The short answer
The best evidence points to support that keeps going after the medicine stops. In a small pilot of people who stopped, regain after 4 months was 10.75% on usual care, versus about 3.6% with a digital wellness app or medically tailored meals.1
Your prescriber decides about your medicine. Reviewed November 14, 2026.What people ask
Searched every month
- glp 1 meal plan2,900
- how to not gain weight after stopping ozempic1,600
- how to keep weight off after zepbound720
US Google searches a month, 12-month average to November 2026 (Google Ads Keyword Planner).
What the research says
The numbers, on average
- 3.6 kgregained in the year after exercise ended, vs 9.6 kg after liraglutide alone, on average2
- 0.1 kgregained a month after behavioural programmes ended, vs 0.8 kg after the newer medicines4
- 39people in the pilot trial of app and meal support after stopping1
- Usual care
- 10.75%
- Digital wellness app
- 3.6%
- Medically tailored meals
- 3.58%
Habits of people who keep weight off
The joint advisory cites the National Weight Control Registry: regular meal times, breakfast, minimally processed foods higher in fiber and protein, and fewer sugary drinks.3
Exercise mattered most in one trial
After a year of treatment ended, people who had exercised regained 3.6 kg on average, versus 9.6 kg after liraglutide alone.2
Bigger losses left more behind
In STEP 1, people who had lost 20% or more were still 12.1% below their start a year after stopping, on average.5
What it means for meals
A maintenance plate
Protein
A palm or more at each meal.
Fiber
Vegetables, beans and whole grains at lunch and dinner.
Fewer sugary drinks
Water, coffee or tea most of the time.3
Alma logs a meal from a photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds and shows protein and fiber for each meal.
Questions people ask
What helps most after stopping?
In trials, exercise and ongoing support with meals were linked with less regain. The studies so far are small.
Should I count calories?
Not necessarily. Tracking protein, fiber and regular meal times is a simpler place to start, and it is what the joint advisory focuses on.
How long should I keep it up?
Regain was fastest in the first year in the trials, so the first year off is a good time to keep habits steady.
Sources
- Hollis-Hansen et al. 2026. Preventing weight regain after stopping GLP-1 therapy: a pilot randomized trial. Obesity Science and Practice.
- Jensen et al. 2024. Weight maintenance with exercise, liraglutide or both, then one year without treatment. eClinicalMedicine.
- Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: joint advisory of ACLM, ASN, OMA and The Obesity Society, 2025.
- Weight regain after stopping weight-loss medicines: systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 studies. The BMJ, 2026.
- Wilding et al. 2022. Weight regain and health effects after stopping semaglutide: STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
- Aronne et al. 2024. Continued tirzepatide vs placebo for weight maintenance: the SURMOUNT-4 trial. JAMA.
US Google searches a month, 12-month average to November 2026 (Google Ads Keyword Planner). Editorial standards
Alma does not give medical advice. Starting, stopping or changing a GLP-1 dose is a decision for your prescriber.
