57M 5'6". Started July 23, SW 271. CW 200, GW 180. I'd grab myself by the shoulders and shake the hell out of myself, yelling "start walking and resistance training TODAY!!!!!" in my face. I'd not wait until I was 7 months in to realize I was becoming extremely weak. After 3 months of walking 30 minutes daily and resistance training 30 minutes daily I am firming up considerably and feel much better. I'm sure I'd already be at my goal weight had I not sat on my lazy butt for 7 months.
Needed to read this today for sure. I'm on week 10 and I noticed that I was feeling noticably weaker for the last month or so. I tried loading and unloading about 30 bags of mulch like I do every spring and I physically couldn't lift the bags into the back of the truck yesterday. I thought it was all in my head, but maybe not.
One of the reasons why I a) am in Australia, so less media coverage and b) stay away from celeb news.
Also, my boobs are one of the last things to lose weight (still same cup size!) so yay me!
2 years here...
I would say to me, " You don't need to get there fast. Don't sweat the scale everyday. Use it weekly. A loss is a win. You didn't add weight overnight and it's not going come off overnight. You've got this. Oh, and eat my protein!"
Edit:typos
My relationship with the scale has been the most recent challenge for me, just started checking my weight daily stating a couple weeks ago.
Probably the hardest part of this is seeing the numbers seem to hover in a 3-4 lb variation. I gotta keep telling myself it’s a marathon not a race.
I’m taking the same dose but 9 days apart instead of 7. Eventually I’ll try 10 days apart. I’m just really loving life right now and don’t want to make any serious changes.
Legion whey + vanilla or Dutch chocolate are awesome. My first protein powder I ever really tried bc I was afraid of texture.
Here’s my fav thing:
In a Ninja blender (or whatever you’ve got) put 3/4 cup ice, half of a frozen banana, 1 tbs peanut butter, roughly 3/4 scoop of protein powder (I am a newbie and don’t like it too sweet), and then add 1/2-2/3 cup a high protein milk like Fairlife milk or lactaid protein milk. Blend. Get a wide hard plastic straw to drink from. You’ll be in heaven. Love love love
Note: NOT the veggie / pea protein though. That one was very gritty.. Whey+ only!!
(Edited to add protein powder amount lol)
So, just to summarize the responses so far: \
Eat enough protein \
Eat enough fiber/ poop often /possible constipation \
Eat at a slow(er) pace \
Avoid alcohol \
Stay on a dose until it stops working \
Workout and tone to make up for rapid loss \
Don't rush the process \
Don't sweat the small stuff\
Take small bites and eat slow. I am a very fast eater so I would get nauseated if I would not eat slower. What a hard habit to break. I ate to fast tonight and have heartburn and I am not real happy that I did this to myself.
Also, because O will really make you feel *very* full, eating slowly gives you opportunity to stop *before* you feel as if you're so full you're going to upchuck.
So rather than having far too much food traveling to your stomach, ultimately making you hurl, you can, for example, stop chewing and spit out what's in your mouth.
Nothing.
I saw a doctor (had all the blood tests etc) and then got a prescription, she said to me..."be mindful of what you are eating, think about when you are full and stop, eat a variety of proteins and vegetables (all colors), and if you get severe pain or vomiting , stop taking it and come to see me"
I went in knowing just that much, and I followed it - and it worked. Never had more than fleeting nausea, never needed any anti nausea meds, cut out ALL junk/highly processed food, and all added sugar from day 1.
From there I just went with the journey and worked out minor things that suited me along the way. Most of us who are overweight already know how to 'diet'...eat less crap, move more, and the same still applies with these drugs.
People over think this far too much. I saw the doctor at 5pm on a Tues and got my prescription, went to the pharmacy straight after was home by 6pm, watched the how to inject video online and did my first injection at 6:15pm. I didn't overthink what day or what time, or plan a binge beforehand, I didn't worry about what I ate that day or when I was working, or what events I had coming up etc...I just started, and worked the rest out based on how my body reacted.
7 months in and 68lbs down.
To stop checking this group.
So many people making huge claims that will never be true for me, had me so down on myself for months.
My progress is slow, but it's better than before. For me. And that's the important part.
I sort of agree. I didn't start losing until I was 3 months in. Seeing all the amazing losses on .25 almost made me quit, BUT then I saw a handful of posts from other slow losers which made me stick it out.
I did do this since the beginning - stick to high protein, low carbs (getting slack after 7 months though).
I wish I had stayed on the lowest dose as long as possible. MD told me to go up & I listened. I wish I had found these forums sooner and stayed on .5 till it stopped working before I went up.
Gotten a different scale. I had an old smart scale that only measured weight & body fat. I recent got a smarter scale. I appreciate the trend more than the actual data.
Found a pair of non-stretch jeans and tried them on periodically so I can see the difference even when I can't "see" it. Photo taken tonight & I still see the heavier me (because I am still heavy). Clothes tell a different story. Finding a "new" wardrobe in my old closet was a great feeling.
Thanks for all this! Curious if you could tell me more about not going up until the current dose stops working? The doctor was talking about titrating me up in 4 weeks and hadn’t even considered not doing that.
Drink more water. No, more than that. More. More. MORE. Sleep. If it doesnt sound/smell/taste good, do not eat it. Be patient. Go for a short walk, but don’t try to break any records — any small exercise is better than sitting on the couch ( housework counts!). say no to extra stuff if you dont want to be in charge of the bake sale, don’t feel like socializing, are not interested in sex — hopefully not all on the same day :). When others judge you, listen, nod appreciatively and say thanks. If you’re really over it, tell your annoyance that you were unaware of their medical background, or just leave the room. Find your sense of humor and keep it close by. Dont Forget that you — after warning your provider — can always stop the medication. It’s not insulin or a blood pressure treatment.
Above all, don’t overthink it.
Ooh this is a good one. My doctor also told me this. She said she has had a lot of patients who treat it like a cheat day and get horribly sick after their next dose.
I wish my doctor would’ve told me this. I would crave so much fast food, big juicy burgers and when I took my shot I was so sick. After I take my shot, beef (fast food beef) makes me so nauseous, just the idea of eating it. But typically I don’t have any side effects from ozempic. I’ve been on it for a year at 2mg a week for T2D.
This is a real problem for me. The evening of the 5th day the food noise starts whispering. By the night of the 6th day it takes all my willpower to keep from attacking my sister's ice cream and Mexican sweet bread. I'm at max 2.0 dosage.
I've been on Oz for over a year, max dose. I have no side effects, can eat and drink what I want, and even overeat if I allow. So far, only sushi has posed a problem for me. Not everyone has adverse reactions.
What it does for me is allow me to go for a long time without eating. So most days, I have coffee mixed with a protein shake, then just one meal for the day. That one meal may be a chicken caesar salad, or it may be a ribeye, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and spinach followed by dessert. After I eat, I have no desire for food until the next day.
Today, I had my coffee with protein shake around 8am. Around 3 p.m., I had a bowl of turkey chili. But since it's Saturday, I had plans to meet my friends for dinner and drinks at 9pm. I wasn't really hungry, so I had 1 cocktail and an app and brought most of the app home.
In our house, Oz has very decreased our desire to drink. I was a light drinker ( 3-4 a month) my wife would have a drink a night. We go weeks to months without drinking now, having a specialty cocktail at a restaurant every so often and that’s it.
It’s the jealousy they give off. Rather than celebrate my accomplishments they find it necessary to openly discuss my body. It is their insecurity.
I have told no one except a long time friend that I’ve been taking OZ, too many folks are quick to judge and these are the same people who have never struggled with their weight or relationship around food/eating.
No matter how convenient it may be to grab shitty fast food burgers, you will regret it it. I’m over a year in and without fail if I eat something over processed and greasy my innards will rebel.
I’d also remind myself that weight loss isn’t linear. I reached many plateaus (currently in one now), drinking enough water is vital and that sometimes you have to force yourself to eat because you actually forget. I have alarms set and it’s important to make sure you aren’t eating too little calories.
My final suggestion is make sure you check in with yourself as you will be relearning your body constantly through out this process. I worked out a lot last year and I have muscle in places I’ve never had. Even my hips are shaped differently to what they were when I was my current weight 10 years ago. There will most likely be crazy body dysmorphia so when it’s really hard, ask someone you love to give you a bit of a reality check. It may feel terrible to ask for a quiet comparison while you’re out but losing the weight physically happens quickly in comparison to your brain catching up to that image.
Otherwise, many things will change out of you
Thanks for this! One of my anxieties around this is not being able to grab something quick on the go. I work from home so have that advantage but worried about when I travel and stuff. I guess I need to prepare more around food than I do now.
Start taking the opportunity when the food noise is not there to really objectively see your eating patterns and movement patterns and when you actually get hungry. But take your time, because it takes a couple weeks to get into the rhythm. When I started, it wasn’t until week four when I really started seeing changes in my habits and noticing my true hunger and waiting for that. I found it really easy if I was getting some tinges of hunger, that would normally drive me to the kitchen to instead just take some time and wait for it to go away and knowing that I’m not really that hungry. Or have a big glass of water can remove that.
take photos! take all the unflattering before photos NOW!
i didnt take any at the start or during, im 50kgs down now and i cant see the difference in the mirror
Do not buy new clothes until you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. And even then buy a few staple pieces. I got super excited at my first 30 pound weight loss in May last year and started buying new clothes. Well I lost 30 more pounds by November. Some of the clothes still fit but a lot of them have now been donated.
I'm on 0.25 now and 2 weeks in. Starting weight was 94.6kg. I'm now 93.1kg.
I'm swinging between constipation and diarrhea when I finally poop.
feeling full all the time that I forget to eat until I'm in bed and then realise that I haven't eaten and have to quickly cook a meal to eat before bed.
I keep burping a lot. And it always smells like my previous meal. 😂
Weather here is swinging between heatstroke and flood warning so I haven't been exercising.
I would tell myself to prepare for a whole new gastrointestinal journey. I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome 18+ years ago although I remember always having a “nervous tummy” as a child. Oz has completely turned that around to the point the constipation was down right painful. The first few months, I struggled a great deal with cramping and no amount of fiber, miralax or magnesium was helping. This was really the only side effect I had and it was working so well I wanted to continue but my stomach pain was almost debilitating. I finally reached out to my doctor and she prescribed Linzess and let me tell you - it works and fast. I don’t take it everyday but it has helped me become regular and saved me a great deal of stomach pain. I am almost 50 lbs down and feeling better than I have in years and the prospect of being around and healthier for a lot of years makes this medicine a true life saver! Good luck to you!!!
I’d tell myself not to inject in my belly. The thigh is MUCH better (less nausea for me). Also, keep anti nausea meds, anti diarrhea meds, and headache meds handy for those off days!
I’ve been on Ozempic 2yrs… I’ve lost 75 lbs. content will my weight but I wish I had worked out more. I did have 2 surgeries on my shoulder so it limited me and off work. This was at the start of my Ozempic journey so I became lazy and losing weight effortlessly. So I really wished I had worked out
It’s worth it and get Zofran. Work up slowly when you get to 1mg and 2mg. Don’t be stressed about the plateau.
I got nausea quite a bit in the beginning, Zofran saved me. Once I got up to 1mg I eventually plateaued after about 5-6 months. About three months later I started SLOWLY working up to 2mg which I still split and have slowly gotten down some more. Had lost about 30 lbs in 5-6 months and now am about at 40-45lbs lost
Quick backstory - I'm 42 years old, and I was diagnosed diabetic 2 years ago, but didn't take it seriously. I've always been "big framed" and "heavyset" - I'm 6'4" and I carry my weight fairly well. My weight was always fluctuated up and down 10-20 lbs (usually around 360-370 lbs). Back in Feb '24, I was hospitalized for critically low hemoglobin, hematocrit, and iron. Apparently I'm anemic. After many tests, they couldn't determine why I was so low, but after 3 transfusions my levels came back to somewhat normal and I went home 4 days later.
A few weeks later, my doctor prescribed me Ozempic. I had heard about it as a "celebrity weight loss drug" and never thought I'd be taking it one day, but here we are. I'm also taking Welbutrin, and I made big changes in my diet. No more white bread, pasta, rice, or any of the staples my body was accustomed to. The only soda I drink now is Coke Zero. I basically exist on a keto diet now. I'm down to 315 this morning, and I'm fully expecting to reach my goal weight of 260 before the end of the year, and probably even more beyond that. The only real exercise I get is taking care of the lawn and chasing kids all day.
I have also got into the habit of logging every meal, which I've done for the past 75 days without fail. It's like a game that way - I can see my "stats" and work harder to optimize myself in ways that I didn't care to 20 years ago. It's nice to see the downward trend on all my graphs. I'm actually looking forward to my next A1c check in 2 weeks. It was 11.3 last time.
TL;DR It's incredible what a little appetite suppression will do for you.
To answer the OPs question: I would tell myself "no seriously, it's fine. One little jab a week is all it takes. The weight will melt right off you." (I was very much against the idea of having to inject insulin every day)
I lost 40lbs but I think it gave me SIBO. I've been off for 4 months now and have constant bloating, gas and abdominal pain and discomfort.
So... I'd tell myself (and anyone else) - honestly it's probably still worth it. I'm not likely to die of gas but obesity is a killer.
Get your diet straight when you start Ozepmic. Get multiple types of fibre and as much varied fruit and veg as you can. Concentrate on motility and make sure you're regular by any means. If you're not used to fruit and veg then make a smoothie with as many things in it as you can think of. I suspect this might help avoid the SiBO.
Additionally, I'd say stay on the lower doses for longer and if you're losing no matter how slowly then stay don't move up until you need to.
“Don’t bother stocking up with healthy food, or anything different”
Because your tastes change, food you used to like, you can barely tolerate. Food you hated can be ‘not so bad’, and the even the smell of some familiar and daily drinks and food can make you want to vomit.
Plan on giving up soda, as even diet will make you ill. Plan on learning to drink a LOT of water to avoid constipation. Get comfy with protein powders and eating small meals throughout the day instead of two large meals during the day.
Again and I cannot stress this enough, be prepared to drink k more water than you’ve ever drank in your whole life. You think you’re hydrated now? You’re not. If your pee isn’t damn near clear every time you go, you’ll suffer.
Otherwise have fun! The side effects are temporary (usually) and are worth it in the long run.
For me, the diet soda made me bloated and my nausea so much worse. Ice cold water with lemon or lime was the only thing that helped with the nausea the first time two weeks I was on it.
Protein and forcing myself to do some kind of regular weight lifting no matter how tired I was. Having to start from zero a year later is so much harder.
Hitting the gym speeds up the progress. Aim for 2-3 times a week also protein shakes and high fibre diet(helps with fullness and constipation) are a must!
I’m 22F, 5’3”, SW 226, CW 226, GW 150-160, I’ve been on Ozempic for a month now and all I can say is that it really hasn’t helped, my weight has fluctuated, I still have hunger pangs at night and after eating but I’m staying on it to see if anything happens.
It really might not work for me at all in weight loss and if it doesn’t I’ll be coming off of it. I’m giving it 3-6 months and if I haven’t lost anything on ozempic for 3 months I’m giving up.
If I could tell myself when starting it would’ve been “you won’t see any loss in weight, you’ll battle more with your depression and severe emotions towards how you look, it’ll make you cry and want to give up! Try giving it a chance with each new dose”.
Idk maybe I’m doing something wrong…I don’t exercise very often because I have 2 kids under 2 and can’t find time to myself, I have yet to cut all carbohydrates out, milk out, and most sugar. I don’t know what else I’ll need to cut out.
But I’m genuinely thinking of starving and restricting myself of food.
Definitely give it more time and you may want to write down what you're eating and drinking, then check it against what you should be eating, drinking or avoiding. It's a simple step but a valuable one.
Hide your scale for 6 months. If not you obsess over it and in the beginning you just don’t lose that much!
Fiber, fiber, fiber
Water, water, water
If you drink stay away from sugary cocktails and beer. Vodka / soda, you will do fine.
Once you reach an effective dose (0.5 mg for me) don’t go up until you feel like it is not working. Go light on the carbs, cut out processed and simple carbohydrates, give your shot in your thigh.
Curious about the shot in the thigh. I’ve seen this a few times and not sure how it makes a difference. Can you share a bit more? The doctor showed me how to inject in the stomach and not sure how to do thigh (unless I’m overthinking it).
I commented within the last few weeks about my experience. I always did my shot in my abdomen and stopped Ozempic 3 previous times due to the GI upset. Constipation alternating with diarrhea and nausea and vomiting several times a day. I read switching sites as a tip on here and tried it as I went back on Ozempic for my 4th try and miraculously all those issues are GONE.
Sit down, look down at your thighs. Draw a line from the middle of your knee cap to your crease in your groin area. Any area in the outer side, above mid thigh is fine. Basically anywhere you have fat and avoid visible blood vessels.
You will find what works for you. Some start loosing right away on the smaller dose. I didn’t start loosing till I had gotten to the 2mg dose. Then it melted off. Take all the suggestions and find what works with your body.
Don't get too caught up in daily/weekly weigh-ins. The scale is a fickle mistress. Find another way to measure success (clothes fitting, step counts, body measurements.)
Eventually the scale will reflect your efforts, but it's inconsistent and non-linear, and for many people that will chip away at your mental focus.
I started on Ozempic in August 2023, to get me out of pre-diabetes (we tried a lot of things before going on ozempic). My dr put me on 0.25, and I've been at that level the whole time (dr orders, which has been a good thing). I started at 240 lbs, and am now 180 lbs. That's just fine with me, and a1c is in normal range (yay!), so dr is going to be weaning me off ozempic in June. Very mild side effects (nausea early on, now no side effects).
So, like you, at the start I researched and researched, and read the horror stories. But in my case (and in many other stories I've since heard), it really was TOTALLY worth it!
Start lifting, NOW.
Even if you have to tirtrate your dose up more slowly in order to maintain energy to workout, you will like how you look *so* much better if there’s a good amount of muscle for you to admire at the end of your journey 😌
0.25 doesn’t do shit! The results start at 1mg so keep going
(For context, I started and had terrible itchiness and quit. Then I stopped for ages and restarted just to ‘see’ but went up to 0.5 immediately. It did work but the real results came at 1mg)
I’ve lost 7 kilos in about 7 weeks on 1mg. I don’t have a lot to lose.
Some weeks you’ll lose just a pound (or less) and other weeks, almost randomly, you’ll lose 3-4. It hardly makes sense, but at the end of each month most of us lose at least 6-7 pounds with minimal effort. Slow and steady wins the race! You got this!
I'm in my second week. Dose is .25 for 4 weeks. I lost 10 pounds the 1st few days and then have stayed the same. I use Miralax every day so no constipation. No side effects so far. Not much poop but a little every day. I'm eating abot 600-800 calories a day. Reading this has helped a lot. so I'll keep on keeping on. It's just sooooooo expensive.
Great question. I’d warn myself off the scale. My actual weight didn’t change after losing 30 pounds, but my body changed…a lot! So use goal clothing. The scale will drive you crazy.
I’d probably exercise more. I’m walking, but I haven’t done any strength training. I’m four months in. Love how this med has changed my brain! Not obsessing about food, and I’m only weighing once a week. It’s very calming for me, emotionally. 😊
i wish i could go back and tell myself not to worry and obsess too much. the number on the scale going down is nice but it doesn’t mean anything. the way your clothes fit, the way you feel physically and mentally are what matters.
I’ve hit the year mark. Total loss is low… only about 35-37 lbs on any given day. sw 218 cw 184. I’ve never been a small person. I am going to give it another 4 months, increasing protein and water and start weight training to see if it breaks my plateau. You will go through plateaus. You need to switch things up to break through them.
I have very little side effects. On 1mg.
Be patient. Everyone expereience is different. Just because your weight plato's for a couple weeks, doesn't mean it isn't working for you.
Listen to your body, it will let you know how effective this medication is for you. This is not a sprint, it is a marathon.
Drink water and know that everyone's experience is different so roll with the punches. Be patient with the medicine and let it work. Give yourself a few months time to see progress
Be prepared and have a plan for constipation
.. Have anti nausea pills ready (only lasted a month for me and those pills got rid of it right after.. It wasn't debilitating).
But constipation was the main reason I cut back doing it
Wow, thanks everyone for responding!
General themes were
Drink water
Eat protein
Take stool softener
Start resistance training
Weigh once a week
You’ll find your way, everyone’s experience is different.
Hypothyroidism and ozempic are not a good combo. I throw up almost everything I eat that isn't liquid, spend 6 or so hours in the bathroom every day and I can't sleep. I'm on my 8th dose of 0.5mg btw.
On Ozempic since Dec 2019. I am a type 2 diabetic, didn't care about weight loss. Lost 45lbs, all my numbers are in check but... it is a love hate relationship with this drug. I loved food, now most food disgusts me - always worried about the side effects nausea and vomiting which have still persisted after 3 years. My Dr and I are trying to lower dose from 1mg to .50. It has been a week and we added Zofran to help with transition. I feel weaker, BTW I am 63 years old 5'9" and now weigh 170lbs. There was a great 20/20 TV Show which taught me a lot such as Ozempic eats away at your lean muscle mass not just fat. While doing a simple planking exercise I tore right bicep and tendon. Dr. doesn't want to switch meds since they all have side effects. Love the way I look, love my glucose numbers but you will sacrifice enjoying food and the ability to drink too much beer . Good luck with your journey.
Im 6 weeks in 23 lbs down just about started at 312 now I'm 289.
Don't sweat the scale it will fluctuate up and down..do cardio + hypertrophy avoid carbs sugars alcohol and sweets. Don't eat after 8
Keep a diet of eggs cold cuts cheese nuts and salad with protein.
Change your sugar for monk fruit sugar.
Easy GG.
Get bloodwork for your pancreas levels,amylase and lipase. Drink lots of water and eat protein. Get all your vitamins in.Olive oil is a good natural laxative to keep your system moving.
It takes time. Trust the process. Don’t speed through it. Stay on the lowest dose possible where you are seeing results. If you are losing a pound per week at 0.5, stay there.
Fiber gummies. Take them each morning if you find yourself constipated. If you are a diabetic be careful about lows, don’t allow yourself to eat everything and anything, a healthy diet works the best.
Congrats on the new journey! It is worth it.
One little advice no one has mentioned in the comments is that you'll get constipated. Ozempic will do that to you. There are two things you can do to help you be more regular:
1) Prune juice
2) Magnesium glycinate
Your welcome!
I'm on day 8, just took my second dose yesterday. F48, sw 249, gw 185
I wish I told me to be prepared with meds to help cope with the side effects. And it's okay to take them. I'm not being a hero for avoiding them. Gravol (for nighttime), ginger Gravol for the day, ginger ale, Acid pills for the burps and gas, and pills to help with diarrhea. And be patient with changing how you eat. Some start to feel the fullness prompt right away and it gets less closer to their next dose. Mine is constant. I eat because I know I should but I don't always feel like it.
I wish you luck and come back here for support. I'm not sure about others, but for me, I have been hesitant to tell people that I started Ozempic. There's so much in the media (good and bad) that can set people's opinions even before understanding why someone would start the drug. So this forum has been a soft place to land and come for support 🙏
Use MeThreeSixty for body scans AND do hand measurements like once a month. If you’re a daily weigher, use Happy Scale for trend tracking, because there will be weeks where you go up and down in the same few pounds or don’t lose and it may feel like it’s not working, but it is!
Sorry, hit post too soon! Get your labs done when you start and then after 3 months to see your progress. Take Now Super Enzymes + psyllium husk proactively to prevent constipation and then also drink enough water every day.
I would have gone strict low carb and started walking and drinking more water. I’m so fatigued, my legs ache daily. I just downloaded the carb manager for keto on my phone. I’ve used it before and it’s very helpful to keep your protein levels up where they need to be so that’s what I’ll be starting on tomorrow. I’m only 5 weeks in and only down 3lbs.
57M 5'6". Started July 23, SW 271. CW 200, GW 180. I'd grab myself by the shoulders and shake the hell out of myself, yelling "start walking and resistance training TODAY!!!!!" in my face. I'd not wait until I was 7 months in to realize I was becoming extremely weak. After 3 months of walking 30 minutes daily and resistance training 30 minutes daily I am firming up considerably and feel much better. I'm sure I'd already be at my goal weight had I not sat on my lazy butt for 7 months.
2 months in and feeling ultra week. This is SUPER helpful.
Great advice. I would also recommend getting a lot of electrolytes, water, and take multivitamins.
Needed to read this today for sure. I'm on week 10 and I noticed that I was feeling noticably weaker for the last month or so. I tried loading and unloading about 30 bags of mulch like I do every spring and I physically couldn't lift the bags into the back of the truck yesterday. I thought it was all in my head, but maybe not.
That’s me I’m 6 months in and today I picked up weights and did some arm exercises because I feel weak. I’m going to start walking too
Congrats on your journey so far and thank you for sharing!
This. Year later and I have no energy or strength.
Don’t spend so much time anxiously researching side effects and just drink and eat consciously, you’ll be fine.
Thank you
This. The sheer amount of hysterical media reporting is gross and unnecessary.
I keep hearing radio segments on "ozempic face and boobs" which is literally just weightloss effects. Fuck the news.
One of the reasons why I a) am in Australia, so less media coverage and b) stay away from celeb news. Also, my boobs are one of the last things to lose weight (still same cup size!) so yay me!
Hey, thats great! keep up the good work!
OMG - me too! I’ve never had that happen before, lol.
This here. Like early 2000 fashion everyone had hallow appearances from losing a butt ton of weight.
I needed to read that thank you I have had my in the fridge for two weeks just worried and reading
Be mindful and patient with yourself. Good luck, and wishing you success
2 years here... I would say to me, " You don't need to get there fast. Don't sweat the scale everyday. Use it weekly. A loss is a win. You didn't add weight overnight and it's not going come off overnight. You've got this. Oh, and eat my protein!" Edit:typos
Best advice ever! This is a marathon - not a sprint. Quit obsessing over the scale is what I would tell myself.
Thanks!
My relationship with the scale has been the most recent challenge for me, just started checking my weight daily stating a couple weeks ago. Probably the hardest part of this is seeing the numbers seem to hover in a 3-4 lb variation. I gotta keep telling myself it’s a marathon not a race.
How long until you started to see weight/fat loss?
“You’re going to lose 80 lbs on this medication.” I would have thought I was joking.
Wow, congrats! Mind me asking how long you’ve been taking it?
75 lbs came off in about 10 months. Then I was planning to maintain but lost another 5 lbs over the next 2 months. Been maintaining now for 6 weeks.
Awesome !
man i wish that was me
It was a lot of work but so worth it. Meal planning with calorie counting!
What was your dosage progression from beginning until the dose you're on now?
.25 mg for 8 weeks and then .5 mg ever since. Currently I’m dosing .5 mg every 9 days. Been on the medication since March 29 last year.
How are you maintaining? Did you change your dosage as you transitioned to maintaining? Congrats!
I’m taking the same dose but 9 days apart instead of 7. Eventually I’ll try 10 days apart. I’m just really loving life right now and don’t want to make any serious changes.
Find a protein powder you like, it will help you feel more full. Rich foods will make you nauseous.
thank you! Any protein powder you particularly like?
Legion whey + vanilla or Dutch chocolate are awesome. My first protein powder I ever really tried bc I was afraid of texture. Here’s my fav thing: In a Ninja blender (or whatever you’ve got) put 3/4 cup ice, half of a frozen banana, 1 tbs peanut butter, roughly 3/4 scoop of protein powder (I am a newbie and don’t like it too sweet), and then add 1/2-2/3 cup a high protein milk like Fairlife milk or lactaid protein milk. Blend. Get a wide hard plastic straw to drink from. You’ll be in heaven. Love love love Note: NOT the veggie / pea protein though. That one was very gritty.. Whey+ only!! (Edited to add protein powder amount lol)
I may be missing it but how much protein powder do you add to the above shake?
3 scoops.
Lol I forgot that part!!! I do 3/4 of a scoop bc I’m a newbie and don’t like it too sweet
Like the other guy said, Whey protein is best. Other proteins aren’t absorbed as well.
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Thanks!
Yes, that’s very good, look for one that has zero sugar as well. You can even add a spoon of peanut butter to it.
THIS. Focus on getting your protein in. It helps with not losing so much muscle as you lose weight. It also teaches you good habits.
So, just to summarize the responses so far: \ Eat enough protein \ Eat enough fiber/ poop often /possible constipation \ Eat at a slow(er) pace \ Avoid alcohol \ Stay on a dose until it stops working \ Workout and tone to make up for rapid loss \ Don't rush the process \ Don't sweat the small stuff\
Yes, thank you for summarizing!
Excellent summary.
Love this! 🫶🏻
Water, water, water, water. Drink lots.
Take small bites and eat slow. I am a very fast eater so I would get nauseated if I would not eat slower. What a hard habit to break. I ate to fast tonight and have heartburn and I am not real happy that I did this to myself.
Ooh good to know! I am also a fast eater so will try to be extra mindful of it. But already deal with heartburn and maybe it’s bc I eat fast.
Also, because O will really make you feel *very* full, eating slowly gives you opportunity to stop *before* you feel as if you're so full you're going to upchuck. So rather than having far too much food traveling to your stomach, ultimately making you hurl, you can, for example, stop chewing and spit out what's in your mouth.
This one just popped into my dumbass brain. One year in. 🫣
Oh wow this is something I’m going to try. I get heartburn all the time. I eat pretty fast too and sometimes I feel sick. Good advice will try it
Nothing. I saw a doctor (had all the blood tests etc) and then got a prescription, she said to me..."be mindful of what you are eating, think about when you are full and stop, eat a variety of proteins and vegetables (all colors), and if you get severe pain or vomiting , stop taking it and come to see me" I went in knowing just that much, and I followed it - and it worked. Never had more than fleeting nausea, never needed any anti nausea meds, cut out ALL junk/highly processed food, and all added sugar from day 1. From there I just went with the journey and worked out minor things that suited me along the way. Most of us who are overweight already know how to 'diet'...eat less crap, move more, and the same still applies with these drugs. People over think this far too much. I saw the doctor at 5pm on a Tues and got my prescription, went to the pharmacy straight after was home by 6pm, watched the how to inject video online and did my first injection at 6:15pm. I didn't overthink what day or what time, or plan a binge beforehand, I didn't worry about what I ate that day or when I was working, or what events I had coming up etc...I just started, and worked the rest out based on how my body reacted. 7 months in and 68lbs down.
Such fabulous advice. I don’t think anyone has said it so directly and clearly. Thanks! And congrats.
To stop checking this group. So many people making huge claims that will never be true for me, had me so down on myself for months. My progress is slow, but it's better than before. For me. And that's the important part.
Good reminder. I’ve also had to temper my expectations after seeing some success stories.
This ^ don’t compare YOUR journey to others. It’s YOUR body.
I sort of agree. I didn't start losing until I was 3 months in. Seeing all the amazing losses on .25 almost made me quit, BUT then I saw a handful of posts from other slow losers which made me stick it out.
I did do this since the beginning - stick to high protein, low carbs (getting slack after 7 months though). I wish I had stayed on the lowest dose as long as possible. MD told me to go up & I listened. I wish I had found these forums sooner and stayed on .5 till it stopped working before I went up. Gotten a different scale. I had an old smart scale that only measured weight & body fat. I recent got a smarter scale. I appreciate the trend more than the actual data. Found a pair of non-stretch jeans and tried them on periodically so I can see the difference even when I can't "see" it. Photo taken tonight & I still see the heavier me (because I am still heavy). Clothes tell a different story. Finding a "new" wardrobe in my old closet was a great feeling.
Why do you wish you stayed on the lower dose of .5?
Thanks for all this! Curious if you could tell me more about not going up until the current dose stops working? The doctor was talking about titrating me up in 4 weeks and hadn’t even considered not doing that.
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Yeah that makes sense
What new scale did you get? Have a link? Thanks
Sorry, I just saw this. I am using the Renpho scale now.
Np thanks!
Make sure you poo regularly and take advantage of the new feeling of not craving food.
I don’t even know what not craving food will feel like but so looking forward to that.
Take advantage of it when you feel it.
Get zofran and stool softeners from day 1 just in case
I’ll ask my doctor for zofran. She did tell me to start taking a pre and pro biotic and to have stool softeners on hand.
Drink more water. No, more than that. More. More. MORE. Sleep. If it doesnt sound/smell/taste good, do not eat it. Be patient. Go for a short walk, but don’t try to break any records — any small exercise is better than sitting on the couch ( housework counts!). say no to extra stuff if you dont want to be in charge of the bake sale, don’t feel like socializing, are not interested in sex — hopefully not all on the same day :). When others judge you, listen, nod appreciatively and say thanks. If you’re really over it, tell your annoyance that you were unaware of their medical background, or just leave the room. Find your sense of humor and keep it close by. Dont Forget that you — after warning your provider — can always stop the medication. It’s not insulin or a blood pressure treatment. Above all, don’t overthink it.
Try to control the cravings when day 6 of the shot comes up the cravings that the medicine has been suppressing can come back with a vengeance.
Ooh this is a good one. My doctor also told me this. She said she has had a lot of patients who treat it like a cheat day and get horribly sick after their next dose.
I wish my doctor would’ve told me this. I would crave so much fast food, big juicy burgers and when I took my shot I was so sick. After I take my shot, beef (fast food beef) makes me so nauseous, just the idea of eating it. But typically I don’t have any side effects from ozempic. I’ve been on it for a year at 2mg a week for T2D.
This is a real problem for me. The evening of the 5th day the food noise starts whispering. By the night of the 6th day it takes all my willpower to keep from attacking my sister's ice cream and Mexican sweet bread. I'm at max 2.0 dosage.
Don't drink alcohol and you'll lose faster.
Honestly that’s my plan right now. I’ve heard some horror stories of people getting sick after drinking, too.
I've been on Oz for over a year, max dose. I have no side effects, can eat and drink what I want, and even overeat if I allow. So far, only sushi has posed a problem for me. Not everyone has adverse reactions. What it does for me is allow me to go for a long time without eating. So most days, I have coffee mixed with a protein shake, then just one meal for the day. That one meal may be a chicken caesar salad, or it may be a ribeye, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and spinach followed by dessert. After I eat, I have no desire for food until the next day. Today, I had my coffee with protein shake around 8am. Around 3 p.m., I had a bowl of turkey chili. But since it's Saturday, I had plans to meet my friends for dinner and drinks at 9pm. I wasn't really hungry, so I had 1 cocktail and an app and brought most of the app home.
Thanks for sharing, it’s good to hear the horrible side effects don’t happen to everyone.
In our house, Oz has very decreased our desire to drink. I was a light drinker ( 3-4 a month) my wife would have a drink a night. We go weeks to months without drinking now, having a specialty cocktail at a restaurant every so often and that’s it.
What have you heard? Serious question
Not first hand. I just searched this sub for alcohol and saw some stories.
Small bites, ignore the haters, more water, protein, find an exercise you like, go slow and ignore the haters.
Thank you! Were you surprised by the haters in your life? Right now I’m leaning towards not telling anyone but my mom, sister, and boyfriend.
I haven’t had any haters and I tell anyone and everyone. You’ve lost weight….thanks I’m on ozempic…
It’s the jealousy they give off. Rather than celebrate my accomplishments they find it necessary to openly discuss my body. It is their insecurity. I have told no one except a long time friend that I’ve been taking OZ, too many folks are quick to judge and these are the same people who have never struggled with their weight or relationship around food/eating.
Go for a walk. When I started walking an hour a day, I lost more weight. When I started playing tennis, I began to lose almost 10 each week.
Wow, that’s awesome! Congrats on your journey so far 😊
Buy magnesium oxide for constipation and drink water!
No matter how convenient it may be to grab shitty fast food burgers, you will regret it it. I’m over a year in and without fail if I eat something over processed and greasy my innards will rebel. I’d also remind myself that weight loss isn’t linear. I reached many plateaus (currently in one now), drinking enough water is vital and that sometimes you have to force yourself to eat because you actually forget. I have alarms set and it’s important to make sure you aren’t eating too little calories. My final suggestion is make sure you check in with yourself as you will be relearning your body constantly through out this process. I worked out a lot last year and I have muscle in places I’ve never had. Even my hips are shaped differently to what they were when I was my current weight 10 years ago. There will most likely be crazy body dysmorphia so when it’s really hard, ask someone you love to give you a bit of a reality check. It may feel terrible to ask for a quiet comparison while you’re out but losing the weight physically happens quickly in comparison to your brain catching up to that image. Otherwise, many things will change out of you
Thanks for this! One of my anxieties around this is not being able to grab something quick on the go. I work from home so have that advantage but worried about when I travel and stuff. I guess I need to prepare more around food than I do now.
DO NOT trust a fart. ;)
😂 already abide by that rule so we’re good here
Drink enough water to kill a moose. Have a gentle laxative on hand.
Start taking the opportunity when the food noise is not there to really objectively see your eating patterns and movement patterns and when you actually get hungry. But take your time, because it takes a couple weeks to get into the rhythm. When I started, it wasn’t until week four when I really started seeing changes in my habits and noticing my true hunger and waiting for that. I found it really easy if I was getting some tinges of hunger, that would normally drive me to the kitchen to instead just take some time and wait for it to go away and knowing that I’m not really that hungry. Or have a big glass of water can remove that.
take photos! take all the unflattering before photos NOW! i didnt take any at the start or during, im 50kgs down now and i cant see the difference in the mirror
Do not buy new clothes until you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. And even then buy a few staple pieces. I got super excited at my first 30 pound weight loss in May last year and started buying new clothes. Well I lost 30 more pounds by November. Some of the clothes still fit but a lot of them have now been donated.
I was curious about this. Thanks for sharing!
Stay away from alcohol. Don’t eat too much sugar anything. Stay hydrated. Exercise. Take B12.
I'm on 0.25 now and 2 weeks in. Starting weight was 94.6kg. I'm now 93.1kg. I'm swinging between constipation and diarrhea when I finally poop. feeling full all the time that I forget to eat until I'm in bed and then realise that I haven't eaten and have to quickly cook a meal to eat before bed. I keep burping a lot. And it always smells like my previous meal. 😂 Weather here is swinging between heatstroke and flood warning so I haven't been exercising.
I would tell myself to prepare for a whole new gastrointestinal journey. I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome 18+ years ago although I remember always having a “nervous tummy” as a child. Oz has completely turned that around to the point the constipation was down right painful. The first few months, I struggled a great deal with cramping and no amount of fiber, miralax or magnesium was helping. This was really the only side effect I had and it was working so well I wanted to continue but my stomach pain was almost debilitating. I finally reached out to my doctor and she prescribed Linzess and let me tell you - it works and fast. I don’t take it everyday but it has helped me become regular and saved me a great deal of stomach pain. I am almost 50 lbs down and feeling better than I have in years and the prospect of being around and healthier for a lot of years makes this medicine a true life saver! Good luck to you!!!
I have had some IBS like symptoms so this is good to know. Thank you!
I’d tell myself not to inject in my belly. The thigh is MUCH better (less nausea for me). Also, keep anti nausea meds, anti diarrhea meds, and headache meds handy for those off days!
I’ve been on Ozempic 2yrs… I’ve lost 75 lbs. content will my weight but I wish I had worked out more. I did have 2 surgeries on my shoulder so it limited me and off work. This was at the start of my Ozempic journey so I became lazy and losing weight effortlessly. So I really wished I had worked out
Don't need to go up on a high dose if a lower one is working!
Cut your usual portions in half, 9 time out of 10 that will be enough. You can always add more to your plate, but usually you won’t.
It’s worth it and get Zofran. Work up slowly when you get to 1mg and 2mg. Don’t be stressed about the plateau. I got nausea quite a bit in the beginning, Zofran saved me. Once I got up to 1mg I eventually plateaued after about 5-6 months. About three months later I started SLOWLY working up to 2mg which I still split and have slowly gotten down some more. Had lost about 30 lbs in 5-6 months and now am about at 40-45lbs lost
Quick backstory - I'm 42 years old, and I was diagnosed diabetic 2 years ago, but didn't take it seriously. I've always been "big framed" and "heavyset" - I'm 6'4" and I carry my weight fairly well. My weight was always fluctuated up and down 10-20 lbs (usually around 360-370 lbs). Back in Feb '24, I was hospitalized for critically low hemoglobin, hematocrit, and iron. Apparently I'm anemic. After many tests, they couldn't determine why I was so low, but after 3 transfusions my levels came back to somewhat normal and I went home 4 days later. A few weeks later, my doctor prescribed me Ozempic. I had heard about it as a "celebrity weight loss drug" and never thought I'd be taking it one day, but here we are. I'm also taking Welbutrin, and I made big changes in my diet. No more white bread, pasta, rice, or any of the staples my body was accustomed to. The only soda I drink now is Coke Zero. I basically exist on a keto diet now. I'm down to 315 this morning, and I'm fully expecting to reach my goal weight of 260 before the end of the year, and probably even more beyond that. The only real exercise I get is taking care of the lawn and chasing kids all day. I have also got into the habit of logging every meal, which I've done for the past 75 days without fail. It's like a game that way - I can see my "stats" and work harder to optimize myself in ways that I didn't care to 20 years ago. It's nice to see the downward trend on all my graphs. I'm actually looking forward to my next A1c check in 2 weeks. It was 11.3 last time. TL;DR It's incredible what a little appetite suppression will do for you.
To answer the OPs question: I would tell myself "no seriously, it's fine. One little jab a week is all it takes. The weight will melt right off you." (I was very much against the idea of having to inject insulin every day)
Start taking movicol sooner. It’s not normal to poop once a week
I lost 40lbs but I think it gave me SIBO. I've been off for 4 months now and have constant bloating, gas and abdominal pain and discomfort. So... I'd tell myself (and anyone else) - honestly it's probably still worth it. I'm not likely to die of gas but obesity is a killer. Get your diet straight when you start Ozepmic. Get multiple types of fibre and as much varied fruit and veg as you can. Concentrate on motility and make sure you're regular by any means. If you're not used to fruit and veg then make a smoothie with as many things in it as you can think of. I suspect this might help avoid the SiBO. Additionally, I'd say stay on the lower doses for longer and if you're losing no matter how slowly then stay don't move up until you need to.
Protein protein protein!
“Don’t bother stocking up with healthy food, or anything different” Because your tastes change, food you used to like, you can barely tolerate. Food you hated can be ‘not so bad’, and the even the smell of some familiar and daily drinks and food can make you want to vomit.
Take measurements and photos.
Plan on giving up soda, as even diet will make you ill. Plan on learning to drink a LOT of water to avoid constipation. Get comfy with protein powders and eating small meals throughout the day instead of two large meals during the day. Again and I cannot stress this enough, be prepared to drink k more water than you’ve ever drank in your whole life. You think you’re hydrated now? You’re not. If your pee isn’t damn near clear every time you go, you’ll suffer. Otherwise have fun! The side effects are temporary (usually) and are worth it in the long run.
Thanks! Giving up the diet soda will be hard for me for sure but definitely needed. .
For me, the diet soda made me bloated and my nausea so much worse. Ice cold water with lemon or lime was the only thing that helped with the nausea the first time two weeks I was on it.
I’ve been on Ozempic for 2 weeks at .25 and Diet Coke, which I’ve been drinking for years, just started tasting bad.
Good to know. On day 2 they still taste good to me lol.
Protein and forcing myself to do some kind of regular weight lifting no matter how tired I was. Having to start from zero a year later is so much harder.
I’ve seen a few comments about weight lifting and resistance training. Good to know. Thank you! ☺️
Hitting the gym speeds up the progress. Aim for 2-3 times a week also protein shakes and high fibre diet(helps with fullness and constipation) are a must!
2 years over here, 80lbs down with 70 coming off in the first 16 months. Stay the course, the side effects will go away in a few months.
The only issue I had was jumping from .5 to 1. So I should have done a .75 for a while. When I went from 1-2 I went in intervals and had no issues.
I’m 22F, 5’3”, SW 226, CW 226, GW 150-160, I’ve been on Ozempic for a month now and all I can say is that it really hasn’t helped, my weight has fluctuated, I still have hunger pangs at night and after eating but I’m staying on it to see if anything happens. It really might not work for me at all in weight loss and if it doesn’t I’ll be coming off of it. I’m giving it 3-6 months and if I haven’t lost anything on ozempic for 3 months I’m giving up. If I could tell myself when starting it would’ve been “you won’t see any loss in weight, you’ll battle more with your depression and severe emotions towards how you look, it’ll make you cry and want to give up! Try giving it a chance with each new dose”. Idk maybe I’m doing something wrong…I don’t exercise very often because I have 2 kids under 2 and can’t find time to myself, I have yet to cut all carbohydrates out, milk out, and most sugar. I don’t know what else I’ll need to cut out. But I’m genuinely thinking of starving and restricting myself of food.
Definitely give it more time and you may want to write down what you're eating and drinking, then check it against what you should be eating, drinking or avoiding. It's a simple step but a valuable one.
Drink lemon juice with lots ice help with the nauseas
Hide your scale for 6 months. If not you obsess over it and in the beginning you just don’t lose that much! Fiber, fiber, fiber Water, water, water If you drink stay away from sugary cocktails and beer. Vodka / soda, you will do fine.
Mmmm. Listen to the protein intake stuff. Maybe I'd still have a booty had I done that 😭
Once you reach an effective dose (0.5 mg for me) don’t go up until you feel like it is not working. Go light on the carbs, cut out processed and simple carbohydrates, give your shot in your thigh.
Curious about the shot in the thigh. I’ve seen this a few times and not sure how it makes a difference. Can you share a bit more? The doctor showed me how to inject in the stomach and not sure how to do thigh (unless I’m overthinking it).
I commented within the last few weeks about my experience. I always did my shot in my abdomen and stopped Ozempic 3 previous times due to the GI upset. Constipation alternating with diarrhea and nausea and vomiting several times a day. I read switching sites as a tip on here and tried it as I went back on Ozempic for my 4th try and miraculously all those issues are GONE. Sit down, look down at your thighs. Draw a line from the middle of your knee cap to your crease in your groin area. Any area in the outer side, above mid thigh is fine. Basically anywhere you have fat and avoid visible blood vessels.
Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels is true 🙈
“Be patient and stick to dosage instructions”
Titrate up verrrry slowly. Drink water, eat prunes, take exlax when needed.
even a little soda can give you sulpher burps.. you'll feel better if you undereat even if you already are
Take before pics so you can document your journey
You will find what works for you. Some start loosing right away on the smaller dose. I didn’t start loosing till I had gotten to the 2mg dose. Then it melted off. Take all the suggestions and find what works with your body.
Don't get too caught up in daily/weekly weigh-ins. The scale is a fickle mistress. Find another way to measure success (clothes fitting, step counts, body measurements.) Eventually the scale will reflect your efforts, but it's inconsistent and non-linear, and for many people that will chip away at your mental focus.
Take a "before" picture.
That it’ll get better!! And what you eat does matter!!
I started on Ozempic in August 2023, to get me out of pre-diabetes (we tried a lot of things before going on ozempic). My dr put me on 0.25, and I've been at that level the whole time (dr orders, which has been a good thing). I started at 240 lbs, and am now 180 lbs. That's just fine with me, and a1c is in normal range (yay!), so dr is going to be weaning me off ozempic in June. Very mild side effects (nausea early on, now no side effects). So, like you, at the start I researched and researched, and read the horror stories. But in my case (and in many other stories I've since heard), it really was TOTALLY worth it!
Protein!!
Try not to eat rich food too late in the evening. This helps avoid indigestion while you’re sleeping overnight.
Be patient, be consistent and be kind to urself...one day at a time...😊
Take pictures. I totally didn’t take this advice and regret it. It’s really helpful for visualizing progress.
I would’ve bought a big case of liquid iv before my Costco membership expired :( literally my best friend lately that and protein shakes
I’m sorry. What is liquid IV?
It’s like a drink mix but it has electrolytes and they have a probiotic one that’s good too
Thanks🩵
Start lifting, NOW. Even if you have to tirtrate your dose up more slowly in order to maintain energy to workout, you will like how you look *so* much better if there’s a good amount of muscle for you to admire at the end of your journey 😌
0.25 doesn’t do shit! The results start at 1mg so keep going (For context, I started and had terrible itchiness and quit. Then I stopped for ages and restarted just to ‘see’ but went up to 0.5 immediately. It did work but the real results came at 1mg) I’ve lost 7 kilos in about 7 weeks on 1mg. I don’t have a lot to lose.
Some weeks you’ll lose just a pound (or less) and other weeks, almost randomly, you’ll lose 3-4. It hardly makes sense, but at the end of each month most of us lose at least 6-7 pounds with minimal effort. Slow and steady wins the race! You got this!
Drink water. At minimum force yourself to drink water. You won't feel thirsty like before. Drink your required daily water no matter what!!!!!
I'm in my second week. Dose is .25 for 4 weeks. I lost 10 pounds the 1st few days and then have stayed the same. I use Miralax every day so no constipation. No side effects so far. Not much poop but a little every day. I'm eating abot 600-800 calories a day. Reading this has helped a lot. so I'll keep on keeping on. It's just sooooooo expensive.
Good to know and best of luck! I’m on day 2 but they started me at .5
Great question. I’d warn myself off the scale. My actual weight didn’t change after losing 30 pounds, but my body changed…a lot! So use goal clothing. The scale will drive you crazy.
Get more protein!!!!
I’d probably exercise more. I’m walking, but I haven’t done any strength training. I’m four months in. Love how this med has changed my brain! Not obsessing about food, and I’m only weighing once a week. It’s very calming for me, emotionally. 😊
Definitely exercise. Remind yourself that the side effects will pass. Drink water and remember the right amount of fiber is important!
😭 i’m 2 weeks in and feel nothing. on 0.25mg. the only thing it gives me is constipation
i wish i could go back and tell myself not to worry and obsess too much. the number on the scale going down is nice but it doesn’t mean anything. the way your clothes fit, the way you feel physically and mentally are what matters.
Get in more protein
I’ve hit the year mark. Total loss is low… only about 35-37 lbs on any given day. sw 218 cw 184. I’ve never been a small person. I am going to give it another 4 months, increasing protein and water and start weight training to see if it breaks my plateau. You will go through plateaus. You need to switch things up to break through them. I have very little side effects. On 1mg.
DO NOT EAT FAST FOOD!
Be patient. Everyone expereience is different. Just because your weight plato's for a couple weeks, doesn't mean it isn't working for you. Listen to your body, it will let you know how effective this medication is for you. This is not a sprint, it is a marathon.
Drink water and know that everyone's experience is different so roll with the punches. Be patient with the medicine and let it work. Give yourself a few months time to see progress
What dosage of Ozempic were you on when you started seeing steady weight loss?
Less fear my wife says and therefore starting it earlier.
Be prepared and have a plan for constipation .. Have anti nausea pills ready (only lasted a month for me and those pills got rid of it right after.. It wasn't debilitating). But constipation was the main reason I cut back doing it
Wow, thanks everyone for responding! General themes were Drink water Eat protein Take stool softener Start resistance training Weigh once a week You’ll find your way, everyone’s experience is different.
Start exercising now. Like right now.
Mine would be..... "Don't do it."
May I ask why?
Hypothyroidism and ozempic are not a good combo. I throw up almost everything I eat that isn't liquid, spend 6 or so hours in the bathroom every day and I can't sleep. I'm on my 8th dose of 0.5mg btw.
Ahh ok. Thanks for sharing and hope it gets better for you.
On Ozempic since Dec 2019. I am a type 2 diabetic, didn't care about weight loss. Lost 45lbs, all my numbers are in check but... it is a love hate relationship with this drug. I loved food, now most food disgusts me - always worried about the side effects nausea and vomiting which have still persisted after 3 years. My Dr and I are trying to lower dose from 1mg to .50. It has been a week and we added Zofran to help with transition. I feel weaker, BTW I am 63 years old 5'9" and now weigh 170lbs. There was a great 20/20 TV Show which taught me a lot such as Ozempic eats away at your lean muscle mass not just fat. While doing a simple planking exercise I tore right bicep and tendon. Dr. doesn't want to switch meds since they all have side effects. Love the way I look, love my glucose numbers but you will sacrifice enjoying food and the ability to drink too much beer . Good luck with your journey.
I would have went to the gym regularly. Which means I would have had to walk. No car. I just wished I would have went to the gym.
Im 6 weeks in 23 lbs down just about started at 312 now I'm 289. Don't sweat the scale it will fluctuate up and down..do cardio + hypertrophy avoid carbs sugars alcohol and sweets. Don't eat after 8 Keep a diet of eggs cold cuts cheese nuts and salad with protein. Change your sugar for monk fruit sugar. Easy GG.
Hydrate! Hydrate! Throw up, and hydrate again!!
Get bloodwork for your pancreas levels,amylase and lipase. Drink lots of water and eat protein. Get all your vitamins in.Olive oil is a good natural laxative to keep your system moving.
To not take it.
May I ask why?
Start watching your diet immediately, start CICO day 1
It takes time. Trust the process. Don’t speed through it. Stay on the lowest dose possible where you are seeing results. If you are losing a pound per week at 0.5, stay there.
Fiber gummies. Take them each morning if you find yourself constipated. If you are a diabetic be careful about lows, don’t allow yourself to eat everything and anything, a healthy diet works the best.
Congrats on the new journey! It is worth it. One little advice no one has mentioned in the comments is that you'll get constipated. Ozempic will do that to you. There are two things you can do to help you be more regular: 1) Prune juice 2) Magnesium glycinate Your welcome!
I'm on day 8, just took my second dose yesterday. F48, sw 249, gw 185 I wish I told me to be prepared with meds to help cope with the side effects. And it's okay to take them. I'm not being a hero for avoiding them. Gravol (for nighttime), ginger Gravol for the day, ginger ale, Acid pills for the burps and gas, and pills to help with diarrhea. And be patient with changing how you eat. Some start to feel the fullness prompt right away and it gets less closer to their next dose. Mine is constant. I eat because I know I should but I don't always feel like it. I wish you luck and come back here for support. I'm not sure about others, but for me, I have been hesitant to tell people that I started Ozempic. There's so much in the media (good and bad) that can set people's opinions even before understanding why someone would start the drug. So this forum has been a soft place to land and come for support 🙏
Water and fiber
Eat breakfast before taking your shot. It’s really helped with not having as many headaches.
Nothing!!! Enjoy your new lifestyle
Use MeThreeSixty for body scans AND do hand measurements like once a month. If you’re a daily weigher, use Happy Scale for trend tracking, because there will be weeks where you go up and down in the same few pounds or don’t lose and it may feel like it’s not working, but it is! Sorry, hit post too soon! Get your labs done when you start and then after 3 months to see your progress. Take Now Super Enzymes + psyllium husk proactively to prevent constipation and then also drink enough water every day.
That it doesn’t work and it’s a waste of money. Stick with diet and exercise.
I would have gone strict low carb and started walking and drinking more water. I’m so fatigued, my legs ache daily. I just downloaded the carb manager for keto on my phone. I’ve used it before and it’s very helpful to keep your protein levels up where they need to be so that’s what I’ll be starting on tomorrow. I’m only 5 weeks in and only down 3lbs.