Weight loss drugs like Ozempic have been shown to have incredible results across a wide range of people, yet one of the downsides is how difficult of an adjustment period you're faced with when eventually you stop taking it.
Disturbing simulations have show exactly how Ozempic and other GLP-1 inhibitors affect your body, but in essence they slow down digestion and neuter your brain's desire to eat, causing you to lose a lot of weight over a short period of time.
It does appear to have some alarming side effects, including bad breath, dental hygiene issues, and bizarre penis growth, but it has become one of the most popular solutions for shedding the pounds for those who can access it.
Reverting back to a 'normal' lifestyle when your time with Ozempic comes to a close is bound to be challenging though, as your body and hunger levels suddenly aren't artificially impacted by the drug, yet one former Ozempic-taker has shared their 'essential advice' for maintaining a healthy body post-weight loss drugs.
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What is the best advice for stopping taking Ozempic?
As reported by UNILAD, Reddit user u/Jk-1996, known by his real name Jacob Knoops, had been taking Ozempic for just under a year between November 2023 and September 2024.
He initially started out weighing 293 lbs, but after just 10 months he managed to drop all the way down to 181 lbs, dropping 112 lbs in the process.
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"I have been off Ozempic, maintaining my weight since I stopped," Jacob revealed, adding that "it has certainly been a journey, and my weight will likely be a battle my whole life."
While some have struggled with keeping the same weight as when they were on Ozempic, Jacob has revealed what he has done to stay the same and hopefully continue to improve his body in the future.
"I am more active than ever, and I work out/exercise every day," wrote Jacob in a Reddit post detailing his experience. "I play a lot of team sports and am part of a running club. I have been keeping a strict diet, with a weekly cheat dat. I eat a lot cleaner and less greasy fast foods/take out."
In the eyes of Jacob it is important to introduce healthy habits while you're on Ozempic, and far more vital to maintain them once you stop taking the weight loss drug.
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While Ozempic has proven to be a bit of a 'magic bullet' for many when it comes to short-term weight loss, it seems like you will only put the pounds back on if you don't make positive changes to your life that'll help keep you healthy.
How does your body change after you stop taking Ozempic?
Jacob explains that one of the biggest changes he experienced when he stopped taking Ozempic was the return of what he calls 'food noise' - which is in essence your body's way of telling you to eat.
One of the biggest benefits of Ozempic is that this is suppressed, making is so that you eat far less while on the drug, but it can be difficult to ignore these cravings when you're no longer taking it.
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"The hunger definitely comes back, but you just need to be consistent and strict with your diet," he illustrates. "I do believe the diet is a huge part of maintaining the weight loss. I do a weekly meal prep for my work lunches, and I eat snacks and meals that are overall healthier. I have cut out all unnecessary sugars in my beverages."
Something that he has also experienced as a consequence of rapid weight loss is excess hanging skin, where his skin cannot keep up with the speed at which his body shed fat.
"I carry a lot of hanging skin since the weight loss, so I plan to continue working out and doing strength training to fill the loose skin with muscles," explains Jacob, so that might be something else you'd need to consider once you eventually stop taking Ozempic.