Losing weight isn't the same as getting healthy. GLP-1 medications can help, but what about muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle habits, and weight regain? Joyce Strong, RN, shares seven nonnegotiables for protecting your health while taking a GLP-1—and why the number on the scale should never be your only measure of success.

Cutting calories should not automatically mean cutting protein. Learn how to set your protein target in grams, protect muscle during weight loss, and why protein becomes especially important when using GLP-1 medications.

You don’t have to figure everything out today. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is stop pushing for answers, give yourself room to breathe, and take the next small step instead of trying to solve your whole life at once.