Thread 2 because we have reached our goal weights and we want to maintain not regain. We might be going cold turkey or titrating down or staying on!

[MargoLivebetter]

Can't believe we filled up a whole thread! Welcome to thread 2.

On a positive note to start us off, I've lost 1lb of the two that I gained from my autumnal apple crumble caper. Filling full of resolve and pleased to know I can gain a pound or two (which is of course completely normal) and then lose them again.

@Slowrunning I've maintained on the same weight for 3.5 months. It doesn't have the dopamine hit of 'another pound off' but I am getting used to that and learning to manage and maintain as I reduce my doses. I have just started on my one-month on (on 2.5mg MJ) and one month off. November is my month off so I will be watching out for any gain - will let you know how it goes.

My current food obsession is with protein and fibre. I'm short my TDEE is about 1250 calories so getting 1g protein per kg of weight and 30g fibre is a challenge. It certainly doesn't leave any room for biscuits!

@evilharpy I also need to rebuild my butt. a gym or excercise obession would be good for me, but it doesn't seem to happen

Hi all,

Weighed in this morning at 127lbs.
Very happy with that.

I’ve been maintaining now for about six weeks having reached my GW on 17th September.
I was at the end of a 7.5mg pen having started to titrate down from 10mg every eight days once I was almost at goal.

Since then I’ve taken three lots of 5mg from a 7.5 pen with nine days between doses and plan on taking one more 5 and then four lots of 2.5mg with ten days in between to take me up to Christmas.

So far this approach seems to be working.

I have noticed my appetite increases as the dose starts to get below 2mg (estimated from Shotsy) but it’s not uncontrollable.

I have felt uncomfortably full a couple of times which I didn’t like. I see that as a good sign that my body is recognising when I’ve eaten too much.

Another thing I’ve remembered from when I started MJ was how much slower I ate in general and so ate less volume overall.

It’s been a real labour of love but I’m so glad I’ve stuck with it. I feel quite evangelical about MJ.

I am a little concerned when I read updates from others who have stopped altogether that it’s all going to start going back on once I’ve stopped too. But, I won’t hesitate to go back on MJ if that happens.

These threads have been invaluable.

Good luck to all for the weeks ahead.

@evilharpy good luck with the butt building! I'm trying to do that too.

@SteveHarringtonsHair sounds like all going well so far. There are quite a few people who have come off completely and have not regained. I came off completely for 7 months and only regained 3lb. I went back on a microdose a couple of weeks ago to help with the really, really annoying food noise. I think there are lots of options, it is just a case of finding what works for you.

I’m a bit concerned that alcohol has crept back into my life, I’ve been maintaining for about 6 months and have slowly gone back down to 2.5, however the combination of a holiday and several events has seen me drinking more than usual and my weight has crept up by 3kg over this time.
I’m a bit disappointed in myself as I found giving up the wine really easy and now I’m finding it hard.
I’m wondering if I should up my dose to 5 for the next month as Christmas and all its temptations is around the corner 🥴

@Itscoldouthere , if a bit more will help, then why not? Would it be worth trying increasing to 3.25 to start with?

I'm nearly 5 weeks off the jab, and have found alcohol creep in. My weight has remained completely stable within the 2lb range I've set myself, but I worry if I don't put the kabosh on it now, then it will continue to creep.

So I've put myself on a no booze during the week, and no chocolate at all ban for November. I'd like to get down a few lbs before Christmas - to what others have said, seeing the numbers go down is incredibly addictive. I now only weigh on a Friday and Monday to (try) keep that in check.

@MargoLivebetter I can definitely see the temptation in microdosing to stop the noise.

@Thelittlestranger well done on 5 weeks off and no regain. That's really great. Good idea to do a booze and chocolate detox for a month. I'm convinced winter is harder with the socialising, the cold and the dark.

I can't believe how a tiny dose of MJ can make such a difference. I think I'm going to be able to do a half dose every 10 days and I can think about food like a normal human and just eat when I need to and not have this horrible fidgety, scratchy, relentless food buzzing in my brain. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

Its so weirdly disappointing seeing the scales go up, I know I need to get a grip and just rein things in a bit but it’s felt so easy maintaining so far, I think I’d forgotten what food noise was and now feeling like it’s coming back, I know it’s only 3kg but it’s just made me feel like I’m going to have to live like I’m on a diet for the rest of my life which I don’t really want.
I know I need to just focus on the progress I’ve already achieved but it’s made me feel a bit down today 😏

@Itscoldouthere how long have you been off MJ now? How long did it take the 3kg to go on?

I’ve not come off, been taking 2.5 for about 2 months, been in maintenance over 6 months, slowly came down from 10. I put on the 3kg in the last month after my holiday and drinking more, I know I can get on top of it but I’d been enjoying maintaining without feeling like I had to watch everything I ate/drank but now feel like I need to go back to basics.
I just don’t like feeling I’m constantly watching what I eat, but I suppose in reality that’s the future if I want to remain at my current weight.

@Itscoldoutheresimilar to me. I've been maintaining on 2.5 for the most part for the last 5 months (I jabbed 3.75 before my holiday in July as I wasn't planning on jabbing whilst away). I've just come back from holiday, the first time I've missed a jab for two weeks. It was actually the lead up to and getting back that has put the weight on for me. I jabbed 2.5 on Monday and my weight has started to come down again. I was wondering if I could come down to 1.25 but probably not. That said a lower amount more regularly might be better for me, who knows. If not struggled up until this point but I do think my body likes a certain amount of GLP1 to function properly, so if I were to do the same again I would jab higher so I don't get so low again.

@Itscoldoutherei think that unless you are a growing young person or doing a lot of exercise, then watching what we eat is going to be essential. I watched a Zoe video discussion with some weight loss expert on YouTube today and basically if you’re eating 10 calories more than you need every day, you’ll gain weight. They were also saying that as former fatties, we will all have buggered our receptors & systems etc a bit, meaning it’s going to be easier to be a fatty again. That could sound gloomy but I think it means we should be extra proud of what we’ve lost and what we manage to keep off - however we choose to do that. One way or another you’ll get back to where you want to be.

@tinyemmywe’re definitely all different. I’m sure you’ll find a balance of dosing and intervals that works for you.

I read an article years ago saying if you eat one apple everyday over your calorie allowance, by the end of one year you'll be 10 pounds heavier! 😱

10lbs?! Bloody hell. So maintenance is going to be little gains and corrections probably then? I put on 4lbs on holiday, that’s down to 2lbs on and hopefully back to pre holiday by next week. Tracking and correcting quickly has to happen even with small gains.

I guess that’s the calculation based the number of calories!

I think this is going to be me going forward. Little gains followed by losses.
I think I am coming to terms with the fact that maintenance is very much an active not passive state and will take as much work as loosing the weight in the first place.
I can’t put weight back on as I have literally got rid of any item of clothing bigger than a size 10 😂

So is there anyone on here who has totally come off mj for 3/6mths and not gained anything

Yes - will be me also. I’m open to taking it to help with the losses

I pretty much stayed the same for the 7 months I was off. I'd put on a pound or two and lose it again, drop a pound or two and put it back on again etc but I pretty much hovered within a few pounds either side of my goal weight the whole time. There are quite a few other posters who have stayed steady and others who have lost more weight since stopping completely too.

I really need that hope that coming off doesn’t mean I’m going to regain. I’m definitely looking scrawnier than I’d like, but I feel the longer I’m at a healthy weight (bmi 21) the more likely I will stay at a healthy bmi even if that’s maybe a 10lbs over my lowest.

I’m getting slightly worried as since dropping to 5 - originally on 15 as hard core 😂 - I’m def feeling hunger more and feel peckish and eating biscuits /bad stuff

I know I will gain this week so need to reign it in or will end up putting the 7s back on

a few in our group who have stopped have gained a stone in 3mths or so - so a lb a week roughly

it’s good to hover :have a ballpark of 3/4lbs but if at top end of that then need to be good

Me, I am one of them. Finished December 2024 at 8st 11.6lb, now 8st 3lb.

Wow @SnacklessWonder that’s really good going! Did you have much to lose to get down there?

@SnacklessWonder
What is your best advice for maintainence? I'm so worried my body will fight to put the weight back on.

No, well, yes for me - I lost 3 stone and it took 4 months. I am a short-arse though so that 3 stone made me BMI 31.

I've really not struggled to keep it off. I've been on an all-inclusive holiday, lots of work travel and events, other holidays and seemingly been able to manage it fine.

Key for me I think, is that I made real changes to my movement and diet while on MJ, and have carried them on ever since.

For instance, I never do less than 7000 steps during my working week - even if it means dragging myself out for a cold dark walk, because on a normal work from home day, I could end up only doing 2000. At weekends I try to do around 12,000+.

I've totally changed my diet and the way I eat. I favour veggie based deals, no pasta or pizza as I bloat terribly now. Rarely have takeaways as I prefer homecooked food but do go out for dinner so if I am going to eat something like pizza or a burger I save it for eating out.

And I don't buy things that I know I couldn't resist - if it's not in the house, I can't eat it!

Disclaimer: I AM NOT SAYING THIS WOULD BE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE OR IT'S THAT EASY <<<<< Personal experience!