Week 12 Weigh In!

Well, it's been a pretty good week! Lots of playing with new recipes- I'll try to share some more when I have a moment to write them up.

I have noticed I'm a little hungrier than usual lately, and thinking of food a bit more, but still not eating big portions. I'm also still incorporating treats into my meal planning, both versions that I've made healthier, and the good old fashioned kind with sugar. If it's affecting my weight loss, I'm totally fine with the rate I'm losing at. I'm well within the 1-2lbs a week of healthy weight loss, and since I started exercising intensely I've been blowing that rate away. In just four weeks, I've lost 13.4lbs! So while I've considered moving up my dose to 0.5mg, I think as long as I still do feel the appetite suppression and I'm still losing, I will stay at 0.25mg. I know we can develop tolerance to the drug and so I'd like to avoid that for as long as possible.

So this week I had a glass of wine with my orange miso shrimp and lobster tail dinner. It hit the spot perfectly, and the only side effect I noticed was maybe getting a little more buzzed than I would have done since I've been drinking less. I've also had the odd Lindor truffle, and some raw cookie dough from my favourite small business.

I read so many people talk about cheating on their diets. To me, that sounds like you're setting yourself up to fail. You can't stay on a diet forever, which means at some point you're going to come off it. If you go back to eating the way you did before you started working on your health, you're going to get the same result you did last time and regain all your weight.

I look at my eating as finding a good balance. This isn't my first time down the weight loss road, but I'd like it to be the last. When I get to a healthy body weight, I want to maintain it. And that means not having any "cheat days". I'm not cheating on anything- just planning my indulgences in a healthier way than I did before. There's nothing wrong with having alcohol, or sweets, or salty snacks, or fried food on occasion. The problem is that very likely most of us weren't having them on occasion- we were having them regularly, and in large portions. We all have our reasons why we gained our weight. Why we were making choices that aren't good for our bodies? That's something we need to work on for ourselves so that we can make those positive changes and not repeat the same behaviour once we've gotten to a healthier weight, whether or not we stop using Ozempic or stay on a maintenance dose. Ozempic, by slowing down the food addiction reward centre in our brains, gives us the space to really look at our past choices and make better ones this time around, especially with the increased satiety.

Start Date: November 7, 2022  0.25mg

OZ Week 1 loss: 3.4lbs

OZ Week 2 loss: 2.2 lbs
OZ Week 3 gain: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 4 loss: 4.4lbs

OZ Week 5 loss: 1.4lbs

OZ Week 6 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 7: skipped weigh in  0.39mg (used "bonus bit" in the pen)

OZ Week 8 gain: 4.4lbs  back to 0.25mg (started exercising seriously)

OZ Week 9 loss: 6.6lbs

OZ Week 10 loss: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 11 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 12 loss: 2.4lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 20.8lbs

Week Eleven Weigh In!

Well, I didn't lose much more than after my doctor's appointment but I certainly can't complain while I'm still over the benchmark of 1-2lbs per week! For all of you who are unsure of the benefits of exercising, have a look and you'll see that I've lost eleven pounds in the last three weeks, since I started regularly working out!

Start Date: November 7, 2022  0.25mg

OZ Week 1 loss: 3.4lbs

OZ Week 2 loss: 2.2 lbs
OZ Week 3 gain: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 4 loss: 4.4lbs

OZ Week 5 loss: 1.4lbs

OZ Week 6 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 7: skipped weigh in  0.39mg (used "bonus bit" in the pen)

OZ Week 8 gain: 4.4lbs  back to 0.25mg

OZ Week 9 loss: 6.6lbs

OZ Week 10 loss: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 11 loss: 2.4lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 18.4lbs

While normally I am not a fan of chunky soups, I was pleasantly surprised at how rich and delicious this was. I don't think I have tried farro before; it was described as a "nutty" grain, and I think that fits fairly well. It stayed chewy and the texture was a nice complement to the flavourful broth and the veggies.

Rustic Italian Fish & Farro Stew:

1/2 pound basa fillet

1/2 cup dry farro

113g yellow onion

2 tbsp Italian Herb Spice Blend

28g baby spinach

170g carrots

160g Roma Tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tbsp butter

Roughly chop tomatoes. Peel and then cut carrots into rounds. Peel and chop the onion into small chunks.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add carrots and onions. Cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until carrots and onions start to soften. Reduce heat to medium and add 1.5 tbsp of your spice blend as well as pepper to taste. Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

Add the vegetable broth plus 1 1/4 cups water, and turn your heat to high. Add farro, cover, and boil for ten minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle the basa with the remaining 1/2 tbsp spice blend. Add the whole fillet straight to the stew, and cover for 10-14 minutes. The basa will flake when you stir it next. 

Add your spinach, and stir in until it wilts nicely. If necessary, add some salt or pepper to taste. Enjoy the stew! Serves two.

This soup is loaded with 7.5g of fiber and it will definitely be satiating. One portion is 403 calories, 8g of fat, 52g of carbs, and 19g of protein. I will definitely be making this again on a cold day!

Doctor's Appointment Check In

So today I had a check in with my doctor to see how things are going, and to go over my test results. I knew she was going to be very happy with my bloodwork!

She told me to keep doing what I'm doing, because it's obviously working! A1C down to 5.5 is great! I actually had gotten a phone call yesterday to participate in a study for diabetics, but I'm not eligible because my A1C is not in the diabetic range anymore. While I would have liked getting paid to be part of a study (as long as I didn't grow an extra limb or something), I think I am much happier that my health is good enough that I am not a useful test subject for them.

While I don't normally weigh in on Thursdays, I did have to get on the scale this morning for my doctor and was delighted to see I was down 2.2lbs since Monday! I hope it will still be gone after the weekend when I have my official weigh in, I've noticed that sometimes things fluctuate.

And that puts me over the next Lose It milestone!!

I kind of want to get 20 litres of water now to see how much that looks like, but either way it's super exciting and I'm really happy!

Here's a quick photo of my breakfast, because fancy breakfasts don't have to break the calorie budget:

I misplaced my waffle iron, so protein pancakes it is! I topped my pancake with sugar free apple pie filling and cinnamon, and they were delicious.

Always nice to start the day with a treat!

Spicy Mama!

 Sometimes a recipe really hits it out of the park. This is one of those, so I wanted to share it with you all! While my stomach is still able to tolerate things like fried food in smaller quantities, if yours isn't and you miss spicy cheesy goodness, this recipe will blow you away. And it's low calorie, low carb, and packed with flavour for a delicious high protein dinner.

Jalapeno Popper Turkey Bake:

340g raw turkey breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 jalapeno pepper

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

170g carrots

170g green beans

43g cream cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tbsp chicken stock reduction (optional)

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp seasoning salt

pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the green beans and put them into a Tupperware container with a lid. Slice the carrots into rounds and add them to the Tupperware. Sprinkle half of the seasoning salt and your pepper on the veggies, then add the olive oil. Put the lid on the container and shake until the oil and spices are evenly distributed. Roast veggies in the oven until tender-crisp, about 12-14 minutes.

Slice the jalapenos into rounds- you may want to use gloves while you're cutting them! Set aside.

Season the turkey chunks with remaining seasoning salt and black pepper. Heat up an oven safe pan on the stovetop (if you don't have one it's okay, you can switch to a baking dish later on). In the pan you can either use some Pam spray to cook the turkey, or I used a little water mixed with chicken stock reduction to give the turkey a little more richness. Cook the turkey until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. 

Reduce the stove heat to low, then stir in the cream cheese and milk into the pan with the turkey. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is combined. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top, then add the jalapeno rings. Put the pan in the oven until the cheese melts, about 3-4 minutes. 

Divide the veggies and the turkey bake between your plates- this recipe serves two.

I was blown away- it really did taste like the jalapeno poppers, but with a hearty amount of protein that will keep you satiated for a long time! If you wanted to cut the calories even further you could use oil spray on the veggies rather than oil, but I think that might reduce flavour a bit too much for me. As it stands, this delicious dinner has only 428 calories, 17.5g fat, and 20g carbs, with a whopping 51g of protein. I definitely think it's going to be in my regular rotation!

I don't follow keto myself because I prefer to stick with a balanced diet, but I'm told that if you swapped the side veggies for keto friendly ones such as cauliflower or asparagus, this recipe would be perfect. In that case you could consider adding a strip or two of chopped bacon in the turkey bake as well to increase the fat content. Definitely give this one a try and let me know what you think!

Week 10 Weigh In!

Well, after last week's big loss, I wasn't expecting to lose much this week, although it feels like I've been up and down like a yo-yo! But weight loss isn't linear, so that's not uncommon. I'd think it's much more unusual not to have fluctuations!

I wanted to talk a bit about calorie consumption this week. I do count calories, using the Lose It app, which I really like. It's not only got a big database of food, but you can literally scan the UPC code of a product and it will automatically populate that information for you. It makes it so easy to track what I'm eating. You can also make recipes and divide by the number of servings rather than figure out the calories for a single portion. 

So I've had my profile set to sedentary, which I am really not anymore. It's really cool to be able to say that! But I do like that I only get a small calorie budget unless I do some movement because I think that's another push to get myself moving. I do still enjoy my treats in smaller portions and if this makes more room for them? Awesome.

That being said, on many days I am now burning in excess of 800 calories additionally, according to my fitness tracker as translated into the Lose It app. It adds those calories back into my budget. I don't see the point in eating back everything I've earned, but as I've said, I do want to make use of a few of those calories most days! I have been trying to stick with calorie cycling, so while I am seeking an average of approximately 1500 calories per day, some days I am around 1200 and some as high as 1700. I find that works out better for me as I tend to see more loss over a more consistent caloric target.

I've been walking consistently since November, but I didn't start working out regularly until after Christmas. And boy is it ever showing; on the scale, in my clothes, and in my medical tests. In the last two weeks, I've lost 8.6lbs, and that's crazy! 

One day at a time... I'm going to keep going.

Start Date: November 7, 2022  0.25mg

OZ Week 1 loss: 3.4lbs

OZ Week 2 loss: 2.2 lbs
OZ Week 3 gain: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 4 loss: 4.4lbs

OZ Week 5 loss: 1.4lbs

OZ Week 6 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 7: skipped weigh in  0.39mg (used "bonus bit" in the pen)

OZ Week 8 gain: 4.4lbs  back to 0.25mg

OZ Week 9 loss: 6.6lbs

OZ Week 10 loss: 2.0lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 16lbs

More Non Scale Victories!

 So I have been getting so much positive feedback from my body in ways other than the scale. While I don't really enjoy exercise and I definitely don't love giving myself the injections, I know if I keep plugging away those things will get easier. And I'm likely adding years to my life! Turning 40 really sounded that alarm for me that if I don't start taking better care of myself that I might not have that much time left, so I've got to do what I've got to do.

The first and most fun- I went pants shopping yesterday since I could pull my jeans off without unbuttoning them. I was wearing a size 22 when I started my weight loss journey, and yesterday I went to Torrid and got some comfortable jeans that fit great in a size 18. Yup, that's still a long way to go, but it's progress!

Secondly, I had some bloodwork done, and my numbers are really looking a lot better! In March 2022 when I was diagnosed with diabetes, my fasting glucose was 7.0 and so was my A1C. In October 2022 when I had lost about 25lbs by myself, I had my A1C down to 6.4, which is improvement, but still diabetes. As of January 2023, where I am trying to exercise a minimum of five times per week for 30 minutes a day, even just a walk if that's all I can do (the recommendation for good cardiac health), still counting calories and trying to eat a balanced diet without restricting any food groups, my A1C is 5.5 which is just the very bottom of the At Risk range! I have an appointment with my doctor next week and I can't wait to go over those results with her!

Week Nine Weigh In!

So the exercise is continuing to go well- I feel really positive about how well it's going! I can't rave enough about how much it helps to have a workout buddy or two. Even if you don't have anyone local (I don't), there are so many great videos on YouTube right now, totally free, because so many people went online during the QuaranTimes. Grab a headset, call your friend, and just sync up the workouts so you can chat while you're exercising together! It's really made it easier for me to stick to my exercising, and gives me an accountability partner. It's much harder to cop out and say you don't want to work out if you have to actually tell someone that!

My friend and I did a one week workout challenge on our fitness trackers, and we pushed really hard. I won't be able to keep up that level of intensity longterm, but it was great to know that I could do it for a week! Cutting back to something a bit more reasonable for the next few weeks, and then maybe another challenge in February! 

So I said a few days ago that if the scale didn't catch up, I would still be happy because of the changes I'm seeing in my body. Well, the scale definitely caught up, so now I'm definitely feeling glittery happy! That's definitely a reason to dig down and keep going! Check out below for my crazy weight loss this week!!!!

I've seen a lot of people looking for breakfast ideas, so I wanted to share a favourite of mine. These are quick, easy, and full of protein- plus you can customize the addins to suit your tastes!

Savory Breakfast Muffins:

38g of your favourite high protein pancake mix
3 tbsp egg whites 

2 slices deli ham

14g finely grated cheddar

1 green onion, diced

spices as desired

This recipe really is a blank canvas for you to play with! It's high protein, easy to whip up, and delicious. You can also make a bigger batch in advance and freeze them so you can just pop them in the microwave.

I use Nutrisystem high protein pancake mix since I still do eat some of their foods, but you could use Kodiak or any other pancake mix with similar stats (per 38g, 160 calories, 10g protein).

Prepare pancake mix as directed, but maybe a little extra water to make room for all the fun ingredients you'll add! Chop your ham into small pieces and add to the pancake mix, along with the whites of the green onion and half your grated cheese. Mix well but don't overmix, it's going to be lumpy! Spoon pancake mix into muffin cups, leaving 1/4 of the cup as empty space. Spoon the egg whites on top of the pancake mix, then top with remaining cheese and the greens of the onion. Add black pepper (or your favourite spices) to taste. Bake at 375 degrees for 28 minutes.

These are so light and fluffy and delicious! Try subbing bacon bits for ham, or using different types of cheese to change the flavour. You can also use whole eggs or Egg Beaters if you prefer. Different vegetables can also really change the flavour. I've used roasted red peppers and spinach with feta cheese, or mushrooms and tomatoes with bacon and gouda. Have fun experimenting!

Recipe makes two large muffins or three small ones for one serving. 279 calories, 12g fat, 18.5g carbohydrates, and a massive 24g of protein! Great way to start your morning.

Start Date: November 7, 2022  0.25mg

OZ Week 1 loss: 3.4lbs

OZ Week 2 loss: 2.2 lbs
OZ Week 3 gain: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 4 loss: 4.4lbs

OZ Week 5 loss: 1.4lbs

OZ Week 6 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 7: skipped weigh in  0.39mg (used "bonus bit" in the pen)

OZ Week 8 gain: 4.4lbs  back to 0.25mg

OZ Week 9 loss: 6.6lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 14lbs

Non-Scale Victory!

 Well, I've been a little frustrated with the scale the past few weeks, for a few reasons, and I'm hoping that by Monday my body will have calmed down a little. But if it hasn't, I did realize something awesome this morning to help me get through the disappointment!

The exercise really is helping; my body is changing! I used to have a roll of back fat just below where I'd wear my bra, and now my back is flat- just the slightest curve of  back fat! It looks so much better and I am happier seeing that something is changing, even if it's not a metric that I'm currently measuring.

So even if the pounds are coming off more slowly because of the exercise and the constipation, what I'm doing is good, and I'm going to stick with it. It's definitely motivating to notice something like that, even if it's in a place where no one else will see it.

I've been trying so hard; I don't think I've ever been this consistent and determined to work out. It has really helped to have an online workout buddy because we've been doing it together 6 days a week. So if you don't have a gym nearby, that doesn't need to stop you. Go on YouTube and there's lots of free exercise videos! Find an exercise buddy (maybe an in person friend, maybe someone in the Ozempic Facebook group?), and motivate each other to work out! I didn't think I could manage this much but I'm rocking it.

And scale or no scale, I am really proud of myself.

Week Eight Weigh In

Well, let's just say that I'm glad I didn't move up to 0.5mg after week 4, because even with just the 0.39mg dose, the side effects came out in force. So far I hadn't really had much of anything, and I was surprised when I saw people talking about inability to eat a food anymore. Then we had cheese for New Year's Eve and I was even fine with most of those. Then I had one bite of a cranberry Wensleydale, and as soon as I put it in my mouth I thought I was going to be sick and my stomach started roiling. It took more than an hour for it to really settle down, which was decidedly unpleasant. Fortunately, I think I can live my life without such a specific thing, but now I have renewed sympathy for the people who have favourite foods they can no longer eat.

Also, between the heavier load of exercising I'm doing (seriously, working out with a friend helps so much!!! Even if you have to do it over a Facetime call in different places!) and the constipation that has been leaving me bloated and uncomfortable, I'm not surprised with the gain on the scale this week, although I am disappointed. I expect a small gain or no loss when I start working out more intensely, because of muscle retaining water; that's normal for me, and it's something I revisited as part of my workout plan so that I would know not to let it derail me even if it slowed my weight loss because at some point it will catch up.

My stomach is super uncomfortable though, and if I'm backed up as far as it looks like, that makes a lot of sense! But it's not fun to see it showing on the scale and I'm looking forward to remedying it! Hopefully going to get a mild laxative tea and that might solve the problem.

I'm also going to "go back" to 0.25mg, although I never formally went up because I only used that last bonus bit in the pen. I don't think I am ready for 0.5mg with the increased side effects when 0.25mg was working just fine.

So, did I overeat over the holidays? Yes, but not as much as I would have done. I felt like I was pigging out, but when I measured what I was eating? Still much smaller servings of the richer food. Did I overeat enough to gain 4.4lbs of fat? No. Not even close.

While it hurt to write this post, I was reminded I should put it out there for other people who find themselves in the same situation. Don't give up exercising just because it slows down your progress short term; exercise is so good for your body! And muscle burns more calories than fat, so even if it causes a slowdown or temporary gain, it will pay off later. Just because you gain, doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Slow and steady, keep going!

And yup, bowel movements weigh a lot. Having a drug slow down your digestion might leave you feeling backed up at times!

Don't give up!!! I have no plans to this time.

Start Date: November 7, 2022  0.25mg

OZ Week 1 loss: 3.4lbs

OZ Week 2 loss: 2.2 lbs
OZ Week 3 gain: 2.0lbs

OZ Week 4 loss: 4.4lbs

OZ Week 5 loss: 1.4lbs

OZ Week 6 loss: 2.4lbs

OZ Week 7: skipped weigh in  0.39mg (used "bonus bit" in the pen)

OZ Week 8 gain: 4.4lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 7.4lbs