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A woman prepares for a subcutaneous self-injection with a semaglutide pen 'diet drug' . The modern wonder weight loss drug and diabetes treatment highlights a personal healthcare routine at home.
Jabs aren’t a quick fix (Picture: Getty Images)

While treatments like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy can provide a helping hand, there’s no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight.

Given GLP-1 agonist medications have been shown to help people lose up to four times more than going it alone, it’s no wonder they’re popular.

However, a proportion of the estimated 1.5 million people in the UK who are now on these jabs will struggle to keep the pounds off long-term — and some may even end up heavier than when they started.

‘While it can differ depending on the individual, it’s quite common for people to regain some of the weight lost once they stop taking the medication,’ Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, tells Metro.

There are a few factors behind this, from metabolism to appetite. But going back on your progress isn’t inevitable, as long as you’re careful to avoid these five common pitfalls.

Abruptly stopping treatment

As these treatments work by suppressing appetite, Dr Grant warns that going cold turkey ‘could increase it, leading to poor eating habits and potential weight gain.’

Female medical professional talking with patient in exam room
Speak to your doctor for a tapering plan (Picture: Getty Images)

If you’re considering coming off your medication, he recommends speaking to your GP about doing so slowly and safely.

‘A medical professional can advise further on a potential tapering plan, while also providing dietary advice and lifestyle habits that can help reduce weight gain,’ he adds.

Not making lifestyle changes

According to a recent study of over 6,000 people by scientists at Oxford University, those who use GLP-1 drugs will put their weight back on within 10 months of stopping if they don’t continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Dr Grant explains: ‘When stopping weight loss injections, it’s crucially important that individuals replace the treatment with another way to keep weight off.’

Even 30 minutes of daily exercise can make all the difference, burning off some of those extra calories you’re consuming and stopping you falling into a sedentary routine.

Two friends talking and walking after workout.
Just 30 minutes of exercise a day can help maintain your progress (Picture: Getty Images)

Stopping too early

Quick fixes and ‘crash diets’ rarely result in any lasting improvements — and the same is true for GLP-1 medications.

‘Choosing to stop weight loss treatment too early is by far one of the most common errors people make,’ says Dr Grant. ‘These drugs are designed to be used long-term, but not doing so gives the body little time to adapt to the treatment.’

It’s a marathon, not a sprint, with many providers recommending a course of between 12 and 24 months. Unless you’re prepared to make that commitment, you may not reap the full benefits of treatment.

Not changing your diet

Making changes to your diet while taking Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy is a vital step to maintaining your progress forward. In fact, Dr Grant claims failure to do so is a ‘sure-fire way to regain weight lost’.

‘It’s important for people to draw up a dietary plan, including structured meal times to avoid overeating,’ he explains.

‘I also recommend a well-balanced diet including a variety of high-protein, fibre-rich and healthy fat foods.’

Patient Preparing opening Weight Loss Injection Pen with Semaglutide Solution
It’s a good idea to monitor your weight even after you stop injecting (Picture: Getty Images)

Not monitoring weight regularly

‘While it’s important not to create an unhealthy relationship with weight management, tracking weight closely once ending any treatments can help people adjust their routine to avoid losing progress,’ says Dr Grant. 

It’s easy to revert to old habits once you end a course of medication, but regular monitoring ensures you can get back on track before you lose too much progress.

Since you’ve put so much time, energy and potentially money into the progress you’ve made so far, just think of this as protecting your investment.

Not addressing your emotional relationship with food

As medical director at Weight Medics, Dr Debra Marcos, adds, it’s also important to consider – and heal – your emotional relationship with eating.

In her view, weight gain is ‘rarely just about food,’ as it often involves ’emotional eating, hormonal imbalance, stress, poor sleep, and even unresolved trauma.’

‘The jab may reduce weight temporarily, but unless these underlying causes are addressed, weight regain is likely. GLP1s don’t fix emotional eating, stress eating, or deep-seated habits,’ she tells Metro.

‘Once the medication is stopped, the feeling of “losing control” may lead patients to emotional eating, perpetuating the roots of their weight problems.’

Wondering where to start? Dr Marcos suggests working with dietitians and even therapists to help you identify your ’emotional triggers’ and implement alternative coping strategies.

Not eating enough protein

As Dr Marcos adds, weight loss injections can suppress your appetite —but you need to make sure you’re eating enough protein, even when you stop using them.

Not packing in enough can cause muscle loss and a lower metabolism, and as the British Heart Foundation suggests, most adults need around 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight each day.

On average, this works out at 45g for women and 55g for men.

If possible, you’ll also want to include regular strength training to help preserve that much-needed muscle.

This article was originally published in July 2025.

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Sandy Whitelaw: Four Christmases ago I was told I had 18 months to live
My symptoms started in early 2021 when I felt tremors (Picture: Sandy Whitelaw)

Four Christmases ago, I was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour and given just 18 months to live.

My symptoms started in early 2021 when I felt tremors – like a strange vibrating sensation – in my stomach before the feeling moved to under my arm.

I knew this wasn’t normal, so, each time it happened, I went to my GP for help. I went back and forth a couple of times over the next few months, but he just put it down as a possible muscle spasm and referred me for an MRI scan.

That MRI sadly never happened until I became an emergent case.

Between Christmas and New Year, I felt the tremors again. I’d been cooking dinner for the family on 27 December when my arm suddenly locked in an upright position and I couldn’t move it for a full five minutes.

This time, the vibrating was strong and excruciatingly painful, so my wife Fiona took me to A&E but I was only sent home with painkillers.

Sandy Whitelaw: Four Christmases ago I was told I had 18 months to live
The tumour was glioblastoma grade 4 (Picture: Sandy Whitelaw)

Then, on 3 January 2022, the same thing happened again. My arm locked and I couldn’t move it at all for 15 minutes.

Once again I went to A&E and fortunately saw the same doctor who immediately sent me for an MRI and CT scan. That’s when I learned of the frightening mass in my brain.

No one could tell us what it was at this point, why it had appeared or when. All I could do was take the steroids I’d been prescribed to help with the pain and swelling in my arm and wait for an operation on my brain.

Immediately after my operation, my consultant said he was confident that he had managed to take most of the tumour away but that we would need to wait for the results of the biopsy to know exactly what we were dealing with.

Sadly, at my oncology meeting two weeks later, it was confirmed that the tumour type was glioblastoma grade 4.

It was a terminal diagnosis, and I was told my life expectancy would be around 18 months.

My mother-in-law, who had come to the appointment with me as my wife had Covid, had to leave the room. Fiona, who had been listening in on the phone, had put her microphone on mute so that I couldn’t hear her crying.

Sandy Whitelaw: Four Christmases ago I was told I had 18 months to live
I had imagined for the future for my family (Picture: Sandy Whitelaw)

As for me, I thought, ‘That’s it. Everything is over’. Everything I had imagined for the future for me, Fiona and our little girl, Imogen – holidays and Christmases together, seeing her grow up – was pulled from under my feet.

While I didn’t have any more operations – the remaining 10% of the tumour could not be removed surgically because of where it was located – I did begin having chemotherapy in tablet form, and six weeks of radiotherapy. I was also prescribed anti-seizure medication and steroids to take the swelling down on my brain.

My hair started to fall out which I found very upsetting, partly because the scars on my head became more apparent, but mainly because it made the whole ordeal a reality.

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And when that was all finished, all that was left to think about was that I didn’t have very long to live.

By the time December 2022 rolled around, I was feeling deeply sad about what I thought could be my last Christmas, yet I still wanted to make the most of it.

We tried to keep things fairly normal by having our close family members around like we always do and, thankfully, no one made too much of a fuss as I didn’t want to be the centre of attention. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t started to dwell on the fact I may never experience an occasion like that again.

Sandy Whitelaw: Four Christmases ago I was told I had 18 months to live
I decided I had to live for every minute (Picture: Sandy Whitelaw)

I went deeper into my own thoughts, often crying when I was home alone and wondering why this had happened to me. Frankly, I couldn’t see a way forward and was treating my life like it was already over.

Concerned, Fiona suggested I found someone professional to talk to, and a few months later in June 2023, I found Maggie’s – a UK-wide cancer charity providing free, professional emotional, practical, and social support for anyone affected by cancer.

The charity put me in touch with a counselling psychologist who helped me to accept that, even though I have a terminal illness, I’m still here and I still have lots to offer.

Maggie's Cancer Care

Maggie’s Cancer Centres are drop-in support centres for individuals affected by cancer. They provide support to those living with cancer and their families.

The centres offer a range of services, including workshops, nutrition and exercise sessions, psychological support, and a welcoming environment for patients, families, and carers.

For help and information please contact Jacqueline.Clelland@maggies.org

She also introduced me to the ‘Living Well with Ongoing Cancer’ group where I was able to make many friends who were going through similar things. And it made all the difference.

I decided I had to live for every minute, even the small things – like going to the chippy and playing with my little girl, or going for afternoon tea with Fiona – and, before I knew it, 18 months had passed since the diagnosis.

December 25 soon rolled around again which we spent on a cruise. Then we celebrated Christmas 2024 in Turkey. I knew I was lucky to have made it past the 18 months mark, let alone two more Christmases, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Sandy Whitelaw: Four Christmases ago I was told I had 18 months to live
I am now registered disabled (Picture: Sandy Whitelaw)

This year, after being given the all-clear to fly long distances, my family and I are gearing up to spend the festive period in Florida, where we’ll swim with dolphins on Christmas Day. I’m so excited and know we are going to have an amazing time.

Of course, I still have my limitations – I am now registered disabled and I have to use a walking stick as I have been left with limited use of my left leg – but I haven’t needed any more treatment. 

I take anti-epileptic medicine, one co-codamol and one paracetamol every day, but that’s it. And though I used to worry in between my scans, especially if I got more headaches, now I try to just look ahead. 

Because while I may not know how many more Christmases I’ll see, one thing I know for sure is that life truly is for living and I want to enjoy every single moment of it.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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Bottles of M&S wine on a purple background with the Drink Up logo
Did you know about the cheap wine range at M&S? (Picture: M&S/Getty Images/fStop)

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There’s very little you can buy for £5.75 these days.

You’d struggle to get a pint at the pub for this price, and forget about ordering a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s.

But Marks & Spencer is throwing us a bone at a time when many of us are struggling to rub two 10 pence pieces together, especially after the onslaught of Christmas gift-buying.

I’ve just discovered they have a little-known range of wines for under £6, with some bottles priced as low as £5.25.

Marks & Spencer store in Bromley High Street
All the bottles are under £6 (Picture: Getty Images)

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Now, I’ve been a huge fan of the M&S Classics range forever, which showcases decent wines from popular winemaking regions around the world and is reasonably priced around the £8.50 to £10 mark.

But this budget range shows that the retailer clearly has its finger on the pulse of the nation.

Interestingly, it has come at a time when it is almost impossible to flog a wine cheaply in this country. It’s a price point that buckles under the weight of the new duty rates, transport, glass, cork, label, handling fees, margins and storage fees. In fact, it beggars belief that they’ve managed to coax any character from these wines at all, given the circumstances. 

The range is made up of six wines: three whites, a rosé and two reds. Each has a name like ‘Round and Plummy’, ‘Crisp and Zesty’, and ‘Rich and Smooth’, just to make things super simple at a time when not much is super or simple.

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Whether they taste good is another story, though this is M&S we’re talking about, a company who have actual winemakers on their payroll, as an integral part of their team.   

These wines aren’t about bragging rights, gifting or looking good on Instagram – they’re midweek sippers that deliver you from the guilt factor or festive splurging.

Plus, they’re lower in alcohol (to avoid the higher duty rates), minimising calories and woozy heads in the morning. Looking online, Waitrose has a similar range at the same price, and Asda has one for a ridiculously low £3.54, and I can only imagine what that tastes like.

Naturally, I tried the entire M&S budget range, so you don’t have to. Here are my thoughts…

Vibrant & Zesty White 10%, South Africa, £5.75, Ocado

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
An uncomplicated wine (Picture: M&S)

An uncomplicated style, as you’d expect, made from a blend of South African Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Clean and dry on the palate with subtle notes of fresh pear, almonds and apple blossom. If you like orchard fruit and citrus notes in a dry white wine, this one has your name on it.

Soft & Tropical White 9%, Australia, £5.25, Ocado

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
This one is a winner (Picture: M&S)

Like Ronseal, this one does exactly what it says on the bottle. For clarity, it doesn’t taste like wood varnish; it has an expressive nose of banana and papaya with more than a suggestion of guava. Ripe and sun-kissed on the palate with more of those banana notes coming through and a soft and citrussy acidity. My favourite of the whites, by far.

Crisp & Zingy White 1L 10%, Italy, £9.50, M&S in-store

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
This one is slightly more expensive (Picture: M&S)

Having said they’re £5.75 or less, this litre-bottle format works out at just over £7 for a 750ml bottle equivalent. Not sure why they’ve positioned this differently than the rest, the quality doesn’t justify the higher price point. Not that £7 is exactly expensive for a dry and citrussy bottle of white, accented by notes of apricot and white flowers. It’s made using the ubiquitous Trebbiano grape that makes, well, simple and gluggable whites like this.

Rosé

Soft & Fruity Rosé 10.5%, Australia, £5.25, Ocado

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
A dry rosé (Picture: M&S)

A dry Aussie rosé, made from the juicy Grenache grape, with notes of candied strawberries and dried cranberries. For the price, you can’t go wrong, though I’d be tempted to make this into your own version of mulled rosé while splashing out on a more elevated bottle of pink for the Christmas table.

Red

Round & Plummy Red 10.5%, Chile, £5.75, Ocado

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
A decent mid-week glugger (Picture: M&S)

Very Chilean Merlot, and by that I mean round and generous without being in any way intricate or complex. There are some creamy flavours of plum and a stalky, hedgerow fruit herbaceousness on the palate, which make it a somewhat decent budget mid-week glugger.  

Rich & Smooth Red 10.5%, Australia, £5.50, M&S in-store (or £5.75, Ocado)

M&S has a ?5.25 wine range - and two of them are surprisingly good
The better of the two reds in the range (Picture: M&S)

This was the best of the two reds, with Christmas-appropriate flavours of mulled cherries and spiced blood orange. For a Shiraz-led blend, it’s a super light style, meaning it can also be fridge-chilled for twenty minutes before quaffing. There’s also 10% Merlot added to cushion the spice, and in fact, I think this is a decent shout for under £6.

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