What’s your plan at the end of WLI?

[threeeggsontoast]

I’m only a few months into WLI and still have 3 stone to go but I’m thinking ahead to my plan at the end of WLI. I know some will choose to stay on a maintenance dose but I think I prefer to taper down and see how I get on. But, what next?

I’ve definitely changed my eating, prioritising protein. I usually eat 3 small/medium meals a day and very rarely snack. I’m averaging 1100 cals a day and drinking lots of water too.

I know I couldn’t survive on 1100 cals without WLI (I’d be so hungry) but with a big chunk of weight gone, I’m hoping my maintenance calories will be in the 1500 per day range. I think I’ll be ok on that but I don’t really know. I DO know that I never ever want to be 16 stone again though!

Do you have a plan of what you intend to do?

Yes - I’ve got a plan but I’m apprehensive - this is not my first time at the weight loss rodeo.

I’ve not been counting calories but I have been keeping a food diary. Once I hit goal I plan to taper down and try to maintain on MJ while continuing my food diary. I’m thinking of staying on a maintenance dose for a good while - maybe a year to try and reset my ‘set point’. During this time I also plan to do some work with a therapist around my emotional / binge eating urges. I might try hypnosis as well. Once I’ve got a really good idea of what I can eat day to day to maintain my weight I will try coming off WLI. Will continue to weigh daily and will be open to going back to maintenance if I can’t keep the weight off. I refuse to gain this weight back again.

I've not mentioned exercise because I have always been active - I just couldn’t outrun my snacking habit.

No idea! I’m a stone away from goal but haven’t shifted anything for weeks. Truthfully I’ve been slipping a bit so will have to jolt myself/reset a little and then make a plan. I can’t be on this forever due to cost and TTC, so definitely need a viable and sensible plan.

Very loosely -

Reverse diet carefully increases calories slowly under weight stabilises
Reduce dose to 2.5mg (only on 3.75mg now so not far to reduce, might try lower)
Stay on lower dose for several months
Trial coming off but with provider I can keep prescribing door open if needed

But generally, keep an open mind, be patient take it slow, and listen to how body and mind responds over weeks/months and reassess as needed.

I’m in maintenance now. When I reached goal weight I stayed on the same 5mg dose and tried to increase calories. It didn’t work, I kept losing weight and had to force myself to eat which felt counterintuitive.

So I reduced dose to 4mg, felt great and I could eat more but was still losing weight.

So I reduced again to 3.33mg, and now the hunger is back and so is the mindless snacking. So I’m back to weighing food and calorie tracking to keep an eye on my intake on hungry days. I’m trying to make more conscious food choices such as higher protein and fat to keep me full, having fruit/babybel on standby for snacks, and having Greek yoghurt and berries for dessert. I’ve stopped losing weight now and happy with that. It’s only been 4 weeks of actually staying a stable weight, so a long road ahead to maintaining this and adjusting to the hunger and the cravings.

It’s definitely a bit of trial and error. I’m trying not to panic at the hunger, and trying to make good decisions, ensuring I eat three high protein meals a day. But my impulse control is down on this lower dose so it’s a big effort to make good choices all the time. Being on a higher dose of MJ made it so easy to not think about food.

I’ve been strength training the whole time, but now I’m eating more calories I’m actually getting stronger so I’m hoping the increased muscle mass will help balance out my appetite.

I hope to get down to 2.5mg, maybe even 1.25mg. But not sure about coming off just yet.

There’s an ongoing maintenance thread that may be worth a read

www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5252687-youve-reached-your-goal-weight-come-chat-about-maintenance-not-regaining-going-cold-turkey-or-titrating-down?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

My inspiration for how to do this came from an odd place, we were watching Gladiators and they asked Cyclone how many calories a day she ate and she said over 4000 a day. A woman can eat that and stay in fabulous shape!!

Now she is a Powerlifter, is young and has a lot of fabulous muscle so I know I will never get to that point, but there will be somewhere on the spectrum between that and the very low calorie requirements that weight loss leaves so many women trapped.

I focused on protein and started lifting while losing weight but I know I will have lost some muscle, now I am at a maintenance phase so I am able to very slowly increase my calories and progress my training, it only takes an hour 2-3 times a week. Early days but I am hopeful.

I still have a way to go but I have thought about it.

I couldn't have lost the weight without MJ so I don't expect that I can necessarily keep it off without it either.

But of course I would prefer not to have the hassle and cost of a weekly injection

So I was thinking that I would stay on a maintenance dose for some time - perhaps a year - to really cement new food habits and new weight set point. And then try gradually tapering off.

But I am open to staying on it for life

I’m almost at target and have always stayed on 2.5. I’m not sure whether just to stop and see how it goes. I think my diet is pretty good but worry that snacking (major prob!) will restart. And I’m going to have to be really disciplined about alcohol. Or do I think about microdosing?

I’ve stopped drinking alcohol and eating sweet stuff since starting WLI, and I really hope I can continue with that, as that is where my weight gain came from.

My plan is much the same as @WeAllHaveWingsreduce back to a very low dose then see if I can maintain on that
for a bit, then try going without, but make sure I have the option to restart if the weight begins to creep back on, or if other aches/pains and peri symptoms return I will go back on and stay at a low dose for longer. I reckon I will be at goal by end of this year then try maintaining with low dose until March which will be a full year on MJ then try next spring into summer coming off. There will be a lot more experienced MJ graduates by then based on the sheer numbers on this board so I will follow their lead too.

Like some others here I will be titrating down to the lowest effective dose for maintenance & then will stay there for a long time.
I would like to come off eventually due to cost but would have no hesitation on jumping back on if need be.
This has to be the last time that I need to lose a significant amount of weight. My life has been put on hold long enough through being obese & the mental & physical anguish that comes with losing & then regaining a significant amount repeatedly.
Plus by the time I get to goal it would have taken me at least a year & 9 months with cosmetic surgery on the table afterwards.
With all that money spent & energy put into the process.
NO WAY AM I REGAINING!

I’ve started thinking about it now. I’ve dropped from 22stone to 14st 7. I want to drop another stone and a half, depending on how I look - I’ve been really lucky and actually don’t have huge amounts of loose skin etc however I’m keeping a firm eye on how things are! I am very aware of what I eat - I don’t eat bread at all, alcohol intake is very limited and we don’t eat processed foods. I’ve been back running for the past 6 months and I’m working towards half marathon (I used to run them a lot before I got big).
I know when I look to reduce and maintain that I cannot give myself any room to let things slide. I HAVE to stay 100% on this my entire life or I will go back to how I used to be. I plan on 1 more pen at 12.5, then to start tapering back. If I have to stay on it forever then I will, gladly so because it has saved me!

I’m in maintenance now having hit goal about 8 weeks ago.

The highest I got to was 10mg and am currently on 7.5, working my way down. I hope to be able to maintain on 5mg (2.5 seems completely unthinkable at the mo!) and plan to stay on forever, if not MJ, whatever comes next!

I'm on 7.5, have been maintaining for a while, and intend to stay on it for life. It's reversed my ckd as well as my obesity and I wouldn't be without it now. Hopefully the price will come down in time.

I hope to stay on MJ long term but I have been on 2.5mg for 8 months so I’m not too sure where that leaves me for maintenance - I could definitely eat more then I do now, it tbh I don’t think I’m going to want to. Perhaps I will be able to take bigger gaps between doses

Once I reach goal I’ll be going on a maintenance dose for at least 12 months. There’s good evidence that this is the way to ensure the weight doesn’t come back on and I’ll use that time to reinforce the healthy eating to make it a long term habit.

Not started yet but planning to.

Agree with a pp that would be looking to be on maintenance and hoping/believing they'll be better smarter injections or pills along fairly soon. And hopefully cheaper

I stopped after 2 months / 1.5 stone loss. I’ve maintained since because I broke some bad habits during that 2 months. I’m also only eating between 11am and 7pm most days.