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.

@Sadteacher that's great that you've been able to maintain without. Sounds like you may not need to order a new pen?

@MargoLivebetter I'm on 4mg but that isn't saying much as I never went over 5. I was planning on one more dose of 4, then drop to 3.75 and hold there until after Christmas and see how I do. I'd love to get down to 2.5 (or lower!) but it doesn't feel realistic at the moment.

Well as I scoffed a huge bag of Maltesers and lots of nice biscuits from M&S - I’m not sure I’m the best person to answer about managing 🙀😢

@MargoLivebetter
I’m not completely sure what maintenance will look like! I have always been thinking that I would need to stay on a low dose forever/extended period of time.

I’m a Monday jabber, but won’t be jabbing this Monday as I’ll be away, so it will be interesting to see how I manage/feel for those few days. It’ll probably be a combination of lower dose and spreading out.

The best thing will be to have the ability to adjust as I need it - as most if you are.

I’ve been finding maintaining a bit tricky especially since the clock change and cold weather, I had got down to 2.5 but upped to 3.75 and I might even take 5 this weekend.
I'm much hungrier and finding myself wanting a glass of wine and carbs, things I’d been happy to not have previously, I’ve been maintaining since about May and it felt easy before, I’m now at the top end of my weight buffer allowance and I’m feeling really flat emotionally.
I suppose the reality is being careful about food is going to be a lifelong thing, I know this and I do eat carefully most of the time, but one little part of me is pissed off that it’s just so relentless.

@Itscoldouthere and @OneThirdLess I think that the winter is more difficult and is probably not the best time of year to be trying to go it alone. Our primal instincts are to chub up when it gets cold and dark, as that is how we survived when life was cold, hard and brutal. Personally, I don't think there is any point in struggling but I am a believer that life is hard enough without adding unnecessarily to the load - but I know that other people like overcoming challenges. I guess we each have to draw on our own strengths to do the best we can.

@Nearlyhadenough enjoy your week away and let us know how you get on jab free. 😀

@Blondeshavemorefun are you still managing to keep your weight stable with the maltesers and M&S goodies? What dose have you got down to now?

@MargoLivebetter yes im stable between 10-4 and 10-7. Been like that since June

now on 5

I’m maintaining and have dropped down to 2.5 every ten days or so. The hunger is back tho 🙁

how are people feeling about loose skin? I’m doing yoga and freaking out when I’m upside down 😂
will it go away?!

@Blondeshavemorefun that's fantastic! I honestly don't know how you manage that and the yummy stuff. I'm a bit envious.

@Yetanotherusername2000 not feeling great about the crepe, but I try not to look down! Mine has tightened a bit since I hit goal last January but I think I'm too old for it ever to be looking taught again. Is it genuine hunger that is back or is it food noise? Is your tummy rumbling and empty feeling giving you hunger pangs or is it that you just want to eat?

It’s def food noise. I accidentally ate a pack of chocolate raisins sitting at my desk. I think I need to up my water intake again and be careful shopping (not easy with a houseful of teens)

and yeah, maybe I won’t look! I’m 55, so not that bothered really, don’t think I’ll wear a bikini!

@MargoLivebetter I think as I’m allowed 1800c so eat like a queen to maintain

tho guess I’m still as on 5 have reduction in my appetite so not eating as I used to

Ok, you have more leeway with your calories than me @Blondeshavemorefun which does allow for a malterser or two! 😁

@Yetanotherusername2000 we're similar ages. I got myself a high waisted bikini for the summer with a 1950s vibe and it covered all the crepe paper on my stomach. When I'm doing downward dog, I definitely need knee length yoga pants with a nice high waist, otherwise catching sight of my crepey thighs and stomach hanging down is very off-putting (and that's just for me)! Food noise is such a pain. I can manage hunger fine but bloody food noise wears away at my peace of mind like nothing else.

Morning everyone! It’s weigh and (not jab) day for me today. My weight is steady at 10st 4 (zone of tolerance 10st - 10st 7lb) so I’m going to go another week without jabbing. I took 3.75mg last Friday and so far I’m not finding the two week stretch too tricky.

I’ve just had a very interesting experience… just stood on the Bodtrax machine in the gym (my 4 yr old is at gymnastics so I’m here every week). Pleasant surprise - it weighed lighter than my home scales and gave me a BMI of 21.9! I need some help interpreting the stats though!! Total body fat was 22.6 % (I’m a 45 yr old female). Is this high? Need to do some googling. The good news is I can do it every week so it will be a really good way to see if I’m changing my body composition whilst maintaining my weight. I still don’t have a tape measure - must get one - but I swear I’m still shrinking despite my weight being static. A pair of trousers I bought when I hit goal were falling down the other day.

thanks so much to everyone sharing their experiences. It’s so useful to have this resource to refer to. Sending solidarity to those getting food noise - it’s been fairly quiet for me so far but I’m dreading its return. I do wonder if slimpod is responsible for some of this though.

@Incognitoburrito88 I don't think 22.6% body fat is high at all. I think that is pretty impressive. For women the healthy range is something like 20-30% - but don't quote me on that!

Maintain for me / seem to be ok on 5

tummy does rumble near a meal but I know I can wait

Just so you know the bodytrax very very massively over estimates bodyfat. I know this as I had a dexa done last year on the same day as a bodytrax - dexa said 25% and bodytrax said 17%.

Currently bodytrax is saying under 8% which is clearly impossible. I think it’s more like 15%. So whatever bodytrax says I’d add on 7-8%.

Bodytrax assumes you are dressed and subtracts I think 1-2kg. You can select “naked” under the settings.

I’m ever hoping my home scales over estimate body fat percentage. I’m 8st4 but 29% fat. I’d not eat me if I was a sandwich.

@FurForksSake
I'm having the same issue with body fat. My scales say 27.6% or 2.7st of fat. My bmi is 20, I weigh 9st 3lb, my visceral fat is only 3, my ribs show front and back, I've got a thigh gap for gawds sake, so I've no idea where all this fat is! I've a little bit of crepey skin in all the usual places so wonder if it's that adding to the %. Upping the exercise has made absolutely no difference but if my weight goes up even the smallest amount, the fat % goes up and the muscle % drops.. I'm tempted to throw the damn things out the bathroom window😅

@KrankyKumquat we can have a ceremonial chucking of the cakes!

it autocorrected scales to cakes 😱😱😱😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Women have a considerably higher fat percentage than men. This is a useful chart showing various categories.
Category Percentage
Essential fat 10% to 13%
Athletes 14% to 20%
Fitness 21% to 24%
Average 25% to 31%
Obesity ≥32%

My home scales say 15% (8kg) which I think is more accurate.

I think the best way to verify % is to take a bikini photo back and front, and put into chat CPT with weight height age, and some measurements (waist, thigh) and it will estimate. It says for me 14-16%.

I don’t have a thigh gap! But legs are very muscular.

I wish I was strong and toned. That’s for 2026.

@MeridaBrave
Thanks, I'm gonna try that in the morning. I'll report back 🫡

Totally doable. Lift heavy and eat a lot of protein!!

I’m totally hooked on heavy lifting. It might take 2-3 years to get to where you are happy with but can make a big difference in one year.

My bodyfat is around 15% but my bmi is 21.5 - I’m around 57kg at 163cm. My PT thinks the body is more inclined to give up excess bodyfat when muscle mass is high.