Still hungry on Mounjaro? Here’s what you need to know

Starting a weight loss medication, embarking on a health and fitness journey and pursuing a new lifestyle can be a big change, and many people have experienced big results.

But when you first start taking a new type of medication, it can be difficult to know exactly what to expect, how your body will react, and whether it is working.

The weight loss treatment Mounjaro helps you lose weight by suppressing appetite, but some people might continue to experience feelings of hunger after they first begin taking it.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the medication isn’t working. Here’s what you need to know about Mounjaro, the appetite-suppressing effects, and why you might still feel hungry on Mounjaro.

How Mounjaro works to suppress appetite

Mounjaro is a type of weight loss medication and contains the active ingredient tirzepatide [1]. It is approved and licensed in the United Kingdom as a treatment for eligible patients.

The medication comes in the form of an injection, which you can administer yourself once a week (your healthcare provider will show you how to do it the first time). When taken alongside a balanced diet and exercise routine, it is proven to support obesity management and weight loss [2]. The medication works through appetite-suppressing effects, which means it helps you feel fuller for longer, meaning you are less likely to get hungry as often.

The active ingredient tirzepatide is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) agonist, which means it works by mimicking the natural hormones that are naturally secreted by the body after a meal [3]. It also slows down the time that it takes for your stomach to empty, and sends satiety signals to your brain, which is how it can help control hunger and reduce your calorie intake.

Why you might still feel hungry on Mounjaro

While Mounjaro is designed to work by appetite suppression, there are some reasons you might feel unexpected hunger while taking the medication.

For one thing, biological factors and your unique genetics can impact how your body responds to a medication. While most people taking Mounjaro experience a significant reduction in hunger levels, it can vary from person to person, particularly if you are on a relatively lower dose.

Here are some of the factors that may be influencing your feelings of hunger, the process of adjusting to Mounjaro, and how to help you listen to your body and identify true hunger cues.

Dose and titration

When you first start taking Mounjaro, you will initially be prescribed a 2.5mg dose [4]. After four weeks, your doctor will increase your dose of Mounjaro to 5mg. If required, the dose may later be increased to 7.5mg [5]. The maximum dose is 15mg.

If you do not initially feel your hunger levels decrease, you may feel more of an effect when you increase to the higher dose of Mounjaro.

Mounjaro technically starts taking effect in your body within hours after you begin taking it, but it may take several weeks for your body to adjust. During this time, you might continue to feel hungry on your weight loss journey.

Time for Mounjaro to take full effect

As we have mentioned, everybody is different, and some people will feel the effects sooner than others. Some may experience a reduced appetite almost immediately, while for others it may take four weeks or longer [6].  

If you feel that the medication is not working as desired, you should not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor.

Habits and hunger cues

You might be surprised to learn that your hunger cues or desire to eat can be impacted by eating habits. For example, if you are used to having a snack at a certain time of day, or while you do a particular activity, you might think you feel the need to eat at that time, even if you are not experiencing true physical hunger.

When you are trying to lose weight, you could benefit from mindful eating [7]. This means focusing your attention and awareness on the way you eat, which can help reduce overeating, eating out of habit, or mindless eating.

Mindful eating involves listening to your body, being aware of satiety and hunger cues, eating slowly, and focusing on your food rather than eating while you watch TV or do other activities.

Lifestyle factors

To achieve successful weight loss when taking Mounjaro, it is important to make sure that you are also living a healthy lifestyle. This should include moderate exercise, a balanced diet, and plenty of sleep.

Strategies to manage hunger on Mounjaro

As we have discussed, you may continue to feel hungry after you begin taking a weight loss medication. Here are some strategies you can use to help manage your hunger levels and eating habits.

Choosing satisfying foods

The foods we choose to eat can also impact our satisfaction and feelings of fullness after eating. Similarly, it is important to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water, as it is easy to mistake thirst or dehydration for hunger. Eating balanced meals and opting for foods that are high in fibre, lean proteins, and healthy fats will also help keep you feeling fuller for longer and keep you satisfied.

Low-calorie options like fruits and vegetables, salads, and soup are nutrient-dense foods and low-calorie, which means you can eat a high volume of food without eating a large amount of calories. On the other hand, calorie-dense foods such as sweets, processed meat, fried food, or sugary drinks provide you with limited nutrition and a lot of calories, but also often don’t truly fill you up [8].

Staying active

Alongside healthy eating, staying active is a key to making sure the medication will work. The NHS recommends that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week [9]. This can include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, water aerobics, resistance training, dancing, cycling, or playing sports.

Managing stress and emotional eating

If you are continuing to experience persistent hunger while taking weight loss medication, it is also worth considering whether you are feeling physical hunger or emotional hunger.

Emotional hunger refers to feeling a desire to eat to change the way you feel, and is common during times of stress [10]. Emotional hunger typically comes on quickly, feels urgent, craves specific types of food (usually unhealthy foods) and is sometimes not satisfied by physical fullness. On the other hand, physical hunger comes on gradually and can be satisfied by many types of food.

While some kind of emotional eating can be ok (for example, eating a 'comfort meal' once in a while after a tough day), doing it regularly can become physically and emotionally unhealthy and lead to weight management difficulties.

If you are struggling with emotional eating, the NHS suggests identifying your triggers and patterns, and identifying other ways you might be able to cope with your triggers. If you are regularly struggling, you may also consider speaking to a professional to help work through your stress and mental health challenges.

How to support weight loss while managing hunger

If you would like some more support with managing persistent hunger on your weight loss journey, Juniper may be helpful for you.

The Juniper Programme combines weight loss medication with clinical care, health tracking and community support, so you can lose weight and reach your goals for good.

Access personalised weight loss medication tailored to your health and goals — never one-size-fits-all. Our app helps you track progress, connect with your care team, adjust medication as needed, and access expert support. You'll also get structured tools to build lasting habits and ongoing care after reaching your goal weight.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Wegovy or Mounjaro, groundbreaking weight loss injections that mimic the GLP-1 hormone to help control cravings, delay stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

We help you make lifestyle and habit changes, and we’re in it with you for the long run, having helped thousands of women achieve their weight loss goals.

When to talk to your healthcare provider

As we have discussed, Mounjaro (and any other type of weight loss medication) may take some time to take effect, and you might not instantly experience appetite suppression or weight loss progress.

It is important to be patient and to follow the tips and advice to make sure you are managing your hunger, listening to your body’s cues, and not confusing emotions or habits with real physical hunger.

However, it is also important to note that Mounjaro might not work for everyone. If you have waited several weeks, are taking your medication as prescribed, and are experiencing persistent hunger and suspect it is not working, or are experiencing any concerning side effects, you should speak with your doctor.

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