From diabetes.org
In February 2025, I went to my wellness exam for the first time in at least seven years. My appointment was with the nurse practitioner (NP) of an internist I had not yet seen. The first shock to my system was when I stepped on the scale: 345 pounds. At 5'10", that placed my BMI at 49.5. The first thing my NP said was, "Tell me about the history of your weight.” I had been athletic in my teens and twenties, but somewhere along the way, I had lost control of my weight, and in turn my health.
The second shock to my system was when I received the results of my blood test. My A1C was 13, my fasting glucose was 287. I was totally floored. I had been in denial regarding my health for quite some time, but the realization of these results jarred me. For a few days, I felt hopeless and sorry for myself.
I had a video call and my NP had a plan of treatment. She prescribed metformin and Mounjaro. As a condition of taking Mounjaro, she insisted that I meet with a dietitian regularly. She prescribed the Freestyle Libre CGM. In addition, there was a lifestyle overhaul: a high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar diet, and regular exercise for 20 minutes, three times per week.
The first couple of months were difficult. I had to figure out what I could eat without spiking my glucose. The CGM was incredibly useful. My dietitian opened my eyes as to how I viewed food in a healthy way, not as a crutch or coping mechanism, and she educated me immensely. The exercise was difficult as expected at first. I started strength training on my own, relying on my experience earlier in life. After about two months, I began counting calories. The Mounjaro provided a head start in terms of managing food cravings as well as quantity.
It's now been 11 months, and I have lost over 155 pounds. I weigh around 190 pounds with a goal weight of 185 pounds. My A1C in December was 5, and my fasting glucose is 80. In August, the internist instructed me to stop taking metformin, relying only on Mounjaro and my lifestyle changes to manage my glucose.
It took incredible effort to reach this point, but the important takeaways are that (1) this is possible, and (2) I now have a sustainable lifestyle centred around nutrition and fitness.
https://diabetes.org/blog/meet-keith-lifestyle-overhaul-achieve-better-health-type-2-diabetes
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