4 Lifestyle Changes To Maximize Your GLP-1 Weight Loss

When you’re taking GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide, it’s important to focus on more than just losing weight. Lifestyle changes can improve your overall wellness by minimizing side effects, improving moods, and maintaining muscle strength and energy levels. In this article we will go over some life-changing lifestyle modifications that will help you on your weight loss journey.

GLP-1 Lifestyle Changes

Focus on nutrient-dense foods

During both the initial and maintenance phases of taking GLP-1s, it is important to keep your diet in check. In the initial phases, when side effects like nausea can derail your eating habits, focusing on nutrient-dense foods can ensure that you are getting the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients your body needs. 

Later on, when side effects have hopefully gone down to a minimum, eating nutrient-dense foods will keep you energized and fueled even if your total food intake is much lower. 

Remember, calorie count matters, but where those calories are coming from matters even more while taking GLP-1s. The mistake some people make is eating foods that are low in nutrients, leaving them feeling tired, cranky, and weak. Your calories should be coming from vegetables like leafy greens, fruits like berries, lean proteins like fish, and whole grains like oats. Here are some examples of easy nutrient-dense food swaps:

• Swap potato chips for homemade sweet potato or kale chips: Most potato chips are low in nutrients and high in sodium. Baked sweet potato chips offer vitamins, fiber, and less sodium. 

• Swap candy for fresh fruit: Candy is basically just sugar and artificial flavors/colors. Fresh fruit will offer a similar sweetness while adding vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. 

• Swap soda for sprinkling water with a squeeze of citrus: Sodas offer little nutrients and tons of sugar. Sparkling water will provide hydration, and the squeeze of citrus (lemon, lime, orange) gives you some flavor and vitamins. 

• Swap white rice for quinoa: While white rice is low in nutrients, quinoa is rich in protein, fiber, and minerals. 

Incorporate strength training

If you haven’t taken the time to focus on building muscle strength, now is the time. One of the effects of losing weight quickly is that you can also lose muscle. Incorporating strength exercises into your routine will help you maintain and build muscle, but remember to eat plenty of protein to fuel that muscle growth. A good rule of thumb is to eat 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. 

Not only will strength training help you maintain muscle mass and strength, it has also been shown to boost your metabolism. Work with a personal trainer or physical therapist to create a strength training plan that is customized to your abilities and needs. 

Practice mindful eating

GLP-1s often lower your appetite, so it’s important to incorporate mindful eating practices into your daily routine. Mindful eating is all about paying closer attention to your food, the way you eat it, and your environment while eating. It has been shown to help people have a healthier relationship with food, prevent overeating, and help you enjoy the experience of eating on a new level. 

A couple of tips for mindful eating: 

• Slow down, pay attention to the textures, colors, and tastes. 

• Pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness signals to prevent yourself from eating more than your stomach needs.

• Create a healthy eating environment. This means removing distractions like your phone or TV while eating, which can help you pay closer attention to your body and food. 

Hydrate your body

The NIH (National Institutes of Health) recommends that men drink at least 13 cups (80% of a gallon) of water a day, and women at least 9 cups (56% of a gallon). If you work out regularly or live in a dry climate, you will need even more water than this. Hydration is particularly important for people taking GLP-1s because they tend to feel less thirsty and may forget to drink enough water. Because GLP-1s can also lead to constipation, good hydration can  help fight this effect. 

So, how can you keep your hydration up? Here are some tips that will help:

• Carry a water bottle with a straw: People who carry a bottle with them tend to drink more. Also, drinking through a straw is not only more convenient than tilting a bottle, it makes it more likely that you will drink more water per sip.

• Color matters: Clear, blue, and green colored bottles or beverages are instinctually more refreshing looking than other colors.

• Flavor: Adding some natural flavors to your water can encourage you to drink more if you find plain water to be too boring. A squeeze of citrus, a few mint leaves, or a slice of fruit can add some flavor without adding too much sugar to your water.

• Temperature: Generally, cold water is more refreshing and leads to more water intake than room temperature water. In colder climates, warm drinks like herbal teas can be great options when cold outside temperatures make cold drinks less appealing.

Long-term weight loss on GLP-1s

When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off while on GLP-1s, these lifestyle changes can help you see long-term results, minimize side effects, and keep you feeling healthy and energized. Adopting these changes, along with getting 7+ hours of sleep each night, can keep you on track with your goals while feeling better than ever. When you feel good, you are much more likely to stick to your goals and lead yourself to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle long-term. 

Interested in GLP-1s for weight loss? Agile Telehealth can help! Our network of certified, licensed providers are here to guide you towards better health. While GLP-1s do offer a lot of weight loss benefits, we understand that to see the best long-term results, certain lifestyle changes must be adopted. That’s why we offer ongoing care for all of our programs, providing you with the knowledge to build healthier habits for life-long health.

Ready to learn more? See if you qualify today!