Weight loss injections and your diet: Top nutrition and lifestyle tips.

Top tips for weight loss injections

It is becoming increasingly common for people to use weight loss injections, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, to support weight loss. These medications help with weight loss by:

• Slowing down how quickly food moves through the body
• Increasing the feeling of fullness by sending fullness hormones to the brain

Many people are reporting significant results, with some people achieving up to 20% (about 20kg or 40lb) weight loss. However, it is important that nutrition and lifestyle changes go alongside using these medications to ensure that results are maintained.

In this blog, we share our top tips for nutrition and lifestyle factors to use alongside weight loss injections to get results that last. These factors have been proven in research and in practice to maximise the use of weight loss injections in a safe and effective way.

Prioritise high-fibre foods

People usually eat less when they use Ozempic or Mounjaro, as their appetite reduces. Meals get smaller, and snacking can be reduced. Whilst this supports weight loss, it is essential to ensure that the food and drink entering the body are as nourishing as possible. High-fibre foods are great because not only do they contain fibre, which can help with bowel movements and avoiding constipation, but they often contain extra nutritional benefits.

Vegetables, salad and fruit contain fibre AND vitamins and minerals. These foods support healthy, glowing skin, strong hair, and a robust immune system (particularly important during flu season!). It is recommended to try to have 1-2 portions of vegetables, salad or fruit at every meal (or at least 5 per day), for example:

• Try having 80g of blueberries (fresh or frozen) with yoghurt at breakfast
• Add a handful of cherry tomatoes to lunch
• A snack of 80g carrots and 80g of pepper with low-fat houmous

Beans, lentils, pulses, nuts and seeds contain fibre AND protein. These foods support maintaining muscle (more on that below) and also boost the feeling of fullness. A portion of these fibre and protein foods could be:

• 200g (half a tin) of baked beans or chilli beans with a jacket potato
• Lentil curry with rice (185g curry with 95g brown rice)
• Snack on a handful of plain nuts

Next, think about lean protein AND resistance exercise

A recent piece of research highlighted that during weight loss, it is normal to lose excess fat and to lose muscle. It is recommended that when people use weight loss injections, not only should they consume enough lean protein foods, but that these foods should be joined with resistance exercise in order to prevent excess muscle loss.

Try to have a fistful of one of the following lean protein foods three times per day:

• Meat, e.g. lean beef, lean pork and lean lamb
• Poultry, e.g. chicken breast, lean turkey
• Fish
• Eggs
• Beans, lentils and pulses
• Nuts and seeds
• Soya, tofu, quorn and other alternatives

It is also important to consider how these foods are cooked. When cooking lean proteins, choose dry-frying, grilling, baking, boiling, steaming or air-frying with minimal added fats. Cooking lean proteins in this way supports weight loss.

Don’t forget… Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrate foods have lots of nutrients and fibre, but also provide slow-release energy. It is recommended to have a complex carbohydrate at each meal, such as:

• 2 slices of medium wholegrain bread
• A handful of new potatoes (with skin on)
• A medium sweet potato
• A handful of cooked basmati rice

As with other high-fibre foods, complex carbohydrates support a healthy gut, but they also provide slow release energy. 

And finish off with some…Hydration

Hydration is important to consider when using weight loss injections, because intake of food and fluids can be reduced. Reduced fluid intake can lead to dehydration, which can contribute to headaches and constipation, and can also be mistaken for hunger. This can cause a person to eat more than their body needs, and hinder weight loss.

For healthy adults, it is recommended to consume 2-3 litres of sugar-free fluid throughout the day. This amount can increase depending on the climate and activity levels.

Sugar-free fluids include:

• Water (tap, still, fizzy or flavoured with sweeteners)
• No added sugar squash
• Unsweetened tea and unsweetened coffee
• Diet or zero soda drinks

Try spreading fluids at key times during the day to avoid ‘dehydration zones’ i.e. times of the day where there is no sugar-free fluid consumed for more than 2 hours. If appetite is significantly reduced, have sugar-free fluids in between meals, so as not to fill up on liquids and reduce meals.

Weight loss injections are only one part of the weight loss journey. Use these top tips to support weight loss and long-term success!