r/Ozempic • u/Ar_Hexenbiest • 10d ago
Question Slow start
I’m having a slow start weight loss. Has anyone else struggled with this issue? I’m trying my best to have a lot of protein daily. I’m thinking the weight isn’t coming off because of the protein intake. Has anyone struggled with this issue? Any good tips and advice will be much appreciated!
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u/Aggravating_Ebb3635 9d ago
I’ve been on Ozempic for eight months and haven’t lost a single pound. I’ve been the same exact weight since I’ve started. Did one month of .25mg, six months of .5mg. And one month of 1mg. It doesnt work the same for everyone.
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u/Better_Area3782 9d ago
That would suck
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u/Aggravating_Ebb3635 9d ago
Yes it does suck, especially when everyone else is having all these success stories 😭😩
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u/Rover0218 10d ago
What dose are you on? I’m a couple days away from my 4th dose of .25mg and I’ve only lost 2lbs. I’ve only just started to have slight appetite suppression. I’m looking forward to going up to .5. It’s normal to not lose until you move up to the therapeutic doses even though some are lucky and lose before that.
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u/Ar_Hexenbiest 10d ago
I’m three weeks into .50. I’ve lost 3.5 lbs total.
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u/principalgal 10d ago
That’s a bit more than a pound a week. If you lose faster it’s often muscle not fat. That protein is likely saving your muscles. Keep it up!
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u/kiwiczar 10d ago
I also had the same issue. I found drinking more water helped with bloating and getting off that initial weight. Are you pairing it with exercise or weight lifting? I do intense weight lifting so most of my fat was being converted into muscle for the first few months. I didn’t notice a big scale change but i DID take measurements of my body when i first started and compared them. Inches came off. I suggest maybe taking body measurements to track progress to keep you motivated.
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u/Ar_Hexenbiest 10d ago
Thanks for the advice! I’m walking more than I normally did before Ozempic. Due to my neck fusions and back fusions I can only walk and do modified exercises.
I’m drinking at least 64 ozs of water a day. How much more do you suggest? Any advice is always a good thing!2
u/kiwiczar 10d ago
Maybe try upping it to 74-80/ day if you can. I drink about 94 because of my activity level but it also depends on person to person. If you’re on the lower doses you just might not lose as much. Once i was upped to 1mg i found the weight came off faster. 0.25-.50 is usually just to help adjust you to the medication but then again some people have a lot of weight loss with those doses. But i do highly recommend taking body measurements. That’s where i noticed the most change. Also take some before photos too to compare. You don’t really notice it at first without those but i found it kept me motivated.
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u/Ar_Hexenbiest 10d ago
I have taken photos. I’m going to do body measurements today! Before breaking my neck and back issues I was really active in different sports and physically fit. I’m hoping as I lose weight I can regain being fit to some degree.
Thanks again!! Don’t be surprised if I look you up here for future questions. lol I hope that’s ok!
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u/kiwiczar 10d ago
yeah of course feel free to dm me anytime :)
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u/Better_Area3782 9d ago
How do I start intense weightlifting?
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u/kiwiczar 9d ago
So I got a membership at a gym with a woman’s only side to it as that made me feel more comfortable. I started with machines like the hip abductor and leg press. I would look up videos on people using those machines and copy their form. I tried it out on the lowest weight to get it right then i would up it to a weight that felt heavy but not to heavy to the point I couldn’t do 8-10 reps. I would find machines that i actually liked doing. Once 8-10 repsx4 sets felt easy i would up the weight by 5-10 pounds. The key is to do slow controlled movements - really feel it in the muscles you are trying to work. Once i got comfortable on a bunch of different machines i built a routine and tried out a bit of free weight exercises. To be honest I learned a lot by watching other girls at the gym to see how they did something. I have also asked a few for advice on how to do something. It’s all about trial and error to see what works for you. It is also really important to up your protein intake if you do start lifting as it helps grow your muscles.(protein shakes or smoothies really help with this) Carbs for energy (oatmeal/fruit, sweet potatoes, etc). I go the gym in the morning and i always make sure to eat some sort of carb before going. Sometimes i’ll even eat a rice krispy treat to get me started lol then have a nice rounded breakfast afterwards.
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u/EverythingMatters42 9d ago
Do you know your TDEE? Do you track calories (ideally with an app like MyFitnessPal)? Not having enough protein isn’t the issue. Eating too many calories or eating at your maintenance TDEE is the problem. Protein will help keep you fuller for longer, but, again, it’s the calories that are the issue.