When I took my first dose of tirzepatide, I thought it’d be no big deal and that I could wing it as I went along. After all, I’d done my research and had been in healthcare for quite some time. I understood the risks and benefits, so I naturally figured that I’d be all set. Turns out that starting GLP-1 medications was more complicated than I thought.

Here’s what nobody tells you: the practical, day-to-day stuff that makes or breaks your GLP-1 experience doesn’t show up in the prescribing information.

I’ve now lost 155 pounds, maintained at 13% body fat, and I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. However, I made mistakes in the beginning that cost me time, energy, and muscle mass. If you’re about to start Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound—or you’re a few weeks in and feeling lost—here are the 5 things I desperately wish someone had told me on Day One.

1. Not Being Hungry Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t Eat

What I thought: “Finally! I’m not hungry. I’ll just eat when my body tells me to.”

What actually happened: I was eating around 1,000 calories a day, felt exhausted, lost muscle along with fat, and my hair started thinning.

The reality: Your body still needs protein, fiber, and enough calories to support your metabolism. Appetite suppression means the medication is working, but eating strategically is still YOUR job. I didn’t figure out how to structure meals for non-hungry days until Week 8. I wish I’d known from Day 1 what to eat, when to eat it, and how much was actually enough.

→ The Beginner Survival Kit includes meal structures for low appetite days, minimum nutrition goals, and exactly how to eat when you’re not hungry.

2. The First Month Is Rough (But Nobody Warns You How Rough)

What I thought: “Side effects? I’ll power through.”

What actually happened: Week 2 hit me like a truck. Nausea, fatigue, constipation, brain fog. I almost quit because I didn’t know this was normal and temporary.

The reality: Your body is adjusting to slower digestion and different hunger signals. Most people feel significantly better by Week 4, but you need a game plan to get through those first few weeks. I spent hours Googling “is this normal on Mounjaro” at 2am. I wish I’d had a week-by-week guide that told me what to expect and what to do about it.

→ The Survival Kit breaks down what’s normal vs. concerning for Weeks 1-4, plus exactly which supplements and strategies help each symptom.

3. You’ll Lose Muscle Unless You Fight For It

What I thought: “The scale is going down, I must be doing it right.”

What actually happened: I was losing weight, yes, but I was also losing strength, and my body composition wasn’t changing the way I wanted.

The reality: Without enough protein (0.8-1.0g per pound of goal weight) and resistance training, you WILL lose muscle on GLP-1s. And muscle loss = slower metabolism = harder to maintain results. It took me months to figure out the protein-timing-training combination that preserved my muscle. Four months of suboptimal results that I can’t get back.

→ The Survival Kit includes your exact protein targets, meal timing strategies, and a simple strength training framework to protect your muscle from Day 1.

4. Side Effects Have Solutions (You Just Need to Know What They Are)

What I thought: “I’ll deal with constipation if it happens.”

What actually happened: By Day 10, I was miserable. Then came the nausea. Then the bloating. I was playing whack-a-mole with symptoms and had no idea which supplements actually worked.

The reality: Magnesium for constipation. Ginger for nausea. Digestive enzymes for bloating. Eating slowly and avoiding certain foods. There are real, practical solutions—but you need to know them BEFORE you’re desperate. I spent hundreds on random supplements trying to figure out what worked. Most didn’t, and some made things worse.

→ The Survival Kit includes a symptom-by-symptom toolkit with specific products, dosages, and timing so you’re not guessing.

5. More Than Weight Loss, This is Identity Work

What I thought: “I’ll lose the weight, then figure out maintenance.”

What actually happened: When the weight came off and food stopped being my emotional crutch, I had to figure out who I was without it.

The reality: GLP-1s quiet the food noise, but they don’t fix the emotional reasons you were using food in the first place. The habits you build while your appetite is suppressed are what determine whether you keep the weight off. This was admittedly the hardest part for me. I had to learn new coping strategies, build new routines, and create an identity beyond “the person trying to lose weight.”

→ The Survival Kit includes mindset shifts, journaling prompts, and identity anchoring exercises to help you build a foundation that lasts beyond the medication.

Here’s What I Wish I’d Had on Day 1

A roadmap. Not a restrictive diet or a list of rules, but a practical guide that told me:

• What to expect each week
• How to eat when I wasn’t hungry
• Which side effects were normal and how to manage them
• How to protect my muscle and metabolism
• How to build habits that would carry me through maintenance

That’s why I created the That GLP-1 Girl Beginner Survival Kit. It has everything you need to know about starting GLP-1 medications.

It’s everything I learned the hard way, condensed into a step-by-step companion guide for your first months on GLP-1 medications.

Inside you’ll find:

• Week-by-week expectations and what’s normal vs. concerning
• Meal structures and minimum nutrition goals for low-appetite days
• Side effect management toolkit (supplements, timing, what actually works)
• Movement strategies to preserve muscle and boost metabolism
• Mindset work and identity shifts for long-term success
• Social situations, travel tips, and real-life flexibility

This IS NOT a diet plan; it’s your Day 1 playbook.

It’s the guide I desperately needed when I started, so you don’t have to figure it out the hard way like I did. Starting on a GLP-1 medication shouldn’t be hard!

Snag it here!

Don’t Make the Mistakes I Made

Starting GLP-1 medications without a plan is like showing up to a marathon without training. Sure, you might finish, but you’ll suffer way more than you need to.

I lost time, muscle, and energy because I didn’t know what I was doing. You don’t have to.

Ready to start strong and stay consistent? Grab the Beginner GLP-1 Survival Kit and let’s do this the right way from Day One.