What to Eat and Avoid While on Ozempic, Per Doctors

Part of the system driving why Ozempic, a prescription treatment Food and drug administration-authorized to address style 2 diabetes, qualified prospects to excess weight reduction in patients is that it reduces urge for food. You may surprise if that means you you should not have to consider way too a lot about what you do—or don’t—eat whilst on the medication, but it actually turns into arguably extra significant.

ICYMI: Ozempic is technically not authorized for weight reduction. But the energetic component, semaglutide, is accessible at a greater dose (acknowledged as Wegovy), which is Food and drug administration-authorised to take care of being overweight and variety 2 diabetes, describes Dina Peralta-Reich, MD, an weight problems drugs professional and founder of New York Body weight Wellness Medicine. And Ozempic is normally prescribed and utilized off-label to deal with obesity.

For the reason that Ozempic slows down digestion (also acknowledged as gastric emptying), it is important to gas your human body with the suitable nutrition to maximize its pounds reduction outcomes, suggests Dr. Peralta-Reich. Plus, due to the fact Ozempic straight impacts your gastrointestinal tract, specific foods might exacerbate undesirable side effects like nausea, bloating, constipation, and fuel, adds Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of Virtual Nutrition Experts, and the creator of The Main 3 Healthy Feeding on Strategy.

Whether or not or not Ozempic is ideal for you—for any reason—is up to you and your health-related service provider. But we will offer some valuable facts listed here for all those who are by now prescribed the drug. Here’s what you want to know about eating when using Ozempic and the foodstuff to prevent when on the treatment.

Satisfy the industry experts: Dina Peralta-Reich, MD, is an being overweight medicine specialist and founder of New York Bodyweight Wellness Medicine. Lisa Moskovitz, RD, is a registered dietician, CEO of Virtual Nourishment Authorities, and the writer of The Core 3 Nutritious Eating Plan.

Does it subject what you try to eat when on Ozempic?

Though you do conclude up ingesting significantly less when on Ozempic—it can direct to a sensation of satisfaction or fullness with about 40 p.c of the food stuff intake you had been formerly accustomed to ingesting right before starting up the treatment, suggests Dr. Peralta-Reich—it’s critical to guarantee you are receiving necessary vitamins and minerals.

“If your objective is bodyweight decline and adopting a healthier way of life while on semaglutide, it gets to be critical to make the most of the lowered urge for food and prioritize the high quality of foodstuff you pick to nourish your human body,” says Dr. Peralta-Reich. Fueling it with healthful and wholesome alternatives like lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and excellent carbohydrates, though avoiding higher-body fat and processed food items, is perfect. FYI: Feeding on enough protein in specific is super vital for making sure you preserve your muscle mass when on Ozempic.

Additionally, mainly because Ozempic instantly impacts digestion, specific food items can worsen gastrointestinal aspect consequences like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, provides Moskovitz.

“Ozempic functions by slowing down gastric emptying, resulting in a extended experience of fullness, so it is important to be aware of the styles of foods you consume,” Dr. Peralta-Reich points out. Fried and greasy foodstuff, or these prosperous in product, in certain, will just take even lengthier to be processed in the entire body, which can be taxing on your digestive process, she adds.

It’s also important you operate carefully with your prescribing doctor or a registered dietitian who can give personalised steering on food plans and tailor-made tips to maximize your dietary consumption, claims Moskovitz. From there, they can support you have an understanding of how several calories you want primarily based on your overall body composition, healthcare record, and exercise amount, she provides.

Most effective Foods To Eat On Ozempic

Alongside mindful eating and consuming lesser portions (more on this in a minute), it is valuable to stick to the following food items groups to offer you with adequate vitamins, in accordance to Dr. Peralta-Reich and Moskovitz.

• Lean Protein like rooster, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs, tofu, and yogurt
• Vegetables like lettuce, cauliflower, and zucchini
• Fiber like oats, apples, carrots, chia seeds, and nuts
• Sophisticated carbohydrates like total wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, barley, quinoa, bran cereal, oatmeal
• Balanced fats like added virgin olive oil, flax oil, avocado, and avocado oil

Foods To Stay clear of On Ozempic

Nothing is entirely off limitations though on Ozempic, but specific meals could be much better to forgo to optimize the remedies effects and stay clear of exacerbating facet outcomes, suggests Moskovitz.

High-Body fat Food items

Greasy food items like pizza, cheeseburgers, and donuts can gradual down digestion and direct to bloating, nausea, and gasoline, states Dr. Peralta-Reich. You should also do your best to steer clear of fried food items like French fries or fried hen, for the reason that they are high in unhealthy fat, generating them more durable to digest, she provides.

Alcohol

It is really ideal to limit alcoholic beverages use while on these drugs for the reason that far too a lot booze can lead to nausea and an upset tummy, describes Dr. Peralta-Reich. When merged with Ozempic, it is known to worsen these unwanted aspect outcomes.

What’s a lot more, combining alcoholic beverages with particular diabetes remedies can maximize your threat of establishing very low blood sugar which can result in drowsiness, confusion, and dizziness, in accordance to the American Diabetic issues Affiliation.

Refined Carbs

Refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, and bagels may possibly be significant on the tummy, so it really is superior to consume them in moderation, states Dr. Peralta-Reich. Furthermore, most refined carbs are stripped of fiber and natural vitamins and can guide to spikes in blood sugar and insulin concentrations.

This is certainly critical for people today employing Ozempic for diabetes management, but also for people working with it to deal with chubby and being overweight, says Dr. Peralta-Reich. “When the goal is to lose excess fat and mitigate the danger of diabetic issues, pre-diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, and a lot more, adopting a additional health-acutely aware nutritional technique turns into necessary, such as opting for foodstuff with a lessen glycemic index.”

Sugary Food items And Beverages

Equally, it makes feeling to stay clear of sugary merchandise like soda, sweet, cake, cookies, and even juice, due to the fact they are higher in included sugar which can direct to unwelcome pounds get and blood sugar fluctuations, suggests Dr. Peralta-Reich. Not to mention, filling up on these meals will go away considerably less place for the nutrient-dense ones you will need to mitigate muscle reduction and hold you sensation your most effective.

Substantial-Sodium Meals

The same line of reasoning applies here: Packaged snacks and extremely processed foodstuff like chips and crackers give minimal dietary worth, says Moskovitz. “To increase lengthy-time period results and results of this medication, it truly is best to undertake a healthier life style and that features a healthier diet regime with mostly complete and plant-based meals,” she explains. “Ultra-processed food items, specially all those increased in added sugar, sodium, and inflammatory fat can diminish success of Ozempic and lead to undesirable digestive distress.”

Starchy Veggies

We adore our veggies, but it is greatest to get a moderation method with starchy selections like potatoes, corn, carrots, and beets, states Dr. Peralta-Reich. This is because starchy vegetables could bring about GI distress and are regarded as superior glycemic meals which can improve blood glucose amounts, in accordance to the Cleveland Clinic. In its place, Dr. Peralta-Reich endorses focusing on non-starchy veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and celery to maintain a continual blood sugar and hold awkward signs or symptoms at bay.

Life-style Ideas To Apply When On Ozempic

Way of life modifications also enjoy a crucial role in achieving results on Ozempic, states Dr. Peralta-Reich. “The medication’s diminished appetite influence allows you to make the most of what you set into your human body,” she describes, incorporating that a valuable strategy is to practice aware taking in behavior and gradual down throughout meals. This will allow your brain to connect with your abdomen so you can establish when you’re truly whole and cease ingesting, even if there’s still food on your plate, she points out.

Outside of prioritizing nutrient-wealthy foodstuff in basic, she endorses top with them through each individual meal far too, and starting with, say, your protein and veggies and saving your carbs for past.

A different pro tip? Continue to be hydrated! Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea are regarded side outcomes of Ozempic which can bring about dehydration, so ingesting lots of water is critical to steering clear of worsened signs, provides Dr. Peralta-Reich.

And the natural way, it truly is smart to put into practice normal training into your weekly regime to enhance the medication’s consequences and boost total properly-currently being, suggests Dr. Peralta-Reich. If you’re doubtful what kind and how a great deal work out is correct for you, have a conversation with your medical doctor.



Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-centered writer and graduate scholar at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass customer of social media and cares about women’s legal rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a previous collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all issues physical fitness and is at the moment obsessed with Peloton Tread exercise sessions and incredibly hot yoga.  



Obesity medicine expert

Dina Peralta-Reich, MD, is an weight problems medicine expert and founder of New York Bodyweight Wellness Medicine. Furthermore, Dr. Peralta-Reich is the director of pediatric hospitalist drugs at Lenox Hill Healthcare facility and a fellow of the Weight problems Medication Affiliation and the American Academy of Pediatrics.