Are diet and exercise still needed while on a weight-loss medication?
GLP-1 weight-loss medications can make it easier to make the lifestyle changes needed to lose weight and improve your health. That's in part due to the effect these medications have on quieting the so-called “food noise.” Food noise is defined as constant and intrusive thoughts about food that are disruptive to daily life and make healthful behaviors extremely difficult. Having less food noise creates space to plan balanced meals and incorporate activity—which is vital to support your health—without all of the distractions.
GLP-1 weight-management medications work by mimicking hormones that regulate your appetite and food intake, making you feel less hungry and full more quickly, which makes focusing on your nutrition even more important to ensure all nutrient needs are met.
Looking beyond the number on the scale
Sure, weight loss may be the goal, but it’s important not to lose sight of other outcomes like improving your overall health and reducing the risk of disease. It’s still crucial to focus on your diet to ensure you are getting all of the nutrition your body needs and optimizing your health. Another factor to consider is the type of weight you are losing. This is also referred to as your body composition, or the percentage of fat mass to lean mass within the body.
Lean mass includes the weight of our bones, organs, skin, water, and muscle—essentially everything except for adipose (fat) mass. As we lose weight, it can be easy to lose muscle along with excess fat mass. It’s important to try to maintain as much of our muscle as possible throughout this process. Having a higher composition of muscle isn’t just about looking good either; it is critical for maintaining a higher metabolic rate and our long-term health.
Why is having more muscle mass important?
- Higher percentages of muscle mass have been associated with fewer falls and fractures as we age. This is due to our skeletal muscle, or muscle connected to our bones, that allows us to perform all body movements. Keeping your bones healthy requires adequate amounts of muscle.
- Having more muscle increases our energy expenditure—meaning the more lean mass we have, the more energy we burn at rest throughout the day.
- Muscle is required to maintain blood sugar levels by clearing glucose from the blood. Having more muscle mass has been associated with improved insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of developing diabetes.
Maintaining muscle mass during weight loss
So, we know maintaining our lean mass is important, but how exactly do we do that? The two main ways we can prevent the loss of muscle are through physical activity and dietary protein.
Physical activity supports maintaining lean muscle
Physical activity, whether it be endurance training, like walking, or strength training, like weight lifting, is an integral part of any weight-loss journey as it helps maintain muscle and promote weight maintenance following weight loss. Beyond those benefits, it just makes you feel good! Getting in some daily movement can improve your mood, energy, sleep, and reduce stress. Exercise doesn’t have to mean killing yourself in the gym either. Going for a short walk on your lunch break or a leisurely bike ride can have a really positive impact on your health.
Here are just some of the benefits of physical activity:
- Physical activity, including resistance training, can minimize the loss of lean body mass during weight loss while reducing body fat
- It can strengthen your muscles and bones
- Exercise improves your heart health by lowering blood pressure, improving insulin sensitivity, and lowering cholesterol
- It gives you a natural boost in your mood and lowers your stress levels
Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week and to prioritize resistance training at least twice per week.
Eating adequate protein contributes to increased muscle mass
Muscle fibers are made up of proteins and, like other tissues within the body, they are continuously being broken down and rebuilt. To maintain and build muscle, we have to consume more protein than what is being broken down. Protein is responsible for many other functions in the body too—like tissue repair, making antibodies to protect us against infection, hormone regulation, maintaining fluid balance, and transporting/storing nutrients.
Experts recommend consuming at least 1-1.2g of protein per kg of current body weight.
What other nutrients are essential for our health?
Beyond getting adequate protein, we want to ensure we are getting enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diet to optimize our health. Eating a diet high in fiber can lower cholesterol, improve blood glucose, increase the frequency of bowel movements, and help with satiety. It is recommended for women to eat at least 25 grams of fiber per day and for men to consume at least 38 grams. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Increase fiber slowly and drink adequate fluids to prevent bloating or discomfort.
Vitamins and minerals, also called micronutrients, are another key component. Micronutrients are found in all whole food sources, but getting enough fruits and vegetables ensures we get a variety of these nutrients. It is recommended to get 3 servings of vegetables and 1-2 servings of fruit daily.
A balanced diet also includes carbohydrates and healthy fats—yes, we can have it all!
When choosing sources of carbohydrates, look for unrefined, high-fiber carbohydrates like fruit, vegetables like sweet potatoes, quinoa, lentils, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta/bread. We recommend these sources make up about ¼ of your plate.
Heart-healthy fats are another great way to satiate hunger. Many meals will already have a source of fat, like your salad dressing, cooking oil, egg yolk, cheese, salmon, and steak. Otherwise, we recommended adding sources like avocado, olive oil, or nuts and seeds. As these foods pack a lot of nutrients in a small volume, we recommend monitoring portion sizes.