GLP-1 users adapt Thanksgiving meals to manage appetite and side effects

People taking GLP-1 drugs are adapting traditional Thanksgiving meals with smaller portions, recipe tweaks and earlier dinner times to manage their changed appetites and avoid side effects.

Karen Kalinowski, 61, is cooking Thanksgiving dinner herself this year at her home in Eastern Ontario, using broth instead of loads of butter for the turkey and preparing a low-carb stuffing alternative.

"No, you cannot cook for me because I do weigh and measure everything I put into my face," said Kalinowski, who is taking Wegovy. "I could not be certain that if somebody else was preparing the food that they might not add something that would really significantly impact my day."

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Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, used to treat diabetes and obesity, curb users' appetites but can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation if people eat beyond fullness.

A 2025 Mayo Clinic study found between 40 and 70 per cent of users experienced such gastrointestinal effects.

Canadian pharmacies logged $2.3 billion in sales of these drugs in the first half of 2026, according to data from IQVIA Canada.

Andrea Holwegner, a registered dietitian in Calgary, says eating-focused holidays can be anxiety-inducing for users, some of whom develop aversions to once-loved foods, especially if they are spicy or high in fat.

She advises against skipping meals to "feast later," as it can amplify side effects and cause dangerous blood sugar spikes for diabetics.

"Skip now and feast later usually doesn’t end well," Holwegner said.

Instead, she recommends sticking to a normal eating schedule, serving small portions of higher-fat items and choosing foods that are most enjoyable.

"Step back and go, 'What do I love here? What’s the most exciting thing that makes my taste buds spark?'" she said. "Allow yourself to celebrate and eat that thing without any guilt or shame."

Michelle Epp, 50, from Chilliwack, B.C., who takes Mounjaro, says she eats only about 30 per cent of what she used to and now prioritizes protein.

"I would take the same amount of food that I thought I could eat, and then it was surprising to me how little I actually would eat because I would get full," Epp said.

She has traded sweets like doughnuts and ice cream for fruits and vegetables but allows herself a small taste of treats like pumpkin pie.

"If I am saying I can never have pumpkin pie, then I’m going to really want it. I allow myself to have it, and I have a little bit of it, and then I’m fine."

Epp is bracing for questions about her small portions at a relative's home this Thanksgiving, a common social challenge for users.

She has learned to tell servers or hosts, "My stomach is smaller. I don’t eat that much," to end inquiries.

Debbie, 68, from Chatham, Ont., who asked not to use her real name, worries her limited intake of mashed potatoes and gravy will reveal she is on Ozempic to critical relatives in the health field.

"When I mention things to them, they’re real naysayers, right? 'Well, you know those side effects of blah, blah, blah.' So I’ve just skipped informing them. Don’t spoil my fun!" she said.

Holwegner says people should not comment on others' bodies or eating habits, and users should not feel pressured to disclose their medication use.

A November 2025 survey by Sunlight.com of 1,250 U.S. GLP-1 users found 40 per cent planned to change, reduce or skip their dose for Thanksgiving, sometimes against medical advice.

Some users in online forums have discussed fasting before the holiday to eat more, a practice Holwegner strongly discourages.

With files from The Globe and Mail