Foods to avoid while on weight loss injections

What foods should you avoid while on a GLP-1?

Choosing what to eat when using GLP-1s might not always be as simple as avoiding ‘unhealthy’ foods and only eating ‘healthy’ ones — it’s more a case of knowing how your body will respond to your food choices and how they can affect you.

Medically reviewed by

Alexandra Cristina Cowell, Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer

Fatty foods

Fat is the slowest macronutrient to digest, and the added time weight loss injections cause it to linger in your stomach can cause side effects like bloating, nausea, and acid reflux.

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s best to avoid trans and saturated fats where you can. In particular, it’s artificial trans fats that you should keep to a minimum.

While small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in foods like red meat and dairy products, artificial trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. These have largely been removed from US foods due FDA regulations, so it’s usually easy to keep your artificial trans fat intake low, but they can still be found in food cooked at high temperatures, like fried and fast food, or some imported baked goods. So avoiding takeout, or frying your food at home instead, could mean you’re less likely to feel sluggish and get uncomfortable side effects. It’s also an easy way of keeping your calories down.

But a balanced diet should still contain some fat, so you don’t need to avoid it completely. Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, and it also helps your body absorb important vitamins. But choosing which fats you eat can help you reduce your calories while getting the nutrients you need, all while reducing your chances of gastrointestinal issues.

Oily fish, nuts, avocados, and seeds can provide you with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein and monounsaturated fats, which can reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Sugary foods and drinks

Sugary drinks offer little in the way of nutrition, and can cause blood sugar spikes (which interfere with your energy and concentration levels). After the initial ‘boost’ from the sugar, you’ll experience a crash that can leave you feeling depleted, making you more likely to reach for more sugar.

And because sugary drinks are often carbonated (fizzy), adding gas to your stomach might cause side effects like bloating, nausea, and general discomfort. And lastly, they add unnecessary empty calories to your diet when you’re actively trying to reduce your daily intake.

Instead, try to stay hydrated by drinking water, herbal teas, or black coffee (in moderation).

Ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are foods made using industrial ingredients and additives. They rarely contain ‘whole’ foods, and instead are full of preservatives that help ensure they have a long shelf life. Store-bought cakes, cookies, and pre-packaged meals are some examples of UPFs; they’re usually foods that need little preparation and are readily available.

UPFs usually contain small amounts of fiber, protein, and essential nutrients. As a result, they can mostly be considered ‘empty’ calories, and won’t satisfy hunger cravings for very long.

Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks are often carbonated, so like sugary drinks, they can cause bloating. Bloating is a known common side effect of GLP-1s like Wegovy and Zepbound, so drinking it will likely prolong or worsen any bloating you get.

And the effects of a hangover can closely mirror gastrointestinal side effects caused by your injection, such as stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

Alcohol won’t affect every weight loss injection user the same way, but you might find that eating less reduces your tolerance. This is something to be mindful of – if you are going to consume alcohol, drink it in small amounts and keep an eye on whether it worsens any side effects caused by your medication.

Food group	Options to consider while using a GLP-1
Fruit & Vegetables	Fruit and veggies are often low-calorie and packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients. But some fruits like pears and apples might be hard to break down, so try softer options like bananas, mangos, and berries, which are easier on your digestive tract. Limit your intake of raw vegetables if they cause discomfort. Instead, try steaming carrots, celery and broccoli until they’re soft, or adding them to soups.
Carbohydrates	Try to eat complex carbs that provide energy steadily, but which are also gentle on your stomach. Couscous, oatmeal and sweet potatoes are some examples which should be easy to break down.
Protein	Protein is possibly the most important macronutrient while using GLP-1s. It can keep you feeling full on a reduced calorie diet. Aim to eat lean meat like chicken or turkey, and 0% Greek yogurt for added probiotics.
Dairy or alternatives	Dairy products provide protein as well as essential vitamins for muscle and bone health. Alternatives like soy milk or yogurt often have vitamins added to them. Avoid full fat versions of either, and always check the sugar content of products labeled as ‘low-fat’ as they can sometimes be surprisingly high-calorie.
Fats and spreads	Don’t avoid fat completely — it’s essential for your body to absorb vitamins. Choose omega-3 rich fats like salmon and walnuts, and try to include seeds like flax and chia in your diet for added fiber. Limit your saturated fat intake, and avoid artificial trans fats completely.

Food group

Options to consider while using a GLP-1

Fruit & Vegetables

Fruit and veggies are often low-calorie and packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients. But some fruits like pears and apples might be hard to break down, so try softer options like bananas, mangos, and berries, which are easier on your digestive tract. Limit your intake of raw vegetables if they cause discomfort. Instead, try steaming carrots, celery and broccoli until they’re soft, or adding them to soups.

Carbohydrates

Try to eat complex carbs that provide energy steadily, but which are also gentle on your stomach. Couscous, oatmeal and sweet potatoes are some examples which should be easy to break down.

Protein

Protein is possibly the most important macronutrient while using GLP-1s. It can keep you feeling full on a reduced calorie diet. Aim to eat lean meat like chicken or turkey, and 0% Greek yogurt for added probiotics.

Dairy or alternatives

Dairy products provide protein as well as essential vitamins for muscle and bone health. Alternatives like soy milk or yogurt often have vitamins added to them. Avoid full fat versions of either, and always check the sugar content of products labeled as ‘low-fat’ as they can sometimes be surprisingly high-calorie.

Fats and spreads

Don’t avoid fat completely — it’s essential for your body to absorb vitamins. Choose omega-3 rich fats like salmon and walnuts, and try to include seeds like flax and chia in your diet for added fiber. Limit your saturated fat intake, and avoid artificial trans fats completely.