Clinically reviewed: Mon 07 April
GLP-1 medications are designed to reduce your appetite, curb cravings, and quiet food noise. As a result, people often eat less than usual and lose weight. However, there are some important dietary considerations to keep in mind while taking this medication.
To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit—essentially eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. A deficit of around 500 calories per day can lead to a weight loss of approximately one pound per week.
As a general safety guideline, women should not eat fewer than 1,200–1,500 calories per day, and men should not go below 1,500–1,800 calories. These are minimum thresholds to help prevent nutritional deficiencies—they are not targets to aim for. In fact, most people will need more than this to feel well, maintain muscle mass, and build long-term sustainable habits. The goal isn't to eat as little as possible, but to fuel your body properly while still achieving a healthy deficit.
Importantly, eating less of a poor-quality diet is not a healthy approach. Relying on ultra-processed foods or skipping meals might reduce your calorie intake in the short term, but it won’t support your health, energy, or weight loss in the long term. Instead, aim to increase the nutrient density of your diet – choosing foods that give you more nutrition per bite.
It’s also important to prioritise protein. Aim for at least 60–75 grams of protein per day to help you feel fuller for longer and to support muscle maintenance during weight loss.
While there’s no specific “GLP-1 diet” the T-plate model is a helpful visual guide for building balanced meals while staying in a calorie deficit. Aim for:
¼ of your plate from lean protein – chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, lentils, beans, eggs, low fat dairy or soya alternatives.
¼ from complex carbohydrates – wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, brown rice, oats, wholegrain cereals, potatoes, legumes.
½ from non-starchy vegetables, salad, or fruit – leafy greens (spinach, kale), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, cabbage), other vegetables (peppers, cucumber, mushrooms, tomatoes). Fruit - berries, oranges, grapefruit, apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, pineapple, mango and more.
Plus a small serving of healthy fats – fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocado, nut butter, olive oil.
Focusing on balanced, nutrient-rich meals, smaller portions, and eating regularly are great habits to support sustainable weight loss while on GLP-1 medication.