GLP-1 TV · Clinician · views checked Oct 2026
The Week 2 GLP-1 Weight Loss Stall: Why Most People Quit Here
Clinician
Our summary
Dr. Dan, who presents on the Dr. Dan | Obesity Expert channel, addresses people who started a GLP-1 medication in the new year, lost several pounds in week one, and then saw the scale stall or tick up in week two. He says nothing has broken and that weight loss does not move in a straight line. He describes the early drop as mostly water rather than fat.
General education as published by the channel. Not medical advice, and not an endorsement.
Where GLP-1 costs least today
The three cheapest partner programs for GLP-1, all in per month, checked weekly.
What else the video covers
According to the video, the water loss has two causes. When calories are cut, the body draws on stored glycogen, which holds water, and lower insulin levels signal the kidneys to release sodium, with water following. He says that once this flush ends, the scale reflects slower fat loss. He also says the body may lower its energy burn in response to eating less, which he calls adaptive thermogenesis, leading to tiredness or less movement and a temporary plateau. He adds that the second Friday of January is when many people abandon resolutions, and that small habit drift such as skipped protein breakfasts, extra wine, or untracked water can creep in.
He promotes his own membership program, Dr. Dan's empowerment hub, with live calls, Q&A and a 14-day trial. He then lays out a four-part "don't quit" plan: do not change the medication dose because of the scale, rehydrate, prioritize protein, and keep going consistently. He compares progress to a staircase with flat sections rather than a slide. These are the speaker's views, not medical advice.
Our summary of what is said, in our words. Doses, results and prices are the speaker’s, not advice.
Takeaways
The main points, in the order they come up. Tap a time to play from there.
- 1:32 Dr. Dan says most of the week one weight loss was water, released as stored glycogen was used and insulin dropped.
- 3:03 He explains that the body may lower its energy burn when calories fall, which he calls adaptive thermogenesis, creating a temporary plateau.
- 5:04 He says the second Friday of January is when many people drop resolutions, and small habit drift can follow.
- 6:06 He describes his paid community, Dr. Dan's empowerment hub, which offers live calls, Q&A and a 14-day trial.
- 7:07 He recommends not raising the medication dose in response to a stall, saying it brings extra nausea and diarrhea without extra fat loss.
- 7:39 He lists rehydrating, getting enough protein, and staying consistent as the rest of his plan for the stall.
Key moments
From the creator's own chapters. Tap one to play from there.
- 0:00 <Untitled Chapter 1>
- 1:34 The “Water Illusion” – why fast Week 1 losses are mostly wat
- 2:28 How GLP-1 medications change insulin, kidneys, and fluid bal
- 3:25 The “thermostat” effect (adaptive thermogenesis) that makes
- 4:48 Why “Quitter’s Day” and the drift in habits hit right as the
- 6:55 A step-by-step “Don’t Quit Protocol” so you can keep going c
What the video says
As stated in the video, not checked by us. Doses and results are the speaker’s, not advice.
- Point in the journey
- Week 2
- Side effects mentioned
- fatigue
- Who is speaking
- Clinician (Dr. Dan)
In their words
"Think of progress like a staircase, not a slide."
Questions this video answers
Why does weight loss stall in week 2 of a GLP-1 medication?
Dr. Dan says the large week one drop was mostly water from used-up glycogen and lower insulin, so week two shows slower fat loss. He also says the body may reduce its energy burn when calories drop, which can cause a temporary plateau.
Should you increase your GLP-1 dose if the scale stops moving?
Dr. Dan advises against it. He says doubling the dose because of one rude scale reading brings extra nausea and diarrhea but no extra fat loss, and that dosing should stay a decision with your care team.
What does Dr. Dan recommend doing during a GLP-1 plateau?
He lists four steps: do not touch the dose, rehydrate, make sure you get enough protein, and keep going consistently. He says biology will catch up to the behavior.
What is adaptive thermogenesis on a GLP-1?
According to the video, it is the body turning down its energy burn when calories are cut, because it reads the change as famine. He says it can show up as feeling more tired, cold, or less motivated to move.
Videos on the same question
The closest videos in the library by what is said in them, not by title.
How GLP-1 Medications Actually Work (Weight Loss Explained)In this video, registered dietitian and GLP-1 user Anna Rydorf explains why weight loss on a GLP-1 medication does not follow a straight downward line.
Obesity Medicine Doctor Explains: Why Your GLP-1 Weight Loss Stalled (And What Actually Fixes It)Dr. Bazgha Khalid, who describes herself as a board-certified internal medicine and obesity medicine specialist, explains why weight loss can stall while a person is still taking a GLP-1 medication.
Stalled on Zepbound or other GLP-1s? Do This Before Increasing Your Dose!In this video, registered dietitian and GLP-1 user Amie Eastdorf says that many people who stall on GLP-1 medications such as Zepbound assume the drug has stopped working, when the real change is that they have stopped paying attention.
Why GLP-1 Feels Different at 1, 3, and 6 Months (Obesity Doctor)In this video, Dr. Megan, who describes herself as a board-certified obesity medicine physician and weight loss coach, walks through what she commonly sees in patients at one, three, and six months on a GLP-1 medication.
About Dr. Dan | Obesity Expert
Clinician, 62.4K subscribers. 45 of their videos are in GLP-1 TV, 1.8M views between them, mostly on Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound.
- Ozempic Nausea Getting Worse? Try These 5 Fixes
- The Real Reason Mounjaro Works (It's Not What You Think)
- Ozempic Changed Everything for Weight Loss - The Major Shift Doctors Are Seeing
Read next
Our guides closest to what this video covers, with prices checked weekly.
- GLP-1 vs GLP-2 vs GLP-3: what the names mean, and which ones you can actually buy
GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide act on one receptor. "GLP-2" is used online for tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro), which acts on two, GIP and GLP-1, and "GLP-3" for retatrutide, which adds the glucagon receptor. Neither nickname is the real name: GLP-2 is a separate gut hormone whose drug, Gattex, treats short bowel syndrome. Retatrutide produced 28.3% mean weight loss at 80 weeks in its phase 3 trial but is not FDA-approved; Lilly plans to file in Q1 2027. Tirzepatide is the strongest option you can buy today.
- Stopping a GLP-1: what the withdrawal trials found, and what a maintenance dose actually is
Two trials have measured what happens when you stop. On semaglutide, people who lost 17.3% over 68 weeks regained two-thirds of it in the year after stopping, ending 5.6% below where they started. On tirzepatide, people who lost 20.9% in 36 weeks regained 14% over the next year on placebo while those who continued lost a further 5.5%. Both labels are explicit that these drugs are for maintaining weight reduction long term, which is a different claim from finishing a course. A maintenance dose is simply the dose you stay on; the labels do not define a lower one to step down to at goal.
- What is GLP-1? The hormone, how the drugs work, and every GLP-1 medication on the market
GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat. It tells the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar is high, holds back glucagon, slows how fast the stomach empties, and acts on the parts of the brain that regulate appetite. GLP-1 drugs copy that hormone but last far longer: a week for the injections, a day for the pills. Seven brands are on the US market, from Ozempic and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes to Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo for weight loss.
Find more like it
Dose changeWeigh-in and resultsFood, protein and eatingStopping and maintenanceHow it worksFatigue
Up next
More from this collection
Watched it? See what it costs.
Every GLP-1 program we track, ranked by what actually leaves your account.