How to get the safest sustainable results on your GLP-1 Weight Loss Journey

Using GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, liraglutide, or tirzepatide is becoming more and more popular.  For women there are considerations that are worth understanding before you begin your GLP-1 journey.  To ensure that you weight loss is both safe and sustainable this involves combining the medication with healthy lifestyle changes and medical guidance.

Here’s a clear roadmap for women who are considering or are using GLP-1 medication as part of their weight loss journey.

Medical Supervision Is Important

Always use GLP-1 medications under supervision of a licensed healthcare provider. Ideally your provider will regularly monitor the following to ensure that your weight loss is not undermining long term health:  Blood pressure, Blood sugar levels, Electrolytes and Nutritional status (especially if you have nausea or low appetite)

Focus on Nutrient-Dense, Balanced Nutrition

GLP-1s often reduce appetite, so quality over quantity becomes important:

Include more:

Protein at every meal (lean meat, chicken, seafood, tofu, eggs, beans, pulses)

Fiber-rich foods (vegetables, berries, whole grains)

Healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, good quality dairy, oily fish)

Limit:

Processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates (ready meals, white rice, white bread/white pasta etc)

Exercise for Strength + Metabolism

To prevent muscle loss, which can happen during rapid weight loss, a focus on moving your body is essential.  No matter your current fitness or level of activity you can start to make small beneficial changes that will not only support sustainable weight management but can help to offset side effects.

Every week combine:

Strength training: 2 per week (weights, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises)

HIIT 3 per week

Daily Movement, walking, swimming, dancing, pilates, yoga

Start gently if energy is low, and increase gradually and do what makes you happy

Watch Mental Health & Hormonal Impacts

Women may be more sensitive to:

Body image shifts

Emotional eating triggers

Menstrual cycle changes (especially with significant fat loss)

Support from a therapist, nutritional therapist, or women’s health coach can be very helpful to navigate through the changes that are happening to your body and mental health through your weight loss journey.

Hydration + GI Support

GLP-1’s often cause nausea, constipation, and dehydration so listen to your body.

Sip flat water throughout the day

Add plain unflavoured electrolytes if you’re fatigued or lightheaded or if you have vomiting and/or diaharea

Ensure you are eating adequate fibre with every meal to help keep regular

Ginger tea or peppermint may help with nausea

Go Slow for Sustainability

Don’t be swayed by other people, especially those on social media. Aim for 0.5 to 1.5 pounds/week weight loss. Faster loss increases risk of:

Lean muscle loss

Slowed Metabolism

Gallstones

Loose skin

Rebound gain when stopping the medication

Don’t chase maximum weight loss, instead keep a focus on metabolic health and sustainability.

Consider Why You’re Using GLP-1

We all gain and retain weight for a variety of different reasons.  GLP-1 Medication should not be considered a one size fits all magic weight loss wand.  Women with PCOS, insulin resistance, or postmenopausal weight gain may benefit greatly from GLP-1 support, but the approach should be personalised. Much is written about how GLP-1 Medications quieten “Food Noise”, but only while you are using them.  A question you might need to consider is what is driving your food noise?