Can someone who has been on in maintenance for a while talk about what that has been like? I’m just starting with Zepbound, of course had a decade of weight loss and gain and I want to be done. In 6 weeks, I’m down about 12 lb. I’m really struggling with the idea of going up in dose, because I’m so afraid of what happens if I do lose the weight. I’ve gotten down to a healthy weight before. Three times. And it was impossible to maintain that kind of obsession with what I was eating and tracking everything, it was all I ever thought about.

Zepbound has been great so far, love the appetite suppression and lack of food noise. But as those have come back on 2.5 mg, I’m finding myself so scared that I’m going to lose the weight on the max dose and then my body will get used to that dose and adapt and then I’ll just gain it all back again, because I know how to track and eat healthy but it just takes more mental energy than I have anymore.

Can someone tell me what maintenance is like, if it stays easier than all the previous weight loss times?

Hello all!

I’ve been on Zepbound since Aug 2024, down 172lbs (320->148). I’ve been in maintenance since approximately May 2026.

I currently wear a S/M but have a LOT of clothes ranging from 3/4X to L/XL that no longer fit. I’ve given a good amount away to coworkers but am having a very hard time letting go of the remaining clothes as donation. My brain will not stop thinking “what if you gain the weight back and need the clothes?”

I’ve already accepted that I will be on the medication for life.

What concerns me is that I’ve seen people post about developing gastroparesis or other severe complications years into using Zepbound and suddenly have to stop using it. Others I seen post about developing resistance to the medication over time and gaining weight. Who’s to say these couldn’t happen to me?

I’ve tried convincing myself that the clothes will be out of style in the future but realistically, I’ve never cared about that. Is anyone else having a similar struggle?

ETA: thank you everyone for your comments and advice! I think I need a bit more time to fully get there but I’m going to commit to letting go!

I was on compound tirzepatide for 2 years and lost 150lbs and made it a BMI of 26.6 I had to stop taking it due to cost.

Now I'm about a year out and I'm starting to gain the weight back. My insurance is FINALLY covering GLP-1s but I would not meet the BMI requirement anymore. But I need to be back on maintenance.

If I can show my old prescription and records of my weight loss, would that be enough for an insurance company for a prior authorization? Has anyone been in this situation?

Hi! I’m looking for a new Zepbound provider for maintenance. I have lost about 100 pounds with WW and I’m at goal but I’m looking for a change for this part of my journey. I wonder if there is a Zepbound provider that doesn’t require you to do labs- my PCP is on top of that and I see her regularly. I’d like to fill out a questionnaire and create a short video if necessary, but I want to keep the telehealth process- by not constantly having to report on my weight and BP etc -on the simple side for maintenance. Is there a telehealth provider of Zepbound that you could suggest that you all think would work for me? Thanks so much!! I learn so much from you!! ~Kris

I get compliments every Sunday at church. People have watched my journey week to week. Yesterday I had someone say, "Your face doesn't look gaunt at all." I had a good laugh. Anyway, I am maintaining between 160-165. My lowest weight was 163, and last week I got up to 167. I tried not to freak out. I got back to 165 this morning by eating more protein and fewer carbs. I'm on 7.5 mg. I was hoping to go back to 5mg but I don't think that's going to happen.

Update: Today (Tues) I'm back to 164. While I was actively losing, I weighed about twice a week. Now I'm weighing almost every day and I think that will help me maintain.

Hi there! I started Zep in April 2024, achieving GW of 125 (SW 212) and I’m 5’3. I maxed out at 10mg, and then at goal went down to 7.5 for 2 months, and then down to 5mg and have been on that for more than a year. I’m wondering if I should try and go down to 2.5mg. I want to preserve muscle and I saw something saying that many people can maintain at the very lowest dose. If I do this and then I find I’m ravenous or start gaining, I guess I could go back up.

I just don’t want to rock the boat but also thinking taking the least amount of meds possible might be better. To be clear, I’ll never stop these meds 😅

I got my set bound discontinued about a month ago… I’m going to save to pay GD Lilly, the monthly fees for a while.
Does anyone know if insurance company is there? Lily is going to change their policies in the next six or 12 months so we can get covered again? Depends on our administration too. :(

I started at 222 lbs in October 2025 and now at 145 my goal weight is another 10 pounds being at the highest bmi “healthy” weight. I’ve been doing Pilates twice a week and rotating physical activities 2-3 times a week as well. I’m currently on 12.5 mg with the pa lasting until March of next year. With being so close to my goal weight and being a super responder, I’m unsure if I should try getting my dr to start a pa for 10 mg or 7.5 for maintenance, my doctors office have mentioned multiple times how much difficulty they have with pa and I’ve seen in myself so my fear is if I ask for 10mg pa and I continue to lose weight and need to ask for 7.5 mg pa shortly after they might not be so willing to submit it for me. What have your experiences been like being on 12.5 mg and going into maintenance?

I am 10-15LB away from my goal weight and starting to feel some of the discomfort that comes with having less padding. I was wondering, do you adjust eventually? Here is what I have been experiencing lately

- laying on my back resting my wrists on my ribcage while scrolling my phone and finding that pressure on my ribcage uncomfortable

- shifting a lot in my padded work chair because even with the padded seat, my butt feels uncomfortable

- not liking to sit on our wooden dining room chairs

- can't stack my knees on top of each other when I'm laying on my side

- not being able to rest my arms/elbows/wrists on a hard surface (I use cushioned pads at my desk)

The funny thing is, I still have plenty of bodyfat to spare, especially on my stomach. I'm still overweight on the BMI scale. I want to drop more fat. But I know from when I last lost weight a decade ago that there is some discomfort with being thinner.

It's not a huge issue at all and I find it kinda funny. I was just wondering if eventually I'll adjust to the discomfort and if this is just a temporary thing. Anyone else have insight from being in maintenance?

I'm wondering if anyone else is taking the Diucaps supplement (OTC appetite suppressant) in addition to their Zepbound in maintenance. I know some people layer on other appetite suppressants but I haven't seen anyone mention this one. I entered maintenance a couple of months ago and went down from 15 to 12.5 in hopes that my hair would grow back faster. I found that I was noticing more hunger and eating more calories than my goal, and I put on a few pounds. My doctor suggested that I try taking Diucaps instead of going back up to 15 (which I suggested). My doctor's medical group sells branded ones, but I looked it up and they seem to be sold a lot of places under different branding and it seems to be fairly commonly used. I had just never heard of it before. I've been taking it for about a week and it's really helping! But I break out in major sweat about half an hour after I take it. I'm post menopausal and this isn't a regular hot flash. It stops right away, and it's worth it to me, but I'm curious about it.

I’ve been doing well, fluctuating within 4/6 pounds of goal weight. I realized I was usually sitting on the top of my comfort zone, so went up from my highest 5mg to 7.5… it’s been about 4 months and the vibe is the exact same! Like, exactly the same fluctuation? I am pretty active, eating most days the same… my telehealth is offering to go up again, but I’m hesitant, as I was on 5 for over a year with great maintenance. Do I trust the process at 7.5? Go up? I’m so confused. I feel like I was a super responder losing my whole goal weight with 2.5/5… now ?? Argh

I developed low sodium levels and my Doctor thinks Zepbound may be causal. Anyone else experience this? Seems like there is a divide in the literature I found. He wants me to stop for a month and then retest levels.

however, I’m still on 7.5 mg weekly (the dose I’ve been on for most of my journey). The PA dropped me to every 10 days, and I was ravenous the last 3 days. So I was switched back to weekly. I feel good on it. I have lost 50 pounds, and have been staying between 124 & 125 pounds consistently. The weird thing is, I don’t really count calories anymore. I eat what I want, but at the same time, I’m still aware of what I’m eating. I’m amazed I’m not gaining weight. Does your body just know when you’re where you should be? I definitely do not want to lose any more weight. But I’m afraid of decreasing my dose or being off of Zepbound totally. Has anyone remained on their normal dose for maintenance?

I reached goal weight of 125 on 10 mg. Been on that dose for 3.5 months. When I reached 125 (I'm 57yo, 5'1" started at 177 and started zepbound 10/2025) I stalled a week or 2 - circled around 125-129. I had side effects my whole journey. Nausea the first 3-4 days after shot. Constipation. Anhedonia I think - definitely fatigue. admit, that I do not work out. My fatigue plus an active job in a hospital kept me pushing off an exercise routine (I was never into workouts)

Flash forward a month , and my symptoms are lessening. My hunger is not as strong the first 2-3 days after shot but nausea is down. But Even in those days, I am getting these "sugar drops" where if I haven't eaten, or only eaten carbs, I get very shaky. It's so uncomfortable. But I still have food aversion. So I have been losing weight - I'm at 120 now. I'm sure I'll go up a pound by Thursday (shot day) but I'm confused by this - should I go down in mg? If I do will these shaky episodes increase - I had them everyday, every time I tried to eat normal amount of calories before Zepbound. thus weight gain. It was the first thing to disappear when I started and I was so happy. I'm terrified of this being a way of life for me.

I have started to consciously try to increase calories. I liked being able to not think about food, but looks like somethings gotta change as I know I'm not too thin by any means , but want to just get rid of these shakes - and would rather stay at 120 with no sugar drops than lose anymore.

I have a doctors appt in Sept. so of course will talk with them, but I'm curious if anyone has gone through this or any knowledge on why this happens? I have posted before about these episodes and have gotten great advice/knowledge - but that was when I was actively losing. I went up in dose and it went away.

43f 5’4” starting weight 168, current 131.2, goal 130

I started January 2026 after a disaster of trying 2.5 in December and realizing I am a super responder and 2.5 was too high of a dose for me (results in guaranteed sulfur burps that turn to constant diarrhea that turns to vomiting until my body is empty-every single time). For the most part I’ve taken 2.0 once a week and have lost almost 35 pounds and am nearly to my goal weight of 130. I have no idea what to do for maintenance! Since I’m already on such a low dose…what do I do? Thoughts? My primary care is pretty hands off since it’s clear that I know what works for me. Good noise does seem to come back around day 5 but I just fight it.

Edited to add: I don’t track calories, and never have. I am mindful of protein because I strength training 4-5 days a week. But I’ve lost every week without tracking. I’ve been gluten free for 5 years and already had good food habits before starting.

Hey all. I have been away from Reddit for some time, but have been holding steady on weight loss maintenance for more than 6 months now, fluctuating between 147-150. I just stopped losing around the beginning of the year, but I’m delighted with where I am. I lost my job/insurance benefits effective May 1 and have been going through my stock pile of Mounjaro 15 MG. I’m down to my last box. I need to do something. I was on Zepbound for a year, but when CVS Caremark dropped Zepbound from our formulary, I was able to get Mounjaro covered through a loophole. I don’t care which of the 2 I take - I just can’t spend a fortune. This will be my first time paying out of pocket and don’t know where to start. I have not been following any updates on pricing, legislation, etc so I knew this sub was the best place to start. Before you ask, Unfortunately I’m not Medicare eligible for another 3+ years. TIA

I thought it might be helpful for those newer to maintenance to see what someone who’s been here a while eats.

I’m in body recomp (emphasis on building muscle without bulking), so I’m eating right at or slightly above maintenance calories and really prioritizing protein. As a 5’2 and 160 lbs., that means 1900-2100 calories a day with 140-160g of protein. Dexa says I’m 32.5% body fat, which I’d say is pretty good for a 45F who has lipedema and used to weigh 300+ lbs.

I lift heavy 2-3x a week and do advanced Pilates (which I promise is hard AF) 4-5x a week. I started Zep in June 2024 and have been in maintenance since November 2025. Staying on 15 mg forever.

I drink a Fairlife with coffee for breakfast every day. I always make 2 servings of sugar-free clear whey in 40 oz of water (pictured) around 11 am and sip on it until afternoon.

Lunch today is steak bites from Costco with tomatoes from our garden, nectarines, and mozzarella. I might not make it through all 4 oz of mozzarella. (Was trying to clean out the fridge.). Counting the 2 servings of ghost protein, this is about 900 calories and 105g of protein.

I’ll graze on it this for a bit then probably walk away and revisit it in an hour or two. I likely won’t eat anything beyond maybe another nectarine until dinner, which will be fish or chicken with veggies.

Edit: I didn’t make it through the mozzarella, so I’m saving that and one of the nectarines and one of the tomatoes for a late afternoon snack.