If you can't get your hands on Ozempic or other weight-loss drugs and are looking to lose weight, one doctor is offering some simple ways to hack your diet that mimic the effects of GLP-1 medications—without the hefty price tag.
Mary J. Scourboutakos, MD, is an adjunct lecturer in family and community medicine at the University of Toronto with a PhD in Nutritional Sciences. Recently, she wrote a piece for The Conversation in which she outlines the latest science behind semaglutides, their effect on GLP-1 (the hormone that regulates blood sugar and makes you feel full), and how eating certain foods in specific ways can trigger the same weight loss effects.
While losing weight may take a bit longer when going the natural route, tweaking your diet in the following ways has been shown to lower your risk of long-term diseases, such as heart attacks, by 10% more than GLP-1 medications, Dr. Scourboutakos notes. Plus, these habits can set you up for years of healthy eating and weight maintenance once you hit your goals. So, here are the 8 simple diet hacks you can adopt—starting today—to unlock the weight-loss benefits of Ozempic for free.
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1 | Eat a filling breakfast
The 15 Best Bed and Breakfasts in AmericaPixel-Shot / ShutterstockHere's the thousandth reason you should never skip breakfast.
As Dr. Scourboutakos points out, an August 2009 study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that your body's insulin response to eating food is faster in the morning than in the afternoon, meaning that eating breakfast can quickly trigger GLP-1 to make you feel full.
The researchers wrote, "The early release of GLP-1 and GIP are more pronounced in the morning than in the afternoon. This may contribute to the more rapid early insulin response, more pronounced potentiation of β-cell function, and lower glucose after the morning meal."
2 | Make your lunch smaller and your dinner the smallest
Kiian Oksana / ShutterstockFollow the rule of making breakfast your biggest meal of the day, followed by a smaller lunch and an even smaller dinner.
Dr. Scourboutakos cites a 2013 study in the journal Obesity that wanted to see if the timing of calorie intake—specifically eating more in the morning versus at night—affected weight loss and metabolic health in overweight and obese women with metabolic syndrome.
The researchers found that those who ate 700 calories at breakfast, 500 at lunch, and 200 at dinner lost more weight and reduced their waist size more than those who ate 200 calories at breakfast, 500 at lunch, and 700 at dinner.
What's more, both groups improved their blood sugar and insulin levels, but improvements were significantly greater in the group who had a bigger breakfast. In these ways, frontloading your meals can mimic the effects of semaglutides.
3 | Add fiber to every meal
7 | Eat More FiberShutterstockDr. Scourboutakos praises fiber as the number one nutrient that can increase your GLP-1 hormone naturally. She also states that having a fiber-rich diet is the strongest sign that you'll lose weight—even if you're not restricting calories, studies have shown.
To make sure you're adding fiber to every single meal, pick an ingredient or two from these fiber-rich foods list:
Vegetables
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Sweet potatoes (with skin)
Spinach
Artichokes (one of the highest-fiber veggies)
Fruits
Raspberries (8g per cup!)
Pears (with skin)
Apples (with skin)
Bananas
Avocados (also high in healthy fats)
Oranges
Whole Grains
Oats (especially steel-cut or old-fashioned)
Quinoa
Brown rice
Barley
Whole wheat bread or pasta
Bulgur
Legumes
Lentils
Black beans
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Kidney beans
Split peas
Navy beans
Nuts & Seeds
Chia seeds (10g per ounce!)
Flaxseeds
Almonds
Pistachios
Sunflower seeds
Overall, you should aim for 25 grams of fiber per day for women, and 34 grams per day for men.
4 | ... and monounsaturated fats
5 | Extra Virgin Olive Oilmasa44 / ShutterstockNext to fiber, Dr. Scourboutakos says monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) should also be a key part of your daily diet.
MUFAs are healthy fats that support heart health, improve cholesterol levels, and help with weight management and inflammation. Plus, they also increase your production of GLP-1 naturally.
Specifically, Dr. Scourboutakos calls out olive oil and avocadoes as being great sources of MUFAs. And, when paired with bread, they can raise your GLP-1 more than just eating the bread on its own, research shows.
Other good sources of MUFAs include avocado oil, nuts like almonds and cashews, seeds like pumpkin and sesame, nut butters, and olives.
Experts often suggest getting 15–20% of your daily calories from MUFAs.
5 | Choose pistachios as a healthy snack
Ermak Oksana / ShutterstockNuts are a great source of both fiber and monounsaturated fats, which is why Dr. Scourboutakos recommends them for snacking.
She points to a 2014 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which found that eating pistachios can raise your GLP-1 levels naturally.
As an added bonus, we recently reported on new research that revealed eating two ounces of pistachios per day can help protect your eyes from blue light damage as you age.
6 | Eat dishes in this order: Protein, vegetables, then carbs
Addison Wilson / ShutterstockSorry, those burger buns are going to have to wait.
Dr. Scourboutakos points to a 2015 study in the journal Diabetologia that found that eating proteins before carbs at mealtime can increase your GLP-1 levels more than eating carbs first followed by proteins.
The study authors concluded: "Meal sequence can play a role in postprandial glucose control through both delayed gastric emptying and enhanced incretin secretion. Our findings provide clues for medical nutrition therapy to better prevent and manage type 2 diabetes."
Other research has found that GLP-1 is raised when eating vegetables before carbs.
So, be mindful when you're sitting down for a meal and make sure to eat meat or fish first, followed by veggies, and then move on to carbs like bread or pasta.
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7 | Opt for solid foods over liquids
5. Leafy greensShutterstockEven the act of chewing your foods instead of drinking them can make a difference in raising your GLP-1 levels naturally, Dr. Scourboutakos writes.
A 2024 study in the journal Scientific Reports found that chewing vegetables (instead of drinking them as a purée) changes how your body responds after eating, especially in terms of blood sugar and hormone levels.
Researchers observed 19 men who ate solid cabbage one day and pureed cabbage the next. The results showed that GLP-1 levels were higher after chewing.
This suggests that chewing solid foods rather than ingesting them in other forms can increase helpful hormone levels that help with digestion, insulin release, and weight loss.
8 | Eat every bite slowly
10 Most Hydrating Foods to Eat This Summeradriaticfoto / ShutterstockDr. Scourboutakos's final tip is to eat slowly. While she doesn't provide any context for why this can help mimic the effects of Ozempic to lose weight, there has been plenty of research to back this up.
It's important to understand that GLP-1 is a hormone released from your gut when you eat.
By giving your body more time to recognize and respond to foods, you're giving it time to release digestive hormones in sync, including GLP-1. Eat too fast, and you may outpace these responses (and feel overly full only after you've eaten too much).
In short, the longer your meal lasts, the more GLP-1 builds up—helping you feel fuller and more satisfied before you overeat.
By following these 8 ways to hack your diet, you can enjoy the effects of Ozempic without a prescription, lose weight, and keep it off long term.
