Playing in a Tennis League on Ozempic

Joining a tennis league is one of the best things you can do for fitness, friendship, and a bit of friendly competition. Many adults pick up a racket again as they lose weight and find they can move better than they have in years. But league tennis has its own demands: matches that can stretch past two hours, hot hard courts, evening start times, and post-match socializing.

If you take Ozempic or another GLP-1, running out of fuel in the third set is the most common complaint. Here is how to avoid it.

Activity is part of the treatment

In the STEP 1 trial, adults with obesity or overweight took semaglutide 2.4 mg, the dose used in Wegovy, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic at a higher dose, or placebo for 68 weeks alongside lifestyle support. Average weight reduction was 14.9% on semaglutide against 2.4% on placebo. The lifestyle support in the trial included regular counseling on diet and physical activity. A tennis league is exactly the kind of regular activity that fits alongside treatment.

Fuel before you play

With a smaller appetite, it is easy to arrive at an evening match having eaten little since lunch. Have a meal with some protein and carbohydrate a few hours before you play, such as a sandwich, rice and chicken, or pasta with a little protein. If your match is right after work, have a snack on the way: a banana, a granola bar, or yogurt.

Snacks on changeovers

Long matches burn through energy. Keep easy snacks in your bag, such as a banana, crackers, dried fruit, or an energy chew, and take a few bites at changeovers in the second and third sets. Small amounts are easier on the stomach than one big snack.

Hydrate through the match

Drink water before you walk on court, take a few sips at every changeover, and keep drinking after you finish. On hot days, hard courts radiate heat, and you can lose a lot of fluid without noticing. If you sweat heavily, ask your provider whether a drink with electrolytes makes sense for you.

Know the warning signs

Dizziness, unusual fatigue, or feeling shaky on court are signs to stop. Sit in the shade, drink, and eat something small. It is fine to retire from a match. Tell your partner or opponent if you feel unwell.

Plan your dose around big matches

Side effects tend to be strongest in the first weeks and after each dose increase, and many people notice them most in the day or two after an injection. Do not step up your dose right before a playoff weekend or a tournament. Ask your provider to hold it until afterward. If your injection day lands right before your regular match night, ask your provider whether different timing makes sense. Do not change your day on your own.

Protect your strength and your joints

Tennis asks a lot of your legs, core, and shoulder. Some of the weight lost on these medications is muscle, and strength is also what protects your knees, back, and shoulders from injury. Eat protein at every meal and add some strength training to your week. Our guide on getting the most out of your GLP-1 treatment covers why that matters.

After the match

League tennis often ends with a drink or dinner with the team. Eat something with protein soon after you play, and if you have a drink, have it with food and alternate with water. Late, heavy dinners after an evening match can disturb sleep, so keep them modest.

Watch for under-eating

If your legs feel heavy every match or your serve has lost its pop, you may not be eating enough. Watch for persistent fatigue, feeling cold, hair shedding, dizziness when you stand, losing strength, and losing weight faster than you and your provider intended.

New to Ozempic, or switching

If you started recently, our guide on the Ozempic starting dose covers why the early weeks tend to be hardest. If you take compounded semaglutide, our guide on the semaglutide starting dose covers how those schedules usually begin. If you switched from tirzepatide, our guide comparing tirzepatide and semaglutide side effects covers how the two compare.

Doubles partners

Your doubles partner is counting on you. If you are adjusting to a new dose and feel unpredictable, tell them before the match, so you can plan together and nobody is surprised by a mid-match break.

Consider this scenario: a man on Ozempic plays a 7 p.m. league match after eating only a small salad at noon. It is a hot evening on hard courts, and the match goes to a third set. He has brought water but no food. At 4 to 4 in the third, his legs feel like lead and he is lightheaded at the baseline, and he has to retire. Eating a proper meal mid-afternoon, packing a banana and crackers for changeovers, and sipping water every changeover would very likely have gotten him through.

The short version

Tennis is a great activity alongside Ozempic. Eat a meal with protein and carbohydrate a few hours before you play, snack at changeovers in long matches, and sip water every changeover. Stop if you feel dizzy, hold dose increases before playoffs, protect your strength with protein and training, and eat soon after you finish.

If you want a provider who will support the active life you are building, TrimRx includes ongoing provider access alongside treatment.

This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Consult with a healthcare provider before starting any medication. Individual results may vary.