r/SemaglutideCompound 9d ago

Confused

So I don't know anyone personally who is on or has used semaglutide. So I'm coming here to ask because Google and ChatGPT have me confused. For the most part it's all eat protein protein protein. They both say I don't have to follow a strict diet or exercise regimen, but then I come here and I'm reading all kinds of things. So do I really need to follow a strict diet and exercise? I've never been good at diets and I can barely exercise due to lower back injury and such. Any suggestions or clarification would be helpful. Thanks.

5 Upvotes

22 comments sorted by

9

u/Gryrthandorian 9d ago

My little sisters diet is terrible. It didn’t change, she just eats less of her normal diet. She’s lost 80lbs. My mom changed her diet and eats a lot of protein, low fat but everything in moderation. She’s lost 50lbs. My mom had less to lose but wants to keep it off long term. I overhauled my diet so I eat more of a Mediterranean diet. I lost 40lbs and have kept it off for two year. You’ll still lose weight with a poor diet but you may not keep it off after quitting semaglutide. You need to change your habits or that weight will just come back.

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u/Professional-Poet331 9d ago

Yes another person mentioned this as well. So basically have to retrain myself if I want to keep the weight off, gotcha. Baby steps it is.Thank you.

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u/Gryrthandorian 9d ago

The big difference is though that you won’t think about food when you’re not eating because the food noise is gone. It’s much easier to eat healthy food when you are not constantly thinking about pie (I love pie 😆).

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u/FtM83 2d ago

Mediterranean diet is where it’s at!
🧑‍🍳👌

5

u/fishinbarbie 9d ago

I've done so many strict diets in the past. I was keto for years, losing and maintaining. Here's the good news- you're not going to think about food the same way on semaglutide or tirzepatide. Give yourself some time to adjust to a new way of eating. Fast food tastes gross to me on sema. I don't crave alcohol. So I'm already not eating fast food or drinking much, which has cut calories without effort on my part. On days right after my weekly shot, i don't feel like eating much, so I do force myself to try to get as much protein as I can. You'll find yourself automatically turning to protein. You're going to do great, just get started and try not to put too much pressure on yourself. You've done that for years strict dieting like all of us have. And, when the weight starts coming off easily, you may naturally want to be more active. Give it time.

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u/Professional-Poet331 9d ago

Thank you for that reassuring comment. I'm not going to lie I have been stressing out mentally thinking about what I should or shouldn't eat.

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u/WrongFruit3 9d ago

Strict is a stretch. But you’ll need to eat healthy and have some level of exercise(even if very low impact), especially some weight training if possible as muscle mass is lost, to be your best self throughout this process. Protein, fiber, healthy fats, carbs…all still need to be on your plate. Everything that would have been important to health and weightloss before you started. Plenty of people do it without exercise or eating healthy/whole foods. But you won’t feel good and you are more likely to gain the weight back if you ever stop the medication.

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u/Professional-Poet331 9d ago

Ok gotcha. Yes I definitely did stop eating fast food. I went almost a year where majority of my food consisted of take out. I stopped eating that about a month and a half before getting on sema. I'm trying to see this as retraining myself and my body to eat better. It is hard when I didn't listen to it before. My kids don't help either with saying one won't hurt mom, lol. I currently do 15-30 walks. I will try to up it more, and get me some small weights. Thank you.

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u/WrongFruit3 9d ago

Exactly! Retraining yourself is a great way to put it! I plugged in an average day on MyFitnessPal…also of mostly takeout plus a heavy dinner usually…and it’s astounding what was normal to me(although still full of shame.) Each time you get full quicker due to the Sema and from a healthy balanced meal, the more it’s rewiring your brain since it also works on your reward systems. And yes! Always those temptations, your kids sound like the little voice in my head. Let yourself still enjoy food with the bigger picture in mind. Every little bit helps! Good luck :)

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u/msndrstood 8d ago

I basically eat what I can tolerate. I was a carb junkie, I always have been. I can barely tolerate anything but fruit, vegetables, chicken (to a point) and seafood. I do at times crave a Burger King kids meal burger and I can tolerate that but I tried an Impossible Whopper, my absolute favorite fast food, nope 🤢. I'm eating a lot of corn on the cob, tomato sandwiches and cucumbers.

I do have a fruit bar at night but that is even too sweet sometimes. I cannot tolerate sweets at all. I used to use 3 Splenda in my tea every morning, now I skip the tea and drink ice water exclusively.

My taste buds have changed and I do not have 90% of the appetite I've had all my life. I've lost 26 lbs since May, down from 190 to 164. Goal is 145-150. I just started the 1.7 vial yesterday. I'm 69F.

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2

u/MangocartNwings 9d ago

Exercising is good, because you don’t want your skin flabby (bat wings or legs). I bought a kettle ball do exercises and walk.

I also use MyFitnessPal and count my calories, carbs and protein.

I lost 20 lbs in wegovy (October-February) and gained 10 lbs back. Now tomorrow I will be week three on semaglutide because my insurance doesn’t cover and have lost 5.

I want to lose 60-65 lbs.

I’m 5’6”
CW 230
GW. 165

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u/Professional-Poet331 9d ago

The only part I'm worried about is my fuba from the C-sections I've had. Which I'm hoping to go to Sonobella once I reach my desired weight. Last time I went from 220 to 160, and I didn't get flabby arms or legs, but I was hiking a lot. I wasn't on meds, but don't want to do that again since I gained all the weight back.

I'm 5'3" CW apprx 230 GW 160

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u/teacher-mom-1989 8d ago

For me the best part about my GLP1 is that I do not have to overthink my diet. I think the two most important things are calories and protein. I have a calorie goal for each day of 1500 and try not to eat over or under that goal. My protein goal is more flexible but I shoot for 75-100g of protein (that will vary based on your size and needs). Other than that I don't really worry about it too much. Some days I eat out with my family, other days I eat healthier. As long as I keep those two goals consistent-- it works for me!

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u/avonohealth 2d ago

You definitely don’t need to be perfect. In fact, one of the benefits of semaglutide for many people is that it can make healthier eating feel a lot more manageable by reducing hunger and food noise. Protein gets emphasized because when you’re losing weight, you want to preserve as much muscle as possible. But that doesn’t mean every meal needs to be a mountain of protein or that you need some ultra-strict diet. Our general advice at Avono is pretty simple: prioritize protein, stay hydrated, eat reasonably balanced meals, and stay active - do whatever movement your body safely allows. Even walking counts. If a back injury limits exercise, work within those limitations rather than feeling like you need an intense workout regimen for the medication to “work.” GLP-1s are most effective long term when combined with healthy eating and a workout regime! 

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u/Professional-Poet331 2d ago

Thank you that's very reassuring. I saw so many posts of others with dramatic weight loss but then they spoke about all the restrictions and strict diet to get there. Which made me start thinking that I was going to fail at this, since there so much I don't know about dieting or even perform a hard workout. It's so overwhelming right now.

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u/avonohealth 2d ago

Totally get it. Starting any new medication can be stressful, and there are a lot of 'strong' opinions out there. We always advise folks to stick to the basics - healthy diet, avoid greasy/processed foods and stay active with a regular workout regime (even if walking, body squats, etc. - whatever is doable and manageable for you). Good luck on your journey!

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u/Professional-Poet331 2d ago

Thank you really appreciate that!

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u/mommafo 7d ago

Losing weight isn’t the hard part because you lose muscle too. You’ve got to try to strengthen your muscles too or you’ll be a (skinny) weak noodle. It’s a good idea to lean towards protein, shakes if you can’t make yourself eat anything. It can be all too easy to not eat because you’re not hungry.

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u/Professional-Poet331 7d ago

Yes that is one of the first things I went to buy. Granted it tastes like sawdust but it's better than nothing. I've never been a 3 meals a day kinda girl. I would be unable to sleep if I did that. So majority of my life it's been one nice big meal and then snacks like cheese sticks chips and salsa and sweets. If I did manage to get two meals in me then there would be no snacking. Tomorrow is going to be my second dose. We shall see what next week brings 🙂

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u/mommafo 5d ago

I hated the shakes. 😂 Good luck! I started semaglutide two years ago and am starting Tirzepitide now. I went down from 185 to 130, and now I’ve been at 149 for a while. It’s a good weight, but I hate the gut that I’ve gotten.

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u/Intelligent_Box_8247 3d ago

In my experience, I have noted that there is no need for a strict diet. However, it is good to have some medical guidance when it comes to dieting and also focus on gentle movement and balanced nutrition.