Smart Nutrition With Smaller Portions

Written By HAYLEY CAFFREY

GLP-1 medications reduce your appetite — which supports weight loss, but it also means you may be eating less than your body needs to stay fully nourished. Here’s how to get maximum nourishment from smaller meals

🍗 Protein: For Muscle and Metabolism

When your appetite is reduced, every bite matters — and protein is a top priority. GLP-1 medications can cause rapid weight loss, and without enough protein, that weight may include muscle as well as fat.

🔹 Why it matters on GLP-1s:
• Helps preserve lean muscle mass while losing fat
• Supports metabolism, especially as calorie intake drops
• Improves satiety and blood sugar balance — helping reduce nausea or sugar crashes

🔹 Easy, protein-rich options (in small portions):
• Greek yoghurt, eggs, cottage cheese, tofu
• Chicken breast, turkey, lean mince, fish
• Beans and lentils (bonus: they’re high in fibre too)
• Protein powders or puddings — great for low appetite days (choose low-sugar options)

We’ll be sharing tools to help you calculate your ideal protein intake, build simple meal plans, and stock your kitchen with protein-rich essentials. Keep an eye out for our "Focus on Protein" newsletter coming soon!

🌾 Fibre: For Gut Health and Digestion

Fibre not only supports healthy digestion and gut bacteria, but it can also help manage some of the bloating and gas that GLP-1 medications may cause — especially when introduced gradually.

🔹 Focus on soluble fibre to start:

  • Chia seeds, oats, psyllium husk

  • Apples, pears (with skin), berries

  • Cooked carrots, lentils, and soft leafy greens

🔹 Add fibre slowly and drink plenty of water — this helps ease symptoms like constipation or bloating while keeping you feeling full between small meals.

🔹 Easy adds:

  • Add oats or chia to yoghurt

  • Blend berries into smoothies

  • Toss lentils or soft veg into soups and wraps

💊 Essential Nutrients: Don’t Miss These

With fewer calories, it’s easy to fall short on vitamins and minerals — even with “healthy” meals. This can lead to deficiencies that impact your energy, mood — and even your hair health

Key nutrients to focus on:

  • Iron –red meat, spinach, lentils, fortified cereals

  • Magnesium – nuts, seeds, wholegrains, dark chocolate

  • Zinc - seafood, pumpkin seeds, meat, legumes

  • B Vitamins – for energy, brain function, and metabolism

    • B12 is especially important if you’re vegetarian or feeling fatigued

🔹 Where to find B vitamins:

  • B12: eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, fortified plant milks and cereals

  • B6 & others: bananas, oats, beans, poultry, leafy greens

It’s always best to get nutrients from food, but that’s not always realistic — especially when you’re eating less. Many people benefit from a daily multivitamin or targeted supplements like magnesium or B12 — especially during appetite reduction.

⚖️ Why I Weigh My Food

Portions shrink fast on GLP-1s — but nutritional needs don’t. I have my scales out on the side all the time. I use a digital kitchen scale to:

  • Check I’m getting enough protein

  • Avoid overeating high-calorie extras

  • Learn what proper portions actually look like

👉 This is the scale I use — it’s compact, simple, and measures multiple ingredients at once! LINK TO SCALE  

🥗 Quick ideas

Scrambled eggs on seeded toast + grilled tomatoes

  • Microwave lentil curry + added chickpeas or shredded chicken

  • Roasted veg traybake + salmon fillet or tofu

  • Soup + protein wrap or boiled eggs on the side

💬 Want to Join the Hub?

We’re opening a few more spots for our free soft launch of GLPReset Hub, going live this August. It’s a private, supportive space off social media where members share advice, inspiration, and real talk about life on GLP-1s. 👉 Apply Here

💜 Community Shout-Out: People Who Inspire Us

The GLPReset Hub isn’t just about weight loss — it’s about support, encouragement, and celebrating each other’s wins. Here are two amazing people in our community who’ve been incredibly supportive and inspiring:

👩‍🍳 @chunky.t0.funky 

📍 Dani – Shropshire

Dani shares her journey with calorie counting and loads of homecooked food inspo. Her posts are real, helpful, and full of heart — a great reminder that small, consistent steps make a big difference.

⚖️📸 Follow her for motivation, recipe ideas, and real-life updates.

🎙️ @depaor2024

🥗🏃 Mounjaro user on an incredible weight loss journey:
Starting weight: 28st 13 lbs
Current weight: 22st 10 lbs
Total loss so far: ⬇️ 87 lbs 💥He also hosts an honest, empowering podcast about life, mindset, and the realities of weight loss.

🎧 Check it out on Spotify:
Open Podcast

Thanks For Reading 

Check out ✈️ Travelling on GLP-1s - our Blog Page link below.

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