Mournjaro July Starters 2nd thread

[MeridaBrave]

New thread.

First post re: lifting heavy.
I mentioned on the other thread about lifting heavy for 6-8 reps and I was told it was bad advice. Clearly it’s not my advice made up by me - it’s from world leading female health doctor expert Stacey Sims. There is plenty online from her (loads of podcasts) so have a listen. I’ve been lifting this way for 3 years since the outset of menopause symptoms, on her advice and I have significantly increased muscle size and strength. She also has written a couple of books which are excellent.

Clearly this can only be done with good form or it will lead to injury. Either use a PT (as suggested on the last thread) or use the resistance machines in the gym which basically lock you into the correct position.

W2 D5 and I thought the effects were wearing off a bit like they did this time last week but I'm getting some nausea for the first time today. Not too bad on the constipation yet but I'm drinking plenty of water and eating fibre so hopefully that's helping keep it at bay. I've also managed to avoid weighing midweek so far this week, usually when I'm dieting I get obsessed, but I've deliberately put my scales somewhere a bit annoying to get to which is helping me avoid them. Really hoping I see a decent loss on Saturday, I've got so much to lose I can't afford for this to go slowly!!

I think part of the problem for some is that they're not getting that initial 'big drop' and 1 -2 pounds a week doesn't tie in with the claims made for these products even if, as you say, that's considered a healthy weight loss without losing muscle.

I do agree - and I also understand that it will be frustrating if you don't get the initial 'big drop'.
There is also going to be a difference for those with 5-10st to lose, for example, and those with proportionally less to lose in total.

So end of week 3, just done 4th dose from pen.

I’m 5kg down but I know that the first 2kg were just water weight (I have Withings bodyfat scales). And if I eat 2 carby meals it will come back overnight. So not real loss. So that’s 3kg of fat down in 3 weeks which I’m super happy about.

I’m expecting the loss to slow down. I’ve got a 5mg pen next, will use the bonus dose next week and then I’ll see how I keep about increasing or doing a split dose. Unless you really have a lot to lose, it’s not possible to lose over 1kg of fat a week if you eat a sensible amount - by that I mean 1,000-1,300 calories including sufficient protein. And even if you have over say 30kg to lose; a drop of 1.5kg a week is probably the most that’s sustainable.

I was one of those with a big drop of 6lbs in the first week. I have about 3st to shift. BUT

I started on the Tuesday so I weighend myself then. My period arrived on the Thursday which means that I probably gained a lot of water weight before weighing myself and then by the following Tuesday that dropped off. So my big drop was mostly normal before and after period water loss.

On week 2 I lost 2lb

On week 3 I lost 1.5lb. I knew that week would be less because I pushed it and had a bigger takeaway than normal and some alcohol on the Friday because I had an event.

I'm due my period soon so I'm expecting a slight gain due to water weight which will drop off on the w5 weigh-in.

For me and my tendency to gain water weight during my cycle I'm taking the monthly losses and averaging them out over 4 weeks.

if you can lose 1kg week without MJ then it’s not worth the money. The maths for me looks something like:

Maintenance calories assuming daily exercise and 10,000 steps a day = 2,300 (from Fitbit)
Calories eaten per day 1,200
Daily deficit = 1,100
weekly deficit = 7,700 = 1kg

Its worth thinking through your own calculation. If I have a rest day (say the steps but no gym) more like 2,000. If I don’t do the steps closer to 1,800.

I’m 2 and a half day post first jab and really struggling to eat. Yesterday I felt fine but couldn’t face much food and managed around 800 calories. Today feeling slightly nauseous and have managed around 400 and the thought of anything else makes me feel worse. It’s not awful but obviously not sustainable. How long did the initial side effects last for everyone else?

You're exactly right, but two tiny poos in two weeks was a bit concerning. All moving now though and I'm more on it with the water so fingers crossed.

Plus - I'm now down 5lb from.starting weight, which is brill. I just want to enjoy the ride now and think of what we've got to hopefully look forward to.

Will give the glycerin a go if it happens next week. Merida won't rest till we've stuck something up our bums! 😅

Your nausea may well be caused by low blood sugar from not eating. In one of my pregnancies I had a bit of morning sickness but after a while I realised that it was made worse by not eating. Once I started eating more the nausea stopped. Try having some toast or similar simple foods to get your system working again.

I'm stuck because although I know how to lose weight (I've done it several times 😭) I can only do it through willpower and it seems to have deserted me - I've been trying and failing since January. So if I'm not going to get suppression with mj then it leaves me nowhere and minus £120 that I really shouldn't have spent.

I totally agree with you.

I’m getting the willpower, that’s what I am paying for. It’s just making it easy for me to stick to the diet (without using MFP to log everything I eat) and without “snackcident” ie accidentally eating snacks.

I’ve gone up to 5mg but I’m going to split the dose, unless I need more suppression.. I’m going to take the risk of having the pen open longer (obviously in the fridge and before the expiry date) I guess it will last 2 months rather than one.

That's very canny l, I hope it works @MeridaBrave 😊 Do you mind if I ask where you inject? I injected in my abdomen as I'd read on one of these threads that it was the most effective site but perhaps not for me? Most of my fat is on my belly and I'm wondering if that makes it harder for the mj to be absorbed?

i also have underactive thyroid but hasn’t affected my ability to lose weight as long as medication is correct.

Realistically you can’t lose more than 1kg a week unless you have such high suppression that you eat virtually nothing and then there is a big risk of muscle loss (which is very bad as it reduces BMR and gives future health problems).

I don’t have masses to lose (starting BMI of 27, with PCOS and high cholesterol). I’m 3 weeks in, lost 3 kg first week (guessing 2kg was water) and 1kg each week after that. So really I only have around another 5kg to go. I guess it will take 2 months. And then I’ll need to think about maintenance.

I’m trying different things. I did stomach first 2 weeks as I felt the fat was most squishy and hence it would be easier 😂 the third week I did bum and today I did lower back / hip.

I have Hashimotos - autoimmune thyroid disease

Yes I also do, Hashimtos, diagnosed over 20 years ago.

As well as PCOS and now peri menopause - was managing to keep weight off before perimenopause..

Can I join the thyroid club? I had mine removed for Graves disease (overactive thyroid) so am now effectively hypothyroid and on thyroxine

I had my first jab yesterday. Woke up feeling nauseous and aching all over. Not at all hungry and very bloated.

Have managed some porridge and salmon salad , trying to drink as much water as I can, it's a struggle though.

I have type 2 diabetes and need to also get my sugars under control.

SW 11 St 11 lb

46 years here. Post-menopausal (full hysterectomy 26 years ago for PCOS).

Just checking in on the new thread. I had thought the last one was quiet today as I'd completely missed that if was full 🤦
W3 D4 and I'm not feeling the suppression I was initially, so definitely going to go up to 5mg next time. I was planning to move provider but when I went to cancel Voy in the app they offered me a discount to stay, so sticking with it for another month as I do find the app helpful.

Sounds rough, I hope you feel better tomorrow x

SW 99.4KG
CW 92KG
4 weeks completed. Time for the 5MG jab. Feeling nervous again as aside from a couple of headaches I've experienced no SE.
Blood pressure now consistently in the lower end of pre- high.
Still feeling completely motivated.
3 swims again this week.
No alcohol still.
Finding this very easy to do. Just hope it continues into August and beyond.
Good luck everyone. Loving following everyone's journeys

Hi, all! Can I come and join you? Just did my first jab this evening and I’m feeling nervous and a bit unsure about what’s to come.

I’d been eating low carb for several years, and I lost 4 stones, but about half of it has gone back on again gradually, and I felt so depressed about the thought of starting again. Hoping this is a new and better start.

But now I’m not sure what to eat! I think I’d like to avoid refined carbs still as I feel better eating that way. But I’d imagine I’m going to need to go lower fat too. Do you all track calories or do you find you don’t need to? My head is spinning a bit.

Hi @Lucienandjean 🙂 From what I've read people have widely different ways of losing the weight - I really think it's about what suits you and pinpointing why the weight has gone on, if there's certain 'trigger' foods that cause you to overeat, lack of exercise etc. One consistent thing seems to be eating 'clean' to help manage side effects. Good luck!

Thank you. I think you were right- managed to eat a bit more and feeling better