Your comprehensive guide to navigating GLP-1 medications for successful weight loss and improved health
Whether you're just starting Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or another GLP-1 medication, we're here to help you succeed with evidence-based tools and guidance.
Calculate Your Protein NeedsCalculate your personalized protein needs based on your weight, medication, and activity level to maintain muscle mass during weight loss.
Open the calculator →Compare GLP-1 medications, understand dosing schedules, and learn what to expect during titration and maintenance phases.
Compare medications →Protein targets, a high-protein food table with serving sizes, hydration, and dietary strategies for managing side effects.
Read the nutrition guide →Answers to common questions about results, side effects, dosage adjustments, exercise, insurance and long-term use.
Browse the FAQ →GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) receptor agonists are medications that have substantially changed weight loss treatment. They work by mimicking a natural hormone your body produces after eating, but with enhanced and prolonged effects.
GLP-1 is a hormone naturally released by your gut after meals. It performs several important functions:
Clinical trials have demonstrated substantial effectiveness:
These are group averages from controlled trials in which participants also received structured diet and activity support. Individual results vary considerably.
GLP-1 medications are most effective when combined with lifestyle changes including proper nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. These medications are tools to support your journey, not magic solutions.
Six brand names come up most often — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity and Victoza. The detail that causes the most confusion is that several share an active ingredient but are sold under different names for different approved uses: semaglutide is both Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide is both Mounjaro and Zepbound. Same molecule, different label, different dose ceiling, and often very different insurance treatment.
They also differ in dosing frequency (weekly for most, daily for Victoza and Saxenda), in average weight loss in trials (from around 3–5% for Trulicity up to about 22% for tirzepatide), and in their safety profiles and contraindications.
Read the full medication comparison guide → — approved uses, dosing and titration schedules, side effects and safety warnings, and the realities of cost and insurance coverage.
Nutrition matters more on a GLP-1 medication, not less. When these drugs reduce how much you eat, the food you do eat has to carry more nutritional weight — and getting enough protein is the main thing standing between losing fat and losing muscle alongside it.
Common guidance for adults losing weight is 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of ideal body weight, higher if you train regularly or are over 65. Just as important is what to do when side effects make eating unappealing: smaller and more frequent meals for nausea, gradual fibre plus fluids for constipation, and protein sources that still go down when meat does not.
Read the full nutrition guide → — protein targets, a high-protein food table, hydration, and side-effect strategies.
The questions that come up most often: how long results take, what happens if you stop, the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy, whether you can exercise, what to do about a missed dose, whether insurance will cover it, why weight loss stalls, and how to tell muscle loss from fat loss.
Trusted health information from U.S. government agencies:
For personalized advice, consult your healthcare provider.
Use our protein calculator to ensure you're getting adequate nutrition while losing weight on your GLP-1 medication.
Calculate Your Protein Needs