Specific diet/exercise/lifestyle you're following on MJ?

[mamabeeboo]

After undertaking a lot of different types of eating habits over the years, and on MJ I've cut calories to 1200, the weightloss is starting to plateau, despite still being in the 'obese' BMI category. Realistically I'm not going to drop my calories further, and don't want to. I've now switched this up and doing:

20 hours fasting during the 5 day work week.
2x a week cardio
1x a week weights

What is everyone else following?

I’m just eating clean - whole, healthy foods. I cut out refined sugars and processed foods. Lots of fruit, veg, seeds and pulses. Lots of whole fat Greek yoghurt. Some wholemeal pasta/bread/brown rice. Some cheeses (feta/halloumi mostly but occasionally mozzarella or cheddar). I’m not counting calories or fasting - I’m trying to change my eating habits so I can come off MJ at the end. I’m already moderately active. I haven’t added much else in exercise wise yet. I plan to do some more when I’m slimmer and confident to be seen at the local pool!

I'm not calorie counting or fasting, and haven't throughout - one year on MJ, five stone down, hovering just above the overweight category on a BMI of 30 right now.

My focus has been on getting protein in every meal, fibre and lots of different types of fruit and veg plus weight training. Prioritising muscle mass is the key. I've done crash diets in the past that wrecked my metabolism; I don't want to do that again. So for me it's steps, Pilates and weights plus nourishing food. I've had stalls and plateaus along the way - my body seems to get stuck at certain weights before it gives in! I think being consistent and patient is the only way.

Massive reduction in UPF, snacking, sweeteners, sugar, fizzy drinks, meals focused around carbs

Massive increase in protein (as pp says at every meal) and filling up on veg, drinking water

Eating 3 portion controlled meals a day to work with Mounjaro, because I can feel a little light headed if I skip meals or fast.

Eating food made with real ingredients, I am not the best cook so food is much plainer/basic - steak, prawns garlic butter and veg, salmon and veg, air fryer chicken etc but I enjoy that now.

Enjoying quality food when out, rather than quantity.

More walking and some strength training 3-4 times a week at home with dumbbells and resistance bands, getting better but could still do better.

I have cut out most added sugar and eat a lot more protein. Since focusing on protein I've lost weight without trying which has been a bit confusing as I've been aiming for maintenance but I think when I track what I eat I'm not necessarily finishing everything so while my planned meals take me to maintenance I'm not eating every bit because I'm just not hungry enough. I'm going to drop my dosage a little so I can eat enough to hit my protein goals at maintenance.
Weight loss was slower and more patchy for me before I started tracking but as I say I'm tracking protein not calories, just aiming for approximately maintenance.

Eating more protein, lowering carbs immensely, drinking more water, protein shakes for breakfast, no exercise, calorie deficit of 1200, office job, 43, sedentary, 5ft 3, but usually eat less 850-1100 especially on days at home with little movement.
Lose consistently, even with starting as prediabetic. Went up doses after pen finished as soon as I could when they wore off and hunger and food noise came back with a vengence, now I'm at 15mg. I'm now bmi 24.8 and 10st 1lb, started at 13st 1lb bmi 32.4.

I've adopted the Mediterranean diet promoted by Michael Mosley (among others). It's essentially low carb, so no refined sugars and cut out bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. No calorie counting. I've been eating lots of protein. It's working well for me so far, and to be honest, I haven't missed any of the carbs at all. I'll be sticking to this "diet" once I reach my goal weight.
Exercise-wise, I've just been on the treadmill a few times a week, following Couch to 5K. That's been ok too.

Basically doing what I've been doing for the last few years since we go a good local gym, but eating less.

Averaging 1400 calories, Nutracheck, prioritising protein and fibre (everything else is on the lower side anyway by dint of not eating much) plenty of veg and some fruit, yoga twice a week, two weights sessions and one cardio a week. Sometimes I don't eat breakfast and then have a bigger lunch but sometimes I have breakfast.

I don't have much to lose now but it's still coming off slowly.

Aiming to get most of my calories from protein. Weights 3-4 times a week. Some cardio, but cardio doesn’t really help weight loss, unless you are running half marathon distances regularly.

Muscle building increases your metabolism.

I am also eating virtually no carbs, no junk food and I’ve cut back significantly on booze.

"cardio doesn't really help with weight loss unless you are running half marathon distances regularly."

This is so categorically untrue. Any amount of moderate to intense cardio will burn calories and that will aid weight loss. Spin classes scorch calories, but it need not be that intense. Adding a 30-40 minute walk/jog several days a week can burn an additional 600-800 calories per week. That adds up.

Only if it actually leads to a calorie deficit. Most people eat extra after cardio so they don't get any deficit overall.

I'm a little confused with all the advise to eat lots of protein. I thought the benefit of protein was that it kept you full for longer, but that's not the biggest concern on MJ.
I thought getting the right balance of foods was more important than putting all of the importance on protein?

I am on MJ predominantly because of T2 diabetes so a lot of my diet decisions are influenced by that.

i have been on it since September, have lost 5 stone and gone from morbidly obese to healthy BMI.

I eat 1400 calories a day now but was around 1600/1700 when I started I have reduced as my weight and TDEE has reduced.

I eat high protein and fibre, moderate fat and low carb. I also try not to snack after dinner.

The reasons are:

• High protein - Satiety, does not cause high glucose levels but does help to break down what you have, fuels muscle development
• Fat - Satiety, does not raise glucose levels, fat is necessary for brain functions, skin, hair etc
• Fibre - prevents constipation, bowel health in general, satiety.
• low carb - Insulin resistant PCOS and T2 diabetes that couldn’t be controlled with insulin & metformin but is finally under control with reduced weight, Mounjaro and restricting the amount of sugars I eat.

I do not eat any bread, pastry, pasta. I eat small amounts of basmati rice and very very occasional potatoes. Unfortunately my worst sugar reading ever was after half a baked potato and that was over double the top end of normal so it was a BAD reading, every variation I’ve tried takes me above normal so now it’s a rare and very much enjoyed treat.

Mounjaros primary function is to increase production of insulin in response to excess blood sugar levels, and to increase your bodies sensitivity to the insulin produced. Modifying your diet to support that function rather than fight it by throwing lots of sugar in can help to make it more effective.

If you're in a calorie deficit you will lose muscle as well as fat. If you are perimenopausal or post menopausal age you will find it very difficult to build new muscle and this will negatively impact on your health as you age. To maintain muscle mass in a calorie deficit you need to eat at least 1.2g protein per kg of body weight. If you eat under that you will lose a lot of muscle especially if you don't exercise.

@BabyCatFace thanks, clear explanation.

Just concerned that 'protein is king' is taking away from the requirement for balance. Plenty of Fibre and other nutrients from fruit and veg is just important for other possible side effects and general health.
Many people seem fixated on getting their protein and not the other nutrients. Surely we should be just as worried about getting the right amount of fibre for example?

Yes, for overall health that's true!
I think a lot of people rely on protein drinks and bars to meet their targets which isn't ideal. However for me for example as a vegan it's impossible to meet my target without adding some protein drinks etc.

Lots of foods are protein and fibre. I don’t find they are in conflict with each other. Most veg/salad is very low calorie and the best for fibre. Beans and pulses are good sources of protein and fibre.

I track calories using nutricheck and keep to 750 cals below tdee (and recalculate after every stone lost).

Excerise wise I started with a daily 30 minute walk and 2 x weight sessions at gym. Ive recently increased to trying for 2 x daily walks of at least 30 mins each.

I use the WW app to track calories but base my meals around protein. I average around 1100 cals a day as that seems to be my ‘sweet spot’ for consistent weekly losses.

Tracking calories helps me right now but I’d eventually like to move toward mindful eating, learning my own ‘full’ responses and stopping eating when my body has had enough instead of continuing to finish off the plate. I am so indoctrinated by years of diet culture that I’m not sure I feel ‘safe’ without the guard rails of calorie counting but I know if I’m going to transition to normal eating I’ll need to listen intuitively to what my body is saying.