So, you started taking or are thinking about starting a GLP-1? Well, let’s talk all things related to nutrition and GLP-1s!
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) are commonly used for weight management. GLP-1s include semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide. With the use of a GLP-1, it is common to experience decreased appetite and reduced oral intake. While this helps to promote weight loss, it can lead to inadequate intake of calories, protein, or nutrients. Ensuring adequate intake is vital to maintaining your health. Eating a wide variety of foods is important to prevent protein or micronutrient deficiencies during the use of a GLP-1. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in accordance with weight loss with medication is critical for promoting adequate nutrition.
How can a Registered Dietitian (RD) help you?
Seeing an RD can be highly beneficial to your weight loss journey and ensure your health during the use of a GLP-1. The role of an RD is to guide you through weight management with nutritional and lifestyle interventions in combination with your use of a GLP-1. A RD is going to provide a patient-centered approach, meaning all interventions and support they provide will be based on your specific needs and goals. Dietitians have extensive knowledge and evidence-based education, which allows them to tailor the interventions in a way that benefits your health and your weight loss journey.
Working with a dietitian can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Dietitians can help with brainstorming, meal planning, activity planning, problem-solving, peer support, and relapse prevention. A dietitian will help assess your current dietary habits to provide nutritional and lifestyle interventions that promote your health. It is important to remember that your weight loss and health journey is not going to be linear. You may experience fluctuations in weight, weight regain, and fluctuations in your motivation as well. It is important to utilize self-monitoring and positive self-talk to continue working towards your health-based goals.
When taking a GLP-1, you may experience gastrointestinal side effects due to the delayed gastric emptying. These can include increased sensation of fullness, bloating, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. It is important to consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, and to focus on minimally processed foods. This helps with making sure your body is getting all of the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and protein that it needs to be strong and healthy! Adequate fiber intake, which can come from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, is encouraged in addition to fluid intake to help alleviate the gastrointestinal side effects that are common with the use of a GLP-1. Adequate nutrition can help your body sustain energy and maintain muscle mass to be able to do the things you love! Overall, working with an RD is critical to promote a healthy combination of nutritional interventions in combination with weight management using a GLP-1.
Tips
Let’s talk tips and tricks that you can do yourself!
– Meal plan: This helps to make sure you have a well-balanced, nutritious meal that is easily accessible for when life gets busy! Work with your dietitian to learn about what things to include in meals.
– Get active: It is important to remain active for a healthy lifestyle! Go for a walk, watch a workout video, or ride your bike to work! If you’re unsure of what activities you can do for your lifestyle, talk to your dietitian; they can help with activity planning!
– Eat small, frequent meals: This helps to manage bloating and nausea, as well as allowing adequate time for digestion.
– Write a food journal: Logging food in a food journal is a form of self-monitoring. It can be a fun and engaging way to track food intake and provides the ability for self-reflection.
– Find a new recipe to try: Look for recipes with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins!
– Drink lots of water: It is important to stay hydrated. This can also help with constipation.
Written by: Abbi Hulliberger, Graduate Student UTK
