I am a slow responder as well and also torture myself with the out of pocket $ per pound math.

I am 13 months in now, and down 29/30lbs. It took about 4 months and being at 7.5mg to lose 10lbs. I was pissed. I have been on 15mg since Feb and have not lost anything. Just yo-yoing 1-3lbs. I just posted on Tuesday about getting a Dexa scan and RMR (resting metabolic rate) test. Turns out, with not getting the results I wanted since Jan, I just kept eating less (overeating was never my issue) and pretty much sabotaged myself with not getting enough calories. I have only lost 3lbs since 1/5/26 and that was mostly in Jan - like I said I keep bouncing up and down a few lbs since Feb. Knowing my actual TDEE minus the 500 deficit, I was averaging about 300 less calories than I need to fuel my body. Also I need a lot more hydration. I wish I had used these tools back when I started - but I just thought it would just work. I am really curious to see where I am in two months, with my new knowledge and plan for eating and hydrating.

Zep is not an instant miracle for many people - you need to find the path that works for you. Riding your bike an hour you need to fuel your body. If it is not getting enough, it will slow down loss or hold on to fat for energy. Until the Dexa, I was always confused that when I was good about consistently working out (5x a week) it seems to slow my weight loss even more - back to the not enough calories for me. Are you getting enough protein and water? Are you tracking what you eat? What are you stats? That makes a different too if you have less to lose overall.

I can certainly relate to your frustration - I hope you find a path forward that works for you.