Is It Possible to Maintain Weight Loss After Ozempic and Similar Drugs?

When people stop taking these medications, however, weight regain can occur, a phenomenon sometimes called “Ozempic plateau.”

So, can you stem that weight regain if you must (or choose to) stop taking one of these medications? Here’s what you need to know.

The drugs work by temporarily altering hunger mechanisms in your body. “They provide a synthetic form of the GLP-1 hormone that helps you feel less hungry and more satisfied,” says Christopher McGowan, MD, an obesity medicine specialist based in Cary, North Carolina, and the founder of True You Weight Loss.

“The net effect of more insulin and less glucagon is improved blood sugar control and improvement in diabetes,” Dr. McGowan says.

“This evolutionary process makes your body think you’re dying by not getting enough food, so it tries to help you,” says Janese Laster, MD, a nutrition and obesity medicine expert at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, and the founder of Gut Theory Total Digestive Care. People often report a rapid onset of hunger and weight regain, even though they continue the same lifestyle modifications, McGowan says.

It’s worth noting that weight regain can happen following weight loss, no matter what weight loss strategy you use. “No matter how you lose weight, whether through diet and exercise, gastric bypass, or these medications, the physiological changes are the same, which means weight regain is a possibility,” Dr. Laster says.

So how common is it for a person to regain weight after they stop Ozempic or a similar medication?

“This is the reason we emphasize the need to stay on these medications long-term,” McGowan says. “It’s not to be pessimistic, but realistic, as these are fantastic treatments when you can stay on them.”

It will likely be more difficult to keep weight off without medications like Ozempic, but it’s not impossible.

Experts say if you make dietary and lifestyle changes while you’re taking the drugs, you may be able to maintain a lower body weight.

“Many people regain weight after they stop taking these drugs because they didn’t make these changes,” Laster says.

Here are ways to stack the odds in your favor.

1. Eat a Plant-Forward Diet

She recommends two to three servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and then loading your diet with beans, legumes, and whole grains so that you’re eating a predominantly plant-based diet.

You know you’re eating enough fiber if you’re pooping at least once a day, she adds.

Protein is also important, namely to preserve lean muscle mass, but Laster wants people to focus on non-animal sources. “Patients who need to lose weight also tend to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of colon cancer — and animal foods are not what you want to eat if you want to reduce your risk of those things,” she says.

2. Get Active

Your exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise and strength training, which is key to preserving lean muscle mass and amping your metabolism, McGowan says. He generally recommends logging 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and two to three days of full-body resistance training every week.

3. Prioritize Sleep

In addition to forming good daily habits, there are long-term strategies you can use to avoid weight gain. You can start building in these habits while you're still on GLP-1 drugs to create the momentum to power you into the coming years.

• Monitor your progress. As you take steps to keep weight from creeping back, keep a food journal, use an app, and notice how your clothes are fitting, McGowan says.
• Get support. If you have been working with an obesity medicine specialist, you can consult with them even if you quit the medication. You can also continue to check in with your medical team to stay on track with your weight loss goals. Tap friends, family, and support groups to stay motivated.
• Manage stress. Stress can cause a domino effect of poor health outcomes, so make sure you have healthy coping techniques to handle life’s bumps without sacrificing your health. “Weight loss is as much a mental challenge as a physical one, McGowan says. You may even find it helpful to work with a therapist or psychologist.
• Treat underlying conditions. Some conditions, including hypothyroidism

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  and Cushing syndrome,

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  can also increase the likelihood of obesity. Identifying and treating these conditions may help with weight loss.

If you need to stop GLP-1 medications for whatever reason, work closely with your doctor to facilitate the transition. And know that you can restart the medications later if needed.

• Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro can aid weight loss, but you may regain the weight if you stop taking them.
• Healthy lifestyle habits such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep help maintain weight loss.
• You can speak with your healthcare provider about the best way to stop these medications.