If you've lost weight on GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), congratulations on your progress. But a question we hear constantly is: what happens when you stop? Will the weight come back? Understanding this is key to planning your long-term health journey.
In this guide, we'll cover:
GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide work by reducing appetite and slowing gastric emptying. In clinical trials, participants lost more than 15% of body weight on average over 68–72 weeks.
Tirzepatide, which stimulates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, shows even more potential, with some participants losing roughly 20% or more of their initial weight in under a year.
These medications dramatically outperform
traditional diet and exercise alone, and older obesity drugs.
One key thing to understand: stopping GLP-1 therapy often leads to weight regain, because these drugs influence appetite, satiety, and metabolism rather than permanently changing your body's biological set points.
After stopping GLP-1 and other weight-loss drugs, people regained weight rapidly — about 0.8 kg (~1.8 lb) per month with Semaglutide or Tirzepatide. Many returned to their baseline weight within about 1.5 years.
University of Oxford systematic review
When you stop GLP-1 medications:
Appetite Returns
Hormonal changes reignite hunger signals
Calorie Intake Rises
Without the appetite suppression working
Metabolism Shifts
Can revert toward pre-treatment levels
This isn't a "failure." It reflects the nature of obesity as a chronic condition, where biological signals persist unless countered over time. NICE's own models estimate that benefits from Semaglutide are largely lost within approximately two years after stopping — including improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol.
In the UK, weight-loss GLP-1 drugs are typically prescribed with support from obesity specialists or specialist clinics. Because medications may be time-limited under NICE or private practice pathways, planning beyond the treatment period is essential.
Orforglipron is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist — a daily pill developed by Eli Lilly that works on the same pathways as semaglutide and tirzepatide, but without the needle.
In the Phase III "ATTAIN-MAINTAIN" trial, people who switched from injectable therapies to orforglipron showed strong maintenance of weight loss over 52 weeks:
How Orforglipron Works
If approved in the UK, Orforglipron could provide a scalable, longer-term oral maintenance option for people who've already seen results from injectable therapies.
Even with promising maintenance medications, lasting success typically involves a joined-up approach:
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Behavioural Support
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Dietary Counselling
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Regular Activity
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Clinical Follow-up
Obesity is a chronic condition, planning for the future matters.
If you're considering stopping treatment or worried about regaining weight, talk to your GP or specialist about maintenance therapy, lifestyle support, and emerging options like Orforglipron. You deserve a plan that works for the long haul.
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Because every woman deserves healthcare that sees her, hears her, and heals her.