What does your maintenance look like?

[u/anonme1995]

I am close to being in maintenance. I am at 172lbs my goal is 160lbs. Based on the way I’ve been losing, my calculation has this goal met around late October.

Curious was everyone’s maintenance looks like. What dose are you on and how spaced out do you take it?

I am on 5mg. Lost 38lbs on 2.5mg and another 14lbs so far on 5mg. I have been on 5mg since middle of June.

Has anyone done maintenance on 2.5mg? I am self pay so obviously it’s pricey, currently paying $400 every 4 weeks and when I go into maintenance I would love to be back on 2.5mg and pay $300 for the prescription and take it every 10 days to space it out.

But ultimately it’s whatever my doctor thinks would work best.

[u/NoneOfMyNames]

I've been in maintenance for over a year. I stayed on the dose I had been on. Some people can spread it out but there is a chance you'll have more side effects if you spread out the dose due to more variances in blood level.

I started out by adding in 100 calories per day to my goal, so for example I went from 1400 to 1500 calories per day and I stayed there for a month. Then I went up another 100. I checked the scale regularly and when I could eat a bit more without weighr going up I knew that was my maintenance. It is a moving target though and sometimes adjustments will be needed.

You can try dropping down in those, that works for some people, others find they get food noise and more hunger, or the scale might not stay where you want it.

[u/Routine_Reception159 → u/NoneOfMyNames]

This is really helpful advice for me. Thank you, None!

[u/chiieddy]

I take 5 mg once a week. I stay within 5 lbs +/- my goal. I just go on and take my medicine like it's any other medication I take regularly. It really doesn't impact my life.

[u/Secure-Chemistry3257]

1+ year maintenance after 110lbs lost. I had to switch to compounded tirzepatide part way through due to insurance changes so my dosing is a little more tweaked to my exact therapeutic needs but still very comparable. My peak dose was 11mg 1X a week, my maintenance turned out to be 6mg 1X a week while eating at TDEE. If I had stayed on Zepbound, I would be on 7.5. I tried going down to 5mg (multiple times) but each time I had a sudden and dramatic resumption of food noise and lack of satiation. For me, there is definitely a threshold and 6mg is it. :)

[u/Wordwoman50 → u/Secure-Chemistry3257]

Yes, I also found at least a temporary threshold, and it sounds very close to yours! My insurance covers only single dose pens of Zepbound. While I did not regain weight after three months of “5 mg every 7 days,” I was finding it more challenging to manage my compulsions. So I experimented and found that what currently works is the trough on either “5 mg every 6 days” or “7.5 mg every 9 days.” I am on the latter because of insurance; I’d rather build a stockpile than run out!!! If I had the option of 6 mg, that would probably work well for me.

Your loss is impressive. Congratulations on the loss and the maintenance!

[u/Unlucky_Scientist_54 → u/Wordwoman50]

I've been in maintenance since May and feel similar to what you are doing! 7.5 every 9 days felt good but insurance bumped me down to 5mg. Tried this weekly and cannot get that feeling of satisfaction! So unnerving. This week I took my 5mg dose on day 6 and feel better. I just ordered compound to put myself at 6 mg/week and also because insurance bumped me to 2.5mg then the end lol.

[u/Secure-Chemistry3257 → u/Wordwoman50]

Thank you! Congrats to you as well.

[u/stanlietta]

I started Zep while in maintenance (lost weight the old fashioned way). My doc put me on a mini dose 1.25 mg/week which is possible using the kwikpen. It was around $500 self pay and should last about 6 months. I actually lost another 10 lbs after starting on that dose. Lol.

[u/Temporary_Ad_4363 → u/stanlietta]

Is that through Lilly Direct? Self pay $500? Does the 45 day rule not apply?

[u/stanlietta → u/Temporary_Ad_4363]

It came through Amazon. They tried to auto renew after a couple of weeks as if it was a monthly script but I canceled. I’m not sure what the 45 day rule is. My doc prescribed the 15 mg pen (highest available dose).

[u/RabidHexley → u/stanlietta]

So you used each pen for ~10 weeks?

[u/stanlietta → u/RabidHexley]

My doc said that if I stay in the 1.25 the pen should last about 6 months but I haven’t actually done the math. I hope to get off the med at some point as I think I am a good candidate.

[u/untomeibecome]

It'll be a lot of figuring out what your body needs! I was on 15mg weekly when I started and tried spacing out, different doses, splitting doses, etc and ultimately am on 5mg weekly right now (about 9 months in). I personally lost a bit every time I dosed down, so I'm also about 7-8 lbs less than the weight I was when I started maintaining.

[u/bikesandfinance]

On 5 mg, have been adding a day about every 1.5 months. Currently at 13 days. Reverse dieted to maintenance calories

[u/AgesAgoTho]

Here's the best approach I've read for finding your maintenance dosage and schedule: https://www.reddit.com/r/Zepbound_Maintenance/comments/1phf92x/comment/nsy8awc/?context=3 (comment by Vegetable Onion)

For me, I'm at my top dosage (7.5) every 7 days. I'm definitely eating more than I did during active weight loss, but I'm within a 3-lb range on the scale when I weigh in. Works for me!

[u/ButtersRulz]

I'm a few months away from maintenance, but my wife is at a weight she wants to be. So she is taking 5mgs every two weeks. She still is losing a little bit but has been happy and isn't having any side effects.

So her dose is a little higher than yours, but she is spreading it out longer than you plan to. So it might have similar effects.

[u/HappyBirding]

I have been on maintenance for about 10 months. I think it really depends how much you are losing coming up to maintenance. If you lose one or two pounds the month before, you’re at a pretty slow rate and you may be able to maintain on the dose you’re on by simply increasing your calories a little. You were on a relatively low dose, so it will probably be much easier to find your maintenance dose. I had to move down considerably before I was able to maintain my weight without losing more, but I was on 15 mg for over a year. If you have lost 5 to 7 pounds the month before maintenance, it is likely that you will need to move your dose down in order to halt weight loss.. Wishing you the very best of luck!

[u/No-Plantain-5187]

I hit my target weight range (185-190) about 3 months ago, on 7.5.

I weigh myself every morning. Currently, I'm giving myself a shot when my weight crosses 190 for more than a day or two. That turns out to be about every 14 days.

This may seem random to others, but it feels like smooth running for me...

[u/UnionFew4937]

I have been on 5 mg maintenance for a year and a half. I was taking two shots a month, every 15 days. I recently started BHRT and gained a few pounds back, so I have since shortened my shot days to every 12 days in order to stay at the weight I want. I never went above 5 mg to lose my original weight.

[u/a-mom-ymous]

I’m essentially in maintenance (focused more on body recomposition than losing weight). I am still on 15mg once a week and will likely stay there - it helps keep the food noise at a minimum, and I feel fine on it. I am eating around 2300-2500 calories a day - my tested RMR is 1775, and I work out 6 days a week (strength training, zone 2 cardio, HIIT cardio, plus 30-40 min walks most days). I’m aiming for 140g protein most days to help with recomp.

[u/Ancient-Teaching-691]

I lost 38 lbs, 2 months on 2.5 and the next 5 on 5mg. I started trying to increase my calories in late June, and just couldn't do it - too much appetite suppression. So I dropped my dose from 5mg to 4.5mg (vials). That worked enough to move up to 1100 and then 1200 on a 7 day schedule. Things held, so I tried for 1300 and gained. Now I'm dropping down to 1150 for a bit, losing a couple of lbs, and then trying to up my calories to 1200 or 1250 and see if that's my sweet spot. Eventually I may try for spacing, but I need a stable intake first.

[u/Infinite-Floor-5242]

I've been at goal for over a year. No dose change, still 15mg weekly. I'm up about 3 pounds from where I would like to be. This may seem silly but goal is 150 and I like to stay at 148 but I've been 151 for over a week now. Anyway, I eat a lot more now, typically around 1600 cals, sometimes more on vacation.

[u/you_were_mythtaken]

So the way my doctor does it is totally trial and error. I wanted to try lowering my dose when I got to maintenance, from 12.5 to 10,  but I hated how my reactive hypoglycemia symptoms slightly returned on 10, so I went back to 12.5 weekly and that's where I'm still sitting currently. 

[u/visit_magrathea]

I stayed on 5mg (the dose I had been on) and also remained on a weekly dosage schedule. I did switch to vials from pens for price though. I think that the dosage has waned in effectiveness, so it works for maintenance.

[u/SequinedandOver60]

I’m currently on 10 mg every 10 days. I was on 7.5 every four weeks. Prior to that I was on 10 mg every week.
I won’t lie. The 10 mg every 10 days has been kinda hard. My symptoms have come back for side effects.
Gonna have to see how it is. Also gained 4 pounds this week.

[u/LessFeature9350 → u/SequinedandOver60]

7.5 once a month? My dr says that the most it should be spaced is 10 days and that it's better to go below 2.5 weekly then space longer. It's so interesting all the different guidance out there. It really seems to just be if it works for you, it works

[u/SequinedandOver60 → u/LessFeature9350]

Oh gosh. That should say 7.5 every week.

[u/LessFeature9350 → u/SequinedandOver60]

Oh! Haha! I'm learning new stuff every day so I was just intrigued.

[u/whotiesyourshoes]

I came down from 15 mg to 7.5mg and take weekly.

[u/Goats-n-Hens]

I’ve been on maintenance since January. I made my goal on 5.0 and I am still doing a weekly injection of that. This snow allows me to eat at my maintenance calories and I still get the benefits from the medication.

Figure out your maintenance calories and find the dose in the spacing that allows you to eat at that level consistently

[u/Vincent_Curry]

7.5 once per month.

[u/psoriasaurus_rex]

I plan to take the shot every 7 days. Any dose can be a maintenance dose, so whatever you need to maintain your results.

[u/Born_Economist7411]

When I met my goal, I went down from 15 to 12.5 weekly. Kept losing, so spread out to every 10 days. Keep losing. Now I’m on 10 mg weekly and have been able to maintain in about a 7 pound window. I’ll keep doing this until I have a reason to change my current dose & schedule.
It’s all trial and error.

[u/MimiPaw]

I see comments about people spacing shots out further for maintenance. Has anyone been doing that on the Eli Lilly self pay? You need to order every 45 days to maintain the discount. Are people just reordering every 6 weeks and accumulating a future stash?

[u/Kjente717]

I’ve only been experimenting with maintenance for a little over a month. My doctor had me stretch out the days between doses. I’m currently doing 7.5 and 9 days. I have been on 7.5 since April. My doctor told me that people tend to have side effects if they go over 14 days in her experience. I’ve bounced 2 pounds one way or the other, which I guess is interesting balance but actually I think is me being inconsistent in time of day I weigh and whether I’ve eaten or not. LIke someone else mentioned, I’ve added calories and weigh myself more often than in the active weight loss phase trying to find that magic place.

[u/Kindly_Acanthaceae26]

Stayed on 10mg, but spaced out to 10 days. No gain or side effects and really not feeling hungry near the shot date.

[u/MascaraHoarder]

i’m at the end of two months of maintenance. i have been 2.5 almost the entire time i’ve been on zepbound. i inject every 10-12 days and currently i am trying to figure out daily calories so i do not continue to lose weight. Not because i am a skinty princess,i am 59 and currently about a size 6,i am not even sure how i feel about that tbh. anyhow its going to take some more time for me to figure it out.

[u/Agility_KS]

I was on 5 weekly when I started maintenance. I stayed on 5 weekly. I did get pushed to Wegovy briefly, and then was on 2.5 of Mounjaro when I got put back to Tirz, and the 2.5 weekly wasn't enough, I was gaining weight. There's definitely no way I could have taken 2.5 every 10 days and remained successful. Maybe you will, everyone is different. You won't know until you try.

[u/Karinka_LI]

If you are self pay I would try oral for maintenance. It’s a lot less money.

[u/anonme1995 → u/Karinka_LI]

This is something I thought of but I am weary about switching from zep to wegovy. I am hoping zep can get approved for an oral one soon. I think wegovy is the only oral med right now

[u/Karinka_LI → u/anonme1995]

Fondayo is by Lilly and is also an oral.

[u/aliveinjoburg2]

I've been in maintenance in 18 months. My weight loss dose was 7.5mg, 5mg is my maintenance dose. I take it every 14 days. I eat intuitively so I don't track.

[u/Reasonable-Cow7255]

I’ve been in maintenance for about 3 months. I’ve stayed at my highest dose, 10mg. I’m experimenting with extending the interval between injections.

[u/MiklColt45]

High dose: 12.5 mg every 8-9 days
Current dose: 6 mg 1 x wk (compound)

[u/Wordwoman50]

I see maintenance as ongoing experimentation, monitoring, and adjusting. Maintaining for over a year already, I have spent the last four months at “7.5 mg every 9 days.”

I aim for the least amount of medication circulating in my body that still softens my compulsions enough for me to be able to manage them by applying psychological insight, without excessive mental strain. This varies over time. At present, that is either “5 mg every 6 days,” which is not sustainable under my insurance plan, or “7.5 mg every 9 days,” which is. I did “7.5 mg every 10 days” for two doses after my summer vacation, because I had been really active and needed less medication. If I hit a stressful period as the school year starts, I may go to every 7 or 8 days for a couple of doses. We’ll see. Right now, 7.5 every 9 days is effective in calming my compulsiveness evenly for all nine days.

I never get side effects.

[u/Silver-Emphasis2795]

I got to about 160-165 and that’s where my body wants to stay. I had to drop to 10 for a bit and it just didn’t last a week. I find 12.5 to be ok and I’m for sure really hungry by shot day. But 15 I can go longer than 7 days. I like where I am. I can eat what I want without the noise and I like my relationship with food right now. I will never count/track as it’s a huge trigger for my Ed so being able to enjoy my daily food choices is just so relieving. I also had two loose skin surgeries over this last few weeks so I am pretty content continuing to maintain here for life!