GLP-1 Injection Sites: Where to Inject and How to Rotate

If you have just started a weekly GLP-1 medication, two questions come up fast: where exactly does the shot go, and does it matter if you use the same spot every week? Here is what the medicines' own instructions say, plus a rotation habit that takes ten seconds to keep.

Quick answer: inject under the skin of the stomach (at least 5 cm, or 2 inches, from the belly button), the front of the thigh or the upper arm, and use a different spot every week. You can stay in the same area, just not the same spot. That is what the US prescribing information for Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepbound says.

The three injection sites

• Stomach (abdomen). Keep at least 5 cm (2 inches) away from the belly button, as the Mounjaro and Wegovy instructions say.
• Front of the thigh. Easy to reach on your own.
• Upper arm. Listed for Wegovy and Ozempic. For Mounjaro and Zepbound the label says the back of the upper arm should be injected by another person.

All of these are subcutaneous injections, into the fat just under the skin. The Wegovy instructions say not to inject into a muscle or a vein. Your prescriber and the leaflet in the box have the final word for your medicine and pen.

Why rotation matters

All four labels tell you to change (rotate) the injection site with each dose. The Mounjaro medication guide explains why: rotating lowers the risk of lipodystrophy (pits or thickened skin) and of localized cutaneous amyloidosis (lumps) at injection sites.

Skin to avoid

• Skin that is tender, bruised, red, scaly or hard.
• Scars, stretch marks or damaged skin.
• Pits, thickened skin or lumps left by earlier injections.

A rotation plan you will actually follow

Plan your doses: GLP-1 dose schedule calculator

Check your percentage against the trial averages: GLP-1 weight loss calculator

One simple system: divide the stomach into four quadrants and work around them clockwise, upper left this week, upper right next, then lower right, then lower left. After one round, switch to the thighs for a cycle. The rule that matters is never to use the same spot two weeks running.

If you also use insulin

Give them as separate injections and never mix them. The Ozempic and Mounjaro labels say both can go in the same body area, but not right next to each other.

Keep the record where you can see it

Rotation only works if you remember where you were last time — and week five is when memory starts inventing things. GLP-1 Shot Tracker : OneShot logs each injection with its site and dose, reminds you when the next one is due, and keeps weight and progress on the same clean timeline, so the whole history is one screen away at your next appointment.

Missed a dose?

Don't guess and don't double up. Each medicine has its own window: within 4 days for Mounjaro and Zepbound, within 5 days for Ozempic, and for Wegovy only if the next dose is more than 2 days away. Our GLP-1 dose schedule calculator works out the last day for you and shows the dates of each dose step.

Frequently asked questions

This article is general information about injection technique, not medical advice. Always follow the instructions from your doctor, pharmacist and the leaflet supplied with your medication. Wegovy and Ozempic are trademarks of Novo Nordisk; Mounjaro and Zepbound are trademarks of Eli Lilly; this site is not affiliated with either company.

Sources

• WEGOVY prescribing information and instructions for use (FDA, 02/2026)
• OZEMPIC prescribing information and instructions for use (FDA, 10/2025)
• MOUNJARO prescribing information, medication guide and instructions for use (FDA, 01/2026)
• ZEPBOUND prescribing information (Eli Lilly, 08/2026)

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