The last few pounds. Anyone else?

[Marylou2]

I've lost 5.5 stone over the last 3 years with a combination of using Noom and for the last 7 months Mounjaro. BMI now 23.5. I've never moved up from 5mg and don't want to. I'd like to lose another few pounds but seem to have plateaued. I'm careful to exercise and get my protein as I don't want to lose muscle where it can be avoided. I plan to maintain on 2.5mg and see if I can keep my weight there. Is this my body telling me I'm where I need to be or shall I go back to first principles, tracking, upping my steps to get the last 5 or so lbs off? Anyone in the same boat?

It may be you have reached your optimum weight or it could be you've got a bit complacent. If I were you, I'd go back to basics, treat it like you did at the beginning and see if that kick starts you again. Like you, I only ever went up to 5. I've just taken my last dose and will maintain by myself. I've also lost just ovewr 5.5 stone, 1.5 on my own and the last 4 with 7 months of MJ so our journeys have been similar.

Congrats both on your weight loss! Losing must be tricky once you get down to 23.5 BMI. What is your TDEE at that weight and can you realistically eat below it? I find loss super slow at 27 BMI (on 2.5mg) - though sustainable for now.

I suppose the first question is how you calculated your target in the first place. A BMI of 23.5 is healthy. I have two more pounds to lose to get my BMI below 25, which will take me to a total loss of 10st 2lb (but I am very tall). I am focusing on body composition and trusting the the last 2lb will go. I would highly recommend some smart scales to estimate and track your body fat and muscle mass percentages if your overall mass is not shifting.

I never went higher than 10mg (I had one 12.5mg pen but found suppression uncomfortably high and counted clicks to come back down to 10mg) and am now titrating down, currently on 5mg. Before the price rises I intended to stay on 2.5mg indefinitely; that may no longer be feasible for me but I have been learning about 'set point' theory and I do want to stay on maintenance long enough to give my body time to 'reset' to this weight.

Well done @VelociraptorsVelociRapping @Dozycuntlaters great weight loss.

I too am nearing the end of weight loss. Have lost 9st 8lbs and am almost half the size I was. Also planning to come down doses and stay on for a while….did plan forever but see what happens price wise too. I got as high as 8.5mg but too much for me so did most of my months on 5 and then 7.5mg. I’m now down to 5mg and still losing. Hope 2.5 will be maintenance dosage.

I have struggled with low mood for last few months and wondered if the dose was too high with my new body weight. Depression and low mood do seem to be a side effect of Mounjaro as lots of people report it but wondered why I was on it for over a year before the anxiety and low mood started? Anyone had similar.

Great to hear from someone on such a similar journey. Yes I do feel I'm almost at my optimum weight. Size 12 fitting comfortably which was always my goal. I'm 57 so don't want to be too skinny as it's not great for my face. I'll go back to basics as you're right I've probably dropped my steps and sneaked an extra treat here and there! Good luck with your maintenance too.

Thanks for all the responses. So much good advice. Yes to recalculating my TDEE. Hoping it's 2000kcals but I might get a shock and find I'm being mega optimistic there. Also definitely need new scales. Mine are accurate as I checked at the doctors but of the weight only variety!i get what you mean about low mood. I don't know if it's the lack of reward hit from food which was my favourite coping mechanism or some other effect of mounjaro.

Sorry OP but at 57 your TDEE is unlikely to be 2000kcal unless you're very tall or very active. I'm 6' and now 13 stone - my BMR is about 1600kcal and a sedentary day (5k steps or fewer) is about 2250kcal. Steps really do make all the difference - a very very active day of around 20k steps will get me to approx 3000kcal TDEE. I wear a Fitbit and have found the energy calculations really accurate.

I'm 5ft 9 and make sure I do at least 10k steps a day, have been trying to do 12k. Weights x 3 a week. Yoga x 2 and walking netball. Have dropped a weights session recently but will get back to it next week.

Also to add fitbit says 2250 but I always knock a bit off as I think they overcalculate.

Sounds about right then! I find Fitbit very accurate.

How do you know your optimum weight ?
I can’t get below 10.11st.
I have been 8 stone in the past.

What's your BMI ? I know it's frowned on by some people but it does give a general idea. I use the NHS calculator and look what 22 would be for my height as a target. Also how old were you when you were 8 stone? I'd love to be the weight I was in my early 20s/pre kids but I know that won't be happening.

22.4. Yes, I was a lot younger.

I'm wondering whether the last few kgs might just be my flappy bits (for want of a better expression).