Sunday, May 31, 2009

P3 R1 Day 17 (180, LIW +3.0)

I woke this morning to a gain of .6... I'm really not surprised because today I am SICK. My whole body hurts, I'm congested, etc. I couldn't sleep well last night because of the congestion. I was planning to do an egg/nut day, which I started out with, but have deviated from that as I couldn't stand the thought of another egg or nut. I really just want toast or something like that... comfort food... but instead had a bowl of puffed millet, which is a type of grain that tastes kind of like cereal in milk. I also had a pumpkin/cream cheese/cinnamon concoction, which was also in that comfort food category. I decided being sick I am just going to do the best I can today and see what the scale says tomorrow, and not worry so much about correcting. I am pretty sure that a large part of my weight gain is water retention from TOM, and also being sick I am sure doesn't help that at all. I am drinking lots of water and have been lying down all day. Hopefully I will be back up and normal tomorrow. If I need to do a steak day tomorrow I will.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

P3R1 Day 16 (179.4, LIW +2.4)

Sorry people, I know I have been missing in action. I got really busy, and then yesterday, I just plain didn't want to post because I was upset (you'll find out why) and then today was busy again! The good news is, I got my garage cleaned out! If you have seen it, you know that is a HUGE accomplishment! We still have a lot of stuff out there, but now it is all nicely organized and there is space for the cars. My favorite thing about having it clean is that it will be easy for the kids to go in there and get their bikes, scooters, etc. But boy am I tired!
On to weightier matters (ha ha pun intended). 2 days ago, my weight stayed the same as it had been for the two days before that, which was a good thing. I was actually starting to feel like I was getting stable and feeling happy about that. Then, I woke up yesterday morning to find that I had gained 2.8 pounds overnight! Yes, you read that right, 2.8 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was 4.4 over my last injection weight and I was freaking out not just a little. I knew that TOM was on his way (he still hasn't arrived) but I really couldn't believe he could really have the big of an effect on me. Anyway, I did an egg/nut day yesterday and had a 2 lb loss this morning. But I'm still over 2 lbs... you aren't supposed to do 2 correction days in a row, but in between do a day of "clean" eating meaning you stick mainly to the items eaten on phase 2, but in larger quantities and adding fats to them. So I have done pretty well with that today... had eggs for breakfast and dinner (cooked in butter). For lunch I had a noodle-less lasagne that I made the other day (eggplant is used in place of the noodles and it is GOOD)... that wasn't totally "clean" because of the cheese but I ruined the chicken salad I was making for lunch by accidentally pouring about 1/2 c of minced onion into it... yuck. Anyway, we will see what tomorrow brings and roll with it. I'm still not completely sure if the gain was just from TOM... I know that must have something to do with it, but I also have not been feeling the best this week, and I noticed last night that I have some cold sores in my mouth which I get when I am sick, stressed, etc.... so maybe being sick or stressed contributed. I don't know.
I am really tired and have a headache so I am going to go for now... but I will really try to get back on in the morning and do an update! Tomorrow shouldn't be so busy! (day of rest, right?)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

P3R1 Day 13 (178.4, LIW +1.6)

My weight was the same today as it was yesterday, which is a good thing! I would like to lose a little to get closer to my last injection weight, but I am still within the acceptable range so I am just glad I didn't have a gain! Things are going well, there is not much to report. I have a busy day today so I am going to keep this short so I can get going! I hope you all have a fantastic day!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

P3R1 Day 12 (178.6, LIW +1.6)

Today the scale registered a 1.2 loss from yesterdays egg/nut day. Although it turned out to be an egg/nut/steak day. I was feeling really hungry all day (I think TOM is on his way)... I ended up eating 2300 calories! And instead of just eating almonds, I also had some macadamia nuts, which were so yummy. I am happy with that loss (especially with eating that much!), but I am going to be very careful today with the dairy and see if I can get a little lower.
I did some research yesterday about the high fat diet, because Jorge expressed some concern about it on Sunday. I understand the concern; eating a high amount of fat is really so counter-intuitive to all that I have ever believed about how to eat healthy. I decided I need to educate myself about this to decide how I want to eat long term, and how I want to feed my family. Of course I have only just begun my research, but I did read what I thought was a very good and informative article about fats and what they do in our bodies. It is very long and gets down to the nitty gritty details about the chemical make-up of different fats, and the chemical and biological processes in our bodies that require fats... but I think it is a very good read. Here's the link if you are interested... "The Skinny on Fats" by Mary Enig, PhD.
Well, its off to work I go today so I need to wrap this up. Have a great day and yippee for a short work week!

Monday, May 25, 2009

P3R1 Day 11 (179.8, LIW +2.8 YIKES!)

I didn't post the past few days because I was so busy (and boy, did I ever hear about it from Grandma! Love you!) Basically, my weight stayed the same on Saturday, went up .2 on Sunday but was still in range. This morning I was up 1.2 from there, which took me over the 2 lbs. So today I am doing an egg/nut day. I am eating eggs and raw almonds today, which should cause a loss tomorrow and get me back within range.
I think the gain may be due to the coconut bars I made yesterday... I think I ate 4 or 5 of them. Looks like I have a hard time controlling myself with bakery items even if they have no sugar or flour in them! They were yummy.
Happy Memorial Day to everyone... let's all remember to thank those who have served our country to protect the freedoms that we so much enjoy!

Friday, May 22, 2009

P3R1 Day 8 (178.4, LIW +1.4)

Went up a pound today, but still within range. I am being more careful today. Yesterday I ate a lot more than I should have... I had to travel for about 3 hours for work, and driving for that long gets boring, and boring means I want to eat! (How to change that?) Something interesting... I was getting tired during the drive, so I decided to get a caffeinated soda to help wake me up. I got a diet cherry coke and took a few sips... and then my stomach started feeling uncomfortable, and I got the hiccups, which I couldn't get rid of. I realized that my body really wasn't liking the soda (even though my taste buds were)... so I stopped drinking it. Its crazy, because I used to drink soda instead of water... a lot of it. I am so glad to be "clean" from it and more aware of how it really affects my body.
Today I am trying some new recipes. I have pumpkin cream cheese muffins in the oven right now (doesn't THAT sound yum?) Yesterday I managed to limit myself to 2 cream cheese muffins that I have in the freezer, but they are almost gone. I have heard rave reviews on the pumpkin kind. I made some riced cauliflower that I am going to somehow incorporate into our dinner of stuffed peppers (might add into the stuffing mixture, or serve on the side somehow). Riced cauliflower is simply a head of cauliflower that I grated, then covered and cooked in the microwave for 8 minutes. Amazingly, it is light and fluffy like rice, and apparently takes on the flavor of whatever it is served with. How cool is that? For breakfast this morning I had Hot Pumpkin "Cereal"... it is made of ricotta, an egg, pumpkin and 2 T. flaxseed. It was so so so yummy, and really did have the taste and texture of hot cereal. I put 2 T of half and half on it along with some sugar free maple syrup. I will most definitely be eating that again... usually I want something sweet for breakfast, and it was sweet and very filling. Oh, and one more thing I recently made were "oopsie" rolls... they are made of separated eggs (with the whites beaten stiff... this gives the rolls their structure), and cream cheese. Last night I had a hamburger on two of them and they really are a decent substitute for bread. Today I had a chicken salad sandwich on them, yum!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

P3R1 Day 7 (177.4, LIW +.4)

Well, egg day did its job and I got back down into range. Lost 1.8, and that was even with some cocoa bark, almonds, and cheese added in. Now I am hoping to just stay within range for more than a few days, but I guess we will see. They say the first week of Phase 3 is the most "tumultuous" because the body is not stabilized yet at this weight, hopefully next week will be a little more uneventful.
I have to run but wanted to do a morning update for all those who check in the a.m.! (Grandma!) I will be getting home late tonight because I have to go on a road trip for work and then Jorge and I are going to look at a King sized bed we might be buying... (yea! We need a king... it gets squishy when the kids sneak into our bed at night ha ha).
Have a great day everyone!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

P3R1 Day 6 (179.2, LIW +2.2)

UGH! I gained 1.6 this morning, so I am doing another "correction" day to get under the 2 lb limit. I am doing an egg day... I will eat eggs all day and drink lots of water. I'm glad to have something to try other than steak day... I really didn't like not eating until dinner, and then I felt sick after eating the steak last time.
Why did I gain so much this morning? I think there are two reasons. One is that I made a recipe for cream cheese muffins yesterday, and by the end of the day I had eaten 6. Yikes (they are really good, obviously). Also, I was up late last night making lunch for Jorge and I to take to work, and was feeling snacky so I was taking bites of this and that... I shouldn't be eating late like that. Or it might have been that ONE crouton I accidentally ate in my salad at Chili's last night (ha ha!) Either way, I am confident that egg day will get me back down within range and tomorrow I can learn how to eat just 1 (or 2) cream cheese muffins! Moderation is the name of the game!
I hope you all have a great day!
More tomorrow!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

P3R1 Day 5 (177.6, LIW +.6)

Hey everybody! I was thrilled this morning to see that scale moved down a pound, giving me a little more wiggle room within the 2lb range I have to work with! Now I am only .6 above my last injection weight, that's a relief. I really don't want to have to do another correction day (but will if called for, of course!) Can you believe I lost a pound and ate 2000 calories yesterday? I have been eating right around 2000 calories every day since starting P3... it just amazes me that my body isn't packing on the weight after eating 500 cal/day for 47 days. That just reassures me that the HCG really does work the way I think it does.
Well, I've gotta run... still need to eat breakfast and get myself and Emma ready to leave for the day. Have a great day!

Monday, May 18, 2009

P3R1 Day 4 178.6 (LIW +1.6)

Today at weigh in I had gained .8 from yesterday, bringing me to 178.6. I am 1.6 over last injection weight. I was thinking I would most likely have to do a correction day today, but was lucky that I didn't cross that 2 lb threshold. Tomorrow might be one though, it's getting pretty close!
I am feeling better today and a little more confident that I can do this and learn to maintain my weight. Its definitely an adjustment to go from watching the scale drop nearly every day to watching it bounce right around the same weight. Even though I am enjoying the new foods, it will be nice to get back to Phase 2 and start losing again! (I've got awhile before then though).
Today I made "Cafe Rio Pork" and the tomatillo dressing they have there. For the sweet pork, instead of using coke and brown sugar in the crock pot, I used diet coke and splenda. It turned out really yummy. I think I am going to try baking up some of the no-carb rolls (oopsies) because that pork would be really yummy on a sandwich. We had it in salad, the way they serve it at Cafe Rio (of course I didn't have a tortilla, beans or rice like I normally would). It was really tasty though, and I was happy to see that my no sugar substitutions worked!
I hope you are all having a good day. More later!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Phase 3 Round 1 Day 3 (P3R1 #3)

Hi everybody. So sorry I missed posting yesterday. I have been busy, and yesterday I just didn't feel like writing because I was a little down. When I weighed yesterday morning, I was 179.2 (177 was my last injection weight, so I was 2.2 lbs over). So yesterday, since I exceeded the 2 lb threshold, I had to do a steak day. It was frustrating that the first day of eating on phase 3 caused me to gain so much that I needed to do the steak day, but hey, it i happens. Luckily, steak day worked, as this morning I woke up to a 1.4lb loss, to 177.8 (.8 over LIW, which is acceptable).
Phase 3 is more challenging than I expected. During Phase 2 (very low calorie diet) all I could think about regarding phase 3 was all the food I could eat and how great it would be. But I feel really full and heavy a lot of the time (this is so different from the low calorie part, where I always felt light and never really full). I worry from day to day that the scale is going to go up too far. I am sure this will get easier as time goes on. I am so glad I have the bootcamp on Happily Thinner After. It is very comforting to have a group there that are all in the same boat that I am. It is also so nice that they have people with a lot of experience mentoring those like me who are new at this.
Today I ate cheese for the first time since starting the protocol (besides the cottage cheese that was allowed). Lots of people have problems with cheese so it will be interesting to see what the scale says tomorrow.
Well, I have to go get some stuff done before bed so I think that will be all for now!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Maintenance Phase (P3R1) Day #1

Hello everybody! It is a beautiful day! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I am eating! Actually, I am not literally eating this minute, but I have had some really yummy foods today, which has been a welcome change. It's kind of surreal eating stuff other than the very low calorie diet foods. Especially the fats.
My weight was up a little bit this morning, to 177.4 (.6 from yesterday)... I am not really worried about it. I think its just one of those normal fluctuations. Like I said earlier, the time to worry and take action is when those upper or lower 2 lbs are exceeded. We will see what tomorrow brings.
For breakfast today I had 2 eggs scrambled in butter (oh, yum) and an avocado (double yum). For lunch I had chicken salad made of canned chicken breast, mayonnaise (the real stuff), chopped up celery, a few cut up grapes and some seasonings, and I ate that in little romaine lettuce "boats". Oh my, it was so good. I made some coconut bark (aka cocoa-crack because some say its more addictive than crack! ha ha). It is made of coconut oil (which is, by the way amazing, if you like coconut), cocoa powder, vanilla and sweetener (I used Splenda). It is really good. I can't wait to play around with the recipe and try things like peanut butter, nuts, coconut in it, stuff like that. It is melt in your mouth good... hard to believe its so good for you!
This morning I realized that most of my life I have been trying to avoid fat like the plague. As I put butter in the pan to cook my eggs, I realized that the only times I have allowed myself to eat butter as far back as I remember is when I am in diet rebellion mode. I am so interested to see if I really can be healthy and maintain my weight on a diet with a good dose of healthy fats. There's still a part of me that is skeptical, but I am willing to try this and make adjustments as necessary. So far, the HCG protocol has worked for me exactly like Dr. Simeons said it would, so I'm going to keep trusting it!
One thing I noticed was that after eating my breakfast, I was not at all hungry again until about 2pm. Even walking through Costco with all the samples and the smell of pizza wafting through the store, I had no desire to eat. I think one of the benefits of having a good amount of fat in the diet is the satiation that fats give.
This morning I also went to the gym. I ran (OK, jogged) for about 20 min and walked on an uphill incline for another 10 or so. I really didn't want to overdue it, as I haven't really worked out since January, before I had pneumonia. I am just going to do what feels good at the gym, and what I did today felt very good. I look forward to working out often while I am on this maintenance phase.
Tonight we are going to dinner with my parents, who invited us out to celebrate the "end" of the low calorie part of the diet. They are so supportive and generous and I appreciate them so much! Thanks mom and dad! We are going to Ruby Tuesday's, because they have mashed cauliflower (kinda like potatoes, but not) that I have been wanting to try. I am going to have a steak, mashed cauliflower, and a salad with ranch dressing. Doesn't that sound good? I just hope that I will be hungry by the time we get there around 5... like I said my breakfast stayed with me a long time, and lunch may be the same way!
Well, this is getting pretty long, but I had a lot to say (as usual). I hope its a beautiful day for everybody else reading this! Time to go take a shower (with conditioner! and then lots of lotion after! woo hoo).

Thursday, May 14, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #46...the last day of very low calories!

Hey folks. Do you know I am so excited that tomorrow, I get to eat different? And use lotion and conditioner? And work out? Have I mentioned any of that? huh? huh?
It's kind of weird and liberating to not be trying to lose weight right now. So liberating that I ate almost 800 cal yesterday... and I am pretty sure I will go over the 500 today, because I'm already at 400. But it is all Phase 2 legal foods I am eating, and today my weight didn't budge, so I'm not too worried about it. I do feel more hungry, which could mean that the HCG is getting out of my system and it also may be partly psychological, knowing that I'm movin on from the VLCD for a while! My tummy was a little uncomfortable last night, presumably from the extra food I ate. I wonder how its going to feel tomorrow when I eat triple, maybe even quadruple what I have been eating. Should be interesting.
I took my measurements this morning, which I *will* keep doing even in Phase 3. Many people say that although they are maintaining their weight, they continue to lose inches. I'm all for that! Here are my final measurements, for your viewing pleasure...

Body Part-- March 28 ----May 14 ----Inches Lost
Waist --------- 39" ----------33.25" ---------5.75"
Bust ------------46" ---------- 41.5" ----------4.5"
Chest --------- 40" -----------35" -----------5.0"
Hips ------------49" ----------44.5" --------- 4.5"
Thighs---------- 42" ---------- 38" ----------- 4.0"
Bicep -----------13.5" ------- 12.75" ---------- .75"
TOTAL: 24.5"

I decided, I might as well post my weight on here too. It's a leap for me, putting it out there for all of you to see and know how much I weigh. But it will make it easier to keep you updated on my maintenance... and does it really matter? I have no problem with strangers on the internet knowing how much I weigh... its my skinny family who I hesitate to tell. But, it's just something I need to get over.
Here goes... my starting weight was 203.6 (yikes), and after I had my loading days it went up to 206.2 (double yikes). Those are some numbers I never ever want to see again on the scale. This is the heaviest I have ever been in my whole life, pregnancies included. My last injection weight was 177, with my final loss (starting from post loading weight) at 29.2 lbs. That is how much my 3 year old Emma weighs. It is crazy to look at her and realize that is about the mass of fat that is off my body.
Today I am at 176.8, but my maintenance will be focused around that 177 weight. If I go up to 179, I will take immediate action to get it back down. Same goes if it gets below 175. In 6 weeks I will start this crazy awesome Phase 2 journey once again, and start movin' down from here.
I still haven't done after pictures to post, maybe we will do that tonight. I definitely want to document my progress in pictures. I'm a little sad I didn't take good before pictures, but I will just make do with pictures I have of me from right before I started.
Well I hope you all have a great day... make it a good one! Thanks for checking in with me!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #45 (day 1 no injection)

Yesterday I made a decision, that if I saw a good loss this morning (.8 or more) I would take the last 2/5 of an injection that I have left and call today my last injection weight (LIW). (LIW is very important for the next 6 weeks, as that is the weight I will be trying to maintain within a +/- 2 lb range). If not, I would consider yesterday my LIW and would just start Phase 3 (3 weeks no sugar no starch) a day early (Friday instead of Saturday). Despite my best efforts, I saw only a .2 loss this morning, so an early P3 it is. Jorge had the idea to go to the sauna and try to sweat out that .8/lb last night... so we went to the gym and *did* sweat *alot*, but I kept telling him that it wasn't water I wanted to lose, because I would have to maintain that loss! Besides, I drink so much water in the sauna that I don't think my body has a net loss at all. Either way, we had fun doing it.
So I missed my 30lb goal by .8 but I have come to terms with it and know that it is only a matter of time before I hit that goal along with many more! I figured that this morning it would be good news either way... either I would hit my goal, or I would know that P3 would be here one day earlier. So it will be the early P3 and I am content with that.
So today and tomorrow, I will remain on the 500 cal diet while the HCG leaves the building. Friday will open up a whole new world to me of more choices and lots to learn about stabilization and maintenance. Oh, and the lotion. My skin is in dire need of some serious moisture... can't wait til Friday baby!
I will take some Round 1 "after" pics and post them along with some befores in the next few days. I will also post my final measurements and inches lost, probably tomorrow.
Have a great day everybody!!!!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #44

Down 1 lb today (woo-hoo!). 29.2 lbs to date. But I have some other news. I measured the amount I have left of HCG after my injection this morning, and it is only 2/5 of a dose. I am trying to figure out if taking too small of a dose tomorrow and considering tomorrow's weight my last injection weight would mess up my ability to stabilize at that weight or not. It may turn out that today is my last injection. I don't know what it is with me and running out of HCG, I must not measure very well or something. Well, either way, this has been an extremely successful 6 1/2 weeks of releasing fat from my body! I am thrilled with the results, even if I am a little sad not to get all the way to that nice round number of 30lbs! But it's only a number, and the fact is that .8 isn't going to significantly change the way I look or feel.
I'm going to talk to some other people who are more experienced with this protocol and see what they think I should do. But as of right now I am thinking today might be it.
If today is my last injection, that means I continue on the very low calorie diet today, tomorrow, and Thursday, and Friday I can starting eating on the next phase (and using lotion! Can't wait for that!) I'll keep you posted!!!!!
Have a great day everybody!

Monday, May 11, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #43

Good morning everyone...! The sun is shining and it looks like another beautiful day! I love spring.
I also love it when my body lets go of weight! Today I had a loss of .6, bringing the total to 28.2... I'm getting a *little* nervous as I only have 2 more days to weigh in to get to my goal of 30 lbs. I am *so* *so* *so* close! 1.8 lbs more~ please body please! I don't know why it feels so important to get to this number, I just really want it! I am going to be very strict today and tomorrow... and drink lots and lots of water! I am still a little sore from the yardwork over the weekend, so I *could* still be hanging onto some water. Regardless of whether I lose any more on this round though, I know I have come so far in the past 6 weeks... whether my final number is 28.2 or 30 lbs, the positive changes are all still there. I am thrilled with the results of the HCG protocol and I am *so* glad I followed my intuition to try it.
Well, I better go give myself a shot! Only 2 more left after today... hmmmm that's weird! I've gotten so used to that being part of my morning routine.
And to finish up this post, I would like to share some words of wisdom that my dad has shared with me on many occasions... "Don't put beans in your ears!" and "Always remember, wherever you go, there you are" (Love you dad!)
More later...

Sunday, May 10, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #42


Happy Mother's Day !

Today I have no news as far as my weight goes. This morning, Jeffrey (my 7 year old) brought me breakfast in bed (strawberries and herbal tea). He asked me last night to tell him what I could have on my diet, and he wrote it down. He is so sweet. This morning, he brought the tray of food to me (cut up strawberries and herbal tea, NOT pancakes as indicated in the picture ha ha). After I finished eating, I realized I hadn't weighed yet! So literally, there is no news today... oh well.

I only have 3 more weigh-ins (last injection is Wed) to lose 2.4 more to get to my 30 lb goal. I am keeping my fingers crossed and am going to drink lots and lots of water today, hoping to see a good loss in the morning!

I hope you all have a beautiful Mother's Day!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #41

I am down .4 today, bringing the grand total to 27.6... I am happy for this loss and really wasn't expecting it. Last night I was feeling more munchy than usual, and I ended up eating more chicken than I should have. I had my portion at dinner, but as I was cleaning up, took several more bites of the leftovers. I also ate both of my fruits yesterday, because I felt I needed something else to eat last night.
Today is going to be fun. My mom is taking us (my sister and sisters in law) for pedicures and out to eat. This is something she has done for us for Mother's Day for several years. I know, how turned around is it that she takes us out. Thanks Mom! Just another reason you are the best! Anyway, its really fun, and I love me a pedicure! I will take my own oil free lotion this time... I hope the pedicurist doesn't think that's too weird! We are going to Sizzler for lunch, where I will be able to get food off the salad bar. I might order a steak, but more likely I will have boiled eggs from the salad bar along with a veggie and some type of fruit.
A week from today I will be on Phase 3! I have been following the group of Phase 3'ers on Happily Thinner After, and am feeling more and more confident about how to proceed into this new territory. It is helpful to see how others make this transition, and to know what obstacles to expect. I am so glad to have this resource... if I didn't I think I would be scared to death! The last thing in the world I want to happen is to gain this weight back! And I won't. I will do everything I can and tweak whatever it takes to get it right, so I never have to go back to where I have come from! One huge perk of the way this diet works is that it's like starting over with how I eat. Of course, I carry with me my history and habits. But I have now been eating "clean" for 40 days, and this is a great opportunity for me to slowly reintroduce "new" foods and really see the effect they have on me. Then I can figure out my long term maintenance accordingly. I *know* I was in a terrible cycle with my high sugar diet... looking back, it seems like I was always looking for my next sugar fix. Even when I lost a lot on Weight Watchers, I can see that I constantly manipulated my points to incorporate the junk food, and in turn I was depriving my body of the nutrition it really needed to function optimally. While I think I will *always* have a sweet tooth, there are much healthier ways to enjoy sweet food, and I am determined to implement those healthier new ways. My main goal is to eat a diet of highly nutritious, whole foods. I think that the more whole and unprocessed food is, the more satisfying it is... and I mean truly satisfying. Not the instant gratification that highly processed foods give, but the satiation and health that whole foods give our bodies. I have a lot to learn and figuring out how it works is not going to be a quick process but I say bring it on! I'm ready!

Friday, May 8, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #40

I am doing a happy dance today, I am 1.2 down which took me into my next "decade". I woke up at 4:30am to use the bathroom, and of course weighed myself. I had crossed into that new decade even then (although I lost .8 more before I officially weighed later in the morning). Anyway, I was so excited I couldn't go back to sleep. So I have been awake since 4:30am!!!!!
My total loss is now 27.2... only 2.8 from my goal to lose 30lbs this round. Woo hoo! I *think* I'm gonna make it! I am 5 lbs from the "overweight" BMI (as opposed to being obese)... I am not counting on that much more, but, hey, it *could* happen.
I made the P2 "pound cake" last night for dinner. I needed something different, and it was pretty darn good. I added lemon and almond extract which gave it a really good flavor (anyone who knows me knows I LOVE lemon!) I cut up strawberries and put them on top. Yum. I might have it again for lunch today. I know, I said I wasn't going to eat *any* fruit yesterday but I couldn't resist. The strawberries are just so good right now.... wow I can't believe I still love strawberries after all I have eaten!
Even though I have been feeling burned out of this diet, the fact that I am back in losing mode and the fact that I will be done with this part a week from tomorrow really helps me stay motivated to do it right. Sometimes its hard to see the forest through the trees, but what has happened to my body in the past 40 days has been truly amazing. I am so glad I decided to give HCG a try. Even though I want and need the 6 week break, I am so looking forward to the next round because then I am going to be entering weight territory that I have not been in for years. And that is exciting!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #39

I have been on this diet for 39 days friends! And I am so ready to be done! :) After I lose a few more pounds, that is.
Today I was down .6, bringing the total to 26. I am .3 away from the next decade! I am going to try not to have any of my fruits to day, in order to insure a loss for tomorrow that will take me over the threshold. I'm not promising though. I really enjoy my fruit... without sugar in my diet, it tastes like such a treat. Especially the strawberries that are in season. They are so ripe and juicy. But I am going to stop talking about that now.
I hit another milestone today. I have a pair of pants in my closet that I have been trying on for weeks. First I couldn't get them over my thighs. Then I got them over my thighs but they stopped somewhere around my behind. Then I got them all the way pulled up but they wouldn't zip. Guess what. Today, they zipped, and buttoned, and I am wearing them! Woo-hoo! I am not going to say they aren't snug because they are... especially compared to the pants I have been wearing that have been getting more and more baggy. But they aren't obscenely snug... they are decent to wear in public (I hope because I'm at work right now). Anyway, I am SO happy to see some progress in the pant size! I have definitely changed on the top, but have been concerned that I wasn't shrinking on the bottom half (I believe I have mentioned that!) I am still way off from where I want to be (these ones I have on today are 14's)... but I am moving in the right direction! woo-hoo!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #38

Hey everybody... sorry I'm a little late today getting this posted (Grandma! Hopefully you slept in today!) I just found out this past weekend that my other Grandma is also reading this blog. So both of the "Grands" are keeping up with me. How cool is that? I think I have the most hip, savvy, high tech Grandma's there ever were! :)

Today I am down .4, total is 25.4. One week from today will be my last shot for this round... woo-hoo! C'mon body, let's make this last week really count!!

I have had several people notice a change in my appearance in the past few days, which is a huge shot in the arm. This goes along with my experiences in the past.... it usually takes between 20-30 lbs for weight loss to show on me (it's really hard before I get to that point... kind of like being newly pregnant and sick, sick, sick, but nobody knows you're pregnant yet so you get no sympathy! ha ha)

I am *really* *really* *really* hoping that tomorrow's loss is at least a pound. Please body! Burn today! Burn! One more pound will take me into my next weight decade... Maybe once I get there I will actually tell the world what that weight is. Maybe not. You can probably guess anyway.

More later!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #37

Down 1.8... yeah! This loss makes up for the gains over the weekend, plus some! The new total is 25 lbs. Hopefully losses will be the trend for the next 8 day left of shots. I think *maybe* I will make it to 30 lbs (crossing fingers and knocking on wood). We'll see and I'll try to be grateful for whatever else my body gives.
So I know I have mentioned that I have been reading a lot about the next phase of the diet, the no carb/no sugar 3 week phase. I read something yesterday that left me feeling a little disappointed. I have learned that the best way to transition to Phase 3 is to increase the amounts of the foods I have been eating on Phase 2, and introduce one new food at a time. This helps to identify which foods may cause problems. I guess that's OK, except that I was really wanting to try some of the new recipes and have a treat next Saturday, like coconut bark or low carb cheesecake. I still don't know what I will first introduce... I am thinking maybe cheese because that is what I am missing the most (well, besides bread, which won't be introduced until Phase 4!) Anyone out there who has already been there, done that, I would love feedback and advice about how to have a successful P3. I am going to do the "Phase 3 Bootcamp" on Happily Thinner After's website, which means that I will be checking in everyday with my weight and what I have eaten for the day. This will help me be accountable and also identify problems as they may arise. I am also planning to start going back to the gym on Phase 3. I can't wait to exercise again. I miss running.
I think that's all for now. Here's to hoping tomorrow brings me a little bit (or a lot) closer to that 30 lb mark! Have a great day everybody!

Monday, May 4, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #36

Hey everybody...
Today was a loss of .4... which is good and bad. I am still 1.2 up from Friday, hopefully the scale will keep moving down in the next few days to get rid of that weight and then some. But at least it wasn't another gain! I don't know that I could take that right now!
I am feeling so done with the diet its not even funny. I am sure when I start to see losses again, and hit some more milestones, I will feel differently. But right now its feeling really old! Feeling this way the past few days makes me wonder if I will do this long of a round again... maybe a few more rounds of 23-30 days would be better? (by the way, people, I am not questioning *if* I will do this again. I *will* do it until I get all the weight off... I am just rethinking how). I don't know, and I surely won't decide today.
So I made a BIG mistake yesterday. We BBQ'd last night. Jorge had a friend here from out of town that we had over for dinner. I took chicken breasts out of the freezer and marinated them (in completely legal stuff), but they were still frozen when I stuck them in the marinade. I was lazy when it came time to grill the chicken, so I didn't bother measuring out my portion. I figured, I have done this long enough to know how much chicken I am supposed to have! Well, with a guest at the table, I didn't want to make a big deal about portioning out my chicken before putting it on my plate, so I just took a whole piece and cut off what looked to me to be the right amount (and left the other part on my plate). So I ate "my" part, but the other portion just called out to me, and before I knew it, I had eaten the WHOLE thing! After dinner there was one piece of chicken left, similar size to the one I ate. So I decided to weigh it. Keep in mind I am *supposed* to have 3.5 oz BEFORE cooking (so that means it is even less after). Well, that piece of chicken weighed in at 7 oz, cooked! I had a sinking feeling in my stomach realizing that I had at least doubled my portion of meat! I was trying so hard yesterday to stick to the diet to a T so I could see some good results today! It turned out that my calories were still below 500 (thankfully, since no breadsticks and only one fruit), so I did feel a little better after I did that tally. I also had very low cal veggies yesterday (spinach and cucumber), which helped keep the calories down. So there's my confession.
To my credit, I made potato salad, rice, and brownies for dinner that I didn't touch. The brownies were a challenge. Very difficult. They were made from a Lehi Roller Mills mix and they look(ed) and smelled SO GOOD. But not even a small taste for me. I had strawberries instead, as I watched my family eat those very rich chocolaty brownies with ice cream. Do you feel sorry for me yet? ha ha
Well, folks, I think that is about it for today. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some good news to report!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #35

GAINED .6... I am so bummed. I know it must be water from TOM but still... one day of a gain was bad enough. Between yesterday and today was a gain of 1.4! I hope tomorrow the scale will start moving down again. 2 more days of this (or staying the same) and its another apple day for me! I've got to make these last days count...

I didn't try the "pound cake" yesterday. I ended up trying a recipe for a "creamy spinach omelet" instead. I cooked some spinach until it was wilted in a non-stick pan (with a little water). Then added 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites that were beaten together. Let it cook almost all the way through. Added 2 oz fat free cottage cheese (in place of the 3rd egg white... later found out that I should have probably used only 1 oz to equal the calories of one egg white). Folded the omelet over the cheese and let it heat through. It was pretty good, although I am not a huge omelet fan. Mostly because I have never had an omelet where the whites were cooked all the way and to me that is MUCHO gross. I put it in the microwave for a minute to make sure the egg was cooked all the way, and it made the cheese get all hot and bubbly. This recipe was pretty good and gave me the cheese fix I needed. I think I mentioned yesterday, I am REALLY MISSING CHEESE!
Yesterday, I was having major cravings and I'm sure it's due to the culprit of everything these past few days... (TOM). I tried to remind myself yesterday that TOM is a good thing, a sign that everything down there is working right and that without TOM, I probably wouldn't be having any more babies (positive self talk to my body)! ha ha. I was really in the mood for comfort foods. To compensate, I ended up eating both of my fruits and 2 breadsticks (I had cut out the breadsticks and 1 fruit, and that was when I started having those big losses last week). I am really going to try to avoid eating the bread today and have only one fruit. Although I do want to try the poundcake, I don't think I am going to experiment anymore until I am losing again. Or maybe I will just try it when I get on P3, which is less than 2 weeks away. (Hooray!) We'll see.
Well, that's it for now I guess... more later!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

P2R1 VCLD #34

Hello all. Today I GAINED .8... grrrrrrrrr. Well, TOM did come so it must be related to that, because I have been doing the same old same old ( Grandma! TOM is not an actual person! :) I got some more HCG, enough for 10 more shots, so that is a relief (Grandma! TOM did not bring me the hcg!) So it looks like I will be taking my last shot on the 13th, which is 11 days away. Which means I will be able to eat some different, Phase 3 food starting on Saturday, the 16th. I am nervous but really looking forward to P3. I have been collecting recipes that I am excited to try. I am really missing cheese, salads (with more than one veggie) and bread. I know bread is not an option in P3, but I have found some substitute recipes for bread-like things. For example, cauliflower can be made into pizza crust and breadsticks. There is a recipe for a bread-like item called "Oopsies" in which the main ingredients are eggs and cream cheese... people say this recipe is good for pizza crust or rolls, so you can have a "sandwich". I am getting a little burned out by my P2 options. Tonight, though, I am going to venture out and try something new. My protein for dinner will be 1 egg and 3 egg whites. But I am going to save the whole egg for my treat after dinner and make a P2 legal "pound cake", and then eat my strawberries with it. The "cake" is made by separating the egg and beating the whites until they are really fluffy, then beating the yolk with a little powdered milk, stevia, cream of tarter and lemon extract, blending the white and the yolk together, and baking. It sounds so good and I think it will be good for me psychologically to try something new. I'll let you know how it goes! (maybe I'll be ambitious and get a picture of it to post! :)
Hmmm, what else? I made a delicious soup yesterday for lunch... so good that I had it again today. I browned 100g lean ground beef, then added about 1/2 bag of shredded cabbage (picked out the carrots) and boiled it all together until the cabbage was tender. Added garlic salt to it and wallah... it is a new favorite. I haven't eaten much cabbage on the diet, so I hope that didn't contribute to today's gain. But it is rainy and cold today, and I am really wanting comfort foods, so I went ahead and took a chance and had it again. I made enough for Jorge and he liked it too... with some hot sauce added in of course. And a tortilla on the side. Oh, how I would love to eat a tortilla!
Well I think that's about all for now! Later...

Friday, May 1, 2009

P2R1 VLCD #33

.2 gone today. At least its a loss. How I would love for the scale to be moving the way it was last week! But I will take what I can get.

I had a rough day yesterday. Nothing to do with hcg or the diet... I just started realizing (again) how busy I am (especially while I'm in school) and how it takes so much time away from my kids and things I want and need to do for them. I had a meltdown and decided for a few hours to quit school. After a good cry I decided that was probably not a decision I could make without a lot of thought and consideration... so no, I have not called and withdrawn from my program. And I have time to decide if there are ways to manage the needs of my kids better while I am school, different than I have been doing the past year.
Anyway, the reason I tell you this is because I got a good glimpse into the comfort I get from food. During my crisis, I wanted so badly to stop somewhere and get something warm, gooey, and cheesy. I was on a road trip and passed restaurant after restaurant, all the while looking down at my cold chicken and asparagus that I had brought for dinner. In the end I ate the dinner I brought, and cheated (a tiny bit compared to what I really wanted) by buying some orange flavored trident, and chewing on 6 pieces as I drove. It's sugar free but still has about 5 calories a piece.
I decided to lower the dose of my hcg to make it stretch longer, but I am still worried because today when I drew it all into my syringe it still looks like its only enough for 4-5 shots. Tomorrow I will skip because I always do on Saturdays. I hope TOM gets here today... crossing my fingers.
More later!