Average weight loss on Wegovy after 6 months: what the evidence shows

Step 1, the first eight weeks: lower doses, slower losses

Treatment starts at 0.25mg, a dose chosen to let your body adjust rather than to drive immediate weight loss. After four weeks a prescriber moves this to 0.5mg. During this phase most people notice reduced appetite and earlier fullness at meals, but the scale tends to move modestly. A question our prescribers hear most weeks is whether the medicine is working when the first-month number looks small, and the honest answer is that it almost certainly is, just building quietly. You can read more about what to expect in the opening weeks on our first-month Wegovy results page.

Nausea, indigestion, or loose stools are common at this stage. They tend to settle within a couple of weeks as the body adapts, but they are worth knowing about before you start. The NHS semaglutide medicines page covers the full side-effect profile in plain language.

Step 2, months two and three: dose increases shift the pace

At weeks eight and twelve the dose steps up again, to 1.0mg and then 1.7mg. These increases are where most people notice a more marked change in appetite and, as a result, a more noticeable drop on the scales. By the end of month three, clinical data suggest average losses of roughly 6–8% of starting weight, though individual results spread widely around that figure. If progress at 1.0mg feels slow, that context matters: you can compare early trajectories on our three-month results page.

Occasionally the titration slows because side effects persist at a given dose. That is not a failure, it is a signal to stay at the current level a little longer before stepping up, a decision made with your prescriber rather than unilaterally. Forcing the schedule rarely helps.

Step 3, months four to six: reaching maintenance and the six-month total

Week sixteen typically brings the 2.4mg maintenance dose. From here, weight loss continues but the rate often eases compared with the rapid-change period around months two and three. By the six-month mark, the STEP 1 trial data show most participants had achieved approximately 10–12% reduction from baseline. Some individuals, especially those who reached 2.4mg without needing a slower titration, will be closer to 13–14% by this point. Others, whose systems took longer to tolerate each step, may be somewhat behind, and still moving in the right direction.

Six months is also a useful clinical checkpoint. If weight loss has been less than 5% on the maintenance dose, prescribers review whether continuing is appropriate. NICE guidance on semaglutide (TA875) recommends assessing response at this stage as part of good clinical practice. It is worth understanding the cost of that ongoing treatment too, our Wegovy price comparison sets out what you should expect a legitimate private prescription to include.

What the six-month figure does and doesn't tell you

Averages matter for setting realistic expectations. They can mislead when taken as a personal forecast. Starting BMI, how much of the six months was spent at full maintenance dose, dietary habits, physical activity, sleep, and individual metabolic response all shift where any one person lands. The STEP 1 figure of roughly 15% at 68 weeks is the most-cited number in this field, and six months sits at a meaningful waypoint on that curve, not a ceiling.

It is also worth knowing that a newer, higher dose of Wegovy exists. The MHRA approved a 7.2mg maintenance dose in early 2026, with trial data showing approximately 20.7% average weight loss over 72 weeks, narrowing the gap with the results seen for tirzepatide. That approval changes the landscape of what long-term outcomes may look like for some patients, though the titration to reach it still begins at 0.25mg. Our Wegovy weight-loss overview covers the full picture across all doses and timeframes. If you are curious how the pace of change compares earlier in treatment, the two-month results page gives a detailed breakdown of that window.

If you would like to understand whether Wegovy could be clinically appropriate for you, speak to our prescribers, the consultation is free, takes place the same day, and is reviewed by a real clinician, not automated software.