GLP-1 with Guidance: Why Working with a Nutritionist Changes Everything

Transcript:

Britni: Hello, welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition. I'm Britni Vincent, a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and today we are diving into a topic that we get so many questions about lately, whether it's from clients, friends, family members, or Dishing Up Nutrition listeners. Everyone wants to know about GLP-1 medications because they're everywhere.

Brandy: Yeah. Hot topic.

Britni: Such a hot topic. And a lot of people know individuals that are taking them and of course in the media. And what these medications have done is they have opened doors for a lot of people who've struggled with blood sugar regulation, insulin resistance, PCOS, or just have really struggled with their weight long term.

But these medications have also raised a lot of questions. People are asking, how can I increase my own GLP-1 hormone without taking the medication? If I'm not hungry while taking the medication, do I still need to eat? Or another common question is, do I need a special diet while taking a GLP-1 medication? So we are breaking it all down today, and we're going to walk you through what GLP-1 actually is and why nutrition support matters more and not less while taking these medications.

We'll also talk about natural ways to increase your own GLP-1 production in the body if you decide not to take these medications. So whether you are on a GLP-1 medication, you're considering starting one, or you're just trying to understand the conversation around it, this episode is for you. And with me today is Brandy Buro. She is also a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. Thanks for joining Brandy.

Brandy: Yeah, I'm happy to be here on this episode. I think it's a really interesting topic.

Britni: Yes.

Brandy: And yeah, you're right. It's just kind of like everybody's talking about it; whether you are taking the medication, you probably know somebody that's taking the medication. And you're curious. You want to know what's up. Yeah. It's fun to be here with you to clear up some confusion around this topic and just kind of clear the air a little bit; because there are a lot of questions.

GLP-1 basics

It's a really new medication. But let's just start with the basics, so we all kind of know what these medications are, what they do, how they work. So GLP-1, what does it even mean? Well, that is an acronym. It stands for glucagon-like peptide-one, and this is actually a hormone that your body naturally produces already.

It's released in your gut after you eat something. And you know, in our health it plays several really important roles. It does help regulate your blood sugar. It can slow digestion and slow stomach emptying, which helps you feel fuller longer after you eat. It also plays a role in controlling your appetite.

It communicates with your brain about hunger cues and satiety cues. So when you hear about GLP-1 medications, they're basically mimicking or enhancing this natural hormone.

Britni: Exactly, yeah. So these medications are activating the GLP-1 receptors longer than your body naturally would. So, like Brandy, you said it leads to a reduction in appetite. You're going to get satiated or feel fuller earlier than you would without that medication, better blood sugar regulation.

Brandy: In fact, I think it was actually first created for folks with diabetes, right?

Britni: Yes, Yep. Yeah, exactly. But you know, one thing that these medications do is it mimics GLP-1 in your body to a degree that isn't necessarily natural. So it's kind of like a mega dose.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And that's why the benefits of this are so extreme. But then also we're going to talk about, there's some side effects as well that come along with this.

Brandy: Yeah, it's almost too good to be true, but once you hear about the side effects, you have to pause a little bit and just acknowledge that.

Possible side effects to be aware of with GLP-1 medications

Britni: Here's an extremely important point. GLP-1 medications don't replace nutrition.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: So they're going to change how your body experiences hunger and fullness, but they don't ensure you're getting enough nutrients. So you really, it's so important, even if you're on these medications, to still be focusing on nutrition and what you're putting in your body. And that can also potentially help to reduce the side effects.

Brandy: Yeah, that's a really good point. But it is I think, sort of a misconception. You know, if you're taking one of these medications and you are, you're eating less and you're losing weight, which is often a goal, you might wonder, why do I really need to worry about my nutrition?

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: But the fact is your body still requires certain things for optimal health, and that does not go away when you're taking the medication. And that's where we can start to see people getting into some trouble. They may experience some weight loss while using the medication, but if you are sort of chronically undereating or not eating enough of nutrient-rich foods, you start to put yourself at some risk for health issues.

For example, you may be eating less dietary protein or fewer vegetables, so you're not really getting the nutrients you need to maintain muscle mass. So you could be losing muscle mass, you could also be losing bone density. I've often seen people start to lose hair.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: You know, as a result of not eating enough protein. And generally you may just not have a lot of energy, chronic fatigue or poor focus, concentration when you're not fueling your body with enough nutrients. You may also eat fewer vegetables so your fiber intake could take a downturn. And downstream effects of that could be constipation or even cholesterol issues. And long term, if you're undereating protein and undereating calories, your metabolism is going to slow down, and that's going to increase the risk of fast weight gain if you were ever to come off the medication. So those are some big side effects or I guess side effects of undereating.

Britni: Yes.

Brandy: Are there any other side effects you know of or they've seen with your clients?

Britni: Yeah, so you know, I've had some clients that, and still do have some clients that I'm working with that I'm supporting them while they're taking this medication.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: You talked about the side effects of undereating, but the medication itself, what we talked about in the beginning is it slows down digestion, basically. So that can lead to nausea, vomiting in some cases, diarrhea, constipation. I've definitely seen the constipation.

Brandy: Me too.

Britni: Yep. That I think is a very common one; bloating, gas, just kind of abdominal discomfort, reflux, heartburn. I've had a couple clients that they're burping more frequently.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Yeah. It makes sense because food is like sitting in the stomach longer than it would otherwise. You know, I have one client that she got some food aversions, interestingly.

Brandy: Okay.

Britni: And, and I think it was probably tied to some of these GI symptoms.

Brandy: Sure.

Britni: The digestive type symptoms are by far the most common.

Brandy: Yeah, I would agree.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: Yeah, I think it's difficult to avoid.

Britni: Yeah. It is just because of the nature of how this medication works. So there are, there can be potentially other side effects to these medications that are less common, like gallbladder issues, gastroparesis.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Hypoglycemia, especially if somebody is on an additional medication for diabetes and if they're not eating enough.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: Or frequently enough. So it's kind of that perfect storm of being on a medication that lowers your blood sugar, but then you're not eating frequently enough. That could lead to that low blood sugar. In some cases, potentially increased heart rate could be another side effect. Because individuals who are taking these medications really have a significant reduction in their appetite, they're really undereating. You know, in some cases they could be consuming a thousand calories or less a day.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: And not necessarily intentionally, it's just because…

Brandy: They're literally forgetting to eat.

Britni: Yeah. And then also if you have these GI symptoms too, like, you know…

Brandy: It’s not always appealing.

Long-term consequences of undereating

Britni: Yeah. And while, you know, while weight loss can happen initially, the long-term consequences of chronic undereating can really include some harmful side effects. And you mentioned those Brandy: muscle loss. That is a really, really big one.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: You said reduction in bone density. And what can happen too is if you decide to go off the medication, studies have shown the amount of individuals who regained the weight is pretty significant.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And I think that is especially true if you don't focus on lifestyle changes while you're taking the medication.

Brandy: Exactly.

Britni: So if you're losing muscle, even though you're losing weight, but if a lot of that is muscle and then you regain the weight, you're actually going to end up having a higher body fat percentage than when you started.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: Which we know that having a higher body fat percentage is harmful to your health for many reasons. Especially that visceral fat, that fat around your organs.

Brandy: Yep. We're talking more chronic disease risks.

Britni: Yeah. Yes.

Brandy: Heart disease and diabetes, so…

Britni: Yep, absolutely. And so we want to ensure that people are eating enough to prevent this severe undereating.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And so if they do decide to go off the medication, then they're going to be a lot less likely to regain the weight.

Brandy: Right. And, ideally we've kind of established a foundation of like a lifestyle that sets them up for success long term.

Britni: Yep. Absolutely. So eating enough is really important because like you mentioned earlier, your body adapts.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: So if you're not fueling your body with much, your body's going to learn to function with whatever you're giving it.

Brandy: Exactly. So a thousand calorie diet long term on this medication, you go off the medication, your body still thinks like I'm getting by on a thousand calories. That's all I need. I'm good. But you know, if your appetite increases without the medication and you double your calorie intake, I mean, it's really easy to see how quickly the weight can come back.

Britni: Yeah, absolutely.

Natural ways to support GLP-1 hormone production (#1: eat enough protein)

Brandy: Well, maybe we can talk more about supporting your own GLP-1 hormone production.

Britni: Yes, that's, that's a really good idea because if you don't want to go on one of these medications or your insurance won't cover it, there are other options out there. We're here to support you if you're taking the medication, if you're deciding not to, and you want to find natural ways. So what are some of those ways that we can boost our own GLP-1 production?

Brandy: Right. Well, I would like to start with protein. Just eating enough protein is one of the strongest things you can do to support your body's own GLP-1 hormone production, because every time you eat protein, well, it's broken down into amino acids and smaller peptides in the gut, and those directly stimulate your cells to secrete GLP-1 hormone.

So this is one reason why high protein meals often leave you feeling fuller longer, and it helps stabilize blood sugar. So our recommendation to get this effect is to aim for somewhere around 30 to 40 grams of animal-based protein with every meal. That's around four to six ounces of cooked meat or chicken or fish, and then maybe a couple more ounces with a snack throughout the day. You know, most adults need to hit their protein requirements and get that benefit of appetite control and blood sugar control.

And I think an interesting fact is that it actually matters the order that you eat different foods within each meal. So if you actually start your meal with protein before enjoying your carb, like potatoes or fruit or something, you can actually amplify the effects of the GLP-1 hormone.

You know, if you have the choice to start with protein, I would do that versus, you know, if there's a bread basket or chips or something on the table, that's not the best thing to start with. Start with the protein first.

Britni: Yeah. That's really interesting. And then also, if you start with the protein, chances are you're probably going to eat less of that starchy carbohydrate too.

Brandy: So true.

Britni: So I'm glad you brought up protein. It's going to increase your own body's production of GLP-1, but we need protein to build muscle. And then if you are on a GLP-1 medication, eating that protein is also really important to help to maintain the muscle that you already do have.

Brandy: Yep. That is the name of the game.

Fiber helps with GLP-1 signaling

Britni: Yep, absolutely. And you know, in addition to the protein, what can also help is fiber. So fiber makes GLP-1 signaling last even longer in your body. And prebiotic fibers are going to be the most helpful for directly increasing GLP-1 hormone. So these are going to be foods like onion, garlic, leeks, asparagus, underripe bananas, legumes.

Brandy: Yep. Also artichokes. I also throw that one in there. I really enjoy those.

Britni: That's a great, great idea and you can buy them, you know, you can buy a jarred artichokes so you don't have to monkey around with cooking it from and cutting it up from raw. And these help because soluble fibers and fermentable fibers, like these prebiotics, they don't get digested in the stomach or small intestine like other carbohydrates do.

They're going to travel to the large intestine. Once they've reached the large intestine, fiber becomes food for our good gut bacteria. So you can think of it as like the fertilizer for your lawn.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And those bacteria are then going to produce substances that stimulate cells in the gut to release more GLP-1. So essentially, the fibers help your gut bacteria create signals that tell your brain, we've eaten, we're nourished, and we don't need to eat anymore at this time. So it's going to tell your body you're full.

Brandy: Exactly. Yeah. It's an interesting to think about that pathway. It just highlights how important fiber is.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: And vegetables in your diet, you know, it's really something that you want to prioritize along with protein, whether you're on these medications or not.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: I think another important piece to mention when we're talking about fiber is that it does slow down digestion and it slows how quickly food leaves the stomach. So it does help you feel fuller longer, but it also is going to help control your blood sugar. So it's going to help prevent any blood sugar spikes. So the steadier digestion pattern, that's going to further support that GLP-1 release and your insulin levels.

This is why meals that include fiber from vegetables and other plants tend to help people feel fuller longer and help with more stable energy levels. I'll give you an example. So, you know, if I eat a meal that is lower fiber, you know, maybe it has carbohydrates, but they're more refined, processed carbs. So let's say it's like a pasta dish or fried rice. It really takes a lot of volume of that food to feel full and satisfied. And actually I'm really hungry an hour or two later, like I feel like eating again.

So it doesn't really hold me like a meal that has like a good amount of protein and lots of fibrous vegetables, like a steak and broccoli or something. That's actually going to make me feel full and I don't need to eat for another four hours probably.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Yeah. So interesting stuff fiber can do for us.

Britni: Yeah. Lots of amazing benefits. And on that note, it is time for us to take our break, and we will be right back.

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Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. I am here with Brandy and we have been talking about GLP-1, both the GLP-1 medications as well as how to increase your own GLP-1, and if you are on one of those medications, things that you should be considering when thinking about your nutrition. Right before the break we talked about fiber.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: And all the amazing benefits of fiber, and we actually recently brought in a new fiber product that's specifically designed to naturally boost GLP-1 hormone, and it is called Fiber MGP. So it has a blend of different kinds of fibers, specifically designed again to boost GLP-1 in your body.

So not only is it good to support bowel regularity like other fiber products. But it's also going to help to regulate your hunger hormones, curb your appetite, keep you fuller longer. Fiber again is going to help to balance your blood sugar.

Brandy: Yeah, that's an excellent point. And like you mentioned with bowel regularity, I think it's important to mention again that adding a fiber supplement like this could really help counteract some of the constipation that you might experience with taking a GLP-1 medication, because that is a pretty big side effect that I've seen anyway. And you know, that's because the medication is slowing your digestion and slowing your transit time.

So it's common to have fewer bowel movements or maybe even seeing a change in the consistency of your stool, making it more difficult to have a bowel movement. You know, when you're eating less, you might be eating less of those fibrous vegetables. You may even be drinking less water. So those two things altogether can, you know, cause constipation. A fiber supplement, like the Fiber MGP or another one that I like would be Sun Fiber.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Even, you know, chia seeds would be a great option to add some fiber into your diet that can all just support a daily bowel movement.

Britni: Yeah. And I've tried that Fiber MGP personally; it tastes good. It doesn't get, you know, some fiber supplements get like almost gelatinous.

Brandy: Yeah, and kind of gummy.

Britni: Yeah. Kind of hard to drink. This one doesn't, but I would say though, I would start with a half a scoop and work your way up just so your body can, can adjust to a larger fiber.

Brandy: Yeah, that's a good point.

Britni: And that could be said, even if you're really focusing on fiber in your diet, you know, slowly increasing, making sure you're drinking enough water. So you're flushing out what's getting bulked up.

Brandy: No, that's a good point. Anytime you increase fiber, you need to match it with enough water. And when we're talking about the Fiber MGP and GLP-1, you know, this fiber supplement is actually intended to feed a particular bacteria that supports GLP-1 hormone.

Akkermansia probiotic boosts GLP-1 production

So when I am recommending the Fiber MGP, I may also pair that with the probiotic akkermansia, because those two play well together when trying to boost GLP-1 hormone production.

Britni: Yeah. Akkermansia is kind of like the new probiotic on the block. So you have maybe seen articles or it's talked about a lot on social media. So what research has found about Akkermansia is it naturally stimulates GLP-1 production and a healthy gut naturally has a small amount of this akkermansia bacteria. But many people actually have reduced amounts or none at all.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Which can contribute to low GLP-1 signaling in the body. That can affect appetite, blood sugar, you know, all the things that we've been talking about. So in other words, diminished akkermansia bacteria in the gut will reduce that fullness signaling hormone. So you might get more cravings.

And on the other hand, adequate levels of akkermansia mean that you are more likely to have healthy signaling of satiety and more balanced blood sugar. And research has shown lower levels of Akkermansia are more likely to be found in individuals that are overweight and obese.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And on the flip side, individuals that are more of a lower weight are going to have an increase in Akkermansia. And you know, I've had a lot of clients try it and some people it's really helped reduce cravings. One client said it helped get rid of her food noise.

Brandy: Yes, yes. I've had a couple clients experience that too, with like sugar cravings specifically.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And then, you know, I've even had some clients with the effect of all of this, they've been able to see a little bit more weight loss.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And then, you know, weight loss and cravings aside, I've also had clients see a big benefit in their gut health.

Brandy: Oh, absolutely.

Britni: Taking this probiotic as well. And the, the Nutrikey version of our Akkermansia probiotic also has bifidobacteria in it.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: Which is very important for gut health as well.

Brandy: Yeah. I love, I love that probiotic. I take it myself.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Yeah, it's just helped with my digestion quite a bit; lots of clients that I work with have similar benefits. So I think it's definitely a great one to try if you're looking for something new.

Britni: And then it's just one capsule.

Brandy: It's very easy to take.

Britni: Yep. Ideally before bed is a good time to take it.

Brandy: And it's shelf stable so it travels well; doesn't need refrigeration. So yeah, it's great. Great one to try.

Do I need to change my diet if I go on a GLP-1 med?

Well, I want to get to, I think one of the biggest questions of today's episode.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Do I really need to change my diet when I'm taking a GLP-one medication? Is there a special GLP-one diet?

Britni: This is a question I think we get a lot.

Brandy: Oh yeah. And we do have a lot of clients, I work with several clients, you know, they made the decision, I would like to start a GLP-one medication, but I want to make sure that I am eating as well as I can, eating in a way that supports my health while I'm on a medication. So what does that diet look like? Well, the short answer is there's not really a specific special diet, but it might depend on where you're starting from.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: So we don't necessarily make any drastic changes or restrictions, but we do need to be really intentional about the quality of your nutrition and your food choices, because the reality is you won't be eating as much as maybe you're used to, and it's extremely important that you make every bite count.

So every meal should be structured and balanced with the nutrients that your body needs. You may even need to give yourself reminders to actually eat a meal so that you are fueling your body consistently and another fact is when you're on one of these medications, certain foods may seem less appealing.

And you kind of hinted at this earlier, just in response to some of those digestion issues that could come along with the medication. Yeah, certain foods may not be as appealing anymore. What I've seen with clients is, you know, mostly more highly processed foods may, may cause some of those digestion issues to be more frequent or severe.

Especially like deep fried or greasy foods. And large portions could also trigger some of those symptoms. So you may need to adjust your portions. You may need to adjust the types of food or the timing of meals. Your portions may be smaller, but we still aim for a balance of protein, vegetables, and natural fats. So we're still getting the nutrients that we need and we're still prioritizing blood sugar balance.

Protein naturally boosts GLP-1 production

Britni: All right, so we've been talking a lot about protein and you mentioned that is a critical part of a balanced meal. So again, the protein's going to naturally boost your own GLP-one production.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: If you are somebody that is not on one of these medications but is wanting to get the benefits of increasing GLP-one, and then protein is also really important on the flip side, if you are taking a medication cause that protein is going to help to maintain your muscle and in your bone. And then also help to prevent weight gain if and when you decide to go off the medication.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: So what this is going to look like or ideally would look like is again, that four to six ounces of poultry, eggs, fish, red meat as the base of your meals. If you tolerate dairy, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese are really wonderful, high protein ideas and could be a really good snack. Or, you know, that could be a cup of cottage cheese or a cup of, of Greek yogurt as a breakfast could be an option to get adequate protein.

That worked really well for one of my clients that is on a GLP-one medication, just because sometimes it can be easier to eat that than like a big plate of eggs and sausage or something.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And then a balanced protein shake could be really nice because usually if you're not super hungry, it's easier to drink something than chew it. And we have some really great protein shake recipes on our website, weightandwellness.com.

Brandy: Yeah. I think protein shake is a great way just to kind of fill in the gaps, especially when it comes to your protein needs. Just really easy to do. I may also suggest bone broth, just sipping on that bone broth between meals for a little extra protein without necessarily eating like a piece of meat or eggs or something.

Britni: Yeah. Great idea. If you're going to make a soup make it with bone broth to just up the protein a little bit.

Focus on higher fiber, nutrient dense carbohydrates

Brandy: Absolutely. So yes, protein definitely a priority, whether you're on a medication or not. Next I want to talk about carbohydrates, especially vegetables because these are going to provide us with some fiber, but they're also going to provide some carbohydrate that helps with blood sugar balance and our energy levels.

We do want to focus on higher fiber carbs because again, that's going to feed the good bacteria in our gut. That down the line is going to support GLP-one hormone production. And if your appetite is low, we really want to get the most out of the food that we eat and fill in those nutrient gaps. So focusing on colorful high fiber vegetables is an efficient way to do that.

We may overall be trending towards a lower carb dietary pattern when you're on a GLP-one medication. But I encourage you to still prioritize vegetables because it's simply not an option to eliminate them if you're working towards long-term health. So the more color, the more variety, the better, because that's just going to kind of build in some insurance that you're getting a variety of nutrients. And different vitamins and different types of fiber for different types of bacteria in your gut.

Britni: Hmm.

Brandy: So shoot for color. And another tip that might make eating enough vegetables easier is to cook them. You know, if they're cooked versus raw, it can be easier for you to digest. It can be easier to consume more. So think, you know, a soup or a stew or even roasted is a great way to cook your vegetables, versus, you know, a big salad or just plain, raw vegetables.

Sometimes that isn't as appealing. And then, you know, another way to get in some good fiber and in a variety of nutrients is throw in some colorful berries or even legumes; all beneficial for boosting GLP-one and give yourself a little bit of energy.

Healthy fats are important for our health

Britni: All good things. And then finally, we want to touch on those healthy fats because fats are really important for our health and, and, you know, too much or the more refined fats do have the potential to exacerbate an upset stomach or reflux or, affect those feelings of fullness, but keeping the priority to those real healthy fats: olive oil, avocados, avocado oil, grass fed butter, nut butters might be a little bit easier than eating nuts.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Because it's easier to digest. So those would all be great, healthy, fat options. And ideally including one of those every time that you eat.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. And like I mentioned earlier, we're not talking about like deep fried food or fat from processed foods because what I've seen is that can absolutely trigger more of the digestion upset.

Britni: Yeah.

Focusing on hydration is important

Brandy: But I do want to touch a little bit more on hydration. We talked about it a bit when we were thinking through, you know, how to prevent constipation, but I find that dehydration could be common when you're on GLP-one medications.

Similar to how we're not feeling as hungry, we're also not necessarily getting those cues for thirst either. So you might need to be a little more intentional about your water intake if you're on a GLP-one medication, because dehydration of course, can lead to constipation, brain fog, fatigue, and electrolyte imbalance.

So remember, you need to be sipping on water throughout the entire day. Plain water is really your best option. But if you would like to add maybe an electrolyte, to one of those glasses or maybe an herbal tea for some extra flavor without caffeine, bone broth again would be another option to get a little extra hydration with some protein. Yeah, so those are all some good options. Do you have any other ideas for how to make water more interesting?

Britni: You know, even like the lemon, limes sound silly if, yeah, especially in the winter months. You know, warming up your water like a warm lemon water could be appealing. And then I think it needs to be within sight.

Brandy: Right, have it accessible.

Britni: Yeah. I personally drink more water if I have a larger reusable water bottle, so then I don't have to fill it up as frequently and then I have it with me all throughout the day.

Brandy: Great idea. Yeah. I love that. Get, get a water bottle that you really like.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: Holds a lot.

Britni: Yeah. Yeah. Sounds kind of silly, but if it looks appealing to you, people are more likely to drink more.

Brandy: Absolutely. Would you still recommend, you know, kind of like the rule of thumb, half your body weight in ounces for water intake?

Britni: I think that's a good rule of thumb to go by. You know, depending on what your current weight is, I would probably max that at a hundred or 120 ounces.

Brandy: Yeah, that's about what I would say too.

Britni: Yeah, you can actually get too much water.

Brandy: True.

Britni: Which surprises people. So, yeah, that hydration is really key. And again, even if you're not on a GLP-one medication, hydration is so important for weight loss if that is a goal for you.

Brandy: Yes, good point.

Tips for lower appetite if you're taking a GLP-1 medication

Britni: So for those of you who are on a GLP-one medication and you're just kind of finding food is really unappealing, you're not very hungry, but you know you should still be eating, here are some tips that we have found helpful for these clients. You know, softer foods, I mentioned yogurts earlier; soups, stews might be really good because you can pack in a lot of nutrients.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: Scramble, scrambled eggs with some cooked veggies. Egg bakes. We mentioned protein shakes or smoothies. You might want to avoid those harder to chew, harder to digest foods like raw vegetables, nuts, or, you know, Brandy, you mentioned like greasy foods definitely exacerbate things. And all of this is very individualized, just depending on the side effects people are feeling, how significant your appetite is reduced, the dosage that you're on of the medication. So there's a lot of variability here, but I think it gives people a place to start.

Brandy: Yeah, definitely.

Brandy: And if you are finding that you are getting really full, very quickly, and I have this conversation with my clients, like, how do I prioritize what I am going to eat? You know, if I can only eat so much? So I always recommend start with your protein first. Again, this is going to help maintain your muscle mass, which helps maintain your metabolism.

I would save the starchier carbohydrates for last, so if you have potatoes or rice on the plate. I would just save those for last so that we are prioritizing the protein first, those high fiber vegetables next. And maybe even eating smaller meals more frequently could be another strategy just to help you get the nutrients that you need throughout the day versus maybe trying to fit all of it in into three meals.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: So yeah, one of my clients, you know, the pattern that she's kind of landed on is like four mini meals a day. She's just kind of has all her nutrition split up into four smaller meals throughout the day, you know, every three or four hours. And that's what's working for her. And so far it's going well, getting her protein needs in, getting a good variety of veggies.

But what we really want to avoid is getting into the habit of skipping meals altogether, or, having only one big meal a day because this can lead you to that chronic undereating that we talked about earlier in the show. That's going to slow your metabolism and really reduce that GLP-one hormone signaling over time. So consistent nourishment is going to support that hormonal regulation.

Britni: Yeah, and in wrapping up today's show, you know, GLP-one medications can be a great tool for some individuals. But they do come along with some side effects, which we've talked about today, and they are paired best with focusing on your nutrition, ensuring that you are still nourishing your body and not severely restricting.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And if you are an individual that is not on a medication. Food is going to be foundational for anybody.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: Whether you are looking to go on one of these medications or you are focusing on increasing your own GLP-one naturally. Some key takeaways if you are on one of these medications, even if you don't have an appetite throughout the day, it's still really important to ensure that you're getting adequate nutrition. Brandy, you provided some really great tips of what you have found helpful for your clients, because your body still needs that fuel, that care and consistency throughout the day.

So if you are an individual that is considering going on a GLP-one medication, you're already on one, or you want some other ideas or support for weight loss, we are here to help and support you no matter where you are at in your journey. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who could benefit and learn more about meeting one-on-one with one of us at Nutritional Weight & Wellness.

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You can visit our website, weightandwellness.com, or you can always give us a call at (651) 699-3438. Thank you so much for listening, and we will talk to you next time.