Tips for Starting the New Year with GLP-1 Weight Loss Pens

New year, new you. Sound familiar? Every January we set big, scary goals like hitting the gym everyday or cutting out carbs, only to abandon our plans before the month has ended!

However, if you’re starting 2025 with GLP-1 weight loss pens, like Mounjaro or Wegovy, your weight loss journey will look different. Unlike traditional diets, these treatments mimic hormones in your body to reduce both your appetite and your preoccupation with food. Supported by healthy habits, this should make it easier for you to lose weight in the long-term.

But there’s still a lot to consider before you start the year on GLP-1 weight loss treatment. So, in this article, we give you some practical tips to help you meet your health goals in 2025 and beyond. And you’ll get advice on how to safely resume weight loss injections if you’ve taken a break.

New Year Resolutions to Succeed on GLP-1s

Stick to Your Dosing Schedule

First and foremost, it’s important you stick to the dosing schedule your healthcare provider has given you.

When you start taking Mounjaro or Wegovy, you’ll need to “complete all four doses of your current pen before moving onto a higher dose,” explains Zahra Qureshi, a registered pharmacist at Simple Online Pharmacy. “This gradual increase helps to ensure your safety and enhances the medication’s effectiveness.”

You might not feel like your injection is working in the beginning. Don’t worry – this is normal.

“The initial low dose is designed to help your body adjust safely,” Zahra adds. “So don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results.”

Set Realistic Goals

We often fall into the trap of setting new year goals that are impossible to meet – and then feel guilt and shame when we don’t stick to them. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself this year, and aim for slow and steady weight loss.

Laura Perez, Lead Dietician at Simple Online Pharmacy, advises you to “aim for a consistent weight loss of about one to two pounds per week during that steady loss phase.”

“But keep in mind that this can vary based on factors like starting weight, diet, exercise intensity, and metabolism,” she adds. “It’s also common to experience plateaus where your weight loss slows or stalls as your body adjusts to new habits.”

In general, patients start losing weight at around the four-week mark, but this isn’t guaranteed.

In one study, patients using Mounjaro experienced a gradual decrease in body weight in the first four weeks of using it. After eight weeks, patients lost around 6% of their body weight. After 12 weeks, patients lost around 8% of their body weight.

Celebrate Non-Scale Victories

This year, aim for progress – not perfection. Even if the scale doesn’t move, celebrate the non-scale victories as you gain healthier habits.

For example, you might notice:

• Your clothes fit better
• Your muscle tone is increasing
• You have higher energy levels
• You’re not as preoccupied with food

Don’t Compare

Your weight loss journey is unique, so don’t compare your progress with anyone else’s.

“Everyone loses weight at their own pace,” says Laura. “Remember, aim for gradual changes rather than quick fixes for lasting results. Embrace this journey towards wellness and celebrate the positive changes you’re making.”

Eat a Balanced Diet & Stay Hydrated

On GLP-1s, you likely won’t have the same appetite for food as before. While it might be tempting to eat a diet of buttered toast, you still need to eat a balanced, nutritious diet. This will fuel your body, help you stay energised throughout the day and maximise your weight loss.

Instead of fixating on what to remove from your diet (and your life), try to focus on what you can add. Think about adding healthy, nutrient-dense foods to your diet. And think about what activities you can fit into your schedule.

Try and make one small, positive change per week – rather than completely overhauling your lifestyle in one go – to avoid overwhelm and build healthy habits that last.

And did you know the water in our food makes up around 20% of our fluid intake? So when you eat less, you also take in less water. Common side effects of GLP-1s, like diarrhoea and nausea, can also cause you to lose water. So drink plenty of fluids to stay healthy and help manage side effects (more on the below).

Make Movement a Habit

Pick a few fun activities you want to try this year – yoga, running, boxing – and start small.

Remember that something is better than nothing. Do as much as you have time for, even if it’s 10 minutes. Over time, you might find you can (and want to) keep going for longer. Before you know it, you’ve got the fitness bug!

Start resistance training if you can. It’s one of the most important forms of exercise for GLP-1 users, as it helps you maintain muscle and improve body composition as you lose weight. It also boosts cardiovascular and overall health.

Manage Common Side Effects

Most people who start GLP-1 medications won’t get any side effects. But one in 10 people do report gastrointestinal issues. The most common ones are nausea, diarrhoea and constipation. You might also get headaches or feel dizzy.

These common side effects are usually worse when you begin the treatment and as you increase your dose. And they’re usually mild and manageable. Here are a few tips to avoiding discomfort:

• Time Your Doses Strategically: Inject your dose in the evening to avoid the worst symptoms disrupting your day.
• Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated helps with digestion. If you have diarrhoea, it’s important you drink enough fluids to replace the water you’ve lost.
• Do Gentle Exercise: Light exercise can help ease symptoms of nausea and headaches and aid digestion.
• Eat Enough Food: While it might seem counterintuitive, eating enough will help settle your stomach. Try to eat small meals throughout the day and avoid large meals. This will prevent overwhelming your stomach.

While uncommon, some patients do experience serious side effects. It’s important you know what they are and their symptoms so you know when to seek medical attention.

Get Some Support

Losing weight with friends and having support can increase your success in losing and maintaining weight.

According to one study, 95% of participants who had friends and social support completed their treatment and 66% maintained their weight loss. For participants who lost weight alone, 76% completed treatment and 24% maintained their weight loss.

So find a support group online or reach out to friends who also want to lose weight this year.

We also have a dedicated patient care team and pharmacists that can guide you through your weight loss journey. Our Renu app also has plenty of resources to help you build healthy habits in movement, mindset and nutrition.

How to Safely Restart GLP-1s in the New Year

If you’ve taken a break from your GLP-1 weight loss medication and want to resume them in the new year, you first need to talk to your healthcare provider.

When you stop using GLP-1 weight loss injections the level of medication in your body drops. So the same dose could be too high for your system when you start taking it again. This increases your risk of serious adverse effects.

Your provider will tell you which dose to start on, so you can resume treatment in the safest way possible. If you’re with Simple, you can call our patient care team on 0141 774 5023.

Missed a Dose Over Christmas?

During hectic periods, like the Christmas holidays, there might be days you forget to inject your GLP-1 weight loss pen. If you’ve travelled to see friends and family, it’s possible you might have forgotten to take your pen with you.

So if you have accidentally missed a dose, follow this guidance:

Mounjaro

For a missed dose within four days of your scheduled injection, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If more than four days have passed, skip the missed dose and take your next injection on the regularly scheduled day.

If it’s been between seven and 14 days since the scheduled injection, take the injection as soon as you remember and use that day as your new injection day going forward.

If you’ve missed more than one dose, consult your healthcare provider for advice on restarting treatment.

Wegovy

Take Wegovy as soon as possible if it’s been five days or less since the scheduled dose. Then continue with your regular dosing schedule. If more than five days have passed, skip the missed dose and wait until your next scheduled injection day to resume treatment.

If you’ve missed more than one dose, talk to one of our pharmacists – or your healthcare provider. This is especially important if it’s been more than two weeks since your last dose. They’ll be able to tell you which dose is best for you to restart on.

Key Takeaways

• Follow the dosing schedule. This will help minimise side effects and make sure the treatment is as effective as possible. It may take a few weeks for your body to adjust to the treatment.

• Set realistic goals. Aim for gradual weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, and don’t get discouraged by plateaus.

• Remember weight loss isn’t just about the numbers. Recognise improvements in how your clothes fit, energy levels, muscle tone, and your relationship with food.

• Combine GLP-1 treatment with a nutrient-rich diet, moderate exercise, and fun physical activities will help you get the most out of the treatment. Focus on what you can add to your routine rather than what to restrict.

• Reach out to friends, family, or support groups to stay motivated and accountable. Studies show this improves your chances of achieving and maintaining weight loss.

• If you’ve paused your GLP-1 treatment and are looking to restart in the new year, consult your healthcare provider. They’ll guide you on the appropriate dose to reduce the risk of adverse effects.

References

Jastreboff, A.M., Aronne, L.J., Ahmad, N.N., Wharton, S., Connery, L., Alves, B., Kiyosue, A., Zhang, S., Liu, B., Bunck, M.C. and Stefanski, A. (2022). Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, [online] 387(3). doi:https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2206038.

‌British Dietetic Association (2020). Fluid (water and drinks). [online] www.bda.uk.com. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fluid-water-drinks.html.

Locatelli JC, Costa JG, Haynes A, et al. (2024). Incretin-based weight loss pharmacotherapy: Can resistance exercise optimize changes in body composition?. Diabetes Care, [online] dci230100. doi:10.2337/dci23-0100

Wing, R.R. and Jeffery, R.W. (1999). Benefits of recruiting participants with friends and increasing social support for weight loss and maintenance. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, [online] 67(1), pp.132–8. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.67.1.132.