If you are prescribed GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy or Ozempic to help treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, you may have noticed changes in your diet. In addition to helping the pancreas release the correct amount of insulin and manage high blood sugar levels, GLP-1 drugs can slow digestion and reduce appetite. You may not be eating as much as you used to, so you may wonder how to guarantee that your body will get all the nutrients it needs.
This simple GLP-1-friendly diet plan for beginners maps weekly meals and snacks tailored to help people taking these medications. This plan is designed to be high in fiber and protein to ensure proper intake. It also has a balanced carbohydrate and helps stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day. Every recipe has a simple ingredient list, which takes just 30 minutes (or less!) of active cooking time. You can also choose from three different calorie levels with meal preparation tips throughout. I have created this diet plan for people taking GLP-1 medications, but this routine is useful for most people, even if they are not currently taking GLP-1.
This meal plan is great for you
Research shows that people taking GLP-1 medications generally reduce their daily calorie intake by 16% to 39%. When eating fewer calories, it is important to prioritize nutrient-rich foods to support your overall health. For example, eating enough protein is important for people who are consuming calories and losing weight, as it helps maintain muscle mass and support healthy metabolism.
The plan provides at least 100 grams of protein per day from a variety of sources, including poultry, seafood, meat, eggs, legumes, nuts and dairy products. Fiber is another nutrient that many people lack, with only 5% of Americans reaching the recommended daily price of 28 grams per day. Eating enough fiber can help support healthy digestion, improve blood sugar levels, lower your weight, and improve your heart health. This fiber-rich plan offers an average of 38 grams per day.
For healthy blood sugar control, we chose moderately low carbohydrate levels. I’ve generated 40% of my daily calories from carbohydrates. To stabilize blood sugar levels, we spread our carbohydrate intake evenly throughout the day and chose fiber-rich carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and fruits. Fiber-containing carbohydrates are digested more slowly than refined grains and help reduce blood sugar spikes. We’ve included carb content in each meal and snack, but it’s important to remember that carbs are just one of the puzzles. The fiber and protein content of diet also plays an important role in blood glucose control.
This 1,800-calorie diet plan includes changes of 1,500 calories and 2,000 calories per day for those with different calorie needs. Previously, I included a 1,200 calorie adjustment and a meal plan, but I’m not going to do it anymore. The 2020-2025 dietary guidelines for Americans suggest that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, and is even unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Day 1
Breakfast (510 calories, 50g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (464 calories, 45g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (125 calories, 18g of carbohydrates)
- ½ cup non-fat tense yogurt, such as Greek style
- 1 Medium Peach
Dinner (528 calories, 45g of carbohydrates)
Meal preparation tips: Book 3 servings of creamy chicken Florentine casserole for lunch on days 2-4.
Daily Total: 1,797 calories, 84g fat, 101g protein, 172g carbohydrates, 40g fiber, 1,871mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: Replace the PM snacks for one clementine and omit the roasted cabbage salad at dinner.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup cups of unsalted dry roasted almonds as an evening snack.
Day 2
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emilyna Ball Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Breakfast (452 calories, 43g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (385 calories, 44g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (122 calories, 15g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (490 calories, 46g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (172 calories, 20g of carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,791 calories, 71g fat, 115g protein, 182g carbohydrates, 34g fiber, 1,771mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: I skip yogurt for breakfast, omit orange for lunch, omit evening snacks.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: At breakfast, Add 1 cup of yogurt and add ¼ cup sliced almonds.
Day 3
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek
Breakfast (485 calories, 45g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (418 calories, 53g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (122 calories, 15g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (429 calories, 49g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Daily Total: 1,800 calories, 79g fat, 101g protein, 185g carbohydrates, 34g fiber, 1,471mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: Omit the yogurt, slice the almonds for breakfast, and eliminate the evening snack.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons. Apples and almond butter at lunchtime.
Day 4
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Breakfast (452 calories, 43g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (122 calories, 15g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (385 calories, 44g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (173 calories, 16g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (483 calories, 44g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Meal preparation tips: Book a White Bean Enchilada Frying Pan for 2 for lunch on the 5th and 6th days.
Daily Total: 1,791 calories, 83g fat, 102g protein, 171g carbohydrates, 39g fiber, 1,967mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: I skip yogurt for breakfast, omit orange for lunch, omit evening snacks.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add dry roasted almonds without baptism to lunch.
Day 5
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Lauren McCannelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Breakfast (452 calories, 43g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (379 calories, 48g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (122 calories, 15g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (568 calories, 50g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (104 calories, 12g carbohydrates)
- 1 cup low fat plain kefir
Daily Total: 1,795 calories, 81g fat, 104g protein, 182g carbohydrates, 34g fiber, 1,871mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: Skip the sliced peppers at lunchtime and the Cacio E Pepe Kale salad at dinnertime, and then skip the evening snacks.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add to 1 cup of yogurt at breakfast and add 3 tablespoons. Hummus from lunch.
Day 6
Breakfast (510 calories, 50g of carbohydrates)
AM snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Lunch (379 calories, 48g of carbohydrates)
PM snacks (173 calories, 16g of carbohydrates)
Dinner (433 calories, 45g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (122 calories, 15g of carbohydrates)
Meal preparation tips: Serve chicken and kale soup for lunch tomorrow.
Daily Total: 1,793 calories, 77g fat, 104g protein, 183g carbohydrates, 43g fiber, 2,219mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: Change the snack to a 1-served slice of azalea cucumber, omit the peppers at lunchtime, and omit the mixed greens with lemon shallot vinaigrette at dinner.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add one clementine to your AM snack and add sliced avocado to the side salad at dinner.
Day 7
Photographer: Robbie Rozano, Food Stylist: Craig Huff, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Breakfast (510 calories, 50g of carbohydrates)
AM snacks (170 calories, 14g of carbohydrates)
Lunch (324 calories, 43g of carbohydrates)
PM snack (176 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry roasted shell pistachio
Dinner (499 calories, 53g of carbohydrates)
Evening Snack (130 calories, 9g carbohydrates)
Daily Total: 1,809 calories, 81g fat, 102g protein, 178g carbohydrates, 40g fiber, 1,981mg sodium.
It will bring you to 1,500 calories: Change the snacks to ½ cup low-fat plain kefir, and the PM snacks to 1 mini pepper filled with white beans, eliminating the evening snack.
It will bring you to 2,000 calories: Add 1 meal massage kale salad to dinner.
How to prepare meals: Meal week:
- Make double batches of chia seeds and overnight oats for breakfast on days 2-5.
- There will be additional meal preparation callouts on days 1, 4, and 6.
FAQ
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If there’s something I don’t like, is it okay to mix and match the food?Yes, if you have a meal you don’t like, repeat another meal with this plan or browse all of the high protein and high fiber recipes for additional inspiration. I’ve created this diet plan with some specifications in mind, so replacing your diet with a similar nutritional profile may be helpful, especially when it comes to protein, fiber and total carbohydrates. We chose a recipe that was rich in protein and fiber, aiming to achieve approximately 40-50 grams of carbohydrates per meal.
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Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?If your routine is easier to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, it works! All of breakfast and lunch offer similar calories and carb amounts, so a simple exchange should work for most people.
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Why is there no change in 1,200 calories?The meal plan no longer offers changes to 1,200 calories days. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low to meet their nutritional needs for most people, and even unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
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How much sodium should I eat per day?Sodium has been restricted to below 2,300 mg per day, as recommended in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Eating too much sodium regularly can increase your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Focus on high fiber and protein foods:
- vegetables
- fruit
- Beans and lentils
- Whole Grains
- Nuts and seeds
- poultry
- Fish and seafood
- Lean meat
- egg
- Soybeans containing tofu and edamame
- Dairy products
Nutritional strategies when taking GLP-1 medications:
GLP-1 medications can reduce your appetite, so being nutritional and strategic will help support your overall health. Here are some strategies that can help:
- Focus on proteins: Whether you are taking GLP-1 or not, losing weight can cause muscle mass collapse. Fortunately, research shows that eating a high protein diet is helpful. Including protein-rich foods in most meals and snacks can help maintain muscle mass and support healthy blood sugar levels when losing weight. Win-win!
- Carbohydrate Balance: Eating about the same amount of carbohydrates in each meal can help support stable blood sugar levels, especially for people with type 2 diabetes.
- Eat more fiber: Fiber is a nutrient that most people don’t get enough, and by reducing appetite, it makes it even more difficult to achieve your fiber goals. Prioritizing is an important nutrition as fiber has so many health benefits. There is fiber in whole grains, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
- Incorporate small meals and snacks: GLP-1 drugs slow digestion, so eating large amounts of food can worsen symptoms such as nausea and heartburn. Instead, choose a smaller, more frequent diet to support digestion and reduce side effects.
How to create a meal plan
Registered dietitians create thoughtfully Eatingwell’s The food is planned to be easy to understand and tasty. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the targeted health and/or lifestyle goals and analyzes accuracy using the nutritional database, ESHA food processor. Nutrition needs vary from person to person, so it is best to use these plans as inspiration and adjust them appropriately.
