Struggling to cope with weight

[Snickers94]

Hello,

I'm 29 years old and diagnosed with PCOS and more recently hypertension. I'm now on meds to lower my blood pressure.

My BMI has reached its highest, 39.3. I've tried to lose weight my whole life but at most lose about 1-2 stone then put it back on. It's now affecting my health.

I struggle with my appetite so much. I've been referred for bariatric surgery on the NHS recently but my GP said they can't give me wegovy. I've looked into Turkey for bariatric surgery but I would need to use half our savings even for that.

I wanted to get Mounjaro or Wegovy on private prescription but my husband isn't keen because of the price. He told me to join the gym down the road but it's £140 per month and when I said that he told me to wait til I pass my driving test so I can drive to his gym. But that might take ages and my issue is my endless appetite and low energy. I just had a really big argument with him. He goes to a £50 per month gym frequently because he can drive but tells me we don't have the money for the expensive treatments I want.

I really don't know what to do. I've been under weight management programs to no avail. I'm scared I will become morbidly obese and have a heart attack or something.

Please can someone just give some support or advice.

You can get Mounjaro for £149 at Med Express, they regularly have the lowest prices, and there are usually multiple discount codes hanging around for them. As you know, with PCOS it's nigh on impossible to lose weight. I'm disabled and didn't think I could afford it, but with the amount I'm saving on food and wine, it's costing me about £40 per month. If you have your own money, don't let him dictate what you spend it on!

Sorry you're feeling low OP, it sounds really difficult. Could you look into a PT/nutrition coach that specialises in your condition? I follow a guy on insta that concentrates on PCOS/menopause- I think he's called Greg Lock/the fat loss guru. You don't need gym membership, so he says.

Is there a reason you can't go to your husband's gym at the same time as him? I'm assuming childcare but you don't mention DC- sorry if this sounds obvious!

I'd be reluctant to go down the injection route. Did the GP do a full health check when they refused them? Wondering if there was a reason why. Also exploring your low energy?

The GP wouldn't have been able to prescribe it, as currently in the UK only ties 3 weight loss management services can prescribe for weight loss.

The GP said he can't prescribe it to me since I don't have diabetes. Apparently they only prescribe it if you have diabetes but I thought Wegovy was available for weight loss.

I can't go to the gym at the same time as him because of childcare - it doesn't have a crèche and we don't have anyone nearby who could look after our little girl.

I just don't want to be stuck at this weight/gaining. I did manage to lose a bit of weight last year but it stalled at about 6lb, it's really hard with the pcos.

I'll see if I can find any good deals on the injections - do they go up in price per month?

The first 2 doses are usually the same price, then they may increase by £10-15 or so. Also, you can actually get 5 weeks injections out of the pens rather than the 4 stated, so works out cheaper.

Med Express starting at £149, CONSULT-BUNNY gives 15% off, I believe MEDFP20 gives 20% off for new customers. Hopefully the discount will be ongoing, as they generally have new discount codes out every month.

Please bear in mind, many people have good success on just 5 - 7.5mg doses, not everyone has to be on high doses to be successful. So it really may not be as expensive as you fear, plus as I said earlier, you will amazed at what you stop spending on random junk.

Whatever you decide, good luck. 💐

It can only be prescribed for weight loss on NHS by weight management services in hospitals. If you're considering paying for it, opt for Mounjaro. Anecdotally, people have far fewer side effects, and in trials was found to be more effective than Wegovy.

Oh I promise I'm not Greg! Had no idea- he comes across as quite matter of fact but realistic about commitment- I haven't been coached by him so can't comment personally but I'd definitely take note of the negative reviews from here and would dig deeper if I was thinking about signing up. He just popped into my head because of the pcos thing and he does a lot of posts about that and meno.

Weight loss will be slow but it is achievable
I lose around 1/2 to a 1lb a week
Im not dieting, Im eating healthy
The only two things I have kicked to the curb are white bread and butter, because if I start on those, I cant stop

I have cut the carbs, not out, but down. I tend to eat no more then 2 slices of bread a day - wholemeal ( for the fibre ) Ive swapped pasta to wholemeal as well

Half of any meal is veg. Even if Im wanting a bacon sandwich , its now a BLT - I pack it with lettuce and tomatoes and bacon medallions. This way just one round will leave me full, before I could easily demolish four slices of bread making 2 rounds

I still eat the normal family type meals and I cook for the family and no one is missing out.

We had family stay this weekend and the normal would be a belly full of drink and a take out. We still did the drink and we had Kebabs, only I made them , 5% mince, air fried, piles of salad, wholemeal pitta. Breakfast, I still had the eggs and bacon I was cooking for everyone else, with loads of mushrooms , tomatoes and beans instead of the soda bread, potato bread and pancakes that make up an ulster fry

I like a drink, but wine is just so fattening so I swapped to a spirit and mixer.I might still have a pint of cider on a hot summers day, but its just the one

Took me 4 months to lose 10% of my starting weight and 10 months to lose 2 stone to get my BMI to a healthy level

But as I say I dont look at it as being on a diet, its a change of dietary habits. Some weeks I dont lose, I might gain, I might sts, but I know as long as I carry on with the changes it will go. Slowly but surely. If we do have a blow out weekend, then it happens, I just get back to the healthy meals as soon as possible

I dont do any other form of exercise then walking. I ensure I get in my steps every day. I use the stairs not the lift, I park about 10 mins walk from where I work and I did buy a fitwatch which beeps at me to tell me to move if ive been sat still too long and keeps track of my steps. If Ive had a day where Ive been sat a lot and not going to hit my step target, I go out for a walk

I dont need to lose any more weight but I know I have to keep with the changes Ive made to keep it off and because its been long and slow and just small changes , its doable. I keep an eye on my weight, if it starts creeping up then I know Ive added to many cakes or crisps to the mix and cut back. Because yes cake, crisps, chocolate are still part of my diet but I try to keep them as a wee treat and not every day foods. More then once or twice a week and the weight starts creeping up again. But I know me all too well and if I say Im on a diet and therefore I cant have, ill not last a week. So I have, in moderation ( usually ) :)

Interestingly I did see a video a few months ago where there was a hint of this- I imagined he would find it relatively easy to "blame" the client for not trying hard enough if they didn't succeed.
I'm surprised at the food thing though- he's had a pop at people before for eating "boring chicken, rice and broccoli". I gather it's something to do with insulin resistance for people with PCOS but I'm not qualified to comment!

Hi, Im working with Greg the fat loss guru and it isn't a scam. I did the 16 week block and he gave me food and exercise plan. You don't need the gym, I do have a home gym which helped but you do have to follow his nutrition plan. It is worked to help you be a calorie deficit. Yes the food gets boring etc but it is a short term. It has helped me lose a stone and Im still working with him. I think the fee he charges is reasonable but you have to remember he is an online coach so if you can't motivate yourself then don't bother. As this is something that requires self motivation, and determination to hit your goal. If you sign up to him surely you will have a goal and he can only guide you the rest is you to meal prep your food and plan your exercise into your week.

Like I said you have to put in effort. It's like saying I've joined a gym and I will definitely lose weight. So if you don't listen and follow the plan you won't. I currently on the plan and I haven't exercised for 5 weeks as I had minor suriwhich wasn't planned and still am losing weight following food plan and walking. So just saying

I meant surgery

Where are the tonnes of negative reviews that you mention? I saw one person slating him, go onto his IG and you’ll see hundreds of positive reviews, which from a guy who started his online business in January 2023, is pretty impressive, no? One person that didn’t stick to it and has been proven to be a liar, which is why their posts have been removed. As I say, me and his other clients are progressing with improved hormonal balance and fat loss whilst enjoying the process.

Surely though food should not be boring? Isnt this why people who diet fail? Because they feel food should be of a certain type and they derive so little pleasure ?

I eat my fill of whatever I fancy. This weeks dinners have been, roast salmon, baked honey glazed ham and pineapple, chicken saag, bacon beans and chips, spag bol - amongst others . Ive even had jaffa cakes and chocolate this week, along with my usual scotch and I have lost 2lb. I stay in calorie deficit, but eat normal food that I like and have grown up with. If I had to go in a "diet" it wouldnt last a week

BTW, Ive never heard of Greg, it was just you saying the food gets boring and short term that made me post. Short term means its a diet and diets dont work. Stop following the boring food and returning to your norm, the weight is going to come straight back