Expert Q&A

My weight loss progress so far as a 23 year male who stared eating less unhealthy and does little to moderate exercise. Am I doing well if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide

Understanding Expected Progress on GLP-1 Medications

I've guided thousands through sustainable transformation, especially those overwhelmed by conflicting advice and past diet failures. For a 23-year-old male eating less unhealthy food with little to moderate exercise while on semaglutide or tirzepatide, typical weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week in the first 3-6 months. Clinical data shows average losses of 15% body weight over 68 weeks on semaglutide and up to 20-22% on tirzepatide at full dose. If you're seeing 0.5-1.5% of body weight lost weekly without severe side effects, you're doing well—especially as a beginner managing potential blood pressure or prediabetes concerns.

Key Factors Influencing Your Results

Your age works in your favor; younger men often experience faster initial drops due to higher baseline metabolism. However, hormonal changes from rapid loss or inconsistent protein intake can stall progress around month 3. Joint pain making movement hard? Focus on low-impact activities like 20-30 minute daily walks or resistance band work 3x weekly—this preserves muscle and supports long-term success without overwhelming schedules. Insurance barriers are real for many in our middle-income community, so tracking non-scale victories like improved energy and blood sugar stability matters just as much.

Actionable Strategies from My Methodology

In my approach outlined in The Sustainable Shift, we emphasize nutrient-dense meals over complex plans: aim for 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily (about 120-160g for a 170lb man) to combat muscle loss common on GLP-1s. Pair this with 7-9 hours sleep and stress management to counter the overwhelm of conflicting nutrition info. If progress feels slow, audit portions—many see renewed momentum by adding 10,000 steps without gym intimidation. Avoid the trap of past failed diets by celebrating consistency over perfection; embarrassed to ask for help? Start with weekly self-checks on hunger levels and energy.

When to Adjust and What Success Really Looks Like

You're on track if side effects are manageable and you're losing steadily without rebound hunger. Plateauing after 10-15% loss? Titrate dose carefully under medical guidance while increasing strength training to rebuild metabolism. Remember, true success isn't just the scale—it's breaking free from obesity-related embarrassment and building habits that last beyond medication. For those with diabetes management needs, monitor A1C improvements alongside weight. Stay patient; at your age, combining these meds with my simple framework sets you up for lifelong health without time-consuming overhauls.

💬 What the Community Says

In online forums and support groups, many 20-something men on semaglutide or tirzepatide report losing 8-15 pounds in the first month, calling it "life-changing" compared to past failed diets. Beginners often share that moderate walking helps with joint pain and energy, though some debate whether exercise is truly necessary given the appetite suppression. A common theme is frustration with plateaus around month 4, with users advising higher protein and strength work to hold onto muscle. The community splits on insurance coverage—many middle-income posters feel grateful for compounded versions but worry about long-term access. Hormonal shifts and fatigue appear frequently in threads, with lived experiences highlighting that non-scale wins like better blood pressure keep motivation high. Overall, practitioners find steady 1-2lb weekly losses encouraging, though a vocal minority warns against relying solely on the medication without habit changes.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). My weight loss progress so far as a 23 year male who stared eating less unhealth. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/my-weight-loss-progress-so-far-as-a-23-year-male-who-stared-eating-less-unhealthy-and-does-little-to-moderate-exercise-am-i-doing-well-if-you-re-on-a-glp-1-like-semaglutide-or-tirzepatide
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

📖 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get the Book →
Get Personalized Guidance From the Author
Every weight loss journey is different. Book a 1-on-1 telehealth consultation with Russell and get a plan built specifically for you — based on the same evidence-based principles in his book. Available to patients in all 50 states.
Book Your Consultation →
Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
▸ Is Emma Relief good for gut issues and the role of cortisol and stress hormones during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ My weight loss progress so far as a 23 year male who stared eating less unhealthy and does little to moderate exercise. Am I doing well — evidence-based answer for CFP patients for people with insulin resistance? ▸ Is the carnivore diet the best WOE to lose weight — what does the research actually say on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ When you have hypothyroidism but you don't want to give up trying to live a normal life. 🥲 when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Do yall ever daydream of who you were before your diagnosis when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Those of you with Reta experience how does this protocol look for people with insulin resistance when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Is the carnivore diet the best WOE to lose weight — what does the research actually say specifically for women over 40? 📖 Muscle Sarcopenia — The dangerous loss of lean muscle mass often seen in traditional 'crash diets' or high-dose GLP-1 use, which we combat t… ▸ How many were first diagnosed with OCD for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ How do you deal with traveling when you're on a peptide protocol specifically for women over 40 if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Is it okay for teenagers to do longterm lowcarb/keto — evidence-based answer for CFP patients for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet for people with insulin resistance? ▸ Can autophagy regenerate muscle during physically active prolonged fast and how it connects to gut health and inflammation and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? 📖 GIP (Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide) — A hormone that, when combined with GLP-1, enhances the body’s ability to break down fat and manage blood sugar levels mo… ▸ Have you seen this? Her face says it all — what does the research actually say: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Can you really Metformin (6 weeks in) for insulin resistance — can the gut stuff actually get better specifically for women over 40? ▸ Can chicken and beef tallow replace beef for people with insulin resistance: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Traveling with IBS-D to a 5-day conference in San Diego: how do you manage food — what most people get wrong about this during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 Diabetes Reversal — The clinical goal of restoring normal blood sugar levels and insulin function, as seen in patients like John who no long… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ IBD + antidepressants + impossible weight loss… advice when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Anyone know where to purchase pork rind tortillas — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Good sources of fibre — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Can you take vitamin D with a tbsp of oil on an extended water fast for people with insulin resistance during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Is it just me or is Hashimoto’s greatly underrepresented on a low-carb or ketogenic diet — what the research actually says? ▸ Weight loss without GLP-1 — what does the research actually say while doing intermittent fasting? 📖 Strategic Fat Loading — A critical 48-hour phase at the start of the reset where we prime the body with healthy fats to trigger the transition f… ▸ If a random dance partner app existed .. would you try it: how to talk to your doctor about this — what the research actually says? ▸ When period stopped did you feel like the worst pmdd of all time daily or — what does the research actually say: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Free carb counter apps on a low-carb or ketogenic diet: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Been on this diet for 11 months and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What can I ask for if estrodiol cream remains in shortage? Newly prescribed-should I even start if I can't refill next month — how a functional medicine approach differs — what the research actually says? ▸ Has anyone here made their own custom CGM patches with a Cricut for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 Refined Carbohydrates — Processed sugars and flours that strip the body of nutrients while driving the hormonal chaos responsible for the modern… ▸ When you want something sweet but still try to keep things somewhat low-carb and how it connects to gut health and inflammation on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ When period stopped did you feel like the worst pmdd of all time daily or — what does the research actually say specifically for women over 40? ▸ To what extent do Mendelian Randomization Studies provide causal evidence for a particular claim — what does the research actually say for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Good calorie amount? Advice to get high volume low cal and more protein when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Is compounded semaglutide with B12 worth choosing over B6 or plain: best practices and common mistakes to avoid specifically for women over 40? 📖 Cellular Detox — The process of clearing out metabolic waste and reducing cellular stress to allow for more efficient energy production a… ▸ Is anyone else worried about judgment from others for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ 42yom Im finding it much harder to lose weight, what are some things I can do now to start losing weight? ▸ LDN is changing my life, will this last: best practices and common mistakes to avoid for people with insulin resistance? ▸ What do you eat grain/carb wise, and why — how a functional medicine approach differs and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Is tomato paste lectin free during the weight loss plateau phase while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ What actually helps with the dryness when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ What can I ask for if estrodiol cream remains in shortage? Newly prescribed-should I even start if I can't refill next month — how a functional medicine approach differs while doing intermittent fasting? 📖 Leptin Sensitivity — Restoring your brain's ability to hear the 'I am full' signal, which is often muted by high-sugar diets and systemic inf… ▸ Can you take vitamin D with a tbsp of oil on an extended water fast for people with insulin resistance: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ How do you handle social settings and conversations with other people — what does the research actually say on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What foods to stock for overnight guest — evidence-based answer for CFP patients: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ When am I supposed to see a doctor, then and how it connects to gut health and inflammation specifically for women over 40? ▸ Testosterone how long does it take to work while doing intermittent fasting if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Im eating so well that I accidently put my body in ketosis and how it connects to gut health and inflammation: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? 📖 Rebound Weight Gain — The common 'yo-yo' effect caused by high-dose, continuous GLP-1 use; we prevent this through strategic cycling and metab… ▸ Anyone stopped responding to Mounjaro and had better results with retatrutide for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Is it possible that low carb is the only way I can eat specifically for women over 40 and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ Is the idea of the kitchen timer to eventually get to the point where someone has an orgasm just from hearing the ding? Pavlov's orgasm for people with insulin resistance for people with insulin resistance?