👋 Welcome!
GLP-1s like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy help you eat less, but are you eating too little?
Some people on GLP-1s don’t eat enough, which can cause low energy, muscle loss, and slow metabolism. Today, we’ll help you eat the right amount to stay healthy!
📌 Here’s what’s inside this issue:
✅ Main Topic: Are You Eating Enough on GLP-1s? The Hidden Risk of Under-Eating
✅ The Weekly Win: Joe’s 122-Pound GLP-1 Transformation
✅ Resources & Tools: Easy Snacks for Low-Appetite Days
✅ Poll of the Week: Have You Struggled to Eat Enough on GLP-1s?
💡 Let’s dive in!
📌 Main Topic: Are You Eating Enough on GLP-1s?
GLP-1s lower your appetite, which is great for weight loss. But eating too little can be a problem!
🚨 Why Eating Too Little is Bad
⚠️ You can lose muscle. If you don’t eat enough, your body may burn muscle instead of fat.
⚠️ You may feel weak or tired. Not eating enough can make you dizzy, cranky, or foggy-brained.
⚠️ Your metabolism may slow down. Eating too little tells your body to save energy, making weight loss harder later.
✅ How Much Should You Eat?
Protein: Try to eat 0.8-1g per pound of your goal body weight to keep your muscles strong.
Calories: Women should eat at least 1400 calories a day, men 1700+ (depending on activity).
Electrolytes: Drink water with salt, potassium, or magnesium to stay hydrated and avoid dizziness.
🍽 Easy Ways to Eat More (Even When Not Hungry)
✅ Drink Your Calories: Smoothies, shakes, and soups are easy to drink when you’re not hungry.
✅ Eat Small, Protein-Packed Meals: Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and chicken are good choices.
✅ Eat the Important Foods First: Protein & healthy fats should come first in your meals.
✅ Set Reminders to Eat: Even if you’re not hungry, eating enough keeps your body strong.
📢 Try This: Write down what you eat for 3 days. If you’re eating under 1000 calories, it’s time to add more food!
🚀 The Weekly Win: Joe’s 122-Pound GLP-1 Transformation
1️⃣ Tell us about your journey so far.
I am a 42 year old male who is 6'0" tall. My starting weight was 321 pounds, in May of 2024, which was the heaviest I'd ever been in my life. I have been taking the medication for about 9 months, and as of February 3rd, I finally achieved my goal weight of 200 pounds. I'm now transitioning my mindset and my behaviors to maintain my weight, vs losing more weight.
2️⃣ Which GLP-1 medication are you on?
Zepbound. I started with the minimum dose of 2.5mg, and titrated to 5mg after the first month, then to 7.5mg the next month. From that point forward, I listened to my body and decided when to move up to each next dose. When I could feel the appetite suppression effects wearing off before it was time for my next injection, then I knew it was time to move up to the next dosage. I'm currently taking the maximum dosage of 15mg, and will be moving back down to 12.5mg next month.
3️⃣ What made you decide to start GLP-1?
I woke up one morning, and decided that my health was too much of a problem in life. Mostly, I was worried about leaving my wife and son at a young age from a heart attack or other medical event. Seemingly overnight, I started seeing GLP-1 information EVERYWHERE. Advertisements on social media or TV, friends or coworkers who were taking one, etc. Having struggled with my weight for 15+ years (always "yoyo-ing" to lose weight and ultimately putting it back on), I decided to do some more research. I spent an entire night searching the internet and reading all kinds of information. I decided to reach out to a telemedicine provider that I had previously used for a different medical issue. They have a service to see if my insurance would cover a GLP-1 medication for me, and whether I'd be a candidate or not. I signed up for their service, and they had me approved for medication and coverage in about a week!
4️⃣ What does your ‘final destination’ look like?
I am really big having goals that are measurable, so that you can define success. They also need to be realistic and attainable, or else you'll lose motivation quickly. So when I first started this process, I decided that I wanted to try and lose 101 pounds within a year. I got some nutrition and exercise pointers from friends, and my wife and I joined a local gym the same day that I was approved to start the medication. Within six months, I had already lost 80 pounds, so I decided to increase my loss goal to 121 pounds, which would put my final weight right at 200. On February 3rd, I finally achieved that goal, and I'm now under 200 pounds for the first time in about 20 years! As I got closer to my goal weight, I was already thinking ahead and deciding what my next steps would look like. I've decided that this process is really a constant journey, and there's not actually a final destination. So my next step is to build more muscle mass and continue to get healthier. I'm not pushing myself to look like a professional body builder, but I'd like to see my body composition change a little more. I'd like to get rid of the rest of my belly and build some more muscle. At this point, I'm indifferent about whether I'm actually losing weight or not, as long as my body is continuing to change in the way I want it to.
5️⃣ What’s one tip (or a few) you’d share with others on this journey?
I would actually like to share two tips:
The first is to focus hard on ALL aspects of the journey. I've read a lot of stories about people who took a GLP-1, ate very little food, lost a ton of weight, stopped taking the medication, and put all of the weight back on. It's important to remember that this medication is a catalyst to a healthier lifestyle, but it's up to YOU to make the rest of those changes. Exercise and proper nutrition are just as important as the calorie deficit, especially if you're looking to achieve results that you can sustain for the rest of your life.
My second tip is to trust the process, and not to be discouraged by the "ups and downs." It's important to remember that you can't finish a marathon unless you perform each and every step, even if there's a million of them. It's easy to get frustrated when slip up and eat something unhealthy, or when you're busting your butt and the scale moved the wrong direction one day. But it's important to stay focused and to trust the process. If you stay on your path, you'll eventually finish that marathon, whether each step happens at the same pace or not.
🎯 Joe’s journey is proof that GLP-1s are just one part of the puzzle—success comes from commitment, mindset shifts, and taking action every day.
💬 What part of Joe’s story resonated with you the most? Reply and let me know!
📢 Have your own GLP-1 success story to share? Your journey could inspire thousands! Reply to this email or DM me on https://x.com/TheDoseWeekly —I’d love to feature YOU in a future 🚀 The Weekly Win!
🔥 Let’s keep winning together!
🛠️ Resources & Tools: Easy Snacks for Low-Appetite Days
Struggling to eat enough? These easy, high-protein foods can help!
🥤 Drinks: Fairlife Core Power, Premier Protein, or my favorite Gorilla Protein shakes
🧀 Dairy: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese sticks
🍗 Meat: Hard-boiled eggs, rotisserie chicken, turkey slices
🥑 Healthy Fats: Peanut butter, avocado, chia pudding
📊 Poll of the Week: Have You Struggled to Eat Enough on GLP-1s?
Have You Struggled to Eat Enough on GLP-1s?
📩 Vote here or reply with your experience! (Results next week!)
📣 That’s a Wrap!
💌 Enjoyed this issue?
📢 Send this post to a friend on GLP-1’s!
📢 Comment and tell me—what’s been your biggest challenge on GLP-1s?
📆 See you next week!
— The Weekly Dose Team
📢 P.S. Want to read past issues? Click here