Susan Maria Leach
Founder of Bariatric Eating
Author Before and After - Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery (HarperCollins Publishers)
I want to speak to those who are upset and feeling sad by what they believe is slow weight loss. I understand and I am with you. I think if we work through a few things we can have more accurate expectations and be more confident in our GLP1 journey.
I had not lost any weight for the last two weeks and it was messing with my head. It’s super easy to start playing that tape in your brain that ‘these meds are not going to work for me.’ I know better and I've still been doing it. This morning I stepped on the scale and I have lost two pounds, so I am back in new low territory. Whew. Happy again. It is stressful though and some of you are on this same ride on a daily basis. It sucks the joy out of losing weight!
I have increased over time to a 12.5 Mounjaro dose, having lost 37 pounds in 19 weeks, which sometimes seemed slow, but its almost 2 pounds a week, which is fantastic. Im NOT actually a slow loser. Yet by reading some of the posts in the Mochi Facebook group, it could easily seems so.
Remember that the starter phase Mounjaro doses of 2.5, 5.0. and 7.5 are only meant to slowly introduce your body to the drug and not strong enough for most to start a crazy roll of weight loss. Doctors start off with the small dose so in the unlikely event we do experience side effects, they’ll be slight and manageable.
Weight loss while you are on these lower doses is a gift. While some DO lose fairly large amounts of weight in these low dose weeks, it does not mean you are a failure if you do not. The low doses are not a therapeutic dose as determined by medical studies. It takes weeks to get to the 10.0 dose and then in theory you should see more consistent weight loss kick in.
I know it is hard to belong to a group and get slapped in the face by the people proudly posting:
“Did this happen to anyone else? I’ve lost 83 pounds since Christmas but only lost 4 pounds this week.”
“Took my first shot on Monday and I’m so disappointed that I’ve only lost 10 pounds! Did this happen to anyone else?”
“I’ve only lost 19 pounds this month, is that good?”
It’s hard to not be jealous of the people who lose what seems to be a LOT especially when compared to the 12 pounds you’ve lost in 3 months. However YOU are the normal loser with GLP1 meds. When you just begin, 1 pound a week is very good and will turn into 52 pounds in a year. Is that acceptible to you? I’ll happily take it!
I really did not have to change much about my lifestyle as I already eat a good diet of meat or fish plus vegetables and fruit. I dont eat fast food, rarely have sweets and never candy or sugary drinks. Im thrilled beyond belief to be able to add a baked potato, some pasta, a biscuit, or toast to my life. Ive been living very low carb for many years. A forkful of potato is joyous! To be able to eat a few good carbs and still lose weight has been a gift.
So keep your head on straight and try to not compare too much. The fast losers are not the norm. Us ‘Slow Losers’ are the ones losing a pound or maybe two per week ON AVERAGE and make up the largest group. Comparison is the thief of Joy. Adjust your expectations and be happy for any pounds lost. You’ll get there eventually. It's really not all that slow!
Along the way, take this time in the early dose stages to clean up your diet to include fewer items from the fast or processed food category and add more of the ‘ingredients on a plate’ type of meals. You will always win by having a supper of BBQ chicken on a plate with a small baked potato and sliced tomato, instead of a McDonald’s Quarter Cheese Meal. The studies show that a super restricted diet is not necessary, but its an overall good idea to use your success with these meds as a pivotal point to change your food choices.
Eventually you will near goal and need to test weaning yourself off the meds, or lower the dose to help maintain your new weight, and its common sense that it will be easier if you have a balanced diet rather than have kept the diet that grew you to a decent level of obesity to start with. Can we all agree on that one today?
Point is that it’s healthier to be happy with pounds lost rather than sad over a comparison to someone who has a completely different set of medical and personal circumstances. Think a pound a week! Smile… this is going to work for you and the journey can be great if you allow it to be great.
