What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You About GLP-1 Weight Loss Shots

Hello and welcome to another edition of The Weekly Dose!

Ever noticed how some people maintain their weight loss after GLP-1 medications while others quickly regain? Or wondered why you're feeling more tired than expected despite losing weight?

Today, I'm breaking down the 5 critical things you need to know about GLP-1 medications that your doctor probably didn't explain—from protecting your muscles to maintaining results long-term. Whether you're taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or still considering your options, this issue is packed with practical strategies to help you thrive, not just survive, on your GLP-1 journey. Let's take a look at what we'll cover in this edition.

📌 Here's what's inside this issue:
✅ Main Topic: 5 Things You Need to Know About GLP-1 Weight Loss Shots
✅ Research Recap: GLP-1s May Improve Sleep Apnea
✅ Resources: Protein-Tracking App - Cronometer
✅ Poll of the Week: What's your biggest challenge on GLP-1 medications?

💡 Let's dive in!

📌 Main Topic: 5 Things You Need to Know About GLP-1 Weight Loss Shots

Weekly weight loss shots aren't magic - 41% of people regain weight after stopping them.

🔎 Why This Matters

• Your long-term success depends on more than just getting the shot

• These medications change how your body works in ways your doctor might not explain

• The right plan can help you keep the weight off for good

1. Your Body Needs More Nutrients, Not Less

The shots make you less hungry. This sounds good until your body starts missing important nutrients.

Many people don't eat enough protein while taking these medications. This can cause hair loss, weakness, and feeling tired all the time. I have seen some hair loss and wasn’t aware that it was from a lack of nutrients.

Action step: Eat protein first at every meal, aiming for at least 25 grams per meal.

2. Protecting Your Muscles Matters

Without the right plan, up to 30% of your weight loss could come from muscle, not fat.

Losing muscle slows down your metabolism. This makes it harder to keep weight off in the future.

Action step: Do strength training 2-3 times per week, even if it's just for 15 minutes.

3. The Medication Stops Working As Well Over Time

The shots work great at first. But after 15 months, many people stop losing weight.

People who make lifestyle changes keep losing weight longer than those who only rely on the medication. Adding healthy habits makes the shots work 22% better.

Action step: Start building one healthy habit each month while on the medication.

4. Your Mind Needs New Tools

These medications change how you feel hunger, but they don't fix emotional eating or food habits.

The first 6 months are when most people struggle with these mental challenges. Learning mindfulness can reduce emotional eating by 63%.

Action step: Keep a simple food and mood journal to spot your eating triggers.

5. Your Gut Health Changes on GLP-1s

The shots change your gut bacteria. This affects how your body processes food.

Eating the right foods helps your gut stay healthy on these medications. Fiber-rich foods feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Action step: Add one prebiotic food (like bananas, onions, or garlic) to your meals daily.

📢 Take Action This Week

Don't wait until you hit a plateau! Start with just one action step from today's newsletter.

📊 Research Recap: GLP-1s May Improve Sleep Apnea

What if your weight-loss shot was also helping you breathe better at night? New research suggests these popular medications might have another important benefit: improving obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms for millions of patients.

📖 Key Findings
✔️ GLP-1’s promote substantial weight loss that can reduce fat deposits around the upper airway, helping to alleviate airway obstruction during sleep.

✔️ These medications may lower the need for high CPAP pressure by addressing the underlying cause of obesity-related sleep apnea, not just treating the symptoms.

✔️ GLP-1s help mitigate cardiovascular risks associated with both OSA and obesity by lowering blood pressure, improving metabolic profiles, and reducing inflammation.

🧩 What This Means for You

GLP-1s might be doing more than just helping you lose weight. If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine or other device, your medication could be making those treatments more effective by addressing the root cause.

While effective for weight loss and OSA improvement, researchers emphasize that GLP-1s are not substitutes for CPAP therapy in patients with OSA. Instead, they work best as part of a comprehensive treatment approach.

If you're on GLP-1 medications and have sleep apnea, consider asking your doctor about reassessing your OSA treatment as you lose weight. You might need lower pressure settings or see improvements in your sleep quality.

🛠️ Resources & Tools: Protein-Tracking App - Cronometer

GLP-1 users often struggle to meet protein needs with reduced appetite, leading to muscle loss and slower metabolism. Cronometer helps you track nutrients precisely to maintain muscle while losing fat

🚀 How It Works

• 📸 Step 1 – Download the free app and set up your profile with GLP-1-specific targets

• 🤖 Step 2 – Log your meals to see protein, vitamin, and mineral intake in real-time

• 📊 Step 3 – Use the reports to identify nutrient gaps and adjust your eating strategy

Try it Today! https://cronometer.com/

📊 Poll of the Week

📣 That’s a Wrap!

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📆 See you next week!
— The Weekly Dose Team