Life After Weight Loss Jabs

Hi Everyone

Me again! I told you I might be back with an update, so here it is.


My first bit of news is that I’m no longer jabbing. I carried on for a couple of months but decided to stop because I was sick of the side effects. My hair looked a mess because it was constantly shedding, I was having to take medication for constipation on a daily basis, and my feet were stone cold all the time.

But the side effects aren’t the only reason I decided to stop. As a member of the SheMed study, I’d been given a preferential price of £129 a month as a thank you. However, they then decided that this would only apply if I agreed to commit to another 12 months, which I didn’t want to do. So, not much of a thank you after all. 

Before I stopped, I read a few articles which suggested that people who reduce their dose, rather than stopping outright, have a better chance of keeping the weight off. Armed with this knowledge, I did something I’ve previously advised against and made my final pen last eight weeks. I counted how many clicks were in a full dose and then worked out a system so that each week I was injecting less and less medication. It was surprisingly easy and I had no issues.

Before I finally finished the last pen, I joined Slimming World and have been food optimising to ensure I don’t start gaining the weight back. I’ve also made sure my gym membership is put to good use and, so far, it’s working. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s much harder without weight loss medication. Like a lot of users, I’d forgotten exactly what hunger felt like. I’m still on the SheMed Facebook group and often read comments from people saying they’re feeling hungry again and need to go up a dose—but they don’t always realise what being properly hungry is.

I’m still eating three meals a day but, whereas I would start to feel peckish just before my next meal when I was on Wegovy, now my tummy is rumbling an hour beforehand. By the time I actually eat, I’m absolutely famished, with my stomach gurgling like a drain. It’s awful.

Another big difference is that I can eat far more in one sitting, so I really have to eat slowly and listen to my body to stop when I’m full. I generally eat all my vegetables first, followed by protein—usually chicken or fish—and then carbs last. The idea is that I fill up on lower-calorie foods, and it seems to be working.

Of course, the problem with being hungry is that snacking becomes your sole focus. To counteract this, I keep a constant supply of cherry tomatoes and grapes in the fridge, which helps keep me away from the biscuit tin. I also plan meals so I’m not aimlessly looking through cupboards and the fridge, which I used to find was a trigger for overeating.

I’ve lost a few more pounds and now wear a size 14/16, which I still can’t quite get used to. I went shopping yesterday and found myself picking up bigger sizes because I was convinced the smaller ones wouldn’t fit. Of course, once I got into the changing room and tried them on, they drowned me! That said, it’s now a pleasure to buy clothes rather than the chore it used to be.

The other thing that keeps me focused is how much fitter I am. I went to Eastbourne last weekend specifically to walk part of the South Downs. Some areas are quite steep, but I managed it easily and barely got out of breath. It was a beautiful day and so enjoyable. Who knew being thinner would actually help your mental health too? Later today, I’ll be walking the Downs again and I’m really looking forward to it.

So here are my latest stats:

  • Weight: 11st 2lb
  • BMI: 29.5 (yay!)
  • Total weight loss since 6 January 2025: 5st 8lb

I suppose the point of this blog is to show that it’s possible to keep losing weight or maintain it after using weight loss medication—if you continue to work at it. I still have meals out, which I actually enjoy now, and the occasional treat, but I keep an eye on my weight. If I put any on, I immediately lower my calories for a few days until it drops back down.

Since stopping, I’ve hit my target of having a BMI in the ‘overweight’ range, so I’m no longer classed as obese—which I’m very proud of. It’s proof that there’s life after the jabs. As someone who really suffers with food noise, I hope this will give inspiration to others.

So, that’s my update. I’ll be back around Christmas time with another one to let you know how I’m getting on.

Ta-ta for now x


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