6 Lifestyle Changes to Prepare For if Your Doctor Suggested a GLP-1 to Treat Obesity

For people struggling with obesity, GLP-1 medications can feel almost magical—a once-weekly injection that makes food cravings and hunger pangs all but disappear, helping excess weight effortlessly fall off. Of course, these popular weight-loss medications aren’t actually magical, and despite their effectiveness, they aren’t intended to be a silver bullet. For anyone trying to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, GLP-1s can be a game changer, but lifestyle habits are still important. That includes food choices, exercise habits, and even good old-fashioned sleep.

GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide work by slowing down digestion, reducing appetite, and improving insulin sensitivity (how efficiently the body turns blood glucose into energy, versus storing it as fat). That said, what you eat (and don’t eat), how active you are, and how well you sleep are just a few factors that can affect how your body responds to a GLP-1 medication—from how effective it is at prompting weight loss to how sustainable that weight loss is long-term (even without medication). People who find that they’re not losing weight while taking a GLP-1 often need to make some adjustments to these lifestyle factors in order to get better results.

Committing to certain habits can also help you minimize or avoid common medication side effects and feel more energetic, which can encourage more healthy choices in the future. To get you started, here are six lifestyle changes you should prepare for if your doctor has suggested a GLP-1 to treat obesity.

Plan frequent mini meals

Some people find they rarely feel hungry when on a GLP-1, but eating regularly is still important to ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals, and to support a healthy metabolism and sustained energy throughout the day. Scheduling small meals every few hours is one way to ensure you get your nutrition in even when you don’t have hunger pangs to remind you. Small meals can also help you better manage side effects like nausea, vomiting, heartburn, bloating, and diarrhea. What you don’t want to do is mindlessly graze all day and end up choosing foods that fall short nutritionally. Within each mini meal, focus on a mix of fiber-rich, non-starchy fruits and vegetables (berries, leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers), lean proteins (fish, chicken, beans), whole grains, nuts, and seeds to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. To help preserve muscle mass as you lose weight, aim to include at least 20 to 30 grams of protein at every meal.

Know which foods are better avoided

While no foods are completely off-limits when you’re on a GLP-1 medication, there are types of food that are best saved as occasional treats, as they can cause nausea, bloating, and other unpleasant side effects. That includes sugary foods, fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, fried and greasy foods, and spicy or acidic foods. Refined carbs and ultra-processed foods are also best kept to a minimum, especially when it comes to preventing weight re-gain once you taper off of a GLP-1.

Hydrate like it’s your job

Potential side effects of GLP-1s like diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration, while lack of appetite can also prevent people from taking in enough fluids throughout the day. That’s why it’s important to focus on hydration. Aim to drink at least 64 ounces (eight cups) a day. Avoid sugary drinks; if you don’t love sipping plain water, try low-calorie options like herbal tea or water with a flavored electrolyte tablet or packet added. Worth noting: Some people find that carbonated drinks contribute to bloating on GLP-1s and avoid them for that reason.

Regularly move your body

It might be tempting to think that being on a GLP-1 negates the need for calorie-burning cardio, but the reality is that these medications work better when you’re moving moderately. The goal to shoot for is at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week, but keep in mind that even a modest boost in your daily activity levels can improve your metabolism, mood, and sleep, leading to more effective weight loss and all-around better health. And you don’t need to go straight to high-intensity workouts; walking, stretching, swimming, or power yoga are all great options.

Build strength training into your schedule

When you’re losing weight on a GLP-1, you can also rapidly lose muscle (and even bone tissue) if you don’t regularly strength train, especially if you’re getting inadequate protein because you’re eating much less. Preserving your muscle mass is so important for your metabolism, and for maintaining weight loss once you’re no longer on a GLP-1. Aim for two or three full-body sessions a week that incorporate free weights and kettlebells as well as exercises that use body weight and resistance bands. Just be careful not to go too hard before your body feels ready—it’s totally OK to take it slow, especially if you’re experiencing side effects like nausea. Start with shorter sessions and lower intensity and slowly increase as you feel stronger.

Recommit to a good night’s sleep

It’s not just about how energetic you feel—sleep quality has a direct impact on key weight-maintenance factors like stress levels, blood sugar regulation, and food cravings. All of this is doubly true when you’re on a GLP-1, which may not be as effective if you’re not clocking quality shut-eye (7 to 9 hours a night, without frequent wake-ups). Poor sleep can interfere with weight loss and digestive health in other ways, too; it can prompt you to reach for unhealthy refined carbs as a quick-hit energy source, deplete your motivation to exercise, and spike the stress hormone cortisol, leading to stubborn stored fat. If your sleep routine could use improvement, eating your last meal of the day a little earlier can be a helpful first step; not only can this help you fall and stay asleep, it can also help mitigate heartburn—a common GLP-1 side effect—which can be triggered when you lie down right after eating.