A large review published in the BMJ found that people who stopped weight loss treatments were projected to regain much of the weight they had lost within around a year and a half. Experts quoted in the article were clear on one point, weight loss medication works, but it works best when it is part of a wider, supported approach.
This is not a failure of the medication, and it is certainly not a failure of the person taking it. It is a reminder that sustainable weight loss is about more than appetite suppression alone (1).
Why weight regain can happen after stopping treatment
Weight loss medication helps regulate appetite and reduce hunger signals. While someone is taking it, eating less often feels easier, portions may naturally reduce and cravings may be quieter.
When treatment stops, appetite typically returns. If someone has not had the chance to build lasting strategies around eating patterns, nutrition, movement and mindset, managing that return of appetite can feel challenging.
The research suggests that people who rely on medication alone may have fewer strategies to fall back on once treatment ends. In contrast, those who have practised behavioural approaches alongside weight loss often regain weight more gradually.
This is why many clinicians stress that weight loss medication should not be presented as a quick fix, but as part of a longer-term plan.
What supported treatment looks like in practice
At CheqUp, weight loss medication is never treated as a solution on its own. It sits within a longer-term programme designed to support members while they are on treatment and to help them plan confidently for what comes next.
A key part of that support is direct access to CheqUp’s clinical team. Through our clinician chat service, members can speak with a qualified clinician about their medication at any point, whether they have questions about dosing, side effects, treatment duration, or what stopping or maintaining treatment might look like for them.
This ongoing clinical access helps members understand their options, make informed decisions and feel supported if their needs change over time, including conversations about pausing treatment or moving into a maintenance phase when appropriate.
Alongside clinical support, members also have unlimited 1:1 sessions with a qualified Health Coach. These conversations focus on practical, realistic changes that fit into everyday life, rather than rigid rules or short-term restrictions.
Support focuses on:
- building balanced eating habits that prioritise protein, fibre and hydration
- understanding how appetite may change at different stages of treatment
- managing side effects in a personalised, clinician-reviewed way
- developing routines and strategies that still feel achievable if treatment is paused or stopped
To further support this day to day, CheqUp members also have free access to the Support App by WeightWatchers, which helps track food, hydration and activity, turning awareness into consistency over time.
A clinical perspective
“As a Clinician, I see weight loss medication as a valuable part of care, but not the whole answer,” says Aaron Arman, Superintendent Pharmacist at CheqUp. “These treatments can make change feel more achievable, but long-term success comes from helping people build sustainable eating habits and making healthier lifestyle changes. That support needs to be in place from the very beginning, not added later.”
Planning beyond treatment
The article also highlights a reality many people face. Some stop treatment due to side effects, others because of cost, and some because they reach a point where continuing no longer feels right for them. This is why planning for what comes next matters.
CheqUp’s programme is designed to help members understand that progress is not linear, and that maintenance is a skill that can be learned. The focus is on confidence, knowing how to respond when appetite fluctuates, progress slows, or life circumstances change.
Weight loss medication can be a powerful part of a weight loss journey, but lasting change comes from education, support and consistency over time.
A more sustainable way forward
The wider conversation in the press is an important one. It reinforces the need for responsible, supported weight loss care that looks beyond short-term outcomes and focuses on long-term health.
With the right support in place, weight loss medication can play a meaningful role in sustainable change. At CheqUp, that support is built into everything we do.
Log in to My Account to speak with a Clinician, book a Health Coach call or to download the Support App from WeightWatchers.
References:
West S, Scragg J, Aveyard P, Oke J L, Willis L, Haffner S J P et al. Weight regain after cessation of medication for weight management: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2026; 392 :e085304 doi:10.1136/bmj-2025-085304
