I'm a Dietitian and These Are 5 Breakfast Swaps That Naturally Trigger the Ozempic Effect After 50

You've likely heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—and there's much truth to it. If you're looking to lose weight, kicking off your morning with a nutrient-packed meal is a stellar way to establish healthy habits throughout the day. We spoke with a dietitian who breaks down five breakfast swaps that naturally trigger the Ozempic effect after 50.

The truth is, no food works exactly like Ozempic, since the prescription drug serves as a "replacement" for—or helps channel—our hormones, explains Ashley Koff, nationally recognized registered dietitian, founder of The Better Nutrition Program, and a USA Today bestseller of "Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health: GLP-1 Shot or Not."

"But the symptoms someone is looking to address—food noise, better blood sugar, fat loss, fullness, and cravings—can be optimized by breaking your fast in a certain way," Koff tells us.

It's important to consume protein at regular intervals throughout the day, along with sufficient nutrients that help your body effectively use it.

"If we don't get enough of the variety of amino acids the body needs repeatedly through the day, the body will focus on what it deems necessary and de-prioritizes what is nice to have—muscle, hair, skin, etc.," explains Koff. "After 50, the body may have increased needs or be losing some nutrients so some key amino acids become more important to focus on like those found in creatine, collagen, and leucine, taurine and glutamine."

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Koff is a fan of nutritional shakes that provide essential amino acids, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients that support healthy digestion.

"I like Maeva especially for my patients on a GLP1 agonist medication because it has all these nutrients. I advise mixing it with an unsweetened non-dairy milk like hemp, cashew or almond," she says.

Rather than reaching for a quick string cheese or beef stick—which typically only have eight grams of protein—Koff recommends a protein bar.

"I like a bar like Perfect bar which has 15 to 17 grams of protein along with having creatine and collagen in or with their coffee or tea," she shares.

You can easily upgrade your morning avocado toast with an egg by adding some hemp seeds and/or wild salmon. This will add even more protein to the start of your day.

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Consider whipping up a tasty mason jar of overnight oats.

"Carbs aren't bad—especially pre-workout—but we can improve the protein with hemp and other seeds, almond butter, and even putting a scoop of the Maeva nutrition powder in it," Koff suggests.

A burger for breakfast? Absolutely! Koff recommends a salmon, turkey, or beef burger with a lettuce wrap or open-face. Pair it with mushrooms, sauteed onions, avocado, or even a side of sweet potato fries.

If you're looking to lose weight naturally, check out I'm a Nutritionist, and These 7 Eating Habits Help You Lose Weight and Feel Stronger.