Suddenly, the food noise just stopped and I lost 10kg in six months. Your jab life unfiltered

Anna-Louise Dearden | Last update: 13th February 2026

Why did you decide to start slimming jabs – and what was your turning point?

(We love a lightbulb moment – big or small.)

I first took Mounjaro in August 2024. My GP had advised me to start taking statins, as my cholesterol was a bit high, and suggested I should lose some weight too. I’m in my late fifties and she said that this is when health issues related to weight and obesity tend to start having a big impact on your health going forward.

I’ve always loved food, cooking, socialising, but it was definitely catching up with me and my weight. I was 106kg and I’m 5’11” (179cm) so my BMI was nearly 33.

I initially took it for a year, with the highest dose being 7.5mg in March ’25 for two months, then a maintenance dose of 5mg from May until August ’25, when I stopped taking it.  I lost just over 10kg, most of it in the first six months.

What surprised you most when you started?

(Be honest. We’ve heard everything from burping air to crying over chips.)

How suddenly the food “noise” stopped.  Normally my head was full of thoughts about cooking, new recipes to try, new places to go and eat etc. but that just seemed to almost disappear within a few hours of having my first jab. Some of it may have been placebo effect, but the result was the same, so that doesn’t really matter does it? It made a huge difference to my attitude to eating. The next biggest surprise was that good food still tasted good, but bad food seemed pointless.

The eggy burps were an unwelcome surprise although that seems to reduce over time.

What’s your jab routine like now – pen, time, tricks?

(Do you set an alarm, use a Post-it, or just wing it?)

I re-started taking Mounjaro in January ’26 as I had put around 6kg back on since stopping taking it in August ’25.  Christmas really didn’t help, I did well at maintaining my lower weight until it got cold and dark, and Christmas was frankly a disaster. There was a lot of stress and I fell back into old bad habits for comfort.

I jab myself on Sunday mornings. I make a note of the dosage level on my calendar on my phone. I’ve found it best to stick to mornings, as I had some insomnia for a few weeks when I first started taking Mounjaro, which I think a few others have also mentioned here on the chats.  I write on the pen lid the date of first use, and which side of my stomach I’ve injected, so I can alternate sides and also keep tabs on how many injections are left in that pen.

Who has been the most supportive person in your WLD journey?

(Mum, bf, total strangers?)

My wife, and then also a number of friends who have also taken weight loss drugs.

It’s been great to talk to them about side effects, expectations and dealing with people who think you’re just lazy and lack will power.

What’s your go-to comfort food now – and what’s out?

(Pasta forever? Chicken ick? We want it all.)

I love grilled chicken, especially barbecued chicken. I find that too much of anything now is a bad idea and can lead to stomach upsets, especially foods higher in fats. Drinking too much really takes its toll too, and I prefer protein to carbs – I always did to be fair, but even more so now.  Stodgy bland carbs (like a poor mac’n’cheese) are a huge turn-off.

Best thing you’ve gained – besides weight loss?

(Confidence? Shoes you can finally lace up? Energy to argue with your partner again?)

A sense of hope, that I can control my weight and be more healthy as a result. I’m aware that I’m taking a drug to do so, but I take drugs to manage my cholesterol and have taken Allopurinol for ten years now daily to control gout, which was agony.  So I don’t really see the difference, apart from it being more expensive!

I’m also at an age where I see the generation in front of me getting old, and how the quality of old age is directly affected by the level of their ability to be active and keep doing things. I appreciate that you don’t get to make all the choices about old age, but it makes sense to make the ones that you can that will probably help.

Anything you wish someone had told you at the start?

(Newbies, take notes.)

It takes time – there may be an initial and very welcome drop-off in weight, but there will be flat spots and even possibly gains along the way.  Increase the dose if things stop working, but always along the guidelines.

Do NOT be tempted to come back at anything other than the starter dose if you’d had a break of a few weeks or more.

Try to learn to recognise when you’ve eaten enough of a meal, trust yourself and then just stop!  It’s a skill you’ve probably lost along the way.

Enjoy weighing less, and do something with it – go for that walk, or a swim or whatever, it adds purpose to the process.  Set a goal to do something, not just to hit a weight target.

What’s your take on the whole easy way out chat – and have you adjusted your lifestyle too – fitness/nutrition etc.?

(Be honest. It helps our readers cope.)

It’s not an easy way out – for those of us on private prescriptions, it’s expensive, there are side effects that have to be tolerated, and

…people who don’t struggle with their weight tend to think it’s cheating, which can lead you to be secretive and feel ashamed.

You also need to do more to maintain your muscle mass, which requires effort and commitment. But weighing less is usually a good thing, and any negatives from taking the WLDs are outweighed by the health benefits, as well as the psychological benefits of feeling better about yourself. 

Personally, I’ve had to accept that if I want to stop taking the WLD again, I’ll have to be better at controlling the way I respond to stress, as the last time I stopped, I did put weight back on, and probably would have continued to do so. That said, there seem to be more and more positives to taking WLD beyond weight loss, so I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon.

What’s your next goal?

(Could be to run for a bus or dance at my daughter’s wedding – or come off the drugs and carry on with a lifestyle change – whatever matters to you.)

I want to do some long off-road cycling events and hill hiking – I’m reasonably fit and go to the gym twice a week currently, but everything is easier when you weigh less and the fitness you already have is more effective.  If there’s less mass for your muscles to cart around, they can do it for longer and with less chance of injury.

Finally – give us your one-liner SlimrChat wisdom?

(What would you write on a Post-it for the next person starting out?)

Take your time and enjoy your wins!

 

Get more inspiration? Have a read of Laura, Emily, Katie, Jens  and Rachel’s journeys.