GLP-1 Nutritionist: Nutrition Counseling to Support Your Medication
Get more out of your GLP-1 medication, and keep your results after you stop taking it.
As a GLP-1 nutritionist, we help people on GLP-1 medications build habits that make their results last. The medication gets you started. Nutrition is what keeps the weight off after you stop.
What a GLP-1 Nutritionist Does
As your dietitian nutritionist, nutrition counseling built around how GLP-1 medications affect appetite and metabolism includes:
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Protecting muscle mass through adequate protein
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Managing appetite changes so you still get enough nutrients
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Easing side effects like nausea or constipation
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Watching for signs of under-eating
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Coordinating with your prescribing provider
Build the habits that will support long-term success, long after the medication stops.
Supporting Your Body Before, During, and After Medication
Whether you’re currently on a GLP-1 medication or you were on one before and regained the weight after stopping, we can help. If you’re on medication now, we focus on managing side effects and protecting your muscle mass along the way. If you’ve been here before and the weight came back, we build the habits that likely weren’t in place the first time, so your results last this time.
Initial Session
As your registered dietitian, we go over your current medication, eating habits, and side effects, along with your health goals. From there, we build a nutrition counseling plan around your appetite changes and protein needs.
First Few Weeks
Regular check-ins while we fine-tune your plan, since appetite and side effects often keep shifting as your dose adjusts. This is where we get your protein and nutrient intake dialed in, with nutrition support along the way.
Ongoing Support
Sessions taper to every few weeks as things stabilize. We keep protecting your muscle mass, managing side effects, supporting blood sugar control if that applies to you, and adjusting your weight management plan as your needs change.
If You Taper or Stop
If you come off your medication, or your dose changes, we shift focus to the habits that keep your results, so the weight doesn’t come back once the medication isn’t doing the work.
Meet Jane
Your Personal Bariatric Dietitian Nutritionist
My approach to nutrition care is all about creating lasting, positive change rather than relying on quick fixes or fad diets. I combine my expertise in nutrition counseling with the principles of behavioral science to help you build habits that stick.
What is a GLP-1 drug and how does it work?
These weight loss drugs are commonly called GLP-1 agonists because they mimic the effects of a hormone called GLP-1 that our bodies naturally produce. Mimicking the GLP-1 hormone results in feeling more full, reduced appetite, slower digestion, and reduced cravings. The combination of these effects when taking GLP-1 drugs helps you lose weight.
Click each tab below to learn more about each type of GLP-1 drug.
Semaglutide
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Sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy
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Wegovy was recently FDA-approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight.
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Typically administered as weekly injections, or as directed by your doctor
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Regulates insulin and blood sugar, which helps regulate hunger levels
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Common side effects: nausea, stomach pains, diarrhea, constipation
We accept most major insurances
For other insurances, we can provide you a coded invoice (superbill) that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
FAQs
Do I need a GLP-1 nutritionist if my doctor manages my medication?
Your prescriber manages the medication. We cover the meal planning and appetite management most visits don't have time for.
Will I lose muscle on a GLP-1 medication?
It's a real risk with rapid weight loss. The right protein intake helps protect muscle while you lose fat.
What happens if I stop taking a GLP-1 medication?
Regain is common when nothing else changed. Building habits while you're on medication is what makes results last after you stop.
Does insurance cover GLP-1 nutrition counseling?
We accept most major insurance plans, and provide a superbill if we're out-of-network.
Do nutritionists prescribe GLP-1 medications?
No. A GLP-1 medication can only be prescribed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or other licensed prescriber. As your GLP-1 nutritionist, we don’t prescribe or adjust the medication. We handle the meal planning, appetite changes, and eating pattern shifts that come with it, which is the part most prescriber visits don’t have time to cover.
