You've reached your goal weight - come chat about maintenance, not regaining, going cold turkey or titrating down

[MargoLivebetter]

Would people who've hit their target weight be interested in a general thread on how they are getting on? You might be titrating your WLI down, you might be going cold turkey, you might be on a maintenance programme or you might have gone back on.

I used MJ for 5 months and I've hit my goal and I'm muddling through with my own version of "maintenance". I'm doing a 1.25 dose weekly to use up what I've got left and cut down gradually, so I don't lose all the benefits of MJ immediately. I was a complete lightweight and did the whole 5 months on just 2.5, as I had savage suppression and loss of appetite. So, I'm just halving my dosage.

I'd be interested to hear how others are getting on, given it all feels a bit new and the long-term aspects of weight maintenance are not yet much talked about.

What sort of food are you eating on an average day?

How is the non calorie counting going @ThisMustBeMyDream?

Well, I sort of chickened out. In a way. I didn't log all day, and then panicked! So I ended up logging at night time just to check. It was within range! I need to be braver 🤣.

that sounds like a good plan though!

Had a surprise on the scales this morning, dropped 1lb, so a new low of 9st 7. I have been consistently between 9st 8 and 9st 10.5 since reaching 1850 cals so I thought this to be my maintenance. I'll have to see what the weight does over the next month.
It does mean, however, that at 60.3kg I am now at my pre pregnancy weight from age 16. So it's taken me 23 years, but I can now officially say I lost all my baby weight 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. This has amused me greatly today!

I also had a surprise, dropped to 8st 2.2lb today - 2lb overnight, however I didn't have any dinner last night! (Was 8st 11.6lb when I stopped Mounjaro)

That's strange. Although I've now dropped to a 2.5 maintenence dose, my weight is falling quickly again too. I'm wondering if it's the heat although would have expected it to increase. I'm definitely not getting swollen ankles like I used to so who knows...I'm starting to eat more fruit to up my calories in a healthy way as I really don't want to lose anymore.

I'm wondering if it's just an increase in excercise. It works out as a deficit of 61 cals per day either way. So either my maintenance is around 1900, or my exercise has increased!

Oooh, maybe my bmr has increased due to increase in muscle mass. That'd be super if it was! We'll see 🤣

So good to see more new maintainers and lots of maintainers - well doing exactly that!!! 😃

Another week the same for me. I gained one pound last week but I've shed it again this week. Was away last weekend and DP had booked us a very fancy dinner. I ate too much. The food was delicious but I actually didn't enjoy feeling obliged to eat because it was so expensive and a treat and the feeling of over-fullness afterwards was really, really unpleasant. I have definitely managed to reduce my appetite, which I guess isn't surprising after nearly a year of eating smaller amounts.

I feel relieved to know that on the occasions that I do overeat, I can rectify it and drop back again. I was worried that after stopping the MJ, I'd be back to the same old pattern of small incremental increases until I was a porker again, but so far this hasn't been the case.

On week 6 of 2.5 I found some hunger and food noise returned. Not every day but enough to need to address it. I may go up to 5 in 2 weeks but part of me would rather not because I need to learn to deal with the hunger and noise that will return when I come off it. That said I’ve still 2stone to go so I think getting to my target (which is more about image and dress size than scales) will provide a powerful motivation.

Oh my heavens - I took a week off just to see what would happen. The hunger came roaring - I mean roaring back. I still ate healthily but I forgot how long the evenings are when you are constantly thinking about food. I ate a lot more than usual. Mainly fruit and yoghurt in the evenings. But also bigger portions.

I have gained 6lbs - I know it isn’t all fat, it’s water and more food sitting in my belly. But it has demonstrated to me that I need a good maintenance plan for as long as I can stay on this!

Sooooo, it's been two weeks since my last jab having reached my goal - yay me!!!

As yet, although I've definitely been hungrier I've managed to stay disciplined and keep within my calorie deficit (1,000 cals only as I'm 62, 4ft 10ins, 8.7st 😥) but this week I've been gaining at a shocking rate .. 4lbs in three days 😭)

I'm eating well. Same foods as before, so I just don't get why?!

Any clues??

Have you changed what you're eating @lozza8256? E.g. less protein, more UPFs etc. despite the same number of calories?

That's strange @lozza8256 Anything else going on? Have you upped exercise? Fluid retention? Time of the month?

I've just weighed myself and I am down another 0.5lb. Off on an all-inclusive holiday soon so that's going to be interesting!

Titration

Any hints on how? Reached 15mg and don't want to go lower but fearful of just shutting off. Going back down in the same steps for going up will take ages.

I'm on maintenance and coming down the doses. Currently take 5mg evey 10 days, then next month going down to 2.5mg (weekly for one month), then 2.5mg spread out over 10 days. Over the longer term I like the idea of having one month on and one month off (all at 2.5mg). So I really get to understand how my body feels with no residual MJ, but I have the safety net of a month of hard work supported by a low does of MJ if I've put on any weight.

Reading many of the posts, it is interesting how many of us are short and only need about 1200 calories to maintain a healthy weight. I wonder where the 'standard' advice of 2,000 calories came from... Certainly doesn't apply to me.

I had a real craving for McDonald's yesterday (long drive on my own). Before I went in I looked up the calories and I make a conscious decision that I'd order water to drink, not coke, and that I'd only eat half of the food. So I had half a big mac, and half a portion of fries. I took my time eating and made sure I enjoyed what I had. Then I stopped. Yes, I could have carried on but I didn't need to and I knew that if I had it would be pretty much my total calories for the day. My journey on MJ has taught me so much about portion size, and about what MY body needs to fuel it adequately.

Back to better food today, with avocado and tomato salad for breakfast, roast chicken and veg later, and then home made soup from the chicken bones.

No, everything the same except no Mounjaro.
Same foods, same calories in/out.
So the gains are unexpected, and very unwelcome?

Definitely not TOM as I'm way too old (thank god?)

I'm going to blame the weather and hope it all drops off once it gets cooler. It just doesn't make any sense which is why I thought I'd come here and ask if anyone has any ideas.

@lozza8256 Perhaps it's just your body resetting as the last of the medication wears off? You might find if you just keep doing what you're doing and don't panic (i.e. don't think it's all futile and eat loads), that it stabilises in a few weeks. I'm similarly aged and sized and am intending to stay on the medication for a while yet at goal as I'm afraid of having the panic response to this, but you sound like you're made of stronger stuff!

@20bloodypounds There's a girl on TikTok that does similar - she gets so much hassle for her but she says she's a food addict and it helps her cravings. She can have a few bites and get rid of the rest and that's enough to settle the strong urge.

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I'm hoping it's just an adjustment period. At our height, age and weight every calorie is precious!

Good luck when you do decide to stop MJ. I'm only two weeks in and have noticed the suppression has worn off a little. So far, managing to limit the cravings. I did buy a cinnamon bun yesterday, but had 1/4 and threw the rest in the bin. Yay me!

The heat does cause water retention, this week I've fluctuated from 63.9 on Wed, to 64.5, 64.7, 64.2 yesterday to 63.7 today. I did have more carbs at the end of last week which could also have caused the water retention.
If you haven't over eaten it's most likely water retention. Has your appetite increased since your last jab?
I guess we do have to bear in mind that mounjaro also reduces water retention and systemic inflammation so that may have increased upon the medication leaving your system. At an Oushk live they mentioned to expect upto half a stone gain, once coming off completely, if your body is prone to water retention, mine always has even when I was 18 and had a bloated belly!

If I crave a mcdonalds, I used to have a happy meal, but last 6 months or so of my journey I've been fine with one burger and that's enough as it fills me up but more protein than other options. Haven't had one for a while since going up to 12.5mg my appetite has gone down a lot. I've just hit 24.9 bmi and worry about coming off it straight away as I do need the higher doses and was prediabetic before I started. I think I'll stay on my new dose of 15mg for a few pens before starting to come down but also concerned they won't work as I go up when they wear off. Only done max 2 pens on most doses.

I’ve done 5 weeks with zero MJ. I have gained about 1kg. I’ve been monitoring my calorie intake and exercise levels and it was going well until this week! Maybe it is the weather as someone mentioned but I do feel rather bloated!! I’ve decided to go back on my v small dose (1.5mg) as it just takes the edge off all food noise. Still with Oushk for now. I do hope they develop a low maintenance dose.

I’m really worried about inflammation returning. I’ve had long covid with microclots and lots of swelling, with v painful feet/joints.
I think I’d happily stay on it forever to avoid that.
im going to start dragging the time between jabs and see how that goes.