Really depressed I didn’t just go on Ozempic - only maintained for a year

[Neade]

I don’t know I really need a rant.

I feel really angry and upset at myself. To the point i just want to scream/cry.

Last year i lost 55 pounds without glp 1s. I totally cut out carbs (well I’d eat sweet potatoes if absolutely necessary). And just made an effort not to use food as a crutch. It worked fairly well as the weight came off.

I decided I needed more moderation. The no carb thing was just making me have cravings. So I started eating jackets, pasta salads etc. Not ideal as I have pcos but I try to be sensible. Ie having cooled down pasta to make it resistant or whatever. Not smothering pasta in cheese etc.

Its meant my weight loss has completely stalled. I’m happy that I’ve not gained all the weight back. But still. I’ve been eating in moderation for a year and not lost weight! I can’t deny this anger is compounded by the fact I saw my friend for lunch today. She’s lost 5 stone in 5 months using Mounjaro.

I just want to weep. I wish I just started on Ozempic or similar. I’m at my goal weight but to be honest I’d love another stone off. I don’t know why I didn’t go
on a glp 1. I just knew in my heart that my weight was not “inexplicable”. I was eating far too much out of boredom.

Just another sunny day wasted hating myself even though I’ve tried 😢

I’ve been going to the gym too. How pathetic to be this mindful and to not have lost any weight.

I actually came to say the same thing. Weight lifting will change everything for you. Rather than pay for GLP1s or whatever, and focusing on making yourself smaller, focus on making yourself stronger. You don't have to go straight to deadlifting but the money you'd have spent on the drugs, spend on a good PT who will TEACH you about weight training (I capitalised 'teach' because a lot of PTs will only give you a workout, you don't actually learn anything). Honestly, the only numbers I focus on now are on the plates at the end of the barbell, or on the dumbbells. It's taken years of self loathing. You need to be pushing to failure and it's hard (as is anything worth having), but the sense of achievement and pride in your own body is unbelievable. Cardio isn't the way to change your body, honestly... Learn how strong your body is and what it's capable of. Change your focus and your body will follow. I absolutely promise

You need to go to the gym. Losing weight doesn't correct wobbly bits at healthy weights.

I’m not sure why you think there is judgement from people saying this? You can congratulate someone on their weight loss from low carb/ calorie count/ whatever , without it being a judgement on people using WLIs. I think that the fact that there is now this additional help available for people is amazing.

My big congratulations is partly on OP’s ability to maintain, and that’s a really important part however the weight loss.

I think the relevance of WLI is that if they were not around OP would be happier with her achievement but the grass looks greener when she looks at her friend. Comparison is always the thief of joy.

It’s really hard but you have to try to plough your own furrow. Everyone is different and there’s no guarantee you’d have the same experience as her even if you’d gone in that direction. Surely if you can do it without the medical assistance that has to be a better way to go even if only financially?

OP you have every reason to be proud of yourself and I also understand your frustration. You’ve put in the work but aren’t feeling the benefits you wanted and you can now see that someone else has done it without the enormous amount of sacrifice it took you. But don’t be fooled, inside your friend may still have huge insecurities and feel frustrated about her body in the same way you do.

Have you looked into how to change your body composition by burning fat and building muscle. Your weight might not change (it even may increase) but it’s the way to get rid of the flabby bits that dieting alone can’t always do. It also reduces the risk of wrinkly skin because you’re filling it out with muscle. I’m not talking body builder size, just lean muscle mass. Look at what your protein intake needs to be each day (balance this with fibre) and lift weights and you will (in time and with consistency) see a change in your body shape. You can still have carbs and fats but just ensure you have high protein and eat the right number of calories per day.

Also, do some psychological work on your self esteem and being enough as you are as a person and not basing so much importance on looks. I’m speaking all this from experience and it’s been a game changer.

You should put energy into figuring out why you aren’t happy with yourself rather than this weight issue

I’ve not read the other replies so I apologise if I’m repeating.

But I think you’re a bit confused as what WLIs do.
Your weight still stalls/plateaus when using them - you just tend to lose it quicker - which has its downsides as you lose more muscle, have lower skin and put the weight back on quicker.

Everyone who loses weight will plateau where doing it naturally, through WLIs or surgery.

The big issue with WLIs is what you do - lower the dose, stay the same or go higher.
Many people go higher but the appetite suppressant wears off and so the higher dose you go, the harder it is to keep the weight off in the end.

You’ve done so well to lose the amount of weight you have.
You’ve need to stop competing yourself to other people.

Have you ever seen that website where women post pics of themselves and their weight. It shows the big range of how different people look at the same weight. I would say if you are in the healthy range then it’s pretty much psychological. Consider really exploring why you compare yourself so unfavourably and why you are so unhappy. How’s your work, relationship, personal life?

I’m on GLP1 and have plateaued. If you aren’t losing weight by moderation, being on GLP1 will make no difference, you are still eating too much.

It sounds like you’re jealous to be honest.

Start lifting proper heavy weights, it will transform how you look and feel

Book a few sessions with a PT and get a good programme. Don’t worry about cardio in that, you can do it separately

Nice humblebrag OP.

I’m confused too. You lost the weight, managed to maintain through a balanced diet that works for you.
You know your friend will still have to figure out healthy eating when she comes off Ozempic?

I'm not in the UK, but here (US) if you have documentation of your highest weight before your dieting efforts and you claim to be gaining back, the right doctor might prescribe Mounjaro for 'maintenance'. It might be worth a try.

I'm in my 70's, 5'2" and lost 80 pounds in 10 months on Zepbound - same as Mounjaro. I'm normal weight now and still losing on a maintenance dose, which I plan to quit in about 6 months.

I highly recommend the injections. I actually forget to eat, especially two or three days after the weekly injection.

Lookl you have lost the weight but you dont magically look the way you thought you would . This is fairly typical for an eating disorder, losing weight and being a normal weight wont magically make you feel better about yourself since your aim was to look like a different person or maybe some idealised version of yourself. Being slimmer does not make all your insecurities and problems in life go away, they are mostly all still there. You tried to lose to weight to become a different person, that is just not possible. You can improve how.you look with exercise but you are a healthy weight. Obsessing about losing more weight and being despairing about a couple of extra pounds to reduce your normal healthy bmi is a problem

Instead of focusing on what you look like, focus on how you feel physically and talk to someone who specialises in body image issues and earing disorders as your version of what you look like is almost certainly not based on reality

OP, don't be too down on yourself. It is easy to do, but once you're in that spiral you are always only going to see things you don't like. I'm not saying you have to become a beacon of positivity, but I've seen women lose a ton of weight and they still hate how they look, they just hate it differently.

On a more practical level, please ditch the cardio. Not completely, but that is doing nothing for what you want right now. Muscles don't just change the shape of your body, it also changes how your body holds itself. Your increased muscle mass will hold your body in place better, and you need to focus on actual high weights and compound movements. Deadlift, bench press, squats. Also bodyweight wise, push ups and pull ups. Aside from looking better, you might enjoy the feeling of being able to move better, pick things up more easily, and enjoy what your body can now do that it couldn't do before. I wouldn't use Tiktok and get a proper trainer to help you out, as they'll also be able to work around any health issues or weaknesses.

Are you not training enough to break through the plateau? I’d say super well done for losing weight the traditional way - your bone health will thank you when you’re older.

Try and join a fitness or running group to make further progress. You need to build muscle to remain independent into your later years.

Um the drugs don’t impact bone health .

Just take the injections and save yourself a load of misery

My mother put me on a diet when I was 14. 56 years later, I'm overweight.

Try to enjoy your life.

That poster meant through exercise. Running, cardio etc great for bone health

I think you’re being over-sensitive. I’m on WLI and I’ve congratulated her on having got to her goal weight on her own.

I don’t see that recognising her effort is a dig at anyone on WLI.

I suggest speaking to one of the GP led pharmacies such as Swift and ask if you can take a low dose. Also as you have PCOS you can get it with a BMI of 25 so another option is to let your BMI drift up to 25.

The only way to avoid wobbly bits is to lift heavy weights and even then the muscle gain takes years, like 5-10 years. I now have a BMI of 23 and look ripped.

Not really - it’s the weight training eg lifting weights not cardio that helps bone health.

I think you are being judgey of the OP.
She wasn’t talking about other woman just herself.