Week 64 Weigh In!

 It's strange, but the last week or two, I've been feeling the Ozempic more than I have for quite a while. Nothing too severe- I've been both fortunate, and I think that my slower progression of dosage helped a lot as well. My side effects were generally limited to the occasional headache or nausea, along with the perhaps main effect rather than side effect of difficulty eating.

I haven't had a dose increase in 2 months, so I'm a little surprised to be feeling it the way I do, especially after a year plus on the medication. The last few days I've had a very difficult time eating, even when the food is appetizing and delicious. I had two bites of my lunch and packed the rest up to save because I just felt like there was no space for food even though I figured I probably needed to eat post workout. I did manage to eat my dinner. I wasn't hungry, but after a day of strength training I know that I need to at least eat a minimum amount of calories or all that hard work I put in goes to waste.

On days like this, I just try to eat bites whenever I can, and to make them good quality calories. When I'm not feeling as full/bloated, I'll have a serving of nuts, or a Greek yogurt cup, or some cheese cubes. Whole wheat toast with a spread like laughing cow cheese or peanut butter can also be nutrient dense and get those calories up!

So, this is as far as I made it before the holidays- I finally lost all the birthdays/holidays/celebrations weight! Realistically, I wouldn't change a thing. I enjoyed the time of indulgences, and a few weeks of setbacks isn't a big deal. I certainly don't feel deprived in any way, which makes it a lot easier to stick to my plan now.

Time to keep moving forwards... it would be super exciting to hit both of the big milestones I have coming up- both 100lbs total lost, and onederland!

OZ Year 1 loss: 68lbs (click here to see the week-by-week tracker!) 

OZ Week 53 gain: 1.4 lbs continuing dose at 0.75mg

OZ Week 55 gain: 1.6 lbs

OZ Week 56 loss: 0.6 lbs

OZ Week 57 loss: 2.0 lbs

OZ Week 58 loss: 2.4 lbs

OZ Week 61 gain: 5.4 lbs

OZ Week 62 loss: 1.4 lbs

OZ Week 63 loss: 3.0 lbs

OZ Week 64 loss: 1.0 lb

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 70 lbs

High Protein Days

 So, there has been a lot of talk in the news about people losing muscle mass while taking Ozempic, but what they don't point out is that everyone who loses weight quickly will lose muscle mass as well, if they aren't specifically focusing on building and retaining lean muscle as much as possible.

I'm not a fan of restrictive diets like keto, but one thing I do agree with is that on days where you do strength training, that you need to incorporate higher protein to give your body the building blocks to process the exercises you just did. That being said, I don't limit my carbs- instead I just focus on choosing higher protein foods on the days I do weightlifting.

Today, for example, I had wanted to make blueberry pancakes for breakfast but decided to save that for tomorrow. Instead, I chose a balanced breakfast that incorporated more protein. Some people find they can't eat before a workout or they don't feel well but I'm the opposite; if I don't have at least something in my stomach then I get nauseous. If you're starting an exercise plan, figure out what works best for you and go from there!

So here is a full day meal plan with a focus on protein (as well as healthy low glycemic carbs!) for those heavy workout days.

Breakfast:

This one was pretty easy- I toasted two slices of Weight Watcher's whole wheat bread while I fried two eggs using cooking spray. I layered the toast with a slice of deli ham, a slice of Sargento Ultra Thin cheddar cheese (if you're close to a border this is a great way to cut back on cheese calories while still enjoying the flavour!), one egg on each slice, and then garnished with a few rings of red onion. Delicious!

Breakfast Summary: 390 calories, 19.5g fat, 20g carbs, 31g protein

Because of timing, I generally skip my morning snack on gym days. I'd rather add those calories to my breakfast or lunch. If you find having a snack works better for you, then you could always modify breakfast by putting both eggs on one slice of toast above, and then skipping the second slice of toast as well as the second slices of cheese and ham. That would give you 115 calories for a healthy snack, maybe a cup of Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp of chopped nuts?

Lunch:

Chicken Skillet a la Francaise:

2 chicken breasts
15ml Minced garlic 
300g Diced butternut squash 
1 Green zucchini, chopped into slices then quartered 
30ml Red wine vinegar 
15ml Tomato paste 
30ml Vegetable demi-glace 

1 tbsp butter
10g Garlic & Sweet Pepper spices (salt, garlic, red bell pepper, vinegar powder, green bell pepper, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper)

Heat a large frying pan and add 1 tbsp of butter. When sizzling, add the chicken breast and cover, cooking until partially cooked, 3-5 minutes per side. Add the zucchini and squash to the pan, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, and cook, continuing to stir, until dark red and fragrant.

Add vinegar, demi-glace, remaining spices, and 1/3 cup of water. Cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes until well combined and the chicken is cooked through. Divide the skillet between two plates and enjoy!

This recipe is another Goodfood meal, when you're looking for something quick, easy, and delicious. Don't forget you can get your first box for free if you order through my referral link!

Lunch Summary: 350 calories, 10g fat, 26g carbs, 42g protein

Afternoon Snack:

Let's throw something quick and easy for snack in our bags since we're cooking both lunch and dinner today! Of course since we made two portions of each recipe, you can always box up the other serving to eat on another day and skip cooking!

Snack Summary: 170 calories, 12g fat, 10g carbs, 7g protein

Dinner:

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp & Grits:

10oz shrimp, peeled and tails removed
3oz grits 
2oz shredded cheddar-jack cheese 
1.5oz Worcestershire sauce 
5oz baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, chopped (whites separate from greens) 
1/4oz seafood seasoning (Old Bay is perfect) 

1 tbsp Kraft light BBQ sauce
1 lemon 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter

1 jalapeno pepper (optional), deseeded and minced

Cut the lemon in half, and juice one half of the lemon. In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, BBQ sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Slice the other half of the lemon thinly into rounds. Boil 4 cups of water in a medium pot, and when boiling, add the grits and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, 5-7 minutes or until the grains are tender. Stir in the spinach and the cheese and cover and remove from heat. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Heat butter in a large pan over medium heat, and when melted, add scallion whites, garlic, and jalapeno pepper along with seafood seasoning. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sauce mixture and lemon slices, and heat over medium-high. Add the shrimp to the pan, flipping halfway, until just cooked pink, 3-4 minutes. Serve the grits onto two plates and top with the shrimp, lemon slices, and sauce. Garnish with the reserved green onions, and enjoy!

This delicious meal is from Hellofresh, and again you can try it for free by using my referral link! Healthy wholesome food (including carbs) can still be flavourful and low calorie, as well as high protein! Feel free to swap out the shrimp for chicken or tofu if you prefer.

Dinner Summary: 426 calories, 16g fat, 36g carbs, 33g protein

Dessert:

Chocolate Hummus:

1 can black beans

3 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup Splenda or sweetener of choice

1/3 cup of your favourite nut butter (coconut oil if you prefer to go peanut/tree nut free)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Add all ingredients to a food processor, and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!

When I saw this recipe I was a bit of a skeptic, but it is fantastic! I would highly recommend you give it a try. It's great to make ahead and eat later so no need to make it the day you plan to eat! It makes 10 1/4 cup servings, and feel free to choose your favourite items to dip in it since it's so low calorie! For the calorie count below, I used 1 banana and 1/2 cup strawberries.

Dessert Summary: 208 calories, 4.5g fat, 40.5g carbs, 6.5g protein

Daily Total: 1544 calories, 62g fat, 132.5g of carbs, 119.5g protein

Hopefully you'll find these recipes helpful while you're looking for higher protein options on workout days! No need to cut back on the carbs too much as you'll need them for energy, and we don't even have to skip our sweet treat- life is about balance, not deprivation. Enjoy!

Don't forget you can find my other full day meal plans via this link, as well as visit my main Recipes page which has everything!

Week 63 Weigh In!

 Well, it's nice to get some positive reinforcement for sticking to the program! While I'm not back at the lowest weight I'd reached on Ozempic, at least things are moving in the right direction. I am hopeful that my body is starting to do some recomposition since I've been keeping up the exercise. Last week I did work out five days out of seven, which is great! My trainer at F45 has been telling me not to worry about the scale and that it will catch up, and I suppose it isn't a surprise that she knows what she is talking about.

I have definitely gained lean muscle mass, although I don't know how much and I don't think I have lost much in the way of inches. I don't take measurements, so I've just gone off the way my clothes fit. I can comfortably wear a pair of jeans that was a little too tight at the waist in early December but that would be a pretty small change. That being said- any change in the right direction is a good change!

Sometimes, overreading news or social media is not great for our individual journies. I read an article about semaglutide creating a new set point for your body that happened to be about 18-20% below starting weight and that you'd plateau there even with diet, exercise, and other interventions. I'm past that, but I figured it could still be coming. My loss has slowed down dramatically in the past six months, even more sharply in the past three months, so I can see the rest of my journey will be much more of a struggle. 

I'm thinking that strength training is going to be the key to reaching my health and fitness goals, and hopefully to winning my second HealthyWager! Hopefully the Ozempic will help even if it's not as effective as it was before. I am hoping very much that saving that last increase to 1mg will be helpful when I hit the next plateau closer to my goal weight.

It's hard to admit, but I'm starting to enjoy hating the gym, if that makes any sense. The workouts are intense, and a lot of the time I feel like I'm going to die while I'm doing them. But once I finish I get that sense of accomplishment for toughing it out... and it's been pretty cool to see that my strength has been increasing. I can lift heavier dumbbells than I was just a few short months ago when I first started going. So even though I feel exhausted and worn out and sore afterwards, I'm at least doing something with visible results that I know is helping my body and my health. I try to plan my day around going, rather than not going. Those are all really positive things! Even when I'm frustrated, I need to make sure I'm reminding myself of the progress I'm making.

I'm not going to be the same person when I'm finished, just slimmer. I want to be a person who cares about my health so that I can live longer. I still plan to occasionally indulge in my favourite foods, because not only is food social but it's also a pleasure (no, Ozempic hasn't reduced my pleasure from food despite the comments some people make!) and I enjoy eating- it's just the quantity and frequency that has changed. But I believe to be successful, my whole mindset will have to shift and adjust so that I'm no longer a fat person who will happen to temporarily reside in a thinner body, but a person who understands how to maintain that not only thinner but healthier body.

OZ Year 1 loss: 68lbs (click here to see the week-by-week tracker!) 

OZ Week 53 gain: 1.4 lbs continuing dose at 0.75mg

OZ Week 55 gain: 1.6 lbs

OZ Week 56 loss: 0.6 lbs

OZ Week 57 loss: 2.0 lbs

OZ Week 58 loss: 2.4 lbs

OZ Week 61 gain: 5.4 lbs

OZ Week 62 loss: 1.4 lbs

OZ Week 63 loss: 3 lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 69 lbs

Week 62 Weigh In

Today I'm feeling frustrated, so instead of putting on an upbeat tone, I'm going to vent a little bit (yay hormones!).

It's really annoying when bodies don't work like they're supposed to! It's just another reminder that weight loss isn't linear. It's been two months since my one year weigh in, and I still weigh more today than I did then. And it sucks. It's partly my fault for overeating on the holidays more than I should have, and partly I just think I'm at the point where weight loss is going to be more difficult. While I still have around 40-50lbs left to lose and that's not a small amount of weight, I'm already over the 15-20% loss that most people lose on Ozempic and that's when it tends to slow down. If I was on for weight loss only and didn't have insurance coverage for Ozempic, I'd consider asking to switch to Mounjaro since studies are showing it as being more effective for weight loss (although apparently slightly less effective for blood sugar control). Realistically though? The Ozempic is doing wonders for my blood sugar (fasting glucose this morning was 4.5) and I'll just have to keep working at the weight loss myself. I'm still holding off on increasing my Ozempic dose because if I go to 1mg, I don't think my doctor will prescribe anything higher. While Health Canada has approved Ozempic up to 2mg, my blood sugar is well controlled at this dose and so it is unlikely that my insurance would approve going above 1mg since it doubles the cost to require a second pen and it's not necessary to treat my T2 diabetes.

I know my body composition is changing; I definitely have more muscle than I did even just a few months ago. Working out at the F45 gym has made a difference! I would love to go more often, but because of the price right now I'm limited to once or twice a week, so I choose to go only on the weights days and to do Walk at Home for my cardio. Ultimately though, that means that even if the number on the scale isn't dropping, I'm still losing pounds of fat and gaining pounds of muscle, and that's not a bad thing even if I could wish to see more concrete results. I haven't done any body composition testing, so I don't have any firm numbers to remind me of my progress, but I can see and feel the difference. Since gaining muscle boosts metabolism and burns more calories, I'm sure that down the road, the fat pounds will start dropping off, and until then I'll just be patient, keep aiming for higher protein on my weight training days, and to keep doing what I'm doing. It's okay to be frustrated; it's not okay to give up!

I've come so far already. I might be feeling cranky and annoyed today, but even with my regains I'm still down over 90lbs since April 2022, and that's amazing! I give myself permission to feel what I'm feeling. I am NOT going to eat my feelings. I think I'll do a longer workout video today and see if I can generate some endorphins and shake off these negative feelings.

Stay warm today, everyone!!

OZ Year 1 loss: 68lbs (click here to see the week-by-week tracker!) 

OZ Week 53 gain: 1.4 lbs continuing dose at 0.75mg

OZ Week 55 gain: 1.6 lbs

OZ Week 56 loss: 0.6 lbs

OZ Week 57 loss: 2.0 lbs

OZ Week 58 loss: 2.4 lbs

OZ Week 61 gain: 5.4 lbs

OZ Week 62 loss: 1.4 lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 66 lbs

New Recipes!

 I haven't been posting as many recipes as I'd like lately because life has just been very hectic. I am going to try and focus on finding more to share with you, though.

One of the things I've experienced on Ozempic along with the decreased food noise is simply a lack of desire to menu plan. It really is difficult to not only figure out what sounds appetizing (not only to you, but to your family as well if you cook for multiple people!) and then go grocery shopping and actually summon up the will to cook it. 

My family has a weekly erasable menu board on the fridge so we try and plan things out so that not only am I not constantly being asked what's for dinner, but this way we don't overbuy groceries and also make sure that it's relatively balanced in terms of variety. I don't love having a ton of leftovers and eating the same thing for days on end and my son definitely won't eat something more than twice, so big batch cooking doesn't work for us.

One of the solutions that has worked really well lately is ordering meal box delivery services. Because you can order the number of portions that works for your family, you don't have to worry about a lot of leftovers (except maybe in my case since I find I eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of a portion, so I tend to have lunch the next day!). It means I don't have to worry about buying groceries except to have things in the house for snacks and lunches, or buying a whole container of something if I only need a little bit (and the rest going to waste).

Lately I've been ordering Goodfood a lot, because not only do they have a wide variety of good tasting recipes, but they also have recipes suited to various dietary programs. Every week I see calorie reduced recipes, keto friendly, paleo friendly, and organic meals- and they try to make the meals interesting but also family friendly. If you haven't had a look at them yet, you can order your first box absolutely free through my referral link! You'll get a box of 3 meals for 2 people, and if that size doesn't work for your family you can pay a small fee to upgrade to 2 meals for 4 people. And you can order a double meal, so taking the free box can get you one meal for 4 people and one meal for 2 people absolutely free. I'd definitely recommend giving them a try.

Here's one of the dinners we have had lately- quick, easy, and low glycemic so it doesn't spike your blood sugar!

Speedy Provencal Style Shrimp with Bulgur

450g Shrimp 

15ml Minced garlic 

240g Baby greens (baby spinach or kale) 

2 Sweet peppers 

160g Bulgur 

15ml Tomato paste 

30ml Vegetable or seafood demi-glace 

20g Mediterranean spice mix (paprika, garlic, salt, roasted garlic, black pepper, sun-dried tomato, tomato, red bell pepper, oregano, mustard, rosemary)

In a medium pot, combine the bulgur, 1.5 cups water, 1/2 the spices and a big pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, 6 to 8 min., until the bulgur is tender and the water has been absorbed. Add 2 tbsp butter, fluff the bulgur and keep warm.

Meanwhile, core and medium-dice the sweet peppers. In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 tbsp oil on medium-high. Add the sweet peppers and sauté, 2 to 3 min., until beginning to soften. Pat the shrimp dry and remove the shells from the tails if desired; season with the remaining spices. 

To the pan of sweet peppers, add the shrimp, garlic and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 4 min., until opaque and cooked through. Add the spinach, demi-glace, and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 min., until the spinach has wilted. Divide the bulgur between four plates. Top with the shrimp and sauce. Enjoy!

This delicious meal has only 350 calories, 11g fat, 44g of low glycemic carbs, and 24g of protein. You can swap out the shrimp if you like for any other lean protein as well.

Less Moderate, but OK!

 I was about to say that I wasn't going to weigh in this week, because I've only been back on my usual calorie deficit plan for four days, but then I realized that maybe posting my gain will help someone else realize that a little indulgence is not the end of the world. Did I indulge a little more than I planned? Yup. Do I regret it? Not really. As I said before, ultimately, a week or two doesn't matter in the long run, as long as you get back on track.

Much to my surprise? By the time I had my planned final decadent meal, I was starting not to enjoy it as much. I had eaten so much rich food lately that it just wasn't as special or appealing. It still tasted good but didn't have the draw it normally would and I'm okay with that because it makes it much easier to refocus and start eating the portions and kind of food that my body wants again.

This week it has also, to my surprise, felt easier to get back into exercise. It's almost like I hit a point and my body is ready to get back into self care again. Funny how self care has gone from greasy food on bad days (well, still occasionally!) to exercise and eating right. But that's definitely not a bad thing! 

I'm still keeping my dose at 0.75mg as I don't see any need to increase it further for now. I've been hoping that I didn't "waste" the increase and had my body acclimatize with no weight loss since I was indulging over my birthday and the holidays. In hindsight, maybe I should have stayed lower and saved the boost for now. I don't want to go up to 1mg if it's not necessary because I likely won't get a prescription higher than that. I am type 2 diabetic and on Ozempic for my diabetes, not for weight loss. Since my A1C is well controlled by my current dosage of Ozempic, it's unlikely that I'll be able to get a higher dose and that's more than reasonable. It just means I'll have to keep putting the effort in, follow plateau breaking techniques when necessary, and keep up the strength training and cardio! Hopefully I won't need the 1mg until much closer to the end of my weight loss journey- after all, I have that Healthywager to win!

I haven't posted any recipes for a while, but here is a good one that I received from Hellofresh and modified slightly. So delicious, and my son enjoyed it too! You can get a completely free box from Hellofresh to try with either 5 meals for 2 people or 3 meals for 4 people if you click through my link- and they also have calorie smart and carb smart recipes to choose from every single week!

Turkey Cheeseburger Tacos:

8 oz ground turkey

2 large flour tortillas (feel free to use whole wheat or carb smart wraps instead!)

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 oz shredded cheddar-monterey jack cheese (or sub your favourite burger cheese)

1 tomato, thinly sliced

romaine lettuce, shredded

1 yellow onion, minced

3 large dill pickles, 2 cut into coins, one finely chopped

1 tbsp light or fat free mayo

2 tbsp light 1000 island dressing

In a small bowl, stir to combine mayonnaise, all the chopped dill pickles, and the 1000 island dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add turkey and the sliced onions; cook, breaking meat up into large pieces, until cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel; microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.

Add Worcestershire sauce to skillet with turkey. Cook, stirring, until thickened and glossy, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle shredded cheddar-jack blend over turkey, then cover and cook, undisturbed, until cheese is melted, about 1 minute more.

Fill tortillas with turkey mixture, then top with lettuce, tomatoes, and remaining pickles. Drizzle with special sauce, and enjoy! Serves 2 portions. Since you can't see much when the tortilla is closed, here is a pic of mine before I wrapped it up. It was delicious, high protein, and relatively low calorie too! One portion is 480 calories, 21g fat, 35g carbs, and 36g protein.

Whether you indulged or not over the holidays, get back on track with me! One day at a time.

OZ Year 1 loss: 68lbs (click here to see the week-by-week tracker!) 

OZ Week 53 gain: 1.4 lbs continuing dose at 0.75mg

OZ Week 55 gain: 1.6 lbs

OZ Week 56 loss: 0.6 lbs

OZ Week 57 loss: 2.0 lbs

OZ Week 58 loss: 2.4 lbs

OZ Week 61 gain: 5.4 lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 64.6 lbs