Diet and exercise while on GLP-1 weight-loss medicines

Summary

This session from Dr. Om’s 2025 obesity course is aimed at people who are taking, or are likely to start, a GLP-1 medicine such as semaglutide or tirzepatide. A fitness coach leads most of the discussion, with Dr. Om adding the medical view.

The main point is that the medicine is not a substitute for lifestyle. When appetite falls, it becomes even more important to choose good-quality food, because you are eating less of it. The speakers explain:

• Food quality. Fill smaller meals with vegetables, protein and whole grains rather than refined flour, sweets and packaged snacks, which give many calories without keeping you full.
• Protein. Enough protein at each meal helps protect muscle while you lose weight. For people with a lot of weight to lose, protein needs are worked out from a realistic target weight rather than current weight. Protein supplements can help people who struggle to eat, and the speakers explain how to read labels and choose carefully, including for people who are lactose intolerant.
• Strength training. Lifting weights or using resistance bands, even at home and even in older age, helps keep muscle.
• Indian calorie estimates. Dr. Om notes that standard calorie formulas tend to overestimate energy needs for Indians, which the Indian obesity guidelines take into account.

The exact plan should be set with your doctor and dietitian. Read more about protein and muscle on weight-loss medicines and how doctors manage GLP-1 side effects.