Small portion, big difference
During your medical weight loss journey, you receive advice on healthy nutrition, sufficient proteins, and a regular eating pattern. But how do you put that advice into practice every day? Especially when you have little appetite, it can be difficult to compose meals that align with what your body needs.
Co-founder Tessa Sandmann explains how Noyameals originated and what the meals can mean during your weight loss journey.
It started with one question: what should I eat now?
For years, Tessa Sandmann worked as a personal trainer and previously owned her own meal delivery company. There, she noticed something striking: more and more women over 40 were ordering meals while using weight loss medication.
“They said the medication worked well, but they no longer knew what to eat,” Tessa explains. “They barely had an appetite, and what they did eat was often too little or not the right kind.”
The meals turned out to perfectly meet their needs. For Tessa, this was the impetus to fully focus on nutrition for people experiencing reduced appetite during their weight loss journey.
Because while medication can support weight loss, healthy and wholesome nutrition remains an important part of the process.
Reduced appetite, then what?
Those who use GLP-1 medication often notice a decrease in appetite. You eat smaller portions, feel full faster, and sometimes have little desire to eat. A regular meal can therefore quickly become too large.
Many diet products focus on calorie restriction. But when you are already eating little, the nutritional value of each meal is precisely what matters. How do you ensure you get enough nutrients even with smaller portions?
Noyameals identifies several challenges:
- Too few proteins. When you eat less, you may also consume fewer proteins. During weight loss, you can lose muscle mass in addition to fat mass. Proteins contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass.
- Skipping meals. If you have little appetite, the temptation is great to eat something small or skip a meal entirely.
- Nausea and feeling full quickly. Large, heavy, or fatty meals may be less palatable.
- Too little fiber. Smaller portions can mean you consume less fiber, even though it is important for good digestion.
- Eating differently from the family. You want to be able to eat together, without having to prepare a separate meal every day.
- Relapse after tapering off. When your appetite returns, it can be difficult to maintain new eating habits.
Rich in protein, for muscle mass maintenance
Noyameals meals weigh 350 grams and are designed for people who feel full faster. Despite the smaller portion, each meal contains approximately 30 grams of protein.
Proteins contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass. This is important during weight loss because you want to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. Additionally, proteins contribute to a feeling of satiety.
“We didn’t want to create a diet meal,” Tessa says. “It should simply be a wholesome, tasty meal, just smarter composed.”
Nutritional values per meal (350 grams):
| Nutritional value | Average |
|---|---|
| Energy | 400–500 kcal |
| Proteins | approx. 30 grams |
| Vegetables | 200 grams |
| Fiber | 15 grams |
Exact nutritional values vary per dish.
When composing the meals, Noyameals also takes into account:
- a limited amount of fat, sugar, and salt;
- avoiding spicy herbs;
- smaller pieces of meat, poultry, and fish, so the meals are easier to chew.
Developed by a chef AND a dietitian
Every meal is developed by a chef, a dietitian, and a quality department. The dietitian sets the nutritional requirements, while the chef ensures the meals are also delicious. The quality department checks food safety.
The Dutch Health Council's Guidelines for Good Nutrition form the basis, with extra attention to sufficient proteins. The meals are freshly prepared in a certified kitchen and are not frozen.
In addition, Noyameals participates in a three-year research project with Wageningen University & Research. This research focuses on nutritional innovations for people using GLP-1 medication.
From advice to your plate
Healthy nutrition is an important part of any weight loss journey. But knowing what to eat and putting it into practice every day are two different things.
“A clinic that looks beyond just medication, that’s the ideal partner for us,” says Tessa. At The Body Clinic, you are guided throughout your medical weight loss journey by a medical weight loss doctor and a medical weight loss coach. You receive personalized advice on nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle.
Noyameals meals can help to apply this nutritional advice more easily. You spend less time thinking about, planning, and preparing a suitable meal. This makes healthy eating simpler even on busy days. Your doctor and coach remain involved in your progress and can adjust advice as needed.
What if your appetite returns?
Even during the tapering off of medication, nutrition remains an important focus. Your appetite may gradually return, while new eating habits may not yet be second nature.
A regular eating pattern with sufficient proteins can then provide support. You have a better idea of what you're consuming, and proteins help you feel fuller for longer.
Do you notice your appetite increasing? You can then supplement the meals with an extra protein source or opt for a family meal. After the pilot, Noyameals plans to expand its offerings with full daily menus, including breakfast, snacks, and shakes. These will be tailored to the different phases of a medical weight loss journey.
Building a healthy foundation together
Healthy nutrition plays a significant role in medical weight loss. Not only to lose weight but also to maintain the results long-term. Therefore, it is important to develop eating habits that suit your body, needs, and daily life.
At The Body Clinic, our medical weight loss coaches pay a lot of attention to nutrition and lifestyle. Curious about what good nutrition can mean for you? We are happy to think along with you about nutrition and lifestyle that suit you. This way, you work not only on weight loss but also on healthy habits that you can sustain in the long run. Schedule a consultation with one of our coaches.
