March 2025 Starters thread 4

[TheSpoonyNavyReader]

New thread for all of us.

Thank you for allowing me to rant, share our ups and downs. Our group blows my mind of how we are so supportive of each other.

Oof, sorry to hear that @Flamethrowers!

You look lovely!

@Flamethrowers The fear of the shits is responsible for a lot of my weight loss I'm sure! Saturdays post cake episode stopped me taking a chunk of cake home for later.

@TheBossOfMe or indeed anyone else....how do I go about getting an accurate reading of body fat, muscle mass etc? My scales tell me but I'm sure they just guess based on weight.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine So I had a DEXA scan which is apparently the most accurate way to actually analyse it, those were the results my doctor was looking at. But she's told me that it's OK to use my smart scales to track progress over time, they're not as accurate so not great for an actual % measure, but give a good reading to track changes over time. They work on measuring electrical flows through the body, which change according to fat/muscle/bone ratios. So good for measuring a trend. Or just buy callipers - she's a fan of those if you can't afford smart scales!

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine i had this DEXA measurement at the gym, as part of planning a programme.
@Yetanotherusername2000 its better at the gym than expected, at mine lots of middle aged and older people, not so much hench as hunch, feels like my kind of place, the one down the road is full of younger people, if you have a choice, check out the ones near you to see what feels right

Thanks @IngoGreen and @TheBossOfMe . I've just googled and apparently the closest dexa scan places is 99 miles away....

I wonder if any local gyms do them without having to actually join? I will investigate!

@Bipaloss funny you should say about the pressure headache because that's exactly what I've had today too. Thunderstorms were forecast here so I put it down to that but they never materialised so perhaps it is related to the mounjaro or iron levels after all!

I have always suffered with terrible periods (endometriosis) but used to be a lot better at taking iron supplements so need to get back to that. I had a mirena coil fitted a few months ago to try and deal with them so my bleeding has been all over the place and therefore hard to say whether MJ has had any effect on it. I'm really hoping it settles down though because today has not been fun!

Thank you everyone who has welcomed me and sent compliments they were well received ☺️

After saying earlier I wasn't suffering with lack of energy any more, I took my 2nd 5mg jab mid afternoon and it's floored me! I napped at about 4pm as just couldn't keep my eyes open and now just feel so drained! Also suppression is super high, made a gorgeous looking burrito bowl for dinner (mainly all salad) and just couldn't manage more than a few mouthfulls!

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine - honestly I wouldn't have paid for a dexa scan, I just got it via my work medical. Just using your scales and following the trend is enough to see if you're going the right way.

OK thank you! That'll save me some money then.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine when I'm in a decent range I'll share my start and current bodyfat %. I'm probably one of the lighter people on this board, but I'll bet any amount of money that I have one of the highest body fat percentages. Weight isn't always the problem. I'm totally embarrassed by how bad my stats are on muscle vs fat - I thought I was fitter and more muscular than that 🙁

Goodness you lot have all been busy chatting away and losing yet more weight.

I'm trying hard not to feel despondent that my losses aren't mounting up so fast.

I've midweek through week 9 (did my bonus dose from my 5mg pen, am sticking with 5mg this month).

It's been tough going since Easter diet wise with a week of holiday (lots of eating out), then a stressful week sorting out the oldie staying away from home. I couldn't plan my diet as I can at home but I didn't mainline as much crap as I usually would, then a week of illness where I just ate what I wanted / was in the house as I felt so awful. I only made it back to the gym yesterday. I usually go three times a week.

SW - >125kg
CW - 118.5kg
GW - 73kg

So I'm trending down but not very fast.

So far only one person has commented positively and it was my fat shaming SIL. Sigh.

I'm doing mini goals. The next two I'm aiming for are 1.5 stones off and BMI <40 (as I never really accepted my BMI had gone above 40 this one won't be being celebrated much!!)

@BeaTwix Loss is loss is loss. It's really easy to think things aren't working when you have a lot on your plate - the mind can mess with you. I used to run a lot more than I do now and had a coach at one point - she always said choose the destination or choose the speed, but you'll do better and manage it for longer if you choose the destination. I think this journey is the same. Mini goals rule. Well done on your ones so far.

I asked chat gpt to give me some NSV so I could feel positive about progress - and I realised that I can tick off most on the on the list already ... and this is what many of the rest of us have mentioned.

Body and Appearance:

• Clothes that were once tight now feel loose or baggy.
• You can wear smaller sizes or older clothes that previously didn’t fit.
• Your face looks slimmer or more defined in photos.
• Visible changes in your waist, collarbones, jawline, or cheekbones.
• Rings or bracelets feel looser.
• You have to tighten belts or adjust waistbands more frequently.

Physical Strength and Movement:

• Stairs feel easier; less huffing and puffing.
• You can walk or stand for longer periods without discomfort.
• Greater flexibility or ease of movement (tying shoes, bending down).
• Joint pain or back pain has noticeably reduced.

Health and Energy:

• Your blood pressure readings have improved or stabilized.
• Better sleep quality or feeling more rested upon waking.
• Increased energy throughout the day without as many crashes.
• Improved digestion or reduced bloating (aside from Mounjaro effects).

Emotional and Mental Wins:

• Feeling more confident in social situations.
• You’re less self-conscious in photos or public spaces.
• Starting to enjoy movement or exercise rather than dreading it.
• You catch yourself smiling at your reflection (even if it’s brief!).

That’s a really good list @Flamethrowers.

there’s a lot on there which I can’t tick off yet. I’ve not notice improved flexibility/movement (and I would have) and my back ache hasnt improved. I don’t monitor my blood pressure so I’ve no idea. I don’t think my face has changed noticeably. And I haven’t ticked off any of the emotional wins yet either but I know I’m on my way towards some of those. Good ones to have as goals.

Morning Everyone!
Week 9 day 5 (took 6 25mg from my 7 5mg pen last Thursday evening)

SW 10 st 10lb
GW 9 st 4 lb (for now then go from there)
CW 9 st 4 lb

I'm really pleased, I've lost 3lb this week and I've also hit my first target!

I think I'm going to set myself the new (and hopefully final) target of 8 st 11lb which is another half a stone off. Hopefully that 7lb will be enough to shrink my thighs and stomach a bit more so that I am happier with my appearance. I have such chunky thighs and have done since I was a swimmer many many years ago. And as I've mentioned before my mummy pouch after two c sections (one a brutal emergency) isn't great, if i can just reduce it a bit more then hopefully I'll accept it!

Had awful stomach pain on and off the last couple of days so found it very difficult to eat so that will probably explain the 3lb loss this week. I'm taking lots of pepto bismol which really helps but the bottle says only take for two days!! 😬

Hope everyone is feeling good on their journeys, have a great day!

The other reassuring pep talk from chat was about stomach fat. I've put so much of my weight on my stomach - which was flat until I was forty. It sticks out big and round and hard and really doesn't look great. And it's been the first thing to go. And apparently that hard stomach and bloating is all visceral fat. My waist has reduced by around three inches but feels much softer (which is new, when I was younger things sprang back taut, but now middle age has taken its toll) and chat gpt kindly said that was largely because subtucaneous fat is softer, as well as being less dangerous, and that's not a bad thing.

Such a great list @Flamethrowers as some of those you just don't think of as many people just focus on the scales.

Anyway I had a never experienced before issue yesterday, I considered a top I was wearing to be too big as it did look and feel a bit baggy 😁

After my terrible week of liquid 💩 for 4 days I have lost 4 lbs

SW 15 stone 3
CW 13 stone 9

So a total loss of 22lbs aided and abetted by this week's shenanigans but we'll gloss over that. I had a mini goal of 1.5 st by my birthday which is early June - wonder if I should aim for 2 stones instead as I've already met it 🤔

Have a great day everyone x

Week 10
on 7.5 and at last have a little appetite suppression. All along I have not felt the need to snack but have been eating fairly normally around that , without being greedy. I am steadily losing and wondering whether to increase to 10 mg or stick with 7.5 .
SW 84kg
CW 75 kg
goal weight still undecided but probably mid 60s .

That liquid poo is the worst!

@Flamethrowers Brilliant list. One of my NSV goals is to be happy having my photo taken. I've never liked it, even when slim, but my DD said recently that she'll have no photos of me when I die if I don't get OK with being snapped. She has a point!

@Amjam2025 Congratulations!!!! I've been setting goals 4lb at a time, mini goals work much better for me in terms of maintaining progress and motivation that a single big goal. Yours was a big goal - absolutely brilliant to do that in under 10 weeks. I've got an awful mummy pouch after a brutal emergency section as well - the only thing that's ever dealt with that is keeping weight down and a lot of core work. Which I hate but must get back into.

Really pleased to report that my 2nd 7.5ml jab hasn't given me anything like the SEs of the first one, felt a bit bleurgh last night and had to keep eating more than I wanted to to stave it off, plus freezing cold, but didn't actually throw up. So I think for me it takes one jab to adjust to the higher dose, and then ok after that. Hopefully.

Got two consecutive nights of dinners out today and tomorrow - already looking at menus online to work out the best thing to order. One is a Chinese meal though - the salt in that always makes me retain water.

Thank you @ShineyGreen - I think I'm going to go for the 7.5 - fingers crossed!

W10 D1 and weigh day just 0.7 pounds off this week which I sort of expected as I tend to lose a fair bit one week then not much for 2 weeks then another whoosh etc…..still in total it’s 30 pounds off now since March 4th! Not to be sniffed at by any means! Off on holiday tomorrow have jabbed 5mg across 2 doses (last dose last night) so hopefully allows me to be able to eat and drink (more this bit tbh I do love a holiday cocktail!) but make sensible choices. Only away 4 days so even if it doesn’t hopefully not too much damage will be done x

What I like about Mounjaro is even when I have some delicious sugary crumble (as I did the other day) it doesn't feel like a fall off the wagon. I don't cram it all into my mouth as if it's the last chance I'll ever have to eat cake and then spiral into despair at my weak will and then crash back into overeating a la my normal diet patterns

Yes!! I had a "cooler" drink in a cafe at the weekend but couldnt finish it!