Ever wondered how medications like Ozempic help with weight loss? It's not magic; there's science behind it. But what exactly does Ozempic do in your body, and why might you gain weight back when you stop taking it? We’ll give you the facts and practical tips for maintaining your progress.
How does Ozempic trigger weight loss?
Ozempic and alike drugs trigger weight loss in a few ways: By making people feel full when eating, so they eat smaller portions, and by sending feelings of fullness to the brain so people feel less hungry throughout the day and focus less on food (i.e., decreasing “food chatter”). These medications also slow the absorption and movement of food through your GI tract, which increases fullness and flattens out the sharp rise in blood sugar, which can be seen with carbohydrate intake.
Why do some people gain weight back when they stop taking Ozempic?
Just like a medication to lower blood pressure, medications for weight loss have these effects described above while you take them, but when you stop them, the effect of the drug also stops. So unless you have made other changes in your life such as adding more exercise or changing the amount and type of foods you eat, you will likely gain a lot of the weight back when stopping the medication.
Because these medications help you feel full quicker, some people can eat high-calorie/low-nutritional-value foods and still lose weight. Changes in how and what we eat are crucial to losing and maintaining weight, even if your goal isn’t to stop the medication.
Some have never truly felt full signals when eating and will tell you these meds have finally helped them to “feel” when to stop eating. If you abruptly take that signal away without having changed your lifestyle, you will gain back weight very quickly.
How can you maintain weight loss after stopping to take Ozempic?
With lifestyle changes, it is possible to maintain your weight loss even if you don’t take weight loss drugs to support it. One key is learning to change your diet to continue to eat the way you ate while on the medication: Eating smaller portions, healthier foods, and listening to your body’s fullness signals. Next is adding physical activity- because exercise is one of the best ways to maintain weight loss in the long term.
Is it possible for anyone to “wean oneself” off of Ozempic?
Some people will be able to discontinue GLP1 medications once they reach a healthy weight but not everyone. Obesity is complex and multifactorial, so many people will need lifelong medication management to maintain their weight.
Ultimately, the end goal for weight loss should be to improve overall health, so it is extremely important to discuss what each individual’s personal “healthy weight” is. Oftentimes, people have unrealistic weight goals, which makes it very difficult to maintain.
It is doable to stop Ozempic and maintain some of the weight they lost if they truly incorporate significant lifestyle changes. However, even for people who change their lifestyle, some weight regain should be expected and shouldn’t be considered a “failure.”
What should people do if they're thinking about stopping a GLP-1 medication, and what type of plan should they have in place for them to have the greatest success?
- Work with a nutritionist to create a sustainable eating plan that includes highly nutritious, unprocessed foods and incorporates an understanding of portion sizes to maintain weight.
- Create an exercise “habit” that they will continue in the long term and stay committed
- Work with their clinician to manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Good mental health is so important for staying committed to healthy lifestyle habits.
- Talk to your physician before stopping any medication, including a GLP-1. There may be important medical reasons to stay on the medication, and it is also appropriate for many people to continue on the medication in the long term to maintain a healthy weight.
- Slow down when eating and pay close attention to your full signals and foods that help you feel those signals quickly without overeating. Once the medication is gone, you can still feel those signals, but you have to pay attention to them.
Key takeaways
While there are things a person can do to help maintain the weight they lose while taking Ozempic or a similar medication, people need to understand that these drugs are often intended to be used in the long term. They may need or want to stay on them chronically to keep their weight in a healthy range, just like they might stay on a blood pressure medication to maintain heart health in the long term.
Talk to the 9amHealth team to develop a plan for healthy weight loss with and without medications. We encourage you to follow our whole-body approach that includes a 360-view of your health.
About the authors
Dr. Avantika Waring, MD has over fifteen years of experience in the medical field, and as the Chief Medical Officer at 9amHealth, she is on a mission to treat diabetes with affordable solutions, focusing on the historically underserved. With experience in both traditional healthcare and start-up spaces, she brings your audience a unique perspective on forming a culturally inclusive approach to patient care: from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
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