One Woman Shares the Honest Truth About Weight Loss and Side Effects on Mounjaro

The Truth About How She Feels Now

Sasha admits she "never expected something with such minor consequences to have such a huge effect on me and my mental health." After months of constant food obsession, she describes it as "a blanket of calm has been put over my brain." While dealing with some side effects (yes, the gassiness is real), she feels "incredible" overall. "I've struggled with my body image and my relationship with food my entire life," she shares in her post.

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Her #1 Reason for Starting (It's Not What You Think)

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"My number one reason for doing this was to hopefully heal my relationship with food," Sasha reveals. She's upfront about changing how she talks about it: "I no longer call them weight loss injections. I call it a GLP-1 medication." For her, it's about so much more than the scale. "If this medication meant I never lost any weight, but I would feel this way towards food, would I still take it? The answer is yes."

How Her Eating Actually Changed

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"I physically cannot eat the amount that I could eat prior," Sasha explains. Her portion sizes dropped "maybe less than half" from the first few days. But here's the surprising part – she's eating better quality food now. "My obsession with food was actually very toxic. Whereas my love for food and my love for cooking... has actually increased."

The Side Effect Nobody Warns You About

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Let's get real about the gassy situation. "I'm very, very gassy, really burpy," Sasha laughs. The good news? "I don't have what I hear people talk about, sulfate burps, like there doesn't seem to be a smell." Her tricks to manage it: lots of water, peppermint tea after meals, and activated charcoal when needed.

The Scale Decision That Changed Everything

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Sasha faced a dilemma: "I hadn't been a scale weigher for like eight years." She weighed herself at the start and then didn't step on again for over two months. "I wanted to do it properly... I didn't want my whole journey to be about that." When she finally weighed herself again, she'd lost about a stone and a quarter, slower than many, but exactly how she wanted it.

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What It Really Costs (And What It's Worth)

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Sasha keeps it real about the price: "I've been paying perhaps 130 pounds ($170) a month" for the lowest dose. She hasn't moved up because "it doesn't make sense to move up a dose if I'm reaping the benefits." Her advice? "The best dose to maintain is your lowest dose." She's stuck with 2.5 milligrams and says, "That's been the best thing for me."

How She Handles Eating Out Now

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"I've still eaten. I just can't eat the amount that I used to eat," Sasha shares. Her approach to Indian takeout changed from ordering "a full curry, a full rice, a full Naan bread" to "chicken tikka... a lentil side dish... and about a quarter of a Naan bread." The best part? "How incredible is it that I can enjoy food and like stop eating when I'm full?"

The Mental Game-Changer

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Sasha doesn't mince words about her food obsession: "I would wake up in the morning and the first thing I would think is what am I having to eat today?" Now? "I guess, although I'm not hungry, I'm still dedicated to fueling my body and nourishing my body in a healthy way." The change in mindset has been "life-changing."

Why Not Just Hit the Gym?

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"I think unless you struggled with eating and like poor relationships with food and body image... you're never going to understand why you can't just go to the gym," Sasha explains. After going through divorce, multiple moves, and financial struggles, she describes it perfectly: "It's like saying to someone who's mentally ill and depressed in bed, just get out of bed, just go for a walk. Sometimes it just isn't that simple."

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The Hunger Reality Check

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"You don't feel hungry and you don't think about food," Sasha confirms. But she adds a crucial point: "Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't mean you don't need to eat. Obviously, starving yourself is stupid." She makes sure to have "two to three big meals a day" focused on protein first.

The Biggest Surprise

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"This has been one of the most surprising things. I can't believe how much more I love food," Sasha reveals. Her newfound joy comes from learning about nutrition and balanced meals. "If I did lose joy for food... I wouldn't have continued it. A life without food enjoyment is a miserable life."

Medical Professional? Yes, You Need One

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Sasha is firm about this: "Please, no matter what information you've consumed, make sure that you speak to some form of medical professional before going on this medication." She got her prescription online, but stresses: "Your body, your choice, your decision, go and get medical professional advice."

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The Bottom Line

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After months on Mounjaro, Sasha's message is clear: "I hope that my approach to it has given you a different perspective." She's not drastically losing weight or starving herself, and that's exactly the point. For her, this journey is about healing, not just changing numbers. "This video is not me trying to influence anybody... make sure you're doing it for the right reasons." And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss20 Incredible Ozempic Success Stories of All Time.

Mistake 1: Not Designing Your Meals Around Protein

Not optimizing protein at every meal is the next mistake. “Meeting protein needs while on GLP-1s is critical. That’s because studies show an associative risk of loss of lean muscle when these drugs are taken. Adequate protein intake may offset this risk. One way to ensure this is to find ways to add protein to every meal and snack. For example, adding beans and lentils to salads, having grilled chicken or fish as a main dish, or adding protein-abundant food (like hemp seeds for example) as a garnish to foods like oatmeal and yogurt,” she says.

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Mistake 2: Forgetting About Supportive Supplementation

Forgetting about supportive supplementation is mistake two. “In addition to protein, the right supplements may also help with optimizing muscle mass,” she says. “Creatine has been shown to assist in both muscle maintenance and growth. I recommend Creatine Hydrochloride (HCl) to my patients as this version can minimize side effects like gastric distress with greater bioavailability.”

Mistake 3: Downplaying Side Effects

Downplaying side effects such as constipation is another common misstep. “Many of my patients tell me they have no side effects, except for constipation…so nothing to worry about. But chronic constipation is something that should be discussed with your physician so that a remedy, such as higher fiber content, can be started,” she says. “Keeping bulk moving through the system is essential for a healthy microbiome and reduced risk of hemorrhoids, bowel obstructions, certain cancers, and diverticulitis.”

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Mistake 4: Only Focusing on Cardio

Mistake four? Only focusing on cardio. “Cardio has many benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, and better brain health. But if you’re not doing any resistance training alongside cardio, then you’re missing out on maintaining and building muscle mass,” she says.

Mistake 5: Neglecting Good Sleep

Neglecting good sleep is a bad idea if you're trying to lose weight. “If your goal for lifestyle change only focuses on what you eat and how much you move, you’re missing a big component of the wellness wheel,” she explains. “Adequate sleep is an important aspect of better health, and neglecting sleep quality can lead to risks associated with brain, heart, and metabolic health. Sleep deprivation may also be associated with worsening mental health.”

Mistake 6: Doing It on Your Own

Doing it on your own can seem empowering, but Kirkpatrick doesn’t recommend it. “If you are utilizing a GLP-1 prescription medication and expecting to do everything right on your own, think again. A dietitian or other health care provider with knowledge of these medications can help work with you on dietary patterns, overall supplementation, side effects, regular laboratory work, and ultimately, the off-ramp (when and how you wean off the medications once your goals are met). The keys to success lie in a multidisciplinary health care team to help you find your best success,” she says.

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Mistake 7: Using the Scale as Your Measure of Success

Using the scale as your measure of success is the final mistake people make. “Hitting a goal weight might not mean much if your metabolic number (think lipid and blood sugar, for example) numbers are not being tracked as well,” she says. “Additionally, the scale really tells you only the amount of everything that makes up you, but nothing about how much muscle-to-fat you have, for example. Focus on the right numbers means focusing on better health.” And if you enjoyed this article, don't missthese 8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat.