What Happens Once You Reach Your Goal Weight with Semaglutide?
If you’re using semaglutide or another GLP-1 medication to help with weight loss, you may have heard that rapid weight loss can lead to muscle loss. While these medications can help you shed fat, they can also reduce muscle mass if you’re not careful. But don’t worry—there are steps you can take to protect and preserve your muscles while still enjoying the benefits of weight loss.
In this blog, we’ll explain why muscle loss happens with rapid weight loss and give you easy-to-follow tips to help maintain your muscle mass while on semaglutide.
Why Does Muscle Loss Happen with Semaglutide?
Step 1: Eat More Protein
One of the most important things you can do to protect your muscles is to eat more protein. Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, and it helps repair and maintain muscles after exercise. When you’re losing weight, eating enough protein can help make sure that you’re losing fat, not muscle.
How much protein should you eat? Experts suggest consuming about 20 to 40 grams of protein at each meal. This can come from various sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, and dairy products. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can get your protein from plant-based foods like lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, and nuts.
Examples of protein-rich meals:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach or a protein smoothie
- Lunch: Chicken or tofu salad with vegetables
- Dinner: Grilled fish with quinoa and steamed broccoli
By making protein a regular part of your meals, you’ll be giving your body the nutrients it needs to build and preserve muscle mass.
Step 2: Do Strength Exercises
Another way to prevent muscle loss while on semaglutide is to incorporate strength exercises into your routine. Strength training, also called resistance training, helps to build muscle and prevent it from breaking down during weight loss.
You don’t need to lift heavy weights at the gym to benefit from strength exercises. Even simple, at-home exercises like bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, or using resistance bands can be very effective. These exercises target different muscle groups and help keep your muscles strong as you lose weight.
If you’re new to exercise, start with a few basic exercises a couple of times a week and gradually increase the intensity as you feel stronger. Even seated exercises can make a big difference, especially if you have joint issues or prefer low-impact activities.
Easy strength exercises to try:
- Seated leg raises: Sit in a chair and extend one leg out straight. Hold for a few seconds and then switch legs. This helps strengthen your leg muscles.
- Resistance band exercises: You can use resistance bands for arm curls, leg presses, and chest exercises.
- Wall push-ups: These are great for building upper body strength.
Doing these exercises regularly will help you maintain muscle mass and keep your body strong while you lose weight.
Step 3: Slow Down Your Weight Loss
While it may be tempting to try to lose weight quickly, losing weight too fast can increase the risk of muscle loss. Slowing down the pace of weight loss can help preserve your muscle mass and ensure you’re losing fat, not muscle.
Your UBI physician can work with you to adjust your semaglutide dose to make sure you’re losing weight at a safe and sustainable rate. This will help you preserve both muscle and overall health during your weight loss journey.
Conclusion
While semaglutide can help with weight loss, it’s important to take steps to protect your muscles during the process. By eating more protein, doing strength exercises, and slowing down the pace of weight loss, you can maintain muscle mass and improve your overall health. Remember, muscles are essential for keeping your body strong, supporting your joints, and helping you stay active. So, make sure to care for them while you work toward your weight loss goals. Protecting your muscles while on semaglutide is totally possible with the right balance of food, exercise, and medication!