Key takeaways
People taking Wegovy (semaglutide) lose about 15% of their body weight on average.
Combining Wegovy with healthful habits like eating a balanced and nutritious diet and doing exercise boosts outcomes.
Staying on the maintenance dose helps you continue progress, even if weight loss slows.
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Wegovy (semaglutide) has changed the landscape of weight management. But if you’re considering it, the big question is: How much weight will I actually lose? Clinical trials show that people taking Wegovy can lose, on average, about 15% of their starting weight — and some lose even more. But results vary, and not everyone responds the same way.
How much weight you actually lose is determined by more than just the medication you take. Your weight loss will be affected by how your body responds to the medication, how consistently you take it, and whether you make changes to nutrition and lifestyle alongside the medication.
How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
Wegovy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, a type of medication that mimics a natural hormone your body releases after eating. This hormone helps regulate your appetite and food intake by acting on areas of the brain involved in hunger and fullness.
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In simple terms, Wegovy helps you feel full sooner and stay full longer, so you eat less without feeling deprived. It also slows down how quickly your stomach empties and may reduce your food cravings, which can make it easier to stick to healthy and balanced eating habits.
How much weight can you lose on Wegovy?
Most people taking semaglutide for weight loss can expect to lose a meaningful amount of weight over time. On average:
After 4 to 5 months: People tend to lose about 10% of their starting weight as they work up to the maintenance dose — 2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg.
After about a year: Average weight loss reaches about 15% of starting weight with the highest dose.
For some people: Weight loss is even greater for some people — 20% or more of the starting weight.
Newer studies of higher doses (7.2 mg) suggest even larger average losses, with up to a third of people losing 25% of their body weight after a little more than a year.
But keep in mind: Everyone’s results are different. Even losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and overall health.
Is weight loss guaranteed?
No — while most people do lose weight, it’s not guaranteed. In clinical trials, about 10% to 17% of people taking GLP-1 medications lost less than 5% of their body weight. If you’re not losing weight the way you expected, that doesn’t necessarily mean the treatment has failed. Sometimes it takes time, a dose adjustment, or trying a different approach altogether. Work with your care team to figure out what is best for you.
How long does it take to lose weight on Wegovy?
Most people don’t lose much weight during the first few weeks of treatment. That’s because Wegovy is started at a low dose and slowly increased to reduce the risk of side effects like nausea. It typically takes about 16 to 20 weeks (4 to 5 months) to reach the maintenance dose of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg once weekly.
Weight loss tends to follow this same timeline. Many people start noticing weight loss during the dose-escalation period, but the most significant changes usually happen after reaching the full maintenance dose. In clinical studies, the biggest weight loss was seen around 12 to 15 months into treatment, with results leveling off after that.
That said, there’s a wide range in how people respond. About 1 in 5 Wegovy users were “rapid responders” who lost at least 15% of their body weight within the first 24 weeks. For most people though, the average (median) time to hit 15% weight loss is closer to a year.
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Once you reach the maintenance dose, the pace of your weight loss often slows down. That’s normal. Early in treatment, weight loss tends to be faster, partly because of rapid changes in appetite and food intake. Over time, your body adjusts. Your metabolism slows, and your weight plateaus more easily. But staying on the maintenance dose is key to keeping weight off and continuing to make progress, even if the changes are slower and steadier.
What should you do if you are not losing weight on Wegovy?
If you’re not losing weight after several months on Wegovy, you’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean the medication isn’t working. Weight loss can vary based on many factors, including your starting weight, genetics, eating habits, and how your body responds to the medication.
First, make sure you’ve reached the 2.4 mg recommended maintenance dose. If not, continuing to slowly increase your dose under medical supervision may help. But if you can’t tolerate the 2.4 mg dose, your prescriber may have you stick with the 1.7 mg dose instead.
And don’t forget that plateaus are part of the process. It’s common for weight loss to slow down or stall after a few months. Your metabolism adjusts as you lose weight, so your body may need fewer calories to maintain itself. If that happens, don’t panic. Sometimes a change in dose, habits, or support can get things moving again.
How can you maximize weight loss on Wegovy?
If you’re starting a GLP-1 medication like Wegovy, there are a few key things you can do to get the most out of it:
Stick to your schedule. These medications work best when taken consistently. Set reminders, use a medication tracker, or talk with a healthcare professional if you have trouble remembering your dose.
Partner with your healthcare team. If you’re having side effects or not seeing results, don’t go it alone. Your prescriber can help adjust your dose, manage symptoms like nausea, or troubleshoot plateaus.
Make gradual, sustainable lifestyle changes. You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Start with small shifts, like reducing added sugar and salt, including more lean protein and fiber, drinking enough water, or going for walks. These changes add up, especially when paired with the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1s.
Track more than just your weight. The scale is just one measure of progress. Pay attention to other changes, like how your clothes fit, your energy levels, or improvements in your blood sugar and blood pressure. These are all signs your efforts are working, even if the number on the scale moves slowly.
Do you have to take Wegovy forever?
Wegovy isn’t a quick fix — it’s a long-term treatment for a chronic condition. Like with high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes, stopping the medication often means symptoms (in this case, weight gain) can return. In clinical studies, people who stopped taking Wegovy regained two-thirds of the weight they lost within a year, even if they continued making lifestyle changes.
That said, not everyone needs to stay on Wegovy forever. You might be able to transition off it after reaching your target weight, especially if you’ve established sustainable habits. But for many, ongoing treatment is the best way to maintain weight loss and protect long-term health. It’s a decision best made with a healthcare professional, based on your goals, health conditions, and how you feel on the medication.
Frequently asked questions
Coverage for Wegovy depends on your insurance plan. When used for weight loss alone, some employer-sponsored and commercial plans may include it, but Medicare doesn’t, and Medicaid coverage varies by state.
In some cases, plans are more likely to cover Wegovy if you also have heart disease or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (a type of fatty liver disease). This is because Wegovy has proven additional benefits for people with these health conditions. You can check your plan’s formulary or ask your insurance provider to run a coverage check. If your copay is still high, you may be able to get Wegovy for as little as $0 with a manufacturer copay card. And if Wegovy isn’t covered, you could pay as little as $499 for a 28-day supply with a free GoodRx coupon.
Wegovy and Ozempic both contain semaglutide, but Wegovy is FDA approved specifically for weight loss and comes in higher doses. Ozempic is approved for Type 2 diabetes, and while it's sometimes used off-label for weight loss, it doesn’t have FDA approval for this. Both can be effective, but Wegovy is preferred when weight loss is the main goal in people without diabetes.
Coverage for Wegovy depends on your insurance plan. When used for weight loss alone, some employer-sponsored and commercial plans may include it, but Medicare doesn’t, and Medicaid coverage varies by state.
In some cases, plans are more likely to cover Wegovy if you also have heart disease or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (a type of fatty liver disease). This is because Wegovy has proven additional benefits for people with these health conditions. You can check your plan’s formulary or ask your insurance provider to run a coverage check. If your copay is still high, you may be able to get Wegovy for as little as $0 with a manufacturer copay card. And if Wegovy isn’t covered, you could pay as little as $499 for a 28-day supply with a free GoodRx coupon.
Wegovy and Ozempic both contain semaglutide, but Wegovy is FDA approved specifically for weight loss and comes in higher doses. Ozempic is approved for Type 2 diabetes, and while it's sometimes used off-label for weight loss, it doesn’t have FDA approval for this. Both can be effective, but Wegovy is preferred when weight loss is the main goal in people without diabetes.
The bottom line
Wegovy (semaglutide) can help people lose a significant amount of weight. On average, people lose about 15% of their starting weight over about a year of taking Wegovy. And when combined with healthy lifestyle changes, you can lose even more weight than that. Reaching and staying on the 2.4 mg recommended maintenance dose (or 1.7 mg dose if you can’t tolerate it) is important for sustained results, even if the amount of weight you lose each week begins to slow down. And because weight regain can occur after stopping the medication, ongoing support from your healthcare team and healthful habits are key to long-term success.
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References
Aronne, L. J., et al. (2025). 224-OR: SURMOUNT-5 tirzepatide vs. semaglutide For obesity—rapid responders and associated weight reduction and safety. Diabetes.
Brown, J. D., et al. (2015). Effects on cardiovascular risk factors of weight losses limited to 5–10%. Translational Behavioral Medicine.
Collins, L., et al. (2024). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. StatPearls.
Novo Nordisk. (n.d.). Higher dose of semaglutide provided average weight loss of 21% in people with obesity – with a third achieving 25% or more – according to data presented at ADA.
Tzoulis, P., et al. (2024). Semaglutide for weight loss: Unanswered questions. Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism.
Wiley. (2025). Which factors affect the success of popular prescription weight loss drugs in individuals?
