VLCD4 & Cabbage Chicken Soup

Today is Day 4 and after only 3 days of VLCD (since I weigh in the morning),  I am 7.9 pounds lighter! Only 1.5 pounds to go before I reach my Last Dosage Weight, and then to continue losing from there...I am so excited!!!

This may sound strange to some of you (and, yet others of you who are doing the Protocol will understand) but I can already tell a difference in my body!  I remember this happening on my very first round as well.  Then I noticed it in my stomach, but yesterday I noticed it in my thighs.  Later in the day, I changed into a pair of jeans that I had just worn a few days earlier and they were noticably bigger on me (not huge, but bigger).  So, I decided to try on a pair of jeans that I had been wearing that were noticably tight ever since I bought them (but I bought them anyway knowing that I was going to continue to lose).  Guess what?!  They weren't tight!  If I hadn't seen it for myself, I might not have believed it!  This Protocol never ceases to amaze me!

I recently bought a small 2 quart crock pot (because, in my humble opinion, one can NEVER have too many crock pots!)
                                                                                                                                                  
                                                         
Yesterday (and again today) I made this recipe for Cabbage Chicken Soup for my dinner.  This crock pot is the perfect size for my individual soup portions.  This soup is very easy and surprisingly, quite tasty!  Just to note: I used the Pacific brand Low Sodium Vegetable Broth that I bought from Kroger.  I had read somewhere to use the Pacific brand Chicken Broth but when I read the label, I found sugar (gasp!)  The Vegetable Broth didn't have sugar and was only made with organic vegetables.  They were on sale 2/$5 so I bought 3 (that's all that were left on the shelf).

So, for some reason, it never dawned on me to take a picture of the soup itself and it was gone before I knew it! :) 


However, I did take a picture of my lunch this afternoon and here's what a typical P2 meal looks like for me:

I love how my grilled chicken, celery and an apple look crowded on my plate!  That's why I use a salad plate! :-)
                      

Recipe & Measurements Update

I was told it was ok to post this recipe on my blog, so here goes!

JUST LIKE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES
(AKA: LOADED POTATOES)
For P3/P4 (I ate it in P4)

16 ounce package frozen cauliflower
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
8 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 pieces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp
Paprika, optional

Cook the cauliflower until soft, about 8-10 minutes; drain very well and break up the florets a bit with a spoon. It's also very good if you leave the cauliflower a little chunky. Put in a greased 8 x 8" baking pan or a 2-quart casserole. Mix in the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, salt, pepper and bacon. Dust the top with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350º for 20-40 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Or, microwave, loosely covered, for about 40 minutes on 50% power, turning the dish after 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings
Per Serving: 324 Calories; 27g Fat; 15g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs

Measurements Update
I had been feeling rather disappointed that I had not done well stabilizing this round after having an easy time stabilizing after Round 1.  I found some very helpful information here.
In fact, I have found the Miracle Skinny Drops website to have a ton of invaluable information!  There is also a great Facebook support page by the same people called hCG Diet Support.  I would highly recommend this support group!  Everyone is so supportive and friendly.  To join, click here.  They also have a website called Little Choices Matter.  It is similar, but different and again, very helpful!  Check them out!

Okay, on to my measurements update!  It was time to measure again (before starting another round of P2).  I have lost a total of (drumroll, please!) 49&3/4 inches!!!  WOWSERS!!!  I couldn't believe it!  And my BMI is down from 40 (when I started the Protocol) to 32!  My normal range should be 19-25.  Won't be long and my BMI will be NORMAL!  So, while I had trouble stabilizing this round, progress continues to be made.  Oh, and I can't tell you the countless number of people (women) who have told me how nicely proportioned I look.  There's no doubt that people have been amazed by my success so far, but I think it will be even more amazing when I reach my goal!

And so, Round 3 has begun!

Today is Round 3, Phase 2, Very Low Calorie Day 1 (R3P2VLCD1)!  This means I have spent the last 2 days loading. Thanksgiving Day I began taking my drops again. We actually celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday with my husband's side of the family. Thursday we spent Thanksgiving with my family. I loaded until I nearly exploded! I truly was miserable. Everything tasted good, and I even avoided some of the high starchy foods that I wasn't even interested in including the cheesy potatoes I was asked to bring, green bean casserole and the jello/marshmallow "salad".  However, I ate my carbs in sweets. :) I also made sure to eat some good fats in the form of almonds, cheese and I even made some whipped cream using Stevia (though I didn't get around to eating much of it).

Yesterday it was more difficult to eat since I had really overloaded on Thursday. I tried to focus on more good fats (avocado, more almonds and cheese).  I went out to eat with my husband last night as a last hoo-rah! :) We had no idea where we wanted to go. We ended up at Bob Evan's, where I finally decided on Country Fried Steak and mashed potatoes with white gravy, green beans and banana bread.  I'm not going to lie, it tasted really good! We topped it off after a little shopping with a small Frosty at Wendy's!

So, today I begin the very low calorie diet 9.4 pounds above my last dosage weight! If you remember, I haven't stabilized well this round. I was averaging 3-5 pounds above my LDW and then with all the loading I did...yikes! I'm almost 10 pounds above where I was. The good thing is I know those 10 pounds will be gone soon! The first few days on hcg and vlcd tend to drop the weight gained from loading.

Here's hoping that by next week I will be back down to my LDW and continue to lose from there. I plan to be on VLCD for 25 days before taking my interruption for Christmas. Since I have Christmas dinner at my house, I am planning to have some "alternative" dishes for myself.

Speaking of alternative dishes, I made one called "Loaded Potato" for the 2 Thanksgiving dinners we attended that was absolutely fabulous! I will check to see if it is ok to post the recipe here, and if so, I will post it soon. It is amazing to me what people can do with cauliflower! It can be used as a potato substitute or a rice substitute (I never got around to trying that, but I plan to on my next interruption).

I am actually looking forward to my grilled chicken with grilled asparagus for lunch today. Sounds nutritious and delicious!

Ripple Effect

I love the term "ripple effect".  I believe that the choices I make (good or bad) effect many other people.  I am seeing a positive ripple effect from following the HCG Protocol and I couldn't be more thrilled! 

Currently, I am part of a small group (4 of us) who are doing the Protocol together.  My friend, Amy, started with me at the very beginning.  Her sister joined our little group after our first round and recently another friend of ours joined.  Amy has lost 59 pounds, Carrie has lost 36 pounds and our newest member, Julia, has lost 33 pounds! Between the 4 of us, we've lost approx. 185 pounds!  INCREDIBLE!!!  (Way to go ladies!!!)

I know of several others who have emailed me wanting details and have since begun the Protocol.  I would love to know if any of you have joined the "hcg bandwagon" since following my blog & how much weight you have lost as a result.  You can post an anonymous note here or email/facebook me.  You can remain anonymous if you like. :)

Many thanks to my cousin, Leigh Ann, who shared her HCG success with me!!!

Up and Down and Continuing on the Journey

The numbers on the scale go up and down, up and down, up and down....yes, I'm singing this to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus".

I can't seem to stabilize within my 2 pound range of my LDW.  I have been stabilizing at 3-4 pounds above my LDW instead.  I have heard people say they have done the same on the hcgdieters yahoo group, but I wasn't prepared for it to happen to me.  So, today, as I'm heading into my 5th week of Phase 4, I am going to accept the fact that my stabilization weight is higher than I want it to be.  Next round I will be more vigilant to keep my stabilization where it should be during Phase 3!

So, my journey continues...I will begin Phase 2 again in less than 2 weeks.  I'm planning to load on Thanksgiving and the day after, then I will begin my 3rd round of Phase 2!  I am excited to get back on the losing bandwagon!  I have some jeans in my closet that I would like to be able to wear by Christmas (1 pair was given to me brand new, and I bought a few pair at a garage sale recently).  I was able to just "squeeze" into 1 pair yesterday, but I am looking forward to being able to wear them comfortably very soon!

I am planning to do 25 days of Phase 2, then take a planned interruption for about 10 days over Christmas break.  Then I will finish out the rest of Phase 2 after the new year. 

On a side note, I have written my weight down in my calendar nearly every day since before starting the Protocol so I can go back and review my losses.  I am so glad I kept a record!  I recently went back to my first round and I was surprised at how "bumpy" it was, and yet I don't remember feeling discouraged at all!  I guess I was just thrilled that I was losing any weight at all.  Truth be told, I had given up the idea of ever being able rid myself of the extra person I've been carrying around for so long.  My hope has been renewed!  And here I am, about halfway through my journey!

One more side note, I recently discovered that I love, love, LOVE lime juice squeezed in water with a little Stevia!  This totally excites me also because I know I can drink this during Phase 2!  Not only am I allowed to drink it but it has some awesome benefits that you can read about here.  I have never been a fan of lemon juice, so this lime juice realization really took me by suprise!  Try it, you may like it!  Oh, and a friend said lime juice is great squeezed over grilled chicken also, so you can bet I'm going to try that on Phase 2 also!

Heading in the right direction

Well, I am very happy to report that I have lost 2.5 pounds in the past 2 days (and yesterday was Halloween, so I think that says something!)  It feels good to be back on course.  I planned ahead and armed myself with Lara bars yesterday, so when the temptation to eat candy inevitably came upon me, I grabbed a bar.  I ended up eating 2, which I was a little afraid of, but I knew it was way better than grabbing candy.  I had the Ginger Snap, which was really, really good (I'm going to have to try to duplicate that one!) and the Coconut Cream Pie.  They were both delicious and nutritious (and they kept me out of trouble!) :)  I truly felt like I was eating a treat.  They are that good!

I need to remember that there are alternatives and planning ahead is key.  I have to say again, if I don't set myself up for success, then I am setting myself up for failure.  It's pretty plain and simle. 

This is worth putting time and effort into!  Not only do I feel great, I know that I am truly gaining health.  I am reversing the damage I have done over the years.  That is something to be excited about!

I thank God every day for leading me to the HCG Protocol.  I'm so thankful for those who have gone before me and who freely share their knowledge.  My purpose in writing this is to share my experience in hopes that I can also help others along the journey.