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?

Oh @MamatriesmounjaroI think a lot of us can relate to what you’ve said, with a lifetime of a dysfunctional relationship with food and size, that we’re trying to somehow “correct”.

Mounjaro isn’t a magic bullet that can reset decades of that thinking but hopefully it will at least give you a space free of food noise to begin to build a better relationship with food, eating, size, your body without the obsessive behaviour that can (and certainly does with me) come from dieting.

it might feel like having a wobble but it sounds like getting back in touch with painful feelings you had/have about yourself. Try not to beat yourself up too much xx

Sending support @Mamatriesmounjaro as I had a similar wobble earlier in the thread. Lifting weights is making me feel more positive and powerful.

@Mamatriesmounjaro my story has been different (no kids for one), but I can certainly relate to those feelings. If only I had never let myself get so big, it would be so much better and I wouldn’t now have to experience whatever it is….

The thing is, what’s done is done. It can’t be changed. What can be changed is the future - and you build that by the choices you make today. Moment by moment, in fact.

Energy spent on recriminations is wasted. More than that - it’s harmful, because it diverts you from all the positive things you could be doing right now. The choices you need to make about eating and activity to build the healthiest you….. but also from enjoying the experiences you are having right now.

With your three wonderful children, for example. What age are they? What activities would you like to do with them, now or in the future? How will your greater health and fitness enhance that? And will a bit of loose skin make one jot of difference? Will a bit of loose skin prevent you from crawling round on the floor with you great grandkids at 83? No - but obesity would.

My boobs will be destroyed when I lose the weight. I had tiny boobs until 2018 and when I gained weight I gained a lot there.

I want to be healthy weight. If I have to never take off my bra, and my boobs take the hit - and they will keeping them is not good reason to live with obesity.

Of course I worry and I can relate to it all.

I also was really worried about the effectiveness as I didn't feel the suppression last few days of the (mounjaro) week. Huge relief since yesterday- jab day.

What I am finding for myself that eating lean protein and not eating my first meal of the day before I am hungry hugely impactful. Eating before I am ready to in the morning messes me up - even while on medication

@PuzzledObserver love your attitude. Very helpful to read your posts ❤️

I was slim, bmi under 20 up until 2019. I had slim and athletic body and lifestyle. Long covid stress and lockdowns I was obese by November 2020. 6 years - my body will not be the same ever again. I have to live with what I have done to myself so I fully get the pain of this realisation.

I don't have alternative. I want to feel myself again - even if I don't look as I did. There are a lot of things I found out while obese - you can have great career, people can see and appreciate you as the person you are. But life day to day is much harder with 25kg over healthy weight - it's a lot to carry. It impacts my energy, limiting the things I want to do, it's physically weighing me down. I am ready to let that go and face the music

I started the higher dose last Saturday, and so far I haven't noticed any appetite suppression and (luckily) I have had no adverse affects. I also haven't lost any weight.

I am actually starting to think the liquid didn't actually go into my body 😂

The only thing I did notice is I had a slight headache on Saturday afternoon, but that went on it's own with no need for paracetamol within a few hours.

Another podcast I listened to Good Company Dr Federica Amati How eeight loss drugs can rewire your brain. More of the same really but I found it good

Weigh in day

SW 12st 12
CW 12st 3.5. (Total loss 4 weeks 8.5lb)
GW 11st

only 0.5lb loss but that’s down to me not resisting snacks - daughter has left a lot of half finished packs of things around this week (she has OCD and won’t go back if pack open), I’ve not been good at just throwing them in the bin. Going up to 5mg this evening so hopefully that will help

I feel exactly the same - I wish I was as fat as I was when I was 20 and thought I was fat! Weighed about 10 stone (I’m 5’6”) and was a size 12 that’s more like a current size 10!

after first child I lost the weight and was back to reasonable size, second child I was already larger and didn’t really lose the weight, third child and weight stayed for years. Just kept creeping up a couple of pounds at a time - if only I’d nipped it in the bud and every time I did that I’d been strict for a few weeks just to shift that couple of pounds

Morning everyone and happy weekend!
@Belladog1 how are you getting on with the higher dose now?

@Mamatriesmounjaro I completely understand that wobble, I’ve definitely had it at times.

I’ve done my 6th injection today and first with the 5mg pen although I’ve click counted to only get 3.75. Suppression was still there on 2.5 but I think I was stalling a bit and I think part of the suppression was because I’ve been ill and not wanted to eat. So I’m hoping a small increase will avoid side effects but maybe give me a boost.

Happy weekend, everyone!

@Blushingviolets let us know how you get on. Are you feeling better now?

@Housemum so relate to that feeling of regret for past choices. Looking back, I can’t even work out what the hell I was thinking, why I thought it was okay to eat so much junk to the point of feeling sick and uncomfortable. I’m still enjoying food, which I’m really pleased about, but the compulsion to overeat has all but gone.

I am picking up my second 5mg pen this morning from the chemist. I’ve got one more dose of 5 from the current pen, so I’ll do 5 weeks more on 5mg and consider if I need to move up.

Current progress:

14.9kg loss in the last three months.
11kg loss since starting MJ.

@Blushingviolets I hope the side effects stay at bay on the increased dose.
2nd dose back up to 2.5 for me after a couple of weeks at 1.25. No side effects last week at all, thank goodness.
I got the extra dose out of the pen with a little extra force to turn it. Thank you for the tip from whomever posted that.
1lb off last week. 10lb in total. Definitely slowing down though and enjoyed a wine last night, but no snacking urges which is my main downfall usually.
Happy weekend all.

@Blushingviolets I am pondering doing something similar…. I did 5 weeks at 2.5mg then last week did 3mg. But unless the whoosh fairy visits overnight, my loss for the past week will be less than a pound. I don’t feel ravenously hungry and haveńt been going wild, but maybe the little bits at the end of a meal (dark chocolate, nuts) are getting a bit more generous. So I think I’m going to do more than 3mg tomorrow, but exactly how much, I don’t know.

In my head I’m going to be to the point where 4mg is the right amount for the rest of my journey, so I’ll get 5 weeks out of a 5mg pen and not need to go beyond the 30 days open thing. But my body may well have other ideas!

I started this thinking I would be on the jab for 6 months, reach my goal weight and then stop. I now see that was uninformed. Even if I do eventually manage to stop, it will be after a slow process of tapering and allowing the body to adjust gradually to having less on board, seeing how my appetite responds and whether I can cope with it etc. So I guess I’ll just have to be thankful that I can afford to pay, if I need to keep on paying.

Back from holiday and weighed in this morning and lost 2lb (first week on 5mg, five weeks total) which I’m pleased about as I wasn’t strict when I was away. Chose fairly carefully and didn’t clear my plate but didn’t feel deprived.

Second 5mg jab tonight.

SW 13st 2lb
CW 12st 5lb
TW 9st

ETA - Most delightfully, my double chin has gone!

So far I feel great on the 3.75 @chocolatecoveredpretzels @FeelingALittleStrangeToday @PuzzledObserver although I have been out for the morning and forgot to take water so I’ve got a bit of a headache.

I actually think I might have less nausea than I was used to on 2.5mg although I was lucky and low level nausea was the only symptom o ever got really. Although it was slower than the initial whoosh I was still losing so now I’m just curious to see what happens this next week.

Does anyone get the random urge to be able to fast forward a week ahead to see what the result will be? Like if life was on a video tape 😆

I am back home today, after late night flight and resume normal food & walk but did not do any strength. I will start with that tomorrow. I am just so tired from the flight - I didn't want to push it. Groceries shopping done too.

Yes, and the days - I want the time to get by and me to be at better weight & health and strength space. I feel like I am just waiting for the next day at times too.

Just did my 6th jab yesterday, second on 5mg MJ. Weighed today and lost 1.75 lbs. I was pleased with this but have had a lot of nausea over the past week and was also sick once.

Thankfully, I think I'm learning to manage it by being careful with morning coffee if I feel too sick on waking and then sucking sugar-free polos and drinking plenty of water at work. By about 1pm I'm starting to feel better and able to eat a light lunch at 2pm. Certain foods are off limits- yogurt, chocolate, anything fatty.

SW - 15 stone 12.25lbs
CW - 15 stone 5.5lbs

I've just watched a YouTube video from someone who was using MJ and lost 3 stone. Stopped and gained some, so decided to try Wegovy, and she said she has zero appetite suppression, which is what I'm finding. However, on MJ she had side effects whereas on Wegovy she had none.

It was interesting

@Belladog1 does that mean you’re losing weight but having to use much more willpower/ deal with food noise on wegovy? Or is the medication not having any impact?

I initially lost weight. It was great, no symptoms, weight loss .... perfect. But I haven't lost anything in a month now, even though I've gone up a dose, and i don't have any appetite suppression.

Half a pound up while away. Its nothing really but it did slow me down 2 weeks and I am glad I am not back over 90 as this would mentally be harder to deal with.

I didn't feel the suppression as well while away and miraculously I do back home. I think I was sensible with my food - no dessert, one drink max per night, swimming and walking a lot, very little bread/flourloss of vegetables and fruit. But used a lot more willpower then what I am home.

I am starting 10 week program this week. I don't follow the nutritional or the exercise advise but they do seminars, meditations, prompts so hopefully that help.

For today my morning hit list
Pint of water before I have my morning coffee. I drink 2 - two cups of coffee
5 minutes weights - bodypump track
50 minutes walk with my dog

Basic food prep.

I will do 2.5 for my 8th week and see how it will go but I am going to order 5 so it's ready for me.

Grateful to have this space to share the ups and downs.

@Belladog1 would you consider switching to mounjaro or are you worried about side effects?

I know others have been reporting some nasty experiences but I genuinely haven’t had anything other than the odd feeling of nausea so far. In case that’s a helpful consideration!

@Belladog1 that sounds really tough. Do you have a medical professional/ your provider to talk it through with, as well as here? Are you considering upping your dose again, or would you want to try a different medication, risking more side effects?

@MiaN You always write so honestly and clearly. Thank you for sharing. I’ve made myself a little weights routine which takes about 14 mins so I’ll do that this morning, then I’m heading into town later so I’ll walk instead of driving. I’ll end up with similar exercise goals as you today :)

@Blushingviolets that’s my experience too. Some of the posts on other threads (and all those stupid greens gummies and supplements adverts) made me so nervous about side effects.

Apart from some burpiness on the days I’ve eaten more and third-day upset stomach, I seem to be okay for side effects. It’s really not been anywhere near as scary as I thought.