In this episode, we catch up in the middle of the school holidays for a weight update and a chat about how Charlene is staying on track as she tapers off Ozempic. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

In this episode of Ozempic Diaries, we're just checking in with the good news that Charlene has comprehensively broken her plateau, and that Jon's second round of Ozempic is going well.

We've both reached a point we call "looking good with our clothes on".

We talk about how body composition can mean you can be the same weight and look vastly different, and Charlene is about to start tapering off, which has her worried about bouncing back.

This show is now being made for our friends in the Whatsapp community. Instagram has blocked us for no given reason, and after a month, our account has not been reinstated. So join the community to see our progress pictures and chat to over 100 people going on their own Ozempic journey, sharing their results and advice. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

In this episode, we talk about:

1. Why Jon has gone BACK onto Ozempic after a month of being off it.

2. How Charlene is finally breaking through her plateau.

3. The possible advantages of taking a break from Ozempic to stabilise, and then plunging onward.

4. Compounds, generics, fakes, scams and the black market. A complex topic, debated by two non-doctor podcasters who aren't your parents. YOU DECIDE.

5. We go kicked out of our Instagram account! We're hoping to get it back soon. Maybe it's because we're so controversial! Finally! Legitimacy as maverick podcasters! Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

In this episode, we catch up after a month of Jon being off Ozempic, and Charlene fighting the good fight against a frustrating plateau.

In this episode we do some very intelligent, structured, value-added moaning. Because sometimes it's frustrating and we all deserve a good moan. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

After a two-week break, Jonathan and Charlene return to the mic with major updates: Jonathan has officially tapered off Ozempic, while Charlene has upped her dose to 1mg to battle a stubborn weight plateau and reduce food cravings as she tapers off vaping. This candid episode dives deep into the emotional, physical, and psychological shifts they’re experiencing as their journeys diverge.

What We Talk About in This Episode:

• 🛑 Tapering Off Ozempic: Jonathan shares what it’s like to stop completely after stepping down to 0.25mg—hunger is back, but so is mindfulness.

• ⚖️ Plateau Frustrations: Charlene opens up about being stuck at 76.7kg for nearly a month, despite increasing her dose.

• 🧠 Food Habits & Psychology: Jonathan identifies his mindless snacking habits and outlines a strategy to “stop, look, and listen” before eating.

• 💪 Charlene’s Menopause-Friendly Routine: She talks about lifting weights, focusing on protein, and exploring anti-inflammatory recipes to preserve muscle mass.

• 🚭 Vaping & Cravings: Can semaglutide curb nicotine habits too? Charlene discusses how increasing her dose helped manage withdrawal cravings.

• 😠 Judgment & Stigma: Charlene recounts being shamed for using Ozempic for weight loss—and the impact it had on her emotionally.

• 🧃 Fullness & Addiction: They unpack the surprising crossover between feeling physically full and reduced interest in alcohol, vaping, and snacking.

• 🧠 Mental Reframing: The duo reflects on building sustainable habits and the importance of giving yourself grace during plateaus and lifestyle shifts. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

Three Months In: What Did We Learn? 🎯

In the final episode of Season 1, Jon and Charlene reflect on their 12-week journey with Ozempic — the wins, the challenges, the surprises, and the lessons learned. 💬

In this episode:

• Jon celebrates a major milestone: 13kg down and surfing with his son for the first time! 🏄‍♂️

• Charlene hits her 10kg goal and shares how movement, mindset, and community support boosted her journey. 🏋️‍♀️✨

• Honest talk about body image, self-acceptance, and the reality behind social media perceptions of weight loss. 📸

• Managing plateaus, cravings, tapering off Ozempic, and celebrating non-scale victories. 🎯

• Reflections on what surprised them most, how expectations matched (or didn’t match) reality, and new insights about themselves.

• Listener shoutouts! 🌟 How the WhatsApp community shaped their experience and the power of sharing openly.

• Charlene’s micro-dose adjustment experiment — and a handy hack for getting every last drop out of an Ozempic pen. 💉

Big Themes:

• Trusting the process

• Letting go of guilt around food and body image

• Building sustainable habits beyond medication

• Gratitude for mobility, energy, and quality family time

Looking ahead:

Season 2 launches soon with bi-monthly updates as Jon tapers off completely and Charlene continues her journey on a lower dose. New challenges, new wins, same honest diaries.

⸻

Links and Mentions:

• Join the Ozempic Diaries WhatsApp Community!

• Listen to The Great Equalizer podcast with Charlene and Sam Herbst.

• Check out the new travel series "How Far Will You Travel: Australia", which Jon wrote.

Thanks for journeying with us so far!

Subscribe and follow to catch our next updates. And remember: trust the process. 🌟 The Great Equalizer Podcast · How Far Will You Travel, Australia Podcast · TGE's Current Read · Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

Twelve weeks in, and I’m making a huge decision about my next steps with Ozempic. Charlene and I talk about wins, setbacks, shifting mindsets — and what the future might look like without the medication. Big changes ahead. Listen now. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

In this episode, we catch up, talk bout how holidays kick your body's ass, how Ozempic has affected Charlene's bra size, and Jon does some rudimentary maths to work out how much it would cost to STAY on Ozempic forever (at different dosages).

⏱️ Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 – Back into routine: Charlene’s struggle with exhaustion, early mornings, and chaotic school schedules.

• 02:00 – Weekly check-ins: Charlene drops 700g, Jon gains slightly after a cheat weekend (and then drops it again).

• 06:00 – The bra dilemma: when your body changes faster than your wardrobe.

• 08:00 – Body image + support: partners, self-talk, and the saggy skin no one warns you about.

• 09:30 – Jon’s cheat weekend: homemade pizza, muscadel, and why living in the moment sometimes matters.

• 12:45 – The cost of staying on Ozempic: a full breakdown of monthly expenses by dosage.

• 15:45 – Final thoughts: Can you afford to do this forever? And should you? Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

This week we're catching up after Charlene's family vacation, and talking a bit about how USUALLY a vacation ends with a certain amount of guilt and trepidation as one steps on the scale to check the damage.

No longer the case for Charlene.

We also cover a special topic this week - Ozempic for folks over 65. I did some digging into the specifics of getting the most out of Ozempic, despite the challenge and necessity of maintaining what muscle mass you still have.

Lastly, here's a recipe from our Whatsapp community! Enjoy.

90-Second Keto Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons almond flour 

• ½ teaspoon baking powder 

• 1 large egg 

• 1 tablespoon melted butter (or coconut oil) 

Instructions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl (approximately 4 inches in diameter), combine the almond flour, baking powder, egg, and melted butter. 

2. Whisk the mixture thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.

3. Microwave the mixture on high for 90 seconds.

4. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and let the bread cool slightly.

5. Once cooled, slice the bread in half. For added flavor and texture, you can toast the slices in a skillet with a bit of butter until golden brown. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta

Welcome back to Ozempic Diaries! This week, we’re deep into week 8, and Jon has officially bumped up to a 1 mg dose—breaking through a long plateau with a 1.1 kg drop! 🎉 Charlene, steady on 0.5 mg, checks in from a family holiday in Umhlanga Rocks and reflects on the unique chaos of parenting vacations, the creeping return of hunger, and… digestive real talk.

💬 In this episode:

• Jon’s surprising weight loss after a few indulgences

• Charlene’s steady progress—even while weighing in early and managing hormones + holiday chaos

• Side effects (or lack thereof) on higher doses

• Shifts in appetite and the “getting used to it” phase

• Listener spotlight: Konrad’s powerful health journey—15kg down and counting, post-tumour diagnosis

• The Ozempic Diaries WhatsApp community is buzzing! 🎉

🧠 Themes we explore:

• What it feels like to hit your stride (or not) with Ozempic

• How hormones, hydration, and stress play a bigger role than we give credit for

• The amazing diversity in reasons people are using semaglutide

💌 Listener Story of the Week:

Konrad shares how a surprising cancer diagnosis led to discovering Ozempic, with huge improvements to his health—even though weight loss wasn’t his original goal. A reminder that this journey can be about so much more than the number on the scale.

👥 Join the community!

Looking for support, recipe swaps, supplement chats, or just curious what others are going through?

➡️ Click the link in the show notes to join our growing WhatsApp group.

📍 Next week:

Charlene stays steady at 0.5 mg while Jon tackles life on 1 mg. Will the side effects hit? Will the hunger stay away? And what does “getting used to it” actually feel like?

As always, thanks for listening. Join our Whatsapp Community · Check out our website · Follow us on Insta