Weight loss doesn’t begin in the gym with a dumbbell, it starts with a decision made by you! Investing in popular weight loss drugs like Semaglutide or Tirzepatide will most definitely help you stick to any diet plan, but we suggest there is a little more to it than that. If you’re not familiar with GLP-1’s or the Hollywood weight loss peptide, we’d like to simply say GLP-1’s are a peptide that helps reduce cravings and helps people feel full longer. This blog isn’t all about the science of GLP’1’s however, this is just some light reading to help you better understand how to succeed while taking them. So first things first, investing in a GLP-1 isn’t cheating and it WILL WORK. How quickly you lose weight is quite simply up to you.
At Skin Retouch MediSpa we start with 2 simple suggestions for success; 1. Eat a MINIMUM of 90 grams of protein per day and 2. Move your body. Some of us have been known to say, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” So let’s break both of those suggestions down in more detail. A MINIMUM of 90 grams of protein, how do you do it? It’s easier than you think. Some could argue that 90 grams of protein is the very least your body functions on and you should ideally aim for 1 gram of protein per pound you weigh. We are betting 90 sounds like a much easier number to achieve right about now, correct? If you’ve ever tried to gain muscle or watched anyone compete in bodybuilding or figure show, you’ll see those athletes focused on gains and those gains come from hard work (obviously) in the gym, but also the kitchen. Protein is king for muscle, and that is why it’s our first suggestion when you get a consultation with us. We’ve said it so many times we’ve put it in a video and have linked the video at the end of this blog. With a GLP-1 many naysayers are running around saying that the weight loss from a GLP-1 is actually muscle loss. YIKES. Losing muscle is not inevitable on Semaglutide or Tizepatide, especially if you hit those protein goals or minimums.
So you want to know how to get 90 grams of protein (or more)? Start with a goal of 30/30/30. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner goals of hitting 30 grams with each meal. Now play a game of trying to get more, it’s fun we promise. If you wake up, not hungry, we understand. That’s the GLP-1 doing its job. So we suggest you grab a protein shake (instead of a muffin, bagel, or something carb-heavy). You’ll likely hit 30 grams in just that shake. What if you added a boiled egg or a scoop of cottage cheese? You’re now ahead of that 30-gram minimum. What are some protein-heavy breakfasts that aren’t shakes? How about eggs? How about bacon? Sausage? Ham? A steak isn’t something we’d frown upon. This blog, as you might already see, isn’t going to be a vegetarian’s best friend as most great protein comes in animal form. If your weakness is a muffin or a bagel, how about you only allow those carbs when you’ve met your protein goal? Protein first and foremost, might help you succeed long after you’re at your goal weight (we’d be willing to bet on it.) Meat eaters are what we evolved from, and a billion diet books exist informing us to return to the way our ancestors ate because it’s exactly what our bodies perform optimally on. One Doctor we strongly suggest following on Instagram or YouTube is Dr. Gabrielle Lyons. She consistently speaks about rebooting the metabolism and building strength, while aging well. Her main suggestion, you guessed it—PROTEIN. Let’s move on to lunch. If not hungry, you can reach for a protein shake or bar just as easily as a meal if it’s your preference. What works for you is what works. Fast food isn’t always the worst choice, Chipotle and Panera Bread do a pretty amazing job at offering many choices that aren’t carb-dominant. Again, remind yourself you’re trying to hit that 30 grams before adding carbohydrates. Snacks we’d love to touch on for a moment as well. Beef Jerky, nuts, uncured lunch meat with a schmear of cream cheese and a pickle -roll it up (or 2 or 3) and it’s delicious and easy. Most people on Semaglutide aren’t hungry until the tail end of the week of the shot. But some people find the cravings don’t subside until they get to a stronger dose. Fill up on protein friends. It will keep you full longer, even if you’re not taking the shots. Protein bars, like Quest or ONE bar, are great to keep on hand for snacking or meal replacements. Keeping those in your car/purse/office/desk might be in your best interest. Is it time for dinner yet? Again, 30 grams friends. The best options are always lean proteins, but fat is not the enemy anymore. So a juicy steak isn’t a bad choice, even a fattier cut. Ground beef with taco seasoning makes for quick and easy meals. Try it over rice cauliflower with a nice scoop of guacamole and/or salsa. Protein chips are great for lunch or dinner. Quest makes some protein chips that are excellent with taco meat for a quick and easy cheat. Air fryers are an excellent way to cook protein fast, and efficiently while allowing for lots of flavor. Frozen shrimp in the air fryer can be cooked in under 8 minutes easily. And it’s delicious. If you’re unsure of how much protein you’ve consumed (and again it’s hard to max out on protein), try an app on your phone that counts protein like My Fitness Pal or Protein Pal or Lose It! Most diet apps count calories, but they also count protein and carbs and it’s nice to input what you’ve eaten so you’re certain you’ve met our requirements. It’s very regularly we hear “I can’t get 90 grams,” “90 is impossible.” We want to re-iterate it’s imperative that you meet this minimum so that you don’t lose muscle and so one day, in the very near future, you meet your goal weight and continue along the path of a high protein lifestyle. Dessert? Well, sugar isn’t our favorite additive. No one will tell you to just eat what you want, you’ll still lose weight. It won’t work like that. You need to make choices. That being said, willpower is on an all-time high with Semaglutide and Tirzepatide and you might not even think about sugar or reach for it with the help of our peptides. If you do, moderation is key. Too much sugar might, in fact, leave you light-headed and dizzy. Protein bars are good for curbing that sweet treat need. Honey-roasted nuts aren’t a bad choice. Taking a scoop of protein and mixing it with a little water makes a pretty tasty protein pudding. You can even find protein cookies (Quest) or protein pop-tarts (they taste a lot like chemicals to me). Google is always a great friend to find high-protein recipes for all things. Search Keto, low-carb, low sugar, you’ll find a huge variety of endless options. You might even find a new favorite!
Moving on to exercise. We often say GLP-1’s and the gym are the very best of friends. This is because, sometimes you work out hard, you eat right and the scale just won’t budge. Has anyone else been there? Well….eating right is easier when you aren’t famished (hooray GLP-1’s). So you make good/smart/high protein choices on the food side, and then you hit the gym, and guess what happens? The scale does what you’ve always wanted it to do, it starts going down. Workout! Lift heavy things. Challenge yourself and you will love the scale when you step on it. Now, if you’ve been doing nothing by way of fitness for years on end, please listen to your body and make choices that are right for you. BUT…ask yourself a few questions, “What do I love to do that also makes me sweat?” Knowing this is much easier in the summer than in the winter months, but what is it that gets you outside? Basketball? Swimming? Tennis? Racquetball? You are not too old to get moving again. So you say you like walks, well do that! Walk like you’re going somewhere and if someone looked out the window they would say “That person is in a hurry.” Lifting weights isn’t easy, and it’s even harder if you’ve never done it before and feel intimidated by it. But it is worth it to try 2-3 times a week. Body weight squats, push-ups, lunges, calf raises. This is a good start. Don’t belong to a gym and won’t join one? NOT A PROBLEM. YouTube has so many options you could never do all the workouts in 10 lifetimes. Find someone you love and you’ll stay with it. I highly recommend Rebecca Louise. Paid apps like P90X or Beachbody are great. My favorite is the Peloton app, for weights/core/spinning/treadmill runs or walking hikes. They even have outdoor workout options with walks or runs or walk/run mixes. Get out your DVD player and find some old workout DVD’s on Ebay. It’s in the privacy of your own home. Tony Horton or Sean T were on to something and people definitely get results. Does anyone remember Billy Blanks? If you need camaraderie, find a boutique fitness spot in your home town. Or join the YMCA for 30 class options a day! If you’re in Licking County Village Core Fitness is challenging and rewarding and has nice class sizes. And Cross Fit? We have 3-4 in the area, try them all. Something, again, that feels like fun and makes you sweat is easy to keep doing over and over. Make new friends, or ask your friends to join you and keep each other accountable. It takes about 3 weeks to create a habit, so what if you committed for 3 weeks? After that, it’s your habit. You can keep going when it becomes your routine. Set the alarm to get up earlier, or tell yourself no social media until it’s been done. One more suggestion, track your weight loss. Write down your goal weight and track your current weight 2-3x a week. As you meet goals along the way, reward yourself with a massage at our medspa or a facial or a lash lift. New shoes are a great reward for losing 10 pounds if you need a suggestion. Don’t forget to keep your budget open for new clothes, because as you start on this path you’ll start to see that your wardrobe might need adjusting. Sorry, not sorry.
OK, so we have covered the 2 requirements, 90 grams of protein and move your body. That was easy, right? We suggested you set some goals and weigh in and you can and will succeed. What else can you do? Take a multivitamin. Check-in with a 3D scale regularly, like our Styku. Inch loss and weight loss are not always the same. Sometimes a person is down 5 #s but 15 inches. Seems strange, but it’s true. We don’t want you to be discouraged, so we beg you to stay in touch and check in regularly to watch the changes in detail. Celebrate your victories with us. It happens to be our very favorite thing to do! One last suggestion, cut back on alcohol intake. It is, first, empty calories. Also, your pancreas works a little differently while on a GLP-1. We do not want it to work even harder by dealing with heavy alcohol intake, it can lead to pancreatitis. GLP-1’s have been shown to help with a lot of addictions, obviously food addiction but also smoking/shopping and alcohol. You might not find yourself reaching for much alcohol while taking Semgalutide or Tirzepatide. An added benefit indeed.
Lastly, losing weight comes with the most amazing side effect, getting healthy. You can not put a price on your health. You have this one body and you want it to last. You are worth it! GLP-1’s are not cheap, but being unhealthy is also relatively expensive. Being overweight causes; death, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, body aches, and pains. You are worth the investment in getting you healthy!
Our team of professionals are always available for advice and encouragement. Links below are to our Youtube video explaining GLP-1’s. Explaining how to inject yourself for self-administered GLP-1 injections and a link to Dr. Gabrielle Lyons’s YouTube
