1.8 pound loss today! That's a total of 10 pounds in 8 days and I am feeling GREAT! I am beginning to see why some people choose to weigh themselves only once a week. I seemed to be stuck within a half pound range for the past 3 days, and then today almost 2 pounds. However, I know I won't be able to go a week without weighing myself to see where I'm at. I like to see that reward first thing in the morning!
I was tired of my usual spinach, so today I sliced an onion and put it on the George Foreman grill. YUM!!! It was like eating onion rings without all the nasty oil that gives you an upset stomach later! I put a little of my onion in my burger also, so it was a nice meal out of the norm. I will definitely do that more often!
1 full week down, at least 2 more to go in Phase 2 this round. I've been trying to decide whether I want to do an extended round or if I want to just do the minimum right now, and then move into Phase 3. I know I have enough hHCG to last approx. 60 days and I'm looking at many more rounds if I stick to the minimum. And every time I do a round, I have to stay on Phase 4 (maintenance) for an additional 2 weeks, which will prolong reaching my goal.
I also have to consider my TOM. You aren't supposed to stop the hHCG at the same time as you begin TOM, and mine is set to start at the end of my 3 weeks on hHCG. Also, I am planning to be out of town the second weekend of June, so I will either have to stop before that or do an "interuption". I was thinking I might stay on the hHCG until June 1 for a total of 30 days. However, if I did an interuption, I would basically be off the hHCG for the 4 days I am gone, and then start right back up when I was home, allowing me to continue on an extended round.
Dr. Simeons' Protocol allows you to stay on HCG for 40 days, but many people stay on hHCG for much longer (some more than 100 days). I'm not looking to lose all my weight in 1 round. I believe it is important to move into Phase 3 (stabilization) to help reset the hypothalamus. I personally would like to see a loss of 25 pounds before I stop this first round of Phase 2, so perhaps I will just let that guide me and see where I'm at.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
P2VLCD8
day 8 and i have lost a total of eight pounds. my dog chewed my laptop cord so i am typing on my android which wont let me use any symbols or capitalize. strange. so i'm going to make due with what i have. :)
today i didn't eat until about one thirty in the afternoon and i wasn't hungry all morning. that amazes me. i was even pplanning on eating lunch earlier but didn't until i was feeling hungry.
i found a place that i can eat out and still stay on protocol...panera. I had lunch with my friend, amy, who is doing the protocol with me. we had a salad with chicken breast without dressing and we took off the extra veggies they put on except for the onion which a lot of prople on the protocol find they can have a little onion with their one veggie and it doesn't hurt. i know it is always best to eat at home because i can control the ingredients but it is nice to know that i could go to lunch with a friend and stay on protocol. i didn't even feel deprived with bread all around me. honestly it was nice to know that i was in control and i could be satisfied without it
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Phase 2 Chili Recipe
The chili was good and satisfying too! It is good to mix it up a bit. So, I thought I would share what I did.
Ingredients:
100 g. very lean ground sirloin (4% fat)
1 c. diced tomatoes (I bought a can of organic, measured out 1 c. and stored the rest for another day)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
garlic powder (a few shakes)
onion powder (a few shakes)
salt & pepper to taste
I used a medium saucepan and began by cooking the meat (added S&P). It cooked quickly and there was no grease to drain off. I added approx. 1/2 c. of diced tomatoes to the pan. I put the other 1/2 c. in my Magic Bullet and blended it into juice & added it to the pan. Added the additional spices and let it simmer for a few minutes.
According to My Fitness Pal, this single serving is 176 calories. I was wondering if perhaps I would be able to eat half in the morning and half at lunch, but for me, there wasn't enough to split, so I just drank my water all morning and saved the chili for lunch. I added an orange and a piece of Melba Toast for a total of 283 calories. More than half my calories but it was worth it. I will stick with my standard grilled chicken on top of 3 c. of spinach for dinner and an apple for a snack tonight.
Ingredients:
100 g. very lean ground sirloin (4% fat)
1 c. diced tomatoes (I bought a can of organic, measured out 1 c. and stored the rest for another day)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
garlic powder (a few shakes)
onion powder (a few shakes)
salt & pepper to taste
I used a medium saucepan and began by cooking the meat (added S&P). It cooked quickly and there was no grease to drain off. I added approx. 1/2 c. of diced tomatoes to the pan. I put the other 1/2 c. in my Magic Bullet and blended it into juice & added it to the pan. Added the additional spices and let it simmer for a few minutes.
According to My Fitness Pal, this single serving is 176 calories. I was wondering if perhaps I would be able to eat half in the morning and half at lunch, but for me, there wasn't enough to split, so I just drank my water all morning and saved the chili for lunch. I added an orange and a piece of Melba Toast for a total of 283 calories. More than half my calories but it was worth it. I will stick with my standard grilled chicken on top of 3 c. of spinach for dinner and an apple for a snack tonight.
And the Journey Continues
Yesterday was day 4 and I weighed in 1 lb. less than the day before. It's obvious the weight loss has slowed now to what will likely average out to be about 1/2 lb. per day, and I am perfectly happy with that! In fact, today I didn't lose at all. I have read on the HCG Diet Yahoo group forums that it is common to show no loss one day and then lose a pound the next day (still an average of 1/2 lb. per day). So, we'll see what tomorrow brings.
Some people choose to weigh themselves once a week during this phase rather than daily. That way they aren't seeing the non-losing days, they only see how much they have lost. Makes sense. I have debated on what to do but I like weighing every day & I will have to weigh every day in the next phase (stabilization) so I think it's good for me to stay in the routine. I know there will be days I don't see a loss on the scale so I won't let it bother me.
I know that I am also losing inches. My wedding rings are slipping around on my finger. I noticed this first in the shower yesterday and I thought perhaps it was because of my soap, but throughout the day this strange phenomenon continued. :)
I decided yesterday that I am going to mix it up a bit today. I'm going to make chili with my allotted ground sirloin and tomatoes. Thank God for spices! They really can add so much to food. You just have to make sure there aren't any hidden ingredients in the spices. It always pays to read labels.
I also discovered from the Yahoo group that we can spread out our intake of food throughout the day. Of course, you have to use the exact amount of food and type of food allowed and make sure you don't go over the 500 calorie limit. I have only done this slightly by choosing 1 of my vegetables to snack on in the morning & the afternoon. I've also been saving my apple that I would normally eat with dinner to eat later as a snack so I don't go to bed hungry.
It seems to require more thought, but it is good to mix things up a bit once in a while. I may experiment with it more today since my chili is going to require more thought as well. Hopefully I'll be able to post positively about the experience!
Some people choose to weigh themselves once a week during this phase rather than daily. That way they aren't seeing the non-losing days, they only see how much they have lost. Makes sense. I have debated on what to do but I like weighing every day & I will have to weigh every day in the next phase (stabilization) so I think it's good for me to stay in the routine. I know there will be days I don't see a loss on the scale so I won't let it bother me.
I know that I am also losing inches. My wedding rings are slipping around on my finger. I noticed this first in the shower yesterday and I thought perhaps it was because of my soap, but throughout the day this strange phenomenon continued. :)
I decided yesterday that I am going to mix it up a bit today. I'm going to make chili with my allotted ground sirloin and tomatoes. Thank God for spices! They really can add so much to food. You just have to make sure there aren't any hidden ingredients in the spices. It always pays to read labels.
I also discovered from the Yahoo group that we can spread out our intake of food throughout the day. Of course, you have to use the exact amount of food and type of food allowed and make sure you don't go over the 500 calorie limit. I have only done this slightly by choosing 1 of my vegetables to snack on in the morning & the afternoon. I've also been saving my apple that I would normally eat with dinner to eat later as a snack so I don't go to bed hungry.
It seems to require more thought, but it is good to mix things up a bit once in a while. I may experiment with it more today since my chili is going to require more thought as well. Hopefully I'll be able to post positively about the experience!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Round 1, Phase 2, Very Low Calorie Day 3 (R1P2VLCD3)
I weighed myself this morning and have lost another 2.5 pounds for a total of 6 pounds lost in 2 days!!! I am *thrilled* with my results, as you can imagine!
This is my 3rd day eating the same thing (except I had radishes today instead of celery) and I don't care! I don't have to eat that way but it's simple and I am just enjoying the food I eat. I even went to Bible study last night where there were lots of treats but I took my allowed celery and apple, and was surprisingly satisfied without feeling deprived! Wow!
I told my friend Amy today that I already feel smaller and said she felt the same way. For curiosity sake, I took a couple measurements today and compared them to the measurements I wrote down a few days ago. I have lost 1 inch around my chest and 1 inch around my waist! No kidding!!!
I can honestly say I haven't even been that hungry for being on such a low calorie diet, but that is just one area where the hHCG is supposed to help. It seems to be doing the job for me. I believe drinking lots of water is a big key also. I have never drank so much water in my life (averaging 12 cups a day)! I have a stainless steel Thermos that holds 2 cups of water, so I just keep refilling it throughout the day. Anytime I feel hungry, I reach for my Thermos first.
I am adding a "pounds lost" ticker to my blog from My Fitness Pal. I joined My Fitness Pal 2 weeks ago and it has really been a great tool to help me keep track with my food intake (counts calories for you) even before I started the Protocol. You will notice that the ticker shows I have lost 9 pounds so far and that is accurate as I had lost about 3 pounds the week prior to starting the Protocol. I gained 1 pound on my 2 loading days, but have obviously lost that and more since starting the low calorie diet.
Here are some tips for those who are on the journey or thinking about starting it:
1. Get a George Foreman grill! I posted on Facebook that I was looking for one and I had a couple of friends offer to give me theirs! I was planning to look at Goodwill and garage sales. I know they aren't expensive to buy new, but I was already investing money in this Protocol with the hHCG, so that was a wonderful blessing! The GF grill makes cooking your meat super fast and easy! I replaced my toaster space on my counter with the GF grill.
2. Buy your meat and then weigh it and put it in individual zipper bags. I bought just over 3 pounds of chicken breast (antibiotic-free and hormone-free) and cut it up into 16 individual servings. I put each serving in a sandwhich zip bag, and then I put most of the small bags into a large zip bag in the freezer. I did the same with my lean ground sirloin. Now all I do is take one portion of each out of the freezer at night and put them in the refrigerator. By the time I'm ready to make lunch, my meat is ready to be cooked.
3. If you don't already have a digital food scale, get one! You need it for this Protocol. They are much more accurate. Average cost is $20. You won't be sorry you did!
Enjoy the journey!
This is my 3rd day eating the same thing (except I had radishes today instead of celery) and I don't care! I don't have to eat that way but it's simple and I am just enjoying the food I eat. I even went to Bible study last night where there were lots of treats but I took my allowed celery and apple, and was surprisingly satisfied without feeling deprived! Wow!
I told my friend Amy today that I already feel smaller and said she felt the same way. For curiosity sake, I took a couple measurements today and compared them to the measurements I wrote down a few days ago. I have lost 1 inch around my chest and 1 inch around my waist! No kidding!!!
I can honestly say I haven't even been that hungry for being on such a low calorie diet, but that is just one area where the hHCG is supposed to help. It seems to be doing the job for me. I believe drinking lots of water is a big key also. I have never drank so much water in my life (averaging 12 cups a day)! I have a stainless steel Thermos that holds 2 cups of water, so I just keep refilling it throughout the day. Anytime I feel hungry, I reach for my Thermos first.
I am adding a "pounds lost" ticker to my blog from My Fitness Pal. I joined My Fitness Pal 2 weeks ago and it has really been a great tool to help me keep track with my food intake (counts calories for you) even before I started the Protocol. You will notice that the ticker shows I have lost 9 pounds so far and that is accurate as I had lost about 3 pounds the week prior to starting the Protocol. I gained 1 pound on my 2 loading days, but have obviously lost that and more since starting the low calorie diet.
Here are some tips for those who are on the journey or thinking about starting it:
1. Get a George Foreman grill! I posted on Facebook that I was looking for one and I had a couple of friends offer to give me theirs! I was planning to look at Goodwill and garage sales. I know they aren't expensive to buy new, but I was already investing money in this Protocol with the hHCG, so that was a wonderful blessing! The GF grill makes cooking your meat super fast and easy! I replaced my toaster space on my counter with the GF grill.
2. Buy your meat and then weigh it and put it in individual zipper bags. I bought just over 3 pounds of chicken breast (antibiotic-free and hormone-free) and cut it up into 16 individual servings. I put each serving in a sandwhich zip bag, and then I put most of the small bags into a large zip bag in the freezer. I did the same with my lean ground sirloin. Now all I do is take one portion of each out of the freezer at night and put them in the refrigerator. By the time I'm ready to make lunch, my meat is ready to be cooked.
3. If you don't already have a digital food scale, get one! You need it for this Protocol. They are much more accurate. Average cost is $20. You won't be sorry you did!
Enjoy the journey!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Day 1 of VLCD Complete
Yesterday was Day 1 of the VLCD. I will say I was surprised at how well it went! I know it helped that I drank 12 cups of water plus 2 cups of hot green tea! (I was in the bathroom all day and night but it was worth it!)
Here's a breakdown of what I ate.
Snack at 10am: 3 stalks of celery (23 calories)
Lunch at 2pm: 100 g. lean sirloin burger cooked on George Foreman grill (171 cals), 1 orange (87 cals)
Dinner at 6pm: 100 g. boneless, skinless chicken breast on GF grill (90 cals), 2 c. raw spinach (14 cals), 1 piece Melba Toast (20 cals)
Snack at 8pm: 1 apple (80 cals)
I stepped on my scale this morning to find that I lost 3.5 pounds!!! I am SO excited! I know I won't lose this much every day but it sure feels good that my efforts were well rewarded!
I am hungry this morning but I'm getting ready to take my HCG and make myself some Yerba Mate (it's a type of tea), so hopefully that will stave off the hunger for a few hours.
One day down, at least 23 left of the VLCD before moving into the next phase (though I may stay on it a little longer, depending on my TOM). It can be done for 24-43 days before moving into the next phase, which is as crucial as this phase in order to reset the hypothalamus. You get to eat more food, but you have to stay within 4 lbs. of your last dosage weight (LDW) for 3 weeks. Many people think the next phase is harder, but they say to stick to the same foods as Phase 2, just eat more of them and take in good fats to make up more calories (still no carbs or sugar).
I'm just going to plug along on this journey 1 day at a time and thank the Lord for giving me the strength I need each day.
Dinner: Grilled chicken on a bed of spinach
Here's a breakdown of what I ate.
Snack at 10am: 3 stalks of celery (23 calories)
Lunch at 2pm: 100 g. lean sirloin burger cooked on George Foreman grill (171 cals), 1 orange (87 cals)
Dinner at 6pm: 100 g. boneless, skinless chicken breast on GF grill (90 cals), 2 c. raw spinach (14 cals), 1 piece Melba Toast (20 cals)
Snack at 8pm: 1 apple (80 cals)
I stepped on my scale this morning to find that I lost 3.5 pounds!!! I am SO excited! I know I won't lose this much every day but it sure feels good that my efforts were well rewarded!
I am hungry this morning but I'm getting ready to take my HCG and make myself some Yerba Mate (it's a type of tea), so hopefully that will stave off the hunger for a few hours.
One day down, at least 23 left of the VLCD before moving into the next phase (though I may stay on it a little longer, depending on my TOM). It can be done for 24-43 days before moving into the next phase, which is as crucial as this phase in order to reset the hypothalamus. You get to eat more food, but you have to stay within 4 lbs. of your last dosage weight (LDW) for 3 weeks. Many people think the next phase is harder, but they say to stick to the same foods as Phase 2, just eat more of them and take in good fats to make up more calories (still no carbs or sugar).
I'm just going to plug along on this journey 1 day at a time and thank the Lord for giving me the strength I need each day.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Day 2 of hHCG
Yesterday I began taking my hHCG. 6 drops 3 times a day. Today is my 2nd and final Load Day of my first round. I haven't enjoyed loading like I thought I would and I didn't gain any weight at all today. I haven't had any Avanti's food as I had planned but opted for Qdoba today instead. Though I may have pizza for dinner after all. We'll see what the scale says tomorrow.
So, tomorrow begins day 1 of the very low calorie diet (VLCD). There isn't much to plan ahead, other than perhaps to weigh my meat and wrap it in individual servings. So far I only bought lean beef from Fresh Market (they had run out of chicken so I will have to pick that up on my way home tomorrow). Next time I will buy grassfed beef (or perhaps Buffalo) from Pottstown Meat and Deli instead. Amy & I were confused about the beef at Fresh Market and thought it was all hormone-free, but only the chicken is. They do have grassfed beef but only in the premium cuts. Live and learn, and ask LOTS of questions before you purchase!
I will likely start planning more next week, as I'm sure it won't take long for the same basic foods to get boring. There are lots of creative recipes on the Yahoo Group so that will help me. I'm just planning to start out simple this first week. I am all about the acronym KISS (keep it simple, sweetie)!
I wrote down my measurements and took pictures yesterday. Yikes! I won't be able to post them until I lose a good amount of weight. I can't wait for that day!
I am curious to see if this hHCG really curbs the hunger. Time will tell.
So, tomorrow begins day 1 of the very low calorie diet (VLCD). There isn't much to plan ahead, other than perhaps to weigh my meat and wrap it in individual servings. So far I only bought lean beef from Fresh Market (they had run out of chicken so I will have to pick that up on my way home tomorrow). Next time I will buy grassfed beef (or perhaps Buffalo) from Pottstown Meat and Deli instead. Amy & I were confused about the beef at Fresh Market and thought it was all hormone-free, but only the chicken is. They do have grassfed beef but only in the premium cuts. Live and learn, and ask LOTS of questions before you purchase!
I will likely start planning more next week, as I'm sure it won't take long for the same basic foods to get boring. There are lots of creative recipes on the Yahoo Group so that will help me. I'm just planning to start out simple this first week. I am all about the acronym KISS (keep it simple, sweetie)!
I wrote down my measurements and took pictures yesterday. Yikes! I won't be able to post them until I lose a good amount of weight. I can't wait for that day!
I am curious to see if this hHCG really curbs the hunger. Time will tell.
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