What Is an Ozempic Plateau, and How Do You Overcome It?

Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are being hailed for the rapid weight loss they can help people achieve. But for anyone who’s losing weight, including people taking these medications, weight loss can plateau — that is, slow down or stop — before they’ve reached their goal weight.

“The early rapid weight loss seems too good to be true. We become accustomed to the weight loss and expect it to continue uninterrupted, but this is not the case. Over time, many users experience a plateau, and it seems to catch us off guard,” says Angela Haynes-Ferere, MPH, an associate clinical professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta, who has been taking a GLP-1 drug herself.

What Is an Ozempic Plateau?

An Ozempic plateau is when someone’s weight loss slows or stops, even though they’re still taking the medication.

Part of this is because people can initially lose some water weight, and then lose some muscle, which helps burn calories. Metabolism declines as muscle mass is lost, slowing down how many calories people burn. There is also the effect of a process called adaptive thermogenesis, in which the drop in metabolism is greater than expected given the amount of weight loss.

But once the body adjusts to the effects of a GLP-1 drug, a person can hit a plateau: Weight loss slows down and then stops, Haynes-Ferere says. The exact timing is different for everyone, but it’s a common experience, she notes.

“We question why the medication has stopped working,” Haynes-Ferere says — when, in fact, the body is acclimating to the new weight.

How to Overcome an Ozempic Plateau

When people switch up their eating and exercise habits to lose weight, overcoming a plateau requires decreasing calories or increasing physical activity.

But ultimately, the best way to overcome an Ozempic plateau starts with seeing your doctor, says Amanda Velazquez, MD, an assistant professor and the director of obesity medicine at the center for weight management and metabolic health at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Depending on your exact circumstances, they might adjust your medication dose or recommend that you make lifestyle changes like focusing on getting more sleep, managing your stress better, or increasing the number or intensity of your workouts.

One thing people shouldn’t do is stop taking Ozempic, Haynes-Ferere says.

“There are many different views about the long-term use of these medications, but we do not ask the patient with hypertension or diabetes to discontinue their medications when they become controlled,” she explains. “The very mechanisms of the medication that are so effective in weight loss are key for continued management of obesity.”

Beyond this, there are lots of other things people can try to help them overcome an Ozempic plateau, Haynes-Ferere says, noting that it’s necessary to push past the plateau if you still need to lose a significant amount of weight. “Staying in the state of not losing over time is disheartening and disappointing, and may lead to discontinuation of the weight loss journey.”

Here are some tips to break through a weight loss plateau.

Eat More Protein

Drink More Water

Drinking more water can help suppress your appetite and boost your ability to exercise.

Set a Regular Sleep Schedule

Change Your Exercise Routine

Devoting more time each week to exercise, switching up your workouts, and adding weight lifting to build muscle can all help you overcome a plateau.

Consider Your Eating Habits

Start Small

It may be easier, and more sustainable over time, to make small adjustments rather than massive changes, Haynes-Ferere says.

“I had to stop stepping on the scale every day, and instead rely on how my clothes fit. I also had to remind myself frequently that strength training was adding muscle tone, and the scale might not be my best friend,” Haynes-Ferere says. “I have experienced several plateaus in my weight loss journey, and I chose to focus on making small adjustments and reminding myself that this is not a race.”

Ask for Help

The one thing you absolutely don’t want to do is get so discouraged that you stop trying to lose weight at all, and revert to your old eating and exercise habits. This can result in regaining weight and reversing improvements to your health.

What Causes an Ozempic Plateau?

While there are many factors that can contribute to an Ozempic plateau, part of the problem is that the metabolism slows down as people shed excess pounds, making it harder to lose weight after the initial success, Dr. Velazquez says.

In addition, she explains, hormones that help regulate weight can respond to weight loss by signaling the body to eat more and reducing feelings of satiety.

“So essentially, your body is working against you and making it harder for you to lose weight as you continue the process,” Velazquez says. “These hormone signals get stronger with time and the more weight you try to lose.”

Why Overcoming an Ozempic Plateau Is Worth It

There’s no one answer to this question, because a lot of this depends on how much weight somebody still has to lose to achieve optimal health benefits, Velazquez says. Somebody with weight-related health complications like type 2 diabetes might need to lose more weight than somebody who is generally healthy.

Losing 10 percent, or even 5 percent, of your starting body weight can help improve blood pressure, blood sugar levels, obstructive sleep apnea, and other weight-related medical issues, Velazquez notes.

One thing people should not do is blame themselves for hitting an Ozempic plateau, Haynes-Ferere stresses.

“The biggest misconception about weight loss is the messaging about lack of willpower,” she says. “Obesity is not about lack of willpower, but about lack of access to reliable tools to manage illness, and Ozempic is just such a tool.”

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