How to Avoid GLP-1 Side Effects During Holiday Festivities
- Jennifer Hardy
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
If you're taking a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic or Zepbound, you're likely facing a holiday season full of temptation at the table. Not only is there a risk you'll have no appetite for nostalgic foods, but there's also a risk of having more intense side effects by splurging.
At GLP-1 Newsroom, we don't advise about how much to eat during the holidays. That's mostly because we plan to indulge as much as possible without derailing the plan. The most important thing is to avoid spending the holidays hunched over with a badly bloated belly or running for the nearest toilet while holiday shopping.
After 10 months on Zepbound, I've reached a point where I can eat some of my favorite foods without triggering nasty side effects. However, I also seriously supplement myself to keep the belly grumbles, back end leaks, and lodged bowels at bay.
Here's how I plan to navigate the holiday season with my favorite supplements and tricks.
Avoid Dose Increases
I've made a conscious decision to stick to the same Zepbound dosage through the beginning of 2026. Why? Because I know each titration means new or enhanced side effects. It seems the higher my dose, the more unpredictable they get.
I'm on 12.5mg and have been since early September. For me, this nice balance of "I can eat but not overeat" has fallen into place like diet dominoes. I'm not risking a surprise tirtration attack of GI distress around Thanksgiving or Christmas.
If the food noise comes back too quickly, I'll opt to take a shot one or two days early instead of adding a new dose to the mix.
Prepare Your Belly with Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes
Since most GLP-1 side effects start in the belly, take steps to protect it from the holiday treats to come.
I use digestive enzymes after any fast food or restaurant meal, and try to take at least four a week, even if it's just a big meal at home. (Of course, on a GLP-1 diet, "big" is a relative term.) This holiday season, I'll take a digestive enzyme before any full-meal gathering or event that I know will have nibbles lying around.
A probiotic is part of my daily plan, helping balance the belly at a time when it's relearning hunger cues, digestion, and dissemination of nutrients. This means even if I snag one or two mints (when it would've been a handful a year ago), I'm still keeping my digestion stable.
Since I started using this combo, I haven't experienced those awful sulfur burps again.
Get Ahead of Gas
If there's one universal experience among GLP-1 users during holiday meals, it's the slow-burn bloat. The kind where you swear you're ready to be a balloon in the Thanksgiving Day parade.
I had one day of incredibly painful bloating. I felt like Violent Beauregard from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I tried yoga, stretching, and even the "I Love You" massage on my belly. What worked for me? Switching out my regular probiotic for the Physician's Choice Boat & Gas Probiotic. I also took a GasX, and I've been deflated ever since.
This is where anti-gas support matters. Think things that break up air, reduce pressure, and help your digestive system let things go a little easier.
Look for:
Simethicone products (like Gas-relief chewables or softgels). These help break down trapped air so you’re not painfully swollen after a small plate of mashed potatoes.
Activated charcoal caps for those meals where you know you just made choices. It can help reduce bloating and post-meal discomfort.
Bloat-relief herbal blends with things like peppermint or fennel. These are not miracle workers, but they can help calm that tight, stretched-drum feeling.
Heating pad or reusable heat wrap for your midsection. Yes, you will feel like a Victorian ghost who needs “a warm compress and a moment,” but the relief is real.
Also, just as a lifestyle rule: Don’t drink carbonated anything while you’re already bloated.
The Constipation and Diarrhea Situations
Look. It can go either direction. And when it goes, it goes. While it's not a pleasant topic to consider when talking about holiday dinners, how prepared you are for either one can mean the difference between misery and merry.
Constipation Crisis
The slowed digestion from semaglutide and tirzepatide means slower gut mobility. Dealing with constipation is twofold. First, you want to avoid getting it in the first place. Then, you need a plan of action when you're backed up beyond frustration.
To avoid constipation in the first place:
Aim for 15 to 25 grams of total fiber a day, depending on what your stomach can tolerate. If you haven’t been taking fiber consistently, start smaller. Something like 5 grams a day and increase over a week. Soluble fiber (like psyllium husk or a gentle fiber powder) tends to be the easiest to handle on GLP-1s.
Get the right magnesium, as there are numerous iterations. For digestion and regularity, look for magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate. Citrate is the one most likely to get things moving. Glycinate is gentler and helps relax muscles, so it's great before bed.
Typical range: 200 to 400 mg at night, start low and adjust as needed.
Water (yes, again). If you’re eating less, you’re naturally drinking less. That’s where things go sideways. Aim for steady sipping throughout the day instead of chugging once you realize you’re dry. Get in at least two liters throughout the day. Use a measured water bottle to hold yourself accountable. If you're experiencing diarrhea, add in some electrolytes twice a day.
Move your body. A walk after meals is the most underrated GLP-1 side effect hack. Even a lazy stroll counts. Even a few gentle yoga poses like Cat-Cow, Seated Twist, Child’s Pose, or Happy Baby can help stimulate digestion and reduce that “stuck” feeling. This is a very low-effort, pajamas-friendly solution.
Then comes the time when, despite all best efforts, constipation strikes. The constipation experienced on a GLP-1 is unlike anything I even thought was possible.
That's when you can reach for:
Stool softener to make things easier to pass. This helps texture, not movement.
Gentle laxative to get things moving through the colon. Go gentle.
Keep suppositories on hand for when the waste has reached that point of no return, but won't come out. (I've been there, and it's awful). This is also why I always have a pair of latex gloves in my bag.
Warm liquids and heat, like bone broth or tea, can help your body relax enough to let go.
Diarrhea Dilemma
In my experience with GLP-1s, you never know what meal is going to back you up or send the colon on a self-imposed cleanse. Diarrhea that accompanies these medications can be urgent and relentless.
Rich food, creamy sauces, surprise butter in everything, plus maybe a cocktail or two, and your stomach can go from fine to urgent faster than you can politely excuse yourself from the table.
Here’s how to stay in control.
Keep meals small and manageable: Pace yourself. Your stomach is processing food more slowly now, which means big, heavy meals overwhelm the system and can trigger a fast exit.
Hydration matters: Diarrhea pulls fluid and electrolytes out of your body quickly. Plain water helps, but add in some electrolytes twice a day.
Bring in gut-soothing support: Carry Imodium A-D with you at all times, especially if you'll be moving around a lot and won't always have a bathroom nearby. A gut-soothing supplement like L-glutamine can also help rebalance things.
Eat light, don’t skip meals. Skipping food completely can make your stomach more reactive when you finally do eat again. Instead, stick to simple, gentle foods like broth, bananas, oatmeal, rice, toast, and plain crackers. These are easy on the digestive system and help your gut recover without adding fuel to the fire.
If diarrhea shows up every time you eat holiday meals, it usually means the portion size is too big for your current GLP-1 dose. Slowing your dose schedule or reducing serving size usually brings everything back into balance.
Holiday Heartburn
Since food hangs out in your stomach longer on GLP-1s, big meals can trigger acid reflux. Combine that with wine or cider, and suddenly the holidays are spicy in a way you didn’t request.
Consider:
A digestive bitters tincture before meals. Urban Moonshine's version comes with a bitter kick that lets you know it's working.
A chewable antacid for quick relief during or right after the meal. This is the classic “neutralize the fire” option when you feel it building.
An H2 blocker (think Zantac and Nexium) if you know a rich meal is coming. Take it about 30 minutes before eating to reduce acid production instead of reacting to it later.
If you're prone to heatburn, get in the routine of using a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) like Prilosec. (Amazon's version works just as well for half the price, and I say that as someone with a history of hellfire heartburn!)
If you find yourself without a heartburn solution and it feels like your esophagus is on fire, I have an emergency hack. Grab a teaspoon of baking soda (SODA! Not Baking Powder) and mix it with half a cup of warm water. Shoot it like Fireball. Relief is nearly immediate (but you'll burp a bit in the first 15 minutes).
Nausea Support
Like most GLP-1 side effects, nausea hits differently on Zepbound, Ozempic, or Wegovy. The worst it got for me was a nagging nausea that lasted all day, but I've read stories of people gripping the toilet for hours on end.
You don't have to suffer through nausea, as it's one side effect that can really keep you away from the fun for extended periods of time. My go-to product is Nauzene. It works for me within five minutes. You can also pop a ginger lozenge, and everyone will think you're sucking on a Christmas candy. I also keep an Allclair inhaler with me when my belly turns upside down.
If you're experiencing nausea and you haven't eaten, don't starve yourself further. Some of my best nausea remedies came from a piece of cheese or a cracker. That unsettled feeling could be wonky hunger signals.
Dizziness and Blood Pressure Problems
As much as we want to avoid GLP-1 side effects during the holidays, we also want to monitor our health without overthinking it. Throwing a bunch of fatty foods or high-sugar options into the mix can mess with blood pressure and blood sugar spikes.
I went through a phase with my GLP-1 journey where every time I stood up, I was dizzy. Like, almost passing out dizzy. Turns out, my blood pressure was very low. I had lost so much weight that I didn't need my blood pressure medication anymore.
Without checking it, I wouldn't have known and would've kept assuming it was dehydration. Have a blood pressure monitor nearby during the holidays.
The GLP-1 Cold Feeling
If you've noticed that being on a GLP-1 lifestyle means you're colder than normal, you're not alone. In fact, there's science that explains why we get colder when we lose weight and during slowed digestion.
Solving this problem isn't rocket science, but the colder holiday months mixed with outdoor festivities can exacerbate the winter weather.
Here's what you'll need:
Hand Warmers: Throw some in your bag. Put them inside your gloves and boots as needed.
Heated Outerwear: This might be a great thing to put on your holiday gift list! Jackets and pants that come with internal heaters can help stave off the cold. The DEWBU heated jacket can keep you warm up to 10 hours!
Small Thermos: I like to keep a warm drink with me, but don't want to carry two massive bottles for water and then hot tea. That's why I like a small insulated mug that can warm me from the inside without getting in the way of hydration or forcing me to choose one cup.
Get Moving: Even offering to help mash the potatoes or carry in some drinks from the garage can get your heart rate up and produce some much-needed heat. Plus, you'll be in the host's good graces!
It's also worth checking your iron levels to see if that's causing shivering. Iron helps your blood carry oxygen. If your iron levels are low, your body has a harder time circulating warmth. Don’t supplement iron just to try to warm up, though. Too much can cause problems.
It’s best to get your levels checked first and only supplement if you're actually low. I take an iron supplement every other day.
Stress, Sleep, and Immune Support
Holiday stress is a contact sport. More people. More germs. Less sleep. More sugar. All while your appetite is doing its own performance art routine. Plus, all these GLP-1 side effects can keep you up at night; more so if you're eating more food or higher-fat dishes.
Vitamin C + zinc can help keep your immune system awake at the wheel. Plus, you might not realize that Vitamic C acutally enhances the collagen supplements you're taking (you are taking collagen, right?)
Magnesium glycinate or a gentle sleep support supplement can rescue your nights. If you use adaptogens, stick to ones your body already tolerates. This is not the weekend to experiment.
Can You Really Avoid GLP-1 Side Effects During the Holidays?
If you're not sick of hearing this already, you will be soon: "Everyone experiences GLP-1s differently." While we've rounded up some of the best tips, tricks, and products to minimize the most common side effects, there's always a risk that some will sneak up on you.
Managing your GLP-1 side effects is all about pacing, meal size, hydration, and a few smart supplements that help your body handle the change. Some of the most important lessons I've learned on my 140-pound weight loss journey came through mistakes.
That's why I keep a food diary, and I suggest you do this during the holidays. You'll better understand trigger timelines and foods to avoid by logging your meals.
Do you have great GLP-1 side effect hacks? We'd love to hear from you!
