I'm a Dietitian and This One Mistake Leads to Faster Regain After GLP-1 Meds

A dietitian can be your best friend when it comes to personalizing a nutritious, calorie-conscious meal plan that will help you lose weight, along with healthy habits that are sustainable long-term. After all, dropping pounds is only half the journey. It's essential to be accountable, focused, and determined in order to keep the weight off.

Sadly, it's an unfortunate fact that most dieters who drop a good amount of weight regain it in two to three years. The reason? Some studies say when you lower your calorie intake for weight loss, the rate of your calorie burn also drops—making weight loss more challenging.

With the increasing use of GLP-1 prescriptions to reach a certain goal, it's essential to educate yourself on life after GLP-1 drugs. Weight maintenance needs to be viewed as a lifestyle—not just a diet. To get started, we learned the most common mistake experts see that leads to faster weight regain after discontinuing GLP-1 medications from Dr. Shyamala Vishnumohan, PhD, Food Scientist and Accredited Practicing Dietitian.

Make sure you cross this one habit off the list.

"The big trap is using medication as the plan—the whole plan or the only plan. So when it is stopped, there is nothing to fall back on. GLP-1s work best when they're built as an add-on to diet and exercise habits, not a replacement for them," Dr. Vishnumohan explains. "I describe GLP-1 as a 'noise-cancelling headset' to my patients. While it's on, it's easier to make reasonable choices even if your routine is a bit messy. When it comes off, hunger can feel louder again, and for some people, that's when choices tend to feel harder, and structure matters most. Because when hunger comes back strongly, we tend to reach for something that is quick, easy, and convenient—this is how grazing kicks in, and the risk of weight regain is higher."

Several things happen after weight loss and stopping GLP-1. The biggest, most damaging one of all? The "appetite brake" comes off. If you don't have a solid plan in place, it's way too easy to fall into your old eating habits and routines.

There's a logical explanation for this easy weight gain—and it's not all your fault.

"After weight loss, your body often 'pushes back': you burn a bit fewer calories and hunger signals ramp up. We are biologically designed to defend weight. If you did not protect muscle (from low protein/no resistance training), resting energy needs drop further, so regain happens more easily," explains Dr. Vishnumohan.

This regain doesn't happen overnight. Extra pounds can start to come back several weeks or months after, without steps in place for diet and exercise. This makes it essential that you have a game plan in place from day one.

Dr. Vishnumohan suggests not waiting until you are done with your GLP-1 course to have an eating plan in place.

"Think of someone who starts GLP-1s and says, 'My appetite is finally quiet—I'm barely thinking about food.' That's your window to build the safety net, ideally with a registered dietitian. People who do well are the ones who are intentional—they plan a few go-to meals, keep protein automatic, keep fiber and fluids up," Dr. Vishnumohan says.

Dr. Vishnumohan also recommends performing two quick strength training workouts each week while still on your weight-loss drugs, being "intentional while it's easier." This way, you've already started a routine. It will be harder to start after you've completed your medication and attempt to start good habits when your hunger kicks back in.

Strength training is an essential part of any weight-loss journey, since you naturally lose muscle as the number on the scale goes down. Incorporating bodyweight exercises and free weights into your regular routine is not a question, but a must.

If you're curious about what else GLP-1s can do, check out 5 Surprising Health Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs That Have Nothing to Do With Weight Loss.