January 2025 starters - goal weight era

[HeidiLite]

New thread!

Day 1 of cycle here today. Feeling v tired and mood is low, but that’s to be expected. Ulcers and infections are healing, so that’s good.

Went to the Schiaparelli exhibition at the V&A with DS1 yesterday and he really enjoyed it, so I got even more out of it. Funny how seeing the wonder in your (cynical and disillusioned) teenage kid’s eyes can make you feel so good.
Some retail therapy has also helped. So that’s the office spring wardrobe boosted.

@Jins I’ve only really been experimenting with seeing how low I can go in order to gain a bit more energy/strength as I was maintaining weight v well on 2.5mg and 2mg, but had little energy in the mornings. Not sure how much of that was a coincidence with the shorter days and lack of vitamin D. But I’ll see how I get on at 1.83mg and if I still gain weight I might have to do a month of 2.5mg to blow out the inflammation cobwebs.

I’d love to get down to 2.5mg as a maintenance dose but I’m already ravenously hungry since dropping to 4mg on Saturday. I’m going to try to push through and do a couple of weeks at this level. It annoys me intensely that my need to titrate down is purely financial. Pre Trump’s tantrum the most I paid for 10mg was around £150 which was manageable but the extra £100 is a bit much.

DH and I had a lovely day yesterday exploring a few of our local heritage sites. It feels like months since we did something like this and it’s a combination of DIY and weather that stops us. May is usually glorious but this year it’s been a bit disappointing. I’m looking forward to some Turkish sun on my skin.

Onwards and upwards all!

I'm good with onwards but don't want the scale creeping upwards 😁

Just checking in. I am still maintaining on 5mg but don’t feel like I could drop lower. I have to order a new pen from Oushk start of June (despite my stash, something to do with staying on the program) and I don’t think they will let me order anything higher than 10mg which is annoying.

Actually , despite all the reassurance, I’m expecting them to be incredibly difficult about supplying me with anything!

Oushk are doing a big social media push and will credit customers accounts depending on how many followers they get so I’m hanging on before closing my account and I’ll order a 2.5 with my Oushk points and any credit.

After that we’re parting company completely.

Morning 🌄 losers and mainteners!
Hope everyone is well?
@DGmaintaining @Jins @Zempy
All the talk about maintenance and stashes is exactly where I am at right now. I am taking 4mg (23 clicks from a 10mg pen) every 10 days and managing to maintain ( within a few pounds) but I have only the rest of this 10 pen and one 12.5 pen left.
I won't be able to get any more as its been too long and I do want to titrate down but if money was no object I think I would be on it for ever!

The stash is a headache for me @BreezyPeer because I’m having to order every 6 weeks to maintain supply but I neither need it nor can afford it. I’ve just ordered my second pen from weprescribe which was such a smooth process compared to the Oushk nonsense and I’ve gone for a 7.5mg pen this time. I really don’t think I’ll get below 5mg for maintenance though. Shotsy tells me there’s currently 5.9mg on board but I’m not feeling it.

I’ve started digging out the cases and cabin bags which is exciting. I’m really looking forward to freedom from cooking as well as seeing some sun. It’s been a tough year so far and the weather hasn’t helped. I’m normally tanned by now 🤣 Next job is the traditional annual epilation and lumea zap. Now that’s something that has transformed my life!

@jinsI am loving the sun prep - although I am now
picture you with a garden strimmer and a determined face…..

I have a similar dilemma in terms of reordering. I am pushing it to the 7 week limit with pharmulous but given I am trying to slowly titrate down, I worked out I will be getting 7 doses per pen so that isn’t awful I guess. It will depend on how the move down goes. I’d love to get under 5mg if only from a cost reduction pov.

so after last weeks gain, I have had a bit of a whoosh oddly so I can only put it down to the hrt blip. At one stage I looked to be 4lb down in a week but didn’t believe that so I made dh change the batteries in the scales and this morning it was a 3lb loss. All very odd as I am definitely eating more. I am sleeping better and moving more though so must be that. My jab fiasco doesn’t appear to have killed me which is a relief but my cold is horrible so I am feeling exhausted and had to cancel a work trip today.

That would have been the situation years ago @myladyjane but the lumea gods worked wonders and it’s not going to take long.

Congrats on the 3lbs!

I am very jealous of lumea, I'm too blonde and it does nothing.

Scale is subbornly stuck on 59 kilos, I do a ton of sports and have eaten moderately, there should be some downward trend. Might need to track a little while if the scale doesn't start moving soon. Sigh. It's great to be slim but it will remain a battle, won't it. Far easier battle with MJ, but still - I'll never be a naturally slim person who can eat whatever and never gain an ounce.

I also need to eat slower - as soon as I am not paying attention and intentionally slowing myself down, I tend to gobble my food down like I'm participating at a speed eating competition.

I managed to order a 5mg from Oushk to arrive this month. My maintenance codes have run out so I need to request some more if I’m sticking with them. So far I haven’t had any issues ordering randomly, but I think it’s down to luck on who’s checking the orders when they come through. I have one 5mg pen I’m half way through and another in the fridge, plus one due soon. At a rate of 22clicks per pen I’m good till about October but will likely order another for July if I can. I won’t be doing any social media following.

Having titrated to below a maintenance dose and now trying to increase my dose to see where I can settle, it’s made me realise if I want to stay this weight and also keep the inflammation down that I will likely be on MJ forever. I’m also wondering if menopause will affect dose needed too. I’m still v regular with my cycle, so not sure when that’ll happen. I’m 47 and I’m pretty sure my mum continued to have periods into her 60s.

Sorry you’re still feeling ill @myladyjane hope you get better soon.
@Jins I had all my leg, bikini and underarm hairs lasered off about 10 years ago, best thing I’ve invested in for my confidence (hairy Italian genes). Till MJ.

All this talk of pen stashes. I have a slightly different quandary. I've been paying £15 to Oushk since October, to enable me to order a pen whenever I like, if I want to. I've been maintaining since September, and I wonder how long I should pay it for. Will I end up paying it forever, just for the security??? I know that other places probably would have let me order within a year, but that wasn't known or available when I signed up to it.

It seems I can run again without pain after all my pilates and that is having the desired effect on my weight. It's within my buffer again, so my shoulders are down and I can breathe easy.

The Oushk flex plan was my maintenance goal @Thelittlestranger as I love the idea of ordering when I feel like it. It took a while to realise that they’d prescribe 2.5mg though. I’d hoped I could buy 5mg every other month which I realise now is just wishful thinking.

I’m definitely struggling with hunger and food noise this week. Having said that my weight seems to be holding despite increased consumption and rather more chocolate than there should have been. I think I’m a suppression addict.

On the plus side I think I’ve found my holy grail makeup item. I binned most of my makeup last week as the foundations that used to work now don’t. I can’t afford high end or even mid range at the moment and was considering erborian cc cream when I found reviews for eveline magic skin. It arrived yesterday and lasted a solid 8 hours with no patchiness, shine or settling into wrinkles. £7.41 well spent.

I'm with Pharmulous and they let you start up ordering again as long as it's within 12 months of your last order - no payment required. I don't know how long Oushk will be able to push their Flex model if other providers essentially do the same thing for free.

interview went ok, not sure if I'd want the job anyway though. Really torn! Won't hear back until next week now.

@MJalltheway interview didn't convince you it's the right job for you?
It's an odd experience isn't it, when you need to sell yourself but are not actually really sure if you want to succeed..

It's the post 12 months I'm worried about. What then? What do we do then, if we put weight on and don't want to go up to 30 BMI before we seek help?

@MJalltheway I'm torn about my job offer. I should take it. But do I really want it?

don't some places also prescribe for BMI 25 now?

My weight is stuck at 59 kilos, this is getting annoying - I've worked out more than usual and limited my calories. May need to go up with dose a bit if I can't get it unstuck.

@Thelittlestranger what's holding you back from the job offer? In my case (not that I have an offer yet!) the new job will be a much longer commute (albeit hybrid so only for 2 days a week in the office), and shorter holidays. Less money (a bit) but will actually take home more because of the shorter hols. The job will have a lot less to it, they are the same job title but because I've picked up so many extra tasks where I am, I do an awful lot more at my current place.
I really like working with my coworkers where I am apart from one person who's an absolute arse. Fundamentally I think I just wonder if i can be bothered when I'm hoping to retire early in a couple of years time.

@Jins I was with weprescribe all the way through. I found them really helpful. Not the absolute cheapest but not the most expensive either. So nice to be planning a sunny 🌞 holiday!
@HeidiLite intentional eating is definitely where I need to be too! I need to get back to my good habits and stop eating in front of the tv 🤣
@DGmaintaining all this talk about lasers is making me think I need to look into that! I am very dark and would love to be free of the constant waxing and shaving
@Thelittlestranger I didn't know anywhere would let you order within a year. That could be great for me!
@MJalltheway what did you decide about the job? It's a good position to be in, offered it anyway
@Thelittlestranger you are right! I am around bmi 22 I definitely don't want to go back up to 30 to be able to order again
Got a day of travelling for work so I better get to it!

I am a fast eater and I’ve actually given up trying not to be. It stresses me out too much.

first exam today for dd2. Then both of them start in earnest on Monday. I told dd it didn’t matter if she didn’t pass, she could always just live at home with mummy FOREVER and that seemed to really up her motivation today ;)

Could it be you’ve gained muscle?

@MJalltheway on paper the job is a dream. I just don't know if I want to go back to it all. But, I'm going to have to and am sending them my package wants today. Let's see if they're up for it.

Maintenance is hard work. @HeidiLite why do you want to hit that particular number on the scales? That's what I keep asking me myself!

@Thelittlestranger good question, I just have 57 kilos in my head as the ideal weight. I guess we all have one? Also I don't want to go over 60, another random self-inflicted number. 59 is uncomfortably close. Also I feel bit softer now than when I was 57 kilos, and I liked it better before.

I asked because I have a number that I like. But I'm trying to work out if there is actually a difference 1 lb or 2 heavier. I think for me, I'm more worried about the creep. If I let it go, then do it again, it just keeps getting more and more ...

0.8lbs up today so I’ve jabbed a day early and made it a big one. 6.25mg or 50 clicks of my brand new 7.5mg pen. Hopefully by tomorrow I’ll be back to having very little interest in eating. Next jab is due the day we fly so will decide what the plan is midweek.

For those following DS2s work saga he’s been given a date for the outcome meeting but told not to worry. On the other hand the shift leader that made the complaint is now under investigation for harassment and bullying. We did a very good job of the formal complaint letter which fell short of grievance language but not by much.

Off to an engagement party tonight. Couldn’t be less enthusiastic and we aren’t splashing out on a memorable present as past form suggests this may be short lived.