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If you want to make the most of your GLP-1 journey, you’ll need to make the right kind of lifestyle and dietary changes along the way. While it can be easy to think of these weight loss medications as a magic bullet, the reality is that your body needs support to make these major changes in a way that keeps you healthy. And according to experts, that means taking a look at what foods might impede your progress and placing more emphasis on getting the protein you need.
Featured Experts
- Chet Mays, MD is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Louisville, KY
- Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is an obesity and lipid specialist
- Julie Russak, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in New York
- Jennifer Hanway is a certified holistic nutritionist
- Andrea Marcellus is a Los Angeles-based fitness expert, author, and CEO of AND/life lifestyle brand
Supporting Your GLP-1 Weight Loss with Diet
“Staying hydrated, eating protein and working to build muscle mass are all crucial when you’re on these weight loss medications,” explains Louisville, KY plastic surgeon Chet Mays, MD. “They are not a magic bullet.”
“Nutrition becomes absolutely crucial when using GLP-1 medications because these drugs significantly suppress appetite, leading to dramatically reduced food intake that creates several critical health challenges,” adds certified holistic nutritionist and celebrity wellness expert, Jennifer Hanway.
New York dermatologist Julie Russak, MD explains that “GLP-1s reduce appetite, and with less food intake comes the risk of protein, vitamin and mineral deficiencies that directly affect skin, hair, muscle and energy.” The result is an increase in nutritional deficiencies among GLP-1 users, who often report fatigue, hair thinning and muscle loss as negative side effects of their weight loss medications.
“Without enough carbohydrates, energy levels will suffer, and the body will be challenged to maintain cortisol and thyroid levels, as well as motility and microbiome balance in the gut,” explains fitness expert and CEO of AND/life, Andrea Marcellus. “Beneficial fats play an enormous role in brain and immune health, as well as keep inflammation at bay. And protein is necessary for all muscle and tissue repair in the body, as well as transporting hormones and enzymes that support both metabolism and the immune system.”
The Protein Focus
Key to your GLP-1 success is prioritizing protein. “Protein is especially important because when the body is in too steep of a calorie deficit for its energy needs, it is easier to catabolize muscle for energy than fat,” Marcellus explains. “This is why in any rapid weight loss program, not just with GLP-1s, we see significant muscle loss.” On average, she says, 25 to 40 percent of the weight lost on GLP-1 medications is from muscle, unless the individual is taking extra care to consume enough protein and follow a regular strength-training routine.
“The medicines aren’t catabolic themselves,” notes obesity and lipid specialist Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. “It’s the calorie deficit that can cause lean mass loss, just like with bariatric surgery or dieting. As long as you’re lifting weights, you can retain most, if not all, of your muscle, and even gain muscle while taking the medicines.”
And it’s not just muscle loss that protein can help prevent. Protein can help keep your skin tight and firm while losing weight.
“Beyond muscle preservation, protein supplies the specific amino acids needed for collagen and elastin production, particularly glycine, proline and hydroxyproline,” Hanway adds. “Since rapid weight loss can damage collagen structure and lead to skin sagging, adequate protein becomes essential for maintaining skin integrity and preventing the dreaded ‘Ozempic face‘ phenomenon.”
But, as Marcellus points out, protein is only part of the full equation. “If somebody eats more protein, but they are not adding that to a weight training program, any unnecessary calories that are taken in will be stored as fat,” she says. “That’s why strength training is so critical.”
Protein also becomes critical if you are planning to undergo a cosmetic procedure while on a GLP-1. “Getting supplemental protein packets a few weeks before your surgery is critical to your recovery process,” Dr. Mays says. “We give patients in our practice a two-week supply of Juven Wound Care Nutrition before their cosmetic procedure if they are on the weight loss shots.”
Is There a Good Diet to Pair with GLP-1s?
Marcellus notes that high-protein and ketogenic diets may not be optimal choices for a GLP-1 weight loss journey. “These diets are often too low in carbohydrates, preventing the body from getting in the fiber, vitamins and minerals it needs for optimal function, energy and gut balance,” she says. Instead, she suggests a modified form of the Mediterranean diet, emphasizing “fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, limited dairy,” and higher amounts of lean protein.
“Protein intake should form the backbone of a GLP-1 diet with 30 or more grams of quality protein per meal, with an emphasis on leucine-rich sources like eggs, dairy, meat and fish, inclusion of collagen-rich foods such as bone broth and slow-cooked meats, and strategic combination of plant proteins for complete amino acid profiles,” Hanway explains.
You may also need to make accommodations to your diet to complement that slower gastric emptying. From smaller meals to eating foods that are easier to digest, such as protein-rich smoothies, bone broth or cooked vegetables rather than raw ones to reduce the digestive burden, there are plenty of ways you can get the nutrients you need without placing too much of a burden on your gut.
The Foods That Can Disrupt Your GLP-1 Journey
Unlike a diet that wants you to cut sugar or fat, the foods you might want to reduce or cut out on your GLP-1 journey have a lot more to do with limiting side effects than impacting your weight loss directly.
“Fried and spicy foods can increase the likelihood of nausea, reflux, gastro discomfort and diarrhea,” Marcellus explains. “We recommend keeping them limited for everyone in general, but especially on GLP-1s as delayed stomach emptying can create (or exacerbate existing) issues.”
And if you know that certain foods (for me, it’s tomato sauce) are likely to cause irritation, you’ll want to limit those while you’re taking a GLP-1.
“This is particularly important because GLP-1 medications already affect gut function, and additional irritation can worsen side effects and impair nutrient absorption,” Hanway explains. “Individual food sensitivities should be addressed, and foods that disrupt the beneficial gut bacteria essential for optimal GLP-1 function should be minimized.”
If you are already experiencing moderate or severe GI issues while on a GLP-1, Hanway recommends prioritizing supplementing your diet with bioavailable nutrients, options like IV-therapy and switching to soluble fiber sources.
