Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

explain Mounjaro to me

111 replies

partyetiquette · 17/07/2025 15:14

HIya

I have lost 5 stone through calorie defecit and my BMR means my defecit now brings my daily calories down to 1200 to lose weight
(I know the Maths is right)

I've been plateaued for a year (I'd like to lose 2 more stone) but it just won't shift (I'm 50)
I watched a weight coach talking about how low calorie will stop working as the body will adapt, but I was wondering how does Mounjaro work then?
Doesn't that just make you not want to eat as much , therefore low cal?
If I tried it for this last bit would it work?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 17/07/2025 18:41

I’m 50s too (and short) and been using MJ for a year. To lose weight I eat 800-900 calories a day, maintenance for me is 1000.

no wonder I ended up putting 7 stone on over 30 years, who’d be able to stick to a 1000 calories a day every day forever without Mounjaro 🤷‍♀️

LastDropsOfAnInkPen · 17/07/2025 18:41

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:32

I'm the person that said most days I'm on around 300, not consciously or with intent, just so busy and because my appetite has evaporated I forget to eat. Yes I take a multivitamin but obviously at some point once I reach my goal I'll come off it and hopefully my appetite will come back.

I'm on the lowest dose and plan to remain on it as it works so well, 2.5. I'm considered a super responder apparently.

You should seek medical advice and help. 300 calories plus a multivitamin a day, if true, is ruinous to your health. Your muscles and organs cannot function on that. The damage it will do is severe and could be irreversible. If this is genuinely the effect of Mounjaro, it is not suitable for you.

Justwingingit2005 · 17/07/2025 18:41

I am shocked at the widespread use of MJ and O.
They are both great drugs doing what they designed for and if used honestly and sensibly, but people are bending the rules to get these drugs, going down to dangerously low calories and assuming they are safe for life if you do not have a medical condition.

I do think obesity should get more support as a mental health condition, but throwing drugs at it is not the ideal long term solution.

doodleschnoodle · 17/07/2025 18:43

The 300 calories people will really struggle if they haven’t used the time they are on MJ to completely change their diet and implement proper nutrition. If you rely purely on the appetite suppression and just eat toast, you will come off and have no idea how to navigate it once appetite is back, or stay on it for maintenance and eventually end up malnourished, losing hair, etc.

I probably could have managed on 300 calories a day when I started, as in not felt massively hungry, but I know that’s incredibly unhealthy so I tracked food for the first few weeks to make sure I was hitting a minimum calorie count until I got into the swing of things.

LastDropsOfAnInkPen · 17/07/2025 18:44

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:38

I'm planning to in a month or so, when I'll have reached my goal. I'm looking forward to it tbh.

I'm not 'advocating' for my experience to anybody btw, and at no point have I done that. I'm simply sharing my experience of how it works as requested by the OP.

This isn't how Mounjaro works. You are supposed to eat a healthy and balanced diet on it; if you can't do that, you shouldn't take it. Starving your body of fuel means you aren't just losing fat; your body is consuming itself. Muscle loss is dangerous.

Jackiepumpkinhead · 17/07/2025 18:44

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:32

I'm the person that said most days I'm on around 300, not consciously or with intent, just so busy and because my appetite has evaporated I forget to eat. Yes I take a multivitamin but obviously at some point once I reach my goal I'll come off it and hopefully my appetite will come back.

I'm on the lowest dose and plan to remain on it as it works so well, 2.5. I'm considered a super responder apparently.

This is incredibly dangerous and you will be severely malnourished.

Rallentanda · 17/07/2025 18:47

From reading around, I see a lot of people in the 1200-1400 calories per day bracket. That’s where I am and it’s easy. It’s sometimes an effort to remember to eat, because the mental cues lessen so much, so you need to be organised.

Whippetlovely · 17/07/2025 18:50

LastDropsOfAnInkPen · 17/07/2025 15:56

That's an incredibly dangerous intake and not recommended. You shouldn't be taking it if you aren't able to eat a healthy amount. Eating 300 calories a day puts your health at great risk, denies you of essential nourishment and is a quick way to lose your hair, muscle mass and organ function. That's absolutely not what MJ is intended for. That's severe eating disorder territory.

Absolutely correct. As a mother of a child with an Ed this makes my skin crawl. 1200 calories is not enough either. An adult woman is meant to eat 1800/2000 calories a day with some exercise. How can people say they eat 1200 and not be losing weight? I think it's ridiculous and down right dangerous.

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 17/07/2025 18:53

MJMaude · 17/07/2025 15:31

For me it just makes the calorie loss so much more effortless and achievable. It's like doing a long bike ride on an electric bike and feeling the hills melt away. I'm 7 stone down since the end of October and it feels like an absolute miracle. I suspect I'll need a maintenance dose but will cross that bridge when my BMI is below 25 (about 10 more pounds to go).

I feel very lucky in that I've had no side effects. I still love my food too and look forward to it. I eat less than half what I would have done to feel perfectly satiated now though. I never did eat particularly unhealthy food, just too much of it.

Well done you 👏

castleclass · 17/07/2025 18:54

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:38

I'm planning to in a month or so, when I'll have reached my goal. I'm looking forward to it tbh.

I'm not 'advocating' for my experience to anybody btw, and at no point have I done that. I'm simply sharing my experience of how it works as requested by the OP.

You know you are just going to regain the weight you have lost. Getting to goal on barely any calories is ED territory and you need to stop using MJ ASAP; not in a month or so.

PutThe · 17/07/2025 18:54

Justwingingit2005 · 17/07/2025 18:41

I am shocked at the widespread use of MJ and O.
They are both great drugs doing what they designed for and if used honestly and sensibly, but people are bending the rules to get these drugs, going down to dangerously low calories and assuming they are safe for life if you do not have a medical condition.

I do think obesity should get more support as a mental health condition, but throwing drugs at it is not the ideal long term solution.

While I share your concern about rule bending and dangerously low calorie consumption, why are you assuming mental health support for obesity is a more ideal long term solution than drugs that continue to work whilst the person takes them?

There are some people for whom MH support might be helpful, and we should be doing much better for those who are addicted to food or using it as a method of self harm. But the fundamental issue is that human beings have evolved to eat lots of calorific and sweet foods whenever we can get them, and nothing in our physiology has prepared us for lives where we always have enough. It's not immediately obvious how that's going to be mental health supported away.

Whataboutabout · 17/07/2025 18:56

Jackiepumpkinhead · 17/07/2025 18:44

This is incredibly dangerous and you will be severely malnourished.

Agree and when she stops MJ ,the weight will pile back on because @SylvanianFamiliesBalcony has not been eating healthily so will go back to original eating habits!

nam3c4ang3 · 17/07/2025 19:01

There are some very very concerning advice on here - OP, PLEASE seek professional advice, 300 calories a day is absolutely crazy , or having to 'force' yourself to eat one slice of toast - this is so abnormal and frankly unhealthy. I get the whole needing to lose weight thing - i really so - but please, professional advice. These drugs are dangerous and i wish there was more red tape around it.

Whippetlovely · 17/07/2025 19:03

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:40

It's very short term so I'm not too concerned. Been on it a couple of months with approx one month to go. Taking multivitamins and drinking a lot of water. Though I am trying to up my calorie intake. I was doing a lot of damage to my body through overeating junk and ballooning in weight so it's swings and roundabouts I guess.

This is bloody dangerous, your organs will be severely damaged if you carry on. No one can sustain 300cals per day for very long. I can't see how your body can take this amount of calories and carry on. Your Dr is shockingly inept if they think this is OK. Do you have children? because it's seriously damaging to show them eating this little is normal. Please reconsider what your are doing as it may seem nice as you don't feel hungry but it will be messing up your organs. When your on these meds do they do regular blood tests to check your functions? It seems like the wild West to me.

SwingTheMonkey · 17/07/2025 19:06

PutThe · 17/07/2025 18:54

While I share your concern about rule bending and dangerously low calorie consumption, why are you assuming mental health support for obesity is a more ideal long term solution than drugs that continue to work whilst the person takes them?

There are some people for whom MH support might be helpful, and we should be doing much better for those who are addicted to food or using it as a method of self harm. But the fundamental issue is that human beings have evolved to eat lots of calorific and sweet foods whenever we can get them, and nothing in our physiology has prepared us for lives where we always have enough. It's not immediately obvious how that's going to be mental health supported away.

I agree entirely with this. Not everyone who is overweight needs weight related mental health treatment. I don’t. I was never a binge eater, I wasn’t addicted to cakes or sweets etc. I’d just lost sight of what a normal portion size looked like. I also had absolutely no idea how many calories I should be eating, nor how many calories were in some of the foods I ate regularly. I now know my tdee, how many calories I need to lose weight and to maintain when I get to my goal. I know how many grams of protein I need etc… I weigh myself regularly to keep a check on things. All things I never did before that have come about through taking mounjaro.

HÆLTHEPAIN · 17/07/2025 19:10

Notsuchafattynow · 17/07/2025 15:30

If your weight coach is talking about starvation mode, it's a myth. MJ enabled me to keep to vlc intake that otherwise would have crept up over time.

It’s not a myth. Though it’s not quite what people think it is. When you lose a chunk of weight your body cannot tell the difference between intentional weight loss and famine, therefore it slows (not shuts down) your metabolism and increases your hunger and cravings. It’s a survival mechanism that’s never evolved from when were cavemen and food was scarce.

MeridaBrave · 17/07/2025 20:13

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 18:32

I'm the person that said most days I'm on around 300, not consciously or with intent, just so busy and because my appetite has evaporated I forget to eat. Yes I take a multivitamin but obviously at some point once I reach my goal I'll come off it and hopefully my appetite will come back.

I'm on the lowest dose and plan to remain on it as it works so well, 2.5. I'm considered a super responder apparently.

So why not take half a dose then? I just don’t understand why anyone would want to take the risks associated with only eating 300 calories a day.

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 17/07/2025 21:10

The only reason I would advise you (OP) against using WLI is the fact that you will then be on it forever - from what I understand from scientific studies, if you stop you’ll put the weight back on.
For the sake of 2st, I wouldn’t take on that commitment.

SwingTheMonkey · 17/07/2025 21:40

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 17/07/2025 21:10

The only reason I would advise you (OP) against using WLI is the fact that you will then be on it forever - from what I understand from scientific studies, if you stop you’ll put the weight back on.
For the sake of 2st, I wouldn’t take on that commitment.

You’ll put the weight back on with any manner of weight loss if you go back to your previous eating/ exercise habits. There’s no magic wand that gets waved when someone stops mounjaro that makes them put weight back on as soon as they stop using it - just because.

Millie90 · 17/07/2025 21:43

SylvanianFamiliesBalcony · 17/07/2025 15:27

Mounjaro for me just stopped me from being hungry, ever. Stopped food cravings. I lost my appetite and interest in eating, so only ended up eating a couple hundred calories a day when I remembered to have something. The weight melted off at an unbelievable rate. About 2st in 8wk.

Sounds completely healthy...Jesus Christ.

partyetiquette · 17/07/2025 22:37

JohnTheRevelator · 17/07/2025 17:45

Mounjaro helped me shift another 2 stone after I'd lost 5 stone from dieting alone. I'd got stuck at 15 and a half stone for months and just could not lose any more despite my best efforts. I just felt so hungry all the time and obviously,the more you've lost,the less you weigh and the fewer calories you need to lose weight. Mounjaro knocked my appetite on the head, making it easy to keep to 800 - 1000 calories per day.

This is almost exactly my story

OP posts:
partyetiquette · 17/07/2025 22:39

Whippetlovely · 17/07/2025 18:50

Absolutely correct. As a mother of a child with an Ed this makes my skin crawl. 1200 calories is not enough either. An adult woman is meant to eat 1800/2000 calories a day with some exercise. How can people say they eat 1200 and not be losing weight? I think it's ridiculous and down right dangerous.

If I ate 1800 cals I would gain weight.
My BMR is lower than that

OP posts:
PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 17/07/2025 22:50

SwingTheMonkey · 17/07/2025 21:40

You’ll put the weight back on with any manner of weight loss if you go back to your previous eating/ exercise habits. There’s no magic wand that gets waved when someone stops mounjaro that makes them put weight back on as soon as they stop using it - just because.

From what I understand it is because when using WIL, we don’t ‘learn’ how to cope with the food noise as it just disappears, so if we stop then we just go back to eating like we used to.

Same with any ‘temporary’ diet (slim fast, etc), as soon as you stop you just go back to your bad habits.

All I’m saying is I wouldn’t take injections for life for the sake of 2st. Not the same as someone whose weight is significantly impacting their health - then my advice would be different.

SwingTheMonkey · 17/07/2025 23:05

partyetiquette · 17/07/2025 22:39

If I ate 1800 cals I would gain weight.
My BMR is lower than that

Same here. The joys of being short. Lots of women don’t need 1800-2000 calories.

Peasantlypoor · 18/07/2025 06:49

Whippetlovely · 17/07/2025 18:50

Absolutely correct. As a mother of a child with an Ed this makes my skin crawl. 1200 calories is not enough either. An adult woman is meant to eat 1800/2000 calories a day with some exercise. How can people say they eat 1200 and not be losing weight? I think it's ridiculous and down right dangerous.

This is so incorrect. As a short woman late 40s with a sedentary lifestyle exercise twice a week, my tdee is 1450, which I agree is miserable, but if I ate 1800 to 2000 I would gain weight.
To lose weight 500 below vTDEe takes me to about 1000.
Don't let your individual experience cloud everything. Bodies are different.