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Wegovy seems to be everywhere, doesn’t it?
But despite all the celebrity endorsements and the promises of it being a ‘miracle drug,’ people are struggling to lose weight while using Wegovy. Even worse, many are experiencing terrible and unforeseen side effects.
If you’ve tried Wegovy and found it underwhelming—or if you’ve only just considered trying it—here’s why it might not be the best product to use for achieving weight-loss goals.
We’re also going to look at what you can do to enhance your weight-loss efforts instead.
Let’s dive in.
How Is Wegovy Supposed To Work?
Unlike most weight-loss products, Wegovy isn’t a supplement that you take as a pill, capsule, or drink. It’s actually a self-delivered injection.
You deliver Wegovy through the skin using an injectable device that is administered by yourself once a week.
Wegovy and a similar brand Ozempic were developed and manufactured by a European company called Novo Nordisk. Both of these are injections of a drug known as semaglutide.
What is semaglutide?
While semaglutide is supposed to be prescribed for the treatment of diabetes or for obesity-related medical issues, it’s being sought out by more and more people as a general weight-loss solution.
The way semaglutide drugs like Wegovy work is by mimicking an appetite-suppressing hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). This hormone sends signals to your brain that you are full.
So, a GLP-1 analog like semaglutide can theoretically do the same thing – leading to faster satiation so the user requires less food to feel full and can potentially lose weight as a result.
Why Is Wegovy Not Working?
So if Wegovy is prescribed for actual weight-related medical disorders, why isn’t it working as a general weight-management product? Here are several possible reasons why this might be the case.
Incorrect usage
If you’re not noticing any weight-loss results despite already taking Wegovy, it could be the case that you’re administering the injections incorrectly.
Perhaps you’re not injecting in the right area, or maybe you’re not injecting for long enough for the full dose to be delivered.
Tip: Double-check the instructions and rewatch the informational video on the Wegovy website to ensure each step is followed properly.
Wrong dosages
If you’re certain that you have been following the exact injection procedures and haven’t been skipping doses, then the issue could be with the dosages themselves.
Your first dose should be 0.25mg for the first few weeks, which then slowly increases to the full 2.4mg over the course of five months.
Carefully examine each Wegovy pen before injecting yourself to ensure that the dose you are taking is the amount prescribed for that particular stage of your treatment.
Eating too much
Wegovy will not work if you continue to consume more calories than you burn. It’s that simple.
You can take Semaglutide to reduce hunger pangs and control your appetite, so if you're still eating too much, it could either be a problem with the drug itself. Maybe it just doesn’t work for you.
The product won’t work on its own, you have to reduce your calorie intake as well if you want to see results. Switch up your dietary habits to include less high-calorie foods and processed stuff. Instead, try to focus on a healthy diet and a generally healthy lifestyle.
Drinking sugary drinks
Whether you use Wegovy or not, drinking sodas, fruit juices, and other sugar-filled beverages will hinder your weight-loss progress.
Drinks like these contain a huge amount of calories yet barely fill you up at all.
The same goes for alcohol. Beer, wine, and spirits: all contain sugar and carbs that interfere with your body’s ability to burn fat.
Just stick to water. It’s calorie-free and much more hydrating.
Lack of exercise
Just as a healthy diet plan is required for Wegovy to work, so is more physical activity.
Eating fewer calories is a great start, but without regular exercise sessions, your progress will be limited and ultimately stall. So, move a little more. Job, dance, go for a daily stroll with music blasting in your headphones…do what makes you feel good, and the results will follow.
FYI: The Wegovy website itself states that a “reduced calorie meal plan and increased physical activity” are required for their drug to be effective—so make sure to weave a little more movement into your week.
Lifestyle factors
If you’re still not losing weight, or are even experiencing weight gain, then you may have to make further lifestyle changes.
Along with tweaking your diet and getting enough exercise (from a mixture of cardio, strength training…and dancing!), there are a few other sustainable lifestyle modifications you can make to help with weight maintenance:
- Reduce your stress levels
- Quit smoking
- Get enough sleep
- Set realistic expectations (don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing great)
You’ve got this. And, we’re right behind you.
It’s not for you
The final reason Wegovy may not be working is, well…you’re not really supposed to use it.
Really, Wegovy is intended for people with a BMI (body mass index) of over 30 (i.e., living with obesity) or a BMI of over 27 and also need extra help losing weight as a result of underlying health conditions. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or some other cardiovascular risk factors.
FYI: If you’re not in this bracket, you shouldn’t be taking Wegovy or other weight-loss medications containing semaglutide.
Far more suitable natural alternatives can be used to supplement your diet and burn fat without horrific side effects.
Does Wegovy Usually Work?
Wegovy certainly can work, but—and we can’t highlight this enough—it’s only designed for people with a BMI over 30 (adults with obesity) or a BMI over 27 and who also have weight-related medical problems.
Studies show that for these groups of people, Wegovy can lead to a reduction in body weight, but clinical trials haven't been conducted into using semaglutide as a general healthy weight-loss aid. Why? Because that’s not what it’s for.
So, unless you are in one of those target groups just mentioned, you’d be far better off turning to a safe and natural supplement to help boost your fat-burning potential.
What Are the Side Effects of Wegovy?
We suggest going for a safer alternative because Wegovy can cause a huge range of side effects—from the trivial to the utterly terrifying and life-threatening.
Minor side effects
If you’re lucky, you’ll only encounter some of the minor side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
Major side effects
But it’s the potential for serious side effects that is particularly worrying with Wegovy:
- Thyroid tumors (including cancer)
- Pancreatitis
- Gallstones
- Kidney disease (or full kidney failure)
- Stomach paralysis
- Depressive or suicidal thoughts
All of these have either been reported by users of semaglutide drugs or are listed as potential side effects on the Wegovy website. So, these are very real and very dangerous implications of using this type of product.
We’ve covered this in more depth in another Wegovy guide. So, take a look there as well if you want a more detailed insight into the issues that can arise when using Wegovy and other semaglutide injections.
Should You Use Wegovy To Lose Weight?
No. Wegovy is not recommended as a general weight-loss tool.
If you have a BMI of over 30 or over 27 but also have pre-existing or underlying medical conditions relating to weight, then you may be a potential candidate for a Wegovy prescription.
Just be sure to talk to a healthcare professional first. Do not, under any circumstances, try Wegovy without the recommendation of your doctor.
Fake semaglutide products
Be aware that there are counterfeit alternatives being sold by third parties. These should also be left well alone.
Cheap knock-off versions are unregulated, often untested, and potentially even more dangerous than legitimate semaglutide drugs.
What Are the Alternatives to Wegovy?
Despite all the hype around semaglutide drugs like Wegovy, the reality is there are far better options if you are looking to lose weight naturally.
We’ve seen the horrendous potential effects of these injectable products, so why would anyone want to put themselves at risk when there are safer and more effective alternatives?
Supplements that contain natural ingredients for boosting your metabolism and reducing appetite can enhance your weight-loss results without any of the harmful side effects.
PhenQ is one of the most popular and effective of these supplements, having helped literally thousands of people successfully lose weight the natural way.
Nopal cactus (AKA prickly pear) and chromium picolinate are included in the formula for their ability to reduce food cravings and limit the amount of dietary fat that can be stored by your body.
There are also some thermogenic fat-burning ingredients in the mix too, including capsicum (red pepper extract) and caffeine. Both of these are proven to have a positive effect on your metabolism to improve the fat-burning process
If you value your health and your overall well-being, a natural and safe dietary supplement like PhenQ is the smart way to achieve sustainable weight loss. Yes, it improves your weight loss results without putting your body or mind at risk as semaglutide drugs will do.
