‘I Lost 60 Pounds In 11 Months With Tirzepatide And This Unexpected Workout Class’
I was active as a kid and never struggled with my weight, but I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) after I hit puberty. My PCOS symptoms got worse in college when I experienced excess body hair and steady weight gain.
I dismissed it as a poor diet and lack of exercise because I was always able to shed the extra pounds when I cut out processed foods and started regularly working out. That all changed in 2021 after I graduated college and got married.
I was working as a local news anchor post-grad and my schedule was crazy. I worked from 3 a.m. until noon and it wreaked total havoc on my body. My sleep was out of whack, I was too tired to exercise, and my diet consisted of fast food and snacks.
On top of that, I had chronic migraines and my blood pressure was through the roof. My doctor diagnosed me with hypertension (high blood pressure), and I started on a slew of medications.
From there, it was a domino effect and I started rapidly gaining weight. I was seeing doctors at least three times a month for my PCOS, migraines, sleep struggles, and hypertension, and none of them could explain my weight gain. I also struggle with depression and anxiety and my mental health took a serious toll.
I hired a personal trainer and started exercising five times a week. I also tried every diet under the sun. Whether I was gluten-free, dairy-free, or calorie counting, nothing worked. I was 210 pounds when I was finally referred to an endocrinologist.
I stayed open-minded and considered my options with an endocrinologist—and my doctor brought up a weight-loss drug.
My doctor explained to me that I was in metabolic syndrome and that’s why I wasn’t losing weight by working out and dieting. So, she suggested medical intervention. I was familiar with Ozempic after hearing stories through friends, but my doctor recommended a different type of weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, since she had seen major weight loss success in patients with PCOS. (Mounjaro is an injectable medication FDA-approved to help treat type 2 diabetes, but is it also often prescribed off-label to aid with weight loss.)
At first, I was skeptical of the long-term results, side effects, and potential risks, and questioned whether the medication was regulated for non-diabetics. My doctor explained it was a relatively new medication so there were some unknowns and potential risks, such as, in rare cases, thyroid cancer, and stomach upset, but she was confident Mounjaro would help me lose weight. At this point, I was also pre-diabetic and my doctor explained if I didn’t lose weight, I would be a type 2 diabetic within the next year.
I understood the risks and had my first Mounjaro injection on September 30, 2022 at 24 years old.
I was committed to my weight loss journey and set a goal to lose 60 pounds.
My goal weight was 150 pounds, and I started on the lowest Mounjaro dose of 2.5 milligrams which was covered under my insurance. The injection itself was easy and fairly painless, and I didn’t have any immediate side effects. TBH, I only knew the medication was working because I slowly started losing weight. After about a month, I switched to a 5 milligram dose.
At that point, I definitely noticed more side effects. The first week I was extremely nauseous and my body was achy. The nausea subsided after week one, but my appetite practically disappeared. I was rarely hungry and learned to listen to my body. If I ate when I was full, I felt sick.
I was also mindful about what I was putting in my body. Greasy, high-fat, heavy foods put me in the bathroom all day and too much sugar made me nauseous. As a result, I learned to fuel my body with whole foods. Grilled chicken, salad, and fruit were my go-to.
Two months later, I moved for a non-news-related job and switched insurance companies after the new year. I was notified my insurance no longer covered Mounjaro and would now be $1,000 out of pocket per month. I had already lost about 15 pounds, but my doctor said I would likely gain the weight back if I stopped the medication at that point (while I still had metabolic syndrome).
Thankfully, my new general practitioner helped me access a generic version (tirzepatide). It was still pricey, running about $250 to $300 a month, but I wanted to get healthy and lose the remaining weight. I knew paying out of pocket wasn’t sustainable forever, but my doctor was hopeful I would come off the medication once I reached my goal weight.
I switched to tirzepatide and upped my dose once more.
The generic version worked just as well as brand-name Mounjaro, but when I increased my dose to 7.5 milligrams, I was never hungry. My appetite was fully suppressed and any enjoyment or pleasure from food was gone. It was a weird sensation to never feel hungry, but my doctor emphasized listening to my body. He said the medication acted as a megaphone for my stomach and it would communicate when I needed to eat.
I found fun ways to exercise and hit my goal weight.
I wasn’t confident at the gym and dreaded being there. So I decided to have fun with movement and embrace non-traditional workouts. I signed up for adult dance classes, bungee classes, and aerial silk classes, but I fell in love with pole dancing. Not only is it fun and incredibly empowering, but it’s a killer workout. My entire body is sore after class. I also appreciate the welcoming environment since there’s all ages, genders, shapes, and sizes.
Aside from finding a new hobby, I felt strong. I was less fatigued, gained muscle, and started losing weight at a quicker pace. Eleven months later, I was down 60 pounds.
Tirzepatide added years to my life and I’m more confident than ever.
After officially hitting my goal weight, it took a month to completely wean off the medication by August 2023. My appetite came back, but I’ve continued to practice the healthy habits I formed. It’s a lot harder without the help of tirzepatide, but I listen to my body and its hunger cues, stop eating when I’m full (even if there’s still food on my plate), and continue to move my body in fun ways. I’ve maintained my weight since August, and couldn’t be happier.
This medicine saved my life in a way I didn’t think was possible. After years of health issues, upsetting diagnoses, and bad news, I was hopeless and on the verge of becoming a type 2 diabetic. Now, because of tirzepatide, I’m healthier and more confident than ever. I no longer take any blood pressure medications, my headaches have improved, my PCOS symptoms are practically non-existent, and I’m not pre-diabetic. It was a miracle drug.
Tirzepatide gave me a newfound appreciation for life and I’m so proud to be the happiest, healthiest version of myself. Nothing about my weight loss journey was easy, but this medication was a game changer and I’m so grateful.
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