GLP-1 Means More Protein (Or You’ll Lose Muscle)

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If you're on a GLP-1 or even thinking about taking one, there's something really important you need to understand before you lose weight the wrong way, because these medications absolutely work. So I want to do here is explain exactly why GLP-1 means more protein is just the starting point and why protecting your metabolism while you lose weight takes a muscle-first approach. Now, one of the ways that GLP-1s work is by shutting down the food noise and suppressing your appetite. But this benefit can become a risk very quickly if the right strategies for muscle preservation aren't in place. If you're not intentional about what you're eating while your appetite is suppressed, especially when it comes to protein and muscle support, you're not just losing fat, you're also losing muscle. And I see this happening all the time with women over 40 who are trying to do the right thing but don't realize what's actually happening underneath the surface.

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So let me share why protein means more on a GLP-1. Because when people hear GLP-1 means more protein, what they're really asking is, why does protein suddenly matter more if I'm eating less? Well, here's what's actually happening in your body if you're losing weight on a GLP-1 without a muscle-first strategy. By the way, this goes for any poorly designed diet. GLP-1 medications suppress your appetite so effectively that your hunger signals are no longer guiding your intake the way they used to. You're not thinking about food as often, you're getting full quickly, and you're often eating whatever feels easiest in the moment. Now, if you've already been on one or are currently taking a GLP-1, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. The problem is that when total calories drop, protein intake usually drops with it unless you are actively prioritizing it. And your body still needs protein to maintain muscle. In fact, when you're in a big caloric deficit, you need even more protein. There's very strong data showing that when people are in a caloric deficit, higher protein intake is what protects lean mass. There was a randomized controlled trial by Longland et al. where participants in a 40% calorie deficit who ate more protein actually preserved and even gained lean mass while lower protein groups lost it. Similar findings from Mettler et al. showed that a higher protein intake was significantly better at preventing muscle loss during weight loss. And meta-analysis across dozens of studies confirmed that higher protein intake during weight loss helps preserve lean mass and improves body composition. This was Pasikos et al. and Moon et al. If you're not given enough protein, your body can start breaking down muscle tissue to meet those needs. And that is where the real problem begins, because muscle isn't just about strength or appearance. Muscle is your metabolic engine, and losing it can make long-term fat loss and good metabolic health so much harder. There was a systematic review and meta-analysis that was published in the Journal of Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental and it looked at body composition changes during weight loss with GLP-1 medications. So the researchers analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials involving over 2,000 adults with obesity or type 2 diabetes. Now, across these studies, participants lost significant weight, but lean mass decreased right alongside the fat mass. And on average, about 25% of the weight loss came from lean mass, with some studies reporting as much as 40% coming from lean mass rather than fat. So yeah, the scale might be going down, but here's the deal. The number on your bathroom scale does not tell the whole story because if you're losing muscle along with fat, you're also losing the metabolic engine that helps your body burn fat and maintain metabolic health and a better metabolism for the long haul. So I hope your next question is, well, how the heck do I protect my muscle when I'm on caloric restriction with or without a GLP-1? And this is why you have to shift how you think about how you're eating when you're on a GLP-1 or you're on any kind of caloric restriction. Because you can't rely when you're on GLP-1, you can't rely on hunger, right? Your appetite's suppressed. So the normal signals that used to guide how much you eat, they're no longer reliable. In fact, they're out the window. Instead, you're going to have to eat based on principle. And that means deciding ahead of time that you're going to hit your protein target regardless of whether you feel hungry or not. For most people who are trying to protect muscle while losing fat, that means aiming for around 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight. 0.7 to 1 gram of protein, right? And that's why I say eat protein first. The goal though isn't simply eating more protein for the sake of it. It's to make sure that your body has the protein it needs to maintain muscle while you're losing fat. Because when your calories go down, maintaining muscle becomes much harder if your protein intake isn't intentional. Again, my mantra, eat protein first to make sure you get it in. But here's the reality. Even when you're prioritizing protein, it can still be difficult to consistently hit those targets when appetite is suppressed on a GLP-1. And that's where essential amino acids can come to the rescue. Essential amino acids— this is why we eat protein, by the way, for them— are critical for building and maintaining muscle because your body needs all of them to fully support muscle protein synthesis. Now, you've heard of leucine. It's one of the key amino acids that helps switch the whole process on. And when appetite's low and food intake drops, A high-quality essential amino acid formula with leucine can help fill in the gaps by giving your body all of the essential amino acids it needs, including that leucine to help support muscle protein synthesis and trigger mTOR. I created my own amino acid formula and I used the recommendations that the NIH put out for sarcopenia, that same balance of essential aminos. I use it myself to fill in any protein gaps and I also put it in as part of my exercise stack. It's called Amino Acid Power Powder by Reignite Wellness. Uh, This doesn't replace getting protein from whole foods, but it can be a simple way, an easy way to reinforce muscle support when your appetite's low and your overall food intake is reduced. And that becomes especially important when the goal is not just losing weight, but holding on to muscle, or better yet, building muscle along the way. Now, about resistance training. It's non-negotiable when you're using a GLP-1 medication. You gotta do this. It's essential because the reality is you're not going to hold on to muscle if you're not doing the work, right? 75% is the work, 25% is the diet. When we think about GLP-1s, we need to take a muscle-first approach. Before you focus on burning fat, you want to make sure you're protecting and supporting your muscle. That means getting protein on board and getting resistance training in place so your body has both the building blocks and the stimulus it needs to maintain, or better yet, build muscle. Otherwise, when calories take a drop and weight loss happens, a good portion of that can come from lean mass, like I showed you in those studies. And that It's the last thing you want because muscle is what helps control your metabolism. It supports your metabolism. It helps with blood sugar control, strength, and of course, long-term metabolic health. Now, when resistance training is paired with adequate protein, you're far more likely to hold on to, or better yet, build muscle while you're losing fat. And that's what you want to do because the goal is improving body composition. So you lose fat while maintaining or building that muscle, right? And once you've got the foundation in place, there's another layer of support that can be a real game changer when it comes to holding on to muscle along the way. I first heard about this product, Fortetropin, at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium in New York City. Kathy Swift was doing a talk on nutritional strength training, such a cute name. And one of the biggest takeaways for me from that talk was about this product, Fortetropin, fertilized egg yolk, and how important it can be for supporting muscle. Well, the talk was focused on all these things you could do to support muscle, by the way, things like fish oil, polyphenols, protein, and then the Fortetropin. And it caught my attention because Again, if you're using a GLB-1, if you're eating less, anything that can help you hold on to muscle, I'm all for. I'm searching for. I always try things myself and I wasn't expecting anything dramatic, especially since I've been training for 40+ years. But after using it on myself for about 2 months and I didn't change anything else, I was like perfect little lab rat, right? I gained 2.5 pounds of fat-free mass. Wild. I could not believe it because at this stage, especially for women over 40, gaining lean muscle without changing your training nutrition, eh, probably not gonna happen. So what Fortetropin does is it supports muscle protein synthesis and also helps reduce muscle breakdown, which of course is really important when you're in a caloric deficit, like when you're in a GLP-1. There was a 21-day clinical study that they did on older adults where Fortetropin increased muscle protein synthesis by 18%, and that is a big deal. There's also new research coming out of UC Berkeley that is showing that Fortetropin helps minimize muscle loss during GLP-1-related weight loss. I mean, that's massive. So when I looked at something like Yolked, here's the thing, and that's what this product's called, it's called Myos Yolked. I don't see this as a replacement for protein. It's not, it's fertilized egg yolk, not really protein. I don't see it as a, certainly as a replacement for resistance training, but this is such a good boost. It's support. The foundation is always gonna be protein and resistance training. But again, if you're eating less and you're trying to hold onto muscle while losing fat, having something that can give you a little extra support can make a meaningful difference. So here's what I want you to do if you're on a GLP-1 or if you're considering taking one. First, you got to make protein non-negotiable, and that's again why I say eat protein first. It's the anchor of each meal. Build everything else around it. See, when you eat it first, then you don't get too full to eat it, right? And if you leave this up to appetite, it's not going to happen. So you decide ahead of time and you plan. Then, Use the essential amino acids as your booster, as your insurance policy. So you make sure that you have everything that you need. And that's the great way to nutritionally support your muscle. Second, pair that protein with the work, right? You gotta do the resistance training. This is not the time to back off your workouts because the scale is moving. This is when lifting weights 2 to 3 times per week per body part becomes essential because it sends the signals to your body again, to trigger muscle protein synthesis, to hold onto, to build muscle. And then third, and this is the one I find most people seem forget. You gotta recover. Muscle is actually built in recovery. Sleep and stress management matter more than ever because you're already stressing your body out some with the caloric deficit, right? You gotta have that right environment, that right recovery for building lean mass. And added support, Fortetropin can be a really powerful tool for helping to support muscle protein synthesis along the way. And again, that product is called MyosYoked, and I'll put information about it in the show notes. I literally got so fired up about this product that I joined the company as a brand spokesperson. Okay, I want to be really clear about this. Protein is the foundation. Eat protein first. Resistance training is the signal. Challenge your muscles. Recovery supports the process. Build muscle in your sleep. And everything else is support on top of that. Now, if you take one thing away from this, let it be this: GLP-1 does not mean you can eat less and not think about it. It means you have to be more intentional than ever. Because if you don't prioritize protein, pair it with resistance training, and support your muscle along the way, you can lose the very thing that keeps your metabolism working for you for the long haul. So if you're going to use these tools, make sure you use them the right way. Take a muscle-first approach, protect your muscle, build your strength, and make sure the weight you're losing is actually the weight you want to lose. And if you want more science-based strategies to stay strong, protect your metabolism, and Age Powerfully, make sure you subscribe to this channel because when you understand how your body works, you can actually make these tools work for you instead of against you. Be sure to join me next time for more tools, tips, and techniques you can use to look and feel your best and be built to last. Also, I'd love to connect with you and hear your thoughts on the podcast. Here's how. First, subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest review. Second, take a screenshot of your review. And third, text it to 813-565-2627. That's 813-565-2627. When you do, I'll reply using my brand new virtual JJ Virgin. It's my on-demand virtual self built from my books, talks, and years of experience so I can interact with you directly. You'll make my day and I can't wait to hear from you. Thanks for tuning in and I'll catch you on the next episode. Hey, JJ here. And just a reminder that the Well Beyond 40 Podcast offers health, wellness, fitness, and nutritional information that's designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Make sure that you do not disregard, avoid, or delay obtaining medical or health-related advice from your healthcare professional because of something you may have heard on the show or read in our show notes. The use of any information provided on the show is solely at your own risk.

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