I Lost 24 Pounds on Ozempic. Here’s Why I Quit.

It’s common these days to see celebrities, friends, and family suddenly drop a lot of weight because of GIP and GLP-1 drugs. I’ve personally had quite a few conversations with people who are on it and can’t stop raving about Ozempic and Mounjaro. I get it. I was on Ozempic for almost two years myself. But last year, I decided to stop. This is about why, and what happened one year later.

First, let me explain why I was on Ozempic in the first place. I gained quite a bit of weight during the pandemic, mostly from stress and, in turn, a lot of unhealthy eating. Then, a fun trip to the emergency room revealed I was severely hypertensive due to genetics. Not long after, I was also diagnosed as pre-diabetic. My self-esteem crashed, especially when it came to how I saw my body. I was going to the gym maybe once or twice a week, but I couldn’t get a handle on my eating habits, and the weight just kept going up. I knew something had to change. So, I asked my cardiologist if I could try Ozempic and got a prescription for it.

Before Ozempic

During Ozempic

I was injecting myself weekly for almost two years. I experienced constipation and lightheadedness the first few months, but the symptoms cleared up later on as my body got used to the drug. I stopped feeling hungry. The “food noise,” as they call it - the constant desire to eat something to self-soothe instead of to fulfill the body’s energy requirement - simply disappeared. I just didn’t need as much food anymore. Just a few bites already made me feel so full, so I easily dropped 24 pounds within a year.

Man, I loved the compliments I received from being sort of thin. Mind you, I was about 138 lbs down from 162 lbs, so I wasn’t stick-thin, but the difference was still pretty massive. My old clothes fit again, and people praised the weight loss as if it was a huge personal achievement. Well, it definitely felt like it. I’ve always struggled with my weight as a young adult and always got criticized by people for it, so it felt good to just not have to carry the shame of being fat anymore.

Same as the negative side effect, the effect of not feeling hungry also softened over time. My weight plateaued after 24 lbs. I started Ozempic at 0.25 mg, then 0.5, then 1 mg. The next and highest dosage is 2 mg, double the amount again. I went back and forth on whether I should go for it; I would have probably lost more weight if I did. But there were a few reasons I decided not to continue with Ozempic.

Let me start with the smaller reasons. Last year, a box of Ozempic cost a little over P7,600 for a month’s supply (at the time of writing, it’s now P8,734). It felt like a lot of money - which is kind of ironic, because I now spend over twice that on my personal trainer every month. So technically, I didn’t end up saving anything, and I could very well afford the injections with my income. But something about it just felt like a waste. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it back then, but now I understand why: for me, it felt like spending a lot on a temporary solution.

Ultimately, I didn’t want to be injecting myself with Ozempic for the rest of my life. I had to go off it at some point, right? My pre-diabetes was already resolved (yay!), although my hypertension still needs to be managed with specific medication (boo). So at that point, I was really just taking it to keep the weight off. And that didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t want to rely on it forever. What I wanted was to learn how to eat mindfully and maintain a healthy lifestyle on my own terms.

And now, the big reason I stopped Ozempic: I realized I was thinner, but I wasn’t actually fit. Yes, I looked better in clothes, but I didn’t have the stamina or strength I wanted. I couldn’t run without getting winded, and I lacked the power and agility I needed to play tennis well - a sport I’ve fallen in love with all over again. It hit me then: what’s the point of being thin if I didn’t feel strong or capable in my own body? I wanted to move with ease, to play better, to push myself and see what I could do. I didn’t just want to lose weight anymore. I wanted to build muscle and gain strength.

A year after Ozempic

So, I hired a better trainer and started hitting the gym four times a week instead of two. I play tennis two or three times a week on top of that, which means I’m active every day except Sunday, which is my rest day. I’ve done this for a year now and this is the fittest I’ve ever been in my life. On the other hand, I gained back half of the weight I lost from Ozempic. I’m currently 147 lbs, but I’d like to think that a lot of that is muscle instead of fat (I’ve been meaning to get a body composition analysis). My waistline is the same as when I was on GLP-1.

These days, I’m proud of my body. I’ve put in countless hours of work, especially on days when I didn’t feel like showing up. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it. Still, I won’t pretend I don’t have moments of doubt. According to the BMI chart, I’m still considered overweight, and that number can mess with my head sometimes. I’ve even caught myself wondering if I should try Mounjaro or tirzepatide. There’s still a box of Ozempic sitting in my fridge, quietly tempting me every now and then.

But I like my body now. Even if I’m not thin, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been, and that’s a real achievement for me.

If you’re thinking about getting on GLPs, I suggest getting a full lab check up and consultation done with your doctor. Be clear about your objectives - how long can/ should you take it? Can you back it up with lifestyle changes trending towards health versus pure aesthetics? Because there really will be a point when you have to stop, and yes, the weight WILL come back. What’s the plan for that? These are just some of the questions you’ll need to answer for yourself. Everyone is on a different journey with their body. Make sure that yours is one you want to be on.