Life on Mounjaro: Weeks 9-12

I have now spent three full months on the diabetes medication Mounjaro. I have settled in on the 5.0 mg dose for the last two months and have no interest in titrating up in dosage unless I stop seeing its benefits. At this point, nearly all negative side effects have vanished. I did have some moderate nausea in week 10, after injecting the medicine into my thigh, but had no issues the following week after returning to my normal belly injections.

I am still steadily losing weight, having lost over 35 lbs since starting the medication. While Mounjaro has been a tremendous tool to help me make progress, I have also tightened up my diet and increased my running and hiking miles. My calorie intake is consistently around 1300-1400 per day. I also eat very low amounts of processed sugar and consume a “lowish” amount of carbs.

There are still certain foods that have little appeal to me. Basically, anything with spice or intense flavor. I am relying on bland foods such as chicken, salmon, asparagus, nuts, and cheese. I did manage to eat some pizza on a work outing with no ill effects, and interestingly enough, I had no desire to continue eating it … which is a dramatic mental shift for me.

As of this writing my weight is 243 lbs. Down from 278 at the start of Mounjaro. My sugar levels have been pretty decent, though I have had some isolated highs and lows. Most surprising is that my blood pressure has improved. I did not expect that. I have set a goal weight of 220 … I was at that weight in 2021 when I completed the Fuzzy Fandango 50k trail run and my fitness level was far greater than it is right now. I’m hoping that with Mounjaro, I can recapture, and then sustain, that magic!

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Mini Book Review of “Recovery Run: One Man’s Journey From Rock Bottom to Ultra Marathoner” by Richard Gallegos

In this easy read, author Richard Gallegos details his journey from addiction to ultra running. In a memoir that is reminiscent of Mike Magnuson’s Heft on Wheels, Gallegos seemingly moved from one end of the spectrum to the other. His transformation is really quite astounding and should offer hope to anyone who feels too lost to find recovery. In reality, Gallegos seemed to channel his addictive personality for good, replaced a harmful addiction to drugs and alcohol with an addiction to ultra running. I was impressed as much with his transparency as I was his endurance. There is some foul language, and some gory depictions from his career as an EMT. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the world of ultra running and/or recovery. I found it on Amazon for my kindle and at the time of this writing, it is free for those with a Kindle Unlimited account.

Dying 2 Self Season 2, Episode 1: My Experience with Optavia

The Dying 2 Self Podcast returns for the second season absolutely no asked for! In this episode, I will discuss in great detail my experience with the Optavia Weight Loss Program and introduce the new Youtube Channel. I’ll also reveal what I’ve been up to since the first season.

Life on Mounjaro: Weeks 6 thru 8

Just a short post to update my progress on Mounjaro …

On Saturday, April 8th, I took my 8 weekly shot of Mounjaro. At this point, the side effects as far as nausea and constipation have mostly waned. I am still experiencing appetite suppression and there are certain foods (even some that I once loved) that nearly turn my stomach at the thought of consuming. These foods are mostly high sugar and processed carb-laden foods. Pizza, burgers, chips, and candy have zero appeal to me at the moment. Which astounds me due to my legendary snacking ability!

Progress

So far, just over seven weeks in, I have lost a total of 24.1 lbs on Mounjaro. I have also begun monitoring my blood sugar and blood pressure more consistently. Through the use of a Libre 2 Constant Glucose Monitor, I have been able to keep a close watch on my sugar and over the last week or so my numbers have been phenomenal. I have also started seeing some better blood pressure readings as of late. Having read some good things about Mounjaro’s impact on BP, I’m hoping this trend continues.

Moving Forward

The good news is my insurance company finally delivered the approval for me to continue my Mounjaro regimen. Being Type 2 Diabetic, I had sincerely hoped and prayed this would finally happen and for the next year at least it appears I am covered.

For my third month on the medication, I will continue on the 5.0 dose. My plan is to remain on 5.0 for as long as I am having results.

I am blessed to be on this medication and it continues to give me the edge when it comes to my relationship with food. Mounjaro this far continues to be a miracle drug.

They Will Know You by Your Love: A Study of John 13:24

As He prepared His disciples for the cross, Jesus instructed them on how to honor God with their lives. In Chapter 13 of John’s Gospel, Jesus commands them to love another, just as I have loved you … [in fact] by this everyone will know you are that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:31-35 31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.” 33 “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” 34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In Bible study this week, I asked the group to describe how Jesus had demonstrated love to His disciples and there were several responses … but they all boiled down to one thing: Jesus loved His disciples sacrificially. That is, He continually put their needs ahead of His own in humility … even to the point of giving His life on the cross.

And then He tells them in verse 34 to love one another in the same way.

Can you imagine loving your fellow Christians in the same way Jesus loves you? This verse makes me wonder if Jesus is speaking metaphorically. Certainly He doesn’t actually mean we are supposed to give our lives for one another does He?

Jesus repeats this command in John Chapter 15,  “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13). In all honesty, there are not too many people I would willingly, without question, lay down my life for. My wife, kids, or grandkids? I sure hope so. My dogs? Probably. But beyond that I’m not so sure. I’ve often said that this is one of the reasons we need to honor our military, law enforcement, and first responders as they willingly lay down their lives for others. This kind of sacrificial love takes courage … maybe this is why I’m going Jesus is speaking metaphorically in these passages. But then it occurred to me who the immediate audience was for these words. Jesus is speaking to all believers, but He speaking first to His disciples …. and these men He spoke to would all, with the exception of John, sacrifice their lives for their faith in Jesus. Jesus wasn’t just speaking in hyperbole, He was preparing the Apostles for not only His death but also for their own.

I certainly hope and pray I am never asked to lay down my life in brutal manner. But I find it remarkable what Jesus does here. He tells the Apostles, “By this they will know you are mine, but your love for one another”. And in turn, they gave their lives for their faith. Apologist and author Lee Strobel says, “People will not die for their religious beliefs if they know that their religious beliefs are false.” His argument is that the apostles were all in a position to know if they resurrection was true or not and, based on their martyrdom, we know they each one of them expressed their belief in and their love for Jesus in the manner of their deaths. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

The kind of love modeled by Jesus and mimicked by the Apostles is rare. So rare that the Apostle Paul wrote, “⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

This all might leave you wondering …. why would Peter die for the Church? Why would Phillip or Thomas or Paul die for the Church?

Why? Based on our passage, they answer has got to be love. The Apostles gave their life for their love for the Church and for their love of Christ. Jesus said it is by this love that we would know they were His. And their sacrifice points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. God demonstrates His one love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

As believers, we may not be asked to give our very life, but we will be asked to sacrifice for others. We will be asked to put others needs ahead of our own. We will be asked to give of our time, resources, and talents …. and in a small way, when we show this sacrificial love for others, everyone will know we belong to Jesus. And we point them to the cross.

Mini Book Review of “A Blistering Pace” by Marc Frost, MD

I enjoyed this read for multiple reasons. First, I am am a big fan of race director Laz Lake, but I must admit I more familiar with his Backyard Ultras and Barkley Marathons. By reading this book, I was able to familiarize myself with his Heart of the South multi-day, multi-state format. My interest was really peaked when author Marc Frost shared he was suffering from a torn meniscus as he set out on this adventure. I am currently plagued by the same injury and need to find inspiration wherever available!

Frost details the adventure that is the Heart of the South in a way that is honest, humorous, and accessible. As a fellow older runner, I found this book greatly inspirational. And as a runner who never had much speed … I am happy events like the Heart of the South exist!

Frost shared in this book that he walked this entire event … and <spoiler alert> … he finished quite will. Knowing this makes me wonder if I could train for a similar adventure.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in ultra distance running events.

Glorifying the Father’s Name: A Study of John 12:27-28

The 12th Chapter of John records Jesus saying a prayer that is reminiscent of the prayer He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. A comparison of both passages is as follows:

John 12:27-28 ²⁷ “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify Your name.”

In Matthew 26:39 we see Jesus pray, “³⁹ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

I compare these two passages, because, in both instances, Jesus is deeply troubled as He looks forward to the cross. In the Garden, He says, let this cup pass from Me and in our passage from John, He is recorded as saying Father, save Me from this hour. In both cases, Jesus becomes emotional at the thought of what He’s about to do on the cross. We must remember that Jesus is 100% man and 100% God and His humanity is revealed in these passages. Is He overwhelmed? Doubtful? Is His faith shaken? I don’t think so. Rather, our text says Jesus is deeply troubled in His very soul.

Have you ever been troubled?

I am confident that if you are reading this right now, there have been times in your life when you have found yourself deeply troubled. You may be troubled by something right now. Jesus can identify with our troubles. When Jesus faced the prospect of the cross we need to understand the magnitude of what He was about to do. Jesus was going to bear the cost of the sins for the whole world. We shouldn’t be surprised that He was deeply troubled. The author of Hebrews wrote that Jesus can sympathize and empathize with us because He understands what we’re facing (Hebrews 4:15). He understands because He faced trouble one hundred fold what we will ever face. And in our passage from John, as in the Garden, Jesus is role modeling how we as believers should face trouble.

Notice how in both passages, Jesus immediately surrenders to the will of the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus says, Not as I will, but as You (the Father) will. And in our passage from John, Jesus says but for this purpose, I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.

In the midst of deep trouble, Jesus is most concerned with His Father’s will and His Father’s glory. Can you say the same?

In sharing His emotions with His disciples, Jesus is teaching them about the cost of commitment to the Father’s will. You see, if we are truly committed to the will of God, eventually we’ll be asked to submit our will to His. Warren Weirsbe says that “In the hour of suffering and surrender, there are only two prayers we can pray, either ‘Father, save me!’ or ‘Father, glorify Thy name!'” Too often, I think we cry out to God to deliver us from our trouble without considering His will. We ask God why He’s allowing unpleasant things to happen to us, but Christ is teaching us that our prayer should be, “Father, through this suffering and through this pain, glorify thyself.”

It should be noted that the Father answered Jesus audibly in verse 28 when “a voice came out of heaven [saying]: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

The Father answered Jesus’ petition out of heaven audibly. The Gospels record three instances of God doing this. The other two were at Jesus’ baptism (Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:21-22) and transfiguration (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). The Synoptics record those events, and only John recorded this one. In the first instance, apparently only John the Baptist and Jesus heard the voice. In the second instance, only three disciples and Jesus heard it. And in the third instance, a multitude and Jesus heard it. In all of these cases the purpose of the voice was to authenticate Jesus as God’s Son in a dramatic way, and in all cases the voice had some connection with Jesus’ death. You see, God had already glorified Himself through the Incarnation and through the ministry of Jesus … and He would glorify Himself again, through Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.

As Jesus submitted His will to the Father’s and voluntarily sacrificed Himself on the cross, God was glorified. Likewise, He is glorified every time we, as Christians, submit our will to His. When we are able to stand in the midst of turmoil and genuinely pray for God to be glorified and for His will to be done, we are following Christ’s example … and the Father is glorified.

Perhaps this is what James was thinking of when he wrote, “² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

Brothers and sisters, the way we face troubles and trials matters. And I hope you’ll think of these passages the next time you find yourself troubled.

Mary of Bethany: A Study of John 12:1-3

In John, Chapter 12 we see a transition from Jesus’ public ministry into the event that encompassed the last few days of His life. In Chapter 11, we see Jesus resurrect Lazarus, and in Chapter 12 Jesus returns to Bethany and attends a meal with Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. At this point the reputation if Jesus proceeds Him and even Lazarus has become a celebrity given that he was once dead and is now alive. In last week’s Bible study I noted that Mary of Bethany provides an example that all Christians should follow and in this study I want to take a deeper dive into what I mean by that.

Study Passage

JOHN 12:1-3 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had
raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

In this passage we see Mary pour out an exorbitant amount of perfume on Jesus’ feet. In verse 5 of Chapter 12 we see Judas claim they could have sealed the perfume for 300 Denarii which was equivalent to a years worth of wages for the average Jewish male at the time and we also know from the other Gospels that Mary anointed Jesus’ head along with His feet. I want you to notice the emotion that must have been present as this anointing took place.

There must have been so many emotions coursing through Mary as she poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. Her brother had been dead for four days and Jesus brought him back to life. Any one who has lost a loved should be able to imagine the emotional lows Mary experienced when she thought Lazarus was gone forever followed by the unbelievable emotions she must have experienced when Lazarus walked out of the tomb. And all those emotions were spilling out as she anoints Jesus’ feet. Love, gratitude, worship … emotions so intense that she disregards the cultural standards of the day and takes her down in the presence of Jewish men to wipe Jesus’ feet. Mary is emotional that she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her as she does this.

In our culture, we may have a hard time envisioning why Mary is doing this. In verse 7, Jesus gives us a hint as He tells Judas to leave Mary alone because she has saved this perfume for the day of His burial. What we see here is that Jesus connects this anointing with His impending death and burial. It’s unclear that even Mary understood exactly why she was anointing Jesus as she was, but it appears that intuitively she knew that her time with Jesus was running out and that He would soon be dead. And Jesus connects her actions with His death. In verse 8 as He corrects Judas, He says “You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me.”

Mary is worshiping Jesus in a radical way in the amount of time she has left to do it. And my question isn’t why is Mary worshiping in this manner, but rather, I wonder why everyone else isn’t joining in. Maybe its pride, maybe it’s doubt, maybe they they didn’t fully believe what Jesus had been telling them all along in that He is going to die. But, Mary is making the most of the time she has left.

And I would as you, are you doing the same?

We live in a unique period in the history of the world. That is, the time between Jesus work on the cross and the Rapture. We call this the Church age. It’s an age that is governed by the marching orders Jesus Himself gave is in the Great Commission, “¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

I fear, however, that many of us hold back in our obedience and in our worship of Christ. And like Mary, we need to understand that our time in this age is running short. Listen, one of two things is going to happen in the lives of everyone listening to this. Either we’re going to pass away or there is going to come a time when this Church Age comes to an end and Jesus will rapture the Church, the Holy Spirit will be removed and the Tribulation will begin. And when the Church Age ends, it’s going to happen suddenly:

2 Peter 3:8-10, “⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and it’s works will be burned up.

We need to understand that when the Church Age comes to an end, our relationship with Christ will also change. Now, I’m not suggesting at all that this will be a bad thing, but it will be a transition. And the unique opportunity we have in the here and now to witness for Christ and to worship Him within the context of the Church Age will come to an end. And yet many of us are living like don’t believe it’s going to happen. We hold back in our worship, we hold back in our witness, and we hold back in our obedience, and time and time again we choose the culture of the world over the Church.

Understand that your life is particular to you and no one else will have same opportunities to serve Christ in the way you have right now. No one else is going to step into your life and make the choices for you that you should be making right now.

As Mary of Bethany worshiped Jesus with reckless abandon, none of the Apostles joined in. Judas accused her of being crazy and wasteful. He was too busy being judgmental to join her in her worship. But what we learn is that because Mary threw caution to the wind, Jesus was anointed properly before His burial. She fulfilled a role that no one else could fill.

In John, Chapter 19 we see that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped Christ’s body in linen strips and spices before placing it in the tomb, but they were rushed due to the Day of Preparation. The Sabbath was coming and they only had so much time so they hastily applied the spices and placed the body in a nearby tomb. John 19:42 says, “⁴² Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there” this verse implies they were in a bit of a hurry due to the Day of Preparation. And as a result, though they applied spices to the body, we don’t read that they anointed Jesus head and feet with perfume as would be customary.

This explains what we read in Mark 16 verses 1-3, “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. ² Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 

Mary Magdalen, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome after the Sabbath was over went to the tomb to complete the anointing process that Joseph and Nicodemus had to rush through. Why? Because they thought it was important to show Jesus that honor. But the Gospels tell us they never got the opportunity to honor Jesus in this way because He had already risen by the time they got there. But here’s what I find incredible … Jesus was honored and buried properly because Mary of Bethany chose to honor Him and anoint while He was still alive! She made the most out of the time she had with Jesus and served Him in a way that others either chose not to, or didn’t have the opportunity for.

And that’s my question of you right now … are you making the most out of time you have to serve and worship Jesus in the here and now? As I ask you this question, I’m also asking it of myself. Remember, Jesus said He came so we may have an abundant life (John 10:10) and I would argue that Mary of Bethany had an abundant life. My fear is that we would allow fear, doubt, and unbelief to rob us of abundance.

Life on Mounjaro: Weeks 2 and 3

Today marked my 4th injection of Mounjaro 2.5 milligrams. Weeks 2 and 3 have been an adventure of sorts. After experiencing some side effects and weight loss in week 1, the side effects caused by the injections have lessened and evened out a bit. The weight loss also stopped for a few days. I didn’t gain in week 2, but I didn’t lose much either. As I moved into Week 3 though, the weight seems to have begun dropping again. As of yesterday I was at a total loss of 8.5 lbs, but my official weigh in day isn’t until Monday.

My Diet

The appetite suppression is remaining and I am doing my best to lean into that a bit. I see some people in discussion forums who say the appetite suppression comes and goes a bit, but that hasn’t been my experience. I seem to have settled in at consuming around 1100 calories per day. I’ve been focusing on a low sugar diet due to my diabetes and am basically eating keto without really putting much thought into it. Since I’ve started Mounjaro, only some foods are appealing to me. Mostly, these are bland foods that are lower in sugar. Chicken, nuts, cheeses, and protein shakes. I have also been eating some naan bread which is delicious and low in sugar … its not keto, but a half slice makes for a good chicken or salmon sandwich!

The biggest impact the Mounjaro has had on my diet is that it has taken away my desire to eat sweets or junk food. The food “chatter” that used to cloud my brain seems to have dissipated. This has allowed me to follow my diet consistently with no “cheat” days or lapses in judgement. Honestly, I feel as if this is the edge I have always been lacking.

The Community

Over the last two weeks I learned there is a thriving community of “mounjarians” who are sharing their experience and advice. On YouTube alone there are some fantastic resources. Two of the channels I find the most informative and enjoyable are BJ Davis and the Man on the Mounjaro’s Dave Knapp. I find it helpful to see how other men have adjusted to life on Mounjaro. One example from the week was when BJ Davis shared via his channel that the pain medication “meloxicam” had stalled his weight loss. I have taken meloxicam for some time for my arthritis and had never realized weight gain and water retention was a side effect. A quick google search supported what BJ had said so I am now trying to manage my arthritis without the meloxicam. I am interested in seeing if this experiment impacts my weight loss in any way … if not, I can always start taking the pain meds again, At the moment though, I’m willing to work through a little bit more pain in favor of weight loss, which will favorable impact my arthritis as well. At any rate, this is something I wouldn’t have learned at it not been for BJ’s video, and for that, I am grateful. BJ also hosts a Discord channel which is chock full of good information and discussion.

Moving Forward

I have one week left on 2.5 and will move up to 5.0 milligrams of Mounjaro for the next two months after that. I am looking forward to continuing this journey and will continue to journal my experience here for any who may find it helpful. So far, I haven’t been impacted by any of the supply chain issues that others have suffered through, and I pray my luck continues to hold out!

The Mounjaro Effect: Side-Effects I didn’t Quite Expect

I have been Mounjaro for about a week and a half. I was well prepared for some of the side effects such as stomach distress and appetite loss, however, there have some other effects I didn’t expect. First, my tolerance for water has dramatically increased – I would dare say I even like it. I’ve been sipping on water almost constantly since starting Mounjaro which is weird because I’ve never enjoyed plain, clear H2O. My beverage of choice has always been Diet Pop/Soda. Oddly enough, as my desire for water has increased, my thirst for all things diet has decreased. I’ve still had some, but not nearly as much as I consumed pre-injection. I’ve also been able to get in my daily quota of coffee!

My food tastes have also changed just a bit. As my appetite has been largely suppressed, the only foods that have really appealed to me are bland ones. Nuts, mild cheeses, chicken breasts, and naan bread have been the only things that I’ve actually wanted. I ate some salmon on a half slice of naan bread and felt like I was eating something truly exquisite. I haven’t had an urge to snack on sweets, chips, or fried foods since my first injection. This is itself is a blessing.

And while it’s too early for me to tell if this is related to the Mounjaro, I have been sleeping through the night for the first time in a long time … not even waking up to use the restroom. Normally, it takes a shot of Nyquil for me to enjoy some rest, but for three nights strait, I’ve gotten more than eight hours. Maybe it’s coincidence, but Mounjaro and diet are the only things I’ve really changed.

Finally, I’ve seen some people comment that Mounjaro has robbed them of their energy … and I have certainly felt a little tired for the last week or so. The good news is that I’ve still been able to run and get my exercise in.

These are some of the changes I’ve noticed since starting Mounjaro. I can’t help but wonder if they will persist or fade as I progress. I suppose time will tell! ou