When you’re taking a GLP-1 treatment like Ozempic or Wegovy, you’re undoubtedly not alone.
And although these may also help many individuals reduce weight, they aren’t at all times a magic treatment.
So, it’s necessary to develop wholesome habits for efficient weight administration and long-term well being.
A balanced eating regimen offers important vitamins and helps stop continual ailments.
Additionally, GLP-1s haven’t been proven for use long-term. Some information exhibits that almost all sufferers cease taking GLP-1s after a 12 months or two. Stopping them, particularly with out way of life adjustments, could cause weight regain (1).
Moreover, GLP-1s are comparatively new. There’s restricted analysis on one of the best dietary steering for these taking GLP-1s and whether or not they’re secure for long-term use (2). Whereas utilizing GLP-1s, good vitamin and way of life decisions may also assist scale back some unintended effects, similar to:
- Gastrointestinal points
- Urge for food suppression, which frequently results in under-eating
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Muscle loss.
Nevertheless, eating regimen and way of life adjustments won’t deal with different widespread or uncommon however severe unintended effects. It’s at all times finest to seek the advice of your physician about any considerations concerning GLP-1s.
Listed here are some sensible tips about learn how to use MyFitnessPal to assist your GLP-1 journey.
Learn how to Use MyFitnessPal to Help Your GLP-1 Journey
Monitoring Energy
Consuming fewer energy is a vital a part of most weight reduction plans.
Calorie restriction may be the toughest a part of weight administration. It often makes us really feel hungrier, particularly at first.
However a technique that taking GLP-1s aids weight reduction is by suppressing urge for food and lowering meals cravings (2, 3).
So, as a substitute of typically feeling hungry or fascinated about meals, you may neglect to eat sufficient or get full too rapidly if you do.
This may occasionally sound interesting to anybody who struggles with frequent ideas about meals. However assembly your physique’s minimal calorie wants is important (4). This ensures your physique will get all of the vitamins it wants to take care of power ranges and performance correctly (5).
Usually, girls’s calorie consumption shouldn’t drop beneath 1,200 per day, and males’s shouldn’t go underneath 1,500, apart from particular causes and as supervised by a well being skilled (6).
Consuming lower than this quantity might have an effect on your well being.
Not assembly your minimal calorie wants could cause nutrient deficiencies (7). This contains micronutrients (nutritional vitamins and minerals) and different important vitamins.
This in flip could cause fatigue, weakened immune perform, and total impaired well being (8, 9).
So, it’s necessary for individuals on GLP-1 meds to observe their calorie and nutrient consumption.
Among the finest methods to do that is by maintaining a meals journal.
Utilizing a software like MyFitnessPal to log meals can simplify this. It permits you to rapidly spot any calorie or nutrient deficits. You may then regulate your eating regimen.
Nutrient-dense meals are a number of the finest meals for individuals taking GLP-1s. Seafood, tofu, dates, and different nutrient-dense elements may also help you get essentially the most vitamin out of smaller meals.
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Monitoring Protein
Protein helps you are feeling full, retains hormones and enzymes in test, helps your physique’s features, and balances fluids and electrolytes (10, 11).
Consuming sufficient protein additionally ensures the physique has the constructing blocks it wants for muscle tissue restore and upkeep (11).
That is important for lively individuals and those that wish to protect muscle whereas shedding pounds.
It might be particularly necessary when taking GLP-1s. Some research recommend that as much as 50% of the load misplaced on a GLP-1 could also be lean muscle mass, not physique fats (12).
A lack of muscle mass could cause long-term issues, similar to:
- Elevated danger of harm (13)
- Lack of power (13)
- Lowered mobility (13)
- Slowed metabolism (14)
- Poorer coronary heart well being (15)
- Elevated insulin resistance (16)
- Lowered longevity (17)
For anybody on GLP-1 medicines, getting sufficient protein may assist keep muscle well being.
MyFitnessPal makes it straightforward to trace your day by day protein consumption.
Protein wants throughout weight reduction are private. Present suggestions for people shedding pounds on GLP-1 are 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram of physique weight, or an absolute goal of 80-120g per day. This larger quantity of protein could also be higher than the standard decrease day by day consumption of 60 grams or 0.8 grams per kilogram (18).
This larger quantity of protein could also be higher than the standard decrease day by day consumption of 60 grams or 0.8 grams per kilogram (18).
An excellent rule of thumb may very well be to intention for 3 meals a day, every containing about 20 to 30 grams of protein.
When you wrestle with urge for food, attempt consuming small quantities of high-protein meals all through the day as a substitute of consuming giant quantities at each meal (19).
Protecting observe of how a lot protein you eat additionally helps you propose balanced meals with the right combination of carbs, fat, and proteins for continued weight reduction success.
Concerning the Consultants:
Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian and author who affords impactful vitamin consulting companies to main well being manufacturers. She is an influential determine in vitamin science communication, selling world public well being and vitamin schooling.
Stephanie Saletta, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and is MyFitnessPal’s Sr. Lead Diet Scientist. Passionate for selling wholesome existence, Stephanie graduated from San Diego State College with a deal with analysis and illness prevention.
Monitoring Train
In fact, when speaking about muscle upkeep throughout weight reduction, we will’t miss train.
A exercise routine, particularly power coaching, could also be necessary for individuals who take GLP-1s. It would assist them keep a wholesome weight after stopping therapy (20).
You may log your workout routines throughout the MyFitnessPal app or sync with different health apps and gadgets, like Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Well being, to simply observe your actions and progress.
Monitoring Fiber
Research have proven that fiber, significantly soluble fiber, slows down how briskly your abdomen empties and makes you are feeling fuller, controlling your urge for food (21).
Fiber also can assist make your stools extra common and constant (22).
GLP-1 medicines have been proven to trigger gastrointestinal unintended effects, like constipation and diarrhea (23).
Including fiber-rich meals to your meals could assist scale back these unintended effects and assist digestive well being (22, 24).
Many individuals fall wanting their fiber wants. Utilizing monitoring apps like MyFitnessPal can improve consciousness of their consumption.
By logging meals, you possibly can determine one of the best choices to create fiber-rich meals and incorporate them into your weekly routine.
Usually, for diarrhea or constipation, you’ll wish to improve your soluble fiber consumption (25).
Good sources of soluble fiber embody:
- Floor flax seeds
- Brussels sprouts
- Avocados
- Black beans
- Rolled oats
When you’re solely coping with constipation, additionally add extra insoluble fiber by consuming entire vegatables and fruits with skins.
However everybody ought to embody a mixture of each soluble and insoluble fiber of their eating regimen (26).
Fiber suggestions are often round 35 grams per day for wholesome adults, however some analysis suggests nearer to 50 grams a day is likely to be supreme (27).
Try this fiber quiz from MyFitnessPal to see in case you’re getting sufficient fiber in your eating regimen!
When you’re ranging from a low-fiber eating regimen, improve your fiber consumption progressively (28). Additionally, hydrate to keep away from discomfort or digestive points.
You may regulate your day by day fiber objectives within the MyFitnessPal app primarily based in your wants.
Monitoring Hydration
Nausea and vomiting may be widespread unintended effects of GLP-1 medicines.
The truth is, vomiting has been proven to occur in about 5 to twenty% of individuals taking GLP-1s (29). However for a lot of, these signs often go away inside 1 to eight days (29).
But when vomiting is extreme or doesn’t cease, it may very well be severe, so it’s necessary to go to your physician or get emergency assist.
Each vomiting and diarrhea from GLP-1 medicines can result in dehydration.
Even in case you don’t have these signs, adjustments in your consuming habits and urge for food could make you drink much less throughout meals. This will elevate your danger of dehydration.
Dehydration may be harmful and worsen treatment unintended effects, particularly constipation, as fluid is important for digestion.
So, keep correct hydration ranges whereas taking GLP-1s to attenuate negative effects.
Staying hydrated additionally helps power ranges, metabolism, and a wholesome weight (30). It’s a great behavior to stay with for total wellness (31).
Enter MyFitnessPal’s hydration monitoring characteristic.
You may simply log your fluid consumption, offering an efficient approach to set and obtain day by day hydration objectives.
Many unsweetened liquids are wonderful choices to fulfill your day by day fluid wants, together with:
- Plain water
- Seltzer water
- Coconut water
- Low-fat milk or plant milk
- Espresso and tea (in common quantities)
- Low-sodium broth-based soups
Most individuals ought to intention for a couple of half-ounce to an oz. of fluid per pound of physique weight day by day (32). When you train usually or stay in a heat local weather, you’ll want the upper finish.
Modify your hydration objectives within the MyFitnessPal app primarily based in your wants and exercise ranges.
Different useful options
MyFitnessPal additionally has different useful options to assist individuals on GLP-1s with their eating regimen and way of life objectives:
- Meal timestamps may also help make sure you’re consuming persistently all through the day, serving to you hit your calorie, micronutrient, and protein objectives.
- Logging reminders can present light nudges, serving to you keep on observe with these objectives and improve your accountability.
- In-app recipes deal with high-protein and GLP-1-friendly choices, inspiring you to discover diversified and balanced meals by recipe discovery.
- Monitoring your weight and different physique measurements within the app may also help you monitor progress and keep motivated.
These options may also help you undertake nutritious diet and way of life habits whereas on GLP-1 medicines, selling your long-term success.
Initially revealed November 11, 2024
The submit How MyFitnessPal Can Help Your GLP-1 Journey appeared first on MyFitnessPal Weblog.
