Keeping the Weight Off 

“When you begin a GLP-1, addressing emotional eating should be at the top of the list,” nutritionist Rovenia Brock, Ph.D., said. (Photo: Andreas/Getty)

The greatest concern many women have about GLP-1s is that they will regain all of their weight once they stop using the drug. The most in-depth trials have found that this is not true for everyone. A 2026 study of 9,000 people found that most of them regained two-thirds of their weight one year after stopping the drugs, but those who lost more than 15% of their body weight or more retained meaningful weight loss. The study also compared people who lost weight on GLP-1s to people who used a behavioral weight loss program and found that GLP-1 users regained the weight faster. This last finding points to a key issue highlighted by nutritionists —for many people, GLP-1s do nothing to address the reasons people overeat.

“Once you lose the weight, how do you live your life off of this drug?” asked Rovenia Brock, Ph.D., a nutritionist and expert in the connection between food and feelings. “People often make food choices related to things that have happened to them, not just nutrition. When you begin a GLP-1, addressing emotional eating should be at the top of the list.”

Danielle Smiley, a registered dietitian, had similar advice. “People will lose the weight and stop the drugs and the food noise comes back,” Smiley said. “You have to look at sleep, stress management, setting boundaries and physical activity and making time for yourself as well and prioritize eating proteins and fiber. It’s such a layered situation.”

The bottom line, Dr. Narain said, is that “we do not have a good way to get people off of these medications, but people are trying their darndest to find an answer … because we know that these medications have given people hope.”

Sheree Crute is co-founder and editor-in-chief of FierceforBlackWomen.com.