Love it or Lose it!

Before I begin...

This post is not about body shaming. I would never fat shame anyone. I've met many big, beautiful people throughout my life, and there's nothing more attractive than somebody who is comfortable and confident in their skin.

If you're happy in your skin, love your curves, and have no associated health issues that would be alleviated by weight loss, then great! Own your body! Revel in it! You will have no bigger member of your cheer squad than me.

These days, however, the words 'overweight' and 'obese' are fraught with peril. They're medical words, used scientifically, but they have the power to sound judgmental from the mouths of many.

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement of weight in relation to height. A BMI of 25–29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese. For reference, I am 183cm (6ft) tall, and that number is used in the calculation of my BMI.

So let me be clear: when I use the words 'obese' and 'overweight', I attach no judgement at all. I'm simply referring to the medical definitions on the BMI scale, and only applying those definitions to myself 👍

This post is about my own weight loss journey, and why I chose to lose size and address my BMI.

A little history...

I've always carried a few extra kilos, right from the moment puberty gifted me with hormones. As I grew older, those extra kilos multiplied until I hit 120kg. I remember that day: I remember realising my pot belly had turned into a verandah, overhanging my feet and keeping them dry in the rain.

If you can think of a diet, either fad or proven, I've probably tried it. And these diets all worked for me, to a certain extent. I'd always lose a few kilos, but then they'd come back... with friends. Oh, so many friends 😬

So why didn't I exercise, you ask? Because I have IIH (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension) and any form of exercise above a gentle walk spikes the CSF (Cerebro-Spinal Fluid) around my brain. The consequences of these spikes are devastating... but that's a story for another blog post.

Eventually, I developed diabetes. In 2011, when Pig and I were living in Luxembourg, my diabetes decided to rage out of control and my body went into ketoacidosis. In essence, my blood became acidic and started eating away at my body. (Alien, anyone? I lived in fear of coming face to face with Sigourney Weaver)

The kilos dropped, fast, until I weighed less than 90kg. But the weight loss was not healthy, nor was it sustainable. My endocrinologist at the time decided to put me on insulin, which is a hormone that takes the glucose from your bloodstream and stores it in your fat cells. Insulin makes you gain weight, which is the last thing you need from a diabetes therapy. But there was no other choice, at the time.

So the roller coaster ride that was my weight started climbing again. A few years after commencing insulin therapy, I reached my peak of 144 kilos. I remember that day too; the word gross, as a number, means a dozen dozen or 12 x 12... 144. And I did feel gross. Mentally, and physically.

I probably exceeded 144kg, but I stopped weighing myself at that point. I loathed bathroom scales, with a passion. My schizophrenic brain would give them voices. "Whoa! I don't do livestock!" or "One at a time, please."

To add to my woes, it became obvious over the years that, due to IIH, I shouldn't fly. I've had seven TIAs (Transient Aeschemic Attacks, or mini strokes) either during, or shortly after, flying. Why? Because planes taking off and landing cause the CSF around my brain to rise too quickly.

The only way to alleviate my issues with IIH, and the devastating impact of diabetes, is weight loss.

The current situation...

Mounjaro (generic name: tirzepatide) was a game-changing medication, for me. It's a weekly injection, and it isn't cheap. But the cost is worth it.

The biggest problem I faced with weight loss was the hunger. The carbohydrate cravings. That driving need that shuts down all other thought processes in your brain, until you became a zombie searching for carbs.

CARBS. URGH. ARGH. 🧟‍♂️

Mounjaro drove those cravings away. It didn't happen overnight, but over the last two years I've undergone a remarkable change. I can say no. I can have carbs in the house without obsessing over them. Mounjaro gave me willpower.

With the help of Mounjaro, I've managed to enter ketosis by following the ketogenic diet. If you aren't familiar, the ketogenic diet focusses on low carbs, moderate proteins, and high fat content. This is the Holy Grail for diabetics; impossible to implement successfully while on insulin.

If the ketogenic diet is the Holy Grail, Mounjaro is the sword gifted to me by the Lady in the Lake. I stab myself with this sword once a week. Is that metaphor overdone, now? Possibly 🤣

With the assistance of Mounjaro and the ketogenic diet, my weight has dropped from 144kg to 99kg. And! Wait for it! My insulin requirements have dropped from 120 units per day, to only 30.

This Friday, 7th March, is my birthday. I'll be 56 years old. My goal was to be under 100kg, down to double digits, by my birthday. And I've done it, with 3 days to spare 🎉

I'm feeling pretty damn pleased with myself 💅

What's next?

I'm on my way down to 84kg, hoping to achieve a BMI of 25. I will no longer be 'overweight' at this BMI, as 25 is considered a healthy weight. I aim to achieve this goal before the end of the year, so that Pig and I can travel somewhere at Christmas time that may require a passport. I'm thinking China or Japan 🤔

My specialists are pleased with the results. The endocrinologist believes my insulin needs will keep declining as the weight comes off. The neurologist will give me the all-clear to fly once I hit 84kg ✈️

So my plan is to keep stabbing myself with Mounjaro, stick to the ketogenic diet, and do the limited exercise I'm capable of doing.

Having said all that, I do plan on having some carbs for my birthday. I'm thinking of a wood fired pizza 🍕

A shoutout...

Last May, 2024, Pig and I had the privilege of meeting my cousin's son, Chris. Chris is a remarkable young man, in so many ways. He's kind, generous with his time and energy, and very considerate. He's thoughtful... quite a deep thinker, in fact.

There's one other thing about Chris that left me in awe. He had the courage, the strength of mind and spirit, to submit to a double bariatric surgery. Imagine having the bravery to make that decision. His weight loss was nothing short of incredible. At the time I met him, his weight was down 120kg. 120kg! I was stunned.

Meeting Chris gave me the impetus to push myself harder. I came home from that holiday and made a plan: follow the ketogenic diet strictly, take regular walks or bike rides, and set some goals.

Chris is looking forward to having his excess skin removed later this year. He's a true inspiration 🥰

A timeline...

1984 - 2010:
From the moment I entered puberty, my weight followed an inflation style chart. The occasional dip, but always trending upward. I reached and mostly plateaued at 120kg. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2000, started taking some oral medication, and made no other changes.

2011:
Ketoacidosis ravaged my body, causing my weight to plummet to under 90kg. Commenced insulin therapy.

2012 - 2016:
With the help of insulin, my weight ballooned from 90kg to 144kg. I was also visually impaired and suffering the worst of my brain fog and fugue states from IIH.

2017 - 2022:
Determination set in and I started to fight back. By the time we moved to Canberra in May, 2022, I had dropped down to 130kg. Those 14 kilos were the most hard-fought, gruelling kilos I've ever lost.

2023 - NOW:
My new endocrinologist put me on Ozempic, then moved me to Mounjaro when it became available. I also started a regimen of supplements, including amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Now, I'm at 99kg and determined to get down to 84kg before the end of the year.

Summary

I am not espousing weight loss as a cure-all for everyone, nor am I saying that everyone who's technically overweight needs to lose weight. All I'm saying is that weight loss was the solution I needed to address my own unique health issues.

Losing weight is fucking tough. If you need to lose weight, there are resources you can tap to help. Speak to friends, join a group, talk to a healthcare professional. There are options, including lifestyle changes, medication, and surgical options.

Just remember: if you fuck up your diet today, don't berate yourself. Just start again tomorrow. You can do it! I believe in you 🙌

NOTES:

• The BMI scale is not suitable for everyone. It's useful only as a measure at a population level. Some people, such as bodybuilders, rightfully ignore BMI as a measure of weight and health, because they're technically obese under the BMI scale 💁‍♂️
• My blood pressure, which I did not address in this blog post, has always been high. I was on 4 different blood pressure medications. As I've lost weight, my GP has taken me off two of those medications. So yes, the weight loss has had a large impact on my blood pressure as well.
• There are a number of other factors I haven't mentioned in this blog post, such as supplements and foundational health supplements, that I will cover in other posts.