DH (not diabetic) wants to use Ozempic/Wegovy to lose weight instead of trying to do it through diet and exercise

[OzempicDH]

DH currently has a BMI of 29.2. He is around 2 stone overweight and a has an obviously fat belly. He has recently become obsessed with the idea of losing weight using Ozempic/Wegovy. He doesn't want to go on a diet as he has tried it before and said it doesn't work. Does not want to do intermittent fasting either.

I thought Ozempic only works if it's used in combination with changes to diet and exercise habits. Is this not the case? He seems to think he will just magically start dropping weight by injecting himself with Ozempic once a week for 6 months. Also what happens once you stop the Ozempic? If you just go back to the lifestyle that made you fat in the first place, won't you just be back to square one? So how do you keep the weight off once you stop using it?

You do still need to be in a calorie deficit. But many people find that the jabs stop the food noise and lessen your appetite - therefore he would end up eating less.

I would never judge anyone who used the jabs. Lose weight however you can, but please make sure you're FULLY aware of any and all potential side effects. It's not just a miracle cure!

I thought Ozempic only works if it's used in combination with changes to diet and exercise habits.

Go look on the WLI boards, you’ll see posters who have such strong appetite suppression that they’re struggling to get their daily calories in - then those that aren’t shifting much even when calorie counting.

Same position as my dh, eventually he decided to give it a go- best decision ever. He has no appetite even sometimes though of food puts him off. All ‘bad’ foods give him a sicky tummy. He’s two stone down in 2 months, 2 more to go and his eating habits have totally changed so if they keep up the weight will stay off (not finishing kids food, not fridge raising in the evening etc)

The thing about WLI (Mounjaro in my case) is that they have an effect on your system which means you are less hungry and fuller for longer. So you end up eating less without having to specifically diet and fight to stay on the diet. Most people also find that they prefer healthier foods - I don’t have any interest in processed carbs, sweet things or fatty/greasy food. I want fresh veg, fruit and protein most of the time.

With a BMI just under 30 though he is likely not to be accepted for a prescription, unless he has a weigh related health condition. Or is one of a list of ethnicities were obese is classified as a BMI of 27 or higher.

You are supposed to make those changes because once you stop taking the meds, if you revert to how you ate before, you will gain the weight back

You are correct. He has to make dietary changes alongside the injections for them to work.

I'm on Ozempic (on prescription as I am a type 2 diabetic). So far I am actually not convinced that it has changed much for me. I'm less interested in food than I was, but that had begun well before my doctor moved me onto Ozempic so it isn't a change. I eat sensibly with mainly fruit and veg but I don't feel my weight is changing much. I feel that I was getting a better handle on things while I was on my former diabetes treatment (I had lost over a stone and am now worried about some of it going back on). I might yet ask to revert to it.

If your DH wants to try Ozempic then fine, but it will be very expensive if he can't get it on prescription and no chance of it working long term if he makes no dietary changes. He will have to accept that. It is not a magic bullet and doesn't work for everyone anyway, despite what you read.

I do wish him luck though.

It should become easier to refrain from high sugar foods as there will be less sugar in the system for withdrawls.

Good on him. Support him. I hope it goes well.

Once her has lost the weight book him in to see a dietition and a trainer at a gym - to keep it off.

Not sure his BMI is high enough, is it? It needs to be 30+?

It basically seems to make it much easier to stick to a diet. So yes, he will need to eat more healthily and probably less than he does now... but it won't feel like he's starving all the time, and he might feel more inclined to eat healthy foods.

Of course if he stops the medication/diet he'll put weight back on, the same as any diet.

He should go for it if he can afford it. Bizarrely he will have to stuff himself for a few days to get to 30 BMI unless he is happy to lie. But I would think it will really help him

Do you have to stop taking it when your BMI drops to 30?

I would be worried about him maintaining any weight loss after. Having said that, shedding some weight may help him to rethink diet an exercise.

No, pharmacies have different policies but most will prescribe until someone gets down to bmi 24, lots down to 22 or 23 and some as low as 19 if suitable for the individual.

You have to be over 30 for your first prescription.

He needs to make the lifestyle changes or it’ll have little to no impact. And any impact there is will vanish once he stops using it.

I’m doing Fast800 to shift 20kg. When I stop the ‘diet’ I’ll still have to carry on with the different approach to eating or it’ll just come back. Fortunately I’m really liking the food!

@TalkToTheHand123 no, the whole point of the medication is to get the person to a healthy weight, so a BMI below 25.

Ive lost 3 stone on mounjaro in 14 weeks.

It does only work if you're in a calorie deficit obviously but what is does is makes it much easier to BE in a deficit by controlling your hunger and stifling the "food noise" that so many of us feel.

It's expensive and there can be side effects - I've just had a bit of lethargy and diarrhoea now and again but overall it's been a wonder drug for me.

Like any "diet" when he stops taking it the hunger will come back and it'll be up to him. I'm planning to stay on a maintenance dose for a long time. Not everyone has the means to do that so he'll have to consider these things.

Did you go back to your drug and food regime after? Why did you take WLI if you thought it was going well? Interested.