Have you been taking Wegovy for a little while now but you’re not seeing the weight loss results you expected? After all the hype about Wegovy in the news and reading about many other supposed success stories, you’re probably left wondering, “Why am I not losing weight on Wegovy?”.
There are several reasons why Wegovy may not be working for you. In this article, we will explore some of the most common reasons why you aren’t losing weight on Wegovy and discuss some alternatives you could be using instead.
What is Wegovy?
Wegovy is a prescription weight loss medication made by the same company that created Ozempic, Novo Nordisk. Designed to help people who are obese or overweight lose weight and sustainably and keep it off. Wegovy works to suppress your appetite so when you take it you consume less food than you usually would, helping you to lose weight.
The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, which means it mimics the hormone GLP-1, which is naturally produced in the body. GLP-1 regulates insulin release, which lowers blood sugar levels and prevents cravings. It also slows down how fast the stomach empties, so you feel fuller for longer.
Wegovy is an approved weight loss medication for adults and is prescribed to those who are obese or overweight with a health condition to help them lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Why am I not losing weight on Wegovy?
There are several reasons why you may not be losing weight on Wegovy. Below we list some of the most common reasons why Wegovy may not be helping you to lose the weight you want to.
You’re not eating in a calorie deficit.
To lose weight, you must be eating in a calorie deficit. This means eating fewer calories than you’re burning off, so the body starts to burn off excess fat in order to make energy to fuel your body. Semaglutide works to suppress your appetite to try to lessen the amount you eat, but it is not a magic solution, you have to be prepared to make lifestyle changes to enjoy the full effects of the medication.
However, some people may eat for reasons other than physical hunger, such as psychological or habitual reasons. Some people may continue to eat enough food which prevents them from being able to achieve a calorie deficit. You may also be eating a diet that is very high in fat and refined sugars if you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods. If you continue to eat this way, with a diet of unhealthy foods, when taking semaglutide, you could still be consuming more calories than you lose.
Wegovy is prescribed to patients alongside a healthy, balanced diet, and if you do not maintain this healthy diet, Wegovy may not work for you.
You’re not exercising enough.
It’s important to maintain a healthy diet and regular physical activity when taking Wegovy to ensure sustainable weight loss. The NHS suggests you should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity in a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week.
Moderate-intensity exercise includes activities such as walking, cycling, dancing, hiking, water aerobics and tennis. Vigorous intensity activities include running, swimming, skipping, martial arts, gymnastics, and sports such as football, netball, rugby, hockey and mountain biking. Regular exercise is key for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising just once or twice a week can reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke.
You’re in a weight-loss plateau.
You may have initially lost weight on semaglutide, but now you’ve reached a point where you’re not losing any more weight. This could be because you’ve hit a plateau. Weight-loss plateaus are very common and are a normal part of the weight loss process.
Plateaus happen when the brain senses we are consuming fewer calories than normal and our fat stores are decreasing, so it slows down our metabolism. This is a survival mechanism the brain implements to try and prevent starvation. You can move past your plateau, eventually, if you continue to lead a healthy lifestyle and as the brain gets used to the lower number of calories you consume.
You’re not getting enough sleep.
Sleep is incredibly important for weight loss. It is essential for regulating the hormones that affect your hunger and appetite. If you don’t get enough sleep, this can affect your appetite regulation, which can lead to you craving unhealthy foods or increasing your hunger. Poor sleep can, therefore, lower your metabolism, making it harder for your body to burn calories. This can make it harder for Wegovy to work as it should.
Experts say a healthy adult should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Your age, health and personal circumstances can affect how much sleep you need, so it’s best to check how much sleep you should get. Establishing healthy sleep habits can support your weight loss efforts.
You’re not following the medication schedule.
If you’re having trouble taking Wegovy or remembering to take it on time, it won’t work as effectively. Wegovy is meant to be taken once a week, and injected under the skin. If you miss a dose, the concentration of semaglutide in your body decreases so the effects may be delayed. If you struggle to take Wegovy because of negative side effects or the pain associated with the injections, it may be better for you to try another type of weight loss medication.
Other medications or health conditions can prevent it from working.
Certain health conditions or medications you need to take to treat health conditions can make it harder for you to lose weight on Wegovy. For example, those with type 2 diabetes find it more difficult to lose weight than those without when using Wegovy or other weight loss medications.
Studies have shownthat those with diabetes that take semaglutide lose less weight than those without diabetes. Some medications, such as steroids, can cause you to gain weight. If you’re taking these while using Wegovy, then these medications could slow down your weight loss. However, you should always consult a doctor before changing your medications.
Wegovy may not work for you.
One trial into the effectiveness of semaglutide found that while 86.4% of people lost at least 5% of their body weight – the benchmark for effectiveness – 13.6% did not. These people were considered ‘non-responders’. This means that for some people, Wegovy may just not work for them. There is no exact cause of this but there may be a combination of problems that mean your body is not as responsive as others to semaglutide.
This isn’t to say that other weight loss medications won’t work for you, it may just be about trying to find the right one for you and your body. Why not read our blog: ‘What is the best appetite suppressant?’ to find out more about different types of appetite suppressant medications and find the right option for you?
What happens if you stop taking Wegovy?
Wegovy is designed to be taken long-term, so if you do stop taking it, the chances are you will gain the weight back, unless you replace the medication with another one that works in a similar way, such as Lyposol. Some people don’t like the fact that they have to take medication long-term to continue seeing the results, especially if, like with Wegovy, it involves regular painful injections. But taking a weight loss medication long-term is no different than implementing any other weight loss effort - such as healthy eating or exercising – once you stop, you will gain the weight you lost back.
Are there alternatives to Wegovy?
Wegovy isn’t the only weight loss product available. If you’re not seeing results using Wegovy, it could be worth trying something else to see if this works better for you. Lyposol is a great alternative to Wegovy as it works, in the same way, to suppress your appetite and minimise your cravings, but thanks to its simple nasal spray administration, it’s a much easier and pain-free way to take medication.
Lyposol is a natural alternative to Wegovy and other similar weight loss medications, created using only essential, natural ingredients. The unique blend of protein-stabilised liposomes and hemp-derived CBD works to reduce your appetite in days, strategically targeting the hypothalamus in the brain which controls hunger and satiety. This innovative formula was developed by a team of leading biochemists with decades of experience studying the human body and how it processes and absorbs nutrients and chemicals.
Those using Lyposol have reported weight loss ranging from 5% to 15% of their initial body weight after using it continuously for 8-16 weeks. Lyposol gives your willpower the boost it needs to start your healthy weight loss journey. Why not try for yourself today?
