The Saxenda Sisterhood

[Saxendastarter]

Hi all,

As the last thread is filling up I thought I'd start a new one so we don't get lost.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/4788207-im-starting-saxenda-this-week

This is the follow up from "I'm starting Saxenda this week" I'm personally journaling my way to a hopefully healthier and happier life. I'm journaling what I'm eating, the weight I'm losing (and gaining) and trying to see the positives outweigh the negatives on a daily basis. I'm joined on this thread and journey by many amazing women who are all very supportive and who are also sharing as much or as little as they like.

I'm finding I'm opening this thread instead of opening the cupboards, the fridge and the food delivery app on my phone and feeling less in my struggles and frustration and writing about my days makes me realize my life isn't all bad.

I'm thankful for all the voices in this thread and feel supported by the sisterhood of women from all over facing the same body struggles as I am.

I post some pictures and photos and I really like it when others do too.

If you're new please join us if you want to and let us know how you're getting on with your Saxenda journey. Come here for compliments when you deserve them and commiseration when you need some. You're welcome whatever your age, wherever you are and if you have 1kg or 10 stone to loose.

I've been on Saxenda for 10 weeks and lost 9.2kg (1st 6.2lbs) so far. I started at over 96kg and am now 87 and a bit. I have at least another 20kg to go to be happy with how I look - but knowing that the Saxenda sisterhood is here makes the journey seem less intimidating.

I would start doing some exercise. I ride my indoor bike 2 or 3 times a week now. That's what will up your metabolism along with eating fewer calories because Saxenda makes you feel full. Also, eat protein at every meal and eat on small plates. So far I dropped 5 lbs. first week and 4 pounds the second week. Started 1.8 dose today for third week. Now is the time to include exercise in your program. Walking for 7,000 to 10,000 steps is good too.

Congratulations on moving on from your job. Do you plan to do any other type of work or taking a hiatus for a couple of years?

@KatGirl007 Ill be back in a job pretty soon I reckon… I’m a career girl at heart. I finish this job at the end of October so will start interviewing for new positions after that to try and be in a Job by January. I want to take a bit of time to concentrate on myself and hopefully loose weight. I’ve worked full time since I turned 18 ( worked nights whilst I was studying and then as an afterschool + Wednesday nanny when finishing my masters - and then went into a full time job as soon as I graduated) so don’t feel guilty about this.
Im not exactly sure what I want to next but I don’t want to go back to investment or big 5 and I déffo don’t want to work in a start up again … not yet anyway! So we’ll see. I’m not worried though. My penultimate director from my last company got in touch At the beginning of the summer to ask if I would be available to do some freelancing for them so that’s also an option.

That sounds so nice. Enjoy!!

Footgoose - You sound like you got this working out nicely. I haven't gone up to 3ml yet. It's so nice to see how others are doing on this. I am so afraid to not go by the book. Doing the doses as prescribed weekly. I do love how this makes me not concerned about food. I am using NetDiary to log in my intake so I can see what foods seem to work the best. I love wine at my dinner meal and did notice that I am only drinking about 5 oz. now when before I would do two glasses of it.

Brilliant news @Saxendastarter

(I am meeting my boss tomorrow to tell them that this will be my last year... am excited and nervous all at once.)

@justsaxy Bon courage!

Merci!

Congratulations @Saxendastarter ! That sounds like a great package and will give you peace of mind that you don’t HAVE to scramble to find a new job

Sounds great @Saxendastarter and like it should all work out for you, and never feel guilty for taking time for yourself!

I’ve been struggling over the last week too, have eaten so much more! It’s like I suddenly got hungry but didn’t see it coming and struggling to stop and then feeling rubbish, very annoying as very much like falling off the wagon which is upsetting 3 months in when has felt so simple up until now.

I have upped the dose and trying to be strict with myself and hope a few days of that and I will snap out of whatever it was that made me want bread and chocolate again!!!!

I have a target for the next 3 months, have spent a bomb getting pens stashed in my fridge so can’t afford to get slack with it now - fingers crossed I can get back on track and force some positivity on myself!

Thank you @KatGirl007 . I’m hoping I don’t fall off the wagon . Not being on the full dose has brought back a few cravings , I’m trying to stay vigilant .

@Saxendastarter , good news, I’m glad you can take time to consider all your options .

Morning all! Great news about your insurance @justsaxy ! And about your job @Saxendastarter - wow what a payoff!

I've had a message from Boots after a week to say that the store 20 miles away is now out of stock and can't fulfil my order, and the next-nearest is 100 miles away. So I've cancelled and am going to use up the pen and a half I have left and try to go it alone again. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I don't think it's really working for me anymore anyway. This week I have been terrible, just eating and eating. And I am fully aware I'm doing it and not even hungry half the time, it's almost like I'm rebelling against myself somehow? A weird and depressing feeling. Maybe it's a hypnotist I need, or one of those masks they made Hannibal Lecter wear.

Morning All,

Sorry I have been a bit MIA, had a bit of a stressful week, then yesterday DP was in an road accident. He will be right as rain in a week or so, but he has given me a fright.

Just catching up with everyone.

@Saxendastarter It sounds like you are ready for a change- as PP's have said take time to consider your options. Freelance may work well for you too. I work in an SME and at times it can be relentless. Good Luck.

@justsaxy Hope everything goes well for you too.

Best wishes to all and here is to a positive week of fresh starts and a Bank Holiday!

Weekly update to stay accountable.

Start Weight: 129.27kg
Today's Weight: 104.22kg
Weekly Loss/Gain: -0.63kg (-1.4lbs)
Total Loss: 25.05kg (55.2lbs)

Happy with that as I have had cake again this week, and been surviving on strong milky coffee.

Next week target: 2.5lbs off by Friday- that will be 20% of my starting body weight. Having a ladies away weekend next week and that is my target- (possibly a bit ambitious). Onwards and Upwards.

@Glorfindels I hope you husband is okay! Sending thoughts/prayers/good vibes.

TL/DR Long update on ho I'm getting on - not specifically Saxenda related.

I'll be starting Saxenda again next week.

Hi everyone,

The French sort of labor office has just accepted my leaving convention (they have to sign off). It's a bit of a sad time because I'm leaving a company I've loved and worked myself to the ground for for the last few years, but I'm happy to know that I did my best by them - and I think my payoff shows that. As one of my wise colleagues ( gastric balloon collegue) once said - I love my company but not as much as I love myself. It's been a really tough few weeks for me and I know that I've sort of abandoned the thread but it has been a great comfort to keep on reading you all and knowing that you are all here.

I've not taken Saxenda for the last few weeks on advice from my shrink ( finally got round to finding a new one and honestly I think I've found a good'un - I was worried I was slipping back down into a dark place but he was very clear about the fact that it's normal to feel shit in shit situations and not necessarily a sign of the beginning of a major depressive episode). He's agreed that I can start again next week and told me that as I've been off for a while I will probably have a new kick start in weight loss which I'm looking forward to.

I've not been being careful at all about what I eat over the last three weeks, I've been eating whatever I want when ever and I have not gained so thats a plus. I'm still nearly 10kg down from when I started and even though I have 20kg to go at least it's still a great start.

As I've written before ( and without it being a universal truth - I think it is true for many) for me my mental health struggles are intrinsically linked to my weight and body image - both are battles for me.

I went through a box of old papers last week looking for an old photo and found this (photo attached in next post) that I had stuck to my fridge- it made me sad to remember when it was from - at that point I was 52kg for 1m68 (BMI of 18.4) and desperately trying to hit 50kg (BMI 17.7). So I was objectively underweight and still struggling and hating my body. It made me think a lot about how relative everything is.

Last night I went for supper with an old acquaintance from my time in Berlin - he was a maths tutor of mine at uni who I had a sort of fling with ( nothing nefarious, I was a masters student and he was a post doc so only a few years older) - I hadn't seen him in many years and he whatsapped out of the blue and asked if he could invite me out for supper - as always I was really anxious for him to see me now. When the menu arrived there were not a lot of very healthy choices and he asked me "are you going to be okay choosing?" I sort of took it badly as a reflexion on my weight and him thinking I must be on a diet so confronted him and he said that not at all, and asked if I'd accept an art metaphor ... I had no idea what he was on about and worried that we were lost in translation, his German is fast and fluent and mine gets rustier by the day.... anyway he said that he couldn't deny that in Berlin what he used to lie next to me he often had the impression to be in bed with a Rodin dancer, but that at points it got a bit scary and he thought he was sharing with an Egon Schiele flay and thats what he was getting at because he used to be very aware of how panicky I used to get when trying to pick from a menu when we went out for meals, so he'd often just order quickly for me. I told him I'd be fine as as he could see I was no longer being restrictive. He replied "Das freut mich sehr" (that he was pleased) and told me that I had to know I was now a lovely Botticelli. He's always been an absolutely charming fucker and I've never seen him fail at getting into anyone pants if he wants to so I know he's just very gifted at compliments - but he seemed sincere. His comment along with my old fridge paper really hit home about how I have spent the best part of my life obsessing about my weight and body... Anyway, he must have found one hell of a woman because he invited me ( and FPOTM) to his wedding!

This was the piece of paper - it spent years stuck on my fridge - all calories per 100g and the only things I would eat ...

@Saxendastarter Thank you for sharing that, a lot of what you have said resonates with me too. I got to a point I was weighing lettuce portions. Mental health & body image go hand in hand for so many people so much of the time.

Better to be a Botticelli is what I will take from that poetic analogy. In reality I'm probably less renaissance more Beryl Cook!!

Thank you for sharing all of that @Saxendastarter .

I absolutely understand the panic at meeting people again. I will be in the UK at Christmas and am already anxious at the thought of seeing people.

That list is interesting... you were eating 900kcal a day?

It is interesting to look back on how we think about and treat our bodies. It is fascinating for me, how we react/interact to this beautiful thing that allows us to be... and similar to yourself, I have never really looked at mine positively. I am trying to learn this, and to appreciate it.

On my side, I quit my job and the hunt for a replacement is on. To find someone who can do my job in English, and to have a specific qualification, isn't easy, so it will take time but either way, I will be out next June. My boss even suggested changing my contract to a temporary one so I won't be penalized from the chomage / dole point of view. I feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulder and am counting down.

Three weeks (20 days!) until my appointment where I am shown how to use Saxander and am handed my prescription!!!! I am counting down for this too... I shall start holding myself accountable and putting in numbers soon too. I didn't food journal this week as I just couldn't face it, but work did order in giant pizzas on Thursday and I managed 1.5 slices. Luckily my binome is a walking dustbin and always eats my leftovers (and is super fit/toned as well. I call him the mountain goat!)

I just bought a (new to me) Reebok step to give myself some
Motivation. Let's see how much I fall on my face... haha

I'm starting to feel better! I think having signed off on my work thing has helped so much. I had a dinner party yesterday at mine and went for a walk today with the friends who stayed over. Looking forward to be back with you all and back on Saxenda on Monday!

@Saxendastarter . Good to hear you are feeling better . All the best for restarting saxander tomorrow . It’s a Bank Holiday in UK tomorrow and my last day of annual leave . I’ll be back on it Tuesday .
I’ve allowed myself a few treats over this past 11 days as we could not go on holiday . I decided to treat my time off as a holiday and ring fenced my time off for only the good things , days out , good food , friends round. It was difficult getting through to the family that no I’m not clearer out the garage and going to the tip , no I’m not taking Mum in law shopping , no I’m not catching up on the house work . A few days were wasted to the mundane which I’m still grumpy about. Today we went to a food fair in Yorkshire . It was lovely . I was happy to look at all the beautiful cheeses , gins and cake on offer but I stayed on message and only bought non edible treats gone with me . We did , however , have a gyros each but I’m still seething at the cost . Wait for it….. £ 40 pounds for 2 mixed gyros with a few chips . No drinks . Maybe I’m tight but I’m still reeling .
Hope everyone in UK has a good Bank Holuday weekend and the weather is fine .

@Saxendastarter hope the re-start goes well! And congrats on the good leaving package. I hope it is a weight off your shoulders.

This week is a 2.5lb loss after a maintain last week. So 14st 10, total loss 2st 3 and this is (I have to check!) week 15. Still thrilled. I've put my dose up 2 days ago but to 2.1 as I still want to eek out the supplies as long as I can. I have 2 pens left, but did manage to get 2 more from Boots this week. Unfortunately it's a trek to go and get them.

I'm not sure if this week is going to see any loss. We are hopefully moving on 6th Sept, so the house is being packed every evening, and cooking time is minimal as well as things already being packed! My food plan this week is rather carby and basic. Baked potatoes, pizza, sausage and mash, pasta and sauce, tacos... at least I know my portion sizes will be fine, so hoping not too much damage!

Damn. It is week 16, not 15! I forgot there was a week I was away when I couldn't weigh!

What is a gyros?

Finished my last pen today. Only had 3 and never even got to the full dose as I was trying to eke them out. Going try by myself again and see what happens.

Gutted that now I find something that works and there are stock issues!