Check with your insurance. You might have access to a free one. My insurance is making me go through VIDA, and I like their nutrition tracker. At first it annoyed me that I can’t track for the entire week ahead of time. My last one didn’t let me either. Now I realize it’s probably a smart move. I’d write down a meal plan that stayed within my macros, but that’s seldom exactly what I ate and I rarely went back to correct it. Now, if I do any planning, it’s separate from my tracking.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that calorie counters are never going to be completely accurate. There is no way they could account for a ripe peach vs. unripe, or the exact cut of meat you are using. I also refuse to weigh everything to the gram. Additionally, you are not going to burn the same exact number of calories a day. It was actually very freeing. I still track and stay in a range, but I don’t worry about exact numbers.
(Surprisingly, now, when I plan what a want to /plan to eat in a day, it magically hits that range.
I’ve also stopped counting every maco. I concentrate on protein, fiber and calories. Fat isn’t a big thing for me and I don’t really worry about saturated fat as the only protein I eat that is’t plant protein is chicken breast and eggs. Keeping it simple has encouraged me to track more. Previously, I let perfectionism be the enemy of progress.
How did you all find out that your insurance required a calorie tracker or nutritionist consult? I’ve heard that mine does, but that was anecdotally from someone. Ever since I switched insurance at the start of the year I’ve had problems. My doc and I are hopeful we’ve got it figured out, but I feel like there’s more that I’m missing because I don’t know.
Thanks. I’ll have him check it out.
His Medicare supplement doesn’t cover any GLP-1 unless it’s for diabetes, so he’s going through the Lilly program. His bloodwork showed him at a level for diabetes, but the Dr doesn’t want to do more testing until he’s been on the meds for 3 months.
For a man who loves carbs and isn’t a fan of vegetables, this is causing some major dietary changes.
I’ve never said anything about his weight gain, so I’m very happy he came to this on his own.
I received a letter in the mail from our insurance provider last fall informing me of changes they were implementing in order to continue to cover GLP-1 medications.
Weight judgments just never seem to go away, and if you can connect your judgment to GLP-1’s you win triple points I guess. (Vague- replying to another thread).
H decided on My Fitness Pal and is relatively happy with it. Mostly due to ease of use as his diet isn’t all that varied.
He’s losing weight with few side effects, which is good. I have concerns with what he usually eats - light on veggies and fiber - but that’s something between him and his doctor.
He also started in at the Y and will probably schedule some sessions with one of the trainers. After trying to get him to join a gym with me for a few years now, this is a great turn of events. Losing what muscle mass he has was a scary prospect.
I have a hereditary form of chronic lymphedema (not lipedema), and have been on a GLP-1 for about a year and a half now. I’m no longer losing weight, but use it for maintaining. I lost around 56 lbs total.
My legs (where my lymphedema is the worst) will never be slender, but are definitely smaller. Went from size 14-16 in pants to 6-8.
One of my motivations to lose weight is because of the lymphedema - I’ve read it’s easier to manage if not overweight or obese.
Dang. Just hit so-called normal BMI, so my insurance is dropping coverage. So maddening. No way I’m quitting but I have to figure out what source to switch to and how much it will cost. I hate that they won’t acknowledge that this is meant to be a lifelong drug. There is so much benefit beyond the weight loss.
I’m glad phentermine doesn’t cost much, because I plan on taking it even after I reach my goal weight, about seven more pounds. I will take it every other day instead of daily.
It doesn’t seem logical to stop covering a med because you’ve reached a goal. They don’t stop covering blood pressure meds when you reach a healthy level.
I don’t know if you are open to using a compounding pharmacy, but a friend gets her tirzepatide from one. Because it’s in a vial, and self adminstered, she gets a 3 month supply of the highest dosage but divides it up into 6 months worth. It is very reasonably priced.
Your doctor should be sure to use your starting BMI when filling out the prior approval paperwork, not your current BMI. The key words are “continuity of care.” The drugs are approved for weight maintenance as well as weight loss.
They’re definitely meant for maintenance too, but my insurance has made it clear that it doesn’t care. They know my starting weight and all the weights in between. I can get the doctor to try, but I don’t think they are going to budge.
Anyone switch to 2 half doses a week to mitigate side effects?
I know there arent any trials of this, only anecdotal reports, but the logic seems sound to me. My clinical pharmacist says there is nothing harmfulin this but cannot deviate from the manufacturers stated once weekly recommendation.