New Year! New You?

So many people start a new diet for the new year, or they set resolutions that usually burst before the first week of the new year. My weight loss/diet isn't new for the new year. I'm still working on what my doctor set in motion last summer!  

Last time I posted about my weight, I mentioned that I was hoping to be down another 10 pounds (from 193) by Christmas. Well, I didn't quite make that by Christmas day, but shortly after, I did hit 183 lbs, which is where I still sit at the moment. The holidays weren't as hard as I thought they would be, but they made the weight loss a little harder... or maybe... slower? Anyway, I'm still on that journey, but the new year has brought a few new journeys as well! 

 

Joel, (my husband of 23 yrs) and I, finally made it legal. Yes, we've been together for 23 years, and as many will point out, in the state of Texas we were legally 'married' after 6 months. However, we both felt the pull to make it legal, and did so on January 10th. This is Judge Joe Fauth III, a brother in Christ, as well as a wonderful friend, who married us in the beautiful, old, historic Grimes County courthouse in Anderson, Texas. 

Just look at the beautiful tin ceilings! The photo below is in the downstairs foyer, but those ceilings run throughout the courthouse. 

It was a small, casual, family ceremony; with family consisting of almost all of our children and grandchildren (with just a few missing because of work or school responsibilities), as well as church family. It made us both very happy to have them in attendance. The picture below is just Joel and I with the kids and grandkids.

My oldest daughter and my wonderful bonus daughter decided my oldest son should "walk me down the aisle" at the beginning of the ceremony (Joel and I were just going to stand up with the Judge), so, we entertained their request. Before my daughter and granddaughter started "Dum, dum de dum" singing the wedding march, my son said to me, "This is the last time I'm doing this." I told him, "That's ok. It's the last time I'M doing this!" 

That wasn't the only giggle releasing quote during the affair though. When Judge said, "If there is anyone here who objects...", just the quote sent giggles through the kids. I said under my breath, "I hope I don't have to kill someone." Joel and the Judge snickered, and thankfully the ceremony carried on.

Joel and I have had our ups and downs as any couple will, but we've had a good relationship throughout, and as my second son told me when I first invited him to the wedding, " Ya'll have been good for 23 yrs, I think ya'll will make it." 

So, my year got off to a wonderful start. Tell me about yours! Did you set a new resolution? Are you also trying to lose a few pounds, or starting a new chapter in your life? I want to hear about it! 

Whataburger's Frosted Berry Whatafresher - OHMYGOODNESS!

 

This new drink from Whataburger is amazing! Refreshing blackberry lemonade with a "sweet cold whip" and "blueberry bursties"? Yes, please! Texas is having a winter heatwave, and this new drink from Whataburger makes it all better! I find myself making excuses to go shopping or run errands just so I can get one. 

The "blueberry bursties" are just a tart little blueberry boba, but they really make the whole drink. The cream whip on the top is really good if you mix it into the lemonade, because it adds a creamy texture to the whole drink. Don't worry, there's still plenty to scrape out of the cup with your straw when you're all finished. 

Our temps have been in the mid 70's, and that means my truck is pretty warm toward the afternoon. If I'm out running around, this lemonade is the best thing to quench my thirst. I mean, seriously, Whataburger?! First the Dr.Pepper Shake, and now this?! This is one drink I'm hoping sticks around throughout the year. 

Thirty Pounds Down!

 Woke up Sunday morning and found I was down to 193 pounds!! I'm not gonna lie, I was (and still am) very happy about this. See, on the app for my scale, I kept having to see that red 'Obese' bubble. That bubble screamed at me every time I saw it. I knew it wouldn't change until I'd lost down to less than 195. Now, at 193 I get to see the yellow 'High' bubble, but NO MORE RED 'Obese' bubble!

I know one of my problems is that I love to eat. Hmm, let me fix that a little... I LOVE food. I was born to be a 'foodie'. My dad and I would get in the kitchen and make up recipes all the time. Our famous Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe is just one, and of course, Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both recipes are huge hits with the family (and pretty much everyone who tries them). My mom and I were always in the kitchen canning and freezing all kinds of foods. Of course, back then, I could eat anything and not have to worry. I rarely had to worry about my weight, until I hit my 40's! (This picture is of a much younger me, high school aged, 16? 17? Don't make me lie!!)

Now, Hubby and I love to restaurant hop on the weekends, and since I've been trying to lose weight, that brings about all kinds of worries. I really try to watch what I order, but some restaurants don't give you a huge choice, unless you just want to be a rabbit and eat salad. (BOOORRRIINNG!) I'm not supposed to eat fried foods, or starchy foods (rice, potatoes, bread, pasta) or sugary foods (desserts of any kind, ugh!). That doesn't leave a lot of choices! I usually end up choosing steak or fish for my main course. For sides, I usually order double veggies, or a salad and a vegetable. 

Mexican food restaurants cause me the most problem. Unfortunately, they are Hubby's favorite. Everything is on or wrapped in a tortilla. AND, the first thing they put on the table is chips and salsa!! Hubby orders queso as soon as they bring the chips, so it comes along with our drinks. I try to limit myself to 5 chips, with queso. Then what do I order?! I love the stuffed avocado, but that is fried! Most of the time now, we'll order mixed fajitas. I'll eat just meat and veggies, while Hubby enjoys the tortillas. 

I honestly didn't think I'd ever lose any weight. I'd pretty much given up even worrying about it until all the health diagnoses. I was wearing a size 16 jeans when I started this journey. They were stretchy jeans, and they were stretched to the max. I was afraid I was going to have to go to an 18, but not now. I recently bought a pair of size 14s and they are a little loose. I know a 12 won't fit yet, but I am looking forward to the day! Hopefully by Christmas I will have lost at least another ten pounds. I've only got about another thirty to thirty-five pounds to lose. Ew. When I hear it put that way it sounds horrible, but I know I can do it!! I've dropped that much already in the last two and a half months. The doctor warned me it will come off slower now, but I won't give up. I just won't be coming in here and bragging to ya'll as often! (Insert big belly laugh here!). 

Taking Control of My Health

WAHOOOO!! Since June I have lost 23 pounds! Yes, I am celebrating. It's not a happy day when you see the word 'OBESE' on your medical chart. As of this morning I am down from 223 pounds to 200. It might not be noticeable to many people, but I can see it in my face, and feel it in the way my clothes fit.

 As you can see in the (older) family picture below, I have gained a few pounds over the years. As some of the older ladies out there will understand, after menopause my body pretty much betrayed me. Things in the metabolism get a little wonky around that time, and for me it was no different. At a recent doctor visit (a few months ago) I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Since my family has a history of heart problems, this was a diagnosis that screamed that I really needed to pay attention. It made me realize it was high time I took control of my health. 

Me↑

My doctor prescribed several prescriptions to help get my body back in line. Atorvastatin, for my high cholesterol, because heart problems run in my mom's side of the family. Losartan potassium, for my high blood pressure (hypertension). For my diabetes she prescribed Metformin and Ozempic, to lower my blood sugars. I was a little surprised about the Ozempic, but she had noted on my chart that I was "Obese" and that made it pretty clear. She wasn't being mean; she was stating an obvious fact (I am 5 ft 8 inches and had weighed in at 223 pounds on that first office visit). She was simply prescribing a treatment to help me medically. I had heard that Ozempic helps with weight loss and knew a lot of actors (and Oprah) had used it to lose weight relatively quickly. I guess I just wasn't ready for how quickly. 

The nutritionist helped me understand how my diet needed to change, and how even just a little exercise would help with my body's transformation. She also informed me that there is the potential to lose muscle volume on Ozempic, so exercise is just a good practice. I'm guessing most obese people are pretty sedentary (as was I), because the exercises are very simple and most can be done in a chair! Twenty or thirty minutes a few times a week and that's it. I've been trying to do one or two of the exercises for a few minutes each day, and I do a pretty good amount of walking on top of that. 

Now, for the questions I had about the Ozempic, and the ones I know you are dying to ask...

1. Isn't Ozempic a shot? How can you give yourself a shot? Won't it hurt?

Yes, it was hard for me to start the Ozempic. I have a huge fear of needles. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to give myself that shot every week - if I even had the courage to try the first time! However, the needle is very, very tiny. You can barely see it in the syringe. Sometimes there's a little sting or poke, but not usually. Honestly, it's just a little bit of discomfort, and it's only once a week.

2. What about all the negative side effects we hear about? Ozempic butt, Ozempic face, saggy skin, hair falling out, etc.?

From what the doctor told me, and from what my research tells me, Ozempic butt and Ozempic face are a by-product of rapid weight loss. Your skin loses its elasticity if you lose the weight too fast. This is why you try to lose the weight gradually, like no more than 2 to 4 pounds a week. At first that was pretty easy for me. It was hard for me to cut out the sugar and stop looking for an afternoon snack of cookies or candy. Also, I was a pretty big portion eater, as most Americans are. Most people don't understand how small a healthy portion is! Once I started taking the prescriptions though, that changed. I was not even hungry, and I had trouble even eating a normal meal. By the time my body adjusted to the meds, it had also mostly adjusted to a lower sugar intake, and smaller meal portions. Now adjusting to my husband constantly saying, "Is that all you're going to eat?" is another matter altogether.
  
To keep from having a saggy tushy, strength training is the answer. Fill the space that the fat leaves with muscle! That may not work for the face so much, and the only answer I have for that is to eat a lot of protein, drink a lot of water (stay hydrated), and use collagen and biotin products. Collagen will also help fix that hair problem. I use a multi-collagen protein powder in my coffee every morning and sometimes mix a spoonful or two into my food at dinner when I can. My only other answer is to ask your doctor about fillers, if you can afford it. My daughter is a hair stylist, and her biggest worry was my hair. She has clients that lost a lot of hair when on Ozempic and she didn't want to see me lose any of mine. The collagen has helped with this. It helps keep your hair strong, so it doesn't fall out, and it helps keep it healthy. I've always had a lot of hair, and I haven't seen any sign of excessive loss. This is after 10 weeks of being on Ozempic. 

Ok, those are the most pressing questions I had, and I know they are the ones most people worry about. If you have any others, please ask me in the comments and I will be more than happy to tell you what I know, from my experience. 

Right now, I am thrilled with my experience with Ozempic. It's helping me lose the weight that was wearing out my knee and hip joints and making it increasingly hard to enjoy my time with my grandchildren. Losing just these 23 pounds has made a huge difference. So, I plan to occasionally share my weight loss journey because I want to help as many people as I can. There really isn't any reason to be afraid of Ozempic, as long as you follow your doctors (and your nutritionists) warnings and advice. 

Let me know what you think about these type of drugs for weight loss (GLP1s)

Your Granddaughter Insisted I Call You This Morning

 I get this call pretty often. On one particular morning she was distraught over the fact that her brothers had eaten all the chips and drank all the juices for her lunch. If I had not been busy on that day, I would have taken her lunch from McDonalds. I mean, it's what a grandparent does, isn't it? Tell me I'm spoiling her. I don't mind. Partly because she is my baby girl. Her parents both work, and mom is an elementary school principal. I sat for her and her four brothers from the time her mom got off maternity leave until she was three. 

Ok, something I didn't tell you about this particular grandchild. She was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. As an infant she was amazing. Normal.  She started talking (jabbering) and then stopped. I honestly thought it was because she didn't have to talk. She has FOUR brothers who would jump to get her whatever she wanted as soon as she reached and let out a grunt. I had gone through it with my youngest who had two brothers and a sister that doted on her. It tends to happen to the baby in large families. But that wasn't it. We started working on sign language, so we could communicate. 

We noticed she would "tippy toe" when she walked. She loved television and cartoons. When her favorite ones came on, she would flap her hands, walking back and forth in front of the big screen television on her tippy toes, singing the theme songs. Music. She absolutely loved music. I took her to therapy classes every day and picked her up. They also worked with us on sign language. She was talking a little, mostly one or two words. Her mom found a school where there was therapy all day. I would take her in the morning and pick her up in the afternoon. One day a therapist brought her out to the truck at pick up time and handed me her work for the day, telling me how the day went and what they worked on. I held up one of her pictures and made a comment on what a pretty picture it was. 

"I colored it by myself!!"

I cried. All the way back home, I cried. Happy tears of joy. She would talk. Boy, would she talk! Her parents put her in day care, so she could be 'socialized'. She needed it, but it broke my heart. I lost my little side-kick. That thought was so wrong, but at the time it is how I felt. This little girl was a part of me, like all my grandchildren are, but even more. I had spent so much time with her. 

If you look at her now, she is just a normal first grader. You wouldn't know she had autism. I read that children can outgrow it. Which is a crazy thought to me. Outgrow it. No. I think it is still there, in thebackground. I think they learn to cope, like so many of us with ADD/ADHD learned to cope before there was a diagnosis for it. She still flaps occasionally and has the occasional meltdown. And that's when I get the phone call....

"Your granddaughter insisted I call you this morning so she could talk to you..."