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The top 4 takeaways from our new GLP-1 results report

Here’s the latest on how our program can support your GLP-1 journey.

By Weight Watchers|Scientifically reviewed by Kelli Richardson, Ph.D., RDN

Over the last few years, GLP-1s have transformed obesity care. And for the first time in over a decade, obesity rates have dropped, with many experts pointing to GLP-1s as one reason why. What’s becoming clear, though, is that these medications can’t do it alone.

Our latest results report looks at the reality of living on GLP-1 medications and how the Weight Watchers GLP-1 Success Program helps people make the most of their medication journey for better results and better health. Want the TL;DR version? (Understandable!) Here are the headlines to know.

#1 GLP-1s need nutrition and fitness support

Among the biggest myths about these meds? That they’re some easy way out. The reality is that taking a GLP-1 often presents its own unique challenges. There can be countless side effects, muscle loss, and nutrition gaps that get in the way of these meds working their best. Healthy habits are key to managing all of this, and global health leaders agree. In December 2025, the World Health Organization stated that GLP-1s should always be paired with lifestyle changes. This is exactly what our GLP-1 Success Program provides, guiding members towards foods and habits that can help minimize side effects and maximize results. The proof: After six months, Weight Watchers Med+ members prescribed a GLP-1 medication who engaged with the GLP-1 Success Program lost over 36% more body weight, on average, than those who did not engage with behavioral support. In short: GLP-1s just work better with GLP-1 Success.

#2 You can be on a GLP-1 and still nourish your body

GLP-1 medications significantly reduce appetite — which can mean fewer calories and fewer nutrients. And without proper support, one study showed that more than one in five people taking a GLP-1 developed a nutritional deficiency within a year. That’s why nutrition is the foundation of the GLP-1 Success Program. It helps you focus on three targets:

Protein: Protein helps maintain muscle mass, supports bone health, and increases fullness. Members receive a personalized target of at least 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day.
Fiber: Fiber supports digestion and can help reduce constipation — a common GLP-1 side effect. Members are guided toward 25+ grams per day for women, and 38+ grams per day for men, primarily from fruits, vegetables, and whole foods.
Hydration: Drinking enough water helps minimize GI discomfort. GLP-1 Success encourages members to drink at least 8 cups per day.

Members are also steered away from foods that worsen side effects — like those high in saturated fat and added sugar — and toward whole, nutrient-dense options. Altogether, the focus is on better food, not necessarily less: Members of the GLP-1 Success Program improved their diet quality by 34.7% in six months.

#3 Nausea isn’t inevitable

Gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting are extremely common, affecting 80-90% of GLP-1 users in clinical trials for semaglutide and tirzepatide. These side effects can really affect day-to-day quality of life when taking these meds — and even cause some people to go off them completely. The good news is that nutrition and other habits can go a long way toward keeping these symptoms in check. 72% of members said the GLP-1 Success Program helped minimize their GLP-1 side effects.

#4 You can be on a GLP-1 and get stronger

No one gets on a GLP-1 hoping to lose fat and muscle. But research shows that up to one-third of weight lost on GLP-1s may come from lean mass. That’s why, in addition to helping you focus on protein, the GLP-1 Success Program emphasizes resistance training, which is critical for both muscle retention during weight loss and overall metabolic health. In-app videos feature progressive routines that can be done anywhere, at any level. And it’s helping members get stronger: GLP-1 Success Program participants increased strength-training days by 53.2% in six months.

The bottom line

Obesity treatment has evolved — and so has Weight Watchers. Our GLP-1 Success Program can not only help you lose more weight, but also improve healthy habits, diet quality, and overall quality of life while surrounding you with a supportive community of other members who are on the same journey. While GLP-1 medications support weight loss, the Weight Watchers GLP-1 Success Program provides comprehensive lifestyle support, designed to minimize side effects, and teach healthy lifestyle habits for as long as you’re on the medication and beyond.

This content is for general educational and informational purposes. The content is not medical advice, does not diagnose any medical condition and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from a healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider about any medical concerns.

Weight Watchers relies on only the most trustworthy sources, including highly credentialed experts, government and academic institutions, peer-reviewed studies, and respected medical associations. We focus on primary sources and research that is recent, relevant, and high-quality. For more about how we report, write, and fact check our stories, please see our editorial policy.

WHO statement on GLP-1s: World Health Organization (2025). “WHO issues global guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity.”

https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2025-who-issues-global-guideline-on-the-use-of-glp-1-medicines-in-treating-obesity

Additional weight loss: Based on an internal analysis of 6,035 members who requested at least 1 GLP-1 medication refill through Weight Watchers Med+ and self-reported both a starting weight and weight at week 26. On average, members who logged in to the GLP-1 Success Program at least 4 days each week (n=1,036) lost 15.0% body weight, and members who never logged in to the app (n=4,999) lost 11.0% body weight in 26 weeks. Not a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Self-reported outcomes have not been independently verified. Individual results may vary.

Nutritional deficiencies: Obes Pillars (2025) “Nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss in adults with type 2 diabetes using GLP-1 receptor agonists: A retrospective observational study.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40584822/

Fiber, hydration, and side effects: Obesity (2024). “Nutritional considerations with antiobesity medications.”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.24067

Improvement in diet quality: Based on a 6-month clinical trial (n=180) of individuals who were enrolled between February–April 2024, with overweight or obesity taking semaglutide/tirzepatide for weight loss and related outcomes within the WW Clinic Program who increased their Healthy Eating Index score from 55.0 to 65.1. Heinberg et al. Effectiveness of a Telehealth Medical Weight Management and GLP-1 Specific Behavioral Program: A 24-Week Single-arm Study. Manuscript under review. Funded by WW International, Inc.

Muscle loss: Diabetes Obes Metab (2024). “Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist-based agents and weight loss composition: Filling the gaps.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39344838/

Increase in strength training: Based on a 6-month clinical trial (n=180) of individuals who were enrolled between February–April 2024, with overweight or obesity taking semaglutide/tirzepatide for weight loss and related outcomes within the WW Clinic Program. Heinberg et al. Effectiveness of a Telehealth Medical Weight Management and GLP-1 Specific Behavioral Program: A 24-Week Single-arm Study. Manuscript under review. Funded by WW International, Inc.

Prevalence of side effects with semaglutide: N Engl J Med (2021). “Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.”

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183

Prevalence of side effects with tirzepatide: N Engl J Med (2022). “Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.”

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038

Improvement in side effects: Based on survey responses of 166 participants in a 6-month clinical trial who had overweight or obesity, and were taking semaglutide/tirzepatide for weight loss through Weight Watchers Clinic and provided the GLP-1 Success Program.

Staying on GLP-1s: J Manag Care Spec Pharm (2024). “Real-world persistence and adherence to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists among obese commercially insured adults without diabetes.”

https://www.jmcp.org/doi/10.18553/jmcp.2024.23332

Workshop attendance and weight loss: Johnston CA, Moreno JP, Hernandez DC, et al. Levels of adherence needed to achieve significant weight loss. Int J Obes (Lond). 2019;43(1):125-131. doi:10.1038/s41366-018-0226-7

Community support and weight loss: Obesity Reviews (2019). “Adherence to Behavioral Weight Management: A Scoping Review of Definitions, Measurement, and Components.”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.70066

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