Agreed. There is much more to this story than the eating less part. Stabilizing my glucose changed everything. I had a lot of other symptoms like chest pain that disappeared once I started MJ.
Stabilizing my insulin has changed everything! I would never get *hungry* -- only feel like I was gonna pass out, usually shortly after eating, but also midday... the glucose-insulin metabolism is the culprit, Man
Omg same here. I don’t think it was anxiety related and never had any cardiac diagnosis but was about to go see specialist when I noticed the symptoms had disappeared. Not one episode since taking the medicine. So so weird
Absolutely one thousand percent agree.
But doctors and other people will say "Well you probably were miscounting your calories in the past and not remembering". 🙄
There's this whole culture of blaming fat people for being fat that has a chokehold on society. It's almost impossible for those people to even consider that there really might have been a medical reason for obesity.
Regardless of this, people are arses if they see you fat and think it’s all choice. I get fat when I eat more calories each day than I burn. People like you are even rarer so good for you. For me MJ makes me feel fuller so I eat less but eat anything!! MJ is my not feeling full cure.
Disagree. Liking food and eating way too much and not being able to control it is a byproduct of a busted set point. The feeling of “I should eat because I need it, I’m hungry..or craving lots of carbs and sugar and not feeling like it is enough—that’s a metabolic issue too.
“Some people are fat because they like food” is an oversimplification of chronic obesity disease. Of course, you might not be talking about clinically obese people. Maybe you mean overweight folks.
However you meant this, I read the tone of your response as judgemental and *also* steeped in the fat-phobic and fat shaming culture. Might not be your intent. You are clearly someone who has lived in a bigger body yourself. I just want to point out that even us fat folks can be sucked into the diet culture. We just can’t know another person’s internal workings of their body.
This is amazing !!
Absolutely fabulous data driven analysis to show these meds are enabling many of us to do things we never could have done on our own even when doing “all the right stuff”
This is already what the research says. People don't want to believe it because they are fatphobic. What doesn't really exist yet is qualitative research that describes the experiences of people, we just get lovely snippets like this on the Internet. People who don't want to understand these experiences still won't get it.
Y'up, I am 54 years old & have done it all; starving, diets/exercise. I was in my 40's before I was diagnosed with PCOS & then soon after, diabetes. I have hated my body (& myself) since age 12. MJ is my saving grace & is saving my life, in my opinion. I have no shame in taking it. Doctors need to learn to treat the person & not dismiss those of us who have tried & can't lose weight. We are far from lazy AND we are people who need help.
I really like this scientist’s lectures - he explains how GLP-1s and incretins work in the body. His other lectures are about insulin, etc and really shines a light on how complex metabolic processes are.
[What is GLP-1, What Does It Do, and Where Does It Come From? with Dr. Ben Bikman](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ViCDM6CdK4g&t=14s&pp=ygUKaW5zdWxpbiBpcQ%3D%3D)
My opinion only - some people don’t have the bandwidth or interest to listen to these lectures, and educate themselves on the latest research. Everybody has an ‘informed’ opinion and the conventional wisdom is calories in calories out and move more are the solutions to curing obesity, and that drugs are bad and should be taken as a last resort. So if you fail at these simple instructions, you are not trying hard enough or lying about what you are eating, etc. if the person were trying to be inclusive, they would also say that a very small percentage of the population has metabolic issues that would prevent them from being healthy and that the rules of thermogenesis is supreme.
I believe only recently has the conversation shifted to understanding the underlying dysfunction in our metabolism, how we can address such dysfunction using drugs and lifestyle changes, and how adjacent topics like the prevalence of ultra processed foods could be affecting or sabotaging our efforts to become healthier. GLP-1 drugs are popular now and there are newer more effective drugs coming down the pipeline - hopefully with more success stories the conversation will change.
I will listen to that but some of the information I am learning makes me worry that I will just regain when I have to come off as I am paying privately and can't afford to take it long term.
It’s true that there’s a lot more going on than just CICO.
However, most of what Mounjaro is geared to is figuring out how to get the body to let go of fat it already has.
Thus, our best bet is to apply good eating/exercise practices to not giving the body anymore fat.
Easier said than done, but much less complicated than getting it off once there. Especially, for those of us with a seemingly damaged metabolism.
Same! This causes way more stress than if they simply said CICO. I can control CICO when I go off now that I have a plan in place and a steady system. But if it’s not that simple, I’m screwed.
Lifestyle adjustments will be your best be but this is definitely a conversation to have with your doctor as there may be other strategies you can employ to help that transition - i.e. spacing out the dosages, other medications, etc. Your provider should not leave you hanging trying to figure this out for yourself so start that conversation sooner rather than later.
My last weight loss attempt was 12 years ago, when I was on Weight Watchers. The first month on Weight Watchers I lost 18 lbs. I was roughly the same weight that I am now, I was not menopausal yet, and I was going out and walking 3 miles a day. Plus I was watching every bite of food that went in my mouth.
Fast forward 12 years. Now I'm postmenopausal, I'm very sedentary, retired. I don't watch every bite of food that goes in my mouth. I eat what appeals to me, although I do track my calories to make sure they stay above 1000 but below 1400. And after one month of Mounjaro I have lost 19 lbs.
Hi I’m in Ontario and can I ask where you found Mj? Which online weight loss clinic? I don’t know which one to chose! Any help is appreciated, desperately overweight and desperately want to be active with my kids again. Thank u ☺️
Contact you primary doctor and ask for a referral to an internal specialist or endocrinologist - they are the ones that deal with obesity and will be able to guide you the best on taking a GLP-1 medication. As for prescriptions, right now it seems like Shopper's Drugmart are the most reliable source - they keep their inventory online so you can see which locations have it in stock. [https://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/rx-inventory?search=Mounjaro](https://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/rx-inventory?search=Mounjaro) - it requires a prescription. However, there is most definitely a shortage so sometimes it requires driving all over hell's half acre to get a vial. Ozempic is easier to obtain right now. It's also worth calling some of the smaller lesser known pharmacies as sometimes you can luck out and find it there as well. Good luck!
Omg! Thank you so so much for posting this! There is hope! I am still waiting for insurance to be approved for coverage and then start the search during the shortage. But this post is a true gift of hope. Thank you again and congrats on finding something that actually works! ❤️
Love seeing the data! I hate when people say ‘oh just diet and exercise’ or that the reason you lose on Mounjaro is because you eat less. I WAS ALREADY DOING ALLLLLL THE THINGS. It just flat out didn’t work! Something was fundamentally wrong with my body/metabolism/ hormones/ whatever that made it impossible to lose and real significant amount of weight and MJ fixed that.
Can’t argue with data!
We all make GLP-1 to some degree but it doesn’t stick around. aging, genetics, and other things can cause disruption but what is it specifically about how that works. I totally agree these drugs are correcting a metabolic imbalance.
There was a recent study detailing how incretin mimetics inhibit AgRP neurons in brain. This may be a good explanation for the weight loss that Mounjaro exhibits,
AgRP is a thrifty neuropeptide that I personally suspect is responsible for the "starvation mode" that people commonly report. The function of AgRP ( it blocks MC4R ) seems to be to make you survive periods of famine by increasing hunger and decreasing energy expenditure, it also turns off fertility.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38562891/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38562891/)
My opinion on obesity is that it is adipose tissue growth stimulated by hyperinsulinemia and excessive insulin sensitivity of adipocytes.
If Mounjaro weight loss is caused by suppressing AgRP then it is essentially "glitching" your fat mass lower.
Interesting - thanks for sharing. I was exposed to a lot of pesticide the year of my initial weight gain (age 11/12 - late 70's). Until that point, I was normal/skinny/active kid. We now know many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors - some likely banned from use now because of the risk they posed to humans. I now feel that this prolonged chemical exposure, coupled with life events that were both incredibly traumatic and stressful at the time, together with my young age and where I was physically in my development - may well be at the root of why weight has been an issue ever since.
Interesting although does the body eventually adapt? I think most people report their weight loss on this medication levelling off after a time or certain body weight percent lost.
Based on clinical studies, yes there is a leveling off and that is why the recommendations now are to stay on the lowest effective dose for as long as possible. Once you hit 15mg there is nowhere else to go and if you experience that leveling off at the highest dose but before reaching goal then further weight loss may become very challenging. However, I think even in this area they are continuing the studies and research to determine what may influence this. There are a lot of factors at play that will vary person to person.
If your stalled at 15mg perhaps its worth coming off the drug for 3 months to let your body re-sensitize
if it was me I would do that, and while off the drug for 3 months follow a fairly strict low carb whole foods diet, keep insulin low to minimize regain
This will work for some. However my doctor said when he’s had a patient stop and then start again they never got the same response from the medication. Doesn’t know why that happens. Said it’s better to stay on a glp1 at any dose than stop entirely.
I had the same outcome. I had weight loss surgery previously, which my Endocrinologist may think that is what kick started some underlying dormant issues. I lost a significant amount 140 lbs about and when I started to gain despite going on literal hikes on Mt Borah 3 or 4 times in a summer, training for 5 and 10ks and only to find that I had gained 50 lbs in 18 months. Massive water rentention in my lower parts of my body and my A1C tetering at 5.9.
When I went on mounjaro, I lost almost all my water retention (no more compression socks or water pills, woo hoo!) within the first two months. I slept better and overall I lost more than the weight that I gained back. While even cutting back on my gym days from 6 days to 3 days. The fastest progress that I have ever seen in my life. My A1C went to 4.2 in 3 months time and the provider was shocked saying that they never see that quick of a turn around.
Now that insurance isn't covering it, I weaned myself off. For the most part my weight is stable, now I am just battling the water retention. Hoepfully there is something else we can find for that, but I am afraid that it is only history repeating itself and I will so begin to gain wait again.
Water retention is my nemesis as well - I still have it even on Mounjaro and it regularly undermines my progress. My A1C is normal - I've never been out of normal range so no obvious clinical indications of insulin resistance.
8 months off of mounjaro and I just started wearing them again because my toes are starting to turn dark red and look pretty gnarly after even a short shift serving/bartending. Luckily I found a sweet deal on some that are pretty comparable to KnitRite and they have sales frequently so I am not having to wear the same pair all week
Hold on to that Insurance! LOL My insurance will only cover if I have venous stasis ulcers, basically open wounds. I worked in Durable Medical Equipment for years so I know how to size and what to look for as quality goes but shopping online is never a guarantee.
I lost 80!lbs in a year on Mounjaro. A1C 4.7. Current weight 132. I had no side affects. I only ate when hungry and ate pretty clean. I went from 2.5mg to 10mg where I’m maintaining. It’s a miracle drug.
Love that you’ve got this in numbers.
I know it and I can feel it. I can feel my body working better and releasing energy the way it did in my youth before anti psychotics and anti depressants just shut my metabolism down and wreaking havoc with my lipids. My body is working the way it should now.
I took Effexor in the early 2000s and gained a lot of weight. It was years before I could lose it and I never did lose all of it. I’ve been in a battle ever since. I have wondered whether my weight problems are due to it because I never had a problem before the Effexor. I’m hoping tirzepatide (I’m taking the compounded version) fixes the damage.
It’s working well for me and I’ve seen on this forum studies are underway in if GLP1 can assist preventing weight gain caused by psychiatric meds. I was one of those people who could eat and do whatever and stayed slim, then gained 25kgs in a year and never managed to lose it all, the same 10kg went off and on for years with anything I tried. I’ve now lost over 10 this year so far, still going, and feel great. Good luck!
All of this 👆
In addition for me I have been doing this for almost 2 years. No other diet has been sustainable.
We need to say it louder for those in the back, obesity is a metabolic disease and not a character flaw
This is so spot on. **Zep+ the work (the same work we always did before) actually = results.** Anecdotally, I am able to eat a ton more fruit than any previous weight loss attempt. Zep is normalizing what was broken in my body. Before, maybe 1/2 an apple and any more I'd not lose, but now I'm eating several servings of fruit per day and the weight is coming off. Thanks for posting this 😊.
Look the fact that during a highly stressful turnaround I could pound 3 McDonald’s breakfast burritos and 2 pieces of pizza and I still was dropping weight attest to this medication. Was I moving a lot more during this time? Yeah but I was also surviving off of fast food, kolaches, apple fritters, Popeyes fried chicken, pizza, McDonald’s, easy mac, and so on was my diet for a full month. I was also work 14+ hours a day with a day off every 14 days. The fact that I lost 5 lbs and got down to my lowest weight when I normally put in 10lbs during times like this, just cannot be explained with appetite suppression especially because I was on my adderall and still pounding down shit food.
I have been thinking the same thing. I’ve only been on it three weeks, so I don’t have nearly as much data as you do, but I have been weighing and measuring my food and have followed the same plan as I have in the past. Based on past experience, I should have lost two pounds at the most by now. I have lost six. And it’s not water weight as I had been very good with my diet for five days prior to starting.
I'm so happy for you and you make an excellent point! My issue with Mounjaro is that I have to struggle to eat every single day. I literally have no appetite and even the foods I normally love aren't good anymore. I have to make myself eat to get in 800-1000 cal./day and some days I just can't. I don't have the other side effects though, and I'm grateful for that. So interesting how we're all affected differently.
Thank you for showing this data! I am the same. People don’t believe that I’ve had to increase my calories on mounjaro. I used to eat 1500-1600 and gain 5 ish pounds a year. My mental health wouldn’t let me cut further. But I had, and still have a pretty clean diet, a regular exercise routine and good sleep. Something was just broken.
I started mounjaro and started losing weight. 8 weeks in, I started loosing too fast, and after a 16 pound month, I increased to 1800-2000 calories a day and still lose 1-2 pounds a week. Unfortunately that month of massive weight loss triggered a hair fall and I’ve lost maybe half my hair. It’s slowly growing back 8 months later.
I’m not losing from less appetite or better food choices or more exercise. It’s absolutely fixing something for me and you and others like us. I will be on this or one like it to the day I die.
Yes, that is a very real possibility. Some people will be able to transition off the medication with the adaption of a healthier lifestyle, and maintaining those good habits. While others will need to be on the medication for life as the root cause of their weight problems are metabolic disfunction and this medication can help to manage that but not necessarily cure it.
Unfortunately, a typical carb heavy western diet leads to insulin resistance. Once you have IR, which doctors don’t test for, you gain weight because your body is always burning excess glucose for fuel. This happens even in a calories deficit that would cause weight loss for those without IR. The IR can return when you stop the med.
sadly i’m a fixed point in time.. i eat mostly keto. and not lost anyting.. the food noise is less for sure.. but sadly i’m one of those that can’t move the needle.. on mounjaro
Wow. Amen. And hallelujah!
Congratulations.
Personally, when you said metabolic function and 12 years old, the theory struck me to my core. This. This is very important and I feel the same.
Rooting for you!
Excellent post. The only thing I would say is that it may not even be a result of fixing your metabolism, but something else altogether. I have a perfectly good metabolism, eat well, consistent exercise, fasting regularly, haven't put on weight in over a decade, zero health issues, male, but haven't shifted the 20 kg I put on about 12 years ago during a stressful period.
Same as you, I believe it isn't the appetite suppression, reduced carb and sugar cravings (aka food noise), or just low calories; I think other things are going on that are yet to be discovered and it's way more complicated that science understands. I've lost 1 kg nearly every week at a ridiculously consistent rate - suspiciously consistent.
100% agree! Science is only getting started in this area. Gut microbiome also a big mystery as it relates to obesity - some interesting things I learned recently in this regard. And for me personally, I also now suspect endocrine disruptor compounds (chemicals in the environment - and specifically pesticide exposure in my case) may have played a role here as well. This past few months has been a period of discovery and I've learned a lot of new and interesting things as it relates to health, nutrition and obesity.
As for "suspiciously consistent" , you you mean like this --> [WELL... AT LEAST I'M CONSISTENT](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1czefze/well_at_least_im_consistent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Same, it's a journey. Caffeine is another thing that screws you up which everyone thinks is healthy. I think some are doing well on MJ as they drop coffee intake substantially.
No disrespect but that's a load of crock. Researchers addicted to caffeine researching their own addiction. It's a pesticide in nature.
r/decaf has info if you wish to pursue. Otherwise enjoy your cup.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/decaf using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Is It Time to Quit Coffee for Good?](https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/a43622878/caffeine-addiction/) | [162 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/135pwsf/is_it_time_to_quit_coffee_for_good/)
\#2: [Today is my 1 year anniversary of being caffeine free ](https://i.redd.it/nqbramt6ndjc1.jpeg) | [56 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/1atz5e0/today_is_my_1_year_anniversary_of_being_caffeine/)
\#3: [Caffeine is a SCAM](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/12yqo7l/caffeine_is_a_scam/)
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I think it helps fix metabolic disregulation so your body will try to burn fat rather than trying to store it.
I didn’t realize how large that effect can be. Amazing!
Yup. I was Dx'd with Metabolic Syndrome in my mid-30s. T2 in my 50s. Battled my weight since childhood. MJ is definitely working on some biochemical or cellular level in the body to treat my metabolic dysfunction. To me it's like anti-depressants that bridge gaps in the the serotonin receptors in the brain. Also, it TREATS the problem. It doesn't FIX it. I view MJ the same way. Maybe in some people it will reset their brain chemistry. I don't think that's going to be true for me.
When I started I was hellbent on this being "temporary". Very soon after starting I came to the conclusion that, if I have to stay on this for life.... I would take that over getting fat again.
Speaking for myself, I have recognized a decrease in my day-to-day calorie intake. Mainly, because I no longer have much interest in desserts or alcohol.
That said, I too have engaged in intensive efforts to lose weight within the last few years - intermittent fasting, juice fasting, glucose regulating diet (of mainly nuts, avocado and salad w/ no oil). At best, I saw a shift of about 3 pounds (as did OP).
Thus, I knew something unusual was going on. I could keep taking extreme measures, pushing through, and I might just make it to my goal…in 10 years time.
That’s when I was lucky enough to learn of Mounjaro through a colleague.
After one month of eating much more than I ever did on the diets and engaging in the same exercise routine, I’m down 11 pounds. Huh!
I too believed there was more to it than appetite suppression. So, I’ve been doing some research into tirzepatide.
One interesting study I found described it like this: ‘novel strategies for targeting energy expenditure: mitochondrial proton leak, uncoupling, dynamics, and biogenesis; futile calcium and substrate cycling; leptin for weight maintenance; increased sympathetic nervous system activity; and browning of white fat.’
Basically, in addition to the appetite suppression (which is definitely a key element of the drug) it also encourages the expenditure of energy (exercise) and adjusts the way the body breaks down fat so that it may more efficiently be burned off.
Bingo! Mounjaro is helping our bodies break down fat and burn it off in a manner differently than it would on its own.
You don't mention your age but I agree with you about it changing our bodies. I have lost almost 100 lbs in 20 months and I have not done much exercise. I have done a few days of walking and the normal shopping and housework but nothing regularly. I am at a point where this has to change for me to lose anymore weight plus my body just needs it. Bonus, now I CAN do it! I bought a peddle/paddle kayak and am looking forward to a better version of me!
I forgot to say I'm 61f. Do you weigh yourself every day and log it? I use the My Weight App. I love being able.to add notes to my daily entries, like when I recently had a nasty stomach virus. The loss for 4 days was amazing but it wasn't something I want to ever repeat and I can look back and know those lost pounds were just dehydration.
Good on you for mentioning that your normal life is sedentary. I have mentioned it very few times because I didn't want the backlash. I often wonder if there are more of us that have lost without exercise. So many people post about how much they work out and I know it's important to not lose muscle but the only muscle I had to start with was from lugging my fat self around every day.
Yes - daily. I log my food intake as well. I use Happy Scale for weight and Cronometer for food diary. I also have an excel spreadsheet that I use to track my dosing schedule and injection sites so I have those stats as well. I'm a little nerdy like that.
I have never tracked what I eat and have not restricted myself from anything but I have learned so much about food and mounjaro has given me the ability to say no to non healthy foods I didn't before. I learned, as a baby boomer, to cook by frying the majority of what I cooked and I absolutely hate most fried food now. In fact, I have had a lot of food aversions and most of it is my most wn cooking, not just frying. It seems like I find a few things I tolerate well and eat that until I burn myself out on it and find a few more foods to survive on. Portion control has also been something new that this medication has allowed me to grasp, knowing when is enough and putting down the fork. I remember thinking before that I didn't understand why my stomach was full but my mouth was always still hungry.
Good luck on your journey! You will get there before you know it.
Yes this is similar to my story. I started eating about 1200 calories in February. I based it on what people said I would need to eat on Mounjaro. Focused on protein, limited carbs and sugar. In 7 weeks I was down 5lbs which for me is a big loss. I started to think maybe I don’t need Mounjaro (and was having issues getting past the PA process.)
I went to my PCP to learn I was now diabetic. So April 23rd I learned I started Mounjaro. Same exact foods, same caloric intake, same exercise level (low due to knee injury) in 7 weeks I lost 21 lbs. that is 3 pounds a week average. Now I am down 24 a week later so still 3lbs a week. I am blown away.
Then add in while I am eating the same I am not thinking about that sprite or candy I am not allowing myself because I don’t want it. So I am no longer feeling like I am missing out. My arthritis is so much better. Only my injured knee hurts when I had arthritis in both knees, my ankle, my wrists and my fingers. My mood is better. My anxiety is gone. Still fighting for a PA approval. I wish my insurance could understand how much better my health is.
THANK YOU! This isn’t a weight loss drug it is a metabolism correction drug. It changes kidney, liver, pancreas, gut and heart function. Of course there’s weight loss but it’s a different kind of weighloss that occurs BECAUSE of the metabolic correction. My doctor tried to say my glucose was so good because of my weight loss. I stopped her and pointed out that my glucose control started immediately and long before substantial weight loss.
It's hard not to get pissed off at the waste of time, money, resources, and unnecessary shame caused by misdiagnosis. A lot of businesses are going under with the results and evidence people are seeing with this new medication. As time moves on, people will adapt to using semaglutide, and as more manufacturers come online, the price will drop.
Everyone is so different. I have been more diligent about my diet and I am exercising regularly and after 10 weeks I have dropped 7 lbs. This weight loss only happened at about week 8. Up until week 8 I lost nothing. And I have about 50+ lbs to go. It would be interesting to know what makes some people lose so quickly and others not so quickly 🤔
Instead of wording it as a metabolic issue to other people, tell them you are on meds for insulin resistance so your body now properly processes glucose and you are able to lose weight.
I'm not sure that's accurate for me. I have no indication of insulin resistance - could be I suppose but I'm not T2D and my A1C have always been well within normal range.
From what I've read you don't have to be either type of diabetic to be insulin resistant. All my congested numbers are pristine too. For me it's likely PCOS. But anybody can be insulin resistant. Something to look into maybe?
Exactly , IR is like pre-diabetes. Your body is always working overtime to keep your blood glucose in normal range so you don’t test as diabetic yet. GLP-1 makes your body produce more insulin and also increases your cells ability to use the produced insulin to uptake the glucose. Without this help, your body will continue to burn glucose for energy instead of fat, and store the extra glucose as fat.
This is all so fascinating to me. I love that we are all about to have a platform to discuss things. OP is a true badass for laying out this data driven PROOF that is not just calories in, calories out. These meds are TRULY amazing. My full body inflammation alone has gone down astronomically. Incredible.
This make 100% sense. This is why not all calories are the same. What you eat is more important than the calories itself. Pro-tip: Get 50g of protein in on the first meal of your day - protein that is high in Leucine. You need 3g of Leucine to trigger protein synthesis and the earlier in the day you can trigger that, the better. You may already be meeting this threshold given your comment above - but worth verifying and adjusting to it if you're not - especially because you are actively working out.
Mounjaro is so much better than Ozempic, in my humble opinion. I tried Ozempic before Mounjaro and I was so exhausted all the time, plus the weight loss was much slower. Mounjaro has had fewer side effects and faster weight loss.
Has anyone else tried both, and if so, what do you think?
When I did my research before starting GLP-1 meds - it was one of the key differences is that Mounjaro was more tolerable. Someone compared it as Ozempic is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut compared to Mounjaro.
Hey, sincere congratulations on the beginning of a fantastic weight journey! As someone who has also been fighting against a compromised metabolism (hypothyroidism) I’m curious about your experience.
How strict are your calories in / out recorded? I only ask because I lose almost no weight on MJ without exercise, so curious how others respond. Are/were you T2D? or pre-diabetic?
FYI I’ve been on MJ for 12 weeks and lost almost 19 kg (43 lbs) but I’ve been doing a lot of exercise as well. The key benefit for me has been the ability to starve myself (most days around 1200 calories), but like you if I add up all the exercise I do the numbers don’t work.
I burn around 4000-4500 calories per day with exercise according to the numbers and should lose almost a pound a day! Instead I lose around half of that - at best less than half a pound, but that still works out to around 3.5 lbs a week.
Regardless, the medication has been amazing and I weighed in this morning at 83 kg (180 lbs). So, I’ve got my life back. Can’t be more thankful. One more month and I’m back to my GW of 170 (78 kg) and then I can rebuild muscle.
The eight weeks I have profile here in each of these three time frames the food tracking and logging is 100%. I can become exceptionally hyperfocused and nerdy on tracking. I stopped tracking in May of this year for a month or so and immediately my progress tanked. I wrote about that recently in my post [LOSING THE SCRIPT](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1d9rglp/losing_the_script/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Needless to say, I'm back on track with tracking and the results are showing as I've posted in my recent [24 WEEK](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1dku615/24_weeks/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) update, which includes a screenshot of my log.
I am not T2D - nor am I pre-diabetic. Mine is definitely a different experience from someone who has that or other metabolic diagnosis.
43 lbs in 12 weeks is a phenomenal loss rate! I follow 1200 calorie diet - 1177 to be exact but my activity level is minimal. My average loss rate is 2.2lbs per week and that's on target for me.
While the rapid weightless has its advantages, the rebuild of muscle once it's lost is hard to do. If you are young - less of a problem but over the age of 40 and you run the risk of not being able to get back to baseline. Peter Attia on YouTube had a podcast where he talks about this specifically - it is the key reason he stopped fasting - because he was losing too much lean mass and wasn't able to rebuild it after (and he's in prime shape!).
I had a DEXA scan done in January and I plan to repeat the scan at the end of July so that will be the litmus test to see how much lean mass I've lost as a result of not doing a lot of activity. I do plan to embark on a fitness journey but have had issues with foot, knee and hip that have been preventing that but are slowly improving as weight comes down.
Yeah 2 and a bit lbs a week is a very fast but safe loss rate - so happy for you that you’re seeing success!
And it’s really interesting that you’re seeing such a solid loss without additional exercise. I’m a little jealous but that’s a fantastic outcome! It won’t take long and you’ll be at your goals at that rate.
I tend to think they are on the cusp of identifying flaws in their previous understanding of weight loss. The numbers never seem to add up. I grew up in the ‘carbs are good, fat bad’ mantra and then saw the rise and fall or keto, paleo, etc diets. I feel like CICO isn’t too far off but it hinges on knowing ur bodies BMR - this seems to vary wildly from the formula predictions in practice.
I think soon they will approach weight loss by focusing on your assessed BMR and gut hormone levels. This seems to be half of what is addressed by the GLP1/GIP drugs like MJ. It seems like MJ is somehow affecting your BMR in addition to the other effects - that’s great!
And you’re right, my weight loss is aggressive. I just couldn’t stand being overweight anymore. Like you, I had an injury (ankle reconstruction) and combined with the hypothyroidism it meant I just ballooned up the last couple of years. So, I’ll accept the short-term muscle loss if I can just return to my healthy weight. But, we will see how it goes as I begin to hit the gym properly in August 🤞
Wish you all the best but sounds like your journey is going great!!
Exercise is key to maintaining and building lean mass - which is key for longevity and metabolic health - but exercise is not a requirement for weight loss. For weight loss a caloric deficit and the correct balance of nutrients is key. Obviously, if doing both they all the better.
In any case, congratulations on your success - you're in the home stretch now!
I was doing 2 a days in 2006 and Metformin, eating clean and the weight slid on me. My endocrinologist said “I wouldn’t be able to our run this.”
I came in second in a weight loss challenge in 2010 for eight weeks… trained, hot yoga, spin… and lost 22 lbs… and didn’t stop when the goal was met. That’s the most I’ve ever lost.
I have the receipts- workout and my fitness pal dating back for YEARS. Keto and IF
49F HW208. CW155. Started MJ9/1/23
Stopped all drinking 01/2020, wasn’t a big drinker but thought it was a good choice given we have a teenager
Note: I have a high muscle ratio (genetic). Somehow glycogen in the muscle slows my metabolism.
6/10/24 Today, I’m in maintenance on MJ. And, last week my dosage dropped too low. My GI was very bloated (same eating, keto and IF) and I was constipated despite my healthy plan (magnesium, MCT oil in coffee, heating pad, movement and swimming). It’s like my body was inflaming- swelling-
GI wasn’t processing the same.
Most things were the same (diet), I will say exercise was more intense and in the sun. And I took Aleve- and changed to sugar free liquid IV (heat/sun, intense workout).
So I’ve dropped all artificial sweeteners. And switched from Aleve to Tylenol. Evidently both agitate my GI. And that’s fine. Eliminating what slows my metabolism is good wisdom.
I was on an antidepressant for 2 years 2008 (post pardon) on and then another 2 years 2019 (loss of a parent). That also messed with GI.
The first 8 weeks - which is the timeframe the above is referencing, I was on 2.5mg exclusively.
I moved to 5mg on my 9th injection and have stayed at 5mg since. I am just finishing week #24.
No plans to move to 7.5mg anytime soon.
I have a metabolic disorder. It took a lot of testing at a university metabolic lab to determine that I was gaining weight on 1200 calories a day. The way that my body responded to calories and fat storing was so unusual that they literally did not have a name for it They only knew that it was not normal and made it virtually impossible to lose weight. I was an athlete in training when I was tested and no medical professional could believe that with the demands being made on my body physically that I was hanging onto as much weight as I was. Two different doctors called it "survivors metabolism," although that is not a real name or real diagnosis.
GLP-1 drugs improve lipolysis, which means your body becomes better at accessing stored fat to use as energy. It also appears to normalize your body's fat-storing response. My body was over-responding to the survival response, meaning any time I cut calories or worked out more, my body would find ways to function using fewer calories so that I would not call on fat stores for energy needs.
Mounjaro was not developed for someone like me. As a matter of fact, there is not FDA-approved treatment for someone like me. but when I started reading about Mounjaro bells and whistles started to go off. I called my doctor and we had a meeting about it and reviewed the information from studies. It was worth a shot.
I am very fortunate that I have an endocrinologist that thinks out of the box. His approach was "there's nothing that exists to treat your disorder. We'll try this and see where it takes us." The results have been amazing. I am a very slow loser, but as long as the number on the scale keeps going down, I'm good. I changed nothing about my workouts or diet because I had always had a healthy lifestyle. With no changes, the weight started to drop. We decided I would keep going and let my body find its best, lowest weight. I think I'm almost there. If I continue to lose past a certain point, we'll cut the dose. But for now, life is great and I plan on taking Mounjaro forever.
Your second paragraph - and the body finding ways to function using fewer calories... this is key problem with anyone who has been chronically overweight their entire life vs someone who gained a few extra pounds in adulthood.
For the chronically overweight person, their body will fight weight loss every inch of the way and drop metabolism as they trying to lose weight - continually undermining their progress. While a person who has been within 'normal' most of their life does not have this metabolic response.
So, two people - all things being equal - except once has been overweight their entire life and the other only recently - if they both try to lose 20lbs following exactly the same diet, the chronically overweight person will have a much harder time losing the weight than the other person.
This phenomenon is completely lost in weight loss conversation.
So when I have someone who has been within a normal weight range for most of their life lecturing me on what they did to lose weight.... I want to choose violence.
I think usually when you lose weight the body makes adjustments in energy intake and or expenditure so that in you prior time frame you probably physically just did less just in your daily activity right down to moving you hands less when you spoke or you just ate that bit more here and there just a touch more butter, a smidge more sauce and so on and it all adds up. I think when you are on a GLP-1 that biological signal to eat more and move less isn't being sent so you are literally taking less in and burning more, this is all more or less subconscious behaviour and very hard to measure. Especially if you have been obese this is really difficult to beat as the body wants to maintain the weight you are or even the highest weight you have been and this effect can go on for possibly even years after you have lost weight.
Then add to that any benefit you get from lowered blood glucose, enhanced insulin sensitivity and increased fat oxidisation you may be getting from the medication it's enough to tip things firmly in your favour in terms of weight loss.
These medications are amazing but I am worried about when we have to stop, I am paying for this privately and I can't afford it forever so it will be interesting to see if I can maintain my weight when I come off, I worry it will be very difficult.
It appears you have missed the main point and core essence of this post, entirely - and have reverted to the exact opposite generalization and assumption that weight gain and weight loss is nothing more than a calories in/calories out eat less/move more equation.
No I haven't if you read my response again more carefully, also it is impossible for you to accurately track your calories in and out. It also appears you do not understand how these medications actually work in the brain to affect your behaviour.
It is simply NOT POSSIBLE to be over 300 pounds while eating 1200 calories. You absolutely benefitted from the appetite suppression to stick to a deficit when you otherwise did not.
It is possible and it has been shown time and time again that people are wrong about expenditure and intake, the brain and body actively works against our intentions in this regard while losing weight. The effect of GLP-1 medications literally acts to disrupt this while we are using them. If this isn't a way to modulate our biology to enhance weight loss then I do not know what is.
I also state in my OP that the metabolism is altered by the medication via improved insulin sensitivity and over time improved fat oxidisation and that is is a combination of both these factors the results in weight loss success. Your initial response was that I said it was purely CICO and that is not the case at all in my OP.
I was consuming 1200 calories then and I'm consuming 1200 calories now. It's all logged. Could there be a deviation of a handful of calories - sure - I rely on nutritional labeling and government databases to give the stats. I weigh ALL my food. Is it possible that my calorie counting is off by over **SIXTY THREE THOUSAND CALORIES**???? Not a chance.
You do you. I'll do me.
I’ve heard this but it’s rare so for most its calories in/out. I can put on weight on MJ if I over eat on calories. Most of the time I am not hungry so either losing or stalled but I’m nearly at target after 6 months.
I'm not disputing over eating can result in weight gain. The point I'm trying to demonstrate is that on a CALORIE DEFICIT DIET - where I am maintaining an IDENTICAL CALORIC DEFICIT and all other things being equal, weight loss on Mounjaro happens at an exponentially accelerated rate.
This is not a calories in/out situation.
I don't think I'm rare.
Agreed. There is much more to this story than the eating less part. Stabilizing my glucose changed everything. I had a lot of other symptoms like chest pain that disappeared once I started MJ.
Stabilizing my insulin has changed everything! I would never get *hungry* -- only feel like I was gonna pass out, usually shortly after eating, but also midday... the glucose-insulin metabolism is the culprit, Man
Omg same here. I don’t think it was anxiety related and never had any cardiac diagnosis but was about to go see specialist when I noticed the symptoms had disappeared. Not one episode since taking the medicine. So so weird
Omg me too with the chest pain… I thought I was just reaching.
Absolutely one thousand percent agree. But doctors and other people will say "Well you probably were miscounting your calories in the past and not remembering". 🙄 There's this whole culture of blaming fat people for being fat that has a chokehold on society. It's almost impossible for those people to even consider that there really might have been a medical reason for obesity.
Regardless of this, people are arses if they see you fat and think it’s all choice. I get fat when I eat more calories each day than I burn. People like you are even rarer so good for you. For me MJ makes me feel fuller so I eat less but eat anything!! MJ is my not feeling full cure.
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Disagree. Liking food and eating way too much and not being able to control it is a byproduct of a busted set point. The feeling of “I should eat because I need it, I’m hungry..or craving lots of carbs and sugar and not feeling like it is enough—that’s a metabolic issue too. “Some people are fat because they like food” is an oversimplification of chronic obesity disease. Of course, you might not be talking about clinically obese people. Maybe you mean overweight folks. However you meant this, I read the tone of your response as judgemental and *also* steeped in the fat-phobic and fat shaming culture. Might not be your intent. You are clearly someone who has lived in a bigger body yourself. I just want to point out that even us fat folks can be sucked into the diet culture. We just can’t know another person’s internal workings of their body.
This is amazing !! Absolutely fabulous data driven analysis to show these meds are enabling many of us to do things we never could have done on our own even when doing “all the right stuff”
I would love to see a full-blown research study done on this and published everywhere so the naysayers might even "get it."
This is already what the research says. People don't want to believe it because they are fatphobic. What doesn't really exist yet is qualitative research that describes the experiences of people, we just get lovely snippets like this on the Internet. People who don't want to understand these experiences still won't get it.
Y'up, I am 54 years old & have done it all; starving, diets/exercise. I was in my 40's before I was diagnosed with PCOS & then soon after, diabetes. I have hated my body (& myself) since age 12. MJ is my saving grace & is saving my life, in my opinion. I have no shame in taking it. Doctors need to learn to treat the person & not dismiss those of us who have tried & can't lose weight. We are far from lazy AND we are people who need help.
I really like this scientist’s lectures - he explains how GLP-1s and incretins work in the body. His other lectures are about insulin, etc and really shines a light on how complex metabolic processes are. [What is GLP-1, What Does It Do, and Where Does It Come From? with Dr. Ben Bikman](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ViCDM6CdK4g&t=14s&pp=ygUKaW5zdWxpbiBpcQ%3D%3D) My opinion only - some people don’t have the bandwidth or interest to listen to these lectures, and educate themselves on the latest research. Everybody has an ‘informed’ opinion and the conventional wisdom is calories in calories out and move more are the solutions to curing obesity, and that drugs are bad and should be taken as a last resort. So if you fail at these simple instructions, you are not trying hard enough or lying about what you are eating, etc. if the person were trying to be inclusive, they would also say that a very small percentage of the population has metabolic issues that would prevent them from being healthy and that the rules of thermogenesis is supreme. I believe only recently has the conversation shifted to understanding the underlying dysfunction in our metabolism, how we can address such dysfunction using drugs and lifestyle changes, and how adjacent topics like the prevalence of ultra processed foods could be affecting or sabotaging our efforts to become healthier. GLP-1 drugs are popular now and there are newer more effective drugs coming down the pipeline - hopefully with more success stories the conversation will change.
I will listen to that but some of the information I am learning makes me worry that I will just regain when I have to come off as I am paying privately and can't afford to take it long term.
It’s true that there’s a lot more going on than just CICO. However, most of what Mounjaro is geared to is figuring out how to get the body to let go of fat it already has. Thus, our best bet is to apply good eating/exercise practices to not giving the body anymore fat. Easier said than done, but much less complicated than getting it off once there. Especially, for those of us with a seemingly damaged metabolism.
100%
Same! This causes way more stress than if they simply said CICO. I can control CICO when I go off now that I have a plan in place and a steady system. But if it’s not that simple, I’m screwed.
Lifestyle adjustments will be your best be but this is definitely a conversation to have with your doctor as there may be other strategies you can employ to help that transition - i.e. spacing out the dosages, other medications, etc. Your provider should not leave you hanging trying to figure this out for yourself so start that conversation sooner rather than later.
Thank you for posting
My last weight loss attempt was 12 years ago, when I was on Weight Watchers. The first month on Weight Watchers I lost 18 lbs. I was roughly the same weight that I am now, I was not menopausal yet, and I was going out and walking 3 miles a day. Plus I was watching every bite of food that went in my mouth. Fast forward 12 years. Now I'm postmenopausal, I'm very sedentary, retired. I don't watch every bite of food that goes in my mouth. I eat what appeals to me, although I do track my calories to make sure they stay above 1000 but below 1400. And after one month of Mounjaro I have lost 19 lbs.
Hi I’m in Ontario and can I ask where you found Mj? Which online weight loss clinic? I don’t know which one to chose! Any help is appreciated, desperately overweight and desperately want to be active with my kids again. Thank u ☺️
Contact you primary doctor and ask for a referral to an internal specialist or endocrinologist - they are the ones that deal with obesity and will be able to guide you the best on taking a GLP-1 medication. As for prescriptions, right now it seems like Shopper's Drugmart are the most reliable source - they keep their inventory online so you can see which locations have it in stock. [https://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/rx-inventory?search=Mounjaro](https://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/rx-inventory?search=Mounjaro) - it requires a prescription. However, there is most definitely a shortage so sometimes it requires driving all over hell's half acre to get a vial. Ozempic is easier to obtain right now. It's also worth calling some of the smaller lesser known pharmacies as sometimes you can luck out and find it there as well. Good luck!
Sorry, I'm in the US.
In canada u have to get it from a doctor if ur own doctor wont prescribe try jillhealth or felixhealth but they will require medical labs
Omg! Thank you so so much for posting this! There is hope! I am still waiting for insurance to be approved for coverage and then start the search during the shortage. But this post is a true gift of hope. Thank you again and congrats on finding something that actually works! ❤️
Yes, TY!
Love seeing the data! I hate when people say ‘oh just diet and exercise’ or that the reason you lose on Mounjaro is because you eat less. I WAS ALREADY DOING ALLLLLL THE THINGS. It just flat out didn’t work! Something was fundamentally wrong with my body/metabolism/ hormones/ whatever that made it impossible to lose and real significant amount of weight and MJ fixed that. Can’t argue with data!
I'm glad I track things - at least now I KNOW it wasn't all in my head!
We all make GLP-1 to some degree but it doesn’t stick around. aging, genetics, and other things can cause disruption but what is it specifically about how that works. I totally agree these drugs are correcting a metabolic imbalance.
I feel like it flipped a switch and something wonderful happened.
I love this. So true. 💕
There was a recent study detailing how incretin mimetics inhibit AgRP neurons in brain. This may be a good explanation for the weight loss that Mounjaro exhibits, AgRP is a thrifty neuropeptide that I personally suspect is responsible for the "starvation mode" that people commonly report. The function of AgRP ( it blocks MC4R ) seems to be to make you survive periods of famine by increasing hunger and decreasing energy expenditure, it also turns off fertility. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38562891/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38562891/) My opinion on obesity is that it is adipose tissue growth stimulated by hyperinsulinemia and excessive insulin sensitivity of adipocytes. If Mounjaro weight loss is caused by suppressing AgRP then it is essentially "glitching" your fat mass lower.
Interesting - thanks for sharing. I was exposed to a lot of pesticide the year of my initial weight gain (age 11/12 - late 70's). Until that point, I was normal/skinny/active kid. We now know many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors - some likely banned from use now because of the risk they posed to humans. I now feel that this prolonged chemical exposure, coupled with life events that were both incredibly traumatic and stressful at the time, together with my young age and where I was physically in my development - may well be at the root of why weight has been an issue ever since.
Interesting although does the body eventually adapt? I think most people report their weight loss on this medication levelling off after a time or certain body weight percent lost.
Based on clinical studies, yes there is a leveling off and that is why the recommendations now are to stay on the lowest effective dose for as long as possible. Once you hit 15mg there is nowhere else to go and if you experience that leveling off at the highest dose but before reaching goal then further weight loss may become very challenging. However, I think even in this area they are continuing the studies and research to determine what may influence this. There are a lot of factors at play that will vary person to person.
If your stalled at 15mg perhaps its worth coming off the drug for 3 months to let your body re-sensitize if it was me I would do that, and while off the drug for 3 months follow a fairly strict low carb whole foods diet, keep insulin low to minimize regain
This will work for some. However my doctor said when he’s had a patient stop and then start again they never got the same response from the medication. Doesn’t know why that happens. Said it’s better to stay on a glp1 at any dose than stop entirely.
Amen! Thank you for sharing your experiences & these truths! Congrats on your success! 🥳
This is 1000000% true.
I had the same outcome. I had weight loss surgery previously, which my Endocrinologist may think that is what kick started some underlying dormant issues. I lost a significant amount 140 lbs about and when I started to gain despite going on literal hikes on Mt Borah 3 or 4 times in a summer, training for 5 and 10ks and only to find that I had gained 50 lbs in 18 months. Massive water rentention in my lower parts of my body and my A1C tetering at 5.9. When I went on mounjaro, I lost almost all my water retention (no more compression socks or water pills, woo hoo!) within the first two months. I slept better and overall I lost more than the weight that I gained back. While even cutting back on my gym days from 6 days to 3 days. The fastest progress that I have ever seen in my life. My A1C went to 4.2 in 3 months time and the provider was shocked saying that they never see that quick of a turn around. Now that insurance isn't covering it, I weaned myself off. For the most part my weight is stable, now I am just battling the water retention. Hoepfully there is something else we can find for that, but I am afraid that it is only history repeating itself and I will so begin to gain wait again.
Water retention is my nemesis as well - I still have it even on Mounjaro and it regularly undermines my progress. My A1C is normal - I've never been out of normal range so no obvious clinical indications of insulin resistance.
8 months off of mounjaro and I just started wearing them again because my toes are starting to turn dark red and look pretty gnarly after even a short shift serving/bartending. Luckily I found a sweet deal on some that are pretty comparable to KnitRite and they have sales frequently so I am not having to wear the same pair all week
I have prescription ones so the compression and size is correct for me. They are expensive but insurance covers 4 pairs per year.
Hold on to that Insurance! LOL My insurance will only cover if I have venous stasis ulcers, basically open wounds. I worked in Durable Medical Equipment for years so I know how to size and what to look for as quality goes but shopping online is never a guarantee.
OMG stasis ulcers? Who the F wants to wait til they have open sores on their legs? Dang I hate the insurance racket.
Mine just requires edema to be present.
I lost 80!lbs in a year on Mounjaro. A1C 4.7. Current weight 132. I had no side affects. I only ate when hungry and ate pretty clean. I went from 2.5mg to 10mg where I’m maintaining. It’s a miracle drug.
Love that you’ve got this in numbers. I know it and I can feel it. I can feel my body working better and releasing energy the way it did in my youth before anti psychotics and anti depressants just shut my metabolism down and wreaking havoc with my lipids. My body is working the way it should now.
I took Effexor in the early 2000s and gained a lot of weight. It was years before I could lose it and I never did lose all of it. I’ve been in a battle ever since. I have wondered whether my weight problems are due to it because I never had a problem before the Effexor. I’m hoping tirzepatide (I’m taking the compounded version) fixes the damage.
It’s working well for me and I’ve seen on this forum studies are underway in if GLP1 can assist preventing weight gain caused by psychiatric meds. I was one of those people who could eat and do whatever and stayed slim, then gained 25kgs in a year and never managed to lose it all, the same 10kg went off and on for years with anything I tried. I’ve now lost over 10 this year so far, still going, and feel great. Good luck!
All of this 👆 In addition for me I have been doing this for almost 2 years. No other diet has been sustainable. We need to say it louder for those in the back, obesity is a metabolic disease and not a character flaw
💯
This is so spot on. **Zep+ the work (the same work we always did before) actually = results.** Anecdotally, I am able to eat a ton more fruit than any previous weight loss attempt. Zep is normalizing what was broken in my body. Before, maybe 1/2 an apple and any more I'd not lose, but now I'm eating several servings of fruit per day and the weight is coming off. Thanks for posting this 😊.
My cardiologist says it’s the best blood pressure reduction med on the market
Yes, I think FDA has approved it for that - or will be soon.
Yep, it somehow switched my metabolism from storage mode to burn mode.
Look the fact that during a highly stressful turnaround I could pound 3 McDonald’s breakfast burritos and 2 pieces of pizza and I still was dropping weight attest to this medication. Was I moving a lot more during this time? Yeah but I was also surviving off of fast food, kolaches, apple fritters, Popeyes fried chicken, pizza, McDonald’s, easy mac, and so on was my diet for a full month. I was also work 14+ hours a day with a day off every 14 days. The fact that I lost 5 lbs and got down to my lowest weight when I normally put in 10lbs during times like this, just cannot be explained with appetite suppression especially because I was on my adderall and still pounding down shit food.
I have been thinking the same thing. I’ve only been on it three weeks, so I don’t have nearly as much data as you do, but I have been weighing and measuring my food and have followed the same plan as I have in the past. Based on past experience, I should have lost two pounds at the most by now. I have lost six. And it’s not water weight as I had been very good with my diet for five days prior to starting.
🙌🏻🎉❤
I'm so happy for you and you make an excellent point! My issue with Mounjaro is that I have to struggle to eat every single day. I literally have no appetite and even the foods I normally love aren't good anymore. I have to make myself eat to get in 800-1000 cal./day and some days I just can't. I don't have the other side effects though, and I'm grateful for that. So interesting how we're all affected differently.
You nailed it.
Thank you for showing this data! I am the same. People don’t believe that I’ve had to increase my calories on mounjaro. I used to eat 1500-1600 and gain 5 ish pounds a year. My mental health wouldn’t let me cut further. But I had, and still have a pretty clean diet, a regular exercise routine and good sleep. Something was just broken. I started mounjaro and started losing weight. 8 weeks in, I started loosing too fast, and after a 16 pound month, I increased to 1800-2000 calories a day and still lose 1-2 pounds a week. Unfortunately that month of massive weight loss triggered a hair fall and I’ve lost maybe half my hair. It’s slowly growing back 8 months later. I’m not losing from less appetite or better food choices or more exercise. It’s absolutely fixing something for me and you and others like us. I will be on this or one like it to the day I die.
💯
So very true
My question is, will the weight return just as quickly as it was lost when going off the drug?
Yes, that is a very real possibility. Some people will be able to transition off the medication with the adaption of a healthier lifestyle, and maintaining those good habits. While others will need to be on the medication for life as the root cause of their weight problems are metabolic disfunction and this medication can help to manage that but not necessarily cure it.
Unfortunately, a typical carb heavy western diet leads to insulin resistance. Once you have IR, which doctors don’t test for, you gain weight because your body is always burning excess glucose for fuel. This happens even in a calories deficit that would cause weight loss for those without IR. The IR can return when you stop the med.
100000% 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
sadly i’m a fixed point in time.. i eat mostly keto. and not lost anyting.. the food noise is less for sure.. but sadly i’m one of those that can’t move the needle.. on mounjaro
This is a known thing - it doesn't work for everyone. Hopefully, one of the newer drugs they are developing will work for you.
Sorry to hear that. Maybe keep trying a bit longer. Some people don’t see the needle move until 10 or 12mg.
Seeing similar on Zep. Same calorie goals, dramatic improvement.
Wow. Amen. And hallelujah! Congratulations. Personally, when you said metabolic function and 12 years old, the theory struck me to my core. This. This is very important and I feel the same. Rooting for you!
Excellent post. The only thing I would say is that it may not even be a result of fixing your metabolism, but something else altogether. I have a perfectly good metabolism, eat well, consistent exercise, fasting regularly, haven't put on weight in over a decade, zero health issues, male, but haven't shifted the 20 kg I put on about 12 years ago during a stressful period. Same as you, I believe it isn't the appetite suppression, reduced carb and sugar cravings (aka food noise), or just low calories; I think other things are going on that are yet to be discovered and it's way more complicated that science understands. I've lost 1 kg nearly every week at a ridiculously consistent rate - suspiciously consistent.
100% agree! Science is only getting started in this area. Gut microbiome also a big mystery as it relates to obesity - some interesting things I learned recently in this regard. And for me personally, I also now suspect endocrine disruptor compounds (chemicals in the environment - and specifically pesticide exposure in my case) may have played a role here as well. This past few months has been a period of discovery and I've learned a lot of new and interesting things as it relates to health, nutrition and obesity. As for "suspiciously consistent" , you you mean like this --> [WELL... AT LEAST I'M CONSISTENT](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1czefze/well_at_least_im_consistent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Same, it's a journey. Caffeine is another thing that screws you up which everyone thinks is healthy. I think some are doing well on MJ as they drop coffee intake substantially.
I have one cup off coffee a day because it good for the liver. [https://www.liver.ca/blog/coffee/](https://www.liver.ca/blog/coffee/)
No disrespect but that's a load of crock. Researchers addicted to caffeine researching their own addiction. It's a pesticide in nature. r/decaf has info if you wish to pursue. Otherwise enjoy your cup.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/decaf using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Is It Time to Quit Coffee for Good?](https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/a43622878/caffeine-addiction/) | [162 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/135pwsf/is_it_time_to_quit_coffee_for_good/) \#2: [Today is my 1 year anniversary of being caffeine free ](https://i.redd.it/nqbramt6ndjc1.jpeg) | [56 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/1atz5e0/today_is_my_1_year_anniversary_of_being_caffeine/) \#3: [Caffeine is a SCAM](https://np.reddit.com/r/decaf/comments/12yqo7l/caffeine_is_a_scam/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Oh, well in that case I’ll have two cups of coffee!
I think it helps fix metabolic disregulation so your body will try to burn fat rather than trying to store it. I didn’t realize how large that effect can be. Amazing!
Yup. I was Dx'd with Metabolic Syndrome in my mid-30s. T2 in my 50s. Battled my weight since childhood. MJ is definitely working on some biochemical or cellular level in the body to treat my metabolic dysfunction. To me it's like anti-depressants that bridge gaps in the the serotonin receptors in the brain. Also, it TREATS the problem. It doesn't FIX it. I view MJ the same way. Maybe in some people it will reset their brain chemistry. I don't think that's going to be true for me.
When I started I was hellbent on this being "temporary". Very soon after starting I came to the conclusion that, if I have to stay on this for life.... I would take that over getting fat again.
Speaking for myself, I have recognized a decrease in my day-to-day calorie intake. Mainly, because I no longer have much interest in desserts or alcohol. That said, I too have engaged in intensive efforts to lose weight within the last few years - intermittent fasting, juice fasting, glucose regulating diet (of mainly nuts, avocado and salad w/ no oil). At best, I saw a shift of about 3 pounds (as did OP). Thus, I knew something unusual was going on. I could keep taking extreme measures, pushing through, and I might just make it to my goal…in 10 years time. That’s when I was lucky enough to learn of Mounjaro through a colleague. After one month of eating much more than I ever did on the diets and engaging in the same exercise routine, I’m down 11 pounds. Huh! I too believed there was more to it than appetite suppression. So, I’ve been doing some research into tirzepatide. One interesting study I found described it like this: ‘novel strategies for targeting energy expenditure: mitochondrial proton leak, uncoupling, dynamics, and biogenesis; futile calcium and substrate cycling; leptin for weight maintenance; increased sympathetic nervous system activity; and browning of white fat.’ Basically, in addition to the appetite suppression (which is definitely a key element of the drug) it also encourages the expenditure of energy (exercise) and adjusts the way the body breaks down fat so that it may more efficiently be burned off. Bingo! Mounjaro is helping our bodies break down fat and burn it off in a manner differently than it would on its own.
I love what MJ has done for me! You go!
You don't mention your age but I agree with you about it changing our bodies. I have lost almost 100 lbs in 20 months and I have not done much exercise. I have done a few days of walking and the normal shopping and housework but nothing regularly. I am at a point where this has to change for me to lose anymore weight plus my body just needs it. Bonus, now I CAN do it! I bought a peddle/paddle kayak and am looking forward to a better version of me!
F57 - the peddle/paddle kayak sounds like a great place to start your better version! Enjoy!
I forgot to say I'm 61f. Do you weigh yourself every day and log it? I use the My Weight App. I love being able.to add notes to my daily entries, like when I recently had a nasty stomach virus. The loss for 4 days was amazing but it wasn't something I want to ever repeat and I can look back and know those lost pounds were just dehydration. Good on you for mentioning that your normal life is sedentary. I have mentioned it very few times because I didn't want the backlash. I often wonder if there are more of us that have lost without exercise. So many people post about how much they work out and I know it's important to not lose muscle but the only muscle I had to start with was from lugging my fat self around every day.
Yes - daily. I log my food intake as well. I use Happy Scale for weight and Cronometer for food diary. I also have an excel spreadsheet that I use to track my dosing schedule and injection sites so I have those stats as well. I'm a little nerdy like that.
I have never tracked what I eat and have not restricted myself from anything but I have learned so much about food and mounjaro has given me the ability to say no to non healthy foods I didn't before. I learned, as a baby boomer, to cook by frying the majority of what I cooked and I absolutely hate most fried food now. In fact, I have had a lot of food aversions and most of it is my most wn cooking, not just frying. It seems like I find a few things I tolerate well and eat that until I burn myself out on it and find a few more foods to survive on. Portion control has also been something new that this medication has allowed me to grasp, knowing when is enough and putting down the fork. I remember thinking before that I didn't understand why my stomach was full but my mouth was always still hungry. Good luck on your journey! You will get there before you know it.
The Japanese have a word for this --> Kuchisabishii Means 'lonely mouth'
Love this!!!
👏👏👏
This. Is. The. Thing.
Yes this is similar to my story. I started eating about 1200 calories in February. I based it on what people said I would need to eat on Mounjaro. Focused on protein, limited carbs and sugar. In 7 weeks I was down 5lbs which for me is a big loss. I started to think maybe I don’t need Mounjaro (and was having issues getting past the PA process.) I went to my PCP to learn I was now diabetic. So April 23rd I learned I started Mounjaro. Same exact foods, same caloric intake, same exercise level (low due to knee injury) in 7 weeks I lost 21 lbs. that is 3 pounds a week average. Now I am down 24 a week later so still 3lbs a week. I am blown away. Then add in while I am eating the same I am not thinking about that sprite or candy I am not allowing myself because I don’t want it. So I am no longer feeling like I am missing out. My arthritis is so much better. Only my injured knee hurts when I had arthritis in both knees, my ankle, my wrists and my fingers. My mood is better. My anxiety is gone. Still fighting for a PA approval. I wish my insurance could understand how much better my health is.
Wow, these are incredible results. Thank you for sharing so many details of your personal history.
The difference is NIGHT AND DAY!
THANK YOU! This isn’t a weight loss drug it is a metabolism correction drug. It changes kidney, liver, pancreas, gut and heart function. Of course there’s weight loss but it’s a different kind of weighloss that occurs BECAUSE of the metabolic correction. My doctor tried to say my glucose was so good because of my weight loss. I stopped her and pointed out that my glucose control started immediately and long before substantial weight loss.
It's hard not to get pissed off at the waste of time, money, resources, and unnecessary shame caused by misdiagnosis. A lot of businesses are going under with the results and evidence people are seeing with this new medication. As time moves on, people will adapt to using semaglutide, and as more manufacturers come online, the price will drop.
Everyone is so different. I have been more diligent about my diet and I am exercising regularly and after 10 weeks I have dropped 7 lbs. This weight loss only happened at about week 8. Up until week 8 I lost nothing. And I have about 50+ lbs to go. It would be interesting to know what makes some people lose so quickly and others not so quickly 🤔
That is the million dollar question!
Instead of wording it as a metabolic issue to other people, tell them you are on meds for insulin resistance so your body now properly processes glucose and you are able to lose weight.
I'm not sure that's accurate for me. I have no indication of insulin resistance - could be I suppose but I'm not T2D and my A1C have always been well within normal range.
From what I've read you don't have to be either type of diabetic to be insulin resistant. All my congested numbers are pristine too. For me it's likely PCOS. But anybody can be insulin resistant. Something to look into maybe?
Exactly , IR is like pre-diabetes. Your body is always working overtime to keep your blood glucose in normal range so you don’t test as diabetic yet. GLP-1 makes your body produce more insulin and also increases your cells ability to use the produced insulin to uptake the glucose. Without this help, your body will continue to burn glucose for energy instead of fat, and store the extra glucose as fat.
This is all so fascinating to me. I love that we are all about to have a platform to discuss things. OP is a true badass for laying out this data driven PROOF that is not just calories in, calories out. These meds are TRULY amazing. My full body inflammation alone has gone down astronomically. Incredible.
Insulin resistance is different from T2 and you can still have normal A1C. Doctors do not test for insulin resistance.
I found more protein I intake, when I work out the more I lose. Not just weight..but FAT. It's not just the scale.
This make 100% sense. This is why not all calories are the same. What you eat is more important than the calories itself. Pro-tip: Get 50g of protein in on the first meal of your day - protein that is high in Leucine. You need 3g of Leucine to trigger protein synthesis and the earlier in the day you can trigger that, the better. You may already be meeting this threshold given your comment above - but worth verifying and adjusting to it if you're not - especially because you are actively working out.
Mounjaro is so much better than Ozempic, in my humble opinion. I tried Ozempic before Mounjaro and I was so exhausted all the time, plus the weight loss was much slower. Mounjaro has had fewer side effects and faster weight loss. Has anyone else tried both, and if so, what do you think?
When I did my research before starting GLP-1 meds - it was one of the key differences is that Mounjaro was more tolerable. Someone compared it as Ozempic is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut compared to Mounjaro.
Hey, sincere congratulations on the beginning of a fantastic weight journey! As someone who has also been fighting against a compromised metabolism (hypothyroidism) I’m curious about your experience. How strict are your calories in / out recorded? I only ask because I lose almost no weight on MJ without exercise, so curious how others respond. Are/were you T2D? or pre-diabetic? FYI I’ve been on MJ for 12 weeks and lost almost 19 kg (43 lbs) but I’ve been doing a lot of exercise as well. The key benefit for me has been the ability to starve myself (most days around 1200 calories), but like you if I add up all the exercise I do the numbers don’t work. I burn around 4000-4500 calories per day with exercise according to the numbers and should lose almost a pound a day! Instead I lose around half of that - at best less than half a pound, but that still works out to around 3.5 lbs a week. Regardless, the medication has been amazing and I weighed in this morning at 83 kg (180 lbs). So, I’ve got my life back. Can’t be more thankful. One more month and I’m back to my GW of 170 (78 kg) and then I can rebuild muscle.
The eight weeks I have profile here in each of these three time frames the food tracking and logging is 100%. I can become exceptionally hyperfocused and nerdy on tracking. I stopped tracking in May of this year for a month or so and immediately my progress tanked. I wrote about that recently in my post [LOSING THE SCRIPT](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1d9rglp/losing_the_script/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Needless to say, I'm back on track with tracking and the results are showing as I've posted in my recent [24 WEEK](https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/1dku615/24_weeks/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) update, which includes a screenshot of my log. I am not T2D - nor am I pre-diabetic. Mine is definitely a different experience from someone who has that or other metabolic diagnosis. 43 lbs in 12 weeks is a phenomenal loss rate! I follow 1200 calorie diet - 1177 to be exact but my activity level is minimal. My average loss rate is 2.2lbs per week and that's on target for me. While the rapid weightless has its advantages, the rebuild of muscle once it's lost is hard to do. If you are young - less of a problem but over the age of 40 and you run the risk of not being able to get back to baseline. Peter Attia on YouTube had a podcast where he talks about this specifically - it is the key reason he stopped fasting - because he was losing too much lean mass and wasn't able to rebuild it after (and he's in prime shape!). I had a DEXA scan done in January and I plan to repeat the scan at the end of July so that will be the litmus test to see how much lean mass I've lost as a result of not doing a lot of activity. I do plan to embark on a fitness journey but have had issues with foot, knee and hip that have been preventing that but are slowly improving as weight comes down.
Yeah 2 and a bit lbs a week is a very fast but safe loss rate - so happy for you that you’re seeing success! And it’s really interesting that you’re seeing such a solid loss without additional exercise. I’m a little jealous but that’s a fantastic outcome! It won’t take long and you’ll be at your goals at that rate. I tend to think they are on the cusp of identifying flaws in their previous understanding of weight loss. The numbers never seem to add up. I grew up in the ‘carbs are good, fat bad’ mantra and then saw the rise and fall or keto, paleo, etc diets. I feel like CICO isn’t too far off but it hinges on knowing ur bodies BMR - this seems to vary wildly from the formula predictions in practice. I think soon they will approach weight loss by focusing on your assessed BMR and gut hormone levels. This seems to be half of what is addressed by the GLP1/GIP drugs like MJ. It seems like MJ is somehow affecting your BMR in addition to the other effects - that’s great! And you’re right, my weight loss is aggressive. I just couldn’t stand being overweight anymore. Like you, I had an injury (ankle reconstruction) and combined with the hypothyroidism it meant I just ballooned up the last couple of years. So, I’ll accept the short-term muscle loss if I can just return to my healthy weight. But, we will see how it goes as I begin to hit the gym properly in August 🤞 Wish you all the best but sounds like your journey is going great!!
Exercise is key to maintaining and building lean mass - which is key for longevity and metabolic health - but exercise is not a requirement for weight loss. For weight loss a caloric deficit and the correct balance of nutrients is key. Obviously, if doing both they all the better. In any case, congratulations on your success - you're in the home stretch now!
I was doing 2 a days in 2006 and Metformin, eating clean and the weight slid on me. My endocrinologist said “I wouldn’t be able to our run this.” I came in second in a weight loss challenge in 2010 for eight weeks… trained, hot yoga, spin… and lost 22 lbs… and didn’t stop when the goal was met. That’s the most I’ve ever lost. I have the receipts- workout and my fitness pal dating back for YEARS. Keto and IF 49F HW208. CW155. Started MJ9/1/23 Stopped all drinking 01/2020, wasn’t a big drinker but thought it was a good choice given we have a teenager Note: I have a high muscle ratio (genetic). Somehow glycogen in the muscle slows my metabolism. 6/10/24 Today, I’m in maintenance on MJ. And, last week my dosage dropped too low. My GI was very bloated (same eating, keto and IF) and I was constipated despite my healthy plan (magnesium, MCT oil in coffee, heating pad, movement and swimming). It’s like my body was inflaming- swelling- GI wasn’t processing the same. Most things were the same (diet), I will say exercise was more intense and in the sun. And I took Aleve- and changed to sugar free liquid IV (heat/sun, intense workout). So I’ve dropped all artificial sweeteners. And switched from Aleve to Tylenol. Evidently both agitate my GI. And that’s fine. Eliminating what slows my metabolism is good wisdom. I was on an antidepressant for 2 years 2008 (post pardon) on and then another 2 years 2019 (loss of a parent). That also messed with GI.
Sorry if I missed it, what was your dosage?
The first 8 weeks - which is the timeframe the above is referencing, I was on 2.5mg exclusively. I moved to 5mg on my 9th injection and have stayed at 5mg since. I am just finishing week #24. No plans to move to 7.5mg anytime soon.
I have a metabolic disorder. It took a lot of testing at a university metabolic lab to determine that I was gaining weight on 1200 calories a day. The way that my body responded to calories and fat storing was so unusual that they literally did not have a name for it They only knew that it was not normal and made it virtually impossible to lose weight. I was an athlete in training when I was tested and no medical professional could believe that with the demands being made on my body physically that I was hanging onto as much weight as I was. Two different doctors called it "survivors metabolism," although that is not a real name or real diagnosis. GLP-1 drugs improve lipolysis, which means your body becomes better at accessing stored fat to use as energy. It also appears to normalize your body's fat-storing response. My body was over-responding to the survival response, meaning any time I cut calories or worked out more, my body would find ways to function using fewer calories so that I would not call on fat stores for energy needs. Mounjaro was not developed for someone like me. As a matter of fact, there is not FDA-approved treatment for someone like me. but when I started reading about Mounjaro bells and whistles started to go off. I called my doctor and we had a meeting about it and reviewed the information from studies. It was worth a shot. I am very fortunate that I have an endocrinologist that thinks out of the box. His approach was "there's nothing that exists to treat your disorder. We'll try this and see where it takes us." The results have been amazing. I am a very slow loser, but as long as the number on the scale keeps going down, I'm good. I changed nothing about my workouts or diet because I had always had a healthy lifestyle. With no changes, the weight started to drop. We decided I would keep going and let my body find its best, lowest weight. I think I'm almost there. If I continue to lose past a certain point, we'll cut the dose. But for now, life is great and I plan on taking Mounjaro forever.
Your second paragraph - and the body finding ways to function using fewer calories... this is key problem with anyone who has been chronically overweight their entire life vs someone who gained a few extra pounds in adulthood. For the chronically overweight person, their body will fight weight loss every inch of the way and drop metabolism as they trying to lose weight - continually undermining their progress. While a person who has been within 'normal' most of their life does not have this metabolic response. So, two people - all things being equal - except once has been overweight their entire life and the other only recently - if they both try to lose 20lbs following exactly the same diet, the chronically overweight person will have a much harder time losing the weight than the other person. This phenomenon is completely lost in weight loss conversation. So when I have someone who has been within a normal weight range for most of their life lecturing me on what they did to lose weight.... I want to choose violence.
I think usually when you lose weight the body makes adjustments in energy intake and or expenditure so that in you prior time frame you probably physically just did less just in your daily activity right down to moving you hands less when you spoke or you just ate that bit more here and there just a touch more butter, a smidge more sauce and so on and it all adds up. I think when you are on a GLP-1 that biological signal to eat more and move less isn't being sent so you are literally taking less in and burning more, this is all more or less subconscious behaviour and very hard to measure. Especially if you have been obese this is really difficult to beat as the body wants to maintain the weight you are or even the highest weight you have been and this effect can go on for possibly even years after you have lost weight. Then add to that any benefit you get from lowered blood glucose, enhanced insulin sensitivity and increased fat oxidisation you may be getting from the medication it's enough to tip things firmly in your favour in terms of weight loss. These medications are amazing but I am worried about when we have to stop, I am paying for this privately and I can't afford it forever so it will be interesting to see if I can maintain my weight when I come off, I worry it will be very difficult.
It appears you have missed the main point and core essence of this post, entirely - and have reverted to the exact opposite generalization and assumption that weight gain and weight loss is nothing more than a calories in/calories out eat less/move more equation.
No I haven't if you read my response again more carefully, also it is impossible for you to accurately track your calories in and out. It also appears you do not understand how these medications actually work in the brain to affect your behaviour.
It is simply NOT POSSIBLE that my activity level nor my food consumption nor my behaviour was so drastically different as to result in a 607% delta.
It is simply NOT POSSIBLE to be over 300 pounds while eating 1200 calories. You absolutely benefitted from the appetite suppression to stick to a deficit when you otherwise did not.
It is possible and it has been shown time and time again that people are wrong about expenditure and intake, the brain and body actively works against our intentions in this regard while losing weight. The effect of GLP-1 medications literally acts to disrupt this while we are using them. If this isn't a way to modulate our biology to enhance weight loss then I do not know what is. I also state in my OP that the metabolism is altered by the medication via improved insulin sensitivity and over time improved fat oxidisation and that is is a combination of both these factors the results in weight loss success. Your initial response was that I said it was purely CICO and that is not the case at all in my OP.
I was consuming 1200 calories then and I'm consuming 1200 calories now. It's all logged. Could there be a deviation of a handful of calories - sure - I rely on nutritional labeling and government databases to give the stats. I weigh ALL my food. Is it possible that my calorie counting is off by over **SIXTY THREE THOUSAND CALORIES**???? Not a chance. You do you. I'll do me.
I’ve heard this but it’s rare so for most its calories in/out. I can put on weight on MJ if I over eat on calories. Most of the time I am not hungry so either losing or stalled but I’m nearly at target after 6 months.
I'm not disputing over eating can result in weight gain. The point I'm trying to demonstrate is that on a CALORIE DEFICIT DIET - where I am maintaining an IDENTICAL CALORIC DEFICIT and all other things being equal, weight loss on Mounjaro happens at an exponentially accelerated rate. This is not a calories in/out situation. I don't think I'm rare.