Stopping a GLP-1? Hold on to your progress.

What the studies found

• A year after stopping, people had regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost.

  STEP 1 extension (semaglutide, 2022)

• Over the next year, people switched to a placebo regained 14% of their body weight; those who kept taking it lost another 5.5%.

  SURMOUNT-4 (tirzepatide, JAMA 2024)

In both studies people stopped all at once. Whether tapering or a lower maintenance dose works better is still being studied; it's a question for your prescriber.

Before you stop

• If it's about cost or coverage: check every option first. Appeals, other approved uses, savings cards, Medicare's $50 GLP-1 Bridge and lower cash prices can change the math. Free coverage check.
• If it's side effects: tell your prescriber. Many can be eased, or a different dose or medicine may suit you better.
• Either way: make the plan with your prescriber rather than stopping on your own, and ask about follow-up visits for the months after.

Habits that help you hold your weight

1. 1Keep protein highProtein at every meal helps keep you full and keeps your muscle, which keeps your metabolism up.
2. 2Keep strength trainingTwo or three sessions a week. Muscle is the best protection against regain.
3. 3Weigh in weekly, and set a lineDecide in advance what you'll do if you go 2% above where you stopped. Acting early is much easier than starting over.
4. 4Plan for hunger coming backAppetite and "food noise" often return within weeks. Keep protein-rich snacks handy, eat regular meals, and notice your triggers.
5. 5Sleep and stress countShort sleep and stress both push appetite up. They're part of the plan, not extras.

Protein and strength guidance from the 2025 GLP-1 nutrition advisory. General information, not medical advice.