How Much Weight Can You Lose on Wegovy? Real Numbers

Written by Diana Gangan. Updated October 23, 2026.

On the standard 2.4 mg dose, people in Wegovy's main trial lost about 15% of their body weight in 68 weeks. For someone who starts at 220 pounds, that is roughly 33 pounds. On the new 7.2 mg dose, Wegovy HD, average loss was about 21%. Those are averages: some people lose far more, some far less, and the first few months on the low starting doses are slow by design.

This guide puts realistic numbers on each stage of Wegovy, explains why your results may differ from the trial averages, and shows what happens if you stop.

Wegovy (semaglutide) has been tested in a series of trials called STEP. Here is what they found for adults without diabetes who took the full 2.4 mg dose alongside diet and exercise advice:

In plain terms, a typical person starting at 250 pounds would lose around 37 pounds on 2.4 mg and around 52 pounds on 7.2 mg over a year and a half. People with type 2 diabetes tend to lose less, about 9% to 10% on 2.4 mg in the STEP 2 trial.

Wegovy starts low and increases every four weeks to reduce nausea. That means the first two months are mostly about tolerating the drug, not losing much weight. Our Wegovy dosing schedule guide covers each step in detail. Here is how the trials' average weight loss lined up with the dose schedule:

Weight loss is fastest in the first six months and then slows, reaching a plateau somewhere between months 12 and 18 for most people. That plateau is normal and does not mean the drug has stopped working. It means your body has reached a new balance at the current dose. Read more in how long Wegovy takes to work.

The trial averages hide a wide spread. In STEP 1, roughly one in seven people lost less than 5%, while one in three lost more than 20%. Several things explain the difference:

If you are two or three months in and feel stuck, our guide to 5 practical ways to boost weight loss on Wegovy covers the levers you can actually control.

Doctors generally look for at least 5% weight loss after about three to four months on the full dose. That is the point at which blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol usually start to improve. Losing 10% or more brings bigger health gains, including lower risk of heart attack and stroke, which the SELECT trial showed in people with heart disease. If you have lost less than 5% after 16 weeks on 2.4 mg, the FDA label suggests reconsidering the treatment with your doctor.

Wegovy is not the only option, and the numbers differ:

Wegovy works while you take it. In the STEP 1 extension study, people who stopped semaglutide regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost within a year. That is why it is approved for long-term use and why planning for maintenance matters. Our article on what happens when you stop taking Wegovy explains how to reduce regain.

Expect about 15% weight loss on Wegovy 2.4 mg over 15 to 18 months, or about 20% on Wegovy HD, with most of the loss in the first year. Individual results range from under 5% to more than 25%. Reaching the full dose, keeping up with weekly shots and pairing the drug with better eating habits are the biggest things that move you toward the top of that range. Cost can be a deciding factor, so see our Wegovy cost and savings guide before you start.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Individual results vary; talk to your doctor about what to expect.