December 25 starters thread?

[cobblers00]

Is there one yet? If not, should this be it? I’m starting tonight, so officially November, but hey! Am so nervous, woke up early this morning with anxiety. Would love tips from anyone who has started before on what / how to eat on first few days..I’m really concerned about debilitating side effects- should you just listen to your body or force yourself to eat chicken?! I keep seeing all these insta posts about eating protein!!

Well I’ve chased Bolt 3 times without response , checked my account and it’s still under review, it will have been 6 days since I put the request in. I’m starting to worry now that I won’t get it in time!

I have had a tough week with aura migraines, I have suffered from them all my life but usually get a bit of a break once I have had one, I have had 4 this week which is unheard of for me. My doctor doesn't think it is the MJ, she thinks it is a coincidence. I am not sure. I wonder if it is because I am not eating enough? I am more hydrated than ever before so it isn't that.

Sorry to hear that @Florrieboo - I hope they settle down. How are you with caffeine? I don’t fancy tea as much and have been having hot water or herbal tea. Caffeine is a trigger for me, alongside stress, tension, sleep changes, carb-withdrawal, water intake and exercise!

I have had a bad run of migraine and headache for the last month or so, and really hope it’s not the WLI. I’ve been pretty stressed for other reasons though.

I hope yours improve!

Sorry that some of you are feeling so ill. I am getting headaches but nothing to bad.
I had a few people I hadn’t seen in a a month comment on my weight loss today and that felt good to have others noticing.
I told them I’m taking Mounjaro and one of them said.. So you’re cheating?!
I laughed it off and replied with.. If you want to see as cheating you can, but why do you care, it’s not my maths GCSE.
I just weighed in (2 days early) and I’m now 13lb down, not bad for almost 6 weeks.
It’s so nice to actually see this three stone target as achievable.
I also tried a top and a pair of jeans on today that in November would barely do up and they now fit comfortably.
I do feel like I’m losing inches faster than pounds, I can definitely see the loss in my face and legs.

That’s great progress, @Gardener82! glad you’re seeing a difference, too.

I’m at about 10lbs in almost eight weeks. It’s slow, but happily I keep losing, it’s steady, and I’m not losing the same few pounds over and over!

3lbs more will be my lowest weight since 2017! But another 25lbs after that to my lowest weight as an adult (that was a serious year-long low carb effort after my daughter was born, compounded by stress, sleep deprivation, and breastfeeding). At that weight I was BMI 22, exercising hard, and barely eating. My poor body 🤷🏻‍♀️. I’m trying to do this with care and compassion for myself this time.

Amazing, well done. It feels good doesn’t it!
I never paid much attention to my BMI but just looked out of curiosity.
At moment I have a BMI of 27, another 2 stone (goal) will give me a bmi of 22.
Im 43 but spent my twenties and early to mid thirties with a BMI of 19! Didn’t have to even try back then, pretty much lived of sausage rolls and Mars bars, I was so smug!

I would have been smug too 😂.

I’m the opposite - chunky kid, put myself on a diet at 8, disordered eating as a teen, then found sport at uni and my lowest weight then was BMI 20 (in a year in which I trained twice daily, can you imagine!) that’s the only time food was just fuel.

I’m enjoying weight lifting and hoping to have enough muscle that I can actually eat three meals a day at the end of this!

@StrongGirlsLift

I would love to get into lifting... do you use a gym, PT, or at home?

@Gardener82 cheating my (slight smaller!) arse!

Anyone here on 7.5 or higher pen? I'm scared as that's when folks say the side effects ramp up....

@MissBridgetJones I recommend it! I’m hypermobile, which brings its challenges, but my general pain levels are so much lower since I started lifting two years ago - knees and mid-back particularly.

I joined a local gym with no frills (no pool, classes, sauna etc), asked the staff for a 6 week intro programme, they showed me how to use the machines and free weights, and I was away. A few months later I asked the staff on a quiet day how to use the barbell machines and bench. It’s such a nice crowd generally, lots of familiar faces now, everyone from fitness buffs to hardcore old ladies to groups of teens and 40+ folk learning the ropes.

I use Hevy (there’s a free version) which tracks reps and progress, and you can build a few programmes. I started quite light (I was recovering from a muscle tear) but try to lift to failure (until I can’t anymore) and have seen good progress. I usually only go 2-3 times a week because of other commitments, but it’s made a massive difference to my strength and endurance. Give it a go!

I’ve got 2 more doses of 5mg to take and I’ve got the 7.5mg waiting.

Friday is my weigh in day. But…we’re on holiday. For 3 weeks, back a week Monday. So, no weigh in until the 30th. It’s like being in limbo! I am eating very little but still drinking the wine (no deterrent for me on that front!). I would like to come home weighing the same but who knows what a fortnight today will bring.

I’ll do more measurements then, too.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have just waited, rather than starting just before Christmas with a holiday hot on its heels…but then I’d be sat here 10lbs heavier, wouldn’t I, NOT wearing my new and very flattering swimming costume (which I couldn’t fit into last time we went away).

I am very impressed with how everyone is doing. I must admit to still being disappointed with my weight loss so far, particularly as I was eating so very little due to nausea for the first 3 or so weeks. That has gone now, and I am even hungry some days now! I had almost forgotten what that felt like.

I will be putting in another order of mj just before coming home. I think I do need to stick with 2.5mg still, but my plan is to order a 5mg pen if they’ll let me and half dose. This will work out cheaper and let me build up a wee stockpile over time, which I’d like to have. Does that sound like a plan? I already have extra needles.

@StrongGirlsLift , I am very interested in what you say up thread about creatine. DH also says I should be taking it. I am thinking of trying it, especially as he has told me to just help myself to his. I may as well take him up on that.

@MrsTigerface have the best holiday! I think it was smart to start when you did, you’re being mindful, and in those circumstances not gaining is a great goal. Can you do lots of walking or bits of exercise while you’re there?

Creatine, yes! I won’t pretend I’m religious about taking it, but always have it when I have a protein shake. It can cause a little bit of water weight for some people at the beginning. It’s supposed to be great for muscle retention and growth, which in turn can have healthful benefits like reduced rates of dementia in later life.

The only thing I’d add is to be wary of blood tests for kidney function - it will show high levels of creatinine if you take creatine or carry a lot of muscle (a lot lot). This can cause alarm - but no actual harm, so I’ve been told. My levels dropped again when I briefly stopped taking it. The high creatinine can be a sign of kidney disease if it occurs naturally but isn’t a worry if it’s from creatine (it’s not actually harmful in of itself).

I have to bow out for now, and I am so upset about it, I had a DVT a few years ago and that lead to pulmonary embolism's, it was scary and I put on a lot of weight when that happened due to the mental side of it. I got a pain in my leg a couple of weeks ago and tried to ignore it but it turns out I have a 15cm blood clot in my leg. I had a scan earlier this week and my GP called me in yesterday and said I have to stop the MJ straight away, it MIGHT not be linked but they have to remove the risk. I am on blood thinners now and will be forever. I will see a specialist early next month and will ask if I can go back on the MJ, I have an unopened pen waiting to start on Tuesday, I don't want to stop. I hope that the momentum I have going now and the fact that I have lost 5kg can help me to keep going and at least not put it back on. When I came back from the GP yesterday my brain was already in self sabotage thinking well it was all for nothing I might as well just eat what I want. I didn't do it, but I can see that mentally I am not "better"

Oh @Florrieboo, so scary for you, well done on getting diagnosed quickly and good luck. Well done on your 5kg loss and try to take what you can forwards with you. You did well to ignore the self-sabotaging thinking yesterday following the news, you can do this!

Morning all, not been on for a while as life’s back at break neck speed! Just read the whole thread though & sounds like some ups & downs along the way.. & especially @FlorriebooI’m really sorry to hear what’s happened but your health is of course top priority. Please keep us posted on how things go.
Just finished 4th dose of month 2 on 2.5 here - the scales have stalled a bit.. I’m down 7kg in total to date from 77kg to 70 & am holding firm as know I’m eating in defecit & losing inches.. but also know I’m not eating as well as I did at the very start. Still, no side effects & feel in control of my appetite which is all I want out of this medication. I’ve another 2.5 ready to go & am going to try to get the golden dose out of this pen next week. Let’s share our little triumphs at this stage… mine; watch no longer digs in wrist, in fact slips up & down my arm now!! And I can zip up costs much more comfortably. Small wins! Have a great weekend everyone.. half way through January, imagine, by spring we’ll all be svelte and slim 🤣

Coats not costs! Bloody autotype

That’s awesome @cobblers00, great progress!

Really good progress @cobblers00 I can’t wait for summer, I have a feeling I’m going to feel a lot more confident this year than last.
I feel like I’m losing inches faster than weight as well but I’ll take it.
Starting week 7 tomorrow and I’m down 15 pounds in total.
I hate gyms but I’ve bought myself a treadmill to speed up weight loss up.

I think I'm week 8 (4x2.5, 4x5) and for the first time have the sulphur burps after my last dose. A bit weird but hey. So far 5kg off which I'm happy about, but I definitely need to improve my meals as I forget to have lunch when I'm at work, and the other meals aren't balanced. But things are settling down a bit so I'm hoping for some headspace for all of this. I also need to move more - just taken a look and over Xmas I was getting 60-70k steps a week, now that's 20-24k... Hoping for x-rays and physio soon and the ok to start running again..

I’m coming to the end of week 6 but been struck down by a nasty bug (Covid?) this week so am out of sorts and unsure whether or not to take my jab as planned tomorrow. It will be my 3rd 5mg one. I thought this week that the dry mouth has been a lot worse but that could be the virus? Also I’m craving carbs today so maybe I need it. I don’t think I’m eating enough fruit and veg overall (I used to eat loads) and wonder if that’s made me more prone to getting ill. It’s so easy to think everything is related to the injections!

Oh @Florrieboo im sorry! That sounds scary. I hope you’re ok.
Ordered another 5mg pen here but the moment it came I regretted not getting a 7.5 and convinced myself that I am craving sweet stuff. All in the mind. So much is a mental game isn’t it?
Ive lost 22.5lbs since I started which was 7 weeks ago and I am so very happy. Starting to notice it now. My boobs have shrunk which I’m absolutely fine with (except for the cost of new bras!) and I pile take my jeans off this morning without undoing them. Had a long talk with DH this morning about financing it longer term and he’s been incredible as per. My original plan was 6 months and see where we are at but for the first time ever I feel like I might be able to get to a healthy weight.

I'm taking a break.
Have been really ill this week with terrible constipation.
Movicol doesn't suit me well, and ended up taking lactulose and had such a bad reaction (severe IBS cramps flair) to it, that I ended up nearly passing out on the loo (mostly from pain I think), so spent 10 mins lying on the bathroom floor covered in sweat instead.
Was awful.
Typically this is all just after I'd ordered the next pen...
I managed a small bowl of rice for lunch yesterday, they an okay tea of chicken and noodles, and have managed lunch today.
Think my stomach is recovering, but I definitely need a break at least.
Not sure if I will be able to restart.

Positives- 7lb weight loss on the scales since I started 5 weeks ago.
But feels and looks like more.
So going to try and eat well.
Not much appetite here at the moment, though mostly due to being not well I think.

Hi all, I'm new to thread, started on 5th December so 6 weeks in and ive lost 12lbs (10 of those in the first 2 weeks and only 2 in the last 4). Feeling frustrated at the 2lbs lost in 4 weeks despite being in a calorie deficit so decided ill go up to 5mg at my next review (I get my pens from local pharmacy). In light of this I decided I will take 1.5 dose this week and next using the golden dose - did the first week of that yesterday and definitely feel stronger suppression although have slight anxiety because ai told me I shouldn't have taken 1.5 doses.
Anyway question for you all - are you all tracking calories? I didn't for the first 2 weeks but have been since and averaging around 1600 calories - because thats what my tdee calculator told me too - I know I could eat less as I don't always wait until im actually hungry and it almost feels like im forcing myself to eat my allowance (brings back sw memories!). Do you think I should stop tracking for the next couple of weeks and actually listen to my hunger cues without worrying about the numbers instead?

Hi, how much weight is the TDEE calculator saying you should lose on 1600? The thing with the TDEE is that it isnt necessarily accurate, eg if it says maintenance was say 1900, that might be too many for some so usually the way of doing it would be a bit of trial and error hence why sometimes people put on weight in the first week or 2 of a diet.

If you are logging and not losing on 1600 then I would personally still track but at say 1350 as that would be another 0.5lb a week loss on top of the 0.5 you are already losing. Tracking is good for seeing the macros, so ensuring your protein is high enough and carbs lower, I do 50% protein, 30% fat, 20% carbs.

I have logged from the beginning as I needed to as could hardly eat so it ensured I had enough. I have consistently lost 1.5-2.5 a week (more in 1st couple of weeks).