Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with excess weight (BMI ≥27) who also have weight-related medical problems or obesity (BMI ≥30), and children aged 12-17 years with a body weight above 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Saxenda® should be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Click here for full Indications and Usage.
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See ways to stay on track with your weight-loss journey
If you’re looking for helpful hints for weight loss while taking Saxenda®, you’ve come to the right place. Select any topic below to expand and explore our articles.
The following resources are for adults aged 18+. If you have a teen aged 12-17 with obesity and you’re considering Saxenda® for them, please call the Saxenda® hotline for more information: 1-844-845-6913, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET.
Motivation
Identifying Your Motivation and Goals
Identifying Your Motivation and Goals
Whether you are just beginning to build a plan to make healthy choices or have tried one before, you know that it takes commitment and determination. One of the keys is looking within yourself to figure out your own weight-management goals, expectations, and motivations. You may be more likely to stay on track if you focus on why you want to create healthy habits.
Yes, It’s Doable
One of the keys is looking within yourself to figure out your own goals, expectations, and motivations.
Start to think about making a plan for how you will work toward these goals. Start by writing down why you want to make these changes to your life.
Which inspires you to stay focused?
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Of course, these are not the only things that may motivate you. They are just examples. What are your reasons for wanting to lose weight?
Once you figure out what motivates you, hold onto that idea. Focusing on why you are taking these steps toward wellness may help you stay on track. Once you know why you are making healthy choices and how you will overcome any challenges you face, you may be ready to make a plan and start taking charge of your weight management.
For more information, talk to your health care provider.
Making Small Changes, One Step at a Time
Making Small Changes, One Step at a Time
Does the thought of changing your lifestyle concern you? Does it sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. You can get started by making small changes, one at a time, to your daily habits and activities. You’ve probably done this in the past, so you can draw on that experience to help you make changes to better manage your weight.
Managing Your Weight
Means making small changes, like getting more active and focusing on eating reduced-calorie meals.
Managing your weight means making small changes, like getting more active and eating healthy. But these changes can seem tough. Breaking old habits and building new ones takes time. To help you get started, look at where you are now, set realistic goals to move toward where you want to be, and check in with your progress along the way.
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Small changes can be more important than they seem. Just remember, every positive change – be it about your mindset or your lifestyle – counts as progress.
For more information, talk to your health care provider.
Nutrition
There are many ways to approach healthy eating. In this section, we suggest some ways to help you identify portion sizes and choose nutritious foods. To create your own personalized meal plan, talk with your health care provider.
Keeping Track of Portions
Keeping Track of Portions
Often, when people are trying to eat healthier, they don’t know where to begin. Getting the right portions of the foods you’re already eating is a good place to start.
Have you heard of MyPlate? It's a way to organize your plate at each meal so you get the right amount of foods your body needs. Once you get used to it, you may like using the MyPlate method because it does not focus on what you can or cannot eat and is not a way to count calories. It is a tool to help you think about what types of foods you are eating relative to others, with a focus on healthy protein, grains, vegetables, and fruits.
You may also find it helpful to track what you eat. You can log food and drinks in a notebook, on a smartphone, or computer app. Read food labels to find out the recommended serving size and measure your portions when you dish up each meal. By logging what you eat and drink, you can get a realistic look at your eating habits, and you may find areas where you can cut back.
MyPlate and food tracking are strategies that may help you well into the future.
Talk to your health care provider to develop a plan for keeping track of portions.
Give Your Body the Food It Needs
Give Your Body the Food It Needs
Reducing calories is important for weight management, but eating healthy is about more than just counting calories and carbohydrates and reducing fats in your diet. In addition to cutting back on some things, you want to give your body the fuel it needs. Remember, eating healthy foods does not have to be boring. Let’s talk about some healthy food choices that may help you and your health care provider build a nutrition plan you can enjoy.
Eating Healthy
Remember, eating healthy foods does not have to be boring
Eat more Fiber
Instead of white bread or sugary snacks, try whole-grain breads and cereals, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods contain more fiber. The right amount of fiber can help you regulate your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol. Also, fiber can help you feel full, so you may eat less in the long run. Just be sure to gradually increase the fiber in your diet over a few weeks to avoid gas and/or bloating.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
Go for the brightly colored fruits and vegetables. That’s usually a good sign that they’re packed with nutrients. Try using more fresh or frozen blueberries, spinach, broccoli, oranges, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, and red bell pepper in your meals or as a snack. A tasty fruit is a smart choice to replace a less healthy sweet snack.
Choose foods with “healthy” (unsaturated) fats
Unsaturated fats include oils like canola, olive, peanut, corn, sunflower, and safflower. Food sources of healthy fats include nuts, olives, flax seed, and fish naturally high in omega-3 fats. Replacing saturated fats with “healthy” fats may help you improve your cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Also, your body uses fats for fuel. Unsaturated fats are a good source of the energy you will need as you get active.
Avoid foods with “unhealthy” (saturated and trans) fats
Saturated fats are found in food made from animal sources, such as fatty meats, butter, cheese, whole milk, as well as tropical oils (palm oil and coconut oil). Trans fats are formed after a chemical process changes a liquid fat (oil) into a solid fat. Trans fats are commonly found in hard margarines and fat products used in cookies and a variety of other processed foods. Check the food label to see how much saturated and trans fat the food contains.
Eat less salt and foods containing sodium
Some sodium, or salt, is essential to your body. But too much sodium in your diet can have detrimental effects on your health, especially your blood pressure. Try and limit these types of foods: table salt, processed foods such as deli meats, canned soups and stews, salted snack foods (salted crackers, pretzels, nuts), cheese, and prepared foods. If your diet is high in sodium, your body may retain water.
Enjoy foods that are grilled, baked, or broiled and eat fewer fried foods
Instead of frying your food, bake, broil, or grill using very little added fat. If you do cook with oil, use a small amount of healthy oil spray, such as canola or olive oil, to keep food from sticking to the pan, or to add flavor.
Be sure to speak with your health care provider before making any changes to your diet.
Being Active
Getting Started With an Active Lifestyle
Physical activity is a key part of working toward your weight-management goals. But, getting started can be one of the hardest parts of living a more active life. Fortunately, you don’t have to join a gym (unless you want to) or do something that you dislike. There are a lot of activities to choose from, and you may even find yourself having fun. Remember, before you start a physical activity program, talk with your health care provider.
Even 5 or 10 Minutes of Activity May Help
Then, try setting a goal for yourself to add a few minutes each week
All Physical Activity Counts
“Physical activity” means activities that you can do to move your body. You can be physically active by doing everyday activities such as climbing the stairs, cutting the lawn, gardening, and vacuuming. Besides setting some time aside most days to be active, it’s also helpful to squeeze activities into your daily routine. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park further away from your office building.
The “Best” Kind of Physical Activity
There’s really no one “best” kind of physical activity, but it is important to get different types.
Aerobic activity can improve your fitness and strengthen your heart.
Examples are running, swimming, brisk walking, biking, or dancing.
Muscle-strengthening activities can increase your muscle mass and strength.
Examples are using resistance bands and using weight machines at the gym.
Flexibility training improves the range of motion in your joints.
Examples are yoga, stretching, or Pilates.
The “best” kind of physical activity is the activity that you enjoy.
The “best” kind of physical activity is the activity that you enjoy.
Choosing activities you have fun doing can help you stay motivated and stick to your plan.
How often? How long? How hard?
If you’re starting to work physical activity into your routine, make a plan with your health care provider to gradually increase your physical activity.
To start, even doing 5 or 10 minutes helps. Then, try setting a goal for yourself to add a few minutes each week. Current physical activity guidelines for adults recommend aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week (for example, 5 days a week for 30 minutes each day). Try to also include muscle-strengthening activities 2 days per week. What if you can't do all 30 minutes at one time? Break it up into smaller sessions, such as 10 minutes, 3 times each day.
You should always be comfortable when doing physical activity. Aim for a pace that you can handle—one that is not too hard but not too easy, either. Try using the “talk test”—when doing moderate intensity physical activity, you should be able to talk, but not sing. Always stop exercising and seek medical help if you don't feel well or are in pain during exercise.
For more information, talk to your health care provider.
What is Saxenda®?
Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with excess weight (BMI ≥27) who also have weight-related medical problems or obesity (BMI ≥30), and children aged 12-17 years with a body weight above 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Saxenda® should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Saxenda® and Victoza® have the same active ingredient, liraglutide, and should not be used together or with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal weight-loss products
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children aged 12 to 17 years with type 2 diabetes
Important Safety Information
Do not share your Saxenda® pen with others even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection or get a serious infection from them.
What is the most important information I should know about Saxenda®?
Serious side effects may happen in people who take Saxenda®, including:
Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your health care professional if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rats and mice, Saxenda® and medicines that work like Saxenda® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Saxenda® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.
Do not use Saxenda® if you or any of your family have ever had MTC, or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Who should not use Saxenda®?
Do not use Saxenda® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had MTC or if you have MEN 2
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to liraglutide or any of the ingredients in Saxenda®. See symptoms of serious allergic reactions in "What are the possible side effects of Saxenda®?"
- you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Saxenda® may harm your unborn baby
Before taking Saxenda®, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- are taking certain medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists
- have severe problems with your stomach, such as slowed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food
- have or have had problems with your pancreas, kidneys or liver
- have or have had depression or suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Saxenda® passes into your breast milk. You and your health care provider should decide if you will use Saxenda® or breastfeed
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Saxenda® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly. Saxenda® may affect the way some medicines work and some other medicines may affect the way Saxenda® works. Tell your health care provider if you take diabetes medicines, especially insulin and sulfonylurea medicines.
How should I use Saxenda®?
- Read the Instructions for Use that comes with Saxenda®
- Inject your dose of Saxenda® under the skin (subcutaneously) in your stomach area (abdomen), upper leg (thigh), or upper arm, as instructed by your health care provider. Do not inject into a vein or muscle
- Change (rotate) your injection site within the area you choose with each injection to reduce your risk of getting lumps under the skin (cutaneous amyloidosis). Do not use the same site for each injection
What are the possible side effects of Saxenda®?
Saxenda® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Saxenda® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your stomach area (abdomen) to your back
- gallbladder problems. Saxenda® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallbladder problems need surgery. Call your health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms: pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in adults with type 2 diabetes who also take medicines to treat type 2 diabetes such as sulfonylureas or insulin
- risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in children who are 12 years of age and older without type 2 diabetes
- Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include: shakiness, sweating, headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, and feeling jittery. You should check your blood sugar before you start taking Saxenda® and while you take Saxenda®
- increased heart rate. Saxenda® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Your health care provider should check your heart rate while you take Saxenda®. Tell your health care professional if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- kidney problems (kidney failure). Saxenda® may cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea leading to loss of fluids (dehydration). Dehydration may cause kidney failure, which can lead to the need for dialysis. This can happen in people who have never had kidney problems before. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chance of dehydration. Call your health care provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away, or if you cannot drink liquids by mouth
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Saxenda® and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, fainting or feeling dizzy, very rapid heartbeat, problems breathing or swallowing, or severe rash or itching
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes, in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your health care provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Saxenda® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Saxenda® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Saxenda® in adults include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, injection site reaction, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, tiredness (fatigue), dizziness, stomach pain, and change in enzyme (lipase) levels in your blood. Additional common side effects in children are fever and gastroenteritis.
What is Saxenda®?
Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with excess weight (BMI ≥27) who also have weight-related medical problems or obesity (BMI ≥30), and children aged 12-17 years with a body weight above 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Saxenda® should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Saxenda® and Victoza® have the same active ingredient, liraglutide, and should not be used together or with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal weight-loss products
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children aged 12 to 17 years with type 2 diabetes
Please click here for Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Saxenda®.
Saxenda® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is Saxenda®?
Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with excess weight (BMI ≥27) who also have weight-related medical problems or obesity (BMI ≥30), and children aged 12-17 years with a body weight above 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Saxenda® should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Saxenda® and Victoza® have the same active ingredient, liraglutide, and should not be used together or with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal weight-loss products
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children aged 12 to 17 years with type 2 diabetes
Important Safety Information
Do not share your Saxenda® pen with others even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection or get a serious infection from them.
What is the most important information I should know about Saxenda®?
Serious side effects may happen in people who take Saxenda®, including:
Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your health care professional if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rats and mice, Saxenda® and medicines that work like Saxenda® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Saxenda® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.
Do not use Saxenda® if you or any of your family have ever had MTC, or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Who should not use Saxenda®?
Do not use Saxenda® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had MTC or if you have MEN 2
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to liraglutide or any of the ingredients in Saxenda®. See symptoms of serious allergic reactions in "What are the possible side effects of Saxenda®?"
- you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Saxenda® may harm your unborn baby
Before taking Saxenda®, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- are taking certain medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists
- have severe problems with your stomach, such as slowed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food
- have or have had problems with your pancreas, kidneys or liver
- have or have had depression or suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Saxenda® passes into your breast milk. You and your health care provider should decide if you will use Saxenda® or breastfeed
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Saxenda® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly. Saxenda® may affect the way some medicines work and some other medicines may affect the way Saxenda® works. Tell your health care provider if you take diabetes medicines, especially insulin and sulfonylurea medicines.
How should I use Saxenda®?
- Read the Instructions for Use that comes with Saxenda®
- Inject your dose of Saxenda® under the skin (subcutaneously) in your stomach area (abdomen), upper leg (thigh), or upper arm, as instructed by your health care provider. Do not inject into a vein or muscle
- Change (rotate) your injection site within the area you choose with each injection to reduce your risk of getting lumps under the skin (cutaneous amyloidosis). Do not use the same site for each injection
What are the possible side effects of Saxenda®?
Saxenda® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Saxenda® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your stomach area (abdomen) to your back
- gallbladder problems. Saxenda® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallbladder problems need surgery. Call your health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms: pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in adults with type 2 diabetes who also take medicines to treat type 2 diabetes such as sulfonylureas or insulin
- risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in children who are 12 years of age and older without type 2 diabetes
- Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include: shakiness, sweating, headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, and feeling jittery. You should check your blood sugar before you start taking Saxenda® and while you take Saxenda®
- increased heart rate. Saxenda® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Your health care provider should check your heart rate while you take Saxenda®. Tell your health care professional if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- kidney problems (kidney failure). Saxenda® may cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea leading to loss of fluids (dehydration). Dehydration may cause kidney failure, which can lead to the need for dialysis. This can happen in people who have never had kidney problems before. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chance of dehydration. Call your health care provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away, or if you cannot drink liquids by mouth
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Saxenda® and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, fainting or feeling dizzy, very rapid heartbeat, problems breathing or swallowing, or severe rash or itching
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes, in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your health care provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Saxenda® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Saxenda® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Saxenda® in adults include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, injection site reaction, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, tiredness (fatigue), dizziness, stomach pain, and change in enzyme (lipase) levels in your blood. Additional common side effects in children are fever and gastroenteritis.
What is Saxenda®?
Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with excess weight (BMI ≥27) who also have weight-related medical problems or obesity (BMI ≥30), and children aged 12-17 years with a body weight above 132 pounds (60 kg) and obesity to help them lose weight and keep the weight off. Saxenda® should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Saxenda® and Victoza® have the same active ingredient, liraglutide, and should not be used together or with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal weight-loss products
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age
- It is not known if Saxenda® is safe and effective in children aged 12 to 17 years with type 2 diabetes
Please click here for Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Saxenda®.
Saxenda® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
