Initial effects of Weight loss pen
During your first month (on the starting dose), you can expect eight loss of 1-4% of your starting weight (or 1-3kg). Although patients expect to lose the most weight in the first month, to ease side effects as you adjust we begin on a lower dose, meaning weight loss is often less dramatic. Appetite suppression usually begins within one to two days although these changes may be very subtle.
Weight loss usually increases within the first few months as your doctor increases your dose. The weight loss pen starts working within a few hours of your first weekly injection, although measurable effects like blood sugar take 1-2 weeks to demonstrate a noticeable difference. You should inject at any time of the day that is sustainable for you on the same day of the week each time, it can help to build it into a habit like monday morning coffee. Some patients prefer to inject at night to sleep through the early side effects like nausea and fatigue.
How to maximize weight loss?
To improve the outcome, you should increase your protein intake as this helps with lean muscle retention and preserving metabolic function. Combining cardiovascular workouts with functional strength training multiple times a week helps with fat loss as well as the prevention of muscle loss. Following the dosage directions given by your doctor exactly helps determine your body’s maintenance levels.
Drinking plenty of water as thirst can often be misinterpreted as hunger as well as ensuring you eat enough fiber can help alleviate gastrointestinal side effects. Quality sleep can help regulate hunger hormones and support metabolic processes needed for weight loss. You should avoid high fat, sugary or carbonated foods as they take longer to digest, cause bloating or gas and can counteract your weight loss. Alcohol can elevate your blood sugar and worsen nausea as well as irritate the stomach (similarly to spicy or acidic foods).
What can you expect after three months?
Most patients lose about 5-10% (or 5-6kg) of your initial weight. At this point you will notice continuous appetite suppression and reduced A1C levels if you are also managing type 2 diabetes. By week 12, feelings of satiety become more routine. Although you will feel a lot better about food noise by the 3rd month, the big weight loss changes usually occur between the 3rd to 12th month. This is because reaching your goal blood sugar often takes about 6 months as it depends on reaching your maximum therapeutic dose. Gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and diarrhea usually improve by month three when dose escalation doesn’t increase as dramatically.
How long does it take to lose 20kg?
This all depends on your initial starting weight, metabolism as well as your own effort but generally 5-10 months. This time is assuming a safe weight loss of 0.5-1kg per week. Between month 4-10, patients usually are on their maintenance dose of between 10-15mg where you lose about 15-20% of your initial body weight. In order to lose a noticeable amount of weight it is necessary for the weight loss pen to be paired with a calorie deficit and exercise; a weight loss pen is a tool not a crutch.
Patience is key
Losing 20 kg in just one month is medically unsafe and generally impossible for most individuals, attempting to do this will result in muscle loss rather than fat loss, nutritional deficiencies due to restrictive dieting, gallstones and organ strain and weight gain due to the unsustainable nature of crash dieting. Be careful to still eat enough as restricting yourself too much can worsen nausea, dizziness, fatigue and could cause hair loss and gallstones. Liquid calories can be useful when solid foods become unappetizing. Losing weight progressively is also better for preventing saggy skin, especially when combined with resistance training to replace the skin with muscle where fat used to be as well as adequate hydration and protein for skin repair.