Weight loss medications have transformed the way many people lose weight. They’ve had the biggest impact of anything I’ve seen in my two decades working in the field. But to me, successful weight loss means long-term weight loss—and maintaining that weight loss after coming off medication can be challenging.
Research shows that weight regain is common after stopping GLP-1s. One landmark semaglutide trial found that people regained around two-thirds of the weight they had lost within a year of ending treatment. Recently, my hairdresser told me he’d lost 42 pounds on Mounjaro, only to regain it after coming off it.
He went back on the medication and admitted he now feels nervous about stopping again—and he’s far from alone. If you’re on weight loss medication and don’t want to stay on it forever, maintaining your weight loss naturally is possible with the right habits and support. Weight regain is common after many forms of dieting—not just after GLP-1 medication.
Many of my clients have lost weight on different diets over the years, only to regain it later. So why does this happen, and how can we prevent it? Whether you’re losing weight naturally or with medication, one of the biggest mistakes is reaching your goal weight and thinking the work is done.
Maintenance is the start of a whole new phase, and one that requires its own strategies. Yes, you’ll usually be able to introduce a little more flexibility compared with the weight loss phase, but key nutrition and lifestyle habits still matter. From a dietary perspective, I recommend continuing to structure meals in the same way I outline in my new book, The Nozempic Diet.
That means prioritizing protein (aiming for around 30g per meal), eating moderate amounts of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, raw nuts, seeds, and including plenty of fiber-rich vegetables. Once you’ve maintained a weight you’re happy with, you can reintroduce moderate portions of carbohydrates such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, oats, potatoes, and brown rice. I advise continuing to limit sugar, refined carbohydrates, and ultra-processed foods where possible.
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