How can I increase my weight loss on Wegovy?
Have you considered Wegovy to help you lose weight? Or are you using this injectable semaglutide medication now? If you need to lose weight for medical purposes, like to treat obesity or to manage risks of certain adverse health effects associated with obesity or being overweight, Wegovy, Zepbound and other medications like it may be able to support your goals.
However, the drug isn’t a fix-all and needs to be combined with lifestyle changes, like a healthy diet and exercise routine, to produce lasting results.
Additionally, Wegovy is not meant for people who do not meet specific requirements for its use — and can be harmful if misused. For instance, because Wegovy can lower blood sugar levels, it may increase risks for hypoglycemic episodes in some people, which can at times be medical emergencies. If you want to lose weight but do not qualify for Wegovy, it is best to talk to your doctor about your concerns so they can help determine what is healthy for you.
If you’re a candidate for Wegovy or another weight loss drug, here are eight ways to improve your results:
1. Cut back on calories.
Taking Wegovy will decrease your appetite, but that won’t lead to weight loss unless you eat less because of it.
Dr. Anteo Pashaj, a regional medical director at kidney-care company Strive Health who is based in South Lyon, Michigan, says he notices especially in the beginning stages of taking Wegovy, some patients may continue to eat the same meals and snacks that they did prior to starting the drug. Pashaj frequently counsels patients on obesity prevention and treatment — as obesity is a major risk factor for kidney disease.
“These patients are taking the medication, but they’re not listening to their body — they’re still eating like they did before,” Pashaj says. “That habit hasn’t been broken.”
As a result, they may feel nauseous or vomit because “they’re not adhering to what their body is telling them, which is, ‘hey, you’re full,'” he adds.
Nausea can occur from overeating because Wegovy slows down digestion, keeping food in the stomach longer. Eating too much food puts an extra load on the digestive tract, making it more likely for food and drinks to come back up — or give off that nauseous feeling.
In addition to experiencing nausea, patients who overeat are less likely to reach their weight loss goals. If you’re facing this issue, breaking old eating habits and cutting back on calories can help you get on track.
Exactly how you cut back on calories, such as the type of diet you choose to follow, is up to you. Despite the various fad diets that exist, studies point to an energy deficit, such as a calorie deficit, as the most important factor in weight loss. Pashaj suggests choosing an eating pattern that you enjoy and can follow consistently — or largely consistently — for the long term.
The best diet is “whichever one is sustainable for you — whichever one that you can abide by day in and day out and you don’t feel like you’re suffering,” Pashaj says. It should align with your values and make you feel good, he adds.
However, while low-calorie diets can support healthy weight loss, very low calorie diets can work against weight loss by slowing the body’s metabolism. And they pose health risks. If your caloric intake feels unsustainable or if you notice side effects like dizziness or fatigue, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about how you can revise your diet to better fit your needs.
2. Drink more water.
Increasing water intake can also help increase weight loss on Wegovy. Not only is water essential for survival, staying hydrated has benefits for the digestive system and metabolism. Studies have found increased hydration is associated with increased weight loss through lower caloric intakes and increased lipolysis, the metabolic pathways that help the body break down fats. Staying hydrated may help further reduce feelings of hunger too.
“If you’re drinking (a lot of) water, you’re going to feel pretty full,” Pashaj says, adding that you’re not going to eat as much or head to the fridge.
Increasing water intake can also “flush out” toxins and support healthy kidney function, he adds.
“It’s so very simple, but very few of us do it,” Pashaj says. “Drink more water.”
In terms of how much more water to drink, there isn’t an exact science — but there are some guidelines to help out. Pashaj says a good rule of thumb is to calculate half of your body weight, in pounds, and drink that amount in ounces of water. Some experts stretch this recommendation to drinking half an ounce to an ounce of water per pound of body weight, each day. Health agencies like the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say experts generally recommend men and women drink 13 ounces or 9 ounces of fluid a day, respectively. However, everyone is different, and this math might not add up perfectly for everyone.
3. Eat more fiber.
Adding more fiber to your diet may help you lose more weight on Wegovy by increasing your satiety levels after meals and helping your body dispose of toxins. Better yet, soluble fiber binds to fat and excretes it through the digestive tract, making it is less likely to be stored in your body.
“It’s going to help push through any sort of intestinal blockages or sludge that you have there and helps absorb a lot of fats,” Pashaj says. “You’re getting this massive benefit, not only in the weight loss portion, but in gut regulation and lowering your cholesterol.”
He recommends getting your fiber from healthy vegetables, such as:
— Raw carrots
— Raw red bell peppers
— Cooked artichoke
— Cooked beans
— Cooked Brussels sprouts
— Cooked fufu, a West African dish made from a starchy root vegetable called cassava
— Cooked parsnips
— Cooked cauliflower
— Cooked broccoli
— Canned pumpkin
You can also find fiber in fiber-rich fruits, such as:
— Durian
— Guava
— Raspberries
— Blackberries
— Asian pear
Some whole grains are also a good source of fiber, including:
— High-fiber cereals
— Popcorn
— Whole-wheat crackers
— Whole-wheat tortillas
But if you are unable to eat enough vegetables for medical or other reasons, you can get fiber from various other sources too.
For a quick and easy way to increase your fiber intake, Pashaj suggests adding Metamucil, a fiber supplement, to your water. That way you can get an extra serving down without thinking too hard about it — while also keeping up your hydration.
To determine if you need a fiber supplement, take an inventory of your diet. Pashaj says that people who eat vegetables daily, between three to six servings, and who incorporate other healthy foods like legumes, whole grains and nuts are unlikely to need a fiber supplement.
4. Prioritize protein.
Prioritizing protein intake and decreasing carbohydrate and sugar intake may also help you lose weight.
“When we switch to more protein and vegetables, it shifts your body into burning fat for energy rather than using carbohydrates as an energy source,” explains Dr. Mir Ali, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and the medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
Studies have shown that high protein diets can in some cases support weight loss and prevent weight gain. The definition of a high-protein diet can vary, but this can range from eating about 20% to 30% of your total calories from protein sources. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for protein intake to avoid protein deficiency is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is the minimum people should strive for, and probably less protein than you’ll want to eat for weight loss.
Still, researchers advise not eating too much protein, either. On the upper end, 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is considered chronic high protein intake and can have health consequences like leading to digestive, renal and vascular abnormalities, studies say.
Some high-protein food options include:
— Seafood
— Meat
— Poultry
— Eggs
— Beans
— Peas
— Lentils
— Nuts
— Seeds
— Soy products like tofu
If you get your protein from meat, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, recommends choosing lean cuts. For meats, this can include options like lean ground beef, pork loin and skinless chicken breasts. For seafood, the USDA recommends opting for fish high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. This can include fish like salmon, anchovies and trout.
5. Eat several small meals.
Eating several small meals throughout the day — as opposed to one or two larger feasts — may have benefits for weight loss. Particularly if you are on Wegovy, spacing out your food can help with metabolism and reduce feelings of fullness so that you don’t overeat in one setting. Eating smaller meals may also fight against feelings of nausea or discomfort that can result from Wegovy’s slowing of digestion.
“The more you can break it up into smaller meals, whatever your threshold is, the better it is for your gut, and the more likely you are to lose weight,” Pashaj says.
Eating at least three meals — or more — is a great goal, he says.
He also recommends being mindful of serving sizes and avoiding one large heavy meal before bed.
“You should not be eating one meal per day,” Pashaj says.
If you are used to eating one large meal a day, you might want to think about what it would look like to break that meal up over the course of your day — and how adding or subtracting components would support your health. Talking with a doctor or registered dietitian can also help you plan meals and snacks and determine the right energy intake for your body.
6. Exercise consistently.
Incorporating physical movement into your daily routines can help you increase weight loss on Wegovy. Exercise has several weight-loss benefits, including:
— Improves energy levels
— Gives off some endorphins, which may help regulate appetite
There are many different types of exercises and workout programs to choose from, so aim for something that fits with your body, goals and lifestyle.
Ali says to prioritize the consistency of your exercise routine over the intensity, and to choose a workout that feels sustainable. While more vigorous activities — running instead of walking, for instance — may burn more calories in the short run, in the long term it is more important to establish a healthy pattern of movement and meet your body where it’s at.
“Just being consistently active helps you maintain a higher level of metabolism so your body is burning more calories throughout the day,” Ali says.
He suggests aiming for 30 minutes of cardiovascular movement a day, five days a week. Whether people prefer to exercise for one, 30 minute increment or spread this out into shorter blocks throughout the day is up to them, he adds.
If feasible, adding in resistance-type or weight exercises to compliment your cardio can also promote weight loss, by helping you build muscle.
“Building muscle is another way that you can force the body into burning more calories throughout the day,” Ali explains. “The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn through the day.”
7. Make sustainable changes.
The lifestyle changes you make to support your Wegovy weight loss journey can only be sustainable if you stick with them — while you are using Wegovy and after you stop taking it.
This is important because the drug won’t work effectively on its own. Take it from the drug’s manufacturer, which — backed by research on its effectiveness — says Wegovy should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
It is also important because after you stop taking Wegovy, your hunger cycle and insulin resistance are likely to return to what they were before you started taking the drug. This can make you vulnerable to weight gain, especially if you in turn go back to how you were eating and moving your body before starting Wegovy. Studies have shown that people can regain weight after they stop taking Wegovy. With this in mind, sustainable changes can be important supports to keep you on track with your weight goals.
To increase the likelihood that your lifestyle changes endure long term, think about how to tweak your meals and exercise routines in ways that you enjoy and that your body can tolerate. It’s OK to change habits a step at a time to — weight loss is a process.
Further, the benefits of medically necessary weight loss are more than a number on a scale. When done safely, losing weight can help you live a healthier life, where you reduce your risks for obesity related diseases and feel more comfortable in your body. So, make changes that you want to live with.
Wegovy works, “but it’s not going to work in the long run if you’re not making any other changes,” Pashaj says. “This is really meant to be as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet, increasing physical activity, eating healthier foods, et cetera.”
8. Be patient.
Losing weight can take time and effort — on or off Wegovy. For people who have just started Wegovy, first month results may not be noticeable right away. This can be a result of how your body is metabolizing the weight loss medication — which may vary from person to person — and the size of your starting dose. If you’re feeling anxious about how your body will react during your first month on Wegovy, Ali says to focus on the things you can control — such as diet and lifestyle changes, and not the inner-workings of the medication.
“I’ve had patients who don’t really see much weight change in that first month — we tell them to focus on doing the right things, and eating the right foods and increasing their activity,” he says. “But there are some patients who are much more sensitive to the medication and feel the effects.”
The good news is that if you make sustainable lifestyle changes while on Wegovy, those habits have potential to serve you for years to come. So even if you don’t reap the benefits right away, you have ample amount of time to enjoy them in the future.
8 tips to lose weight on Wegovy
1. Cut back on calories.
2. Drink more water.
3. Eat more fiber.
4. Prioritize protein.
5. Eat several small meals.
6. Exercise consistently.
7. Make sustainable changes.
8. Be patient.
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8 Ways to Increase Weight Loss on Wegovy originally appeared on usnews.com
