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Choosing a way to lose weight

Fat camp vs weight loss injections

Trial results and NHS guidance read 29 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Fat camp vs weight loss injections is not a fair fight in kilograms: in trials, weekly injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro led to more weight loss over a year or more than a month at any fat camp will. But the injections need a prescription, have side effects, and most of the weight came back in one trial after people stopped. A fat camp gives you fitness and a routine. Here is what each does, with sources, written by the team behind the China fat camp.

This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any weight-loss medicine or an intensive training programme.

Fat camp vs weight loss injections at a glance

Fat campWeight loss injections
What it is28 days of coached training, set meals and a fixed routineA prescription injection once a week (semaglutide or tirzepatide)
How it worksMore movement, fewer calories, new habitsReduces appetite and helps you feel full for longer
Typical resultNo promised number; the NHS suggests 0.5–1 kg a weekAbout 15–21% of body weight over 68–72 weeks in trials
Time neededFour weeks away from homeOngoing; trials ran well over a year
When you stopThe habits are yours to keep or loseMost of the lost weight came back within a year in one trial
Who decidesYou book it; healthy adultsA doctor prescribes it if your BMI meets the criteria
FitnessBuilt in: three sessions a dayNot on its own; meant alongside diet and exercise

What the injections are

Ozempic and Wegovy are brand names for semaglutide; Mounjaro is tirzepatide. The NHS describes them as medicines that reduce your appetite and help you feel fuller for longer. Wegovy is the version used for obesity and Ozempic is used for type 2 diabetes. Both are weekly injections, available only on prescription, and you get them only if your BMI meets the criteria. They are meant to be used alongside a lower-calorie diet and more exercise, not instead of them.

What the trials found

−14.9%

average body weight change on semaglutide 2.4 mg after 68 weeks, vs −2.4% on placebo (STEP 1, 1,961 adults)

−20.9%

on the highest dose of tirzepatide after 72 weeks, vs −3.1% on placebo (SURMOUNT-1, 2,539 adults)

11.6 of 17.3

percentage points of lost weight regained within a year of stopping semaglutide (STEP 1 extension)

So the injections work while you take them, and the effect largely fades when you stop. In the STEP 1 extension, the improvements in blood pressure and other heart-health measures also moved back toward where they started.

Side effects to know about

The NHS lists common side effects of semaglutide including feeling or being sick, constipation, diarrhoea, tiredness and hair loss. Rare but serious ones include an inflamed pancreas and allergic reactions. The NHS also warns that some websites sell fake weight loss medicines, so buy only from a registered pharmacy.

What a fat camp can and cannot do

A fat camp cannot match the injections on weight lost per year, and an honest one will not promise a number. What it can do is give you a month where the healthy choice is the default: three training sessions a day, three planned meals, a set bedtime and a coach who tracks your measurements. You leave fitter, with a routine you have actually lived for four weeks. At the China fat camp on Hainan that month comes with a private bedroom, meals brought to your room and weekends by the sea; see the schedule and prices.

Fat camp vs weight loss injections: how to choose

Sources

  1. Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus). NHS. Read 29 October 2026.
  2. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro). NHS. Read 29 October 2026.
  3. Obesity: treatment. NHS, 29 April 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  4. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1). New England Journal of Medicine, 18 March 2021. Read 29 October 2026.
  5. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, August 2022. Read 29 October 2026.
  6. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1). New England Journal of Medicine, 21 July 2022. Read 29 October 2026.

Fat camp vs weight loss injections: questions

Is a fat camp better than Ozempic or Wegovy?

They do different things. Weight loss injections cut appetite and, in trials, led to more weight loss over a year or more than diet and exercise alone. A fat camp gives you fitness, a routine and four weeks away from old habits. Many people will get the most from talking to their doctor about medicine and building the habits that keep weight off.

Can I go to a fat camp while taking a weight loss injection?

Ask your doctor first. If you go, tell the camp in your booking notes: lower appetite plus calorie-controlled meals and three training sessions a day can leave you short of energy, and common side effects include nausea, vomiting and tiredness.

What happens if I stop Wegovy?

In the STEP 1 trial extension, people who stopped semaglutide and the lifestyle programme regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost within a year. That is one reason doctors pair the medicine with long-term habit change.

Do I need a prescription for weight loss injections?

Yes. In the UK semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are prescription-only, on the NHS or privately, and the NHS warns that some websites sell fake weight loss medicines. Buy only from a registered pharmacy.

How much weight can I lose at a fat camp in 28 days?

Nobody can promise a number. The NHS suggests aiming for 0.5 to 1 kg a week. The China fat camp does not guarantee results and neither do we.