How Does Wegovy Work?

Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that helps people lose weight by reducing appetite, increasing feelings of fullness, and supporting healthier eating patterns. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, works with your body’s natural hormones that control hunger and blood sugar¹.

Wegovy works by mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1, which:

• Helps regulate appetite
• Signals to your brain that you’re full
• Slows stomach emptying
• Reduces food cravings (“food noise”)
• Helps stabilise blood sugar levels

This makes it easier to eat smaller portions, feel satisfied sooner, and stick to healthier habits long-term.

Your body naturally produces GLP-1 after you eat. It helps you feel satisfied so you stop eating. But many people with obesity have a weaker or disrupted GLP-1 response, meaning:

• Hunger returns quickly
• Cravings feel stronger
• Fullness is harder to reach
• Blood sugar rises more after meals

Wegovy mimics and strengthens this hormonal signal.

Wegovy activates GLP-1 receptors in the brain, especially in areas responsible for regulating hunger and reward. This leads to:

• Less food chatter or “food noise”
• Reduced emotional and impulsive eating
• Feeling satisfied with smaller meals
• More stability between meals

People often say things like:

• “I still enjoy food, I just don’t obsess over it anymore.”
• “I’m full before I finish my plate.”

This shift makes weight loss feel achievable rather than exhausting.

Wegovy slows down how quickly your stomach empties. This means:

• You stay fuller for longer
• Your blood sugar rises more steadily
• You avoid “crash and crave” cycles

It’s a gentle effect designed to help stabilise eating patterns.

GLP-1 medications help the pancreas release insulin more effectively after eating. This supports:

• Smoother blood sugar control
• Fewer post-meal spikes
• Reduced hunger triggers

The same medicine (semaglutide) was first licensed at different doses for type 2 diabetes as Ozempic, before being approved as Wegovy for weight management.

Wegovy is a once-weekly injection taken on the same day each week. You use a pre-filled injection pen that goes just under the skin, usually in the stomach, thigh, or upper arm.

Medicspot provides:

• Step-by-step support
• Dosing reminders
• Videos and guides in our Help Centre
• Access to a health coach whenever you need guidance

Wegovy doses increase gradually to help your body adjust:

• Wegovy 0.25mg – Introduces your body to semaglutide
• Wegovy 0.5mg – Begins appetite regulation
• Wegovy 1mg – Supports consistent hunger reduction
• Wegovy 1.7mg – Builds towards the therapeutic dose
• Wegovy 2.4mg – Maintenance dose for most people

These doses are usually increased every 4 weeks over 16 weeks, in line with the licensed schedule. Your Medicspot prescriber may adjust your plan based on:

• How you respond
• Side effects
• Your weight loss progress
• Your goals
• Your medical history

Your health coach and clinician can help you understand whether to stay on the same dose, increase, or pause if needed.

You don’t need perfection – just small, realistic changes that work alongside the medication².

Eat slowly and stop at comfortable fullness

Wegovy helps your appetite settle sooner, so take advantage of that softer hunger signal. Slow down, pause between bites, and aim to stop when you feel comfortably satisfied – not stuffed. This is one of the most powerful habits for long-term success.

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water helps your digestion and can reduce common side effects like nausea or headaches. Aim to sip regularly through the day, especially as your appetite changes.

Focus on protein and fibre

Foods rich in protein and fibre keep you fuller for longer, support muscle health, and help stabilise your energy levels. Simple additions, like Greek yoghurt, lean meats, beans, wholegrains, and vegetables, make a big difference while on treatment.

Gentle movement counts

You don’t need intense workouts for progress. Walking, stretching, and light resistance exercises help protect muscle, support your metabolism, and make maintaining your weight loss easier. Even short bursts throughout the day add up.

In the STEP trials, people taking semaglutide 2.4mg lost 15% of their body weight on average over 68 weeks³. Around one-third of people lost 20% or more of their body weight. Results vary, but even 5-10% weight loss can improve health markers like blood pressure and cholesterol⁴.

Members often report:

• Appetite dropping by week 2-3
• Noticeable weight changes by week 4-6
• Most significant loss after dose escalation
• Steady progress over 6-12 months

Your Medicspot health coach will help you maintain your new habits long after the medication ends.

Wegovy works by strengthening your body’s natural appetite signals, helping you feel full sooner, experience fewer cravings, and stabilise your blood sugar. For many people living with obesity, it’s the first time weight loss feels achievable, not because of willpower, but because biology is finally working with you instead of against you.

However, it’s important to know what can happen once treatment ends. In the STEP 1 extension study, people tended to regain weight after stopping semaglutide, and many of the cardiometabolic improvements reduced over time⁵. This doesn’t mean the medication “stops working” – it simply shows that appetite signals can return to their previous patterns without the right long-term support.

That’s why our programme doesn’t end when the prescription does. With Medicspot, every member receives:

• A review by a UK prescriber
• NHS Summary Care Record (SCR) checks
• Access to a dedicated health coach throughout treatment
• 12 months of free aftercare focused on building the habits that protect your progress long after medication stops

Your coach and clinical team will help you understand when to stay on the same dose, when to adjust, and how to transition off semaglutide while keeping your new habits in place.

If you’re considering Wegovy, understanding how it works is a powerful first step toward a healthier, more confident future.

¹ European Medicines Agency (EMA). Wegovy product information. Last accessed November 2025. [https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/wegovy-epar-product-information_en.pdf]

² NICE Guidance NG246. Obesity: identification, assessment and management. Last accessed November 2025. [https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng246]

³ Wilding JPH et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). New England Journal of Medicine (2021). Last accessed November 2025.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33567185/

⁴ National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875). Published 8 March 2023. Last accessed November 2025. [https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta875]

⁵ Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism (2022). Last accessed November 2025. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441470/]

NHS England. Weight-management medicines (GLP-1 receptor agonists) for obesity. Last accessed October 2025. [https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/prevention/obesity/medicines-for-obesity/]

Diabetes UK. Wegovy and GLP-1 medications – how they help with weight loss.
Last accessed October 2025. [https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/treatments/tablets-and-medication/glp-1/semaglutide/wegovy]

This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Medic Spot Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. In the event of an emergency, please call 999 for immediate assistance.

There is no guarantee of a specific weight loss medication being prescribed. Clinicians will review your online questionnaire and will recommend the most appropriate weight loss treatments for you based on your answers. In some cases the clinicians may contact you for additional information. See our Terms of Service for more information.