How To Lose Weight Without Excessive Diets And Workouts
Kim Phelps
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Dec 1, 2023
Lifestyle changes are an important part of any weight loss journey, but they shouldn’t impact your wellbeing. Here’s our healthy approach to losing weight.
There are so many weight loss medications out there that it can be hard to keep track. Liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda, Victoza and Compounded* Liraglutide with B12) and tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound) are two of your options.
In this blog, we dive into the science behind liraglutide and tirzepatide to help you figure out which weight loss treatment is best for you.
Liraglutide and tirzepatide are both weight loss injections, but there are a few differences in how the medications work.
Liraglutide is a daily injection. It belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1). This group includes semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in brand name medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.
GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic the natural GLP-1 hormone, which is made in your gut when you eat.
When it comes to weight loss, liraglutide works by slowing down how quickly food leaves your stomach. This makes you feel fuller for longer. It also manages blood sugar levels and acts on parts of your brain that regulate hunger, reducing your appetite. [1]
With increased fullness and less hunger, it’s easier to eat balanced meals, smaller portions and fewer calories — all of which promote weight loss.
Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1 and glucose-dependent inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. This means the medication mimics both the GLP-1 and GIP hormones in your body. GIP is another hormone made in your gut. [2]
Like liraglutide, tirzepatide slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, helping you feel fuller for longer after meals. It also works to reduce blood sugar levels and appetite.
The GIP side of tirzepatide improves fat metabolism and further regulates hunger levels.
One key difference between liraglutide and tirzepatide is how often you take the medications. Liraglutide is a daily injection whereas tirzepatide is a weekly injection.
There isn’t much head-to-head research for liraglutide vs tirzepatide, but studies on the drugs individually suggest tirzepatide is more effective for weight loss than liraglutide.
In one clinical trial, people taking liraglutide for 56 weeks lost an average of 8% of their body weight. Participants also had improved glycemic (blood sugar) control, lower blood pressure and a reduced waist circumference. [3]
As well as taking liraglutide, participants made lifestyle modifications like following a reduced-calorie diet and did more exercise.
How does tirzepatide compare? A major study found people taking tirzepatide for 72 weeks lost an average of 20.9% of their body weight. Participants also saw improvements in their waist circumference, blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol levels. [4]
These participants also made diet and exercise changes alongside taking the medication.
Just like other medications, liraglutide and tirzepatide come with a few side effects and safety concerns to be aware of.
Liraglutide is generally well tolerated. Some of the common side effects of liraglutide include:
You might experience side effects when you first start taking the medication or when your dose increases. In most cases, they’re mild to moderate in severity. [3]
More serious side effects of liraglutide include:
These side effects sound scary, but rest assured they’re rare. Pancreatitis, for example, was reported in 0.3% of people taking Saxenda (branded liraglutide) in clinical trials. [1]
Liraglutide isn’t suitable for everyone. You shouldn’t take the medication if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer) or a rare condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. You also shouldn’t take liraglutide if you’re pregnant.
Tirzepatide has a similar safety and side effect profile to liraglutide. Some of the common side effects include:
You’re more likely to experience side effects when you first start taking tirzepatide. The good news is they tend to improve over time for most people. [5]
More serious side effects of tirzepatide include pancreatitis and acute gallbladder disease. Again, these are rare. [6]
And just like liraglutide, you shouldn’t take tirzepatide if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you’re pregnant.
Let your prescribing healthcare provider know about any medical conditions you have or medications you’re taking. They can determine if liraglutide or tirzepatide is right for you.
Liraglutide and tirzepatide have the same eligibility criteria. You may qualify for these medications if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher and at least one weight-related condition.
Weight-related health conditions include:
Liraglutide and tirzepatide differ in cost. At Levity, Saxenda (liraglutide) costs $1,599 every four weeks and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) costs $1,299 every four weeks.
You can also get Compounded* Liraglutide with B12 through Levity, which costs $129 for your first month and $179 per month thereafter.
If you start your weight loss journey with us, your initial consultation, prescription, medication, delivery, and ongoing clinical support and health coaching are all included in the price.
Insurance providers sometimes cover weight loss medications. If your plan offers coverage, you may need to meet eligibility criteria, like having a certain BMI or a health condition like type 2 diabetes.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Answer a few questions about your medical history and weight loss goals and a Levity healthcare provider can recommend suitable weight loss treatments.
Start your free consultation today to see what treatment is best for you.
*Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA-approved and do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.
[1] Highlights of prescribing information. [Internet]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/206321s007lbl.pdf
[2] Dutta P, Kumar Y, Babu AT, Giri Ravindran S, Salam A, Rai B, et al. Tirzepatide: A Promising Drug for Type 2 Diabetes and Beyond. Cureus [Internet]. 2023 May 1;15(5):e38379. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10231274/
[3] Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, Greenway F, Halpern A, Krempf M, et al. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2015 Jul 2;373(1):11–22. Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1411892
[4] Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2022 Jun 4;387(3). Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
[5] Eli Lilly and Company Limited. Mounjaro 10 mg solution for injection in pre-filled pen. Summary of Product Characteristics [Internet]. Tadworth: Electronic Medicines Compendium; 2024 [cited 2025 Jul 17]. Available from: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15313/smpc
[6] Highlights of prescribing information. [Internet]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/215866s000lbl.pdf
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Lifestyle changes are an important part of any weight loss journey, but they shouldn’t impact your wellbeing. Here’s our healthy approach to losing weight.
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