GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Zepbound® have opened new doorways for folks struggling to drop pounds. For those who’ve began one or are exploring your choices, you need to know these medicines work finest when mixed with the correct vitamin plan, not used as a substitute for one.
With out the correct vitamin assist, many individuals expertise unintended effects, low power, or weight regain.
That’s why in Might 2025, 4 of the nation’s main well being organizations launched knowledgeable vitamin tips for folks taking GLP-1s. Their aim: provide help to 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 every day life.
How GLP-1s Assist 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, gradual digestion, and enhance blood sugar management. Some folks additionally report higher sleep, extra secure power, and lowered irritation.
Thanks to those results, GLP-1s can result in spectacular weight reduction. Scientific trials present folks can lose 5 to 18 p.c of their physique weight in simply over a 12 months. That is way more than what is often seen with life-style adjustments alone.
However leads to on a regular basis life don’t at all times match medical information. Greater than half of individuals cease taking GLP-1s inside a 12 months, usually resulting from unintended effects like nausea, fatigue, and constipation. Others plateau or regain the burden they misplaced.
These challenges will not be simply in regards to the remedy. In lots of instances, they mirror what’s lacking: vitamin assist.
How Poor Diet Undermines Progress on GLP-1s
When your urge for food drops and unintended effects kick in, it turns into simple to eat too little. Whereas consuming much less is a part of how GLP-1s work, not consuming effectively sufficient can intrude along with your progress.
Right here’s how insufficient vitamin can have an effect on your outcomes:
- Nutrient Deficiencies
Low meals consumption, particularly with nausea or diarrhea, could cause deficiencies in vitamins like iron, calcium, magnesium, and B nutritional vitamins. These vitamins assist power, immunity, and metabolism. When they’re missing, chances are you’ll discover fatigue, thinning hair, brittle nails, or constipation. - Muscle and Bone Loss
Everytime you drop pounds, you’ll lose each fats and muscle. With out sufficient protein, your physique might 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 enhance the danger of dehydration. Low fluid consumption also can result in fatigue, constipation, kidney pressure, and irregular heartbeats. - Weight Regain
GLP-1s scale back starvation however don’t educate lasting habits. And not using a plan to keep up balanced consuming, many individuals regain weight. One massive examine discovered that about two-thirds of the burden misplaced with GLP-1s was regained inside a 12 months of stopping the remedy.
These issues are why consultants emphasize that GLP-1s are a device, not your complete answer. Pairing remedy with a customized vitamin technique helps your well being and helps your outcomes final. So, what does vitamin plan appear like?
What the Consultants Suggest and The way to Make It Work
To assist folks succeed, 4 nationwide well being organizations—the American School of Life-style Medication, the American Society for Diet, the Weight problems Medication Affiliation, and The Weight problems Society—launched knowledgeable vitamin tips in 2025.
Their suggestions are primarily based on analysis displaying that individuals who mix GLP-1 remedy with dietary assist lose extra weight, expertise fewer unintended 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 energy whilst you drop pounds. It additionally helps preserve you full and glad.
The way to do it:
- Goal for round 80–120 grams of protein per day. Pair sufficient protein consumption with energy coaching to finest shield muscular tissues.
- Embody a protein supply at each meal and snack. Eat protein first at every meal to extend the possibilities 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 plenty of protein in comparatively small portion sizes embody 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 lowered urge for food, each chew ought to present nutritional vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
The way 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 entire grains extra usually than refined grains (like white breads and processed snack meals).
- Evaluation your weight-reduction plan 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.
The way to do it:
- Keep away from fried meals and processed meats, like bacon, sausage, lunch meat, and quick meals. As a substitute, select baked, roasted, or broiled proteins like rooster, fish, tofu, or nuts.
- Reduce on sugary drinks and snacks.
- Select light choices, like bananas, oatmeal, or broth, when experiencing nausea.
4. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
Why it issues: Smaller meals eaten incessantly all through the day provide help to meet your vitamin targets, even with a low urge for food.
The way to do it:
- Goal consuming each 3–4 hours, even when it’s only a snack.
- Strive simple combos that embody 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 entire grain crackers and veggie sticks.
- Use telephone reminders or meal timers if wanted.
5. Keep Hydrated
Why it issues: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low starvation cues can enhance your threat for dehydration. Dehydration can worsen constipation, deplete power, and negatively affect kidney and coronary heart well being.
The way to do it:
- Preserve water or natural tea with you all through the day.
- Sip fluids between meals to keep away from feeling overly full at mealtime.
- Strive 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 assist long-term success by supplying you with extra management over what you eat.
The way to do it:
- Begin by cooking yet one more meal at house every week.
- Lean on easy instruments like sheet pan dinners or one-pot soups.
- Utilizing meal substitute merchandise, like these which might be a part of the Nutrisystem Meal Plans, can assist you apply a balanced consuming construction whilst you construct the abilities to prepare dinner extra by yourself.
What About Keto or Intermittent Fasting?
Some folks pair GLP-1s with diets like keto or intermittent fasting. These approaches may match for some, however could cause problems throughout GLP-1 remedy.
Keto could be very low in carbohydrates. Since GLP-1s decrease blood sugar, this mix could cause dangerously low ranges. The high-fat focus of keto can also enhance nausea and scale back fiber consumption.
Intermittent fasting encourages lengthy intervals with out meals. Mixed with lowered urge for food, this will make it exhausting to fulfill your dietary wants and will enhance the danger of blood sugar drops and binge consuming.
As a substitute, give attention to balanced meals you possibly can stick to constantly. A gentle consuming routine that matches your life-style will probably be extra sustainable and supportive of long-term outcomes.
Working with a dietitian or healthcare supplier can assist you personalize your strategy and keep supported all through your journey.
Backside Line: A Good Diet Plan Helps GLP-1s Work Higher
GLP-1 medicines is usually a highly effective device for weight reduction, however vitamin continues to be the muse for achievement. The fitting plan helps scale back unintended effects, shield your power, 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 will help you get began constructing wholesome habits.
Bear in mind, wholesome weight reduction is not only about consuming much less. It’s about giving your physique the vitamin it must really feel robust, energized, and assured, for good.
References:
- Professional Panel. Dietary priorities to assist GLP‑1 remedy for weight problems. Weight problems. Printed Might 30, 2025. doi:10.1002/oby.24336