21/01/2026
GLP-1 medications produce dramatic weight loss - 14.7 kg on average.
But new data from 37 studies reveals what happens when people stop taking them:
Most people regain all weight lost within 1.5 years of stopping these drugs.
Even more concerning is the potential that much of the weight regained is fat, not lost muscle.
Here's what the data shows:
These drugs work incredibly well while you're taking them - the participants in this analysis lost 14.7 kg on average with semaglutide and tirzepatide.
But when treatment stopped, the weight returned at about 0.8 kg per month.
A critical issue here is studies suggest as much as 40-60% of weight lost when using GLP-1s is lean tissue (including muscle), not just fat.
And when the weight returns, muscle is slow to rebuild and requires deliberate effort, but fat comes back easily.
That means each cycle of weight loss and regain potentially worsens body composition further, moving people toward "sarcopenic obesity" - a condition where excess fat is paired with insufficient muscle and strength.
Unfortunately, this analysis didn’t include measures of body composition. So we can’t be sure exactly what was lost, or what came back.
But we do know severe weight cycling in adults with obesity increases the risk of low muscle mass by nearly 4x and low handgrip strength by over 6x.
Now for the discontinuation problem:
About 50% of people stop GLP-1 drugs within 12 months. Within 2 years, over 70% discontinue.
And when they do, weight returns 4x faster than with behavioral programs.
Cardiometabolic improvements (HbA1c, blood pressure, lipids) also reverse on the same timeline.
What this means:
Without resistance training and adequate protein, these drugs risk creating a concerning pattern - short-term weight loss followed by long-term deterioration of the tissues that keep you strong and independent.
So what’s the solution here?
Resistance training is the only intervention that preserves muscle mass, improves strength, and maintains physical function during weight loss.
GLP-1 drugs might help you lose weight faster, but they won't protect your muscle, build your strength, or develop the capacity to stay strong and independent.
This data again shows why you can’t outsource your health to a prescription.
Only YOU can protect what keeps you strong.
If YOU need help with your nutrition or training, please reqxh out as we can help!
Justin Moran
Managing Director
Just In Time Personal Training
0411 798 934
www.justintimept.com
