How do you lose weight without using up all your willpower?

[wenchsenior]

Have any (non diabetics) used a CGM to monitor sugar levels in response to different foods / fasting / exercise etc?

I asked my PCP for a Rx and he was very supportive.;  Obviously insurance won't cover (do they cover anything? ha), so the cost was $74.99 at Costco for two 14-day sensors (Freestyle Libre 3).  Its only day 1, but I suspect this will be quite eye-opening to see how my body responds in real time to specific foods/drinks.

I am not diabetic but do have insulin resistance. I don't use a continous monitor, but I found monitoring before and after eating with a regular old finger-stabber testing kit to be very helpful back in the day when I was first trying to figure out how to eat to manage my IR.

[chaskavitch]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

[Metalcat]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

[Morning Glory]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

Do they really have Garanimals for adults in Canada or is that another inside joke?

[Metalcat]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

Do they really have Garanimals for adults in Canada or is that another inside joke?

DH has, for many years, referred to my habit of wearing almost exclusively monochromatic athleisure as my "Grown Up Garanimals." Then recently in the show "Billions" one of the main characters tells his staff to go home, take a shower, put on their daytime Garanimals, and get back to work. Now that DH works remote and has ditched his button downs for, you guessed it, monochromatic athleisure, he has adopted the term "daytime Garanimals" for his own attire.

So it's both an inside joke and a pop culture reference.

No, we don't have literal Adult Garanimals in Canada. We do have Ice Breaker and Lululemon though.

[Morning Glory]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

Do they really have Garanimals for adults in Canada or is that another inside joke?

DH has, for many years, referred to my habit of wearing almost exclusively monochromatic athleisure as my "Grown Up Garanimals." Then recently in the show "Billions" one of the main characters tells his staff to go home, take a shower, put on their daytime Garanimals, and get back to work. Now that DH works remote and has ditched his button downs for, you guessed it, monochromatic athleisure, he has adopted the term "daytime Garanimals" for his own attire.

So it's both an inside joke and a pop culture reference.

No, we don't have literal Adult Garanimals in Canada. We do have Ice Breaker and Lululemon though.

Lol. Most of my everyday clothes are now the 32 degrees brand from Costco. "Garanimals" is just more fun to say, though I have never seen "Billions".

[Kris]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

Do they really have Garanimals for adults in Canada or is that another inside joke?

DH has, for many years, referred to my habit of wearing almost exclusively monochromatic athleisure as my "Grown Up Garanimals." Then recently in the show "Billions" one of the main characters tells his staff to go home, take a shower, put on their daytime Garanimals, and get back to work. Now that DH works remote and has ditched his button downs for, you guessed it, monochromatic athleisure, he has adopted the term "daytime Garanimals" for his own attire.

So it's both an inside joke and a pop culture reference.

No, we don't have literal Adult Garanimals in Canada. We do have Ice Breaker and Lululemon though.

Lol. Most of my everyday clothes are now the 32 degrees brand from Costco. "Garanimals" is just more fun to say, though I have never seen "Billions".

DH and I have long referred to my wardrobe as “Garanimals” because I almost exclusively wear neutral solid tones that can be easily mixed and matched.

[Metalcat]

As for Pilates here's the video I get everyone to do
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z72js

I apparently have like 3% of the ab control I'm supposed to.  Dang. 

I can deadlift a lot, but I can't sit up from a lying position without help from momentum to save my life.

Better get on that core strength!

Let Mari kick your ass for awhile. She'll pummel you into shape.
DH likes to say that he's having a masochistic affair with Mari, but it's okay because I agreed to it.

Do they really have Garanimals for adults in Canada or is that another inside joke?

DH has, for many years, referred to my habit of wearing almost exclusively monochromatic athleisure as my "Grown Up Garanimals." Then recently in the show "Billions" one of the main characters tells his staff to go home, take a shower, put on their daytime Garanimals, and get back to work. Now that DH works remote and has ditched his button downs for, you guessed it, monochromatic athleisure, he has adopted the term "daytime Garanimals" for his own attire.

So it's both an inside joke and a pop culture reference.

No, we don't have literal Adult Garanimals in Canada. We do have Ice Breaker and Lululemon though.

Lol. Most of my everyday clothes are now the 32 degrees brand from Costco. "Garanimals" is just more fun to say, though I have never seen "Billions".

DH and I have long referred to my wardrobe as “Garanimals” because I almost exclusively wear neutral solid tones that can be easily mixed and matched.

I wonder if my DH will be excited or disappointed that he's not the only one to come up with this.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Because I believe in 'a picture is worth a thousand words', I'm putting this out there.  I have made steady and almost effortless progress back to my goal of 25 BMI after years of bouncing uncontrollably around 27...  Looking at my records, I don't think I've been at 25 since my early 40's, so this is almost enough to bring tears to my eyes.  My eating and exercise were never quite enough, so I do credit Semaglutide with a majority of this success.

[bryan995]

Because I believe in 'a picture is worth a thousand words', I'm putting this out there.  I have made steady and almost effortless progress back to my goal of 25 BMI after years of bouncing uncontrollably around 27...  Looking at my records, I don't think I've been at 25 since my early 40's, so this is almost enough to bring tears to my eyes.  My eating and exercise were never quite enough, so I do credit Semaglutide with a majority of this success.

Congrats!  It is a incredible drug. I also on GLP1s (Mounjaro). 

Week 10 for me.  Have lost 12.54% body weight.  Using the drug to jumpstart to new push at healthy habits / foods / exercise.  Have only increased to a dose of 5mg (last week).  Planning to stay on the lowest possible dose and then slowly titrate down and stop.  Finance wise, we have been buying very healthy organic foods, and have stopped all takeout, and interestingly any consumption of alcohol.  Food budget is down significantly ... Full transparency, 10 weeks of the drug has cost $1596 (no insurance coverage).

The desire to have a glass (or two) of wine after dinner is gone.  There are already studies in-flight re. using GLP1 to combat various addictions...

Have been so busy with work that health has taken a sideline seat for some time.
I credit the drug for being able to stick to a new diet without much of a challenge at all.  The temptation to cheat/binge is completely gone.  I think a big part of it is on the mental side, you continue to produce results week after week, which of course helps you keep and increase momentum.   It's very very easy to stay on track and drive significant habit changes.  Like scary easy :)

[getsorted]

FFS, it's not like I hadn't heard of diet and exercise.

I laughed. My GP told me on one of our first visits, "Well, hmm, it's says you're obese, but (waves hand) you're not obese-obese."* Thereafter, he never breathed a word about my weight, but I notice that the after-visit summary always says "counselled patient on weight management and health risks."

I think they know we know, and they sort of "have to" say it.

*I've never been entirely sure what he meant by this. That my BP & cholesterol were great? That my A1C was entirely more normal than I deserved? That I was carrying the weight well? It always makes me giggle when I think of it.

[bryan995]

Have any Canadians on the forum been successful at getting a prescription for one of these weight loss / diabetes drugs with a BMI under 30?

 Reading the success stories above and seeing weight fall off of a friend (who is above 30), I'm starting to wonder if I should give it a try, but am not sure if I can convince my GP, since my BMI is 27 rather than the 30+ that I have read as a guideline. At my last physical, my GP said "I see that your weight is 172 lbs. Like I always say, diet and exercise, diet and exercise." This was the sum total of her advice and the first and only time that I've met her. I tried REALLY hard not to glare at her for the trite advice, but FFS, it's not like I hadn't heard of diet and exercise.

Try this FB group (CA specific)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1413939902041083/

Being prescribed is often dependent on the GP.  Insurance coverage is a whole different thing.  OOP in Canada is around $400/mo AFAIK.

Canada only has Ozempic at the moment.  No Wegovy, no Mounjaro.

Pharmacotherapy for obesity management can be used for individuals with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 with adiposity-related complications, in conjunction with medi- cal nutrition therapy, physical activity and/or psychological interventions (semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly [Level 1a Grade A],1 liraglutide 3.0 mg daily [Level 2a, grade B],2-4 naltrexone/ bupropion 16 mg/180 mg BID [Level 2a, Grade B],5 orlistat 120 mg TID [Level 2a, Grade B]).6
https://obesitycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Pharmacotherapy-CPG-2022_finalA.pdf

[jrhampt]

This site will give you an rx for wegovy or metformin with an online consultation (idk if it makes any difference if you're in Canada): https://agelessrx.com/treatments/.  Highly recommend starting with metformin if you just have a little you want to use - it's much much less expensive.  I've lost about 12 pounds in less than 4 months, and I'm exactly where I want to be now.

[TheAnonOne]

2 month update on Tirzepatide:

260->237, for 23 lbs down.

Very little exercise, 1-2 days light weight lifting and a bit of walking.

Other than occasionally feeling a little "off" if I eat too much, and sometimes feeling a bit sluggish, very minor side effects. My appetite isn't even that bad, but the weight still comes off.

Magic so far.

About 3 months in, down to 235.

This last month had a TON going on. I've lost weight in previous years and had the may-june "summer ramp up" effect derail past years, and cause 5-10lbs of weight gain. Instead, I am down another 2 lbs.

Running 7.5mg/w now.

[Kris]

I just read an article about a woman who was prescribed Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. It did not end up being an effective treatment for her, but she lost a chunk of weight while on it. When she stopped taking it she fairly quickly gained twice the weight she had lost. So, be careful out there.

[Nadia Edits]

I just read an article about a woman who was prescribed Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. It did not end up being an effective treatment for her, but she lost a chunk of weight while on it. When she stopped taking it she fairly quickly gained twice the weight she had lost. So, be careful out there.

Yes, I read in the New York Times that people tend to regain all the weight lost after they stop taking the new GLP-1 drugs, which is especially unfortunate when there are supply shortages. 

[bryan995]

That’s basically how every fad diet works. Weight regain is incredibly common.

The trick is to keep momentum, drive the feedback loop and force larger habit / lifestyle changes. Which this medication makes it incredibly easy to do. Obviously not everyone understands that (and or has other larger metabolic issues that require life long treatment).

Plenty have stopped and maintained their weight. It just takes effort and awareness of the other changes needed as well.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

I just read an article about a woman who was prescribed Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. It did not end up being an effective treatment for her, but she lost a chunk of weight while on it. When she stopped taking it she fairly quickly gained twice the weight she had lost. So, be careful out there.

Yes, I read in the New York Times that people tend to regain all the weight lost after they stop taking the new GLP-1 drugs, which is especially unfortunate when there are supply shortages.

Yeah, I can't see why this would stop someone from wanting to try a GLP-1.  If I want something permanent, I can go the surgery route.  I actually think of it as a feature that I can taper down the dosage and experiment now to determine the minimum effective dose for maintaining weight (which seems to be 0.3 - 0.4 mL, whereas my prescription has me at 0.7 mL x 2.5 mg/mL solution if I needed more weight loss).  So when my prescription gets filled, it lasts about twice as long.

[TheAnonOne]

I just read an article about a woman who was prescribed Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. It did not end up being an effective treatment for her, but she lost a chunk of weight while on it. When she stopped taking it she fairly quickly gained twice the weight she had lost. So, be careful out there.

Yes, I read in the New York Times that people tend to regain all the weight lost after they stop taking the new GLP-1 drugs, which is especially unfortunate when there are supply shortages.

Yeah, I can't see why this would stop someone from wanting to try a GLP-1.  If I want something permanent, I can go the surgery route.  I actually think of it as a feature that I can taper down the dosage and experiment now to determine the minimum effective dose for maintaining weight (which seems to be 0.3 - 0.4 mL, whereas my prescription has me at 0.7 mL x 2.5 mg/mL solution if I needed more weight loss).  So when my prescription gets filled, it lasts about twice as long.

There really isn't a reason to go 100% cold turkey off of it either. With a tiny bit of brainpower you could cycle on/off low dosing at maintenance fairly easy.


Down another 4lbs in June, to 231. I've had events every weekend in June as well. I'd have lost 10 without those. Pretty wild.

My lowest weight as an adult, 8 years ago was just under 220. Not too far off of that. I won't consider lowering the dosing until then.

[TheAnonOne]

Bit over 3 months now, and down 31lbs, back into the 220s.

I haven't been this weight for 6-7 years despite trying. Side effects are nearly 0 now. Maybe some tiredness 1 day a week after taking the dose.

I'm about 10 lbs from being my lowest adult weight -ever-, if I do end up achieving that, I'll have to actually start thinking about the ultimate goal.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

I just read an article about a woman who was prescribed Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. It did not end up being an effective treatment for her, but she lost a chunk of weight while on it. When she stopped taking it she fairly quickly gained twice the weight she had lost. So, be careful out there.

Yes, I read in the New York Times that people tend to regain all the weight lost after they stop taking the new GLP-1 drugs, which is especially unfortunate when there are supply shortages.

Yeah, I can't see why this would stop someone from wanting to try a GLP-1.  If I want something permanent, I can go the surgery route.  I actually think of it as a feature that I can taper down the dosage and experiment now to determine the minimum effective dose for maintaining weight (which seems to be 0.3 - 0.4 mL, whereas my prescription has me at 0.7 mL x 2.5 mg/mL solution if I needed more weight loss).  So when my prescription gets filled, it lasts about twice as long.

There really isn't a reason to go 100% cold turkey off of it either. With a tiny bit of brainpower you could cycle on/off low dosing at maintenance fairly easy.


Down another 4lbs in June, to 231. I've had events every weekend in June as well. I'd have lost 10 without those. Pretty wild.

My lowest weight as an adult, 8 years ago was just under 220. Not too far off of that. I won't consider lowering the dosing until then.

I've been at my target weight for about a month now, taking half the prescribed dose.  My weight is bouncing around the 25 BMI mark, but much steadier than without Semaglutide.  I eat whatever I want, whenever I want to at this point.  Zero side effects unless I'm really pushing my exercise hard, then I hit what I call my Semaglutide wall, feeling slightly nauseous and unable to push through (or at least, I haven't pushed hard to see what happens).  If this is the worst thing I have to deal with, I'm satisfied to have this limitation through the hot summer months.  I have a half marathon next January, training starting in November, so I'll see if I need to taper and possibly go off the drug during these months.  That's a long ways off though, so for the time being I'm just another very satisfied customer.

[StarBright]

I had mentioned a while ago that I was pretty naturally falling into a 15/9 eating pattern just by focusing on very nutritious foods and trying really hard to listen to hunger cues.

I still wasn't losing any weight so I decided to try 16/8. What a difference an hour makes! I'm really having trouble with it, and the extra hour of hunger has really thrown off my eating schedule and I find myself eating worse food because my start hour now falls at a difficult point in my day.

I've also tried to be more careful about the splash of milk in my coffee, and tried drinking it black more frequently because I thought maybe the splash was the thing hindering me. I'm still not losing weight.

I am so jittery by the time 11am rolls around.

I think my problem is my awake time. I usually wake up around 5am with a food window of 11-7pm (I can't really push dinner any earlier than 6:30 or so). Back to the drawing board! or at least back to 15/9 - but I would like to get my BMI under 25.

[marcus_aurelius]

Despite working out regularly, I found that losing those last ~5 pounds (from my college days weight) was challenging. I found the secret that worked for me: eat twice per day, without paying heed to what you eat and the amount of food. Don't starve yourself, eat whatever you want. Just eliminate snacks between meals completely -- only water is allowed. It took me a week to get used to it, but the weight came off effortlessly. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

[StarBright]

Despite working out regularly, I found that losing those last ~5 pounds (from my college days weight) was challenging. I found the secret that worked for me: eat twice per day, without paying heed to what you eat and the amount of food. Don't starve yourself, eat whatever you want. Just eliminate snacks between meals completely -- only water is allowed. It took me a week to get used to it, but the weight came off effortlessly. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

But what do you do about coffee? :)

[marcus_aurelius]

I must agree that it took some getting used to :-) but I drink coffee after lunch and dinner now.

[GuitarStv]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

[StarBright]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

[Metalcat]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

[StarBright]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

I have heard that - but I'm terrified of the transition. I have tried giving up coffee several times and can't get the through the headaches part of it.

It's not that I have particularly bad sleep - I just have a lot to get done everyday, and it is busier in the summer.

[GuitarStv]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

I have heard that - but I'm terrified of the transition. I have tried giving up coffee several times and can't get the through the headaches part of it.

It's not that I have particularly bad sleep - I just have a lot to get done everyday, and it is busier in the summer.

You'll get bad headaches for about a week.  Maybe a week and a half at the outside.  After that you're free!  It also helps if you taper rather than drop it cold turkey.  :P

[StarBright]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

I have heard that - but I'm terrified of the transition. I have tried giving up coffee several times and can't get the through the headaches part of it.

It's not that I have particularly bad sleep - I just have a lot to get done everyday, and it is busier in the summer.

You'll get bad headaches for about a week.  Maybe a week and a half at the outside.  After that you're free!  It also helps if you taper rather than drop it cold turkey.  :P

Yeah I should probably give it a try again sometime.

[Metalcat]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

I have heard that - but I'm terrified of the transition. I have tried giving up coffee several times and can't get the through the headaches part of it.

It's not that I have particularly bad sleep - I just have a lot to get done everyday, and it is busier in the summer.

You'll get bad headaches for about a week.  Maybe a week and a half at the outside.  After that you're free!  It also helps if you taper rather than drop it cold turkey.  :P

Yeah I should probably give it a try again sometime.

Took me about 10 days to get through the worst of it, and then after about 2 weeks it was like nothing. I was much less tired in the morning after that.

[jrhampt]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

My philosophy has always been that if I need caffeine to feel decent, something about my life needs to change.  Fortunately, I've never been a parent, though.

[StarBright]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

My philosophy has always been that if I need caffeine to feel decent, something about my life needs to change.  Fortunately, I've never been a parent, though.

This tracks for me.  My first kid was born on a Friday, I went back to work (remotely) the following Tuesday, and I probably started drinking coffee on Wednesday or thereabouts :)

[getsorted]

I'm down 15 pounds from a calorie-tracking/intuitive eating approach over the last two months. I'm feeling out how much to eat on different days and focusing on trying to support good sleep, energy, and mood. When I'm hungrier, I eat more, concentrating on protein first. When I'm less hungry, I sometimes skip a meal if I just don't feel like having one. What I'm noticing is that the luteal phase tends to be a maintenance phase for me. I just need more calories then or I get shaky and weak. Then at other points in my cycle, fasting feels very easy and natural. At first, I was thinking, "Well, I'm just going to lose weight when it's possible for me to restrict calories, and not lose when it isn't," but what I'm finding is that the loss keeps pretty steady even on days when I'm eating up to maintenance level, which is just supporting my hypothesis that my caloric needs are not static from week to week, and I can trust my hunger to tell me when I really need more food.

I'm averaging about 1500 calories a day and losing faster than expected, which is nice. I tend to eat in a 30/30/40 ratio of fat/protein/carbs. I have no scientific basis for this; it just tends to be the combination that makes me feel the best and also seems to promote better sleep.

The only downside is that now I have to buy new pants.

[Blissful Biker]

I recently started tracking macros and have lost 1 pound a week for 10 weeks.  It's been surprisingly easy and pain free.  I think the additional protein has prevented me from ever feeling hungry or deprived.  I understand that you should only stay in a calorie deficit for 12-14 weeks to protect your metabolism so I'll be shifting to maintenance soon, which should coincide nicely with hitting my goal weight.

I've become a big fan of the Cronometer app.  It gamifies not only hitting your macros but also nutritional targets such as fiber, vitamins, bone health etc.  I feel great and am delighted to discover that I had muscle hiding under the insulation.

It is common to hire a coach to set your macros but the math is pretty straight forward:
Step 1 - Estimate your caloric needs.  https://tailoredcoachingmethod.com/tdee-calculator
Step 2 - Calculate your protein, carb and fat totals based on your goals. https://legionathletics.com/how-to-calculate-macros.  The Chronometer app will take a good crack at doing steps 1 and 2 for you which would be a reasonable place to start if you don't want to do your own math.  Personally my protein levels (150g/day) are higher than the app defaulted to (120g/day)
Step 3 - Adjust if needed after a couple of weeks if you're not seeing results or are too hungry.  These calculators do not know your personal metabolism or lifestyle

I'm personally at 1650 calories Sun - Thurs and 1900 calories Fri & Sat to fuel my 20km+ Sat AM long trail runs.  5'3" 130lbs.

[GuitarStv]

I'm down 8 lbs due to the increase in walking that our puppy has required.  She seems to need around two and half hours or 8-10 km, every day (broken into three walks) and I've been taking on the majority of them.  I didn't think that walking would make much difference to my calories burned, but it really does!

[Malossi792]

I'm down 15 pounds from a calorie-tracking/intuitive eating approach over the last two months. I'm feeling out how much to eat on different days and focusing on trying to support good sleep, energy, and mood. When I'm hungrier, I eat more, concentrating on protein first. When I'm less hungry, I sometimes skip a meal if I just don't feel like having one. What I'm noticing is that the luteal phase tends to be a maintenance phase for me. I just need more calories then or I get shaky and weak. Then at other points in my cycle, fasting feels very easy and natural. At first, I was thinking, "Well, I'm just going to lose weight when it's possible for me to restrict calories, and not lose when it isn't," but what I'm finding is that the loss keeps pretty steady even on days when I'm eating up to maintenance level, which is just supporting my hypothesis that my caloric needs are not static from week to week, and I can trust my hunger to tell me when I really need more food.

I'm averaging about 1500 calories a day and losing faster than expected, which is nice. I tend to eat in a 30/30/40 ratio of fat/protein/carbs. I have no scientific basis for this; it just tends to be the combination that makes me feel the best and also seems to promote better sleep.

The only downside is that now I have to buy new pants.

Congratulations! Don't know how fashionable you like to look, but I just have a couple belts to help with the problem in your last paragraph.

[ATtiny85]

I thought about this thread during a news segment on the companies racing to make pill to do what the injections of Ozempic has done for weight loss. On the list of items it said “must be taken with an empty stomach”. I immediately thought “hmm, if folks could get their stomachs empty for any length of time, they wouldn’t need this drug.” Thus willpower came to mind.

It’s insane to me that people want to take drugs on purpose. I fear every year that my doctor will find some reason to recommend a drug.

[Metalcat]

I thought about this thread during a news segment on the companies racing to make pill to do what the injections of Ozempic has done for weight loss. On the list of items it said “must be taken with an empty stomach”. I immediately thought “hmm, if folks could get their stomachs empty for any length of time, they wouldn’t need this drug.” Thus willpower came to mind.

It’s insane to me that people want to take drugs on purpose. I fear every year that my doctor will find some reason to recommend a drug.

I mean...unless someone sleep walks and eats during their sleep walking, everyone wakes up fasted with an empty stomach.

As for meds, when you need them, they can be a godsend. No one wants a condition that requires meds, but y'know what's worse than having a condition that's serious to require meds? A condition that's serious enough to require meds, but there are no meds that exist that can help.

I have a condition that I have tried literally dozens of meds for, none have worked. I now get IV infusions every 3 months, those aren't helping either, so we're tripling the dosage. After that, I'm fucked, there are no treatments left. This one was just fucking approved, nothing new is coming down the pipeline for a loooong time.

And this is coming from someone who is *extremely* medication averse. I was just prescribed a med that is very likely to help a different issue and I'm basically refusing to take it because the benefits don't feel worth the drawbacks. It's a steroid and I'm very antsy about steroids. As much as I've tried many meds and treatments, I've refused even more.

So yeah, I would kill for meds that could actually help me and not ruin my life with side effects. And you probably would too if your body wasn't working.

A lot of people eager to take Ozempic have bodies that aren't working well, and nothing else has helped.

I have my concerns about Ozempic, and from my privileged place of being someone who found it super easy to lose weight from obese to very lean, and keep it off, it's easy for me to err on the side of caution and suspicion, but if I were obese and spent decades struggling and never able to lose weight, I suspect I too would be willing to put my caution aside and take something that sounds like it works.

I've certainly agreed to much crazier, much riskier treatments than Ozempic in my time. Fuck, I let a dude cut my femur in half in hopes that *maybe* it would improve my ability to walk.

Jury's still out on that one 6 months later.

You saying that you don't want drugs and can't understand why sick people would want drugs is comparing apples to oranges. It's like saying you hope to never need surgery in your lifetime but being confused why someone with appendicitis wants surgery. I HATE getting surgery, but trust me, when I had appendicitis, there was nothing I wanted more.

So yeah, I totally get why people are willing to take Ozempic. But I am curious to see how it plays out. One thing I've learned from my years of training and even .ore years of experience as a patient is that the body likes it's homeostasis and will fight anything that fucks with that.

Sure, I lost weight very easily because I did it veeeery slowly, but that wasn't without consequences. 4 years of running a caloric deficit, even a small one, did pretty brutal damage to my metabolism.

Rapid weight loss lowers your metabolism. Sustained slow weight loss lowers your metabolism. Basically, any way you lose a lot of weight, your metabolism is going to react.

Will people who take Ozempic have to be on it for life? I don't know. Will being on it for life steadily lower people's metabolisms wherein they have to eat less and less over the years until they're lethargic and barely able to eat anything without gaining weight? I don't know.

But that's a risk from *any* successful loss of massive weight. So is it a reason not to take Ozempic? I don't know.

Time will tell. I'm sure we'll see a variety of outcomes, which is normal. But I'm curious to see what the Ozempic data looks like in 5-10 years.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

...
It’s insane to me that people want to take drugs on purpose. I fear every year that my doctor will find some reason to recommend a drug.

And here's my anecdote for you...  My body is pretty amazing for all the great things that it does well, but it also ridiculously dumb when it comes to gathering and storing weight.  You'd think that, after 30+ years of steady running, it would get the message that I want to continue to run as long and as fast as possible until I am truly old.  I had even hoped epigenetics would kick in to some degree.  But as 50 approached, my weight was trending up overall.  I did juice cleanses, intermittent fasting, paleo, longer fasts, salad only...  basically any diet I could get my hands on, to no lasting avail.  Life was becoming quite depressing.  So my choices seemed to be - just keep running as I get heavier and heavier, ultimately expecting knees and hips to wipe out in my mid or late 50's.  Or give up running and resign myself to cross training, letting my weight ultimately fall where it may.  It seemed like, if I worked really really hard at my diet I could stay around 210 and if I let myself totally go I'd be at 220. 

I'm steady at 185 right now and love it!  Every extra year of this that I get will be one that I cherish.  I'm out there running races and eating a wide variety of foods like I did for decades, I'm just not taking it for granted anymore.  So yeah, taking Semaglutide is a choice that I have made, I could go right back to where I started by having a week of not taking it and seeing what happens...  but no thanks for now!  Humans have finally outsmarted some of the dumb things these bodies do as they get older, I'm hoping the progress continues!

[getsorted]

Congratulations! Don't know how fashionable you like to look, but I just have a couple belts to help with the problem in your last paragraph.

At a certain point, there's just too much excess fabric for the belt to handle!

Even with a lot of extra weight, and have to take most of my trousers in at the waist as soon as I buy them. But there's only so much taking in you can do before either the pockets get slanty or you're basically re-cutting the entire garment.

[Beardog]

I recently started tracking macros and have lost 1 pound a week for 10 weeks.  It's been surprisingly easy and pain free.  I think the additional protein has prevented me from ever feeling hungry or deprived.  ...

I've become a big fan of the Cronometer app.  It gamifies not only hitting your macros but also nutritional targets such as fiber, vitamins, bone health etc.  I feel great and am delighted to discover that I had muscle hiding under the insulation.
  ...

This is my experience also.  With Cronometer, I've stopped taking vitamins because I can see that I am exceeding all of my vitamin RDAs through food alone.  Like Blissful Biker, increasing protein has also helped me a lot with appetite regulation.  Also, I really like that I can plan my food a day in advance so I don't have to wonder what I should eat when I'm hungry and/or tired and/or cranky.

I understand that you should only stay in a calorie deficit for 12-14 weeks to protect your metabolism so I'll be shifting to maintenance soon, which should coincide nicely with hitting my goal weight.

 
Could you say more about this?  I won't be at my goal after 12-14 weeks, so maybe I should plan a break in calorie restriction?

[TheAnonOne]

I thought about this thread during a news segment on the companies racing to make pill to do what the injections of Ozempic has done for weight loss. On the list of items it said “must be taken with an empty stomach”. I immediately thought “hmm, if folks could get their stomachs empty for any length of time, they wouldn’t need this drug.” Thus willpower came to mind.

It’s insane to me that people want to take drugs on purpose. I fear every year that my doctor will find some reason to recommend a drug.

Simple, equate being obese with being horrendously sick, daily, and simply look at the odds of "curing" ones self with diet and exercise (nearly impossible for someone with a bmi of 35+).

Now, take a shot once a week and regain hobbies, clothes, energy, and frankly, brain space, within a few weeks-months.

Hard to see why anyone in that situation wouldn't want that.

--------------

On a personal note, I was never "super fat" at a bmi of 35, but I certainly noticed myself losing some energy with these last 20 covid pounds. My motorcycle gear didn't fit, that's a loss of hobby/ quality of life.
3-5 months in, I have lost 32lbs. I've never been this successful, even with a personal trainer. I just have to accept that my body likely has a shitty metabolism. It is what it is.

[geekette]

As a T2 for over half my life at this point, daily medication is a given.  IMHO, if you have a chronic disease and take care of it, you'll probably do better than most.

I've been on an injectable of one form or another since at least '06 (Byetta, Bydureon, Victoza, Ozempic, and now Mounjaro). I'm down about 15% of my highest weight over that long period of time, even as I slip into my 60's.  While I've only been on it for a month, Mounjaro is the only one that has turned down my appetite.  Actually, it's more like it's turned off the previous pinging of "notifications" from my brain that there's something tasty in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.  I feel...normal.

I never understood how my DH could ask me to make cookies and then forgot to eat them, or have his favorite candy on his desk for weeks, eating a piece every few days at best.  Now I get it. It's not willpower so much as disinterest. 

I hope the effect sticks around.

[ixtap]

Ozempic made me very disinterested in food, as I was nauseous and burping the whole time. Just bending over to pick something up made me gag and I had no energy.

I still only lost a few pounds in the two to three months I was on it, I assume.because I was sleeping so much. But yeah, my BS numbers were great, even with the reduced exercise.

[sonofsven]

No need to consume an addictive stimulant at all, let alone daily.

I mean, that is a lovely thought, but I'm natural night owl, often running on 5 hours of sleep or less, and have to get up at 5am. You gotta do what you gotta do :)

Just FYI, my sleep radically improved after quitting coffee. I also find it a lot easier to function on less sleep now.

I have heard that - but I'm terrified of the transition. I have tried giving up coffee several times and can't get the through the headaches part of it.

It's not that I have particularly bad sleep - I just have a lot to get done everyday, and it is busier in the summer.

You'll get bad headaches for about a week.  Maybe a week and a half at the outside.  After that you're free!  It also helps if you taper rather than drop it cold turkey.  :P

Yeah I should probably give it a try again sometime.

I drank a lot of coffee every day (quarts!) and was able to quit without a single headache by slowly tapering off my coffee intake over time. I drank a little less each week. When I was down to one normal sized cup I started putting tea in my go cup for work (construction). Then after a bit I just skipped the one cup of coffee altogether.

For me it was just a matter of motivation; I never wanted to give up coffee but my acid reflux was getting so delbilitating I was desperate. So I removed all potential triggers from my diet.

So even though it was unpleasant at first, now I'm loving all the amazing flavors of herbal tea and don't miss coffee one bit.

I also average 5-6 hours sleep per night and I routinely get up in the dark and cold hours to go fishing. I was afraid I couldn't do it without coffee! Silly me.

[MoseyingAlong]

..... While I've only been on it for a month, Mounjaro is the only one that has turned down my appetite.  Actually, it's more like it's turned off the previous pinging of "notifications" from my brain that there's something tasty in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.  I feel...normal.

I never understood how my DH could ask me to make cookies and then forgot to eat them, or have his favorite candy on his desk for weeks, eating a piece every few days at best.  Now I get it. It's not willpower so much as disinterest. 

I hope the effect sticks around.

Wow, this is a great description that really crystallizes my experience around food.
Even when I know I'm not hungry, just ate a good meal, whatever, the notifications ping about what's in the house or the grocery store that's down the street and closing in an hour.
Thanks, @geekette The new way of looking at it may help me process it differently.

[bryan995]

Week 15 of Mounjaro for me. 6 weeks on 2.5, then 9 weeks on 5mg.

(me) -16.8% Body Weight, 2-3 pant sizes, 1 shirt size
(wife) -15.3% Body Weight

Trying to do everything right, eating, cardio, strength training, changing habits, groceries etc.  We are saving a fortune on reduced groceries + take out :)

BP + Glucose + Cholesterol + CRP + other labs are all amazing.  Huge improvements.
Have been doing DEXA Scans, showing no significant loss in muscle/bone. 

Planning to cycle off now, and get a sense of what stopping will feel / be like.  Will then likely restart after 8-12 weeks to lose the final ~30 lbs. 
Goal is a BMI of 26, including adding much more muscle.

The drug is amazing - I can absolutely see it becoming a 50-100B/yr drug for $LLY.  Even now, so few people have heard of it.
I expected shortages for years as this craze continues.

Have been paying OOP as insurance will not cover.  The latest Savings Card drops the price for $457/mo (walmart).  Which given how effective it is and how much folks spend on various fad-diets that simply don't work.... IMO it is absolutely worth the cost. 

[Runrooster]

..... While I've only been on it for a month, Mounjaro is the only one that has turned down my appetite.  Actually, it's more like it's turned off the previous pinging of "notifications" from my brain that there's something tasty in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.  I feel...normal.

I never understood how my DH could ask me to make cookies and then forgot to eat them, or have his favorite candy on his desk for weeks, eating a piece every few days at best.  Now I get it. It's not willpower so much as disinterest. 

I hope the effect sticks around.

Wow, this is a great description that really crystallizes my experience around food.
Even when I know I'm not hungry, just ate a good meal, whatever, the notifications ping about what's in the house or the grocery store that's down the street and closing in an hour.
Thanks, @geekette The new way of looking at it may help me process it differently.

This is interesting. I definitely crave junk even after a nice meal, but only if I’m still hungry. Also, the grocery store is too far away to make me crave things though I might add an item to buy next shopping trip. Finally, if your husband has his favorite candy, isn’t he eventually hungry enough to eat it?  Or are healthy meals more interesting than candy. He may just not like sweets, I didn’t for maybe 40 years. Or maybe he liked that candy once but it’s not his favorite today - my Mom is forever pushing what she thinks is my favorite food from my youth.