There are so many semaglutide weight loss success stories that you can find online. This comes as no surprise though, as semaglutide has been found many times over to be very effective in helping people lose weight.
Semaglutide Weight Loss Success Stories Online
Here are some inspiring success stories of semaglutide that we hope will encourage you to take the first step.
Teresa Shepherd
ABC News published an article on Teresa Shepherd, who shared that she lost 90 pounds while taking a generic version of Ozempic for about 8 months. Shepherd, who resides in Florida said has successfully kept the weight off even two months after discontinuing the medication.
“I started exercising, so now I work out several times a week,” Shepherd explained about how she’s managed to maintain her weight loss. “You have to be careful to stick with what you’ve been doing and avoid slipping back into old habits.”
On her blog, the owner of Flawless Medspa and Wellness shared her personal journey: “I’m 53, going through menopause, living a healthy lifestyle, and walking 2 miles daily. But even with all that, I’ve been struggling to lose 16 pounds for the past 15 years. Frustrating? YES! I’ve tried everything—fasting, working out, cutting calories—but nothing seemed to work. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
Heather Badal
As the owner of Flawless Med Spa and Wellness, Heather is always looking for treatments that can aid clients (and herself) with weight management and weight management. They were one of the pioneering Med Spas in New Mexico to implement the Elite CoolSculpting technology.
In 2023, Flawless’ Nurse Practitioner, Jason Muscari, suggested adding Semaglutide Medical Weight Loss into their offerings. After conducting thorough research to determine the appropriate protocols, ideal candidates, and procedures, it was officially launched and Heather was among the very first to undergo the treatment.
Following a consultation with Jason and some initial bloodwork, she began administering weekly injections herself. Over an 8-week period, she experienced a gradual weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week and her clothing started to fit more comfortably. She also made adjustments to her portion sizes and eliminated late-night snacking. Now, as she tapers off the medication and her focus has shifted to maintaining portion control and nutrition.
Holly Figueroa O’Reilly
TODAY.com featured a story about Holly Figueroa O’Reilly, who struggled with her weight despite trying “every diet out there” and undergoing two bariatric surgeries that didn’t offer lasting results. O’Reilly, who had been overweight for most of her life, once hit 300 pounds.
Although she managed to shed some weight, a family health crisis forced her to stop working outside the home. In 2022, she started a home bakery and chocolate business.
“It involves a lot of eating and tasting, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to lose weight,” O’Reilly, 52, from Seattle, shared with TODAY.com.
Her weight crept back up to 250 pounds but now she’s down to 145. When people ask how she achieved this, she mentions lifting heavy weights and following a high-protein diet. However, she credits most of her success to Ozempic.
“Before starting Ozempic, my mind was always on food: When’s the next meal, and what will I eat?” O’Reilly explained, referring to what’s often called “food noise.”
In her 30s, when she reached 300 pounds, O’Reilly had her first bariatric surgery, a gastric band in 2006, which helped her drop to about 135 pounds for a while. However, scar tissue formed around the band, and doctors had to remove it in 2012.
That, too, offered only temporary help. O’Reilly lost 40 pounds but quickly regained it. From that point on, she tried to manage her weight through dieting. Her doctor informed her that she was “significantly overweight” and had a rising A1C level, which meant her blood sugar levels were moving in the wrong direction.
The medication, which helps control blood sugar, is also known for its weight loss side effect. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, mimics a hormone called GLP-1, which the body releases when you eat.
People on this medication experience a reduced appetite and feel full more quickly when they do eat. O’Reilly began taking the drug in spring 2023 and lost 105 pounds in less than a year. Her A1C has dropped, and she’s now at her target weight of 145 pounds.
Kim Wilton
Kim Wilton, a senior program manager, shared her journey to finding the GLP-1 treatment with The Street. She started Ozempic because managing her type 2 diabetes became challenging when the usual treatments like Metformin and Glipizide didn’t effectively control her A1C levels. After her primary care physician suggested seeing an endocrinologist, Wilton was prescribed Ozempic.
Wilton described her experience with Ozempic as transformative. She mentioned that her blood sugar is now stable, she had lost 50 pounds (with more to go), her A1C was around 5, which is within the normal range, and her mental health had improved significantly. Perhaps most importantly, she no longer found herself constantly obsessing over food—a change she valued greatly.
Wilton acknowledged that she might need to stay on the medication for life, which presents financial concerns as she wouldn’t be able to afford it without insurance. She expressed hope that increased competition in the market would eventually lower the cost, making it accessible even if her insurance situation changed.
She emphasized that the health improvements she experienced reaffirmed her belief that this medication was essential for her. Wilton mentioned that she feels she has what she referred to as a GLP-1 disorder, observing that unlike her, “normal” people can recognize when they’re full and can stop eating after just one cookie.
Wilton noted that it’s an expensive medication and her pharmacy charging around $1,000 for a month’s supply of four 1mg doses. Fortunately, her high-deductible insurance plan covers the full cost of medications for chronic conditions like diabetes, thyroid issues, and more, including Ozempic.
Redditor Mrstruong
Redditor mrstruong shared a jaw-dropping story of losing 165 pounds on Ozempic but the weight loss was only part of the story—she also embraced a healthier lifestyle. “I aim for 100g of protein and 1,500 calories a day. I started out unable to tie my shoes and now walk 6km, 3 to 4 times a week,” she wrote. One comment applauded her progress, saying, “People who worry about ‘Ozempic face’ should see your transformation!”
Susan and Michael Dixon
Married couple Susan and Michael Dixon recently shared with Healthline how taking Ozempic has influenced both their health and their relationship with food.
When 51-year-old Susan Dixon was diagnosed with prediabetes, meaning her blood sugar levels were higher than normal but not yet at the level of type 2 diabetes, her doctor recommended Ozempic off-label.
“I have an [aortic aneurysm], so due to my heart condition and prediabetes, my doctor wanted me to lose some weight,” Susan explained to Healthline.
Susan was already familiar with Ozempic because her 54-year-old husband, Michael, had started using it about six months earlier to manage his type 2 diabetes and lower his A1C levels below 6. Within four months of starting the medication, his A1C dropped to 5, and he also shed 15 pounds.
“Seeing Michael’s success definitely motivated me to give it a try,” Susan shared.
Over the years, Susan had tried various weight loss programs, including Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, which brought her some short-term results. In 2008, before her wedding to Michael, she also used the prescription drug phentermine and successfully lost 40 pounds.
However, she struggled to maintain her weight loss despite her efforts. She said that Ozempic has been the most effective tool for managing her weight. After six weeks on the medication, she lost 14 pounds.
“Ozempic made me feel full and took away my interest in food. Michael would ask, ‘What’s for dinner?’ and I’d think, ‘I don’t really care.’ I’d have some cereal or just a few bites, and that was enough. Food just didn’t excite me anymore,” Susan recalled.
The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, can lead to weight loss by making people feel full, slowing down stomach emptying, and reducing blood sugar levels, explained Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, an associate professor of medicine at Cornell and Chief Medical Officer at Found.
Michael’s primary reason for trying Ozempic was to control his type 2 diabetes and lower his blood sugar, rather than for weight loss. In fact, during his 15 years of living with diabetes, he never focused on losing weight.
“I’m not someone who follows a diet, so I wasn’t the best patient when it came to watching carbs and sugar intake,” he told Healthline. “I’ve never been driven to lose weight, but I know I need to get into that mindset.”
While using Ozempic, Michael noticed that he felt full more quickly, which led him to eat less than he used to. After being on Ozempic for a few years, he has learned to recognize and respond to the feeling of fullness.
Susan also adapted to eating smaller portions thanks to Ozempic and mentioned that it even reduced her desire to drink alcohol.
“I wasn’t a heavy drinker before—just socially—but now, if I have a second glass of wine or another drink, it makes me feel sick, so I’ve cut back,” she said.
Since both Susan and Michael are on Ozempic, they find it easier to manage their weight together.
How to Maintain Weight Loss After Using Ozempic
Sustaining a major weight loss over time requires a gradual and steady progression. You also need to combine it with exercise and a healthy diet.
Glucagon-like peptides (GLP-1) have emerged as some of the most promising weight loss medications which are not only effective but also beneficial to your overall health.
Think of it this way: Our bodies naturally produce glucagon-like peptides (GLP-1s). These medications are designed to mimic the effects of food intake or replicate the same hunger hormones that are released when we eat. They act like signals to different parts of our body and when the brain receives these signals, it reduces the desire to eat while at the same time increases your feelings of fullness. When the pancreas gets the message, it produces more insulin to manage the incoming food and reduces glucagon, so it lowers the amount of glucose entering the bloodstream. It is for all these reasons that GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide are very effective in helping you lose weight.
But maintaining weight loss after stopping GLP-1 medications can be challenging. Here are some tips to help maintain your weight loss.
Tip 1: Set a higher weight loss goal.
Aim to lose about 10% more weight than your target to allow for some potential rebound weight gain.
Tip 2: Track your food intake.
Leverage apps like MyFitnessPal to monitor your macronutrients and micronutrients, both while on and off GLP-1 medications. You need to make sure you’re eating the right foods and maintaining a similar calorie intake to sustain your post-GLP weight.
Tip 3: Do some physical activities.
Continue engaging in daily physical activities, especially those that increases your heart rate.
Tip 4: Stay hydrated.
Maintain proper hydration—about 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) daily for men and 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) daily for women.
Tip 5: Avoid unhealthy food.
This includes processed foods, fatty foods and sugary foods.
Tip 6: Avoid alcohol and smoking.
Limit your alcohol intake and don’t smoke if possible.
Tip 7: Consider taking supplements that reduce hunger.
Explore supplements that help curb appetite, such as yohimbine or rauwolscine.
Tip 8: Boost natural GLP-1 production.
Options include yerba mate (EGCG), green tea, maca, berberine, resveratrol, hesperetin, rosemary and kale.
Tip 9: Get enough sunlight.
Try to get daily sunlight exposure or perhaps taking some supplements with Vitamin D.
Tip 10: Manage stress.
You can reduce or manage stress through meditation, yoga, reading prayer, or walking.
Tip 11: Get enough sleep.
Aim for 6-8 hours of sleep regularly. You can do this by relaxing before bedtime and avoiding caffeine 4-6 hours before sleeping.
Tip 12: Protect your gut health.
Eat some fermented foods and high fiber foods. Probiotics are great for promoting gut health along with foods rich in essential micronutrients like Vitamins A, B, C magnesium, zinc and selenium.
In the US, obesity affects close to 42% of the population and is linked to over $170 billion in healthcare costs.
About 90% of the 37 million Americans with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which is a condition closely linked with obesity.
Semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity respectively. These medications work by slowing food movement through the stomach and reducing appetite which result in weight loss.