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.

@LadyClumber can you add in some healthy fats as well as protein. A nice thai chicken curry made with coconut cream; full fat greek yogurt with seeds and nuts; a salmon nicoise salad (salmon, eggs, olives, and and olive oil vinegerette all have healthy fats); avocado; apple and nut butter as a snack; a prawn cocktail... I think it's hard to put weight on with just high protein unless you are doing lots of weight lifting.

Also, although you don't want the dangerous mix of pastry, sugar, flour, pasta, you could have some more complex carbs - beans in a chille con carne; a ham and lentil soup; a homemade hummus with peas or chickpeas...

The weight gained with high protein and heavy weights will be limited and muscle. Need to decide whether it’s muscle you want to add or fat. The strategies are not the same! I’m trying to gain some muscle currently.

@MeridaBrave - definitely would like to gain muscle. I have been using weight machines to progressively lift heavier weights since I started MJ. Think I am finally feeling confident to tackle the ‘proper’ big weights section of the gym so have booked a session with a PT on Monday to show me proper form, etc. My objective is to be as strong as I can be.

@20bloodypounds - great food suggestions! I love beans and always try to include them wherever possible. Must overcome my fear of full-fat, though….

Good! It takes a long time, unlike weight loss no quick fix. I can now squat over 90kg, deadlift 97.5kg (plan to do 100kg before end 2025!!) and bench 57.5kg. As well as the powerlifting lifts I also do pull ups (I can do 5), shoulder press (I think 32.5kg is my max), bent over row (50kg) and the weights machines.. need to eat enough protein and enough calories. If gain 1kg of muscle in 2026 I’ll be really happy. I’ve ended 2025 down 12kg of fat but with no muscle loss (or gain).

@MeridaBrave - WOW!! That’s impressive!! How long have you been lifting?

I feel like I’m still having a bit of a struggle, I’ve had lots of Christmas drinks and meals out and drinking has become a bit of a problem, I’m finding it hard to resist drinking wine/Champagne.
I’ve gone back up to 5mg but not really feeling it’s any different than taking 2.5mg.
I’m not allowing myself to go over 60kg but I was down at 57kg so I can see how easily weight can creep on if you don’t take care and eat mindfully all the time. I think I’m happiest at about 58kg, so after Christmas I will make a real effort to up my protein and exercise and stop drinking.
Interestingly my Order from Oushk has been held up this week as they said it was more than 6 weeks since my last order, so I had to provide more information, I’ve not encountered this from them before, I’ve been with them for a year and in maintenance since April, so not sure if they are tightening up or if it was just a cautious prescriber. Hoping my order will be approved tomorrow.

It came on me gradually so it’s very hard to say. I joined a gym in 1998 and started using machines then. So I have been strong for a long time. I’ve only being doing powerlifting type lifts for around 2-3 years.

@Itscoldouthere You have the same weight target as me - 60kg is my "take action" weight, 58kg is where I am happy seeing the number on the scales. It's sugary carbs for me, not alcohol, but a small treat can sooo easily become a habit and derail your progress (or maintenance).

The need to eat mindfully all the time was a realisation for me too, when I got to my goal. I know I can't intuitively eat, my body doesn't have a healthy weight it will always return to - I have to actively manage it. I think of it like a part time voluntary role I'm always going to need to do, for the rest of my life - or I'll out-eat the medication and gain. If I am mindful and work with it, I'll hopefully keep in the healthy range.

Same for me. I want to be between 57 and 58kg.

And yes - needs active management, I weigh myself daily.

@OneThirdLess @MeridaBrave
I want to be in that ball park too!
I don't want chocolate to become a habit again! I want to enjoy a treat but not eat an entire aisle! 🤣

This time of year is a difficult one with treats and temptations, but mj is mainly keeping them at bay. I ate some popcorn yesterday while watching a movie and ate it soooo quick. It gave me a bit of a jolt! I didn’t go back for more but it reminded me I need to be mindful.

I’ve just jabbed my usual 12.5 and I actually don’t know when I last jabbed. I think it was 9/10 days. I’m going to try and jab next Tuesday 12.5 and then the following week 10 on the Wednesday.

im 8st4 and feel a bit skinny but I know I need to build muscle not fat so I’ve got to be patient with changing my body shape.

I dropped down to 2mg, and noticed hunger / temptation a bit more. I’m not dropping down further for at least until end Feb. Agree this time of year is harder. I don’t want to lose more and actually open to gaining more muscle.

I’m def more hungry and nibble /enjoy bad stuff more on 5

bur so far haven’t put weight on

got to har some treats but they are in my cals so ……

It is definitely not a good time of year for anyone watching what they put in their mouths!!! I find myself thinking, I'll just have a tiny bit, or one, but by the time you've done that several times a day it is very easy to suddenly be way over your paltry calorie limit of 1300. Thank heavens I'm not in the office that often because it is AWASH with calorie dense food. Every room you go into contains someone pleading with you to please have a chocolate / cookie / sweet etc. Two colleagues have given me gifts of boxes of chocolates too. That's easier to deal with because I shall just hurl them onwards without opening them, but still - 'chocolate, chocolate everywhere, nor any low cal food to eat' ......

I made good on my promise to myself and joined a health club. I've been twice already and I'm so pleased that I did it. Weight continues to meander along a few pounds below my original goal. I've changed my MJ to 1 instead of 1.2 but I'm doing it weekly, rather than every 10 days. This seems to keep the acid reflux at manageable levels and still significantly reduce the food noise. Hopefully, that might be the sweet spot for now.

I think weekly but lower dose is better then high dose and longer days

I was trying to remember how Christmas was last year, but looking at my charts I was in a steady weight loss zone, so I think I had lots of suppression and just didn’t get tempted.

This year is completely different and I’m find maintenance to generally be trickier to remain motivated, I don’t get much suppression but also don’t want to go up beyond 5mg, last night I had the dreaded rush to the loo in the middle of the night side effect, something I’ve not had for months, I had been out, so I’d obviously over indulged and my body rebelled, had to buy some Pepto Bismal today 🤢

I can leave the Quality Street but come Christmas Day there are going to be roast potaties on my plate! (I haven’t had a potato since June. 3&1/2 stone ago)

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day all bets are off. I still have quite good suppression but not as strong as last Christmas so I might also need to buy some pepto bismal! My stomach will limit me, I haven’t planned anything for breakfast or a starter and we eat at lunch time and then dessert is usually served for dinner and I don’t really drink, so it’s not going to be too awful.

I think we are hosting new year and I usually do a buffet and that feels much more dangerous! So easy to eat a few hundred calories stood up?!

I'm there with you on the roasties, @HappyWineDay- best bit of Christmas dinner. (Back in the day I could polish off at least a kilo of roast spuds. I'll aim to be more restrained this year).

I've generally been very fortunate in not suffering side effects, even when I've not eaten well. Good that I don't, bad that it doesn't provide any additional incentive to keep off the bad stuff now the early food-restrictive feelings from the medication are well and truly gone.

I wonder why that effect doesn't last - when I first started, I simply didn't want chocolate/snacks. Now I could happily (and sometimes do) have treats and can easily overeat them.

I'm resolute that nothing is off limits, just need to have less of it. Last Xmas was just before I started on MJ and I over ate and felt crap. This year I'm now not on it, and I see it as a bit of a test. If I can get through Xmas, and even if I put a few lbs, but lose them, then I 'can do it.'

Still have a pen in the fridge just in case...

Roast parsnips are my kryptonite! I like a roast spud but I loooooooove a roast parsnip and could happily hoover up a tray full all by myself.

The only blessing for me on Christmas day is that by the time I have spent the entire day cooking for 14, I feel repelled by it all. There is something overwhelming about it and I never really feel like eating Christmas dinner - even when I was a porker!

However, the rest of the Christmas period is a whole different story all together and I'm really glad that I'll have a bit of help.

Can happily resist roast potatoes and parsnips but all bets are off when it comes to yorkshire puddings and gravy!

It’s only a posh roast

one meal isn’t doing to undo all the good hard work we have putin

@MargoLivebetter on standby for a new thread please!

Here we go: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5461684-oh-come-all-ye-injectors-slimmer-and-maintaining-oh-come-ye-oh-come-ye-to-thread-number-three-for-all-those-whove-hit-goal-maintaining-in-whatever-way-they-can-want-to-aim-to-etc