5 Easy Ways to Keep Weight Off After Using Ozempic
Losing weight with Ozempic can be a great way to jumpstart your health journey. But keeping the weight off can be a challenge for many people.
While it takes commitment and lifestyle changes, maintaining weight loss after using Ozempic is possible. Here are six tips to help you do just that!
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What is Ozempic?
Ozempic (semaglutide)is a synthetic version of a hormone humans produce which regulates our appetite and controls sugar metabolism. It also works on the cardiovascular system. It is also known as Wegovy.
What Does Ozempic Do?
- It lowers blood sugar by making your body produce more insulin.
- It can also delay how fast food leaves your stomach.
- It reduces body weight and fat by reducing energy or calorie intake. In other words, it helps to lower the appetite. It blocks hunger signals, allowing you to feel full, which is a problem many overweight people struggle with.
In fact, the best way I heard it described is: O works by hijacking the body’s own appetite-regulating system in the brain leading to reduced hunger and calorie intake.
- It also reduces the preference for high-fat foods.
- In addition, from the clinical trials, we are told it has a good effect on fats in the blood, reducing LDL or increasing HDLs (good fats v bad fats).
- It also lowers systolic blood pressure and reduced inflammation.
Challenges After Stopping Ozempic
Here’s the scene. After a lot of hard work, you have reached your target weight.
What next after Ozempic? It’s meant to aid weight loss as part of a healthy diet and physical activity.
But what happens down the road when you reach your target weight and stop it?
Can you keep weight off after using Ozempic?
It might look like a quick-fix drug where you can eat anything you want or not even bother exercising.
But the downside is once you stop taking it, all the actions of reducing appetite, taking away reference for high-fat food, and so on will go away.
So, the effect of Ozempic is NOT permanent. It will have these effects while you take it, but they will wear off after you stop it.
Perhaps it’s been over-glamorised in the media; yes. And users in the United States include many popular celebrities going to get into shape as soon as possible.
But there is the genuine danger of people falling right back to square one or even greater weight when they stop taking this drug.
A User’s Experience of Ozempic
Hear from a user who participated in a clinical trial for the drug in the UK on her experience after stopping Ozempic.
“The drug changed my life and completely altered my approach to food. I was a different person while on semaglutide. I felt full after eating less and I could decide not to eat if faced with food as I didn’t feel hungry, so didn’t want to, something I had never experienced before in my life!
“What was great was that I didn’t have to think about restricting what I ate or being careful. It was completely different from dieting, which can make you miserable as you feel like you constantly have to watch what you eat or count calories.
“Now that I am no longer taking the drug, unfortunately my weight is returning to what it used to be. It felt effortless losing weight while on the trial, but now it has gone back to feeling like a constant battle with food. I hope that, if the drug can be approved for people like me, my GP will be able to prescribe the drug for me in the future.”
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Maintaining Target Weight After Using Ozempic
So, are we trying to discourage you from using the drug?
No. We are sure when it becomes available in the UK, we will prescribe this privately and on the NHS using guidelines similar to what we have now for treating obesity.
For example, if your BMI is over 30, or you have a BMI over 27, with other health conditions like heart disease or Diabetes, most likely you will be able to get Ozempic on the NHS.
But we suggest and recommend using the time on Ozempic to change your behaviour a little bit, allowing you to maintain the weight after you stop it.
Here are 5 ways you can maintain weight loss after stopping ozempic.
Develop a Regular Exercise Routine.
Exercise is an important part of keeping weight off, so it’s important to make it a regular part of your routine.
Aim for moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming.
Remember to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts over time for maximum benefit and weight loss results!
Have Balanced Mealtimes.
It’s important to stick to a regular schedule when it comes to eating.
Research shows that those who eat at similar intervals throughout the day tend to have better blood sugar control and better weight management.
Be sure to eat balanced meals with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins throughout the day while avoiding processed and high-sugar foods.
Eat Filling Foods for Energy and Satiation.
If you want to keep the weight off after using Ozempic, make sure you consume foods loaded with fibre, protein, and healthy fats.
Eating nutrient-dense meals with plenty of vegetables and lean proteins will help fill you up quickly, reduce overeating, and provide the fuel your body needs throughout the day.
Practice Mindful Eating Habits.
Practising mindful eating habits is one of the most important steps to maintaining weight loss after you are off Ozempic.
This means paying attention to your portion sizes and choosing healthy, low-calorie foods.
Avoid distractions like watching TV or scrolling on your phone while eating, as these can lead to overeating.
Taking the time to focus on each bite and savouring your food will help you to enjoy what you eat in moderation and prevent mindless snacking.
Monitor Weight Regularly.
After you’ve achieved your weight loss goal, it’s important to stay on top of your progress by regularly monitoring your weight. Make sure to set aside time once a week or even once every other week to check in on your progress. This will help you recognize any potential issues and make the necessary adjustments quickly before they become larger problems. For added accuracy, try weighing yourself on the same scale and at the same time of day every time.
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Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on various healthcare conditions to promote quality healthcare.
The advice in our material is not meant to replace a qualified healthcare practitioner’s management of your specific condition.
Don’t hesitate to contact a health practitioner to discuss your condition or reach us directly here.
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