Eating Well on GLP-1 Medications
GLP-1 medications change how much you want to eat. They don't tell you what to eat, and appetite suppression on its own doesn't produce good nutrition. Trusted Living Nutrition works alongside your prescriber on the part the prescription doesn't cover: getting enough protein, holding onto muscle, staying nourished on far fewer calories, and eating in a way you can sustain. All visits are telehealth, anywhere in California.
Who this is for
- Just starting. You want to set up your eating before the side effects and the appetite drop arrive, rather than react to them.
- Struggling to eat enough. Food has lost its appeal, meals feel like a chore, and you suspect you're undereating.
- Worried about muscle. You want your weight loss to come from fat rather than lean tissue.
- Dealing with nausea, reflux or constipation. You want food strategies that work with the medication instead of fighting it.
- Thinking about stopping, or already have. You want an eating pattern that holds up when the appetite suppression goes away.
- Considering surgery too. You're weighing a GLP-1 against bariatric surgery, or taking one after regain following surgery.
What working together looks like
Initial consultation (60 minutes). We look at what you're actually eating now, your protein intake, your side effects, your labs if you have them, and what your prescriber has told you. You leave with a realistic plan for the appetite you currently have, not the appetite you used to have.
Follow-ups. Needs shift as your dose changes. What works during titration is different from what works at a maintenance dose, and different again if you come off the medication.
Common topics we work on:
- Hitting a protein target that supports lean mass, and doing it on a small appetite
- Pairing nutrition with regular resistance training, which current guidance recommends alongside protein for holding onto muscle
- Iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and thiamine, which current guidance flags as nutrients at risk when intake drops
- Eating around nausea, early fullness, reflux and constipation
- Fluids, since GI side effects make dehydration easy
- What to change when you taper or stop, and how to hold your results
Why work with us
Maya Mangels, MS, RD. Maya works with people managing weight through both medication and surgery, which means she can speak to the ground between them: what happens when a GLP-1 follows bariatric surgery, and what changes when someone moves the other way.
We do not prescribe, adjust or advise on GLP-1 medications. That's your prescriber's job. Our work is the nutrition alongside it.
For prescribers and referring providers
Referring offices can send patient referrals to Maya@trustedlivingnutrition.com. We work alongside your treatment plan and send a visit summary back after each appointment.
Pricing
Initial consultation: $185 (60 minutes)
Follow-up sessions: $95
We don't accept insurance, but we provide superbills so you can request out-of-network reimbursement from your plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need on a GLP-1?
Current guidance points to roughly 80 to 120 g a day for most adults during active weight loss, similar to targets used after bariatric surgery. The right number depends on your body size and situation, and it should be set with you rather than pulled off a chart. Hitting it on a suppressed appetite is the real work, and that's most of what we do together.
Will I lose muscle on these medications?
Some lean tissue comes off with any substantial weight loss. Estimates put it around a third of total weight lost, and it matters more if you're older or already low on muscle. Eating enough protein and doing regular resistance training are the two things that reliably help, and they're what we build the plan around.
I have no appetite. Is that a problem?
It can be. Very low intake makes it hard to get enough protein, vitamins and minerals, and that's where problems show up months later. If you're eating very little, the goal shifts from eating less to eating better within a small volume.
Can you help with the nausea?
We work on the food side: meal size and timing, eating slowly, separating fluids from meals, and which foods tend to make it worse. Anything involving the medication itself, including dose changes and anti-nausea prescriptions, goes to your prescriber.
What happens when I stop?
Appetite returns, and without a plan, so does weight. The work is building eating habits while you're on the medication that can hold once you're not. That's easier to do early than to retrofit later.
Which medications does this apply to?
The GLP-1 and dual-agonist medications used for weight management and type 2 diabetes, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, which you may know by their brand names.
Do you prescribe GLP-1 medications?
No. We're dietitians, not prescribers. We work alongside whoever manages your prescription.
Do you offer telehealth?
Every visit is telehealth. We see patients anywhere in California by secure video.
Ready to book?
This page is general information, not medical advice. Decisions about GLP-1 medications belong with your prescriber.