If you have not been prescribed a GLP-1 medication yourself, chances are you know someone who has. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro: these names have gone from medical vocabulary to dinner table conversation in the space of a couple of years, and in Switzerland alone, more than 20,000 people are now using a weekly weight loss injection [5].
But beyond the headlines, what is GLP-1 actually, how does it work in the body, and, just as importantly, how should you eat while using it? This guide breaks it down in plain, science-based language, and looks at where a nutrition-first approach, including an occasional structured reset, fits alongside the medication.
1. What Is GLP-1? The Basics Explained
The hormone behind the medication
GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut already produces naturally. Specialised cells in your small intestine release it into your bloodstream after you eat, and it acts as a messenger between your gut, your pancreas, and your brain, helping to regulate blood sugar and signal fullness [1].
GLP-1 medications are not GLP-1 itself. They are GLP-1 receptor agonists: lab-made compounds that mimic the hormone's action but last far longer in the body, which is why they can be taken as a once weekly (or once daily, depending on the drug) injection instead of relying on the fleeting natural hormone released at each meal [1] [2].
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Saxenda: what is the difference?
The branding around these medications causes a lot of confusion, so here is the simplest way to think about it:
- Ozempic and Wegovy both contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide. Ozempic was developed and approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is the same molecule at a higher dose, approved specifically for weight management.
- Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts on two gut hormone receptors, GLP-1 and GIP, rather than one, and has shown strong results in clinical trials.
- Saxenda contains liraglutide, an earlier generation GLP-1 medication that requires a daily rather than weekly injection.
In other words, "GLP-1" is the category. The specific drug, dose, and approved use, whether diabetes or weight management, is what varies between brand names.
GLP-1 in Switzerland: approval and insurance coverage
Wegovy was approved by Swissmedic in 2022, though supply constraints meant it took time to reach Swiss pharmacies in meaningful volumes [6]. Since 2024, mandatory Swiss health insurance (LaMal/KVG) has covered Wegovy under defined conditions, generally a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 or above with a weight related condition such as high blood pressure or prediabetes, with a monthly out of pocket contribution in the range of CHF 170 to 180 [5]. Coverage criteria can be specific, so it is worth confirming your own eligibility directly with your doctor and insurer rather than assuming.
2. How GLP-1 Medications Work in the Body
Appetite, satiety, and slower digestion
GLP-1 receptor agonists work on several fronts at once. In the brain, they act on the hypothalamus, your appetite control centre, amplifying the sensation of fullness so that smaller portions feel sufficient. At the same time, they slow gastric emptying, meaning food stays in your stomach longer [1] [2]. The practical result is that hunger takes longer to return after a meal, and portions that once felt small now feel adequate.
Blood sugar regulation
This is where GLP-1's original diabetes indication comes from: the hormone, and the medications that mimic it, stimulate insulin release when blood glucose is high, and suppress glucagon, a hormone that would otherwise raise blood sugar [1]. This dual action helps keep glucose levels steadier throughout the day, independent of the weight loss effect.
What realistic results look like, and over what timeline
Clinical experience with Wegovy points to an average weight loss of around 15% of body weight over roughly two years of treatment, though individual results vary considerably based on dose, adherence, and lifestyle factors [6]. This is a gradual process; changes typically build over weeks and months, not days. Expecting rapid, linear weight loss can set you up for discouragement. Expecting a slow, steady shift is more realistic and, frankly, healthier.
3. Benefits, Side Effects, and Who Should Be Cautious
Common side effects
The most frequently reported side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation, particularly when starting treatment or increasing the dose. For most people these effects ease over the first several weeks as the body adjusts, which is why doctors typically start at a low dose and titrate upward gradually [1].
Less discussed but worth knowing about: rapid fat loss, particularly in the face, can lead to a more gaunt or aged appearance, sometimes nicknamed "Ozempic face," simply because facial fat pads shrink along with fat elsewhere in the body. This is not dangerous, but it can be an unexpected adjustment.
Why medical supervision matters throughout treatment
GLP-1 medications are prescription only for good reason. They are not appropriate for everyone. For example, they are generally avoided in pregnancy, in people with a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers, or with a history of pancreatitis [1]. Dose titration, monitoring for side effects, and tracking outcomes like blood pressure, blood sugar, and body composition should all happen under a doctor's guidance, not through self-directed use. If you are considering or currently using a GLP-1 medication, regular check-ins with your prescribing doctor are part of using it safely.
4. Everyday Nutrition on GLP-1: The Eat by Alex Approach
Why appetite suppression can hide nutrient gaps
Here is the part that gets far less attention than it deserves: when a medication is actively suppressing your appetite, it becomes very easy to under-eat without noticing, not just in calories, but in the specific nutrients your body still needs even while losing weight. Feeling "not hungry" is not the same as being adequately nourished.
Protein targets and why they matter for lean mass
This is the single most important nutritional consideration on a GLP-1 medication. Research published in 2026 indicates that lean muscle mass can account for a meaningful share, roughly a quarter to just over a third, of total weight lost during GLP-1 treatment, a proportion broadly similar to lifestyle only weight loss, but larger in absolute terms simply because total weight loss tends to be greater [3]. Reduced overall food intake, combined with lower insulin levels, can tilt the body toward breaking down muscle for energy if protein intake is not adequate [3] [4].
The generally recommended range is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, with some guidance going as high as 2.0 g/kg for people who are also resistance training [4]. In practice, that means prioritising a source of protein at every meal, even a small one. This matters more, not less, when your total food volume has gone down.
This is higher than our usual longevity-nutrition guidance of roughly 0.7-0.8g/kg, and that's deliberate: that lower target is for general healthy eating, while GLP-1 treatment puts you in an active, medication-driven calorie deficit where clinical research specifically shows elevated muscle-loss risk, so the calculus shifts.
If you want to go deeper on the research, physician Peter Attia devoted a full episode of The Peter Attia Drive to exactly this question. Listen further: AMA #86: GLP-1 RAs and Muscle Loss reviews new data on lean mass loss during GLP-1 treatment and how protein intake and resistance training change the picture.
Fibre, hydration, and smaller, nutrient dense meals
Fibre helps counteract one of the more common side effects, constipation, while also supporting satiety at lower food volumes, so it is a natural fit for someone eating less overall. Hydration deserves equal attention: nausea and reduced appetite can blunt your normal thirst cues, and dehydration can worsen the gastrointestinal side effects some people experience. With smaller portions, every meal and snack needs to work harder nutritionally, favouring whole, nutrient dense foods over anything that takes up stomach space without offering much in return.
Practical picks for low appetite days
This is exactly where building sustainable, everyday habits matters more than any single product. A few ways to make this easier in practice:
- High protein, plant-based recipes. Our recipes blog is full of ideas built around whole foods, legumes, and other protein sources that fit into smaller portions without sacrificing nutrition.
- Morning Mixes for an effortless, fibre-rich breakfast on days when cooking feels like too much. Combine one mix with a pot of skyr for a breakfast with up to 30g of protein, a simple way to front-load your protein intake early in the day.
- Zooki Electrolytes to support hydration, particularly useful if nausea or reduced fluid intake is an issue during dose adjustments.
Resistance training is the other half of the muscle preservation equation. If you want tailored guidance, our partner Jenny Winklhofer of My Body Toning specialises in helping women over 40 combine nutrition, fitness, and hormone balance, a useful complement to the eating strategies above. Our partner Ryan Farrelly of Feel Good Fitness takes a similarly holistic approach, covering nutrition, movement, supplementation, sleep, and stress management, and leads the recovery and stretch guidance included in our reSET program.
5. What About reSET? Occasional, Not Daily
What a fasting-mimicking reset is, briefly
reSET is our five day, plant-based fasting-mimicking diet (FMD): a complete, pre-portioned nutrition program designed to nudge the body into a fasting-like metabolic state, supporting fat burning and cellular renewal, while still providing carefully calibrated nutrition rather than abstaining from food entirely. It is one of our convenient and complete food programs, delivered ready to eat to your door anywhere in Switzerland & Lichtenstein.
Why reSET is not meant to be a daily complement to GLP-1
It is worth being direct about this: reSET is not designed to be layered on top of a GLP-1 medication as a daily or concurrent addition. Both work, in different ways, by reducing your food and calorie intake: a GLP-1 medication through appetite suppression day after day, and reSET through a structured, time-limited reduction in intake during its five day cycle. Combined without spacing, the two could compound each other in ways that increase the risk of inadequate nutrition or muscle loss, which is the opposite of what either is meant to achieve. reSET is intended to be used occasionally, as a periodic reset, not as a routine you run alongside daily GLP-1 use.
Alex's suggested cadence
If you are on a GLP-1 medication and want to incorporate periodic reSET cycles, our founder Alex's suggested starting point is roughly one five day reSET cycle every six weeks, for about four cycles, over the course of treatment. This is the cadence behind our GLP-1 Support Package. It is a wider spacing than our standard Weight Loss Package, which runs one cycle a month for three months, because that monthly cadence assumes a fairly typical appetite in between cycles, something a GLP-1 medication is actively changing.
It is important to say plainly: this cadence is Alex's own proposed approach, based on general principles of spacing periodic resets further apart when baseline food intake is already reduced. It is not yet backed by dedicated clinical research on combining fasting-mimicking diets with GLP-1 medications specifically; that combination has not been studied directly. This is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a validated protocol, and timing should be confirmed with your prescribing doctor, including how it relates to your injection schedule.
6. Building Your Plan With a Professional
Because so much of this depends on your individual health profile, dose, and goals, the most useful thing you can do is bring a short list of questions to your doctor or dietitian rather than trying to figure it all out alone. DEXA body composition scan, giving you a concrete baseline to monitor over the course of treatment rather than relying on the bathroom scale alone.
- Based on my health profile, do I meet the criteria for insurance coverage of a GLP-1 medication in Switzerland?
- What protein and calorie targets make sense for me while I am on this medication?
- How will we track lean muscle mass, not just total weight, over the course of treatment?
- Is a periodic reset like reSET appropriate for me, and if so, how should its timing work around my injection schedule?
- What side effects should prompt me to call you between appointments?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GLP-1?
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a natural gut hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite. GLP-1 medications are lab-made compounds that mimic this hormone's action, originally developed for type 2 diabetes and later approved for weight management at higher doses [1] [2].
What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
They contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is the same molecule at a higher dose, approved for weight management.
Does GLP-1 cause muscle loss?
Weight loss on GLP-1 medications does include a meaningful share of lean muscle mass, similar in proportion to other forms of weight loss but larger in absolute terms due to greater total weight loss. Adequate protein intake, generally 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg body weight, and resistance exercise are the main tools for minimising this [3] [4].
What should I eat while on a GLP-1 medication?
Prioritise protein at every meal, include fibre-rich foods to support digestion and satiety, stay well hydrated, and choose nutrient dense foods since your overall portions are likely to be smaller.
Can I use reSET while on a GLP-1 medication?
Only as an occasional, periodic reset, not as a daily complement. If you want to incorporate it, Alex's suggested starting point is roughly one cycle every six weeks for about four cycles, always confirmed with your doctor first. For the daily side of fasting rather than this periodic approach, our article on intermittent fasting benefits and methods covers how the two compare.
Is Wegovy covered by health insurance in Switzerland?
Since 2024, mandatory Swiss insurance has covered Wegovy under specific conditions, generally BMI 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight related condition, with a monthly out of pocket contribution of roughly CHF 170 to 180. Confirm your own eligibility with your doctor and insurer.
The Bottom Line
GLP-1 medications are a genuinely significant tool for weight management and metabolic health, but they work best as part of a broader plan, not in isolation. Protecting your nutrition, and specifically your protein intake, while the medication is suppressing your appetite is one of the most useful things you can control day to day. Everyday tools like protein-forward recipes, a fibre-rich breakfast, and good hydration go a long way. An occasional reSET reset can play a role too, used sparingly rather than daily, alongside Eat by Alex's broader, science-based approach to nutrition and long-term health.
If you are currently exploring GLP-1 medications or already using one, the right next step is a conversation with your doctor about your specific plan, including how nutrition, and any periodic resets, should fit around it.
Sources:
- GLP-1 Agonists: What They Are, How They Work & Side Effects. Cleveland Clinic. Link
- How Do GLP-1s Work? Understanding the Mechanism of Action. GoodRx. Link
- Lean Mass and Musculoskeletal Preservation in GLP-1-Based Obesity Treatment: Nutrition, Exercise, Supplementation, and Monitoring Strategies. Metabolites (2026). Link
- GLP-1s and Lean Mass: What the Research Shows. ACE Fitness (June 2025). Link
- Abnehmspritzen im Trend: über 20'000 Schweizer nutzen sie. Blick. Link
- Comment la Suisse se prépare à la piqûre qui fait maigrir. Watson. Link
This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor before starting, combining, or adjusting any weight management medication or nutrition program.