What Happens If You Stop Taking Weight Loss Shots?
What Happens if You Stop Taking Weight Loss Shots?
In recent years, GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) have gained popularity as tools for weight loss. Initially marketed for managing type 2 diabetes, these medications help suppress appetite and improve insulin sensitivity, making them a key part of the battle against obesity, even for patients without diabetes.
But what happens when patients stop the shots?
The news isn’t great. Recent research suggests that for most people, GLP-1 medications may offer only a temporary solution. The majority of users discontinue them within two years, and a significant number regain the lost weight soon after.
Fact: Most People Stop the Shots Within Two Years
Despite their initial success, real-world data indicate that adherence to GLP-1 medications tends to decline over time. Recent studies have found that more than 50% of patients discontinued GLP-1 therapy within the first year, and adherence continued to decrease in the second year (Weiss et al., 2020).
Factors contributing to this include cost, gastrointestinal side effects, injection fatigue, and unrealistic weight loss expectations.
Fact: Weight Regain After Discontinuation Is Common
Stopping GLP-1 therapy often leads to a reversal of weight loss. One of the most cited studies, the STEP 1 trial follow-up, found that participants regained two-thirds of the weight they had lost within one year of stopping semaglutide (Wilding et al, 2022).
In that study, participants initially lost an average of 17.3% of their body weight over 68 weeks. But after they stopped taking the medication, most regained about 11.6% of their baseline weight, suggesting that without ongoing treatment and lifestyle changes, weight loss is difficult to maintain.
Why Does the Weight Come Back?
This is the million-dollar question. GLP-1 medications work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which regulates hunger and satiety. Once the drug is stopped, hormonal and neurological cues that regulate appetite return to baseline, and many people experience a resurgence in cravings and reduced metabolic efficiency.
Additionally, it appears that if healthy lifestyle habits aren’t deeply embedded during the medication phase, people are more likely to revert to old behaviors, leading to weight regain.
It is worth noting that weight regain after weight loss is common, regardless of the original intervention, including bariatric surgery and attempts at dieting. The fact that the gut microbiome of an overweight individual varies significantly from that of a thin individual is one of many areas of inquiry being studied (van Baak & Mariaman, 2025).
So Why Take the Shots in the First Place?
GLP-1 medications can be a practical starting point for weight loss, but for many, they may not be a permanent solution. If you're considering or already using these medications, it's crucial to pair them with:
Nutritional support
Physical activity
Behavioral therapy
Long-term accountability
All of these recommendations can be easier said than done. Furthermore, most doctors lack the time or expertise to provide personalized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations to all their GLP-1 patients. That is where my on-demand class, GLP-1 Nutrition & Lifestyle Support, may be helpful.
Furthermore, GLP-1 shots can help quiet the “food noise” that torments many people struggling with weight loss. Being attuned to food cues is an essential part of human biology, as without food, we cannot survive.
The question is, why are some people more vulnerable to “food noise” than others? Part of the problem is that for the first time in history, we are flooded with hyperpalatable foods designed to be addictive. In my opinion, the problem lies more with our obesogenic society than with any individual struggling against an onslaught of food advertising (Hayashi et al., 2023).
Taking the shots should help reduce “food noise,” allowing for the implementation of new nutrition and lifestyle habits that will support a successful weight loss journey, regardless of whether the medication is continued.
Click below to learn more about my affordable class and how it can help you make your weight loss journey safer and more sustainable.
Disclaimer
The included information is not meant to or should not be used to replace or substitute medical treatment, recommendations, or the advice of your physician or health care provider. The information contained within is strictly for educational purposes and is based on evidence-based nutrition. If you believe you have a medical problem or condition, please contact your physician or healthcare provider.
References
Hayashi, D., Edwards, C., Emond, J. A., Gilbert-Diamond, D., Butt, M., Rigby, A., & Masterson, T. D. (2023). What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity. Nutrients, 15(22), 4809. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224809
van Baak, M. A., & Mariman, E. C. M. (2025). Physiology of Weight Regain after Weight Loss: Latest Insights. Current obesity reports, 14(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-025-00619-x
Weiss, T., Carr, R. D., Pal, S., Yang, L., Sawhney, B., Boggs, R., Rajpathak, S., & Iglay, K. (2020). Real-World Adherence and Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in the United States. Patient preference and adherence, 14, 2337–2345. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S277676
Wilding JPH, et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. 24(8):1553-1564. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.14725