A 7-Day Semaglutide Meal Framework

Seven days of examples

These are illustrations of the framework, not a prescribed menu. Keep portions small and use foods you tolerate.

Day 1: Greek yogurt with berries; chicken salad with whole-grain crackers; apple with string cheese; baked fish with rice and green beans.

Day 2: Two scrambled eggs with toast; turkey and vegetable soup with a small roll; pear with a few almonds; grilled chicken with sweet potato and broccoli.

Day 3: Oatmeal with milk and banana; tuna salad on lettuce with a slice of whole-grain bread; cottage cheese with peach; bean chili with a small portion of rice.

Day 4: Cottage cheese with pineapple; lentil soup with a small whole-grain roll; carrot sticks with hummus; baked chicken thigh with quinoa and roasted zucchini.

Day 5: Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and a small banana; egg salad with whole-grain crackers and cucumber; Greek yogurt; shrimp stir-fry with vegetables and rice.

Day 6: Small smoothie with milk, yogurt and frozen berries; chicken and rice bowl with steamed vegetables; orange with a few walnuts; baked cod with mashed potatoes and peas.

Day 7: Two eggs with a slice of whole-grain toast; bean and vegetable salad with a small piece of whole-grain bread; string cheese and grapes; turkey meatballs with pasta, marinara and a side salad.

Wegovy is the semaglutide product approved for weight management; Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and has no weight-loss indication [2].

What the label says about GI effects

Semaglutide delays gastric emptying and acts on GLP-1 receptors in brain areas that regulate appetite and calorie intake [1]. In the pooled Wegovy 2.4 mg trials (2,116 adults on semaglutide versus 1,261 on placebo, up to 68 weeks), any gastrointestinal reaction occurred in 73% versus 47%, nausea in 44% versus 16%, and constipation in 24% versus 11% [1].

On days when nausea or vomiting is prominent, keep the same shape but shrink portions. The Wegovy label warns of acute kidney injury from volume depletion, which occurred at 0.4 versus 0.2 cases per 100 patient-years (7 versus 4 adults), often after GI fluid loss [1]. The Ozempic label lists postmarketing reports of ileus, intestinal obstruction and severe constipation with fecal impaction [2].

Tablet days and injection days

The Wegovy label says the tablets are taken on an empty stomach in the morning with up to 4 ounces of plain water, swallowed whole, with at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other oral medicines, and that a missed dose is skipped [1]. The Rybelsus and Ozempic tablets label gives the same timing rule [3]. The Ozempic injection label allows dosing at any time of day, with or without meals [2].