I took my sixth injection of Mounjaro on Saturday, March 25th. In doing so, I have found myself settling into a bit of routine. After moving up to the 5.0 dosage I am still experiencing powerful appetite suppressant. My diet has remained very consistent following a low sugar and low carb pattern. Not necessarily keto, but definitely low sugar. My average calorie intake hovers at about 1200 per day with 42% from protein, 15% from carbs, and 43% from fat. Eating much more than that is difficult as there just isn’t a desire to do so. Fortunately, the low calorie intake has not impacted my runs and I am sure I’m getting most of my energy from fat reserves.
Weightloss?
I am still consistently losing weight. In total, I am down 19.4 lbs averaging about three lbs per week. I’m still around 35 lbs from where I want to be, but if I able to stay on Mounjaro, I have little doubt about reaching that target.
My blood sugars have been good, but I have yet to notice a change to my blood pressure which still comes in a little high.
My biggest concern at the moment is insurance coverage. My provider sent me a notice that they were denying my coverage for Mounjaro as my conditiondoesn’t match what the drug is used for. This is despite the fact I’ve been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes for over nine years. I am obviously insulin resistant and Mounjaro has changed my life completely in the short time I’ve been on it. For the first time I can remember, I feel normal in relation to food. My body actually lets me know when I’m full and the train ride that is high and low blood sugars has evened out. But for now, I’m left to pray my doctor and my insurance can work it out. I sincerely hope they do as I am convinced this medication is a game changer!
As it stands I’ve got two weeks of medication remaining. If my insurance doesn’t get straightened out in that time, I’m going to try to use the discount coupon to get another month worth of Mounjaro and keep praying for a positive result!
I’ve recently been drawn to Appalachian Trail lore and history and have grown fascinated with the culture of the trail. In my quest to learn more and maybe even plan on some extended hiking trips of my own, I’ve been reading some journals and books authored by AT thru-hikers. I thought that was what I was reading when I picked up this title. The premise hooked me from the very beginning as the primary character reveals early in the book that his plan is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail and the commit suicide when he reached the end of the trail.
Little did I realize this book was a work of fiction. I will admit to a little bit of disappointment as I realized the characters and events surrounding the story were fictional, but then it occurred to me that my misunderstanding was a testament to how well the book was written. It was obvious the author was intimately familiar with the Appalachian Trail. Choosing the AT as at the backdrop for his story was nothing short of genius. Lovelace is at his best when exploring the Trail itself. From what I can tell, he captures the locations and culture perfectly.
I felt some of the characters were a little less convincing. Attachments and emotions between characters seemed to develop at an unrealistic pace which could, in all fairness I suppose, be attributed to the culture of the Trail itself. And while, it’s hard to explain, I had a hard time buying into some of the characters. Overall, however, these shortcomings didn’t detract from the appeal of the story, which is the trail itself.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found myself eagerly turning pages in an attempt to get to Maine with the principal characters.
I have documented my weight loss and health pursuits in great detail (including Season 1 of the Dying2Self Podcast) so I will not recap my entire history here, however, as a means of context please indulge me for just a bit. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes at 368 lbs. This was not my heaviest weight. Unfortunately, my weight has bounced around throughout my adult life with a high of 390+ and a low of 178 lbs. After being diagnosed with diabetes, I made health a priority and developed a love (and hate) for long distance running. I even lost a great deal of weight by means of white-knuckled determination, however, my weight always seems to plateau around the 275 pound mark. Desperate to bust this plateau to help my running, I went out on a limb and went all in on a plan known as Optavia a couple years ago … and I enjoyed great success as I even dropped below 200 lbs briefly. I’ll write more about Optavia and my thoughts about it at some point as, honestly, I’m still trying to sort it out in my mind … but suffice it to say that after stopping the program my weight immediately shot back up to 275 lbs where it remained steady despite my best efforts.
When I learned recently I had a destroyed meniscus in my left knee and a diagnosis of bone on bone arthritis in the same knee, I knew weight loss had to be a priority if I wanted to continue running at all. Life as a clydesdale runner is tough enough, but with a bad knee, it’s near impossible. As I discussed this with my physician, she mentioned Mounjaro. This is a weekly injectable medication I qualified for due to my Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. In addition to lowering my a1c, blood pressure, and protecting against other downsides of diabetes, Mounjaro would also help me lose weight and bust through that plateau. I’m not a big fan of medications, but in desperation, I decided to give it a shot. There was the possibility of some negative side-effects, but after weighing them and praying about it, I felt it was worth it to give Mounjaro a try. I won’t go into detail here at all about how this medication works as there is a bunch of information about it online. Just google GLP-1 weight loss or Mounjaro and you’ll be able to read all about it.
I know that Mounjaro and similar medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are all the rage right now and are getting a lot of media attention. So my goal with the “Life on Mounjaro” series will be to chronicle my experience on the medication. I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making any recommendations, I’m simply chronicling my experience for those who are interested in this class of medications.
Life on Mounjaro: Week 1
I picked up my prescription for the introductory dosage of Mounjaro on Monday, 2/20/23. In my excited, I took my first dose that evening around 8:00 pm. In retrospect, this was a mistake. I’ll explain why here in a bit. I didn’t notice much of an effect for the first few hours, however, on Tuesday when I woke up I realized I had virtually no appetite. Normally, I am constantly thinking about food. What am I gonna eat? When am I gonna eat? How much am I gonna eat? Those questions were not bouncing around in my brain any longer. I also didn’t notice much as far as side effects early on other than a weak stomach – not necessarily nausea – just a weak sensation. As the week progressed, my appetite remained suppressed and I developed a tad bit of acid reflux. It wasn’t anything that hurt or interfered with my day, in fact, I wasn’t even sure what it was until I read some Reddit forum members describing the same sensation. One of those people offered that a daily Prilosec ended the sensation so I ran out and grabbed some … it worked for me as well.
During the week I also began watching some YouTubers who chronicle their Mounjaro journey via that platform. On more than one occasion it was recommended that you take your injections at the beginning of the weekend. Why? In some cases, people stated the appetite suppression began to wear out as the injection day approached and taking the medication on Fridays or Saturdays helped curb weekend over indulging. Others suggested that gastric side effects of Mounjaro were normally more pronounced in the first 24 hours after an injection, so taking in on Friday or Saturday allowed them to weather the side effects before returning to work on Monday. Both reasons seemed valid to me, but I had already screwed up and taken my first injection on a Monday. A quick review of the guide that came with my prescription. however, revealed I could change my injection date provided 72 hours had passed since my last injection. With that in mind, I took my second dose of Mounjaro on Saturday morning – 5 days after my first injection. That’s when the side effects reared their ugly head!
After my second injection, I suffered from some pretty bad nausea. It kept me awake that first night as wave after wave of nausea crashed into me. I’n not sure if it was because I took the dose early or if my body was still acclimating to the medication, but it was a rough couple of hours for sure. Fortunately, it had all passed by morning and my nausea retreated back to the weak stomach sensation I am now growing used to. I am happy to report though that after seven days on Mounjaro, my appetite is still majorly suppressed and I am no longer obsessing over my next meal. If anything, I need to make it my goal in Week 2 to eat more as I realize I am not eating enough day to day as it is.
My weight loss for the week was 7.2 pounds and I am fairly ecstatic about that. It’s only been a week so I don’t want to make a bigger deal out of it than it is, but with my appetite suppressed, I feel confident I can overcome my weight plateau.
Tips I learned for the week?
If you are considering Mounjaro, prepare for the possible side effects. It may not be a bad idea to have some Prilosec and some Pepto on standby if needed. I didn’t have any Pepto in the house when my nausea hit which made it that much worse. Also, check out YouTube as there are tone of resources and testimonials concerning Mounjaro on that platform. I’ll post about some of the ones I enjoy at some point.
If you are diabetic and find yourself at a weight loss plateau, it might not be a bad idea to talk to your Doctor about Mounjaro. It could be exactly what you need. I for one am hopeful for the first time in awhile.
I’ll do my best to continue documenting my journey with Mounjaro and hope you will find it helpful.
This book by Ryan Hall exists at the intersection or long distance running and faith. Hall, one the greatest American marathon runners ever, explores the role his Christian faith plays in his life and running career. Hall examines his running career from its very beginnings to end. Scripture frequently uses running as a metaphor for the Christian walk (Heb. 12:1, 2 Tim. 4:7, and elsewhere) and Hall’s memoir represents a practical application of that metaphor. Much of what Hall communicates about his relationship with God was learned through the lens of running. It is an excellent read. It is not, however, overly theological or doctrinal, which should allow Christians of different theological ilks to enjoy it.
I must admit that I am a David Goggins fanboy. The guy is incredible. Its not often you find someone who not only “talks the talk” but “walks the walk”, but Goggins manages to do just that. There’sno denying his accomplishment. Navy Seal. Army Ranger School. Air Force Tactical air Controller Training. Ultrarunner. Ultracyclist. And, as I learned in this book, Medic and Fire Jumper. If anyone has earned the right to speak his mind and spout advices on toughness, it’s David Goggins.
This book chronicles Goggins’ attempt to complete Fire Jumping School after major knee surgery. It also details his attempt to recover his edge (not that he ever really lost it) as he entered his upper forties. In doing so, Goggin’s reveals his growth since his first book Can’t Hurt Me hit the shelves.
I happened to read this book at the right time in my life as I am currently struggling with a Meniscus tear and MCL injury that has shut my own running down for the year. At 52, I walk the fine the line between running long distances and doing damage to my knees and, I must admit, that it was cathartic to see Goggins face struggles of his own. The key to his success as it turns out has little to do with being a physical beast (although he is) and more to do with his mindset. Goggins has determined to be the best in all that he does and has put in the work to achieve it. His story is equal parts encouraging and daunting.
Disclaimer to all readers who are easily offended by bad language … Goggins writes like he talks. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Patrick Taylor set out to follow the Lewis and Clark Trail in the midst of winter; traversing some of the most dangerous terrain imaginable. This title serves as his journal throughout the adventure. On one hand, I found myself fascinated that such adventures were still possible in the modern day. On the other, I was put of by the author’s ego. He fancies himself a modern mountain main, and I would argue he is, but he is certainly impressed with himself … an it shows a bit. Despite the self adoration, Taylor’s adventure makes for an incredible read. His insistence to follow the exact path of Lewis and Clark places the author in some precarious situations and I found myself swept up in the tale. I do recommend this for anyone interested in the outdoors, hiking, or survival.
This book continued my trend of Appalachian Trail and hiking related titles in 2022. I again found myself fascinated by the idea of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. Howell’s work only served to whet my appetite even more for such an experience. Howell, who goes by the trail handle of Raiden, intended this book as a sort of journal recording his day to day activities on the trail, however, in the end it turned into so much more. On the trail Raiden met his future wife Chilli Bin. As the pair make progress on the trail, readers are treated to an account of their deepening relationship. Time seems to stand still for the pair of hikers and I found myself sad for them both as the trail came to an end.
This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating the magical nature of the Appalachian Trail and serves to elevate it to nearly mythical proportions. It’s a wonderful read for any interested in the trail.
Having read multiple accounts of thru hikers on the Appalachian Trail, I wanted to switch it up and read something about the Pacific Coast Trail. Written, I suspect, as a tribute to his son who joined him for a portion of the hike, Rick Rogers’ book was exactly what I was looking for. Rogers approaches this hiking memoir in a clever, light-hearted manner. I especially enjoined his anecdotes about the people he encountered along the way. I was surprised to discover I became a tiny bit invested in these people and couldn’t help but wonder what had come of them after Rogers (trail name Finn) completed his thru hike.
Like other thru hiking memoirs I’ve read, this one is far less “how to” than it is simply Finn spinning a yarn about his hike. I am completely unfamiliar with the Pacific Coast Trail so I found this fairly interesting. Honestly, there were parts of this book that made the PCT fairly unappealing. The Appalachian Trail seems far superior with less odd ducks and deserts …. it did whet my appetite, however, to learn more about the PCT. I would love to visit sometime and hike its more appealing sections.
This one will appeal to anyone interested in the PCT.
Plagued by a past injury and chronic pain, this book chronicles author Peter Conti’s quest for healing on the Appalachian Trail. While not technically a thru hiker, Conti tackled the AT over the course of 2 years. His hypothesis was simple, to hike every mile of the AT, the chronic and severe pain he suffered from a hip injury would have to heal and, ultimately, disappear. Conti’s story is very much one of overcoming debilitation. I would recommend this for anyone who is at the wrong end of climb. It could be injury, age, weight, bad circumstances … whatever the obstacle, Conti’s story serves as an example of what can be accomplished with patience, grit, and determination.
Parts of this little book were witty and quite enjoyable and George Mahood is a talented writer, however, I grew tired if the random stream of conscience that meandered between running, biking, and swimming anecdotes. It was entertaining at best and irrelevant at worst. It was sort of like reading an extended magazine article … suited well for passing the time in a waiting room, but not much else.
DYING 2 SELF 