Weight Loss Maintenance

You’ve Done It! What Happens Next?

Congratulations on reaching your target weight! We know how much hard work you’ve put in, and we’re genuinely thrilled to see the fantastic results you’ve achieved.

The weight loss is brilliant, but what’s even more exciting are all those health improvements you’ve likely noticed along the way: better blood sugar levels, improved blood pressure, and your overall well-being getting back on track.

Now, we completely understand that you might be feeling a bit anxious about what comes next. “How do I keep this weight off?” is probably the question on your mind right now. Don’t worry, you’re not on your own with this. We’re here to support you every step of the way, just as we have been throughout your weight loss journey.

The Reality About Weight Maintenance

Here’s something important we want to say upfront as not everyone will: obesity is a chronic condition that needs ongoing management, much like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Just as someone with high blood pressure continues taking their medication even when their readings normalise, many people find they need to stay on their GLP-1 medication alongside their healthy lifestyle changes to maintain their results.

This isn’t a failure or weakness – it’s simply how these medications work with your body’s natural systems.

What Actually Happens If You Stop Taking Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)?

We’re not trying to scare you, but it’s important you know the facts. There was a study called SURMOUNT-4 that looked at exactly this question.

In the trial, people who’d reached a stable weight on tirzepatide were split into two groups. Half continued their medication, whilst the other half unknowingly switched to a placebo injection. Over the following year, those who stopped the active medication regained about 14% of their weight, whilst those who stayed on tirzepatide lost another 5.5%.

The key takeaway? The medication is doing important work in your body, and stopping it can lead to weight regain.

Your Maintenance Options: The Pillsorted Maintenance Programme

Every person is different, and what works brilliantly for your neighbour might not be right for you. That’s why our medical team will work closely with you to create a personalised maintenance plan. We’ve looked at all the latest research and clinical guidelines to give you the best evidence-based options.

Here are the three main approaches we can explore together:

Option 1: Stay on Your Current Dose

This is what we call the “gold standard” approach because it’s the most studied and proven method. If your current dose is working well for you – keeping your weight stable and managing your appetite – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with continuing exactly as you are. Think of it like taking a daily vitamin: it’s become part of your routine, and it’s keeping you healthy.

Option 2: Find Your Lowest Effective Dose

Some people prefer to see if they can maintain their results on a slightly lower dose. We can work together to gradually step down your medication whilst keeping a close eye on how you’re feeling.
For example, if you’ve been on 10mg and doing well, we might try reducing to 7.5mg for at least four weeks. During this time, you’ll be monitoring your weight and paying attention to your appetite and those food cravings. If 7.5mg works well, brilliant! If not, we can easily step back up or try a different approach.
The beauty of this method is that it’s completely reversible – if you find a lower dose isn’t quite doing the job, we can always increase it again.

Option 3: Gradually Stop the Medication

Some of our patients feel ready to maintain their weight through lifestyle changes alone, and that’s absolutely fine if it’s right for you. The key word here is “gradually” – we never recommend stopping suddenly.
We’d work together to slowly reduce your dose over several months, giving your body time to adjust. You’d be tracking your weight and appetite closely, so we can spot any changes early and adjust our approach if needed.

Something to be aware of here: if you have stopped the GLP-1 for a period of time and would like to re-start, we would need to re-start on a lower dose and build back up again as needed.

How We’ll Support You Through This

1. When your BMI reaches 26, one of our team will get in touch to start planning your maintenance strategy together. We’ll chat about what feels right for you and agree on your target BMI.

2. Once you reach a BMI of 25, you’ll move to our special maintenance programme. This means we’ll be checking in with you every four weeks – more frequently than during your weight loss phase – to make sure everything’s going smoothly and your plan is working perfectly for you.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

Your journey with us doesn’t end when you reach your goal weight. In many ways, it’s just beginning! We’re committed to supporting you for as long as you need us, whether that’s months or years. You’ve worked incredibly hard to get here, and we’re going to make sure you have every tool and bit of support you need to maintain these fantastic results.

Remember, there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to maintenance. What matters is finding the approach that works for you, fits into your life, and keeps you feeling confident and healthy. We’re here to figure that out together.