How much weight can I lose on tirzepatide? In the SURMOUNT-1 trial, adults without diabetes lost an average of 15% to 21% of their body weight over 72 weeks, depending on dose group, compared with 3.1% on placebo. Those are averages from one trial, not a personal forecast. Individual results vary.
Written by Jen Adams, BSN, RN
Medically reviewed by Dr. Josh Allen, D.O., Medical Director, October 23, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is general education, not medical advice. Whether tirzepatide is right for you is decided by a licensed prescriber after a full evaluation, and results vary from person to person.
At InjectCo, compounded tirzepatide is prescribed inside a medically supervised program, in person or by telehealth. The people who do well usually aren’t relying on the medication alone. They have structure around it, and that’s what our licensed nurses help you build.
SURMOUNT-1 enrolled 2,539 adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related complication. People with diabetes were excluded. Each participant took a weekly tirzepatide injection or a placebo injection for 72 weeks, and everyone received lifestyle counseling aimed at eating about 500 fewer calories a day and getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
Here is what the trial reported at week 72:
These numbers describe the FDA-approved product used in the trial, with lifestyle support built in. They are averages, so some people lost more and some lost less. Compounded tirzepatide has not been tested in a trial like this, so the figures can’t be assumed for it.
Most of the weight loss happens in the first months and then gradually slows. SURMOUNT-1 checked weight at week 20, and by then the tirzepatide groups had already lost significantly more than the placebo group. Comparing that early check with the week 72 result shows the pattern: a big share of the loss came early, and the rest came more slowly over the following year.
The most common side effects in the trial were digestive, such as nausea and diarrhea. Most were mild to moderate and happened while the dose was being raised.
You’ll notice this page doesn’t turn those numbers into a weekly pound target. Trials report results as a percentage of body weight, and your own pace depends on the factors below.
Two people can be in the same program and see different results. That’s not a flaw in the medication. It simply reflects how different metabolism and body composition can be. Here’s what tends to shape your results.
People with more weight to lose usually lose more in pounds, but trials compare results as a percentage of body weight. A percentage goal is a fairer way to track your own progress.
Your prescriber adjusts your plan based on how you respond and how well you tolerate the medication. In SURMOUNT-1, the two higher dose groups lost more on average than the third group. Talk to your provider about your plan rather than changing anything on your own.
Thyroid health, insulin resistance, stress hormones and, for women, perimenopause and menopause can all affect how you respond. That’s one reason your program starts with labs. If something is working against you, we want to catch it early.
Getting enough protein helps protect muscle while you lose weight. Your provider can set a daily protein target that fits your body and health history.
The medication does the heavy lifting on appetite, but it works better when it’s paired with real changes in how you eat and move. People who still rely heavily on processed foods or regularly skip protein tend to hit plateaus sooner. You don’t have to be perfect. Consistency matters more.
If you’ve been on tirzepatide and the scale hasn’t moved in two to four weeks, here’s what to check first:
If a plateau stretches beyond four to six weeks, reach out to your provider. They can review your plan and check for an underlying issue worth looking into. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Some loss of lean mass is normal with any significant weight loss, including weight loss with medication. True muscle wasting is a different issue, and too little protein plus severe calorie restriction raise the risk.
Here’s what helps protect your muscle:
Your check-ins every two weeks are a good time to talk through protein, strength work and how your energy is holding up.
The SURMOUNT-5 trial, published in 2025 in the New England Journal of Medicine, compared tirzepatide directly with semaglutide in 751 adults with obesity but without type 2 diabetes. After 72 weeks, average weight loss was 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide.
Tirzepatide acts on two hormone pathways, GIP and GLP-1, while semaglutide acts on GLP-1 alone. Researchers think this dual action may help explain the difference seen in SURMOUNT-5.
InjectCo offers both compounded tirzepatide and compounded semaglutide programs. The right fit depends on your health history, how you’ve responded to past treatment and your goals. If you’ve already tried a GLP-1 program, your provider can talk through whether tirzepatide makes sense for you. For the semaglutide trial data, see how much weight you can lose on semaglutide.
The SURMOUNT-4 trial tested exactly this. Adults first took tirzepatide for 36 weeks. Then half were switched to placebo and half stayed on tirzepatide for another year. The group switched to placebo regained a substantial share of the weight they had lost, while the group that continued kept their loss and lost a little more.
The authors concluded that continued treatment is what maintained the result. If you’re thinking about stopping, talk with your provider first and plan the nutrition, activity and follow-up that support maintenance.
Meet with a licensed nurse about our medically supervised tirzepatide program.
$425 a month or $1,800 for a 6 to 8 month program
The FDA label for tirzepatide for weight management covers adults with:
It’s not used in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2), or in anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to tirzepatide. The label also says to stop it when a pregnancy is recognized. Its boxed warning is about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rats (it is not known whether this happens in people), and the current FDA label for tirzepatide for weight management also warns about acute pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease such as gallstones, and low blood sugar, which is more likely when it is taken with insulin or a sulfonylurea. For side effects and warnings, see our guide to tirzepatide safety.
Many people who come to us have already tried diet and exercise on their own. Your consult and labs confirm whether a prescription makes sense for you, and a licensed prescriber working under Dr. Josh Allen, D.O., Medical Director, makes that call.
Our tirzepatide weight loss program is $425 a month or $1,800 for a 6 to 8 month program. It includes your consult, labs, medication when prescribed, check-ins every 2 weeks and a monthly dose review, in person or by telehealth.
SURMOUNT-1 didn’t publish a one-month average as a main result, so there’s no trial number to quote for your first few weeks. Its first weight checkpoint was week 20, when the tirzepatide groups had already lost significantly more than placebo. The early weeks are often more about appetite changes than the scale. Your progress depends on your starting point, your plan and your habits.
The trials didn’t report a 12-week endpoint either. What SURMOUNT-1 does show is that a large share of the total loss arrived in roughly the first five months, before the pace slowed. Treat three months as an early review point: your provider looks at your percent change, how you’re tolerating treatment and your eating habits, then adjusts your plan. Results vary.
No one can promise a timeline for a set number of pounds. Trials measure percent change, and 20 pounds is a very different share of body weight for someone at 180 pounds than for someone at 300. A practical approach is to agree on a percentage goal with your provider and review it at your check-ins every two weeks. Individual results vary.
It depends on your starting weight and how your body responds, so no one can promise that number. SURMOUNT-1 reported average losses of 15% to 21% of body weight over 72 weeks, not 6 months, and individual results ranged widely around those averages. Your provider can help you set a goal that’s realistic for your body and health history.
In SURMOUNT-4, people who switched from tirzepatide to placebo regained much of the weight they had lost, while people who stayed on treatment kept it off. That’s why stopping should be a planned decision with your provider rather than a sudden one. A maintenance plan built on nutrition, activity and regular follow-up helps protect the progress you’ve made.
Not necessarily. Every trial number on this page comes from the FDA-approved product. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they’re marketed. So trial averages can’t be assumed for compounded tirzepatide. Results vary, and your provider will explain what to expect.
Our program is $425 a month or $1,800 for a 6 to 8 month program, covering your consult, labs, medication when prescribed, check-ins every 2 weeks and a monthly dose review. You can pay self-pay or with an HSA/FSA card, and financing options are available. For brand-name pricing and insurance questions, see how much tirzepatide costs without insurance.
Tirzepatide may be an option if you meet the BMI criteria above and don’t have a condition that rules it out. A real conversation with a provider who can look at your full health history is how you find out. At InjectCo, that conversation starts with a medical evaluation. No commitment required, just a chance to get your questions answered.
Talk with a licensed nurse about whether tirzepatide belongs in your plan.
$425 a month or $1,800 for a 6 to 8 month program
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