What We’ll Cover: 

• What happens when you stop taking medication
• Understanding hunger
• The hunger scale

If you are coming to the end of your treatment with weight-loss medication such as Mounjaro or Wegovy, you may be wondering what happens next.

While taking these medicines, your appetite is lower and you feel full sooner. This can be a very welcome change after years of dieting and feeling hungry.

It is normal to feel unsure about what life will be like when the medication stops.

The good news is that there are simple habits that can help you keep the weight off and protect the health improvements you have made.

This article explains some of the key things that can help you maintain your weight loss and continue supporting your health.

What happens when you stop the medication

Medicines like Mounjaro and Wegovy work by acting on appetite hormones in the body.

They help to:

• Reduce hunger signals
• Slow how quickly food leaves the stomach
• Increase feelings of fullness after eating
• Improve blood sugar regulation, which can help with cravings

Because of these effects, many people naturally eat smaller portions and snack less often while taking the medication.

When the medication stops, these effects gradually reduce. This means that:

• Hunger may increase
• You may feel less full after meals
• Cravings for certain foods may return

Because of this, many people worry that weight gain is inevitable.

However, weight regain is not guaranteed.

During your time on medication, the goal was not only to lose weight but also to build habits that support your health long-term. These habits can continue to help you once the medication has stopped.

Understanding hunger

One important skill when maintaining weight is learning to recognise different types of hunger.

Not all hunger is the same.

Physical hunger

Physical hunger builds gradually. It is your body’s signal that it needs energy.

Signs can include:

• Stomach rumbling
• Low energy
• Difficulty concentrating

Eating a balanced meal usually satisfies physical hunger.

Emotional hunger

Sometimes we eat because of how we feel rather than because we are physically hungry. This type of hunger tends to appear instantly in response to an emotion.

Emotional eating can be linked to:

• Stress
• Boredom
• Tiredness
• Loneliness

If you notice that eating is becoming a way to cope with difficult feelings, it can help to pause and ask yourself:

“Am I hungry, or am I trying to change how I feel?”

Other strategies might include:

• Going for a short walk
• Speaking to someone
• Doing a relaxing activity

You can find out more about managing emotional eating in this video.

Environmental hunger

Sometimes hunger is triggered simply by seeing or smelling food, or by habit. For example, eating snacks while watching television or when others around you are eating.

Learning to pause and recognise which type of hunger you are experiencing can help you make more mindful choices.

The hunger scale

Some people find it helpful to use a hunger scale to guide their eating.

For example:

0 = extremely hungry

5 = comfortably satisfied

10 = very full

The aim is usually to:

• Start eating when you feel moderately hungry
• Stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied

You can read more in this article.

Summary

The end of treatment does not mean the end of your weight management journey. You’ll be able to use all the tools you have learnt whilst on medication to ensure you stay healthy and continue to thrive.