aliinprogress

[aliinprogress]

It has been a long (and short 3 months since I started this Mounjara adventure. I took mounjara for 8 weeks and lost 43 pounds. I’ve been off mounjara for 3 weeks and have lost 13 more pounds. First of all, I didn’t have any crazy side effects. I did deal with a lot of fatigue and the plan was never to stay on it long term because of the cost. I also didn’t want to be dependent on it forever. So a quick update:

What it did for me: It controlled the food noise and cravings. I had no problem choosing healthy options because I didn’t really crave anything specifically. It made me feel much more control of my choices and my life. It has truly been a struggle for so many years that it felt great to not have to think about food all the time. It jump started my weight loss and I desperately needed that push. It also kept me broke. Those shots are not cheap:). I did save a lot of money on food and do a crazy breakdown own that later. Fast food and convenient food is not cheap.

What it did not do for me: It didn’t make me stop worrying about the process. I still had thoughts of “what happens when it doesn’t work?” It also didn’t make me completely stop thinking about food. I had moments when I just missed comfort food. I controlled the thoughts but they were still there. It didn’t stop me from over-eating. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes I ate too much…it was just eating too much healthier food. I still struggle with portion control. Some people don’t. I am not one of those people.

What now?? I’ve been off the medication for three weeks. I don’t struggle with the cravings. I haven’t had the food noises rushing back. I’m hoping some of the habits I was able to establish will stick. I’m working hard at it. I meal prep and buy only what I will eat in a week. I’ve made a rule about only shopping for food once a week. If I want something else, I have to meal plan for it for the next week. I’m also drinking a lot of water. I have a weight loss coach who has lost over 100 pounds himself. It’s been good for me to have someone helping me who understands binging. I get weekly homework which is designed to build on habits over time. So far so good. 56 pounds down but 90 more to go. I’m taking it 10 pounds at a time and that feels less overwhelming. I am going to try to journal regularly. My intentions were good back in March, but I didn’t realize how confusing this whole thing would be in the beginning. For now, here is a progress pic from last week. It is subtle and the biggest difference is that it’s the same tee shirt, but I don’t have to stretch it out when I get it out of the dryer now. :)

[aliinprogress]

The Past

To understand the present, I 've had to come to understand the past. I've been struggling to lose weight for years. I have been on every weight loss plan there is. Just to name a few: weight watchers, keto, paleo, low calorie, etc. Not to mention the "MLM" type diets like optavia. I honestly can't remember them all. I've always been looking for the next great thing.

It has taken a long time to accept the truth about my eating habits. Denial is a strong thing. As a hospice social worker, I should know this, and do know this first hand. I don't know how many times, I've said to myself and to others, " i don't really eat a lot, I just eat the wrong things." In my mind, that is what I needed to find a solution for, but I was really lying to myself. The truth is, I am a binge eater. I do eat the wrong things, but I eat the wrong things in mass quantities. I will share more about that on another post.

It's difficult to describe binge eating, unless you are a binge eater. In future posts, I intend to try. As for mounjaro, I know weight loss drugs are controversial, and I know all the arguments (agian, more in future posts). I've been taking the shots for 3 weeks and I've noticed some great results, but not miraculous. Weight loss takes work. Your mindset has to change, and it is for the long haul.

I'm excited to share the journey!