All About The Joy
All About The Joy is a weekly hang-out with friends in the neighborhood! We share insight, advice, funny-isms and we choose to always try and find the positive, the silver lining, the "light" in all of it. AATJ comes from the simple concept that at the end of the day we all want to have more JOY than not. So, this is a cool place to unwind, have a laugh and share some time with friends!
All About The Joy
Courage, Clarity & Wegovy: Cynthia’s Private Journey Goes Public
What happens when traditional weight loss approaches fail because of underlying medical conditions? In our most candid conversation yet, Cynthia courageously shares her 14-month journey with Wegovy - a path she initially kept private due to fear of judgment.
This powerful discussion reveals the complex relationship between chronic illness and weight gain. Cynthia's lifelong battle with asthma led to steroid treatments that triggered significant weight gain, creating a devastating cycle: medications caused weight gain, excess weight worsened breathing problems, which required more medication. At her lowest point, her lung capacity dropped to just 70%, making even short walks leave her breathless.
After trying countless approaches without success, Cynthia turned to medical intervention through weekly Wegovy injections. She describes her initial anxiety about the treatment, the adjustments her body underwent, and the transformation that followed. Beyond losing 30 pounds, she's experienced life-changing health improvements—reducing from four inhalers to just two, with hopes of eliminating another soon.
The conversation delves deep into emotional territory as Cynthia reveals her heaviest and the confidence she's gradually regaining. Her nutritionist's practical approach to food helped shift her perspective: enjoy foods you love, but in moderation. Instead of eliminating favorite treats, she learned to have "just one slice" rather than the whole cake or pizza.
This episode challenges common misconceptions about weight loss medications while emphasizing that each person's journey is unique. What works for one body may be ineffective for another. Whether you're struggling with weight-related health issues or supporting someone who is, this honest conversation offers valuable insights about finding your path to wellness when conventional wisdom falls short.
Have you faced similar challenges with weight and health conditions? We'd love to hear your experiences in the comments or through a message. Remember—your health journey is personal, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
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Music By Geovane Bruno, Moments, 3481
Editing by Team A-J
Host, Carmen Lezeth
DISCLAIMER: As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast. Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance.
Hi everyone, welcome to All About the Joy. This is the private lounge and in the house is Cynthia Hi Cynthia. Rick Costa Hi Rick. So today I'm actually really excited because we're going to have a conversation that I actually didn't think was going to happen. I never pressured her, but you actually asked and we wanted to talk about your weight loss journey. So go ahead, cynthia. Why don't you start a little bit with why you wanted to talk about it and what it is you want to talk about? All?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:right. So let's see, we're going to talk about my weight loss journey. So I've been on Wake Ovi for a year and two months actually, and I've lost about 30 pounds pounds, which some people probably don't think it's a lot, but it really is in the whole spectrum of it I don't know why people wouldn't think that's a lot. But it is. I mean, I know you mean that's a lot.
Carmen Lezeth:So first, before we start um, because I'm not here to promote any of these glp ones, you happen you happen to use Wegovi, but people is that how you call it Wegovi, yeah, wegovi. But other people use Ozempic. There's Menogen, there's all these different types. We're not here to promote any of them. And also let me say we are not doctors. We are not promoting anyone to use or to do anything. Talk to your doctors, talk to your family. We're just having a conversation. Go ahead, I'm sorry.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, it definitely. Each medication does affect each person differently. So I actually know three other people who are on the other medications and everyone's reaction to them are different. Some have lost a lot of weight, excuse me, very, very fast. Others have lost it, you know, kind of at a slower pace, but they're still losing. Um, and I also know someone who has had gastric bypass and the sleeve. And you know, everyone is different and the one thing that people don't know, like with with weight gain, I make it a little emotional sorry, it's okay.
Carmen Lezeth:You know I I have questions if you want to start from the beginning, but I also want to let you express yourself the way you want to. Are you okay? Yeah, no, we're good do some amsr yes in a better mood.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Okay, right um, okay, so yes, um. So weight loss is different for everyone and there's always like underlining conditions that people may not know on why they're eating weight. So it it could be genetic, it could be hormonal, it could be certain medications that they're on which, actually, two of the reasons were with me. One was my asthma, two was the medications. So I grew up with asthma my whole life and, you know, all through high school I played supports and everything and I was, you know, had little flares here and there, but it was never severe as it got until I was older. So I started on a lot of inhalers that had steroids.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Um, when I had really bad flare-ups, I would would get on prednisone, and prednisone is a very strong steroid and it can open up your appetite. It makes you gain weight. You eat a lot when you're on it and you feel like you had like 10 cups of coffee all at once. So you know you're going, going, going, but yeah, you're also eating a lot because it's just making you eat and you're gaining weight. So that was a lot of that. That was the bigger picture. That was the whole reason why I was gaining weight. And you know, I tried going to the gym. The gym did help with cardio, gym did help with cardio. It helped me actually like be able to, you know, walk down the street or walk to my car without getting, you know, shortness of breath. And then I've seen, like all these TikTok videos and Facebook videos of people saying, oh, cardio is dumb, you don't need cardio, this, and that you do need cardio.
Carmen Lezeth:Your heart for your heart, yeah.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, for your heart, and just for your lungs. You know what I mean. Like you could be the skinniest person in the world, but you can't walk up a flight of stairs.
Carmen Lezeth:You know, I know a lot of people who are extremely skinny, who are the unhealthiest people I've ever known in my life?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:no, that's not an issue so you know and I and you know doing that I would lose a little bit of weight going to the gym. And then I just kind of stopped going because I was just like, all right, I'm done.
Carmen Lezeth:I remember I was like, okay, I need you to just go out 15 minutes for a walk and then 15 I'll do it with you, because I was so worried about you. I was so, and it wasn't about the weight, I just want to. It was about I could tell your heart was no, no, no, not your heart muscle, your energy, your spirit was just so sad. I could tell that you were struggling and I was trying to be like how can I help you? You know what I mean? I mean just to be encouraging. But then then I realized also and I think this is really important for people to understand, like you said something really great at the beginning I'm also giving you a breather so you don't cry.
Carmen Lezeth:The whole time is everyone is very different. That is factual. Like, just because I want to run three to five miles a day and think that's amazing Doesn't mean that would be amazing for anyone else in the 10 mile radius. You know what I mean, right, exactly, yoga. I mean people swear I have friends who have the most beautiful physique. They no longer do anything that I want them to do, and I hate yoga with a passion. You know what I mean. So, yeah, but I know that you have been struggling and you've been trying everything.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, it was to a point that you know I would go in for a pulmonary function test and they would test, like the amount of capacity and lung capacity I had. I was down to 70%, only 70% of my lung capacity, which is bad, you know. Just walking from here to my door I was like out of breath, like this is wrong in so many levels, you know. So I like I used to see a nutritionist this is my. Actually I'm on my third nutritionist because the first two were horrible. The first visit I had with them I went straight out the door and was like please do not schedule me with this person ever again. They are horrible.
Carmen Lezeth:Wait. Before we start with the nutritionists, can we just go back to the GLP-1s, because I just want to explain to people what they are? This is me just doing some research just to help some people. So GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1. I'm sure I hacked that horribly. That's why I wrote it at the bottom. It's a hormone that plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels and appetite. Medications like Wegovi Ozempic. They mimic this hormone to help with weight loss by reducing hunger and promoting a feeling of fullness. So I just want to explain what these medications kind of sort of do from a non-doctor medical person, just using Google and research medical person just using Google and research, it absolutely does.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It does suppress your appetite, and it was. It was so bad at the beginning that I literally was going like morning and lunch skipping. It had no appetite whatsoever, and I would just wait till I get home and I make something small like just scrambled eggs and that's all I ate for the whole day, and okay, but is that what you're supposed to do? No, no. So this is. This is why I was working with the nutritionist too at the same time was because she was helping me, like telling me exactly, even if I don't have an appetite to eat anything, I should still eat something, because your body is telling you you're full and you're not hungry Doesn't mean your body doesn't need the nutrients. Okay.
Carmen Lezeth:Can I tell you how this is? I want people to understand how different people are. I go back and this is like my therapy session. Right, I go back and I realized when I was growing up I was told when to eat. After rehearsal or during rehearsal. They would sit me down and say Carmen, you need to eat lunch, Carmen, you need to eat dinner. And because of the way I grew up, I didn't always have someone cooking for me or making food for me, so I can go. That's why for me, so I can go. That's why I asked you.
Carmen Lezeth:I can go all day not eating, that's not good and then I'll have like a bowl of cereal and then feel sick to my stomach you know what I mean and like never want to throw up or whatever, but want to feel like it. That's why I was asking Did they say that was okay? No, you have to force yourself to eat.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:You do, and you know I thought I was doing good with having like a bowl of cereal in the morning, even if it was just raisin bran, but it's not because it's all sugar. Even though they say they're healthy cereals and they have no sugar, everything it's gonna have sugar right and it's not on trees, so it's very healthy.
Carmen Lezeth:That's a real easy way to know. It's probably not the healthiest thing the vitamins.
Rick Costa :I mean no, no, no sugar.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Right, exactly, yeah, um, so definitely protein. Another thing with these injections is that you can lose muscle mass so that's why it's so important yeah that's why it's so important to have protein, um you know whether it's chicken or fish. Try to stay away from red meats.
Carmen Lezeth:You know, like steak, you can have it once in a while. But wait, I don't want to give people dietary advice either. That's for you this was.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:This was for me, so this is what my nutrition you have to do your.
Carmen Lezeth:Do you do a shot or is it a pill? Do you do it weekly, monthly? How does that part of it work?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So it is an injection, it's an auto injector. So I don't I hate needles. Let me be clear I absolutely hate needles, but I don't see the needle. So it's not like a regular syringe or anything like that. I do not see the needle at all. It looks like an EpiPen. If anyone's ever seen an EpiPen, I'm going to show everyone an EpiPen.
Carmen Lezeth:I was going to show everyone an EpiPen. I have so many of them. This is I have an EpiPen.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yes, so it kind of looks like that. Yeah, and you know you don't see the needle at all and you can either put it in your upper thigh, your legs, your upper arm, or you can put it under your belly button like your belly part.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, so, that's why I do it. Not in EpiPen, yeah, not in EpiPen. The.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:FUPA. What the FUPA the FUPA, what the FUPA the FUPA?
Carmen Lezeth:The what.
Rick Costa :The FUPA.
Carmen Lezeth:The FUPA. Oh God, okay, I'm not. I don't know, do I have to delete that Maybe?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So I hate needles and it took a while for me to actually agree to do this, because it was a needle and everything like that. But you know, the doctor showed me what it looked like, how to do it with a fake one. So I was like, ok, I can do this, I don't see the needle. The first time I did it I was petrified. Juan was like I can do it for you and I was like, no, no, I need to do this. It's a mental thing and I need to do it myself because I have to do it myself, cause if he's not here and I need to give myself this injection, then I have to. I have to be able to do it. So you know.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm speaking to myself.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Weekly or monthly? How do you do it? Sorry, it is weekly. Once a week, oh no, it is weekly. Wow, yeah, and they started you off with the lowest dose, which is like a 0.7 for the way going. That's what they started me on. So, um, so yeah.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So you know, I was hyping myself up. I'm like, okay, I could do this. And I did it by thigh the first time because I was like, okay, maybe I could take pain there. I didn't even feel anything. I think I feel a mosquito bite, more than I felt this needle. So now I do it and I don't feel it at all. It's like nothing. I'll be sitting there watching TV, do it, all done. But the first time I did it, the first couple of weeks, I didn't have much of an appetite. I would try to force myself to eat something small, whether it was a piece of fruit or some scrambled eggs or you know, just something small, nothing with sugar. Then my body started getting used to it and you know, after three months, you know, I had lost 12 pounds in the first like month and I was so excited for that because I was just like it's working. I'm so excited, and you know. But no one was noticing any weight loss yet. So you know, after a while I was like okay, whatever.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So after three months, my doctor um, she upped the dosage and you know we kept going up every three months just to see how I would do it. Um, there are a couple of side effects. Again, everyone is different. Everyone will react to this very differently. Um, with me it was mostly either uh, not to be graphic, but it was either constipation or it was diarrhea, and those were the only two um side effects that I had but you said had, so you don't have them anymore.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I don't, I don't, my body got used to it it now. So it's like now it's a routine, so my body's like okay, we can work with this. And you know, now we're eating better foods and you know, and with the nutritionist, she helped too, because she also helped me look at food differently.
Carmen Lezeth:Are you working out as well, are you?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I am not. So that are you working out as well, are you? I am not, so that's another thing. So again, everyone is different. So with with me, um, this past year, you know, I'll walk a little bit here and there and I think if I've gone, if I was going to the gym more, I'd probably lose weight a little faster.
Carmen Lezeth:Um, but again, I are you trying to get to a goal weight before you actually then start working out.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I am. I am because, um, when I was at my largest weight, um, obviously it was putting a lot of strain on my knees, um, so now I'm, now I'm walking upstairs with no problem, with ease, um I'm, I'm also, um, breathing better. And also, we did find out, you know, with the underlying condition with my asthma, that my lungs were also producing a lot of phlegm, which was also making it worse for me to do exercise, which was also, you know, making me gain weight, because I couldn't really do much.
Carmen Lezeth:It's such a vicious cycle.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It is.
Carmen Lezeth:It definitely is. It's such a vicious cycle, it really is.
Rick Costa :Yeah, so you said they start you off with a low dose. How regularly do you go to the doctor for them to regulate see if everything's cool? Like, how often do you go to the doctor for them to regulate see if everything's cool? Like, how often do you go weekly, monthly?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:every three months. I talk to her, to my doctor, so she, um, she'll either email me or she'll call me asking me how am I doing with the, with this dosage, and if we want to go up to the next one and it was always my choice whether I wanted to go up to the next dose or continue on the same one.
Rick Costa :Just to see how.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It all depends on how my body is reacting to that dosage.
Rick Costa :So yeah, so have you ever had a time where you're like, okay, I don't feel good, this doesn't feel right, or not really?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:um, the only time I did was with this last dose, which is the highest one. It's a 2.4. When I first started it I was really nauseous and one day I actually vomited, but other than that and that was only once that was like the first week on the new dose and after that I've been fine. So we're good now.
Carmen Lezeth:You were emotional earlier and I might have cut it out as we're talking about this, but you got a little emotional. Can I ask why?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Because it's a tough journey. It's a tough journey for anyone to deal with Are you?
Carmen Lezeth:are you sad that you're going through the journey or are you? Are there tears of joy? I'm, I guess I'm confused. I mean, I hope they're tears of joy. It's a little both.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It's a little bit of both. I'm happy that I'm losing the weight, but I'm also sad that I had to go through all of this in order to lose the weight and it took so long to find all these underlying conditions.
Carmen Lezeth:I love you so much for doing this and I'm so fucking proud of you. I really am.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm an emotional person anyway, so you know, everybody knows no one would know that because you're so mean on the show. Um, I guess I can. I mean, I don't understand what you're going through, I don't at all, but I can empathize. You know what I mean Because I know you were very athletic as a kid. You were a cheerleader, you were in sports Was it soccer? I forget what the hell we're in and then to kind of have a lot of this stuff spiral and, like we said earlier, it's this. It seems like a bad circular thing that just kept going. And then when you and Juan came to visit me and I hope you don't mind me sharing this, I mean that's when I realized like I felt so bad because you couldn't sleep without the thing on your face. What is that called the CPAP? Yeah, the CPAP, and I'm like what is happening with my cousin? Has that gotten better for you sleeping and just your general well-being? Are you in a different space?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, even Juan's notice he goes. My snoring has gotten better since I've lost the weight.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, and as you lose weight, that's going to get better, and your sleep's going to get better too, for sure, absolutely.
Rick Costa :It happened to me as well, because when I was heavy so I do yearly trips with the youth and we'd be like a bunch of us in a hotel room and they'd be like, oh my God, rick, snoring is so bad I was like, hey, wake up. Hey guys, sorry if I snored. No, you didn't snore at all. We didn't hear anything.
Carmen Lezeth:I was like wow, it does change things for you it does.
Carmen Lezeth:Well, but I talk in my sleep. So there you go. It doesn't, but that's just me. But I think what's really interesting, cynthia, that your story, I think, will highlight and that I'm just so glad you're doing it is, you know, I think about Oprah and I don't care how people feel about Oprah, but if there is anyone on the planet who had the money, the time, the ability to lose weight quote unquote, naturally right I'm doing air quotes here it would have been her right, because she had all the money, whatever, and she even said that.
Carmen Lezeth:And it's like I think we have to get to a place in this country and understand that not everybody is exactly the same and not everything that works for one person is going to work for the other, and I have no problems whatsoever with people using this in the way that it's being used now. I actually say thank God because it's helping people who have been in this struggle for so long. How do you feel about the stigma? Because I know at the beginning you told me I'm not telling anybody, nobody knows, it's just you and I was like you didn't tell one. I felt so honored, but I'm just saying it felt like you were really in a place where you like.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It was a secret yeah, yeah, because because of the stigma, because you know, everybody always talked crap about other people who were on all these other injections of the Zempic and Zetbound and Manjaro, and it's like, okay, I tried everything, this is my last resort and I don't want people talking crap about me. You know saying, oh, you know, oh, that's, that's all fake or you're a quitter, or you know you don't need that. You can just go to the gym or have surgery or do this and do that. And it's like I've tried everything. I've tried everything other than surgery. I've tried everything.
Carmen Lezeth:You know what? I think it's a different world we live in, where I mean, this is again, I'm not a doctor or anything, but I think this idea that we can live as long as we do now right. I mean, there was a time we died at like 30. Right, as we progress, we have all this technology. We have food, that is, you know, like I'm not out, you know, getting my own berries and killing my own meat. I'm not out getting my own berries and killing my own meat. We have all of these great things with technology, but I think the thing that happens with technology is that we're also eating differently and it changes our body types, and so there's all these other technological, chemical blah, blah, blah things that happen to us. As we've progressed with all of these as modern society, it makes sense to me that then we can still we can use that brilliance to help us get back on track so that we can live healthier lives as well and longer.
Rick Costa :Does that?
Carmen Lezeth:make sense, did that make any sense, you know, but I am sorry that you're. I know there's a part of you that's sad. I wish I have loved you, no matter what, no matter. And then I know that sounds stupid. And the reason why.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I only told you and obviously Juan is because you know I needed the support and Juan was the best and was always there and just said you know, whatever you want to do, it's, it's it's your choice.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, that's so beautiful he's from me yeah, give him a hug from me too. That's sweet, that's that's love. Right there, right, I think you're amazing.
Rick Costa :Go ahead, rick earlier you mentioned that nobody really seemed to notice when you started to lose the weight. Um, did that like, feel like a setback? Or you were like, no, I'm, no matter what I got this, I'm still doing it. I know, like who cares if they don't know?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:um, I was getting discouraged at the beginning. I was because nobody was noticing and then, probably after six months, one started noticing. He was the first one that started noticing and I was just like what are you talking about? I was like no, I haven't. And I was like the skills you know? Whatever, like I hate looking at scale.
Carmen Lezeth:He's like I could see it. I noticed it when you got up at one point on the screen. I haven't seen you in person, but I'll tell you. The other way I noticed too is because I do, uh, I do the editing, yeah, and, and then I'll go back and look at some of the old like, if I want to use a pic for one of our clips or something you know, for our um thumbnails, and I'm like, oh, my god, she's lost so much weight, I'm gonna use this one, because I was looking at one of the videos, one of our old ones, and I was like, oh my god, I did lose weight oh, yeah, you lost a lot of.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, you have lost a lot of weight, especially your neck and your face. I mean, that's all we really see. So I'm just really proud of you I don't even know how to say it Like I think I'm not. I don't care about the fucking weight loss, I don't care if you gained 200 pounds, the confidence and the way in which you're talking, because you know to me I don't think you're more beautiful because you're thin. I do. You know, I have never believed in that bullshittery. Skinny don't mean pretty at all. Yeah, can you fight me then maybe you know what I mean. Like maybe you in my club. That's my thing. I ain't got nothing to do with weight, but I'm just. Your confidence has changed. That's what's brilliant to me.
Rick Costa :I think two people that you know, we know this already. People are very judgy and they might be like, oh, isn't that dangerous? And I would be like, listen, 70 lung capacity is also dangerous.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah absolutely, absolutely. I mean, I was on four inhalers and three pills and they've just taken away two inhalers.
Rick Costa :Wow.
Carmen Lezeth:So good. Oh my God, that's so good, that's so good.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, so excited yeah.
Carmen Lezeth:And this should be something you do. This is my preference, something you should be doing with your doctor. I, you know. I know there are a lot of places now that are giving different kinds of these GLP ones, but you have to be really careful about it. You know you have to be with a medical professional. It's way too new on the scene for this kind of purpose. Actually, they've been around forever because they've been helping, like oh Zempik was for diabetics, right?
Carmen Lezeth:That's how it came out. But be very careful and I'm going to put it in a way that I understand it. I'm going to say it this way Everyone knows I get Botox for the line that I have here that you guys never see, because I get Botox.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Your imaginary line.
Carmen Lezeth:It's not an imaginary line. You met my Botox person. It's not an imaginary line. You met my Botox person. It's not imaginary, but that's why it's such a good job, right, but here's the point. I could go to the nail salon and get my nails done and they'll be, like you know, $5 for Botox or whatever, and you think that's a great deal. It's like getting bad sushi at the 7-Eleven, like I don't eat sushi at all. But I'm just saying you know what I mean, you, you, you want to put in your body. You should be talking to a doctor too, absolutely.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:And don't, and don't let them force you into doing things. Do your research, you know, find someone else who's who's done it and see how it's reacted to them. You know, again, everyone is different, but just to talk to people, to see how they, how they did it and things like that. Also, work with the nutritionist and find the right nutritionist for you. If, if the doctor, if the nutritionist, a therapist, if it doesn work out, if you have that gut feeling that this isn't the right fit, move on, move on to someone else.
Carmen Lezeth:Can you explain what a nutritionist does? No offense to nutritionists, I'm just what. Exactly like you, go in and talk to your nutritionist and say what, and what do they say back to you?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So she'll ask me what I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, um, and she'll ask me, like, what am I drinking? Um, what am I am I exercising? Basically, you know everything that you're asking me here, like what am I eating? What am I doing differently? Um, and I'm I'm honest with her, you know, if I tell her, today I had a cheeseburger, but you know I had it with a whole, with a salad or something you know she's like okay, well, at least cheeseburger with the nutritionist.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm being serious yeah.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:So this is what I loved about this nutritionist she made me look at food differently, so that you don't have to stop eating the foods that you love. Just don't eat the whole pizza I have one slice. Don't have a whole thing of pie or chocolate cake, just have a slice.
Rick Costa :A little brownie you know what a little brownie.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Okay, just a little one yeah, you know what I'm saying. Like, don't have the whole package, have one brownie. Like um, when I first started this last year, you know we were getting close to the holidays and the holidays, you know, everybody tends to eat a lot and have a lot of desserts and stuff. She's like, okay, the holidays are coming. She's like, who's doing the cooking? I was doing the cooking. So she's like, okay, what are you cooking? So I told her everything I was going to have. So she's like, okay, piece of cheesecake, that's your dessert. She goes and then slice them all the rest of it up and give it to everybody else to take home. That way it's not in your house, you're not tempted to have more of it. You had your, your serving and you, you quenched that, that um, craving of having your dessert. So don't deny yourself, just in moderation. So see.
Carmen Lezeth:And now I just want to say this is why I I never take home doggy bags. I don't take it right. Like is exactly the reason. I'm not saying people shouldn't, because people are like I don't want to waste food, da-da-da, I'm like. But there's a reason. Like I never, I'm never going to have. Like. I think it was Andrea who was like I'll come to your house and I'll just bake you a chocolate cake. I'm like no, I will go and buy a slice of cake for $8. You, for eight dollars. You know what I mean. But her point is I can bake you one for cheaper.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:No, no no, but I don't want the whole cake, right, you know, um, because you will be tempted to eat the whole thing, and that's like there's something emotional like I.
Carmen Lezeth:Everyone knows I love chocolate cake. If you haven't gotten the joke, that's why she was saying that chocolate cake, I love chocolate, it is my, it's like my achilles heel. You can get anything from me if you have like good chocolate cake. And I love chocolate cake, it is my, it's like my Achilles heel. You can get anything from me if you have like good chocolate cake, and I don't mean expensive. There's a difference. Expensive chocolate cake is not always the right chocolate cake. It's not the good Duncan Hines baby, regular ghetto chocolate cake.
Carmen Lezeth:But I think people don't understand the power of. I think it's almost like an alcoholic. This is not to be disrespectful to alcoholics, but if you have something in your house, it's so much easier to justify why you're going to eat it. Right, you know what I mean Like because it's there. But if I have to walk my ass to the grocery store and I make myself walk like if I want chocolate cake, I have to walk to the grocery store and I make myself walk Like if I want chocolate cake, I have to walk to the grocery store and get it.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Like with me and Juan, like we were big Pepsi drinkers, so of course that's just packed with sugar. We're big. I'm not big on sweets, he's more on the sweets but we always had Pepsi in the house and then when I started doing this, I was like, nope, let's cut the soda. So now we don't even keep it in the house at all. If he wants soda, he'll buy himself like just a bottle, a small bottle of pepsi, and he'll drink it and that's it.
Carmen Lezeth:And we're not promoting pepsi Coke, but we'd be happy to be sponsored by any of you Go ahead.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Sorry, but what I did find were, you know, crystal Light, how they have the no sugar. You know you have lemonade. I see all that that you can mix with your water. But I also found other brands, like Snapple has a sugar-free kiwi-strawberry mix, if you like that.
Carmen Lezeth:Ew gross, no no.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:But you can find things without sugar.
Carmen Lezeth:So your nutritionist is really about all the sugar.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:She's about sugar. She's all about making sure I have my protein and vegetables.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm not a big on the sugar. I hate the again, your nutritionist is your nutritionist and. But I always hate when people try to debunk the sugar thing. To me it makes no sense Cause, like the like, if I go have crystal light, blah, blah, blah, and what I actually wanted was a soda, I'm still going to want that soda the next day, the day after, whatever, and I'm like just have the motherfucking soda. Now I might choose to have half of that soda and throw the half out. I might do that, but I may not.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:But then she said and she also said that's fine. She said if you do have it, you again you've quenched that, that you know taste for it, and now, rest of the day you can have water, you can have you know no sugar drinks and things like that. So again, you're not completely eliminating it out of your life, but you are going to moderate how much you have.
Rick Costa :I think diets that are all about depriving you they never work.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, exactly I think sweets and salts are really important to our palate, but also it's human to want something sweet and want something salty or whatever you know I mean. The difference is like am I going to have a big, huge bag bag of lays potato chip because I'm having a salt fix? Or no but you know what I'm saying. Like, I think that that's what you're saying is just in moderation, you know.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:But yeah yeah and I and I you know I also changed the way that I cook too. I I don't use salt in my food anymore and now I use. I found a woman who actually has their own seasoning line. It's called Healthy Rican. She's Puerto Rican and I actually told my nutritionist about it and she absolutely loved it. It actually has no salt and you still have adobo, sazon, sofrito, everything, but it's all natural, Nothing's like processed and all that stuff in it, and everybody loved it.
Carmen Lezeth:So and then I just again I'm being kind of mean here, but I just want to say everybody's different because I actually have to add salt to my food because I have such low blood, and that's not a good thing. It's not like I'm like, oh my God, my blood pressure is so low. That's not a good thing. That's not a good thing either. I actually have to put salt in my cranberry juice in the morning. Uh, I know, because it acts like, because, instead of having a, um, sports drink you know actual electrolytes, you know how they do electrolytes. This is like a not natural, but you know, because I didn't go out and squeeze the fucking cranberries. But it's an easier way, instead of buying those sports drinks that are full of sugar, full of crap. You know what I mean? Yeah, my cranberry juice put a little bit of salt in it. That helps with my salt intake. But that's just to explain. And we're from the same sort of bloodline, bush, but we're so different, right, absolutely.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Absolutely.
Rick Costa :Which is why, again, you should see a doctor, because you can't. There is no, everybody's the same. No, not at all.
Carmen Lezeth:Absolutely, I tried, I tried to get weight, to get one of these. I tried. I asked my doctor because of my surgery I had gained weight and I was like I'm just curious. Like I went in all like just wondering. She was like, yeah, no, it's not happening. I was like you, it's not happening like you show. Uh, yeah, I was kind of bummed about that but I think you and I talked about it when you told me, I was like I was kind of jealous, like but I was trying to be supportive, sorry, um, because I do think when you have you know, think when you have you know, like when you have more weight, no matter what your weight is, when you don't feel like yourself, it's hard to move forward and I don't mean that physically, I mean in your life, when you don't feel like you're at your best self.
Carmen Lezeth:I think you at your best self. You getting there? Huh, I'm getting there. Look at that fucking smile and shit.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I mean, juan doesn't even know this, and I'm saying this for everyone to hear right now. At my biggest, I was over 300.
Carmen Lezeth:You were not were you, I was Did.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I see you On the show.
Carmen Lezeth:No, but when you were here, you were not. When you came to visit me no, when I came to visit you, no, no, no, no, because you told but when you were here, you were not.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:When you came to visit me. No, when I came to visit you. No, no, no, no, because you told me what you were.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, yeah, no, okay, okay, yeah, wow, good for you and embracing that shit. I did not know. Yeah, and you're no one there.
Carmen Lezeth:You're short, not short, but you're my height, right, I'm five four yeah, same height, yeah, yeah wow, I am so fucking proud of you get that being a real woman, because you know what doesn't it feel good when you just embrace that shit and you're like you know, that's how. That's why I always talk about the Botox thing. I've lost a couple of friends because they're like I don't know why you always have to put it out there, why you always have to say and it's because they're like Botox to the fucking max, you know, and it looks bad. You know, with this shit and everything that's filler, that's not Botox.
Rick Costa :If somebody is listening and they're like you know what? I think I'm convinced, I think I want to try. What do you like? What would be the first step?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:What should they do? Make sure you've tried everything else first, you know whether it's just working out but definitely have a support system and you should talk to your doctor, as we said, everything else.
Carmen Lezeth:I mean and I might be overstepping, but I'm just gonna say it it wasn't even just that you tried so many different things. At some point you were just in a like a hamster wheel kind of on the medications and like you getting sick and then trying to work out and then not being able to eat and then like and just go on.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It was a vicious cycle, let me tell you, because it was like okay, I have to lose weight in order for my asthma to get better, but in order for my asthma to get better, have to take this medication. But this medication is making me gain weight and it was literally a vicious cycle. Absolutely, and that's why I said, you know, people need to find out their underlying conditions first. You know, before trying anything, because it make it could be hormonal. You know it could just be medications that you're on that you need to change it could just be your lifestyle.
Carmen Lezeth:My doctor was straight up. She's like you have to work out. You're fat. Now, carmen, go work out, that's it. You're old, you're past menopause. You know what I mean? She was mean. That's why I love her, though that's why I love her. She just was like yeah, no, we're not doing that. I was like but I'm trying everything. She's like no, you're not.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:She was like enough, Get off your ass and work out.
Carmen Lezeth:Right, she was like enough with the surgery. That was like four years ago. Let's move it on. So everybody's different. Wow, okay, this is so great.
Rick Costa :How about you think your self-confidence has boomed? Say that again your self-confidence. Do you feel like it's gotten a lot more now, a lot better?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:It has. It has especially like now. My sisters are starting to notice that I've lost weight. My clothes are fitting better and like I like, I feel it and I see it.
Rick Costa :So it definitely gotta make that money to buy a whole new wardrobe pretty soon I know right, but yeah, it's, it's.
Carmen Lezeth:It has been a journey do you know if you're going to have to and again, this I don't know, because it seems to be different information. Um, as I was doing the research on it, do you think you're going to eventually be able to get off of the medication, or is this something you might have to take for the rest of your life? Like I have to take a thyroid medication every day for the rest of my life now, right, cause I had the thyroid condition. But right, which I just want to say to my doctor, she's listening, that's why I was asking about where you go, because that's why I gained so much weight, Because, remember, we had the thyroid thing. Yeah, she was fucking over it. But anyway, back to you. But I just, do you think you'll be able to get off of it, or is it something that you probably have to take for the rest of your life?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I'm hoping. I'm hoping that I can get off of it once I've reached my my goal weight, um, or at least where I'm healthy enough, where I don't have to take any inhalers at all. You know, um, but the doctor did say it may be something I have to be on for the rest of my life yeah um, but again, yeah, it does depend on how the asthma is working, because if my asthma gets better, I'll definitely be able to work out more, do more things, be more active and stuff.
Carmen Lezeth:So are we wearing bikinis next summer? What?
Rick Costa :do you?
Carmen Lezeth:mean I already am.
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:I was like. I'm'm gonna wear it, no matter what let me tell the women out there you know all the big, beautiful women out there no man cares about your weight. They can't you. They want to see that confidence. They want to see that you feel comfortable in your own skin. So so wear the bikini, wear what you want. Feel comfortable. You have a man that loves you, no matter what.
Carmen Lezeth:Run with it girl, let me just correct you A real man A real man yes. That's right. A real man Don't give a shit about all that. Absolutely no, sorry.
Rick Costa :Right Rick.
Carmen Lezeth:Speaking for all men.
Rick Costa :Well, and I could say in my own marriage I really didn't care. And she'd be like I'm fat. No, don't grant, I'm like you're. What are you talking about? You're perfect. What are you talking?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:about and let me, and let me tell you to get a little personal on this. When I gained weight, it did mess with my own self-esteem that it was affecting my relationship, so that it's gotten better so yeah.
Carmen Lezeth:I love you so much. Thank you for doing this. I think you're going to help so many people, but, more importantly, I just feel like you've helped yourself on so many different levels by just embracing just this brilliance of who you are and the courage it took for you to do it. I know you were scared. I'm so proud of you and I love you so much. Yeah, and we'll do another check-in in six months, see how you're doing. No, no, but maybe next you know what I mean We'll do another follow-up and see how you're doing, or whatever. I mean it's up to you, but it would be fun for me anyway. I mean, I don't think you realize how beautiful you're coming across on this. You know what I mean, right, rick? Like just a whole beautiful city. You've always been amazing and beautiful, beautiful, but your spirit is back on track, is what I'm trying to say yeah I feel that okay, good, all right.
Carmen Lezeth:Well, now I'm gonna start crying. Rick, do you have any more questions?
Rick Costa :so you're at the maximum dose now. So now it's just maintaining, keep going and just going, absolutely.
Carmen Lezeth:Good, Do you how many more months or whatever before you get to your goal weight or not goal weight, but how many more months before you think you might get rid of some inhalers? Or like is there a plan where they want to see, where you want to see progress?
Cynthia Ruiz Lopez:Yeah, they're hoping in the next I think by November they're going to see how I've been doing without these other two inhalers and try to get me off another one.
Carmen Lezeth:Okay, good, all right All right, all right. We're going to do it, no matter what. No matter. Thank you for doing this. I love you. I'm so proud of you. Rick, Thank you for hanging out and doing this as well. And yeah, everyone, I am a little flummoxed, so I'm just going to say remember it really is all about the joy. Thanks everyone, bye. Thanks for stopping by. All about the joy be better and stay beautiful. Folks have a sweet day.
