My Journey
From improving my health to building a lifestyle I can maintain.
I started this journey because I needed to make meaningful changes for my health. Almost 100 pounds later, I’m learning that the bigger goal isn’t simply losing weight—it’s building a way of eating and living that I can realistically continue.
Read My StoryThe progress so far
Almost 100 pounds of progress—and I’m still building.
01 — Where It Started
My journey started when I was at my heaviest.
My journey started when I was at my heaviest, around 290 pounds.
At the time, I was living with diabetes and high blood pressure, and my doctor had an important conversation with me. She told me that I needed to make changes to improve my health.
One of the options she initially suggested was bariatric surgery. However, my insurance wouldn't cover the procedure, so we discussed another approach.
My doctor prescribed Mounjaro along with metformin to help manage my diabetes. She also explained that medication was only one part of the plan. Changes to my lifestyle and behaviors, better nutrition, and regular exercise would also be important for helping me manage my blood sugar and could help me lose weight.
That’s where my journey began.
02 — Almost 100 Pounds Later
The changes I notice aren't only on the scale.
Today, I weigh around 191 pounds. When I started this journey, I was wearing approximately a size 24 and 3XL. Today, I'm wearing a size Large.
Sometimes it's those everyday changes—not just the number on the scale—that remind me how far I've come.
My A1C is now 5.2, and my diabetes is well controlled under the care of my healthcare team.
I'm incredibly grateful for the progress I've made, but I also want to be transparent about how I got here. Medication has been part of my journey. So have changes in how I eat. So has exercise. So has learning more about my body, my habits, and the choices I make every day.
There hasn't been one magical solution. And now that I've lost almost 100 pounds, I'm entering a different stage of my journey.
03 — The Next Chapter
The goal isn't just to get smaller.
I want to be strong.
I would still like to lose another 30+ pounds, but I'm no longer interested only in seeing a smaller number on the scale.
As I continue losing weight, maintaining—and hopefully building—muscle has become increasingly important to me.
My doctor wants me to focus on strength training at least three days a week, and I've found a form of exercise that I genuinely enjoy: BodyPump.
BodyPump works well for me because I don't have to walk into the gym wondering what exercise I should do, whether I'm doing enough, or what I should work on next. There's an instructor guiding the class, the workout is already structured, and there are other people exercising alongside me. For me, that creates accountability.
When I can't make a BodyPump class, I lift weights and strength train on my own.
I'm learning that the best form of exercise for me isn't necessarily the “perfect” workout. It's the one I enjoy enough to keep doing.
The question I'm asking now
Can I do this for the rest of my life?
04 — My Relationship With Food Is Changing
I don't want another temporary diet.
As I get closer to my weight goal, I've started thinking much more seriously about what happens after I lose the weight.
I don't want to spend the rest of my life jumping from one diet to another. I don't want to reach a certain number on the scale only to discover that the way I got there isn't something I can maintain.
Can I eat this way when I'm no longer actively trying to lose weight? Can I enjoy holidays, restaurants, and family meals? Can I eat rice and potatoes? Can I have bread and fruit? Can I enjoy avocado and cheese?
Can I enjoy the flavors and foods that are part of my life while still taking care of my health?
I believe I can. Learning how is the journey I'm on now.
05 — Protein First
Protein is my starting point.
One of the biggest changes I've made is how I think about protein.
My doctor has encouraged me to aim for approximately 90–135 grams of protein per day while also making hydration a priority. Because I'm continuing to lose weight while focusing on maintaining and building muscle, I've become much more intentional about meeting that protein goal.
Now, whenever I'm deciding what to eat—whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack—protein is usually the first thing I think about.
Based on individualized guidance from my doctor.
I ask myself: Where is the protein? Then I build from there.
That doesn't mean I only eat protein. Carbohydrates, fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, and foods I simply enjoy are all part of my diet. Protein is simply the anchor I use to start building my meals and snacks.
At breakfast, that might mean eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt. For lunch or dinner, it might be chicken, turkey, salmon, or another protein source. For a snack, I might choose something with protein or pair another food with a protein source.
Then I build the rest around it with vegetables, fruit, smart carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of flavor.
Protein is my starting point. Balance is what I build around it.
06 — Building Balance, Not Restriction
Awareness doesn't have to become fear.
I'm learning about calories, carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, hydration, and portions. I'm reading nutrition labels differently and becoming more intentional about how much I'm eating instead of simply guessing.
Start with a meaningful source of protein.
Measure or portion foods when that helps me stay intentional.
Add vegetables and fruit instead of treating them as an afterthought.
Keep familiar foods in the picture while thinking about the whole plate.
Make meals worth looking forward to.
But I don't want that awareness to turn into being afraid of food. I don't believe I need to remove every food I enjoy in order to take care of myself.
For me, balance might mean adding more protein to breakfast, measuring a serving of rice or potatoes instead of eliminating them, adding more vegetables or fruit, choosing a leaner protein, pairing fruit with a source of protein, or finding a lighter ingredient that works just as well in one of my favorite recipes.
And sometimes balance means enjoying the original food exactly as it is—just in a portion that works for me.
I'm also working on drinking enough water throughout the day. Hydration sounds simple, but for me it's another habit that requires intention and consistency.
07 — Flavor Is Non-Negotiable
My food still has to taste good.
I love flavorful food.
I'm not interested in spending the rest of my life eating bland meals just because I'm trying to be healthier.
When I'm cooking meat or fish, Maggi and Goya Sazón are part of my seasoning foundation. I also use plenty of garlic—fresh or powdered—along with cayenne, oregano, cumin, Italian herbs, herbes de Provence, and other seasonings depending on what I'm making.
If I'm going to prepare something today and eat it from a meal-prep container tomorrow, I want to look forward to eating it.
Healthy eating and flavorful eating don't have to be opposites.
08 — Why I Created The Flavor Balance
I'm building this while I'm still on the journey.
I didn't create this blog because I've reached the finish line. Actually, I'm creating it while I'm still on the journey.
I want a place to document the meals I'm making, the things I'm learning, the recipes that work, the meal-prep strategies that make my week easier, and the changes I'm making as I continue working toward my goals.
I'm not a finished “after” picture. I'm someone who has made significant progress and is now asking an even bigger question:
How do I turn that progress into a lifestyle I can maintain?
That's what The Flavor Balance is really about. It's not about perfection or eliminating entire food groups. It's about putting medical care, nutrition, movement, habits, and flavor together in a way that works for my life.
09 — Where I Am Today
The journey in numbers.
These numbers are a snapshot of where I am right now—not a finish line.
Still Building
The bigger goal is a life I don't have to abandon.
I'm proud of the weight I've lost and the changes I've already made. But I'm becoming just as interested in what I'm building—strength, healthier habits, a better understanding of food, and a lifestyle I won't have to abandon once I reach a certain number on the scale.
I still have another 30+ pounds I'd like to lose, and I'll continue working toward that goal with the support of my healthcare team. But reaching that number isn't the end of my journey.
The bigger goal is to reach a point where the things I'm doing to lose the weight aren't temporary anymore.
Welcome to my journey.
— Michele
A Note About My Health Journey
I'm sharing my personal experience with weight loss, diabetes, prescription medication, nutrition, and exercise. Mounjaro and metformin were prescribed as part of my individual treatment plan, and I continue to work with my healthcare team.
The protein target and exercise goals mentioned on this page are also individualized recommendations from my healthcare team. My experience is not medical advice, and another person's health, nutrition, exercise, or treatment needs may be very different from mine.
Please consult an appropriate qualified healthcare professional about decisions concerning your own health, medications, nutrition, or exercise.