[Pipsicle]

Hi Carol- Nice to hear from you! The GLP-1 has been a complete game changer for me. I am eating a bit more and exercising less but still losing weight. In some ways that really burns me up as I was paying my dues properly but not seeing the benefit. It is such a relief to actually be losing. As far as side effects go, I do get an upset stomach fairly often. Definitely less so the healthier I eat. Aside from that, I don't think I have had other side effects. My eyesight has changed and gotten blurry but my doctor thinks it is unrelated to the Ozempic. I am still hungry a lot but I can managed it which is different than before without the medicine. I would just end up eating. I can't sleep if I am hungry.

My dose is still quite low and I am sure if I increased it, the hunger would go away. I guess I don't want the hunger to go away because I am learning to manage with it. Also, I think it will help me wean off the medicine when the time comes. Also, I am still losing at a reasonable rate. I wish I didn't have to take any medicine but it is pretty clear I need something to help me. With regards to the cost, my obesity is going to cost me much more in the long run than the cost of the medicine right now. Just hoping I can truly stop it some time without a regain.

With regards to the inner ear thing, I will find out on Tuesday if it is still an issue. I haven't been on the ice for almost 2 weeks by then. Honestly, I am a bit scared to get on the ice with this going on. I will bring my helmet again. Last week I was at an amusement park with lots of spinning rides and roller coasters. I seemed fine there so I hope it is resolved.

Weight wise, I am up a half a pound (-42 pounds total loss, -4.5 pounds for the month). Even though I was traveling last week, I felt like I ate well and kept my calories down. I think there are some sleeper pounds in there that will come off in the next couple of days. I have 10 days to lose 3 pounds to reach a brand new low weight. It seems unlikely that I will get there. I need to travel next weekend and usually come home a bit bloated afterwards. It takes a couple of days for that to come off. Plus work has been unusually stressful. We shall see what happens- a nail biter for sure!

[Pipsicle]

At -43 pounds this morning. This is great since I have been traveling for the last four days which means lots of restaurant food!

I had a realization this morning. I was thinking that -44.5 pounds was the line for losing new weight (versus losing previously regained weight). However, -44.5 pounds was just an unconfirmed dip. At that time, my weight loss was so inconsistent, I needed to wait until I was able to "confirm" the loss. In order to confirm it, I needed to see it on two separate weigh-in days (Sundays). I was unable to confirm the -44.5 pounds and started a cycle of regain shortly after I reached it. My last previously confirmed low weight was -41.5 pounds. Therefore, I have lost new weight this year! Anything I lose next year (barring another cycle of regain) will be new weight loss.

What a great way to start the new year!

[Pipsicle]

At -43.5 pounds this morning! Happy New Year!

[Pipsicle]

At -42.5 pounds this morning which is up a half pound for the week and the year. During the week, my weigh dipped down to -45 pounds. Not sure what I do on Saturdays to consistently bounce up on Sundays, my "official" weigh-in day.

When I started this thread on 12Jul2021, my goal was to lose 2.5 pounds a month. However, my rate was much slower and my journey calculated to needing 644 more days. Ultimately, I am way past that even. To date, this thread has been going 1254 days! If I continue losing at the rate I have been for the last three months (5 pounds/month), I will only need 162 days (mid-June) to get to my stated goal loss of -70 pounds. A weight loss journey is not for the faint at heart.

My current weight loss journey started in 2018 (to date: 2561 days). The first year did not go well and I gained 10 pounds. I did not start losing weight until June 2019 (to date: 2045 days) after starting supplements to address some health concerns (e.g., fatigue, high blood pressure, high blood sugar). None of the supplements are for weight loss. Here is an overview of how it is going.

2018 (not included in the summary)
2018: +10 lbs

Summary
2019: -14 lbs (Jun-Dec: -17 lbs)
2020: -13.5 lbs
2021: -4 lbs (May-Dec: -9.5 lbs)
2022: -9 lbs (Jul-Nov: -16.5 lbs)
2023: +19 lbs
2024: -21 lbs (Jan-Apr: +8; May started GLP-1, May-Dec: -29)
Total: -42.5 lbs (have a half a pound error in there somewhere as total current loss is -43 lbs)

2024 Summary
Jan -1
Feb 0
Mar +6
Apr +3
May -4 (started GLP-1 May 19)
Jun -3
Jul -3.5
Aug -1.5
Sep -2
Oct -6.5
Nov -3
Dec -6.5
Total: -21

[Pipsicle]

Holding steady for the year so far. No official weight from this morning though; I did not weigh in. Last night I slept really poorly and am really tired this morning. This is unfortunate because I wanted to go skiing in the morning. I will ski some this afternoon though.

I skied a little yesterday. I don't think I will get over 1000 runs again this year like I did last year. Quite a feat for any skier! On a fun note, my ski pants fit just fine. By the end of the season last year (March), they were getting very tight and I had to leave the to snaps undo at times.

My blood pressure is still too high so I am focusing on the DASH diet with varying degrees of success. It does seem really impactful though.

[Pipsicle]

No weight again this morning (or last Sunday) because I was skiing. Looking like a 2 pound loss for the month. I will be home for the end of the month weigh-in.

Skiing is fine. However, I haven't been able to skate for almost 2 months! My doctor is sending me to and ear, nose and throat doctor. It is hard to describe but when I am skating I feel very unsteady and like I am not processing the information fast enough. I really hope the ENT doctor can help!

[Pipsicle]

It was a 3.5 pound loss for the month! All new weight loss! I haven't lost new weight (not regained weight) since 2022! Total loss so far is -46.5 pounds.

The other big thing is it was done without tracking calories. I don't believe I have ever lost weight without tracking calories.

So far this year I have downhill skied over 85 miles! Still not skating- too afraid of getting hurt. The first availability for the doctor is in two weeks. I also need to see a different doctor to get an iron infusion to help with my low ferritin. My doctor is hopeful it will also help with my fatigue.

[Pipsicle]

No official weight this morning since I was away skiing. The weight I took Friday before I left was a new low weight of -48 pounds. Simultaneously, I am really happy and really angry. Happy because it is wonderful to continue losing without all of the effort I was putting in before (eating less than I am now, weighing and measuring what I was eating, and exercising more). I am angry because my previous efforts were doing it the "right" way and it was hopeless. It does worry me that this will me I will be unable to maintain the loss after I stop the medicine.

Chomping at the bit to get through the next eight pound loss. It will put me in the overweight category rather than the obese category.

[Pipsicle]

Missed my official weigh-in last weekend because I was skiing. Weight this morning is -47 pounds which means a one pound loss for the month if nothing changes in the next few days. I'll take it as a win since weight is still going down and I wasn't tracking at all. Additionally, I usually gain weight in February. Really anxious to hit the next milestone (moving from obese to overweight). Need to lose 9 more pounds for that though.

[Pipsicle]

Well, what I thought would be a 1 pound loss for the month weighing in at -47 pounds was actually only a half pound loss for the month. A loss is a loss but in reality, I need to do better. I glided through the month basically intuitively eating and was not on any sort of plan. I need to pay better attention especially to prepare for coming off of Ozempic. I really do not want to have to take it for the rest of my life. Another noteworthy item this month is I was out of what I consider to be one of my key supplements. Without it the sugar cravings were out of control and I was even indulging in sugared soda many times. For reference when I was starting this round of concentrated weight loss in 2018, I was absolutely unable to give up my addiction (for lack of a better word) to sugared soda. It was only after I started taking supplements that I was able to stop drinking sugared soda so often.

Ultimately though, I am still exhibiting energy seeking behavior when it comes to eating. I still fatigue most of the time. It seems though, my doctor has uncovered a potential reason- low ferritin (iron). In a couple of weeks, I will start getting iron infusions to help. I am very nervous since I tend to experience the worse side effects or react paradoxically to medications. We shall see what happens.

I have been very sick (likely the flu) since Saturday's start of the month weigh in of -47 pounds and have been hardly eating. My weight this morning was -51 pounds. An astonishing drop of 4 pounds. Since it is a random midweek weight, it doesn't formally affect any of my stats. However, I will do everything in my power to keep it off and to lose 5 more pounds this month to get into the "Overweight" category instead of the "Obese" category.

[Pipsicle]

This week's weigh-in shows a total loss of -50.5 pounds which so far, is a loss of 3.5 pounds for March. Now to keep that off and to lose even more pounds this month!

For those of you keeping track at home, which is just me really, when I started this thread at the rate I was losing weight, I theoretically had 644 days left. According to that calculation I should have been at my goal weight on April 17, 2023. I was not.

Doing a new calculation using the average rate of loss from the last three months (Dec, Jan, Feb), I need 189 days to reach a total loss of 70 pounds (my stated goal). So in theory, on September 25, 2025 I will reach my goal! Not bad but I just feel like this process is never ending and I always slip up along the way. Plus, it just seems like it takes so long! So very long!

[Pipsicle]

This week I gained a pound and a half. Technically, I gained it last night. I don't know what I did yesterday to cause my weight to jump up. Yesterday's weigh-in had me steady at a total loss of -50.5 which is what I weighed last Sunday. Today I weighed in at -49.

Sundays are my "official" weigh-in day. It is the one day of the week my weight counts. It is an effort to not sweat the daily fluctuations. Sundays almost always seem higher than earlier in the week. I have been trying to figure out what I do on Fridays and Saturdays to cause this without any luck. At least it seems to represent a worse case weight.

At this point, I am at a cross-road. My insatiable appetite is back despite being on the GLP-1. I am at a very low dose of the GLP-1 and could easily increase the dose. I am really hoping not to have to do that but I really need to get this weight off. I am still categorized as OBESE.

This week, I will write out a specific food plan. If I cannot stick to it and continue to overeat, I will talk with my doctor about increasing my dose. I am really hesitant because I want to be able to stop this medicine at some point. I feel like the higher the dose, the harder it will be to stop.

Spring is always the worst for me with regards to eating well and losing weight.
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EDITS:
Monday 17Mar- Success! Stayed within my calorie count!

Tuesday 18Mar- Success! Stayed withing my calorie count and had a 16 hour fast to boot!

Wednesday 19Mar (am)- It is paying off on the scale! Weigh-in was -51 pounds this morning (2 down from my official Sunday weigh-in, 4 down from the start of the month). Having a tough day today. Only 200 calories left for the next 6 hours and 12 minutes. Not sure if I will be able to stay within my calorie limit today.

Wednesday 19Mar (midday)- Just finished lunch and have 3 hours, 14 minutes left before my new calorie window opens. I am already hungry.

Getting tougher- an hour, 12 minutes left....

Wednesday 19Mar (pm)- Whew! Made it! Had lovely healthy dinner but drat, still hungry. I am really happy with my meal plan for tomorrow. I want to make it through tonight successfully so I don't have to change tomorrow's plan. Really hoping to see good news on the scale tomorrow!

Thursday 20Mar (pm)- I did not see good news on the scale. It was up a pound. I'm counting today as a success since I stayed on plan. Unfortunately, there was a 200 calorie error (not in my favor) in the plan. I am really hungry tonight but did not snack. Another victory in and of itself.

Friday 21Mar (pm)- Made it through the day and it seemed a little easier. Scale was generous and weighed in at -51.5 pounds.

Saturday 22Mar- Made it through another day successfully. The scale is holding steady.

[Pipsicle]

So it looks like if I pay attention and work my plan, I will lose a pound a week. I was unable to weigh-in this morning so I will use yesterday's weight of -51.5 pounds. Last week's weigh-in was officially -49. To me that seemed like a very ill timed fluctuation and my weight was really -50.5 pounds. Hence, just a one pound loss for this week. This is fine. I need to be able to maintain it though.

I was way over on calories today but also got lots of exercise. I am hoping it cancels out. Also, I need to plan out my meals for the week. Plus, putting in daily edits seemed helpful.
__________________________________________
EDITS:
Monday 24Mar: Way over on calories but also super active (skied all day). Hoping to get a pass on this overage.

Tuesday 25Mar: Successfully stayed within my calorie allotment today! For the most part I was not hungry until about and hour after dinner. Then I was a little hungry so I had an orange. Then I was really hungry. I feel like oranges make me hungry so I won't eat one as a snack by itself for a while. Very curious to see what the scale says tomorrow. I was away for several days. I overate on a couple of those days but was also very active.

Wednesday 26Mar: Stay within my calorie limit. Scale was unchanged from Saturday. I have low iron and today I had an infusion of iron. I was really nervous but it went well. Can't say I feel any different though.

Thursday 27Mar: Great news! Hit a new low weight of -52 pounds today! Need to keep it going until the end of the month weigh-in. If I can hold this loss, I will have lost 5 pounds this month. However, I am already over on calories today. I am still within a maintenance calorie window but I have 4 hours and 18 minutes left to go.

Thursday 27Mar (edit 2): Still hungry and doing my best to get to my next calorie window which opens in 1 hour, 22 minutes. Thinking I may have a cucumber as a snack if needed.

Thursday 27Mar (edit 3): Made it through until my calorie window opened but in the maintenance zone. I ate plenty but am really hungry. Already pushed my luck on calories and will roll into the maintenance calorie range tomorrow. Worried it will go over though.

Friday 28Mar: Alright, Alright- new low weight of -52.5 pounds on the scale this morning. As predicted, I am into the maintenance calorie zone today and struggle not to go passed the upper limit. I have 1 hour, 52 minutes left. Basically it's two very long hours.

Saturday 29Mar: Made it through the couple of hours without eating more yesterday and held steady this morning at -52.5 pounds. In the same boat as the last two days, ate past my target calorie allotment but am still in the maintenance zone. Need to make it through the next four hours, eight minutes. Will leave to run errands soon so that will help.

[Pipsicle]

Scale settled in at -52 this morning so a half pound loss for the week. If I can hold on to the -52 pounds tomorrow and/or Tuesday, I will have a 5 pound loss for the month. Honestly though, some of that was from the previous month. I had an unfortunate bump up on the monthly weigh-in days.

I am four pounds from moving out of the 'obese' weight classification and into the 'overweight' category. Never thought I be happy to 'overweight'- hahaha.

Seriously considering increasing the GLP-1 medicine. I feel like I did pretty well during the week but it was a lot of focus and work. I am not sure if I can maintain it. Overate today by a large margin. Hoping it doesn't derail my entire month.

[Pipsicle]

Loss for the month of March was 5.5 pounds! So fantastic- it is the second highest amount I've lost in a month! It is a little tempered since February's loss was so little.

This week I worked really hard to stay on track and the week went pretty smoothly. Hence, no daily edits in last week's post. At one point I saw a new lowest weight of -54 pounds but that was an unofficial weight. Today's official weigh-in showed -53.5 pounds which is a 1.5 pound loss for the week! I would classify this as a WHOOSH! For me, anything above a one pound loss is a whoosh.

Ran into trouble with eating Friday and Saturday night. Friday night I was just done with keeping it reined in and just wanted to eat what I wanted to eat. Last night, I was really hungry and was trying to hold off (to the point of being near tears). Ultimately, I would choose a healthy high protein snack and wait 20 minutes. Three snacks later, I was finally satiated enough to go to sleep. Over on calories for the day already this morning though. As a result, I have bumped up my GLP-1 dose a little.

My fatigue is worse today. Enough so, I was literally talking out loud about how much it stinks and I want it to go away. Luckily, I have some upcoming trips to keep my mind off of it.