Sema working even with a good diet?

[SunnyJourneyLiving]

If I already eat super healthy, will semaglutide still help me drop pounds? Or is it ONLY effective if it makes you reduce how much you eat?

I'm a 45-year-old woman who's been fighting my weight forever. I've tried everything - crazy low-carb diets, fasting, even surgery. I'm trying to figure out if this med could help even if my diet is already dialed in.

Edit: To reiterate, the question is: "If I already eat super healthy, will semaglutide still help me drop pounds? Or is it ONLY effective if it makes you reduce how much you eat?"

 

[TheGo]

It usually works by decreasing your appetite, so you consume fewer calories.

Another option would be Mounjaro since its believed to possibly boost your metabolism. Talk to your doctor about it.

 

[Salad_Dude]

Yeah, it can.

I was eating a super clean diet before starting - all home-cooked meals, tons of vegetables and fruit. I also did cardio four days a week, plus strength workouts three days a week, and trained for long distance races.

Even with all that, I slowly gained weight. Now, I'm still just as active and eat the same way, but I'm not nearly as hungry. My BMI went from 30 to 23 and has remained there for several months now. The other night I made chicken fajitas with homemade tortillas. I only ate one. Before, I would've easily had three.

 

[Vinnie1986]

Weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. Semaglutide just helps you control your hunger, so you are able to maintain a calorie deficit and therefore eat less.

 

[Flex_Happy]

I couldn't keep my diet the same at all. I never felt hungry. I still ate many of my favorite foods, just smaller portions.

 

[Health_WinHub]

Sema has also helped reduce inflammation for me. I lost a lot of water weight at first. It also keeps my joint pain under control now which is nice. I am not sure how that translates to pounds on the scale but I think semaglutide impacts more than just how much we eat. Although eating less is really important in weight loss.

 

[Peptide_Taco]

I'm shocked by people saying sema ONLY reduces hunger. That's just not accurate. It also lowers blood sugar, which is why it was originally developed. If CICO were the only factor, many of us would be in great shape.

I have maintained the same diet as before sema - same foods, same amounts. I already ate well but have insulin resistance. I've lost fat even without changing my diet. Anyone who disagrees might not fully grasp how this drug affects hormones.

 

[SunnyJourneyLiving]

So, my metabolism was garbage. Sema fixed it. I was eating 800 to 1200 calories, working out consistently, and still gaining. Now, I eat around 1500 and continue losing. It's amazing to be able to eat normal food that isn't all volume.

 

[BoldPal]

I make sure I include fun foods in my diet, but I always track the calories. And I'm losing! Restricting myself too much isn't good for my mental health, so I try to listen to my body's hunger and fullness cues. With sema, I can actually feel when I'm full.

 

[TheGo]

Yes. These drugs affect the signals from your gut hormones. They tell your brain to stop clinging to weight for a fictitious famine.

This manifests differently for each person. You might start losing weight your body was holding onto. Another person might finally be able to restrict their food intake enough to lose scale weight.

If you are interested in learning more, read Dr. Ania Jastreboff’s book called *Enough.*

 

[Salad_Dude]

Semaglutide doesn't directly cause weight loss. It's eating less and healthier that does the trick. If you're not at a deficit, you won't lose weight.

The good news is sema makes it easier to eat less and eat better, which helps create that calorie deficit.

 

[Vinnie1986]

You probably won't be able to eat the same as before. That's the whole point.

 

[Flex_Happy]

It makes it harder to eat anything. You won't even want to eat healthy, you just won't want to eat lol

 

[Health_WinHub]

I hate to say it, but your diet isn't strict or clean if you are having difficulties with weight. You are either overeating 'health foods', don't understand 'strict' and 'clean', or you're lying to yourself.

Weight gain/loss is calories in vs calories burned. It's that simple.

 

[Peptide_Taco]

I always counted calories, ate well, and never lost a pound. The medication, in my opinion, makes you eat maybe 30% less simply because you are not as hungry.

 

[BoldPal]

I've been using a few extra things to help besides just the meds. Like a food scale to be super precise when meal prepping. I also found a meal prep app that lets me save recipes and figure out calories. And progress pics! I kinda thought they were silly at first, but seeing the visual changes keeps me motivated the weeks when the scale isn't moving.

 

[SunnyJourneyLiving]

I have maintained the same diet as before sema - same foods, same amounts. I already ate well but have insulin resistance. I've lost fat even without changing my diet. Anyone who disagrees might not fully grasp how this drug affects hormones.

This is what I wanted to know!! Thank you!

 

[Flex_Happy]

I get flavor fatigue now sooo bad, and protein shakes are the worst! I can't drink the same flavor for very long without getting totally sick of it. Anyone else have this problem? Any advice? Right now I'm trying protein water to see if that helps.

 

[pretzel-planneriii]

Even if you don't plan the higher dose, it's nice knowing you could bring back a full supply abroad.

 

[peanut_shaker]

My wife's approach is different. She doesn't restrict what she eats at all. She'll grab pretty bad food but just eats smaller amounts of it. Even though her diet choices aren't clean, her bloodwork now looks fantastic. Her doctor literally said she wishes she could be on the same medication because of how much it's improved her numbers.