Why am I not Losing Weight on Semaglutide?

Are you taking semaglutide (Ozempic) to lose weight, but not seeing results? The reason could be insulin resistance, which makes it harder for your body to control blood sugar levels. This leads to your body demanding more insulin production, which causes more fat to be stored. Insulin is the body’s fat-storage hormone.

The solution is to reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake and increase your healthy fats and proteins. By doing this, your body will enter ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of blood sugars. With time, and while taking Wegovy or Ozempic, you should start to see a faster reduction in body fat.

Insulin converts excess carbs to body fat. In overweight people, high insulin levels prevent the conversion of fat tissue to fuel.

One of the key reasons people ask “Why am I not losing weight on semaglutide (Ozempic)” is insulin resistance. For many, insulin resistance is the cause of type 2 diabetes.  It becomes increasingly more difficult for the body to produce enough insulin to reduce blood sugars, particularly after a meal high in processed foods and carbohydrates. 

Semaglutide is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, but it has also been found to aid in weight loss because it controls insulin.

There could be several reasons why you are not losing weight on semaglutide:

1. Eating too many carbohydrates: This can be monitored by using a simple glucose meter and checking your blood sugar levels following a meal. 

2. Insufficient dosage of Semaglutide: If the dosage of semaglutide (Ozempic) you are taking is too low, it may not be effective in promoting weight loss. Many prescribers limit the dosage to 1 mg once weekly. It may require increasing the dosage to 2 mg once weekly. 

3. Alcohol Consumption: Many people don’t realize that many alcohols contain very high carbohydrates. Also, even low-carbohydrate drinks like vodka and certain wines temporarily stop fat loss until the alcohol is burned off. If you are having difficulty limiting the use of alcohol, but don’t want to stop drinking “cold turkey” then we recommend adding the medication Naltrexone. Naltrazone taken at 50 mg 1 hour before consuming alcohol helps reduce the cravings for alcohol. This method is known as “The Sinclair Method” of alcohol use. The FDA has approved Naltrexone with Biopupron for weight loss as well. In combination with Semaglutide, Ozempic, or Wegovy, it is another tool that promotes fat loss and cravings for alcohol. 

4. Inadequate diet and exercise: Semaglutide is not a magic pill for weight loss. It works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. If you are not making changes to your diet and exercise routine, you may not see the desired weight loss results. You may even want to speak to your doctor about fasting or fasting-mimicking diets. In the past, these types of diets seemed extreme, but in the modern era, many are successfully using intermittent fasting to help slow the progression of insulin resistance. Many are claiming a complete reversal of type 2 diabetes by going extremely low carb or no carb. Each individual is different so speak to your doctor or one of ours about intermittent fasting. 

5. Medical conditions: Some medical conditions can interfere with weight loss, even when using medications like semaglutide. Your doctor can help you determine if any underlying medical conditions are preventing weight loss.

6. Individual variations: Weight loss can be influenced by a variety of individual factors, including genetics, metabolism, lifestyle habits, and other medications. Not everyone will experience the same weight loss results with semaglutide.

If you are concerned about not losing weight on semaglutide, it is important to speak with your doctor. They can help you determine if any adjustments need to be made to your treatment plan or lifestyle habits.