Written by
Jessica Guht
Medical & Health Writer | Wellness Enthusiast | MEng in Biomedical Engineering
Jessica is a medical writer with an unquenched thirst to discover something new. She believes that medical content should be universally accessible and strives to write content that everyone, no matter their background, can understand. Credentials: MEng in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University.
While weight loss can be a challenging undertaking, it has significant health benefits. Specifically, in addition to helping you feel more confident, losing weight can lower your risk of various health concerns, such as heart disease and diabetes.
With how important it can be to lose weight, there’s no shame in accepting help, especially if your body just needs a little boost. Semaglutide is a medication that can aid weight loss, helping those who may otherwise struggle to lose weight finally see some progress.
How Does Semaglutide Help You Lose Weight?
Semaglutide is a type of medication called a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. This name simply means that semaglutide mimics GLP-1 and binds to the GLP-1 receptors in the brain.
GLP-1 receptors help to regulate appetite—when they’re filled, your body sends a signal that it’s full. Thus, by filling these receptors, semaglutide helps to lower your appetite, making it easier for you to ignore cravings and eat less.
Additionally, semaglutide helps to slow down how quickly food leaves the stomach. As a result, it can help you to feel fuller for longer, which also lowers your calorie consumption.
How Quickly Can You Lose Weight on Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is not a quick solution to weight loss; instead, it’s a tool for sustainable weight loss, which is better for you in the long term.
Some people may see weight loss after just four weeks of treatment, but the full effects of semaglutide often take several months. This is because semaglutide dosages are gradually raised to help lessen the side effects, but this means that it takes a few months to reach your maintenance dose and see results.
If you keep with it, though, the results can be significant. One study found that, after 68 weeks of semaglutide treatment, adults lost an average of 15% of their weight and were able to sustain this weight loss at 2 years.
How to Maximize Weight Loss on Semaglutide
Semaglutide alone can help you lose weight, but you’ll see the greatest results when you give it a little boost through your lifestyle habits—as a bonus, establishing these habits while on semaglutide increases your odds of keeping the weight off when you discontinue semaglutide.
Eat Wisely
Semaglutide can help lower your appetite, but it’s important that you make smart choices with the food you eat, especially since you’ll be consuming less—you don’t want to eat only junk food and leave no room for fruits and vegetables, that will contradict the benefits semaglutide offers.
Instead, fill your plate with nourishing choices that are packed with nutrients. Not only will this keep you energized, but it ensures you aren’t consuming extra calories just because you think that semaglutide will even things out.
Be Active
Adding in regular exercise is key for overall health and can be especially important to prioritize while on semaglutide. Not only can this help your weight loss journey, but exercise can also help you build muscle, keeping you strong as you lose weight.
Hydrate
Staying hydrated is crucial for helping your body accomplish all its important tasks, and while on semaglutide, hydrating can help minimize nausea. It’s best to hydrate with water, though, and to avoid alcohol while on semaglutide since it can increase your risk of pancreatitis.
Semaglutide as a Weight-Loss Aid
Semaglutide is a weight loss aid that can help control your appetite, making it easier to eat less during the day. When combined with healthy lifestyle habits, semaglutide can help you achieve (and maintain) weight loss.
Interested in starting your weight loss journey? Learn how YOURx can help you get semaglutide.
References
Mahapatra MK, Karuppasamy M, Sahoo BM. Semaglutide, a glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonist with cardiovascular benefits for management of type 2 diabetes. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2022 Jun;23(3):521-539. doi: 10.1007/s11154-021-09699-1. Epub 2022 Jan 7. PMID: 34993760; PMCID: PMC8736331.
Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Lingvay, I., McGowan, B. M., Rosenstock, J., Tran, M. T. D., Wadden, T. A., Wharton, S., Yokote, K., Zeuthen, N., & Kushner, R. F. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989–1002. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2032183
Hughes K, Sumaruth YRK, Mohammed E, Sant Bakshsingh V. Acute Pancreatitis Likely Due to Semaglutide. Cureus. 2024 Sep 21;16(9):e69844. doi: 10.7759/cureus.69844. PMID: 39308839; PMCID: PMC11416045.
