How To Cope With Post-Ozempic Weight Gain
With the rapid rise in medication use for weight loss with drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, more and more people are experiencing what is known as “Ozempic rebound”, or weight gain post-Ozempic This could also be called “Wegovy rebound”, as Wegovy is the same medication as Ozempic, but it is what is prescribed for weight loss.
Ozempic is a semaglutide medication designed to help people with diabetes control blood sugar levels and manage their condition. One of the side effects of Ozempic happens to be weight loss. While initially meant to help control blood sugar, Ozempic is now being prescribed to those who aren’t diabetic so that they can lose weight. This is where Wegovy comes in. Wegovy is a much higher dose than Ozempic
What’s the problem with Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss?
Metabolic mayhem - this is what happens when these medications are prescribed to people without diabetes to induce weight loss. Ozempic and Wegovy work by disrupting your natural hormones that signal fullness, hunger, and satiety. You no longer feel hungry, even though your body really needs nourishment! A combination of gastrointestinal side effects, reduced hunger hormones, and early satiety cause you to eat less and therefore, for some*, you lose weight. *studies of the use of this medication in the real world are showing much lower percentages of weight loss in comparison to clinician trials
These medications were also designed to be long-term medications. In the case of diabetes, you would take this drug infinitely. And for weight loss, it is the same. This means that when you stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy, you will gain the weight back that you lost and likely more because of the prolonged period of undereating. Research shows that weight cycling, like that which happens once you stop taking these medications, is tough on the body and is not health-promoting.
Will I gain weight after stopping Ozempic/Wegovy?
Every person's body is different, and everyone has their own personal experience with medications. You may or may not gain weight after stopping these medications. With that being said, there are scientific trends that show what tends to happen after stopping a medication like Ozempic or Wegovy. A recent study shows that approximately one year after stopping a semaglutide, patients gained 2/3 of the weight back. It’s very likely that you will gain the weight back (and thensome) when stopping a medication for weight loss. When you’re on Ozempic/Wegovy, your body can experience undernourishment and malnourishment. Thus, weight gain post-semaglutide is completely normal and expected, and is not being addressed in the context of what it means to start a medication like this.
Changes to your weight and body can be challenging to accept, and there are coping mechanisms you can use when struggling with negative body image from weight gain after stopping Ozempic/Wegovy.
If you’ve gained weight after stopping Ozempic or Wegovy, here’s what you can do:
Practice self-compassion and avoid self-blame
As your body returns to its previous weight, you might feel as if you’ve failed. It’s natural to feel this way. The truth is that diet culture and weight stigma are designed to make you feel like a failure!
It’s not your fault that you’ve gained the weight back, and there also is nothing wrong with gaining weight in general. Bodies change through your life and that’s ok. The reality is that these medications weren’t designed for weight loss and shouldn’t be prescribed for weight loss. Wegovy, prescribed for weight loss, was introduced after seeing a side-effect of weight loss in clinical trials for Ozempic.
Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies and providers are profiting off these medications without telling patients the reality of risks and giving as much information as possible so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want to take these medications.
Here are some ways you can practice self-compassion:
Reframe negative self-thoughts into neutral acknowledgement of how tough things are for you
Instead of “I can’t believe you failed again with losing weight” try “I’m feeling really sad about what I’ve been through again with this medication and that my body is changing. This is hard for me right now.”
Self compassion is less about being positive and more about honoring your experience with kindness.
Give yourself permission to simply exist without pursuing weight loss
This may involve getting support from an anti-diet dietitian who specializes in helping you to heal your body image so that you don’t have to navigate this part alone as it can be easier said than done.
Treat yourself as you would a family member or friend
This is the essence of self-compassion and will be especially important as negative self-talk arises post-Wegovy use
Spend more time with those who will validate your experiences
It’s important to take into consideration the impact of gaining weight, after losing weight, will have on your mental health.
During this time it’s often supportive to surround yourself with people who feel supportive, kind and compassionate toward you.
Provide your body with the nourishment it wants and deserves.
After stopping a semaglutide, it’s likely that you’ll experience very intense food cravings, strong hunger cues and in some cases, binge eating. Ozempic and Wegovy can mask the body’s ability to recognize hunger and can prevent you from knowing how much food your body actually needs. After a period of food restriction, it’s completely normal to feel very hungry. In fact, restriction can lead to binge eating or overeating.
If you’re experiencing strong cravings and intense hunger cues, the best thing you can do for your body is honor it, which may feel scary at first. Pay attention to the feelings and cravings, make sure you’re eating regularly and getting enough food.Your body has been through so much with this medication, and it deserves the nourishment it’s been deprived of.
Avoid jumping into another diet/wellness program
The pull to start a diet or a wellness program after gaining weight is very strong for some, but dieting will only lead you further into the diet and wellness culture trap! In fact, for most, going on a diet leads to more weight gain long-term.
When you diet, you’re depriving your body of the needed nutrients and energy to support your body’s functions. Your body senses this restriction and goes into “slow things down” mode, i.e dieting causes your metabolism to slow down. When this happens, you begin to obsessively focus on the foods that you’re restricting and develop very strong and intense food cravings. Then, when you allow yourself to have that food(s) you haven’t been eating, your body thinks that you will never have access to that food again. The result - a binge. After binging, you feel guilty and shameful, which leads you into the diet trap once again.
It’s a never ending cycle that causes so much harm and leads to more weight gain over time. If you’re struggling with weight gain post-Ozempic or post-Wegovy, know that dieting and pursuing weight-loss will likely bring more distress, unhappiness, and weight cycling to your life.
Practice accepting your body as it is.
Diet and wellness culture, in combination with anti-fatness and weight stigma, do a good job of reinforcing negative body image thoughts and leave you feeling like the only way to be well is through weight loss. These systems make it challenging to accept your body as it is, and it makes you feel as though you constantly need to be improving your physical appearance in order to be worthy of love, success, and happiness.
When struggling with post-semaglutide weight gain, consider practicing these positive affirmations:
“My body is okay as it is.My body is a good body”
“I don’t need to change my physical appearance in order to be valued and respected despite what I’ve been told.”
“I am worthy of love and respect no matter my size or appearance.”
“My body is a vessel to experience the joys of life.”
“My body is not my enemy, it’s on my team.”
These affirmations can help you begin to heal your body image and practice self-compassion in your healing journey.
Enjoy reconnecting with your body through mindfulness.
It’s common to feel very out-of-touch with your body after stopping a medication like Ozempic or Wegovy. Practicing mindfulness can help you reconnect and heal your relationship with your body.
Mindfulness means observing your emotional state from a nonjudgmental perspective and reframing self-judgments and criticisms into positive messages. Mindfulness begins with recognizing self-judgmental and negative thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking these, stop yourself and try to think about ways you can reframe these thoughts into positive messages.
For example, instead of thinking “I can’t stop thinking about this food, and it’s making me feel like a failure”, try thinking “I’m so glad that my body is telling me what it wants at this moment, and I’m so glad that I can honor what my body needs”.
Struggling with weight-gain after stopping these medications isn’t easy, but with these tools and coping skills, it’s possible to heal your relationship with your body.
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Are you struggling with the aftermath of Ozempic or Wegovy?
At Bravespace Nutrition, we know how challenging it can be to heal your relationship with food and your body. Our caring, nonjudgmental Seattle-based eating disorder dietitians are trained to help you discover self-compassion and heal your body image. We offer a variety of services including counseling to address body image concerns, eating disorders, chronic dieting, and more. We know how difficult it can be to establish peace with your body, and we’re here to support you in your healing journey! To get started, schedule a free 15-minute discovery phone call today.