How to Spend the Chinese New Year Holidays if you’re on GLP-1 RAs
Key Takeaways
Chinese New Year means that there will be a lot of food and drinks.
Although pausing your GLP-1 RA treatment may seem like a good way for you to enjoy the festivities, it is not recommended. Consult with your doctor if you intend to do so.
There are several ways you can work around the reunion dinners and the abundance of food.
Be mindful of what you eat and why you are eating.
Also be careful of GLP-1 RA drug interactions with alcohol.
A class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs, has been receiving a lot of interest worldwide. GLP-1 RAs help keep blood sugar under control, and promote weight loss.
Some of these medications are already approved for weight loss in Singapore. These include Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide). There are also several GLP-1 RAs that are approved specifically for treating diabetes, including Ozempic (semaglutide), Rybelsus. Many people are already taking GLP-1 RAs, whether for blood sugar control or weight loss, here in Singapore as well as globally.
With the Lunar New Year (also called Chinese New Year) upon us, you know that it’s time for some dragon dance, temple fairs, flower shopping, spring cleaning – and most of all, tons of food and drinks. Food and drink are a crucial part of Chinese New Year celebration, and the highlight of which is a big New Year’s Eve dinner where the family gather around a big table and feast on a variety of dishes.
If you are one of the many who are taking GLP-1 RA medications, you might be worried about how the Chinese New Year festivities (read: non-stop eating) will affect your weight loss treatment. You may have thought about pausing your treatment.
Why people pause their GLP-1 RA treatment
There are many reasons why people may decide to pause their GLP-1 RA treatment during holidays – Chinese New Year included. Some people want to enjoy the holiday reunion dinners and house visits, and this means enjoying the whole experience, especially the food. Since for some people, the GLP-1 RA medications could lead to food aversions, they would rather choose to pause the treatment so as not to dampen the pleasure associated with food.
Others would probably prefer to eat more than their usual without the uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects of GLP-1 RA medications such as feeling too full even after a small meal, abdominal pain, or bloating. For others, they would rather prefer to simply go about the Chinese New Year holiday celebrations without fending off questions from friends and families about their new eating habits.
It’s not recommended to pause your GLP-1 RA medication during the Chinese New Year holidays
However, doctors have cautioned that pausing GLP-1 RA medication might lead to recurrence of GLP-1 RA side effects.In addition, there is a risk of regaining the weight you already lost while on weight loss medications, or poor glucose control over the holidays.
At the start of GLP-1 RA medications, some people may experience side effects of semaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs which include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, weakness during exercise, and headaches. Over time, as the body gets used to the medication, some of these side effects may subside. However, when you pause your semaglutide medication, there is a risk of experiencing the symptoms again once you restart the medication.
In addition, depending on how long you have paused your semaglutide medication, you may also need to start on a lower dose when restarting. This could cause a delay in achieving your weight loss goals
If you do decide to pause your treatment during the Chinese New Year period, consult with your doctor before doing so.
How to navigate the Chinese New Year with GLP-1 RAs (Semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy)
So if pausing your semaglutide treatment (Ozempic, Wegovy) is not a good idea, how do you work your way around Chinese New Year goodies and reunion dinners?
Here are some tips.
Be mindful of GLP-1 RA drug interactions
GLP-1 RAs may interact with other medications as well as certain lifestyle factors – including alcohol. Consuming large quantities of alcohol can lead to low blood sugar, and this risk is greater when you’re taking a GLP-1 RAs.
So during Chinese New Year, make sure to monitor your alcohol intake while taking a GLP-1 RA. Some people may need to reduce the amount that they drink at one time, to avoid potential drops in blood sugar.
Avoid emotional and social eating
You may find yourself eating even when you are not hungry. Emotional eating involves using food to deal with strong emotions. Rather than eating because you’re hungry, you’re eating in order to help manage how you feel. This could be due to the stress of the holiday preparations, anxiety in social situations, or even happiness.
Although GLP-1 RAs help reduce cravings and suppress appetite, helping you drown out the “food noise”, a study has shown that individuals who are prone to emotional eating may be less sensitive to the effect of GLP-1 RA treatments.
Monitor your fullness cues
GLP-1 RA medications signals the brain to feel full, and slows down the rate at which the stomach empties. This causes people who are taking GLP-1 RAs to feel full for longer even on less food. So they tend to eat significantly less than they are used to without feeling hungry.
During holiday gatherings, people tend to consume more than their usual meals (and with greater frequency). This makes people who are taking GLP-1 RAs to feel extremely full as if they ate way too much. Eating too much while on semaglutide can lead to gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, reflux and stomach pain.
Practice mindful eating behaviors
Practice mindful eating behaviors so you can avoid overindulging during Chinese New Year. Chew slowly, put your fork on the table after each bite, and snack in moderation. This will help you assess how full you are even as you eat (and not after!). Avoid picking up snacks while socializing, or while doing something else so you can be aware of how much you are eating and be attuned to feelings of fullness. Choose smaller plates, if you can. This will allow you not to be forced to eat everything that is on your plate.
In addition, choose what you eat. Fill your plate with vegetables, which are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals yet generally lower in calories. Then add in adequate protein and whole grains.
Manage emotions
Being on semaglutide can have more than just physical effects during Chinese New Year and other holidays. The effects of these medications, such as easily feeling full after a small meal, reduced appetite or cravings, may lead to negative feelings for some people.
You may no longer have that same desire to eat your favorite Chinese New Year sweets or may feel like you are no longer sharing that same connection with food with your family. For some people food is also a love language, so you may feel guilty for hurting the feelings of those who prepared the dishes by not being able to eat as much as you used to.
Speak with your healthcare provider if you are having these feelings.
Holistic Support
That is why it is important to approach medical weight loss holistically. GLP-1 RAs such as semaglutide are most effective when it’s used alongside lifestyle changes, such as increased exercise and eating a healthy diet. It is also important to get emotional support from your healthcare provider.
Here at NOVI Health, our patients receive holistic and personalized nutrition, fitness, and emotional support from dedicated specialists to help them on their weight loss journey – and help keep the weight off sustainably.
NOVI Optimum Plus is our medical weight loss program that involves a personalized, holistic medical treatment for sustainable weight loss. It includes an initial consultation with your specialist doctor via video or in our clinic, and regular monthly and quarterly reviews thereafter. You also get continuous follow up and guidance via our mobile app, NOVIFY. In addition, you get on-demand reviews and support as and when you need it. Your care plan will be updated as you make progress.