GLP-1 Companion Guide for Women

Table of Contents

#	Section
—	Please Read First: Full Disclaimer and Scope
1	Welcome: What This Guide Is For
2	GLP-1 Basics in Plain Language
3	Injection Routine: General Best Practices
4	Side Effects: Prevention and Practical Management
5	Protein: Protecting Muscle and Supporting Fullness
6	Hydration and Electrolytes
7	Building Balanced Meals With Less Appetite
8	Meal Ideas and 7-Day Flexible Meal Plan
9	Shopping List and Prep Guide
10	Strength Training and Movement
11	Supplements Are Tools, Not Requirements
12	Weight Maintenance and Long-Term Success
13	Lifestyle Foundations
14	Quick Reference Pages (Printable)
15	Final Encouragement
—	When to Contact Your Medical Team
—	Evidence and Resources to Discuss With Your Care Team

Please Read First: Full Disclaimer and Scope

1. Welcome: What This Guide Is For

You are doing something that takes real thought and real effort. A GLP-1 medication can be a genuinely helpful tool — and like any tool, it works best when the rest of the structure around it is solid.

GLP-1 medications commonly change how your body experiences food. Many women notice:

• Hunger feels quieter, or arrives less often
• Fullness arrives sooner and lasts longer
• Meals that once felt normal now feel like too much
• Favorite foods taste different, or stop appealing
• Digestion feels slower
• Total food intake drops, sometimes more than expected
• Energy dips on certain days

None of that is a character issue. It is a physiological shift. The trouble is that when intake drops quickly and without a plan, three things tend to slip first: protein, fluids, and strength. Those three are exactly what protect how you feel and function — now and years from now.

What this guide is not

It is not a diet. There is no food list you must obey, no window you have to eat in, and no rule here that beats the advice of your own clinician. It also does not contain dosing schedules, medication comparisons, or injection instructions specific to any product. Your prescriber and pharmacist own that part.

How to use this guide

You do not need to read this cover to cover. Skim the table of contents, jump to what you need this week, and print the worksheets in Section 14.

If you’d like a rhythm, here is a simple weekly routine that fits into about an hour total:

Step	What you do	Roughly how long
1. Review	Look back at your symptom and injection log. What felt good? What was hard?	5 minutes
2. Plan	Set your protein and hydration plan for the week	10 minutes
3. Shop	Grocery shop from a categorized list (Section 9)	30–40 minutes
4. Prep	Prepare easy meals, snacks, and backup options	60 minutes
5. Schedule	Put strength training and movement on the calendar like appointments	5 minutes
6. Reflect	Notice progress without perfectionism. Adjust one thing, not ten	5 minutes

2. GLP-1 Basics in Plain Language

What these medications generally do

GLP-1 is a hormone your body already makes in your gut after you eat. It is part of the signaling system that tells your brain you have eaten and helps regulate blood sugar. GLP-1 medications are designed to act on those same pathways, more strongly and for longer than the natural hormone does.

In general terms, that tends to mean:

• Appetite signals turn down. Food thoughts get quieter and cravings often ease.
• Fullness arrives sooner. You feel satisfied on a smaller amount of food.
• The stomach empties more slowly. Food stays put longer, which extends fullness — and can also create heaviness, nausea, or reflux for some women.
• Blood sugar regulation improves for many people, which is part of why some of these medications are also used in diabetes care.

Your specific medication, your dose, how long you have been on it, and your own body all shape what you experience. Two women on the same medication can have very different weeks.

Why food tolerance changes

When the stomach empties more slowly, three things matter more than they used to:

1. Volume. A plate that looks reasonable may simply be too much at one sitting.
2. Fat content. Very greasy, fried, or heavy meals sit longer and are the most common reported trigger for nausea and discomfort.
3. Speed. Fullness signals now arrive with a delay. Eating fast means you can pass “comfortable” before you notice it.

That is why the practical advice throughout this guide keeps circling back to the same handful of moves: smaller portions, slower eating, protein first, steady fluids across the day.

Weight loss phase vs. weight maintenance phase

	Active weight loss phase	Maintenance phase
Main goal	Reduce weight while protecting muscle and nutrition	Hold your range while protecting strength, energy, and quality of life
Biggest risk	Under-eating protein, fluids, and total nutrition	Drifting away from the habits that worked; treating maintenance as “done”
Focus	Protein at every meal, hydration, starting strength training	Same habits, adjusted portions, more emphasis on progression and life fit
Scale role	One data point among several	One data point among several

Maintenance is an active phase with its own skills. Section 12 is devoted to it, and it is worth reading before you get there.

Why the scale is not the whole story

A number on a scale cannot tell you whether you can carry groceries up the stairs, sleep well, think clearly, climb a trail, or get off the floor easily at seventy. Those things come from muscle, nutrition adequacy, sleep, and consistency.

3. Injection Routine: General Best Practices

General education on subcutaneous injection routines

Many subcutaneous medications are given in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm — but the sites approved for your medication are listed in your product instructions. Confirm them with your pharmacist.

Commonly taught general practices include:

• Rotate your sites. Using the same exact spot repeatedly can cause lumpiness, tenderness, or changes in the tissue over time. Many people rotate in a simple pattern, moving to a new area each dose.
• Avoid skin that is irritated, bruised, scarred, tender, red, infected, hardened, or otherwise damaged. Choose healthy skin.
• Wash your hands and follow the cleaning steps your product instructions specify.
• Keep a simple log of site, date, and how you felt afterward. Patterns show up fast on paper.
• Keep a consistent weekly routine — same day, similar time — if that matches your prescribed instructions. Consistency makes it easier to remember and easier to plan around.
• Dispose of sharps in an approved sharps container per your pharmacy’s guidance. Never in household trash or recycling.

Planning around your medication day

Some women notice their strongest appetite suppression or their most digestive sensitivity in the first day or two after a dose. If that’s you, plan gently rather than pushing through.

Questions worth asking your pharmacist or prescriber

• Which injection sites are approved for my specific medication?
• What should I do if I miss a dose, and is there a window?
• How should I store this at home, and how do I travel with it?
• Can I change which day of the week I take it, and how?
• Am I using the device correctly — can you watch me or demonstrate?
• What side effects should prompt me to call you, and what should prompt urgent care?
• Do any of my other medications or supplements interact with this?
• How will we monitor my nutrition, labs, or muscle over time?

Printable: Injection and Symptom Tracker

Date	Med day (Y/N)	Injection location	Appetite / fullness (1–5)	Hydration (oz)	Protein (g)	Symptoms	Bowel habits	Movement / strength	Notes for medical team

Appetite / fullness scale: 1 = no appetite at all · 3 = mild, manageable appetite · 5 = normal appetite

4. Side Effects: Prevention and Practical Management

Most digestive effects are most noticeable early on or after a change your clinician makes, and many women find they ease with time. That is not a promise about your experience — it is a reason not to panic in week two.

Everything below is conservative, practical, and food-and-habit based. None of it treats a medical condition, and none of it replaces your clinician’s advice.

Practical management table

Common experience	Practical nutrition and lifestyle supports	Habits that may make it worse	When to contact a clinician
Nausea	Smaller, more frequent meals; eat slowly; start with a few bites of plain protein; bland, cool, or room-temperature foods; ginger or peppermint tea if it agrees with you; fresh air and a short walk; sip fluids between meals	Large meals; fried or very greasy foods; strong smells while cooking; skipping food entirely all day, which can worsen it; eating very fast	Nausea that stops you from eating or drinking, lasts for days, or comes with vomiting or pain
Early fullness	Protein first, then produce; use a smaller plate honestly rather than as punishment; split a meal into two sittings an hour apart; add nutrient-dense extras (nut butter, avocado, cheese) instead of more volume	Drinking large volumes right before or during meals; large salads or high-volume foods before protein; distracted eating	Consistently unable to eat enough across the day; unintended rapid weight loss
Reduced appetite	Eat on a schedule rather than waiting for hunger; use a “minimum viable meal” (Section 5); keep liquid protein available; make every bite count nutritionally	Waiting for hunger that never comes; going all day on coffee; treating no appetite as free progress	If you cannot meet basic nutrition for several days in a row
Constipation	Increase fiber gradually with plenty of fluid; fruits, vegetables, beans, oats, chia, ground flax; daily walking; consistent hydration; a regular morning routine	Sudden large fiber increases; low fluid intake with high fiber; low overall food intake; ignoring the urge	No bowel movement for several days, severe pain, bloating with vomiting, or before starting any laxative product
Diarrhea	Simple, low-grease foods; bananas, rice, oats, toast, applesauce, potatoes; fluids plus electrolytes if appropriate for you; note whether sugar alcohols or very high-fat meals are the trigger	Very greasy or fried foods; large amounts of sugar alcohols in “sugar-free” products; excess caffeine; alcohol	Diarrhea that is severe, bloody, lasts more than a couple of days, or comes with dehydration signs
Bloating or gas	Smaller portions; slow, thorough chewing; walk after meals; introduce beans and cruciferous vegetables gradually; limit carbonation and straws if they bother you	Carbonated drinks; chewing gum; eating quickly; big jumps in fiber; large meals	Severe or worsening bloating with pain or vomiting
Reflux or heartburn	Smaller meals; stay upright 2–3 hours after eating; lower-fat meals; a slightly earlier dinner; elevate the head of your bed if this is a pattern	Lying down right after eating; late heavy meals; large portions; alcohol; known personal triggers such as tomato, citrus, chocolate, or spice	Frequent reflux, difficulty swallowing, pain, or if you’re considering any new over-the-counter product
Vomiting	Rest the stomach briefly, then small sips of fluid; advance slowly to bland foods; keep upright	Pushing through a full meal; high-fat foods too soon; taking nothing in for long stretches	Promptly if vomiting is repeated, you cannot keep fluids down, or it comes with abdominal pain
Fatigue or low energy	Check whether you’re actually eating enough — under-eating is a very common cause; protein and carbohydrate at each meal; hydration; sleep routine; gentler training week	Skipping meals; very low total intake; cutting carbohydrates to near zero; poor sleep; over-training on low fuel	Persistent fatigue, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, or new symptoms — labs may be worth reviewing
Difficulty meeting nutrition needs	Protein-first strategy; liquid nutrition and smoothies; nutrient-dense add-ins; scheduled eating; ask for a referral to a registered dietitian	Relying only on low-nutrient snack foods; going entire days without protein; an all-or-nothing mindset	If this lasts more than a week or two — this is a very good reason to see a registered dietitian

Planning for low-appetite days

Have a written plan so you’re not deciding while you feel awful:

• Protein shake or Greek yogurt in the morning
• Broth-based soup with shredded chicken at midday
• Crackers with cheese, or applesauce, mid-afternoon
• Scrambled eggs with toast at dinner
• Fluids sipped steadily all day

That day may only total a few hundred calories more than nothing — but it holds the line on protein and fluid, which is the point.

A word on alcohol

Alcohol can worsen nausea, reflux, dehydration, and sleep quality, and some women find their tolerance changes on these medications. It also affects blood sugar. If it makes symptoms worse, or if your clinician has advised against it, skip it.

5. Protein: Protecting Muscle and Supporting Fullness

If you take only one thing from this entire guide, take this one.

When body weight drops, some of what is lost is fat and some is lean tissue, including muscle. Muscle is what powers your metabolism, your posture, your balance, your bone health, and your ability to do ordinary physical things with ease. Losing it quietly is a problem you feel years later.

The two best-supported protections are adequate protein and resistance training — together. Neither one does the job alone.

Protein also helps with fullness and steadier energy, which matters when you have limited room in your stomach and need each meal to earn its place.

Educational protein calculator

A general discussion range often used for many healthy adults is roughly 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Higher intakes are sometimes considered for adults who are very active or intentionally strength training during weight loss. Where you land is a conversation, not a calculation.

Worksheet: find your discussion range

Step	Do this	Your number
1	Write your body weight in pounds	__________ lb
2	Divide by 2.2 to get kilograms	__________ kg
3	Multiply kg × 1.0 = lower end of range	__________ g/day
4	Multiply kg × 1.2 = upper end of range	__________ g/day
5	Circle a starting target to discuss with your care team	__________ g/day
6	Divide your target by the number of eating occasions you realistically have	__________ g per meal/snack

Worked example (educational only): 165 lb ÷ 2.2 = 75 kg. 75 × 1.0 = 75 g. 75 × 1.2 = 90 g. A starting point to discuss might be about 80 g per day. Across three meals and one snack, that’s roughly 25 g, 25 g, 25 g, and 5–10 g.

The protein-first strategy

On a small-appetite day, order matters. Eat in this order:

1. Protein first — the first several bites, while you have the most room
2. Produce or fiber-rich carbohydrate second
3. Fats and extras last, as tolerated

You may not finish the plate. That’s fine. You finished the part that protects your muscle.

High-protein foods by category

All values are approximate estimates and vary by brand, cut, and preparation. Check labels.

Dairy

Food	Serving	Approx. protein
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	1 cup (about 7 oz)	18–20 g
Cottage cheese, low-fat	1 cup	24–28 g
Skyr	5.3 oz cup	15–17 g
Milk (dairy)	1 cup	8 g
Ultra-filtered high-protein milk	1 cup	13 g
Cheese, cheddar or mozzarella	1 oz	6–7 g
Ricotta, part-skim	½ cup	14 g

Eggs

Food	Serving	Approx. protein
Whole egg	1 large	6 g
Egg whites	½ cup	13 g
Pre-made egg bites	2 pieces	12–19 g

Poultry, meat, fish, and seafood

Food	Serving	Approx. protein
Chicken breast, cooked	3 oz	25–26 g
Rotisserie chicken, mixed	3 oz	22–25 g
Ground turkey, 93% lean, cooked	3 oz	22 g
Lean beef, sirloin, cooked	3 oz	25 g
Pork tenderloin, cooked	3 oz	23 g
Salmon, cooked	3 oz	22 g
Tuna, canned in water	3 oz pouch	20 g
Shrimp, cooked	3 oz	20 g
Cod or tilapia, cooked	3 oz	20–21 g
Deli turkey, low-sodium	2 oz	10–12 g
Beef or turkey jerky	1 oz	9–12 g

Plant proteins and vegetarian options

Food	Serving	Approx. protein
Firm tofu	4 oz	10–12 g
Tempeh	3 oz	16–18 g
Edamame, shelled	½ cup	9 g
Lentils, cooked	½ cup	9 g
Chickpeas, cooked	½ cup	7 g
Black beans, cooked	½ cup	7 g
Roasted chickpeas	¼ cup	6 g
High-protein pasta (chickpea or lentil)	2 oz dry	13–14 g
Peanut butter	2 tbsp	7 g
Hemp hearts	3 tbsp	9–10 g
Nutritional yeast	2 tbsp	5–8 g
Soy milk, unsweetened	1 cup	7–8 g
Veggie burger, high-protein style	1 patty	11–20 g

Convenience foods

Food	Serving	Approx. protein
Whey or plant protein powder	1 scoop	20–25 g
Ready-to-drink protein shake	11 oz bottle	20–30 g
Protein bar	1 bar	10–20 g
Tuna or salmon pouch	1 pouch	16–20 g
Frozen grilled chicken strips	3 oz	20–22 g
Shelf-stable cottage cheese cups	1 cup	15–19 g

Adding protein without adding volume

• Stir a scoop of unflavored protein powder into oatmeal, soup, or coffee
• Swap regular yogurt for Greek yogurt or skyr
• Use cottage cheese as the base for a bowl instead of a side
• Add hemp hearts or nutritional yeast to just about anything savory
• Choose high-protein pasta, bread, or wraps
• Keep pre-cooked chicken or shrimp to add to any meal in two minutes
• Use ultra-filtered milk in coffee, cereal, and smoothies

Protein pairings by meal

Meal	Easy combinations
Breakfast	Greek yogurt + berries + hemp hearts · 2 eggs + 1 slice high-protein toast · cottage cheese + peach + cinnamon · protein smoothie with milk and frozen fruit
Lunch	Tuna pouch + avocado + crackers · rotisserie chicken over quinoa and greens · lentil soup + string cheese · turkey and cheese roll-ups + fruit
Snack	Hard-boiled egg + fruit · edamame with sea salt · cottage cheese cup · jerky + apple · protein shake
Dinner	Salmon + roasted potatoes + green beans · turkey chili · sheet-pan chicken and vegetables · tofu stir-fry over rice

The “minimum viable meal” framework

For days when appetite is very low, aim for this and call it a success:

One palm of protein + one thing with color + one glass of fluid.

Examples: a hard-boiled egg, a few cherry tomatoes, and water. Half a protein shake and half a banana. A small cup of chicken soup with a clementine.

That is not a failure day. That is a maintained floor.

6. Hydration and Electrolytes

When you eat less, you also drink less than you realize — a meaningful share of daily fluid normally comes from food. Add slower digestion, and mild dehydration becomes one of the most common, most fixable causes of headaches, fatigue, constipation, and lightheadedness in women using these medications.

Educational hydration calculator

A simple starting-point method used for general education is roughly 30 to 35 mL of fluid per kilogram of body weight per day, from all beverages combined.

Worksheet: find your starting range

Step	Do this	Your number
1	Body weight in pounds	__________ lb
2	Divide by 2.2 for kilograms	__________ kg
3	kg × 30 = lower end, in mL	__________ mL
4	kg × 35 = upper end, in mL	__________ mL
5	Divide each by 30 to get fluid ounces	______ to ______ oz
6	Divide by your bottle size to get refills per day	__________ refills

Worked example (educational only): 165 lb ÷ 2.2 = 75 kg. 75 × 30 = 2,250 mL; 75 × 35 = 2,625 mL. That’s roughly 75–88 oz, or about three to four 24-oz bottles. Add more on hot days, heavy sweat days, or sick days — and confirm with your team.

Practical hydration strategies

• Build a morning anchor. One full glass before coffee, every day. It’s the single easiest win.
• Use a marked bottle with time or volume lines, or a bottle you know the ounces of. Guessing fails.
• Sip steadily. Trying to catch up at 9 p.m. mostly buys you a broken night of sleep.
• Make it taste good. Citrus, cucumber, mint, berries, herbal tea hot or iced, or sugar-free flavor drops if those suit you.
• Eat your water. Soups, broths, yogurt, melon, berries, oranges, cucumber, tomatoes, and smoothies all count.
• Separate fluids from meals if drinking during meals crowds out food or makes fullness uncomfortable. Try most of your fluid between meals instead.
• Pair with an existing habit. Drink when you brush your teeth, when you get in the car, before every meeting.

Electrolytes — strategically, not automatically

Most women do not need a daily electrolyte drink. They can be genuinely useful in specific situations: heavy sweating, hot weather, prolonged exercise, diarrhea, vomiting, or a stretch of very low food intake.

Cautions: many products contain significant sodium, potassium, or added sugar. If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart failure, or take medications affecting potassium, ask your clinician before using them regularly.

7. Building Balanced Meals With Less Appetite

When you can only eat a small amount, the question shifts from “how do I eat less?” to “how do I make this small amount count?”

The flexible meal-building method

Build each meal in this order:

1. Protein. Start here, every time. A palm-sized portion, or whatever fraction of it you can manage.
2. Produce or a fiber-containing carbohydrate. Vegetables, fruit, beans, oats, potatoes, whole grains. This is where your fiber and much of your nutrition comes from.
3. Color and micronutrients. Aim for a few different colors across the day, not every plate. Variety is a weekly goal.
4. Satisfying fats in moderate portions, based on tolerance. Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, cheese. These add flavor, nutrients, and staying power — but heavy fat is the most common discomfort trigger, so calibrate to your own tolerance.
5. Fluids across the day, mostly between meals if volume with meals is uncomfortable.

Habits that make small meals work

• Eat on a schedule, not on hunger. If you wait for hunger, you may wait all day. Plan three eating occasions and one or two snacks, and keep them even when appetite is quiet.
• Don’t arrive ravenous. When intake has been low all day, the evening can get uncomfortable fast. Spreading food out prevents that.
• Keep portions modest but nutrient-dense. A small bowl with yogurt, berries, and hemp hearts beats a large bowl of lettuce.
• Chew thoroughly and slow down. Put the fork down between bites. Aim for 20 minutes per meal. Fullness signals are delayed now — give them time to arrive.
• Stop at comfortable fullness. Not stuffed, not still hungry. Comfortable.
• Honor fullness without skipping nutrition all day. Stopping early at lunch is fine. Skipping lunch entirely, every day, is not.
• Use easy foods when you feel off. Bland, soft, room-temperature, low-grease. Eggs, yogurt, soup, toast, applesauce, rice, bananas, crackers, smoothies.
• Refuse all-or-nothing rules. There are no forbidden foods here. A dessert at a birthday is part of a normal life, not a breach of contract.

8. Meal Ideas and 7-Day Flexible Meal Plan

This is a flexible framework, not an assignment. Swap days, repeat favorites, and use the modification columns freely. Protein estimates are approximate and will vary by brand and portion.

Three adaptation notes appear throughout:

• Low appetite: a smaller or gentler version
• Vegetarian: a plant-based swap
• Higher needs: an add-on for more calories or protein if you’re very active or losing too quickly

Day 1

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Greek yogurt bowl: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup berries, 1 tbsp hemp hearts, drizzle of honey	22 g
Lunch	Rotisserie chicken grain bowl: 3 oz chicken, ½ cup cooked quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomato, feta, lemon-olive oil	30 g
Snack	Cottage cheese cup with sliced peach	15 g
Dinner	Sheet-pan salmon with green beans and baby potatoes; roast at 425°F for 18–20 minutes	25 g

Low appetite: halve the grain bowl and eat the chicken first. Vegetarian: swap baked tofu for chicken, white beans for salmon. Higher needs: add avocado to the bowl and a slice of buttered sourdough at dinner.

Day 2

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Protein smoothie: 1 scoop protein powder, 1 cup milk, ½ frozen banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter, handful spinach	32 g
Lunch	Tuna pouch over greens with avocado, crackers on the side	24 g
Snack	Hard-boiled egg + clementine	7 g
Dinner	Turkey chili: ground turkey, kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, chili powder — simmer 25 minutes; top with a spoon of Greek yogurt	30 g

Low appetite: half the smoothie morning, half mid-morning. Vegetarian: chickpea salad instead of tuna; three-bean chili with extra beans. Higher needs: cornbread with the chili; add granola to the smoothie.

Day 3

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Cottage cheese toast: ½ cup cottage cheese on high-protein toast, everything seasoning, tomato slices	20 g
Lunch	Lentil soup + string cheese + apple	20 g
Snack	Roasted chickpeas, ¼ cup	6 g
Dinner	Chicken stir-fry: 3 oz chicken, frozen stir-fry vegetables, low-sodium soy-ginger sauce, over ½ cup rice	28 g

Low appetite: skip the rice, eat the chicken and a few vegetables. Vegetarian: tofu stir-fry; add edamame to the soup. Higher needs: cashews in the stir-fry, a full cup of rice.

Day 4

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Two egg bites (store-bought or baked ahead) + ½ cup berries	14 g
Lunch	Turkey and cheese roll-ups, whole-grain crackers, baby carrots with hummus	22 g
Snack	Ready-to-drink protein shake	25 g
Dinner	Slow-cooker shredded chicken tacos: chicken breast + salsa on low 4–6 hours; serve in corn tortillas with cabbage slaw	30 g

Low appetite: one egg bite; tacos as a small bowl without tortillas. Vegetarian: black bean and sweet potato tacos; egg bites are already vegetarian. Higher needs: guacamole, cheese, and a third tortilla.

Day 5

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Overnight oats: ½ cup oats, ½ cup milk, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp chia, cinnamon — refrigerate overnight	22 g
Lunch	Leftover taco bowl with extra cabbage and lime	25 g
Snack	Edamame, ½ cup, with sea salt	9 g
Dinner	Lean beef and vegetable skillet: 3 oz sirloin strips, peppers, onion, mushroom, garlic, over mashed cauliflower or potatoes	27 g

Low appetite: half the oats. Vegetarian: tempeh strips in the skillet. Higher needs: add nut butter to the oats, more potatoes at dinner.

Day 6

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Scrambled eggs (2) with spinach and feta + orange slices	16 g
Lunch	Chicken and white bean soup with a side of Greek yogurt-based dip and pita	26 g
Snack	Cheese stick + handful of almonds	12 g
Dinner	Baked cod with lemon, roasted broccoli, and couscous	25 g

Low appetite: soup alone, sipped from a mug. Vegetarian: white bean soup without chicken plus extra beans; baked tofu for cod. Higher needs: olive oil drizzle, extra couscous, add a roll.

Day 7

Meal	What to make	Approx. protein
Breakfast	Protein pancakes (protein powder + egg + oats blended) with berries	25 g
Lunch	Big protein snack plate: hard-boiled eggs, cheese, olives, cucumber, hummus, whole-grain crackers, grapes	22 g
Snack	Greek yogurt with cinnamon	18 g
Dinner	Sheet-pan chicken sausage with peppers, onions, and sweet potato; roast at 400°F for 30 minutes	28 g

Low appetite: skip breakfast pancakes for a shake; graze the snack plate over two hours. Vegetarian: plant-based sausage; add marinated tofu to the plate. Higher needs: add rice and an extra sausage.

9. Shopping List and Prep Guide

One-week categorized shopping list

Protein foods - [ ] Greek yogurt or skyr - [ ] Cottage cheese - [ ] Eggs (and pre-made egg bites) - [ ] Rotisserie chicken or chicken breasts - [ ] Ground turkey - [ ] Salmon or cod fillets - [ ] Tuna or salmon pouches - [ ] Lean beef or pork tenderloin - [ ] Chicken sausage - [ ] Tofu, tempeh, or edamame - [ ] String cheese or sliced cheese - [ ] Deli turkey - [ ] Canned beans and lentils

Produce - [ ] Berries (fresh or frozen) - [ ] Bananas, apples, oranges - [ ] Spinach or mixed greens - [ ] Cucumber, tomatoes, peppers - [ ] Broccoli, green beans - [ ] Onion, garlic, lemon - [ ] Bagged slaw or stir-fry mix - [ ] Avocado

Fiber-rich carbohydrates - [ ] Oats - [ ] Quinoa, rice, or couscous - [ ] Baby potatoes or sweet potatoes - [ ] High-protein or whole-grain bread - [ ] Whole-grain crackers - [ ] Corn tortillas - [ ] High-protein pasta

Healthy fats and flavor - [ ] Olive oil - [ ] Nut butter - [ ] Almonds or walnuts - [ ] Hemp hearts, chia, or ground flax - [ ] Feta or parmesan - [ ] Hummus - [ ] Salsa, herbs, spices, vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce

Easy-to-tolerate foods for symptom days - [ ] Low-sodium broth or canned soup - [ ] Applesauce - [ ] Saltines or plain crackers - [ ] White rice - [ ] Bananas - [ ] Plain toast bread - [ ] Ginger or peppermint tea - [ ] Popsicles or gelatin

Freezer and pantry staples - [ ] Frozen vegetables and fruit - [ ] Frozen cooked chicken or shrimp - [ ] Microwave grain pouches - [ ] Canned tomatoes and beans - [ ] Shelf-stable milk or soy milk

Optional convenience items - [ ] Protein powder - [ ] Ready-to-drink protein shakes - [ ] Protein bars - [ ] Pre-cut vegetables - [ ] Single-serve guacamole or hummus cups - [ ] Electrolyte packets, if appropriate for you

The 60-minute weekly prep checklist

Minutes	Task
0–15	Cook or purchase proteins. Bake chicken, brown turkey, hard-boil a dozen eggs, or unbox a rotisserie chicken
15–30	Wash and chop produce. Cucumber, peppers, carrots into containers; wash berries; bag greens
30–40	Make one breakfast option. Overnight oats in jars, or a tray of egg bites
40–50	Build 4–5 snack boxes. Cheese + crackers + grapes; eggs + fruit; hummus + veg
50–55	Stock hydration. Fill bottles, brew a pitcher of tea, chill flavor options
55–60	Set your backups. Confirm you have two no-effort meals on hand — soup, frozen meal, or shake + fruit

10. Strength Training and Movement

Resistance training is not optional garnish during weight change — it is the other half of protecting your muscle. Along with adequate protein, it supports strength, bone health, joint function, balance, and the everyday physical capability that makes life feel good.

It also tends to change how women feel about the process. Watching your strength go up while your weight goes down is a very different experience than watching only one number fall.

The starting goal

Two to three full-body resistance training sessions per week, on non-consecutive days, modified for your fitness level and medical clearance. Thirty minutes is plenty. Twenty counts.

Add walking or other movement you enjoy on most days. General adult activity guidance also encourages regular aerobic activity across the week — build toward it at your own pace.

The six movement patterns

A full-body session covers these six patterns. One or two exercises each is enough.

Pattern	What it does	Body weight	Bands	Dumbbells / machines
Squat / sit-to-stand	Legs, glutes, everyday standing up	Chair sit-to-stand	Band squat	Goblet squat, leg press
Hinge	Back of the legs, glutes, low-back support	Hip bridge	Band deadlift	Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Push	Chest, shoulders, triceps	Wall or incline push-up	Band chest press	Dumbbell press, chest press machine
Pull	Upper back, biceps, posture	Table row	Band row	Dumbbell row, lat pulldown, seated row
Carry	Grip, core, real-life strength	Walk holding two grocery bags	—	Farmer’s carry with dumbbells
Core stability	Trunk support, balance, back health	Dead bug, bird dog, plank	Band pallof press	Cable pallof press

A simple beginner session

Do 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions of each, resting 60–90 seconds between sets.

1. Chair sit-to-stand or goblet squat
2. Hip bridge or Romanian deadlift
3. Incline push-up or dumbbell chest press
4. Dumbbell row or band row
5. Farmer’s carry, 30 seconds
6. Dead bug or bird dog, 8 per side

Finish with a few minutes of easy walking and gentle stretching.

Progressive overload, in plain language

Your body adapts to what it can already do. To keep getting stronger, make it slightly harder over time — one small change at a time:

• Add a repetition or two
• Add a set
• Add a small amount of weight
• Slow the lowering phase down for more control
• Improve your range of motion
• Shorten rest slightly
• Progress to a harder version of the same movement

If the last two repetitions of a set feel genuinely challenging but your form stays clean, you’re in the right zone.

Recovery is part of training

Muscle is built between sessions, not during them. That means adequate protein, adequate total food, hydration, and sleep. If you are under-fueled, your training will feel disproportionately hard — that’s information, not weakness.

Modifying on hard days

How you feel	What to do
Nauseated	Skip the heavy session. Walk, stretch, or do one light set of each pattern
Fatigued	Reduce sets by half and keep the movements. Often it feels better once you start — if it doesn’t, stop
Dizzy or lightheaded	Stop. Sit, hydrate, eat something. Do not train. If it recurs, contact your clinician
Dehydrated	Rehydrate first. Gentle movement only
Acutely ill	Rest. Return gradually at a lower intensity
Sore but otherwise fine	Train — possibly lighter, or work different patterns

Printable: Weekly Strength and Movement Tracker

Day	Strength session (Y/N)	Exercises / patterns covered	Sets × reps × weight	Walk or other movement	Energy (1–5)	Notes
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

This week’s win: ______________________________________________

One small progression for next week: ______________________________________________

11. Supplements Are Tools, Not Requirements

No supplement is universally necessary. Whether any of these makes sense for you depends on your actual food intake, your labs, your symptoms, your medications, your life stage, and your health history — which is exactly why this is a conversation with a clinician or registered dietitian, not a shopping decision.

Worth reviewing with your clinician or dietitian

Supplement	Why it sometimes comes up	What to consider
Protein powder or RTD shakes	Convenience when appetite is low and whole-food protein is hard to finish	A food-based tool, not a meal plan. Check protein per serving and added sugars
Fiber supplements	May be discussed for constipation when food fiber isn’t enough	Introduce gradually with adequate fluid; not appropriate for everyone, and not before a clinician rules out other causes
Basic multivitamin	Considered when total food intake is consistently limited	Insurance, not a substitute for food. Choose a straightforward formula
Vitamin D	Common to check and discuss, particularly with limited sun or limited intake	Ideally guided by labs, not guesswork
Vitamin B12	Comes up with low intake, plant-based eating, or certain medications	Labs and clinician guidance
Iron	Comes up with heavy periods, low intake, or low labs	Do not self-supplement iron. Excess iron is harmful. Labs first
Calcium	Relevant when dairy and fortified foods are limited, and for bone health	Food first; discuss dose and timing
Magnesium	Sometimes discussed for constipation, sleep, or cramping	Forms differ a lot; some cause diarrhea. Ask before using
Omega-3s	Discussed when fish intake is low	Relevant interaction considerations with blood thinners
Electrolytes	Specific situations only — heavy sweat, diarrhea, vomiting, very low intake	Not a daily default. Caution with blood pressure, kidney, or heart conditions
Creatine monohydrate	An optional, well-studied supplement some adults doing resistance training consider for strength and lean mass support	Typically well tolerated in healthy adults; may cause early water-weight shifts or stomach upset for some. Review with your clinician first, particularly with kidney concerns, pregnancy, or breastfeeding

Safeguards

• Choose third-party-tested products when possible — look for NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, or USP verification.
• Avoid entire categories of marketing nonsense: “GLP-1 boosters,” “natural Ozempic,” fat burners, detoxes, cleanses, laxative teas, and appetite-suppressant blends. They are unnecessary at best and unsafe at worst.
• Bring the actual bottle — or a photo of the label — to your appointments, so your team can check interactions.
• Remember that “natural” is not a safety claim and supplements are not reviewed by the FDA the way medications are.

12. Weight Maintenance and Long-Term Success

Maintenance is an active phase

It is not the end of the project, and it is not failure. It is a different phase with different skills — and it lasts far longer than the weight loss phase does. Women who plan for it do considerably better than women who arrive at it by surprise.

Whatever your medication plan looks like over time, the habits in this guide keep earning. Protein, strength, fiber, hydration, sleep, consistent meals: those are the load-bearing walls.

What often changes in maintenance

• Appetite may return, partially or fully, depending on your plan and your body. That is expected, not a relapse.
• Food intake naturally increases as your body stabilizes. Also expected.
• Weight fluctuates within a range. A few pounds up and down across a month is normal physiology — fluid, sodium, hormones, digestion.
• Old patterns reappear when routines break. Travel, deadlines, illness, and holidays test the structure. That’s what backups are for.

The maintenance checklist

Adjusting with guidance

Portions, meal frequency, and energy intake may need to shift when your weight, appetite, activity level, or medication plan changes. Make those adjustments with your clinician and dietitian, not alone and not abruptly — particularly if anything about your medication is changing.

Progress markers beyond weight

Category	What to notice
Strength	Weights lifted, reps completed, ease of daily tasks
Energy	Afternoon energy, workout recovery, morning wake-ups
Health data	Labs and measures your clinician tracks
Digestion	Comfort, regularity, fewer symptom days
Function	Stairs, travel, playing with kids, hiking
Fit and image	How clothes fit; how you feel in photos
Consistency	Meals planned, workouts completed, weeks in a row
Confidence	Trusting yourself around food and in your body

Real life: travel, holidays, restaurants

• Travel: pack shelf-stable protein (jerky, pouches, bars, shakes), a water bottle, and a plan for breakfast. Walk airports. Keep your strength habit alive with two hotel-room body-weight sessions.
• Holidays: eat protein earlier in the day, not “saving up.” Plate what you want, eat slowly, stop at comfortable. Nothing is off-limits.
• Restaurants: portions are often more than you can comfortably finish now — box half at the start, or order an appetizer plus a side of protein. Ask for sauces on the side if very rich food bothers you.
• Disrupted routines: drop to your minimum — protein, water, a walk. Minimums are what carry you through hard weeks.

13. Lifestyle Foundations

Sleep

Short or poor sleep tends to raise hunger signals, lower fullness signals, reduce energy for training, slow recovery, and make food decisions harder. It’s one of the highest-leverage things you can improve.

Aim for a consistent sleep and wake time, a dark and cool room, caffeine cut off by early afternoon, and a screen wind-down. Seven hours is a reasonable target for most adults; talk with your clinician about persistent insomnia, snoring, or daytime sleepiness.

Stress

Chronic stress affects appetite, sleep, motivation, and digestion. It also makes every habit in this guide harder to keep. You don’t need an elaborate practice — a ten-minute walk outside, a few minutes of slow breathing, a short journal entry, or a phone call with a friend all count.

Alcohol

Alcohol can worsen nausea, reflux, dehydration, and sleep quality, and some women notice changed tolerance on these medications. It also contributes calories with little nutrition, and can lower blood sugar for some people. If you drink, keep it moderate, never on an empty stomach, and hydrate alongside. Follow your clinician’s guidance — for some women the answer is to skip it.

Eating out and social events

• Look at the menu in advance and pick a protein-forward option
• Order a smaller portion or box half immediately
• Eat slowly — you’ll notice fullness mid-meal now
• Sauces on the side if rich food bothers you
• Skip the pressure to explain your plate to anyone

Travel preparation

Pack protein, a water bottle, and a backup. Know where your medication is stored and how it needs to travel — ask your pharmacist well before the trip. Keep movement in the plan, even if it’s just walking.

Body image and self-compassion

Bodies change shape, not just size, and the mirror does not always keep pace with the work. Some women feel great; some feel unsettled by a changing body, by other people’s comments, or by the gap between expectation and reality. All of that is normal and worth naming.

Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a friend doing something hard. You are not a project to be fixed. You’re a person building strength.

14. Quick Reference Pages

Daily GLP-1 Success Checklist

Today’s protein total: ________ g Fluids: ________ oz Energy (1–5): ______

Weekly Planning Checklist

Protein Calculator Worksheet

Educational starting point — confirm your personal target with your dietitian or medical team. Not for use by women with kidney disease or other conditions requiring individualized protein guidance.

Step		Your number
1	Body weight in pounds	__________ lb
2	÷ 2.2 = kilograms	__________ kg
3	kg × 1.0 = lower end	__________ g
4	kg × 1.2 = upper end	__________ g
5	Target to discuss with my team	__________ g

Divide across the day:

Eating occasion	Protein goal	What I’ll usually eat
Breakfast	______ g
Lunch	______ g
Dinner	______ g
Snack 1	______ g
Snack 2	______ g

Hydration Calculator Worksheet

Educational starting point only. If you have heart, kidney, liver, or endocrine conditions, or a fluid restriction, use the target your clinician gives you instead.

Step		Your number
1	Body weight in pounds	__________ lb
2	÷ 2.2 = kilograms	__________ kg
3	kg × 30 = lower end (mL)	__________ mL
4	kg × 35 = upper end (mL)	__________ mL
5	÷ 30 = fluid ounces	______ to ______ oz
6	My bottle size	__________ oz
7	Refills per day	__________

Daily tracker — fill in a box each time you finish a cup:

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Symptom and Injection Log

Date	Med day	Site	Appetite (1–5)	Fluids	Protein	Symptoms	Bowels	Movement	Notes for team

High-Protein Food Quick List

Approximate estimates — check labels.

Food	Serving	Protein
Cottage cheese	1 cup	24–28 g
Greek yogurt, plain	1 cup	18–20 g
Chicken breast	3 oz	25 g
Rotisserie chicken	3 oz	22–25 g
Lean beef	3 oz	25 g
Ground turkey, 93%	3 oz	22 g
Salmon	3 oz	22 g
Shrimp	3 oz	20 g
Tuna pouch	3 oz	20 g
Cod or tilapia	3 oz	20 g
Protein shake, RTD	11 oz	20–30 g
Protein powder	1 scoop	20–25 g
Tempeh	3 oz	16–18 g
Skyr	5.3 oz	15–17 g
High-protein pasta	2 oz dry	13–14 g
Egg whites	½ cup	13 g
Tofu, firm	4 oz	10–12 g
Deli turkey	2 oz	10–12 g
Jerky	1 oz	9–12 g
Edamame	½ cup	9 g
Lentils	½ cup	9 g
Hemp hearts	3 tbsp	9–10 g
Beans	½ cup	7 g
Peanut butter	2 tbsp	7 g
Cheese	1 oz	6–7 g
Egg	1 large	6 g

Low-Appetite Food Ideas

Sip it - Protein shake, ready-to-drink or blended - Smoothie with Greek yogurt and frozen fruit - Broth-based soup with shredded chicken - Bone broth or low-sodium broth - Ultra-filtered milk, plain or in coffee

Soft and gentle - Scrambled eggs - Cottage cheese with fruit - Greek yogurt with honey - Oatmeal made with milk - Mashed potatoes with cheese stirred in - Applesauce - Refried beans

Small but mighty - Hard-boiled egg - Cheese stick - A few crackers with nut butter - Half a turkey sandwich - A handful of edamame

Cool and easy when nausea hits - Greek yogurt, cold - Frozen fruit or a popsicle - Cottage cheese with melon - Cold protein shake - Plain crackers and ginger tea

Strength Training Tracker

Date	Squat / sit-to-stand	Hinge	Push	Pull	Carry	Core	Notes

Record sets × reps × weight. Progress one variable at a time.

Questions for My Next Appointment

For my prescriber 1. ______________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________ 4. ______________________________________________

For my pharmacist (storage, travel, device technique, missed doses, interactions) 1. ______________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________

For my dietitian (protein target, hydration target, symptom foods, supplements, maintenance) 1. ______________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________

Symptoms or patterns I want to report:

---

---

Supplements I’m taking or considering:

---

15. Final Encouragement

Here’s what we hope you take with you.

Consistency matters more than perfection. No one executes a plan flawlessly, and no one needs to. The women who do best over years are not the strictest ones — they’re the ones who keep returning to the basics after ordinary life interrupts them.

The goal is to nourish, strengthen, and support your body. Not to shrink it into submission. Every protein-forward meal, every glass of water, every set of squats is an investment in how capable you feel at fifty, sixty, seventy.

Medication support and lifestyle support work together. Your medication can quiet the noise around food. What you build in that quiet — the routines, the strength, the confidence — is what you keep.

Personalized care is always appropriate. Asking your prescriber, pharmacist, or dietitian for help is not an admission of anything. It’s how this works best.

You’re doing something thoughtful and hard. Keep going.

When to Contact Your Medical Team

Evidence and Resources to Discuss With Your Care Team

This guide is built on widely accepted, general nutrition, exercise, and behavior-change principles. It intentionally does not include medical citations, dosing information, or product-specific instructions. Below are the categories of reputable sources worth reviewing with your medical team — please consult them directly rather than relying on summaries.

Type of source	What it’s good for
FDA-approved Medication Guides and prescribing information for your specific medication	Official safety information, warnings, and approved use
Manufacturer Instructions for Use supplied with your device	Correct injection technique, approved sites, storage, handling
Your pharmacist’s counseling materials	Missed doses, travel, storage, interactions
Professional obesity medicine organizations (e.g., The Obesity Society; Obesity Medicine Association; clinical practice guidelines from professional bodies)	Evidence-based treatment context and clinical guidance
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics resources and the Find a Nutrition Expert directory	Consumer nutrition education and locating a registered dietitian nutritionist
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidance and consumer resources	Resistance training and physical activity recommendations for adults
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)	General adult activity targets
Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA MyPlate	General healthy eating patterns
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets	Neutral, evidence-based supplement information, including interactions
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)	Plain-language information on digestion, weight, and related conditions
Peer-reviewed research via PubMed	Primary evidence on protein intake, resistance training, and lean mass preservation during weight loss
Your own labs and clinical history	The only source that is actually about you