Wegovy, Zepbound: 4 ways to increase weight loss with GLP-1 drugs

Perhaps not surprisingly, regular exercise is a great way to supplement the effects of Wegovy and Zepbound.

A common complaint about these drugs – and weight loss in general – is that they can cause you to lose muscle and fat.

"Exercise will help you maintain your muscle mass and prevent muscle loss during weight loss," says nutritionist Kim Shapira.

He explains that resistance training, in particular, is a great way to help prevent muscle loss and promote fat loss, which is essential for your metabolism and weight maintenance.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, a nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Health and Prevention, suggests a EDUCATION published in 2021 which supports this idea.

Researchers have found that muscle loss affects metabolism, heart health, insulin sensitivity, and even death.

"This is also an important factor if you choose to reduce the dose or stop the medication altogether, because low muscle mass increases the risk of rapid weight gain," says Kirkpatrick.

Good sleep may not immediately come to mind when talking about weight loss, but it may play a bigger role than you think.

Feeling tired and irritable can affect your ability to make healthy choices and, physically, your ability to lose weight.

"When a person doesn’t sleep well, meaning they have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling restless, it increases the hormone cortisol," Shapira said. "When cortisol levels are high, we change the way we process food and disturb the hormonal balance."

Research shows that getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy weight.

the EDUCATION Published in 2022, it found that patterns of sleeping less than six hours per night were associated with body mass index.

The same study stated that short sleep duration is "an important risk factor for weight gain and obesity".

Although Wegovy and Zepbound can produce impressive results, the importance of good nutrition should not be overlooked — especially if you want to maintain weight long-term.

GLP-1 drugs help regulate the hormone that tells the brain you’re hungry and help increase feelings of satiety so you’re more likely to eat less food.

That said, Shapira says it’s always best to eat a balanced diet full of fiber, vegetables, whole grains, and foods rich in omega-3s and protein.

Eating enough protein may be the key to preventing weight gain if you decide to stop Wegovy or Zepbound.

the 2021 review notes that eating a high-protein diet can provide significant benefits in preventing weight gain.

For Kirkpatrick, counting every bite is important when you’re taking a GLP-1 drug.

"GLP-1 agonist drugs reduce appetite and, as a result, the amount of food. Lack of food can increase the risk of anorexia, so it is very important to it’s important to get nutrition in every bite," he said.

Stress can also affect your ability to lose weight.

"Like lack of sleep, being in 'fight or flight mode' increases cortisol levels, which affects metabolism, causes insulin resistance and disrupts our hormonal health," says Shapira explains.

Many studies have found a link between stress and obesity, including recent research GO OUT in January that suggests childhood stress can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity.

"It’s important to practice ways to regulate your nervous system, such as taking frequent deep breaths or spending time in meditation," advises Shapira.

Drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound can cause weight gain side effects. However, lifestyle choices can hinder or complement its effectiveness.

Health experts say that the best way to increase the effectiveness of GLP-1 weight loss drugs is with healthy strategies such as regular exercise, stress reduction and prioritization. healthy food.

Implementing these lifestyle changes now may help you maintain your results in the future.