May 2025 Starters Thread 7 - Ending the year as we mean to go on ✌️

[FlorenceNightshade]

A sparkly new thread for our chatty gang!

@DidILeaveTheGasOn how are you doing?

We’ve just been to see Hamnet (possibly not the best thing to watch when you’re dealing with grief!😰). We went for a meal before it and I had a huge risotto and half a garlic flatbread that was probably 12”! It amazes me how much I can put away without ever feeling full.

Thanks 🙏🏻 I lost 50 pounds or 3 and a half stones over eight months so not too fast! I was eating a healthy diet with little treats added in. I think the only thing I can put it down to was for the first time in my life I never veered off track I stuck to it every day for the whole time, even on my holidays. Anyway I’m hoping all my pills will now bring me back to full health and I don’t slip up and start gaining anything back after all that hard work. On the plus side I haven’t jabbed for two weeks and I don’t feel that surge of hunger that everyone else mentions, I just feel a bit more hungry, as you would expect and have been trying not to eat too many sweet treats.

Hi all. Nice to read everyone’s updates and sorry to hear that you have been unwell @PinkScot . Hope you get your energy back soon.
I’ve been hunkering down trying to get a new venture off the ground while managing day to day stuff. So many balls have been dropped, but on the positive side, my weight is still slowly coming down.
I’m a very slow loser and still only at just under 3 stone lost in total since May. Well done to everyone at goal, it just feels so far away for me.
Which brings me to my question.
How did everyone decide what their goal is? Is it based on BMI? Clothes size? Weight?
I’m currently at BMI 25.5 at 78kg, wearing size 14. I was aiming to get to BMI 22, which would be about 67kg, clothes size unimportant. So still got 2 stone to go.
Just trying to decide whether to adjust my goal?

Hi all, I don't post very often nowadays because life is hectic but I do read all of your posts and want to say how well you're all doing.

May seems like such a long time ago but also somehow still very recent. I started at the beginning of the month so it's been 9 months for me now. I'm still managing to get by on 3.75mg but I have been using more willpower the past few months because my hunger levels have increased. I've been thinking about increasing my dose but the weight is still coming off so I'm going to hang in there as long as I can. I'm hopeful that it will stand me in good stead for when I get to maintenance.

I just hit the milestone of 7st loss. I'm fast approaching my next interim target of 100lbs lost, just 3lb more to go. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I'm very happy with my progress.

I haven’t really got a goal. I’m just over 13 stones, almost four stones down, bmi of 30 and just hitting size 14. I was thinking I’d aim for 10.5 stones, which would be a bmi of 24. But I actually think I would look ok if I can get to 11 stones. I carry weight well. I don’t even look ridiculous now, with well over 2 stone to go. So if I can get to size 10-12 and am doing plenty of exercise and feeling ok I will have a rethink. The number isn’t really the important part.

Hi everyone
sorry I feel like such a fraud coming on here after so long. But I wanted to update as I’ve been reading all your posts.
sorry for everyone suffering, whether that’s grief or medical issues. You’re all so strong.
i came off mj in October as I was happy with my weight and was having pains. Had gallbladder removed and have had nothing but problems since. Still having tests months later trying to get to the bottom of it.
i have a ferocious appetite, it can back right away. I never went over 5mg on MJ. I am
currently about 3 or 4lbs over my goal weight which is fine. I’m up and down like a yoyo between holidays, Christmas, periods of being too sore to eat and then going mad when I feel well enough.
it always amazes me how different our bodies carry weight. I am 5 ft 8 and weigh 11 stone 11 currently. My BMI is bang in middle of ‘healthy’ range. But my clothes are all size 14, which always makes me smile when I see people comment that they can’t wait to be 10 or 12. I swear my body would never!
anyway, enough rambling. I’m proud that despite everything I have maintained this weight for 4 months, must be a record for me

I think that sounds brilliant @MyScaredCat (the maintenance of the weight, not the ongoing medical issues). You’re fluctuating and adjusting like a normal slim person would.

I agree, it’s interesting how different we all are at different weights. This is me at two and shelf stones above the normal BMi for my height. While I’m obviously not at goal, I wouldn’t say I look obese now, which I officially still am. I know it’s a cliche but I really do think I have big bones. My hands and feet are big, my riding hat is a large size, my wrists are big etc. A lot of my friends have tiny hands/wrists compared to me. (Once my husband was in hospital and a nurse was taking a drip out of his arm. She remarked that he had huge hands. I said that I did too. She looked, then said “do you have children?” I said no. She replied “it’s a good job, they’d have had hands like gorillas!” At the time I was coming to terms with not being able to have children. I didn’t know whether to cry or punch her!)

Sorry - two and a half stones. Can’t edit,
and excuse the wall behind. It’s in the house we are renovating.

Well done on losing almost 100lbs. That’s amazing.

@Gingercar you have done so well to lose the weight, I know you haven’t it easy and yes really the goal is just a number and we shouldn’t get so hung up on it.
@MyScaredCat Yep interesting how variable our bodies are even though we may wear the same clothes size. I’m 5”9, size 14 , down from an 18/20, weigh 12st 3lb, but not brave enough to post a pic 😂.
I would like to lose a bit more and give myself a “buffer”. I’m fully expecting to gain up to half a stone when I stop even though I go to the gym and eat pretty healthily most of the time now.
My goal was based on BMI under 23 to get in to the healthy range, but seriously rethinking this.

Lovely to catch up with everyone and read how everyone is doing.

I am not posting much as seem to be in the doldrums. Not sure whether it’s the time of year or just Mounjaro fatigue. I have lost six stone now, which I can’t get my head around, but weight loss has really slowed down. I am finding myself wanting to eat more, again, possibly due to the weather, but get myself in a bit of a tizzy when I do eat too much, instead of shrugging and going back to our old ‘trust the process’ mantra. It’s almost as if I expect to stand in the scales and to have gained six stone back again after eating three ginger nuts. I also have a weird perception thing going on and keep buying clothes that are too big because I can’t see how I can fit into anything smaller, yet I can. DH bought me a size 14 jacket at the weekend and I have left it on the hanger ‘for when I can fit into it’ but I can fit into it, which is why he bought it in the first place!

All very odd.

Still, onwards and downwards (with a bit of hanging around not going anywhere thrown in)!

6 stone is an amazing loss @DBatteryBand - give yourself credit for a fantastic achievement!

I agree our minds don't keep pace with our bodies when it comes to weight loss - perhaps because we are losing weight quite quickly. I lost 2 stone and was walking round for a couple of months thinking I was Kate Moss, but this week I keep looking in the mirror and all I can see is fat & bloat. Perhaps that's why I plateaued for so long - my heart wasn't really in it.

Make yourself put the jacket on, wear it out a few times so it doesn't seem so new & strange - hopefully it will give you a confidence boost!

@PinkScot - sorry to hear you’ve been poorly, as others have said your diet sounds fine to me ! Shame GP is so negative , you would think he/she would be praising the weight loss .
@MyScaredCat , @DBatteryBand , @WhynotJanet and @AlicesMum2025 - great to hear from you all, and catch up on your news.
@Gingercar - you definitely don’t look obese to me, or 2.5 stone “overweight “- you’re in proportion for your height and body frame. Did you enjoy Hamnet ? - have heard good and bad feedback .

No real news from me ,thought I had the flu-type virus going the rounds, but my symptoms disappeared as quickly as they came - very odd. Not complaining though .
Lunch on Monday with son’s partner, or DNIL ( daughter, not in law ) - wore my ancient Wallis black crepe trousers size 12, it made my day !

Some fabulous losses! 👏👏👏

Glad you’re feeling better @ElsieJay. I did like Hamnet, it’s really worth seeing, filmed so well and a sweet story. But it is about death, grief and guilt, and it really hit nerve with me about mum, and I absolutely sobbed! More than I’ve cried since she died. So I came away feeling like I didn’t like it, even though I did, if that makes sense. It was painful watching it. My husband thought it was wonderful.

We've all gone quiet - I wonder why? Too busy shopping for smaller clothes?

I wish!
I have just got all my mini eggs and cream eggs in for the Easter special cakes and shakes for the cafe. They are driving me mental with temptation!!

I’ve finally reached goal !!! It’s taken weeeeeks to lose just a couple of pounds. Maintaining now by slowly going from 7.5 to 5mg.Feeling better but clothes are an issue and might need to go shopping 🛍️

We've all gone quiet - I wonder why? Too busy shopping for smaller clothes?

I'm sitting here with my mouth full of biscuits, hoping none of you will notice the crumbs! 😀

@Gingercar you know that the mini eggs are made of nasty pretend chocolate and creme eggs are made of unknowable goo. Step away now!

@Apprenante I wish also!!!

I’ll have a good week then a bad week it’s driving me insane!!!

i’m just really struggling to refocus!! The positive is that I’ve lost so much & am determined not to give up!! I just need to try & hold that focus when the cravings & stress hit!!

I’ve only got 1 dose of MJ left then swapping to wegovy and I think psychologically that’s messing me around too!

plus life stress, child not in school due to unmet SEN & anxiety so I’m currently off work. Heading back soon & hoping getting back to normal routine helps me shift the last couple of stone !!

im making heavy weather of it now tho!!! 🤦‍♀️

maybe spring will come soon and help us all!!!! 🌼 this rain is depressing!!!!!!!

Waves at a fellow SEN parent...so hard to prioritise yourself and your well being 🌸

@SussexLass87 💞 it really is!!!!

bedtimes which were always ok have gone to pot too so I’m getting less sleep which does not help anything!!

Hello, weak waving

I’ve gone quiet too as I’ve been on and off sick for weeks. Just nasty colds and coughs and the usual aches and pains to go with but it’s just wiped me out. I’m really struggling with all the rain. Really affecting my mental health so I’m trying to keep myself to myself so as not to spread my glum.

I hope everyone is keeping warm and dry! xxx

Evening all - yes we've all definitely gone a bit quiet but it sounds like other aspects of "life" have been taking over.

Like @Seahorsesplendour I've been wearing my SEN parent hat more and more recently...with one DC now at secondary I (naively!) thought it would be less hands on. How wrong I was!

I've also got a new job (mixture of excitement and absolutely bricking it...) after a pretty long break from regular work (husband in the armed forces and SEN kids) alongside running my business and I'm wondering what the f*CK I'm thinking but it'll be fiiiiiiiine. Right? 😂

Re MJ...I've been prioritising drinking and drinking and drinking so.much.water, trying to get better sleep and swapped the gym for long, regular dog walks and weight lifting at home...I'm not sure how much fitter I am but my mental health and general wellbeing is so much better for it.

None of this is reflected in the scales of course but hoping it will eventually!

On a random note...I downloaded Pikmin Bloom onto my phone to play with my eldest...it's a silly game that tracks your steps and you get to plant virtual flowers the more steps you take. Pleasingly relaxed and fun way to track steps...makes me randomly stand up and jump up and down so I can get another flower reward. Mad but it's worked 😃😃

@SussexLass87 that is a lot of balls up in the air!!!!! you rock!! I’m in awe!!!! 💐

I’ve had to put my Masters on hold for the moment sadly as just one too many things to focus on!!!!

that app sounds great!!! I’m a bit obsessed with steps atm so that’s a well timed mention thanks!!

now if this bloomin rain ever stops we might be able to do some of them outside!! I’m not a fair weather person generally I’ll brave the elements in all sorts but boy it’s wearing me down now!!

At least it’s Friday!!!!!

hope everyone has a good one!!