Gained a stone?!

[NoOneToCallWhenThePlaneLands]

I’m just going to spill everything here because my head is a mess.

I started mounjaro last summer. I lost about seven stone.

I had been feeling like it was less effective for me for a while now. But I pressed on, and stayed on it while I was having surgery three months ago. I was 15 stone 8 when I went for my surgery.

Since that, I have been less active than usual. I was still eating at maintenance/a slight deficit.

i started back at the gym three weeks ago. I’ve gone into a full on programme of cardio and muscular exercises.

I’ve weighed myself at the gym tonight and I’m 16 stone 5.

im gutted. I feel like I could cry. I haven’t been 100%, but definitely not at a point to gain that much. I feel like there’s no point continuing to pay for Mounjaro when I’m just failing on it, but also I wouldn’t be able to continue at my current calorie level (1400 a day), without it.

my current stats are

5 foot 4.7

16 stone 5.

what do I do?! I don’t know whether switching to wegovy could be useful?! I’m currently doing a split dose of 10mg every 4 days.

I just feel like throwing in the towel. Maybe this is where I’m meant to end up

I would say it’s exactly this. Take a deep breath, keep weighing yourself at home at the normal time and drink as much water as you can (up to 3l a day) to flush it all through. Do the daily weighing to keep an eye on things but don’t panic at daily variations and see where you are in a week or so. Also, do be careful if you’re prone to water retention with any “diet” foods or drinks - they may be low cal but I never lose any weight eating them, and get very bloated. Make sure you are getting your calories from whole foods. You’ve got this 💪

I’ve recently gone 90-95% whole food, aside from some protein shakes every so often because I sometimes just want one of them.

I do feel very bloated and a little “backed up”. I may take a colon cleanser tonight to see if that helps tomorrow.

Lucky all yous I cant excersize im disabled so ive got to cut down more than most people

Exercise is a very small part of weight loss - mostly it is down to diet. You'd have to train like an athlete or sportsperson for the exercise to impact your weight significantly. I treat exercise as being for my health. Even short walks are beneficial if you can't do anything more.

Glad your normal scale has showed you haven’t gained a stone. I’m not on a WLI but saw a video of a lady on it now supposedly in maintenance but instead she’s gaining weight. She has now had to keep increasing her dose to get to the highest one as the lower ones don’t have the desired effect anymore. Comments on the post are seeing lots of people in similar situations so it seems even after getting to a happy weight and still on the jab, one still has to continue to be really mindful and be ready to go back up the doses if they’re gaining. Can’t see another way really.

I'm an active woman who's extremely active (i have 3 horses and go running) and 1200 is fine, normally i stick to around 1100 no issues.

And what do you weigh? You must be very tiny to maintain your body weight on such a small amount of food.

Your TDEE is 3000 but you said your maintenance is 1700? Your BMR is not your maintenance. BMR includes no movement or exercise whatsoever. You shouldn't be aiming for 1400 if your TDEE is 3000. Although actually Apple Watches overestimate madly - but your TDEE is probably closer to 2400. That is your maintenance not your BMR.

Current 216lb

This is bullshit - I am 5ft 2, 10st 7 and my BMR is over 1500. We need to stop telling people to starve themselves!

You weigh over 200lbs and eat 1200 calories a day? Are you losing weight rapidly?

BMR isn't even the number to be tracking - it's TDEE. Agree with you though. People are so disordered about calories sometimes

Absolutely not, 8 weeks in and outside of the first 3 weeks, its about a pound a week

ive tracked calories in a deficit before, weighing everything and very strict. Ive also tracked normal eating before and i maintain on anything around 1500 and gain as soon as i eat more than that a day. Ive been to the Drs so many times crying over how little i have to eat to just maintain, never mind lose!

You can’t accurately calculate TDEE though so that’s why I’ve gone for 1400 a day. It’s enough for me to hit all my goals, feel satisfied and eat enough. It worries me that people’s recommendations are automatically to eat less than my 15 month old niece does!

They don’t automatically make you put on or lose weight. They are just a tool to help weight loss.

I don’t know why I am making it my mission to correct pro-eating disorder content today but here goes…

If you are walking 15,000 steps a day and strength training 3x a week unless you are the size of a small sparrow YOU NEED TO EAT WAY MORE THAN 1200 calories. Adult women existing by breathing and general moving will burn more than 1200 calories so eating that will lead to physical and potentially even cognitive difficulties.

why is Mumsnet so dangerous!!

It’s actually horrifying.

im lifting 3-4 times a week (it was 3 this week because of work), do 10k steps a day, work a very brain intense job and they want me to eat the same as my 15 month old niece 🥴

Anyway this morning I was down to 15s 11. I don’t know where the hell this 16s 3 came from.

Hi OP - you mentioned you’ve lost 7 stone? Honestly, that’s amazing. It sounds like you’re stuck in a self loathing loop and instead of patting yourself on the back as to how far you’ve come, you’re revving in neutral over a relatively small gain (which could be related to lots of things). I’ve done it (and no doubt will continue to do it) but honestly, what you’ve achieved so far is GREAT.

doesnt always work like that though.

Sorry if this has been said already (or if it’s ignorant) but isn’t muscle heavier than fat? It sounds like you’re doing lots of working out, isn’t it possible your body is making healthy muscles that are skewing the result? Sounds like you’re doing an amazing job.

your little neice is growing and getting bigger and learning and using a lot of energy just to grow.
Has your shape changed? Id stop focusing on the scales, and concentrate on feeling stronger and leaner and your energy levels and eating nutritiously.

Calories and how much you weigh, is never fair. Peoples bodies and energy requirements change all the time. Especially womens.
Remember that youre doing this for your health, for your future.
It can be frustrating sometimes when the path to our goals isnt linear, but you are doing well.

No, because it's almost impossible to build new muscle in a calorie deficit and if you do build muscle the absolute maximum for a woman would be 1-2 lbs a month and that's with very specific training for hypertrophy which most strength training is not.

I have no expertise in WLI but you've had surgery.

That puts a major strain on the body and it reacts differently. Water retention, different physical responses etc.

You've done really well. If you've been consistently losing before this point then I'm sure you will again.

Are you fitter and healthier?

You may need some adjustments to dose but it would seem a real shame to give up when you have achieved such a lot. It's natural to be disappointed but don't be too harsh on yourself.

My niece is also about two foot tall and weights three stone max.

Encouraging grown adults to eat at that level is dangerous.