The Importance of Protein

 I wanted to reiterate this point because even though we all know how important protein is as a macronutrient (obviously not to the exclusion of others, in my opinion), it can be easy to forget even when you're years into your weight loss journey.

I'm sick, and I have been for a few days now. I had bought some lovely cinnamon raisin bread to make into French toast with egg whites, which is a breakfast I eat fairly regularly, and it still winds up having about 20g of protein. Yesterday morning I was exhausted and not up to actually cooking but I wanted to eat the nice fresh bread so I decided to just make myself a couple of slices of toast with honey, which would actually have fewer calories than my usual French toast.

Well wouldn't you know, less than half an hour after eating my toast, I was absolutely starving again. Hungry like I had never eaten at all. This simply hasn't happened in ages because even my sweet and carb heavy breakfasts like pancakes also come with quite a bit of protein and that keeps me satiated. Apparently my body has gotten used to that and it wasn't happy to have such an insubstantial meal. It's not just the Ozempic keeping me full at this point; it's the protein, too.

This is why I strive to have protein in every meal if I can, even my late night snack, although it has seemed to be of least importance there. If I'm having a sweet treat it doesn't tend to make me hungry later on, but that might be because I've probably consumed more protein earlier in the day freeing up room in my budget for a piece of chocolate or a cookie or something like that. Apparently my body agrees that breakfast is an important meal and does need to be balanced properly for my needs.

So, this morning I'm tucking into cinnamon raisin French toast made with egg whites, with 25.6g of protein. Delicious, very similar to yesterday's breakfast, but I'm not going to be hungry thirty minutes later.

There's nothing wrong with carbs and fat. Personally, I think that cutting out a whole macronutrient isn't the healthiest way to live, unless it's been specifically recommended for you by a medical professional. I don't even think there is anything wrong with sugar in moderation, and I'm a type 2 diabetic (in remission as of my bloodwork in July!!) But at least for me, keeping balanced with a good amount of protein in the morning works best to keep me satiated and having energy for my day.

Temporarily Stopping Meds

 My most recent dose of Ozempic was on August 7, so I've skipped two doses on doctor's orders to try and recover from the parasite I picked up. Since I took antibiotics, that should help, but my body still has to expel the parasites and given slower digestion, temporarily stopping the Ozempic is intended to help get my system moving again.

Also, I'm still not back to my normal self. While many of my symptoms have resolved, I still have the massive crushing fatigue that kept me in bed for most of three weeks. My stomach is also still temperamental and mostly preferring simple and bland foods like yogurt, bananas, toast, and other white carbs like muffins or similar. I actually did decide to stop tracking at all for the moments because it really doesn't matter if I'm way carb heavy or over my calories; right now the most important thing is getting better. If simple carbs are what is helping me feel better, I'm all for that.

I woke up hungry this morning, but that's no different than most other days. I have written about my disordered thinking about hunger before that I think many of us on Ozempic share at least at the beginning- that hunger is a bad thing. It's not. Hunger is normal. Not wanting to feel hungry is the part that's disordered and unhealthy! Food really is part of the enjoyment of life, and anticipation is part of that. Not to mention, hunger is just a plain old signal from our body about what it needs. 

What used to scare me was that hunger meant I would overeat, but it doesn't have to mean that. I get hungry, but can still eat my small portions and be satisfied. I just have to continue to pay attention to my body's cues and stop when no longer hungry. I still believe I have a disordered idea of what "full" means, and I wonder if this is a shared experience with others. I think that people without an eating disorder may consider "full" as "not hungry", while I used to consider that "full" meant "stuffed", which obviously isn't a good way to nourish my body. If food tasted good, I would keep eating it until I didn't have room for any more, because it continued tasting good and I'd want more and more. I'm much happier now to be able to have small portions of foods I love without eating until I'm uncomfortable. I can have a reasonable serving, and while I generally don't get the "hard stop" I used to have when I first started Oz back in November, I can still feel like I've had enough and don't need more. I have started to notice that when I get distracted and forget I'm eating for a while; either losing myself in conversation or whatever else I might be doing at the time, that is generally a pretty good sign that I am full- whether my stomach feels that way or not.

So, ten days from my last dose, I'm not noticing a huge change in my appetite. I am finding myself thinking about food a bit more, but that may be the result of needing to figure out what my stomach will be happy eating, which is again a result of the illness and not the Ozempic.

I have noticed increased bowel movements, which is great- that's what I need so that I can get this cleared out! I don't think much else has changed so far. That being said, once I get clearance, I do plan to restart my Ozempic because it's been so good for my health. I am not on this medication for weight loss alone but to control my type 2 diabetes, and it's been wonderful for that! I've had to postpone my recent bloodwork because of my illness but hoping to get that taken care of soon.

The exhaustion has been really hard, though. I know I lost some of my stamina simply from being ill and spending so long in bed, but I didn't realize how much that would impact me when added to the fatigue of illness. I tried on Monday to start getting back on track with my exercise, and I did a 30 minute Easy Start video, which is generally pretty low impact and before my illness was less intense than I was looking for in terms of exercise. Well, my heart rate just rocketed up, which isn't a great sign, and yesterday I was so exhausted that I could barely move. My fitness app told me that I'd exceeded healthy exercise and needed to rest. WOW! So I guess it will be slower working my way back than I had hoped.

It really is disappointing to see that I'm softer around the middle than I was in July, and I may have regained some inches back there. I don't know for sure because I haven't taken measurements- that was a bit too much tracking for me and I figured I'd see it in my clothes. I also miss the endorphins that I'd get from the exercise. Even if I didn't enjoy it, there were a lot of positive benefits that came from moving my body regularly. I'd been working so hard for six months and had settled into a good routine. I'm not happy to get derailed!

But that's also part of life. Things happen that make it harder for us to make healthy choices. We get tired or sick, or have stressful events happen. Coping with them is part of how we learn to make lasting changes in our lives, without letting temporary derailments become permanent ones.

So, I rested yesterday, and I'll rest again today because I have a busy day tomorrow with an event for my son and I can't risk being that fatigued for it. I might even need to rest Friday if I get exhausted Thursday. But there's always the weekend, and then I'll be right back up on that horse. Maybe it won't be a very long or intense workout, but it will be a step on the road in the right direction.

I worked hard, and I'm proud of myself for that. And I know that exercise is making me healthier and potentially lengthening my life (at least by natural causes). As I've said before, I did what I wanted for so many years and look where it got me. It's time to give my body what it needs as well.

Roll With What Works!

 I think one of the most important things to remember in any weight loss journey, is that everyone's will be unique, although it will have some similar trends. What works for one person may not work well for another person- our bodies and hormones are different, after all.

Continuing in that vein, even we will have times with ourselves where we need to switch tactics to be able to keep moving forward, because sometimes what we've been doing isn't working for us, at least temporarily.

I'm sure you can all see from my Recipes section that I love to cook. I really do enjoy playing with my food, or finding ways to make a great tasting, low calorie version of fast food bombs. Lately though, I'm not feeling it. I don't want to put the mental energy into planning what I'm eating, or take the time to cook it myself. I'm also hungrier.

So, I've got choices. I could start eating fast food again, probably in portions that are too large, and scrap the progress I've made so far.

Or, I can lean into it, recognize that this isn't forever, and make some decisions that will help me get through this phase until I'm ready to start doing meal prep again. It really is often true that failing to plan is planning to fail.

So, what did I do? I added some PC Blue Menu individual frozen meals to my grocery order this week. They're quick and convenient (ready in 6-9 minutes in the microwave, depending on meal), and generally pretty tasty. I just microwaved a macaroni & cheese entree that was creamy and delicious and only 350 calories. There's a pretty good variety of low calorie frozen entrees available, and while in my opinion some are better than others, tastes differ, so find what works for you! Having a few of these in the freezer means that the next time I get hungry all of a sudden that I'll have a quick meal available, and it can be ready with zero prep and quicker than I could order takeout.

Is it ideal to be eating ultra processed food? No, but for an occasional meal or two, it's no big deal, and if it helps me stay within my calorie goals while preserving my mental health, then it's definitely a good choice!

We're all going to hit times where making the good choices is hard. Figure out what part of the problem is hard and see if you can solve it. Sometimes it's easier than you think!

I'm going to go enjoy my mac n cheese now :)

What Did I Eat- Plateau Breaking Version!

 If you've been following my posts the last few weeks, you'll have seen that my weight has been bouncing around for a little while, and while the trend is still downwards, it's been slowing down. So I'm following my own advice on plateau breaking and going to give you some full day meal plan ideas that should help get things moving again!

Calorie cycling will involve more than one day, so if you're in a similar situation, I'd recommend switching up your daily calories to highs and lows. If you only reduce calories, you do ultimately wind up slowing down your metabolism, plus you'll have nowhere to reduce later on when you plateau closer to your goal weight. Doing high and low days keeps your body from getting used to ultra low calorie days, doesn't slow your metabolism, and hopefully shocks your system into starting to lose again.

I'd also recommend looking for more ways to give your metabolism a boost, because again, that will help you burn more calories, increase your BMR, and make it more likely for the scale to start dropping again. While it's easy for a first reaction to be, the scale is stalled so I should just increase my Ozempic dosage, the problem there is that there is only so far to move up. While Ozempic is approved for up to 2mg weekly for diabetics (and Wegovy, when we get it here in Canada, up to 2.7mg for weight loss), many doctors don't like to approve a dosage increase over 1mg weekly. So if you've reached that dose, then what? It doesn't mean you can't lose more weight, but it means you'll likely have to change up what you're doing as well.

Our bodies get very efficient when we do the same thing over and over, so they have less and less of an effect. Do you walk 10,000 steps daily? Great- so you think you have your exercise marked off! Except that if that's all the exercise you do, you slowly start to burn fewer and fewer calories doing those steps, and they become less effective. Give your body the shock it needs to get moving again by adding some dumbbell exercises, or HIIT training!

So here is my first all day meal plan- plateau breaking version. I'm going to post a lower calorie version today and then a higher calorie plan in a few days so you have some ideas for a high day as well as a low day. Don't forget to follow my other plateau breaking tips when you're trying to get that stubborn scale to budge!

Breakfast:

Russian breakfast squares:

1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb kale, trimmed of tough ends and ribs, coarsely chopped (approximately 4 cups)
8 eggs
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup grated light Swiss or Gouda cheese
5 oz smoked salmon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11x17 pan lightly with cooking spray. In a deep pan, saute the onion for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Stir in kale and cover the pan, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the kale is wilted.

While the kale is cooking, beat the eggs well in a mixing bowl, and stir in the dill, mustard, salt, pepper, and cheese. Stir the egg mixture into the vegetables, and add the salmon and breadcrumbs. Mix well.

Pour into prepared baking dish, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until eggs are set and the edges are browning. Cut into 6 squares and serve warm. If desired, top with 1 tbsp. sour cream and sprinkle with a little more dill.

You can make this recipe in advance and then you're set for breakfast for the workweek! It also helps get those veggies in while being loaded with protein and only a small portion of low glycemic carbs. 

Breakfast Summary: 220 calories, 11g fat, 10g carbs, 20g protein

Morning Snack:

This dip recipe is good for entertaining, so the pic above is when I've made it as a party snack platter, and the recipe below serves six generous portions. The dip will keep fine in the fridge if you're meal prepping your snacks for the week, and it gets more flavourful the next day!

Skinny Spinach Dip

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2/3 cup water chestnuts
3 green onions, base removed
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp hot mustard
black pepper to taste

Put the spinach in a strainer and press out as much liquid as possible. Set aside. Pulse the water chestnuts, green onions, and garlic in your food processor. Add the spinach and continue to pulse. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. If you have time, chill the dip in the fridge until you need it so that the flavours blend well.

Nutritionals include a portion of baby carrots, cucumbers, and sliced bell peppers as well! It's a fun snack to munch on while you're busy with other things, plus it helps get those veggies in!

Snack Summary: 80 calories, 2.5g fat, 9g carbs, 5g protein

Lunch:

Brazilian Shrimp Moqueca:

8oz shrimp, peeled and tails removed (you can also use chicken, or tofu to make it vegan!)
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 green zucchini, cut into half moons
2 Roma tomatoes
12 oz butternut squash, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
2 tsp olive oil
garlic, red pepper, paprika, salt, & pepper, to taste
fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)

Medium dice the tomatoes. If you have a food processor, run your butternut squash through it to make "rice". If not, cut into small chunks.

In a medium pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil, and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until zucchini is beginning to soften. Add the coconut milk, raw shrimp, and spices, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until sauce has thickened well.

In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the butternut squash and cook over low heat until beginning to brown. If you made your squash into rice, this will stick very easily with this small amount of oil, so don't leave it unattended and stir frequently. I cooked mine over low for ten minutes until it started to brown, and then added pepper.

Divide the "rice" and moqueca between two plates and serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Take a bite and marvel at the amount of flavour in this meal for the amount of calories!

Keep in mind, we aren't trying to eliminate carbs- what we're trying to do during plateau breaking is to switch to lower glycemic versions of our usual carb options. There's nothing wrong with having brown rice with this meal, but since we are trying to kick the scale into moving again, the butternut squash will help with that since your body will process it differently. You could use cauliflower rice to make it lower carb, but then you won't have starch with the meal and I don't believe in eliminating a food group. 

Lunch Summary: 306 calories, 13.6g fat, 8g carbs, 20g protein

Afternoon Snack:

Stuffed Hasselbeck Tomatoes:

2 fresh Roma tomatoes, whole
1 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
6 fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sundried tomato pesto

Wash your tomatoes thoroughly, and slice the top end off where the stem was. Slice your mozzarella cheese into 6 thin slices, and brush each with the sundried tomato pesto. Tear each basil leaf in half.

Turn your tomato sideways, and make three cuts evenly spaced through the tomato but do not cut all the way through! Repeat with the second tomato. In each of the little "pockets", place a slice of cheese and a basil leaf. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar over each tomato, and enjoy!

Try some variations! Do you prefer your tomatoes cooked? Bake it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and enjoy the cheese all gooey and melted. Are you a BLT fan? Take a combination of turkey bacon and cheddar cheese and stuff your tomatoes with that! How about using ham & Swiss cheese to make a tomato melt?

Snack Summary: 103 calories, 7g fat, 4.5g carbs, 7.5g protein

Dinner:

Reducing simple carbs doesn't have to mean that we miss out on delicious meals, nor does going lower calorie for the occasional day! While both beans and sweet potatoes are carbohydrates, they are both low glycemic index and so get processed differently by your body and won't cause blood sugar spikes.

Sweet Potato Nachos:

400g sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4" rounds

1 cup black beans

60g shredded mozza-cheddar cheese blend

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup tomato salsa

2oz plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp dry ranch powder

1/2 avocado, cubed

1 tbsp lime juice

6g chili powder

4g ground cumin

4g garlic powder

2g dried oregano

Sprinkle the sweet potato rounds with salt and pepper, and layer them in your air fryer basket (this recipe works best in an air fryer but you can also use a conventional oven, you just need to flip them halfway through). Bake for 20-25 minutes at 450 degrees.

While potatoes are baking, heat a large nonstick pan and add a little Pam spray. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and oregano, and allow the spices to toast. Stir in the black beans in their liquid, the crushed tomatoes, and half the salsa. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer for about ten minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

In a small bowl, combine the avocado cubes and diced tomatoes. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. 

In another small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the dry ranch powder until well blended. Add a tbsp of water to thin out the sauce.

When the sweet potatoes are done, set your oven to high broil. Sprinkle half the cheese on top and broil until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.

Plate your dish, topping the sweet potato nachos with the black bean mixture, the tomato-avocado salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese. Serve the Ranch dip and salsa on the side for dipping or drizzling! This recipe serves four portions. If you have leftovers and want to reheat it, just keep the sweet potatoes separate from the other ingredients so they can reheat without getting mushy, and then top them once all ingredients are hot. 

Dinner Summary: 284 calories, 9g fat, 38.5g carbs, 13g protein

Dessert:

Cottage cheese ice cream has been taking the internet by storm, so I figured I'd give it a try! It's so straightforward and is high in protein.

2 cups cottage cheese

1 banana, frozen

Put your cottage cheese to a blender until smooth and creamy. Add the banana until well blended. Transfer your ice cream mixture into a loaf pan and cover completely. Freeze for at least one hour before scooping.

The nice thing about how simple and straightforward this recipe is, is that you can make it your own with mixins. While I wouldn't suggest adding crushed Oreos or candies when we're focused on breaking a plateau, you could add some chopped fruit, and on a higher calorie day perhaps some crushed nuts.

Makes four servings.

Dessert Summary: 136 calories, 5g fat, 9g carbs, 14.5g protein

Daily Total: 1129 calories, 48g fat, 79g of carbs, 80g protein

While I don't normally recommend going below 1200 on a regular basis, for the occasional day it's not a problem, especially while doing calorie cycling. I wouldn't do it often, though. Hope you found this plateau breaking full day meal plan helpful! Let me know if you tried it!

Calories: Are You Eating Enough?

Since we've all been raised on calories in- calories out for the longest time, it's not surprising that a really common trope in weight loss is that if you eat less, you'll lose more weight. This obviously is an immediate discounting of other issues that can make it harder to lose, such as insulin resistance or other hormonal imbalances, but it can be even more damaging for the people it actually seems to work for.

Especially with Ozempic, where on some days it really can be a struggle to eat, either because you don't feel hungry or if you're having severe side effects, it might feel like a good thing if you're only eating 800 calories and not hungry, right?

Having the occasional day where you're very low isn't a big deal, any more than the occasional day where you go high is. Life is about balance, and sometimes we hit those extremes. That being said though, don't be afraid to eat a reasonable number of calories. Lower is most definitely not always better! Your body needs food so that it runs properly, and continually shortchanging it will open you up to health issues just as similarly as eating too much food does. I'd recommend giving this article a look, as it discusses the effects of eating too few calories and how to calculate your personal caloric needs.

Personally, I tend to calorie cycle between 1200-1700 calories, but aiming more for the high end since I do exercise 5-6 days a week now. However, as I lose weight, my basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced, so I'll either need to increase activity or lower my intake to stay in a calorie deficit. I've lost half the weight I want to lose, and so my BMR has reduced accordingly. When I started working on my health back in April 2022, my BMR at my high weight was 2084 calories; that's how many I burned just through body systems even if I lay in bed all day. Any activity calories I burned would be in addition to that. At my current weight (and one year older!), my BMR is 1785 calories. So you can see that is a really big difference! I have to burn an extra 300 calories a day just to keep up, or else decrease my food intake. 

Since I want to lose an average of 2 pounds per week, that's a 1000 calorie deficit I'm aiming for on a daily basis (3500 calories is one pound). I could simply eat an average of 1285 calories per day and I would be in deficit to lose one pound per week (going below 1200 calories isn't recommended for health reasons), or I can keep working out and eat more food, and create that extra deficit! While I have days I don't really feel like eating, in general, I'd like to have the option of eating more if that's what I'm feeling like! Additionally, 1285 is too low to calorie cycle in a healthy way, because it is generally recommended not to go below 1200 calories on a regular basis; that's a minimum threshold for women to keep their systems healthy and functional. If you aren't familiar with calorie cycling, that's when instead of eating say 1500 calories every day, it means on Sunday you might eat 1200, Monday you'd eat 1350, Tuesday you'd eat 1500, Wednesday you'd eat 1185, etc and so on. Keeping the calories changed up also keeps your metabolism burning, which is why it's also recommended when you hit a plateau to do some calorie cycling.

Back to the original premise of how it is so important to make sure you're eating enough to fuel your body. Again, I wouldn't worry if you have the odd day when you're really low, but if you're just choosing not to eat because you're not hungry and you're also not hitting 1200 calories as a minimum, I would recommend in my non medical opinion that you make some changes. There are easy ways to give your daily calories a healthy boost that won't leave you feeling overstuffed or eating when you don't want to. 

The first and easiest is olive oil; just spray a little on your food in the air fryer, or when you're pan frying your meal. Make yourself a homemade salad dressing with oil and balsamic vinegar if you like! Not sure I'd recommend the new Starbucks trend of having it in your coffee but hey if it works for you, go for it! One tablespoon of olive oil is 140 calories, so it can give your calories a bit of a boost without feeling like you're eating more.

How about sneaking a little avocado on your toast or into your salad? Half an avocado is 161 calories, and it's also going to add some healthy fats to your diet (which is great for your hair and skin as well!).

Cheese is another good choice that can be a very small portion for a good calorie boost. They vary, but one ounce of cheese is anywhere from 80-130 calories and also includes some protein, too.

What's your go-to snack on days when you're running low calorie?

Week 19 Weigh In!

Well, I'm disappointed because of course I am, but not particularly surprised. That was a LOT of weight that came off last week so a dead cat bounce feels pretty appropriate.

It's okay to be disappointed when things like this happen- but don't be disappointed in yourself. I didn't eat an additional 7000+ calories last week so it's not like I gained two pounds of fat. It's just my body adjusting, which is normal for it to do. Weight loss isn't linear. You can eat perfectly and exercise and maintain your calorie deficit and you're still going to have weeks where you gain, plateau weeks, and more. Weight gain can come from so many places that are outside of your control- it could be your cycle if you're a woman, water retention if you've been exercising or from sodium, lack of sleep which apparently plays quite a big role in our metabolisms, constipation... the list just goes on.

Just keep plugging away and doing what you're doing, and the weight will come back off. And remind yourself that losing slowly is HEALTHY! Losing weight too quickly is linked to issues such as hair loss, gallstones, and other uncomfortable issues along with the nasty side effect of slowing your metabolism which makes it harder to lose in the future and much more likely to regain. As long as you're losing 1-2lbs per week on average, you're doing great!

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

OZ Week 13 loss: 2.6lbs

OZ Week 14 loss: 1.6lbs

OZ Week 15 loss: 0.4lbs (took booster dose halfway through the week, so 0.25mg + 0.33mg)

OZ Week 16 loss: 4lbs  raised dose to 0.38mg

OZ Week 17 loss: 0.6lbs

OZ Week 18 loss: 5.6lbs

OZ Week 19 gain: 2.4lbs

Total loss on Ozempic so far: 33.2lbs

Dealing with Emotional Eating

 One of the things I find really helpful about Ozempic is that it gives me the space to start looking at and unpacking my issues around food. Sometimes, issues I didn't even know I had.

This past week, I thought to myself that I would be happy if I was never hungry again. It took one of my friends pointing out how disordered that line of thought is. Of course it's healthy to be hungry! It's normal to have your metabolism kick in and remind you it needs fuel, or to have a specific craving when your stomach starts to rumble. It would be abnormal not to!

I feel like the wiring in my brain has gotten so wonky over the years that I may not correctly identify hunger at all anymore. I think that possibly the feeling I name hunger is actually feeling starving. I don't usually have (pre Ozempic) a rumble in my stomach that makes me feel like, "oh, I could eat"- but instead mine tended to be much more intense and carry a sense of urgency to eat something quickly. This would often lead to me grabbing convenience food or quick snacks.

Now, that being said, I have always had issues with hypoglycemia where if I ignored being hungry for too long, I'd start to get a headache and nauseous, and while it would go away for a while if I ate, it would generally come back later as a painful reminder that I really do need to pay more attention to my body.

While I've been taking Ozempic, I've had two episodes of hypoglycemia where I forgot to eat and didn't notice because I wasn't hungry. It's not something that I consider to be an issue with the medication, since it's been part of my life before. However, it's definitely created an awareness for me that I need to pay attention to my body's cues other than hunger as a reminder that I need to eat- or failing that, even to keep an eye on the clock to continue to eat my three small meals a day plus two snacks. It's also why I make a point of saying that it's important to eat enough to fuel your body and not only eat when you think you're hungry, because I may not be the only one who has a disordered concept of hunger, satiety, and all the other cues that go along with eating. 

Taking a step back from our past perceptions can give us the opportunity to try and build healthier habits around eating. Do I really want never to be hungry again? No, I don't. What I was really feeling is fear of reverting to my old patterns. I don't want to feel that sense of lack of control that when I'm starving that I can't make good decisions about food anymore. I don't want to feel that intense sense of urgency that I'm eating to stuff my face instead of eating both for enjoyment and for fuel.

I like that Ozempic has given me the opportunity to take a step back from those abnormally intense hunger pangs that I suspect are part of my faulty brain chemistry issues. And I hope that over time, I learn how to manage and welcome normal feelings of hunger, and create healthier patterns. I'm not in this just to reach a healthy body weight and to deal with my diabetes and other health issues, but to develop a better relationship to food.

Obesity isn't like many other emotional coping mechanisms- we can't just stop eating because we have issues with food. We are going to face these choices every day for the rest of our lives. It's not realistic to assume we will never eat the things we love again. What we need to do is to find a way to change the way we eat, and the way we think about eating, so we can find a good balance for ourselves.

Exercise Update

 So in a lot of ways, keeping this blog has been really good for me. I know my journey has been long- a lot longer than I wanted it to be. That being said, kudos to me for getting close to my goal weight in 2010, and then maintaining it for six years. I never quite got all the way down, but close enough for a game of horseshoes.

And you never really finish a weight loss journey, because at the end of the day, we all still have to eat, and that means making conscious choices forever. While I never want to end up back where I started this year or even where I am now, I give myself grace and remember that the most important step is not the first one or the last one, but the NEXT one.

While writing here is good for me simply to articulate what's going on in my head, not to mention how it helps me to know that people are reading (which helps keep me accountable), it also helps me to look back at my journey and see what has tripped me up before so that I can learn from my mistakes. 

I note that I have tried several times over the years to get started and maintain an exercise program, and I've never quite been able to. There is always something that comes up to trip my eagerly laid plans and somehow I don't pick it back up again. I don't want that to happen again this time.

Exercise is not only important for weight loss, but it's really good for blood sugar levels. It's been proven to lower blood sugar levels and have a continuing effect. And since I would really rather deal with my diabetes before it progresses to requiring insulin, that means I've got to exercise whether I like it or not. Honestly, I don't. I know lots of people do, but it's not something that has ever made me happy or felt like I had more energy. I will just try to look at it as regular maintenance like I'm a complex machine, which after all isn't that far from the truth, is it?

So I'm not making a New Year's resolution about exercise; I'm making a plan. When I read back in my blog, I can see that I attempted the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Slimdown several times, but never got past week one. I have been managing to walk every day since I got my new fitness tracker in November (with the exception of 3 days over Christmas), and I'm starting to do workouts with a friend (which will hopefully also keep me accountable there). Once I get my stamina up a little bit, I want to finally finish that program. Because I can do it if it matters to me, and it does.

Here is how I plan to do it (always have measurable ways to achieve your plan!):

1) Work out with a friend. It's so much harder to make excuses if you have to make them to someone else! 

2) Figure out where I went wrong in the past. I can see in the past that my fatigue issues made me give up way too easily, where I can make changes now instead. If I'm tired, choose a less strenuous workout- not no workout at all. Also, I got discouraged easily because I tend to gain weight when I start working out, and that made me give up. The scale isn't the only indicator of how your body changes! While I didn't take measurements, I recognize that getting stronger and fitter is at least as important as changes on the scale. And if I keep going forward, I will eventually see that drop on the scale.

3) Plan in advance for the days where exercise makes you hungry. While it's not a great idea to eat all of the calories you burn (and with Ozempic you likely wouldn't be able to anyway!) there will be days where you're hungrier than usual. I have lots of great recipes in my blog that are high protein and high satiety. I definitely recommend my Egg Drop Soup, for example!

4) Follow the Readiness cues on my workout app to make sure that my body can handle the type of workout I'm looking at. There's no sense in pushing so hard that I hurt myself; which will lead to fewer workouts anyway!

One day at a time... I wonder how long to make this feel like a habit?

Dealing with Underlying Issues

 So one of the things I've seen written about on the Ozempic Facebook groups is that using the medication means we aren't dealing with our underlying issues. How can we deal with the whys of gaining weight if we aren't hungry?

Well, I got a lovely object lesson in this yesterday, so I wanted to share my thoughts. We all have our own unhealthy patterns that have contributed to us weighing more than we'd like, and ultimately if we don't work on those, we're going to end up right back where we started.

Yesterday I had a very stressful situation arise, and I started to follow my normal pattern. I was too upset to eat dinner on time, and then found myself feeling like I needed to eat but I no longer had the energy to make something. So, I followed my usual pattern of ordering takeout. 

That being said, I still made better choices than I might have in the past- I ordered a sub and it was relatively healthy, clocking in at 680 calories and loaded with veggies (except lettuce which apparently has become a luxury item!). I did eat the whole thing though, even though I felt like I had enough after eating half, and I'm not proud of that.

The key moment though was that I wanted dessert after eating my sub. Normally this would be the start of a binge for me. So I said to myself, okay- what do I want? There is a lot of junk food in my house right now with Christmas coming. Several kinds of cookies, glazed nuts, various types of chocolate and candy. I thought about all of them and pictured myself eating them.

Do you know what I realized? My body didn't actually want them. None of them really sounded appealing after all- the pull was all mental. Ozempic helped me separate those two and realize that if I didn't actually want it, it wasn't going to be satisfying. I was just going to repeat the pattern of eating something I didn't really want and then probably wouldn't feel good afterwards, either physically, mentally, or both. I think that would have been a much more difficult realization without the help of Ozempic, and it would have taken willpower to get past the craving when it was really not necessary. Willpower works when we choose to fight ourselves on things we actually want; we shouldn't have to use it on the ones that we really don't. Especially when willpower fatigue is a thing.

Side effects or no side effects, I'm starting to feel like Ozempic is a wonderful tool that is giving me the space and distance to work on myself and solve my issues with weight. And that's what I'm hoping to take forward when I'm off the medication one day in the future.

Mid Week Check-in!

 So this week, I injected my 0.25mg dose into my thigh. I was curious to find if it was different than week one, where I injected into my stomach. While I didn't really have any side effects this week and very minimal last week, I found so far that I felt that the medication worked better when I injected it into my stomach, and I plan to return to that. 

While I still found myself getting full sooner, I didn't "notice" the medication as much and I had to pay closer attention to finding the right stopping point while I'm eating. At least at the beginning of my Ozempic journey, I do like feeling that very clear signal when I should stop eating, because I feel like that will help me learn that point on my own.

I have been wondering for a while now if what I think of as "full" is actually what a person without food issues would think of as "stuffed". Because if I was eating something delicious, of course I'd want to keep eating it until I was full. I mean, it was delicious, right? I don't think I was able to enjoy the portion I had without at least thinking wistfully of more, if I still had "room". This week, I bought myself a Lindt white chocolate bar with caramelized almonds. It had ten squares, each square being 90 calories. Before Ozempic, I probably would have polished off at least half the bar at once, possibly the whole thing. I mean, who eats a chocolate bar in servings? This week, I ate one square in little bites, enjoyed every bite, and didn't feel the need to eat a second square; I got the pleasure and enjoyment without the push to eat more of it. That feeling is amazing, and that's what I think will help keep the weight off long term; if I learn to enjoy food without craving more. I hope my time on Ozempic will help with that.

I've read a lot of posts about people no longer being able to enjoy certain foods, and I haven't experienced any of that to date. I'm not eating large portions of anything (and I'm counting calories so I know exactly how much I'm eating), but I've had lots of things that could be considered treats. One day I had homemade pizza, and I used to eat 3-4 slices. On Ozempic, I had one slice and wanted a second one but figured two would be too much so I asked for a half slice and found that I actually only wanted another couple of bites and didn't finish the half slice. I've had a very small bowl of ice cream (1/4 cup). I've had chocolate, wine, melted cheese... no negative reactions thankfully. So don't assume that you'll have to give up or stop eating your favourite foods, because so far, I haven't.

On Friday last week, I noticed the medication wearing off a bit in the sense of appetite control, and I did find myself hungrier on the weekends. Last week I was around 1500 calories on the weekend and closer to 1100-1200 during the week. Since calorie cycling can be a good thing for your metabolism, I didn't really worry about it.

Looking forward to stepping on the scale on Monday- I've committed to only weighing myself once a week so that I don't fuss about the perfectly normal up and down fluctuations. Hopefully I continue to have good results, but if nothing else, this new pattern of eating smaller meals more often is likely much better for my blood sugar and hopefully will teach me healthier patterns, and that's a win regardless.

The Most Important Step

If someone asked you what the most important step is when achieving a goal, what would you say? I think that most people's default answer would be the first one. That's when you gear up and decide to make a change, right? Or maybe a few would answer the last one, since that's when you actually achieve your goal. Hold that thought for a few minutes and consider your own response.

So as at least some of you know, I have a chronic illness and some physical health conditions that make it very difficult for me to exercise regularly. Nutrisystem recommends that we all get 30 minutes of activity daily, and that's built into our calorie allotment already (but you do not remove food if you don't exercise- make sure you know that!).

I try to go for a walk at least three times a week if I can, but over the last few weeks it's been difficult to do even that. Today, I woke up and had a little more energy, but it's nearly 30 degrees outside plus humidity- not exactly the best weather for a walk. Then I couldn't find my running shoes. But, I was determined to go out today.

And I did! It wasn't easy and I was exhausted when I made it back home, but every step felt like a tiny victory.

Making that first step to lose weight isn't easy. All of us can let a few pounds creep on over time, but if you've gotten seriously overweight there is nearly always some kind of emotional complication that is making it harder for us to get started at getting healthier. So if you've made that decision to start your weight loss journey, be proud of yourself; don't wait for that last step to decide you should be happy with your accomplishments.

Am I in that camp of thinking the first step is the most important? No. It doesn't matter if you are walking up a gentle slope or if you're starting to climb Mount Everest, if you only take one step and then stop, you will never get anywhere. The first step is a great start- but the most important step? It's always the next one.

Weight loss isn't a finite journey, where we make the decision once and then it's over. If that was true, people would never regain the weight. And with the five year statistics for weight loss at a dismal 5% of dieters actually keeping the weight off, it's important to remember that this choice to get our bodies healthy is a choice we are going to have to make every single day, every single meal. Not that we still can't mindfully enjoy ourselves, but always keeping that ultimate goal in mind so getting right back on the plan after our deviations.

Don't expect yourself to suddenly hate all your old favourite fattening foods, or to jump off that couch and immediately run a marathon. The pounds won't melt off that quickly either, if you're losing weight in a healthy way. But be proud of yourself for every little accomplishment along the way. My walk today is nothing compared to some people's exercise routines; I couldn't jog or run, and I was only out for half an hour. But that's 30 minutes of exercise I wouldn't have had otherwise.

So far today I have walked 5,183 steps, and I'm proud of every single one of them. But the most important step? Always the next one. Keep going- you got this!

It's Not (Just) About The Calories

So much diet advice makes weight loss sound easy. It's just calories in, calories out, right?

But we all know that it's not. Even when you are running a calorie deficit, the scale might not always move right away. Bodies aren't linear, so even if you know exactly how many calories you are burning and taking in (and devices like Fitbits aren't the most accurate!), you're not generally going to see that exact number reflected on the scale. Why?

There has been a significant amount of research done into the way that people's bodies metabolize the same foods differently. It's one of the reasons why there is no one weight loss plan or diet that will work for everyone. Some people need to do lower carb, or lower fat, or lower protein to have their bodies burn calories more efficiently. In addition, age and hormone levels can really change the way your body metabolizes food, as well as your basal metabolic rate.

One of the reasons that the Nutrisystem program is generally so successful without having to reduce or eliminate a food group, is that it's a low glycemic program. That means that the food you eat isn't creating blood sugar spikes, which is much healthier for your body. And it's why the program, while having a general goal for caloric intake, isn't really about the calories.

Sure, you could eat 1200 calories per day of Twinkies and probably lose weight, but you wouldn't be very healthy. Would you claim that the Twinkie diet was working for you? Not to mention that as soon as you started eating normal food again, you'd regain even at a lower calorie level because your body would be expecting those massive sugar spikes, not getting them, and hold onto what it gets instead of burning it.

I see so many people focused very intently on how many calories they are eating per day, and to some extent, that makes sense. We do want to stay within a range that is healthy for our individual bodies. But choosing to simply eat anything that is within our calorie range without considering the macronutrients and the glycemic value is not going to produce the same results long term. If you're only looking at calories, then you're not following the Nutrisystem program correctly.

So make sure you don't skip any of the add ins on your program. It's not okay to skip your SmartCarbs because you feel like you're eating enough fiber, or not to eat a snack because you think that lowering your calories further will produce more weight loss (hint: it won't). Likewise, don't add something to bring up your calories- if you have eaten all your portions and they fit into the program requirements, you're finished unless you want some more non starchy vegetables. It's okay to have caloric fluctuation. Some days you will be over the target on Numi, and some days you will be under. Both are okay- it evens out in the long run.

Follow your program, choose appropriate add ins when they are called for, and trust the program- it works!

My Pantry Staples

Supposedly Benjamin Franklin said, "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail." I don't know for sure if the quote is his, but who am I to argue with a $100 bill? ;)

Certainly, though, the easiest way to succeed at weight loss is by planning. It's when we fly by the seat of our pants that it's easy to fall back into our old, unhealthy patterns. Remember that it takes time to build new patterns to support the changes you're making in your life! Until then, take the few extra steps to plan out what you're going to eat and what you need to have on hand. It's worth the time investment! Nutrisystem helps by giving us the basic meals, but we need to have those healthy add ins ready to go! The easier you make the program, the more likely you'll be able to follow it.

First of all, identify anything that's your kryptonite. We all have some. What food absolutely can't be in your house otherwise you'll binge eat it or just can't stop nibbling at it? Mine is good quality chocolate. Fortunately, Nutrisystem does have pretty good chocolate bars, but I won't binge on those. If I have a bar of good chocolate in my nightstand, though- that's not going to be there long, and it's not going to help me succeed! So I don't buy things like that anymore.

So what should we be stocking our kitchens with, if we want to plan for success? I thought I'd share my tips for grocery and pantry items to give you some ideas while you find what works well for you. If you want to skip the long post and just have a quick look at my healthy pantry items shopping list on Amazon, that's right here! If you want to send me something off my list to support my journey, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Proteins:
Probably my favourite Powerfuel is Greek yogurt. It's loaded with protein, so it's filling, and it's so versatile. I can either buy it in different flavours and so keep changing it up, or I can buy it plain and cook with it or make dip with it. It makes it easy not to fall into a rut.

I also keep bags of preshredded cheese in my fridge. It makes it easy and convenient to measure out one serving of cheese, and when it's shredded, it looks and feels like you're getting a whole lot more compared to cutting slices. Cottage cheese and ricotta cheese are great choices as well, and they add really well to the pasta dishes if you save a Powerfuel for dinner.

Maple Leaf Ready Crisp bacon is another item I keep around. It's actually shelf stable until you open the package, it's real bacon, and it's only 30 calories per slice (or per tbsp, if you buy the bacon bits instead of slices). You can either use it as an extra, or a full or partial Powerfuel (BLT, anyone?). Bacon just perks up so many different recipes; stir it into your macaroni and cheese for some smoky flavour, or add it to the Loaded Potato with green onions. It's versatile, delicious, and will make you feel like you're not on a diet. I personally can't stand turkey bacon and why eat it when I can have the real thing?

I always keep tins of crabmeat and tuna in my cupboard as well. They make great Powerfuels (just make sure you check how much of a tin fits the guidelines) and flex lunches. I love crabmeat and have made several recipes with it- it's definitely a go-to for me.

I try and keep lots of lean proteins around as well. While I love dairy, it's better not to always use dairy as your protein because it does tend to be lower in protein than meat or meat substitutes. So my freezer will have individually portioned and frozen packages of fish, lean ground turkey or chicken, and veggie dogs. I also like to make my own meatballs and freeze them, for serving with pasta or on meatball sandwiches. Hard boiled eggs make great proteins as well, or I can fry them up in Pam spray and put them on the Nutrisystem 5 Seed Roll or the Honey Wheat Bagel. I do also like the Burnbrae Farms Egg Bakes, which means I can have a great breakfast ready in 90 seconds. I think they are much tastier than the Nutrisystem breakfast sandwiches, personally.

PB2 is another great Protein option to keep around, as it's much lower in fat than regular peanut butter and still tastes delicious.

Keep in mind you can also use the Nutrisystem Sweet & Tangy Meat Stick as a Powerfuel serving, as it fits the requirements (which makes it an odd snack, since a snack is supposed to be 1 PF + 1 SC, but there it is). I really like this if I'm looking for portable Proteins.

I don't personally like drinking my calories, so I am not a fan of the Nutrisystem shakes or any of the others. I know some people love them- my mother orders them every month. They're just not to my taste.

Low Glycemic Carbs:
I try to use fruit as frequently as possible for my SmartCarb servings, because they are much more nutritious choices than using grain products. I love berries in my yogurt, and many of my breakfast recipes include fruit. Just keep in mind portion sizes, because I have noticed people tend to shortchange themselves on fruit. Fruit is very low calorie, so make sure you enjoy it!

I also keep tinned beans and corn, for days where I want to make something like my Southwest Salad. Starchy vegetables (or proteins in the case of beans) are a great choice for SmartCarbs as they tend to be far more nutritious than grain products. I love butternut squash for example, and use it in a variety of different recipes. Sweet potatoes are delicious, too.

I keep Flatout flatbreads in the house to use when I do want a grain product. I like to make a huge wrap with the Nutrisystem BBQ Seasoned Chicken entrée (don't forget that you are required to add a SmartCarb to this meal as part of the entree!). I also sometimes like the Foldits as an occasional treat to make a sandwich with deli meat for my afternoon snack.

For flex breakfasts, I will sometimes buy the Thomas Bagel Thins or President's Choice Blue Menu bagels. I love them with PB2, or else with smoked salmon and a dab of cream cheese.

I don't like bread as much as wraps or bagels, but when I want to have something special like my Clubhouse Sandwich, I buy the Sara Lee Delights 45 calorie bread slices.

I don't often buy crackers because they're one of my trigger foods and I find them less than satisfying, but I know a lot of people do enjoy using crackers as a SmartCarb (as long as they're low glycemic and have fiber in them) along with cheese or deli meat or PB2 or something similar.

Whole wheat pasta is also a great choice, you just have to be very careful of serving size. I have a food scale in the kitchen and always weigh it out dry before I boil it to be sure I'm eating the correct portion. I like Catelli Smart pasta. They do make some fantastic high protein pastas, but they are incredibly expensive and don't fit into my grocery budget, unfortunately. If you have a chance to get those, I would definitely recommend them as long as they fit in terms of calories- just make sure to keep an eye on the portion because the "recommended" pasta portion is always far too large to be Nutrisystem compliant.

Complete Snacks:
When I need an on the go snack, I like the Sargento Balanced Breaks. I have always loved tapas style food so I can try little bits of everything, and these are perfect for that.

Don't forget that you can use a Nutrisystem snack, breakfast, or lunch as a complete snack of 1 Powerfuel + 1 Smartcarb- if you need a little extra convenience and don't want to shop for all your own snacks, it might be helpful to order some extra food a la carte. On those really hungry days, I sometimes like to have two melts for lunch- combining lunch and afternoon snack. Or at tea time, I might like to have one of the breakfast pastries or biscotti. It fits just fine in the program as long as you don't mind ordering extra meals, otherwise you would run out sooner.


Free foods & Extras:
Seasonings and sauces are so important to make your food really taste good! I don't enjoy bland food, so it's important to know program compliant ways to personalize your meals to your own palate. While we can't add salt, I think you'll find that there are lots of free (or low calorie extra) ways to spice things up!

I grow my own fresh herbs. It really is amazing how much flavour you can add to the red pasta meals by adding a little shredded fresh basil, for example. Or say, ginger in the Spicy Kung Pao Noodles, or the Sesame Ginger Chicken.

Salsa is great, too. I use it as salad dressing at times- it's flavourful and goes so well with fresh vegetables, especially if I am pairing it with something like a Southwest salad. I do love tomatoes as flavouring and I like using canned Aylmer Accents as vegetable servings in several of my recipes.

Hot sauce is another freebie, as is balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice. Again, all great ways to add flavour without adding too many calories. I also like sauteeing my vegetables in chicken broth instead of fats.

I do keep Pam spray around for some cooking, but you have to be careful with it. While the label often says zero calories, very few people are using a serving small enough to be considered a free food.

I do also like to use "real" fat servings in my cooking, sometimes. I will use 1 tsp olive oil to drizzle on my air fried vegetables, or 1 tsp real butter on my bagel. As long as you're careful to measure your serving and you count it as an extra, there is nothing wrong with doing this.

I will also use real maple syrup for some of the breakfast entrees, again, as long as you measure your serving and count it as an extra. The sugarfree stuff just isn't worth it to me. I can't stand the Walden Farms products myself, although I know that some people love them.

My fridge will always have a low calorie BBQ sauce as well (Kraft makes a 20 calorie one) because I like to use that as an extra to cook my vegetables in occasionally, like with the BBQ Seasoned Chicken. And of course I keep low calorie salad dressing on hand as well in various flavours. I generally choose the Kraft light dressings. If you aren't sodium sensitive, soy sauce can be a great flavouring agent as well. Honey mustard can be a delicious condiment as well and livens up the Nutrisystem Grilled Chicken Sandwich!

So play around with your free foods and extras- I think you'll be amazed at how different you can make the same Nutrisystem entrée taste if you try!

And don't forget to keep your favourite nonstarchy vegetables on hand! There are so many different ways to prepare veggies that even if you aren't a big fan, you will likely find some way you enjoy them, whether that's in soup, roasted, sautéed, or just crunched raw with some dip. Cauliflower is enjoying a huge rise in popularity right now, and while I don't think that it's quite as good of a substitute as some people think it is, I do find that it's great to bulk up some of the rice dishes or potato entrees. I also love eggplant, and I've made some amazing recipes with it. Zucchini is one of my favourite veggies as well, and I love it lots of different ways. And of course, don't forget onions- one of the most flavourful veggies and also occasionally a treat!

So don't forget, once you've started your program, to make a plan for what kinds of staples you will want to keep in the house so that you always have something program compliant available. Don't grab for the full fat mayonnaise because you don't have any other sandwich spread you like on hand, or find yourself with nothing you can use for a Powerfuel when you need one!

And of course, my most important kitchen recommendation? Extra Nutrisystem food. Don't leave yourself in a position where you're down to only entrees you don't particularly like, or that you've run out of food and you have no choice but to flex. I think that it will definitely make you more likely to succeed if you've always got at least an extra week of food on hand. Then you'll always have at least a few choices, and if you had planned to flex but you're tired and just want to grab and go, you'll be OK and stay right on track!

What are your favourite pantry staples?

Frequently Asked Questions

So, you've just started the program and you want to make it work for you? Or you've been around for a little while and still have some questions? These are ones I see posted over and over on the Nutrisystem Facebook groups, so you aren't alone! Hopefully these answers can give you a little more help!

Don't forget to start with my Tips for Newbies, if you haven't read that page yet!

#1- Does anyone stay on Fresh Start/Fast Five longer than one week, or do it over again? Or I'm not hungry, do I have to eat all my portions?

While it sounds like it makes sense- after all, doesn't fewer calories mean more weight loss? This is definitely a bad choice. If you reduce calories too much, you are essentially sabotaging your metabolism and while you will lose weight more quickly short term, any longer than that and you will start to lose more slowly or even plateau. And when you finally do start eating more appropriately, your body won't metabolize the energy quickly enough and you will start gaining much more easily! Nutrisystem does not recommend doing Fresh Start more frequently than every six months.

The program is designed the way it is for a reason, please don't second guess it. It's very important to eat all your entrees and add ins. While you can move them around any way during your day that works best for you, it's important to get them all in.

#2- Why am I losing weight so slowly? I've only lost 9lbs in 3 weeks!

First things first- that is a GREAT weight loss! Healthy weight loss is only 1-2lbs per week. While I know we'd all like to see huge results and we've been conditioned by shows like the Biggest Loser to think that it must be normal to lose 5 or 10lbs per week, it's not normal, nor is it realistic. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of contestants on that show yo-yo back up to their original weight or higher!

The research has shown that the slower you lose your weight, the more likely you are to keep it off long term. Fad diets and quick loss programs aren't healthy and even if they work short term will not work over time. Remember, you didn't gain it overnight, either! As long as you're in the healthy loss range, you are doing fine, keep it up!

#3- I lost a lot of weight during Fresh Start week, but I didn't lose any week #2 or maybe I even gained some back. I am following program, what am I doing wrong?

Well, the first thing to do is to make sure you are in fact following the program correctly. Have you read about how to add in your Smartcarbs and Powerfuels? There are articles posted on my Tips for Newbies page. Are you eating all your add ins correctly for your personal weight loss program? Are you getting in 4 servings of non starchy veggies and at least 64oz of water? If not, you're not in fact following the program and you'll need to adjust your habits because the rules are there for a reason.

If you are following the program correctly, then keep in mind that you likely just had a big loss the first week and now your body is adjusting. It's very common for people with large week 1 losses to have very little loss for the next week or even two. Don't worry; keep doing what you're doing and the weight will start coming off again! It's way too early for a plateau, so don't even worry about that.

#4- I'm on Fresh Start. Can I add fruit to my shake? 

Fresh Start/Fast Five has very specific rules. Unless you have more than 100lbs to lose, in which case you will have some extra add ins, you only eat what comes in your Fresh Start box, plus 4 servings of nonstarchy veggies, and anything an entrée specifically calls for like the milk for the cereal or the roll for the bbq chicken.

So no, unfortunately you cannot add fruit to your shake during Fresh Start week. After the first week, you can do so, but fruit is not free. You'll need to measure it and it uses a SmartCarb serving.

#5- I'm on Fresh Start, and Numi says I get 1000 calories. I am only at 750, should I eat something else?

Unless you have 100lbs or more to lose in which case your Numi will be set differently for Fresh Start, you only follow the rules for Fresh Start. Remember again that veggie calories are not counted but you're still eating them.

So no, you do not add any additional foods, and you're not missing anything if you've had breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and your shake.

Nutrisystem is not a calorie counting program in general. We only use calories to calculate if an item is an appropriate choice for an add in, so don't get caught up in calorie counting. It's more important to have eaten all your portions than to hit that calorie range (and no one hits 1000 during Fresh Start anyway). So once you've eaten all the food for your day, you can either eat non starchy veggies, or drink water.

Yes, it's a tough week, but remember it's only one week! Think of how much easier next week will be when you can add those Powerfuels and SmartCarbs!

#6- Do I have to add something when the entrée package calls for it, like milk to my cereal or the roll to my BBQ chicken?

As for the additions; if the entrée specifically calls for an addition on the package, you are required to add that serving. It's considered part of the entrée and the meal isn't complete without it. In the case of cereal, you're required to add 1/2 Powerfuel. You don't have to use skim milk, you can use any 1/2 Powerfuel that you like. But that means the requirements for this are 40-60 calories and 2.5g of protein. And in the case of breakfast entrees, remember that this does NOT count as your add in, so if you are supposed to eat an add in with your breakfast then you still need to add that as well.

Keep in mind that milk substitutes like almond milk and the like will very likely not work in this case because they have too few calories and protein. While you could use them as an extra (under 35 calories total), then you would still need to add 1/2 Powerfuel to your breakfast.

Likewise with the BBQ chicken, the tuna salad, and the frozen omelettes. You don't have to specifically have a roll, but you must have a SmartCarb to complete the entrée. It doesn't count as a SmartCarb, it is considered part of the entrée. You can choose to have fruit, or a starchy veggie like sweet potatoes, but you do have to add one- you can't just throw it on cauliflower rice and call it a day.

#7- I don't like eating much in the morning, but I get hungry at night. Can I move my food around?

Yes, absolutely! You may eat your food in any order that you like that works for you. It's OK to combine things as long as you get all your portions in. Ideally, the plan is structured to eat six times per day to keep your blood sugars balanced, and that would be optimal. But for the days that doesn't work, go ahead and save a snack or PFs or even your breakfast entrée for later in the day if that works best for you. Just don't eat a SmartCarb serving by itself; it's important to pair them with Powerfuels to avoid blood sugar spikes.

#8- Can I order extra Nutrisystem snacks to use for my snacks?

Yes! As a matter of fact, breakfast, lunch, and snack entrees are all considered interchangeable, so you can use any of those for a snack you're supposed to flex that is considered 1 SmartCarb and 1 Powerfuel. So if you feel like having a gooey cinnamon bun for your afternoon snack at work with a coffee, go for it! If you're really hungry late at night and wanting something more substantial, go ahead and eat your favourite lunch entrée.

Just remember that the morning snack (unless you have 100+ lbs to lose or are a man) is just a Powerfuel, so you can't use a Nutrisystem snack then. But it's totally fine to use as your afternoon snack, so if you wanted to have 2 Nutrisystem snacks a day, go for it!

#9- Are (non starchy) veggies really unlimited?

According to the current program requirements, yes they are. Numi won't count veggie calories. Keep in mind though, that just because the program doesn't count those calories, they are high value calories, and realistically we didn't get fat eating vegetables- they still do have calories. If you are eating tons of vegetables each day and your loss starts to slow down, you might want to cut back. Personally, I could eat a 2lb bag of baby carrots every single day, and that's a whopping 324 calories! I still try to stick to the original guidelines of 4 servings of veggies per day, either 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked.

#10- Can I drink alcohol on the program? Should I skip food so that I don't go over on my calories?

Yes, you can- it's just something you need to balance out. Your body will switch out of weight loss mode and has to burn off the alcohol calories first, so it will definitely slow your weight loss down. That being said, we still have to live our lives and there's nothing wrong with having an occasional adult beverage. Your best choice would be to have something low calorie, like a glass of wine or a vodka spritzer- I'd recommend staying away from the heavy calorie laden drinks like frozen cocktails.

However, you definitely shouldn't skip food to "make more calories" for alcohol! Even the Nutrisystem snacks are not treats- they are mini meals loaded with protein and fiber. Skipping food will not be a good thing for your metabolism. So indulge in that drink if you like- just remember that it is empty calories.

#11- Can I cook my veggies in olive oil or butter? 

Yes, and no. I suspect most of us are used to having a free hand, especially since olive oil is considered a healthy fat. Unfortunately, Nutrisystem classifies fats as an extra. You can have up to three per day, with a maximum of 35 calories each.

So yes... you can have some, but only 1 teaspoon worth. That isn't very much, so make sure you measure it out. What I will often do is airfry my veggies and then drizzle the melted butter or oil on top so I don't lose the flavour. Or I'll saute them in chicken broth instead of oil. There are lots of creative ways to avoid using the fats for cooking so your veggies stay "free". Don't forget to check out my Recipes page for ideas!

#12- Why am I not losing weight????

There are a lot of answers to this one, but generally the issue is that you aren't following the plan properly. If you are 100% positive you are following the plan correctly (check with a Nutrisystem counselor if you aren't sure), skip the rest of this answer and read my post on breaking plateaus.

Otherwise- if you aren't following the program correctly, then there is your answer. It really is important to follow the program as written. If you aren't eating your veggies, you aren't following the program correctly. If you are too full and can't eat all your portions, then you aren't following the program correctly. If you're having bites of off plan food, or going out for cheat meals, or not measuring or tracking your food, you aren't following the program. If you're not on Fresh Start and only eating Nutrisystem food, you definitely aren't following the program.

The bottom line is, that the program works as designed. If it's not working, you need to analyze and figure out what you're doing wrong. Don't give up!!! It's not easy to make a big change, and I understand it can be difficult or frustrating to change your habits. But this program WILL work if you stick to it and follow it correctly.

It's easy to throw in the towel, but dig down, find your why, and keep going! Take it one day at a time, one meal at a time. Follow the program and watch the pounds melt off!

#13- Which plan should I order? What about the Advantage plan? Do I need a plan at all?

This post will break down the differences between the plans and give you all the information you need to make the best decision for yourself. There's an option for everyone, we just need to figure out what works best for you!

#14- Can I combine Nutrisystem with intermittent fasting (IF), or keto, or Weight Watchers?

The short answer is no, you can't. Specifically, Nutrisystem recommends that customers not follow intermittent fasting since part of the science behind Nutrisystem is keeping your blood glucose level and eating every 2-3 hours. If you fast, you are not following the program correctly. Keto, obviously, isn't compatible with Nutrisystem since part of the principles are eating low glycemic carbohydrate servings (SmartCarbs). If you reduce your carbs to keto levels, you are not following the Nutrisystem program correctly. And as for Weight Watchers, I think it is a great program in general, but it does count things differently. I think that it is much simpler in this case to choose one program and follow it, rather than go back and forth figuring out what things would be in two plans.

While generally, any weight loss program will work if you follow the requirements, each program is different enough that mixing principles from each will defeat the purpose. It is best to choose one program and follow it properly to see the best results. 

#15- I still have calories left over, can I eat something else?

Remember, it's not (really) about the calories! The daily amount that is posted in Numi is just a guideline. If you are following the program correctly, then your calories will fluctuate- some days you will be under your posted amount, some days you will be over, and that's just fine. You are not supposed to focus on staying under that number! As long as you are eating all of your servings, and your add ins fit the program guidelines for Powerfuels and SmartCarbs, then you are on plan. You never have calories "left over", nor have you eaten too many if you are following guidelines.