I’ve been on Wegovy- fully- now for about 10 weeks or so and I’m only down about 10 lbs. (45 lbs over all) but it has been amazing for me in other ways.

I no longer binge every night.

I no longer have food in my mind constantly.

I now eat a normal amount of food and feel so full it’s like I’ve eaten several plates at a buffet; I literally eat less than 50% of what I was several months ago- yet I’ve only lost 10 lbs or so- that is a bit weird to me but I’m still on the journey.

The main problem is; it’s made me extremely tired so there was no motivation to exercise but that changes today!

If I can just force myself for 15 minutes 2 times a day, then I think that will help with the energy levels after a few days or so.

While the weight loss hasn’t really been there yet with Wegovy – the life changes have really put me back into control of my life. I can see a pizza commercial and it doesn’t eat away at my brain until I get said pizza.

My next shot is the 1.7 so it’s time for me to step up and get this exercise going- even if it kills me.

Watch for more updates several times a week- I’m starting to feel like my old self again so let’s GOOOOOOO!!

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~

The urge to write and get my thoughts out into the world is, once again, flowing over me- so let’s get it out.

The world is a fucked-up place, full of people who don’t give a shit about you. In reality, you can count the number of people who truly give a shit about you on one hand.

I started Wegovy about 5 weeks ago and I took 3 shots and it had already started working- at least it had in my head- either way though, the “food noise” was gone and I didn’t binge nightly.

Then I went to refill the prescription for the next level, and it was put on hold due a national shortage.

I had also joined a few Facebook groups for advice and stuff like that- it didn’t take long to understand why it was on a national shortage.

There are TOO many people taking it that don’t actually need it.

Post after post about people under 200 lbs. talking about how they’ve lost 8 lbs and feel amazing- while I have to stop and then start all over again, probably in September, and I’m over 400 lbs and have a live long battle with this shit.

Do you know how frustrating it is to see someone post “I’m down to 180 lbs- that’s 10 lbs lost!”

If there was enough of this stuff- I wouldn’t have a problem with it but it’s the same reason I refused to take the other medicine available- the ones that are specifically for diabetes. I wasn’t going to take that and cause a shortage for someone who truly needs it to live.

DRs are putting people on Wegovy that clearly don’t need it while taking it away from the people who’s life could truly be saved.

So many people in my small town are on it that it crashed the Walgreen’s pharmacy software because they didn’t have room for any more prescriptions, so they literally canceled them all and made a list on a piece of paper to track it.

How many of those people are truly morbidly obese and how many people just want a wonder pill to drop 10 lbs. so they can get back down to 180 lbs. or something like that?

So- here I am, back to trying to fight it on my own and I know that sounds pathetic to a lot of people- people who have never been where I’ve been my entire fucking life and that’s fine…I’ll continue to fight like I have for probably 30 years now- with no win in sight.

In the words of the great and wise Mr. Meeseeks- “Existence is pain Jerry!”

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~

Yes. I’m aware that I said I would be updating every Monday and this is only the 2nd week and I’ve been late both times.

Eh. Request a refund.

This week hasn’t been great. I stopped with my daily MACROs tracking because- why not- and I just went nuts eating shitty food for no good reason.

I stepped on the scale on 13th and had gained 2 lbs. back BUT I was exactly where my goal was set- so that is both a fail and a success.

I had my first therapist appointment set up for this week; it was online and after she read my little paragraph about what I wanted to talk about during the meeting and why I had set up the point- she literally cancelled it with the reason being “I’m not qualified.”

It’s always a good sign when a therapist with 20+ years experiences gets a small paragraph of what’s in your head and she just says “nah fam…I ain’t ready.”

The next available therapist was in the middle of April- I just need to remember to tone it down a bit so that I at least get the first visit out of the way.

My next weight loss appointment is April 6th and I’m right on track- but if I don’t get back under control, I won’t be.

Since I’m in this 12 month program that is supposed to teach me how to handle binge/emotion eating- why not share that knowledge with you guys.

The first lesson is called “I Want Bliss” and it’s a way to name your emotions, discover alternatives and practice self-care.

I – IRRITATED – Consider if the issue will matter next week or is a temporary frustration. Talk to a trusted friend, journal about the issue, take a quick walk, take some deep breaths or stand outside for some fresh air.

W – WORRIED – Shift your focus to what you can control instead of what you cannot. Practice mindfulness to connect to the present moment instead of the past or predicted future.

A – ANGRY – Activity helps release anger from your body so consider a brisk walk or jumping in place. If you are in place where it is safe to do so, get lout and get the anger out. Force yourself to shift your focus to gratitude.

N – NERVOUS – Be present right now. Close your eyes and take 20 deep counted breaths. Shift your focus from the worst-case to the best-case scenario.

T – TIRED – Give yourself permission to rest by taking napes or doing relaxing activities you enjoy. Review your sleep habits and work on increasing how long you sleep or how well you sleep.

B – BORED – Be creative or pick up a hobby. Call a friend. Write in a journal. Play a game. Choose any activity that you enjoy or have always wanted to learn.

L – LONELY – Connect with someone in person or make a phone call instead of texting or emailing. Volunteer, join a local club or foster a pet.

I – INADEQUATE – You are the perfect version of you, and you are always good enough. Make a list of your positive traits. Take a power pose by standing with your fee wide apart, your hands on your hips and your head held high.

S – SAD – Give yourself permission to feel sadness for five minutes. Then create a gratitude list and do something that boosts your mood. Reach out for help if sadness doesn’t go away.

S – STRESSED – Identify your source of stress. Then change what you can control and adjust how you think about what you cannot. Try meditation, yoga, walking or journaling.

-Taken from Premise Health.

Of course, the appointment had more talking and going through stuff but this was the hand out and it seems to be pretty helpful.

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~

This is weird to say…but I have a “weight loss team” now and I’ve never had that before.

I finally have a primary DR. I finally let them take my precious life force (blood). I finally have my sleep apnea stuff back on track with a permanent DR there as well.

I’m still working on getting the mental appts figured out.

That is “my team”.

It’s still on me and I get that, but I’ve got issues that keep me from being 100% successful and I’ve stepped up- became an adult- and I got a team working on it.

There have been several “starting points” for me through this and you could pick any of them as “day one” but I’m going with what I consider to be my first “weight loss” appointment- as far as weight goes- which was March 6th.

March 6th is when I got my blood work results and had my first monthly weight loss appointment.

Based on that- I’m down 2 lbs in one week- which is pretty pathetic for me- however- I’m doing it differently than I ever have.

I have a food journal and I’m tracking foods. I’m eating an insane amount of carbs (at least to me- stuck in keto mind) but I’ve added a ton of veggies and have focused on the two actual medical issues I had- blood pressure and high cholesterol. I started BP medicine, and it was already lower than normal at my sleep apnea appointment and I’ve been around 200-250 daily cholesterol for the week. Even with screw ups- they don’t really affect my cholesterol because my go to cheat is sugar.

The first week- I made massive strides to establishing health habits. The second week is going to be focused on exercise and getting back into that routine.

I am currently down from 445 lbs to 404 lbs so I’ve been able to maintain a 40 lbs lost for several months now- even binging…so that is a win.

While I’m trying to not focus so much on my weight loss as far as actual numbers, I do have weekly goals and an overall goal for one year. I am ahead of my goal already (based on all the previous start dates) and I have reasonable goals to drop the rest of the 200 lbs and hit my goal right around my 46th birthday.

I’m using this year of weight loss to teach myself (along with my team) how to keep it off this time.

No surgeries. No medicines (weight loss).

Just learning how to live- finally.

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~

I’ve started an actual DR based weight loss plan- monthly DR visits- bloodwork and all that non-sense.

Based on my tests; I have high blood pressure and my cholesterol is a little high but I’m in almost perfect health- which not only surprise me but blew the mind of my DR. You could literally see it behind her mask when I asked “how is that possible”…she responded “I have no clue…”.

My dad has heart issues including several heart attacks.

My mom had pages and pages of healthy issues including diabetic, CPOD and heart issues- resulting in her death due to a heart attack.

My DR can only guess that I have great genes and that my parents medical issues were causes/worsened by other factors like both being smokers for so long.

I got some blood pressure medicine, some additional allergy medicine and the all clear to start exercising- even based on the high blood pressure.

It seems like I’m always “restarting” constantly but this seems like the perfect place- I restarted last Monday when I got my blood work and last week wasn’t great but I did make better choices and started doing things to let to weight loss.

Since this is a 12-month, DR supervised program- I guess I have until my 46th birthday to see what I can do and now have accountability.

As I’ve always said though- losing the weight isn’t an issue for me- it’s keeping it off.

I’m telling you now that I will drop between 100-150 lbs by my 46th birthday- no problem. The problem starts a year from now- when I lose that DR supervised program and accountability and start that slow grind back to gaining it all back.

This also includes some mental stuff so hopefully I can use the next year to get that aspect fixed- before it happens.

Kicking off week 2…I’ve got until April 6th to show what I can do.

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~

…I guess.

Looks like the recent update to my server has completed deleted most of the old page…oh well…what a better time to start fresh than March 1st!

This is technically the start of a new journey for me- I have always looked at it as “losing weight” but now I’m trying the whole “get healthier” thing- and there is a difference.

I grew up and went to the DR and let them do blood work (deathly afraid of needles) and the results started coming back, with the big one coming in this morning.

There are three issues I need to focus on-

• Low Iron
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol

My hope that is if I focus on getting those numbers lower- the number on the scale will come down as well.

Everyone also asks “how much weight have you lost?” but the never ask “how much healthier have you gotten?”

Everyone can see the weight so I spent most of my life just trying to get that number down- not really caring or focusing on HOW it would come down.

Back on 01.01.2018- I started my journey at 440 lbs. I lost 140 lbs over the next 13 months and then started to struggle a little. Then my mom died and I started gaining the weight back; the final nail in the coffin was Covid. I figure if we were all going to die- I’d die with an Oreo in my mouth.

Needless to say- I did not die from Covid (had it and then a rebound) but I did gain all of the weight back plus a few pounds.

Then I started back on the journey at 445 lbs and I’m currently right around 400 lbs with a long way to go.

I will be updating this section once per week- usually on a Monday- with what I accomplished the prior week and where my weight is- although I’m not going to let my entire focus be on that number.

See you guys next Monday! (I do realize today is Wednesday.)

Love, Peace and Sharkyness
~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~