Post: Taking Ozempic or other weight-loss meds? Watch your diet to avoid ‘exchanging one problem for another’

Jennifer Kirtley of Lake Worth with her weight loss medication Wegovy on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/TNS) Almost her entire life, 56-year-old Jennifer Kirtley felt so consumed by food thoughts that immediately after breakfast, she would ponder her lunch menu.

Recently, though, Kirtley went almost all day without eating, a noticeable behavior change coming only 3½ months after starting Wegovy, a popular weight-loss medication. “It’s mind-blowing that I have to remember to eat,” said Kirtley of Lake Worth Beach. “But when I am eating less amount of food, I know that I have to pay attention to what I am eating and make sure I am getting nutrients.”

Kirtley started at 328 pounds on April 1 and has lost 38 by taking the weight-loss medication under a doctor’s supervision. She follows a carefully researched diet heavy on lean protein, vegetables and lots of water.

“To avoid losing muscle mass, I focus on the protein, not on calories,” she said.

GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro have emerged as a game-changer for weight loss, slowing digestion and increasing how satiated you feel after eating. But South Florida dietitians caution that taking weight-loss drugs can be risky if you don’t have the right diet. Everything from your bones to your muscles can atrophy as you shed pounds too quickly. They guide patients on how to eat while on medications without causing their body harm.

“If someone does not know how to eat on these medications, they may be exchanging one problem for another,” said Lillian Craggs-Dino, a licensed dietician and support group coordinator for the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Florida . “It’s easy to become vitamin deficient.” The side effects are challenging

Ten GLP-1 drugs, including a class of medications called semaglutides, are FDA-approved to treat either type 2 diabetes or weight loss. Most are given by self-injection and work by regulating insulin production and lowering blood sugar levels. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Dietitians say the symptoms often can be managed: Diarrhea by drinking plenty of water and […]

Taking Ozempic or other weight-loss meds? Watch your diet to avoid ‘exchanging one problem for another’