March 2025 starters Thread 5

[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.

Some of us are now hitting the 12 week mark, some of us are nearly at their goal, some halfway and some still have a way to go, but we are all losing even if it’s half a pound a week. We have all come so far and are making a difference to our health.

@popdepop I wonder if you might be setting yourself too large goals, what do they look like? My goals were minute - I had a lot less to lose weight wise but a hideous amount to lose fat wise (OMG is it even possible to have a body fat percentage as high as mine, everything I've read online suggests I should probably either be dead or able to be used as a candle 😂). My goals were set at 4lb of weight or 2% of current body fat. Really small goals but its helped me feel like I'm progressing. It's as much a mental challenge as a physical one. Don't set yourself up to fail with really big goals.

@soupforbrains I don't know how long this thread will go on for but I'm hoping to be here to the end for all of us. I've been lurking on maintenance threads and it's not the same. Some of us will get to goal faster, others slower. We'll all have to learn about how to maintain though. I'm really hoping this wonderful supportive group will learn from each other and be there for each other however long it takes. It takes hard work and a total mindset change alongside MJ. I absolutely know I couldn't be doing this without all of you.

@TheBossOfMe I was happy with progress and plod on until I saw the photo yesterday! I just need to get back into that mind set. Part of it is, I've just got a new job, a promotion and in 5 weeks I'll be meeting people I'll be working with. I'll be travelling to do that. I feel embarrassed with my weight. It's easy to hide working from home. Part of the issue which has caused the gain. That led to me feeling low. I just need to get on with it and take a step at a time. I was 16 stone 11, weight this morning and I'm 14 stone 6. How would you set my next goal? im hoping for close to another stone off by the time I go away.

Good morning,

I was feeling the same as you until I had to upload side picture of my naked belly that really deflated me and was eye opening of how much I have to loose. My clothes are hanging on me like a potato sack but my body shape hasn’t changed and I still see the fatter person I was a few weeks ago

i have a long way to go and have set mini goals so that I feel more positive during the route , these were my goals

sw 18.1 st / 115 kg
1st goal my birthday at 9 weeks 105kg / 16.3st - reached 107kg / 16.8 st

2 nd goal w13 was for today (big work event which I known since the week I started MJ and will be first time I’m seinf my boss since week 1 who knows im on MJ )- 100kg / 15.7 st - reached 102.5 kg / 16.1 st

3rd goal 19 July big birthday bash w19 95 kg / 14.9 st (more realistic hoping to now achieve 97 kg/15.2 st)

ultimate goal is to reach 75-80 kg/ 12 st around Christmas

although haven’t reached any of my mini goals I have not been far off so I’m pleased with that, before plateau I was aiming for 5kg per calendar month but would now be happy with 4-5 kg so around half a stone (that would take me 5-6 months to reach goal)

Sigh. Stalled again. Now been on 12 weeks and total loss is 7kg. Waist has decreased around 20cm which is obviously great but not sure why the scales are not really reflecting that.
Waist is still a problem area (I’m 49 and much of my weight gain is perimenopause related in the last three years) so happy it’s still shrinking but so much more needed.
But I am definitely moving better. I have been all along weight lifting and doing yoga and I’ve been able to get back into running via c25k - I had stopped running due to sore knees and feet which now feel so so much better.
I’m taking the 5th dose from my first 5ml pen this morning so decisión time on next dose. I am leaning towards another 5ml but really focussing this month on the quality of my food - lean protein and veg. I’ve got the Tom kerridge dopamine diet book so might get that out. Is anybody else using any particular recipes or meal plans?

Why not set a non-scale goal, perhaps something you would like to be able to wear when you meet your new colleagues? I swing from focusing on the scales, measuring my waist and trying on clothes. The scales don’t always show the changes we feel. I definitely don’t use photos, there are just too many factors that affect how well you look in them.

you’ve lost a great amount of weight and have made significant changes to your health. Imagine if you had done nothing and were meeting your colleagues at your start weight, how would that have felt? (which is what I did, I started MJ my first week in a new job).

Weigh in day for me. End of week 11. 0.9 kilo loss this week.
SW 104.9 kilo
Cw 92 kilos (flickered to 91.9 and then settled at 92) was nice to see a 1.
Mini goal is 89 kilos my last slimming world weight . I agree with above the last few weeks has been a struggle realising I've lost 2 stone but knowing how far still to go. I also tried on some jeans I wore last year and they won't go over my hips that was depressing and didn't help the feeling. I'm wearing lots of elastic waist skirts and cardigans as these fit through different sizes. I do find everytime I loose and put on it's different places and shapes. I've definitely lost more on my top half and become extremely pear shaped when I used to be more hour glass. This makes full length reflections hard to look at when you catch a glimpse. I'll still be here for a while yet even though I don't always comment I do read every day!

I have a question regarding doses and best thing to do. I'm due to inject later today and I would like to increase my 2.5 . My last pen I took the remaining amount which was 0.7mls so around 2.9 this felt a bit better and helped the cravings that I felt were starting to come back. Last week I had a massive early start full weekend of work so I started a new pen and just used the normal 2.5 dose. I would like to take either 2.9 or 3.3 this week as I have an easy weekend. Would you either do one full dose and then count 20 or 30 clicks for a second dose (I'm assuming I would need to change the needle and use a different injection site) or take out the whole amount in one go with a syringe and just do the one injection. I've only taken out with a syringe the end of the last pen and I didn't find it easy. The first pen I did the hard twist method.

woooo. Nine stone 13 - I'm in the nines and my BMI is now 23 point something. Wooooooooooooo!

@museumum 20cm off your waist is an unreal achievement! It sounds like you’re exercising a lot, which can cause water retention in response to post-exercise inflammation. Maybe that’s a silli question but are you allowing your body enough rest & recovery time?

@popdepop congratulations on your new job and promotion! Could you get yourself a new outfit for the first day? Something really flattering that can also be tailored later on? I know shopping can feel very unnecessary when you’re still a bit off from your GW, but properly fitting clothes can make all the difference to one’s confidence levels.

Congratulations on the promotion, @popdepop Re goals, I set myself goals that I thought would be achievable in a 4 week period, which meant if I targeted losing 1lb a week, it was 4lb as a mini-goal every 4 weeks. I'm really goal oriented and those small achievements have really helped keep me motivated. Can you break your journey down into smaller 4 week goals, targeting 4 or 6lb every 4 weeks, or maybe look at what you lost on the last two 4 week periods and take the average of that as your next goal?

@Flamethrowers Seeing a new number on the scales is amazing! Go you!

Warning about contraception and WLI

www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/05/contraception-warning-over-weight-loss-drugs-after-dozens-of-pregnancies

Morning Everyone,

Came back from a weeks all inclusive holiday in Benalmadena on Sunday evening but waited a few days to weigh in as I knew I would have some water retention!
This morning I weighed 9 stone 3.5 lb. Before the holiday I weighed 9 stone 1lb so a gain of 2.5lb which I am OK with because I really enjoyed the holiday and the food and drink.
I didn't go crazy but I ate nice food, three meals a day (no snacks in between) a couple of beers in the evening etc but also did on average 15k steps per day so all in all not too bad!
I have also had a break from MJ as I was was suffering from horrendous side effects on 6.5mg. I decided to stop taking it completely so that I didn't ruin my holiday so had a break of almost 2 weeks. Yesterday I started on 2.5mg again but as expected I haven't had any suppression, maybe that will come over the next day or so?! I think I am just going to have to be patient and do another 3 weeks at 2.5mg using willpower and then hopefully move up to around 3.5/4mg as i started to notice the SE creeping in for the last couple of 5mg injections last time around.

Got 9 weeks until my holiday in Turkey and I would like to get to 8 stone 10lb by then. So need to loose around 7 or 8 lb. Hopefully I feel happy at that new goal weight. I have to say, before this recent holiday in Spain, I felt great....then I put my swimming costume on, sat by the pool and instantly felt fat!! Lost all my new gained confidence. Lets hope 8 stone 10lb does the trick!

I've not had time yet to catch up on the thread which I usually love reading daily, but I hope you are all doing well and have had some great losses and NSVs!

Does anyone else feel that their self image is lagging behind their actual weight loss

Morning, I take 3.3mg from 1 full dose, needle change and then a further 20 clicks of the pen....so far so good for me

@Flamethrowers 100%. I know I'm much slimmer, I've lost inches off my waist and fit into clothes I haven't been in for over 2 years. And loads of people have commented on how "well" I look. But I hate how my stomach looks and I'm really not toned at all. So am slightly struggling to really see the loss.

@Amjam2025 That sounds like a lovely holiday, and 2.5lb is nothing, you'll shift that in no time at all.

Mid-week accountability weigh in. Not much movement on the scales, but it's at least a small downward movement so far, and given the Chinese meal on Monday night and a work event on Tuesday night, that's OK.

SW 10st 4.6lb/144.6lb BMI 25.7 (prescribed MJ because of diabetes risk and hideous waist measurement)
CW 8st 13.4lb/125.4lb BMI 22.1 - 19.2lb down, 85% of target achieved.
GW 8st 10lb/122lb (22.6lb total target loss, 3.4lb to go (5.4 allowing 2 for a bounce) BMI 21.6

Loss by week:
W1 (2.5) 5.5lb
W2 (2.5) 1.3lb
W3 (2.5) 0.7lb (ate out loads)
W4 (5) 3.3lb
W5 (5) 0.5lb gain (ate out loads)
W6 (5) 3.8lb (Post Easter weekend plus period)
W7 (5) 2.6lb
W8 (5) 1.5lb gain (BH weekend away, ate out loads)
W9 (7.5) 1.1lb (NY trip)
W10 (7.5) 1.1lb (Hakkasan and weekend away)
W11 (7.5 split dose) 3.7lb (Chelsea, BH weekend)
W12 (7.5 split dose) 2.2lb gain (half term, River Cafe, birthday weekend away)
W13 (5 so far) 0.3lb so far

I started my 10mg pen today, debating whether to keep going with a 5/2.5 split dose or go up to a 5/5 split. I think I'll see how I feel on Monday (2nd split dose day), but given how close I am to goal, I think I'll probably stick with 5/2.5. Period has failed to make an appearance yet, and I think I'm at a bit of a plateau, so am going to up exercise a bit, been very lazy recently.

Very true. I'd be mortified if I had to meet new colleagues as I was. I was just so uncomfortable. My confidence has improved already... a little. Today is a new day. So strange when I look in the mirror daily, I don't see what the photo looks like!

thank you! I have 5 weeks before I meet them. Otherwise I work from home. So yes I'll look for a nice outfit and I'm hoping for another stone down by then. Then by the next time I see them I'll have lost again and hopefully they'll forget the first meet 😂

Hello all, a bit of advice or input if anyone is willing.

I jab Sunday p.m. on 25th may I was faffing over dosage, and left it til Monday p.m. I ve done this before. I jabbed Monday p.m. with 3.75. I had a horrible week personally, ill chikd, no cooker, massive stress. I gained 1lb which I was ok with.

Having jabbed Monday pm prev week I did tgat again but was already conscious of food noise. So I moved up to 5mg. Well Tuesday, was dreadful. Food noise, ate loads of snacks. Really not good. Since then I'm struggling such a lot. Has anyone else had a blip like this? I will continue on 5mg and go back to Sunday this weekend, and meal plan. I really feel like I'll have another gain and honestly, I'm scared for coming off MJ.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine do you mean you are struggling with food noise still, or struggling mentally with MJ and how it works?

The food noise. I've been prowling the kitchen wondering what to eat. I have drunk an awful lot of wine which always results in snacks, but prior to thus episode, was drinking less than a bottle a week (much much more pre MJ)

MJ has honestly worked like a miracle for me, until now. I don't know what has changed really. Maybe I didn't realise I was ready to move up a dose, and that along with jabbing a day late had an impact? That said, it worked for me from the very start.

popdepop - I was a similar weight to you this morning at 14st 6.8 (starting 15st 10 mid March) and I want to get down to 11st ish if I can but at this rate, I think mini goals are the way forward too.

199lbs is 14st 3lbs. So that’s the next one for me.
14st exactly will be BMI 29.8 and merely “overweight”.

Even a pound a week will mean a decent outfit at Christmas. SURELY. 29 weeks away (sorry). Not at goal necessarily but definitely smaller clothes and happier photos.

@popdepop I take photos of me as well as my food! I think when I look in the mirror I don't see it. But I see it more in photos (ignoring the fact that my face is so unphotogenic). Definitely buy a new outfit though, you deserve to celebrate amazing progress.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine I know what you mean about being scared. I'm trying to be philosophical about this - MJ helps in different ways for all of us (quelling food noise, appetite suppression, earlier full signals etc), but lurking on lots of maintenance threads, its becoming clearer to me that for a lot of us, the answer is probably to be on some form of this drug forever, which is obviously not allowed right now, but might be by them time we've done our two years. I also think that for many of us, we might need to look for additional support around the reasons we have food noise. No clue what that is. It doesn't really seem to exist, the recognition that it's even a thing seems to be quite recent. There's some emergent research about it in the US that I need to find time to read that suggests that it's like a form of ADHD or even OCD and that the drugs that help with those conditions might also be helpful in tackling the problem alongside WLIs.

Jabbing a day late will definitely have had an impact though - the clinical data says that a 6 day jab schedule is actually the most effective but they recommend same day every week because it's easier to remember. So don't lose heart. Science is moving fast in this space now. And I think blips happen - it's a hormone based drug, and I'm convinced that menstrual cycle has a huge impact on efficacy just based on what I'm seeing on threads like this.

I have this third and 4th week of same dosage and also had it when I moved from 2.5 to 5, that time 5mg hit the second day (so after 36 hours)

I moved from 6mg to 7.5 mg yesterday and yesterday before jabbing (day 5 of 6mg) I was ravenous and today the suppression is unreal

i think sometimes the body adopts but it also depends on hormone levels as mine is deffo still driven in my cycle (explains why contraception thing was on news today as it deffo messes with hormones/cycle)

from what you have said it sounds like you need the increased dose, everyone responds differently and has different philosophies around the dosage. If you are not feeling the suppression then for me it is time to go up, a lot of people only do 1 pen at 5mg as they don’t see good results.

we do need to address the habit and addiction elements as well but if you still have plenty to lose then there is time.

@Illbefinejustbloodyfine another one here prowling the kitchen this evening! I always find weds and Thurs hard before jab day Friday.

Trying not to give in to picking at DHs chocolate and no that's not a euphemism 😂

About to have a cup of tea and get in the bath to distract myself then hopefully settle in bed with my new book!