Two weeks ago, on 19 September 2026, I decided to seriously start my weight-loss journey.
My starting weight was 85 kg, and my height is 168 cm.
Today, after taking my third dose of Sematide, I checked my weight again.
83 kg.
I have lost 2 kg in two weeks.
It is a small beginning, but for me, it feels important.
Why I Started
This journey didn’t really start with weight.
It started with my medical tests.
I had my HbA1c tested, and the result was 6.0%. This put me in the prediabetes range and made me think seriously about where my health was heading.
My doctor advised me to have some additional tests. Those tests also showed grade 2 fatty liver.
That was the moment when weight loss stopped being only about appearance.
I am now in my late 40s. I am not trying to build a muscular body or become a fitness model. I simply want to become leaner, healthier and more active.
More importantly, I want to reduce the health risks that may become much harder to manage later.
Why I Chose Medication
My doctor discussed a weight-loss injection with me, including Ozempic. However, at around PKR 28,000, it wasn’t financially practical for me.
After considering my options, I decided to use Sematide under medical guidance.
Many friends and family members disagreed with my decision.
They told me:
“Lose weight naturally.”
“Don’t depend on medicine.”
“These medicines will affect your body.”
I understand their concerns.
But I also understand myself.
I had already been going to the gym for around eight months. The gym definitely helped me. I felt fitter, and even some of the arm discomfort I used to experience from long hours of computer work improved.
But my weight wasn’t really coming down.
I work in the software industry. My schedule can easily become disorganized. Sometimes I work remotely, sometimes the work extends beyond normal hours, and maintaining a consistent routine for the gym, walking and food has always been difficult for me.
Eventually, I had to ask myself:
What can I realistically sustain?
There should be no shame in getting medical help when it is appropriate and supervised by a doctor.
What I Have Experienced So Far
The biggest change I noticed after starting the injections was my appetite.
I feel less hungry.
Sometimes my stomach feels empty and I still experience cravings, but the feeling of needing to eat a large amount of food has reduced.
That has made changing my diet easier.
Pakistani food is heavily connected with roti, rice and rich foods, so changing lifelong eating habits isn’t simple.
I haven’t completely eliminated roti or rice. Occasionally, I eat a chapati or a small amount of rice, but I am much more conscious about the quantity.
My thinking has changed.
Whenever I am tempted to eat without thinking, I remind myself:
Nobody else will experience the consequences of my health decisions for me.
If my blood sugar gets worse or my fatty liver progresses, ultimately I am the person who will have to live with it.
What I’m Eating
I’m trying to keep food simple.
One meal might be marinated chicken slices cooked in the air fryer with vegetables.
I’m gradually replacing some of my traditional high-carbohydrate meals with more protein and vegetables.
But I won’t pretend that I’ve suddenly become perfectly disciplined.
My tongue still wants taste.
I still want spicy, delicious food.
That battle hasn’t disappeared.
Exercise Is Actually the Harder Part
Food isn’t my only challenge.
Exercise requires me to overcome a lot of internal resistance.
Instead of creating an ambitious workout plan and abandoning it after a few days, I am trying something different.
I simply go to the park.
I walk for about 20 minutes.
Then sometimes I sit there for the remaining 40 minutes, watching other people walk, exercise and go about their evening.
Someone could say:
“Why don’t you walk for the whole hour?”
Maybe eventually I will.
For now, the important thing is that I am showing up.
I want my mind to learn that this one hour belongs to me.
Not to my job.
Not to my laptop.
Not to another task.
One hour for myself.
If I continue showing up, perhaps 20 minutes will become 30, then 40, and eventually an hour.
I don’t need perfection.
I need momentum.
Where I Am After Two Weeks
Starting date: 19 September 2026
Starting weight: 85 kg
Current weight: 83 kg
Weight lost: 2 kg
HbA1c: 6.0%
Current goal: Lose weight, improve metabolic health and build a sustainable exercise routine.
One thing I am keeping an eye on is my blood pressure. For example, today my reading was 137/91, so I plan to continue monitoring it and discuss persistent high readings or symptoms with my doctor.
What I’ve Learned So Far
The biggest lesson from these first two weeks isn’t about medication.
It is about understanding yourself.
People will tell you what you should be able to do.
“You should control your diet.”
“You should exercise every day.”
“You should lose weight naturally.”
Maybe they’re right.
But knowing what should work and actually being able to sustain it are two different things.
I know myself.
I know what I have tried.
And I know where I struggle.
So I decided to get help rather than continue waiting for the perfect version of myself to suddenly appear.
Medication isn’t doing everything for me. I still have to decide what to eat. I still have to put on my shoes and go to the park. I still have to resist old habits.
But right now, it is giving me some help while I try to build those habits.
Two weeks. Two kilograms.
There is a very long way to go.
I’m not declaring victory.
I’m simply documenting the journey.
Hopefully, I’ll return next week—or perhaps in two weeks—with the next chapter.
Let’s see where this takes me.
This series documents my personal experience only. Weight-loss medicines can have risks and side effects and should be used under appropriate medical supervision.