A year ago we started following a local woman and her experiences taking a weight loss injectable.
As we’ve said before About Town does not encourage or discourage anyone from taking any of these injectables, and as with all medications, you should always consult a physician. Here’s some info about our volunteer.
Our Volunteer:
Our subject is a female in her mid-40s. She is not diabetic, and as stated above she has been using Mounjaro. Her goal is to lose 35lbs. She has been taking it for 2 months and has lost 14lbs. She has not altered her exercise routine from where she was before she started. As she explains, “Pure and simple, my main goal was to lose weight. When I talked to the doctor about my goals, she completely got it and we moved forward with her suggestion of using Mounjaro. As a mid-40s woman, it is harder to lose weight – you eat all protein, you fast, you do WW and nothing stuck or was sustainable. I had other friends who had done the injections and, even though I thought I was “cheating”, I wanted to try.”
It’s worth noting that our volunteer began taking Mounjaro at the beginning of last Summer. She has lost 30lbs, and the great majority of that was before last Christmas. She has lost roughly 10lbs throughout this year, and considers the last few months as maintaining.
Here’s What She Said:
“It’s been a year since I started the injectables for weight loss and I have to say I love it. I am down 30 pounds and feel like this is a new normal.
I never tried an injectable that was greater than 5 mg and toward the end, I wasn’t losing as much as just maintaining weight loss. My weight loss goal for the year was 40lbs and I am 10lbs shy. A few factors … I probably could have made this goal if I had incorporated more exercise. Or increased my dosage.
Regarding exercise, I see why people say that you lose muscle as you do. I did very little exercise over this year. No weight training, but mainly walking. You have to make a point of exercise. When I began the injectables, one of the biggest side effects was exhaustion. It makes sense, you are not fueling your body as you have cut calories, so your body is unable to “run”. Eventually your body gets used to less calories, and you’re able to exercise as needed. (Again, my exercise was minimal.)
Increased dosage: my doctor was great, but very hands off which I like. I didn’t go in to meet with her through the year, but would have calls. She never encouraged increasing the dosage as I was losing at a slow and steady pace (until about 2 months ago). Slow and steady is best.
With some people’s insurance, I know these shots are only $25 a month. If that were the case, I would stay on the injectables for a long time. I, personally, have not had any drastic side effects. I had brief nausea and cramping when I moved from 2.5 mg to 5mg, but nothing more. I don’t ever want to take doses away from those who need them for medical treatment and reasons, but if always available, I would keep with them.
I enjoy a good glass of wine or a cocktail for sure, but these injectables cut that desire and craving to drink.”
What She Learned:
“I didn’t really eat better. I just ate less. Off the shots you have to eat better (I took about a 2 month break to see “how I would do” and I did see my appetite come back. But then I had to realize …
You can eat less and still live. Eat ½ the hamburger, not the whole. You don’t have to clean your plate, but you have to be more conscious about monitoring “when you are full.”
Even during the time of just maintaining, I still didn’t have a great interest in food, and the one thing that did bother me is that I wasn’t as thoughtful about dinners, meal planning, etc for my family.”
