Let’s address the elephant in the room, the one that has been shrinking a lot faster than expected.
GLP 1 medications are everywhere, and everyone is talking about the weight coming off. Almost no one is talking about what may be coming off with it.
This article is not about judgment, and it is not about shame. It is about the real story: muscle loss, nutrient gaps, uncomfortable side effects, and what you can do to combat these issues while using a GLP 1 to support your weight loss journey.
We want you to have your proportionally perfect cake and eat it too.
Submitted photo
What’s Really Happening?
GLP 1 medications work by dramatically suppressing your appetite. Over the last several years, these medications have advanced significantly, to the point that people can lose a substantial percentage of their body weight within the first year of use.
But eating less and losing body weight does not necessarily mean losing body fat.
Some data suggests that a significant portion of weight lost while taking GLP 1 medications can come from lean mass, including muscle. Bone loss risk can also be tied to the magnitude of weight loss, particularly in older adults.
There are also other potential side effects, including nausea and vomiting, alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloating, reflux and heartburn, hair thinning, fatigue, weakness, and mood changes.
None of this sounds particularly appealing, even if fitting into your high school jeans does.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to support your body throughout your weight loss journey.
What Can Be Done?
To combat digestive issues, try having smaller, more frequent meals to reduce the burden on a slower digestive system.
Prioritize nutrient rich, unprocessed foods. Eat plenty of lean meat, eggs, colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Whole foods can be easier to tolerate than foods with multiple ingredients, chemicals, and sweeteners.
Aim for meals that are high in protein and fiber. These nutrients provide your muscles, skin, hair, and nails with important nourishment while also supporting healthy blood sugar levels and helping maintain stable mood and energy levels.
Hydration is equally important. Consistently drink water throughout the day, possibly with electrolytes if appropriate for you. Appetite and thirst cues can both be suppressed while taking a GLP 1, so it is important to be intentional about hydration rather than relying solely on your natural hunger and thirst signals.
The goal is not simply to eat fewer calories. It is to make the calories you do eat count.
What Also Needs to Be Done
Nutrition alone cannot address muscle and bone density loss. This is where real strength training comes in.
Not simply light weights and high repetitions. Real strength training.
Progressive overload, with a focus on maintaining and building lean muscle mass, can play an important role in supporting your metabolism and improving your body composition for the long term, even with the help of a GLP 1.
To truly preserve and build muscle, you need to consistently challenge your muscles by increasing weight, repetitions, and intensity over time. The load and volume should gradually increase as your body adapts.
The goal is not just to become smaller. It is to become stronger and healthier while losing unwanted body fat.
How Can Best You Help?
At Best You Training, we offer nutritional coaching services based on your specific goals, health concerns, and lifestyle. We create sustainable, thoughtful, nutrient dense programs using sample meal plans and or macro tracking, depending on what you find easiest and most realistic for your lifestyle.
A personalized nutrition plan, combined with the appropriate support of a GLP 1, can help you work toward losing the weight you want to lose while maintaining the muscle, energy, and strength that make your results worth it.
We also focus on providing the nutrients your body needs to support your mood and keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy and vibrant.
In addition to nutritional coaching, Best You trainers can help guide you through a strength training program safely and effectively. Our goal is not simply to help you maintain your current fitness level, but to help you continue improving while using a GLP 1 to lose unwanted body fat.
Because at Best You, we believe you really can have your proportionally perfect cake and eat it too.
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