Once You Hit Your Goal Weight: Quit Suddenly or Keep Maintaining?

Monjay

Monjay

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Once your target weight is reached, did you just stop cold turkey, or are you planning to keep using it over the long term as maintenance?

Honestly, this question has been on my mind quite a bit. I can't decide if I should simply quit cold turkey the moment I hit my goal weight, or instead slowly taper down to the smallest dose that still works and remain on it long-term for maintenance.
 
I plan to stay in maintenance mode, since I'm really near my goal weight. How long have you been taking whatever it is you take? What are you using, at what dose, and how much weight have you dropped?
 
Monjay said:

Once your target weight is reached, did you just stop cold turkey, or are you planning to keep using it over the long term as maintenance?

Honestly, this question has been on my mind quite a bit. I can't decide if I should simply quit cold turkey the moment I hit my goal weight, or instead slowly taper down to the smallest dose that still works and remain on it long-term for maintenance.
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My goal weight is nearly here. What I intend to do for maintenance is keep my dose about where it is and simply consume more food. Should my stomach resist too strongly, I'll lower the amount until I land on a middle ground—one where calories in are balanced, not excessive and not insufficient...Quitting GLPs is not something I ever intend to do...
 
Isn't it true that the majority of individuals need to keep taking a maintenance dose indefinitely?
 
Flash-BCR said:

Monjay said:

Once your target weight is reached, did you just stop cold turkey, or are you planning to keep using it over the long term as maintenance?

Honestly, this question has been on my mind quite a bit. I can't decide if I should simply quit cold turkey the moment I hit my goal weight, or instead slowly taper down to the smallest dose that still works and remain on it long-term for maintenance.
Click to expand...
My goal weight is nearly here. What I intend to do for maintenance is keep my dose about where it is and simply consume more food. Should my stomach resist too strongly, I'll lower the amount until I land on a middle ground—one where calories in are balanced, not excessive and not insufficient...Quitting GLPs is not something I ever intend to do...
Click to expand...
At 9mg, I doubt I could take in any more food. Perhaps I'll step down to 6mg and observe the outcome. That would be a test. I'm roughly 5lbs out, and I keep going back and forth on this.
 
BNLFL said:

Flash-BCR said:

Monjay said:

Once your target weight is reached, did you just stop cold turkey, or are you planning to keep using it over the long term as maintenance?

Honestly, this question has been on my mind quite a bit. I can't decide if I should simply quit cold turkey the moment I hit my goal weight, or instead slowly taper down to the smallest dose that still works and remain on it long-term for maintenance.
Click to expand...
My goal weight is nearly here. What I intend to do for maintenance is keep my dose about where it is and simply consume more food. Should my stomach resist too strongly, I'll lower the amount until I land on a middle ground—one where calories in are balanced, not excessive and not insufficient...Quitting GLPs is not something I ever intend to do...
Click to expand...
At 9mg, I doubt I could take in any more food. Perhaps I'll step down to 6mg and observe the outcome. That would be a test. I'm roughly 5lbs out, and I keep going back and forth on this.
Click to expand...
This morning I had a talk about weight with "she who must be obeyed"...I brought up that I'm nearly under 200lbs at this point and she figured that would be my stopping point...For me the goal weight has always been 190, which leaves a good buffer so I never cross 200 again. That's why the plan is to keep using GLPs...10 years ago, after a 2 1/2 month backpacking trip, I weighed 170lbs and she said again that she doesn't want a 'skinny man'...so her concern is that my well known obsessions are just a weight loss spiral down...I've told her it's about being a healthier old man and all the good that comes with it...but I'm sure she's watching me... 😎

You're likely correct that eating more isn't possible without lowering the dose, but I don't want weight to become a run away truck heading downhill (or uphill as the case may be)...without tirz/reta pressing firmly on the brakes...👍
 
BNLFL said:

I plan to stay in maintenance mode, since I'm really near my goal weight. How long have you been taking whatever it is you take? What are you using, at what dose, and how much weight have you dropped?
Click to expand...
Since I've still got roughly 44 lbs left before hitting my ideal weight, I figure that milestone is still quite a while off. I've now been using Reta for 12 weeks, and my current dose sits at 6 mg. Next week, the plan is to bump it up to 8 mg.

Even with workouts that haven't been especially intense, things have moved along fairly well so far. My weight has come down from 249 lbs to 231 lbs.

What got me pondering this whole question was a local podcast I came across recently. The claim they made was that once Reta is started, you're essentially locked into taking it for life, and that quitting cold turkey might seriously disrupt your metabolism. Whether that's actually true, I can't say, but it stuck with me. How do you all see it?
 
Monjay said:

Once your target weight is reached, did you just stop cold turkey, or are you planning to keep using it over the long term as maintenance?

Honestly, this question has been on my mind quite a bit. I can't decide if I should simply quit cold turkey the moment I hit my goal weight, or instead slowly taper down to the smallest dose that still works and remain on it long-term for maintenance.
Click to expand...
My goal is still 17 pounds away, and I'm only on 5mg of tirz. I have no intention of quitting it, ever. From about the very first week, it made a huge difference for my inflammation and stomach problems. Should I keep shedding weight beyond my goal, I'll simply eat more; if that doesn't work for me, I'll lower the dose until my weight holds steady without dropping further or creeping up. I figure I'll need at least 4 months of trial and error to sort this out. I wish my answer were more scientific.
 
Flash-BCR said:


I just had a weight conversation this morning with, "she who must be obeyed"...I mentioned I am almost below 200lbs now and she assumed I would stop there...My goal weight has always been 190 so that I have plenty of buffer so that I never go over 200 again. Thus the plan of staying on GLPs...10 years ago, I came back from 2 1/2 month backpacking adventure at 170lbs and she repeated she doesn't want to be with a 'skinny man'...so she's worried my well known obsessions are just for a weight loss spiral down...I have explained it is all about being a healthier old man and all that good goes with that...but I am sure she is keeping an eye on me... 😎

You are probably right about not being able to eat more without coming down on dose, but I don't want weight to start being a run away truck heading downhill (or uphill as the case may be)...without tirz/reta pressing firmly on the brakes...👍

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The one whose word is law 🤣 I'm guessing you mean the spouse 😄
 
bay_area_schizo said:

given how much my fat ass enjoys eating, I'm ready to stay on a maintenance dose forever
Click to expand...
Reta has delivered strong results for me up to this point. Beyond the fat loss, there's been a side effect I didn't anticipate. Maybe others have gone through the same thing, but the mental haze I used to have is basically gone now that I'm on it. My productivity and drive are way higher than they were before, back when brain fog was a constant problem and I struggled to find any motivation to finish tasks.
 
I've got a plan worked out. In 9 weeks I've dropped 30lbs, which is a pretty quick pace. Today I'm sitting at 220. My goal idea is 190, though like I mentioned earlier, I want to actually see my abs. Not 8% abs — closer to 15% abs. Under no circumstances do I want to exceed 5MGs per week, no matter how the weight loss drugs are combined. During maintenance I intend to use less. Should it turn out I need more than 5MGs, I might rethink things and just stay heavier. I'm not locked into this. It's simply the plan my wife and I have been talking over from the start. I've gotten to know quite a few of you on the forum, and I can see the doses you're running, so I'm fairly confident we'll end up matching yours. Right now GLPs are a tool, and they're only a tiny piece of my overall journey. The real priorities each week, well above my injections, are hard work, precise eating and rest.

Bill
 
Flash-BCR said:


I just had a weight conversation this morning with, "she who must be obeyed"...I mentioned I am almost below 200lbs now and she assumed I would stop there...My goal weight has always been 190 so that I have plenty of buffer so that I never go over 200 again. Thus the plan of staying on GLPs...10 years ago, I came back from 2 1/2 month backpacking adventure at 170lbs and she repeated she doesn't want to be with a 'skinny man'...so she's worried my well known obsessions are just for a weight loss spiral down...I have explained it is all about being a healthier old man and all that good goes with that...but I am sure she is keeping an eye on me... 😎

You are probably right about not being able to eat more without coming down on dose, but I don't want weight to start being a run away truck heading downhill (or uphill as the case may be)...without tirz/reta pressing firmly on the brakes...👍

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Yep, the wife department. She's always asking "how much more are you going lose". I tell her over and over that I'm going to taper off, and I will. 50lbs is what I've dropped so far, with 55lbs as my target. I'm keeping her on it, and after the 4th week at 9mg she'll probably go to 10mg. Her needs are far bigger than mine, but she seems to "cheat" with food and rum. Doesn't matter, she's stubborn and won't step on a scale, and I remind her there's no way for me to track your progress. Her weight isn't what I want to know, just whether she's down a pound or two, or going up. It's like battling a HOA.

Monjay said:

BNLFL said:

I plan to stay in maintenance mode, since I'm really near my goal weight. How long have you been taking whatever it is you take? What are you using, at what dose, and how much weight have you dropped?
Click to expand...
Since I've still got roughly 44 lbs left before hitting my ideal weight, I figure that milestone is still quite a while off. I've now been using Reta for 12 weeks, and my current dose sits at 6 mg. Next week, the plan is to bump it up to 8 mg.

Even with workouts that haven't been especially intense, things have moved along fairly well so far. My weight has come down from 249 lbs to 231 lbs.

What got me pondering this whole question was a local podcast I came across recently. The claim they made was that once Reta is started, you're essentially locked into taking it for life, and that quitting cold turkey might seriously disrupt your metabolism. Whether that's actually true, I can't say, but it stuck with me. How do you all see it?
Click to expand...
Yeah, you still have a distance to cover. FYI, my average was 2.2lbs a week, for instance. Do you keep each dose for 4 weeks, then increase? My own view is that staying on it forever isn't required, but the majority of us don't want to quit, then watch the weight creep back up. Diet alone wouldn't work for me, and really never has. Getting away totally is possible in my opinion. In 30 day most of the Reta will be totally gone out of your system, at least that's what I've seen from some of the smart guys on here. Keep it up, you're doing great.
 
Monjay said:

bay_area_schizo said:

given how much my fat ass enjoys eating, I'm ready to stay on a maintenance dose forever
Click to expand...
Reta has delivered strong results for me up to this point. Beyond the fat loss, there's been a side effect I didn't anticipate. Maybe others have gone through the same thing, but the mental haze I used to have is basically gone now that I'm on it. My productivity and drive are way higher than they were before, back when brain fog was a constant problem and I struggled to find any motivation to finish tasks.
Click to expand...
Yeah, my BP, cholesterol, and A1C have all improved thanks to it.

Whiynot20026 said:

I've got a plan worked out. In 9 weeks I've dropped 30lbs, which is a pretty quick pace. Today I'm sitting at 220. My goal idea is 190, though like I mentioned earlier, I want to actually see my abs. Not 8% abs — closer to 15% abs. Under no circumstances do I want to exceed 5MGs per week, no matter how the weight loss drugs are combined. During maintenance I intend to use less. Should it turn out I need more than 5MGs, I might rethink things and just stay heavier. I'm not locked into this. It's simply the plan my wife and I have been talking over from the start. I've gotten to know quite a few of you on the forum, and I can see the doses you're running, so I'm fairly confident we'll end up matching yours. Right now GLPs are a tool, and they're only a tiny piece of my overall journey. The real priorities each week, well above my injections, are hard work, precise eating and rest.

Bill
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That works out to 3.3lbs/week. From what I've heard, that's a bit quicker than recommended.
 
BNLFL said:


Yeah, you have a ways to go. FYI, I averaged 2.2lbs a week for example. Are you staying on your doses for 4 weeks, then bumping up? I personally don't think you have to stay on it forever, but most of us don't want to bail on it, watch the weight creep back up. I don't think I could do with diet alone, and really never had. Getting away totally is possible in my opinion. Most of the Reta will be totally gone out of your system in 30 day, at least that's what I've seen from some of the smart guys on here. Keep it up, you're doing great.

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Thanks, that support means a lot to me.

So here's my approach: I'll hold each dose for roughly 4 weeks. If a plateau shows up, or if the weight loss stalls too much once that period ends, I'll increase the dose.

At this point, a calorie deficit is doing most of the work for me. I haven't added much intense exercise—no weight training, and I'm not even reliably getting 10,000 steps daily.

But starting next week, I intend to take my workouts more seriously. I'm also considering putting MOTS-c into my stack, at 3 injections per week, to find out whether it moves my overall progress along.
 
I

Monjay said:


Right now, I'm mostly relying on a calorie deficit. I'm not doing much intense exercise yet—no weight training

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Likewise. I've barely exercised, though I recently began playing around with a few dumbbells. Relative to many folks in this community, I'm a bit older.
 
This isn't a surgical fix. It's merely a temporary patch for the body's inability to function as it should. That inability was once uncommon among people, yet it has now spread to near-epidemic levels worldwide. So indeed, every one of us will have to remain on it, or on better versions that come along later.

I compare it to glasses versus LASIK. Though even obesity surgery can't deliver the single permanent solution that LASIK does (presbyopia aside).

With luck, someday the root cause will be found, allowing people to prevent this problem from arising at all.
 
BNLFL said:

Monjay said:

bay_area_schizo said:

given how much my fat ass enjoys eating, I'm ready to stay on a maintenance dose forever
Click to expand...
Reta has delivered strong results for me up to this point. Beyond the fat loss, there's been a side effect I didn't anticipate. Maybe others have gone through the same thing, but the mental haze I used to have is basically gone now that I'm on it. My productivity and drive are way higher than they were before, back when brain fog was a constant problem and I struggled to find any motivation to finish tasks.
Click to expand...
Yeah, my BP, cholesterol, and A1C have all improved thanks to it.

Whiynot20026 said:

I've got a plan worked out. In 9 weeks I've dropped 30lbs, which is a pretty quick pace. Today I'm sitting at 220. My goal idea is 190, though like I mentioned earlier, I want to actually see my abs. Not 8% abs — closer to 15% abs. Under no circumstances do I want to exceed 5MGs per week, no matter how the weight loss drugs are combined. During maintenance I intend to use less. Should it turn out I need more than 5MGs, I might rethink things and just stay heavier. I'm not locked into this. It's simply the plan my wife and I have been talking over from the start. I've gotten to know quite a few of you on the forum, and I can see the doses you're running, so I'm fairly confident we'll end up matching yours. Right now GLPs are a tool, and they're only a tiny piece of my overall journey. The real priorities each week, well above my injections, are hard work, precise eating and rest.

Bill
Click to expand...
That works out to 3.3lbs/week. From what I've heard, that's a bit quicker than recommended.
Click to expand...
Before I began Reta, I was losing 2.2lbs each week. Reta is a fantastic GLP. I'm keeping a close eye on things, trust me. I don't believe it's too extreme. Still, I don't want to go beyond that.

Bill
 
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