5 Tips to Keep Weight Off After GLP-1 Shots

One of the biggest problems with weight loss drugs like Ozempic? Many people gain weight after they stop taking them. Dr. Jennifer McCann is a board-certified OB/GYN and Obesity Medicine specializing in complete women's care “that incorporates total wellness including considerations in gynecology, hormonal status, and weight optimization.” In a recent viral video, she shares the top 5 most effective tips to keep weight off after weight loss shots like semaglutide, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. “Learn how to keep weight off and even lose more weight. This video is useful for weight loss from injections and bariatric surgery like gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, as well as for very low-calorie diets,” she writes in the caption. “One of the most common questions I get is, what's next? How will I keep the weight off now that I've lost it? So in today's video, we're going to go over the top five tips to keep the weight off,” she adds in the clip.

Tip 1: Consume More Protein

Tip number one is “protein, protein, protein,” she says. “Protein is what builds your muscle, and your muscle does what? Burn calories. So, if you lose your muscle by not taking in enough protein, then you're actually going not to burn as many calories. So it's very important to get enough protein in your diet to keep your muscle, which will keep or even increase your metabolism so you can take in a few more calories and still keep the weight off.”

Consume One Pound of Protein Per Pound of Lean Body Mass

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So, how much protein do you actually need? “Generally, you need one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass,” says Dr. McCann. “There are many scales widely available now that measure your body composition. And this will tell you how much lean body mass you have. And this is going to be the minimum to keep your muscle. You need to get in a little bit more protein than this if you actually want to increase your muscle. So by keeping or even increasing your muscle mass, you will keep or increase your metabolism, which will be easier to keep the weight off even when you start taking in a few extra calories.”

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Protein Will Also Keep You Full

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“Not only does protein help with your metabolism, but it also helps control hunger when used as a part of a carb moderation diet and specifically carb with a low glycemic index, which we'll get to a few tips from now,” she says. “So make sure you take in enough protein to keep your muscle.”

Tip 2: Watch Your Fat Intake

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But not just any protein will do. It needs to be lean protein, she says. “Tip number two is watch your fat,” she explains. “Unless you're doing ketosis diet, and unless you're in ketosis, you need to watch the amount of fat that you get in your diet. So, if you're in ketosis, you can take in as much fat as you want because you're using that to burn energy. If you're not in ketosis and you're just doing car moderation, that is not the case. If you take in too much fat, you will gain weight.” She notes that women should consume around 35 grams of fat per day and men 55 if trying to lose weight.

Here Are Good and Bad Protein Sources

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Peanut butter, whole eggs, a lot of cheese, and even nuts are fatty proteins, she says. “All of these foods are going to have a lot of fat for the protein content. So if you're trying to get in a hundred grams of protein a day, you don't need foods that have a one-to-one ratio, protein to fat.” Instead, “some healthy alternatives that have a lot of protein and not as much fat” are beef jerky, “which is very low fat with high protein,” fish like salmon, “packed full of omega,” protein shake supplements, “especially with a whey protein,” and Greek yogurt, which she calls “a magic food.”

Tip 3: Watch Your Carbs

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Tip number three: watch your carbs. “If you can't adhere to the ketosis diet, then just try carb moderation or carb restriction to where you're still keeping an eye on the carbs that you eat, but you're not in ketosis,” she recommends. “This is necessary to help you keep the weight off.”

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Pay Attention to the Glycemic Index

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“Specifically, you wanna do the low glycemic carbs” and pay attention to the glycemic index, “a value used to measure how much a specific food raises your blood sugar,” she says. “The higher glycemic index that a carb has, the more it will increase your blood sugar, which an hour and a half to two hours later will eventually make you hungry.”

Stick to Low Glycemic Carbs

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“A low glycemic index carb is what you're looking for, and the glycemic index can be found on multiple different websites,” she says. “Generally, you don't wanna take in more carbs than protein during the day. So if you need a hundred grams of protein to keep your lean body mass to keep your muscle, don't take in more than a hundred grams of carbs.”

Tip 4: Watch Your Sugar Intake

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Tip number four is to watch your sugar intake. “This is very important, so just go ahead and stop all the sugary drinks,” she says. “One can of soda a day for a year will make you gain 15 pounds, so just stopping the sodas, which I know is easy to say and sometimes hard to do, will help you keep the weight off.” Sugary drinks will also make you hungry, “so in order to help curb your hunger and keep the weight off, you have to stop, especially the sugar drinks, especially sodas.” A great alternative? Coffee with some skim milk. “You're getting your protein,” she points out. “Sip on it for a few hours. It will help curb your hunger.”

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Tip 5: Exercise

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Tip number five is exercise. “Unfortunately, there's just no getting you around this one. Exercise is important to keep or increase your muscle, and we've already been over the fact that muscle is what keeps or increases your metabolism, and that's how you're going to keep the weight off when you take in more calories.” She does note that you don’t have to spend an hour at the gym every day. “If you're just starting out again, 20 minutes. There's a reason why HIIT classes are so popular: you can get into that fat-burning exercise in less time. So a HIIT class, 20 minutes on your elliptical at home,” she continues. “It will increase your muscle, which will help with your metabolism. If you have physical limitations, you may need to see a specialist to help you know what exercises you can do to build your muscle so you can keep the weight off.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

If you're taking Wegovy or Ozempic but not seeing the results you want, these expert tips could be the game-changer you need. "If losing weight was just about finding the perfect diet plan or exercise routine, well, you wouldn't be here," says Dr. Dan, a pharmacist and obesity management expert. Through his popular YouTube channel, he's helped thousands optimize their GLP-1 medication results by combining medical expertise with practical lifestyle strategies. Read on to discover how to make your medication work harder for lasting weight loss success.

Understanding GLP-1 Medications

Let's start with some information about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. Dr. Sue Decotiis, MD, a weight-loss doctor in NYC, explains, "They enhance the release and action of insulin throughout the body, which helps with fat loss." These medications work in multiple ways: they suppress appetite through receptors in the gut and brain, reset your body's fat-holding rate, and improve insulin function. Dr. Decotiis notes, "When insulin works well, you can burn fat; when it doesn't, you gain weight." Additionally, these medications help regulate hormones that may have changed due to aging or stress.

Your Primal Brain and The Weight Loss Challenge

"We are dealing with an inconsolable child that is your irrational, emotional, and hedonistic primal brain," Dr. Dan reveals. "It fundamentally doesn't want you to lose weight. It doesn't want you to cut out the sweet, and it really doesn't want you to become more active." While medications can help "cage or put up a fence for our primal brain," maintaining good lifestyle practices is crucial to prevent weight regain.

Prioritize Protein to Preserve Muscle Mass

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"Protein is absolutely essential for everybody, but particularly for individuals on GLP-1 medications," says Dr. Dan. He emphasizes aiming for 30 grams of protein at meals and 20 grams at snacks. "Not only does protein help to keep us fuller for longer so we consume less food, but if your body needs carbs or fats, it can take protein and convert it into those two macronutrients." Start early in the day and increase intake gradually. Consider both animal proteins (chicken, beef, eggs) and plant-based options (tofu, lentils).

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Create Consistent Meal Times to Manage Hunger

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"You see, 30,000 years ago, when we were living in caves, we didn't have any predictability in our lives," Dr. Dan explains. "Our primal brain is used to being in that world. But really what it wants is that predictability." By establishing regular meal times, you can better manage hunger and avoid making poor food choices when "hangry." The key is creating a routine your body can rely on. "Aim for being predictable and boring," he advises.

Don't Cut Calories Too Low

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"When you drastically cut your calories, you really piss your primal brain off," Dr. Dan warns. He describes the familiar cycle: "Spending an entire week on a diet starving themselves, white-knuckling it until Friday, and then Friday comes, and we start to ease up." This pattern leads to weekend binges and Monday restarts. Instead of aiming for 1,200 calories, which he says "is already too low," calculate your appropriate intake for sustainable weight loss.

Focus on Fiber for Fullness and Health

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"Fiber is really the unsung hero," Dr. Dan shares. "Not only can it keep us fuller for longer, which when paired with the GLP-1 medications is a great little tool, but fiber through fruits and veggies provide us with a lot of micronutrients." He recommends at least 25 grams daily through foods and supplements like Metamucil. "Plus, fiber can help you manage any side effects from a GI perspective that you might experience with the GLP-1s."

Make Exercise Work for You

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"Exercise is pretty hard to go wrong with," Dr. Dan notes, but many people overcomplicate it. "People tend to get caught up in the all or nothing in that if I can't do something for at least an hour, there's no point in doing it." He particularly advocates for resistance training: "It allows you to have a way to quickly see results beyond what the scale might be telling you." Start small with hand weights during walks or basic strength exercises. "You're not going to magically turn into a bodybuilder overnight. What's going to happen is you're going to get stronger, you're going to feel better, and you're going to feel more confident."

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The Power of Consistency

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"Consistency might be the most important factor because, without consistency, everything else that I've already talked about is pretty much useless," Dr. Dan emphasizes. He compares it to investing: "We're doing a small action every single day consistently until it builds and builds and builds and eventually compounds to give us our big fat outcome." Don't overcomplicate your routine; focus on showing up every day. "The more consistent that you are, the faster the results are going to be."

The Science of Satiety and Success

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Understanding how these medications affect your appetite can help you optimize their benefits. "Weight loss drugs have a tremendous effect on satiety, shutting down appetite so the patient feels full after eating much less food," Dr. Decotiis explains. This biological change makes it easier to follow Dr. Dan's recommendations for consistent meal timing and appropriate calorie intake. However, it's important to note that these changes may be temporary without proper habits in place. Research shows that after discontinuing medication, many people regain significant weight – one study found participants regained two-thirds of their weight loss within a year of stopping the medication.

Mental and Physical Benefits

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The journey with GLP-1 medications often brings benefits beyond weight loss. "When people lose weight, they have better self-esteem, and they feel more confident in their own skin," Dr. Decotiis shares. Some patients experience improved focus and reduced anxiety. These positive changes, combined with the physical improvements from following Dr. Dan's exercise and nutrition recommendations, create a comprehensive approach to better health.

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Making the Most of Your Medication

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For optimal results, medical guidelines recommend using GLP-1 medications "along with an individualized low-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program." By following Dr. Dan's strategies while maintaining consistent medication use, you're setting yourself up for the best possible outcomes. Remember, these medications are powerful tools, but they work best when combined with sustainable lifestyle changes that you can maintain long-term. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 20 Incredible Ozempic Success Stories of All Time.