March Starters 2025 Thread 7, where we are now all having advice from Janice, Janice can do one!

[TheSpoonyNavyReader]

Welcome to thread 7.

Thank you for sticking around and making a little community of WL. This group makes me so happy that we are non judgmental and support each other.

I’m the same - I’ve always been slim and suddenly realising it had crept up to 13stone was a crazy shocker. Long covid, not moving physically, menopause and work stress put me in a hole I couldn’t escape until the jabs.
I’ve got myself relatively stable at 8st 6/8 now, but I still think it’ll creep back. It worries me that this won’t be real.

Weigh in today today & I hit 84lbs lost (6 stone) i really cant believe im here as I never thought it would be achievable. Another 16 to my first goal. Just wish it would come off my belly abit more as I swear it looks the same still.

@Yetanotherusername2000i think it does catch up. It’s just that the skin takes longer to catch up than the rate we’re losing at. I was worried about the same thing when I listened to the first 3stone and then I had a stall and my skin definitely caught up a bit.

What age are you? It’s all about how much elasticity your skin has. As we age this reduces. taking collagen supplements can help. As can collagen creams. Research has shown that liquid collagen is absorbed significantly better than other supplements and powders. You can buy liquid collagen shots which are expensive (and pretty disgusting), lots of people on here take marine collagen powders and capsules which I think are marginally less gross. The best source of collagen is actually bone broth, I think yiu can buy it but you can also make it easily. And then you add it to lots of dinner dishes, soups, casseroles, bolognaise, gravy, any other sauces or meat dishes really. And it’s quite tasty in the right contexts.

I use a collagen moisturising cream all over after showering too.

I am 1lb off 8 st now, I have been OK this week because I took 5,gonna have to go back down though,and of course stop soon as has always been my aim even if not voluntary, just fiscal. I don't think I took a dose last week due to being interrupted taking it, and it was brutal, hungry, bad tempered, and didn't lose even though I didn't waver from my routine. I'm wrinkly af, lol and hoping that everything will catch up, taking will powders stuff so here's hoping.

Morning all. @BipalossI think you’re right about a lot of holiday weight gain being water weight because in spite of a couple of meals out over the weekend, I’m now back below goal, dropping over 3lb since Saturday morning. That can’t be anything other than water, IMO. Even though I was really mindful about what I ate when out, I don’t think that’s “proper” gain/loss. So maybe none of us should panic too much about holiday gains.

I’ve now pretty much hit my initial target I’m 0.6kg off and finally in a healthy bmi. But, how do you know when you have lost enough?

I’ve gone from 112kg to 80kg and a size 20/22 to the bottom of a size 16. I am 5’11 so pretty tall. I feel good and look so much better than I did.

I am thinking that the bottom of a size 14 would be a better target I definitely do not want to be at the top of a dress size as that is demoralising!

@Puddingpiper well done! I know what you mean about what is the right target and Im trying to be mindful that I don’t keep moving the goalposts. I’m 1kg off goal now and think that’s all good for me - bmi will be 23.3.

I’ve really changed my focus in the last couple of months to fitness instead. I have so much energy now, and I can see results from weights (super marginal!). I run three times a week and lift weights 3 times a week. It’s making me feel so incredible and so good about myself in a way that losing weight didn’t. I enjoyed seeing the changes and I still enjoy the compliments from weight loss, but my body is still changing and it’s so positive to see. I feel much prouder about the fitness side of things than the weight loss of that makes sense? Like this part I’m working on now is the transformation, the weight loss was the foundation that brought me to this point because I couldn’t have done this 6months ago. I really literally couldn’t have!

Hi all. Good to see some familiar faces here.

I’ve not had a great summer. I got gastroenteritis induced dairy intolerance which meant I had to rethink my diet to vegan and I struggled ++ as I was using protein yogurts as fillers and a lot of feta and veg lunchbox things.
It was really miserable and I ate a lot of crap and felt sorry for myself. Even a small amount of dairy chocolate gave me incapacitating diarrhoea. I had to go home from work twice it was so bad after I accidentally dairies myself. Veggie food I find easy but I do eat a lot of dairy and as above even trace dairy was an issue.

Anyway it’s gone now. Phew. And I’ve got my cooking mojo back - and have been making some quite good food choices as a result - my take away habit/ grazing the convenience store habit had partially come back but I was finding it unfulfilling. I made cream of mushroom soup the other week and it was genuinely the best food I’ve had in months!

I also undosed myself over the summer with MJ and have just gone up to 10mg and suppression is back and I’m sticking to a mostly sensible diet. I have lost my MFP tracking mojo though and would benefit from getting it back. I lost weight this week for the first time in forever.

I had hoped to be half way to goal (I had a lot to lose) by Christmas but I don’t think I will be. But I am at the lowest weight I’ve been since April 2018 which is pretty good.

I’m also going to have a struggle getting my next pen as I stashed four before the price rises. Let’s see which supplier comes through for me.

SW - 127kg
CW - 110.2kg (I really really want to be <110)
Goal 73kg

Yours the one woman pity party.

@Puddingpiper@Buscakeyea i totally agree and understand the difficulties relating to setting goals.

my current goal weight will actually still put be (just) into the overweight band. But I find it very difficult that body shapes aren’t accommodated for within weight charts etc. my current goal is based on what felt possible, based on my personal experience.

I have, disregarding fat and tissue, a broad shouldered frame with wide hips. Add to that the hefty bazoomas and I’m never going to be as small or light as some other women my height.

as a teenager I was an athlete. I was lean as could be with some but not excessive muscle. Yet at age 17 I couldn’t fit into size 18s in the shops which were cool to shop in. (Granted this was in the heroin chic era of top shop and their sizing was ridiculous but still) my current goal weight is roughly the weight I was a few years later at around 20 when I was still an athlete. I find it hard to imagine how I could get below that weight.

I see people in here whose starting weight was barely above my goal weight. And I KNOW comparison is the thief of joy and I also know we all are different heights, builds and ages. But I think it just all adds up to a picture where it’s really hard to know where to set the Goal Posts.

as I get closer to my goals I plan to see a doctor privately to get some advice on what a healthy weight bracket is for me personally and specifically.

Good morning all

I have some news!!! Today for the first time in over 7 years my weight starts with an 8, which I will take all day long!

I have now been in 5 different stone brackets since March which blows my mind.

@BeaTwixwelcome back! I’m sorry you’ve had such an awful time of things. I can sympathise as I have had post viral IBS and know the pain. (Sadly some of my developed intolerances have stuck around).

I fully understand being able to deal with the veggie side of things. I’ve been veggie at times in my life but losing dairy from the diet is the killer. It’s the only reason I could never be truly vegan I think.

anyway very pleased that you’re feeling a bit more yourself now and that you’re back here with us. Lots of people are at or nearing their goals but there’s still a fair few of us still slogging along on our longer journeys. My start weight was the same as yours. And your goal weight is basically identical to mine too so I’ll be here with you on the long slog. 😊 considering all you have been through you’re making awesome progress.

@soupforbrains@Buscake great to know I am not alone on this. I love our thread of support.

I reached out as well yesterday to a friend who is a nutritionist and qualified doctor. She said that the most important metric is fat percentage as regardless of weight that is your health factor. Whilst the fat percentage scales are not perfect they are adequate to know you are in the right band. I have bone structure which means my shoulders are more American line backer/rugby prop than elegant ballet dancer shape.

She doesn’t hate BMI but uses it as a guide as obese with lots of muscle still puts a lot of strain on your heart/joints but it is preferable to obese with lots of fat.

After chatting to her I am going to drop my target by 5 kilos initially to 75 kilo and reassess. I know I don’t want to be bigger than I am now as I am content at this size and feel well.

@TheSpoonyNavyReader yay!!! I'll be starting with an 8 but I'm now a solid starting with a 10 whoop whoop.

1.6lb off this week and I've really upped my exercise. I was disappointed one day as I had to stop my workout as had plans so I'm turning into someone I've never been before.

So that's 12lb left until I hit 10st which is what I've always said is my goal as it's over 5st loss. Not a healthy BMI but pretty close. I may go just under to give me some wriggle room. I doubt it'll be by Christmas but definitely by end of January.

Well done everyone else who is excited for NSVs and reaching goal x

I hear you everyone about the complexity of goals. It's one of the reasons I have a goal range for now. I'm a stone above it at the moment and already a size 14 in some tops, but 14 jeans are still a bit tight. 14. In my slim 20s I was a 12-14 on top and 12 in trousers but I'm not expecting to get down to a 12, 30 years later. I do think, realistically, I need to aim for the lower end of my goal range to give myself some wriggle room when I come off.

Sorry that things have been tough, @BeaTwix but it sounds like you're well on your way again.

Congrats on being in the 8 bracket @TheSpoonyNavyReader !

At 32 weeks, just started my 2nd 10mg pen. 1lb off this week.

SW 17st 4
CW 12st 10.5
GW 11-12st.

Today is 8months exactly since I started mounjaro weighing in at 114.4kg, this morning, I weighed in at 77.8kg. A total loss of 5st 10.5 or 80.5lbs. Gw has now changed to 66kg simply because it now seems doable and not sure what the right weight to stop at. I know I don’t want to go too low.

Just done my last jab, got 12 clicks out of it so 3mg . 9 days after doing 7mg and 18 days after doing 14 mg.

appetite has deffo increased although snacking is not back, my portion sizes has increased and feel like food is nice again (food noise and brain asking for carbs and creamy food is back)

what I have noticed is that my sleep is more disrupted and have a lot more dreams and keep waking up, but I’m not snoring yet atleast

I’m also a lot more bloated but TOTM is due any day now (lost track a bit as it was all over the place last few months) , the bloat has caused a bit of weight gain but 100% sure this is water weight which is expected

@Fatmumslim01 sorry I completely missed that you'd asked me about whether I'd considered a low dose for maintenance. I had, but then got really freaked out as I'd been using a 5mg pen but microdosing from it to keep it going longer. I'd kept it in the fridge the entire time, new proper needle tips, cleaned with the antibacterial wipes each time etc but then it had been open for 6 weeks and I noticed some tiny black specks in the fluid.

I wouldn't have seen them had I not been looking really closely to check the fluid was completely clear. So it freaked me out, I threw the rest of the pen away and it put me off using the medication off the prescription guidelines. I say this as someone who did the golden dose on every single pen so was already going against guidance.

That was 6 weeks ago and I've not put on any more than 2lbs in that time. I weighed today and am back to 10st 7lbs which is my goal as it is a BMI of 23 and I'm in a size 12.... sometimes a 10 in tops which feels perfect for me. So although it has been hard at times, particularly in school holidays, I am maintaining and managing to bring any small gains back down quickly once I'm back in normal routines. I agree with others that the intermittent fasting is key for me to doing this.

I think I've come to realise that I'm going to need to keep an eye on my weight for the rest of my life and realistically I can't relax and not think about it because then I tend to slip back into old bad habits. So at the minute it's trying to find that balance of being conscious about it without being obsessive and enjoying all food but certain foods in moderation.

@TheBossOfMeyou look fabulous. I have serious boob envy. Honestly, you look insane 👏

@Fatmumslim01well done on the Go Ape thing. I went a couple of years back with DS and was terrified the whole time! Never again 🤣

@TheSpoonyNavyReader congrats on reaching target #2. You're an inspiration.

@Fairfaxandflavor 8 stone?! That's incredible 😲

I've been awol for a few weeks. It's weird as while I was losing i became a bit obsessed. Not in a psycho way but in a way that I was constantly thinking about eating and calories and targets etc. Plus the side effects were grim. So I decided in August that I was pretty much done with 2 stone off. Gone from a size 16 to a 12 and had settled at around 159/160lbs. Im 5ft 10. I knew I didnt want to track any more so I tried to eat consistently the same for breakfast and lunch then a different meal for dinner. I needed to lose the obsession or at least change my focus. I upped my running and gym work but then had an accident which put me out of action for a few weeks.

Went away last week and gained 4lbs so need to get that back off. But I'm back running now and in the gym. Actually got a parkrun pb so being lighter is helping! Trying to focus on physical improvements that dont involve the scales or Nutracheck.

I really want to stay on/in this thread as it's been invaluable to me this year. I genuinely couldn't have got through without you so thank you.

Plan for the rest of 2025 is get that 4lb off, maintain that weight, run x3pw, gym x3pw and team sport x2pw. All while taking 2.5m every two weeks. Hopefully I can reduce that even further as my weight stabilises.

@GameOfJonestotally agree about finding balance between keeping on top of things and living life. I think my key thing is to stop buying junk as it's slipped back into my trolley. No more!

Or also had a bit of a backslide with junk and crap ending up in my trolley but actually it’s just sitting in the house or not getting eaten so I actually am ok with this and I think it’s building a healthier relationship with things for me.

im back on the ice more regularly now. The insanity of running an ice skating club while our rink was closed has FINALLY come to an end so I’m no longer traipsing all over the south of England but also have a nice chunk of exercise in my routine nice and regularly. So that’s great.

had a little NSV this afternoon. I’m on a train to London (going to see Stephen Fry in the importance of being earnest) and when walking down the aisle on the train I didn’t have to half turn to fit my fat ass between seats/people. So that was pretty awesome for me.

I'm finding it a bit overwhelming (in a good way!) finally seeing the changes in myself. It's my clothes I'm noticing it in. Like my work trousers were a size 20 when I started MJ and actually I took my first pics of me wearing them for my first pen. Since march I've had the same trousers in a 20, 18, 16 and now a 14 albeit tight.

Just now I've gone in my "house clothes" draw to get changed after work into house clothes and dug out a jumper I've not worn since later winter...it's basically a dress now!

It's all a bit weird. I've not been this weight since before lockdown and it's all a bit emotional. I'm still obese mind you 😂 the joys of being only 5 foot!

I literally need a whole new wardrobe but with another 2-3 stone to go there's no point until my weight settles. I'm buying odd bits here and there to tide me over, mainly Primark so nice and cheap!

@soupforbrainsif you make it to ice Sheffield please do pop me a message as it is our second home for the small child. I have had ice cream in the fridge for over a month and that is unheard of! I even had a couple of scoops and put the rest of the Ben and jerrys back!

Oh I’m well familiar with the rink at sheffers though I’ll not be there until the steel city trophy in March I think.

Hi all! I’ve been quiet for a while, but I’ve followed your posts. Well done on all the wins!

I’m at goal at last! With a loss of 2.2st total, including some loss in the last week when I was visiting family abroad (my SIL bakes like there’s no tomorrow 🤤). I married well - my in laws are lovely, while my family is a complete and utter Janicefest. We had a family occasion and between 7 people (my parents, uncles/aunts, grandma) aged 40-90 every single one of them pushed their “you’re DISAPPEARING” instead of a “hello” 😵‍💫 outside of everything else, it’s just plain rude (but also, I guess this is just them - they’ve always been rude and I’ve been told to put up with it because I was a teenager and what do I know. Surprise surprise no change there!)

Currently tapering down for the 3 week in a row - my max dose was 0.8mg Wegovy, then 2x 0.7mg, and this week 0.6mg. My last 2lbs I lost while already going down. I think the new pen in my fridge is going to be my last, and I should be off of WLIs by Christmas - we’ll see how that goes!

Congrats Lily!