GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Zepbound® have opened new doorways for individuals struggling to reduce weight. In case you’ve began one or are exploring your choices, you need to know these medicines work finest when mixed with the fitting diet plan, not used as a substitute for one.
With out the fitting diet help, many individuals expertise negative effects, low vitality, or weight regain.
That’s why in Might 2025, 4 of the nation’s main well being organizations launched knowledgeable diet pointers for individuals taking GLP-1s. Their aim: enable you really feel higher, keep on observe, and keep your outcomes for the long run.
Right here’s why it issues, what the consultants suggest, and easy methods to make it work in your day by day life.
How GLP-1s Help Weight Loss and Well being
GLP-1 medicines mimic a hormone your physique naturally produces. By binding to receptors within the intestine, mind, pancreas, and different organs, they assist scale back urge for food, curb cravings, sluggish digestion, and enhance blood sugar management. Some individuals additionally report higher sleep, extra steady vitality, and decreased irritation.
Thanks to those results, GLP-1s can result in spectacular weight reduction. Medical trials present individuals can lose 5 to 18 % of their physique weight in simply over a yr. That is way more than what is often seen with way of life adjustments alone.
However leads to on a regular basis life don’t at all times match medical knowledge. Greater than half of individuals cease taking GLP-1s inside a yr, usually as a consequence of negative effects like nausea, fatigue, and constipation. Others plateau or regain the load they misplaced.
These challenges usually are not simply concerning the remedy. In lots of circumstances, they replicate what’s lacking: diet help.
How Poor Vitamin Undermines Progress on GLP-1s
When your urge for food drops and negative effects kick in, it turns into straightforward to eat too little. Whereas consuming much less is a part of how GLP-1s work, not consuming effectively sufficient can intrude together with your progress.
Right here’s how insufficient diet can have an effect on your outcomes:
- Nutrient Deficiencies
Low meals consumption, particularly with nausea or diarrhea, may cause deficiencies in vitamins like iron, calcium, magnesium, and B nutritional vitamins. These vitamins help vitality, immunity, and metabolism. When they’re missing, you could discover fatigue, thinning hair, brittle nails, or constipation. - Muscle and Bone Loss
Everytime you reduce weight, you’ll lose each fats and muscle. With out sufficient protein, your physique could lose extra muscle than it ought to, which slows metabolism and weakens your physique. Bone density can also decline, particularly in ladies and older adults. - Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea improve the danger of dehydration. Low fluid consumption can even result in fatigue, constipation, kidney pressure, and irregular heartbeats. - Weight Regain
GLP-1s scale back starvation however don’t train lasting habits. With no plan to keep up balanced consuming, many individuals regain weight. One giant examine discovered that about two-thirds of the load misplaced with GLP-1s was regained inside a yr of stopping the remedy.
These issues are why consultants emphasize that GLP-1s are a software, not your complete answer. Pairing remedy with a customized diet technique helps your well being and helps your outcomes final. So, what does a very good diet plan appear like?
What the Consultants Suggest and Methods to Make It Work
To assist individuals succeed, 4 nationwide well being organizations—the American School of Life-style Drugs, the American Society for Vitamin, the Weight problems Drugs Affiliation, and The Weight problems Society—launched knowledgeable diet pointers in 2025.
Their suggestions are based mostly on analysis exhibiting that individuals who mix GLP-1 remedy with dietary help lose extra weight, expertise fewer negative effects, and usually tend to keep their progress after stopping remedy.
Listed here are the important thing methods, together with easy methods to use them.
1. Prioritize Protein
Why it issues: Protein helps protect muscle mass and bone power whilst you reduce weight. It additionally helps preserve you full and glad.
Methods to do it:
- Goal for round 80–120 grams of protein per day. Pair satisfactory protein consumption with power coaching to finest shield muscle mass.
- Embrace a protein supply at each meal and snack. Eat protein first at every meal to extend the probabilities you’ll get sufficient protein earlier than feeling full.
- Select lean choices like eggs, rooster, fish, dairy, tofu, and beans as a substitute of crimson or processed meats. Decisions that provide you with a number of protein in comparatively small portion sizes embrace Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and egg whites.
- Use protein shakes or bars if wanted (search for low-sugar and not less than 10 grams of protein per serving)
2. Make Each Chew Rely with Nutrient-Dense Meals
Why it issues: With decreased urge for food, each chunk ought to present nutritional vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Methods to do it
- Use the plate technique as a information: Fill half your plate with non-starchy veggies like leafy greens, peppers, or zucchini, then break up the rest of your plate between lean proteins and fiber-rich grains.
- Use high-fiber complete grains extra usually than refined grains (like white breads and processed snack meals).
- Evaluate your weight loss program with a healthcare supplier to resolve if dietary supplements are wanted.
3. Keep away from Low-Nutrient Meals That Make Facet Results Worse
Why it issues: Excessive-fat and ultra-processed meals can set off or worsen nausea and digestive signs. Plus, they’re low in nutrient worth, taking house away from extra nutritious choices that shield you from nutrient deficiencies.
Methods to do it:
- Keep away from fried meals and processed meats, like bacon, sausage, lunch meat, and quick meals. As an alternative, select baked, roasted, or broiled proteins like rooster, fish, tofu, or nuts.
- In the reduction of on sugary drinks and snacks.
- Select mild choices, like bananas, oatmeal, or broth, when experiencing nausea.
4. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
Why it issues: Smaller meals eaten ceaselessly all through the day enable you meet your diet objectives, even with a low urge for food.
Methods to do it:
- Goal consuming each 3–4 hours, even when it’s only a snack.
- Attempt straightforward combos that embrace protein and carbohydrates: a protein shake with fruit, cottage cheese or yogurt, apples and peanut butter, a half sandwich and veggie sticks, canned tuna with complete grain crackers and veggie sticks.
- Use cellphone reminders or meal timers if wanted.
5. Keep Hydrated
Why it issues: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low starvation cues can improve your danger for dehydration. Dehydration can worsen constipation, deplete vitality, and negatively influence kidney and coronary heart well being.
Methods to do it:
- Maintain water or natural tea with you all through the day.
- Sip fluids between meals to keep away from feeling overly full at mealtime.
- Attempt ginger tea, broths, or electrolyte drinks for those who’re coping with nausea or vomiting.
6. Construct Cooking Confidence Over Time
Why it issues: Cooking abilities help long-term success by providing you with extra management over what you eat.
Methods to do it:
- Begin by cooking another meal at dwelling every week.
- Lean on easy instruments like sheet pan dinners or one-pot soups.
- Utilizing meal substitute merchandise, like these which can be a part of the Nutrisystem Meal Plans, might help you follow a balanced consuming construction whilst you construct the talents to cook dinner extra by yourself.
What About Keto or Intermittent Fasting?
Some individuals pair GLP-1s with diets like keto or intermittent fasting. These approaches may match for some, however may cause problems throughout GLP-1 remedy.
Keto may be very low in carbohydrates. Since GLP-1s decrease blood sugar, this mixture may cause dangerously low ranges. The high-fat focus of keto can also improve nausea and scale back fiber consumption.
Intermittent fasting encourages lengthy durations with out meals. Mixed with decreased urge for food, this may make it laborious to fulfill your dietary wants and will improve the danger of blood sugar drops and binge consuming.
As an alternative, concentrate on balanced meals you possibly can keep on with persistently. A gentle consuming routine that matches your way of life will likely be extra sustainable and supportive of long-term outcomes.
Working with a dietitian or healthcare supplier might help you personalize your strategy and keep supported all through your journey.
Backside Line: A Sensible Vitamin Plan Helps GLP-1s Work Higher
GLP-1 medicines generally is a highly effective software for weight reduction, however diet remains to be the muse for achievement. The proper plan helps scale back negative effects, shield your vitality, and make outcomes final past the remedy itself.
Nutrisystem’s excessive protein strategy to weight reduction, that includes portion-controlled meals, can present comfort that can assist you get began constructing wholesome habits.
Bear in mind, wholesome weight reduction isn’t just about consuming much less. It’s about giving your physique the diet it must really feel sturdy, energized, and assured, for good.
References:
- Professional Panel. Dietary priorities to help GLP‑1 remedy for weight problems. Weight problems. Printed Might 30, 2025. doi:10.1002/oby.24336