This week we talked about food noise going quiet — that moment you realize it's 2 PM and you haven't thought about lunch once. For a lot of us, food wasn't only fuel. It was comfort, celebration, the thing we reached for when we were bored or stressed. When the noise fades, that space can feel freeing and a little strange at the same time. When your food noise got quieter, what showed up in the space it left behind — and how are you filling it? (Sharing experiences only — we're not giving medical advice here, just learning from each other.)

Every month I'm opening the floor to you. No topic is off limits. Side effects, nutrition, supplements, workout routines, how to talk to your doctor, what to do when the scale stops moving — if it's on your mind, drop it here. Here's how it works: - Post your question as a comment below - I'll answer every single question personally - The best questions will be featured in The Weekly Dose newsletter This month I'll kick things off with a question I get asked constantly: "Carlos, how do you stay motivated on days when Mounjaro makes you feel terrible?" My answer starts with something my therapist taught me after one of the hardest periods of my life. She told me — don't think about the whole workout. Just put on your workout clothes. Do your warmup. Then commit to one single set. After that one set, ask yourself one question: am I done or can I do one more? I have used this strategy every single time motivation felt impossible. And I can tell you with 100% certainty — I have finished the entire workout every single time. Every. Single. Time. And not once did I finish feeling worse than when I started. The barrier isn't the workout. It's getting started. So make getting started as small as humanly possible. Your turn. What's been on your mind lately about your GLP-1 journey? Drop your question below and I'll get back to you personally. 👇 Next AMA drops in 30 days. Don't wait — ask now. ⚠️ This community is for educational and peer support purposes only. Always consult your doctor before making changes to your medication or health routine.

How I Work Out on Mounjaro — And Why 20 Minutes Is Enough Let me be honest with you. There are days on Mounjaro where the energy just isn't there. Motivation can be hard to find. And the last thing you want to do is drag yourself to a workout. Here's what I've learned — you don't need a two hour gym session to preserve muscle on a GLP-1. You just need to show up consistently. Even 20 minutes counts. My Current Routine I lift 4 days a week for 20 minutes a session on my Tonal. That's it. No marathon gym sessions. No complicated programming. Just consistent, focused effort four times a week. I rotate between two training phases: - High rep phase — 3 sets of 20 to 25 reps with lighter weight. I run this for about 4 weeks to build endurance and keep my muscles active. - Strength phase — 2 to 3 sets of 6 reps with heavier weight. This is where I push for raw strength gains. Alternating between these two phases keeps my body from adapting and plateauing. It also keeps things interesting — which matters more than people admit. For cardio I aim for a 20 to 30 minute walk every day. Do I always hit it? No. And I don't beat myself up when I don't. Progress over perfection every single time. Why Resistance Training Matters So Much on GLP-1s When you're in a calorie deficit on a GLP-1 your body is looking for energy wherever it can find it. If you're not giving your muscles a reason to stay — through resistance training — your body will break them down for fuel. Lifting sends a clear signal to your body: these muscles are being used. Keep them. Walking supports that by keeping your metabolism active and your cardiovascular health strong without adding recovery stress on top of your lifting days. If You've Never Lifted Before This is for everyone in the community who sees the word "resistance training" and immediately feels intimidated. I hear you. Here's where to start: - Begin with bodyweight only — squats, pushups, lunges. No equipment needed. - Do just 1 set of each exercise — 1 set is infinitely better than zero sets. - Focus on showing up consistently before you worry about intensity. - Add weight or resistance gradually only when the movement feels comfortable.

One of the most common things I hear from people on GLP-1 medications is "I'm just not hungry so I'm barely eating." Sound familiar? Here's the problem with that — your body still needs fuel, especially protein, to preserve muscle and keep your energy up. When you don't eat enough, fatigue hits hard. I learned that the hard way. Here's what actually works for me after a year on Mounjaro. The Eating Strategy I aim for 4 smaller meals a day with a focus on hitting 50g of protein per meal. That's my north star. Not calories. Not carbs. Protein first, every single time. Why 50g? Because on a GLP-1 your appetite is suppressed and your eating window is smaller. If you're only eating 2 meals a day you're likely falling dangerously short on protein — which is exactly what drives muscle loss. Small meals work better than big ones for another reason too — large meals are one of the biggest nausea triggers on GLP-1s. Spreading food across 4 sittings keeps your stomach happy and your protein goals on track. My Go-To Protein Sources - Beef jerky — hands down the best on-the-go protein snack I've found. High protein, easy to eat, doesn't upset the stomach. - Eggs — simple, quick, and easy to get down even on low appetite days. - Greek yogurt — high protein and easy on the stomach. - Lean meats — chicken and turkey are staples. - Protein shakes — especially on days when eating feels like a chore. I use Thorne Whey Protein Isolate. It's clean, no fillers, and easy to digest. → [Thorne Protein link: https://get.aspr.app/SH1djm] The Daily Supplement Stack Beyond food, here's what I take every single day: - Creatine (10mg daily) — this has been a game changer for muscle preservation on GLP-1s. I use Thorne Creatine because it's NSF Certified for Sport and mixes clean. → [Thorne Creatine link: https://get.aspr.app/SH1djl] - Fiber supplement daily — GLP-1s slow digestion and getting enough fiber from food alone on a reduced appetite is nearly impossible. Thorne FiberMend is tasteless, dissolves easily, and is well tolerated. → [Thorne FiberMend link: https://get.aspr.app/SH1dkR] - Men's Multivitamin — eating less means you're likely getting fewer micronutrients. A quality multivitamin fills those gaps. - Vitamin D3 — most people are deficient and it plays a critical role in muscle function and immune health.

In February 2025 I started Mounjaro at 390 pounds. One year later I'm at 315. That's 75 pounds gone. But here's what makes me genuinely proud — my DEXA scan showed that only 4 pounds of that was lean muscle mass. The rest was fat. Why does that matter? Let's break this down. What the Research Actually Says Clinical studies show that lean muscle mass typically accounts for 25% to 39% of total weight lost on GLP-1 medications. For tirzepatide specifically — the active ingredient in Mounjaro — that number sits around 34% in the SURMOUNT-1 trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Do the math on my results. 4 pounds of muscle out of 75 pounds lost is roughly 5%. That's dramatically better than the clinical average. I'm not sharing this to brag. I'm sharing it because it proves something important — muscle loss on GLP-1s is not inevitable. It is manageable. What I Did Differently I won't pretend I had it all figured out from day one. But three things made a real difference: - Resistance training consistently — your muscles need a reason to stay. If you're not giving them work to do, your body has no incentive to keep them during a calorie deficit. - Protein as a non-negotiable — GLP-1s crush your appetite, which means protein is the first thing to fall off. I had to be intentional about hitting my protein goals every single day. - Working with my dietician — having professional guidance on fueling correctly while on Mounjaro made a significant difference in how my body composition changed over time. Why This Matters For You The number on the scale is only part of the story. Muscle is your metabolic engine — it burns calories at rest, supports your joints, and keeps you strong as you lose weight. Losing too much of it can leave you lighter but weaker, with a slower metabolism that makes keeping the weight off harder long term. Here's the key thing to remember — your behaviors during treatment are what determine how much muscle you keep. Not the medication itself.