Lost 4 Pounds

With so many patients, this is a common question, or maybe concern, that we get here at Emerge.

Before diving into what might be happening, let’s get through some calorie basics.
 
When we talk about calories, we’re referring to the amount of energy a particular food or drink provides when consumed. The energy derived from these calories is essential for our bodies to function — from the simplest tasks like breathing and digesting food, to more strenuous activities such as running a marathon.
 
A pound of body fat represents approximately 3,500 calories. This means that if you were to eat 3,500 calories more than your body expends, you would gain about one pound. Similarly, if you burned an additional 3,500 calories through activity or reduced your intake by that amount over a period, you'd lose about one pound of body fat. Simple, right?
 
Please hold the hate mail about how the 3,500-calorie rule is an oversimplification because of various factors such as metabolism, muscle mass, hormonal balance, and individual genetic variations. I know, I know. But this is an article meant to simplify, so cut me a little slack.
 
So, you’ve lost 4 pounds in your first month, and you’re disappointed. Stay with me a minute for this next bit. It’ll pay off.

Let’s say that you’re "Basal Metabolic Rate" or BMR (this is how many calories you’d burn if you sat on the couch all day) is 2000 calories. Let’s also say that now that you’re taking tirzepatide, you’re only consuming about 1200 calories a day. Over the course of a month, you’d be in a deficit of 30 days x 800 (2000BMR minus 1200 consumption) = 24,000 calories. Take that 24,000 and divide by our 3500-calories-in-a-pound = 6.8 pounds. This is how much you could expect to lose. Adjust any of these numbers just slightly and your 4 pounds is definitely within the range of reason.
 
4 pounds is great! That’s not to say you won’t start losing 5, 7, or 10 pounds a month as you titrate up. But if you lost 4 pounds on just the 2.5mg (or even 5), which is the loading dose, that is amazing. What if I told you at the beginning of this journey that in a year, you’d lose fifty pounds? 50! Well, that’s what losing 4 pounds a month will equate to.
 
 Keep up the good work. Pat yourself on the back. But don’t take a victory lap just yet; there’s plenty of work left to do.