Things you'll learn |
We’ve all heard an amazing weight loss injection success story.
You’ve probably bumped into an old friend and thought: “They look amazing”—only for them to reveal they’ve been taking Ozempic, Monjourna or one of the other countless ‘miracle’ injections that have been flooding the weight loss market.
And for every story about someone who’s watched the weight fall off on injections, there seem to be just as many about people who struggle hard when they come off them—putting the pounds back on and even more in some cases.
We’ve heard murmurings of…
“I’m hungrier than ever”
“The weight is piling back on”
And, while we know it’s probably tempting to jump on the bandwagon and lose some pounds, it’s starting to look like weight-loss injections might have short-term benefits but might not actually help you lose weight long term.
The truth is these weight loss injections are a quick fix. If you can stomach the side effects and potential health concerns, then you are very likely to lose weight.
But are you going to keep it off?
Is it going to encourage you to make the sort of lifestyle changes that are essential if you want to keep the weight off long term?
Perhaps not. That’s what we’re going to be exploring right here in this guide.
So, if the endless horror stories about potentially life-threatening side effects aren’t enough to have you reaching for a more sustainable, natural option, then maybe something else will…
What are weight loss injections?
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock, here’s a quick rundown of what weight loss injections are and how they work.
Their original and primary purpose was as a prescription drug to improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
There are a number of different manufacturers of weight loss injections, with each of them using different active ingredients that work in slightly different ways. But the most popular versions are…
Novo Nordisk:
Eli Lily and Company:
- Mounjaro (active ingredient Tirzepatide)
But, despite their original use, their off-label popularity spiked when it became apparent that a side effect of the injections was substantial weight loss.
This caused a flurry of interest in the injections from celebrities and non-celebrities alike, all chasing the elusive promise of weight loss with little to no effort.
And for those who have struggled with weight loss and yo-yo diets over the years, it’s not hard to see why the lure of these so-called miracle weight loss injections is strong.
How do weight loss injections work?
The so-called ‘skinny jab’ primarily works as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which essentially means that they mimic the action of naturally occurring hormones that regulate blood sugar levels and appetite.
In plain language, this helps to reduce food intake in two different ways…
- By binding to GL-1 receptors in the brain, the injections essentially trick you into thinking you are fuller than you are
- They delay gastric emptying, which prolongs the feeling of fullness after meals
Basically, this reduction of food limits calorie intake, making it nearly impossible to overeat, which results in weight loss.
It’s no wonder that it’s become so popular.
But actually, the reason that weight loss drugs work might actually be the reason that they don’t work long term by encouraging bad habits.
Why?
Well, because you're physically forced to change your habits while on the injections, but once you come off, you’ve not actually made any of the psychological or lifestyle changes required to keep the weight off.
Read: Changing eating habits for weight loss
Do weight loss injections actually work long term?
The results are inconclusive, but studies suggest that the answer for long term weight loss is no! Weight loss injections do not reduce overall weight in the long term.
In the short term, yes, the results are positive. But what happens after you stop taking the injections?
Short-term weight loss injection results
Yes, in the short term. Multiple clinical studies across the various active ingredients support the short-term weight loss benefits of injections like Ozempic.
A study in The New England Journal of Medicine (2021) showed that participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial lost an average of 14.9% of their weight using Semaglutide in comparison to 2.4% in the placebo group. And that over 85% of the semaglutide group lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.
Studies also show that Mounjaro resulted in an average weight-loss of 15% (5,g) 19.5% (10mg) and 20.9% (15mg) compared to 3.1% for placebo, as well as significant improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors.
These are just some of the studies that suggest the efficacy of weight loss injections and show that they can lead to weight loss in the short term.
All sounds good, right?
Well, hold on, you might change your mind in just a minute.
Do you put weight back on after starting weight loss injections?
Great news! Results suggest that you’ll lose weight on injections. But not so fast! Weight gain post-treatment isn’t just anecdotal.
Some of the same studies that link to the efficacy of treatment also highlight weight gain post-treatment as a key finding.
The STEP (Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity), which showed substantial weight loss with injections, also observed that many participants began gaining weight after stopping treatment.
A follow-up study to the initial one showed that people regained two-thirds of their weight, on average, within a year of discontinuing medication.
One of the key reasons for this was cited as follows…
“Physiological and behavioral drivers of weight gain are not permanently altered with the drug”
Ultimately the injections do all the work. You don’t need to take any further action to lose weight. Which might seem like the silver bullet of weight loss methods, but doesn’t guarantee long term maintenance.
Another study called the SCALE (Satiety and Clinical Adiposity–Liraglutide Evidence) Maintenance trial had similar findings for another active ingredient…liraglutide.
In this study, participants who had lost weight were randomly assigned to continue with liraglutide or switch to a placebo. Those who continued with liraglutide maintained weight loss, while those in the placebo group regained a significant portion of the weight previously lost.
These studies lead to the potential conclusion that weight loss results are not permanent and to maintain the weight loss, patients would have to continue taking the injections indefinitely.
Long term risks of weight loss injections
It seems like every week, there are new studies suggesting potential health risks associated with weight loss injections. So who really knows what else will come out over time?
And while side effects vary depending on the manufacturer, there is a common theme running through them, with side effects emerging, such as…
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e. diarrhea, vomiting, nausea)
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Rapid heartbeat
- Injection site reactions of pain
But, the most concerning factor might be that despite these side effects, many people will regain the weight after they stop taking them.
Why?
Because weight loss injections do not get to the root cause of weight gain. It’s providing a bandaid for a bullet wound, giving the illusion of recovery—while failing to deal with any of the underlying issues that may lead to weight gain over time.
And ultimately, weight loss injections take the accountability and autonomy away from you—the person wanting to lose weight.
Which in the short term might work, but it’s only going to exacerbate the issue down the line.
Relying on injections can create unhealthy weight loss habits and discourage healthy eating. In fact, studies show that as calorie intake drops, it often leads to a reduced intake of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Read: The skinny injection: obesity cure or potential health disaster?
How to build sustainable weight loss habits…
The real antidote to the quick and flawed weight loss injection is a long term approach to weight loss.
No, it might not sound as appealing upfront, but long term it’s going to serve you better than a slap dash approach—and could be the healthier way to go.
So, how do you do this? It’s all about making sure you burn more calories than you consume. You can do this and this with a combination of lifestyle factors like…
- Regular physical exercise (or any movement)
- Diet
- Mindset and behavioral changes
Exactly how you approach this depends on your goals and preferences. For example, you might be keen to walk more, or maybe you want to follow a particular diet.
Whatever you do, it’s about making consistent, sustainable changes to your daily habits to ensure you’re not consuming more than your body makes on a regular basis (the regular basis part is important, you can still enjoy your life).
You can read more about how to approach weight loss in a sustainable way here…
This alongside a natural weight loss supplement, like PhenQ, which will work to complement your lifestyle changes will help you shift weight and keep it off.
Should you take injections to lose weight?
If you’ve made it this far, then you’re someone that wants to lose weight. Not just in the short-term, but someone who wants to make changes to their lifestyle that will help them lose weight and maintain that over time. You’re doing it to feel good, improve your health, and, yes, look in the mirror and feel love and compassion for the body that carries you through life.
Shortcuts lead to a (weight loss) dead end
The good news is that you are in the right place. The bad news is that weight loss injections might not be the silver bullet you were hoping for.
The stats don’t lie. And while injections might help you shift the weight initially, the studies suggest that most people will put that weight back on.
Yo-yo dieting is out
News alert! Yo-yo dieting is out! Sustainable weight loss is in! And while weight loss injections are a quick way to shed some pounds, the fact is they won’t help you sustain that weight in the long term.
The solution? Something that works in tandem with your efforts. Yes progress may be slower, but sustainable weight loss is the way to ensure that you stick with it long term.
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