Foods to Avoid While Taking GLP-1 Medications
4. Avoid high-fat and greasy meals
This one’s big: fatty foods can make nausea and vomiting worse, especially during the first few weeks.
Try to avoid:
Fried food
Sausages or bacon
Heavy cream sauces
Pizza, fast food, takeaways
These meals slow down digestion even more, which is already being affected by the medication.
5. Cut back on sugary and ultra-processed foods
Your body is trying to stabilise your blood glucose levels. Spiking them with sweets, pastries, or sugary drinks can make you feel worse and may reduce how well the GLP-1 drug works.
Watch out for:
Sweets, cakes, chocolate
Sugary yoghurts
Fizzy drinks
White bread or low-fibre snacks
You don’t need to eliminate these forever, but try to limit them during the adjustment phase.
6. Be cautious with rich dairy and “trigger” foods
Everyone’s list of specific foods that trigger side effects is different, but common culprits include:
Cheese
Creamy sauces
Eggs (for some)
Spicy food
Carbonated drinks
Keep notes on what sits well vs what causes nausea. One week in, you’ll start to see patterns.
What You Don’t Need to Stress About
7. There’s no specific “Ozempic diet”
You’ll hear a lot about what you should be eating, but there’s no official plan, and you won’t be kicked out of the program for having a carb.
Instead, think: How can I make this meal easier to digest, less likely to cause side effects, and actually fuel me?
Good choices are often soft, low-fat, protein-rich, and not too sweet. But you’re allowed to experiment, you’ll learn what works.
8. You might not feel results immediately
Some people notice a drop in appetite or body weight right away. Others take 2–3 weeks to notice anything.
Don’t panic, this doesn’t mean Ozempic or Mounjaro isn’t working. The effects build gradually. And even if your starting weight is higher or lower than average, that doesn’t predict success.
Stick to the plan, track your reactions, and give it time.
9. You don’t need to change your whole life in a week
You’re not expected to become a new person overnight. Going too hard too soon (with intense workouts or crash diets) can backfire.
This first week is about paying attention. Notice how you feel after certain meals. Get curious about what makes you feel good. Let the medication do its job while you get to know your new rhythm.
Final Thoughts: Start With Less, Learn More
If there’s one message for your first week on a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it’s this:
Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t panic if it feels weird. And don’t assume you have to get it all right on day one.
The best results come when you:
Eat mindfully, not perfectly
Avoid trigger foods without being obsessive
Listen to your body, even when it surprises you
Track symptoms and progress, not just weight
Whether you're on Ozempic, Mounjaro, or another drug like Ozempic, you’re doing the hard part already, showing up.
We’ll be here for the next step too.
To help your body adjust, aim for light, balanced meals with:
Whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa)
Lean protein (chicken, eggs, tofu)
Cooked vegetables
Gentle healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nut butter)
Even if your appetite is low, try to eat something small every few hours, especially in the morning. It helps with energy and keeps your digestive system moving.
Some foods high in fat or sugar can hit harder when your digestion slows down, especially in the early days. This doesn’t mean you need to cut them out forever, but they may increase your risk of side effects like nausea, bloating, or indigestion. Keeping things light in your first week supports better weight management and gives your body a chance to adapt without extra stress. You can read more about foods to eat and avoid later on in this article, but for a more comprehensive look, check out our food and nutrition category.
2. Drink like it's your part-time job
You may not feel thirsty, but GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide slow digestion, which can lead to constipation, bloating, and fatigue if you’re not drinking enough.
Aim for 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid per day. Water is best, but herbal teas, diluted squash, and broth-based soups count too. Just skip fizzy drinks, they tend to make burping and bloating worse, especially on Mounjaro.
Staying hydrated isn’t just about comfort. It’s also about safety. The FDA recently added new warnings to GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy about the risk of acute kidney injury linked to severe dehydration, especially after vomiting or diarrhoea in the early weeks. Read more about that here.
3. Stick to a consistent injection day
If you’re new to this, choose a day and time to take Ozempic or Mounjaro each week, and keep it the same. These medications are designed to be taken weekly, and consistency helps your body settle into a rhythm.
Some people prefer injecting in the morning, so they can monitor how they feel throughout the day. Others find it easier to inject before bed and sleep through the initial side effects. There’s no “right” answer; it’s about what fits your routine.
But here’s something to think about: the first 48 hours after injecting are usually when side effects are strongest. So if your weekends are full of social plans, travel, or childcare, a Friday injection might not be ideal; you don’t want to spend Saturday stuck in bed or curled up on someone else’s sofa.
Likewise, if Monday mornings are intense, with work deadlines or early meetings, avoid injecting on Sunday; you may still be feeling rough when the week kicks off. In that case, a Thursday morning or Friday evening injection gives you time to recover before things get busy again.
Tip: If you’re prone to nausea, eat a light snack about 30–60 minutes before your injection, something plain and easy to digest, like toast, yoghurt, or crackers, can help take the edge off.
What to eat, what to avoid, and how to feel more human on your first week of Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy
So, you’ve taken your first Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Wegovy injection, or you're about to. Welcome to the start of your GLP-1 weight loss journey, and possibly the most Googled question of the week: what now?
If you're anything like most people starting these weight loss drugs, you're probably staring at the fridge, feeling a bit weird, and wondering if you're doing it right.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are some patterns that come up again and again. Certain foods may trigger nausea. Others may help you feel more stable. Some habits set you up to feel calm, clear, and in control; others lead straight to bloating, fatigue, and regret.
This guide walks you through the dos and don’ts for your first week on GLP-1 medications, including what to eat, what to avoid, and how to keep your body and brain on board while the medication starts to take effect.
What to Eat While Taking Ozempic or Mounjaro
1. Start with simple, nutrient-dense meals
Your appetite may drop within days, or even hours, of your first dose. But for others, it might take weeks or even months to notice a real difference. Either way, it’s important to start on the right track with a healthy diet from day one. Skipping food altogether can make things worse, leading to stronger side effects like nausea, low energy, and unstable blood sugar.
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Nick M
Published:
7 Aug 2025
Updated:
6 Oct 2025
GLP-1 Dos and Don’ts From Day One on Mounjaro and Ozempic
Starting Out
Helpful Companions For Your Weight Loss Journey
From meal ideas to daily tracking, these digital tools are designed to make life on GLP-1s a little easier.
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