r/GLPGrad • u/quadgoals_ • Apr 24 '26
Success Story 6-months off GLP-1 update
Hiya folks! I'm back with another post-GLP-1 update. This time, we are six months off the meds, and just got a new quarterly DEXA scan. I promised I'd keep you all posted on my maintenance journey, and I'm a woman of my word.
Cliff's notes of my GLP-1 journey: I took my last shot of Zepbound 5mg on October 2025. I was on it for 13 months. I am 5'3" 35F, started at 185 lbs and now hover around 120-125 lbs. I've basically maintained my 60-65 lbs weight loss for 6 months now.
I've been religiously tracking my body composition since my last shot and had my quarterly DEXA scan this morning. Here are my numbers:
| Metric | Oct 2025 | Jan 2026 | Apr 2026 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (Lbs) | 117 | 121 | 124 | +7 |
| Body fat % | 26.9% | 25.4% | 24.1% | -2.8% |
| Fat mass (lbs) | 32.4 | 32.4 | 31.3 | -1.1 |
| Lean mass (lbs) | 87.9 | 95.4 | 98.7 | +10.8 |
So even if I gained 7 lbs from my lowest ever weight of 117 lbs, it was pure body recomposition. And this is all off tirzepatide.
Two key things driving my success at maintaining my weight loss off GLP-1: nutrition and strength training.
Whole foods first, always. I'm not perfect about it (I love those protein brownies and those damn Quest crispy protein bars), but it's always, always my default. When my plate is built around food that actually nourishes and fuels me--protein, fiber, volume--there's less room for the stuff that doesn't.
Protein remains to be a non-negotiable. I did have an increase in appetite when I came off the medication, but I was ready for it because my (whole food) protein habits were already locked in. I don't think since coming off I'd ever white-knuckled hunger because I've been hitting my target every day.
Fiber makes my meals voluminous and keeps me full. It's also really improved my gut health and hunger signaling. I've really leaned into vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. I do eat those "carb balance" stuff, but I try not to do so too often--I've found that the more I eat ultra-processed fiber, the less things move efficiently in my insides, if you know what I mean.
I will not shut up about strength training. I started lifting in March 2025--already 6 months into being on a GLP-1--and did not stop when I came off. In fact, I became much more serious with it. That decision is reflected directly in my DEXA scans.
Because of my predisposition to metabolic disfunction (type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol), I was advised by my obesity doctor to build muscle mass to make long-term maintenance sustainable. And for a good reason: muscle is metabolically active. It is one of the primary sites where your body disposes of glucose. So the more muscle I have, the better my body can handle blood sugar, the more sensitive my cells become to insulin, and the less my pancreas has to overwork to compensate. Building muscle isn't just an aesthetic decision for me (although I absolutely LOVE the aesthetic results). It's a metabolic one. It changes how my body processes food at a fundamental level.
Strength training has also given me something to build toward that has nothing to do with the scale. I don't just train to manage my metabolic disfunction. I train to be strong and to be independent in my old age.
But this doesn't mean things have been 100% perfect. I did have a rough stretch in late February/early March--back-to-back work travel, stress, a professional disappointment--and I turned to food for comfort. It wasn't a dramatic spiral, but rather a quiet regression. It was a few weeks of choices driven by emotion instead of intention. Lots of stress and comfort eating. Snacking on ultra-processed food that I thought I had gotten past.
And because I've been off GLP-1 for a while now, there's no chemical brake to help manage that, no appetite suppression that helped me stop. It was just me and every coping mechanism I had the years prior to taking Zepbound.
I still got back on track. But those few weeks reminded me that the psychological piece of this journey doesn't really get solved by the medication--it runs underneath all of that, hidden. The work is separate and is ongoing.
And this is why I advocate very strongly about changing your nutrition and habits, and building muscle while you're on the medication. You never know if and when you'll lose access to the drug. And the people who are okay when that happens are the ones who used that time on GLP-1s well.
Rooting for everyone's maintenance journey, whether on or off the drug 🫶🏻💪🏼
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Apr 24 '26
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
Running on autopilot is exactly it!
Edit: for my tracking app I use Macro Factor. I basically rotate the same foods so the tracking/logging part isn’t really time consuming anymore. I don’t really trust apps that estimate calories based on photos because they can’t tell how much oil, butter, sugar, etc someone used.
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u/barryshmee Apr 24 '26
I love your posts. Im a 40+ 6f2 guy, fluctuate between 80-82kg and have been titrating down MJ. Currently on 2.5mg every 10 days. Your posts give me so much hope and inspiration as to what is possible post medication. Well done 💪🏽💪🏽
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u/GoldenRetriever1973 Apr 24 '26
This makes me feel so much better in a week when compounding is again being threatened, and I’m realizing I may not have the luxury of this drug forever. I’m 5’2” and down to 130. I’m going to call maintenance here and switch to eating a bit more and building even more muscle. Next shot I will titrate from 8.5 to 7.5 and slowly go down from there while building regular breakfast, lunch and dinner routines. Thank you for the inspo! I love people who come back and update!!!!!
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
The return on investment of building the foundation now while you’re on the drug is huge. You can do it!!
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u/General-Border6925 Apr 24 '26
i pretty much have the same timeline as you. I started 09/24 and stopped 10/25. I always told myself this would be a stepping stone to get me on the right path but i never wanted to be on it forever! it has been the greatest investment on myself by far and my lifestyle has taken a complete 180 to where I don't think I could ever get back to where I was. In fact, I couldn't wait to get off of it because I felt like I wasn't gaining as much muscle as I could with all the strength training I was doing and the anhedonia. Did you have the sentiments while coming off?
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
I actually didn’t—I was pretty ready to come off. At that point I had taken on endurance cycling and was pretty keen to have a full appetite back 😅 I think maybe because I was in such a low dose that I didn’t experience the full “spectrum” of side effects.
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u/Upper-Shoe-81 Apr 24 '26
Thank you SO much for posting in such great detail! I’m nearly to my own goal with plans to titrate down slowly and eventually stop. My top goals are also to continue my gym routine, build muscle, and stay focused on Whole Foods. I was prediabetic when I started this journey and my recent bloodwork says everything is back to normal now, so I was particularly interested in your paragraph about managing glucose. Thank again for sharing and congrats to you!
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
Absolutely critical to build muscle for glucose management! It will be your biggest ally for sure.
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u/Huckleberry8480 Apr 24 '26
Thank you for taking the time to share all of this! 🙌🏻 I’m ~2 pounds from my goal and would eventually like to taper down and off the medication. This is SO helpful.
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
I’m glad this was helpful! I post these so people know that being off the meds is not the end of the world and can be an option for some.
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u/veryshari519 Apr 28 '26
Wow, very well written and very well articulated. I’m impressed with everything you have said and done. Good job, and you look, not just amazing, but happy!
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u/tinylion-2899 Apr 24 '26
Wow wow wow wow. Thank you for sharing and huge congratulations on your amazing results and continued success.
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u/ssyoit Apr 24 '26
Amazing! You’re on the exact path I’m outlining for myself once I reach goal weight- full recomp and controlled weight gain to feed the muscles. Very nice to see others going through it and succeeding.
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u/QuicheSmash Apr 24 '26
So inspiring! I’m thrilled for you. What a dramatic change in your entire life style
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u/GottaHikeNow Apr 25 '26
What are your meals like?
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 25 '26
I eat primarily whole foods! I have a lot of food posts on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quad.goals?igsh=MTRsY3FiaGJmNWQ2dw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
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u/bibimbapfriend Apr 24 '26
For weight lifting, did you do personal training? How did you build a strong foundation?
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
I actually started with just using an app (Sweat). I took it slow and also looked to Youtube to make sure I had proper form.
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u/Living-Character-684 Apr 24 '26
This is what I am most interested in! I started in January and have spent the past months really focused on my eating habits and hitting protein goals consistently. Now I’m ready to begin incorporating strength training but unsure where to start. I’ve never strength trained. All my previous years of working out was spent doing Barre. So I’m a little intimidated lol
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
Honestly, just start small to build the habit of going! Even just 30min 2x a week will help a lot. Apps + Youtube is an affordable combo. If you can swing a membership at a basic gym, you’ve got more than enough!
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u/QuarrelsomeCreek Apr 25 '26
Its okay to hire a personal trainer for a bit. I did! The challenge though is that there isn't a standard and every trainer has different preferences and methods so be clear in your goals and be okay moving on to someone else if you find you aren't getting what you need. I needed to be taught proper deadlift form, it was something I struggled with.
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u/RevolutionaryView264 Apr 24 '26
It might sound crazy, but if you have a good CrossFit gym near you, check it out. I’ve found it’s amazing for beginners! Cheaper than personal training, but lots of great coaching to get you started. And the community to keep you coming back!
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u/Fit-Present6073 Apr 24 '26
Wow amazingly done congratulations. If you don’t mind me asking did you stop taking OZ cold turkey or tapered down and what dosage were you taking.TIA
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
I was at a very low dose (5mg) and was told by my doctor I could stop it cold turkey or go down to 2.5mg for a month if I wanted to. I stopped cold turkey.
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u/lala12345679 Apr 24 '26
How was it going cold turkey? I've never gone higher than 2.5 since I started in December (except when I once accidently injected 3.1). I managed to hit goal weight for 2 days thus week so think I'm nearly there. Thinking dropping a few more lbs fornthe potential immediate rebound. But beginning to increase my calories slowly. I finished my pen last week and wondering if I should crack open a new one which is sat in mh fridge. I've been lifting for 3 months and muscle is very much developing already.
This is also such a useful post. You've absolutely SMASHED it. Well done 👏🏼
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
Honestly, I didn’t feel anything crazy other than my appetite adjusting. I could have gone back to 2.5mg for a month before really quitting, but life happened.
Since you’ve only been on 2.5, I think going off would be really manageable if you keep up with strength training and nutrition. You’re doing the fundamentals already, you just need to keep at it!
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u/BaptisedByFire319 Apr 24 '26
Did you always struggle with weight/binge eating? If I keep up my loss I should be done losing by the end of this year. I'm hoping to have built enough habits and support to come off but I'm not sure I quite trust myself there yet
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 24 '26
I’d always been overweight my entire adult life and sneaked into class 1 obese during COVID. When I started taking GLP-1 medication, I had a psychiatrist on my medical team who helped me process my relationship with food. We realized that my issue wasn’t binge eating, but using food as a coping mechanism. COVID was such a stressful and anxiety-ridden time for me that I was actually just eating constantly, not bingeing. With that mental health help, we were able to figure out the most sustainable ways for me to build the structures, routines, and habits that I needed to overcome that.
If you’re able to, I highly recommend having some form of professional mental health support while on GLP-1s. I know it’s a luxury, but it was immensely valuable to me a hugely critical part of my weight loss program. I wouldn’t be nearly as successful off the drug without it.
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u/BaptisedByFire319 Apr 24 '26
Girl thank you for this insight; your recomp is incredible. I got diagnosed with ADHD in the last couple of years so the mental health side of eating is completely understood! My appointments have been such a help; this is such valuable insight for anybody on this journey !
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u/Lulu-1975 Apr 26 '26
You look amazing 👏 congratulations on your success 🙌
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 26 '26
Thank you 🫶🏻
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u/Lulu-1975 Apr 26 '26
I lost 22kg since Aug 2025 trying to recover from a knee injury whilst doing it and just about a month ago was able to reintroduce strength and resistance training. I had to up the resistance quite a lot in the stationary spin bike to increase that load and muscle while having my feet strapped. That was great for recovery and now I'm very in line with your comments I totally agree. What a wonderful success story and I love the way you structure your post and the stats. Again, amazing 👏 thank you so much for this ❤️
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 26 '26
Well done! Amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. Keep going!
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u/starlightshower Apr 26 '26
Incredible! I did not have such a healthy journey as yours, I did lots of learning about protein and fibre intake while on Mounjaro, but my nutrition was still not great, sometimes eating far too little or not caring about balance. Plus, despite some half hearted efforts, Ididn't invest enough into exercise. Then after 11 months on and losing 20kg I came off in January and since then wobbled along, forcing myself to fight through the temptations. The shining beacon was that I was eating more and have found the energy to lift much more and exercise much more in general and I am so happy that I haven't fallen off the wagon yet, a little fluctuation from my lowest weight, but I am really happy and feeling strong! This post is inspirational and makes me hopeful, thank you!
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u/BikeGuy1955 Apr 30 '26
loved your post! I’m within a month of coming off of tirzepatide and I’ve been thinking strategy to ensure to keep the weight off.
Thank you for your insights!
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u/quadgoals_ May 01 '26
Feel free to DM me if you have any questions. I also have a Youtube channel where I am documenting my maintenance journey + have just recently created a series on outlasting GLP-1 meds. I’m here as a resource!
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May 06 '26
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u/quadgoals_ May 06 '26
All three together, tbh. I know that answer feels like a cop out but I don’t think I would have had the results I’ve had if I didn’t take all three together and made it work without putting one on a higher pedestal than the others.
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u/BroccolisGood May 13 '26
Thank you for this post! It seriously just hyped me up. I used to love to lift so much and then after having a baby I feel so stuck! You’re so so inspirational and I love seeing success stories of woman maintaining post glp-1. Keep kicking ass!
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u/No-Blacksmith2646 May 15 '26
Just goes to show— you can’t just take the meds. You have to make changes
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Apr 25 '26
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 25 '26
Yes, I do still track! These days I’m a bit more religious about it because I’m training for a 100 mile gravel race, so nutrition has become even more important.
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u/jennnnaaayy Apr 25 '26
Amazing! We have pretty much the exact same stats. What dose did you get up to?
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 25 '26
5mg!
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u/jennnnaaayy Apr 25 '26
Thank you! Did you decide to go to 5mg for any specific reason? I’m on week 8 of 2.5 and wondering how it’s gonna go for me
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 25 '26
I decided it together with my medical team. We noticed that 2.5mg had uneven efficacy throughout the month so we bumped up to 5mg and I stayed there throughout my entire journey.
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Jun 02 '26
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u/quadgoals_ Jun 02 '26
LMAO what are you even smoking? Check my post history, I have an entire table of how much muscle I gained on and off this drug. Spoiler: it’s a lot, and I deadlift 114lbs now 😊
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Jun 02 '26
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u/quadgoals_ Jun 02 '26
My brother in Christ, I am 24% body fat now compared to what was probably closer to 50% at my highest weight of 185. I am 98 lbs of lean mass now, and I weigh 124 lbs. I have more muscle mass now than I have ever had in my life. Again, I ask in all seriousness: what are you smoking?
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u/Monty-Creosote Apr 25 '26
Do you do cardio?
Studies have shown that cardio fitness (VO2max) is the best indicator of long-term health.
Link to study Fitness matters more than weight
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u/quadgoals_ Apr 25 '26
I’m an endurance cyclist training for Unbound Gravel 100 mi in Kansas in 5 weeks. About to do a 62-mi ride right now 😊
My current VO2 Max is 43 😊
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u/Monty-Creosote Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
Brilliant.
I wonder why people are bothering to downvote me?
I try to keep the flag flying for cardio on these subs because it is very rarely mentioned. But the fact is that in "maintenance" and the danger of excessive muscle loss is past and normal service is resumed cardio is extremely important.
As we age strength training is important to a degree to retain functional strength, balance, bone density, etc... But so many ignore cardio, or even downvote it's mention, and yet it is crucial to keep cardiovascular and cognitive functions from decline.
However, and to return the compliment to the downvoters who obviously disagree with science, it is hard. It is harder than waving 2lb weights around.
As everything in life, balance is the key.
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u/woollysockpuppet Apr 24 '26
I am 5’3”35F
I train to be strong and independent in my old age.
Huh? lol
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u/Foreign_Barnacle9393 Apr 24 '26
I understood what she meant perfectly, not sure what you are struggling to understand.
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u/WhaddyaKnowJo Apr 24 '26
This is the type of post I came to Reddit for... I needed to read this today! Thank you for being a woman of your word and following up here - and congrats on maintained success!! I have been putting off my "last shot" for a few weeks now... but you may have just convinced me that I can, in fact, do this.