One of the top concerns with stopping GLP-1 medications is rebound weight gain. As effective as they are, weight loss medications aren’t a long-term solution for everyone. If you’ve decided to stop taking your medication due to nausea, side effects, or any other reason, you may be worried about rebound weight gain. Here’s what you need to know.
What is rebound weight gain?
Rebound weight gain refers to regaining the weight you lost. With fad diets, you’re likely to surpass your starting weight. This is often due to binge eating as a response to extreme caloric reduction. When you lose weight gradually, you’re more likely to keep the weight off, and if you gain weight, you’re less likely to surpass your starting weight.
Top reasons to stop GLP-1s
Studies find that 2 out of 3 people stop taking GLP-1 medications within the first year. This is often due to:
- Cost: Most insurance plans only cover GLP-1s if they’re utilized for diabetes. So, the long-term cost begins to add up. Our GLP-1 prices may be lower than your current provider!
- Side effects: Whether severe or low-grade, chronic nausea and other side effects may be too much to bear. That said, taking your weight loss medication with weekly supervision can minimize side effects. For example, lowering your dose may be enough to improve your quality of life.
- Plateau: If you initially had results, but you’ve plateaued without hitting your goal weight, you may not be motivated to continue with your weekly injection. We can work with you to identify the next steps for continued fat reduction.
- Achieved goals: Hitting your goal weight or achieving other health goals that are influenced by obesity is a common reason to eliminate your weekly injection. Be mindful that you’ll need to establish new health and lifestyle habits to maintain your current weight.
Now, let’s explore what you can do to maintain your weight and biomarkers when you stop taking GLP-1s.
1. Rebound weight gain may be inevitable
Let’s begin with the hard truth, without supportive changes, you may gradually regain all the weight you lost. GLP-1 agonists regulate glucose (blood sugar) and appetite. Without your weekly dose, your body may not be able to regulate weight-related hormones. So, even with willpower, proper nutrition, and exercise, you may regain some or all of your weight.
2. Identify why you struggle to lose weight
As mentioned above, obesity is often a sign of a hormonal or internal imbalance in your body. Sometimes, but not always. Or there could be multiple contributing factors.
Some of the top causes of obesity include:
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic boredom
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Poor nutrition
- Genetics
- Health conditions
- Imbalanced microbiome
- Medication side effects
- Declining estrogen
- Declining testosterone
- Other hormonal imbalance
How the microbiome influences weight?
Think of gut bacteria less as “good” or “bad” and more as “too much of a good thing is bad”. The microbiome is a delicate balance. When you don’t eat enough fiber, your body can’t grow the diverse range of bacteria required for optimal microbial balance. In addition, overconsumption of sugar, chemical additives, and processed foods (even with adequate fiber intake) kills bacteria that help regulate appetite. Also, when bacteria are imbalanced in a negative way, it causes you to crave processed foods that feed the imbalance.
Gut bacteria also influence:
- Nutrient absorption
- Immune function
- Hormone regulation
- Mood and behavior
- Whole-body health
3. Create supportive lifestyle changes
Due in large part to appetite suppression, it’s possible to lose a significant amount of weight with GLP-1s without making healthy lifestyle changes. So, if you’re still eating a diet high in processed sugars, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods—the odds of rebound weight gain are high.
With the win of weight loss, it may be easier to make supportive lifestyle changes. So, if you can wait a few more months before stopping your GLP-1, implement medical weight loss strategies that will help you maintain results. If your side effects are severe, this may not be an option. You can leverage the medical weight loss solutions below at any time.
4. Taper off of your GLP-1 medication
Just like you gradually increased your dose when you started taking GLP-1 medication, gradually taper off if you can. This is less of a shock to your body, allowing you to adjust to your increased food cravings. If your side effects are severe, tapering off may not be an option.
Make this decision with the guidance of a medical practitioner, ideally a medical weight loss specialist, such as Valley Medical Weight Loss and Med Spa. We’ll advise on how to decrease your dose and at what intervals. Also, on what scientifically proven weight maintenance strategies are right for you.
5. Transition to Lipotropic injections
If you’re stopping GLP-1 due to side effects, Lipotropic injections or other vitamin injections may help your body self-regulate without nausea. Lipotropic injections (aka. MIC injections) are also less expensive than GLP-1s.
This is the standard MIC formulation, which helps to:
- Methionine is an amino acid and antioxidant that aids in detoxification, depression, inflammation, liver function, relieving pain, preventing excess fat in the liver and body, and metabolism.
- Inositol is a B complex vitamin that prevents fat buildup in the cells, walls of your heart, arteries, and brain by breaking down fatty deposits. This often results in lower cholesterol. It also boosts your mood and acts as an appetite suppressant.
- Choline is an essential nutrient that most adults are deficient in. It promotes cell function and nutrient distribution throughout the body, and boosts brain, nerve, and liver function.
- B1 promotes a healthy heart, minimizes stress, and supports brain and memory function.
- B5 is an essential nutrient that boosts energy and the catabolism of fatty acids and amino acids.
- L-Carnitine can reduce fatigue, suppress appetite, and increase strength to build more muscle. More muscle mass, results in an optimized metabolism.
In addition to Methionine, Inositol, Choline, B1, and L-Carnitine, Lipo Maxx includes the vitamins below, which may be effective when you stop taking your GLP-1 medication.
- B2/Riboflavin boosts immunity, supports vision and eye health, and regulates thyroid function. It also optimizes the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
- B6/Pyridoxamine promotes healthy skin and minimizes acne and breakouts. It also boosts red blood cells and helps to metabolize fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
- B12 boosts energy levels, minimizes stress, and promotes better sleep.
6. Medical-grade appetite suppressant
If your food cravings return in full force, we may also suggest an appetite suppressant.
We offer a few different options:
- Crave-A-Way: Crave-A-Way is a supplement included with our Weekly Weight Loss Program. It curbs cravings for sweets, carbohydrates, and even drugs and alcohol.
- Daily injection: If your BMI is 27 or higher and you also have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, we may suggest a daily appetite suppressant that you self-inject at home.
- Maximum Slim: Maximum Slim cocoa coffee is formulated with green tea extract, green coffee bean extract, and ginseng to help you control your appetite. It’s a delicious coffee or latte additive that supports sustainable energy, improved metabolism, optimal immune function, and natural detoxification.
- Meta-Blast: Meta-Blast is an amino-acid supplement that helps curb cravings and suppress appetite, while promoting a range of whole-body benefits.
- Other supplements and injections: We’ll assess your overall health and biometrics to determine what supplements will help to optimize your body and support weight maintenance and whole-body health.
7. Medical weight loss program
Yo-yo diets didn’t work before your weekly injection, and they won’t work once you stop your GLP-1 either. Instead of turning to the latest fad diet to maintain your results, sign up for our Weekly Weight Loss Program.
This cost-effective program includes:
- A physician consultation
- Weekly check-ins and support
- Crave-A-Way supplement
- Meta-Blast supplement
- B12 injection
- Personalized meal plan
Meal plan, not a deprivation diet
Diets don’t work! Your personalized meal plan tailors your calories and nutrients around your lifestyle and individual needs. Unlike a diet, you’ll feel satiated and satisfied, and the meals taste amazing! The meals we prescribe leverage food as fuel to power you through the day, while supporting weight loss or weight maintenance.
8. Increase strength training
If you aren’t yet, strength train for 20 to 30 minutes at least 3 days a week. This helps maintain lean muscle mass, which is increasingly important after the age of 50. At any age, strength training helps your body burn more calories, even when you’re at rest.
Also, consider working with a personal trainer to tailor your workouts. Even if it’s just a few sessions, you can learn how to optimize your training. Or strength train with a fitness app.
9. Get your hormones tested
If you’re over the age of 45, consider getting your hormones tested. This includes testing estrogen in women, testosterone in men, and testing other hormones. If you’re estrogen or testosterone is low, we may prescribe bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). A decrease in either hormone can contribute to weight gain, particularly weight gained in the abdomen.
Let’s discuss the best strategy for stopping GLP-1
If you’ve determined that GLP-1 isn’t right for you, we’ll work with you to tailor your weight loss program that address the key issues that contribute to why you struggle with your weight. It’s not a lack of willpower, it’s a solution we’ll address from the inside-out!
Schedule your consultation today! For your convenience, we have locations in Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale, and Chandler!
*DISCLAIMER The above information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All weight loss is a result of the individual’s body type and medical weight loss plan. Individual results and experiences may vary.
