What did I notice?
My back hurt. Strength training revealed that I was already strong. Exercise changed my body, but different activities also changed how I felt. Later, walking seemed to suppress my appetite, even when tempting food was available.
What did I think?
Initially, I thought about movement as a way to improve my physical capability. Once I started losing weight, weight loss became a goal in itself.
But when I reached a plateau, I didn’t want to sacrifice the healthier relationship with food I’d developed just to make the number smaller.
I started wondering whether there were other ways to approach appetite and weight management.
What connections did I make?
I connected my experience of reduced appetite after walking with information about GLP-1 and appetite regulation.
That connection sparked my consideration of Mounjaro.
I also connected my enjoyment of exercise with variety. I didn’t necessarily need easier exercise; I needed activities that kept me interested.
What did I try?
Strength training, boxing, jujutsu, Zumba, pole dancing, Pilates, yoga and walking.
I experimented with eating patterns, including protein shakes.
Eventually, I introduced Mounjaro alongside the movement and eating habits I’d already developed.
Where did I get stuck, change direction or get it wrong?
I plateaued around 90 kg for several months.
I also found that exercise environments and routines that worked for a while didn’t necessarily continue working.
Starting Mounjaro helped with appetite and weight loss, but introduced another challenge: ensuring I ate enough to maintain my energy and physical capability.
My approach needed to change again.
What can someone else now see that they couldn’t see from the final answer alone?
If someone only saw my weight change from 115 kg to 85.95 kg, they might assume I’d followed a consistent diet and exercise programme.
They wouldn’t see that the process began with back pain, that discovering strength changed how I saw myself, that enjoyment shaped my exercise choices, or that noticing appetite changes after walking contributed to my decision to investigate Mounjaro.
They also wouldn’t see that maintaining a healthier relationship with food was important enough to influence how I responded to a plateau.
Show Your Working
The outcome is weight loss, but the working reveals a series of observations, questions, experiments and revisions.
And because that working is visible, someone else can question my assumptions, offer feedback, identify connections I’ve missed, or help me decide what to try next.
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