GLP-1s can work wonders for weight loss. But what happens when you stop taking them?
Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN
Getty Images. EatingWell Design.
Key Points
- When you stop taking a GLP-1, it’s completely normal to regain some lost weight.
- Experts say this is due to increased appetite, cravings and food noise.
- To help maintain your losses, focus on fiber-rich nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein.
A staggering 1 in 8 Americans say they have used GLP-1 medications. While many take them for diabetes management, GLP-1s are also often prescribed for weight loss. Which begs the question: Can you stop taking them once you’ve reached your weight-loss goals? And what will happen to your weight after you stop using them?
As new as these medications are, there’s already research that provides some helpful answers. The evidence indicates that most people regain a significant amount of weight, sometimes in as little as 12 weeks.
What does that mean for you if you’re using a GLP-1 and have reached your goal weight? First and foremost, experts say you need to speak with your health care provider. “Obesity is a chronic condition. Just like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, where we do not stop medications once a person reaches the target, it is not recommended to stop GLP-1 medications once a person has reached their goal weight,” says Cynthia Odogwu, MD.
Instead, your health care provider may want to wean you off the medication to help your body adjust, explains Ali McGowan, M.S., RD. This can help prevent rebound hunger and protect against potential weight regain.
What will happen to your weight after you stop taking a GLP-1? To find out, we asked the experts. Here’s what they said you can expect, plus healthy strategies to help you maintain your weight loss.
Things to Consider When Stopping a GLP-1
You May Regain Some Weight
GLP-1 medications help you lose weight by decreasing hunger, helping you eat less. When you stop taking a GLP-1, and these mechanisms no longer work, you are likely to eat more, which can lead to weight gain. “It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong,” Odogwu explains. “Rather, it’s that systems in place to help with weight loss are no longer there. This regain happens even when someone has gotten nutrition counseling or behavior therapy.”
Usually, the amount of weight a person regains is proportional to the amount they’ve lost. So, people who shed more weight can expect to gain more back. In some cases, the rebound can be extreme. Some people have been reported to regain 40% of their lost weight in 28 weeks, and others have regained as much as 50% within a year of stopping treatment.
Your Appetite May Increase
It’s common to feel hungrier as your GLP-1 dose is reduced or discontinued, especially if you were eating less when taking the medication, explains McGowan.
Blame it on your hormones. When you lose weight, levels of the satiety hormone, leptin, decrease, making you feel hungrier. At the same time, ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry, increases. Without a GLP-1 to blunt these feelings of hunger, you may notice the desire to eat much more than when you were on the medication.
You May Notice More Food Noise
Many people who use GLP-1s are amazed by the sudden absence of “food noise” in their brains. If you’ve never heard of food noise before, it’s those nagging thoughts about food that constantly make you daydream about your next meal or snack., While many people get a reprieve when they take GLP-1s, that noise often returns when they stop taking the medication, says Steph Wagner, M.S., RDN, CSOWM, LD.
You May Have More Cravings
Another benefit of GLP-1 medications is that they significantly reduce food cravings. This may help people make healthy changes that lead to weight loss, like eating an apple instead of, say, a cookie. Trouble is, when you stop taking a GLP-1, the cravings are likely to return, and it’s hard to realistically ignore them all.
You May Experience Metabolic Rebound
GLP-1 medications influence more than appetite. They also play a role in blood sugar management, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Research has found that when GLP-1 medication is reduced or stopped, blood sugar and blood pressure may also increase. In many cases, these shifts are closely tied to weight regain rather than the medication itself.
Nutrition Strategies to Maintain Weight Loss
Stopping GLP-1 medication doesn’t mean you’re bound to regain the weight you lost. Having the right strategies on board—like these—can help you healthfully maintain those losses.
- Balance your plate: Every expert we spoke to said: Dedicate half your plate to nonstarchy veggies, then fill each of the two remaining quarters with high-fiber or whole-grain carbohydrates and lean protein. Nonstarchy vegetables have a high water content, explains Odogwu. Making sure they’re the focus of your plate “ensures you feel full without eating a ton of calories,” she adds.
- Drink up: Research shows that adequate hydration helps support weight loss, so make sure to drink plenty of water. For maximum results, try drinking 2 cups of water before each meal. This research-backed strategy has been proven to promote weight loss.
- Don’t forget the lean protein: One of the ways a high-protein diet helps you lose weight is by triggering the release of your body’s own natural GLP-1. Aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (to find your weight in kilograms, divide the number of pounds you weigh by 2.2).
- Try a food journal: Once you stop GLP-1 medication, you may find yourself reverting to some of your old eating habits. McGowan recommends using a food journal to spot these patterns, so you can nip them in the bud before they become your norm again.
Our Expert Take
After you stop taking a GLP-1, it’s normal to regain some weight, due to increased appetite, cravings and food noise. So, it can help to be prepared. You’ll also want to make sure to get your health care provider’s OK, as they may want to wean you off the medication for the best results.
There are also targeted nutrition strategies, like making nonstarchy vegetables the focus of your plate, eating lean protein and drinking water before meals, that can help protect against weight regain. So can keeping a food journal to help you spot old eating patterns as they crop up again. Go slow, be patient and—most importantly—be kind to yourself. After all, lasting weight loss isn’t a marathon. It’s more like a long, rolling hike with lots of hills and valleys along the way.
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