What should I eat? Real food, the 90/10 rule, and popular diets

Eat real food, most of the time. Belle's simple definition of whole, real food: it doesn't come in a box, wrapper or package, and it comes from a plant or an animal. Common sense applies: plain Greek yogurt is fine even though it comes in a container.

• Yes: meat, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, lentils, vegetables, fruit, potatoes, rice, oats, nuts
• Less often: chips, bars, cereal, pastries, frozen meals, fast food

The 90/10 rule. Aim for about 90% whole, real food. Out of about 21 meals a week, roughly 2 can be flexible. Why 90/10 and not 80/20? The extra 10% is a buffer: when most days are 90/10, a night out doesn't undo your week. A pizza night is fine.

Alcohol fits inside the 10%, with a few GLP-1 cautions: it can worsen nausea and reflux, so skip it during dose-increase weeks or while you're having side effects. Keep it to about one drink on a given day, never on an empty stomach, with water in between. (More in What should I know about alcohol while on a GLP-1?)

Your daily targets

• Protein: at least your minimum: 75 to 125 g+ depending on your weight (see How much protein do I need, and how do I hit it every day?)
• Fiber: work up to about 25 to 35 g a day, mostly from food: vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, potatoes, whole grains. Add 2 to 4 g a week with plenty of fluids, and go slower around dose increases. Fiber helps you feel full and keeps things moving, which matters on a GLP-1. (More in How much fiber should I eat?)
• Fluids: about 8 to 12 cups (2 to 3 L) a day (see How much water should I drink, and do I need electrolytes?)
• Real food: about 90% of meals

Diets and timing

• No specific diet is required. Focus on protein and real food; that works with almost any eating style. Pick the pattern you can stick with.
• Keto: not recommended by Belle's medical team. It's hard to sustain, and when calories and protein are equal it doesn't burn more fat. If you have diabetes, don't start keto without your provider.
• Intermittent fasting: there's no reliable extra fat loss beyond a normal calorie deficit. It's fine if it helps you eat a bit less and still hit your protein. Skip it if it makes protein harder or leaves you going too long without eating on a GLP-1.
• Meal timing: whatever helps you hit your protein every day. Eating every 3 to 4 hours keeps energy steady for many people.