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Duck, Downpours & a Dose of Mounjaro

flidfit Eating Out, Eating Out, Maintenance, Mounjaro, Vegeterian

This week has been fairly calm, with a few social activities thrown in, which is always nice and breaks the week up a little.

On Wednesday, my sister was here to work for me and, as part of her plan, we were going to do one of our community litter picks, which I organise (date, invitation sent, provide all the gear and collection bags).

When we were due to leave at 10.45 am, it was pouring with rain. As I hadn’t had an email from anyone confirming they were going to be there, I decided the coffee machine looked considerably more appealing and made myself a coffee instead.

Then there was a knock at the door.

It was a neighbour asking whether the litter pick was on. I explained my decision, and he told me he’d just come from the meeting place and that no one else was waiting there. That seemed to confirm I’d made the right call, so I went back to enjoying my coffee.

Then my phone rang.

It was somebody at our meeting place asking where I was and telling me that there were three other people waiting there with her!

Oops!

I polished off my coffee rather swiftly, and we rushed up the road. By then the rain had blown over, and it turned into a really nice event, with about five of us collecting litter and then seven or eight of us having coffee together in one of the cafés at the shopping parade afterwards.

I always really enjoy these events. It’s lovely to have the opportunity to meet neighbours, have a chat and find out a little bit more about them.

On Thursday evening, I’d organised a social gathering for my fellow trustees at the organisation I’m a trustee for. You’re probably beginning to spot a pattern here – I’m the organiser! 😂

We went back to the Rising Sun, a venue we’d used for a meeting in January, and enjoyed a really lovely meal. There were just six of us this time, which gave us another chance to chat and get to know one another a little better.

The food was really nice – and you know that, coming from me, it must have been above par! 😂 I chose pan-fried duck breast with a citrus sauce, dauphinoise potatoes, green beans and carrots, and it was delicious.

I even managed to swerve the dessert menu, opting instead for a floater coffee, which went down very well. I did, however, have a bottle of 4% fruit cider with my meal. It’s all about balance!

I wheeled into town in my wheelchair but, now that the evenings are beginning to draw in, Mike very kindly came and collected me afterwards.

I’m feeling rather bereft now because both of my sisters have disappeared off on their holidays. My younger sister (the one who helps me at home) has gone off to China for three weeks. That feels like an eternity!

My middle sister, meanwhile, is in Cornwall for two weeks, climbing with her husband -something they both really enjoy and do on a regular basis. She had knee replacement surgery in June, so this trip is a real test of endurance and whether she’s still got what it takes to climb up cliff faces;

Rather her than me!

Judging by the photographs she’s been sending, though, she’s doing all right.

Saturday brought yet another social occasion: our local neighbourhood summer picnic, held just across the road from where I live, on the university grounds.

Everyone takes along food to share, and we spend the afternoon having a natter and catching up with neighbours. Then, as tradition dictates, we have our annual game of rounders – odds versus evens.  I made some really simple cheese and tomato pinwheels, using shop-bought ready-rolled puff pastry, tomato pesto, herbs, grated Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmesan.

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I did manage to limit myself to a single bite of homemade carrot cake (my absolute favourite!).

Each year, as the neighbours get older, this gets funnier.  Most are in their 70s and 80s – but we do have a few younger newcomers, which is just as well.

This year, some of our more elderly players were allowed to use a runner – otherwise known as their grandchildren. 😂 The neighbour has an attempt at hitting the ball (often they miss!) and then their grandchild sprints off around the posts on their behalf.

I have absolutely no idea what the final score was, but that really doesn’t matter. It’s always great fun.

We’ve enjoyed some lovely sunshine this weekend, and I’ve been making the most of it, as I believe the weather is about to turn a little colder.

Something else has also been keeping me rather busy over the past 48 hours. Somebody reading this post will know exactly what I’m referring to here, but I’m planning to keep that a secret for now…  All will be revealed in due course… 😉

Okay, on to Mounjaro and my progress update.

I took my third 7.5 mg injection of Mounjaro on Friday and, finally, I appear to be experiencing some appetite suppression and a reduction in food noise.  Hurrah!

Its effects are still not as strong as they were when I was taking this dose originally, but we’re well on the way to getting there.

In the meantime, here’s my weight report…

Weight this week: 55.60kg (8st 10.6lbs)
Weight last week: 55.85kg (8st 11.2lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: -0.25kg (-½lb)
100% – 6 months 26 days in weight maintenance range (54 – 57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)

Mounjaro Maintenance: Am I Looking at It All Wrong?

flidfit Eating Out, Eating Out, Emotional well being, Maintenance, Mounjaro, Weightloss Medication

The week started off looking rather frantic, with visitors planned for three days running. However, for completely different reasons, the first two visits were postponed. And I have to admit, I was actually quite pleased!

Don’t get me wrong, I love having visitors and catching up with people, but three days in a row – all of which involved feeding several people – was beginning to feel like quite a lot of work. We were still living in piles of boxes whilst the utility room was being refurbished and – as always, these things seem to coincide with all the other regular, time-critical jobs that need doing. I had staff payroll to sort out ready for the end of the month, a submission to put together and circulate (more about that in a future post), and a draft agenda to prepare for a meeting at the beginning of September.

Once I’d got all those deadlines out of the way and two lots of visitors had cancelled, everything suddenly felt considerably calmer.

We did have friends here for lunch on Wednesday, but by then I had a fridge packed full of food I’d bought and prepared for all the visitors who hadn’t actually arrived, so at least feeding them wasn’t a problem!

The friend who came with her husband is someone I’ve known since primary school.  Her husband is a local man, so he and Mike had a fine old time reminiscing about bands, live music and various venues around town. It’s lovely when people discover they share that sort of history.

On Thursday, when Sam came for her regular visit to help me, we had the exciting task of putting everything back into the newly refurbished utility room. The decorating had been completed the day before, so these really were the final touches.

And actually, it was exciting!

There is something enormously satisfying about going through cupboards and getting rid of all those ancient bits and pieces that you know perfectly well you’re never going to use again. Does anybody even use shoe polish these days?

We consolidated all the cleaning products, disposed of things that were well and truly past their useful lives, sorted a box for a charity pick-up and reorganised everything into the cupboards. I’m really pleased with the finished result. All the disruption was definitely worth it, and the room is now much more practical, with a little more storage than we had before. There’s nothing quite like opening a cupboard and seeing everything neatly arranged inside. How long it will remain like that is another matter entirely!

Tuesday evening was our community get-together, which I’d organised for a couple of the local groups I’m involved with. There isn’t really much organising involved – it’s largely a case of advertising it and hoping that people actually turn up!

Last year’s gathering was very successful, with probably around 12 people dropping in during the evening. This year there were eight of us, although three were newcomers, which was lovely.

One first-time was clearly expecting something rather more grand and organised and arrived at the venue asking where our reserved table was. There wasn’t one! I’ve never bothered reserving a table because there’s usually plenty of seating, particularly when the weather is good enough for us to sit outside. I think I’d done too good a job on the invitation design!

I think she enjoyed herself nonetheless, and actually having a smaller group worked rather well because we could all sit around one table and hear what everyone else was saying.

The food was decidedly mediocre, but I did have a couple of pints of “Blackguard Nitro Stout” from a local brewery.  It was very nice indeed. Two pints later and I was ever so slightly tiddly! I drink alcohol so rarely these days that I clearly have absolutely no tolerance for it anymore.

This is the Bank Holiday weekend, and rather wonderfully, we have very little planned. That suits me perfectly. Even things like sorting out the utility room take quite a lot of energy – both physical and mental.

I must be getting old!

And so, on to Mounjaro.

There is still absolutely no noticeable change in terms of appetite suppression or a reduction in food noise.

I found myself giving myself a bit of a talking-to this morning because, in some ways, I keep thinking that the drug isn’t working.

But then I realised that perhaps I’m looking at it from the wrong perspective.

After a lifetime of needing to lose weight, I’ve become accustomed to judging success by whether the scales are going down. Week after week, for years, that was the objective.

But I’m not actually trying to lose weight anymore.

I’m supposed to be maintaining it.

And I’ve been successfully doing that for well over six months.

When I stopped and thought about it properly this morning, I realised just how extraordinary that is for me. Particularly when you don’t weigh very much in the first place and therefore don’t have a huge amount of wiggle room.

Since reaching my goal weight in January, my weight has remained within a range of around seven pounds – approximately 3.5kg.

For more than six months.

That is a huge achievement and, more importantly, something I have never managed before.

So perhaps the question shouldn’t simply be, “Is Mounjaro suppressing my appetite?”

Perhaps it should be, “Is Mounjaro helping me maintain my weight?”

And the answer to that is much harder to know.

I’m certainly still doing my part. I continue to log everything I eat, moderate my intake, try to reduce snacking between meals and weigh myself regularly.

But perhaps most importantly, I’m also trying to be kind to myself.

I’m an almost 64-year-old woman who can’t move very much, who is very short and who has spent more than 50 years of her life being overweight.

For the first time, I’m no longer carrying that weight.

And it feels good.

I took my second 7.5mg injection of Mounjaro on Friday 28th August, and for now I’m simply going to plod along and see how the land lies.

Maybe maintenance isn’t supposed to feel dramatic. Maybe the absence of anything happening on the scales is actually the whole point.

That’s something I’m still learning to get my head around.

Are you maintaining your weight on Mounjaro? How are you finding it? And what has the experience been like emotionally, as well as physically?

I’d genuinely love to hear how other people are getting on, because I’m sure we’re all very different – not just in the way our bodies respond, but in how we adjust mentally to the idea of no longer constantly trying to lose weight.

And perhaps also to the possibility that this little injection may, in one form or another, be part of our lives for a very long time.

This week’s weigh-in…

Weight this week: 55.85kg (8st 11.2lbs)
Weight last week: 56.55kg (8st 12.6lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: -0.7kg (-1.5lb)
100% – 6 months 19 days in weight maintenance range (54 – 57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)

 

A Hotel Mix-Up, Matilda and Mounjaro

flidfit Disability, Eating Out, Eating Out, Maintenance, Mounjaro, Technology, Travel, Travel & Holidays, Weightloss Medication

My week began with a jolt. I’ve spent hours recently helping a wheelchair-using friend who is visiting London from Australia in October. She’ll be spending 12 nights in the capital and asked me to help her find a good accessible hotel in a convenient location from which to explore London.

My go-to hotel chain is Premier Inn, so I duly booked her a 12-night stay at the Premier Inn in Waterloo. This wasn’t quite as straightforward as the usual online booking process because any stay of more than nine nights has to be booked directly over the telephone.

I particularly wanted to put her into this hotel because I’ve stayed there myself, so I know it well. On that occasion I was staying with three or four other wheelchair-using friends, so I felt completely reassured that it would be perfect for her.

I sorted all of that weeks ago.

Then, this week, I realised I’d booked her into the wrong hotel!

Apparently, there are two Premier Inns in the Waterloo area, probably only about half a mile apart. The one I thought I’d booked was the one close to the river, with really easy access across the Thames into central London. The one I had actually booked was somewhere else entirely.

One particular detail should have alerted me when I made the booking. A warning said wheelchair access to some parts of the hotel involved a platform lift.

If you don’t know what one of these is, it’s one of those contraptions that often folds down alongside a flight of steps, usually at the entrance to a building. The wheelchair user rolls onto the platform and it then slowly glides up or down the steps.

I absolutely hate them!

Created using Chat GPT. I’d probably be laughing nervously rather than grimacing like that!! Haa haa!

For one thing, you generally have to find a member of staff to operate the thing, which is all very well if you have someone with you who can disappear inside and find somebody. More importantly, I always find using them slightly anxiety-inducing, however smooth and uneventful the short journey might be.

And there is always the very real concern that if the lift breaks down, there is no Plan B. If the steps are the only other way into the building, a wheelchair user simply can’t get in.

So, having felt rather smug about finding my friend a great deal at the perfect hotel, a flurry of frantic emails and a phone call or two followed as I tried to unravel everything.

Thankfully, it all ended well. There was still availability at the correct hotel and I managed to get the original booking changed.

Phew!

I don’t think most people have any idea how complicated something as seemingly simple as booking a hotel can become when you’re a wheelchair user. It isn’t enough to find somewhere in the right location at the right price. You need to know whether you can actually get through the front door, whether there are steps, whether the lifts are big enough, whether the accessible bedroom really is accessible and whether the bathroom will work for your particular needs. There are so many additional things to think about.

Anyway, onwards and upwards!

Mike and I have now booked ourselves into the same hotel for two nights during our friends’ stay so that we can spend some time with them. We’ve also booked tickets to see the stage version of Matilda, which we’re really looking forward to.

We’re also planning a trip to Greenwich together. It’s somewhere I’ve never visited before, although I’ve heard it’s beautiful, and my friend’s partner particularly wants to visit the Greenwich Meridian and stand on the famous line dividing east from west. It should make for a really enjoyable day out and it will be lovely to explore somewhere completely new together.

After that rather frantic start to the week, everything else has felt positively sedate!

The utility room refurbishment is now almost complete and I’ve managed to get most of the contents of the cupboards back into their rightful places. It’s amazing how much stuff you can cram into a utility room until somebody empties all the cupboards and deposits it around the rest of the house!

Everything should be completely finished next week, with just a lick of paint and some silicone sealant left to apply. I’m really pleased with how it has all turned out and, after living with the old utility room for so many years, it feels lovely to have everything looking fresh and new.

Another highlight of my week was taking Mum and her care team out for lunch. I arranged it partly to give everyone the chance to get together socially and get to know one another a little better, but also to say thank you for all the support they’ve provided during Mum’s radiotherapy treatment.

It turned out to be a really lovely occasion.

We went to the Butt Inn at Aldermaston and the food was way above average – really tasty and, even better, not ridiculously expensive. Everyone seemed to enjoy having the chance to chat away from the usual caring environment and get to know each other a little better.  My choice was a very tasty and perfectly cooked trout fillet.

Mum thoroughly enjoyed herself too. She kept telling everyone how grateful she was for all the support they’d given her, which was lovely to hear. All in all, the lunch was a huge success, and I was really pleased that I’d organised it.

On Saturday, we took part in a community litter pick along our road, as well as cutting back the basal shoots growing around the lime trees that line the avenue. It’s always a lovely way to catch up with familiar neighbours and, this time, we also had the opportunity to meet a couple of new ones.

Basal roots are those leafy shoots protruding from the base of the tree.

Once we’d finished, a group of us were invited back to a neighbour’s garden, where we sat together in the shade enjoying a well-earned cup of coffee. It was such a simple thing, but really rather lovely – neighbours chatting, getting to know one another and enjoying a bit of time together after doing something positive for the area.

The litter pick also coincided with the installation of our exhibition in the windows of a vacant local shop unit. I popped around to see how things were progressing and to offer my support – although I certainly wasn’t about to start climbing any ladders!

The shop has been empty for around six years and, as you can see from the before-and-after photographs, I think the exhibition has made an enormous difference to its appearance. Instead of a rather sad-looking empty shopfront, there is now something colourful and interesting for people to stop and look at as they pass.

If I had to talk about the things that contribute to my own sense of wellbeing and good mental health, being involved with my local community would definitely be right up there. Working alongside other people to make improvements, particularly when you can actually stand back afterwards and immediately see what you’ve achieved together, is enormously satisfying.

We have something that feels remarkably close to a village community here, but with all the advantages of living on the outskirts of a very large town. People know one another, stop for a chat, look out for each other and are prepared to muck in when something needs doing. I think that sense of belonging and connection is incredibly valuable – and Saturday was a lovely reminder of just how fortunate we are to have it.

Finally, there’s been another development in my GLP-1 maintenance journey.

My new medication has arrived – and it’s Mounjaro!

After my experiment with Wegovy, I’ve decided to return to Mounjaro. My new 7.5mg pen arrived this week. I took my first 7.5mg injection on Friday.  Now just waiting to see what happens.

What I’m hoping for, more than anything, is the return of that support that made maintaining my weight feel so much easier – particularly some relief from the food noise and persistent hunger that have gradually crept back in.

It feels slightly strange to be so excited about an injection, but I know what a difference Mounjaro made for me previously. I’m not looking for dramatic weight loss. This time, it’s about finding the right level of support to make maintenance manageable and sustainable.

So now we wait.

Hopefully, by the time I sit down to write next week’s blog, I’ll have some positive news to report.

Fingers crossed!

This week’s weigh-in…

Weight this week: 56.55kg (8st 12.6lbs)
Weight last week: 55.75kg (8st 11lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: +0.7kg (+1.5lb)
100% – 6 months 12 days in weight maintenance range (54 – 57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)

Builders, Birthdays and a Bit of Hadestown

flidfit Disability, Eating Out, Eating Out, Maintenance, Salads, Sweet Treats, Travel, Uncategorized, Wegovy, Weightloss Medication

This week has been quiet, but full of activity. How does that work, you might ask?

Well, we’re having our utility room refurbished.

It was originally fitted out 21 years ago, at a time when I was still recovering from a serious road traffic accident and was pretty immobile (non-weightbearing). We completely reconfigured the downstairs to make it more accessible for me, including adding a downstairs bathroom and toilet. The kitchen/diner was moved to the opposite side of the house, and the space where the kitchen had originally been was divided up to create a wet room and utility room.

At the time, I really wasn’t in a position to take much interest in the work being done, so I left a lot of the decisions to the builders. They were a family-run company – two fathers and their sons – and seemed to spend a considerable amount of their time arguing with one another! I mostly kept out of their way and got on with my injury recovery.

The result was that some of the finishing touches were, let’s just say, not ideal!

For example, the worktop in the utility room was installed about 6cm higher than the washing machine and tumble dryer underneath it. That might be completely inconsequential if I were very tall.

But I’m not.

I’m 4ft 8in, with short arms, so that extra 6cm makes an enormous difference when I’m trying to reach into the sink!

New wall units in place

The cupboards had also gradually started falling apart. I don’t think they were particularly expensive ones in the first place and, after 21 years, they’d certainly done their time. So, the moment had finally come to replace everything.

I decided to try to keep the refurbishment as simple as possible. I’m keeping the original sink, the safety flooring is staying – not least because it covers a manhole – and the basic layout remains largely unchanged. We’re really just replacing all the units and, most importantly, bringing the worktop down to a height that actually works for me.

Of course, “just replacing the units” turns out to be more complicated than it sounds! There’s been lots of hole-cutting for pipes and electrical sockets; the electricity has been on and off at regular intervals and, at one point, so was the water.

It has also meant getting up and organised early every morning, ready for the builder arriving at 8am.

The work is progressing really well, although there’s still a little way to go.

I was due to have a friend visiting on Monday, but she called off. As it turned out, that was probably just as well. There was no room for her to park in the driveway, and it was a particularly noisy day, with the demolition of the old cupboards taking place.

I also managed to get rid of my old cooker hood, which I mentioned in an earlier post, along with a dehumidifier that had been sitting in the utility room but was never actually used. Both have been recycled and gone off to new homes.

Even the old kitchen units have found another use. They’ve gone off to live in a barn where, I’m told, they’ll be filled with chicken paraphernalia – feed, bedding and the like! I’m really pleased that so much of what we no longer need will be reused rather than simply thrown away.

I’d actually booked two slots at the tip in anticipation of having loads of rubbish to dispose of, but thankfully didn’t need either of them. That was particularly welcome given how ridiculously hot it has been here, with temperatures reaching as high as 38°C on a couple of days.

On Wednesday, my sister came to work for me as usual and stayed overnight because on Thursday I was taking her to London for her birthday treat.  The night before our London trip, I’d actually arranged another little surprise outing for her. We went to the IMAX cinema for one of their “secret screenings”, where you book your tickets knowing absolutely nothing about the film you’re going to see other than its age rating. I rather like the idea — you could end up watching something you’d never normally have chosen for yourself! On this occasion, our mystery film turned out to be Tony, a new biographical drama about the early life of chef, writer and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. It follows 19-year-old Bourdain as he heads to Provincetown and rather accidentally finds himself working in the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen — a summer which ultimately sets him on the path that will shape the rest of his life. We really enjoyed it, and given the heat outside, it was absolutely wonderful to spend a couple of hours in a beautifully air-conditioned cinema! Meanwhile, almost everyone else seemed to be outside in the blazing sunshine watching the solar eclipse. We may have missed the celestial event, but I think we probably had the cooler option! 😂

I’d booked us lunch at The Ivy in Soho, followed by a trip to see Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Love the old theatres – we are so fortunate to have so many of them!

It was a VERY hot day, but everything went perfectly.

There was an added bonus when I discovered that parking at the Royal Festival Hall is now free for Blue Badge holders. There were plenty of vacant spaces too and, being underground, the car stayed beautifully cool for the duration of our day — a definite bonus in that heat!

Once we’d parked, we were able to use the toilet facilities in the Royal Festival Hall before heading across the river towards Soho, wandering through Chinatown on our way to the restaurant.

Lunch at The Ivy was excellent. I made some pretty sensible choices too. For my main course, I had an 8oz sirloin steak with green beans and a heritage tomato salad, and we shared a dessert that was basically raspberry sorbet.

Then it was on to the theatre.

My sister absolutely loved Hadestown. It was a full house, and there was an incredible amount of talent on that stage, both in terms of the acting and the singing. If you get the opportunity to see it, I’d definitely recommend it.

On Saturday, I had a friend over for lunch and, given the continuing hot weather, kept things fairly light. We had a prawn salad with a really simple dressing made from lime, olive oil, black pepper and a little maple syrup.

We did, however, indulge in dessert in the form of a pistachio and almond ice-cream bomb which, from memory, came in at around 220 calories. Very nice it was too!

So I’m now getting through my final week on Wegovy before moving back to Mounjaro next Friday.

I have to say, I’m really looking forward to it.

I’m still experiencing zero appetite suppression from Wegovy, and the food noise has been totally overwhelming. I think I’ve managed to stay within my calorie allowance on most days, but it’s taken real effort.

It’s certainly reminded me how much of a difference effective appetite suppression and the absence of food noise can make. I know I can resist temptation and stick to my calorie allowance — I’ve been doing this for a very long time — but constantly battling those thoughts about food is exhausting.

I’m hoping that moving back to Mounjaro will give me back the helping hand that I know it gave me before.

Anyway, on to this week’s weigh-in…

Weight this week: 55.75kg (8st 11lbs)
Weight last week: 56.10kg (8st 11.6lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: -0.35kg (-1lb)
100% – 6 months 5 days in weight maintenance range (54 – 57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)

Maintenance Isn’t About Being Perfect: A Weekend Away, Wegovy and Keeping Things in Perspective

flidfit Disability, Eating Out, Eating Out, Emotional well being, Travel, Travel & Holidays, Wegovy, Weightloss Medication

Hello all,

Apologies for the delayed update. Usually I plan and draft my blog post over the weekend, but as I mentioned last week, I’ve just returned from a lovely weekend away in Cambridge with some girlfriends.

We had a wonderful time. The hotel (Ibis, Cambridge Central Station) was accessible (the most important factor), perfectly located with nearby parking, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. Trying to find a hotel that meets all the access requirements for three wheelchair users with very different impairments is quite a challenge! It had taken us several weeks to find somewhere suitable, but when we finally arrived and saw our rooms, we knew the search had been worthwhile.

Of course, all the accessibility features in the world don’t mean a thing if the staff attitude isn’t positive, friendly and proactive in providing the little bits of assistance we all need, particularly in the restaurant. Thankfully, they couldn’t have been more accommodating.

My journey to Cambridge took around three hours in total, including an hour’s break halfway. It meant tackling the M4, around the M25 and then up the A1(M) – hardly the most relaxing route, especially as those roads are usually very busy.

Thankfully, I’d planned well. I’d packed my lunch in a cool bag and stopped at South Mimms Services to use the loo, stretch my legs (well… as much as I can!) and found a peaceful shady spot under a tree to enjoy my lunch. Inside, the services were absolutely heaving, but the toilets were clean and spacious, which was the main reason for venturing inside in the first place.

Friday evening was spent at La Maison du Steak. Unsurprisingly, the menu featured a lot of steak in every imaginable cut and size! I opted for the quarter chicken… which turned out to be about the size of half a chicken!

On Saturday we visited the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. I’d been there once before, about six years ago, but remembered very little. I don’t think we’d had enough time to appreciate it properly on that visit. This time we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around most of the gardens, taking in the beautiful planting before stopping for lunch.

The café deserves a special mention. The food was delicious, healthy and excellent value for money. You all know my views on eating out, so you’ll know I don’t hand out compliments to cafés and restaurants unless they’ve genuinely earned them!

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On Saturday evening we treated ourselves to dinner at The Ivy in Cambridge. If you’ve never had an Ivy experience, I’d certainly recommend it if you have one nearby.

I must admit, I felt slightly alarmed when we arrived and found three steps leading up to the front entrance. Fortunately, a member of staff quickly came outside and escorted us around to the rear of the building, up a side alley, through the refuse area and into the restaurant, where we received a warm welcome and were shown straight to our table.

Sadly, older buildings often have to be preserved without being able to create ideal wheelchair access, so entering through the “back door” is something I’ve experienced several times over the years. As long as staff do everything they can to make you feel welcome rather than like an inconvenience, I’m more than happy to forgive the less-than-glamorous entrance!

The food was amazing. I chose the three-course menu for £50, which even included a glass of champagne, so I thought it represented very good value. The only problem was that three courses turned out to be far too much for me, and I finished the evening feeling uncomfortably full.

It wasn’t helped by the fact that our dining experience lasted about three and a half hours, as the restaurant was incredibly busy. I’d completely forgotten that Cambridge would be in the middle of graduation celebrations, so they were dealing with a huge number of diners.

Thankfully, my journey home on Sunday around lunchtime was much more straightforward. I’d picked up one of Sainsbury’s Kitchen Deli Japanese Style Teriyaki Chicken & Sushi Rice bowls, which I enjoyed sitting in the car before setting off again. No loo stop required this time, so I was soon back home unpacking.

So… how’s the Wegovy going?

At this stage I’d honestly say I’m not noticing any effects whatsoever. However, 0.25mg is only the loading dose, designed to allow the body to adjust gradually to the medication. From everything I’ve read, many people don’t notice much appetite suppression or reduction in food noise at this stage, so I’m not concerned. In another fortnight I’ll increase to 0.5mg and, hopefully, that’s when I’ll begin to notice the benefits.

Looking back over the weekend, it would be easy to criticise myself for some of the food choices I made. But it’s important to keep things in perspective.

Weekends away like this are rare for me. I limited myself to just two meals a day (even sitting watching people eat breakfast whilst I sipped a coffee!), planned ahead by packing lunches for both journeys, and made choices that undoubtedly saved me a good number of calories.  I also did my best to log my meals and estimate my calorie intake (about 500 over one day and 700 another!)

I also have to remember that I spent two full days sitting in either my wheelchair or my car, rather than moving around my home as I normally would. My energy expenditure was probably even lower than usual.

Could I have skipped the desserts? Absolutely.

In fact, I rather wish I had because they tipped me from feeling pleasantly satisfied to feeling over-full and stuffed. But then I reminded myself that this feeling used to be my normal. Before losing weight, feeling over-full after meals was something I experienced regularly without giving it a second thought.

Not surprisingly, the scales are showing almost a 1kg gain this week. But I’ve been here before. I know it’s almost certainly a combination of extra food, restaurant meals, a little more salt than usual and less movement over the weekend.

I’m confident that most, if not all, of it will have disappeared again before the weekend. In fact, it needs to be gone because I’m now just half a pound from the top of my maintenance range… eeek! 😬 That’s the reality of maintenance though – sometimes you brush right up against the edge of your comfort zone before reining things back in again.

Sometimes maintaining your weight isn’t about having a perfect week. It’s about enjoying life’s special occasions, accepting the temporary blips on the scales, and simply getting back to your usual routine afterwards.

That’s exactly what I’m planning to do

Weight this week:  56.5kg (8st 12.5lbs)
Weight last week: 55.7kg (8st 11lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: +0.8kg (+1.5lb)
100% – 4 months, 25 days in weight maintenance range (54-57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)

 

Mounjaro Journey (Maintenance) – Week 54 (2.75mg every 5 days)

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This week has been the culmination of several things coming together at once.

Firstly, my sister finally had her knee replacement surgery on Monday and is now on the road to recovery. It’s been a long-awaited operation, so we’re all relieved that it’s behind her and that she can now focus on healing, regaining her mobility and hopefully not limited by pain as she has been these past 8 or 9 months or so.

Sam is always saying how varied her job is, and Tuesday certainly proved her point. That morning, we took part in a Zoom presentation, discussing why some people with Thalidomide impairments may be reluctant to seek support and services until a crisis arises.  That was precisely my own experience in 2002, following a head on car crash in France.  Besides being faced with recovery from surgery for a broken leg, I also needed emergency support because I was unable to do anything for myself.  You can read more about that here

I spoke about my own experiences and views on support, while Sam was able to contribute from a completely different perspective, talking about what it’s like working alongside me and supporting someone with a disability, sharing examples of the sorts of things I ask for her to assist me with. I recognised afterwards, how an important part of what she is able to do for me is to assist me in supporting others, such as taking part in the call, accompanying me when I do community litter picks that I am responsible for organising, fixing floors for the charity I’m a Trustee for

Having both viewpoints represented felt particularly valuable, as it highlighted not only the practical aspects of support but also the importance of understanding, trust and independence.

On Saturday, my partner Mike and I went to see the results of a project that I have been involved in curating over the past few months. The exhibition focuses on the history of the immediate area around Christchurch Green and brings together photographs, memories and stories spanning more than a century.

The exhibition formed part of the annual Whiteknights Studio Trail, a wonderful local event that showcases the talents of artists, makers and community groups across the area. Exhibitions and displays can be found in all sorts of locations, including people’s homes, schools, community buildings and gardens.

Our first stop was one of the trail venues before heading to a beautiful horticultural therapy garden that was also participating

in the event. Refreshments were available there, and I happily enjoyed a generous slice of homemade carrot cake accompanied by a lovely cup of tea. Much as I am aware that cake is rarely calorie-friendly, sometimes something is simply worth the calories, and this was definitely one of those occasions. The cake was delicious, the setting was beautiful, and it felt like the perfect treat for a lovely afternoon out.

Part of the day’s pleasure was the journey between venues. We walked through the stunning grounds of the University of Reading, which looked particularly beautiful in the sunshine. We are incredibly fortunate to live right next door to such a wonderful green space, and even more fortunate that the university is so welcoming in allowing the public to enjoy it.

Finally, we arrived at the venue hosting the Christchurch Green exhibition.

Seeing all the boards displayed together for the first time was quite a special moment. I have to say, it looked incredible. After all the planning, designing, editing and organising, it was immensely satisfying to see the finished result.

What was especially rewarding was watching visitors engage with the exhibition. People weren’t simply glancing at the displays as they walked past; they were stopping to read the memories, study the photographs and chat about their own connections to the area. Several people took the time to compliment us on the exhibition, which was lovely to hear and made all the hard work worthwhile.

Part of the exhibition was stickers in the various shop windows – showing the parade of shops as they were through the decades.

Projects like this involve a huge amount of effort behind the scenes, much of which visitors never see. There are countless hours spent researching, gathering material, designing displays, checking facts and coordinating contributors. Seeing people enjoy the exhibition and hearing their positive feedback made every minute worthwhile.

Although the exhibition finishes today, I suspect this won’t be the end of the story. There is already interest in finding other opportunities to display the exhibition to local groups and community organisations, allowing an even wider audience to enjoy the photographs and memories. It would be wonderful if the stories of Christchurch Green could continue to be shared long after the Studio Trail has ended.

Part of the day’s pleasure was the journey between venues. We walked through the stunning grounds of the University of Reading, which looked particularly beautiful in the sunshine. We are incredibly fortunate to live right next door to such a wonderful green space, which includes a lake.   The university is welcoming and allows the public to enjoy its campus.

One of the nicest things about the Studio Trail is that it feels like a real community event.
As we wandered between venues, we kept bumping into friends, neighbours and familiar faces, stopping for chats and catching up on news. It all added to the relaxed and friendly atmosphere, making the afternoon feel as much about community as it was about art.

So, have my cake indulgences affected my weight?

The short answer is no.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past 14 years is that weight management is about patterns, not individual foods. A slice of homemade carrot cake enjoyed in a beautiful garden with good company is not what causes weight gain. Repeated overindulgence day after day is a different matter entirely.

My weight remains comfortably within the range I’ve set for myself during maintenance, despite a week that included cake, eating out, socialising, and plenty of opportunities to consume more calories than usual.

What has changed over the years is my relationship with food. There was a time when I might have declined the cake because I was “on a diet”, only to feel deprived and then raid the biscuit tin later. These days, I make a conscious choice. If something looks truly enjoyable and worth it, I have it, enjoy every mouthful and then move on.

For me, successful maintenance isn’t about perfection. It’s about finding a balance that allows me to enjoy life while keeping my weight where I want it to be. This week has been a good reminder that life’s memorable moments rarely revolve around calorie counts. They revolve around family milestones, helping others, contributing to your community, spending time with people you care about and occasionally enjoying a rather excellent slice of carrot cake.

Weight this week: 55.85kg (8st 11.1lb)
Weight last week: 55.05kg (8st 9.4lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: +0.8kg (1.7lb)
100% – 4 months, 4 days in weight maintenance range (54-56kg or 8st 8lb – 8st 11lbs)

Mounjaro Journey (Maintenance) – Week 53 (2.75mg every 5 days)

flidfit Disability, Eating Out, Eating Out, Maintenance, Mounjaro, Titrating dose, Travel, YouTube

It has been a very sociable week.

The week started with a day trip to visit a friend who lives in Shrivenham, Wiltshire, followed by a lunchtime visit from a friend over from Germany for a few weeks.

This was followed by an evening of gin and tonics with a neighbour, where peanuts and little savoury biscuits were on offer, but I was quite pleased with myself as I stopped at a single measure of gin and tonic. What affected me more than the drink was the late night! Having said that, I was still in bed by 10pm, but that’s late for me these days. My head was still buzzing from all the conversation and it took me a little while to drift off to sleep.

Later in the week, we enjoyed a day out in London to see Come Alive, the Greatest Showman-inspired spectacular. It was absolutely amazing in London at the Empress Theatre (built on the site of the former Earls Court conference centre).

We were attending the matinee performance, and I’d deliberately planned for us to arrive early enough to have lunch beforehand. The food options at the venue looked fairly uninspiring, and I imagined there would be lots of people all trying to eat at the same time. Instead, we found a lovely café in Brompton Cemetery, just a five-minute walk from the venue.

Brompton Cemetery and Park

I’d never visited Brompton Cemetery before (or indeed any Cemetery in London!) and was struck by how beautiful it was. As part of the Royal Parks, it’s enormous and feels like a peaceful oasis in the middle of London. I was particularly pleased to learn that it is the final resting place of Emmeline Pankhurst, who led the suffragette movement. Many of the graves date back to the 1800s, and some of the monuments and mausoleums are incredibly impressive, clearly belonging to notable and wealthy families of the time.

Emmeline Pankhurst’s grave

The show itself was spectacular. It combined singing, dancing, acrobatics, magic and even fire-eating, all performed within a circus setting. The talent on display was incredible, and we were fortunate enough to have seats right at the very front.

The access team also deserve a special mention. The care and attention they provided throughout the show was exceptional. They checked in with us regularly, explained what would happen and when, ensured we were seated before the main rush of people arrived, and even escorted us through a priority entrance so we could avoid the queues. It made the whole experience so much easier and more enjoyable.

After the show, we met up with one of our friends. She had spent a week in London after travelling from the Isle of Man and joined us for the journey back to Reading and dinner before flying home the following day. We had parked at a hotel for the day and, somehow, managed to secure free parking, saving ourselves £18 in the process.

So, all in all, it has been a week filled with friendship, days out and plenty of socialising.

On the weight-loss and Mounjaro front, my dosage is now down to 2.75mg every five days. I’m also pleased to report that my weight has returned to its pre-holiday level. Given the extra food, reduced activity and all the temptations that came with being away, followed by another busy week packed with socialising, meals out and disrupted routines, I’m very happy with that outcome. It reassures me that the habits I’ve built over the past 14 years are becoming deeply ingrained and can continue to support me, even as I gradually reduce my medication.

Maybe the years of weighing, logging, planning and preparing really are paying off.

I’m just in the process of uploading a video about the holiday, my return to maintenance, and how things are changing as my Mounjaro dose continues to reduce. If you’d like to take a little peek, it’s now live on my YouTube channel.

 

Weight this week: 55.05kg (8st 9.4lbs)
Weight last week: 55.7kg (8st 10.8lbs)
Weekly loss/gain: -0.65kg (-1.4lbs)
100% – 3 months, 26 days in weight maintenance range (54-56kg or 8st 8lb – 8st 11lbs)

Mounjaro Journey (Maintenance) – Week 49 (3.25mg every 5 days)

flidfit Maintenance, Mounjaro, Titrating dose, Uncategorized

 The highlight of my week was a visit from my daughter and her boyfriend, all the way from Leeds. We don’t get to see one another often, as it’s over a three-and-a-half-hour drive, so having them here always feels extra special. Her boyfriend has recently passed his driving test, which now means he can share some of the long journey behind the wheel. They arrived mid-afternoon on Saturday, and I’d already spent a good chunk of Friday preparing food for the weekend.

I made my sticky fried beef and mushrooms again, served with baked sweet potatoes, sour cream, fresh coriander, jalapeños, black beans, guacamole and sweet chilli honey. Yes… exactly the same meal I served to our visitors the previous weekend! But it’s easy to prepare ahead of time, and everyone seemed to enjoy it so much that it felt worth repeating. I’d also ordered buttermilk pancakes and strawberries ready for Sunday breakfast.

One of my daughter’s requests for the weekend was that we visit a kitchen showroom together. She’s hoping to have her kitchen refitted and wanted some inspiration—and apparently my opinions, too! I do enjoy looking around kitchens and interiors, so it was a lovely thing to do together.

I forgot to mention that my daughter also brought her very large dog with her for the weekend — not to look at kitchens, I should add! She got him as a puppy three years ago and was told he was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but he’s got such a broad skull and wide jaw that he could easily be mistaken for an XL Bully. Thankfully, he has the gentlest and most soppiest nature imaginable and such a lovely temperament. He also appears to suffer rather badly with flatulence… but we can forgive him for that.

The table tennis table came out onto the patio, and a few competitive games were enjoyed in the sunshine.

As my daughter works in social media marketing, I took the opportunity to ask for help with a few video editing skills. I’ve recently uploaded another YouTube video, this one focusing on key points to help with weight maintenance after weight loss.

Strangely, the video I uploaded the previous weekend suddenly took off, reaching over 2,000 views in less than a week, making it the most popular video on my channel so far. I was genuinely blown away by that. If you haven’t already watched it, do take a look.

On Sunday, we paid my elderly Mum (Nana) a surprise visit. She’s not in the best of health at the moment, and the look on her face when we arrived absolutely made the journey worthwhile. It clearly brought her such joy to see everyone unexpectedly turn up together.

Today (Monday), we’re heading off to Bournemouth for the day. We’re giving someone a lift to the airport there, and decided we might as well make a proper day of it while we’re down that way. The weather forecast doesn’t look particularly promising, but sometimes those spontaneous little trips turn out to be the most enjoyable anyway. It will be what it will be.

My sister is also coming to work for me this week. She hasn’t been here for about a month due to holidays and because Mum has needed support attending various hospital and medical appointments. I’ve got lots of little jobs lined up for her, but truthfully, I mostly just enjoy spending time together, chatting, laughing and catching up on life.

Food this week has definitely been a little “off piste”. There’s been ice cream, treats and a few indulgences creeping in. I mostly managed to avoid the temptation of all the weekend goodies while my daughter was here… although I did enjoy a couple of cans of chilled Guinness! Sometimes life is about balance, and weekends like this are there to be enjoyed.

Weight this week: 55.15kg (8st 9.6lbs)

Last week:  54.65kg (about 8st 8.5lbs)

Weekly loss/gain: +0.5kg (1.1lbs)

100% – 2 months, 29 days in weight maintenance range (54-56kg or 8st 8lb – 8st 11lbs)

 

 

Mounjaro Journey (Maintenance) – Week 48 (3.25mg every 5 days)

flidfit Maintenance, Mounjaro, Recipes, Sweet Treats, Titrating dose, Uncategorized

There’s something very reassuring about a week that starts with batch cooking – knowing that no matter what the days bring, there’s good food ready and waiting.  The lovely warm weather we’ve been experiencing helps too!  We love salads—but not the boring kind. Forget lettuce, cucumber and tomato… we’re talking flavour, texture and something a bit more exciting.

On Tuesday, Sam and I had a really productive session. We made a courgette, feta, mint and pea crustless quiche, a batch of apricot and yoghurt muffins, a roasted butternut squash, tamarind and bulgur wheat salad, and a large bowl of grated carrot, apple, fresh mint, date and pecan coleslaw, simply dressed with lime juice. We even popped a malted fruit loaf into the bread maker, which, once cooled, was sliced and tucked away in the freezer.

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As a result, we’ve been eating very well (and very repeatedly!) for much of the week.

Wednesday brought a welcome change of pace, with Mum and my sister joining us for lunch—and it was one of those moments when all that pre-prepared food really paid off. Mum had a hospital appointment nearby, with my sister by her side. Although the appointment was mid-morning, they didn’t arrive until after 2pm, and by then I was absolutely famished—almost beyond hungry.

We sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed a relaxed lunch together, followed by fresh strawberries, homemade blackcurrant ice cream, meringue and cream. It was one of those simple, special moments – sitting in the warmth, chatting through Mum’s appointment details and catching up on everyone’s news.

The weekend brought more social time, with a visit from my partner’s son and his young family, including his 16-month-old grandson, who is just starting to walk. He was a delight – but goodness, he kept us on our toes! Constantly on the move, curious about everything, and needing eyes on him at all times. It certainly reminded me just how full-on those early parenting years are.

In terms of my Mounjaro journey this week, I’ve really started to notice some changes.

My appetite has increased, and the appetite suppression I’d grown used to has reduced. My portion sizes have crept up, and more noticeably, the evening snacking has returned. So far, I’m managing it by making mindful choices and keeping calories in check.

One significant change is that, after around 11 months of having no interest in chocolate at all, I’ve suddenly rediscovered it. That’s been a bit of a reality check. The difference now is that I’m able to manage it—I can have a few squares without feeling the need to eat the entire bar. That awareness, built over years of calorie counting, really helps me keep things in perspective. It’s not perfect, but it’s controlled.  I’ve learned not to cut out sweet treats altogether—it’s about finding a balance that works. Everything in moderation.

I’ve continued reducing my Mounjaro dosage and I’m now down to 3.25mg every five days. I’m increasingly aware that Mounjaro may need to remain part of my life long-term, albeit at a lower dose—and honestly, I’m at peace with that. I feel so much better for the weight I’ve lost.

That said, sticking to my very limited calorie allowance is still a daily challenge, even when I’m just eating two main meals. But I keep going.

In a few weeks’ time, I’m off on holiday with my two sisters and Mum—and, of course, that brings the usual temptations of ice creams, cakes, and little treats along the way. We’ll be doing what we always do and taking packed lunches on days out, helping me stay mindful and keep things in check. To be honest, it also saves us a fortune, and having a packed lunch means we can stop and eat whenever we’re hungry or find a nice, quiet spot.

This time last year, I was just about to start Mounjaro, and I actually managed to lose weight during that week’s holiday. I’d love to repeat that—but if I come back having simply maintained, I’ll take that as a win.

Whatever happens, I’ll share it—because this journey isn’t about perfection, it’s about learning to manage my weight alongside social activities, holidays, and the ever-present temptation of food.

Weight this week: 54.65kg (about 8st 8.5lb)
Last week: 54.85kg (about 8st 8.9lb)
Weekly loss/gain:  -200g (about ½lb)

100% – 2 months, 23 days in weight maintenance range (54-56kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 11lb)

½

Mounjaro Journey (Maintenance) – Week 46 (3.5mg every 5 days)

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Sorry, not very many pictures this week, I’m slacking!  I don’t really like photographing meals when dining out or when we have company…

We’ve just returned from a lovely weekend away in Loughborough, where we attended the annual Thalidomide Society AGM and conference.

This year’s event was held at Burleigh Court Conference Centre, set within the beautiful grounds of Loughborough University. Before heading to the conference, we made a little detour to visit a friend who lives nearby. It was such a lovely way to break up the journey — a cup of tea, a wander around her garden, and the chance to catch up properly. It had been years since I’d last seen her daughters, who are now all grown up, and it was especially nice for Mike to meet her for the first time.

The conference itself, as always, was both interesting and reassuring. There’s something quite special about being in a room full of people who share similar life experiences. It’s a chance to reconnect, hear how everyone is doing, and swap snippets of family news that you just don’t get in day-to-day life.

That said… the hotel stay was a little more “memorable” than restful.

Our room was comfortable enough, though compact – and the bed was a double — but not the king-size we’re used to at home.  The mattress was just a little too firm.  The real challenge, though, was the duvet. It was incredibly heavy and far too warm. Add to that the steady soundtrack of doors slamming closed and voices echoing along the corridors, and sleep didn’t come easily.

I’m still taking things gently following my recent fall, and Mike had been up since 5 am, so we were both more than ready for an early night. Unfortunately, a good night’s sleep had other ideas. I battled on under the duvet for as long as I could before finally admitting defeat sometime around 2 am. In the end, I swapped it out for a rather makeshift combination of a bath towel and my jacket — not exactly luxury, but infinitely more bearable!

Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling my best the following morning.

Thankfully, the hotel staff came to the rescue and provided us with two single duvets for the second night, which made all the difference. We both slept so much better — proof, if ever it were needed, that sometimes it’s the simplest things that matter most.

On the food front, it’s been a week of simple, fresh, and very satisfying meals. Earlier in the week, I’d prepared a spread for a friend visiting for lunch — lots of fresh salads alongside a delicious savoury cake made with grated courgette, feta, peas, and mint. It’s one of those dishes that feels both light and indulgent at the same time.  It’s also very filling and to be honest, we didn’t need much more for our evening meal.

For our journey up on Friday, I’d put together some pitta breads filled with coronation chicken, which turned out to be the perfect travel food. We pulled into a service station en route, made use of the facilities, and then sat in the car enjoying a late lunch in the warmth of the sunshine — one of those simple little moments that somehow feels just right.

All in all, a weekend of connection, conversation, and (eventually) a bit of sleep — and now, back home, where my own bed has never felt more inviting.

In terms of my Mounjaro dosage, I’ve reduced it again slightly — down by 0.25mg — so I’m now taking 3.5mg every five days.

So far, it’s been a smooth adjustment. I haven’t felt particularly hungry, which is always reassuring when making a reduction. That said, I was quite mindful over the weekend that lunch options at the conference were likely to be more carb-heavy (and I wasn’t wrong — sandwiches featured quite prominently!). With that in mind, I made a conscious decision to enjoy a more substantial (cooked) breakfast, and it paid off.

On Sunday, before setting off for the drive home, I treated myself once again to a proper cooked breakfast, included with our accommodation. Not being a regular breakfast eater, a cooked breakfast always feels like a bit of a luxury — and even more so when it’s prepared by someone else. It kept me going comfortably all the way through until our evening meal. Moments like that really do remind me how helpful it is to plan ahead and work with my appetite, rather than against it.

Weight-wise, I fully expected the scales to creep up a little on Monday. A weekend spent mostly sitting — whether in conference sessions or in the car — combined with a touch more indulgence than usual, would normally point in that direction. Less movement, different food choices… it all adds up.

As always, the scales tell their own story… and these are the results. I really am not too concerned with the gain as I know it is the result of my weekends overindulgence. I’m confident most (if not all) of it will be gone by next weeks post.

Weight this week: 55.85kg (about 8st 11lb)
Last week: 54.75kg (about 8st 8½lb)
Weekly loss/gain:  +1kg (about 2½lb)

100% – 2 months, 9 days in weight maintenance range (54-56kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 11lb)