Semaglutide Diet Plan: What To Eat While Taking Weight Loss Medication

If you’ve just started taking weight loss medication, adjusting to your reduced appetite and knowing what to eat can be overwhelming. Here, our Levity experts unpack what foods to eat, what ones to avoid and practical tips for staying hydrated during your weight loss journey. 

What is semaglutide?

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Wegovy and Compounded Semaglutide, which all belong to a class of weight loss medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Initially developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, semaglutide has since been approved for weight management and can help you lose up to 15% of your body weight in just over a year. It helps to promote weight loss by helping you feel fuller for longer, slowing gastric emptying (the rate at which food leaves your stomach) and curbing cravings for sugary foods. [1]

Foods to eat while taking semaglutide

Lean proteins

Protein is a food group that plays a key role in repairing and maintaining muscle mass (especially during periods of rapid weight loss). It also helps keep you fuller for longer, making it essential for weight management and overall health. [2]

Although many foods contain some form of protein, we recommend focusing on lean proteins which are high in protein but low in fat. You can make sure you’re getting enough protein by including at least one protein source in every meal and snack.

Sources of lean protein include: chicken, beef, salmon, eggs, greek yoghurt, tofu, lentils and protein powder.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a key part of any balanced diet and they are especially important while taking weight loss medication because they are a great source of essential vitamins and minerals and are naturally high in fiber to support healthy digestion. They also help to provide volume to your meals without adding too many excess calories. [3]

Our experts recommend incorporating these vegetables into your diet: leafy greens, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, asparagus and cauliflower.

Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are found in minimally processed foods like bread, rice, pasta and starchy vegetables like potatoes. They are an important part of a balanced diet because they digest slowly, which helps keep you fuller for longer, and maintain stable blood sugar levels to prevent cravings for sugary and high-calorie foods. [4]

Healthy fats

As part of a balanced meal plan, it’s important to make sure you prioritize eating and cooking with healthy monounsaturated fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, cooking oils made from plants or seeds, and fish. These types of fat can help to lower bad cholesterol levels and improve the control of blood sugar levels. [5]

Foods to avoid on the semaglutide diet

Simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are found in foods like white bread, sugary drinks, and pastries. Unlike complex carbohydrates they are made up of short chains of one or two sugar molecules, meaning they are quickly broken down into sugar, causing rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels which can increase hunger and cravings, making it harder to stick to a calorie deficit for weight loss. [4]

High GI foods

The glycaemic index (GI) tells us whether a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose levels quickly, moderately or slowly with foods with low GI spiking sugars at a slower rate. A slower rise in blood sugar levels means that you are less likely to experience the extreme peaks and troughs that lead to low energy levels and food cravings. [6]

We suggest switching out high GI foods for low GI options. For example, try eating brown rice, quinoa, or barley instead of white rice and sourdough bread instead of white bread. 

Ultra-processed foods

These foods include candy, processed cereals, chips, fast food and pre-packaged convenience foods. These have low nutritional value and are often high in calories, sugar and sodium. They also often contain refined carbohydrates, which can spike your blood sugar which is why we recommend limiting your intake of these kinds of foods. [7]

Sugary beverages

We also recommend that you avoid sugary drinks as they often contain a lot of calories without providing nutritional benefits or quality hydration. [7] Instead, we recommend that you swap them for drinks like water, herbal tea, or sparkling water with citrus. This is because drinking enough water and staying hydrated is vital for keeping all your body’s organs functioning the way they should and supporting healthy digestion. We can also sometimes mistake thirst for hunger – which can lead to snacking or overeating.

The importance of portion control

Now that we unpacked what to eat, let’s talk about portion sizes because eating the right amount of healthy food is just as important for weight loss as eating nutritious foods. At Levity, we recommend calculating how many calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight and then lowering this number by 600 calories to calculate the number of calories you need to lose weight. You can then use the MyPlate model to work out which types of food your calories come from. You can read more about how to do this here.  

The role of physical activity

Alongside reducing your food intake and using your treatment, exercise can significantly boost the benefits of your treatment. In fact, our experts recommend doing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly with a particular focus on strength and resistance training as this can help to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass that can occur during rapid weight loss. [9]

How to start weight loss medication

Interested in starting weight loss medication? Levity can help boost your results alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise. Weight loss injections need to be prescribed by a healthcare professional, who assesses whether these medications are suitable for you. Find out if you’re eligible.

References:

[1] Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2021 Feb 10;384(11):989–1002. Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183 

[2] U.S. Department of Agriculture. Protein Foods | MyPlate [Internet]. www.myplate.gov. 2020. Available from: https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/protein-foods

[3] U.S Department of Agriculture. Vegetables [Internet]. www.myplate.gov. 2020. Available from: https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables

[4] American Heart Association. Carbohydrates [Internet]. www.heart.org. 2018. Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/carbohydrates

[5] Mayo Clinic Staff. Dietary fat: Know which to choose [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. 2023. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550 

[6] Harvard Health Publishing. A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index - Harvard Health [Internet]. Harvard Health. Harvard Health; 2023. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/a-good-guide-to-good-carbs-the-glycemic-index 

[7] ​​McManus KD. What are ultra-processed foods and are they bad for our health? [Internet]. Harvard Health Blog. Harvard Health Publishing; 2020. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-are-ultra-processed-foods-and-are-they-bad-for-our-health-2020010918605

[8] Jakicic JM, Rogers RJ, Church TS. Physical activity in the new era of antiobesity medications. Obesity. 2023 Oct 17