Just so worried I'm going to regain.

[Chilliiee]

Have 3 doses of my last pen left and the last few weeks it's not really been working like it was. Probably because I'm actually below my goal weight, but I've been picking at stuff like I used to. Eating bits and bobs whilst cooking. Justifying eating the last of the Xmas Chocolate etc...

I've been on MJ about 5 months and REALLY thought my eating habits had changed in that time but seems like it was all the MJ and now I'm preparing to come off it I'm already slipping back.

I've had no loss for the last 2 weeks and just feel hungry.

I'm so sad and so scared.

I can't keep taking it for financial reasons and for the last pen of 2 I've had a bit of an ache in my tummy and I'm worried about that so really don't want to take a maintenance dose just in case.

I feel so good right now but I was such a compulsive/emotional eater and MJ solved it.

I really thought I had a grip on it myself but obviously not :(

Hey @Chilliiee have faith in yourself. You can do this. Chuck the chocolate out and stop the sugar. Or have ONE choc after a good protein and veg dinner. We all know sugar goes looking for sugar and as there's no nutrition in it we will keep eating and will feel hungry Get your protein and veg in. Count your calories - just while you get used to it. Are you doing any exercise? It is honestly very good for lifting the mood. Have you read any of the stopping MH threads? Maybe join those and get some support. In the meantime big hugs. Don't be sad - you are not failing - just finding your feet.

It's not that simple though is it? If it was I wouldn't have needed to even use MJ, I would have done that 20 years ago and not spent 2 decades gaining and losing.

It IS as simple. Maintaining is way easier than losing. Research has moved on. Ultra processed food is designed to be addictive. What did you eat when you were on MJ?

What's the ache in your tummy? Is it high up? If so, it might be acid and an antacid could help. I recommend Tums personally, but Gaviscon and Rennies are other options. Esomeprazole is another option that you can buy easily, but I would try the others first.

As always, your provider or GP/ Pharmacist can provide you with medical advice.

No it’s not simple, and this evangelical everything is due to upf is wearying. Plenty of people gain weight snd don’t eat the stuff, I was one.

Op has said she can't continue due to cost so I am answering in that context. So leave off rolling your eyes.

I was rolling my eyes at your upf comment , as you know

If someone wants to be off MJ and maintain weight loss avoiding UPF is wise. Nobody can be an angel all the time but a strategy for getting back on track after a blow out is maybe a good idea.

@FlappingMadly I know you're trying to be positive for the OP but telling her it's simple when - like many of us- she's struggled with her weight for decades really isn't helpful.

OP - is there any way you could afford to do month on, month off? Have you spoken to a prescriber about maintenance options in case you need it?

I know it's not easy, but the good thing this time around is that there is going to be whole communities of MJ users who are all in the same boat and I do think this has got to be a good thing. It is not your fault you've struggled with your weight in the past, it's not because you were devoid of knowing what the right things were to eat or what exercise you should do.

I'm not at maintenance yet but Christmas (and this cold weather) has had me picking at things a lot more than I was doing and I haven't managed to get back into a healthy mindset in the way I was a couple of months back - I'd try to draw a line under the festive season and get rid of all the crap. I'd also see if you can speak to a prescriber for advice. I've booked a call with Oushk in a couple of weeks - it's a 15 min call for £5 - obviously other pharmacies do exist etc etc but for £5 it might well be worth you chatting things through and seeing if there's a maintenance option that will work in your budget.

You're not alone - keep posting and don't feel like you have to deal with these fears alone.

Again no one is saying otherwise, the issue is you ran in shouted it was simple she just needed to avoid upf’s

which is utter nonsense.

I was in the midst of writing a long reply but realised I couldn't be bothered. I wrote what I did. Yep, could have been more nuanced and gentle but I was not. I hope Op is looking up the other threads as I suggested and getting support. You didn't even bother to address the op - just came on to attack me.

No one attacked you. You were called out for what you wrote.

sometimes when you’re wrong it is best to simply own it. Rather than try to make out the other people taking issue are the problem,

and it is helping the op to correct when someone posts incorrectly.

Give it a rest. You might not agree but that's okay.

No one agrees. And no.

I sort of agree with @FlappingMadly because there are steps people can take to help themselves.

Throw out the last of the Christmas chocolate. Get it out of the house so you are not tempted. Can't eat it if it's not there.

It's fine to pick and nibble, but make sure you have food in the house that is healthy, low calorie/fat/high protein to snack on. Stuff you don't have to cook so if you feel the need to eat it's readily available. It's not the snacking that will really do the harm, it's what you are eating.

That's not to say you have to be munching on a carrot - there are plenty of lower calorie 'treats' to be had. (I'm not talking avoiding UPF, I really couldn't care less about that).

It's not simple but remove some of the temptation in the first place and that will help because if staying on Mounjaro is not an option, you do need to find ways to manage the hunger and feelings.

No one disagrees with that,

we are disagreeing with this statement.

It IS as simple. Maintaining is way easier than losing. Research has moved on. Ultra processed food is designed to be addictive. What did you eat when you were on MJ?

Apart from the "it IS as simple" I don't really disagree with anything else in that statement to be fair.

Maintaining IS harder than losing weight. Which is why 95% of people regain weight they've lost .

It's an absolute myth that maintaining weight loss is easy.

I have alot of different dietary issues going on. I had a gastric sleeve 3 years ago so things like dairy protein shakes make me sick. I can't have protein yogurts or Greek yogurt or anything like that. I'm autistic and don't eat a lot of protein (it's a sensory issue, I can eat UPF because it's more consistent, something like blood in an egg or gristle in chicken can put me off a food for months)

My diet has always been poor because of these issues.

Absolutely.

You need a game plan OP you can take control of this

Do you have ongoing support from the bariatric team, I can contact my provider for life and they can give me advice, see if you can contacgt them

Do you use protein powders so that you can keep the protein up without eating it in shakes or food if its difficult to get down

With a sleeve you're eating very low volumes of food so it needs to be nutrient dense

It is the case that you need to avoid the UPFs, dont buy them, dont have them in the house, dont go in shops, order your food online.

Map out breakfasts, lunch and dinners and the 2 snacks you should be having. Map out what you can have, dont focus on what you cant have. Start batch cooking and put the portions for EVERYTHING in the freezer, you just get out what you need at any one time.

I eat porridge and prunes for breakfast, I make this in batches and add protien powder to the milk that I make it with. I then have protien powder in my first morning cuppa. Needs and seeds and then chunks of cheese make up my snacks. Then meals are small portions of chilli or curry or just a protien with veg/salad depending whats around
Soup is good as long as its nutrient dense so you just have a small amount.

You need to calorie count or you dont know what you're having.

No. I had my op abroad.

I have 3 autistic children. One with ARFID who is under the eating disorder clinic and she has a similar all UPF diet so I can't just not buy the stuff, it's what she survives on. She's been hospitalised before so anything she eats is absolutely brilliant.

I love porridge and soups. And veggie stuff

I do need to plan though. Maybe have a meal plan for the week so I know in advance what I'm having.

I think the scales not changing has just really thrown me and thrown me into a panic.

It would be a long journey to regain.

I need to concentrate on staying within 7lbs

Okay thank you for explaining more.
Could you give a rough idea of foods you will eat? Are there any fruits or vegetables you like? Do you like the texture of soup?
Also I understand it's a financial issue but could you afford to stretch out your mounjaro doses? For example leave a longer time between doses. Are you in a area where you could have a prescription?

I can eat anything that's not meat, it's just sometimes the thought of animals or the texture can make me actually vomit and I am so funny with eggs. I like them but they mentally creep me out.

I can eat cheese but not milkshakes or large amounts of yogurt.

My problem is carbs. I could live off bread/toast. Crisps. Potato products. They're just so safe.

I've cut down on chocolate which was my main problem.
Before the sleeve I would eat multipacks of chocolate.

Now I cannot. I would vomit. So I barely eat chocolate. A bad day would be 4 or 5 quality street.

I would like to point out that since the sleeve the most I gained is 7lbs.

I went from 18st pre sleeve to 11.5 and then stalled for a year.
I then gained 7lbs and started MJ because I couldn't lose anymore alone.