Thank you everyone for the lovely congratulatory messages!
In reply to @Outsidebeanshop in particular re: your questions.
I did 8 weeks (two pens) on the 2.5mg and have been on the 5mg ever since (10 weeks now).
I aim to eat 1200 calories a day. I am a vegetarian.
I am a teacher, I don’t eat in the morning before school, I first eat at morning break (10.10am) when I have a Lindhal’s Kvarg protein yoghurt. For lunch I have a warburtons seeded bagel thin with cheese, lettuce and cucumber in it, and a packet of low cal crisps such as quavers, lentil chips (the brand Proper), walkers French fries etc and a small apple or pear. At the end of the school day I have a light babybel and/or if I am feeling hungry a protein bar (the brand Fulfil has several flavours around 140-150 calories). For tea/dinner I have a meal of around 500 calories- one of my favourites is the marks and Spencer’s cheesy jacket potato (232 calories per potato) with a little extra butter and cheese with either veg (peas, sweetcorn, broccoli) or salad. My kids always have pizza on Fridays and so do I- I get the veggie or cheese ones that are under 500 cals for the whole pizza/pizette from M&S/aldi/Sainsburys etc, there are a few types. Or I have pasta (weighed dry- 75g) with a tomatoey sauce and veg or salad, quiche (individual one), omelette, soup etc. After tea I always have a sweet treat of around 100 calories- around Christmas or Easter the mini malteaser or kit kit reindeers or bunnies are perfect at around 60-70 calories each. At the moment in the heat my go-to is mini Oreo ice cream sandwich (they come in a 6 pack) for 110 cals. I don’t eat too late and try to stop eating for the day by around 7pm (so I guess 7pm-10.10am is a bit like an intermittent fasting period). I try to drink a lot of water- I sip throughout the day (as can be hard to pop out to the loo while teaching!) but down a couple of (refillable) bottles once home. I try to walk as much as I can (with a busy job, two kids and a partner who works shifts…) maybe 3-4 times a week a 5-6k walk.
The thing is, I’ve known for years WHAT to do to lose weight- my weight has yo-yoed and I’ve done the above many times then fallen off the wagon again. Because it feels so restrictive. But on mounjaro the above diet feels like enough, it’s satiating. That’s what I’m worried about for coming off it, that I’ll try to stick to the above routine and won’t feel full/satisfied and will fail. Although of course when I’m maintaining my calories won’t be as low as 1200 so I will have a bit more to play with. I guess it will come down to planning ahead so that I don’t get into a situation where it’s the end of a stressful school day and I’m starving so I crack and reach for the biscuits in the staff room.
Because as you see I still have crisps (every day!), sweet treats, still have pizza and pasta etc. Because those are the foods I like. And on mounjaro I can have a smaller amount of those foods and feel satisfied. Whereas when not on mounjaro I know one of the recommendations is volume eating- eating larger amounts of lower calorie foods, but I think that is my downfall when starting a new diet again and again and again is being restrictive and telling myself no crisps, no chocolate, no pizza, that’s when I fall off the wagon. But the amount needed to satisfy myself when not on mounjaro is much larger.