Starting Mounjaro in a few days but not sure how to best navigate a couple of things.

[JMSA]

Hi. Hoping you can help me figure out a plan of action for taking it, as I’m confused about the best approach.
So on Sunday just past, I was absolutely so fed up with myself and my weight. I guess you could say I had hit rock bottom. I decided to be proactive and put myself on a very low calorie, high protein diet. We’re now on Wednesday evening and I think I’ve hit ketosis. I feel great and although I’m hungry, it’s not as bad as it was yesterday. I have more energy too. I also ordered Mounjaro on the same day, as the very low calorie diet isn’t massively sustainable.
I’m not sure if it’s a pro or con to have started this diet prior to Mounjaro, but at least I feel cleansed!
On Sunday, I have a special family occasion to attend. It’s not a wedding or anything, so I could get out of it if necessary. My Mounjaro is due to arrive on Saturday.
I’m also going on holiday for a week in two weeks’ time. I definitely want to take Mounjaro before I go, so that I don’t ruin the weight loss I’ll have made.
So my dilemma is, do I start taking Mounjaro this Saturday when it arrives? Hopefully I’d be able to see my family on Sunday but maybe it’s best that I stay home? I like the thought of actually being able to eat something on the special occasion, whereas if I stay on the VLCD for longer then I can’t (I’m finally being strict with myself).
Or is it best that I stay on the VLCD for a bit longer, so that I can start taking Mounjaro exactly one week before my holiday and then inject myself on the departure date so that I don’t need to do it again until I return?
I’m confusing myself now, so I’m not sure if I can expect you to follow me?!
In a nutshell, I’m undecided as to whether I should start Mounjaro as soon as it arrives. Or wait until the dates tie in better with my holiday. The family thing is a couple of hours away by public transport.
what would you do?
Thanks

Oh, and I just want to maximise my weight loss before the holiday. I have a lot to lose but will psychologically feel better about myself if I’ve lost a decent amount. There’s also the question of the tight Ryanair seatbelts … 😬

I would take the WLI on Sunday after your event and not worry hugely about the VLCD that day. By the time you go on holiday you will have started to get used to the effects and you will have begun to understand how the injection changes your eating patterns.

Regarding the holiday, you can extend or shorten the time between injections if necessary. I’ve done that when away for 10 days, taken an injection just before leaving and then a few days late when I got back. If it’s only a week then that’s even simpler.

Regarding the family event on Sunday, if you take the injection on Saturday you might experience appetite suppression by Sunday or you might not. You might not get much of an effect for the 4 weeks of the 2.5mg dose. It’s very individual, and the research trials showed that the 2.5mg didn’t produce weight loss on average for those in the trials.

I think there’s a danger of over thinking this. Take it on the Saturday, you’ll likely be absolutely fine on the Sunday. Even if you don’t fancy eating much you can have small tastes of whatever.

Thank you! God, I love the thought of having a good meal on Sunday before I start, as I’ll have done one week on the VLCD!
But then that’s my old way of thinking (‘well, I’ve had the meal now so let’s go the whole hog and eat cake and chocolate’), and I desperately want to change.
I’m expecting to lose about 8lbs this week and don’t want to kibosh that, especially with the holiday being so close.
Your suggestion is by far the more tempting plan though!

Thank you. This makes me wonder if I should just do the VLCD all the way up to the holiday then. I hate the thought of potentially not losing anything beforehand.
And you’re right, I’m overthinking it.

The last meal of the dieting woman 😂

If I was mega disciplined, I’d continue the low calorie diet with the Mounjaro at the same time. I love the thought of the maximum weight loss, but (possibly) without the hunger! Probably not very sensible, even if it is in keeping with my ‘all or nothing’ personality.

@tryingtobesogood Been there and got the plus sized t-shirt

The point of Mounjaro is to enable long term calorie deficit, rather than to enable short extreme diets. This all seems quite short term focussed rather than a continuing lifestyle change. Trying to lose 8 pounds in a week via a VLCD seems… unwise.

all that has stopped for me. I now just eat, enjoy healthy foods and have developed a thing for oranges rather than crap.

wait and see what happens, I don’t think you can understand how different you feel until you start. It’s liberating

Yes, I know what you mean though to be fair, I hadn’t planned on continuing with the VLCD after my holiday. The holiday was my most immediate goal and it’s hard to think beyond that.
I wish I had started my Mounjaro journey long before now, but it is what it is.

The thing to bear in mind is you will feel indifferent to food on MJ. You will like it, but you won't get a joyful buzz from it. So the way you're currently feeling about the special meal just won't be a thing. And that's really liberating, especially on special occasions, I think, when surrounded by indulgent foods.

However, I'd also think about potential side effects. I was sick and had a migraine after my first jab. Been fine since, but if I were you I'd probably wait til after your event.

If you want to minimise loose skin, muscle and hair loss then you need to lose weight at a sensible rate.

Use a website to work out your daily calorie needs to maintain your weight and then aim to eat around 500 calories below that. Try to have a protein source with each meal.

@SmallSoupcon Gosh, this blows my mind. I am 50 years old and have never, ever been indifferent to food. How liberating!

Great advice and ‘food’ for thought, everyone.
Many thanks indeed.

Until you know how your body reacts to the medication, it would seem silly to take first dose on Saturday.

It seems you are doing a great job on VLCD and I bet you can enjoy Sunday without going crazy. Then take first jab before bed. You can adjust your dosage day a little to fit in with your holiday.

What day of the week do you go on holiday and
what is you current weight/ height ans BMI

If it was just the event I’d take it in the Saturday. Forget the VLCD. Mounjaro is a new normal.

As PP said You really won’t care about food “last supper” etc won’t be a thing and you can just have half of everything. No on has ever commented I am eating less and I never feel deprived. I’ve never not been able to face food and I still enjoy it but Feeling full is different now.

I lost 10lbs in my first two weeks. Including a very boozy away and a 5 day work trip with lots of poor food options
..

All great advice. I agree. I’d think more about possible side effects than what you will eat- so wait until after your family event for that reason, in case you feel a bit under the weather during your event.

I understand you are pushing for your holiday, but it sounds like you are crash dieting right now. I’d focus more on just starting to moderate your thinking and habits, for the long term good. The Mounjaro would then kill the food noise and temptation, allowing you again to focus on what your body actually needs, is nutritious, and eating small portions of fresh, nutritious food, in a way that helps the weight come off.

oh, and traveling with it really isn’t a big deal. I’ve been through many airport securities without a question, it’s a small thing that you can fit in your toiletries bag, and the injection takes 1 min or less once you are used to it. Again, I’d focus more on side effects. I’m on holiday right now, and I’m delaying a new step up does until after today, because I’m climbing up a mountain and really don’t want to risk upset digestion half way up.

Good luck!

I know it doesn't fit with your plan, but my advice would be to start after your holiday. It's a tricky one as everyone reacts differently. I'm on my first week and had diahorreah where I have to be near a toilet to get there quickly! thankfully I WFH. I certainly wouldn't want to be on holiday out and about or by a pool etc and get the urge. It's all very manageable, but for a few weeks, is it worth the risk of potentially negativity impacting your holiday?

I envy people who are indifferent to food! And those people you can offer cake to at 3pm in the afternoon and they’ll say, “no thanks, I’m not hungry.” How have they learnt the discipline to only eat when they’re hungry? How? 😂