30kg in 15 weeks.

[Lumpi]

I've lost 30kg in 15 weeks.

At first I was really happy but now I'm worried about how it might be affecting my health. I also look dreadful.

I've been eating an average of 1800 calories a day the whole time with a focus on protein and nutrient dense food. However, I haven't really exercised and I haven't done any sort of strength training. I really really regret that. Life is so busy it often feels impossible to find the time.

How bad is my muscle loss going to be?

I've still got about 20kg to go until a healthy BMI. I know my loose skin is going to be terrible because I've lost so fast but if I slow down and start resistance training will it have any sort of positive effect or am I too late?

TDEE calculator puts my maintenance calories at my current weight at about 1850 but I'm still losing about 1.5kg a week eating 1800. So do I up my calories? MFP gives me a daily allowance of 1300 but that leaves me tired and miserably hungry so I always go over. And yes, I'm weighing and logging everything accurately so I'm not undereating.

I look like a deflated balloon. I've aged about 20 years, my face looks terrible and saggy. I feel good in myself, plenty of energy etc. but I just look awful.

I've just gone up to 7.5mg as that's what my prescriber recommended because the food noise was getting bad and I was getting really snacky and hungry in between meals. Now I'm thinking I should go back down to 5mg to slow the weight loss down.

I don't know. Maybe now I am getting smaller the losses will slow down anyway because it will be harder to be in a deficit so I should just keep going?

Hi, congratulations on the weightloss!!

Training/lifting will always benefit, it's never too late to start incorporating this. You may not see much change in the scales when you do start. How do you feel in terms of muscle loss - do you feel weaker or do you feel healthy/strong?

There can be many reasons why you have lost weight so fast, despite eating quite a decent amount of calories, so I can't comment there, but honestly, just take it and enjoy it. I'm envious.

I understand that you may not like your new look - but it's a big change to get used to in a short space of time, so it's no wonder you feel odd when you look in the mirror. It's just what happens with a fast weightloss. You can't predict what you're going to look like. This is a great time to reiterate 'love yourself at any size'.

Congratulations again! 😊

Are you taking collagen, plenty of water and plenty of protein? I would definitely up the calories for now, maybe see a dermatologist to get some advice to stop the skin sagging! I have been pretty terrible in that I’ve mainly been walking and carrying my toddler about but my weight loss has been slow - I’ve lost about 13kg in 18 weeks and usually eat about 1200-1300 calories (hypothyroidism, bad metabolism and insulin resistance)! I am going to be joining the local gym and seeing if I can get a light weights program for 3 days a week as I want to get toned as I lose - I have about 30kg to go!

There’s no good evidence that collagen does anything. It’s personal choice whether you want to take it or not, and it’s just extra protein at a minimum. Sagging skin is mostly down to genetics and age, unfortunately. You may find that it all improves over time as your skin has a chance to catch up with the weight loss.

Starting exercise now is better than not starting at all, so getting fitter and stronger is always going to be be a positive thing.

Your weight loss may well slow down on its own, so if you’re finding the 7.5mg ok then there’s no need to change back to 5mg.

I feel like I've ruined my body in a different way now.

Yeah, it was ruined by obesity but now I'll never be able to wear shorts or sleeveless tops or a bikini on holiday. How else will loose skin affect my life?

I've been reading horror stories about it, how it can chafe during exercise, abscesses growing in the folds, rashes and fungal infections. I'll still have to wear shape wear under my clothes to smoothe my loose skin instead of my fat.

I'll still be hiding myself away and hating myself, just for a different reason now.

I'll never be able to afford surgery to remove it. It's just a depressing thought and I feel down about it all.

I just wish I'd lost the weight slower and lifted weights from the beginning.

I don't take collagen or anything because the evidence isn't there. I eat plenty of protein (average 120g a day), drink 3-4 litres of water a day.

I don't feel weaker, I feel fine. I'll stick to 1800 calories for now and see how it goes.

I just thought it would be easier to love myself if I was a healthy weight and I can't see it happening.

@Lumpi I’m sorry you’re feeling this way, it’s clear from your posts that it’s all getting you down a bit at the moment.

Could you try to focus more on your overall improved health and fitness rather than just how you look to yourself? So, do you feel fitter, are you more active? Can you start an exercise journey like Couch to 5k to get an alternative hit of achievement?

If it helps, I’ve lost over 50kg so far. I’ve just been to the gym and done 30min on the treadmill. I have some loose-ish skin but nothing terrible, and certainly nothing that’s stopping me running. The horror stories you see are usually from people who were super morbidly obese, as in BMIs of well over 50 as a starting point.

That is an awful lot. Especially since you're not exactly going without food by the sound of it. Have you spoken to your GP, just in case there is something else going on.

Re exercise, something that won't strain your joints like swimming, pilates or yoga might tone you up safely.

I'm afraid the loose skin is inevitable if you are older. I only lost 13kg, just over 15% of previous weight, but that was enough to do it. I'm still glad I'm not longer obese though. Take it easy on yourself.

I don't know if I feel fitter. I still walk slowly I think. My joints don't ache as much.

I'd love to try swimming and yoga but I couldn't face going on my own and I don't have any friends. Actually I don't think I can even remember how to swim, it's been about 20 years since I last tried. I tried yoga videos at home but it's always late at night and I'm tired and I get bored and then I think about the 1000 other things I should be doing before bed.

I definitely need to try harder. I leave the house at 7am and got home at 6pm. Then it's time with the kids and homework and dinner and housework and before I know it it's 10pm and I have to shower and get ready for bed. I will try harder to fit exercise in. Even 20 minutes will make a difference right?

I keep seeing women who've lost what I need to (about 120lb) and they just have huge sheets of skin hanging off them. But then they get surgery and that's amazing for them but it will never be on the cards for me.

I will be glad to be a healthy weight but when I started this journey I had convinced myself it would make my life so much better and now all I can see is the other ways I will be unhappy and hate myself and still have to hide away and be ashamed of my body.

I hate feeling this way.

Why wouldn’t surgery be on the cards for you. Is it available on the nhs?

No, it's not usually available on the NHS because it's considered cosmetic. The cost would be too much for me. I've looked at quotes before and seen what other people have paid and loose skin patients are recommended to have a Fleur de lis tummy tuck and that's at least £10k. A full body lift is about £35k. I don't even earn that in a year and it would be so selfish and foolish to spend that kind of money on myself after spending so much money on Mounjaro.

Given that you have posted on someone’s thread about having had gallstones but not having gallstones bladder removed - this is contra indicated with WLI and I honestly think you should get your GP to check you over as if you genuinely are losing that much it sounds a bit off on the amount you are eating -

@Lumpi I have lost about 113 pounds already and still going. I absolutely do not have huge sheets of skin hanging off me! And I’m not young, I’m in my late 40s. I’d honestly stop watching videos about loose skin and surgery if it’s distressing you.

My GP knows and is supportive.
I had blood tests last week to see if certain things have improved since my last round and then an appointment today for results and everything is looking good. He agrees it is a lot but is happy with my progress, as is the pharmacy who prescribes the Mounjaro since I have to update my weight every time I order a new pen and do a check in re: side effects and such.
GP says I'm probably more active than I think even if I'm not doing specific exercise.

It's only the cheaper pharmacies that don't offer support that won't prescribe with a history of gallstones. The ones I have used haven't had a problem with it, especially since they've been dormant for 10 years.

It's just me that is worried and only because I don't won't to harm my body anymore than I already have done by being class 3 obese.

That's really impressive that you've lost that much and it also makes me feel better. Thank you.

I think I just hate not knowing how it's going to turn out, you know? I want to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Hi OP,
You have lost weight very quickly and you sound like your head is all over the place.

I think you should consider having a deliberate plateau to give your body and mind a rest and take stock of how you feel. That might involve reducing your dose so you can eat enough. You don't have to keep losing weight until you reach under 25 BMI if you don't feel that's right for you. You don't have to decide your goal weight now. Just take it easy and let yourself just breathe.

Honestly, I really really don't mean to sound unsupportive but this is why I don't like these injections. Lose the weight yayayay...... but to lose it without the skin sag etc requires effort. I've 2 friends that have done it and are now down/complaining because they didn't combine weight training and as much as I'm trying to be sympathetic, offer advice, signpost them to youtube workouts specifically to be done with the injections etc, they don't want to. Just thought it would be a miracle cure.

Having said that, I don't think you'll be too late to try rectify it, if you still have time before hitting target. No point doing anything on an evening. Your body and mind is tired. Try a YouTube routine in the morning, even if it means getting up 30 mins earlier.

@CombatBarbie It sounds like you are saying people on WLI don't make an effort. I think that's unfair. Not all of us are chasing rapid weight loss. Many of us are losing 1-2lb a week as recommended, and doing weight training, cardio and balancing our macros, but need the WLI to support us to do that. Whatever method you use to lose weight, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to do it, whether you use WLI or not.

OP - perhaps you should switch to maintenance for a while to allow your skin and body to catch up. Aim for a slower rate of loss after a period of maintenance (1-2lb a week max). I am doing body pump twice a week, swimming for 3 hours a week and walking for about 10 hours a week and I seem to be toning up really well. My belly and bingo wings are still flabby, but it's early days and I have complete faith that what I am doing will improve things massively. But I am having to put the work in!!

I'm not saying that at all, I've read many wonderful stories on here and kudos to those who have achieved what they needed.

My experience from friends using it is that it is a miracle cure, that's all I'm saying. The op seems to be experiencing what most with a gastric band do and lose rapidly thus having the saggy skin. And by her own admission has not done maintenance training for the body. I really do hope she can turn it around and love her body.

@CombatBarbie I did 6 weeks on it but didn’t like the side effects or the fact I had to eat a really bland diet to avoid heartburn . I was also only losing 1.5lb a week - to be honest I can do that myself if I am consistent ( fir months rather than weeks) so have gone back to low carb , cal counting and popped in 2 dance excercise classes a week plus a berberin supplement every day ( slight GLP1 effect and mild appetite suppressant ) - I’m still losing at same rate and so far no saggy skin , and actually better toned arms and legs . I’m 63 and not fit and 4 stone overweight, so can be done without but does require good willpower - like you I’m not anti WLI at all but do think it’s important to have a changed mindset and not just rely on suppression and be honest with yourself about how little cardio raising exercise you do - in my case it was zilch apart from walking a lot as I don’t drive

It depends on why you are doing it - I have hypothyroidism, insulin resistance and a pretty crappy metabolism which has gotten worse from being over 40 - without the weight loss drugs I can starve myself and lose nothing. Insulin resistance basically makes your body hold onto fat so it is difficult to lose weight. On the weight loss drugs I can still only eat around 1200 calories and am lucky to lose a pound in a week, if I don’t combine it with doing a decent number of steps I lose nothing - I am having to work really hard to lose the weight. Most people I know would lose more than I am without taking WLI if they did the same level of exercise and ate the same calories. WLI are not just about appetite suppression they also have benefits for insulin resistance and inflammation both of which I have, I also now have a lower TSH when getting my thyroid tested recently which is great! I am also on the waiting list to get checked for endo due to severe pains in abdomen related to my menstrual cycle but the pains have mostly stopped while on the medication.

I agree that if you have a normal metabolism and no issues with leptin (the hormone that causes people to over eat) it is best to use diet and exercise which is why you can only access the drugs if you are obese. It shouldn’t be used to just drop a stone for summer! For me I was already over weight and put on an extra 3.5stone in the last 2.5 years - coinciding with stopping breastfeeding, being in my 40s and the abdominal pains. Most people who are obese have something that is keeping them that way - health conditions and hormones being major factors.

I can't see if you mention how old you are, OP, but you may see an improvement in time.

In the meantime your priority needs to be to address your negative self-image. It's really easy to imagine that losing weight will make our problems go away but as you are learning it's not as simple as that. You risk transferring the hatred that you had for your fat to hatred for loose skin. Resistance training and exercise are important, yes, but you need to spend some time also practising gratitude for your body and what it has done for you. You will have your own list but in my case it grew and birthed my children, and fed them into toddlerhood. It has carried me through the world and brought me to today. It had a lot of excess fat for a while, but I have been able to accept that the fat served a purpose of sorts and was a symptom of deeper issues during a very dark and difficult time, which has helped me to forgive myself. I wish you all the very best

@KoalaKoKo yes that’s why I took it too - I’m right on the border for pre diabetic and right on the border for Hypothroid but just under the level they will medicate - I have continued to lose without MJ but being very very strict -it’s slow going ( but for me it was when I was on it too) and at 63 I think my metabolism is just not what it was -

I got a new Fitbit and it says my calories burned today was 4552. Yesterday was 4207.
I've just had a typical weekend. Work, dog walk, family time, housework. So I think my GP was right and I'm more active than I thought. Even though I'm not doing dedicated exercise I must still be moving a fair bit. I've always considered myself quite sedentary and lazy but my work must be more intense than I thought. It explains why eating over my recommended calories was still giving me massive losses.

I walked away from this thread feeling like shit when all I needed was a little support. Like I was doing something wrong and I should be ashamed.
I can't be the only person struggling with how their body is changing and also trying to figure out how to navigate healthy weight loss. Wish I could be as perfect as the rest of you that figured it out straight away.

As for saying I haven't put in the work - ouch. I've put a lot of effort into overhauling my diet and making sure I eat as nutritiously as possible.
I never set out to lose so much in a short amount of time and I couldn't figure out where I was going wrong when all the tdee calculators and calorie counters said I was still overeating.

I'll see how the next week goes and adjust accordingly.

I'm so sorry that this thread made you feel like shit, OP.

I have found Fitbit tracking to be very accurate, although 4k+ does sound particularly high. At my absolute biggest (approx 145kg) I would burn about 3500kcal in a day where I did 15k steps or more. If you're sure of the data that the Fitbit is using to calculate your TDEE then it's probably correct, however. I've stayed in a deficit based on my Fitbit figures and lost 56kg.

Don't panic too much about muscle loss. Yes, you do need to start incorporating strength training now but remember that daily life in a bigger body is a strength workout in itself. Those of us who have been very big often have quite well-developed muscles from simply moving our former mass around, rather like those people you see wearing weighted vests when they work out.

Hi OP,
Having read your comment that the thread left you feeling like shit and people weren't supportive I read the whole thread again and I really can't understand where you are coming from.

The person talking in hurtful terms about loose skin is you. I think people have tried to be positive and supportive and suggest constructive ideas to help.