I just saw this on a GLP1 support group. I know many (if not most) there are using protein powders and drinks to try to up their intake to levels recommended. I have some that I mix with Greek Yogurt and fruit to make a yummy, fruity pudding-like dish. I guess I'll stop doing that.

Lead in protein powders and drinks.(linked)

Thanks for sharing the link, Oly! I wasnt keen on protein powders, shakes and bars but I was just trying to open my mind to them in the last few days ... so the timing is perfect.

Protein is my biggest struggle ... and I am being a little stressy about it. I do eat meat but my body doesnt like a lot of it. I dont eat meat at every meal or even every day. I thought, cool -- I'll just add beans, I am good with that! When I check the nutrition charts though, beans just don't offer the pack of protein in the smaller volumes. All the GLP girlies add yogurt and cottage cheese to their recipes-- but I am very lactose intolerant and so they dont work for me. From experience, I know I can tolerate small amounts of ricotta cheese but it has less protein.

It is going to be a process to learn what protein sources work for me -- I am going to try oatmilk yogurt this week and also look at combining ingredients with moderate protein into something that isnt too filling but incrementally increases my protein.

Here are a few things that worked well for me this past week... not necessarily good things (they were things I had on hand). I'd like to do better ... but they helped me on my first week with a pretty reduced appetite.

• peppered turkey lunch meat - I would prefer to not put processed lunchmeat at the core of my eating plan but it worked for me this week. My Wegmans has "Just Turkey" lunchmeat that is a much better option but it is pretty bland (turkey is the only ingredient). I do like it with pesto though.
• Sprouted wheat bagels - I really don't like the idea of bagels as part of a reduced calorie diet but they helped keep me eating this week and the ones I get are surprisingly high in protein. I paired them with turkey and veggies. Calories: 220 .. Fiber: 2g .. Protein: 10 g.
• eggs - I will lean into eggs more in the coming weeks. I don't like hardboiled or deviled eggs but I really like a mix of eggs and veggies-- asparagus, broccoli, spinach especially. I love that they don't feel like a rock in my stomach like many meats will.

In addition to trying oatmilk yogurt, I am also going to lean into fish and seafood. Tuna is easy-- I love tuna salad. I will also add shrimp and scallops this week. I am not a big fan of frozen salmon but will happily eat most other fish. I'd also like to try bone broth this week.

What are some of your favorite protein sources?

Do you eat bone broth? If so.. any brand recommendations or ways you use it?

Thank you Oly for the link, there was a thread about this some months back but I can't find it.

I like yogurt, eggs in all sorts of ways (frittatas are good), all kinds of beans, chicken and fish.

Those are great proteins, Lucille .. but do you have trouble getting enough protein with the reduced appetite?

I do. I set myself a goal, sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't. I make large frittatas and cut them into portions and freeze them, defrosted portions are helpful when I really don't want anything.

Quite often greek yogurt is tolerated by lactose intolerant and there are lactose free greek yogurts. They may be harder to find, but Fage makes one. Seeds and nuts are another way of getting protein. I do an oz of raw or lightly salted roasted almonds daily for 6 g of protein (incomplete) and to make it complete I can add pumpkin seeds or chia seeds, which also are high in protein. I love garbanzo beans, so sometimes make a side salad plate of tomatoes, cukes, garbanzo beans and avocado (which is a great source of fiber). Nut butters are another great source of protein. I do bean soups, white chicken chili, hummus, chili w/beans. Peas have about 8 g. protein per cup and are hi-fiber, full of vitamins and a complete amino acid. It just takes a lot of time to figure out what works. Do you have a nutritionist to work with?

Unfortunately so many of us on GLP's are trying to control our blood sugar. All those carbs in beans and legumes really throw a wrench in using them as a protein source.

I use Collagen Peptides sporadically and while not discussed in the protein powder article, they too can have high levels of lead. Who knew?

I have diabetes and while beans do elevate my glucose somewhat,a small quantity does not spike it. Beans are recommended by the American Diabetes Association and are a relatively low glycemic food. I believe the high fiber slows down the digestion rate.

https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/food-and-blood-sugar/diabetes-superstar-foods

https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/beans

I posted about the change in carbs when frozen. It makes more foods available. The chemistry behind food consumption and what our bodies do with it is amazing. I believe someone on here was wearing a device to show spikes in sugar WRT foods eaten. A glucometer might be helpful while taking the GLP’s. ( this is coming from someone who is not well versed on GLP’s but has worked with the diabetic population in rural AL as their Home Health RN for years) I am very interested in the response to eating ” real” food that is satisfying and dense nutrition. c

Kelly & Sharon Osbourne pic

Since someone mentioned Kelly Osbourne, here's a pic from a different angle. Click on the link above.

For people interested in glucose spikes in food, you may find this guy's info helpful. I see him on FB but he's probably other places, youtube or instagram maybe? His name is Justin Richards and he tests foods to measure the spike in his glucose after eating. He's tested so many things - I'm pretty sure he did the frozen starch comparison, but I didn't search for it. He wears a monitor - I don't know his story, if he's diabetic or pre-diabetic, but I find his testing fascinating. I remember he did one on sourdough, homemade vs storebought, I think. The results differed from some info circulating that sourdough doesn't cause the same spike in glucose.

The latest one I watched was corn vs flour tortillas - I was surprised to see the corn spiked glucose more than flour; I would have guessed the opposite. Then he made some simple tacos with beef I think, some avocado, maybe some cheese (sorry it's been a few days since I saw it) maybe a little salsa. He was experimenting on what adding protein and fats does to moderate the carbs in the tortillas. And it does, so what you eat WITH your carbs is very important.

link below:

Justin Richards

edited to add a video...here he shows how to control glucose spike by using the order in which you eat your food method: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1923564291574812

added a second - here he tests rice with added coconut oil and overnight refrigeration to compare to plain white rice https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JsRXjXuob/

@Olychick that is very interesting. I am not surprised by the corn vs flour as corn is especially sweet.

There is the ” chemical reaction ” again when considering the order in which one eats certain foods. I know the timing of eating during the 24° day also plays a part in our bodie’s reaction to food.

Our kids used to say at meal time ” dessert first ! ”. There’s probably a chemical reaction going on there 😂. c

Yesterday‘s pictures of kelly Osbourne really worry me that this is considered a weight loss success and is not worrisome. If your temple muscles are hollowed by weight loss likely so is your heart muscle. Weight loss can become addictive, tread safely.

Glycemic Index is the measure of how much a food will spike your blood sugar -- I believe it came out of Harvard initially. A lower glycemic index is less likely to spike than a high glycemic index. Combining foods is a way to lower the glycemic index of a meal .. as noted, combining a high glycemic index carb with fiber, protein and even fat will lower the impact of the meal.

I find it very interesting and used it as a guide for many years. I don't have a current resource but I am sure there are many articles on the internet.

@roarah, We don't know this person. We don't know if she considers this "a weight loss success" and is happy or unhappy. Surely she has the resources for excellent medical care. We have no way of knowing if she lost fat or muscle in her face, and certainly no way to make a further leap about heart health. Speculating and commenting feels like body shaming to me. I don't think people would post and say "look how pudgy her cheeks are; her internal organs must be surrounded by fat." Thank goodness (I think) no one thinks that is appropriate. I don't think "OMG she is so gaunt she is surely about to keel over" is appropriate either.

Moreover, the fact that people's faces get thinner when they lose weight is nothing surprising and has nothing to do with how they lost weight

If your temple muscles are hollowed by weight loss likely so is your heart muscle. Weight loss can become addictive, tread safely.

When I see people, like both osbornes and even kathy Bates and John Goodman with face changes which is indicative of muscle loss, I assume that our most important muscle, the heart, has also atrophied.

Some muscle loss occurs in weight loss, and it is important to get facts in order to assess risk, because obesity has risk as well.

It is important to note that some people have eating disorders but that is not the bulk of those trying to lose weight. If you know someone who appears to have an eating disorder it is a kindness to persuade them to get help.

I think discussing any misgivings freely in this thread is helpful to everyone so we can all lose weight safely, because obesity can have adverse consequences. It is also a kindness to support and share each other's weight loss journey and goals in a positive way and share experiences and information.

I agree that how you look does not have anything to do with the methodology used to lose weight, but IMO it is simply stating a fact that this body has lost too much weight regardless of how it was lost.

Yes, muscle loss can be dangerous, just as having significant fat deposits around one’s vital organs can. The BMI algorithm allows for a pretty wide range of weight that takes into account the many body types, ages and heights. If your BMI is lower than 18.5 you are too thin and at risk and if you are above 30 you are obese and also at risk.

Roarah, I saw that pic of her on IG, and the overwhelming majority of comments were negative. It’s sad they were posting such negativity, of course, but it was indicative that most were not normalizing her ”look.” I hope you find some comfort in that.

My algorithm is skewed because I follow several females who lift weights. Their emphasis is that muscle is important for healthspan, and skinny is not the goal. Kelly’s physique is not one to admire in my circles, although I try to avoid body-shaming comments.

It was wonderful to read Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu’s statement that she does not diet. What a wonderful example for our girls.

Not to hijack this thread that Lucille has so graciously shared, but it’s about time we, as females, look at our weight in terms of health and not appearance. We’ve had enough of the messaging.

Kelly has also admitted in the past week or so that she has had a relapse. IDK if it is drugs or alcohol or both, but that is also probably contributing to her appearance/health. I just wish her the best.

Re the bone broth - I was looking earlier this week, and I couldn't believe how expensive it was! The Kettle & Fire brand that gets mentioned a lot was almost $12 for the qt carton at Target. I saw a recipe on the Cleanfood Crush website, wonder if buying the bones would cost as much? https://cleanfoodcrush.com/slow-cooker-bone-broth-lowers-inflammation/ 

I had to look at the Target website to see if the price was that high in my area...I don't buy it from Target, but yes it's that high for the beef. I use chicken most often and it's about 1/2 that price, but that's for the 16 oz. I also only buy the 16 oz packages of beef which is similarly priced. I most often buy both from Trader Joe's and the packaging is very similar to Kettle and Fire, so I suspect that may be their supplier. A quart would spoil before I used it all. I like to boil cabbage in it to up the protein of a vegetable side.

A goal of meds is to decrease this visceral fat.

Look! Probably not needed but it came up on my feed and I thought of this thread.

The added calcium in the above supplement and restricting uric acid foods might help with the latest reported issues of osteoporosis and systemic gout risks.

They probably just took their basic multi-vitamin and repackaged it as the GLP1-1 Companion and charge you a dollar more for the box.

GLP1 is on everything now. Even frozen dinners in the supermarket to help support the diet. I just hope that is true and not another gimmick to sell.

Do people's Dr.s actually give them a diet to follow in conjunction with the med.s? I've not heard that.

I am not on GPL1, but I believe you need to eat foods that are high in protein, not to lose muscle mass, bone density etc. You still need to do your part to keep yourself healthy, while your appetite is reduced because of the medication.

Someone please correct me if I am giving the wrong information

My Dr has not given me a diet -- we did talk diet over recent months with regards to my weight loss to date and then also because initially I wanted to try managing my blood sugar/A1c with diet. I have a follow up in 2 months, I may request a referral .. SO was referred to a nutritionist but it wasnt specific to ozempic. He was already at a good healthy weight but he has other issues that sparked the referral. He found it very helpful ... not that he didnt know what was healthy vs unhealthy but he appreciated the targeted guidance for his specific issues.

I suspect approach may vary based on whether a GLP-1 is prescribed for weight loss, diabetes or the other health issues from diabetes. I would hope it would vary based on a patient's specific needs and starting diet.

From my newsfeed today regarding GLP-1

• increase incidence and risk of hair loss
• Higher GI (stomach/gut) risk than older weight loss drugs
• Linked to higher odds of antidepressant prescription
• Linked to overall lower cancer risk in adults with obesity

Spacing shots to maintain

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/health/glp1-weight-loss-dosing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Q1A.V1e4.4Eqyw_kiQ3Qr&smid=url-share

Perspectives on muscle loss

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/well/glp-1-muscle-loss.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Q1A.yHeN.gK1fzuLyZhm3&smid=url-share

Spacing my shots (low dose also) out had been working great for me when I was maintaining. I will most likely go back to that after my dr appt. I have gained back about 5lbs, which I'm fine with. But I felt so much better on it.

Interesting about the antidepressant use bc I felt better on the shot and am looking to start moving off my depression meds.

Yes, when I was at the weight management clinic through our hospital system at my first appointment they gave me recommended protein and carbohydrate grams per day targets and some suggested meal rotations. I have had sessions with an RD there, but we also have an RD training program at school and met with the dietetics students (who are supervised by faculty). In general my diet is pretty good, but it's always helpful to get suggestions. Whenever I see the doctor they they do a 24-hour dietary recall of the previous day's food.

I don't think has been posted...studies on weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications.

That is an interesting study confirming the usefulness of long term treatment (with possible tapering/spacing with individualed planning after reaching goal weight.)

I wonder if any comparative study has been done to see the trajectory of regain that often happens after substantial, non GLP weight loss? Just guessing, I think it might be similar.

Lucille most likely very similar. We all know people who have yo-yo'd their whole life. Oprah being the most famous example, with every resource imaginable at her disposal. I have a family friend who had one of the stomach weight loss surgeries and he lost a whole bunch and then regained it all. His underlying issues were never addressed. Stomach surgery probably has more success than just diets, but still plenty who gain it all back.

In one of the Oprah shows regarding the "Enough" book, she interviews Serena Willams, who apparently has struggled to keep weight off and is now the spokeswoman for Ozempic. She talks about no matter what she did, even when at the height of her career, playing or practicing hard for up to 8 hours a day, she could NOT control her body's determination to keep her fatter than she should have been. They discuss "set point" and how your body decides that to ensure you won't starve, it works really hard to pack on the pounds....did I post this before?

A light hearted post: I am not going to buy full sets of clothes as I lose weight, so today I ordered some suspenders because my pants with no belt loops are falling down. Note: posted image is not me.

LOL! Saw a guy yesterday w/ his pants just liek that. Hint in case you are wearing something where you don't want suspenders seen: you can sew 2 buttons on the back waistband use a short piece of elastic with buttonholes (or a ponytail elastic or short rubber band) to tighten the waist. I've been debating doing this because I have several pairs of pants that are just big enough where they slide down a bit but would be just fine if I could wear a belt. I don't want to take in the waist because I will donate them at some point & don't want them to be hard to fit anyone else.

Congrats on the significant weight loss, Lucille!

I havent had a significant loss recently but I did just size down (one size) in jeans as the result of my slow losses through last year. I purchased Old Navy jeans when they were on sale for $15 and I expect they will work for awhile. I havent yet found a non-denim pant that fits well but I don't really wear them often enough to want to buy an "in between size". I tend to wear dresses through the summer -- I have a few that still fit and I will be looking for deals and checking out the second hand market.

My next thing to replace : bras ... I am on the tightest hook and still, they are too loose. I loathe shopping for bras so I'll likely just pick up the same style I have been wearing in a size smaller.

I have lost lost weight very slowly so haven't needed to use stopgap measures like suspenders, so YMMV (and congrats BTW! take it you have little or no side effects? ). One thing to keep in mind is thrift stores and resale (often avail NWT or NWOT if you don't care for used clothes) offer a great, green way, to keep your wardrobe up to date with your changing figure. And when you...whatever the opposite of outgrow is... those, donate them back. My high school BFF who is on GLP1 (she is also diabetic, or was) taught me this and I really have come to enjoy "the hunt" buying clothes this way! Plus I get interesting and different things.

BTW, did you see the reportage in the NYT and global availability of GLP1s? Many non-European countries provide much shorter patent protection, and in those parts of the world the patents expire quite soon. Some estimate that the cost of production can be as little as $3! It is amazing to think that we may see an affordable "cure" (long term treatment) for obesity. The implications for longevity, health care costs, quality of life, and even reduced damage to the planet due to less food production (!?) are exciting to think about.

I am too lazy to scroll through this and other threads on the topic, so don't know if it was posted before, but apparently the airlines are expected to see significant savings on jet fuel as the population lightens up. I suppose they'll figure out how to squeeze in more seats if more people shrink down.

The economy seats aren't spacious or comfortable enough, even for a small person, so I hope the airlines don't get any stupid ideas. Let them keep the profit on the use of less fuel and leave seats alone!

lol

Congrats on everones weight loss!

Came across this article when I was looking for restaurants in suburban Philadelphia, LOL.

https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2026/03/31/should-i-take-ozempic-glp1/

If you cannot access it, here is the gist.

The reporter is interviewing an "..internal medicine physician ... For 32 years, he’s been on the faculty at Penn, where he trained. And he’s been named a Philadelphia magazine Top Doc every year since 2008."

Some useful excerpts:

Reporter:

"....last January, I came into your office, and you prescribed me Ozempic. I was kind of shocked because, while I knew I needed to lose some weight, I didn’t think it was at the level where I needed to stick a needle into my gut. I thought Ozempic was just for really fat people.

Doctor:

I am not exaggerating when I say to you that this family of drugs has revolutionized how we practice medicine. I never dreamed when I started that we would have the ability to get people on medications that do so many things, not just weight loss. There are studies that show GLP-1 meds can result in a reduction in sleep apnea, heart attack, stroke, the risk of renal failure, and risk of dementia. The list goes on and on.

Reporter:

But it’s not necessarily these drugs directly causing some of these improvements, right? If I lose a bunch of weight, this helps with sleep apnea and I’m assuming I’m less likely to have a heart attack if I drop 30 pounds.

Doctor:

"...researchers feel that it’s more than just that. They think it has to do with the fact that all of these drugs reduce inflammation, and inflammation is a big problem that causes so many issues....I have a couple of patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, and when I put them on these drugs, they (can't believe) ..how dramatically their pain has improved.

There are studies showing a reduction in the desire for alcohol and narcotics. Oh, and a reduction in obsessive compulsive thoughts.

If you have any risk factors for any of the conditions these drugs can prevent, I’m going to do everything I can to get you on these medications, because to me, it would be inappropriate not to.

I think this is completely in line with the thinking/research that is documented in the books Weightless and Enough, both by prominent obesity specialists. It is definitely confirmed by the women in the support groups I look at online for users of GLP1 medications regarding both inflammation, arthritis pain and the loss of desire for alcohol. I haven't read any mention of narcotic use or OCD, but people just may not feel as comfortable to mention those on public forums.

I just saw this article about protein intake in people using these meds. I see lots of people confused about how much they should eat and it gives guidelines.Today Show on GLP-1 meds and diet

Articlein the NYT today. Very interesting.

GLP1⬅️ link