Here's what we'll cover
Here's what we'll cover
Welcome to Ro’s GLP-1 Journals, where we take an inside look at what real people eat, experience, and spend while on GLP-1 medications. In this series, individuals share a three-day snapshot of their meals, workouts, and costs—giving insight into the practical side of life on these medications. From grocery runs to cravings, weight-loss progress to unexpected challenges, these diaries offer an honest, unfiltered look at the GLP-1 journey.
Today's GLP-1 journalist
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Goal weight: 135 lbs
Current Weight: 138 lbs
Age: 60
Pronouns: She/her
Location: Seattle area
Months on medication: 10
Protein goal: 116 grams/day
Salary: $135K
What are your GLP-1 grocery staples? Non-fat Greek yogurt, Chomps Original Turkey Sticks, Konsyl Psyllium Fiber, Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen Peptides, electrolyte powder, frozen berries, organic mixed greens, organic fruits and veggies, ready-to-drink (RTD) protein beverages
How have your eating habits changed since starting on a GLP-1? The beauty of being on a GLP-1 is that it’s taken the cravings away and given me more ‘space’ to make really great, high-quality food choices and eliminate the processed foods that lack nutritional value. I now ‘spend’ my calories wisely!
How has your spending changed since starting on a GLP-1? I find that I actually spend less on food by not overindulging in snacks and sweets and not needing to buy the quantity of food, even though I am spending more on certain types (organic fruits and veggies, for example).
Day 1
Morning
7:00 am: The first thing I do is a morning weigh-in, shower, and head downstairs to fix myself my morning espresso over ice with a protein drink in it – a great way to have my iced latte that’s lower in calories and pack in some protein! I work from home so head back up to my desk to log on and get my workday started. Mid-morning, I usually take a break and fix my breakfast – ¾ cup of non-fat Greek yogurt with a couple of scoops of vanilla protein, a teaspoon of fiber, a handful of frozen raspberries, and a few dark chocolate chips on top. It’s a protein-packed dessert for breakfast
Afternoon
12:00 pm: It’s been a back-to-back Zoom meeting morning so it took a while to finish my breakfast at my desk. I took a break and played with the dogs. I’m not usually too hungry, but I’ll grab a Chomps stick and throw a packet of hydration mix into my big jug of water and head back to my desk. This light lunch is my go-to and is just enough to get me through until dinner. I’ve found if I eat a bigger lunch, then I’m not hungry for dinner until almost bedtime, and I’ve learned to listen to my body, and not just eat out of habit – it’s helped keep me in line with my calorie goals for the day and from experiencing the nausea that can happen with GLP-1!
Evening
6:30 pm: Made a big salad with mixed greens and chopped veggies (had to use up all the veggies in the fridge before they went bad!) along with some garbanzo beans, cubed Halloumi cheese, sliced up leftover steak, and topped it with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar – this is one of our go to dinners during the week!
7:30 pm: Just came back in from doing some weight lifting (light weights with higher reps - or until my muscles feel fatigued). I’ve just added weights to my workout routines to help combat muscle loss during weight loss and increase/preserve bone density, and it feels GOOD! Time to wind down and catch up with my family, turn on some Gilmore Girls, and snuggle up on the couch with the dogs before heading up to bed around 10pm.
Daily Total: $0
Day 2
Morning
7:00 am: It’s Friday shot day! Shot day nutrition focus is PROTEIN – Breakfast was a repeat from yesterday, fat free Greek yogurt, vanilla collagen protein, fiber, and raspberries. Woke up tired so added an extra shot of espresso to my iced protein coffee this morning. Super busy Friday workday with back-to-back meetings, so the extra caffeine is a must this morning!
Afternoon
1:00 pm: Late lunch of leftover chicken breast over the rest of last night's green salad along with my hydration mix with water.
Evening
6:00 pm: I’m so glad it’s Friday – onboarding for a new job at peak planning for holiday is tiring! My husband went to Costco this afternoon and stocked us up! ($69) I love their organic non-fat Greek yogurt, it’s really ‘clean,’ and the price/value can’t be beat. We also keep the Perfect protein bars, collagen protein and organic spring mix on hand.
No workout tonight; I’m just too tired. I did my Zepbound injection at 6:30. As I get closer and closer to my goal weight (I can see the light at the end of this looooong tunnel!!), I’m going to message my Ro Care Team to get the plan around maintenance – fully prepared to stay on the meds long term, as I reflect on this journey. Seems crazy I started my meds almost a year ago, and I feel so GOOD compared to then. It’s really been shocking how much better I feel both mentally and physically.
9:00 pm: Ready to head to bed, just finished up a Chomps stick to hit my protein and calorie goals for the day - TGIF
Daily Total: $69
Day 3
Morning
9:00 am: Slow start this morning, but a busy day of errands ahead. Breakfast consisted of a Trader Joe’s gluten-free English Muffin with a scrambled egg and a slice of muenster cheese. Less protein than my usual Greek yogurt bowl so I will have to be diligent around getting to my protein goal today (116 grams per day).
Afternoon
1:00 pm: Out running errands, treated myself to my first Starbucks peppermint mocha of the season (non-fat milk and no whip or chocolate curls) along with some egg bites for lunch ($14) and had a mid-morning Chomps stick (I always have my giant water bottle with hydration and a Chomps stick with me).
2:00 pm: Got my nails done :) ($107) and ran into Metropolitan Market (our local ‘bougie’ grocer) and picked up some ready to eat items for dinner along with some dessert items ($64.88). Ran into Old Navy to see what they had since I’m now replacing my wardrobe with (dare I say) smaller sizes. Ended up buying a sweater for me and two cute baby outfits for our grandbaby ($41.82). It’s still hard for me to not gravitate towards ‘chubby camouflage’ clothing, and I struggle with forcing myself to try on more form-fitting clothing that is more flattering to the ‘new me’.
Evening
6:30pm: Long day of running errands, glad I picked up some "grab & go" for dinner! I was good and did a 20 minute workout before dinner! For dinner, I had a Biryani bowl, which I could only finish about ½ of – with Friday being injection day, the appetite suppression really kicks in over the weekend! I did manage to indulge in a budino that I picked up – there’s always room for dessert, right? Ended the day slightly behind on my protein goal, but pretty close.
Daily Total: $227.70
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TOTAL SPENT: $296.70
