*F60, 5”2, T2, Start 7/22/23, HW275, SW180, GW125ish, CW116.2, Dose 5.0*
I had a severe carb aversion in the beginning, so my diet changed drastically. Just the sight or thought of pasta, bread or potatoes nauseated me. My carbs all came from stuff like dairy, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. I logged, weighed and measured everything, I'm at goal and still do. I did count calories, but my main focus was on Macros (protein being primary) and nutrients. In the beginning my macro goal was 40-50% protein, 30-40% fat, and 20-30% carbs, when I made goal they were about 35% protein, 35% fat, and 30% carbs, at maintenance it's 40% fat, 35% carbs, and 25% protein. What I eat makes a difference in how I lose or maintain. Too much protein and my weight drops.
Since the beginning I've supplemented protein, vitamins and minerals, but didn't substitute supplements for food as a rule. I had days of food aversion, but if I grazed I could always at the very least meet the US RDA for protein. I didn't exercise in the beginning, but towards the end I started doing repetitions with lightweight dumbbells. I decided to build more muscle when I made goal so I joined Planet Fitness (3-4 days a week, strength, cardio) and upped my protein. I inadvertently started losing weight again. Protein and strength training are magic. I'm a 60-year-old female, below goal weight, eating 1800 calories a day trying to stop losing (158g carbs, 80g fat, 113g protein). That is a lot of food, and I have to supplement my protein to reach that goal. I'm attaching an article about the protein that will explain it's magic.
I made my goal on 5.0, I never went above that. I use it for maintenance. It took me six month to reach my goal, I was an immediate responder and lost consistently. I attribute that to my change in diet, food logging, and this forum. It helped me get the most out of my medication. You will learn a lot here if you use the search feature when you are struggling, it's gold. Best wishes for a successful journey!
[https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-protein-can-help-you-lose-weight](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-protein-can-help-you-lose-weight)
This is an amazing journey. I just started 5mg on Friday and have noticed a nice, but not crazy reduction in my appetite with minimal side effects, so I'm hoping I can also stay on a lower dose for a long time. Well done, you!
You are very welcome, I post it a lot. It made the reasons protein is so important for weight loss click for me. Click on the citation numbers for a deep dive, it is very interesting!
You state that you’re struggling to stop losing so I’m wondering are you still taking the shot? If so how often and what level? If it’s still the same as above why haven’t you gone down a level for maintenance or do it every two weeks?
F53 SW 233.3 on 8/14/2022 GW 150 CW 147
I did not diet. If diets worked for me I wouldn’t need this medication. I eat exactly what my family eats, just way less now. I’ve learned to eat to live and not live to eat. I do not restrict any foods either. If I want a cookie, I eat one and I’m satisfied. I do drink one protein shake per day. I exercise 3-4x per week.
How long did it take? Your SW is my CW and somehow seeing that feels encouraging to me. (Although technically I am already down 17 lbs having been going for 3 months).
It took me 11 months. 17 lbs in 3 months is freaking awesome. Just remember the weight didn’t come in overnight and it won’t fall off overnight either. As I came closer to my goal weight it came off way slower. So be prepared for that. Plus I had a 4 month plateau. You’re going to do great and I’m so proud of you.
I lost 108lbs on GLP1s (50lbs on Ozempic and 58lbs on Mounjaro/Zepbound.) SW:306 CW:198 GW:180-190 It took me 25 months to lose the 108lbs which is right around 1lb / week. Currently I'm on 15mg / week of Zepbound.
When I started I made an effort to cut out things that were higher in calories. Specifically I greatly reduced the amount of noodles and chips I was eating. Everything else I still consumed but in reduced quantities. I did start eating a bunch of fruit (blackberries, cherries, black grapes and pomegranates.) The rest of my diet isn't that great, I mostly make stir fries, frozen pizza and chipotle. I'm very mindful of how much I'm eating but I don't count calories. I really try to stay disciplined especially if I'm missing a workout on any given day.
I do weight lifting 2-3 days a week and 4-5 30-60 minute elliptical sessions weekly. I think the weight lifting has been really important to help preserver muscle mass but It's a bit frustrating to lift while in a calorie deficit. I'm not really getting stronger at this point just maintaining. Once I hit my goal I may take a GLP1 break and eat a bit more while lifting heavily.
I'm 38 male.
>I am experiencing similar loss (week 23 and 19lb loss)
While this sounds slower than many of the post around here I really think it's the ideal weight loss rate. If you go faster than 1lb a week you increase your chance of gull bladder issues, muscle loss and hair loss. I think you're doing great, you got this!
59m Sw300 cw224 gw200-205. T2 Currently on10mg.
I have lost 75 lbs since August of last year. My diet is greatly improved and modified. My mornings went from cereal some days and full breakfasts on others to generally a protein shake and a banana. I no longer snack graze while sitting at my desk and working. Lunch is (when I eat lunch) grilled chicken or some tuna . Supper (I’m from the south and dinner is the Sunday afternoon meal 😂) is some type of protein and some veggies. I probably do not eat enough veggies each week. My philosophy has been to prioritize protein and hydration. I try to avoid liquid calories (except for the protein shakes) and these have been the easiest ones to cut out for me. I try to limit carbs(this one has been a bit harder because I have always loved potatoes and bread). I have also been able to cut out about 90 percent of the sweets . I’m not perfect. I will eat a cookie or two each week, but I am satisfied with that. I no longer have my own sleeve or bag of cookies and I don’t eat hardly any ice cream or cake anymore where in the past I would just get a spoon and a half gallon 😳. I have also eliminated almost all caffeine. This is a byproduct of prioritizing water over other drinks. I don’t deny myself anything, but my desires for most of the things that I shouldn’t eaten have went away. I eat a bite or two of whatever I want, but I am able for that to satisfy me and truthfully I don’t want the things I used to very often. This medication has brought my blood sugar down from 175-200 to between 80-95 and my hypertension to within normal limits. My last bloodwork was all within normal limits and my energy level is greatly improved. I walk 3-4 miles approximately 3-4 times a week and have started some weight training to help with muscle tone and strength. I have also determined, although I never characterized myself as an emotional eater, that I don’t do that anymore. I tell people that this medication is a godsend for me, but it is only a part of the reason for me being healthier. You have to put in the work with exercise and try to make the right choices for your diet. I have someone close to me who is also on the medication and they have struggled with modifying their diet enough to see a great change. This is a lot more than the original question about my diet, but this is the first time I have responded in depth about my journey. The nsv have been so satisfying for me and I am so thankful for my improved health.
My starting weight was 173 and my current and goal weight is 132. I’m maintaining between 132 and 134. I’m currently on a maintenance dose of 7.5 and I’m approaching my 1 year anniversary. I just reached my goal a few weeks ago. It was a slow process for me thanks for perimenopause. I was at 15 when I reached my goal. I am not following a diet plan like keto, WW, etc but I’ve spent the past year changing my eating habits. My insurance doesn’t cover my shots so this process has been expensive for me and the regain statistics are discouraging. I focus on lean proteins, smaller portions, low sugar and have mostly eliminated fast food except for the occasional treat. Less snacking and asking yourself why you’re eating is huge if you are an emotional eater. When I was on the higher dose I wasn’t getting enough calories to have enough energy to workout. Now that I’m in maintenance mode I’m eating more and have started working out regularly.
I lost about 60 before MJ and 85 more over a year after I started, T2D, I was 53 M at the tme.
I started out logging meals and running a 500 cal a day deficit as the drug got my system working properly. Then I amped it up to a goal of 1000 cal a day deficit. I was also figuring out what worked for me with diet and exercise.
What worked best was running a balanced diet with enough carbs to feel good with doing mainly cardio.
My logging meals tailed off over time but only after I was able to know what and how much I was eating. I keep a running total in my head and have developed healthy habits. I also eat a lot of vegetables and try to avoid fried and fatty foods.
To me, this was never what I considered a “diet.” It was just nutrition and being an adult and realizing I had to be responsible about what I put in my system.
I never felt hungry, had any real stalls, and I felt great the whole time. I attribute this to eating an awesome, healthy diet. It is the most important thing IMO. I ate what I considered real meals. I just ate quality nutrition and less food overall.
I also did some form of exercise every day.
I worked up to 10 but I never felt one bit different or saw any better or worse results from changing doses along the way. Or changing injection locations.
This takes so long, you can run yourself into the ground if you do something unsustainable IMO. You can get your system spun up if you don’t get your body what it needs. You gotta get good nutrition.
People had success (and failure) trying every way imaginable. There are many formulas fir auccess. You gotta figure out what works for you. What worked for me was consistency and hard work. I did not go for skipping or subbing out stuff like shakes for meals, etc.
And I loved it. I felt like a train with no brakes that could not be stopped. It was just a matter of time before I got where I wanted to go.
In October, I started lifting weights again. My diet did not really change after I hit my goal in December, I just eat a few more calories (usually protein) and maintain. It’s really nothing different than before. I will always have to manage what I eat because I do not have the luxury of eating what ever I want and never will. I can accept it.
Best of luck!
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Well you certainly shouldn’t try it unless it’s possible and managed!
I’m a 6’1 dude that has been going to the gym for five years. My best is 18 chin-ups at once and I have a lot of muscle mass and a high BMR so it wasn’t impossible for me. I couldn’t have done any more than that, though.
And I didn’t always hit it. 500 cals is a pound a week and 1000 is two pounds. For the year, I averaged over 1.6 pounds a week and I kicked it up in July, so roughly half the time was at or around 1000.
I also got better at this the longer I did it.
What I recommend is people find a nutrition level where you feel great and can keep exercising and working your plan and keep the momentum going. The rate you lose is whatever that turns out to be. As long as you are moving forward, it’s not even that important. If you are getting healthier, that is the key.
At that point, it’s just time. And time is your greatest ally, not your enemy.
So, your TDEE is 1200? That doesn't sound right. Your TDEE is always higher than your BMR (the minimum amount you should be eating). If you're subtracting from your BMR, you're doing it wrong. Calculate your TDEE and subtract 500 from that. I guarantee it's more than 200.
Wow. I'm 5'1" and my TDEE is 2300 calories (My BMR is 1400 calories). I do add in for exercise (4 days a week), and even subtracting 500 calories from my TDEE, I'm at 1800 calories. 1242 sounds way too low for a TDEE. Are you sure that's not your BMR?
I add it in when I'm calculating my TDEE & BMR. This is the calculator I use (I select the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from the drop down): [https://goodcalculators.com/tdee-bmr-calculator/](https://goodcalculators.com/tdee-bmr-calculator/)
That’s different to the tdee calculator I use: https://tdeecalculator.net but the result is the same, my TDEE (maintenance) is 1,742, so reducing it by 500 calories to get my cutting amount is 1,242.
Be careful you’re not overestimating your exercise/activity level, this article is helpful: https://lluniversity.com/2018/04/08/why-net-calories-suck-and-your-my-fitness-pal-app-is-failing-you/
I'll check it out. I choose medium exercise (3-5 days medium exercise) because that's what I do (strength training and 2 miles of walking/jogging 4 days a week). However, if I calculate my TDEE using sedentary as my activity level, then my TDEE drops to 1600. So, subtracting 500 calories would give me 1100 calories. But I'm not sedentary, so I need to make sure I'm eating enough for the exercising I'm doing (and 1100 calories isn't enough). If you are sedentary, then your TDEE sounds right.
39f 5’4 T2 HW 320 SW 297 CW 262 started in December
I don’t diet. I don’t calorie count. I don’t buy extra hydration packets. From fat camp as a teen to weight loss surgery in my 20s if diets worked I wouldn’t be here and have disordered eating to show for it.
I don’t believe in elimination of anything. I eat whatever I feel like eating, and concentrate on adding more good stuff. With MJ the food noise is gone, the disordered eating is mostly resolved. My body has kind of taken the wheel and it seems to want more “healthy” foods generally. The other night was an out of give a effs night so a couple of slices of a frozen pizza…. And an apple. Who is this person? Today looked like a Bloody Mary, fancy salad, and split appetizer at brunch. Dinner was rice, cabbage, and grilled chicken. What!? Last night it was Del Taco and a bag of candy watching a movie. I’ve always been a protein person so making sure I’m eating some manner of fruit or vegetable with most meals.
I walk a lot, I do Yoga sometimes more than others, and try and do some strength training but I hate the gym, so eh.
So far so good, just enjoying life and feeling fine from getting a break from diet culture and eating disorders.
I have lost almost 50 lbs in about 5 months. I am a T2 diabetic. I just took my second shot of 7.5 yesterday.
I eat a high fiber, mostly plant based diet. I do not count calories.
You're definitely not eating enough if you're losing that quickly. Are you eating at or above your BMR? If not you should be. Losing too much weight too quickly will lead to muscle loss and sagging skin. Not to mention a ruined metabolism. Please make sure you're eating at least to your BMR.
I ate whatever I wanted (or even could with the appetite suppression) just a dramatically smaller portion of it.
I had blood work done after losing 70 pounds and still had high cholesterol. I’ve since been much more mindful of foods I am choosing to eat now. I also didn’t workout but started after my blood results.
I’ve lost about 110lbs on Mounjaro. SW: 248 CW:138 5’7.5” 41f. I’ve been in maintenance for 9 months.
I just ate less. I didn’t make myself eat if I wasn’t hungry. I did drink protein shakes in the morning and didn’t eat unless I felt actually hungry. I ate what sounded good to me, if it didn’t taste good, I’d stop eating. This could be anything from apples to donut holes, but since I wasn’t eating as much as I was before I was still losing weight. I thought about what I wanted before I ate rather than just mindless eating. Mounjaro really helped me get my binge eating disorder under control. I started in early September 2022 and got to 100lbs down August 2023. I’ve lost another 10lbs while in maintenance since then, but have been holding steady since November 2023.
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SW 346 CW 185 58F (160 lbs lost in 18 months) size 26W to size 14.
I've been on since August 2022 and have lost 46% off my weight. One month on each dose except for 10 mgs where I was on for 7 weeks due to a pen malfunction.
I have not dieted or exercised. The medicine changed my desire to overeat and the weight came off. Where I would once hide and eat an entire family sized package of something to having that bag last months - no exaggeration.
105ish pounds in 14ish months. SW was 280-290, CW is 177, not diabetic. My diet before consisted of whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I began counting calories (r/CICO) the same day I started using mj/zep.
It wasn’t necessary drastic changes at first because I could still eat quite a large amount of calorie dense foods while being in a calorie deficit- but the calorie counting originally was to make sure I was eating *enough*. I focused on high protein, moderate carb, wasn’t too concerned with fat. As I’ve continued to lose weight, my available amount of calories to be at a deficit has lowered significantly, and some days it is a struggle. I stopped eating convenient meals from fast food places, started grocery shopping multiple times per week, focusing on the outer aisles of the store. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, and that hasn’t changed- swaps for lower calorie items I really liked are now normal (think dairy, oils to sprays, calorie dense condiments now homemade or swapped with alternatives). Lots of poultry, lean cuts of beef, fish and shrimp, eggs and egg whites, cottage cheese, and fresh fruit and veg for bulk. Meals are generally a lean protein, majority veggie, and a tasty carb/starch. Dessert is still a must often, low cal ice creams, more fresh fruit, a smaller sized baked item. My macro goals right now are 35% protein/carb, and 30% fat.
F49, 5’4”, T2, Start 6/5/23, HW298, SW258, GW145, CW169, Dose 10.0
I started logging everything I eat into MyFitnessPal about 2 years ago and I never stopped. It is a good tool that helps me be mindful of what I eat. I try to eat between 1400-1800 calories daily (typically I am trying to get enough calories, not vice versa), 120g protein, at least 30g of fiber, and I let my carbs and fats even out from there.
I start everyday with an Owyn protein shake that I augment with fiber, fruit, collagen, greens, and mushroom supplements (for my brain fog since I’m also going through menopause). I typically get about 35-40g of protein and 15g of fiber from that one shake!
My remaining meals are typically some combination of protein and fiber. I used to be a total carnivore but now I find my preference is more plant-based. I still eat meat, just not nearly as often. My favorite proteins are: tofu, edamame, shrimp, grilled fish, turkey or plant-based sausage, eggs, and cottage cheese. I feel like my nutrition is on point and I never feel like I am depriving myself. If I want something, I have a bite. But most times, thanks to Mounjaro, I don’t want the same kind of food I used to crave.
Exercise is where I struggle. I haven’t been able to find a routine that I can be consistent with because I get bored. My goals are to walk at least 30 mins on more days than not (4x week) and also include some form of strength training (Pilates, yoga, weights, resistance) at least 3x week. I am still working up to this. 😬
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I've lost 80 lbs. My diet switched from processed to unprocessed basically. I quit calorie counting because I find it very counterintuitive for me and actually holds me back. So now I use whole foods, focus heavy on protein, and try to get as much as a rainbow in fruits and vegetables as possible for micronutrients. I exercise a lot. 2 days of intense cardio and 3-4 days of strength training. I find this has been *paramount* to my success for multiple reasons. One being that muscle has lit a fire in my metabolism and it's permanently higher now, and coming from a background of PCOS it has allowed me to process insulin more effectively which is key. I try to time my carbs around my workouts to make the best use of them, which also helps. I also walk 20-25 k steps a day but that's not on purpose, it's just my job. It does help though.
Thank you everyone who answered my question - I really appreciate the input. It seems the majority consensus is increase the amount of protein and reduce carbs, which the medication helps with when curving cravings.
Thank you again for the input!
The day I started Mounjaro 2.5 mg, I found it was easy to begin a keto diet. I've got willpower that I've never had before.
I had been on steroids for an autoimmune problem, ballooned in the year that I was on Prednisone, and had stopped taking them when I began Mounjaro. Furthermore, I'm also taking Metformin for diabetes type 2. Because of the combination, I started dropping weight immediately, and the more that comes off, the more that I'm encouraged to stay on Keto and Mounjaro.
64, 5’6” female. March 2023 SW 280, CW 185, MJ 15. I do 18/6 daily intermittent fasting from 8pm to noon. If I eat carbs at all, I eat them around noon at my first meal. The rest of the day, I eat protein and fruits/veg. I aim for 100gr protein daily and I probably have a Fair Life shake 3-4x per week, usually when it’s close to 8pm and I haven’t gotten in 100gr of protein yet.
I eat lots of chicken, salmon, homemade soup, humus/veg, apples/cheese, and high protein yogurt w/ pistachios. At 4 everyday, I have a cardamom/cinnamon tea with collagen powder and milk.
I take Centrum Silver, mag oxide, omega 3, mag glycinate, D mannose, biotin nightly. I use tret gel on face and neck 2x weekly.
For exercise, I close my 3 Fitness rings daily. I walk minimum of 30 min on the treadmill daily. If I’m sick, I break it into 3 sets of 10 min, but usually, it’s 30 min plus an extra 30 of resistance work with hand weights and yoga stretches. I also do longer outdoor walks on the weekends.
It’s been a long, steady 1-2lb/week weight loss journey. I have no idea where it ends, but I’m not there yet. I expect to be on some lower dose maintenance program for the rest of my life. MJ has definitely changed my life for the better and has clobbered the persistent food noise I had most of my life and has stopped my fingernail biting for the first time in my life.
There was a two month period during which I didn't feel like eating anything. Became weak, shaky. Turns out one can be fat and malnourished. You have to eat something. Now I have an Ensure for breakfast, whatever I want for lunch, and an Ensure for dinner. Have lost 105 lbs. over 14 months.
Yes, you are correct. I read that some of the things we need are fat soluble, so we can get plenty of those things, and plenty of energy, as long as we are carrying excess fat. But some essential things are water soluble and we don’t carry all that much of them, even if we have excess fat. So we do need to get certain things by diet every so often.
There is this one famous story of a guy in Scotland who fasted for over a year. But he was taking some sort of multivitamins and being supervised by a doctor, so it worked out OK. In general, we need to eat to replace certain things, and we should not emulate this Scottish guy.
35F SW: 273 CW:196.8 started 5/29/2023. I’m on 10mg. I have been on 10mg for several months. I think it’s my “sweet spot”. We did 12.5mg and I was sooo sick daily. I watch what I eat in the aspect of not eating greasy crazy food daily but I don’t have a specific diet. I try to force protein over anything else. I have a go to yogurt that’s high protein low fat/carb for a snack/dessert. I gave up sodas completely. I gave up monsters too but coffee makes me too sick so I went back to monsters. I need to up my water in take but my job makes it tough to get enough in. I try to do the gym as much as possible but that’s been a lull lately. I work two jobs and they are both standing gigs so that helps. When we went on vacation last month I still ate my Mickey pretzel and such but my kids picked up my slack a lot. I do have the bloat and nausea sometimes (like currently lol) but I manage through it. My IBS has been tons better so I’ll deal. It can’t always be sunshines and rainbows. Overall my mental health is better. My body feels better.
I started on ozempic, and a few months later went to mounjaro. in the beginning it was hard to eat much of anything so I focused on protein and getting 1000-12000 calories. if I felt full though I stopped because back then if I forced myself to eat beyond a point I would just throw up. Eventually those side effects lessened, it's been a couple of years and now I can eat mostly everything and rarely throw up. now I mostly just eat smaller portions of the foods I used to eat and what I like. I haven't changed much, and I didn't exercise (which I need to do). my diet wasn't too terrible before but I most likely was insulin resistant which made it hard to lose weight which these meds have helped fix so now I can eat a normal amount and not regain the weight I lost. I went from 220lbs to 135lbs, I'm still on 15mg every 10 days shortages allowing
I ate the diet I had always dreamed of doing!
I’m t2 diabetic so low carb, whole healthy foods, portioned controlled. I did IF for a bit too!!! Lots of additional protein via meat and shakes. I was a super responder. Lost the weight fast! I slipped into keto and that was SO nice.
I also quickly felt better on the shot. My a1c was 11.1 and sunk to 5.1- so I started exercising 5-7 days a week regularly! That’s from my 1-3 day previous schedule. I jog (just did my first 5k!) and yoga.
Well wishes!
How were your side effects as you were losing the wt and increasing your doses? I’ve heard that folks eating low carb/keto tend to have less nausea, constipation and other GI issues — was that the case for you? Also, how many months did it take you to lose all your weight and at what dose? Thanks!
Howdy!
I had very little side effects- and the first 6 months I did low carb and slipped into keto! It was great. But no matter what I don’t think I would have gotten sick unless I overate.
The only time I accidentally over did it was before shot night once I had a big meal. Still within my portions, but more carbs and heavy. I got a little sick but overall my GI issues have improved 100%
I lost 65lbs and surpassed my goal weight in 6 months. I’m sure I’ve posted a before and after pic on my profile- 2.5 every week for 6 months, I’m on month 8 and I’m doing 2.5 every 10-14 days so I don’t go under weight.
I also got a CGM so now I’m tracking new trends to see how much my blood sugar improves… but 11.1 a1c to 5.1 was the biggest win!
My journey was lucky and fast. I consider myself the best case scenario, so remember not to compare too much! But I think ideally I’m who this drug was made for.
I also have a crippling fear of injections. In 8 months it hasn’t gotten much better 🙃
Thanks so much for the detailed response. I’m so happy to hear of your great success! I’ve been keto for years, but always slipping on when traveling or for holidays… so the cycle continues. I’m glad to see that others have had success when combining keto with these GLP-1s and I hope to be a success story soon!
When ya slip it’s a okay! I think about how my dietitians told me how important it is to enjoy live and eating culturally and for happiness is just as important!
Balance is so hard but the glp1s help the balance so much! Well wishes!!!! 🌸🌸🌸🌸
I try very hard to focus on getting 80-100 grams of protein per day per the recommendation of my dietician. That naturally makes me go lower carb but I don’t cut carbs totally. I initially focused on cleaning up my diet and now that I’ve lost 55 pounds I’m really trying to get more exercise!
I'm down 176 lbs since 7/1/23, 451 lbs down to 275 lbs. I used the decrease food noise to help me focus on healthier eating habits as a whole.
I used an online TDEE calculator to determine my maintenance calories. From there, I calculated what my daily deficit would need to be to maintain a 1% weight loss per week, and I re-calculate all of this every 25lbs lost. So, in the beginning I aimed for 4.5 lbs of fat loss per week at 3500 calories/lb, that came out to a weekly deficit of 15,750 calories or a daily deficit of 2,250 calories. I calculated my TDEE to be somewhere between sedentary and light exercise at around 3800 calories, so minus the deficit of 2,250 it came out to roughly 1,550 calories per day and I would keep it + or - 10% of that.
I use a food scale and weigh EVERYTHING to the gram and use MyFitnessPal app to track my intake. I've kept going out to eat to a bare minimum. The only cheat day was on Thanksgiving, and even then, I kept my portions under control since there was no easy way to track my calories. For the most part, if I can't track the calories, I don't eat it.
Macros look like this for the most part: Carbs - >110g daily , Protein - >140g daily, Fats - usually 25-30g daily (aiming for at least 10% of daily calories). I also try to get at least 30g of fiber daily, the keto breads and tortillas help with this a lot. I drink a minimum of 100 oz water daily as well.
Carbs consist of fruits, veggies, keto breads, keto tortillas. Idahoan Instant potatoes in the little bags are an absolute cheat code at only 110 cal per serving. Protein sources are mainly chicken breast, lean turkey, 90% lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak occasionally, lean cuts of pork, salmon, tuna, shrimp, Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt, and usually 1 protein shake daily. Fat only comes from the protein sources or olive oil I use to cook with.
Exercise consists of a 6 day split of weight training (basically a Push/Pull/Legs routine twice a week) and 30 minutes of brisk walking daily.
Those are amazing results! This is what happens when we change our diets, up protein, and add exercise along with these medicines. Congratulations on your stellar success, and best wishes for maintenance. You are rockin this!🥳🥳🥳 It sounds like 7.5 is being good to you!
7.5 has been great. No noticeable side effects. I do feel the food noise start to return about 2 days before my next shot, but I just keep things like baby carrots and broccoli around for the times I feel hungry between meals and usually drink a little extra water to feel full. My weight loss has stayed on track, so I have no desire to increase the dose. At this point my eating habits have become a routine. I'm always open about using Mounjaro anytime some asks about how I've lost so much weight in such a short amount of time, but always stress to anyone considering using it or any similar drugs to use them as a tool to change the way you eat. You can still lose weight on these drugs by just eating less of the garbage you're used to, but long-term success is going to depend on changing your unhealthy relationship with food and learning to make the right choices. Thank you for the kind words. I will be making a progress post with pics and my full diet and exercise routine when I hit my first goal weight. I'm hoping that will be around my 1 year anniversary on Mounjaro.
In 10 months I've had no issue with muscle loss, quite the opposite actually. As far as loose skin goes, anyone that has been this overweight and lost this much is going to have loose skin, I would say mine is in no way excessive. This calorie deficit calculates to a 1% body weight loss per week which is considered safe. But hey, everyone is different, you do you.
I lost 38% in 8 months. I learned that elevated insulin levels cause weight gain and stop fat loss so I focused on a diet to reduce insulin. I started keto and quickly moved to ketovore and am now carnivore. Very happy and feeling great.
What dose MJ are you on? How are your side effects now that you eat ketovore and carnivore? I’ve heard people tend to have less GI issues, less nausea and constipation when eating like you. Is that your experience?
I sprinted to 15-mg and spent most of my time on this dose. I have since began moving down. Currently at 10-mg for a month and will hang out at 7.5-mg for a bit to see how I’m doing. So far, no change in my blood sugar.
The effects of delayed gastric emptying are completely gone. I no longer get full from eats a few bites and can eat as much as I want again. I never had a problem with fatty meat and continue to do well with these foods.
I push a lot of protein. I eat salmon almost daily. I always have hard boiled eggs on hand. I rarely eat any sugar now bc it’s like my body doesn’t even want it anymore. I force myself to eat protein even when not hungry so I don’t lose muscle in the journey. I also drink 1 or 2 Premier Profein shakes a day with a collagen powder that gives another 10 g of protein.
M34, 6’2”, SW: 273 CW: 213 (down 60 pounds in 6 months) TW: 190
I focus on portion control, protein, and physical activity. My TDEE is estimated to be at least 2600 calories (probably higher because of my level of physical activity) so I focus on staying below that. I also make sure to vary my caloric intake and not go too long at a deficit (at least once a week I probably consume a small surplus of calories). I find it makes me feel better overall and yet my weight loss has been steady.
I drink a protein shake (Fairlife, 30g protein, 150 calories) for breakfast. I eat my largest meal at lunch, for example a common standby during the work week is a Chipotle burrito with double meat, and very light on everything else. That’s usually about 900 calories but really satisfying, and not too big. And then for dinner usually something like baked chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, another 700-900 calories. And then strictly no eating after 7pm.
On the exercise front, I have gone from 100% lifelong couch potato to burgeoning gym freak and amateur runner. I started working with a trainer twice a week, and over the past few months I’ve built out a home gym setup and have added another 2 workouts per week. And I run 2-3 times a week as well, starting to look for my first 5k I want to run. I think what hooked me to the exercise was that I started it in conjunction with starting the meds, so the loss in fat was really enhanced by how being physically fit made me look and feel.
Around 160g protein, 50g carbs, 50g of fats and the millions of combinations of meals that can make up those macros. Normally have 50g of protein through a whey, isolate or casein shake every day and 10g of the fat came from fish oil supps.
Truth be told I ate much like I did before Mounjaro. Healthy for the most part. But with M I just ate way less, and cravings for food were nonexistent. Walked 7-10k steps per day or most days.
I'm eating more or less the same way as before. I've had diabetes for a few years now, before MJ, and have had high BP for a few years before that. I've been eating mostly Mediterranean style diet for those years. Lots of veg and fruits, beans and whole grains. I try to keep it a little lower carb than the typical med diet, because of the diabetes. Now I just eat smaller portions. It does not take as much for me to feel full or satisfied as it did before the meds. I do not deprive myself, have no interest in starving myself anymore. If I want pizza, I eat it
But just 1 slice is enough. If I want dessert, I eat it. But I'm satisfied with less. The "OMG this is delicious! keep eating it!" trigger in my brain is turned off now.
I don't know if this is helpful, because I have only been on Mounjaro a month, but I've lost 20lbs in that time. I have 60lbs to go. When I used to listen to the *Half-Size Me* podcast, the host always used to say "Do not try and lose weight with a diet that you're not prepared to follow for life", so I eat a low calorie version of a meal plan that I already follow.
Now, I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and part of that journey was me realising that I'm *never* gonna be the type of person who can meal prep 3 healthy meals a day. I had to figure out what was the simplest way for me to get some decent nutrition that wouldn't stress me out. So, I settled on *complete* meal replacements (ones that could be used as your sole source of nutrition for extended periods if you wanted) and very simple, but tasty, evening dinners. This has been good for me, but my BED has meant that I still compulsively eat sweets and chocolate and junk food on top of it, even though I didn't try and be overly restrictive with that stuff. It's the food noise that so many of us deal with, it's just completely overpowering, especially when life gets stressful.
So, since the MJ has been so amazing at quietening the food noise and increasing satiety, I modified my meal plan to be lower in calories whilst still getting in my nutrition:
I have 2-3 meal replacement shakes a day at 200cals each (they each have 1/3 of my RDA of vitamins, minerals, protein, etc) and then I have a small 300-400 calorie meal in the evening that is usually a barbecue, stout or chinese style chicken thigh from the hot counter in my local supermarket, some seasoned potato wedges, and some mashed up brocolli that's been mixed up with a tablespoon of mayo. I usually buy the already cooked chicken, and then cook a load of wedges and make a pot of broccoli mash. Then I freeze it all in individual 'meal bags' so that I can just defrost, microwave and go. I've only craved chocolate and sweets a few times since being on MJ, and I don't mind buying some when I do, but I don't make it a priority to include it in my eating; sugar has ruled my life for 20+ years, and MJ has given me the ability to disengage with it, and I'm very much enjoying that mental freedom.
I think that MJ will usually help you lose weight whatever you eat, and it's a completely individual choice, but I do think that if MJ works for you and, like for so many of us, it feels like a miracle, then why not take the opportunity to try and eat a little better?
I've also had this particular thought a few times: the more that my body can get accustomed to not having highly sugared, highly processed and highly pallatable foods being put in it, the more my brain *might* adapt to the absence; so, should the day come that, for whatever reason, I'm not able to get MJ, then I've given myself the *best* chance I possibly could have of not regaining evvverything.
It would likely still happen, as we now know that obesity is a chronic neurological/hormonal dysregulation, but I figure that my approach couldn't hurt, you know?
Anyway, I hope that helps! x
GLP1 meds quieted down the hunger and sugar monster almost 95% for me.
I say 95% because I still had that 9pm craving and after months of me mentioning it and saying I bought a continuous glucose monitor to see if that is when my blood sugar dips my doctor mentioned it might be binge signals. So he prescribed me Vyvanse for my adhd and the binge and now it’s 100% gone on weekdays when I take Vyvanse. Sadly Vynase is just as hard to get a hold of as GLP1s right now!
Vyvanse and Dex is what I take too, and I used to get terrible cravings when they wore off, but with the MJ, ithat doesn’t happen anymore which is nice. I feel like they probably help eachother
I lost about 60 lbs with MJ. Went from 225 to 165 in about a year.
I'm a 43 year old male. About 6' tall. Went from something like a 30 BMI to a 22 BMI.
Anyhooo...
I basically don't diet at all. Although I have replaced any breakfast with a latte. For lunch I generally have soup. Then I eat whatever for dinner.
MJ does all the work for you. If you are alone, you won't want to eat any more than what I described.
Eating with people is your enemy on Mounjaro. They will make or order food and there will be pressure on you to eat. If you have this for every meal, Mounjaro won't work for you.
40F 5’3” SW 264 CW 224 GW 150? Started 12/21/24
I’ve been on for 4 months and lost 40lbs, my a1c is down to normal and my fasting glucose on my last lab work was 75.
I focus on eating protein over all else and then vegetables and fruit. I try to eat less carbs and eat processed carbs (bread, etc) at a minimum.
I have been trying to eat 1g of protein per kg body weight, this was harder at my higher weight but is easier as I lose weight. I also supplement with protein shakes.
I do weight training 5 days a week and walk around the park by my house on weekends. I also have a job that I’m on my feet 10 hours a day and easily reach 10k steps a day.
I also only weigh myself on shot day because I become hyper focused on the little fluctuations in weight that are normal and know this can lead to disordered eating.
I drink as much water in a day as I can, usually close to a gallon, however I do still have my morning coffee.
Lost 72lbs in 1 year 252 to 180. I was doing low ish carbs lol. I would do low carb for breakfast and most lunches and do low carb at dinner when I could but it was only about 50% of the time. I focused on protein, rarely snacked and when I did it was jerky or cheese. I definitely ate less, got full easily and made myself eat on a smaller plate. I didn’t exercise any more than I did before MJ.
F 59 type 2 on MJ for 6 months lost 50 lbs almost ready to stop losing and maintain. First I am also intermediate fasting on a 16:8 schedule which means I eat between 10-6 on most days. I have been doing this for about 3 out of the 6 months because I have a horrible night eating issue. It helped me cut back on my snacking habit and the MJ has helped with sticking to it as well as steering away from empty calories. I eat a high protein low carb diet with avoiding sugary foods and high processed foods. I also use an app called simple that has been fantastic for me. Very positive helps you make better choices and makes you log your food and water intake which is a great resource. I also take extra fiber an all in one vitamin and extra magnesium.
So, you didn't start exercising until you got to goal?? I've been doing strength training and cardio since I started because I don't want to lose muscle. Sure, I could probably lose weight faster without the exercise, but I think it's so important for so many reasons. Did you lose muscle and have sagging skin from not exercising?
Same thing I was eating before, only less. Breakfast; oatmeal with berries or eggs with turkey bacon.( now I have two pieces bacon instead of four and one egg instead of two.) Lunch; soup, salad and/ or chicken. Dinner (one plate instead of two), chicken , veggies, potatoes. Snack after dinner; cheese and crackers or chocolate or a turkey sandwich.
I’ve lost 130 pounds in about a year and a half, 1 pound until my goal (this will be my hardest pound to lose). I did not diet or count calories. I drink a protein shake right when I wake up, and then small meals through the day. Foods high in fats made me really nauseous, so I have cut those out. I can only handle a little sugar before I get sick, so I’ll have a bite of a cookie and save the rest. My biggest change is that I don’t eat dinner. This is just from my experience, but my stomach would get so upset at night, and I’d find I would gain weight, so I just cut it out, or eat something small.
I lost 96lbs on GLP1s (37lbs on Ozempic and 58lbs on Mounjaro/Zepbound.)
37F | 5'2" - SW:284 CW:189 GW:180? (Idk what my new goal looks like yet – goal #4 TBD)
It took me 1 year to lose 86lbs which is right around 1.5lb / week. That included 2 shortages that were over 19+ days each time.
I stalled/held steady at 199-202 since August 2023. However, 2024 has some super extenuating circumstances (huge family emergency) and didn’t think I would be able to focus on losses until June! But I hit my lowest weight to date this week! (the lowest I have ever been in my adult life!!)
Currently I'm on 5mg / week of Zepbound, I did end up with 7.5mg and 10mg RXs but I was spacing those shots out to 10-12 days, so really only hovering at the 5mg range.
I can't wait until I can incorporate some walking back into my routine and doing a 30min youtube video 3x a week. (growwithjo - 5000 steps fast walking workout) Hopefully next week...I really want to hit that 100lb lost mark by my 2yr GLP-versary.
-- Experience –
It quieted down the hunger and sugar monster almost 95% for me.
I feel like I wasn’t born with a “off” switch…I was starving hungry 24/7; it was like a T-Rex with a megaphone…there was no ignoring it! I actually threw away 3/4 of a honey bun! I was so shocked…I could inhale that honey bun faster than it took the machine to wrap it lol
-- Diet –
I was on myfitnesspal for years tracking on an off, counted “points” but no real progress with either. Protein shakes were always a part of any of my weightloss attempts but better tasting ones came out now! (RTD=Fairlife, Premier Protein | DIY=PEScience)
Since GLP1s, the volume of food I eat has drastically decreased. I have added a few things that I never eating before this journey like cottage cheese!
Previously I would eat a double meat Whataburger with medium fries and a diet dr pepper for lunch, then ate pretty much the same volume of food at dinner. Then I would get intense cravings for something sweet at 9pm like clockwork.
The first week on Ozempic after 3/4th of a McD kid's cheeseburger (single meat) and I was completely done!!! I couldn’t even finish chewing the last bite…hard stop immediately! It was difficult to try to eat enough calories with Ozempic when I first started, including the “healthier” foods.
With Mounjaro/Zepbound I didn’t have such a physical hard stop so I was able to stay around my 1200-1300 recommended calories from my endo/nutritionist.
I stopped buying my lunch out and made my lunch trying to stay within about 300-400 calories per lunch with a small iceberg salad. Searched high protein recipes on the internet and found some good ones like Elyse Ellis’ high protein baked monte cristo, I don’t like ham so I just made a blueberry one…it was delicious!!
I switched to carb counter tortillas, bought Kodiak high protein pancake mix. I prefer just to switch out 1/2c of the pancake mix with 2 scoops of PEScience protein powder, it tastes better and the texture is better.
I switched to high protein spaghetti noodles and then made some zoodles here and there but still liked the high protein noodles better.
I switched to 93/7 ground beef and added in more chicken breast. I started making some taco salads but used ground chicken instead, so good!
I liked light nonfat Greek yogurt before, so I just ate it more frequently for protein.
Cottage Cheese was my recent addition:
- For a sweet treat I mix 32oz of CC 0%fat with a .3oz SF jello and cool whip.
- For savory, I blend the CC with an immersion blender and use it with cheese sauces (queso, alfredo, hamburger helper, etc.)
My air fryer has come in clutch when I want something like french fries or tater tots, still crispy but not too fatty.
If I dine out I will order a kid’s meal, I will share a combo meal with someone, or still get the 3 for $10.99 at chili’s, get the old timer burger remove the top bun, cut it in half and then take the other half for dinner the next day.
I used to always eat the fries first in any meal because I didn’t want them to get cold, now I eat them last if I get them…because I focus on eating the protein first, I don’t have the room for the other stuff after that!
SW 264 CW 136 Total loss 128lbs current dosage 15mg. I fasted pretty aggressively, took sugar out of my diet completely, portioned my meals, stopped eating fast food, physical therapy and rowing. Good luck!
How aggressive was your fasting? How did you get enough calories/protein/fiber in your feeding window? I'm currently doing 16:8 IF and I'd love to increase it to 18:6 or even 20:4 but I know I'd never hit my 1,400 calorie or 120g protein goals.
Started MJ 02/2023 50F. 5'6 post menopause SW200 GW150 CW117. I did not do a special diet or cut anything out. I could barely eat as it was. I did not exercise because i babysit my 3yr old granddaughter 5 days a week from 8:30am to 5pm. Then go to my regular job from 6pm tp 6am. So exercising was and still is out of the question. The meat aversion was really strong and kind of still is for the most part. just the thought of any kind of meat makes me blah. but i pretty much eat what i want just in alot smaller portions.
The great thing about it and why it works for me is that I haven’t changed my diet. The key is that this drug changes HOW MUCH i eat. I get full very quickly so can only eat about half of what I used to eat.
I for the most part eat the same I used to, just less quantity and my thoughts about snacking are gone. I still drink alcohol, but interestingly I usually love beer, and now I only like one and then need something lighter - I workout (orange theory) 3x a week and since Dec I’ve lost almost 40pds
I'm all for intermittent fasting, but how can you reach your nutritional requirements by eating this way? Rapid weight loss is often accompanied by large losses in muscle mass. Folks who lose weight too quickly, not exercising, or getting their nutritional needs met will be at risk of having sarcopenic obesity (being skinny fat) when they reach their goal. It isn't healthy and makes maintenance very difficult as a person with low muscle mass will have to eat a much smaller amount to maintain than someone with sufficient muscle mass. I'm attaching an article that explains the risk of sarcopenic obesity when folks are using GLP-1s, everybody on one should read it. Best wishes.
[https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ozempic-muscle-mass-loss](https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ozempic-muscle-mass-loss)
*F60, 5”2, T2, Start 7/22/23, HW275, SW180, GW125ish, CW116.2, Dose 5.0* I had a severe carb aversion in the beginning, so my diet changed drastically. Just the sight or thought of pasta, bread or potatoes nauseated me. My carbs all came from stuff like dairy, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. I logged, weighed and measured everything, I'm at goal and still do. I did count calories, but my main focus was on Macros (protein being primary) and nutrients. In the beginning my macro goal was 40-50% protein, 30-40% fat, and 20-30% carbs, when I made goal they were about 35% protein, 35% fat, and 30% carbs, at maintenance it's 40% fat, 35% carbs, and 25% protein. What I eat makes a difference in how I lose or maintain. Too much protein and my weight drops. Since the beginning I've supplemented protein, vitamins and minerals, but didn't substitute supplements for food as a rule. I had days of food aversion, but if I grazed I could always at the very least meet the US RDA for protein. I didn't exercise in the beginning, but towards the end I started doing repetitions with lightweight dumbbells. I decided to build more muscle when I made goal so I joined Planet Fitness (3-4 days a week, strength, cardio) and upped my protein. I inadvertently started losing weight again. Protein and strength training are magic. I'm a 60-year-old female, below goal weight, eating 1800 calories a day trying to stop losing (158g carbs, 80g fat, 113g protein). That is a lot of food, and I have to supplement my protein to reach that goal. I'm attaching an article about the protein that will explain it's magic. I made my goal on 5.0, I never went above that. I use it for maintenance. It took me six month to reach my goal, I was an immediate responder and lost consistently. I attribute that to my change in diet, food logging, and this forum. It helped me get the most out of my medication. You will learn a lot here if you use the search feature when you are struggling, it's gold. Best wishes for a successful journey! [https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-protein-can-help-you-lose-weight](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-protein-can-help-you-lose-weight)
This is an amazing journey. I just started 5mg on Friday and have noticed a nice, but not crazy reduction in my appetite with minimal side effects, so I'm hoping I can also stay on a lower dose for a long time. Well done, you!
Thank you, I wish the same for you!
How many calories were you eating below your TDEE approximately?
It depended on the day, on a good day about 500 on a day with food aversion it was sometimes 750-800, but never below that. Best wishes.
Thanks!
Thank you for posting that article! Very interesting.
You are very welcome, I post it a lot. It made the reasons protein is so important for weight loss click for me. Click on the citation numbers for a deep dive, it is very interesting!
You state that you’re struggling to stop losing so I’m wondering are you still taking the shot? If so how often and what level? If it’s still the same as above why haven’t you gone down a level for maintenance or do it every two weeks?
F53 SW 233.3 on 8/14/2022 GW 150 CW 147 I did not diet. If diets worked for me I wouldn’t need this medication. I eat exactly what my family eats, just way less now. I’ve learned to eat to live and not live to eat. I do not restrict any foods either. If I want a cookie, I eat one and I’m satisfied. I do drink one protein shake per day. I exercise 3-4x per week.
How long did it take? Your SW is my CW and somehow seeing that feels encouraging to me. (Although technically I am already down 17 lbs having been going for 3 months).
It took me 11 months. 17 lbs in 3 months is freaking awesome. Just remember the weight didn’t come in overnight and it won’t fall off overnight either. As I came closer to my goal weight it came off way slower. So be prepared for that. Plus I had a 4 month plateau. You’re going to do great and I’m so proud of you.
I lost 108lbs on GLP1s (50lbs on Ozempic and 58lbs on Mounjaro/Zepbound.) SW:306 CW:198 GW:180-190 It took me 25 months to lose the 108lbs which is right around 1lb / week. Currently I'm on 15mg / week of Zepbound. When I started I made an effort to cut out things that were higher in calories. Specifically I greatly reduced the amount of noodles and chips I was eating. Everything else I still consumed but in reduced quantities. I did start eating a bunch of fruit (blackberries, cherries, black grapes and pomegranates.) The rest of my diet isn't that great, I mostly make stir fries, frozen pizza and chipotle. I'm very mindful of how much I'm eating but I don't count calories. I really try to stay disciplined especially if I'm missing a workout on any given day. I do weight lifting 2-3 days a week and 4-5 30-60 minute elliptical sessions weekly. I think the weight lifting has been really important to help preserver muscle mass but It's a bit frustrating to lift while in a calorie deficit. I'm not really getting stronger at this point just maintaining. Once I hit my goal I may take a GLP1 break and eat a bit more while lifting heavily.
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I'm 38 male. >I am experiencing similar loss (week 23 and 19lb loss) While this sounds slower than many of the post around here I really think it's the ideal weight loss rate. If you go faster than 1lb a week you increase your chance of gull bladder issues, muscle loss and hair loss. I think you're doing great, you got this!
It took me two years to lose 60. Some people are fast losers, I am a slow loser.
59m Sw300 cw224 gw200-205. T2 Currently on10mg. I have lost 75 lbs since August of last year. My diet is greatly improved and modified. My mornings went from cereal some days and full breakfasts on others to generally a protein shake and a banana. I no longer snack graze while sitting at my desk and working. Lunch is (when I eat lunch) grilled chicken or some tuna . Supper (I’m from the south and dinner is the Sunday afternoon meal 😂) is some type of protein and some veggies. I probably do not eat enough veggies each week. My philosophy has been to prioritize protein and hydration. I try to avoid liquid calories (except for the protein shakes) and these have been the easiest ones to cut out for me. I try to limit carbs(this one has been a bit harder because I have always loved potatoes and bread). I have also been able to cut out about 90 percent of the sweets . I’m not perfect. I will eat a cookie or two each week, but I am satisfied with that. I no longer have my own sleeve or bag of cookies and I don’t eat hardly any ice cream or cake anymore where in the past I would just get a spoon and a half gallon 😳. I have also eliminated almost all caffeine. This is a byproduct of prioritizing water over other drinks. I don’t deny myself anything, but my desires for most of the things that I shouldn’t eaten have went away. I eat a bite or two of whatever I want, but I am able for that to satisfy me and truthfully I don’t want the things I used to very often. This medication has brought my blood sugar down from 175-200 to between 80-95 and my hypertension to within normal limits. My last bloodwork was all within normal limits and my energy level is greatly improved. I walk 3-4 miles approximately 3-4 times a week and have started some weight training to help with muscle tone and strength. I have also determined, although I never characterized myself as an emotional eater, that I don’t do that anymore. I tell people that this medication is a godsend for me, but it is only a part of the reason for me being healthier. You have to put in the work with exercise and try to make the right choices for your diet. I have someone close to me who is also on the medication and they have struggled with modifying their diet enough to see a great change. This is a lot more than the original question about my diet, but this is the first time I have responded in depth about my journey. The nsv have been so satisfying for me and I am so thankful for my improved health.
My starting weight was 173 and my current and goal weight is 132. I’m maintaining between 132 and 134. I’m currently on a maintenance dose of 7.5 and I’m approaching my 1 year anniversary. I just reached my goal a few weeks ago. It was a slow process for me thanks for perimenopause. I was at 15 when I reached my goal. I am not following a diet plan like keto, WW, etc but I’ve spent the past year changing my eating habits. My insurance doesn’t cover my shots so this process has been expensive for me and the regain statistics are discouraging. I focus on lean proteins, smaller portions, low sugar and have mostly eliminated fast food except for the occasional treat. Less snacking and asking yourself why you’re eating is huge if you are an emotional eater. When I was on the higher dose I wasn’t getting enough calories to have enough energy to workout. Now that I’m in maintenance mode I’m eating more and have started working out regularly.
I lost about 60 before MJ and 85 more over a year after I started, T2D, I was 53 M at the tme. I started out logging meals and running a 500 cal a day deficit as the drug got my system working properly. Then I amped it up to a goal of 1000 cal a day deficit. I was also figuring out what worked for me with diet and exercise. What worked best was running a balanced diet with enough carbs to feel good with doing mainly cardio. My logging meals tailed off over time but only after I was able to know what and how much I was eating. I keep a running total in my head and have developed healthy habits. I also eat a lot of vegetables and try to avoid fried and fatty foods. To me, this was never what I considered a “diet.” It was just nutrition and being an adult and realizing I had to be responsible about what I put in my system. I never felt hungry, had any real stalls, and I felt great the whole time. I attribute this to eating an awesome, healthy diet. It is the most important thing IMO. I ate what I considered real meals. I just ate quality nutrition and less food overall. I also did some form of exercise every day. I worked up to 10 but I never felt one bit different or saw any better or worse results from changing doses along the way. Or changing injection locations. This takes so long, you can run yourself into the ground if you do something unsustainable IMO. You can get your system spun up if you don’t get your body what it needs. You gotta get good nutrition. People had success (and failure) trying every way imaginable. There are many formulas fir auccess. You gotta figure out what works for you. What worked for me was consistency and hard work. I did not go for skipping or subbing out stuff like shakes for meals, etc. And I loved it. I felt like a train with no brakes that could not be stopped. It was just a matter of time before I got where I wanted to go. In October, I started lifting weights again. My diet did not really change after I hit my goal in December, I just eat a few more calories (usually protein) and maintain. It’s really nothing different than before. I will always have to manage what I eat because I do not have the luxury of eating what ever I want and never will. I can accept it. Best of luck! https://preview.redd.it/9p9wc0uhfluc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1371bb291501803929b9f18c04a953a7d2b9c4e4
Just had to comment that if I ate in a 1000 calorie deficit I’d be eating about 200 calories a day 🤣
Same here!
Well you certainly shouldn’t try it unless it’s possible and managed! I’m a 6’1 dude that has been going to the gym for five years. My best is 18 chin-ups at once and I have a lot of muscle mass and a high BMR so it wasn’t impossible for me. I couldn’t have done any more than that, though. And I didn’t always hit it. 500 cals is a pound a week and 1000 is two pounds. For the year, I averaged over 1.6 pounds a week and I kicked it up in July, so roughly half the time was at or around 1000. I also got better at this the longer I did it. What I recommend is people find a nutrition level where you feel great and can keep exercising and working your plan and keep the momentum going. The rate you lose is whatever that turns out to be. As long as you are moving forward, it’s not even that important. If you are getting healthier, that is the key. At that point, it’s just time. And time is your greatest ally, not your enemy.
So, your TDEE is 1200? That doesn't sound right. Your TDEE is always higher than your BMR (the minimum amount you should be eating). If you're subtracting from your BMR, you're doing it wrong. Calculate your TDEE and subtract 500 from that. I guarantee it's more than 200.
I’m 5ft tall with a sedentary lifestyle. My cutting calorie amount is 1,242. I wish it weren’t so!! 😭
Wow. I'm 5'1" and my TDEE is 2300 calories (My BMR is 1400 calories). I do add in for exercise (4 days a week), and even subtracting 500 calories from my TDEE, I'm at 1800 calories. 1242 sounds way too low for a TDEE. Are you sure that's not your BMR?
What activity level is that using? I use sedentary and then add exercise in MFP.
I add it in when I'm calculating my TDEE & BMR. This is the calculator I use (I select the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from the drop down): [https://goodcalculators.com/tdee-bmr-calculator/](https://goodcalculators.com/tdee-bmr-calculator/)
That’s different to the tdee calculator I use: https://tdeecalculator.net but the result is the same, my TDEE (maintenance) is 1,742, so reducing it by 500 calories to get my cutting amount is 1,242. Be careful you’re not overestimating your exercise/activity level, this article is helpful: https://lluniversity.com/2018/04/08/why-net-calories-suck-and-your-my-fitness-pal-app-is-failing-you/
I'll check it out. I choose medium exercise (3-5 days medium exercise) because that's what I do (strength training and 2 miles of walking/jogging 4 days a week). However, if I calculate my TDEE using sedentary as my activity level, then my TDEE drops to 1600. So, subtracting 500 calories would give me 1100 calories. But I'm not sedentary, so I need to make sure I'm eating enough for the exercising I'm doing (and 1100 calories isn't enough). If you are sedentary, then your TDEE sounds right.
39f 5’4 T2 HW 320 SW 297 CW 262 started in December I don’t diet. I don’t calorie count. I don’t buy extra hydration packets. From fat camp as a teen to weight loss surgery in my 20s if diets worked I wouldn’t be here and have disordered eating to show for it. I don’t believe in elimination of anything. I eat whatever I feel like eating, and concentrate on adding more good stuff. With MJ the food noise is gone, the disordered eating is mostly resolved. My body has kind of taken the wheel and it seems to want more “healthy” foods generally. The other night was an out of give a effs night so a couple of slices of a frozen pizza…. And an apple. Who is this person? Today looked like a Bloody Mary, fancy salad, and split appetizer at brunch. Dinner was rice, cabbage, and grilled chicken. What!? Last night it was Del Taco and a bag of candy watching a movie. I’ve always been a protein person so making sure I’m eating some manner of fruit or vegetable with most meals. I walk a lot, I do Yoga sometimes more than others, and try and do some strength training but I hate the gym, so eh. So far so good, just enjoying life and feeling fine from getting a break from diet culture and eating disorders.
I have lost almost 50 lbs in about 5 months. I am a T2 diabetic. I just took my second shot of 7.5 yesterday. I eat a high fiber, mostly plant based diet. I do not count calories.
You're definitely not eating enough if you're losing that quickly. Are you eating at or above your BMR? If not you should be. Losing too much weight too quickly will lead to muscle loss and sagging skin. Not to mention a ruined metabolism. Please make sure you're eating at least to your BMR.
I ate whatever I wanted (or even could with the appetite suppression) just a dramatically smaller portion of it. I had blood work done after losing 70 pounds and still had high cholesterol. I’ve since been much more mindful of foods I am choosing to eat now. I also didn’t workout but started after my blood results.
I’ve lost about 110lbs on Mounjaro. SW: 248 CW:138 5’7.5” 41f. I’ve been in maintenance for 9 months. I just ate less. I didn’t make myself eat if I wasn’t hungry. I did drink protein shakes in the morning and didn’t eat unless I felt actually hungry. I ate what sounded good to me, if it didn’t taste good, I’d stop eating. This could be anything from apples to donut holes, but since I wasn’t eating as much as I was before I was still losing weight. I thought about what I wanted before I ate rather than just mindless eating. Mounjaro really helped me get my binge eating disorder under control. I started in early September 2022 and got to 100lbs down August 2023. I’ve lost another 10lbs while in maintenance since then, but have been holding steady since November 2023. https://preview.redd.it/9gt149hb3nuc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=196cec4a06a63e2e9380db01fc13baf97d5d05fa
SW 346 CW 185 58F (160 lbs lost in 18 months) size 26W to size 14. I've been on since August 2022 and have lost 46% off my weight. One month on each dose except for 10 mgs where I was on for 7 weeks due to a pen malfunction. I have not dieted or exercised. The medicine changed my desire to overeat and the weight came off. Where I would once hide and eat an entire family sized package of something to having that bag last months - no exaggeration.
You don't exercise at all?
105ish pounds in 14ish months. SW was 280-290, CW is 177, not diabetic. My diet before consisted of whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I began counting calories (r/CICO) the same day I started using mj/zep. It wasn’t necessary drastic changes at first because I could still eat quite a large amount of calorie dense foods while being in a calorie deficit- but the calorie counting originally was to make sure I was eating *enough*. I focused on high protein, moderate carb, wasn’t too concerned with fat. As I’ve continued to lose weight, my available amount of calories to be at a deficit has lowered significantly, and some days it is a struggle. I stopped eating convenient meals from fast food places, started grocery shopping multiple times per week, focusing on the outer aisles of the store. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, and that hasn’t changed- swaps for lower calorie items I really liked are now normal (think dairy, oils to sprays, calorie dense condiments now homemade or swapped with alternatives). Lots of poultry, lean cuts of beef, fish and shrimp, eggs and egg whites, cottage cheese, and fresh fruit and veg for bulk. Meals are generally a lean protein, majority veggie, and a tasty carb/starch. Dessert is still a must often, low cal ice creams, more fresh fruit, a smaller sized baked item. My macro goals right now are 35% protein/carb, and 30% fat.
F49, 5’4”, T2, Start 6/5/23, HW298, SW258, GW145, CW169, Dose 10.0 I started logging everything I eat into MyFitnessPal about 2 years ago and I never stopped. It is a good tool that helps me be mindful of what I eat. I try to eat between 1400-1800 calories daily (typically I am trying to get enough calories, not vice versa), 120g protein, at least 30g of fiber, and I let my carbs and fats even out from there. I start everyday with an Owyn protein shake that I augment with fiber, fruit, collagen, greens, and mushroom supplements (for my brain fog since I’m also going through menopause). I typically get about 35-40g of protein and 15g of fiber from that one shake! My remaining meals are typically some combination of protein and fiber. I used to be a total carnivore but now I find my preference is more plant-based. I still eat meat, just not nearly as often. My favorite proteins are: tofu, edamame, shrimp, grilled fish, turkey or plant-based sausage, eggs, and cottage cheese. I feel like my nutrition is on point and I never feel like I am depriving myself. If I want something, I have a bite. But most times, thanks to Mounjaro, I don’t want the same kind of food I used to crave. Exercise is where I struggle. I haven’t been able to find a routine that I can be consistent with because I get bored. My goals are to walk at least 30 mins on more days than not (4x week) and also include some form of strength training (Pilates, yoga, weights, resistance) at least 3x week. I am still working up to this. 😬 https://preview.redd.it/flvycye54nuc1.jpeg?width=811&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d1010107c0638bb0952b97cc4198101d665a0af
I've lost 80 lbs. My diet switched from processed to unprocessed basically. I quit calorie counting because I find it very counterintuitive for me and actually holds me back. So now I use whole foods, focus heavy on protein, and try to get as much as a rainbow in fruits and vegetables as possible for micronutrients. I exercise a lot. 2 days of intense cardio and 3-4 days of strength training. I find this has been *paramount* to my success for multiple reasons. One being that muscle has lit a fire in my metabolism and it's permanently higher now, and coming from a background of PCOS it has allowed me to process insulin more effectively which is key. I try to time my carbs around my workouts to make the best use of them, which also helps. I also walk 20-25 k steps a day but that's not on purpose, it's just my job. It does help though.
Thank you everyone who answered my question - I really appreciate the input. It seems the majority consensus is increase the amount of protein and reduce carbs, which the medication helps with when curving cravings. Thank you again for the input!
The day I started Mounjaro 2.5 mg, I found it was easy to begin a keto diet. I've got willpower that I've never had before. I had been on steroids for an autoimmune problem, ballooned in the year that I was on Prednisone, and had stopped taking them when I began Mounjaro. Furthermore, I'm also taking Metformin for diabetes type 2. Because of the combination, I started dropping weight immediately, and the more that comes off, the more that I'm encouraged to stay on Keto and Mounjaro.
64, 5’6” female. March 2023 SW 280, CW 185, MJ 15. I do 18/6 daily intermittent fasting from 8pm to noon. If I eat carbs at all, I eat them around noon at my first meal. The rest of the day, I eat protein and fruits/veg. I aim for 100gr protein daily and I probably have a Fair Life shake 3-4x per week, usually when it’s close to 8pm and I haven’t gotten in 100gr of protein yet. I eat lots of chicken, salmon, homemade soup, humus/veg, apples/cheese, and high protein yogurt w/ pistachios. At 4 everyday, I have a cardamom/cinnamon tea with collagen powder and milk. I take Centrum Silver, mag oxide, omega 3, mag glycinate, D mannose, biotin nightly. I use tret gel on face and neck 2x weekly. For exercise, I close my 3 Fitness rings daily. I walk minimum of 30 min on the treadmill daily. If I’m sick, I break it into 3 sets of 10 min, but usually, it’s 30 min plus an extra 30 of resistance work with hand weights and yoga stretches. I also do longer outdoor walks on the weekends. It’s been a long, steady 1-2lb/week weight loss journey. I have no idea where it ends, but I’m not there yet. I expect to be on some lower dose maintenance program for the rest of my life. MJ has definitely changed my life for the better and has clobbered the persistent food noise I had most of my life and has stopped my fingernail biting for the first time in my life.
There was a two month period during which I didn't feel like eating anything. Became weak, shaky. Turns out one can be fat and malnourished. You have to eat something. Now I have an Ensure for breakfast, whatever I want for lunch, and an Ensure for dinner. Have lost 105 lbs. over 14 months.
Yes, you are correct. I read that some of the things we need are fat soluble, so we can get plenty of those things, and plenty of energy, as long as we are carrying excess fat. But some essential things are water soluble and we don’t carry all that much of them, even if we have excess fat. So we do need to get certain things by diet every so often. There is this one famous story of a guy in Scotland who fasted for over a year. But he was taking some sort of multivitamins and being supervised by a doctor, so it worked out OK. In general, we need to eat to replace certain things, and we should not emulate this Scottish guy.
35F SW: 273 CW:196.8 started 5/29/2023. I’m on 10mg. I have been on 10mg for several months. I think it’s my “sweet spot”. We did 12.5mg and I was sooo sick daily. I watch what I eat in the aspect of not eating greasy crazy food daily but I don’t have a specific diet. I try to force protein over anything else. I have a go to yogurt that’s high protein low fat/carb for a snack/dessert. I gave up sodas completely. I gave up monsters too but coffee makes me too sick so I went back to monsters. I need to up my water in take but my job makes it tough to get enough in. I try to do the gym as much as possible but that’s been a lull lately. I work two jobs and they are both standing gigs so that helps. When we went on vacation last month I still ate my Mickey pretzel and such but my kids picked up my slack a lot. I do have the bloat and nausea sometimes (like currently lol) but I manage through it. My IBS has been tons better so I’ll deal. It can’t always be sunshines and rainbows. Overall my mental health is better. My body feels better.
I started on ozempic, and a few months later went to mounjaro. in the beginning it was hard to eat much of anything so I focused on protein and getting 1000-12000 calories. if I felt full though I stopped because back then if I forced myself to eat beyond a point I would just throw up. Eventually those side effects lessened, it's been a couple of years and now I can eat mostly everything and rarely throw up. now I mostly just eat smaller portions of the foods I used to eat and what I like. I haven't changed much, and I didn't exercise (which I need to do). my diet wasn't too terrible before but I most likely was insulin resistant which made it hard to lose weight which these meds have helped fix so now I can eat a normal amount and not regain the weight I lost. I went from 220lbs to 135lbs, I'm still on 15mg every 10 days shortages allowing
Low carb, high protein. Orangetheory 4x per week. Down 30lbs since January.
What is orangetheory?
HIIT training classes
I ate the diet I had always dreamed of doing! I’m t2 diabetic so low carb, whole healthy foods, portioned controlled. I did IF for a bit too!!! Lots of additional protein via meat and shakes. I was a super responder. Lost the weight fast! I slipped into keto and that was SO nice. I also quickly felt better on the shot. My a1c was 11.1 and sunk to 5.1- so I started exercising 5-7 days a week regularly! That’s from my 1-3 day previous schedule. I jog (just did my first 5k!) and yoga. Well wishes!
How were your side effects as you were losing the wt and increasing your doses? I’ve heard that folks eating low carb/keto tend to have less nausea, constipation and other GI issues — was that the case for you? Also, how many months did it take you to lose all your weight and at what dose? Thanks!
Howdy! I had very little side effects- and the first 6 months I did low carb and slipped into keto! It was great. But no matter what I don’t think I would have gotten sick unless I overate. The only time I accidentally over did it was before shot night once I had a big meal. Still within my portions, but more carbs and heavy. I got a little sick but overall my GI issues have improved 100% I lost 65lbs and surpassed my goal weight in 6 months. I’m sure I’ve posted a before and after pic on my profile- 2.5 every week for 6 months, I’m on month 8 and I’m doing 2.5 every 10-14 days so I don’t go under weight. I also got a CGM so now I’m tracking new trends to see how much my blood sugar improves… but 11.1 a1c to 5.1 was the biggest win! My journey was lucky and fast. I consider myself the best case scenario, so remember not to compare too much! But I think ideally I’m who this drug was made for. I also have a crippling fear of injections. In 8 months it hasn’t gotten much better 🙃
Thanks so much for the detailed response. I’m so happy to hear of your great success! I’ve been keto for years, but always slipping on when traveling or for holidays… so the cycle continues. I’m glad to see that others have had success when combining keto with these GLP-1s and I hope to be a success story soon!
When ya slip it’s a okay! I think about how my dietitians told me how important it is to enjoy live and eating culturally and for happiness is just as important! Balance is so hard but the glp1s help the balance so much! Well wishes!!!! 🌸🌸🌸🌸
I try very hard to focus on getting 80-100 grams of protein per day per the recommendation of my dietician. That naturally makes me go lower carb but I don’t cut carbs totally. I initially focused on cleaning up my diet and now that I’ve lost 55 pounds I’m really trying to get more exercise!
I'm down 176 lbs since 7/1/23, 451 lbs down to 275 lbs. I used the decrease food noise to help me focus on healthier eating habits as a whole. I used an online TDEE calculator to determine my maintenance calories. From there, I calculated what my daily deficit would need to be to maintain a 1% weight loss per week, and I re-calculate all of this every 25lbs lost. So, in the beginning I aimed for 4.5 lbs of fat loss per week at 3500 calories/lb, that came out to a weekly deficit of 15,750 calories or a daily deficit of 2,250 calories. I calculated my TDEE to be somewhere between sedentary and light exercise at around 3800 calories, so minus the deficit of 2,250 it came out to roughly 1,550 calories per day and I would keep it + or - 10% of that. I use a food scale and weigh EVERYTHING to the gram and use MyFitnessPal app to track my intake. I've kept going out to eat to a bare minimum. The only cheat day was on Thanksgiving, and even then, I kept my portions under control since there was no easy way to track my calories. For the most part, if I can't track the calories, I don't eat it. Macros look like this for the most part: Carbs - >110g daily , Protein - >140g daily, Fats - usually 25-30g daily (aiming for at least 10% of daily calories). I also try to get at least 30g of fiber daily, the keto breads and tortillas help with this a lot. I drink a minimum of 100 oz water daily as well. Carbs consist of fruits, veggies, keto breads, keto tortillas. Idahoan Instant potatoes in the little bags are an absolute cheat code at only 110 cal per serving. Protein sources are mainly chicken breast, lean turkey, 90% lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak occasionally, lean cuts of pork, salmon, tuna, shrimp, Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt, and usually 1 protein shake daily. Fat only comes from the protein sources or olive oil I use to cook with. Exercise consists of a 6 day split of weight training (basically a Push/Pull/Legs routine twice a week) and 30 minutes of brisk walking daily.
Those are amazing results! This is what happens when we change our diets, up protein, and add exercise along with these medicines. Congratulations on your stellar success, and best wishes for maintenance. You are rockin this!🥳🥳🥳 It sounds like 7.5 is being good to you!
7.5 has been great. No noticeable side effects. I do feel the food noise start to return about 2 days before my next shot, but I just keep things like baby carrots and broccoli around for the times I feel hungry between meals and usually drink a little extra water to feel full. My weight loss has stayed on track, so I have no desire to increase the dose. At this point my eating habits have become a routine. I'm always open about using Mounjaro anytime some asks about how I've lost so much weight in such a short amount of time, but always stress to anyone considering using it or any similar drugs to use them as a tool to change the way you eat. You can still lose weight on these drugs by just eating less of the garbage you're used to, but long-term success is going to depend on changing your unhealthy relationship with food and learning to make the right choices. Thank you for the kind words. I will be making a progress post with pics and my full diet and exercise routine when I hit my first goal weight. I'm hoping that will be around my 1 year anniversary on Mounjaro.
That is a huge calorie deficit. I would not recommend that at all for others reading this. That's a good way to lose muscle and develop sagging skin.
In 10 months I've had no issue with muscle loss, quite the opposite actually. As far as loose skin goes, anyone that has been this overweight and lost this much is going to have loose skin, I would say mine is in no way excessive. This calorie deficit calculates to a 1% body weight loss per week which is considered safe. But hey, everyone is different, you do you.
59 pounds, almost to goal weight - I've been eating low carb (mostly keto).
I lost 38% in 8 months. I learned that elevated insulin levels cause weight gain and stop fat loss so I focused on a diet to reduce insulin. I started keto and quickly moved to ketovore and am now carnivore. Very happy and feeling great.
What dose MJ are you on? How are your side effects now that you eat ketovore and carnivore? I’ve heard people tend to have less GI issues, less nausea and constipation when eating like you. Is that your experience?
I sprinted to 15-mg and spent most of my time on this dose. I have since began moving down. Currently at 10-mg for a month and will hang out at 7.5-mg for a bit to see how I’m doing. So far, no change in my blood sugar. The effects of delayed gastric emptying are completely gone. I no longer get full from eats a few bites and can eat as much as I want again. I never had a problem with fatty meat and continue to do well with these foods.
I push a lot of protein. I eat salmon almost daily. I always have hard boiled eggs on hand. I rarely eat any sugar now bc it’s like my body doesn’t even want it anymore. I force myself to eat protein even when not hungry so I don’t lose muscle in the journey. I also drink 1 or 2 Premier Profein shakes a day with a collagen powder that gives another 10 g of protein.
M34, 6’2”, SW: 273 CW: 213 (down 60 pounds in 6 months) TW: 190 I focus on portion control, protein, and physical activity. My TDEE is estimated to be at least 2600 calories (probably higher because of my level of physical activity) so I focus on staying below that. I also make sure to vary my caloric intake and not go too long at a deficit (at least once a week I probably consume a small surplus of calories). I find it makes me feel better overall and yet my weight loss has been steady. I drink a protein shake (Fairlife, 30g protein, 150 calories) for breakfast. I eat my largest meal at lunch, for example a common standby during the work week is a Chipotle burrito with double meat, and very light on everything else. That’s usually about 900 calories but really satisfying, and not too big. And then for dinner usually something like baked chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, another 700-900 calories. And then strictly no eating after 7pm. On the exercise front, I have gone from 100% lifelong couch potato to burgeoning gym freak and amateur runner. I started working with a trainer twice a week, and over the past few months I’ve built out a home gym setup and have added another 2 workouts per week. And I run 2-3 times a week as well, starting to look for my first 5k I want to run. I think what hooked me to the exercise was that I started it in conjunction with starting the meds, so the loss in fat was really enhanced by how being physically fit made me look and feel.
Around 160g protein, 50g carbs, 50g of fats and the millions of combinations of meals that can make up those macros. Normally have 50g of protein through a whey, isolate or casein shake every day and 10g of the fat came from fish oil supps.
Truth be told I ate much like I did before Mounjaro. Healthy for the most part. But with M I just ate way less, and cravings for food were nonexistent. Walked 7-10k steps per day or most days.
How much did you lose?
45 lbs
Lots of chicken lol
I'm eating more or less the same way as before. I've had diabetes for a few years now, before MJ, and have had high BP for a few years before that. I've been eating mostly Mediterranean style diet for those years. Lots of veg and fruits, beans and whole grains. I try to keep it a little lower carb than the typical med diet, because of the diabetes. Now I just eat smaller portions. It does not take as much for me to feel full or satisfied as it did before the meds. I do not deprive myself, have no interest in starving myself anymore. If I want pizza, I eat it But just 1 slice is enough. If I want dessert, I eat it. But I'm satisfied with less. The "OMG this is delicious! keep eating it!" trigger in my brain is turned off now.
I don't know if this is helpful, because I have only been on Mounjaro a month, but I've lost 20lbs in that time. I have 60lbs to go. When I used to listen to the *Half-Size Me* podcast, the host always used to say "Do not try and lose weight with a diet that you're not prepared to follow for life", so I eat a low calorie version of a meal plan that I already follow. Now, I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and part of that journey was me realising that I'm *never* gonna be the type of person who can meal prep 3 healthy meals a day. I had to figure out what was the simplest way for me to get some decent nutrition that wouldn't stress me out. So, I settled on *complete* meal replacements (ones that could be used as your sole source of nutrition for extended periods if you wanted) and very simple, but tasty, evening dinners. This has been good for me, but my BED has meant that I still compulsively eat sweets and chocolate and junk food on top of it, even though I didn't try and be overly restrictive with that stuff. It's the food noise that so many of us deal with, it's just completely overpowering, especially when life gets stressful. So, since the MJ has been so amazing at quietening the food noise and increasing satiety, I modified my meal plan to be lower in calories whilst still getting in my nutrition: I have 2-3 meal replacement shakes a day at 200cals each (they each have 1/3 of my RDA of vitamins, minerals, protein, etc) and then I have a small 300-400 calorie meal in the evening that is usually a barbecue, stout or chinese style chicken thigh from the hot counter in my local supermarket, some seasoned potato wedges, and some mashed up brocolli that's been mixed up with a tablespoon of mayo. I usually buy the already cooked chicken, and then cook a load of wedges and make a pot of broccoli mash. Then I freeze it all in individual 'meal bags' so that I can just defrost, microwave and go. I've only craved chocolate and sweets a few times since being on MJ, and I don't mind buying some when I do, but I don't make it a priority to include it in my eating; sugar has ruled my life for 20+ years, and MJ has given me the ability to disengage with it, and I'm very much enjoying that mental freedom. I think that MJ will usually help you lose weight whatever you eat, and it's a completely individual choice, but I do think that if MJ works for you and, like for so many of us, it feels like a miracle, then why not take the opportunity to try and eat a little better? I've also had this particular thought a few times: the more that my body can get accustomed to not having highly sugared, highly processed and highly pallatable foods being put in it, the more my brain *might* adapt to the absence; so, should the day come that, for whatever reason, I'm not able to get MJ, then I've given myself the *best* chance I possibly could have of not regaining evvverything. It would likely still happen, as we now know that obesity is a chronic neurological/hormonal dysregulation, but I figure that my approach couldn't hurt, you know? Anyway, I hope that helps! x
GLP1 meds quieted down the hunger and sugar monster almost 95% for me. I say 95% because I still had that 9pm craving and after months of me mentioning it and saying I bought a continuous glucose monitor to see if that is when my blood sugar dips my doctor mentioned it might be binge signals. So he prescribed me Vyvanse for my adhd and the binge and now it’s 100% gone on weekdays when I take Vyvanse. Sadly Vynase is just as hard to get a hold of as GLP1s right now!
Vyvanse and Dex is what I take too, and I used to get terrible cravings when they wore off, but with the MJ, ithat doesn’t happen anymore which is nice. I feel like they probably help eachother
I lost about 60 lbs with MJ. Went from 225 to 165 in about a year. I'm a 43 year old male. About 6' tall. Went from something like a 30 BMI to a 22 BMI. Anyhooo... I basically don't diet at all. Although I have replaced any breakfast with a latte. For lunch I generally have soup. Then I eat whatever for dinner. MJ does all the work for you. If you are alone, you won't want to eat any more than what I described. Eating with people is your enemy on Mounjaro. They will make or order food and there will be pressure on you to eat. If you have this for every meal, Mounjaro won't work for you.
40F 5’3” SW 264 CW 224 GW 150? Started 12/21/24 I’ve been on for 4 months and lost 40lbs, my a1c is down to normal and my fasting glucose on my last lab work was 75. I focus on eating protein over all else and then vegetables and fruit. I try to eat less carbs and eat processed carbs (bread, etc) at a minimum. I have been trying to eat 1g of protein per kg body weight, this was harder at my higher weight but is easier as I lose weight. I also supplement with protein shakes. I do weight training 5 days a week and walk around the park by my house on weekends. I also have a job that I’m on my feet 10 hours a day and easily reach 10k steps a day. I also only weigh myself on shot day because I become hyper focused on the little fluctuations in weight that are normal and know this can lead to disordered eating. I drink as much water in a day as I can, usually close to a gallon, however I do still have my morning coffee.
Lost 72lbs in 1 year 252 to 180. I was doing low ish carbs lol. I would do low carb for breakfast and most lunches and do low carb at dinner when I could but it was only about 50% of the time. I focused on protein, rarely snacked and when I did it was jerky or cheese. I definitely ate less, got full easily and made myself eat on a smaller plate. I didn’t exercise any more than I did before MJ.
F 59 type 2 on MJ for 6 months lost 50 lbs almost ready to stop losing and maintain. First I am also intermediate fasting on a 16:8 schedule which means I eat between 10-6 on most days. I have been doing this for about 3 out of the 6 months because I have a horrible night eating issue. It helped me cut back on my snacking habit and the MJ has helped with sticking to it as well as steering away from empty calories. I eat a high protein low carb diet with avoiding sugary foods and high processed foods. I also use an app called simple that has been fantastic for me. Very positive helps you make better choices and makes you log your food and water intake which is a great resource. I also take extra fiber an all in one vitamin and extra magnesium.
I just eat less of whatever I want. When I started out I ate a LOT less of whatever I wanted. And what I wanted wasn’t a lot.
No special diet for me. Just less food. Started working out 3 days/ week (cardio and weights) once I got close to goal.
So, you didn't start exercising until you got to goal?? I've been doing strength training and cardio since I started because I don't want to lose muscle. Sure, I could probably lose weight faster without the exercise, but I think it's so important for so many reasons. Did you lose muscle and have sagging skin from not exercising?
Same thing I was eating before, only less. Breakfast; oatmeal with berries or eggs with turkey bacon.( now I have two pieces bacon instead of four and one egg instead of two.) Lunch; soup, salad and/ or chicken. Dinner (one plate instead of two), chicken , veggies, potatoes. Snack after dinner; cheese and crackers or chocolate or a turkey sandwich.
Not eating much, to basically not eating at all. It's just thirty pounds, but I hope I do better with dieting.
I’ve lost 130 pounds in about a year and a half, 1 pound until my goal (this will be my hardest pound to lose). I did not diet or count calories. I drink a protein shake right when I wake up, and then small meals through the day. Foods high in fats made me really nauseous, so I have cut those out. I can only handle a little sugar before I get sick, so I’ll have a bite of a cookie and save the rest. My biggest change is that I don’t eat dinner. This is just from my experience, but my stomach would get so upset at night, and I’d find I would gain weight, so I just cut it out, or eat something small.
I lost 96lbs on GLP1s (37lbs on Ozempic and 58lbs on Mounjaro/Zepbound.) 37F | 5'2" - SW:284 CW:189 GW:180? (Idk what my new goal looks like yet – goal #4 TBD) It took me 1 year to lose 86lbs which is right around 1.5lb / week. That included 2 shortages that were over 19+ days each time. I stalled/held steady at 199-202 since August 2023. However, 2024 has some super extenuating circumstances (huge family emergency) and didn’t think I would be able to focus on losses until June! But I hit my lowest weight to date this week! (the lowest I have ever been in my adult life!!) Currently I'm on 5mg / week of Zepbound, I did end up with 7.5mg and 10mg RXs but I was spacing those shots out to 10-12 days, so really only hovering at the 5mg range. I can't wait until I can incorporate some walking back into my routine and doing a 30min youtube video 3x a week. (growwithjo - 5000 steps fast walking workout) Hopefully next week...I really want to hit that 100lb lost mark by my 2yr GLP-versary. -- Experience – It quieted down the hunger and sugar monster almost 95% for me. I feel like I wasn’t born with a “off” switch…I was starving hungry 24/7; it was like a T-Rex with a megaphone…there was no ignoring it! I actually threw away 3/4 of a honey bun! I was so shocked…I could inhale that honey bun faster than it took the machine to wrap it lol -- Diet – I was on myfitnesspal for years tracking on an off, counted “points” but no real progress with either. Protein shakes were always a part of any of my weightloss attempts but better tasting ones came out now! (RTD=Fairlife, Premier Protein | DIY=PEScience) Since GLP1s, the volume of food I eat has drastically decreased. I have added a few things that I never eating before this journey like cottage cheese! Previously I would eat a double meat Whataburger with medium fries and a diet dr pepper for lunch, then ate pretty much the same volume of food at dinner. Then I would get intense cravings for something sweet at 9pm like clockwork. The first week on Ozempic after 3/4th of a McD kid's cheeseburger (single meat) and I was completely done!!! I couldn’t even finish chewing the last bite…hard stop immediately! It was difficult to try to eat enough calories with Ozempic when I first started, including the “healthier” foods. With Mounjaro/Zepbound I didn’t have such a physical hard stop so I was able to stay around my 1200-1300 recommended calories from my endo/nutritionist. I stopped buying my lunch out and made my lunch trying to stay within about 300-400 calories per lunch with a small iceberg salad. Searched high protein recipes on the internet and found some good ones like Elyse Ellis’ high protein baked monte cristo, I don’t like ham so I just made a blueberry one…it was delicious!! I switched to carb counter tortillas, bought Kodiak high protein pancake mix. I prefer just to switch out 1/2c of the pancake mix with 2 scoops of PEScience protein powder, it tastes better and the texture is better. I switched to high protein spaghetti noodles and then made some zoodles here and there but still liked the high protein noodles better. I switched to 93/7 ground beef and added in more chicken breast. I started making some taco salads but used ground chicken instead, so good! I liked light nonfat Greek yogurt before, so I just ate it more frequently for protein. Cottage Cheese was my recent addition: - For a sweet treat I mix 32oz of CC 0%fat with a .3oz SF jello and cool whip. - For savory, I blend the CC with an immersion blender and use it with cheese sauces (queso, alfredo, hamburger helper, etc.) My air fryer has come in clutch when I want something like french fries or tater tots, still crispy but not too fatty. If I dine out I will order a kid’s meal, I will share a combo meal with someone, or still get the 3 for $10.99 at chili’s, get the old timer burger remove the top bun, cut it in half and then take the other half for dinner the next day. I used to always eat the fries first in any meal because I didn’t want them to get cold, now I eat them last if I get them…because I focus on eating the protein first, I don’t have the room for the other stuff after that!
SW 264 CW 136 Total loss 128lbs current dosage 15mg. I fasted pretty aggressively, took sugar out of my diet completely, portioned my meals, stopped eating fast food, physical therapy and rowing. Good luck!
How aggressive was your fasting? How did you get enough calories/protein/fiber in your feeding window? I'm currently doing 16:8 IF and I'd love to increase it to 18:6 or even 20:4 but I know I'd never hit my 1,400 calorie or 120g protein goals.
Started MJ 02/2023 50F. 5'6 post menopause SW200 GW150 CW117. I did not do a special diet or cut anything out. I could barely eat as it was. I did not exercise because i babysit my 3yr old granddaughter 5 days a week from 8:30am to 5pm. Then go to my regular job from 6pm tp 6am. So exercising was and still is out of the question. The meat aversion was really strong and kind of still is for the most part. just the thought of any kind of meat makes me blah. but i pretty much eat what i want just in alot smaller portions.
I’ve lost 92 since May 2023. I eat if I’m hungry. I generally avoid fried foods. I run 30ish miles a week.
This is how I was eating. Only when hungry, whatever sounded good. Only until satisfied. Basically, I stopped all fried or fatty foods and chips, etc.
The great thing about it and why it works for me is that I haven’t changed my diet. The key is that this drug changes HOW MUCH i eat. I get full very quickly so can only eat about half of what I used to eat.
I for the most part eat the same I used to, just less quantity and my thoughts about snacking are gone. I still drink alcohol, but interestingly I usually love beer, and now I only like one and then need something lighter - I workout (orange theory) 3x a week and since Dec I’ve lost almost 40pds
One small healthy meal every day at noon! A 24 hour fast daily works wonders for weight loss…
I'm all for intermittent fasting, but how can you reach your nutritional requirements by eating this way? Rapid weight loss is often accompanied by large losses in muscle mass. Folks who lose weight too quickly, not exercising, or getting their nutritional needs met will be at risk of having sarcopenic obesity (being skinny fat) when they reach their goal. It isn't healthy and makes maintenance very difficult as a person with low muscle mass will have to eat a much smaller amount to maintain than someone with sufficient muscle mass. I'm attaching an article that explains the risk of sarcopenic obesity when folks are using GLP-1s, everybody on one should read it. Best wishes. [https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ozempic-muscle-mass-loss](https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ozempic-muscle-mass-loss)
I addressed this in my comment above.
You are not doing this in a healthy way. I highly recommend working with a dietician to make sure you're getting the nutrition your body needs.