GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Zepbound have increased in popularity to help with weight loss efforts. 

Decrease in 'Food Noise'

Many people taking these drugs experience a decrease in “food noise” – thoughts and urges to eat without feeling hungry, which contributes to weight gain.

These popular drugs also decrease feelings of hunger because they delay the gastric transit time, meaning food takes longer to digest.

Potential Side Effects

Besides having a high price tag, these medications have a downside. Side effects can include extreme nausea and even vomiting, which can interfere with everyday life. There also may be long-term side effects that are yet to be determined due to the newness of these drugs.  

Lose Weight Naturally

On the bright side, there are several ways to minimize “food noise” and naturally lose weight without medication:

• Pump up the protein. Increasing lean protein in your diet can be an effective weight loss approach. Protein keeps us more satiated (feeling fuller longer). It also promotes a healthy metabolism by fueling the muscles. Start your day with a high-protein breakfast to keep your cravings and appetite at bay for the rest of the day. Pairing carbohydrate or sugar sources with protein can better balance blood sugar and improve hunger cues. 
  
  Incorporate: eggs, fish (albacore tuna, wild caught salmon, shellfish), lean meats (skinless chicken or turkey), Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and beans.
   
• Focus on fiber. Fiber adds filling bulk without extra calories which controls hunger cues by slowing the rate of digestion. Adequate fiber intake of 25-30g per day can help you control cravings and better manage your weight. The Standard American diet lacks adequate fiber, so increasing fiber intake can improve overall health and weight loss efforts.
  
  Incorporate: more fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans. 
   
• Avoid the “all-or-nothing” diet mentality. Extreme and restrictive diets that require cutting out entire foods or food groups can actually have the opposite effect. This includes extreme dieting (eating 1,200 calories or less per day). Because extreme dieting is difficult to maintain, individuals following restrictive diets will most likely experience weight regain. Restriction always leads to binge eating or overindulgence. Restrictive diets also create “food rules” that lead to confusion over what you should eat for a healthy, balanced diet. 
  
  Instead, incorporate various foods in moderation focused on the bases of protein and fiber. Allowing yourself to eat “fun foods” – foods higher in fat and calories –in moderation prevents binges.
   
• Exercise, sleep and manage stress. All of these are important to a healthy metabolism and craving control. Exercise can decrease hunger cues and increase metabolism from muscle building and growth. Sleep repairs muscles and plays a role in hunger. Lack of adequate sleep drives hunger cues and sweet cravings. An elevated level of cortisol (stress hormone) makes it difficult to lose weight, especially abdominal fat. 
  
  Exercise can improve stress and sleep quality. When stress creeps in, try taking a walk or breathing deeply rather than reaching for something sweet.

Only a Tool

If GLP-1 medications are part of your weight loss journey, these guidelines can also help you. As with other weight loss aids, these injection medications are only tools and should be used with a balanced diet that includes high fiber foods like fruits and veggies, as well as adequate lean protein.