This text is offered solely for informational functions. It’s not medical recommendation and shouldn’t be used as an alternative choice to doctor session, analysis, or remedy; or relied upon to make medical selections, diagnose, or deal with any well being circumstances. No data relating to drug interactions is offered.
In the event you’re taking a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic or Wegovy, you’re positively not alone.
And although these will help many individuals drop extra pounds, they aren’t all the time a magic remedy.
So, it’s essential to develop wholesome habits for efficient weight administration and long-term well being.
A balanced food plan supplies important vitamins and helps forestall persistent ailments.
Additionally, GLP-1s haven’t been proven for use long-term. Some information reveals that most patients stop taking GLP-1s after a yr or two. Stopping them, particularly with out life-style modifications, could cause weight regain (1).
Moreover, GLP-1s are comparatively new. There’s restricted analysis on the very best dietary steering for these taking GLP-1s and whether or not they’re protected for long-term use (2). Whereas utilizing GLP-1s, good diet and life-style selections may additionally assist cut back some unintended effects, resembling:
- Gastrointestinal points
- Urge for food suppression, which frequently results in under-eating
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Muscle loss.
Nonetheless, food plan and life-style modifications may not deal with different frequent or uncommon however severe unintended effects. It’s all the time finest to seek the advice of your physician about any issues relating to GLP-1s.
Listed here are some sensible tips about how one can use MyFitnessPal to assist your GLP-1 journey.
The best way to Use MyFitnessPal to Assist Your GLP-1 Journey
Monitoring Energy
Consuming fewer energy is an important 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 decreasing meals cravings (2, 3).
So, as an alternative of typically feeling hungry or fascinated with meals, you would possibly overlook to eat sufficient or get full too rapidly once you do.
This may occasionally sound interesting to anybody who struggles with frequent ideas about meals. However assembly your physique’s minimal calorie needs is important (4). This ensures your physique will get all of the vitamins it wants to keep up vitality ranges and performance correctly (5).
Usually, ladies’s calorie consumption shouldn’t drop under 1,200 per day, and males’s shouldn’t go below 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 operate, and total impaired well being (8, 9).
So, it’s essential for individuals on GLP-1 meds to look at their calorie and nutrient consumption.
Probably the greatest methods to do that is by protecting a meals journal.
Utilizing a instrument like MyFitnessPal to log meals can simplify this. It permits you to rapidly spot any calorie or nutrient deficits. You may then modify your food plan.
Nutrient-dense meals are among the best foods for people taking GLP-1s. Seafood, tofu, dates, and different nutrient-dense components will help you get probably the most diet out of smaller meals.
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Monitoring Protein
Protein helps you’re feeling full, retains hormones and enzymes in verify, 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 energetic individuals and those that need to protect muscle whereas shedding weight.
It might be particularly essential 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, resembling:
- Elevated danger of damage (13)
- Lack of energy (13)
- Diminished mobility (13)
- Slowed metabolism (14)
- Poorer coronary heart well being (15)
- Elevated insulin resistance (16)
- Diminished longevity (17)
For anybody on GLP-1 medicines, getting sufficient protein would possibly assist preserve muscle well being.
MyFitnessPal makes it simple to trace your day by day protein consumption.
Protein wants throughout weight reduction are private. However analysis means that 80 grams of protein per day, or 1 gram per kilogram of physique weight, may be finest for sustaining lean physique mass throughout weight reduction (18).
This larger quantity of protein could also be higher than the everyday decrease day by day consumption of 60 grams or 0.8 grams per kilogram (18).
An excellent rule of thumb could possibly be to intention for 3 meals a day, every containing about 20 to 30 grams of protein.
In the event you battle with urge for food, strive consuming small quantities of high-protein foods all through the day as an alternative of consuming giant quantities at each meal (19).
Retaining monitor of how a lot protein you eat additionally helps you propose balanced meals with the best mix of carbs, fats, and proteins for continued weight reduction success.
In order for you some inspiration, strive MyFitnessPal’s free 7-day high-protein diet plan.
In regards to the Consultants:
Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian and author who gives impactful diet consulting companies to main well being manufacturers. She is an influential determine in diet science communication, selling international public well being and diet schooling.
Stephanie Nelson, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and is MyFitnessPal’s in-house diet skilled and diet scientist. Passionate for selling wholesome existence, Stephanie graduated from San Diego State College with a give attention to analysis and illness prevention.
Monitoring Train
After all, when speaking about muscle upkeep throughout weight reduction, we are able to’t omit train.
A workout routine, particularly energy coaching, could also be essential for individuals who take GLP-1s. It would assist them preserve a wholesome weight after stopping remedy (20).
You may log your workouts inside the MyFitnessPal app or sync with different health apps and units, like Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Well being, to simply monitor your actions and progress.
Monitoring Fiber
Research have proven that fiber, significantly soluble fiber, slows down how briskly your abdomen empties and makes you’re feeling fuller, controlling your urge for food (21).
Fiber may also 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 might assist cut back these unintended effects and assist digestive well being (22, 24).
Many individuals fall in need of their fiber wants. Utilizing monitoring apps like MyFitnessPal can enhance consciousness of their consumption.
By logging meals, you may establish the very best choices to create fiber-rich meals and incorporate them into your weekly routine.
Usually, for diarrhea or constipation, you’ll need to enhance your soluble fiber consumption (25).
Good sources of soluble fiber embody:
- Floor flax seeds
- Brussels sprouts
- Avocados
- Black beans
- Rolled oats
In the event you’re solely coping with constipation, additionally add extra insoluble fiber by consuming complete vegatables and fruits with skins.
However everybody ought to embody a mixture of each soluble and insoluble fiber of their food plan (26).
Fiber suggestions are often round 35 grams per day for wholesome adults, however some analysis suggests nearer to 50 grams a day may be best (27).
Take a look at this fiber quiz from MyFitnessPal to see for those who’re getting sufficient fiber in your food plan!
In the event you’re ranging from a low-fiber food plan, enhance your fiber consumption step by step (28). Additionally, hydrate to keep away from discomfort or digestive points.
You may modify your day by day fiber targets within the MyFitnessPal app based mostly in your wants.
Monitoring Hydration
Nausea and vomiting may be frequent unintended effects of GLP-1 medicines.
In truth, 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 could possibly be severe, so it’s essential to go to your physician or get emergency assist.
Each vomiting and diarrhea from GLP-1 medicines can result in dehydration.
Even for those who don’t have these signs, modifications in your consuming habits and urge for food could make you drink much less throughout meals. This could increase your danger of dehydration.
Dehydration may be harmful and worsen remedy unintended effects, particularly constipation, as fluid is important for digestion.
So, preserve correct hydration ranges whereas taking GLP-1s to attenuate negative effects.
Staying hydrated additionally helps vitality ranges, metabolism, and a wholesome weight (30). It’s a superb behavior to stay with for total wellness (31).
Enter MyFitnessPal’s hydration monitoring characteristic.
You may simply log your fluid intake, offering an efficient solution to set and obtain day by day hydration targets.
Many unsweetened liquids are glorious 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 few half-ounce to an oz. of fluid per pound of physique weight day by day (32). In the event you train often or reside in a heat local weather, you’ll want the upper finish.
Alter your hydration targets within the MyFitnessPal app based mostly in your wants and exercise ranges.
Different useful options
MyFitnessPal additionally has different useful options to assist individuals on GLP-1s with their food plan and life-style targets:
- Meal timestamps will help make sure you’re consuming persistently all through the day, serving to you hit your calorie, micronutrient, and protein targets.
- Logging reminders can present mild nudges, serving to you keep on monitor with these targets and improve your accountability.
- In-app recipes give attention to high-protein and GLP-1-friendly choices, inspiring you to discover different and balanced meals by recipe discovery.
- Monitoring your weight and different physique measurements within the app will help you monitor progress and keep motivated.
Lastly, for added assist, take a look at MyFitnessPal’s new 7-day GLP-1 Nutrition Plan, designed by registered dietitians.
These options will help you undertake nutritious diet and life-style habits whereas on GLP-1 medicines, selling your long-term success.
The submit How MyFitnessPal Can Support Your GLP-1 Journey appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
