August 2026 starters

[chocolatecoveredpretzels]

Hello everyone, I'm due to start on MJ in the next few days, and I'm feeling nervous!

I've been above size 20 since I was about 14/15 years old. The highest weight I've ever logged was 134kg, about 14 years ago. I'm currently 117kg. I also have issues with my heart caused by Cushing's, type 2 diabetes and PMOS.

In the past few years, I'm yo-yo'd between 125kg and 110kg three times. I know how to lose weight and can do it... but as soon as work gets busy or stressful, I fail and give up. I also have an issue with binge and secret eating.

I went for my annual diabetic review yesterday and the nurse basically used the whole time telling me about going on MJ, because my BMI is over 40 (well, as of yesterday's weigh in, I'm 39. something) and because of my other health conditions. I didn't have to fight for it, or request it.. they're just giving it to me.

Now I'm doing as much reading/ video watching as I can to clue myself up.

On my on-track days, I eat:

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with some flavouring- chilli flakes or marmite or 15g cheddar.

Lunch: Chicken thigh fillet in some kind of seasoning mix, salad made of lettuce, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, sugarsnaps, carrot. Sometimes 3 cream crackers and a laughing cow triangle as well.

Dinner: Varies- roast chicken dinner/ 5% fat mince spaghetti bolognese with wholewheat pasta/ beef burger without the bun with cheese, salad on half the plate, usually without chips, noodles with chicken and stirfry veg.

Snacks: Usually a portion of berries/ a nectarine/ cherries/ 25g peanuts at 4pm.

How does that sound?

I have a treadmill and run/walk at 6.5/6km/hr pace for 30 mins three times a week. The nurse said I should do some weights for my arms too.

Any recommendations for which day I should inject?

Hi @chocolatecoveredpretzels I often read on these threats that people wish they had started sooner rather than later. I was very nervous initially and wish I had started sooner too.

Are there any days in the week where you are more likely to over-eat? If there are, I would start a day before these.

If all days are the same, then the advice is generally to start before the weekend in case of side effects. I did not have any so far (two jabs in) and hope you won't have any too!

What you eat sounds good! As far as I can see you have protein in every meal and that is important to lose fat and not muscles.

Joining this group.
Starting again soon as I have just seen that the pharmacy has dispatched my WLI.

I started in April but stopped at end of June as I went on holiday and it was too complicated and frankly I wanted to enjoy my time there. In 6 weeks I have put 3kg back on so no time to waste. I am determined stop being obese (level 1) and I want to be normal BMI.

I've been contemplating starting WLI for a while, I know a few people who have used them and it has transformed their lives, so after some discussion with the hubby (he's very much always been against stuff like this, but seeing how my weight is affecting me he has changed his mind) I'm going to be ordering Wegovy later today. I've taken Orlistat in the past and the side effects from that were awful (IYKYK!) so fingers crossed this works for me.
My starting weight is 13st 4lb, I'm only 5ft so the pressure on my knees and back is quite painful at times. Slightly worried about sagging skin, particularly around the breast area (current bra size is 36j) but I already take collagen so hopefully it won't be too bad. I just want to feel energized, and able to fit properly into some clothes!

Thanks everyone :)

@Cheesecake53 That 'menu' is when I'm in a good headspace. After my mum died two years ago, I reverted to no breakfast, snacks like crisps, crackers, snack cheese, chocolate for lunch, then my dinners were fairly similar, but with lots of cooking oil and huge portions. I'm hoping that I'll lose that urge to binge or secretly buy and eat unhealthy food.

@Holidays2026 do you mind me asking what felt too complicated? Was it storing the pen in a fridge, or because doing the injections stopped you wanting food?

@Hattermadness it sounds like you've really thought about it! I had a friend who was on Orlistat- as I recall, she became very good friends with her toilet... I'm glad your husband is on side now too. Will you have to pay for Wegovy yourself?

I'm waiting for the text from my chemist to say it's ready to pick up. I work in a school, so I guess the summer holidays are a good time to start, as I won't have to worry about being in work. I'm struggling to decide whether I want to inject on a Friday or a Sunday/ Monday. When I'm working, the after-school bit before dinner can be hardest, but the weekends when I have more access to food is also hard.

Yes I am paying for it myself, ordered it earlier on and now I'm just waiting for them to check everything and confirm (hopefully!) God the photographs I had to provide were horrific 🤣

I work in a school to so it's an ideal time to start IMO!

Yes, both.

Be aware that WLI changes your appetite inc. your desire for specific foods, so foods you enjoyed previously, you might not fancy at all. I used to eat tons of crisps nightly but in almost a year on MJ, I’ve eaten about 2 packets in total. It’s completely re-wired my brain.

I strongly recommend you start with a very bland diet that’s protein and fibre based and fewer plain carbs and lots more water and gradually introduce other foods to see how you tolerate them.

I’d initially scratch the beef burgers and bolognaise in your diet plan as fatty foods can cause horrible gastric issues in many users, especially in the beginning, so include them after a couple of weeks or so to see if they affect you.

WLI build up in your system so week 3 is when you need to be particularly cautious.

Initially, users were advised to go up a dose every month until they reached the maximum, but it doesn’t seem necessary if you’re having good results on the lower doses. Don’t be in a hurry to move up the doses unless you feel it’s stopped working and you’ve been stalled completely for at least a month. A few weeks without a loss is normal as your body adjusts. I’m still taking under 4mg after almost a year on Mounjaro and almost 5 stones gone.

I previously had IBS amongst other symptoms, but now have to be careful to not get constipated.

Good luck!

Great advice, thank you xxx

Hubby keeps telling me I should eat more cottage cheese, (even before now) but I'm not really too keen on it, maybe I should get some as everyone seems to recommend it as well 😂

@Hattermadness can’t stand cottage cheese either and I’ve managed without it so far. 😂😂

I don’t think I can stand cottage cheese either! I don’t like milk or cream, something about that milk lactic taste just puts me off.

@KrazyKatty that’s so helpful! Well done on five stone off! I wouldn’t mind not having burgers, to be honest, but I love spaghetti bolognese. I make it with 250g 5% fat beef mince, beef stock cube onions, garlic, tomato paste and 400ml passata with about 300ml water added. We prefer wholewheat spaghetti with it- maybe 75g raw weight each. That’s between me and Mr Pretzel, so 125g of the meat. I’m guessing my portion size will change, but would that recipe still be too fatty for my system to cope?

I’ve had scrambled eggs with red pepper and a bit of leftover bbq fajita seasoning mix stirred in for breakfast, and chicken salad with a couple of sundried tomatoes for lunch.

Mr Pretzel wants Chinese for dinner. I think I’m going to have a couple of satay chicken skewers with most of the sauce scraped off, and have a bit of his rice rather than a whole portion myself.

Still no news from the doctors about my pen being ready.

Hey all. Can I join this thread? I’m starting MJ tonight and a bit petrified if honest. I hate needles and hubby won’t administer so am somehow going to have to man up.

im also worried about gastric issues as I do love my food and hubby loves to cook! I’ve borrowed Protein in 15 from the library so going to try and use recipes from there to up the protein but still be not too many calories.

ive around 2 stone to lose as I have high blood pressure and finding my joints are sore. I’ve really struggled the last few years since having 2 kids over 40 and being peri

good luck to all and I hope we can support each other on this journey!

Can I ask please where you’re buying your MJ from, and the price? Mediexpress seems to be the cheapest at £136 for 2.5. I’m going to start after my holiday next week, so will be following and contributing to this thread

Hi all, can I join? I did my first injection in Tuesday, so just 3 days in, thought this would be better place to join than July as I'm still at the start!. No major side effects yet,a little bit of nausea, and bit of bloating but all very manageable. Some reduction in appetite and food noise, still getting some cravings for sweet stuff though. It's still very early days but so far so good! Will be interesting to see if the effect builds over next few weeks on this dose

I got mine from medexpress. Went with boots initially, but that was for store pick up and they couldn't get any stock, so after waiting for a week I cancelled boots and went with medexpress. Was approved in 15 minutes and received own the next day. Really pleased with the service.

Hello, I’m not an August starter but I though it might be helpful to mention a price comparison site for Mounjaro

https://monj.co.uk/discount-mounjaro-price-list/

all the pharmacies listed there are GPhC regulated. The list is the price for the first month with any new customer discount applied, if you want to see what the second and subsequent months would cost, look at the Retail price list. Several pharmacies are doing the first month for just over £100 with a new customer discount.

@ReneBallard did you do the injection? It is really painless. I was so worried before my first time, but it was a breeze!

@Cheesecake53 ive just done it - arghhh - for me it was a little painful as I suffer from hypersensitivity but at least no more for a week.

i was worried I hadn’t done it right but pen went down to zero so fingers crossed

just really hoping for no side effects as I’m so down about my weight.

does anyone have any experience about when I might start to notice (I get not tomorrow - ha ha)?

@ReneBallard it should kick in in a couple of hours. Hopefully just the suppression of food noise for you and no side effects for you. I did my third jab today and no side effects yet, but with my first injection I was so anxious. Wish you all the best!

Ooh, lovely to see more people here. Well done those who have taken their first dose!

I had the text from my chemist- my pen is ready to collect! 🫣 I think I’m going to inject on Sunday night before bed.

My tiktok fyp is now all mounjaro case adverts and people flogging protein drinks…

well done to those who have just done their first injection - hope you dont get too many side effects.

@chocolatecoveredpretzels good luck for yours

So, Im on day 4 now and nausea seems to have gone. I did have a couple of squares of dark chocolate last night, but didnt go overboard. Haven't had breakfast yet - cant decide if Im hungry or not!
Whilst I have defintiely ahd some beneficial effects so far - little bit less food noise, some reduced hunger - I am hoping this will build over coming weeks.
I am on another medication which causes weight gain so Im really hoping that this can reverse some of the effects of that as I've gained 2 stone since being on it 🙁(have checked with my doc - its fine to take with current meds)

I skipped my Caroline Girvan yesterday cause my legs were killing me form the day before 😂Going to do another one tonight.
I'm going back to work on Monday after a few weeks off, so will need to think about how to manage lunches.(although often dont eat lunch anyway)

Please can I join? Ashamed to say after a lifetime of being up and down the scale I'm now 20 stone 6. Before the pandemic I was size 12 and looked 10 years younger! Also in education (waves to colleagues!) so now seems like a good starting point. Pen is in the fridge but I feel so nervous, but also weirdly cross with myself like I've failed to be in this position.

Hi! 👋
Can I join too please? I started on MJ on Thursday with a starting weight of 18stone 2lb! I work in a School too, so I’m hoping that by the time we go back in September I’ll be unrecognisable LOL x

I love that there are so many school people here! Welcome @RaspberryRoad and @WombatCowgirl

I just went to the chemist, but was only given my usual medication, so the text must have been for that. I have had a message from the doctor asking for a urine sample, but I think that’s because the nurse didn’t ask for one at my diabetic review on Weds.

For those of you who are further down the line, have you had any issues with salad/ raw veg? I’ve read that it’s harder to digest than cooked veg, but I much prefer salads.

Oh hi @cutefluffyunicorn too! How are the aching muscles? I bought one of those yoga mats and a resistance tube thing so I can do strength training as well as my treadmill runs.

I’m going to google Caroline Girvan because I don’t know what that is!

Hi Everyone.
Ive just done my first jab!
I was so nervous, I was planning to do it last night but got myself in such a state I bottled it but it was so easy.
Im lucky in that I get it on the NHS for my diabetes as they’ve tried me on every other medication for it with intolerable side effects so we’re giving MJ a go but I’m just under 20 stone so I’m hoping for significant weight loss!
I work in a school too so at home now to deal with any side effects🤞
I’ve got 4 chicken breasts in the fridge, some protein shakes too. Pepto bismol, rennies, peppermint teabags all ready🤣