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Weight loss injections/treatments

Discuss weight-loss injections and treatments, including personal experiences. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any treatments.

How fast is too fast?

20 replies

Twodogsonthecouch · 25/07/2025 21:17

I started ozempic 13 weeks ago, exactly as instructed, 0.25mg x 4 weeks, 0.5mg x 4 weeks and 1mg since. My starting weight was 89kg with a BMI of 36 so definitely well in the obese range. My weight is now 74.6 kg with a BMI of 29.9 so obviously I'm delighted but having lost 14.4kg and 16% of my weight after 14 weeks I'm getting a bit worried it's too fast. I am 59 years old and reasonbly active. I aim to eat 1200 calories daily

OP posts:
Gingercar · 25/07/2025 21:24

That sounds reasonable progress to me. About a kilo per week. Pat yourself on the back.

ShrankLastWinter · 25/07/2025 23:06

About a kilo a week is fine! Do make sure you’re getting enough vitamins, minerals and protein, though.

Twodogsonthecouch · 25/07/2025 23:09

I don’t take any supplements and am vegetarian so probably should look at that. Am eating cottage cheese, eggs, etc every day

OP posts:
IsItSnowing · 26/07/2025 08:36

1 to 2 lbs a week is normal. Even a bit more isn't really a problem short term. You'll probably find it will slow down a bit naturally.
Congrats on the weight loss.

PresidentBarklett · 26/07/2025 22:54

Did you find a lot came off in the first week of so and then it slowed a bit? I was worried about the same but then ran the numbers and realised a big percentage was water weight at the start and my average loss excluding the first two weeks was around 1-2 lbs a week. Very normal if you're obese like we were.

Twodogsonthecouch · 27/07/2025 13:25

PresidentBarklett · 26/07/2025 22:54

Did you find a lot came off in the first week of so and then it slowed a bit? I was worried about the same but then ran the numbers and realised a big percentage was water weight at the start and my average loss excluding the first two weeks was around 1-2 lbs a week. Very normal if you're obese like we were.

Not really. Maybe 1.5kg in first week and 1-1.1 kg weekly since. It’s pretty consistent. I still keep expecting it to plateau but it’s steady.

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 27/07/2025 13:28

According to ChatGPT (as I was too lazy to do calculations myself!) your average weight loss has been 1.11kg/2.44lbs a week.

Considering you started obese (Class II) and would have possibly lost a lot in the first weeks it might be ok for short term.

What has your average weight loss been over the last 4-6 weeks (long enough to smooth out bumps, short enough to reflect current rate of loss)?

After over a year on Mounjaro, age 56, starting with BMI of 45, BMI is now around 27-28 and I am aiming for around just under 1lb a week loss on average (currently sitting at 1.3lb/week). If I can't reduce it with increasing calories/carbs I'll probably try to drop dose down a little.

Cross posted - so editing to add, I would probably feel uncomfortable with 1kg/2lb/weekly loss at your BMI long term, 14 weeks is still quite short term, do what you feel most comfortable with.

Twodogsonthecouch · 27/07/2025 15:35

@WeAllHaveWings “Cross posted - so editing to add, I would probably feel uncomfortable with 1kg/2lb/weekly loss at your BMI long term, 14 weeks is still quite short term, do what you feel most comfortable with.”

This is it. At the start I took no notice of it. I had a high BMI and it was great to see it coming off. It’s still lovely to see it coming off but now that my weight has dropped a lot and there’s no sign of it slowing down I am a bit worried about a) the side effects of too rapid weight loss and b) overshooting my target and having to stop and then yo-yoing.
I’m sure I’m just overthinking

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 27/07/2025 15:50

I think many have had the same thoughts @Twodogsonthecouch . Starting with oh this weight is coming off very nicely 😀, followed by wait a second, this is starting to not feel right for me 🤔, can we slow it down a bit!

It is so alien when looking at weight loss compared to how we have done it before, to be tracking calories to make sure we are eating enough.

I don't think you are overthinking at all (unless you are obsessing over it), you are monitoring your progress and health (we don't have Drs to do this for us), learning what your current calorie deficit is doing, being sensible, pragmatic and planning ahead - all good things.

Gingercar · 27/07/2025 16:40

I’m just going into week 11. I had a big first loss in week 1, then have averaged 2lbs a week since. Which I think is ok. I’m eating really well and healthily, exercising a bit. Feeling good. I don’t count calories but on the odd day when I have I’ve been eating over 1500, and it was a typical day since I started MJ.

Twodogsonthecouch · 27/11/2025 23:00

Just thought I would check back in. So I’ve taken 32 doses of ozempic now. 51 lbs (23.1kg) lost now so still averaging 1.6lbs/week. My BMI is still just over 26. I’m doing weights about twice a week and my 5k time has come down to just under 31minutes so keeping quite strong and fit but still not sure if I should reduce the dose or not. I’ve tried upping calories a bit but I still get full quickly so not very easy.
What are people doing to stop losing when they are more or less at target?

OP posts:
Flowers8989 · 27/11/2025 23:01

I've lost 6 stone 5lbs in 10 months on MJ.

Twodogsonthecouch · 27/11/2025 23:15

So that’s faster than me which is reassuring.
I’m only on n ozempic which is a bit surprising.
Can I ask how old you are and what your starting bmi was? I’m surprised to be still averaging 1.5lbs a week loss when I’m very close to a healthy weight.
Did you reduce your dose to maintain or are you at your target weight?

OP posts:
Flowers8989 · 27/11/2025 23:19

Twodogsonthecouch · 27/11/2025 23:15

So that’s faster than me which is reassuring.
I’m only on n ozempic which is a bit surprising.
Can I ask how old you are and what your starting bmi was? I’m surprised to be still averaging 1.5lbs a week loss when I’m very close to a healthy weight.
Did you reduce your dose to maintain or are you at your target weight?

Sure. I'm 36 my start weight was 17 stone so my bmi was about 36 I think maybe a bit higher. I'm 5ft 6. Still loosing now but hugely slowed down.

Wickedlittledancer · 28/11/2025 06:51

Op, that’s not too fast, now or at the start, how slowly would you wish to lose? If you want to lose even slower, increase your cals, also as much as close to a health weight, what’s your goal?

my weight loss was consistent till I hit goal, and then moved to maintenance.

Twodogsonthecouch · 28/11/2025 07:16

In terms of a goal I find it a bit challenging. I’m under proper medical supervision by choice. I have no medical conditions and never had. Nearly 60 years old and despite a high BMI completely normal BP, resting heart rate around 60, normal blood sugar levels and normal cholesterol. Always fit, walked 800km in 6 weeks last year before I started to lose weight, so it was never really chasing a health outcome, more preventative. The obesity specialist I attend is very surprised at a 23% weight loss in 7 months on ozempic rather than mounjaro which I was offered initially. I chose ozempic because it’s significantly cheaper! Their clinic doesn’t chase a normal BMI as the sole marker of goal, they look at health status and improvement. I have never been thin, ever. I was overweight as a child. Not huge, but plump! I successfully lost weight in my thirties and was about the weight I am now or a few kgs heavier for 10 years and then gained again slowly with perimenopause and menopause. I guess that’s why I struggle to figure it out. I don’t want to aim for a goal that will not be sustainable long term and I don’t want maintenance to become a life long obsession so I’m trying to figure out a realistic long term plan

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Wickedlittledancer · 28/11/2025 07:45

It is difficult to decide, I moved mine I think 3 times, till I hit the weight where I felt the best and also felt I looked the best. Mine is bmi 20, as although I’m quite tall, I’ve a very small frame.

are you intending to come off, the heavier you are the more cals you need to sustain it, but muscle is the key, as muscle is active and burns cals, where as fat is not, so if you lose muscle in this journey your bmr will reduce quire drastically meaning you will have much less you can consume before you start to regain.

the muscle percentage is way more important than the weight you decide to stick at as it has such a big bearing on how much you can eat going forward.

I can see you’ve been doing weights, which is hugely positive, and hopefully your protein was a min 1g per 1kg of body weight, to try to preserve as much muscle as possible.

when I hit goal, and I’m staying on a 5mg dose, I focused on body recomp, as as much as I was diligent Throughout the weight loss phase, I then spent the next six months increasing my protein to 1.5g to every 1kg of body weight and continuing my strenght training , as my cals increased a lot. This resulted in my body fat dropping to 23 percent , which is Perfect for my age, mid 50s, and increasing my muscle, and may weight being stable.

so id look at it in three phases, weight loss where protecting muscle is critical, then when you hit goal, body recomp to rebuild any muscle lost, then maintaining in phase 3.

Twodogsonthecouch · 28/11/2025 13:26

That’s fantastic advice @Wickedlittledancer and I am poor at tracking protein intake and also vegetarian so it won’t automatically happen. Thanks so much for your advice. It’s very helpful for me to have a focus other that weight at this stage

OP posts:
Wickedlittledancer · 28/11/2025 13:34

Twodogsonthecouch · 28/11/2025 13:26

That’s fantastic advice @Wickedlittledancer and I am poor at tracking protein intake and also vegetarian so it won’t automatically happen. Thanks so much for your advice. It’s very helpful for me to have a focus other that weight at this stage

Good luck op, and focusing not just on the number on the scale, but body composition will absolutely ensure you get to the stage you are happy with your body and can eat a reasonable amount in maintenance.

too often I see people focused only on dress size and the number on the scales, then not liking their naked bodies when they hit goal, and by then it’s very difficult and lengthy process to change it, you’re at exactly the right place now to make sure you get to goal and are happy with what you see, are in optimal health and can maintain on a reasonable amount of cals.

especially as we age, muscle is so important to us, just being able to get out a chair, walk without a stick. And avoid the elderly lady flat arse look …

ShrankLastWinter · 28/11/2025 21:49

Congratulations on your losses OP!

I think focusing on body composition is very good advice for the first stage of maintenance.

I’ve just reduced my dose because I don’t want to lose any more weight. Can’t believe I’m actually writing that. I have never in my whole adult life not wanted to lose weight.

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