FREE CHECKLIST FROM A SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

Coming off your GLP-1? Don't give the progress back.

A short plan to fill out before your last dose, covering protein, strength, sleep, and the warning signs that mean it's time to call your doctor.

Send me the checklist

One email with the checklist, then occasional notes on staying strong after GLP-1s. Unsubscribe anytime.

The first six months off are the steep part.

Across six trials, about 60% of the weight lost on treatment came back within a year of stopping, with most of it returning early. That's not a willpower problem. Appetite comes back, food noise gets louder, and muscle that isn't used goes away.

  • Appetite returns. The quiet you had on the drug doesn't last. Having a plan beats relying on willpower.
  • Muscle is on the line. Weight that comes back tends to return as more fat than muscle. The scale can look fine while strength slips.
  • Most people stop without a plan. Write yours down now, while it's still easy.

What you'll fill out

  1. Your team: who's in your corner, and the "how to come off" talk with your clinician
  2. Protein first: your daily and per-meal targets, plus three go-to meals
  3. Lift before you stop: strength sessions already on the calendar
  4. Movement, sleep, stress: the things that drive hunger when appetite returns
  5. What to measure: a simple tracker for weight, waist, hunger, and strength at months 1, 3, and 6
  6. Your alarm bell: the line you set now that tells you when to call your doctor
Get the checklist

Why a sports medicine doctor wrote this

I'm Drew Dahlgren, M.D., MBA. I've spent more than 20 years in sports medicine, helping people get stronger and stay that way. GLP-1 medicines are the biggest change in weight care in my career. But the drug handles appetite, not what your body is made of. That part is still muscle, protein, sleep, and a plan.

I write from both sides, as a physician who reads the research and as someone working the same basics I recommend.

Fill it out before your last dose.

It takes about 15 minutes. Bring it to your next appointment.

This checklist is general education, not medical advice, and doesn't replace care from your own clinician. Talk with your prescriber before stopping, tapering, or restarting any medication.
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