This informational article should only be taken as educational. It does not replace professional medical advice and should not be relied upon when making health-related decisions or treating health conditions. No drug interactions information has been included herein.
Are You Taking GLP-1 Medication (Ozempic or Wegovy)? Certainly You Are! You certainly won’t be alone on your GLP-1 journey.
Though diet plans and programs may help many individuals shed excess pounds, they’re not an instantaneous miracle solution.
Thus, developing healthy habits for effective weight management and long-term wellbeing are vitally important.
A nutritious diet offers essential vitamins and minerals and is vital in protecting against chronic illnesses.
GLP-1s have not been shown to be used long-term; some data demonstrates that most patients discontinue GLP-1 use after one or two years and withdraw from taking them entirely, leading to weight regain (1-2).
GLP-1s are relatively new; thus there has been limited research done into what diet to follow when taking them and their long-term safety (2). A healthy lifestyle could reduce side effects caused by GLP-1 use such as:
Gastrointestinal issues
Appetite suppression often leads to undereating.
Nutrient deficiencies. Its Muscle loss.
However, diet and lifestyle modifications might not provide adequate solutions to other common or rare but severe side effects associated with GLP-1s; so for any concerns related to them it is always advisable to contact your physician first.
Here are a few practical tips on how MyFitnessPal can assist your GLP-1 journey.
How MyFitnessPal Can Assist Your GLP-1 Journey
Track Your Calories
Eating less is key to most weight loss plans.
Calorie restriction can be the hardest part of weight management, often making us feel even hungrier at first.
GLP-1s may help with weight loss in one way by suppressing appetite and curbing food cravings (2-3).
Instead of feeling hungry all of the time or thinking about food often enough, instead you might forget to consume enough or become full too quickly once you do consume something.
Reaching your minimum calorie needs is essential to maintaining energy and functioning optimally (5). Your body requires enough fuel and nutrition for proper functioning (6).
Women should generally not consume less than 1,200 daily and 1,500 for men; exceptions could occur as recommended by healthcare providers (6).
Substituting too little for this amount could adversely impact your health.
Failing to consume at least the minimum required calories can result in deficiencies of essential micronutrients (vitamin and mineral supplements, among others) as well as essential lipid-soluble vitamins (IVD).
Fatigue, impaired immune function and overall poor health may result in long-term fatigue (8-9).
GLP-1 medications require people taking them to keep a close watch on their caloric and nutritional intake.
One effective strategy to do so is by maintaining a food journal.
Logging meals using MyFitnessPal can make this task simpler, helping to quickly identify any caloric or nutritional deficits and enabling you to adjust your diet as soon as you discover any.
Nutritious foods are some of the best choices when taking GLP-1s, such as seafood, tofu, dates or any other source that provides maximum nutrition in smaller meals.
Are You Curious about GLP-1 Natural Alternatives >
Tracking Protein Protein can help you feel full, maintain hormone and enzyme balances within the body and balance fluid and electrolyte levels (10-11).
Eating enough protein ensures the body has access to essential building blocks needed for muscle repair and maintenance (11).
Active people and those looking to maintain muscle while losing weight require this support in order to ensure optimal success.
GLP-1s may play an even more vital role in weight loss; some studies indicate that up to 50 percent of weight lost may come from lean muscle mass instead of body fat (12).
Loss of muscle mass may lead to lasting issues, including:
Injury risk increases (13).
Loss of strength (13) Reduced mobility (13) slowed metabolism (14) Poorer heart health (15).
Increased Insulin Resistivity (16).
Reduced longevity (17) For anyone taking GLP-1 medications, getting enough protein could help ensure optimal muscle health and extend lifespan.
MyFitnessPal makes tracking daily protein consumption simple.
Researchers suggest that 80 grams per day, or 1 gram for every kilogram of bodyweight lost, might be ideal to maintain lean body mass during weight loss (18).
Protein in excess of 60 grams or 0.8 grams per kilogram could prove more beneficial to health than its typical daily allowance of 60 grams (18).
As an effective starting point, try eating three meals with 20 to 30 grams of protein each.
If you find that eating large meals are problematic for you, try breaking them up throughout the day into smaller servings with high-protein food instead (19).
Monitor how much protein you’re eating to plan balanced meals that include an optimal mix of carbs, fats and proteins to facilitate weight loss success.
Are you need of some motivation or need some direction with your diet plan? MyFitnessPal has provided a free 7-day high protein diet plan which may give just the boost that’s necessary.
Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN is an award-winning registered dietitian and writer offering impactful nutrition consulting services to leading health brands. As an authority figure on nutrition science communication she also promotes global public health initiatives with nutrition education at their center.
Stephanie Nelson is an Registered Dietitian who serves as MyFitnessPal’s in-house nutrition expert and scientist. With an affinity for healthy living initiatives and disease prevention research at San Diego State University, Stephanie graduated as one of its distinguished graduates with distinction.
Track Exercise
Tracking exercise during weight loss is crucial if we wish to maintain muscle. When discussing muscle maintenance during this phase of our lives, exercise must not be left out of consideration.
Exercise routine, particularly strength training, could be essential for those taking GLP-1s to maintaining a healthy weight after treatment has concluded (20).
MyFitnessPal is designed to easily track your exercise regiment, whether via its built-in logbook or synching with other apps and devices like Fitbit, Garmin or Apple Health so you can stay on top of all of your fitness activities and progress.
Studies on Fiber
Studies show that fiber, particularly soluble fibers, slow the rate at which your stomach empties while making you feel fuller more quickly thereby controlling appetite (21).
Fiber may help make bowel movements more regular and consistent (22).
GLP-1 medications have been linked with digestive side effects like constipation and diarrhea (23)
Fiber-rich foods may help mitigate side effects and support digestive health (22, 24).
People frequently fall short on meeting their daily fiber intake requirements; using tracker apps such as MyFitnessPal can raise awareness and raise the bar.
By tracking food intake, you can identify the optimal choices to create fiber-rich meals and incorporate them into your weekly schedule.
In general, when dealing with diarrhea or constipation it’s beneficial to increase soluble fiber consumption (25).
Good sources of soluble fiber include:
Ground flax seeds, Brussels sprouts, avocados and black beans. Rolled oats. If constipation is your sole issue, increase insoluble fiber intake through whole fruits and vegetables with skins such as cherries.
But everyone should include both types of fiber in their diet (26).
Fiber recommendations for healthy adults generally range between 35-50 grams daily; some research indicates a more optimal amount might be closer to 50. (27).
Take this fiber quiz from MyFitnessPal to see if you are getting enough in your diet!
If you are beginning with a low fiber intake, gradually increase it over time (28). Furthermore, drink lots of fluid to prevent discomfort or digestive issues from occurring.
MyFitnessPal allows you to set customized daily fiber goals based on your own specific requirements.
Track Hydration
Nausea and vomiting may be common side effects of GLP-1 medications. To maintain proper hydration levels and monitor for potential side effects of taking them.
Vomiting has been noted by about 5-20% of people taking GLP-1s (29), though typically these symptoms dissipate within 1-8 days (29).
Vomiting may be harmless unless severe and nonstop; for this reason it’s wise to see your physician immediately or seek emergency assistance if this condition worsens.
GLP-1 medications may lead to both vomiting and diarrhea that result in dehydration.
Even without these symptoms, changes to eating and appetite habits could decrease how much fluid is taken during meals, increasing your risk for dehydration.
Dehydration can be dangerous and compound the side effects of medication, particularly constipation as fluid plays a crucial role in digestion.
Be sure to drink enough fluids while taking GLP-1s in order to mitigate adverse side effects and maximize effectiveness.
Maintaining adequate levels of hydration also supports energy levels, metabolism and weight management (31). Maintaining this practice for overall wellness (31).
Discover MyFitnessPal’s Hydration Tracking feature to monitor hydration intake.
Simply recording your fluid consumption is an efficient and effective way to set and reach daily hydration goals.
Unsweetened liquids provide excellent options to meet daily fluid requirements, including:
Plain Water, seltzer water and coconut water all make excellent drinks to substitute milk with its nutritional values and other sources of plant protein.
Coffee and tea should be enjoyed regularly (in moderation).
Soups made of broth-based foods are great way to reduce sodium intake.
Most adults should aim to drink around 1/2 to 1 ounce per pound of bodyweight daily (32). If you exercise frequently or live in hot climates, however, your fluid requirements could increase more significantly.
Customise the MyFitnessPal app based on your needs and activity levels to set optimal hydration goals for yourself.
MyFitnessPal offers additional helpful features to assist people on GLP-1s with meeting their diet and lifestyle goals:
Meal timestamps can help ensure that you eat regularly throughout the day and achieve your calorie, micronutrient and protein goals.
Recording reminders can serve as gentle nudges that keep you on track with your goals while strengthening accountability.
Recipes within this app offer high-protein and GLP-1 friendly options that encourage variety in meals through recipe discovery.
Tracking your weight and other body measurements using an app can help you monitor progress and remain motivated.
Finally, for added support check out MyFitnessPal’s 7-day GLP-1 Nutrition Plan designed by registered dietitians.
MyFitnessPal offers many features designed to aid those taking GLP-1 medication on a long-term basis, helping them adopt healthy diet and lifestyle practices to ensure long-term success.
The post How MyFitnessPal Can Support Your GLP-1 Journey appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
