How MyFitnessPal Can Support Your GLP-1 Journey

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In the event you’re taking a GLP-1 medicine like Ozempic or Wegovy, you’re positively not alone.

And although these will help many individuals shed weight, they aren’t all the time a magic remedy.

So, it’s vital to develop wholesome habits for efficient weight administration and long-term well being.

A balanced weight loss program gives important vitamins and helps forestall persistent ailments.

Additionally, GLP-1s haven't been proven for use long-term. Some knowledge reveals that almost all sufferers cease taking GLP-1s after a 12 months or two. Stopping them, particularly with out way of life adjustments, could cause weight regain (1).

Moreover, GLP-1s are comparatively new. There’s restricted analysis on the most effective 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 way of life decisions may also assist cut back some unwanted effects, resembling:

Gastrointestinal points

Urge for food suppression, which frequently results in under-eating

Nutrient deficiencies

Muscle loss.

Nevertheless, weight loss program and way of life adjustments won't deal with different frequent or uncommon however critical unwanted effects. It’s all the time greatest to seek the advice of your physician about any issues concerning GLP-1s.

Listed below are some sensible tips about the best way to use MyFitnessPal to help your GLP-1 journey.

How you can Use MyFitnessPal to Help Your GLP-1 Journey

Monitoring Energy

Consuming fewer energy is a necessary a part of most weight reduction plans.

Calorie restriction might 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 interested by meals, you may overlook to eat sufficient or get full too shortly while you do.

This may increasingly sound interesting to anybody who struggles with frequent ideas about meals. However assembly your physique’s minimal calorie wants is crucial (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 beneath 1,500, aside from particular causes and as supervised by a well being skilled (6).

Consuming lower than this quantity may 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 general impaired well being (8, 9).

So, it’s vital for individuals on GLP-1 meds to observe their calorie and nutrient consumption.

The most effective methods to do that is by maintaining a meals journal.

Utilizing a instrument like MyFitnessPal to log meals can simplify this. It permits you to shortly spot any calorie or nutrient deficits. You may then alter your weight loss program.

Nutrient-dense meals are a few of the greatest meals for individuals 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 are feeling full, retains hormones and enzymes in test, helps your physique’s capabilities, 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 dropping pounds.

It might be particularly vital when taking GLP-1s. Some research counsel that as much as 50% of the burden 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 power (13)

Decreased mobility (13)

Slowed metabolism (14)

Poorer coronary heart well being (15)

Elevated insulin resistance (16)

Decreased longevity (17)

For anybody on GLP-1 drugs, getting sufficient protein may assist keep 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 greatest for sustaining lean physique mass throughout weight reduction (18).

This increased 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 purpose for 3 meals a day, every containing about 20 to 30 grams of protein.

In the event you wrestle with urge for food, strive consuming small quantities of high-protein meals all through the day as an alternative of consuming giant quantities at each meal (19).

Preserving observe of how a lot protein you eat additionally helps you intend balanced meals with the correct mix of carbs, fat, and proteins for continued weight reduction success.

If you need some inspiration, strive MyFitnessPal’s free 7-day high-protein weight loss program plan.

Concerning the Consultants:

Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian and author who presents impactful diet consulting providers 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 professional 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 will’t pass over train.

A exercise routine, particularly power coaching, could also be vital for individuals who take GLP-1s. It'd assist them keep a wholesome weight after stopping remedy (20).

You may log your workouts inside the MyFitnessPal app or sync with different health apps and gadgets, like Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Well being, to simply observe your actions and progress.

Monitoring Fiber

Research have proven that fiber, significantly soluble fiber, slows down how briskly your abdomen empties and makes you are feeling fuller, controlling your urge for food (21).

Fiber can even assist make your stools extra common and constant (22).

GLP-1 drugs have been proven to trigger gastrointestinal unwanted effects, like constipation and diarrhea (23).

Including fiber-rich meals to your meals might assist cut back these unwanted effects and help digestive well being (22, 24).

Many individuals fall wanting their fiber wants. Utilizing monitoring apps like MyFitnessPal can improve consciousness of their consumption.

By logging meals, you'll be able to determine the most effective choices to create fiber-rich meals and incorporate them into your weekly routine.

Usually, for diarrhea or constipation, you’ll need to improve your soluble fiber consumption (25).

Good sources of soluble fiber embrace:

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 entire vegatables and fruits with skins.

However everybody ought to embrace a mixture of each soluble and insoluble fiber of their weight loss program (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 ideally suited (27).

Take a look at this fiber quiz from MyFitnessPal to see should you’re getting sufficient fiber in your weight loss program!

In the event you’re ranging from a low-fiber weight loss program, improve your fiber consumption regularly (28). Additionally, hydrate to keep away from discomfort or digestive points.

You may alter your day by day fiber objectives within the MyFitnessPal app based mostly in your wants.

Monitoring Hydration

Nausea and vomiting might be frequent unwanted effects of GLP-1 drugs.

In actual fact, 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 critical, so it’s vital to go to your physician or get emergency assist.

Each vomiting and diarrhea from GLP-1 drugs can result in dehydration.

Even should you don’t have these signs, adjustments in your consuming habits and urge for food could make you drink much less throughout meals. This could increase your danger of dehydration.

Dehydration might be harmful and worsen medicine unwanted effects, particularly constipation, as fluid is crucial for digestion.

So, keep correct hydration ranges whereas taking GLP-1s to reduce negative effects.

Staying hydrated additionally helps vitality ranges, metabolism, and a wholesome weight (30). It’s a great behavior to stay with for general wellness (31).

Enter MyFitnessPal’s hydration monitoring function.

You may simply log your fluid consumption, offering an efficient method to set and obtain day by day hydration objectives.

Many unsweetened liquids are glorious choices to satisfy 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 purpose for a few half-ounce to an oz of fluid per pound of physique weight day by day (32). In the event you train repeatedly or stay in a heat local weather, you’ll want the upper finish.

Modify your hydration objectives 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 weight loss program and way of life objectives:

Meal timestamps will help make sure you’re consuming constantly all through the day, serving to you hit your calorie, micronutrient, and protein objectives.

Logging reminders can present mild nudges, serving to you keep on observe with these objectives and improve your accountability.

In-app recipes give attention to high-protein and GLP-1-friendly choices, inspiring you to discover diversified and balanced meals via recipe discovery.