Are you taking Mounjaro weight loss medication and wondering what’s the best dietary approach that’ll maximise your weight loss? Or maybe you’re thinking of starting Mounjaro and looking to find out how it would affect your current diet?
Well, look no further! At Phlo Clinic, we're here to guide you on which foods to include and which foods to exclude from your diet while you’re on Mounjaro. Plus, we’ll support your weight loss journey with our top tips and advice.
Why diet is important when taking Mounjaro?
You may have heard Mounjaro works by sending signals to your brain that reduces your appetite, prevents cravings and helps regulate your blood sugar. Or you may have been sold it as the medication doing most of the weight loss work for you. Both are true, but it’s not all!
Whilst Mounjaro also helps you lose weight by slowing the rate at which your stomach digests and empties food - making you feel fuller for longer - this doesn’t mean that what you eat isn’t important. After all, a healthy lifestyle is a combination of good nutrition, exercise, good sleep routines and stress management - all playing a part in disease prevention and longevity.
So alongside taking Mounjaro, following a healthy lifestyle and making healthy food choices is recommended for the best weight loss results.
Mounjaro Diet Plan
You might be surprised to hear that diets (such as low-carb or zero sugar) don’t have any more benefit for losing weight while using Mounjaro than a regular, healthy balanced diet. In fact, there’s no research that shows one particular diet or dietary intervention with Mounjaro is best. In addition to this, there is no need to “prep” your body for taking Mounjaro by undertaking any drastic diet changes.
So what is a regular, healthy balanced diet? For the majority of people, having three main meals a day which each include a portion of protein, carbohydrate and fat will fulfil all their daily nutritional and energy needs. This would also include adequate water intake and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
For a balanced meal you should aim to make sure your vegetables make up half the meal and carbohydrates and protein both making up the other quarter, a bit like this:
To help you reach your weight loss goals, let’s explore in more detail some of our food recommendations to include and exclude whilst taking Mounjaro.
Our top recommendations include:
- Adding a portion of protein in every main meal you have (see protein sources below)
- Drinking plenty of water
- Eating enough fibre every day
What to eat on Mounjaro
Protein sources
Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass whilst losing weight. It’s important to keep your muscle mass so your metabolism stays high, and so you maintain your strength and your ability to do usual daily activities. Protein foods also keep you satiated for longer and if you eat plenty of protein, you tend to reduce the need for snacks.
Examples of foods high in protein are:
- fish
- meat
- eggs
- tofu
- tempeh
- beans
- full fat yoghurt
- cheese
- seafood.
Include one portion of one of these protein sources at every meal. A portion of protein will roughly be the size of your palm for women and about two palm sizes for men.
Carbohydrate sources
Whilst taking Mounjaro, we recommend you opt for high in fibre complex carbohydrates. These are whole grains and brown carbohydrates like brown bread and brown rice that help you feel fuller for longer and provide you with longer lasting energy. These carbohydrates also help improve your digestion by providing quality fibre.
Examples of high-fibre complex carbohydrates foods include:
- quinoa
- brown rice
- brown pasta
- brown bread
- sweet potatoes
- white potatoes
- pumpkin
- legumes such as lentils, peas and chickpeas
- beans
- butternut squash
Sources of healthy fat
The healthy fats to include are unsaturated fats. These are liquid at room temperature and are very beneficial for our overall health, providing essential nutrients. They are particularly beneficial for improving cholesterol, inflammation levels, and reducing your risk of heart disease. Include these in your diet daily.
Examples of healthy fats include
- extra virgin olive oil
- avocado
- eggs
- dairy products
- nuts
- seeds
Oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are classed as protein sources but they also contain healthy fats.
Fruit and vegetables
We also recommend, either in your meals or in between as snacks, you're eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. These benefit the immune system, help avoid constipation and they also contain essential nutrients we need for overall health - as with a low dietary intake of these you may be at risk of deficiency. This means eating a variety across a typical week and not eating the same ones all the time, aiming for different colours and types. For example, eating all the different colours of peppers or carrots, or eating different types of potatoes to the best that you can. All fruit is generally very healthy, but particularly fruits low in sugar can be helpful (such as all types of berries). Fruit and vegetables also provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and shouldn’t be limited. We view these as your natural multi-vitamin.
What not to eat on Mounjaro
There are a few foods we recommend you avoid eating whilst taking Mounjaro.
- Avoid eating a lot of processed foods - do your best to minimise your intake of pre-made microwaveable foods and meals, fried foods, boxed cereals or foods, cakes, pastries, fast food and takeaways, oven pizza, crisps, biscuits, fizzy drinks, and supermarket sandwiches. These foods are often high in unhealthy saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories that may be unhelpful in your weight loss journey.
- Added sugar - do your best to reduce the amount of foods and beverages with added sugars, such as sweets, desserts, chocolate, sugary drinks, and supermarket snacks.
- Refined (white) carbohydrates - limit your intake of refined carbohydrates like white bread, white pasta and rice, which lack fibre and nutrients. Opt for wholegrain versions instead.
- Refined vegetable oils - limit your intake of refined vegetable oils like sunflower oil and opt for healthier alternatives like olive oil or avocado oil when you can, for both cooking and as salad or vegetable dressings.
Additional tips for diet on Mounjaro
- Stay hydrated - drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you experience nausea as a side effect of Mounjaro. Adequate hydration supports digestion and overall wellbeing. Aim for 6 to 8 cups or glasses of water per day.
- Keep fibre intake high - maintain a diet rich in fibre to support digestive health which can help ease constipation which you may experience with Mounjaro. Fibre also helps promote feelings of fullness. High-fibre foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
- Don’t take part in extreme dieting - there's no need to cut out entire food groups or follow extreme diets while on Mounjaro. For example, shake diets, cutting out sugar or carbohydrates completely, keto or 5:2/intermittent fasting diets. Instead, focus on balanced, nutritious meals that nourish your body and support your weight loss goals.
Additional resources
Get to know Mounjaro for weight loss, including side effects and how to use it.
By incorporating these dietary recommendations into your daily routine, you can optimise your weight loss on Mounjaro, achieve your weight loss goals and maintain a sustainable, healthy weight. Remember, making healthy lifestyle choices today contributes to a happier, healthier future.
If you have any questions or need further guidance, don't hesitate to reach out to our team at Phlo Clinic. Together, we'll support you every step of the way on your weight loss journey.
