The FDA approved Saxenda in 2014 as a weight loss medication. Saxenda is approved for adults with a BMI over 27 and children aged 12-17 who are over 132 pounds and considered obese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saxenda is for daily use with a maximum dose of 3 milligrams. It\u2019s sold as a prefilled injectable pen and should be injected into subcutaneous tissue such as your abdomen, thigh, or back of your forearm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might be wondering about the difference between Saxenda vs Victoza<\/a>. Like Saxneda, Victoza is the brand name for liraglutide. However, Victoza<\/a> is not an FDA-approved weight loss medication and is intended to treat type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like Saxenda work by increasing levels of GLP-1, a type of hormone involved in insulin secretion that also helps boost satiety and reduce appetite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Levels of GLP-1 can be altered in people who are overweight or obese, which can lead to increased appetite and weight gain (1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saxenda slows gastric emptying, which means you\u2019ll likely feel fuller for longer after you eat. Your appetite might also be suppressed due to the mechanism of Saxenda or from the side effects that can occur, like nausea and vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a study, three out of five people (60%) taking Saxenda achieved a weight loss of 5% or more, which equates to an average of 12 pounds lost from their baseline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One out of three people (33%) taking Saxenda experienced significant weight loss of 10% or more, which was around 23 pounds lost on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it is rarer, around 6% of people taking Saxenda lost over 20% of their initial body weight, the equivalent of around 47 pounds on average. All of these results occurred over 56 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can lose weight by taking Saxenda because it helps promote satiety and might reduce your appetite<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you feel more satisfied after eating, you\u2019re more likely to reduce your overall caloric intake, which can result in weight loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight loss from taking Saxenda can be even more significant if you couple it with lifestyle changes, such as adopting a healthy eating plan and increasing your physical activity level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saxenda offers a program called SaxendaCare, which provides personalized guidance to help you lose weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might lose weight on Saxenda without changing your diet at all. However, for long-term, sustainable weight loss, it\u2019s advantageous to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, including eating a healthy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid fad diets or being overly restrictive with eating (\u201cdieting\u201d), which isn\u2019t a sustainable practice for the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caloric needs vary depending on your age, body composition, activity level, and many other factors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to get an idea of how many calories might result in weight loss, you might consider tracking how many calories you typically eat for a few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A reasonable goal for weight loss is to aim to reduce your daily caloric intake by around 500 calories per day and assess your weight loss after a few weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day, which might not provide enough nutrients for you to be healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Severely restrictive, low-calorie diets can also slow your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below we share some foods you may want to avoid while on Saxenda in order to maximize your weight loss and reduce medication side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saxenda might cause you to feel nauseous or have other stomach issues as you get used to it. Avoid fried, greasy foods when you start taking Saxenda to prevent further stomach upset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fatty foods take longer to digest than low-fat foods. Saxenda causes delayed stomach emptying, so fried foods might worsen stomach upset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fatty foods are higher in calories compared to carbohydrates and protein. Aiming for a moderate intake of healthy fats can help you achieve a balanced diet without getting a lot of calories from fat, which might slow weight loss in some people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Refined carbs<\/a> and added sugar provide excess calories with little nutritional benefit. Cutting back on refined carbs and sugar reduces your caloric intake and can help improve insulin resistance<\/a>. Insulin resistance is an increasingly common condition that makes weight loss more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Added sugars are in many processed foods, even those you might not suspect. A few examples of refined carbs and foods with added sugar include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drinking alcohol while taking Saxenda might increase your risk of low blood sugar. Saxenda shouldn\u2019t cause low blood sugar, but drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause low blood sugar, which might be amplified when you take Saxenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Binge drinking increases your risk of hypoglycemia more significantly than drinking lightly. If you choose to drink alcohol while taking Saxenda, aim to drink in moderation. This means no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you drink alcohol and take Saxenda, watch out for signs and symptoms of low blood sugar<\/a>, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you know which foods to avoid, what foods should you eat while on Saxenda?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protein helps make you feel full, which can reduce hunger cravings. Protein-rich diets can assist with weight loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting around 25-30 grams of protein per meal can be especially helpful for weight loss, according to a study<\/a> (2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, soy, nuts, seeds, and unsweetened dairy products like plain Greek yogurt are all great sources of protein<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When starting with Saxenda, you might experience nausea and vomiting. It can be difficult to get enough calories and fluid when experiencing these symptoms, which can lead to dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re feeling nauseous or have an upset stomach while taking Saxenda, opt for bland foods like crackers, toast, bananas, and applesauce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clear liquids like broth, sports drinks, and apple juice can help with fluid loss from vomiting and diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The days of ultra low-fat fad diets are behind us. While fat is high in calories, the right types of fat provide numerous health benefits and can help you feel satiated. Unsaturated fats are considered \u201chealthy fats\u201d compared to saturated fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saturated fat is found in animal products like meat and full-fat dairy, as well as in coconuts. Unsaturated fats are primarily found in plant-based foods but are also in some types of seafood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eating healthy fats<\/a> can help promote healthy cholesterol levels<\/a>, help your body absorb certain nutrients, and help with hormone synthesis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some examples of healthy fats to include as part of a well-rounded diet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides some foods, what else should you avoid while on Saxenda? You shouldn\u2019t take Saxenda if you\u2019re pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You shouldn\u2019t use Saxenda when breastfeeding since some of the medication can be passed from your bloodstream to your breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid taking Saxenda with diabetes medications<\/a>, especially sulfonylureas or insulin, which may lead to severely low blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll need to use disposable ultra-fine needles with your Saxenda weight loss pen. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Saxenda, recommends their brand\u2019s ultra-fine needles, which help reduce the pain that can be associated with injections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inject Saxenda into the subcutaneous tissue, preferably your abdomen (not close to your belly button), thigh, or the back of your upper arm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t inject Saxenda into your muscles. Your Saxenda pen will come with detailed instructions on how to inject it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is the typical dosing schedule for starting Saxenda:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn\u2019t matter if you take Saxenda with or without food because it stays in your system for several hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking food with injectable medications isn\u2019t likely to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms because it isn\u2019t absorbed directly into your stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no right or wrong time to take Saxenda. You should take Saxenda when it can most easily become a routine for you based on your schedule and lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people prefer to take their medications in the morning. However, if you would be more likely to stick with a regimen of injecting it in the evening, then you should take it every evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upon taking Saxenda, know that it will take several weeks to reach the target dose. Everyone responds differently to medications, and no two people will have the same experience taking Saxenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you still feel hungry when taking Saxenda, you might be under-eating or not eating filling foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve drastically reduced your food intake in addition to starting Saxenda, aim to eat enough that you don\u2019t constantly feel hungry and then assess your response to Saxenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking medications comes with potential side effects and risks. Many common side effects aren\u2019t serious and usually go away as your body gets used to the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While rarer, there is a chance that you could develop a life-threatening condition from taking Saxenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the more common Saxenda side effects<\/a> to be aware of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While rarer than the side effects listed above, there are potentially serious complications that can arise from taking Saxenda, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inflammation of your pancreas can occur when taking GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Saxenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow does Saxenda work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How do you lose weight on Saxenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do you have to diet with Saxenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How many calories should I be eating on Saxenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Foods to avoid while on Saxenda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fatty\/greasy foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Refined carbs & added sugar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Can I drink alcohol while on Saxenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Foods to eat while taking Saxenda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Protein-rich foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bland foods (for nausea)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Healthy fats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Are there any other things to avoid while taking Saxenda? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to take Saxenda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Should you take Saxenda with food?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"wegovy\"](\"https:\/\/www.bensnaturalhealth.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/wegovy-your-guide-1024x217.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBest time to take Saxenda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why do I still feel hungry on saxenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Any other safety concerns?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pancreatitis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n