Mikki Williden, PhD

Mikki Williden, PhD Registered nutritionist, whole food, health, nutrition, sport nutrition, primal, podcast Mikkipedia
(3)

24/06/2026

A study presented at ENDO 2026 looked at activity levels in adults after they started taking GLP-1 medication, using Fitbit data to track their movement patterns. What they found was interesting, people did not automatically become more active. In fact, their activity appeared to go down.

Average daily steps dropped from around 5,047 to 4,487 per day, and MVPA dropped from 28 to 22 minutes per day. Now, doesn’t sound dramatic, however it’s worth thinking about what happens when appetite drops and calorie intake reduces.

When in a calorie deficit (GLP or not), your body may respond by conserving energy. It’s known as adaptive thermogenesis and is almost a natural byproduct of the deficit.

This can show up as a reduction in spontaneous movement across the day, non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT. This includes things like walking around, doing jobs, standing more, fidgeting, taking the stairs, and generally moving without formally “exercising.”

Most people won’t notice this happening. They don’t wake up and decide to move less. It is often subtle. You sit a bit more, you take fewer incidental steps, you feel less inclined to do the extra walk, or you just naturally conserve energy because your brain is trying to match lower energy intake with lower energy output.

Over time, this can lead to a diminishing of a deficit and a stall.

GLP-1 medications need to come with a plan. It needs to be intentional.

Start exercising while on the medication and build that habit, as it won’t happen by itself. The press release (this hasn’t been published) rightly pointed out that just losing weight isn’t going to make someone more active.

A good plan should include strength training to help protect lean mass, enough protein to support muscle and nutrient intake (min 1.2g/kg bw), and some kind of daily movement target so steps and incidental activity don’t drop away.

And, exercise is life. Really. The best way to feel better is to exercise (though if currently sedentary, this is a hard sell I know!) And no shade on anyone who physically CAN’T exercise.

https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2026/maharjan-press-release-e

23/06/2026

When I suggest you eat more protein, it isn’t just for the sake of eating more protein.

It is because protein has a lot of important jobs in the body.

Yes, protein helps with muscle mass and body composition. That matters, especially if fat loss is the goal, or if you are in midlife and want to maintain strength, shape and metabolic health. But I will say that protein doesn’t hold a candle to resistance training 😂 anyway.

Protein does more than support muscle.

Protein is needed for enzymes, hormones, immune function, tissue repair, recovery and healthy ageing.

It also helps regulate appetite, keeps you fuller for longer, and can support better blood sugar stability across the day.

So when I suggest eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt, meat, fish, chicken, tofu or protein powder, it is not because I am trying to make your diet harder or more “fitness-y.”

It is because your body actually uses those amino acids.

And when protein is too low, it can be harder to manage hunger, harder to hold onto muscle, harder to recover from training, and harder to get the result you are after.

This is why I care about protein at breakfast.

This is why I care about protein at lunch.

This is why I care about building meals around it, rather than leaving it as an afterthought.

It is not about chasing a number for the sake of it.

It is about giving your body what it needs to function well. 🤩 Jicyww

I know loads of you struggle with it and get frustrated to the point that you don’t bother. I have interactions with you on the daily about this. It doesn’t have to be heroic amounts, but if you can get to 100g in total (that’s 1.6g/kg for a 60kg person) Don Layman’s research suggests metabolic benefits start there as he’s told me in my podcast with him most recently - like a month ago.

40g protein in around 130g cooked chicken
2 scoops protein powder has 50g protein
1/2 cup cottage cheese has around 15g
2 eggs has around 15g
150g cooked steak has around 50g

And most of these also have other micronutrients that you need and many are low in: iron, b12, zinc, choline to name a few.

23/06/2026

Hey I need your help.

Can you tell me of GPs who are across the literature on GLP-type medications for not only weight loss but also health outcomes such as inflammatory markers, CVD (they should be there, as it's well-known) and you know are open to exploring this for people who do not fit the usual diagnostic criteria?

So, who is the GP and where are they based please?

I have clients who could benefit from this level of knowledge.

Thanks!

This time with slide #9 😂 Food rules are not about being obsessive or rigid.They are about having a basic structure so ...
22/06/2026

This time with slide #9 😂

Food rules are not about being obsessive or rigid.

They are about having a basic structure so you are not making every food decision from scratch.

Without rules, you get chaos.

You end up negotiating with yourself at every meal. Do I need protein? Have I had enough vegetables? Does this snack count? Am I hungry or just tired? Was today off plan, or was it just one meal?

That mental load is exhausting.

Most people do not struggle because they have no idea what healthy food looks like. They struggle because they do not have consistent defaults.

That is why simple food rules matter.

✅ Anchor meals in protein.
✅ Add vegetables before the more energy-dense foods.
✅ Choose mostly whole, minimally processed foods.
✅ Be aware of liquid calories, especially juice and alcohol.
✅ Plan your protein ahead of time.
✅ Eat slowly enough to notice fullness.
✅ Do not let one off-plan meal turn into an off-plan week
✅ Alcohol. It’s not what you drink it’s how you drink
✅ Question hunger before automatically responding to it.

These help because they reduce decision fatigue.

When life gets busy or stressful, your rules give you something to come back to.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is consistency.

And consistency is much easier when you are not relying on motivation, willpower, or a fresh Monday start every week.

Food rules are not about being obsessive or rigid.They are about having a basic structure so you are not making every fo...
22/06/2026

Food rules are not about being obsessive or rigid.

They are about having a basic structure so you are not making every food decision from scratch.

Without rules, you get chaos.

You end up negotiating with yourself at every meal. Do I need protein? Have I had enough vegetables? Does this snack count? Am I hungry or just tired? Was today off plan, or was it just one meal?

That mental load is exhausting.

Most people do not struggle because they have no idea what healthy food looks like. They struggle because they do not have consistent defaults.

That is why simple food rules matter.

✅ Anchor meals in protein.
✅ Add vegetables before the more energy-dense foods.
✅ Choose mostly whole, minimally processed foods.
✅ Be aware of liquid calories, especially juice and alcohol.
✅ Plan your protein ahead of time.
✅ Eat slowly enough to notice fullness.
✅ Do not let one off-plan meal turn into an off-plan week
✅ Question hunger before automatically responding to it.

These help because they reduce decision fatigue.

When life gets busy or stressful, your rules give you something to come back to.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is consistency.

And consistency is much easier when you are not relying on motivation, willpower, or a fresh Monday start every week.

21/06/2026

GLP-1 medications are changing the obesity medicine landscape. No question.

And many people starting these medications already have low nutrient status.

Common ones I see discussed clinically include vitamin D, iron and B12.

If someone is already low in iron, B12 or vitamin D, then a medication that significantly reduces appetite and overall food intake can make it harder to correct that through food alone. Clearly Vitamin D can never just rely on food fyi.

This isn’t the medication per se, it’s true of anyone on a low calorie budget. As when calories come down, nutrient opportunities come down too.

Less food means less room for error.

This is where baseline testing becomes important.

Before someone starts, or early in the process, it makes sense to understand where they are sitting with key markers such as:

Vitamin D
Ferritin and iron studies (NOT just ferritin)
B12 (esp if they have been on metformin)

Then supplementation can be targeted rather than guessed.

This is especially important for women, people with a history of dieting, people with heavier menstrual bleeding, those on acid-suppressing medication, vegetarians or vegans, anyone post-bariatric surgery, and people who have had gut issues or low intake for a long time.

And because GLP-1 medications can reduce total food volume quite dramatically, a broad-spectrum multivitamin is often recommended as a nutritional safety net. As with any diet.

Not as a replacement for food.

But as insurance while someone is eating less and working on prioritising protein, fibre, micronutrient-dense foods and hydration.

The goal should never just be “weight loss at any cost”.

It should be fat loss while protecting muscle, energy, mood, bone health, immune function and long-term metabolic health.

Comment GLP for my lifestyle cheat sheet for these medications 💊

21/06/2026

The science is pretty murky on alcohol but it’s pretty clear that limiting intake is important for overall health. This doesn’t mean zero alcohol for otherwise healthy people who want to live their best life fyi.

But many people do drink more than is ideal on a weekly basis, so creating goals to limit this makes sense, especially as we age.

However, we have to also be realistic about what you can achieve here.

Promising to yourself to give up entirely or to have just 1 drink twice a week is all well and good, until you break this promise to yourself again and again. The guilt associated with this (and the stories you tell yourself) is inherently tied to poor self esteem and believing you have failed and can lead to more behaviours that don’t align with your goals.

Instead, be realistic. Can you halve your alcohol consumption? Can you reduce by 2/3? Can you cut drinking at home? Can you always be sober driver when out? What are realistic ways to drink in a way that makes you feel good but you’re still honouring your goal of drinking less.

Set yourself a standard that is realistic and stick to that. Rather than lead with what objectively might be ‘better’ but you fall at every turn.

One of the most important mindset shifts for people finishing a fat loss phase is to recognise their single lowest weigh...
20/06/2026

One of the most important mindset shifts for people finishing a fat loss phase is to recognise their single lowest weight seen on the scale is not the weight they maintain at.

This is likely at your most depleted. Depleted from lack of food and calories, and your muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) stores.

Expecting to live here is reliably going to make you feel like you’re failing when you start to eat more food, as it is near on impossible.

You eat more carbs, more food and you store more muscle glycogen and more fluid. You also have more food in your gut in general.

That extra weight bump up (that isn’t body fat) is enough to send people spiralling into a restrict-overeat cycle and keep them stuck in a perpetual deficit mindset.

We are talking about this and strategies to overcome and what to expect once finished dieting on Sunday 21st June (tomorrow) 2pm NZT.

It’s being recorded if you can’t make it live.

Link: https://www.mikkiwilliden.com/mastering-maintenance-webinar OR comment webinar for the details

19/06/2026

Some would say it’s a questionable food habit for a nutritionist but there you go.

Making swaps like this allows me to continue to enjoy what I love without compromising. I’m a condiment fan (as evidenced by almost every meal I post 😅) and the calories can quickly add up when I add a dollop of this, that and the next thing.

Other swaps or decisions I personally make that don’t feel like I’m depriving myself :

Low fat dairy
Yoghurt and relish instead of a ton of mayonnaise
Stevia drops instead of sugar
Spray oil instead of drizzling from bottle
Vege sticks on a platter instead of just crackers
Passing on the nuts most of the time
Sauces or dressings on the side of salads, dishes out
Diet soft drink instead of the real deal.

This helps me balance my intake of other things I enjoy during the week. Like:
92% Whittaker’s chocolate
A fat chip 🍟
Beer 🍻
Wine 🍷
Pork chop with crackle
Sourdough toast (well done) with butter
Sirloin
Buttered mushrooms 🍄

What about you? Any swaps you easily make that help you balance things out?

18/06/2026

I mean, I know, easier said than done.

Or is it?

One of the fundamental strategies employed by people who successfully maintain their weight loss is that they control their environment.

They understand what might trigger over-eating behaviour, what might trigger them to eat more than they (ultimately) want to eat. And they do something about it.

It’s the kids
It’s my partner
They are in the office tea room

Controlling the environment isn’t always easy, but neither is living with the distraction of the very thing you don’t want to eat calling your name.

Can you talk to your partner about not having them in the house? I am sure they want to support you in this and will want to help you find a solution.

Can the person doing the grocery shopping just…not buy them for the kids 😱

Can you remove them from the pantry at eye line and place them up high, in an opaque container so you don’t see them?

Just some thoughts.

Just so you know, it’s not that you can never eat chips again. And it might be that they always trigger you to over-eat (the idea that everyone can moderate all foods is frankly a myth).

But if you want to stop white knuckling your way through the day, start here.

Sharing my knowledge base on maintaining your weight loss on my webinar Mastering Maintenance: the diet after the diet.

Sunday 21 June, 2pm NZT. Recorded if you can’t make it live.

Comment ‘webinar’ for the details.

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