and a long-term maintenance plan.
Tirzepatide activates two hormone receptors — GLP-1 and GIP — producing a dual-action effect on appetite, gastric emptying, and insulin sensitivity. Clinical trials have shown it to be among the most effective FDA-approved medications for weight management currently available, including in patients who had limited response to semaglutide alone.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with an established track record in both weight management and metabolic health. It reduces appetite and slows gastric emptying, producing significant and sustained weight loss in appropriate candidates. For many patients it remains the right first-line choice based on insurance coverage, tolerability profile, and clinical history.
Clinical trial data reflects study populations. Individual results vary based on adherence, baseline health status, and program compliance. Medication selection is determined at your consultation.
Comprehensive metabolic panel, thyroid, insulin, hormones, and inflammatory markers. We treat what’s actually driving your weight resistance, not just the symptom.
We track fat mass vs. lean muscle mass throughout — not just scale weight. GLP-1 medications can cause muscle loss if not managed. We manage it.
Regular appointments with Dr. Long — not a chatbot or a nurse line. Your protocol adjusts based on how you’re actually responding.
Nutritional and movement guidance specifically designed to preserve lean mass during weight loss — so you’re losing fat, not strength.
Tapering, maintenance, and long-term metabolic health planning. We discuss what happens after you reach your goal before you even start.
medAge was founded by Dr. Laura Ellis, MD. Dr. Long holds board certification in family and primary care. This is a clinical practice, not a wellness brand.
60-minute appointment with Dr. Long covering your medical history, goals, prior medication experience, and metabolic contributors. Medication selection and starting protocol are determined here.
Full metabolic panel, thyroid, hormones, insulin resistance markers, and inflammatory indicators. Establishes your baseline and identifies any underlying contributors that need to be addressed alongside the medication.
Medical-grade body composition analysis before you start. Establishes your fat mass, lean muscle mass, and visceral fat baseline so we can track what’s actually changing — not just what the scale says.
Graduated dose titration, monthly appointments with Dr. Long, ongoing lab monitoring, body composition tracking, and direct provider access via Klara between visits.
When you’re ready, a structured tapering protocol and long-term metabolic maintenance plan. This conversation begins early — not as an afterthought when you’ve already reached your goal.
Many weight loss patients cross into hormone optimization, longevity medicine, or aesthetic care once their metabolic health stabilizes. Dr. Long manages the full picture.
Dr. Long is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with advanced training in functional and longevity medicine. She approaches metabolic health from a whole-body perspective — meaning she isn’t prescribing GLP-1 medications in isolation. She’s looking at the full hormonal, metabolic, and lifestyle picture and building a program around what will actually work for you long-term.
As founder of Foundation by Dr. Live Long, Dr. Long developed the practice’s metabolic medicine approach to address the gap between what most weight loss programs offer and what medically complex patients actually need.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Long to review your history, your goals, and which program is right for you.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. GLP-1 medications are prescription drugs requiring evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider. Individual results vary. medAge Customized Medicine & Aesthetics offers physician-supervised medical weight loss through Foundation by Dr. Live Long at Biltmore Park, Asheville, NC. ©2026 medAge.