It’s time to Spring into the maintainers thread 4, where we don’t eat all the Easter eggs and undo all our good work!

[MargoLivebetter]

Welcome to our 4th thread of continuing all the good work we’ve done, believing in ourselves and recognising all we’ve already achieved.

Glad to hear that you have got back on track @Cantbesure . I think being able to use MJ for maintenance is a game changer. Instead of it all piling back on, we can use it to get back to where we want to be, even just for a short while. That makes such a massive difference.

Please may I join this group? I'm really a May 25 poster but I've been maintaining for a few months and reading but not posting on this thread.

I've lost 67lb (32.8% of my starting weight) and currently wear size 10 or 12 having been in 18 and 20. As I'm vertically challenged - 5' - and old - 72 - i realise it will be a struggle to maintain as my calorie needs are low. Currently taking 2.5MJ about every 10 days.

I've been inspired by reading all your comments - what a very successful set of losers/maintainers you all are!

Hello @Apprenante - welcome, no asking required. Always great to add more maintainers. Sounds like you are going really well despite the vertical and age related challenges!

How are you finding it now you have cut down to 2.5 every 10 days?

Hi, I haven’t updated in a while! I am now firmly in the swing of maintenance. My weight has settled at 7st 11lb (BMI 19.5) it is below what I had initially set out to maintain at, but my body feels comfortable here! I’ve reduced my dose - I am reducing 5 clicks at a time rather than a full dose cut to make it a bit more smooth and I feel totally in total control of it.

When I first started I was convinced I would be on MJ for life, but I am now pretty sure I will come off it completely over the next 3/4 months. I have managed to get off of 1 of my BP meds, and my cholesterol meds which was my biggest motivator for starting MJ - so along with a 4st 6lb loss I have pretty much achieved everything I set out to do. It feels surreal actually writing this. I am literally like a whole new woman! I eat with purpose, I exercise with ease, and when I look in the mirror, I am proud of the body I see. 💪🏻

Fantastic news @Atalosswhat2do . Sounds like it is all going really well and what a result to have come off your one of your BP meds and the cholesterol meds. That must feel really satisfying. Enjoy feeling like a whole new, healthy, slim woman 💟

@MargoLivebetter thank you! I know, the nurse was pre warning me that I probably couldn’t drop any meds whilst she was taking the bloods as my cholesterol 2 years ago was above 9.8 😳 then she phoned me 3 days later to say ‘forget what I said, you can drop the cholesterol & 1 of the BP. I just need to stay on 1BP med for 3 months and then we will review it again. I’ve been taking my BP at home twice a day and it’s consistently in the normal range now so hopefully be full off them by mid June!

Totally agree @MargoLivebetter I honestly thought the door for me had been closed as I’d been off MJ since last June. So it feels great to know this option is still open to me. It’s been a game changer in quickly getting the extra weight off and not continuing to gain and lose hope. Which I’m sure we have all experienced with diets and weight loss over the years.

Thank you @MargoLivebetter .

I'm not sure how much real difference taking the 2.5mg actually makes. I don't notice my appetite changing as the 10 days goes on and the MJ reduces. I think I've just got used to eating less and it's a habit now not to add carbs to a meal - I hope so anyway!

How's everyone doing? I'm still bobbling along, feeling fairly settled on my half dose. Warmer weather is definitely easier for me, as the desire to shovel carbs into myself just naturally diminishes.

I've exercised less though the last week, as it has been too hot. I love the heat, but I'm not up for doing much in it! Think that is all about to change though, so I'll be back at it again soon.

I've been selling more clothes (to make room for more!). I'd been holding on to my mid size summer stuff ..... just in case. I decided that was the wrong attitude to have, so I've been flogging it online.

Unfortunately the weather doesn't have that effect on me. But the combination of not working for the past few months (new job starts in a week) and the heat means I am reaching for a glass of wine more regularly, and then I snack Some structure when I start work again will be welcomed.

Currently 2 lbs over where I like to be, having been away for the last few days. It seems I'm able to run again after months of Pilates and stretching, so plan is to go on a longer one tomorrow followed by some pilates on Sunday.

I need to buy more clothes, but am weirdly much less fussed about them now I'm not buying them to hide in.

Anyone got some good ideas for some salads? Or good summer dinners? Could do with some inspiration...

@Thelittlestranger glad to hear that you can get back to some longer runs again.

I'll put pretty much anything in a salad! For me the key is a good dressing. My go to is a standard French Dressing, which I mess around with depending on what I think the salad calls for:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tsp French mustard
pinch of caster sugar
salt and pepper

Stick it all in an old jam jar and shake. Dead easy.

Depending on what I've thrown in the salad bowl, I'll add a bit of crushed garlic or some herbs, or I might use balsamic instead of white wine vinegar, or lemon juice.

Yesterday I had chickpeas, grated carrot, chopped little gem lettuce and some cooked and cooled green beans with the above dressing with some crushed garlic and a few bits of left over roast gammon.

I'm a few lbs over where I'd like to be. They went on over Christmas, came off briefly, went back on again and I've not really managed to get into the mindset of eating well enough to shift them. I'm eating fairly healthily, just can't seem to manage a deficit. But I've also been titrating down (now at 3mg, ideally aiming for 2.5) and started HRT, so glad it's only a few lbs really.

I’m doing terribly at the moment, I’ve taken a break from MJ as I just wasn’t feeling any effect of it anymore and I felt I’d messed around with the doses/gaps between doses too much. So I’m taking a month off and then restarting at 2.5 next weekend (will have been a month by then) and will take it properly, once a week, then move up to 5 and maybe even go higher if I need to. So far I’ve gained 8lbs which is a bit scary, I’m just hoping some of it might be water weight/hot weather related. I’m really hoping this little reset will work and I can lose these extra pounds or at least stop gaining! 🤞

Sounds delicious @MargoLivebetter I shall give that a go. I love a bit of feta in salad, and I have some pomegranate seeds to have in the next one. Also enjoy just adding tuna mayo, egg mayo to a big green salad - and just having mozzarella and tomato with balsamic.

@MummyInTheNecropolis sounds like you have a plan and a reset to work out where you are with your body is a good idea 👍

@OneThirdLess deficit is hard. That's what I'm struggling with. Trying to create it with exercise, but that does seem to be working. Did a 10km today, first this year, and it was hot - but hopefully it will help!!

Love the sound of feta and pomegranate seeds @Thelittlestranger you have inspired me!

@MummyInTheNecropolis sorry to hear it’s all gone a bit sideways. I think there are always going to be hurdles. In the overall view of what you have lost and kept off, 8lb really isn’t much. You know you can do this, it’s just a matter of getting back in the zone and you’ll have some MJ to help with that.

@OneThirdLess you can do this too! It’s probably just a few small tweaks to go from healthy eating down into deficit for a few weeks.

I think sometimes it feels disheartening and a bit boring. I know when Autumn sets in and it gets dark and cold, I will get all bearish again and just want to eat toast and crumpets and waffles all smothered in butter and jam and I’ll be doing my own battles with putting the pounds on and having to shed them again. BUT the good thing is that I know I can do it and if I need it, I can get some help with a bit more MJ.

How’s everyone doing?

I got all worried because I thought I’d been overeating and gained a kilo or two. My weight fluctuates a lot but it stayed at the top end of my range for a good fortnight. So my lowest ever was 69.2kg and I was up at like 70.8 and even 71.5 and not just for a day or two.

I decided that telling myself it was just temporary was self-deception and how I got fat in the first place. So I took 6.25mg this week instead of my usual 5. Thought I’d try to lose the regain gradually over about 4 weeks, maybe get a bit lower this time. Get back to basics, stop sliding into snacking.

4 days later I’m at 68.7 and can’t finish a salad. I’m an idiot. It was just travel, heat, constipation.

@MummyInTheNecropolis that sounds like a good plan, finding a regular dose and routine and sticking to it.

I was doing fine on 5mg (or rather 2.5 twice a week). But need to learn to trust it. The gap between ‘I will notice and do something about it if I gain’ and ‘I will not get into a tizz about small temporary variations’ doesn’t seem to be very wide.

I used code LOYAL with Pharmulous for free P&P. Every little helps!

Ah @ShrankLastWinter your post made me chuckle! I hope the inability to eat is fading. Just shows how anxiety inducing weight gain is.

Thank you @Azuresky68 I'll be doing another Pharmulous order soon.

Not enjoying the cool, wet weather!!!!! Making me want hot, buttery toast. Need summer to come back again.

I went a lb over my ballpark a few weeks back and was omfg with myself as know how easy it is to put it back on. So gone back to 10. I don’t want to be 10. I had got down to 5 and maintaining all the time. Dropped to 2.5 and went tits up and since then gone back to 10 and stabilised.

I don’t went to nor can afford 10 but also can’t seem to keep whether off so not sure what to do

I just keep hoping for a pill to come quickly

on holiday in 2mths. Last year o didn’t gain anything. Go me !! So may stick to 10 till then , then go back to dropping and 7.5 and be back at 5 for Xmas

@MummyInTheNecropolis you have done so well. I’m still in awe of your before /after pics and yes you gained a little but without mj. You will kick the gain off easily

It can't be too much longer before the pill becomes available here @Blondeshavemorefun . I'm convinced the prices of the injections will drop too. In the meantime, well done for getting back on track. Is it worth dropping down to 7.5 for the next 2 months and just going back up to 10 for the holiday itself?

I know I should. Maybe I will do 7.5/10 as I start a new pen this week so will be 45c and will get 6 doses plus a 5 for week 7

think that’s right

Hi Everyone, not much to report here but thought I’d check in. I’m still maintaining on 1.25mg. I feel like I eat quite a lot but I still have a massive preference for fruit and veg which makes it easier. I’ve started a marathon training plan for my September marathon and I’ve joined a gym and become quite obsessed with going - this seems to give me leeway for the odd meal out and bit of cake. My day to day diet is incredibly repetitive - but it seems to be working for me.

I was away for a spa weekend with friends a couple of weeks ago. Had a hilarious situation where two friends had confided in me that they were on Mounjaro but hadn’t told each other. Eventually we all fessed up and bonded over our journeys. It was so nice being able to talk openly about our experiences.

@ShrankLastWinter i am the same as you. I get very stressed by minor fluctuations on the scale and then all of a sudden 4lbs drops off and I realise it was all poo/water/food but I don’t seem to learn!

@MummyInTheNecropolis sorry you’ve been having a tough time. I hope your reset works. I’m sure you’ll be able to get things back on track quickly.

Thanks all, I’m happy to report that the reset is going well so far. Started 2.5 on Thursday and haven’t had a binge since, food noise is still there slightly but has massively reduced and is bearable. I’m eating less and feeling fuller for longer. Just praying it continues! I’m keeping up with my exercise which helps too. Did a 6k walk, 5k run and a 1 hour yoga class today.

Hope that works @Blondeshavemorefun .

Glad to hear that all is going well @Incognitoburrito88 and that you found some real life MJers to share experiences with. Good luck with the marathon training. I'm always so impressed and amazed that anyone can run that far.

@MummyInTheNecropolis hurray - great news! I hope you are feeling really pleased with yourself.

Go all of us! Overcoming all the usual battles and getting through them. 🌟🌟