Getting so bored now. Take a look at these pics - am I slim enough to start tapering off MJ?

[FerretChops]

Of course I know it's not down to Mumsnet what I do but I can't decide whether I am now at target! It's always been a somewhat moving target and I never look super slim anyway because I'm quite short!

Started at a lb under 15 stone. So 15 stone then! I'm now about 9 stone 9 to 9 stone 11 depending on the day!

BMI was 36 and is now 23.7

I just don't know whether to stop now and start maintenance or push for another half a stone

I've not lost huge amounts in recent months - down to about 4 lbs a month loss now, if that

Anyway - thoughts please? I've gone from a size 16 to a 10 and feel pretty good but need to decide what to do

I think you look great! Amazing infact!
To be honest I think I'd go with the clothes sizes so if you're an easy size 10 then I would be happy with that! If you carry on you're going to have to carry on until you're an 8 otherwise you'll be between sizes & that will be a right pain!

So maintenance, build some muscle, see where you in 4-6 months!

I’d say my face looks younger, I think the bloating and fat aged me, a slim face is usually more youthful.

I think some folks think the fat pads out the wrinkles, which is true, but you’ve still got a fat bloated face, which in my view isn’t a better alternative and is equally if not more ageing than wrinkles. For me I can honestly say that wasn’t a more attractive look.

the issue is if you start looking drawn, as you’ve lost too much, but if you remain a healthy weight, it should be fine.

@MabelMora ha. I tried a squat the other day and my son asked what on earth I was doing, so unlike a squat it was

@Willowslayer I read the hassle some people have with them but I've never had any issues at all

Op,you need to keep trying with squats or muscle building it is hugely important,

there is a video that’s been posted on here a few times, a South African doctor explaining the studies into these drugs across multiple parameters, and he stated 10 percent muscle loss shortens your life by 10 years. It is hugely signficant.

He also said that you lose weight faster if you don’t exercise, as you lose so much muscle, but that the studies show, those who did that, regain it all back and then some. Those who retained muscle and exercised has minimal regain, both on average.

you have lost a lot of muscle, so honestly you need to now stop focusing on weight and how you look, and now focus on rebuilding that muscle. Not being able to do even one squat is something that should be very concerning for you.

Strength training and flexibility ( Pilates, yoga etc) would be beneficial

You look great btw

Even if one is taking weight loss injections strength training is vital.
One shouldn’t wait until the weight is lost before embarking on an exercise regime

op is it a deep squat you can't do? I just do "normal" squats like in an exercise class

Congratulations, OP, you look great!

In terms of deciding what to do now, I would check a few different measurements to see if you are within healthy limits for all. So not just BMI, waist to height ratio, waist to hip ratio, body fat %. Perhaps see if you can get a health check with the GP to review blood pressure and cholesterol, too.

If all of the above are looking good, then it is purely about aesthetics. If any of the health indicators look as though they could be improved by further weight loss, then keep losing and review again in the future.

I see you're looking at maintenance options and just wanted to say Oushk have confirmed that the maintenance plans aren't fixed. They are just guides and are basically a series of discount codes, you can switch things around and order when suits.

@Onceachunkymonkey I always feel uplifted reading your posts about my imminent demise

Yes, I know how a loss of muscle mass leads to frailty and bone density issues and I'm aware of the need to rebuild my strength. I will say though, that I am (touch wood) healthy overall. I don't take any medications, I have stamina, I can walk any distance within reason and I can run. So although I have work to do for sure, I'm hopeful for a few more years yet

@Lampzade definitely. And this advice should be more widely shared. I focussed on my usual spin classes / swimming / walking etc and I should have turned focus earlier to lifting some weights and building strength

@WorriedRelative I now have some blood tests lined up for next week. They were all fine last year but I've been a little tired recently since I went to 7.5 so I'm wondering about my iron stores. Good idea to check the other bits and pieces too

OP you look fantastic! I started on MJ at the end of October and have lost about 20lbs so far. At least 4 stone to go! Seeing your pics and comments is inspirational and has cheered me on.

I’ve noted the useful and occasionally gloomy comments from PPs regarding muscle mass!

I was really pleasantly surprised. I'd had issues trying to order elsewhere (my fault, not the supplier's). With Medexpress it was one photo of me and one of ID and good to go! Now all I've got to do is be brave enough to take it when it gets here. You look great btw, and it's stories like yours that encourage scaredy-cats like me, so thank you 🙂

@Goldleafcat quite depressing some of it eh? I'm really hoping I have more than a decade left!

20 lbs is amazing - you must be pleased and feeling better. Those 4 stone will be off by the summer so just focus on that.

@Willowslayer I was terrified for the first injection and had to do it watching a YouTube video so I could follow along! Doesn't take long to get the hang of it though

And then came wondering when I'd literally expire from horrendous side effects, but again, nothing happened so fingers crossed you'll be the same. Most people taking it have very little in the way of side effects

@FerretChops thank you. Yes, the thought of being slimmer this Summer is quite amazing - I often dread it (I like to swathe my wobbly bits in clothing when I’m heavier!). Rediscovering loads of nice things in my wardrobe will be exciting too!

I'm having the weight loss/strength dilemma. I started at the same point as you, nearly 15 stone and I'm now close to 11 stone.

I'd been weight training for 2 years prior to starting MJ and had got quite strong but not slim. It didn't seem to have any bearing on my considerable stomach fat (also meno age).

I'm thrilled to have lost so much of the visceral fat I was carrying but it's really buggered up my training as my muscle/strength has dropped quite a bit.

My goal weight is about 9.7 but I have been toying with the idea of stopping MJ when I get to about 10.5 and refocusing on strength training instead. I can't decide though if I'm shooting myself in the foot by stopping short of where I want to be.

@OvaHere so hard isn't it? Someone needs to come up with a really clear tapering off plan as right now, it's so unclear

I Initially aimed for 10 stone 5 but then decided not to get off the train a stop too early so have kept going to a weight in comfortable with but it sounds like you already have the weight training thing really sussed out so in the 10s could be a perfect base to build on

Thank you @FerretChops for taking the time to answer.
I remember when I was 14 I got mono and the doc put me on a liver-protecting diet that prohibited me from eating a number of things like butter & mayonnaise. It was a long list. I remember only eating sourdough bread and Fresca diet soda & cottage cheese. They allowed broiled meat but I couldn’t stomach that.
Afterwards, I craved a grilled cheese sandwich. But when I got it, I couldn’t handle the grease and what-have-you.
I ended up losing a lot of weight just because the fatty foods I liked became unappealing.

I’m sending love and wishing you the best of luck and hoping that your success is long-lived.

You look amazing.

I'm same height and weight as you and I stopped taking MJ on 16th December. Put on a couple of lbs over xmas which I've now lost.
I'm happy with this weight, any less and I'll start to look scrawny (I'm also ancient!)
I've been doing lots of weight/resistance training all through my weight loss and I plan to keep this up. Happy to be going it alone now and I realise I don't need MJ any more (although I'll be forever grateful for it)
You look brilliant, but it's obviously up to you if you want to come off MJ or go onto a maintenance dose.

I had the same issue, and couldn't seem to lose weight even when extremely calorie light. MJ resulted in really quick weight loss much greater than calorie deficit would allow for. Best still it seemed to focus on the bits I most disliked, stomach/rib cage, above knee/thighs and double chin.

5 weeks in and over 1.5 stone off, still on the starter dose of 2.5mg and the only side effects are burps and a bit of constipation

I'm optimistic that I can look like me again now

I’d just like to thank you for your post. I had a chat with my partner last night, fully expecting him to say I just need to work harder on my diet and exercise. He was so supportive I cried. I’ve been watching my diet and exercising for a long time now and he can see that it’s just not been working for me. So I’m really looking forward to getting started. I’m thinking of keeping up with my exercise programme and maybe sticking to 2.5 dose. Hopefully that way it can come off slowly while I’m working on body composition in parallel.

@Justwanttocomment sounds really positive!

I lost the overwhelming majority of 5 and a half stone on 2.5mg so you absolutely don't need to go up the doses quickly at all. I also don't 'diet' as in, I'm not eating diet foods really. I try and focus on nutrition but will happily go out for a meal or eat what I fancy - tonight was pasta for example followed by a mini magnum - the difference is, I have a small portion and that's more than satisfying

The slightly depressing thing for me is my realisation that there's no 'ooh I'll just take it for a while and then I'll have learned all about healthy eating and moderation and come off it!' - I truly thought that but I don't think it's that easy.

I've never needed to learn about good habits - I know them all. So what actually is obesity? I spent decades thinking it was caused by greed / too many calories etc etc. I've changed my mind now and I think it's far more complicated than that. Is obesity a disease? Maybe.

I think you definitely look slim enough to taper off. You’re a healthy BMI - in fact I’m your height, same BMI and I feel slim (ish! maybe not right after Christmas).

Regarding maintenance. My strong belief is that it is 100x easier to maintain weight than to lose it. To lose weight you need to be in deficit and so feel hungry, to maintain, you don’t, you p need to eat the right amount and not feel hungry. (I know this is an oversimplification but you see my point). Therefore, just because someone has lost a ton of weight using medication or anything else, does not mean they are going to pile it back on just by stopping. That excess weight was built up by years of eating just a little bit too much… to maintain the new weight, ok you have to eat the correct amount and not that little bit too much, but you don’t have to diet, which is so much harder. Hope this makes sense?

Spoken like someone who genuinely doesn’t understand, because what’s missing here is the hunger many people feel for more than they need, the craving, the insulin issues meaning they crave certain foods. It is not simple for most of us just to eat to maintain.