Keeping weight off: how Thrive helps you see your everyday habits

Getting to a healthier weight is one thing. Keeping it there is often the harder part, and it's something researchers are paying more attention to now that more Australians are using weight loss medication and, at some point, coming off it.

A small new study has looked at exactly that moment. Here's what it found, what it doesn't tell us yet, and how the Thrive Health Band and its app can help you see your everyday habits while you settle into life after a big change.

What the new study looked at

In October 2026, researchers from Tufts University and UT Southwestern Medical Center published a pilot randomised trial in Obesity Science and Practice. It followed 39 adults who had lost more than 10% of their body weight on weight loss medication and had stopped within the previous 30 days.

People were put into one of three groups for four months:

usual care from their own doctor
a weight management app for logging food, exercise and weight, with lessons on the things that shape eating habits
home-delivered meals designed by dietitians, 10 a week

Everyone weighed in monthly on a Bluetooth scale.

What it found

Over the four months, the usual care group regained about 10.75% of their body weight on average. The app group regained about 3.60% and the meals group about 3.58%. Both kinds of structured support were linked with less regain than usual care.

It was a small pilot, it ran for four months, most participants were women, and the groups weren't evenly matched at the start. The authors say larger, longer trials are needed to confirm the results.

One detail stood out. People in the app group used it on about 2.8 days a week on average, well under the daily use that was suggested, and they still regained less than the usual care group. In this study at least, people didn't need to use the app every day to see a difference.

Speaking to Newsweek, lead author Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen said the first year after stopping is likely when the most support is needed, while people build lasting habits around eating, movement, sleep and keeping track of how they are going.

Why keeping weight off takes support

After weight loss, the body tends to push back. The study's authors describe changes that increase hunger and reduce feelings of fullness, alongside everyday food cues and busy lives that make healthy routines harder to hold onto.

That's not a willpower problem. It's part of why the researchers think structure helps: a way to keep noticing what you eat, how you move and how you sleep, so small drifts don't go unseen for months.

Talk to your GP first

If you're thinking about stopping weight loss medication, or you already have, talk it through with your GP or prescriber. They know your history and can help you plan the change, including how often to check in.

This article isn't medical advice, and Thrive doesn't replace your GP. What Thrive can do is help you arrive at those conversations with a clear picture of your own week.

How Thrive can help you keep an eye on your habits

The Thrive Health Band has no screen, so there's nothing to check during the day. It builds up a picture day and night, and you log the rest in the Thrive by Optihealth app. Thrive learns your normal right across your health, so it can show you when something is shifting away from what's usual for you.

Meals and Food Fit. You can log meals in the Nutrition tab, including by scanning a barcode, and Thrive offers diet recommendations for protein, fat and calories to look at alongside what you've eaten. Food Fit lets you scan a food and get a Food Fit score and a personal note. You can browse Papa Macros meals inside Thrive and add them to your weekly plan, so the week's meals are sorted before you get busy. My Fridge keeps track of your stock, remaining portions and use-by dates, and when you log what you eat, its energy and macros go into your diary. When it's time to order, you can go to Papa Macros from the app (meals are bought separately).
Activity and steps. Thrive shows your steps, distance and workouts, plus your estimated caloric burn across the day. Today's Load gives you a sense of how much your body has done each day.
Strength sessions. The app includes workouts, plans and training programmes if you'd like some structure for strength work. Muscle-strengthening activity on 2 or more days a week is part of the Australian Government's movement guidelines for adults.
Sleep. Thrive shows how long you sleep and your sleep stages, including deep and light sleep and more, night by night.
Body Composition. When you'd like a reading, you start it yourself using the electrode on the Band. Readings show estimated body fat %, muscle % and body water %, so you can look at changes over months rather than just the number on the scales. Our article on body fat percentage and body composition explains more.
Today's Vitality and Health Fingerprint. Today's Vitality, a score from 0 to 100, brings your day together in one place. Health Fingerprint shows how your body tends to respond over time and when your baseline is drifting.
Medications and supplements. You can keep a record of your medications and supplements in the app, with reminders, so changes sit alongside your other trends.
Ask Thrive. Ask questions in everyday language, such as "How have my steps and sleep changed since last month?" or "Which days this week did I log meals?"
Thrive Loops. If you're working with a trainer, dietitian or coach, Thrive Loops lets you share selected information with a participating trainer, health professional or someone you trust. You decide what to share and with whom, and you can change or revoke access at any time.

Getting ready for your GP appointment in Thrive

A few days before your appointment, open Ask Thrive and ask it to sum up the last month: your steps, sleep, meals logged and any Body Composition readings. Keep the trends you want to discuss open on your phone.

If you're on the earlier part of this journey, our article on weight loss medication and everyday trends covers keeping an eye on your habits while you're starting out.

Common questions

Can Thrive stop me regaining weight?

No device can promise that. Thrive helps you see your eating, movement, sleep and Body Composition over time, so you and your GP, dietitian or trainer can spot changes early and talk about them.

Does Thrive sync with Apple Health?

No. Thrive doesn't sync to Apple Health. Your data lives in the Thrive by Optihealth app and My Health on the web.

Do I have to log every day?

No. Log what you can. The Band fills in your sleep and activity automatically.

For more answers, see Questions.

Before you buy

You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.

The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer (usually A$740). That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).

Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year (A$20 a month).

You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

The bottom line

Keeping weight off after a big change is hard, and early research suggests structured support helps. Talk to your GP about any change to your medication, and use Thrive to keep your everyday habits in view right across your health.