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

[FlorenceNightshade]

A sparkly new thread for our chatty gang!

That doesn't sound like a huge amount @Gingercar - I can't imagine the calories added up to an enormous number. (Unless the corner of your tiffin was really the whole tray full. It sounds delicious - DON'T share the recipe).

How's your wife today @SeahorseSplendour?

No it wasn’t a lot of calories, it was just the lack of willpower (or care!) that was worrying! Its hard, I’m making some bloody lush cakes for the cafe at the moment! Added pics, but put them as sensitive in case you don’t want the drool!

@Gingercar They look so delicious!! 🤤
i dont know how could anyone resist with or without MJ!
i am drooling!!!

Sorry, I thought I’d hidden both! Aren’t I mean, inflicting them on you guys too! But that’s what I’m standing next to for the next three hours! And the kiosk is really quiet as it’s hissing down.

I weighted this Friday as a part of my normal weekly weigh in and it was a week of 2lbs loss so was very happy.

However ended up having KFC for dinner (not had KFC for about 5 months so was in a mood for it).
The portion was of course significantly bigger than my normal Mounjaro portions, but it was a one off so didn't think anything of it.

I then didn't weigh myself on Saturday as didn't want to see what damage was done, but then I weighted myself this morning and I've lost 2lbs since Friday 🤣
Maybe my scale is broken, but I really like this KFC whoosh. Hope it doesn't come back in way shape or form. Would be nice to get this boost after averaging 1lbs for the last 3 months

OH.MY.WORD!

Oh @Gingercar! I don't know how you've managed to lose weight at all when you're making and selling such lovely cakes.
Waitr*se kindly gave me a box of rather fancy mince pies today. I don't even like mince pies but I'm going to have to taste one .... aren't I?

@Apprenante Ah thanks for asking! She’s managed to get out of bed (and touch wood) with the various medications for pain & spasm she’s taking plus eating pigeon amounts of low fat protein and steamed veg she’s doing a lot better. Still really rough but comparatively a lot better!!

@Gingercar those cakes look amazing!!!! I am genuinely in awe that you have lost weight whilst standing near cake all day!!!! I hope you big yourself up for every day you either have nothing or just a corner!! Huge achievement!!!!

I did my weekly weigh in yesterday (week 29) and I hit my next interim target of 5.5 stone lost!!! I was literally dancing around the kitchen, did a twerk and felt my whole body jiggle around 😂

I genuinely can't fricking believe it. I have a target now of 6 stone by new year 🤞

I went to a party in the evening and wore a sequin skirt. I never would have even tried something like that on, let alone buy it, 7 months ago. Who even am I?

MJ really is life changing, isn't it?

Been catching up on all your news, had a bit of time away but my motivation is having a wobble at the moment…i was one pound from my goal and i stupidly started to think i would either: magically reach goal without any efforts ; or it kinda didn’t matter anymore because I only had one pound to go.

so fast forward to today and im 3 pounds to goal because ive been going the wrong way, nothing major but yesterday capped it off with a glass of wine (haven’t drunk alcohol in a month), and a full roast dinner followed by a brownie. I feel the need to share with you guys to get it off my chest.

The big dinner was for my daughter’s boyfriend who had never before had a Sunday dinner so i went for it with the full works and massive Yorkshire puds! The brownie was probably honestly for me lol.
as a side note i was in pain from eating a full dinner my tummy was popping!
so today ive had a word with myself and im going back to ground zero. Exercise bike, cleaning day, Greek yogurt and fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch, and healthy tea, probably left over roast with plain veg or salad. Then see what the scales say tomorrow and im sure it’ll be a pound down!
i honestly think my brain had fizzed out with the excitement of ‘nearly’ goal 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Thanks for listening i love you all 🩷🩵💜💛

@PinkScot there's something very odd about getting to where you want to be, isn't there? Almost as if you feel the need to sabotage yourself. I've noticed it in myself before - although I've never got as close to a target previously. Why do we do it?
At the same time, what a star 🌟 you are for making that roast dinner. I bet he really loves you now, never mind your daughter! 🤣

Well I’ve put a lb on for the first time in six months this week. I’ve been out a few times and had a few drinks (I don’t really drink much normally) and I’ve pinched a tiny cake and a couple of pieces of choc at the cafe. None of which should really amount to a lb on, but I have been rushing around this week and possibly haven’t eaten as well, I’ve missed a few meals and twice have grabbed a bag of (low fat) crisps instead. Again not entirely sure it would put alb on, but it does make me think I perhaps need to rein myself in and track a bit more.

However… on à positions note, I got my little book out and recorded the measurements I’ve taken over the six months, and after totalling it all up it’s quite rewarding to see.

I’ve screenshot from another post to save me writing it again. I need to get the dogs out.

Oh @Gingercar those measurements are amazing!

It’s interesting because the measurements dropped quite a lot this month, whereas they have roughly stayed the same for the last couple of months, but at the same time the weight loss has slowed down. So there are other things going on even when you don’t think you are doing as well…

well done @Gingercar those measurements are great! ive definitely also lost a roll of fat! A spare tyre!

I think it is not only about weightllss but also about body recomposition (if that is a word?) like things get reorganised on the inside to accomodate for the changes.
i think there is so much more than just refuce callories, lose fat.

The past few days have been manic as i had to submit an essay for my course… Now it is done, i am going to do absolutely nothing tonight AND have a Bayleys! I bought a bottle as im hosting dinner with friends on friday but i think “i deserve” a little treat!! (At some point i need to find a different kind of reward!)

Ooh Baileys! I love the stuff. I made some baileys Tiffin for the cafe at the weekend and have been avoiding the bottle all week! What a relief that the essay is in!

Congrats @Gingercar - amazing how the measurements change when the scales aren't.

I wish I'd taken measurements now, but make do with comparing photos from a few months ago instead.

@PinkScot Bless him - first Sunday roast! That's a fab memory to be part of.

I've just been looking through the M&S Christmas food catalogue - usually a lovely Christmas tradition to go through it for weeks and weeks.

I felt nothing! Absolutely mad. The thought of half the stuff made me feel a bit queasy... Christmas is going to look very different this year...

@Gingercar amazing measurements! I know what you mean about a pound on, even if I waver a little or have one meal out (making healthy choices and no pud) I seem to stay same or gain a pound. I think it’s just a stubborn onwards journey that takes us all to goal so onwards and downwards to Christmas is my motto of the moment and I’m determined to get to target! Two pounds to go…..

I just got a message from my GP about contraception & mounjaro. If it's relevant to any of you, please check you're protected.

Hello again from me, it's been a while as I reached goal in September, went quiet whilst I tapered off slowly and stopped taking it, and I'm gutted to say I've gained and have just re-ordered a pen.
I'm really disappointed to find maintenance without injecting just hasn't worked. I lost the weight slowly, 1lb a week, tapered off slowly from 5mg-3.75-2.5 over 6 weeks. Kept my good eating habits, thought I was doing all the right things. But when I weighed myself this morning I've realised I've crept up 3kg since my lowest weight, and the little window I was giving myself has been well and truly bust open.
I have a wardrobe of clothes now in a smaller size and do NOT want to go back up a size. I can see I've gained weight in my face, stomach and inner thighs, all the classic places and have got to stop this before Christmas kicks in.
I've noticed my appetite is well back, I'm craving sweet things, thinking about food a lot, and having to really fight eating more at night or snacks in the day. I thought I was doing OK to resist these, but clearly the injection is doing more than just switching off appetite, I think the metabolic effect is doing something to me to gain weight.
I have had a lot on with weekends away, birthdays, but I still thought I was doing OK in terms of eating sensibly. I don't think I've ever 'let myself go' apart from one big pizza and champagne night. I'm still exercising plenty, and have loved having more energy to do this. My running has improved with the weight loss, hitting personal bests.
I wanted to taper off when I did for a few reasons - cost, constipation and not wanting to be dependent on it long term. But the last 2 months have shown that I need to get to a lower base weight to give myself more wiggle room (I feel and look overweight as well as having gained if that makes sense) and that I will need a helping hand over Christmas with nights out planned.
One big change I'm going to make is to ramp up the walking in the day, this has fallen off a cliff with work and has got to change. Doing my strength training weekly is going to be a non-negotiable too.
So, I'm back, and about to catch up on the back history of this thread. Hope everyone is hanging on in there, and would be interested to hear of anyone else who is trying to maintain. I'm following the maintenance thread too, but everyone there is still injecting, and I'd really hoped I'd be one of the minority who could do this without medical help. Nope.

Hello all , good to catch up on what you’ve been up to - that “welcome to the family” lunch sounded amazing, @PinkScot !
And great NSV with the tape measure, @Gingercar 🏆.
@SussexLass87 - I feel the same way about the food advertising everywhere at the moment.

I’ve been MIA since Monday - horrible D&V , haven’t eaten from Sunday lunchtime until one piece of dry toast this morning - so think my stomach must be well and truly empty at last . I should have jabbed yesterday , but holding off until the weekend at least.
Annoyingly I have two unused 5mg pens in the fridge, but think may recommence dosing at 2.5 as this is my second bout of tummy trouble since upping to 3.75 four weeks ago .
Seems like too much of a coincidence - what do you think , fellow May starters ?

@stripesdotsdashes good to hear from you but sorry to hear that maintenance hasn’t gone as well as you hoped! I’m almost there myself and was hoping to taper off too. Mainly for the cost tbh. I wonder if we just need a longer time to re-educate ourselves to the new world of slim. I was planning on keeping tracking calories as my maintenance strategy but I think a buffer cushion below my target weight would be good as well! I will let you know when I get there! At the moment it’s a case of so near yet so farrr away. I had lowered from 7.5 to 5 but I’ve just gone back up because I think it was the wrong time to take my foot off the gas…fingers crossed going back up will shoot me to goal.

I've also just had my order rejected! Tried to order a 5mg pen, but they queried my gap and asked questions, which I was foolishly honest with, using microdosing to taper off hence the gap isn't that long, and now they are saying they may not prescribe another as I've misused it!
Off to look for another provider now...