You may have struggled with weight for years, if not decades, and now you’ve finally made the choice to improve your health and happiness by starting weight loss injections. After making this investment, it can be disappointing and confusing to step on the scale and not see the numbers move in the right direction.

If you feel like your progress has stalled or never quite started, understanding why can help you get back on track.

What are Weight Loss Injections?

Weight loss injections, such as semaglutide, are powerful medical tools designed to regulate appetite and blood sugar. They work by mimicking hormones that target areas of the brain involved in appetite regulation, leading to reduced hunger and caloric intake. They can make you feel fuller, longer, can improve the way your body handles sugar and calories, and suppress “food noise.” While these medications are highly effective for many patients, they are not magic.

Why Weight Loss Can Slow

These medications work best when combined with lifestyle changes. If the scale is not moving, it often means we need to adjust other variables in your treatment plan. Here are several reasons why your weight loss might be delayed and how we can address them.

You Are Still Consuming Too Many Calories

The primary mechanism of these medications is appetite suppression, which naturally leads to eating less. However, it is still possible to consume a high number of calories even if your portion sizes have shrunk. If you are eating small amounts of calorie-dense foods like nut butters, oils, full-fat dairy, or sugary drinks, you may still be meeting or exceeding your daily caloric maintenance level.

Tracking your intake for a few days can be eye-opening. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins and vegetables, which provide volume without excessive calories. This helps you to stay in the caloric deficit necessary for weight loss.

Your Diet Contains Too Much Processed Food

What you eat is just as important as how much you eat. Highly processed foods are often designed to be “hyper-palatable,” meaning they are easy to overeat even when you do not feel physically hungry. Plus, they tend to be packed with lots of calories and sugar.

Make sure to prioritize whole foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where fresh produce, meats, and dairy are located and choose whole foods over processed.

Lack of Physical Activity

While dietary changes are the biggest driver of weight loss, physical activity can help bolster weight loss and maintain muscle, which is denser and more metabolically active than fat. This means muscle burns calories and takes up less space than fat does. If you lose muscle, your metabolic rate drops, making future weight loss more difficult.

Incorporate resistance training into your routine. Lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises helps preserve muscle mass, keeping your metabolism active and strong.

You Need More Time

Healthy weight loss happens slowly over time. Weight loss injections are typically prescribed with a titration schedule, meaning we start at a low dose and gradually increase it over weeks or months. This allows your body to adjust and minimizes side effects.

During the initial weeks on lower doses, significant weight loss may not occur yet. Be patient and trust the process.

You Are Dehydrated

Water is necessary for the process of lipolysis, which is how the body burns fat for energy. It may be counterintuitive, but dehydration can cause your body to hold onto water, leading to bloating. Furthermore, weight loss injections can sometimes reduce thirst, leading to less water intake.

Set a goal to drink the recommended amount of water daily. Carrying a water bottle with you serves as a helpful reminder to sip throughout the day.

You Need More Sleep

When you do not get enough rest, your cortisol levels rise. High cortisol levels can signal your body to store fat, particularly around the midsection. Lack of sleep can also interfere with hunger hormones, potentially fighting against the effects of the medication.

Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to allow your body the recovery time it needs to regulate hormones effectively.

You Have Hit a Natural Plateau

If you lost weight initially and have now slowed, you may have hit a plateau. This is absolutely normal. Weight loss doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Weight can vary from day to day and hour to hour, and weight loss can come in spurts.

A plateau can often resolve on its own, so it’s important to be patient. If it lasts for more than a few weeks, it may be time to reassess your habits. You may need to slightly lower your calorie intake again or increase the intensity of your exercise routine to jumpstart progress.

Need Help on Your Weight Loss Journey?

If you are considering weight loss injections or if you are already using them and need more help with your progress, reach out to our experts today. We are here to help you reach your weight loss goals.