Semaglutide also known by its trade name Wegovy is a weight loss drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk. There are two main mechanisms in which semaglutide helps with weight loss, the first is that it slows gastric emptying and the second, is by stimulating the satiety center in your brain to make you feel full.
World-renowned endocrinology expert and endocrine surgeon, Dr. Jim Norman took semaglutide as a four month experiment to find out in further detail how it works to cause weight loss. His findings included 10 different ways in which semaglutide helps with weight loss. Learn more about Dr. Jim Norman’s experience with losing weight while on semaglutide, right here at the Aspen Clinic.
Ten Ways Semaglutide Causes Weight Loss
- Prevents you from eating big meals- Dr. Norman said once he reached the 1.7 mg injection dose he was only able to finish half of what he would normally eat.
- Suppresses appetite- Glucagon is normally released from the pancreas after we have a big meal and signals our brain to stop eating. When injecting semaglutide you are giving an extra dose of man made Glucagon which stimulates the satiety center of your brain.
- Intermittent fasting- Dr. Norman says that semaglutide caused him to adopt intermittent fasting techniques subconsciously because he wasn’t thinking about food and was not hungry.
- Causes Ketosis which burns fat- Ketones are produced when the body switches to fat as its primary energy source. Through the combination of intermittent fasting and smaller portions, more ketones are produced causing more fat to be used as energy.
- Minimal reliance on will power- When dieting, people are usually focusing on their diet and what they shouldn’t be eating all day. Semaglutide eliminates the need to use will power because you are simply just not as hungry.
- Prevents getting second portions- Since you are full after only half of your regular portion the idea of going in for seconds is not even a thought anymore.
- Prevents eating desserts- Dr. Norman says once finished eating half of his normal portion he couldn’t even think of having dessert from feeling so full. However, semaglutide does not eliminate the craving for sweets so it’s important to try not to cheat in between meals if a sugar craving arises.
- Prevents food cravings- Dr. Norman says that once he reached the full injection dose of 2.4 mg he no longer had cravings for certain meals that he would get before.
- Decreases cravings for alcohol- Once reaching the 1.7 mg injection dose, Dr. Norman stated that his cravings for an alcoholic beverage at dinner went away and that he felt it just didn’t taste as good.
- Teaches portion control- After just a few days of being on the full 2.4 mg dose, Dr. Norman said he found himself putting less food on his plate subconsciously and now when he goes to a restaurant he is able to recognize when he needs to order less to be able to finish his meal.
Join The Aspen Clinic – We Have 9 Locations in Louisiana
The Aspen Clinic program is based on lifestyle changes, not temporary dieting. In summary, our program is designed to increase your metabolism and help you develop a new set of eating and activity habits. We will individualize your program according to your daily caloric needs to ensure that you are losing fat and avoiding the loss of lean muscle mass.
Visit any of our Aspen Clinic locations across Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Harvey, Houma, Lafayette, Metairie, Prairieville, and Slidell, or schedule an appointment today to get started!