The Program Is Coming To An End. Week 11 Using Nutrisense

Hello, my name is Logan, and I’m the Content Manager here at Nutrisense. I’ve been wearing the Nutrisense CGM and have been working with our dietitians for 11 weeks now. I’ve been on a journey toward optimal health and wellness and can’t believe that we are almost done! I feel like time has gone by so quickly, and even though I’ve learned a lot myself, I feel like I have so much left to discover. As I stated last week, it is now time to begin taking the foundations that I’ve laid and experiment with what could make my health and habits even better. If you haven’t read my earlier posts, I encourage you to start on Week 1 and see how much progress has been made in so little time.

Staying on Track

All of my original goals are being met each week easily now. I’ve continued to lose weight and now weigh 233lbs [down from 250lbs]. I have officially begun to add a fifth workout to my week. I used my Peloton five times this week and can officially go through a 40-minute workout without complete breathlessness. When I began week one, it was difficult to go 20 minutes without taking a break. I never thought that I would be able to do so much more physical activity in just three short months. Losing weight and participating in more vigorous exercise was one of the most important goals on my list, and seeing that come to fruition has made me feel so much more confident.

Feasibility

As you all know, integrating new lifestyle changes into my existing routines was one of the most intimidating things about beginning this program. When I started this program and started educating myself to integrate new habits into things like birthday parties and celebrations, it seemed super intimidating [you can go back to my beginning blogs and read about the challenges that I faced going to events like this]. Last weekend I attended a friend's birthday party. It was a breeze to go to the party, maintain my glucose levels, make the right food choices, indulge in a couple of drinks, and stick to my new healthy habits.

Experimentation

Last week was the first week that I discussed new experimentation with Carlee, the dietitian on the Nutrisense team that I work with, and we decided on three experiments that I would pursue:

1. Isolating carbohydrates: To see which carbs my body breaks down the best
2. Health foods: Seeing how my body reacts to things like kombucha, protein bars, and teas.
3. Fasting: This means fasting for small windows, like the evenings or mornings. 

I over-extended myself when I chose three of the experiments she suggested. It was too much to take on in one week. So, I decided to try isolating carbohydrates last week. This experiment proved to knock out two things at once. I needed to experiment with carbs, and I’ve needed to save time during my workdays.‍

Carbohydrates Made Easy

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed during the day with work and started researching Soylent. I wanted to find a way to minimize the time I spend preparing food during my workdays. I decided to try substituting my lunches for a Soylent beverage. Soylent is a soy-based protein drink. It also includes the vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids necessary for our body’s daily functions. It ended up being perfect for this experiment because it also includes slow-burning carbs AND healthy fats. The carb that they use in their beverages is called Allulose. It is a “naturally occurring low-calorie carbohydrate that does not raise your insulin level after you ingest it” and “can naturally be found in figs, raisins, molasses, and maple syrup.” [1]

‍Soylent seemed like a great solution, but I was nervous about how long I would continue to feel full after drinking it and if I would like the taste. Well, it turns out that not only do they keep me feeling full throughout the afternoon until dinner, but they also taste a lot better than I thought they would. My favorite flavors are mint chocolate chip and vanilla bean. I drank these for lunch almost every day this last week, and my glucose levels maintained very well with this new introduction to my diet. Additionally, it did the exact thing that I needed it to, freeing up my time during the day. Now, I am only cooking one meal a day, which has alleviated a lot of stress [which is also suitable for maintaining glucose levels].

Check out this week’s data:

Monday: 0kCals // 25 minutes of exercise

Nothing logged because I was swapping CGMs.

Tuesday:  0kCals // 25 minutes of exercise

Nothing logged because I was swapping CGMs.

Wednesday: 1846kCals recorded //25 minutes of exercise

I had a Soylent drink for lunch and made cod with mushrooms and spinach for dinner.

Thursday: 1526kCals recorded // 20 minutes of exercise

I made a latte for breakfast, had Soylent for lunch, and made a burrito for dinner.

Friday: 1400kCals recorded // 40 minutes of exercise

I had Soylent for lunch.

Saturday: 1846kCals recorded

For lunch I had Soylent and made cod with mushrooms and spinach for dinner.

Sunday: 1588kCals recorded

I had a latte for breakfast and Soylent for lunch.

To finish up my 12 weeks of wearing the CGM, I have decided to include small fasting windows in the evenings and incorporate some “health foods“ next week. The carb experiment was very successful, and I intend to continue to substitute Soylent for my lunchtime meals.

Next week I’ll be switching programs and beginning a new “journal” here on the Nutrisense blog. Nutrisense has just released the Dietician Coaching Program. I’ll go into more detail next week as we enter this next phase, but essentially I’ll be wearing the CGM for the first two weeks only and then continuing to focus on nutrition and food itself, not just my blood sugar levels. This new program features a different team of dietitians who concentrate solely on your diet and coach you to make healthier dietary decisions for long-term results and health benefits.

Thank you for joining me again this week! So many exciting things ahead! Have a happy and healthy week, everyone.