May Starters Thread 4 ~ Onwards & Downwards!

[PandaIsMySpritAnimal]

Hoping the lovely bunch of May starters thread 3 finds this new thread. Can't believe we are on 4 in the space of couple of weeks.

Thread 3 is now full so can't post the link for the new one there.

Re drinking wine, I’ve found I’m off it completely - tastes horrible.
This is VERY annoying as usually I love a glass (or 2) of chilled wine on a summer’s evening ☹️

I didn't get as far as the end! It was a pretty poor article - I read the paragraph about 85g of protein, and that a chicken breast is 45g, so that's easy. But I used to be on a mostly vegetarian diet, with maybe one chicken breast a week, and the amount of pulses you'd need to eat to get 85g is ridiculous!
I'd be interested to read how one of the vegetarians in this group get their protein in an average day. 🙏

Morning!

Weigh-in day.

SW: 17 Stone 2lbs / 240lbs
CW: 15 Stone 3lbs / 213lbs
GW: 10 Stone / 140lbs

-3lbs this week. Really surprised. I feel cumbersome and heavy in the heat. On the flip side, one day last week I felt quite slim and in proportion, and someone recommended I look at 'getting on those jabs' and I remembered oh yeah, I'm a size 18 so I can't be slim.
I can't imagine casually recommending someone Gets On The Jabs though.

@Treesofgreen99 That's a crime, surely. I can drink wine for you?
It's giving me indigestion though so I can only manage a couple of glasses!

@DidILeaveTheGasOn it certainly feels like a crime - specially when we had friends over on Saturday and I’m sat there with a pint of water, while they’re enjoying Pims, chilled wines, etc 😭
Hoping fir a decent loss this week after being so good, but the hot weather seems to encourage my body to retain everything!!!

@DidILeaveTheGasOnthis is so rude to recommend the jab like this to someone! Mind your own business! Although im sure it came from a good intention… i wonder if that person is also using it?

ive decided to WFH today as i only have online meetings… feeling also sick because of the three glasses of wine i had yesterday afternoon
i guess i can drink a bit but not much and if it is hot, i feel sick more quickly…. Not a bad thing but i also miss it especially i dont tend to drink much to start with…

@SutekhsEars
im also veggie and i really struggle with proteins! I do try to drink a protein shake from time to time but i probably average at 2 a week. Really not enough!
i’m ok-ish with fish so that helps a bit

I tend to have full fat Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries for breakfast with loads of pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds in it for breakfast. Lunch is a big salad with cubes of feta or halloumi in it with added pine nuts and pumpkin and sunflower seeds again (I literally poop granola bars!). Dinner is something like a chick pea and roasted veg curry with brown rice, or a three bean and lentil chilli. Later on I have grapes in Greek yogurt. During the day I have a flat white or two. If I don’t think I’ve had enough protein I’ll have a handful of peanuts. According to the Voy app I’m getting enough protein. I absolutely don’t want to be having processed protein powders etc. . One of my main aims is to retrain my eating habits and I don’t want UpFs. I don’t count calories, just use the balanced food groups system. But it’s enjoyable and working for me -21lbs off in six weeks.. I feel like I’m eating good sized, healthy meals.

Also my periods are a bit all over the place since starting on MJ.
im 48 so def perimenopausal but until May my periods have been like clockwork all my life…. And now my cycle is all over the place! Ive had a very short 20 days cycle instead of the usual 28 days. And usually im tired the 1st day of my period and then im fine. Now the first day im fine but then im ridiculously tired and in pain in day 2 and 3…. I also got a mini period the previous cycle that lasted 2 days of light bleeding just a week after my periods…
it makes me feel a bit worried about the jab and im glad im still at 2.5mg i cant imagine what my periods would be like if i was on 7.5mg…

Checking in - am feeling very despondent about this as this month despite being on 5mg I have lost 3lb in total - I have lost 16lb since I started but when I see other weigh losses it makes me wonder why I am bothering!

Also I had to fork out for 2 new tyres on my car so have had to delay my next pen for 10 days - I weigh in at the local pharmacy (was massively constipated when I went to weigh in and typically shifted it later that day - sorry of TMI) so am going to get a 7.5mg pen next week and see what happens.

I have taken the golden dose from my 5mg pen this week. However when I was talking to the pharmacist he said that on 5mg you are only taking a third of the allowed dose so it may not be as affective. I do feel better and my clothes are looser and I do have a lot to loose - I know in the end it will benefit me but I am having a meh about it all. Also periods are still up the spout - but am peri-menopausal so that's to be expected! I am going to weigh in next week to see how I'm going and then give it another month.

I’m sorry you’re feeling like that @Redsparklybucket . Sometimes it’s good to read back through threads from groups that started a few months ahead of us. Many had quite a few weeks of no loss at all every now and again- but they’ve all lost a lot over the months. I also think peri menopause is bloody evil and will sap the joy and strength out of you for fun every now and again. I’m so glad to have got it behind me. So it might be that making you feel pants. You’ve still lost over a stone! That’s good.
Also - re the smaller dose, I dropped from a 4mg golden dose to a 2.5mg dose because it was left in the pen. I was perhaps a little bit hungrier than the previous week, but I also wondered if it was psychological because I knew it was a smaller dose? But it’s good to use a bit of willpower now and again, I think. Keep your chin up. You are doing well. If it continues for a while perhaps reassess what you’re eating?

@Redsparklybucket i feel your pain over the tires! My car which has done me proud for years suddenly needed new brakes & a few other bits and tyres! 😱 over £800 in total!! Budget for bits but not that much at the moment given that 2 of us are jabbing!!!!

thankfully the garage offer an interest free monthly payment plan so we don’t have to give up the jabs!! I went into full panic mode earlier!! Then wanted to eat chocolate (despite the jabs!) thankfully 6 maltesers & I was done and a work out them helped lower the stress levels in a more positive way!!!

other than all that not been a bad day!!

sorry for those struggling and in plateaus !

it will come off and another one in perimenopause here and agree it really sucks!!

onwards & downwards!

@Redsparklybucket I totally resonate with that feeling of ennui with it all. I probably say this once a week, but I oscillate between wanting to dig deep and just get the weight off as soon as possible to get it over and done with, or just quit (and get it over and done with). I just worry after reading how many people struggle with regaining the weight once they come of the MJ.

Another thing I seem to post repeatedly is that after a couple of weeks of no movement on the scales I dropped by nearly 2lb this morning. Thank god, because I was struggling with the side effects and lack of any reward.

Everyone is quiet today. Are you all ok?

I feel like my boobs are noticeably shrinking. Which is fab, I’ve always had large boobs, but as I’ve got fatter they’ve become ridiculous (G/H cup). But they feel a bit floppy now, and I’ve only lost a stone and a half, I’ve a lot more than that to go. I’m hoping I don’t have spaniel’s ears for boobs! It’s not an area I can really exercise, is it?

I've felt a bit empty today, as though I am emotionally hungry. Packing has begun in earnest and I've somehow got my ex to agree to a really good school for my son. I didn't even dare hope he could go there so I'm in shock. Our relationship was based on his need for ultimate control so this is a huge coup now and something I will suffer for later.
I don't care.
My gorgeous, clever, wonderfully kind boy gets to go to a fantastic school. I applied today after we visited last week and the school accepted.

Packing is tough-going. I might have lost 27lbs but I am not particularly fit or healthy. I did a few hours today and then my knee popped out of joint so casually as if to say, oh, remember the ACL you don't have?

Emotionally I feel like I need a full meal. It's an adjacent appetite that runs alongside the real one. We went out for dinner and I chose a prawn linguine - I don't really 'do' carbs in the evening, or big bowls of pasta anymore, so I had a few mouthfuls and then my stomach was full. My feelings were not.

Were my feelings ever sated by big bowls of pasta? Probably not?

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to be moving, but I need some sort of on board computer that reminds me everything's going to be alright.

My emotions need a big cake.

I’m on nights now until Thursday morning so I know my eating schedule will be a bit all over the place and since I’m a daily weigher the numbers on the scale will likely be a bit off too!

The fluctuations is part of why I like to weight daily, I know I’d find it more stressful doing it once a week!!

The nightshift culture in Nursing is very much eat to stay awake but I’ve never been much of a late night snacker, makes me feel sick so I just have my usual yogurt and cereal stuff for later in the shift. Anyone else a shift worker?

Its my jab day on Tuesday so will do that once I’m home from work later and post a wee weekly update for accountability!

to those having tough days at the mo.
Yesterday was a bit of a stinker for me, but I’m feeling more positive today. Hope everyone has a good day.

Great news re the school. One less thing to focus on (don’t focus on your ex). Remember that moving house and changing jobs are two of life’s most stressful events. Be kind to yourself! Your weight loss is strong. Chin up - you have so got this!

Help all .. for past week I’ve had awful itching / red welt at needle site. I’ve had a reaction the past three injections and it’s steadily got worse each time. It’s been driving me to distraction! I’ve tried various creams including hydrocortisone and nothing helps. I always clean the jabber with the wipes provided before I use it and vary the injection site. Not sure what else to do? Anyone else experiencing this??

Have you had the reaction using the same needle? It sounds like a skin infection. You might need to ditch that needle, unfortunately.
I have no medical training whatsoever, perhaps one of the nurses here will have an idea?

Somehow, despite eating bread & pizza and even a couple of puddings while away from home, I managed a small loss!

@sutekhsearsdifferent disposable needles each time! Well done on the loss!

Sorry, still half asleep! I mean same pen? I didn't think you were that much of a minger!

I'm now getting a large, raised welt at the injection site too. I didn't get that on 2.5mg, which could be irrelevant, but I did wonder if it's the dose increase, or if the ingredients are altered (I'm guessing the active ingredient is put into something to make it injectable).

Thr reaction at the injection site seems common when moving up to 5mg from 2.5mg from looking at Reddit etc.

@SutekhsEarsi would contact my provider or my GP. You’ve tried to manage at home but it is not working, now is the time to get professional advice.

@FlorenceNightshadevery apt name for a nurse!

i have two meetings today: 1st one i’ll be fessing up to the fact i am nowhere near where i would like to be for my doctoral research and i need an extension. 2nd one: i have asked for a change of placement because my office is a shit show… i only need to find a nicer way to articulate my argument! 😂
Feeling very stressed, so stressed that i have asked a “friend” if she wanted to go for a walk this morning… this is a friend that is not good for me, that makes me feel awful sometimes but that i have used as an emotional crutch. I have not seen her since i started MJ and was feeling better … i guess she is my equivalent of an emotional piece of cake: comfort. I am praying she cant go for a walk today! im going to “archive” her on WhatsApp…. I cant eat because of the jab so i really need to find alternative ways to manage my stress (please dont say “exercise” even if it is probably the way to go!!)