Jennifer Fessleris fearlessly opening up about her weight loss journey with Ozempic, sharing a candid account of an unexpected trip to the emergency room.
During a candid conversation with Jackie Goldschneider, the "Real Housewives Of New Jersey" star dived into the highs and lows of her experience with the celebrity-loved weight loss drug.
While it was initially developed for type 2 diabetes treatment, Ozempic has received approval as a weight loss aid, and Fessler is not the first reality TV star to allude to using it.
Jennifer Fessler Shares Side Effects Of Ozempic Use
Despite being a self-proclaimed hypochondriac, the 55-year-old detailed her year-long journey on semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic — leading to a significant weight loss of approximately 22 pounds.
She then confronted the discomforting side effects of the diabetic medicine, revealing a visit to the hospital due to an impacted bowel—a challenging situation she faced head-on.
Addressing the drug's side effects with Goldschneider, Fessler disclosed her battle with constipation, a common issue associated with Ozempic, which she initially chose to ignore.
In a humorous twist, the reality TV star admitted to ignoring the signs during the latest episode of her "Two Jersey Js" podcast, highlighting her ability to indulge in less healthy food choices while still shedding pounds. The socialite confessed:
"Having said that, I noticed there was constipation, I didn't do anything about it. I wasn't taking Miralax, that you take every morning, or any kind of stool softener. I hadn't gone in a week, then it was a week and a half."
Pausing mid-story, Fessler took responsibility, acknowledging her role in ignoring warning signs before pointing out, "I haven't had a problem since."
While "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star openly discussed her choice to use the weight loss drug, Goldschneider expressed strong disapproval, citing concerns about the medication's prevalence among more than half of the show's cast.
The 47-year-old emphatically noted, "I am an outspoken advocate for eating disorder recovery and a very strong opponent of semaglutides for losing those last 10 pounds." She also clarified that they had never discussed this topic due to her friendship with Fessler.
However, Goldschneider highlighted another side effect, "muscle loss," prompting Fessler to admit to experiencing it. Concerned about her physical well-being, she disclosed starting regular doctor visits to monitor her muscle health.
Amidst the challenges, the entrepreneur shared, "Physically, I feel a lot better in clothes. When I'm not in clothes I look 90 because I have gone up and down my more than 20 pounds in my life … so there is a lot of skin that exists now when you lose muscle and fat."
The TV personality also took responsibility for her body's changes and emphasized the importance of active muscle-building efforts, which is why she hired a personal trainer.
Kyle Richards Firmly Denied Ozempic Use Amidst Persistent Rumors
Even though the drug had reportedly gained popularity among Bravo personalities like Dolores Catania, Jennifer Fessler, and Golnesa "GG" Gharachedaghi, Richards adamantly deniedever trying it.
The actress has been vocal about her concerns regarding the controversial drug, emphasizing her decision to distance herself from misleading claims. She proudly attributed her toned physique to a holistic lifestyle transformation rather than pharmaceutical intervention.
In an interview with Page Six, the mother-of-four clarified, "I can say that I have never tried it, and I have never taken it. I'm not on any weight loss drug. If you know me, you know I have terrible anxiety, which would scare me to death. I have never, ever taken it."
Richards also credited her physical transformation to rigorous workout sessions with trainer Cory Gregory, who is known for working with A-listers like country singer Morgan Wade.
Fed up with the persistent rumors, the "Time Express" guest star took to Instagram with a message captioned, "This explains a lot #trolls," to address her accusers. The statement which acknowledged the challenge of changing perspectives read:
"This happens due to 'motivated reasoning,' a psychology term that refers to the way people usually believe whatever they want to believe and use the flimsiest piece of evidence to justify that belief, even when there is plenty of verified evidence to disprove it."
Research suggests that people can lose an average of 5 pounds monthly on Ozempic. The amount of weight you can lose in a month with Ozempic depends on your dose. Other factors affecting the amount of weight loss you can expect with Ozempic include your starting weight, diet, exercise, and other medications.
What can you eat on Ozempic? Although there aren't any strict diet rules to follow on Ozempic, you can get better weight loss results by eating a healthy, balanced diet. “It's important to eat a balanced, healthy diet with lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and good fats,” Dr. Dasgupta says.
Can you get Ozempic out of your system faster? No medication can remove Ozempic from your system. In the case of an Ozempic overdose, doctors give supportive treatments for symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Call your doctor right away if you believe you've taken too much Ozempic.
In August 2023, the 30 Rock alum said on Today With Hoda and Jenna that he lost weight on Ozempic because it supressed his appetite. In March 2024, his health journey appeared to take a surprising turn. "I've learned to out-eat Ozempic," he said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The most common side effect with Ozempic is nausea and occurs in about 15% to 20% of people. Others include vomiting (5% to 9%), diarrhea (8%), stomach-area pain (6% to 7%), and constipation (3% to 7%). These side effects occurred at rates higher than the placebo-treated groups (receiving an inactive treatment).
“I sometimes see patients start to lose weight as early as two to three weeks after starting the initial dose of Ozempic; however, substantial weight loss usually occurs at the higher doses,” says Soma Mandal, MD, an internist at Summit Health in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.
Specific foods to avoid include sweets, baked goods, sugary cereals, sodas, juices, flavoured yogurts, candy, ice cream, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, jams, fruit smoothies, dried fruit and certain fresh fruits like mangoes, grapes, cherries, bananas, pineapple and watermelon.
Can you eat eggs on Ozempic? Eggs are an excellent source of protein, but their fat and protein content can also lead to slower digestion, so patients should be mindful of portion sizes and the preparation method, McGowan says.
High-Sugar Foods: Just like high-fat foods, high-sugar foods can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, counteracting the effect of Ozempic and potentially leading to weight gain. These foods can also be high in calories, making it more difficult to stay within a calorie deficit.
Ozempic can interact with insulin. It also interacts with insulin-releasing medications, like sulfonylureas and glinides. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is more likely with this interaction.
People taking GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have noticed side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, are exacerbated by eating certain foods. High-fat, ultra-processed, and high-sugar foods and drinks, such as red meat, soda, and alcohol, are common culprits.
Adele divided her workouts into several routines per day to achieve her weight loss goals. "I got quite addicted to it," she admitted to British Vogue in 2021. “So I do my weights in the morning, then I normally hike or I box in the afternoon, and then I go and do my cardio at night," she said.
So with each higher dose, we should continue to see more and more weight loss. Remember that this is the average weight loss. We did have patients who lost a moderate amount but we also had patients losing over 15 pounds and even over 20 pounds in the first month!
"Within about two weeks, I had already lost a few pounds," Schorr said. "Everyone was like, 'Oh, you already are looking like you're losing weight in just the first few days. '" Schorr said she lost 50 pounds over the course of 11 months.
Intermittent fasting is an effective weight loss strategy that, for some individuals, can be safely paired with weight loss drugs like Ozempic. Work with your healthcare provider, though, to make sure you're a candidate for combining the two, as there are certain individuals for whom this might not be safe.
“I eat a healthy mix,” she said. “I dropped weight because I've been listening to my doctor—a couple years I didn't. And 90 percent of the time I'm really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I'm a Texas girl, so I like meat—sorry, vegetarians in the world!”
Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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