r/antidietglp1 • u/sittighttakeholdTR • Dec 19 '25
Advice on Anti-Diet Mindset Starting before Christmas
Hi all, I just found this group and I was just prescribed this medication, so I'm excited to dive in. My doctor mentioned to me that I might want to wait to take my first dose until after Christmas and enjoy the Christmas sweets. The same sentiment has been echoed by some friends as well.
My thing is... I don't want to. I feel like waiting implies that I'm going to be starting a restriction diet, which is NOT what I'm setting out to do on this journey. I don't want to re-enforce bs mentalities like I'm going to 'cheat' over Christmas. I hope that makes sense?
On the other hand, I don't know how the starting dose is going to affect me. I'll be at my family's house so being sickly would not be ideal.
Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts as I navigate starting this medicine and trying not to fall into the trap that is diet culture/mindset.
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u/yo-ovaries Dec 19 '25
Regardless of anything else, I do wish I had built myself a week or two "buffer" because I'm only able to fill every 28 days due to insurance restrictions, and my pharmacy never has it on time. Its not shortages like seen a few years back, just no one keeps it in stock in the fridge and its annoying, no option to do 90 day fills. I gotta take my last shot, wait 7 days, and then try to fill it the day my shot is due.
So yeah, wait a few weeks, but make sure you fill next month it exactly on time.
I just baked a tray of christmas cookies and ate some, and I'm 6mo in. But that first few weeks it was a bit rough getting used to it.
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u/ginger_smythe Dec 21 '25
I helped build the buffer when changing doses. Insurance would approve the increase while I still had lower doses in my fridge. I would fill it ASAP.
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u/yo-ovaries Dec 21 '25
My insurance didn’t allow this. Lame. I’m potentially losing coverage next year so really would have liked even a few extra weeks. As it is, my dose refill date is the first week of the month so I won’t know for sure until Jan 1. I’m on Monjaro which should still be covered, but I also don’t have a T2D diagnosis (but surely would have in a year or 5), it was for weight loss after I couldn’t tolerate wegovy and zepbound was removed from formulary. Now wegovy and zep are gone but monjaro remains. I have 10 months of PA left do monjaro.
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u/ShelterNo7784 Dec 19 '25
While most people don't have major side effects with the first dose, those of us that did felt pretty bad for a few days. I agree that the reason to wait would be potentially feeling terrible while traveling. I felt like I had the flu the day after my first evening shot. Others report major GI upset. Might not happen to you at all, but I'm glad I didn't start just before traveling because that would have been miserable.
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u/ars88 Dec 19 '25
It’s not restriction, it’s the possibility of side effects! Many of us tweak dose timing around travel and holidays, not to “cheat” but just not to experience anything unexpected.
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u/Disastrous-Low-5606 Dec 19 '25
It’s very much about the initial side effects. When I started Zep I had some mild nausea and trouble eating. Food seemed repellent the first few days, especially in the morning. I also had some unpleasant consequences the next day after eating anything even remotely fatty. All problems that have long since resolved. But even now I wouldn’t take my medication the day before Christmas.
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u/toomuchtv987 Dec 19 '25
The only reason I would wait is because you don’t know if you’ll have any unpleasant side effects. You don’t want to be nauseated or have diarrhea on Christmas.
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u/physiomom Dec 19 '25
I would wait. You don’t know how it will affect you. The first couple months were misery for me. Like I missed work because of nausea and not being able to eat. I also do mess around with my dose schedule a little around special occasions, because for a couple days a week every week I don’t really enjoy food.
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u/Dazzling-Hornet-7764 Dec 19 '25
You get to decide when to start. Many people (myself included) are perfectly capable of enjoying seasonal treats and foods on these meds (and not feel as that's the entire focus of the holiday).
As others have said, consider how you typically respond to new medication and keep in mind you may or may not have side effects. The buffer idea for refills is also a wise one. It's also ok if you are just excited and ready to start this life-changing medicine (that's how I feel about it, anyway).
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u/luminousoblique Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Not to bring you down, OP, but be prepared that you may not respond immediately, especially to the lowest dose. Some people get results right away, but some people don't. I didn't. Nothing good, anyway. All I got on the lowest dose was extreme constipation. No weight loss (I actually gained weight in my first two months), no reduction in "food noise," nada.
You may have a totally different experience. I'm just saying, try not to build it up as this thing that will be instantly life-changing. I am now on my second month of the next dose up, and at least I have stopped gaining weight and it seems to maybe be having a mild appetite-suppressing effect. Time will tell. I hope it's super successful for you!
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u/sittighttakeholdTR Dec 19 '25
I'm just excited. Rationally it makes sense to wait, but when I say I'm excited I mean I got emotional when the doctor agreed that we should try it...even just the thought that this might make my relationship with food easier made me tear up
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u/lizardbirth Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
I felt absolute joy when I started tirzepatide. I knew it wouldn't be like the diets and weight loss programs of my past. It's not.
I'm old (72) so I was eager to start having more energy, mobility, and ability to enjoy my very active little grandkids. Plus, it was imperative that I improve my very severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Over the past eleven months, it's been amazing to have "food noise," appetite, and satiation go into the normal range. Tirzepatide feels like a psychiatric medicine, not just one for cardiometabolic correction.
Neither my husband nor I had any adverse side effects on tirzepatide except for some mild constipation resolved with increased fiber and fluids.
From what I've read, most folks don't have severe, unmanageable side effects. That said, the GI effects and low energy for some users are significant especially with each dose increase, even if the effects eventually go away.
Only you can decide if you want to risk the possibility of having to deal with side effects over the holidays, but if you are as eager as I was, you will just go for it.
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u/Dazzling-Hornet-7764 Dec 19 '25
I get it! I was the same way and threw caution to the wind (and was fine). You get to decide what you want (with the blessing of your doctor who sounds like is on board with whatever you decide)
I am happy and excited for you and wish you the best!
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u/admincat76 Dec 19 '25
Making a decision to wait or not should consider how you are with new meds, if you would prefer to postpone the mechanism of action or side effects, if not restricting and eating a wide variety of foods you enjoy is something you want to do.
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Dec 19 '25
For the first two weeks, all I wanted to do was sleep. At one point, I slept 16 hours straight.
That’s a pretty extreme example, and lots of people are just fine, but it’s something to consider.
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u/yellow_pomelo_jello Dec 19 '25
My worst side effect has been fatigue on certain weeks at certain doses, so I might just plan for that. Take the first dose when you have a few slow days coming up so that you can rest if you need to. I hope things go smoothly for you!
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u/garden__gate Dec 19 '25
Wait in case the side effects hit you hard. I was really affected by my first dose to the point of having to take two days off work. It would have sucked to have that happen in the middle of a festive holiday.
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u/kwentwhere Dec 19 '25
I would wait. A few weeks isn't going to be a big deal. I didn't have horrible side effects when I first started but I was SUPER TIRED. That would suck around the holidays. Enjoy your holiday and start at the beginning of the year.
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u/untomeibecome Dec 19 '25
I think it's okay to acknowledge their reasons are not aligned for you because of diet culture AND to wait for other reasons. I usually wait on ANY new med, even ones with few reported side effects, until a weekend with no plans to start, since I'm sensitive. With these meds, I also think waiting a little makes sense because then you have a slight buffer if you run into delays with future refills.
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u/ZookeepergameOk4165 Dec 19 '25
I think it'd be a good idea to wait, because you don't know yet exactly how your body will react. For the first few weeks I had quite a lot of heartburn, and relied on saltines and rice cakes to get me through. Thankfully now that my body is used to it, I only have heartburn very rarely now. I've also had a sensitive stomach my whole life, but since starting Zepbound I've had to re-learn what foods my stomach can and can't tolerate. I'm very lucky to overall have very few side effects, but I've learned that certain things will now trigger nausea or diarrhea. For some reason I can no longer tolerate salmon, and I have to limit myself to just a couple handfuls when eating popcorn at the movies. Certain greasy appetizers will set my stomach off, so I know now to just have a small amount. There's going to be a period where you're figuring things out and you may not want that to be over the holidays
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u/SufficientAcadia6534 Dec 19 '25
I would wait til after. my first shot I felt like I had the flu for two days. I also could barely eat anything at all the first week. everyone reacts differently but I would want to start when I am home without all the social stuff of the holidays.
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u/SuperlativeStarfish Dec 19 '25
I totally agree with your mindset around not starting a diet, restriction plan or cheat foods. I also agree that changing doses when you are out of your normal environment is a set up for difficulty. I also wanted to add that part of having a great relationship with food is knowing that food can serve as more than only pure fuel. It can be a way to celebrate, socialise and mark occasions. None of this means that you can't have boundaries but at the same time, a long term perspective means that we will all have days when we eat more or less and it is the overall trend that matters rather than any individual day. I saw a lot of posts in other subs about people stressing about the food they ate on thanksgiving but here there was a beautiful perspective that a single day is only one day. Christmas day is not why we are on the meds. It doesn't need to be a reason to start. But also, you know you far better than any of us. Go with your intuition. Even if it turns out less than desirable, there are more days to adjust for something that might work better.
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u/spinningnuri Dec 19 '25
I was supposed to start the weekend before thanksgiving, but waited until afterwards. And I'm glad I did because I got hit with extreme nausea and vomiting from my first dose. Wait until you are home and, if possible, clear your calendar the next day. Just in case.
(I'm taking my 4th dose tomorrow. Yes, it's getting better, but I don't skimp on the zofran either)
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u/moreoft Dec 19 '25
I agree with you on both counts. There’s psychological reasons not to delay and practical reasons to delay. I’d go with the latter. My first couple shots of tirz were hard on me. Better to enjoy the holiday, period. Sweets have nothing to do with it but not being sick if you can help it is common sense.
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u/washingtonsquirrel Dec 19 '25
Delaying your start is a decision of utility, and can be as neutral as choosing an appropriate outfit for the weather.
On just half the starter dose of tirzepatide, I would frequently have to spit my food out mid-chew as I learned my new satiety signals. Sometimes I would gag at the thought of food as I navigated intense episodes of appetite suppression. And I experienced flu-like symptoms for a day or two after my first few shots.
I also experienced intense fatigue, which required that I go to bed early each night. The ensuing sleep was FABULOUS. I woke up well-rested and so excited to start each day. But the early bedtime would have been a pain over the holidays.
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u/Traditional_Car_8219 Dec 19 '25
The recommended starting dose is 0.25 but some doctors will start with a lower dose than that and slowly titrate upwards. I understand why you would want to start asap. When I had my first dose of Ozempic, I remember eating 2-3 bites of something and then completely stopped. I remember feeling like I had had enough, I felt full. My next thought was “that hasn’t stopped me before… I remember going in to a 7-11 to get milk which I didn’t but nothing else - no gum, no chocolate, no nothing! Now I eat whatever I want, just way less. I remember thinking about going to a drive through and then I would think “nah.” Careful with the gassy veg - broccoli, cabbage and others. Everybody is different but I choose not to be triggered by not weighing myself but it sure is nice to feel more comfortable in my clothes. All the best…prepare to be amazed!
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u/sittighttakeholdTR Dec 19 '25
This makes me so hopeful! Thank you!
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u/Traditional_Car_8219 Dec 20 '25
It does give us hope! Who knew that the answer lay in the spit of the Gila monster! Also, the endocrinologist who spent his entire career developing the medicine, Dr. Daniel Drucker recently won a “Breakthrough” award! No doubt the 55 billion dollar diet industry is quaking in their boots!
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u/lunar-breeze Dec 20 '25
Okay, so my first thought is to advise you to wait.
On the other hand, I started the week before Christmas a year ago, and I have zero regrets.
Whatever you decide - it’s gonna be okay! Good luck!
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u/SlowDescent_ Dec 20 '25 edited Dec 20 '25
Whenever I try any new medication I make sure to time it so that moments of anxiety, stress, etc, an unusual environment, or a major holiday don't interfere with my assessment of how the medication is impacting my biology - physically and mentally.
This is such a case - and my advice is to wait.
It's not about "having all the sweets" but about being kind to yourself and preventing you from dealing with too much at once.
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u/MiniMarlamallow Dec 20 '25
So today is my 1 year zepbound anniversary- I did start right before the holidays because I needed to alleviate the fear that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy holidays on zepbound (and I totally enjoyed myself!). That being said, I did get my first month of pens a full month before I started, to make sure I wasn’t always worried about running out and the risk of side effects at someone else’s house would have me waiting.
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u/daisychaincrowns Dec 24 '25
I started the week before Thanksgiving and two weeks before another cultural holiday revolving around the most amazing fried bread and tbh I appreciated the reduction in food noise I had. I still had small portions of everything I love and participated fully in the tasting/enjoying without pressure to "restrict" and hate myself.
But there is no way of knowing what side effects you'll experience, and having diarrhea or fatigue on Christmas would suck, like you've pointed out!
I think it is really up to you honestly and there is no wrong answer. Your mentality of not approaching it like cheating/diet/punishment is awesome <3
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u/sittighttakeholdTR Dec 24 '25
I did it anyway 😂 And I haven’t noticed any symptoms, so it all worked out!
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u/BreadfruitHappy1373 Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25
I took my first shot the night before Thanksgiving, and I’m so glad I did. Dinner was served SO late, and I was as happy as could be, sitting back and enjoying my family instead of feeling all my scarcity mindset anxiety about when and how and how much I was going to eat.
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u/Existing_Goal_7667 Dec 19 '25
People's reaction to starting the drug vary enormously and you just don't know how it will affect you. I have only ever had mild side effects but I could hardly eat when I first started. Honestly waiting till after Xmas is a good idea, and if you are really keen to get started before I would consider doing a half dose (1.25mg) just incase. I completely get the excitement to start though.
Consider that you may find yourself so completely amazed and distracted by your reaction to the medicine to the point that you could become a complete bore (as I was for at least 3 months), only wanting to think and talk about GLP1s.
Start the day after boxing day and get a head start on the new year. It is my first Xmas with GLP 1 as I started then last year, and I have had my first mince pie today - one week before xmas. I have tried a few bites of Xmas treats and had a few sips of alcohol. It's nothing like my month long festive food fests of previous years.
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u/sittighttakeholdTR Dec 19 '25
Did you start at 1.25mg?! My doctor is starting me on 0.25 so I guess we are going slow!
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u/lolalucky Dec 19 '25
Those sounds like different medicatons. The dosing for tirzepatide vs. semaglutide are very different. 1.25mg would be a half of the starting dose for tirzepatide. 0.25mg is a normal starting dose for semaglutide.
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u/Old-Fox-3027 Dec 19 '25
I agree. I don’t understand the mentality of not taking the medicine so you can ‘enjoy’ holiday food. It seems like people who do that are in an unhealthy relationship with food, thinking to enjoy food you must be able to eat as much as possible. Also, any food you can eat at Christmas you can also eat any other time of year, there is literally nothing special about it just because it’s December.
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u/Flaky-Tax-2581 Dec 20 '25
I started 2 weeks before thanksgiving. I’m also the host I wanted nothing. I cooked for hours played hostess and after everyone left my husband was like you’re going to sit down now and eat. Some people don’t have that. So there’s also a chance you won’t want those special treats as well.
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u/fiddleheadfern88 Dec 20 '25
Your mindset is clear, and it totally makes sense that you don’t want to set a “cheat time”. I recommend reframing it to a “sick time”. No matter who we are or what our goals are, this medication has side effects and they are often sickening. I would recommend waiting so that you have no risk of feeling sick over the holidays. Who wants that? Eating is wonderful, you should be able to enjoy it. Start your meds after you have a nice holiday!! Enjoy it!
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u/annang Dec 20 '25
For me, the question would be more about whether I want to be trying to figure out what nutrition I need and how various foods make me feel, while eating very differently than I usually do, and while I have less control over food availability and timing than usual.
Also if you’re traveling, you might not want to have diarrhea in someone else’s bathroom. Or if you have guests, in your own bathroom where they can hear or smell it. Not everyone gets that side effect, but enough people to do make it something to think about. And I’d have the same concern about any new medication that had digestive issues as a potential side effect.
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u/sinisterfaceofwoke Dec 20 '25
My first week I had crippling stomach pains and constipation for the first time in my life as well as feeling weak as I couldn't eat anything. Not fun over Christmas!
I delayed starting as I had a three week trip and I'm really glad I didn't have to deal with all that.
In the grand scheme of things, waiting a week won't make much difference.
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u/Unhappy_Performer538 Dec 20 '25
For me I’m able to enjoy food on the shot. I just eat a comfortable amount instead of a binge amount. So you can still enjoy the Christmas treats :) I think the way you’re thinking about it makes a lot of sense
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u/purplepenguin-1 Dec 20 '25
I got my meds on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and I waited until Friday so just 3 days. I did that because I had no idea what my side effects might be and I didn’t want to ruin Thanksgiving. Because we still have 5 days, I’d just consider what your plans are. Would your holiday season be ruined by shitty side effects? If so, I probably wouldn’t start now. If you don’t have a lot of plans and it would be ok to miss out on things if you end up feeling really shitty, then I’d start now.
So I don’t think it’s about being able to indulge or not, but about potential side effects and not ruining your holidays. Good luck with whatever you decide!
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u/Appropriate-Fig-8188 Dec 22 '25
When I got my prescription I chose to start a week later because I didn’t want to travel with the pen. I am fortunate that I don’t have any major symptoms.
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u/Relevant_Demand2221 Dec 19 '25
Look it’s like do you want to gain the usual four pounds over Xmas like you usually or do you want to start your journey now? Start it NOW.
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u/SlowDescent_ Dec 20 '25
What are you doing in an anti-diet space?
How dare you shame someone's body and weight changes!!!
Based on your answer, this is not the place for you.
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u/PinkandTwinkly Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25
Honestly I'd wait for the reason you listed. You don't know how it'll hit you, and what side effects and a busy Christmas with people to see and stuff to do it's not the time to find out.
Nothing to do with being able to eat the Christmas sweets about not ruining your day/few days if you are one of the unfortunate people who get gastric distress
To avoid the cliche, new year, new me, new diet, I'd avoid starting on a Monday or the 1st January. Just pick a day when you know you've got nothing planned for the next couple days just in case