So Many People I Know are Taking GLP-1 or Similar and Losing a Bunch of Weight!

srkarasik · July 23

I’m a little late to this post, but I’d like to share my experience with Zepbound. I’ve been on it since the end of 2024 and have lost 45 lbs. For the first time in my life I don’t have a ravenous appetite. You do have to put in the work to plan your meals to maximize nutrition for the reduced amount of calories you take in. I’ve lost my cravings for cake, cookies, and junk food. I still like bread, but I’m able to stick to a portion. I do prioritize protein (at least 80 grams/day), vegetables, fruit and dairy for calcium, since I need maximize the nutrient value of what I do eat. I eat an occasional 1/2 - one serving of fries or a slice of pizza if I’m eating away from home, but that’s not everyday and I make sure my daily intake is balanced. Last week I had a busy day of errands and stopped at chick fil a for lunch I got the grilled chicken sandwich. I only ate 1/4 of the bread and a medium order of fries. I had to add more veggies/fruit and calcium at dinner. I’ve had Chinese take out and I measure portions carefully, stay away from fried food ( it doesn’t even taste that good anymore) and get a large order of steamed vegetables to mix in with the stir fried food. I also eat a protein bar once a day after lunch and that keeps me full. My lunch is usually protein heavy. I’m often not hungry for dinner, but I eat something even if it’s just cottage cheese and fruit or cereal (Cheerios or shredded wheat, Fairlife with milk and fruit), or Skyr and fruit. Sometimes I’ll have a bagel and cheese for dinner or small portion of meat or chicken and vegetables. My doctor has taken taken me off one blood pressure medicine. I’m very pleased with my weight loss, but not pleased with the loose skin I have in some areas. I do light weight resistance which helps maintain muscle, so there is muscle under that loose skin.

Athijade · July 24

People think it is simple, and some who are on the meds don't take their diet as seriously as they should. Those are the ones who are going to have a wake up call when their weight loss slows and they lose too much muscle.

I have been doing a LOT of research on this as I am likely starting a medication later this year after discussing it with my medical team. I will have 3 different medical professionals working with me. A Psychologist for the mental health end of things, an NP who specializes in counseling patients on these medications and will help with diet and exercise plans, and my Primary doctor who will just be keeping an eye on my overall health markers and how I am doing in a general health way.

On top of that, the diet you SHOULD be following is not just "eat whatever you want and the weight will fall off". It is high protein, high fiber, low "bad" fats, and lower sugar. Since the medication slows gastric emptying and reduces food noise, you are eating less so you HAVE to make sure that what you are eating is nutritional.

The meds are a tool, and like any tool it can be used correctly or incorrectly.

11steph22 · July 31

I have been on GLP-1 since Oct 2024 and have now lost 52 pounds and I have worked hard to do it - I track everything I eat and all my movement with FITBIT and Apple Health, workout and do strength training 3 to 4x week. I now weigh less than I did 35 years ago. GLP-1 have made the difference. After menopause and then full hysterectomy and dance with endometrial cancer in 2022 - without the meds I could only lose 10 pounds in 6 months and I worked hard at it too but the hormonal changes and radiation changed how my body processed food. And I was working out with cardio and weights 2 to 3 times per week.

So I went on the meds - it seemed like a miracle. I never knew I had food noise - a pre occupation with food that was a constant companion and a broken metabolism as my obesity doctor and dietician educated me about. Plus because of IBS since I was a teen - my digestion was hugely problematic and no gastro doc, naturopath, acupuncturist or food allergy doc could ever figure out. So after a bumpy 3 weeks in Oct 2024 getting my body used to the medication - the daily diarrhea I dealt with for close to 30 years was gone. The meds slow digestion so I could finally digest. It also has virtually eliminated sleep apnea and doc really thinks that meds alter the brain so apnea for some is both weight and brain signaling problems. Apnea incidents started dropping in less than a month on the meds.

It is such a personal choice how each of us deal with weight loss. I would love a discussion group for those of us who use My Fitness Pal and are on the GLPs. List serves and connection groups were so helpful to me when I also used Weight Watchers - wish it could be the same here.

elisa123gal · July 31

It does work..but not while eating junk food. My husband has been on it and has lost 60 pounds. If a person is way overweight.. they can eat normal and maybe lose 40 pounds..but after that, it takes work to keep losing . For him, the medicine gives him the willpower to diet. Before, he was always hungry and would have to suffer to lose weight.

He has two other friends who went on Ozempic due to diabetes .. they kept eating the same and stalled at 40 pounds of weight loss and are still overweight...

So, it is a tool.. not magic.

springlering62 · July 31

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48708313#Comment_48708313

congrats on the loss, and the blessing of losing the IBS.

Losing GERD was life changing for me, so I appreciate what you’re saying.

Why don’t you be the one to start a group? Just go to the groups area and I think you hit the + sign to start a new group, and choose whether you want it public or private.

And out a few posts here on the boards occasionally as crumbs to lead new people to the group.

Amethyst_RoseGold · July 31

Im glad you had a good experience. I was on Glp1s last year for about 9 months. I lost fifty pounds but ended up with sepsis. Probably unrelated. After getting better and starting wegovy back up it no longer curbed my appetite anymore.

After fully coming off, since it was ineffective for me, I had to fight a very big increase in my appetite. My appetite was ravenous for about 6 months.

I gained the weight back so now I'm here counting calories. This time, while Im loosing the weight I feel really good. On Glp1s I felt awful the entire time.

It works for a lot of people but it doesn't work for everyone and it didn't work for me but that's okay!

nsk1951 · July 31

I don't think I'd want to take a GLP-1 injection for weight loss.

HoneyBadger302 · August 17

Late to this thread, but after several discussions with my care team, have decided to sign up for oral meds to help with the food noise.

Peri threw the entire book at me - HRT has me back in the gym, making much better food choices, even quieted the food-specific cravings much of the time (along with a variety of other benefits).

However, the general food noise, which has always been a struggle for me (but could be managed with a good macro profile and plenty of activity) - well, willpower and determination simply isn't cutting it right now. My signals are straight up screwed up. Sitting there full - really not wanting more food - but still feeling "hungry." Eating a meal and catch myself planning the next day's meals. Tracking kcal but finding it nearly impossible to consistently stay in my maintenance, none the less enough to lose - because the food noise is straight up obsession lately, and it's beyond just something to deal with - it's intruding into everything I'm doing!!

Sitting there in a meeting thinking about my snack - at my dog's training club planning my lunch - doing anything around the house and thinking about my meals that day. Diversion doesn't seem to be helping since it's constant and non stop.

I know how to workout. I know how to track my food. I know how to find a macro profile that works for me. I know how to choose, cook, and enjoy healthy foods in delicious ways. I know how to plan and eat at the proper times and not keep low nutrition/high reward foods in the house.

But I need this food noise to STOP - it went from bad to insatiable. I've never been this "hungry" in my life….but I also know there is NO GOOD REASON for it. I'm not even trimming kcal right now! Like, baby carrots sound wonderful 24 hours a day lately….that used to be my "am I really hungry" thing - if carrots sounded good, I was probably actually hungry. Now? Gimme dem carrots!!

I'm not "proud" of it - I actually kind of hate it - but I need some help, and admitting that is surprisingly hard for me. I will do all the other "right" things, but I need some help with the noise/obsession and getting my body to reset to a healthy size for me again…get used to being content with a decent/normal portion size….get used to not feeling the need to help everyone eat their extra…

buttercup_1968 · August 17

very interesting discussions…. I’m just joining this community. I too have considered the injections but due to a past cancer history and the lack of data on the weight loss drugs with other health issues was cautioned by my doctor it might not be best for me. I’m doing my best to be more disciplined, drink more water, take my B vitamins, and walk. Post cancer with full time working my energy is very low.

fighter865 · August 20

I don't think GLP-1 users are any different than anyone else. It's a tool, pure and simple. Some people do not need that extra tool, but some of us do. I resisted it for a long time but six weeks ago I took the plunge and started doing sublingual semaglutide. (drops under the tongue daily) I don't think they work as well as the injections, but for me it is just enough. It takes the edge off the hunger and gives me back the control to eat what I know is good for me. I don't have that much to lose thank goodness, but at 65 years old, it was not budging this time. My cholesterol is sky high and I cannot take statins. This is mine and my doctors attempt to get it all under control. In six weeks I have lost 8 pounds, I'm not breaking any records but it is going the right direction. I'm actually looking forward to labs this fall, I feel a lot better. No bad side effects for me, but it has really helped with inflammation. A positive side effect I was not expecting.

plattef71 · August 20

I have been on Semaglutide since Nov. of last year. I started at 192 and now at 147. I am NOT one of those people.
I met with my doctor and the first thing he did was bloodwork to see if we could find why I was gaining and not able to lose. While I do have hormonal issues I am insulin resistant. He first suggested Wegovy because it was made specifically for weight loss and we were first seeing if we could get my numbers under control. I had side effects and then went to a hormone clinic where I started a compound. It has taken me 10 months to lose 45 pounds but I did it slowly, changing my eating habits and exercising A LOT ! I am now back to playing softball, bowling, golf .. etc because I feel better. I am still at a very low dosage (.5mg) because it works for me with the "food noise". I tend to lose my apetite after I start eating but it's the trigger to let me know I have had enough. I also snack and watch my calories, count my protein which is extremely important and stay hydrated. Hopefully soon I can start maintenance and then get completely off of it.

It will always be a personal choice for you ! I hate the stigma associated to it because it honestly does work for a lot of people who have tried everything. The goal is to have healthier people and this is a tool to get there.

rudyzenreviews · August 22

Yeah, a lot of people are turning to GLP-1 meds (like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and seeing big weight loss results. They work by helping control appetite and blood sugar, so it’s not surprising they’re effective. The catch is they’re not a magic fix—once you stop, weight can come back if habits aren’t in place. Side effects like nausea or digestive issues are also pretty common. If you’re thinking about it, it’s best to talk with a doctor to see if it’s right for you. Long term, pairing healthy eating, movement, and sleep with or without meds matters most.

Andrea222 · August 22

I take it for diabetes and it does reduce my appetite. Not as much as I'd like, but every little bit helps. I have a friend who is taking it, and it's like a miracle. She's over 70, and for the first time since high school, she's a normal weight. She was in the high 200s when she started Mounjaro. I think of it as a tool. If you can afford it and have struggled to stick to an eating plan, it could be a huge help.

They only way you'll know is by trying it and seeing how it affects you.

Retroguy2000 · August 22

When you come off it, if you haven't changed your diet and exercise habits then you'll probably regain the weight. Even worse, you can end up with a higher % of bodyfat than before. While losing a lot of weight quickly, a significant percentage of weight lost is muscle. Then while regaining the weight on the way back up, it's almost all fat.

If you treat it as a tool in your toolbox, it can work great. If you treat it as a win button, you're probably in for long term disappointment, unless you plan to stay on the jabs for the rest of your life.

dmugs · August 23

I've been on Zepbound for 6 weeks and haven't lost any weight. Started tracking my food again today after several years of not using My Fitness Pal.

rudyzenreviews · August 23

Also you should follow exercise and Diet. Start with one daily habit you can keep forever like a 20-minute walk.
It’s small and builds the foundation for bigger change.

laytonasmus · September 15

I know this post is a couple of months old, but here's my anecdotal experience.

I started taking GLP-1 in February 2025, and as of today, 9/15 I have lost 67 lb. There's a HUGE negative stigma online about it, and I was nervous when I first started taking it, however I'm now a huge fan. As with anything, be sure you're really aware of how your body reacts to it, how you're progressing, and talk with a doctor. I get mine through Hims and will talk with their chat help whenever I have a question. They're incredibly responsive and have helped me along the way.

Pros:

It helps reduce weight quick.
It's an easy once-per-week injection (or daily pill, depending which one you go with)
It helps to curb those hunger cravings
After being on it for 8 months I now know quantities of food I should be eating. Being on it has helped me develop better eating habits and know how much I should be eating at each meal.
It gave me a jump-start to better health. If I would have just kept trying to lose weight on my own without it, it would have been harder to go on walks, bike rides, and hikes. But losing the weight quick has helped me to be able to go out and do those things quicker.

Cons:

The side effects can be uncomfortable at times. Constipation (I stopped that by taking daily fiber supplements and changing my diet), sometimes nausea, and sometimes diarrhea.
Bodies still need energy and nutrition when losing weight, being in a constant caloric deficit has been hard. From my understanding a couple of places bodies will get nutrition when in a caloric deficit is muscle mass and also bones. My bone density has been fine fortunately, and I've continued walking and cycling, however my muscle mass is struggling to stay up. So even though I'm finally in a normal BMI I still have 33% body fat. Once I'm off GLP-1 I plan on maintaining my weight and not being in a constant caloric deficit, which should increase my muscle mass and reduce body fat I think. If you want to take GLP-1's it might be a good idea to get a body scan to know where you're at with muscle mass, bone density, fat percentage, etc. And then get another scan after 4-6 months. It will take a while to get some muscle mass back for me, but it's worth it.
Having to remember to do the injection weekly is a little bit of a chore, but not too bad. Some people are averse to poking themselves, fortunately though the needle is incredibly small and I barely even feel it when I poke my gut fat.

So Many People I Know are Taking GLP-1 or Similar and Losing a Bunch of Weight!

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