Semaglutide is widely recognized as a weight-loss medication, especially among those who suffer from obesity or metabolic disorders. While many people lose weight with semaglutide in a significant way, others may not experience the weight loss they expected. It can be frustrating if you are one of these individuals. It is important to understand why this may be happening in order to optimize your weight loss journey. Semaglutide may not be working for you. Here’s what you can try to fix it.
Table of Contents
1. Semaglutide: What is it and how does it work?
It’s crucial to first understand how semaglutide helps with weight loss. Semaglutide acts as a receptor agonist for glucagon like peptide-1. It mimics the GLP-1, a hormone that regulates appetite and food intake. Semaglutide helps:
- Reduce Appetite : This helps to reduce your appetite and food intake by signaling to your brain when you are full.
- Slow Gastric Emptying – It slows the rate of food leaving your stomach and prolongs the feeling that you are full after eating.
- Semaglutide Improves Blood Sugar Control. By increasing insulin secretion, and decreasing glucagon, semaglutide can help manage blood sugar levels. This is especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetics.
Weight loss results may vary depending on the person. Some people will not achieve their desired results.
2. Dosage or duration not appropriate
Inadequate dosage or treatment duration are the two most common causes of weight gain when taking semaglutide. Semaglutide can cause weight loss to occur gradually. It may take weeks or months before you notice any significant changes. It’s important that you give your body some time to adjust if you have just started taking the medication.
- Semaglutide’s effectiveness in weight loss is often dose dependent. You may not feel the full effects of semaglutide if you take it at a low dose. Ask your doctor if a dose adjustment is necessary.
- Semaglutide does not work overnight; it is a long-term solution. You may need to wait longer to see results if you have only taken the medication for a brief period. In most clinical trials, significant weight loss is seen after a few months of regular use.
3. Dietary and lifestyle factors
Semaglutide is a powerful appetite suppressant, but it does not replace a healthy lifestyle and diet. It’s important to assess your eating habits and level of physical activity if you aren’t losing weight.
- Caloric intake: It’s possible to eat more calories than your body burns, even with a reduced appetite. This is especially true if you consume calorie-dense food. Semaglutide can help reduce your appetite, but it is important to choose healthy foods to create a deficit in calories. Focus on nutrient dense, low-calorie foods such as vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains.
- Semaglutide can reduce physical hunger but does not address emotional or stress related eating. You could be hindering your weight loss goals if you eat out of emotion rather than from hunger. To address these behaviors, consider working with a counselor or therapist.
- Exercise is essential for weight loss and good health. Semaglutide can help control appetite, but regular exercise will improve weight loss. To boost metabolism and burn calories, combine cardio and strength exercises.
4. Metabolic and hormonal factors
The metabolism and hormonal balance of your body play a significant role in weight loss. Semaglutide may be less effective in some cases due to hormonal or metabolic issues.
- Thyroid Function. Hypothyroidism can cause a slower metabolism, making it harder to lose weight even with weight loss medication. You should consult your doctor if you experience symptoms such as fatigue, cold intolerance or unexplained gain of weight.
- Semaglutide can improve insulin sensitivity but severe insulin resistance may still make weight loss difficult. Insulin resistance can make weight loss more difficult for those with the condition.
- Other medications: Some medications, like steroids, antidepressants and certain antipsychotics can cause weight gain or make weight loss more difficult. Talk to your doctor if you are taking other medications. They may be affecting your weight loss.
5. Weight loss plateaus
Semaglutide is not the only weight loss product that can cause plateaus. Your body may begin to conserve energy after a period of initial weight loss. This is because your body has adapted to the reduced calorie intake.
- Reevaluate your plan: If you’ve hit a plateau in your weight loss, it might be time to review your diet and workout routine. You can break the plateau by making small changes such as increasing your physical activity and adjusting your calorie intake.
- Even if you hit a plateau, it’s important to stay consistent with your diet, exercise, and medication plan. As your body adjusts to the new diet, it may begin losing weight again.
6. Psychological factors and expectations
You may not see the progress you are making on semaglutide because of psychological factors, or because you have unrealistic expectations.
- Setting realistic expectations is important for weight loss. Semaglutide may help with weight loss but the results can vary. Some people may lose weight slower than others. Celebrate your small victories, and remember that even a small amount of weight loss will improve health.
- Body Composition Changes – Even if you don’t see a change in the weight on the scale, it is possible that your body composition has changed. This can have a positive impact on your health and appearance. Tracking progress can be done by using other metrics such as your body measurements and how well your clothes fit.
7. Consult your healthcare provider
Consult your doctor if you have been taking semaglutide and are not seeing the weight loss that was expected. They can identify any underlying problems, adjust your treatment or explore other options.
- Examine Your progress: A healthcare provider will review your progress and can examine your diet, your exercise routine, as well as any medications that you are taking. They may suggest that you undergo additional tests or make modifications to your routine.
- Consider Additional Support. In some cases, working with a nutritionist and/or weight loss specialist or adding another medication can help you achieve your goals.
The conclusion of the article is:
Semaglutide can be an effective weight-loss tool, but it is not a miracle cure. How well you respond can be affected by several factors including the dosage, diet and lifestyle, metabolic health as well as psychological aspects. If you are not losing weight, evaluate your treatment plan and make necessary adjustments. You can achieve better health and weight loss by working closely with your doctor and making lifestyle changes. Keep in mind that patience and consistency will be key to any successful weight-loss effort.
This article was written by Buffalo Weight Loss. Buffalo Weight Loss is a specialist in Semaglutide and Tirzepatide weight-loss clinics Buffalo NY, an effective solution to patients with obesity. Semaglutide works by suppressing the appetite and decreasing food intake. This leads to weight loss.
The patient will be evaluated to determine the specific needs and goals for weight loss. BWL will receive a personalized treatment plan which includes Semaglutide in their weight loss program.
It mimics the effects of GLP-1 hormone, which regulates glucose metabolism and appetite. Semaglutide activates GLP-1 receptors to reduce hunger and help you feel full. This leads to a decrease in calorie intake.