Nov 25 starters - thread 2 - the one where we don’t eat everything in sight this Christmas!

[Springbaby2023]

Hi everyone, starting a second thread as the other one is almost full. We made it through month one, now here’s to a happy, healthy and lighter 2026!

Its weird isnt it, I havent told everyone, just don't want to get into it, but most of my close friends know now. It is awkward when people ask how you've done it and you dont want to get into huge detail.

I am half stone off target but have definitely lost weight differently to when I was this weight previously, its hard to explain but my arms are slimmer as is my face, I can only assume it is because of what I am eating, water intake etc. I always used to feel bloated which I dont now.

@Springbaby2023 it is definitely nice not worrying about feeling queasy etc. Appetite is still small but I do fancy more food which is nice as feels more normal. I have also got over the initial paranoia of worrying about everything I eat.

I forgot to jab, and then had an horrendous cold so just thought I would skip the week and restart again but for some reason I just thought I’ll see what it’s like off it so I’ve carried on! 3 weeks tomorrow. I started at around 11ish and got down to 9. I’ve been weighing every other day and am fluctuating between 9 and 9.4. Food noise has been there a bit, but it’s been really easy to ignore. I can eat a bit more too, but am able to stop myself overeating. I was a big binge eater before and that’s not come back yet( hopefully ever!). I just feel in control of my eating, am enjoying the gym and buying some new clothes. I have a whole 5 pen left that I had planned to use to come off gently, so I’ll keep it in case it’s needed! Otherwise ny husband would have it so it wouldn’t be wasted.
it’s early days but I’m feeling strong ! I hadnt felt unwell on MJ but I noticed that I am feeling much more “well” now. I’m eating calories to maintenance and recording everything , but averaging over the week. I stayed on 2.5 with a week or two on 3.75 so I think that’s helped. I really feel I’ve broken some bad habits and built some good new ones.

@JustBeach well done you, that’s ace! I genuinely can’t wait to quit now. Going to keep going a while longer but I look forward to the ‘well’ feeling you mention.

Thanks! I think in hindsight I was quite weak from under eating. I am finding it hard to eat up to maintenance , which is a very weird feeling after trying to not to my whole adult life! It’s really freeing to be able to have a treat and it not snowball in to something more. I think I’ve lost a lot of muscle as I didn’t really exercise while on it, and so I’m focusing on that now. I’ll check in in a while and see if it’s still going well! At the moment I genuinely could not imagine going back to how I was, my appetite has completely changed.

Everyone is doing very well!

I took the plunge and bought some size 12 jeans. I’ve been wearing size 14 for years and years and probably only really fitting into the stretchiest ones if I’m honest. I tried on the size 12s and they fit fine! It’s so weird for me. I’ve got tons of size 14 trousers and jeans that I’ll probably shortly never need to wear again in the future if things go to plan.

@tobee well done! That must have felt great, I’ve not bought anything in a smaller size yet (apart from underwear) but I think I will splash out soon. I’m enjoying old clothes fitting so much better though.

I am so glad I kept all my small jeans as its nice not having to fork out on them, i have lots of choice which is amazing, i need to put some big stuff away now, Went out last night in skinny jeans size 10 (from next so more size 12 i imagine) and a size 12 fitted top tucked in. I felt so normal and happy aboit it all. I think before I would have worried about it not being perfect, eg perfectly flat tummy but now i understand at 46 that is not a necessity and no one focuses on the one bit you hate on yourself. I wish I took a photo to refer to but I felt embarrassed to ask anyone to take one.

I had to buy some new tops as seem to have gradually got rid of anything fitted it doesnt feel like me at the moment when I see myaelf, I am still heavier than my lowest weight but it just feels like a lifetime ago, even though it was 6 years. I had to go through old pics yesterday to get send some over to someone and I look back at when I thought I was fat and think what on earth was I worried about.

One funny thing is that my kids havent noticed. My youngest works at the same hospital as me and his colleagues pointed it out to him as I had to pop in to see him last week 😂 he said he didnt realise i needed to lose any 🙄

@tobee well done! Going down the sizes is lovely isn't it. My change in size happened over xmas when I was ill so I basically lived in pjs for a month then went from the bigger stuff to the smaller stuff, I could do everything up maybe mid to late Jan but this last week the smallest stuff fits nicely now.

I need to get rid of the big stuff as I have to ensure I never need it again.

I forgot actually, one thing I do need to buy is leggings, all my sports leggings sre baggy now, even my compression onws, I have a couple of old pairs I have been nervous to try on but need to do. I also have 1 pair of gping out trousers that I could only wear at my very smallest/most toned so I am waiting to try those on. They may never actually fit but they are lovely so never been able to throw them out. I am regretting getting rid of so many nice clothes now though.

Got my 2 stone award at fat club yesterday
Even better was beating my personal best at “Spin” this morning where my total cycle length was 10.3 miles , usually I get 8.5 or just above.
I’ve got no new pen now and probably just one dose left , maybe 2 if I reduce . Still feeling like I want to come off and do the last 5 lbs myself with Slimming World. I may regret that and be back , we shall see

@66babe that’s brilliant on both counts, well done you!

I can’t decide what dose to do tomorrow, now the awful side effects have worn off I’m thinking maybe 7.5mg isn’t too bad… but I felt so ill on Wednesday. It’s really hard to judge, I always feel so terrible for a couple of days but then fine by the end of the week with absolute minimal suppression.

Thank you @Springbaby2023. Would you titrate to a week of 5mg , to see if that felt better ? Try the 7.5mgs next week ?

Just an idea but if you have better suppression at start of week and less at the end you could restrict more the days after your jab and then eat closer to maintenance on later days?

I’ve been stuck at the same weight for a week now. Hoping for a whoosh soon though. I identify with others saying they feel more comfortable now - I feel so much better. And the only way is down (hopefully).

I read some interesting news - Voy are now offering a plan where you stretch a pen over 6 doses instead of 4. Nice to see providers start to be more flexible.

@66babe yes I think it might be worth trying dropping to 5mg as thinking about it half term is not the week to be feeling awful. If it doesn’t seem enough I could always have a micro dose half way through or bring the next dose forward. I’m constantly torn between losing the weight and avoiding feeling terrible.

@TaffyTabby Yes that’s essentially what I’ve been doing which works quite well as I have less suppression of a weekend so it’s been nicer to eat more normally. I just also exercise more in the week so it feels unbalanced. But three lb down this week after a one lb gain the week before so something by must be working. Hopefully you will get a woosh soon! I saw that about voy, think that’s really good news.

Went jeans shopping today. Reminded myself how much I loathe shopping in actual shops!

My jeans are all M&S size 16 and now too big to wear. Having tried on over a dozen pairs of jeans (in M&S and Next) I can report I’m right in the middle of a 12 and 14!

Bought a pair of size 14 and will just wash and wear them on repeat with tops tucked in whilst I try and loose enough to go down another half size as the 12s looked too tight on my tummy making the pockets bulge out.

Well done @EducatingRosemary! that must have felt good.

I’m starting to get very disheartened with this whole journey. I’ve gone from having crippling side effects last week to the point I needed a day off work, to literally no suppression these last couple of days. Today I ate 2.2k calories! And I could still eat now. The food noise is roaring. I have jabbed with 7.5mg again today and just hoping my side effects are better, as there seems to point going down to 5mg. I think after this I’m going to start moving my doses slightly closer together and split the dose so I don’t have this whole all or nothing feeling. Kind of feels like maybe my body just doesn’t like MJ though!!

@EducatingRosemary congratulations, its great when you can get into those smaller sizes isnt it! I am so glad I kept my small jeans as it feels like having a new wardrobe, I have had to buy a few new tops and they are all fitted/tuck in, I cant ever remember feeling comfortable not covering my tummy. I am sure I was slimmer before but I definitely care less now.

@Springbaby2023 that sounds rough! Definitely try switching it up and see if that helps. I went back up to 3.75mg today, I was a day late jabbing as I forgot and ate out 4 times last week so decided to go full on this week. I am really hoping the side effects stay away this time.

I’ve finally dropped 1lbs on my previous lowest weight after inexplicably gaining a little (not an lot) over the last 9 days. I didn’t feel like I was eating more but I had a stressful week last week so wondering if I was and not acknowledging it. It’s my first blip since starting, otherwise my average loss has been 3.5lbs a week, so trying not to beat myself up about it.

@SexyFrenchDepression Fingers crossed you’ll be ok! I seem to be ok so far on my third 7.5mg jab but then it was last Tuesday evening the side effects massively kicked in for me. Have you thought about how long you’re going to keep taking it for, you must be near goal weight?

@user593 Well done that’s great! Always good to see another new low on the scale. I think inexplicable fluctuations are natural sometimes. An average of 3.5mg a week is great!

@TaffyTabby How are you getting on with 7.5?

I’m still on 5mg :)
Scale isn’t moving much but feel okay and still eating in a deficit (estimate) so sticking here for the meantime.

@TaffyTabby Ah I thought you went up for some reason, must have been mixing you up with someone else. Fingers crossed for some scale movement soon!

@Springbaby2023 feeling good so far, only day 2 though. I have about 8lb till goal weight, then will probably want a bit of a buffer under that.

I was reading a thread where someone mentioned their maintenance plan, they were on 1.25mg and planned to take for a year whilst maintaining then come off. I thought that sounded like a good idea. Hopefully huge lifestyle changes embedded that way.

Are you still losing though @Springbaby2023? Regarding the feeling hungry yesterday? It’s so easy to think we shouldn’t be hungry at all but I think it’s pretty normal to feel hungrier towards the end of the week and to accept we’ll eat more those days.

I think your side effects are a separate thing though.

I went out for a restaurant meal last night first time in ages. I had a fish starter with a poached egg and then some fish fillets for main course. It was all lovely and I was reasonably hungry as jab day is tonight. I also had some bread for the first time in weeks and weeks, the fish main had a butter sauce and I also had 3 small glasses of wine over the evening ; first time in ages I’ve drunk that much.

Anyway at 5a.m I woke up feeling a bit trapped windy and had to go to the loo. It wasn’t too terrible but I still feel a bit bloaty today. I’m also hungry as jabbing tonight. I’m wondering if the gastric disturbance is due to the bread? Before MJ I’ve occasionally reacted similarly to food but never really wondered what the cause was.

I’m looking forward to see if my jab tonight brings back the fullness I experienced earlier in the week. Quite like to feel certain that I should stay on the current dose or to go up rather than umming and ahhhing.

@tobee My guess would be the butter sauce. I eat bread every now and again without an issue, but of course everyone is different!

Yeah that was my second thought! I wondered bread because the gluten but idk