Posts tagged Saxenda Weight Loss Articles

The failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is 80%…but don’t worry, it’s not your fault (1).

There are many reasons why New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside before Valentine’s day.

Some people blame the word ‘resolution’ and when you stop and think about it...it’s not very inspiring is it?

Especially when it comes to losing weight…do you feel resolute?

Or do you feel anxious because you’ve tried to lose weight (many times) before and failed? Deep down are you afraid this will be yet another disappointment? Another failure in the bag alongside Slimming World and the crossfit membership card.

That’s why we wanted to give you a few pointers to help you achieve your New Year’s goal and lose 5% of your body weight (goals are more successful if you have a clear outcome...of course you don’t have to choose this as your number!).

The natural approach to weight loss

We know you’ve tried this. You’ve already been told sooooo many times to eat less and move more. We understand that losing weight is much more complicated than that.

But learning how to give your body the nutrition it needs and the movement it needs is critical for long-term health, so it’s worth investing time and energy into getting it right. The NHS have a great guide here if you need one.

Bariatric surgery

Surgery should be a last resort. You shouldn’t consider this unless your BMI is above 40 or you have a BMI over 35 and a serious medical condition that could be improved with weight loss (2). If lifestyle changes aren’t working for you, it’s better to try something less invasive first, if it’s safe for you to do so.

Medication

The medication route is not for everyone and it should not replace a low calorie diet and exercise. In fact, the best results are seen when people combine both.

Saxenda -  a UK licenced appetite suppressant

Saxenda came about when scientists noticed that a new drug for Type 2 Diabetes was causing significant weight loss.

Clinical trials followed and Liraglutide was licenced for weight loss under the brand name Saxenda. (3)

Saxenda is licenced as an appetite suppressant, which means you don’t feel as hungry.

Interestingly, in a set of experiments where scientists measured brain activity, overweight people who were given Saxenda were less excited by food images than they were before (3).

If you get excited when looking at food then this could also help manage your calorie intake.

Saxenda might also be a good option if you start to feel really hungry when you’re losing weight on a calorie restricted diet, preventing you from regaining the weight you lose.

Let’s talk numbers…

Does Saxenda really work?

Saxenda won’t work for everyone as we are all different, but clinical studies have shown significant results.

Liraglutide (Saxenda) was given to a group of overweight people taking part in a lifestyle counselling programme, and their weight loss was compared to other people in the programme who did not take Saxenda.

The group taking Saxenda lost more weight in total. More than half (63%) of the participants lost more than 5% of their original body weight and 25-33% of participants achieved a 10% loss (approximately 10kg).(4)

While Saxenda is not a miracle drug, it is another tool in the box when it comes to tackling excess weight.

Plus the folks at Saxenda know what you need to get your excess weight off.

This is why they offer a free lifestyle app when you start your weight loss journey with them to help you track and monitor your health and lifestyle goals.

They also offer health coaching at no extra cost - simply submit your question through the app and a Liva health coach will get back to you within 48 hours. (5)

If you think Saxenda might be something you want to learn more about, then it’s worth reading our diary of a yo-yo dieter series where you can follow a Weight Watchers Coach and her experiences trying Saxenda.

You can also add these to your reading list: Is sugar the new enemy and Saxenda: the newest recruit into the battle against obesity.

Looking for a review of Saxenda? You’ll enjoy our diary of a yo-yo dieter series.

References

1. Forbes The top 3 reasons new years resolutions fail and how yours can succeed [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/12/21/the-top-3-reasons-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-how-yours-can-succeed/?sh=4fbb3b656992
2. NHS. Treatment : Obesity. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/treatment/
3. Ladenheim, E. Liraglutide and obesity: a review of the data so far Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2015. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386791/pdf/dddt-9-1867.pdf
4. Whitten, S et al Liraglutide (Saxenda) for Weight Loss STEPS New Drug Reviews. 2016. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2016/0715/afp20160715p161.pdf
5. Saxenda [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.saxenda.com/home.html

Remember me? 

Let's recap a bit...

Like so many people I reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic badly (was there any other way?) by eating and drinking myself into a 21lb weight gain from March 2020. I've been a Coach for WW ( formerly Weight Watchers) so I know a bit about losing weight and keeping it off. I know my default reaction to any signs of stress is to reach for the good stuff like Sauvignon Blanc, gin cocktails and shed loads of calorie filled sugary rubbish but I thought I was over it.

WRONG. I reverted to type and did everything I had been advising myself and everyone else in my WW workshop against for the past umpteen years. Who can blame me, it's a global pandemic and poor me needs to find comfort...

I just could not get out of my self pity to get a grip and manage myself out of the vicious cycle I had created.

I switched on the TV and watched Joe Wicks for inspiration because exercise is the answer. It will help my mental health and will cure my eating addiction. It didn't work so I turned over to YouTube and found some lively dance class which nearly killed me. I even joined an online Gym ( you know where this one is going to go).

Nothing worked as well as I wanted it to so I needed to find the answer which was not in my toolbox. I found Saxenda (an appetite suppressant) which I ordered online and when it arrived I hoped that all my worries and ghastly eating habits were about to end.

I read the instructions carefully and stored the simple to use pens in the fridge which were to be used to inject a little dose of magic into myself everyday to cure me.

Buy Saxenda from Webmed from only £50 Find out more The first week was a breeze as I mastered the technique and gradually could feel my mighty appetite actually reducing! Am I thin yet I kept asking myself-nope not yet! so inject again and maybe tomorrow.

Week 2 saw my portion sizes reduce by half and I had little desire to snack in between meals so I was hopeful.

Ok so heading to week 3 and it was time to step on the scales..

I had lost weight! Hurrah at last my body was behaving and doing what I knew it was capable of all along. I just needed a little help to get me kick started, see some progress and then I would add in the healthy habits I know are needed to continue the journey.

So, while all along you knew that there is no miracle cure for weight loss, what we do need for success is to use all the tools we can get and Saxenda is exactly that! Alongside a healthy eating and exercise programme you can achieve your goals. 

I’m glad to report that I’ve lost 30lbs and feeling better than I’ve done for a long time 😊

Good luck on your journey and remember to be successful you need to use all of the tools available to you and Saxenda is the best tool in your toolbox!

xx

Does Saxenda reduce your appetite?

It's been a good start to the weight loss journey using Saxenda. Lost a couple of pounds and managed to reduce my appetite from gargantuan to semi reasonable at meal times.

There is just one little thing which is more of a challenge... I eat when I'm not hungry. All the usual things which will be familiar to some. Here's just a few:

• It's 11am & I need something with my coffee.
• I've had a really busy afternoon & I need something to make me feel better.
• I'm driving home & it will be ages until dinner.
• I was 'good' at dinner time so I can have something now.
• Can you add to my list?
  

Get the picture? This has to be a discussion with my brain to tell it food is not a therapy and I need to manage the emotions which cause me to turn to food for comfort. No appetite suppressant can do this for me but I can do it.

Does the jab help with cravings?

Here's the question my brain has to answer 'Are you really hungry or is it something else?'

I also have a cunning plan to help me to overcome the habits which led me to become overweight in the first place. One step at a time and all that. Replacements. These emotions don't go away overnight so in these moments of madness I need to have a replacement which does not amount to 500-1000 calories.

OK so emotional eating plan in place. Check.

How do I use the pen?

What about Saxenda I hear you ask. It's a doddle and really explicit directions in written form and in video format help enormously. A little daily jab in the soft tissue area and it's all done and you really don't feel a thing.

Buy Saxenda from Webmed from only £75 Find out more I didn't feel too much of a difference through this first week but as of yesterday I increased my dose as per the instructions and I can feel a change in my appetite for the better. Who knew I could eat a normal portion and leave a little?

Parting thoughts are that food really isn't a therapy and if you're having some challenging emotions you need to learn to deal with them and until you do- find some lower calorie replacements!

Until next week, take good care x

Some helpful links :-

1. NHS weight loss plan https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/

2. Saxenda food diary [Adobe PDF,  2MB]

I'm fed up being fat. To be fair, I’m not always fat; I’ve spent my life trying different fad diets and meal plans, with different levels of success. However, since lock down started back in March 2020, I’ve become the heaviest I’ve ever been and it's getting me down now. It's all very understandable; stress with the virus, the speedy adaptation to home working and the never-ending stream of communication from every source and none of it very reassuring.

I said I would gain skills not weight in lock down but that plan didn't happen.

Buy Saxenda from Webmed from only £75 Find out more It's mid July now and I've gained 21lbs. Nothing fits me and I have done the thing I said I would never do and I bought bigger clothes. This only makes me feel more comfortable but it certainly does not make me look any better.

The trouble is I'm a WW Coach- a Weight Watchers Coach... Furloughed due to Covid-19 and not practising any of the key elements of this plan which includes tracking food, moving more and creating the right mindset for weight loss. Spectacular fail after maintaining a steady weight for a long number of years. That's a global pandemic for you!

I tried hard to put some rescue remedy into practise and I joined an online Gym after much persuasion from the owner. Sounded great and I did some of the workouts in my living room with all the furniture moved out of the way. Brilliant! Lost 6lbs in my first week then did my back in moving the furniture back when I was finished one day...

Back to square one eating and drinking my way out of my own misery. I know this is not a solution and will only pave a downwards spiral into more misery and weight gain so I had to do SOMETHING but what?

I looked online and found something which might just be the answer-Saxenda. A little helping hand to get me on track to a better way of managing given I already know how to lose weight.

It's day one and I injected myself for the first time this morning-didn't feel a thing which is no surprise as I injected into my stomach area.

So here's to a record of my successful journey where I would like to lose weight, feel better and get some control back because I know I can do it.

Check in next week and I'll let you know how I get on x

Where can I find Saxenda?

Saxenda is usually only prescribed privately as the manufacturer does not intend for it to be promoted within the NHS. (1)

It is now available to purchase from Webmed Pharmacy following a simple online assessment by our Doctors - click here to see your options to buy Saxenda and find out if it's suitable for you.

Reference

1. NICE. Obese, overweight with risk factors: liraglutide (Saxenda) – Estimated impact for the NHS [cited 24 March 2019]. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/advice/es14/chapter/Estimated-impact-for-the-NHS