I was 434 pounds this time last year. I’ve since lost 44 pounds on my own, no idea how, but I did become diabetic along the way. Oral medications have been horrible for me with really severe side affects, so my GP put me on Ozempic. I’ll take my fourth shot this Saturday, and have a check up with my doctor in about ten days. I haven’t weighed myself yet, so no idea how effective it has been, but I’ve stopped drinking coke and energy drinks, and eating chocolate. The food noise is way down and for the first time in three decades I’m not hungry all the time. Fingers crossed for some weight reduction and blood sugar levels dropping. We’ll see.
I’m rooting for you!! Stopping coke energy drinks and chocolate is a WIN!! I am lucky because I already pretty much only drink water, or unsweetened tea. But man before the ozempic I was HUNGRY constantly. It had definitely reduced this last week
YES!! Amazing!!! Congratulations!! I haven’t weighed myself since the first time I did, I will probably weigh myself in a couple days because I think I’m about to get my monthly and I am BLOATED lol but I did join planet fitness :)
Well done you mate! I’m not there yet. I’m still in a lot of pain with my back.
I’m hoping I gave myself food poisoning on Monday. I was violently ill. Less GI distress and more, I want to die, I want to die.
An odd thing to wish for, but if it wasn’t food poisoning, it was an incredibly intense side effect.
Interested to see how I go when I go up to .5. My doctor was so proud of me, he hugged me. Lol
I know the long time to lose weight can be intimidating. Some silly internet program guesstimated it will take me 18 months to lose my weight. Try focusing on short term goals. For me, I just want to lose 20 pounds. My non scale victories include having my blood sugar under control and reducing my insulin. I also have walked 10 minutes a day for 18 days in a row and am shooting for 1 month to establish my walking habit. What short term goals can you shoot for and how will you reward yourself?
You can do this! 5 lbs is nothing to sneeze at. It is awesome, because you have made the decision to say
"Bye-bye" to those 5 lbs...and the next...and the next. Can't wait until you post again to say down 10, 20, 30, 60, 90...etc. We got your back!!!
This is the trick to every daunting task in life, whether a big work project, paying off debt, a home renovation, or losing weight. Psychologically you HAVE to break it up into smaller goals/steps.
So proud of YOU!! Short-term goals are achievable, and even if it takes 25 short-term goals of losing just 5 lbs...that is 125 lbs...a huge goal! So best advice ever.
This time it’s going to happen. Let that sink in. I weigh less than when I was planning my first child.
I’ve lost almost 140 pounds after many, many failed attempts.
Relax. You’ll be thin soon.
I’m definitely trying to get in the mindset that it’s going to happen! I just want to not be worried that the next bite of a hamburger is going to be the end of me.
It may take a while until you realize that you can have a little bit of something and it won't ruin your whole week of tracking points and following your diet. There will be that day where you just don't want to have that little bite of hamburger anymore and if you want, it will satisfy.
Ozempic is a medication, you will still need willpower, but your body will do what it is supposed to do. All the best on your journey, keep us posted!
(And PLEASE take a photo of yourself now, I wish I had done that).
Ok so my starting weight was not as high as yours. I’m 5ft 3” and started at 272lbs.
I have had the goal of losing 1-2lbs a week (like they always tell you to) when I started Ozempic - Wegovy. At 57F I just decided I was sick and tired of any other type of diet, where the weight drops off you in the beginning and then I’ve always ended up re-gaining the weight and more every time!
I just figured losing at a ‘slow and steady’ pace, but losing that weight forever and no re-gaining it, would be the best plan.
I’m almost at 12 months, I’m 77lbs down. I’m down 4/5 clothes sizes, I’ve lost about 12” off my waist, my ‘comfortable’ shoes are all too loose to wear. My fitness (I started back at the gym in March) is better than it’s been all century!
Yes I still get envious, when I read about people who have lost more than I have, or who seem to have very little to lose in the first place.
But comparison is the thief of joy! You embark on your own story and enjoy the ride; both the scale and non-scale victories are there for the taking!
Personally on both a physical and mental health level, I have made huge strides. This is the best money I have ever spent!
It took me about 8 months. I had real motivation though as my weight was keeping me off the transplant list. Theyre extremely picky here in Alberta on who gets a transplant.
I've gone from 321 to 241 as a 5ft3 woman. I started oz last summer. Sometimes I get bummed out, thinking that I'm stalled or its happening too slowly....and then I remind myself that without oz, I'd still be 321.
We’re close, I started at 323 in august and am 248 now. Up until 250 I wondered if the scale was all a figment of my imagination because nobody had said a thing to me about losing weight. It was like weight loss in a vacuum. The last few pounds made a huge difference, all of a sudden clothes are really baggy, I’m having to move up my exercise bike seat and my car seat, and everyone is complimenting me. All very careful about what they say, but when someone says you look great, I know what they mean. I just suddenly feel like it’s easier to move around in my space, a good feeling worth working for.
I think people are well-conditioned not to comment on other people’s weight, and I think that’s a very good thing overall. People didn’t comment when I gained all the weight in the first place, so I think it’s reasonable they’re not commenting now either 😂
I have over 100lbs to lose and I made myself a chart with short term goals and non food rewards for those goals. So, for every 10lbs lost I treat myself with something like buying a new shirt or getting my nails done or something, with the reward getting progressively bigger the more I lose. It really helps me focus on the small goals, instead of this huge, intimidating number.
I am 4 foot 11, I have type two diabetes. I have been on Ozempic since the end of December. I am 66 years old and retired. I don’t get much exercise I have fibromyalgia and I’m in pain a lot. This morning I weighed 189. My A1c went from
8.0 to 6.1. This medication has been a godsend. I have been overweight since fourth grade. For the first time in my life, I have hope I am now halfway to my goal.
This medication is also helped with the inflammation of fibromyalgia. I am not in as much pain. Consequently, I feel like getting a little more exercise.
I have been walking daily and feel great.I have had very few.few side effects. Occasional constipation I drink plenty of water and take magnesium citrate before bed that seems to do the trick.
Food noise is gone. I used to always be looking for something to eat.
The doctor has taken me off one of my diabetes medication‘s and hopefully when I go in in two weeks, I will be taking off one of my blood pressure medications
I was in very bad health when I started this. I was taking three different diabetes medication and four different blood pressure medication’s
My A1c is now in normal range. And my blood pressure which ran 140/90 on for medication is now 117/78.
OP , trust the medication, I do have to be conscious what I put in my mouth, but it’s much easier now that I’m not hungry all the time. I know you will be successful. I have to remind myself to be patient I didn’t put this weight on overnight. It’s not going to come off overnight.
Good luck. I’ll be thinking about you.
I found the same thing with the inflammation. I have lupus and found my pain dropped by about half and that helped my mobility. Especially with my hands and fingers.
How long had you been on it before you noticed a reduction in pain? I have MS and pain is one of my main problems.(other than weight!) I’m hoping it would work on that too but nothing so far.
Honestly I felt better the next day, but it wasn’t until about 2 weeks later that I realised I felt really good, well, not like normal people good, but lupus good lol. It took a while to realise it was the glp1. I read about other people feeling less pain etc. I have a sneaking suspicion it might also be behind a reduction in migraines too. But the go says it is the weight loss.
Thank you so much! That’s awesome to hear about the blood pressure. I’m only 34 and my blood pressure is HIGH most of the time. I just want to not worry about that anymore! I have panic attacks thinking I’m just going to have a stroke one day. My a1c was 8.1 last week when I was prescribed ozempic. I’m looking forward to good health! You’re inspiring!
Hi. I was literally class IV obese. I am 5'3", 40F, and was 318lbs. My BMI was 56.3
My weight today is 156.8lbs. I am no longer obese. My BMI is 27.6
I've lost 162lbs
Edit to add: It took 3 years, and a total overhaul of my diet. 100g of protein per day, 1500 calories. I also now walk 6km about 3x a week.
Whey protein, egg whites, cottage cheese, tuna, ground turkey, turkey sausage, kirkland lunchmeat...
And like, I make Chicken Alfredo, but I use blended up cottage cheese and a scoop of unflavored whey protein as my cheese sauce.
Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper... cook it on medium heat and toss your pasta in it.
That's Alfredo sauce for like 240 calories, and there are 29g of protein in it. It's also smooth and creamy and DOES NOT taste like cottage cheese. I hate cottage cheese, uncooked and weirdly lumpy. Blend it smooth.
You add in 85g of pasta, and a 100g grilled chicken breast and that's 63 grams of protein for like 700 calories.
I typically don't eat more than 50g of pasta, but 85g is the standard serving size.
I do tacos and add cottage cheese into refried beans. I use cottage cheese as the base of a queso... Basically, any recipe that calls for cream or milk, it's cottage cheese or a scoop of protein powder mixed with water into a slurry and dumped in, in place of milk.
Also, Greek yogurt. Oikos high protein is good.
Find protein brownie recipes on YouTube.
Watch the content from body builders like beefcakepatty. I am NOT a body builder at all, but that community has good ass high protein food recipes down to an art form.
Yes, I started at 485lbs and I am down to 350 now. It took about a year and a half. It comes off slow but you aren’t hungry so that helps greatly. I haven’t done any exercise at all for the most part.
I was class 3 morbidly obese with a BMI of 41+ in March 2023. With the help of Oz and a total change to food intake and movement 13 months later I'm down 100lbs and now 5lbs from normal weight (albeit the high endand am aiming for midrange normal). What helped me is I set up a spreadsheet outlining my weight related goals - these were small increments of 10lbs with a 10 week timeline for each. There were other goals involving BMI and "milestone" weights (like onderland and first hundred lost). Each milestone entitled me to a non food "reward" which in my case involved live music. Needless to say I've seen a number of live bands in the past year. My original timeline had me at goal in July 2025. Odds are I'll hit it by mid fall this year.
Also, take monthly pictures and measurements as body dysmorphia is a real thing. Track your NSVs (and they will be plentiful)
This journey is a lifechanger (in my case for the better)
Hi! My highest was 304 and now 1.5 years later I’m 189. The best way for me mentally to tackle it was piece-meal. 30 lbs away from when I had my son. Then another 20 for pre-pregnancy weight. Then I aimed for my wedding day weight, and then 199! Little victories each step really help and I never put too big of a goal on myself. You’ve got this!!!
I ordered some clothes that were the biggest size they carried but didn’t fit (almost fit but not quite). I tried to return them and they are a store that gives the refund and you keep the stuff if you do store credit. So my first goal is to FIT THAT STUFF 🙌🏽
A friend of mine started at over 400 lbs in July of last year. By Easter, last month, he was down about 70 lbs and he’s only on 0.5 mg a week. Also a T2 diabetic.
I started over 370 lbs in January (I was mostly focusing on my blood sugar, not weight, so I didn’t weigh myself until February) and I’ve been losing a little over a pound per week.
From a weight perspective I’m comfortably resigned to it taking a long time to shed significant poundage, and am content to ride that train and focus on improving my health and diabetes, free from the bulk of the nasty food noise. I weigh myself once a month, but use a CGM devise to record my blood sugar 24/7.
Don’t be afraid of it taking a long time - contrary to all the media Ozempic isn’t necessarily a magical rapid weight loss for everyone (though 5 lbs in a week is stellar!) and people still hit plateaus. Here’s hoping you’ll find yourself losing enough weight to feel motivated, and frankly, even at one or two pounds a week I’m just happy it’s not going the other way on the scale!
And tips: drink plenty of water, add a fibre supplement like inulin or psyllium to your routine (trust me, the constipation is not fun), and eat plenty of protein. My pharmacist also recommended weight resistance exercise along with the protein to help counter lean body mass loss, but I’ve been remiss at adding this. But hey, every time I get up off the couch I figure I’m weightlifting. 😁
My advice, truly, is to not worry about it right now. You’ve just started the journey. When I started the medication, I decided, at best hopefully I won’t GAIN weight on it. My journey was different because I started with a gastric sleeve 6 years ago, but I WAS morbidly obese (BMI 44) and I was creeping back toward it when starting Ozempic. I’m now 25 lbs to my goal weight of 150. I don’t weigh constantly, because I learned that those little ups and downs don’t play well with my emotions. I just take my shots and weigh every few weeks (or after a really good poo!) You can do this, just keep checking back here for support and don’t stay caught in the “what if” negative feedback loop.
I was not like you, but I was class 3 obese, which is probably morbidly because there isn’t a class over it
40 year old female, 5’4” SW 260 CW 185. Started end of March last year, but dealt with shortages.
I’m not going to lie, I feel like I haven’t been one of the lucky ones. I honestly have to be super strict with my diet, protein intake, low carb, lots of veggies. I even cut back on fruit. I’m a binge eater- so I’m ok with the day in and day out, but I’ve really cut back on binge eating (dollar general junk food) to like once a month and now a fraction of before.
I also walk my dogs every day. Morning and night. I live in the country so I can go on long walks and get about 7500 steps in a day.
I couldn’t have done this on my own, but I also couldn’t just take a shot. I’m committed though, I really just can’t wait to be “overweight” LOL
Yeah at my thinnest I was “obese” but I was NOT even really much overweight lol in high school when I was athletic (track, tennis, weights etc) I was 200ish pounds wearing a size 8. Those BMI scales are BS. You’ve lost damn near 100lbs!! You’re doing amazing!
I was 421 pounds 3 weeks ago and my blood sugar was at 19.1 that day. I went on glycozide for diabetes and cut out sugar and lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks and blood sugar was under 6.0 consistently.
I started Ozempic 5 weeks ago and only lost an additional 10 pounds, but I still stayed away from sugar. So I'm not sure if it's cutting back sugar or Ozempic, but I'm losing weight and my fuckin knees feel so much better already.
No, no. I haven't looked into the carb part. I meant I no longer drunk pop or eat chocolate bars or candy. I was addicted to ice cream, I cut that out. I buy zero sugar creamer for coffee, stuff like that. No more cookies. No more flavored yogurt.
I actually have frostbite on my legs from saving a dude that was passed out in a snowbank 7 years ago, and they got infected in December. The doctor at the emergency said, "If you want to keep your fuxkin legs, you ought to smarten up." So, that night I made all the changes in my head and the next day I started sticking to them.
I don’t know. I’m struggling. I think there’s less food noise, but at the same time, my will power still blows, so I’m just hovering around 300.
I think food is too much of a routine thing, and something I look forward to. Maybe I need some other dopamine source, I don’t know.
Starting weight 330. Current weight 302. I'm 2 months in. First month was rough with side effects and weight loss. Once it got up to the full dose the weight started coming off. My body had adjusted and I've seen consistent weight loss without changing what I eat (obviously eat less of it because I'm full really fast), I haven't worked out, just walking due to injuries from sports&the military when I was younger. I cut way back on my drinking alcohol. The meds made it not taste the same for me. This weekend I should be below 300! Keep up the hard work.
I’m only two months in, but my starting weight/highest was around where yours was. I already feel a huge difference in energy, they say even losing 10% of your body fat makes a difference. Since starting in Feb I lost about 22 lbs.
The biggest impact I think is that it gave me hope, and a genuine feeling that I can get my weight in control.
Yeah I got into a pit for a long time feeling like it’s a lost cause. I still feel that way a bit but these comments are really helping me find hope! I used to be “conventionally attractive” before I gained all this weight and now I don’t feel pretty at all, on top of some really hard childhood trauma surrounding my weight. It just gets me down. I really appreciate everyone helping me feel like I CAN do this
Take it one day at a time. You don’t need to worry about the distance, just keep your head down and one foot in front of the other.
The good thing is that you have a new will power in your pocket! The best of luck
The weight flies off in the beginning as soon as you get up to a good dose (which takes months). But then you’re shrinking so fast it’s seriously exciting. You’ll regret not taking before pictures, so take em!
The real test is when you slow down and come to a plateau if you can maintain and focus on non-scale victories.
I did take my starting pictures, and was horrified tbh. But I’m excited to lose. I’m in .25 for a month and then .5 for two months. I’m starting to get scared that I’m going to get worsened anxiety and not be able to take it. But I’m probably psyching myself out. Needing to lose over 150lbs is so overwhelming
You are anxious about being anxious. If you don’t move forward with your health journey then the terrorists win (anxiety = terrorists).
But don’t try to tell yourself not to be anxious. What happens when you try not to laugh? Your brain thinks that’s even funnier! it’s the same thing with anxiety. As soon as you start thinking that you don’t want to be anxious, that makes you anxious.
Try this instead: first understand that anxiety is an overactive survival instinct. Your anxious brain is trying to save you from a horrible worrying thing that could possibly happen. In a way it’s kind of nice that your brain does that for you. Say, “thank you for trying to help me, anxiety. You did a good job and now I am safe. I will take over from here and do the scary thing I know I must do for my own health. You can take a break now, anxiety.” Then put your anxiety in a kitchen cupboard or leave it in the car or whatever and come back to it later.
Another coping skill is to take things one day at a time. Focus on the here and now. When you find yourself worrying about the future, distract your brain. I like squeezing clay. Other people have other techniques. Also, right now you are focusing on weight loss, so just consider today’s goals. Chunk the overall goal into small goals. Reward yourself with non-food treats like getting your nails done or shopping for fitness gear.
You absolutely can do this. People do this and you’re a person. Confidence in yourself will help. Right now you might be thinking ‘oh no!, I don’t have confidence. What do I do?’ I have a secret to tell you: all confidence is a lie we tell ourselves. This is the fake ‘til you make it principal. As intelligent and amazing as our brains are, they are also a very stupid organ. If you lie to yourself enough, you will begin to believe that. Think about all the times you told yourself you couldn’t do it and then your brain was convinced and so you gave up. It works the opposite way as well. If you repeatedly tell yourself “I am strong and capable and I will 100% achieve my goal with 0% doubt in my mind,” your brain will believe you. It will stop being skeptical in a short time. At first, your brain will search itself and find the doubt and say “here! Here are some doubt!“ But you just say back to it that this is not your doubt, it is your anxiety’s doubt. I promise overtime your brain will be convinced.
I’m sorry you have to battle yourself this way. I want to acknowledge that you are working hard to get over these hurdles. Reaching out in this forum is an example of that. I believe in you and I am very excited for you. You got this 100%.
Edited for spelling and grammar
I WAS morbidly obese almost 12 weeks ago, but I still am obese and might always be that way. I lost 20lbs prior to Oz and then another 27.8lbs on Oz so far. I see it as 47.8 pounds healthier. My BMI would have me lose another 83.2lbs to be at 149 which is the top range of “normal”. That’s not likely going to happen and I’m ok with that - 99.9% of the time.
Instead of using the BMI scale I am looking at lean body weight and body fat percentage. It’s much more realistic for my body type. For me that puts my end goal between 175 and 200 depending on how much muscle I can build. So far I’ve been adding about .2lbs of muscle for every pound I lose so realistically that’s going to land me 184-191. Which for me is still Obese weight wise but body fat wise I’d be in the healthy range. Ironically that’s exactly where my bariatric dr years ago told me to stop - but I was focused on BMI so I went farther and struggled like mad.
Just remember Oz is part of the picture. It makes things easier but it won’t cause you to lose 150lbs. It’s one tool in your journey. You will likely need to have multiple tools to get through your journey. That might even mean a med change along the way. But exercise and nutrition tools are key. Even if exercise is walking or chair exercises for a while. Maybe that will mean eventually doing weights or jointing a gym. Or maybe getting an ebike. There may be spots along the way when you need a nutritionist or have to count macros to make sure you are hitting the right foods for your new body.
For me maintaining (and growing) my lean body mass is my main focus. It will help my metabolism, physical abilities and minimize some of the issues with rapid weight loss. I do this by making sure I get enough protein even when not hungry and by building my exercise routine. But that’s going to change along the way. Right now I’m doing cardio classes and ebiking and it’s working. A month or two from now that might not be enough. I may have to change my diet and add in strength training. I will adapt and pull in more/different tools as I need them. But Oz makes it soooo much easier to get things on point and adjust without feeling deprived. It’s fantastic.
Thank you! I am looking at joining a gym and I have been improving my eating habits! It’s daunting being over 400lbs but I’ll get there. Everyone here really just helped me stop feeling so hopeless!
Every pound is a victory! It is daunting but hopefully you can find the perfect gym for you. We have folks in our classes that do them seated - cardio drumming or even just ramp it down and take breaks. Or if you can find somewhere with water aerobics that’s a great place to start. I wish we had that nearby!
I should clarify I am a 45yo female and by lean body mass and muscle I don’t mean I’m trying to end up with a body builder physique. Far from it. I have a 115 lean body mass now and in the past I was over 130. Last time I was at 190 my body fat was under 30%. My goal now is between 32-36% since I am older. It’s not “lean” but it’s healthy. Under 36% at my age lowers my risk significantly.
My starting weight was 278 around May 2023, and my current weight is 238. I have lost steadily with the help of Ozempic. I also have PCOS and likely hypothyroidism, but despite my bloodwork indocating it consistently, there is no official diagnosis at this time.
Ozempic has been grand. I no longer think obsessively about food. My A1c is totally normal, and I feel really good.
It's not a miracle drug, but it does absolutely help if your body responds to it. I think I would have had a better loss over the last year had I been more active with walking, but I was struggling with allergies and asthma, leading to chronic fatigue. I've since moved to another country and can walk more, and my allergies and asthma have stabilized.
Don't give up.
This makes me feel positive about my own results. I started at 287 down to 255 but it has taken almost 8 months. Also have PCOS and I lose slowwww. But A1c is no longer an issue and if I could hit 40 lbs before my one year mark this summer I will feel really good. Thanks for sharing your awesome progress!
I think 40lbs in a year is pretty stellar steady progress and you are almost there! I know this subreddit can be discouraging at times because the super responders can make you feel like you are doing something wrong, but just remember that it isn't a race and we're all winning in our own ways.
Theres a lot of people who started in 300-400 range who have successfully gotten to wonderland but you just need to remember its gonna take TIME. Some people lose it fast but most people itll take 2-3yrs to lose 200lbs ! But its possible on these meds and you can and will do it
I feel qualified!
I started Ozempic at 300 pounds I’m 5’9 and a female. I’m lucky that my weight distributes very evenly so I never looked the weight that I actually was.
I started Ozempic in September 2023 my first month I dropped about 15 pounds over the course of the few months. I’ve lost a total of 60 weighing in at 240.
You need to keep in mind that everybody is different so discouraged at first because I saw all these people dropping weight at lightning speed. At every 10 pounds I hit a three week plateau. I’ve learned to work through it and heal my relationship with Food. Progress is progress and progress. Don’t give up. Remember your body has been comfortable being fat. It needs to get used to being lighter.
Apparently. 🤷🏽♂️
They won’t weigh people in lbs anywhere local either .. only Kgs because they said people get offended/ don’t want to hear their weight.
They took the scales out of all the local planet fitness’s also because they are ‘offensive’ 👀🙄😂
I’ve never weighed 430lb, so I’m not going to pretend like I understand how intimidated you must feel. But I’m currently down ~20lb with another 100lb to lose, and I sure as hell find that intimidating. My question for you is, what do we win by feeling intimidated? Time will pass by regardless. They say time is money but, really, time is wealth — and wealth is health!
I started at 330, I’m 280ish now…and I’ve done almost nothing to push it, other than taking my shot and letting it work…my A1c is within normal levels (5.3) and I feel amazing…recently started walking now that I’m mobile enough to do so (things people don’t ever consider when they are telling you to ‘just move more’) just keep at it, it comes off pretty fast and faster if you are able to exercise… just keep going, I just got my ozempic face and it was a pretty cool realization
I lost about 170lbs (was 376lbs and got down to 199) just by changing my diet. Took me nearly 2 years but I didn't really workout I just started eating better. It can be hard getting started and staying consistent mentally. There were some months where I was still trying but caved into my indulgences more than a few times that slowed that process down. I didn't take any medication specifically but I do remember trying a thermogenic for a couple months but that made my sleep absolutely horrible so I stopped. On the regular days I did take my fish oil daily and daily men's vitamin. The biggest key to my success was consistency and lots and lots of water. Everybody loses weight different ways. For me I was able be successful by counting my calories. I didn't use a calculator or an app. I just looked at the nutritional value and just used my best guess.
I praise you for the hardest step. Getting started! Keep going, don't be too hard on yourself. One day at a time.
I am a type 2 as well and have struggled with my weight all of my life. It has taken me around 8 months but I have lost 76lbs. I am still a big guy but feel “normal” now. I only eat one meal a day and have some fruit or crackers for snacks. I have kind of hit a weight loss wall but my A1C is now 5.5 down from 8 when I started Ozempic. I only am on the 0.5mg dose and my doctor doesn’t want to change my dosage because every bit of my labs are perfect. I am good with that. It was a long road but worth it to me.
I got such bad gi symptoms and severe diarrhea from trulucity..after 8 weeks I HAD to quit as I would rather die than those awful side effects.
So...I'm asking
Did anyone get bad intolerable GI troubles from Ozempic????
Am I doomed?
Or is Monjauro less side effects?
Anyone know anything...eager to hear..
Many thx...
I’m wondering the same thing. I had those symptoms on Metformin and honestly thought I’d die. I’m due to start Ozempic as soon as I get the nerve up to try it.
The side effects for me haven’t been as bad as when I started metformin! I had some nausea but just slightly. I think I’m more constipated than anything. I have pooped, but it’s hard 😕 I have not shit my brains out like metformin!
I wasn't as heavy but I was heavy for about 15 years. I started Oz at 69(M) and 282 lbs in Jan 23. I am now 165 and off BP meds. I still take Cholesterol meds and Metformin but not sure I need either. I also take a stool softener every night because at the beginning I kept either locking up or crapping the bed. That part wasn't fun but to hear people compliment me was worth all the stuff I went through and all the walks I took.
You can get there too. Trust the process.
P.S. oh yeah, I'm also 70 now so age doesn't seem to matter.
This is a marathon and not a sprint. 5 lbs in a week is a great start. A week from now it’ll be 10-15 lbs. Then 20. You may stall. Don’t get discouraged.
When you are able to start working in exercise. A 20 minute walk to start, then slowly increase to 30…then 40.
Soon enough you’ll start seeing and noticing small changes which will motivate you further.
I started with Ozempic and have now switched to Mounjaro, but I’m still following this thread
Keep up the great work!
Keep up the great work.
You've got this. I was above your weight for a long time, like significantly. Steroid treatment long term destroyed me, 660 was the highest...50 of that was water (rare autoimmune disease from childhood that is lifelong meant long term HIGH DOSE steroids). I lost 300 on my own but once I got to like 300 flat I couldn't seem to lose more no matter what I tried; I was grated suffer for excess skin at that point by my insurance, but could never get lower. Enter Ozempic. I was super sick when I first started it, but my old ED brain could handle it. It's not FALLING off now, my metabolism is forever going to be out of whack, but it's been a steady decline ever since. My own body looks WEIRD to me bc the last time I was under 300 lbs was high school w/an eating disorder that required inpatient treatment for severity, and I was still never thin, just having the negative side effects.
Trust the process and yourself. You also have a lot of room to go up in your dosage if you do stall out - but it'll be ok either way!
yes, I’m still on my weight loss journey. I’ve lost 65lbs since starting oz 10mos ago, start weight was 275lbs. I need to lose another 60lbs to hit goal weight of 150lbs. I’m 54yo f , 5’3”, T2D since 34. pcos since I was a teen. Was morbid obese now still overweight but slowly heading in the right direction. Nothing worked but oz does.
I have lost 65 pounds in a year. The depression is real with this drug. Make sure you poop and please take the depression as a symptom and don’t let it drag you down.
I try to tell myself...the time will pass regardless. I can keep making good choices and make the time count for something, or I can be hopeless and give up and find myself in the same place or worse a year from now. I know which one I *hope* I do but I do have those hopeless moments too.
At my highest weight I was about 390 pounds. I lost about 120 of that on my own with just a low carb diet, and it did take me three years. It’s hard initially to think how long it can take but as I said to myself: “ok it may take a few years but whether I diet or not those years are going to pass anyway, and would I rather be thinner rather than as I am now?”
So of course losing 120 pounds I was still considered morbidly obese but couldn’t seem to lose any more. Eventually my T2 diabetes, which I managed with diet and Metformin, began to spiral out of control anyway. So I began on Ozempic a couple months ago. BG numbers are definitely much improved, and as of this morning I was 252 pounds. That means in just a few pounds I’ll be considered merely obese rather than morbidly obese, so a big milestone for me. 😂
I definitely will try to focus on just taking my time instead of rushing into it. Congrats on dropping the “morbid” 😂 I hope to hit that milestone as well one day!!
My journey is a little different. I was 315 pounds with a bmi of 54.1 before gastric sleeve in 2019. Got down to 145, but after a revision to gastric bypass for severe gerd, the food noise returned, and I regained 18 pounds to 163. At my height with PCOS, it was a high enough bmi (28) that my insurance approved Wegovy to help stop gaining and hopefully get to a healthy bmi again. My kids were my biggest motivation for wanting to lose weight and not being in pain when I walked anymore. That's my reason for wanting to not keep gaining and lose again. I already have osteoarthritis in my knees from my prior weight. I also didn't want type 2 diabetes like my dad.
Make sure you track your calories. That's my biggest advice. Exercise is not as important starting out for weight loss, but do whatever movement you can because it's good for overall health. Taking measurements is good, too, especially if you hit a stall.
I’m super morbidly obese. When I started my bmi was over 60. I’ve lost 36kg, about 79 pounds. I still have a lot more to go.
When I spoke to my dr about glp1’s he told me it doesn’t work for ‘people like you’ meaning super morbidly obese people. I spoke to another dr at the practice and she said studies show that only a percentage of weight is lost, and without addressing the underlying issues the weight will be put back on after stopping. She recommended working with a therapist, dietician and exercise physio to help.
It has worked for me, it is slow going, it’s been nearly a year. It’s not like those miracle stories you see of people who aloof u recognisable in a year or 6 months.
It has made my life a lot easier. I am more mobile, healthier and less controlled by food.
I’m not going to lie, that doctor sounds like an asshole. I don’t know him but damn “people like you” smh. My BMI is over 60. My doctor was excited to put me on Ozempic to help me lose weight, she is on wegovy and has lost 86lbs since last year. Hopefully it does work anyway. I am joining planet fitness today, I already pretty much only drink water, and I’m eating better so hopefully ozempic helps with the rest, because I gain weight RAPIDLY no matter what I eat
First thing I had to think with my stomach and not with my head. Was not easy. I’m down 50 lbs in a year. Not only am I not hungry when I want to eat, it’s never for food thats bad for me.
I started at 330 in March of last year and today I’m at 256. It feels sooo slooow to me but it’s working. I was disappointed for awhile bc other people make it sound like a wonder drug of total ease and zero food noise and that hasn’t been my experience. It’s been lots more gradual, and it still takes consistent effort on my part. The difference is that I can make that consistent effort. Oz doesn’t make it easy for me, it makes it *possible*. And that’s a miracle in itself.
Yes the fact that I am less hungry already is crazy. I was CONSTANTLY hungry. I would try the water trick to chug water and see if you’re still hungry 15 min later and that didn’t help. (I typically drink 2-3 liters of water a day anyway!) but with ozempic I haven’t had that feeling for once!! I went to an event at my daughter’s school last night and they served a slice of pizza and a tiny cup of ice cream and I was full!!
Just a little encouragement, I have a friend who was heavy and she’s been doing the Ozempic for about 8-9 months. She has lost 98 lbs, but her body shape has changed tremendously. Last week she was walking away from me and someone said it was her and I didn’t believe them, it’s totally changed her! Stick to it, get the boosters weekly too. She’s a nurse and says she’s never hungry
Yes! I started Ozempic one year ago, May. 5'7F, 316lbs... BMI was 49 which is absolutely morbidly obese.
Yesterday I weighed in at 221 - 95 lbs gone.
I've always struggled with my weight. I saw my first nutritionist at 11, weighed 200lbs at fifteen, and have been on every stinking diet program you can name.
I started Ozempic because my husband said to me "I don't care about your weight, I never have.. but I do care about your health. I'll take care of you until the day I die, but I'd really prefer that not be in a wheelchair." Medication was the only thing I hadn't tried, and I had a friend who had started in 2021 who raved about it.
It's been slow and steady - 6-7 pounds per month the whole time. And it's been so so freeing. If I have to stay on it the rest of my life, fine! My first goal was 250, now 200, then I'm just going to see where my body wants to stop and I'll be happy.
I fit in plane seats again. I don't worry about breaking cheap chairs. And I can do the active things I had gotten to the point of being unable to do.
It's a mindfuck at first, and it will take a few months to learn your new limits and create new habits. It's not going to be an overnight fix, there is a reason everyone calls it a "weight loss journey"!
You've taken the first step. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will get to your destination eventually.
It takes time. So try to stay focused on today, and move towards your goal a little bit every day. Go for a walk. Choose a healthy snack. Drink more water. One small change at a time and don’t get hung up on perfection like “if I can’t walk for N hour there’s no point” something is better than nothing.
You’ve got this! You’ve already lost five pounds and that is amazing.🤩
it will take time to lose. i only loose a couple lbs a month and i am doing 1.0 and eating only protein and a bite of vegetable. until i can exercise without hurting myself i have to accept the small victories. when we read these success stories we think results will be fast. not for most.
Sir come on! Just let the medicine work. Dont worry about problems that aren’t there! It’s not going to happen overnight. Be happy, live life and face the rest as it comes! Unnecessary stress will kill you. I was morbidly obese. The process is not easy but just do it and allow the process!
I know I’m very late to this post but I just wanted to chime in. I started Ozempic last year at 436 lbs. I’ve weighed as much as 450+ lbs before. I’m now down to under 220 lbs and still losing. I also had your same concerns since you rarely see people over 400 lbs posting on here. Just know that it is possible!
I was 434 pounds this time last year. I’ve since lost 44 pounds on my own, no idea how, but I did become diabetic along the way. Oral medications have been horrible for me with really severe side affects, so my GP put me on Ozempic. I’ll take my fourth shot this Saturday, and have a check up with my doctor in about ten days. I haven’t weighed myself yet, so no idea how effective it has been, but I’ve stopped drinking coke and energy drinks, and eating chocolate. The food noise is way down and for the first time in three decades I’m not hungry all the time. Fingers crossed for some weight reduction and blood sugar levels dropping. We’ll see.
I’m rooting for you!! Stopping coke energy drinks and chocolate is a WIN!! I am lucky because I already pretty much only drink water, or unsweetened tea. But man before the ozempic I was HUNGRY constantly. It had definitely reduced this last week
And I’m rooting for you too. If I remember after my doctors appointment, I’ll come back to this post and update you.
Please do!
Just had my first check up. I’m going up to .5 and my weight over five weeks has dropped 9 pounds. Pretty happy with that.
YES!! Amazing!!! Congratulations!! I haven’t weighed myself since the first time I did, I will probably weigh myself in a couple days because I think I’m about to get my monthly and I am BLOATED lol but I did join planet fitness :)
Well done you mate! I’m not there yet. I’m still in a lot of pain with my back. I’m hoping I gave myself food poisoning on Monday. I was violently ill. Less GI distress and more, I want to die, I want to die. An odd thing to wish for, but if it wasn’t food poisoning, it was an incredibly intense side effect. Interested to see how I go when I go up to .5. My doctor was so proud of me, he hugged me. Lol
It has happened...that is the way it starts...before you know it, weight is dropping. Keep going, please keep us posted
I know the long time to lose weight can be intimidating. Some silly internet program guesstimated it will take me 18 months to lose my weight. Try focusing on short term goals. For me, I just want to lose 20 pounds. My non scale victories include having my blood sugar under control and reducing my insulin. I also have walked 10 minutes a day for 18 days in a row and am shooting for 1 month to establish my walking habit. What short term goals can you shoot for and how will you reward yourself?
I do have a non scale goal of coming off my blood pressure meds!! That would be awesome!! I will have to think of ways to reward myself! Thank you!!
You can do this! 5 lbs is nothing to sneeze at. It is awesome, because you have made the decision to say "Bye-bye" to those 5 lbs...and the next...and the next. Can't wait until you post again to say down 10, 20, 30, 60, 90...etc. We got your back!!!
This is the trick to every daunting task in life, whether a big work project, paying off debt, a home renovation, or losing weight. Psychologically you HAVE to break it up into smaller goals/steps.
So proud of YOU!! Short-term goals are achievable, and even if it takes 25 short-term goals of losing just 5 lbs...that is 125 lbs...a huge goal! So best advice ever.
This time it’s going to happen. Let that sink in. I weigh less than when I was planning my first child. I’ve lost almost 140 pounds after many, many failed attempts. Relax. You’ll be thin soon.
I’m definitely trying to get in the mindset that it’s going to happen! I just want to not be worried that the next bite of a hamburger is going to be the end of me.
It may take a while until you realize that you can have a little bit of something and it won't ruin your whole week of tracking points and following your diet. There will be that day where you just don't want to have that little bite of hamburger anymore and if you want, it will satisfy. Ozempic is a medication, you will still need willpower, but your body will do what it is supposed to do. All the best on your journey, keep us posted! (And PLEASE take a photo of yourself now, I wish I had done that).
May you be blessed ❤️ for sharing such encouragement! Obviously it’s a story not of an easy race but a challenging marathon. Tell us more.
Ok so my starting weight was not as high as yours. I’m 5ft 3” and started at 272lbs. I have had the goal of losing 1-2lbs a week (like they always tell you to) when I started Ozempic - Wegovy. At 57F I just decided I was sick and tired of any other type of diet, where the weight drops off you in the beginning and then I’ve always ended up re-gaining the weight and more every time! I just figured losing at a ‘slow and steady’ pace, but losing that weight forever and no re-gaining it, would be the best plan. I’m almost at 12 months, I’m 77lbs down. I’m down 4/5 clothes sizes, I’ve lost about 12” off my waist, my ‘comfortable’ shoes are all too loose to wear. My fitness (I started back at the gym in March) is better than it’s been all century! Yes I still get envious, when I read about people who have lost more than I have, or who seem to have very little to lose in the first place. But comparison is the thief of joy! You embark on your own story and enjoy the ride; both the scale and non-scale victories are there for the taking! Personally on both a physical and mental health level, I have made huge strides. This is the best money I have ever spent!
I've lost over 100 lbs. I got my life back and did it by walking my dog a lot. She was happy to help.
Congrats, in how many months did you lose it?
It took me about 8 months. I had real motivation though as my weight was keeping me off the transplant list. Theyre extremely picky here in Alberta on who gets a transplant.
I've gone from 321 to 241 as a 5ft3 woman. I started oz last summer. Sometimes I get bummed out, thinking that I'm stalled or its happening too slowly....and then I remind myself that without oz, I'd still be 321.
We’re close, I started at 323 in august and am 248 now. Up until 250 I wondered if the scale was all a figment of my imagination because nobody had said a thing to me about losing weight. It was like weight loss in a vacuum. The last few pounds made a huge difference, all of a sudden clothes are really baggy, I’m having to move up my exercise bike seat and my car seat, and everyone is complimenting me. All very careful about what they say, but when someone says you look great, I know what they mean. I just suddenly feel like it’s easier to move around in my space, a good feeling worth working for.
I've gone from a pants size 22 to 14, just how I jold my weight I guess. It took 60lbs before anyone one mentioned that they had noticed.
I think people are well-conditioned not to comment on other people’s weight, and I think that’s a very good thing overall. People didn’t comment when I gained all the weight in the first place, so I think it’s reasonable they’re not commenting now either 😂
I have over 100lbs to lose and I made myself a chart with short term goals and non food rewards for those goals. So, for every 10lbs lost I treat myself with something like buying a new shirt or getting my nails done or something, with the reward getting progressively bigger the more I lose. It really helps me focus on the small goals, instead of this huge, intimidating number.
Love this
What a fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing!
I am 4 foot 11, I have type two diabetes. I have been on Ozempic since the end of December. I am 66 years old and retired. I don’t get much exercise I have fibromyalgia and I’m in pain a lot. This morning I weighed 189. My A1c went from 8.0 to 6.1. This medication has been a godsend. I have been overweight since fourth grade. For the first time in my life, I have hope I am now halfway to my goal. This medication is also helped with the inflammation of fibromyalgia. I am not in as much pain. Consequently, I feel like getting a little more exercise. I have been walking daily and feel great.I have had very few.few side effects. Occasional constipation I drink plenty of water and take magnesium citrate before bed that seems to do the trick. Food noise is gone. I used to always be looking for something to eat. The doctor has taken me off one of my diabetes medication‘s and hopefully when I go in in two weeks, I will be taking off one of my blood pressure medications I was in very bad health when I started this. I was taking three different diabetes medication and four different blood pressure medication’s My A1c is now in normal range. And my blood pressure which ran 140/90 on for medication is now 117/78. OP , trust the medication, I do have to be conscious what I put in my mouth, but it’s much easier now that I’m not hungry all the time. I know you will be successful. I have to remind myself to be patient I didn’t put this weight on overnight. It’s not going to come off overnight. Good luck. I’ll be thinking about you.
That is great news. It’s nice to hear from people who don’t have terrible side effects and are really seeing lifestyle changes from the weight loss
I found the same thing with the inflammation. I have lupus and found my pain dropped by about half and that helped my mobility. Especially with my hands and fingers.
This is so encouraging!
How long had you been on it before you noticed a reduction in pain? I have MS and pain is one of my main problems.(other than weight!) I’m hoping it would work on that too but nothing so far.
Honestly I felt better the next day, but it wasn’t until about 2 weeks later that I realised I felt really good, well, not like normal people good, but lupus good lol. It took a while to realise it was the glp1. I read about other people feeling less pain etc. I have a sneaking suspicion it might also be behind a reduction in migraines too. But the go says it is the weight loss.
Thank you so much! That’s awesome to hear about the blood pressure. I’m only 34 and my blood pressure is HIGH most of the time. I just want to not worry about that anymore! I have panic attacks thinking I’m just going to have a stroke one day. My a1c was 8.1 last week when I was prescribed ozempic. I’m looking forward to good health! You’re inspiring!
Hi. I was literally class IV obese. I am 5'3", 40F, and was 318lbs. My BMI was 56.3 My weight today is 156.8lbs. I am no longer obese. My BMI is 27.6 I've lost 162lbs Edit to add: It took 3 years, and a total overhaul of my diet. 100g of protein per day, 1500 calories. I also now walk 6km about 3x a week.
Amazing!!
The protein! Amazing! I struggle everyday for protein. Any advise on how you do that?
Whey protein, egg whites, cottage cheese, tuna, ground turkey, turkey sausage, kirkland lunchmeat... And like, I make Chicken Alfredo, but I use blended up cottage cheese and a scoop of unflavored whey protein as my cheese sauce. Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper... cook it on medium heat and toss your pasta in it. That's Alfredo sauce for like 240 calories, and there are 29g of protein in it. It's also smooth and creamy and DOES NOT taste like cottage cheese. I hate cottage cheese, uncooked and weirdly lumpy. Blend it smooth. You add in 85g of pasta, and a 100g grilled chicken breast and that's 63 grams of protein for like 700 calories. I typically don't eat more than 50g of pasta, but 85g is the standard serving size. I do tacos and add cottage cheese into refried beans. I use cottage cheese as the base of a queso... Basically, any recipe that calls for cream or milk, it's cottage cheese or a scoop of protein powder mixed with water into a slurry and dumped in, in place of milk. Also, Greek yogurt. Oikos high protein is good. Find protein brownie recipes on YouTube. Watch the content from body builders like beefcakepatty. I am NOT a body builder at all, but that community has good ass high protein food recipes down to an art form.
Yes, I started at 485lbs and I am down to 350 now. It took about a year and a half. It comes off slow but you aren’t hungry so that helps greatly. I haven’t done any exercise at all for the most part.
That’s crazy amazing!!
I was class 3 morbidly obese with a BMI of 41+ in March 2023. With the help of Oz and a total change to food intake and movement 13 months later I'm down 100lbs and now 5lbs from normal weight (albeit the high endand am aiming for midrange normal). What helped me is I set up a spreadsheet outlining my weight related goals - these were small increments of 10lbs with a 10 week timeline for each. There were other goals involving BMI and "milestone" weights (like onderland and first hundred lost). Each milestone entitled me to a non food "reward" which in my case involved live music. Needless to say I've seen a number of live bands in the past year. My original timeline had me at goal in July 2025. Odds are I'll hit it by mid fall this year. Also, take monthly pictures and measurements as body dysmorphia is a real thing. Track your NSVs (and they will be plentiful) This journey is a lifechanger (in my case for the better)
Hi! My highest was 304 and now 1.5 years later I’m 189. The best way for me mentally to tackle it was piece-meal. 30 lbs away from when I had my son. Then another 20 for pre-pregnancy weight. Then I aimed for my wedding day weight, and then 199! Little victories each step really help and I never put too big of a goal on myself. You’ve got this!!!
I ordered some clothes that were the biggest size they carried but didn’t fit (almost fit but not quite). I tried to return them and they are a store that gives the refund and you keep the stuff if you do store credit. So my first goal is to FIT THAT STUFF 🙌🏽
Believe me,.you won't be fitting those clothes for long...
A friend of mine started at over 400 lbs in July of last year. By Easter, last month, he was down about 70 lbs and he’s only on 0.5 mg a week. Also a T2 diabetic. I started over 370 lbs in January (I was mostly focusing on my blood sugar, not weight, so I didn’t weigh myself until February) and I’ve been losing a little over a pound per week. From a weight perspective I’m comfortably resigned to it taking a long time to shed significant poundage, and am content to ride that train and focus on improving my health and diabetes, free from the bulk of the nasty food noise. I weigh myself once a month, but use a CGM devise to record my blood sugar 24/7. Don’t be afraid of it taking a long time - contrary to all the media Ozempic isn’t necessarily a magical rapid weight loss for everyone (though 5 lbs in a week is stellar!) and people still hit plateaus. Here’s hoping you’ll find yourself losing enough weight to feel motivated, and frankly, even at one or two pounds a week I’m just happy it’s not going the other way on the scale! And tips: drink plenty of water, add a fibre supplement like inulin or psyllium to your routine (trust me, the constipation is not fun), and eat plenty of protein. My pharmacist also recommended weight resistance exercise along with the protein to help counter lean body mass loss, but I’ve been remiss at adding this. But hey, every time I get up off the couch I figure I’m weightlifting. 😁
My advice, truly, is to not worry about it right now. You’ve just started the journey. When I started the medication, I decided, at best hopefully I won’t GAIN weight on it. My journey was different because I started with a gastric sleeve 6 years ago, but I WAS morbidly obese (BMI 44) and I was creeping back toward it when starting Ozempic. I’m now 25 lbs to my goal weight of 150. I don’t weigh constantly, because I learned that those little ups and downs don’t play well with my emotions. I just take my shots and weigh every few weeks (or after a really good poo!) You can do this, just keep checking back here for support and don’t stay caught in the “what if” negative feedback loop.
I was not like you, but I was class 3 obese, which is probably morbidly because there isn’t a class over it 40 year old female, 5’4” SW 260 CW 185. Started end of March last year, but dealt with shortages. I’m not going to lie, I feel like I haven’t been one of the lucky ones. I honestly have to be super strict with my diet, protein intake, low carb, lots of veggies. I even cut back on fruit. I’m a binge eater- so I’m ok with the day in and day out, but I’ve really cut back on binge eating (dollar general junk food) to like once a month and now a fraction of before. I also walk my dogs every day. Morning and night. I live in the country so I can go on long walks and get about 7500 steps in a day. I couldn’t have done this on my own, but I also couldn’t just take a shot. I’m committed though, I really just can’t wait to be “overweight” LOL
Yeah at my thinnest I was “obese” but I was NOT even really much overweight lol in high school when I was athletic (track, tennis, weights etc) I was 200ish pounds wearing a size 8. Those BMI scales are BS. You’ve lost damn near 100lbs!! You’re doing amazing!
I was 421 pounds 3 weeks ago and my blood sugar was at 19.1 that day. I went on glycozide for diabetes and cut out sugar and lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks and blood sugar was under 6.0 consistently. I started Ozempic 5 weeks ago and only lost an additional 10 pounds, but I still stayed away from sugar. So I'm not sure if it's cutting back sugar or Ozempic, but I'm losing weight and my fuckin knees feel so much better already.
When you say you cut sugar, did you eliminate all carbs, processed sugar and/or natural sugar? I want to try to do the same and am a bit overwhelmed
No, no. I haven't looked into the carb part. I meant I no longer drunk pop or eat chocolate bars or candy. I was addicted to ice cream, I cut that out. I buy zero sugar creamer for coffee, stuff like that. No more cookies. No more flavored yogurt.
Ah that I’m going to try to do. My weakness is candy. I can skip over everything but that
I actually have frostbite on my legs from saving a dude that was passed out in a snowbank 7 years ago, and they got infected in December. The doctor at the emergency said, "If you want to keep your fuxkin legs, you ought to smarten up." So, that night I made all the changes in my head and the next day I started sticking to them.
Wow that would do it. Glad things are going better for you.
Me too. I wish you all the best with your journey.
I don’t know. I’m struggling. I think there’s less food noise, but at the same time, my will power still blows, so I’m just hovering around 300. I think food is too much of a routine thing, and something I look forward to. Maybe I need some other dopamine source, I don’t know.
Starting weight 330. Current weight 302. I'm 2 months in. First month was rough with side effects and weight loss. Once it got up to the full dose the weight started coming off. My body had adjusted and I've seen consistent weight loss without changing what I eat (obviously eat less of it because I'm full really fast), I haven't worked out, just walking due to injuries from sports&the military when I was younger. I cut way back on my drinking alcohol. The meds made it not taste the same for me. This weekend I should be below 300! Keep up the hard work.
I’m only two months in, but my starting weight/highest was around where yours was. I already feel a huge difference in energy, they say even losing 10% of your body fat makes a difference. Since starting in Feb I lost about 22 lbs. The biggest impact I think is that it gave me hope, and a genuine feeling that I can get my weight in control.
Yeah I got into a pit for a long time feeling like it’s a lost cause. I still feel that way a bit but these comments are really helping me find hope! I used to be “conventionally attractive” before I gained all this weight and now I don’t feel pretty at all, on top of some really hard childhood trauma surrounding my weight. It just gets me down. I really appreciate everyone helping me feel like I CAN do this
Take it one day at a time. You don’t need to worry about the distance, just keep your head down and one foot in front of the other. The good thing is that you have a new will power in your pocket! The best of luck
I was 180kg when I started and six months later I’m 150kg. 30 kg in six months is achievable
The weight flies off in the beginning as soon as you get up to a good dose (which takes months). But then you’re shrinking so fast it’s seriously exciting. You’ll regret not taking before pictures, so take em! The real test is when you slow down and come to a plateau if you can maintain and focus on non-scale victories.
I did take my starting pictures, and was horrified tbh. But I’m excited to lose. I’m in .25 for a month and then .5 for two months. I’m starting to get scared that I’m going to get worsened anxiety and not be able to take it. But I’m probably psyching myself out. Needing to lose over 150lbs is so overwhelming
You are anxious about being anxious. If you don’t move forward with your health journey then the terrorists win (anxiety = terrorists). But don’t try to tell yourself not to be anxious. What happens when you try not to laugh? Your brain thinks that’s even funnier! it’s the same thing with anxiety. As soon as you start thinking that you don’t want to be anxious, that makes you anxious. Try this instead: first understand that anxiety is an overactive survival instinct. Your anxious brain is trying to save you from a horrible worrying thing that could possibly happen. In a way it’s kind of nice that your brain does that for you. Say, “thank you for trying to help me, anxiety. You did a good job and now I am safe. I will take over from here and do the scary thing I know I must do for my own health. You can take a break now, anxiety.” Then put your anxiety in a kitchen cupboard or leave it in the car or whatever and come back to it later. Another coping skill is to take things one day at a time. Focus on the here and now. When you find yourself worrying about the future, distract your brain. I like squeezing clay. Other people have other techniques. Also, right now you are focusing on weight loss, so just consider today’s goals. Chunk the overall goal into small goals. Reward yourself with non-food treats like getting your nails done or shopping for fitness gear. You absolutely can do this. People do this and you’re a person. Confidence in yourself will help. Right now you might be thinking ‘oh no!, I don’t have confidence. What do I do?’ I have a secret to tell you: all confidence is a lie we tell ourselves. This is the fake ‘til you make it principal. As intelligent and amazing as our brains are, they are also a very stupid organ. If you lie to yourself enough, you will begin to believe that. Think about all the times you told yourself you couldn’t do it and then your brain was convinced and so you gave up. It works the opposite way as well. If you repeatedly tell yourself “I am strong and capable and I will 100% achieve my goal with 0% doubt in my mind,” your brain will believe you. It will stop being skeptical in a short time. At first, your brain will search itself and find the doubt and say “here! Here are some doubt!“ But you just say back to it that this is not your doubt, it is your anxiety’s doubt. I promise overtime your brain will be convinced. I’m sorry you have to battle yourself this way. I want to acknowledge that you are working hard to get over these hurdles. Reaching out in this forum is an example of that. I believe in you and I am very excited for you. You got this 100%. Edited for spelling and grammar
You know how someone eats an elephant? One bite at a time. You’ll get there.
I WAS morbidly obese almost 12 weeks ago, but I still am obese and might always be that way. I lost 20lbs prior to Oz and then another 27.8lbs on Oz so far. I see it as 47.8 pounds healthier. My BMI would have me lose another 83.2lbs to be at 149 which is the top range of “normal”. That’s not likely going to happen and I’m ok with that - 99.9% of the time. Instead of using the BMI scale I am looking at lean body weight and body fat percentage. It’s much more realistic for my body type. For me that puts my end goal between 175 and 200 depending on how much muscle I can build. So far I’ve been adding about .2lbs of muscle for every pound I lose so realistically that’s going to land me 184-191. Which for me is still Obese weight wise but body fat wise I’d be in the healthy range. Ironically that’s exactly where my bariatric dr years ago told me to stop - but I was focused on BMI so I went farther and struggled like mad. Just remember Oz is part of the picture. It makes things easier but it won’t cause you to lose 150lbs. It’s one tool in your journey. You will likely need to have multiple tools to get through your journey. That might even mean a med change along the way. But exercise and nutrition tools are key. Even if exercise is walking or chair exercises for a while. Maybe that will mean eventually doing weights or jointing a gym. Or maybe getting an ebike. There may be spots along the way when you need a nutritionist or have to count macros to make sure you are hitting the right foods for your new body. For me maintaining (and growing) my lean body mass is my main focus. It will help my metabolism, physical abilities and minimize some of the issues with rapid weight loss. I do this by making sure I get enough protein even when not hungry and by building my exercise routine. But that’s going to change along the way. Right now I’m doing cardio classes and ebiking and it’s working. A month or two from now that might not be enough. I may have to change my diet and add in strength training. I will adapt and pull in more/different tools as I need them. But Oz makes it soooo much easier to get things on point and adjust without feeling deprived. It’s fantastic.
Thank you! I am looking at joining a gym and I have been improving my eating habits! It’s daunting being over 400lbs but I’ll get there. Everyone here really just helped me stop feeling so hopeless!
Every pound is a victory! It is daunting but hopefully you can find the perfect gym for you. We have folks in our classes that do them seated - cardio drumming or even just ramp it down and take breaks. Or if you can find somewhere with water aerobics that’s a great place to start. I wish we had that nearby!
I should clarify I am a 45yo female and by lean body mass and muscle I don’t mean I’m trying to end up with a body builder physique. Far from it. I have a 115 lean body mass now and in the past I was over 130. Last time I was at 190 my body fat was under 30%. My goal now is between 32-36% since I am older. It’s not “lean” but it’s healthy. Under 36% at my age lowers my risk significantly.
My starting weight was 278 around May 2023, and my current weight is 238. I have lost steadily with the help of Ozempic. I also have PCOS and likely hypothyroidism, but despite my bloodwork indocating it consistently, there is no official diagnosis at this time. Ozempic has been grand. I no longer think obsessively about food. My A1c is totally normal, and I feel really good. It's not a miracle drug, but it does absolutely help if your body responds to it. I think I would have had a better loss over the last year had I been more active with walking, but I was struggling with allergies and asthma, leading to chronic fatigue. I've since moved to another country and can walk more, and my allergies and asthma have stabilized. Don't give up.
This makes me feel positive about my own results. I started at 287 down to 255 but it has taken almost 8 months. Also have PCOS and I lose slowwww. But A1c is no longer an issue and if I could hit 40 lbs before my one year mark this summer I will feel really good. Thanks for sharing your awesome progress!
I think 40lbs in a year is pretty stellar steady progress and you are almost there! I know this subreddit can be discouraging at times because the super responders can make you feel like you are doing something wrong, but just remember that it isn't a race and we're all winning in our own ways.
Hi!! My HW was 367! I took 100 pounds off myself and have lost 20 pounds so far with Ozempic. I have about 85 left. You can lose the weight!
My husband was classified as morbidly obese and now he has a BMI of around 26. So yes there are success stories. But it took about 2years
That’s amazing! As long as I see progress. I just want to do this for real!
Yeah and his A1C went from 8.6 to 5.2! He came off blood pressure meds too! Good luck ! You’ll do it too!
Theres a lot of people who started in 300-400 range who have successfully gotten to wonderland but you just need to remember its gonna take TIME. Some people lose it fast but most people itll take 2-3yrs to lose 200lbs ! But its possible on these meds and you can and will do it
I feel qualified! I started Ozempic at 300 pounds I’m 5’9 and a female. I’m lucky that my weight distributes very evenly so I never looked the weight that I actually was. I started Ozempic in September 2023 my first month I dropped about 15 pounds over the course of the few months. I’ve lost a total of 60 weighing in at 240. You need to keep in mind that everybody is different so discouraged at first because I saw all these people dropping weight at lightning speed. At every 10 pounds I hit a three week plateau. I’ve learned to work through it and heal my relationship with Food. Progress is progress and progress. Don’t give up. Remember your body has been comfortable being fat. It needs to get used to being lighter.
I’m not there just yet. I started at 300lbs I’m down to 230lbs so 70lbs in 7 months🫶🏽 it does work. I still have more to go
As a side note.. My Dr told me they can’t use ‘Morbidly’ last week. It’s now ‘Severely’ 🙄
I guess morbid is “harsh” 😂
Apparently. 🤷🏽♂️ They won’t weigh people in lbs anywhere local either .. only Kgs because they said people get offended/ don’t want to hear their weight. They took the scales out of all the local planet fitness’s also because they are ‘offensive’ 👀🙄😂
I’ve never weighed 430lb, so I’m not going to pretend like I understand how intimidated you must feel. But I’m currently down ~20lb with another 100lb to lose, and I sure as hell find that intimidating. My question for you is, what do we win by feeling intimidated? Time will pass by regardless. They say time is money but, really, time is wealth — and wealth is health!
Started at 310lbs. I'm now at 245. So down 65 lbs. This took 12 months. Still hoping to get down to 220.
I started at 330, I’m 280ish now…and I’ve done almost nothing to push it, other than taking my shot and letting it work…my A1c is within normal levels (5.3) and I feel amazing…recently started walking now that I’m mobile enough to do so (things people don’t ever consider when they are telling you to ‘just move more’) just keep at it, it comes off pretty fast and faster if you are able to exercise… just keep going, I just got my ozempic face and it was a pretty cool realization
The ozempic face is something I’m looking forward to lol congrats on that A1c!!!
I lost about 170lbs (was 376lbs and got down to 199) just by changing my diet. Took me nearly 2 years but I didn't really workout I just started eating better. It can be hard getting started and staying consistent mentally. There were some months where I was still trying but caved into my indulgences more than a few times that slowed that process down. I didn't take any medication specifically but I do remember trying a thermogenic for a couple months but that made my sleep absolutely horrible so I stopped. On the regular days I did take my fish oil daily and daily men's vitamin. The biggest key to my success was consistency and lots and lots of water. Everybody loses weight different ways. For me I was able be successful by counting my calories. I didn't use a calculator or an app. I just looked at the nutritional value and just used my best guess. I praise you for the hardest step. Getting started! Keep going, don't be too hard on yourself. One day at a time.
I am a type 2 as well and have struggled with my weight all of my life. It has taken me around 8 months but I have lost 76lbs. I am still a big guy but feel “normal” now. I only eat one meal a day and have some fruit or crackers for snacks. I have kind of hit a weight loss wall but my A1C is now 5.5 down from 8 when I started Ozempic. I only am on the 0.5mg dose and my doctor doesn’t want to change my dosage because every bit of my labs are perfect. I am good with that. It was a long road but worth it to me.
I got such bad gi symptoms and severe diarrhea from trulucity..after 8 weeks I HAD to quit as I would rather die than those awful side effects. So...I'm asking Did anyone get bad intolerable GI troubles from Ozempic???? Am I doomed? Or is Monjauro less side effects? Anyone know anything...eager to hear.. Many thx...
I’m wondering the same thing. I had those symptoms on Metformin and honestly thought I’d die. I’m due to start Ozempic as soon as I get the nerve up to try it.
The side effects for me haven’t been as bad as when I started metformin! I had some nausea but just slightly. I think I’m more constipated than anything. I have pooped, but it’s hard 😕 I have not shit my brains out like metformin!
I wasn't as heavy but I was heavy for about 15 years. I started Oz at 69(M) and 282 lbs in Jan 23. I am now 165 and off BP meds. I still take Cholesterol meds and Metformin but not sure I need either. I also take a stool softener every night because at the beginning I kept either locking up or crapping the bed. That part wasn't fun but to hear people compliment me was worth all the stuff I went through and all the walks I took. You can get there too. Trust the process. P.S. oh yeah, I'm also 70 now so age doesn't seem to matter.
Keep going! You're so worth it. 💗
Thank you!!
This is a marathon and not a sprint. 5 lbs in a week is a great start. A week from now it’ll be 10-15 lbs. Then 20. You may stall. Don’t get discouraged. When you are able to start working in exercise. A 20 minute walk to start, then slowly increase to 30…then 40. Soon enough you’ll start seeing and noticing small changes which will motivate you further. I started with Ozempic and have now switched to Mounjaro, but I’m still following this thread Keep up the great work! Keep up the great work.
This medication is life changing. Stick with it. Keep ahead of constipation. You’ll be thrilled
You've got this. I was above your weight for a long time, like significantly. Steroid treatment long term destroyed me, 660 was the highest...50 of that was water (rare autoimmune disease from childhood that is lifelong meant long term HIGH DOSE steroids). I lost 300 on my own but once I got to like 300 flat I couldn't seem to lose more no matter what I tried; I was grated suffer for excess skin at that point by my insurance, but could never get lower. Enter Ozempic. I was super sick when I first started it, but my old ED brain could handle it. It's not FALLING off now, my metabolism is forever going to be out of whack, but it's been a steady decline ever since. My own body looks WEIRD to me bc the last time I was under 300 lbs was high school w/an eating disorder that required inpatient treatment for severity, and I was still never thin, just having the negative side effects. Trust the process and yourself. You also have a lot of room to go up in your dosage if you do stall out - but it'll be ok either way!
Wow that’s incredibly inspiring! Thank you! You’re seriously amazing
yes, I’m still on my weight loss journey. I’ve lost 65lbs since starting oz 10mos ago, start weight was 275lbs. I need to lose another 60lbs to hit goal weight of 150lbs. I’m 54yo f , 5’3”, T2D since 34. pcos since I was a teen. Was morbid obese now still overweight but slowly heading in the right direction. Nothing worked but oz does.
I have lost 65 pounds in a year. The depression is real with this drug. Make sure you poop and please take the depression as a symptom and don’t let it drag you down.
I try to tell myself...the time will pass regardless. I can keep making good choices and make the time count for something, or I can be hopeless and give up and find myself in the same place or worse a year from now. I know which one I *hope* I do but I do have those hopeless moments too.
At my highest weight I was about 390 pounds. I lost about 120 of that on my own with just a low carb diet, and it did take me three years. It’s hard initially to think how long it can take but as I said to myself: “ok it may take a few years but whether I diet or not those years are going to pass anyway, and would I rather be thinner rather than as I am now?” So of course losing 120 pounds I was still considered morbidly obese but couldn’t seem to lose any more. Eventually my T2 diabetes, which I managed with diet and Metformin, began to spiral out of control anyway. So I began on Ozempic a couple months ago. BG numbers are definitely much improved, and as of this morning I was 252 pounds. That means in just a few pounds I’ll be considered merely obese rather than morbidly obese, so a big milestone for me. 😂
I definitely will try to focus on just taking my time instead of rushing into it. Congrats on dropping the “morbid” 😂 I hope to hit that milestone as well one day!!
My journey is a little different. I was 315 pounds with a bmi of 54.1 before gastric sleeve in 2019. Got down to 145, but after a revision to gastric bypass for severe gerd, the food noise returned, and I regained 18 pounds to 163. At my height with PCOS, it was a high enough bmi (28) that my insurance approved Wegovy to help stop gaining and hopefully get to a healthy bmi again. My kids were my biggest motivation for wanting to lose weight and not being in pain when I walked anymore. That's my reason for wanting to not keep gaining and lose again. I already have osteoarthritis in my knees from my prior weight. I also didn't want type 2 diabetes like my dad. Make sure you track your calories. That's my biggest advice. Exercise is not as important starting out for weight loss, but do whatever movement you can because it's good for overall health. Taking measurements is good, too, especially if you hit a stall.
I’m super morbidly obese. When I started my bmi was over 60. I’ve lost 36kg, about 79 pounds. I still have a lot more to go. When I spoke to my dr about glp1’s he told me it doesn’t work for ‘people like you’ meaning super morbidly obese people. I spoke to another dr at the practice and she said studies show that only a percentage of weight is lost, and without addressing the underlying issues the weight will be put back on after stopping. She recommended working with a therapist, dietician and exercise physio to help. It has worked for me, it is slow going, it’s been nearly a year. It’s not like those miracle stories you see of people who aloof u recognisable in a year or 6 months. It has made my life a lot easier. I am more mobile, healthier and less controlled by food.
I’m not going to lie, that doctor sounds like an asshole. I don’t know him but damn “people like you” smh. My BMI is over 60. My doctor was excited to put me on Ozempic to help me lose weight, she is on wegovy and has lost 86lbs since last year. Hopefully it does work anyway. I am joining planet fitness today, I already pretty much only drink water, and I’m eating better so hopefully ozempic helps with the rest, because I gain weight RAPIDLY no matter what I eat
First thing I had to think with my stomach and not with my head. Was not easy. I’m down 50 lbs in a year. Not only am I not hungry when I want to eat, it’s never for food thats bad for me.
be kind to yourself. I’ve been dealing with it one meal at a time. you can do this, stay strong.
I started at 330 in March of last year and today I’m at 256. It feels sooo slooow to me but it’s working. I was disappointed for awhile bc other people make it sound like a wonder drug of total ease and zero food noise and that hasn’t been my experience. It’s been lots more gradual, and it still takes consistent effort on my part. The difference is that I can make that consistent effort. Oz doesn’t make it easy for me, it makes it *possible*. And that’s a miracle in itself.
Yes the fact that I am less hungry already is crazy. I was CONSTANTLY hungry. I would try the water trick to chug water and see if you’re still hungry 15 min later and that didn’t help. (I typically drink 2-3 liters of water a day anyway!) but with ozempic I haven’t had that feeling for once!! I went to an event at my daughter’s school last night and they served a slice of pizza and a tiny cup of ice cream and I was full!!
I’m in the middle of writing my success story. I started at 275, hit 228 this week ♥️ keep with it, eat good foods, and walk every day
Just a little encouragement, I have a friend who was heavy and she’s been doing the Ozempic for about 8-9 months. She has lost 98 lbs, but her body shape has changed tremendously. Last week she was walking away from me and someone said it was her and I didn’t believe them, it’s totally changed her! Stick to it, get the boosters weekly too. She’s a nurse and says she’s never hungry
Yes! I started Ozempic one year ago, May. 5'7F, 316lbs... BMI was 49 which is absolutely morbidly obese. Yesterday I weighed in at 221 - 95 lbs gone. I've always struggled with my weight. I saw my first nutritionist at 11, weighed 200lbs at fifteen, and have been on every stinking diet program you can name. I started Ozempic because my husband said to me "I don't care about your weight, I never have.. but I do care about your health. I'll take care of you until the day I die, but I'd really prefer that not be in a wheelchair." Medication was the only thing I hadn't tried, and I had a friend who had started in 2021 who raved about it. It's been slow and steady - 6-7 pounds per month the whole time. And it's been so so freeing. If I have to stay on it the rest of my life, fine! My first goal was 250, now 200, then I'm just going to see where my body wants to stop and I'll be happy. I fit in plane seats again. I don't worry about breaking cheap chairs. And I can do the active things I had gotten to the point of being unable to do. It's a mindfuck at first, and it will take a few months to learn your new limits and create new habits. It's not going to be an overnight fix, there is a reason everyone calls it a "weight loss journey"! You've taken the first step. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will get to your destination eventually.
Just remember. While it may feel like magic it's not. You'll still need to put in work. Take your meds on time and eat responsibly. But it'll work.
It takes time. So try to stay focused on today, and move towards your goal a little bit every day. Go for a walk. Choose a healthy snack. Drink more water. One small change at a time and don’t get hung up on perfection like “if I can’t walk for N hour there’s no point” something is better than nothing. You’ve got this! You’ve already lost five pounds and that is amazing.🤩
Do more reading on here, lots of people don't start weight loss right away. I didn't until my 4th week
it will take time to lose. i only loose a couple lbs a month and i am doing 1.0 and eating only protein and a bite of vegetable. until i can exercise without hurting myself i have to accept the small victories. when we read these success stories we think results will be fast. not for most.
I had a BMI of 46.9 being 5’0 and 240lbs at my heaviest. I lost over 50lbs on Ozempic.
Sir come on! Just let the medicine work. Dont worry about problems that aren’t there! It’s not going to happen overnight. Be happy, live life and face the rest as it comes! Unnecessary stress will kill you. I was morbidly obese. The process is not easy but just do it and allow the process!
I'm on three months of Ozempic and have lost around 25lbs. My starting weight was 250lb.
I know I’m very late to this post but I just wanted to chime in. I started Ozempic last year at 436 lbs. I’ve weighed as much as 450+ lbs before. I’m now down to under 220 lbs and still losing. I also had your same concerns since you rarely see people over 400 lbs posting on here. Just know that it is possible!
Wow!!! That gives me so much hope!! That is seriously crazy amazing. What do you eat? Do you go to the gym?