Well, on November 10th, I will have been on a medication called Mounjaro for 2 months. Mounjaro is a GLP-1 medication. It is similar to Ozempic, but has a different active ingredient. My doctor prescribed it because my A1C was creeping up again. I had been managing it through intermittent fasting, but sometimes I failed at it. Of course, the drug causes weight-loss like Ozempic, and the doctor also said it would help with my sleep apnea. He plans to have me on the medicine for about a year.
So far, the medication is doing a better job of managing my blood-glucose level than I had for several months. I still practice intermittent fasting while on the medication. I typically fast 20 hours a day. It is a lot easier while on a GLP-1. With only a four hour eating window, essentially I’m eating one long meal per day. A regular meal of meat and veggies; sometimes rice or pasta. I average around 1100-1500 calories. I figured that’s enough of a deficit to lose a couple of pounds a week.
As of this morning, I am down 15 pounds from 251. It has been exactly 52 days. If the weight-loss continues at this rate (about 7 pounds per month), I could potentially lose a total of 84 pounds in a year’s time. That would bring my weight down to 167 pounds from 251.
Last year, I would not have thought it was possible to achieve my goal weight. I think it’s possible now. Essentially, I am intermittent fasting. I have been doing it (the best I could) since 2019. I could never overcome my compulsion to eat when I’m not hungry. Being on this medication makes it harder to eat if I’m not hungry. The medicine slows the digestion, and I feel full longer, and hardly ever a hunger pain. And if I do eat more than I should on the medication, I feel very uncomfortable. Also, eating crap foods makes me feel uncomfortable, or maybe a little sick.
Since I only have a 4-5 hour window, I choose the best foods and nutrition I can. I try to have some sort of meat with every meal, fresh veggies and/or grains, no fruits. I eat no processed foods, at least I try not to. Beef, chicken, sometimes pork are my usual meats. The veggies I eat are usually low in carbs.
I still have to deal with my sweet tooth. For that, I usually have a protein shake or eat a protein bar for a snack. I save it for after I’ve eaten the actual meal to maximize my calories. If I have the protein before the meal, I don’t get as many calories because of the fullness I feel. They are usually kind of sweet (otherwise not very tasty), and it is usually enough to satisfy me.
My goal is to use this time on the medication to train my self to consistently eat the right kinds of foods, regain my ability to listen to my body, learn to be more intuitive about what it needs, and improve my relationship with food. I figure in a year’s time, I should be well trained, and able to be weened of the medication without it feeling like a huge shift. Hopefully, I will be able to maintain any weight-loss and any health gains.
Of course, I still walk for exercise, and also still go to the gym. If I can manage not to injure myself again, I should be in pretty good shape in a year.
I have never had to buy new clothes because of weight-loss. However, I have had to make many purchases over the last 25 years as I got fatter. This is the first time since I got serious about my health in 2015 that I’ve felt like I might actually succeed in my efforts to lose weight. So I”m cautiously optimistic that new clothes could be in my future.
I know that many people feel the GLP-1 medications are a cheat. I do too, but I needed help. I asked my doctor for the drug. After a consultation, he decided I could benefit from the drug. He is monitoring me weekly.
Over the last 11 years, I have failed over and over, and I’m tired. this is a last ditch effort. If this fails, I may say FUCK IT! and give up. However, I enjoy the freedom of intermittent fasting. I will probably be doing some form of it for the rest of my life. Besides, I have experienced many of its health benefits, and that’s hard to give up.🙂
