Do GLP-1s The Right Way—You Shouldn't Feel Exhausted, Nauseous, or Unable to Workout
Did a podcast this morning and it reminded me about something important—there are so many new people in this space, especially those of you starting tirzepatide or retatrutide, who might be making critical mistakes without even realizing it. Let me share some context. I was lucky enough to get into tirzepatide NOT wanting to lose 70 lbs—I did that part before. I started tirzepatide to calm that overall food noise and stay at maintenance. I'm also the type of person who will do months of research and figure out everything about a peptide before I dive in. As part of that research, I already understood proper dieting and the dangers of putting yourself into too harsh of a deficit. So let me break this down for you: If you're feeling tired, nauseous, and can't eat—your dose is too high. Here's what's actually happening in your body when you push the dose too hard: GLP-1 agonists like tirzepatide work by slowing gastric emptying (how fast food leaves your stomach) and signaling satiety centers in your brain. When you dose too aggressively, you're essentially slamming the brakes on your entire digestive system. The nausea isn't just discomfort—it's your body telling you it can't process what's happening. Can't eat → You're losing muscle. When you're in a severe caloric deficit, your body doesn't just burn fat. It breaks down muscle tissue for amino acids through a process called gluconeogenesis—literally converting protein into glucose for energy. Muscle is metabolically expensive for your body to maintain, so when resources are scarce, it's one of the first things to go. And for those of you on tirzepatide specifically—this is even more pronounced. Tirzepatide is a dual agonist hitting GLP-1 and GIP receptors, but it has no glucagon receptor activity. Retatrutide, on the other hand, is a triple agonist that includes glucagon receptor activation. Why does this matter? Glucagon signaling helps mobilize fat for energy and has some muscle-sparing properties. Without that glucagon component, tirzepatide users need to be even MORE intentional about protein intake and resistance training to protect lean mass.