Boosting Your Semaglutide Results

There are four key lifestyle elements that can affect your weight loss journey. These key elements are nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress. If you can optimize these four key elements in a sustainable way, you will see the very best results from semaglutide medication.  Let’s take a deeper dive into these four elements for a better understanding of what is recommended.

The Most Important Lifestyle Element

Nutrition is the most important lifestyle element for your weight loss journey. Keep in mind that a lifestyle change in eating habits is different from a fad diet.

A fad diet is typically referred to as a temporary restrictive phase that a person follows and when they stop the diet, the weight can return. A weight loss journey should not be about a diet restriction, but a lifestyle journey with a long-term change in eating habits. So, what changes should be made for this to be a longstanding commitment in order to ensure the weight does not return? 

The Mediterranean Diet has been shown to be one of the most effective nutritional plans. This plan recommends whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats and olive oil. Each of the food groups have different recommended amounts and frequencies to follow:

• Fruit- 3 servings per day- (½ -1 cup equals 1 serving)

• Vegetables- 3 or more servings per day (½ cooked or 1 cup raw equals 1 serving)

• Whole grains & starchy vegetables- 3-6 servings per day, red skin potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas. 

• Nuts- 3 servings per week (¼ cup or 2 tablespoons peanut butter equals 1 serving)

• Legumes- 3 servings per week (½ cup equals 1 serving)

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil- between 1-4 tablespoons per day 

• Fish- 3 servings per week (3-4 ounces equals 1 serving; Salmon, Tuna, Sardines, Herring)

Things to limit include dairy, sugar, red meat and processed foods. A food is processed if one of the ingredients, on the list, is NOT a food.  A food is also processed if it is cooked via frying.   

“Limit” and “eliminate” are distinctly different.  Your lifestyle change will not be permanent if you try to fully eliminate something from the prior paragraph, particularly if you very much like it!  Your lifestyle change can be permanent if you limit your intake.  For example, if you eat red meat every day, try eating red meat only on weekends. 

If you eat fast food for dinner 2-3 times per week, try eating it 1-2 times per month.  If you eat ice cream for dessert every night, try eating ice cream for dessert only on Friday nights.  You do not have to be perfect to see significant benefits from healthier lifestyle choices, but you do have to be consistent over time. 

People who follow the Mediterranean Diet have a reduced risk of stroke, heart attack, hypertension, and diabetes and lower overall inflammation. When starting this lifestyle change, the easiest way to do this is to start making small changes in your daily routines so it does not feel so restrictive or hard to follow. Every week, you could incorporate something new into your regimen and continue to eliminate something that is not recommended. 

Don't Forget About Exercise

Exercise plays a key role in overall health, and benefits not only your weight loss goals, but also your bone health, and mental health.  Prior to initiating an exercise regimen, speak to your Fountain Provider to determine what types of exercises are safe for you.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week. It’s important to remember that when starting out to set realistic goals so you do not become discouraged and to slowly build up to those goals. 

Tip! Do you struggle to find time to exercise? 

Try sneaky fitness. 

Sneaky fitness is 10 minutes of aerobic exercise per day.  Why 10 minutes?  Because trying to schedule an hour is hard, but sneaking 10 minutes into your day is not hard.  Find something that happens every day (or at least every weekday) with regularity - for some of us, it’s a mid-morning work break, or a mid-day meal break.  Add a 10 minute aerobic exercise into that part of your routine. You can walk briskly around your house, the parking lot at your job, or up and down your stairs.  Sustain the effort for 10 minutes and then stop.  Remember to wear appropriate footwear for this activity.  By sneaking in 10 minutes of aerobic activity, 7 days a week, you will clock 70 minutes per week, which is nearly half the recommended goal!  

Another tip! 

Once you are consistently exercising 10 minutes per day, don’t increase to 20 minutes per day.  Why?  Because that seems like something that needs to be scheduled.  Rather, increase to two 10 minute sessions per day!

Sleep is an essential aspect of life and is a crucial element for overall health. You can eat well and exercise, but if you are not sleeping, your body will release cortisol, which slows your metabolism and increases your overall hunger. It is recommended that adults get a minimum of 7-9 hours of sleep per night to help maintain bodily homeostasis. Not only can lack of sleep affect your weight, but it can also increase your risk for stroke, heart attack, diabetes and hypertension. Ways to improve your sleep are to unwind at least 1 hour prior to bedtime by limiting your screen time, such as phones, computers and television. Also, trying to keep a consistent bedtime can be helpful when it comes to sleep. Consider reducing or eliminating caffeine intake, and make sure that your sleeping area is dark and quiet. 

Stress typically plays a big factor in many people’s lives, and managing stress can be very difficult. Stress can impact you both mentally and physically. Uncontrolled stress can lead to obesity, alcoholism, tobacco smoking, hypertension, and an increased risk of stroke. Learning to manage stress is essential. Ways to manage stress include meditation, regular exercise, deep breathing, yoga, and participating in activities that are enjoyable! Other ideas include keeping a journal and working with a mental health provider to help manage stress levels. 

Optimizing the four key lifestyle elements - nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress will help you to get the most benefit from your weight loss journey.  Stay tuned for more tips and tricks, in each of these areas!