What to eat on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide

Protein first

When you eat much less, you can lose muscle along with fat. Protein and strength training help hold on to it. The joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society suggests:

• 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg a day during active weight loss, above the standard adult recommendation of 0.8 g/kg.
• Or a simpler 80 to 120 g a day if weight-based math is hard to apply.
• Not below 0.4 to 0.5 g/kg a day, and avoiding 2 g/kg or more for long periods.

Eat the protein part of your meal first, before you get full. Lower-volume options help: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, beans and nut or seed butters. A protein shake can help on low-appetite days. Your clinician or a dietitian can set a target that fits your body and health.

Build the rest of the plate

Fiber: it helps with fullness and constipation, but add it slowly. A sudden jump can cause bloating or diarrhea. Prunes and other dried fruit can help with constipation.

Micronutrients: eating less raises the risk of running low on some vitamins and minerals. The advisory names iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, B12, and vitamins A, C, D, E and K among those to watch. Ask your clinician whether a multivitamin or a lab check makes sense; Gabriel can explain any lab report you upload.

Eating to ease nausea and other side effects

• Smaller, more frequent meals. Your stomach empties more slowly and holds less. Large meals make vomiting more likely.
• Eat slowly and stop at the first sign of fullness.
• Stay upright for about 30 minutes after eating.
• Try ginger or peppermint tea without sweeteners for nausea.
• For diarrhea, soft, bland, low-fiber foods and fluids with electrolytes; limit caffeine, alcohol and dairy drinks.
• For constipation, water, fiber added gradually and walking. Ask your clinician before using a laxative.

Don't skip meals entirely. With a smaller appetite, skipping makes it harder to get enough protein and nutrients. For the full side-effect list, see GLP-1 side effects.

Fluids, alcohol and caffeine

Sip water through the day, including between meals if drinking with food fills you up. Dehydration worsens constipation, and fluid loss from vomiting or diarrhea can lead to kidney injury, a warning on GLP-1 labels.

Alcohol can worsen nausea and reflux on these medicines, and the advisory recommends keeping it minimal. Caffeine and alcohol can both add to dehydration. See semaglutide and alcohol and tirzepatide and alcohol.

Call your clinician if you can't keep fluids down, have very little urine, feel dizzy when standing, or have severe stomach pain that won't go away. These can be signs of dehydration or a more serious problem.

Pair food with strength training

The advisory recommends strength training at least 3 times a week plus at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week while on a GLP-1. Aerobic exercise alone preserves less muscle during fast weight loss. Start where you are and build up.

In the trials that led to Zepbound's approval, everyone also got counseling on a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity. The medicine works alongside these habits, not instead of them.