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Weight regain after stopping: what the trials show for you
In trials, people who stopped Wegovy regained about two-thirds of the weight they'd lost within a year, and people who stopped Mounjaro regained about 14% of their body weight, on average. Those are averages, not your future. Put in your numbers to see what they mean for you, and what helps.
Why weight tends to come back
GLP-1 medicines quieten appetite and food noise. When they leave your body, hunger usually returns, and a smaller body needs less food to stay steady. That gap is biology, not a lack of effort. More in what happens when you stop.
Where the numbers come from
- Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic): the STEP 1 trial extension followed people for a year after they stopped. On average they regained about two-thirds of what they'd lost.
- Tirzepatide (Mounjaro): in SURMOUNT-4, people who were switched to a placebo regained about 14% of their body weight over the following year. About one in six regained less than a quarter of what they'd lost.
- All weight-loss medicines: a review of 37 studies in The BMJ found an average regain of about 0.4 kg a month after stopping.
Trials are averages across thousands of people. Your own result depends on your body, your habits and the support you have.
What helps you hold steady
- Plan before your last dose, with your prescriber. See questions to ask.
- Protein at every meal and two strength sessions a week to protect muscle.
- Know your maintenance calories: try the maintenance calorie calculator.
- Watch your 7-day average and act early, kindly, if it drifts.
Common questions
Will I put weight back on after stopping Mounjaro?
Many people regain some. In the SURMOUNT-4 trial, people switched from tirzepatide (Mounjaro) to a placebo regained about 14% of their body weight over a year on average, though about one in six regained less than a quarter of what they'd lost.
How much weight do people regain after stopping Wegovy?
In the STEP 1 trial extension, people who stopped semaglutide (Wegovy) had regained about two-thirds of the weight they'd lost within a year, on average.
How fast does weight come back after stopping?
A review of 37 studies in The BMJ found an average regain of about 0.4 kg a month after stopping weight-loss medicines. It varies a lot from person to person.
Can I stop the weight coming back?
Nobody can promise that, but protein at every meal, strength exercise twice a week, regular meals, everyday activity and keeping an eye on your weight trend give you the best chance. NICE says people should be offered at least a year of support after treatment ends.
More free tools
- Maintenance calorie calculator for after a weight-loss jab: Roughly how much food keeps your weight steady now, in kg or stones.
Sources
- Wilding et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2022
- Aronne et al. Continued treatment with tirzepatide for maintenance of weight reduction (SURMOUNT-4). JAMA, 2024
- American College of Cardiology journal scan: SURMOUNT-4 weight regain analysis
- BMJ Group: stopping weight-loss drugs linked to weight regain and reversal of heart health markers (review of 37 studies)
- University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Primary Care: weight regain after stopping weight-loss drugs
- NICE quality standard QS212, statement 6: wraparound care alongside medicines for weight management
This tool gives general information, not medical advice, and its numbers are estimates. Steadie never gives advice about medication, doses or stopping treatment: talk to your prescriber, GP or pharmacist about those. Read how we write in our editorial policy.