A new class of drugs has changed the game when it comes to weight loss. So what are the important dietary considerations you need to know before you start taking it?
In recent years, the weight loss industry has been severely disrupted by the introduction of a new class of drugs: semaglutide, or GLP-1 drugs. These drugs target not only appetite but also glucose and fat metabolism, acting on the underlying problems that cause glucose control problems and disproportionate weight gain in people who are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
It can also relieve persistent hunger, which makes dietary adherence difficult for many people. GLP-1 may sound too good to be true, but in reality it can be. It is unlikely that you will continue to lose weight once you stop using it unless you use it the right way with a proper diet and exercise regimen.
What are GLP-1 drugs and how do they work?
Semaglutide drugs work in different ways. Primarily, they are GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists, which means they act to stimulate the secretion of insulin in the body. Insulin is a central regulator of both glucose and fat metabolism, so tighter control of insulin levels can support fat loss in people prone to high glucose levels.
In addition, these drugs can help reduce the amount of glucose released by the liver after a meal, slightly slowing down digestion and reducing the spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar that can make you pass out or crave sweet foods.
The dual effect of these drugs, targeting both insulin and glucose control while simultaneously reducing appetite and sweet cravings, is a feature of this class of drugs that makes them so different from other medications aimed at weight loss to date.
Major dietary changes
In theory, GLP-1 sounds amazing. Eating fewer kilojoules without feeling hungry will help you lose weight relatively quickly. There are several reasons why this isn’t necessarily ideal, but more importantly, it doesn’t guarantee that the weight loss will be maintained forever.
Drastically reducing the kilojoules in your diet will cause you to lose weight relatively quickly, with some people losing 1 to 2 kilograms per week, but when you lose weight quickly, a significant portion of the weight you lose will be in muscle mass. This may mean a loss on the scale, but over time a decrease in muscle mass means a decrease in metabolic rate, or the number of kilojoules your body needs to function.
This explains why people who go on extreme fad diets lose weight quickly, but gain it back as soon as they return to their previous eating patterns and habits. Over time, a cycle is formed in which fewer kilojoules are needed to maintain the same weight.
Focus on protein
When kilojoules are limited, consuming adequate amounts of protein can minimize muscle mass loss. The average person needs at least 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight, or 80 to 100 grams of protein daily. For people with limited appetites, careful meal planning is required to ensure that you get 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal when you consume food in three to four meals and snacks each day.
Learn to eat based on hunger
Sounds simple, but at the end of the day, very few people eat just because they’re hungry. Rather, we eat because other people are eating, because delicious food is available, because we are afraid of feeling hungry, and because we are afraid of missing out on a meal. GLP-1 drugs greatly affect hunger, so this becomes noticeable when you find yourself eating regardless of how hungry you feel. Eating small meals every 3 to 4 hours and stopping when you feel comfortably full rather than full are the keys to successful weight loss using GLP-1 drugs.
Consume enough dietary fiber
When food intake is significantly reduced, our intake of dietary fiber It also tends to be susceptible to heartbeats, which affects digestive health and regularity. Therefore, focusing on consuming two to three servings of whole grain foods, such as at least one fruit and raw or cooked vegetables at each meal, can help you reach your daily fiber goal of 30 grams to keep your digestive tract working efficiently.
protect metabolism
Limiting your food intake is half the energy balance equation, but ultimately the key to increasing your metabolic rate and your body’s ability to burn kilojoules is training your body in a way that builds muscle mass. As mentioned earlier, this can be achieved by prioritizing protein intake at each meal to meet your daily goals, and by incorporating weight training into your exercise routine. This means that if you reduce or stop using a GLP-1 drug, you are less likely to regain the weight you lost, and this is currently happening to at least two-thirds of people trying these drugs to support weight loss.