Day 16

Arghhhh...I weighed 147.8 again.  I knew it.  I feel thinner though, and my measurements are showing.  I just ovulated 2 days ago, and that usually stalls weight loss, but I really think this is because I haven't been drinking enough.  And I just realized I didn't even take my fiber pills yesterday either.

I am going to MAKE SURE I drink enough water today, and I am also going to cut out apples, tomatoes and breadsticks.  I hear that can also kick start the weight loss again.

1 pm, not doing too good on this "taking care of myself" thing, as I just now ate for the first time today.  Nothing really sounded good, so I had a strawberry slushy.

2:00 pm I am SO MAD right now.  I was just making my tuna, and reading over the "weight loss plateaus".  I get to the one that says "Make sure that you are not using any spices that have sugar added".  I was like, well, duh, of course I am not doing that.  I just looked at my lemon pepper as I was about to dump a mad amount on my salad.  It has SUGAR as the third ingredient!!!  I may have been stalling my weight loss for the past, um, 14 days!!!!!  I have been using that seasoning like it was going out of style!  Wo, me.... :(

7:00pm, I am going to have some tea.

9:00pm, I just had dinner.  Same as lunch, but that is because it was tasty.  I used balsamic vinegar for lunch and apple cider vinegar for dinner.  I haven't been using the apple cider vinegar as much and I think I really need to, as it really aids in supporting weight loss.

I think around 10 or so, I am going to have a strawberry slushy again.  I know it seems like I am just eating the same foods, but it really isn't bothersome.  This is by far the easiest diet I have been on.  I am going to go shopping tomorrow because I am out of fish, and also veggies.  Oh- and really fruit too!

50 cal slushy (strawberry)

120 cal albacore tuna

12 cal spinach

0 cal tea with stevia

120 cal albacore tuna

12 cal spinach

25 cal slushy (stawberry)

Grand Total: 339 calories

I would rate today a 7.  I was really discouraged about the sugar in the spices I have been using, and then today was the third day I didn't have a loss in weight.  I hope that tomorrow I see at least 1 pound dropped.  I still feel so much more healthy, and I have to remember that, also I just feel thinner.

Day 15

I weighed 147.8 again this morning.  I knew that was going to happen.  I have been so busy that I am forgetting to drink enough water.  Now that Uncle Brad has left I hope to get back to my water regimen tomorrow.

20 cal breadstick

80 cal apple

90 cal crab

12 cal spinach

40 cal breadsticks

150 cal lobster/crab combo (canned crab and boiled lobster tail)

Grand Total: 392 calories

I would rate today a 7.  This is just because I really didn't take care of myself today.  I didn't drink enough water or eat frequently enough.  I think it will be better now that company is gone and Natalie's birthday party is over.  But on the good side, I didn't take a lick of any yummy stuff today!

Day 14

I weighed 147.8, so I lost another -.5 pounds!  I can tell that I didn't drink enough though yesterday, I woke up parched and I need to make sure to drink more today or that will really hinder my progress.

119 tilapia (I wonder if these calorie counts are right now...everytime I sit down to eat I have little mouths there eating my food!!!)

34 asparagus

****note, I didn't drink tea this morning for the first time on this diet.  I just drank water)

20 cal breadstick

40 cal breadsticks

140 cal Tilapia fillet

24 cal cucumber

80 cal apple cobbler

Grand Total: 457 calories

I would rate today a 9.  I made lots of tasty foods and didn't even try a bite!  Tomorrow is Natalie's birthday party...YAY! :)

Day 13

I weighed 148.3 so another loss of .3 pounds! I am thrilled!

For the next couple days I won't be blogging quite as much, because we have uncle Brad visiting us...but I will still definitely record all my "eatings".

0 cal tea with stevia
80 cal apple cobbler

80 cal raw apple

150 cal balsamic crusted steak

36 cal asparagus

72 cal 2 roma tomatoes

119 cal cod fillet

20 cal melba toast

60 cal breadsticks

Grand total: 617 calories (oops!  I hope this won't shoot me in the foot tomorrow!)

Day 12

This morning I weighed 148.6! That is a loss of -.6 pounds!  YAY!  I can't believe the way this is working.  I know I sound like an infomercial, but I can't help it.  As I have said before, the weight is actually just the icing on the cake.  I feel so good!

Life was pretty busy today, so I didn't "journal" like I normally do.  But all went well and I even made a tasty dinner for everyone tonight and didn't take a bite.  I actually couldn't even finish my dinner.

0 cal Tea with Stevia

60 cal 9 breadsticks (5 at lunch, 4 at dinner)

119 cal 3.5 oz cod fillet

119 cal 3.5 oz cod fillet

24 cal cucumber

80 cal apple cobbler

12 cal spinach

50 cal strawberry slushy

Grand Total: 464 calories

I would rate today a 9.  I missed working out this morning, but all my temptations are really under control!  I can't wait to see all my results at the end of this diet!

Day 11

This morning I weighed 149.2 so I lost another .6 pounds!  I am ready for today! YAY!  Didn't work out, but I went to bed super late last night (1am after being up at 5:30am) and I was up this morning at 7am.  And I feel great!  This is amazing!

11:30, I am going to have a snack.  Apple cobbler sounds yummy!

1:45, I am having lunch.  4 1/2 breadsticks, filet of cod and cucumbers

7:00 and I am making dinner.  I had 4 breadsticks and spinach salad at 5:00.

0 cal gingerbread tea with stevia

80 cal Apple Cobbler

119 cal 3.5 oz fresh cod filet with lemon pepper

24 cal 1/2 large cucumber with balsamic vinegar

30 cal 4 1/2 gluten-free breadsticks

30 cal 4 1/2 gluten-free breadsticks

12 cal spinach salad with stevia dressing

150 cal balsamic crusted steak

Grand Total: 445 calories

I would rate today an 8.  It was only hard because I was on the run A LOT.  And I was late for everything.  So I didn't pack as well as I wanted to.  It just made it hard temptation wise.  And I didn't work out.

Day 10

I weighed 149.8 this morning, so that is a loss of another .4 pounds! GO WEIGHT GO!!! I also got up this morning at 5:30 am and worked out. I burned 200 calories on the elliptical machine! I am off to have my tea (gingerbread this morning)

12:45, time for lunch! I am going to use up the rest of my fresh tilapia (need to go to the store today) and have some cucumbers. Then I need to bake a german chocolate cake...only one of my favorite kinds of cake! Arghhhh....

4:30, I am going to make a strawberry slushy. I heard that most people "plateau" on this diet 1) when they ovulate and 2) when they are about to get their period. I am about ready to ovulate, so I am going to do some of the plateau methods today. No oranges or apples for my fruits. And I cut out breadsticks today.

0 cal gingerbread tea with stevia

94 cal 3.5 oz tilapia (grilled with lemon pepper)

24 cal 1/2 large cucumber with balsamic vinegar

50 cal strawberry slushy (1 c strawberries, 1 c water, 1 c ice, 2 stevia)

150 cal Filet Mignon steak (balsamic mustard crusted)

50 cal strawberries

12 cal spinach salad with stevia dressing

Grand Total: 380 calories (I know, low, but I just can't force myself to eat anymore)

I would rate today a 10!  That is because I went to RED ROBIN for dinner and watched everyone chow down on burgers, fries, and then German Chocolate cake!  What an accomplishment!  I ate my steak at 5:00pm, and then I took my salad and strawberries to Red Robin with me.  I have to admit, I couldn't eat but only half my strawberries and none of my salad.  It was so weird.  I wasn't even hungry.

Day 9

Well, I weighed 150.2 this morning, so that is a loss of -.3  Not quite the half pound I wanted, but that is okay.  The scale is still going in the right direction!  And I can't complain that I have lost so much weight in just one week!  Keep it up!

Sundays are probably going to prove to be my most challenging day.  It is 1:30 right now and I have yet to eat anything, and I have only had 1 glass of water.  Soooo not good for you! :(  I got up this morning and gave myself the injection, drank water with my fiber pills, and put my tea in the micro.  Problem was that I forgot to pull it out before church.  And I forgot my sports water bottle on the table.  Oops.  Oh well, I am off to eat now (and drink the tea I forgot!)!

It is 5:00 and I am hungry again.  This is definitely the hardest day so far.  I think I just blew it by not starting right away this morning, and I have only drank 4 glasses of water thus far.  I am going to make my apple cobbler right now, as I think I better hold out for dinner around 7 pm.  Since I am not going to have any more fruits left for a late night snack like I normally do.

6:30, I am going to go ahead and have dinner.  Grilled Tilapia and a tomato.

0 cal "Weightless Tea" with stevia

80 cal raw apple

116  3 oz chicken

60 cal gluten-free breadsticks

12 cal raw spinach salad (with stevia dressing)

80 cal apple cobbler (apple, stevia & cinnamon, cooked)

108 cal 4 oz grilled tilapia

36 cal whole roma tomato

0 cal Gingerbread tea with stevia

Grand total: 492 calories

I am going to rate today a 8.  Too many temptations and didn't work out.  If I go to bed full like I feel right now, I won't change it, but if I get hungry, I am going to put this day down as a 7! :)  Well, while watching the Saints/Vikings game (in overtime) I was hungry, but I wasn't frustrated.  I forgot that I could drink as much tea as I want, so I had a gingerbread tea with stevia.  It tasted like a holiday gingerbread cookie melting in my mouth!  YUMMY!

WOW! Love these before and after photos!

This post is taken from Dr. Flynn's website listed in my post yesterday...it was found under "testimonials"...I thought it was very inspiring! There are a couple more on the website as well.

For several years now, I've struggled with my weight. But that has not always been the case.  When I got married, I weighed 130 pounds.  Some people say that after getting married, the weight comes on.  And that is exactly what happened to me. I increased my weight over 100 pounds.  My top weight was 232 pounds.  I used food as a comfort for my emotional needs.  Back in January 2008, I joined a ladies fitness center and worked out intensely 3 to 4 times a week for about 45 minutes to 1 hour each time using cardio and various weight equipment for toning.  After 4 months of working out at the fitness center, I weighed again and was measured. I did not lose one pound, nor did I lose any inches anywhere.  It was very discouraging and disheartening because I had really tried hard to lose weight!  My physical background is that I've also had candida and thyroid issues. So that compounded the problem of me not losing weight.

My sister-in-law had told me about this HCG diet, and I prayed that God  would allow me to get on the HCG diet. My prayers were answered when I started the diet on June 21, 2008.  Since that time, I've lost 31 pounds, going from a size 18/20 to a size 14 in a short amount of time!   This fall, I plan to do the HCG diet again for more body cleansing and weight loss.  My goal is to get down to the weight I was when I got married -- 130 pounds.  When I achieve that goal, I'll show another updated picture to show that HCG DOES WORK! Below are the before and after pictures!

Day 8

I weighed 150.5, another loss of -.5!  YAY ME! ;)  I am in a hurry this morning because I have the kiddos swim meet in about a half hour and I still need to get three kids ready, give my injection and drink my tea and water! Gotta run! Busy day!

It is noon.  Oddly enough, this diet works completely opposite of when I was losing weight counting calories.  I was usually fine with that throughout the day, and then I would get super hungry at night.  With the HCG I hit my struggling point mid-day (um, like right now), and at night, I have no problem.  I am very hungry right now, and the kids just went out the door to go to Dairy Queen.  Could that be the reason why?  I have made my chicken salad but haven't eaten it yet.  What I have found as well, is that if I eat and wait about a half an hour, the temptation and hunger goes away.  I used to just give into the hunger and temptation.  This diet is really allowing me to take a closer look at my hunger, and figure out how to work with my body.  Amazing! :)

It is 1pm and I am just finishing my salad.  I feel much better.  I am also going to eat my portion of gluten-free breadsticks.  Then I am taking Mackenzie to the mall.  I am going to take 5 peices of Melba toast with me, as well as an apple, just in case I get super hungry.  Oh- and of course, my water bottle.

I just got back from the mall, it is 5:00 pm.  I only ate my 5 pieces of melba toast and my sports bottle of water.  I am pretty hungry though, so I am going to make some sirloin steak (think filet mignon).  We will see what recipe I come up with.  I think I will have cucumbers with it.

It is 9:00.  I thought I may need to eat a bit more before I go to bed, since I was low on calories.  I told you this diet worked so different on me!!!  I decided to have a strawberry slushy...I wonder if I will ever get tired of those things!  I really hope I can keep up this 1/2 pound a day weight loss!

0 cal "Mothers Organic Milk" tea and stevia

80 cal Medium Orange

116 3 oz chicken

12 cal fresh spinach (with my stevia dressing)

60 cal gluten-free breadsticks

60 cal 5 melba toast

100 cal 2.75 oz tenderloin (mustard and balsamic vinegar...YUM!)

24 cal 150 g cucumber

25 cal Strawberry Slushy (1/2 c strawberries, 1 c water, 1/2 c crushed ice, 2 packets stevia, blended)

Grand Total: 477 calories

I would rate today an 8.  It is so hard to rate the days at the end of the day, because I always end the day feeling great.  But I didn't work out today, and I did struggle with some temptations.  This was probably the worst day for temptations because I was out at the mall and such, oh- and I made pumpkin spice muffins!  But, all and all, as long as I stick with the diet, I will never rate the day below an 8, because that is what I call success! :)

HCG clinic in Green Bay

I can't believe it! I did find a clinic that does the HCG protocol in Green Bay. Funny thing is that it was pretty much right under my nose the entire time. I belong to the Holistic Moms Network of Green Bay (see http://www.holisticmoms.org) and the person who runs the Green Bay chapter is Christy Flynn. Her husband, Patrick Flynn, is a well respected and very well like Chiropractor in town. A couple years ago they tried opening up an all organic supermarket, which I loved, but it didn't really take off. I think Green Bay isn't quite ready for that yet. Brooke Poppinga is very good friends with Christy as well.

Anyway, I found out today that Dr. Flynn does the HCG protocol. He not only prescribes it, but he believes in it so much that he founded an entire business to promote this healthy weight loss! Check it out:

http://www.hcgweightlosscoaching.com

And his regular site is here:

http://www.thewellnessway.info

I guess this IS catching on here in Green Bay as well!

Day 7

I weighed 151 this morning so that is a loss of another 1/2 pound! YAY!

I thought I would explain my little "process" of doing my injection. First, I gather my supplies from my linen closet in my bathroom (needle, syringe, and alcohol wipe). Then I go to the kitchen where I take the vial (that I keep in a dark container) out of the fridge. I open the alcohol wipe and pull it halfway out. I wipe the top of the vial. I then put together the needle and syringe and then withdraw 1ml of the HCG solution. I close the container and put it back in the fridge. Then I stick the syringe under my armpit, and grab the aclohol wipe. I walk around for about 5 minutes (I might put a load of laundry in, maybe go to the bathroom, etc). This gives the HCG time to warm up, so I won't feel it when I inject it. Then I weigh myself. After I weigh in, I go to the bathroom and sit on the toilet. I open up the alcohol all the way, and wipe the injection site. I have been using the sides of my legs. The first day I gave it to myself in the upper butt, since then I have gone to the legs. Neither site hurts, but I find I can see better on my legs. So after I wipe the alcohol, I let it dry for about a minute. This is important, because if I were to inject right away I would feel the sting on the alcohol. Then I give the injection. My needles are an inch and a half long. I insert it all the way to make sure that I reach the muscle. After the injection I put the cover back on the needle and then I BEND the needle. This is me just being anal. I don't want that cover to come off. Then I dispose of the entire syringe and needle in my sharps container which sits on top of my fridge in my laundry room. WAY out of the reach of children (it's actually a bit out of reach for me too!)

Anyway, off to have my morning tea. I am having a late start this morning (it is 10:15 am). Although I woke up at 7:30 (we missed a workout this morning!), I didn't have to get Natalie ready for school, so I was just lazy getting going.

Geez, the laziness is really working today. It is 11:45 am and I still haven't had my morning tea. I have a feeling this is going to hurt my progress today. I know the worst thing you can do is not eat until late. Arghhhhhh....

It is 12:15 and I finally just ate 2 breadsticks and my tea.  I am going to make my fish and tomatoes right now too.

5:00 I am having dinner.  I am having the same Tilapia as I did for lunch, just because I have to use it up today.  That's okay, I LOVE it!  But instead of tomatoes as a side, I am having salad.

0 cal "Mothers Organic Milk" tea with stevia

40 cal breadsticks

72 cal tomatoes

100 cal grilled tilapia (lemon pepper)

80 cal apple cobbler (apple, stevia & cinnamon cooked)

100 cal grilled tilapia (old bay seasoning)

12 cal salad with dressing (stevia, apple cider vinegar & water)

40 cal 2 breadsticks

50 cal Strawberry slushy (I made it more "slushy" this time by doing 1 c strawberries, 1 c water + 1 c crushed ice)

Grand Total: 494 calories

I would rate today an 8.  Temptations were under control, and I even made a few dozen cookies for the kids.  But I was disappointed that we didn't work out this morning, so that is why I am rating it an 8.

My kitchen food scale

This is the kitchen scale that I bought to weigh all my food.  It was $29, but well worth it.  I was shocked to see what a real serving size was for meat.  I love it!  It has become my new best friend!

Day 6

I weighed 151.5 this morning which is a loss of -1 pound! I know, you are going to think I am crazy, but the scale doesn't really matter to me right now. I just can't believe how great I feel! Last night I had to, once again, force myself to sleep at 12:30 am, and I was up at 5:30 am yesterday morning. I just had so much energy. Once again, not like "caffeine" energy, just "feel good" energy. I am so glad I found this diet so that I could get back to natural eating. The many blogs I have found on the internet where people have started on HCG, seem to all lead to eating natural and organic foods (even years later). Here are a couple things to share:

This is a guy who brings a bit of humor into him trying the diet:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Skinny-on-The-hCG-Diet

The HCG diet had its first written protocol by Dr. Simeons in the 1950's, but recently the diet was "made to light" in 2007 when Kevin Trudeau wrote a book about it. It is pretty fascinating. Even if you don't agree with the diet, I love his naturopathic way of looking at his body and environment:

http://www.ktradionetwork.com/

I LOVE what he says about microwaves, sugar & cancer, infertility, and cell phones in this interview:

http://www.ktradionetwork.com/index.php?s=hcg

And this is a girl I have been following now since my research on the diet. She has turned to not just an organic lifestyle, but a raw and unprocessed food lifestyle. Quite interesting. Scroll down to the right side and click on her before and after pics from the HCG. I love these stories, because they are not selling anything:

http://hcgjournal-trudi.blogspot.com/

And, if you are in for QUITE a read! (Believe it or not, I read this entire document one night), then read the original Dr. Simeons Protocol:

http://www.thehcgdiet.com/pdf/pounds-and-inches-by-dr-a-t-w-simeons.pdf

Whew! Okay, enough sharing. I am going to go drink my tea! I think I am going to mix it up and drink a "Organic Mothers Milk" tea. Yeah, I know, I am not nursing anymore, but I never will be nursing again in this life, so I might as well use up the tea! :)

11:30 am, I am making apple cobbler!

2:15 eating Lunch! Fresh tilapia grilled with lemon pepper, 9 little breadsticks & 2 roma tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper.

5:00 and I am getting hungry, this isn't good, because I don't have too many calories left. I am eating two breadsticks.

0 cal "Organic Mothers Milk" tea with stevia

80 cal Apple cobbler (apple, cinnamon, stevia, cooked)

60 cal organic gluten-free breadsticks

100 cal Grilled fresh tilapia with lemon pepper

72 cal 2 roma tomatoes with balsamic vinegar

40 cal breadsticks

80 cal 3 oz shrimp

10 cal 1.5 oz spinach

50 cal Strawberry Slushy (1 c frozen strawberries, 2 c water, 2 packets stevia)

Grand Total: 492 calories

I would rate today a 9. I had my cravings under control and had a great day. The only reason it isn't a 10 is that I didn't work out, but again, it was the "boys" day to work out so it wasn't because I was lazy! :)

Day 5

I weighed 152.5 this morning, which is a loss of -.5 I am not really sure how accurate that was though, because I worked out this morning before I weighed myself . During the workout I drank 2 full glasses of water and then when I came home I drank a full glass again. I peed very little before I weighed myself. But I am completely happy with losing a 1/2 pound! If I do that every day I will lose 3 1/2 pounds a week!!! That means I should be able to meet my goal of 135 by the end of my 40 days! YAY!  I burned 206 calories on the elliptical today.

10 am took my fiber pills with a big glass of water and had my breakfast ("Weightless Tea" with Stevia)

I am struggling a bit now, midday. It is noon, and I am just tempted by everything, even stuff that normally I wouldn't even want (like kids mac & cheese). Really, it is just the bread when I was making pb&j sandwiches.....yum, bread, my weakness, and I can't have it for 7 more LONG weeks. I keep reminding myself that this is just temporary. I can do ANYTHING for 40 days!!! And in 38 more days, I can start having dairy. Yum, cheese! And think of how great being skinny will feel! Much better that that pb&j would taste right now. So, alas, I will go make a shrimp salad and have my melba toast. um... yum? ;)

Well, it is 1pm and I feel MUCH better. I had my shrimp salad and it actually WAS yummy! I also had Melba Toast. I think the key is staying in FRONT of my hunger. When I feel hungry, I need to just grab something. Since I was up at 5:30 am, going until 12 noon before having a "real" meal was silly. I even forgot to grab my mid-morning fruit snack. I can't say I was "hungry" at noon, more like the temptations were bothering me, but once I eat, those temptations go away.

3:30 pm I made my apple cobbler! So yummy! I took a granny smith apple and sliced it. I arranged it in a bowl, put about 1/8 cup of water on it, sprinkled one packet of stevia and cinnamon and put it in the microwave! Oh my! so good!

It is 8 pm, and I won't be eating dinner for another 1/2 hour 'til my steak is done marinating.  It sounds so yummy, I hope it tastes as good as it sounds!  I had a huge sense of accomplishment tonight when I went shopping at Sam's Club.  I bought the three kids three pretzels.  Now, if you know me, you know that I haven't gone to Sam's Club once in the past 6 months without getting a pretzel, so they are a major weakness.  As I broke the pretzel apart for the baby, I made sure to wipe my hands clean, just so I wouldn't LICK the butter from my fingers.  And then when they were finished, there was still about a half a pretzel left.  I just walked down an aisle and popped it into the trash can.  Just like that.  No problem at all...didn't even temp me!  VIOLA! 

WARNING!  This paragraph is GROSS! Totally switching gears, and this is gross, so if you have a queasy stomach don't read this paragraph!  I just had the most amazing BM.  I know, that is disgusting to blog about, but it is extremely important.  The BM produced the most fattening poop I have ever seen!  It wasn't a tremendous amount, but it just floated there like a piece of fat!  I remember Elaine telling me that my body will be going through a detox, and she was right!  I have still continued to pee like crazy...but it is the greatest feeling when you pee a lot and it is crystal clear.  I have NEVER felt so healthy in my life, and I really haven't even lost that much weight yet.  I feel more energetic and more "free".   I find myself sitting a little taller, and walking a bit faster.  I know, sounds crazy, but I am dead serious!  I know this has to do with the TYPE of food I am putting in my body.  Truthfully, just having this feeling is enough to continue the diet.  The weight loss is just a huge bonus.

0 cal "Weightless Tea" with stevia

80 cal 3 oz shrimp

12 cal lettuce with dressing (apple cider vinegar, water, stevia)

60 cal melba toast

80 cal Apple Cobbler

(1 granny smith apple, a little water, stevia and cinnamon)

60 cal breadsticks

110 cal 3.5 oz TenderLoin (lean)

(marinated 1/3 c balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp ground oregano, 2 tsp

garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper)

70 cal 2 roma tomatoes seasoned with tenderloin marinade

25 cal 1/2 c strawberry slushy

Grand Total: 497 calories

I would rate today a 9.  I had a few temptations, but nothing too bad.  I woke up early and got in a little work out!  I felt GREAT! 

Day 4

I had to get on the scale twice today because I just didn't believe it! I weighed 153 which is a loss of -4. That means I lost everything I gained over the weekend AND another pound in just one day! YIPPEE! Now, to be fair, I did have a very good BM before I weighed myself. I know, too much info, but it is important because I have always been plagued with constipation problems. Since starting this diet and my fiber pills, I have been going every day. This morning was a very good one. :)

Okay, now for the crazy part. Every time I have dieted, the morning after I wake up with a hungry feeling in my stomach. That usually makes me excited, because I know what I ate the day before worked and it would be reflected on the scale. This morning I woke up almost in a panic because I was not hungry at all. Oh- and I was really freaked out last night, because after getting up at 5:30 am, I fully expected to be exhausted and fall asleep shortly after putting the kiddos to be at 9 pm. I had to FORCE myself to lay still and fall asleep at 11 pm. I felt like I had taken a bunch of caffeine or something, I was full of that much energy. I really was thinking this diet may be a bunch of bologna, but after a day like yesterday, there HAS to be some truth to it.

I am off for my "breakfast" of "Weightless Tea" and Stevia.

11am, I have had an apple and my breadsticks.

Today was definitely harder than yesterday.  It wasn't because I was more hungry, but I was on the go all day, and it was just hard to see all the food that is out there.  I went to dance, and people had Arby's, Wendy's, etc.  That stinks. :(  But, I was VERY excited because I received a packet in the mail from my dietician that had some yummy new HCG recipes in it.  I was thinking so "bland" and the food can be really great!  I can't wait to try out the recipes tomorrow!

0 cal Weightless Tea and stevia

60 cal Breadsticks

80 cal medium granny smith apple

45 cal cucumber

85 cal Crab Meat with lemon pepper seasoning

60 cal Breadsticks

12 cal 2 c. lettuce (with apple cider vinegar, water, stevia dressing)

116 cal 100g chicken breast grilled with salt, pepper, & mrs. dash

50 cal Strawberry Slushy (1 c strawberries, 2 c water, 2 packets stevia)

grand total: 508 calories

I would rate this day as a 8.  Just because I had more temptations.  And I didn't work out, but that wasn't because of neglect, it was because Kenz and I are working out Mon/Wed/Fri, while the boys work out Tues/Thurs/Sat.

Day 3 - First VLCD

I did it! Well, okay, MACKENZIE did it! But she got me up at 5:30 this morning and we went to the gym. Granted, we only did 15 minutes of the elliptical machine, but it still burned 177 calories!

I weighed 157 this morning, so over the weekend I gained 3 pounds from pigging out!  I am okay with it, because the hard stuff begins today.  It is only 8:30 am, so of course, I am doing just fine! HAH!  I will be logging back in throughout the day as I add to what I have eaten and such.

It is 10:30 am now, and all I have had to "eat" is Weightless Organic tea with stevia, and about 3 glasses of water.  And I am NOT hungry.  I know, it is only 10:30, but I was up at 5:30, so normally, I am up at 8 am, and I am definitely hungry by 1:00, and that is the same timeframe.  Plus, I didn't really eat too much dinner last night.

I can't believe how much I am PEEING!  I have never in my life peed so much, even when I was pregnant.  It seems that I am going every half an hour (no exaggeration) but I hear that is very common as your body is undergoing a detox process with the HCG.

I am going to go ahead and eat an apple before I pick up Natalie at 11 am.  I just want to stay one step ahead of my hunger.

Well, I forgot to eat before I picked up Natalie.  That's right, FORGOT!  I can't believe it.  It is 11:30 now though, and I am making Natalie mac & cheese...and you know what?  It doesn't even bother me! :)  I am going to have a cup of strawberries and a glass of water for a snack.  I will keep a running total of my caloric intake below.

2 pm and I just had 1 serving of starch. 

3:45 pm I decided that I need to eat.  I am a bit hungry, but definitely not famished. I cut up my chicken and started weighing it.  Do you know how freakin' LITTLE 100 grams of chicken is???  I was SHOCKED.  Well, heck, that's why I am fat!  I have been eating 3 times too much meat at every meal! :)

7:30 pm  I still have a meat, a veggie & a fruit to eat.  And I am not hungry.  I KNOW this can't be in my mind.  I am having crab meat with asparagus and an apple.  Then I will go to bed.  I would say I am proud of myself, but it really wasn't hard.  I guess ask me in a week.

The only thing I can say, is I realize how much I would have messed up had I not been on a strict diet...I would have totally just grabbed stuff off the kids plate.  I have to say, this strict of a diet is really for me.  It is all or nothing. :)

Another thing this is really teaching me, is how much I have allowed FOOD to play a part in my life.  For instance, today I took Natalie to the Dr....because she didn't like the shots she had to get, I almost said "I will take you to Dairy Queen for a sundae", and that was after I almost told her I would take her to Grandma's Diner for a lunch for mommy and her.  Then, after gymnastics tonight, I almost thought to take the kids out for a snack.  I am learning to stop "rewarding" with food, and also to find a new gathering place for the family, other than around a table eating.

0 cal Weightless Tea with Stevia

50 cal 1c strawberries

60 cal 9 breadsticks

116 cal 100g chicken breast

60 cal 9 breadsticks

12 cal 2 c. lettuce (with apple cider vinegar, water, stevia dressing)

85 cal 100g crab meat

27 cal 134g asparagus

90 cal 184g orange

grand total:  500 calories (um, wow, how did I manage that perfection?)

I would definitely rate this day as a 10.  It really couldn't of been better.  I worked out, albeit, just a little bit.  My hunger was under control.  I woke early, and should be going to bed early.  I don't have any complaints (but a bit of a bothersome headache, but I really think that is unrelated).

Some extras...

It is really important on this diet to drink lots of water. Like a gallon. I figure 10 full glasses is good. So for the past two mornings, after I give myself an injection, I fill up a big red glass. Then I put a piece of tape on the glass and throughout the day I put a little marker on the tape to show how many glasses I have drank. So far, so good.

Also, I have started taking fiber pills. I take 6 capsules of psyllium fiber per day. That's enough to down one glass of water with! :)

My favorite thing with this diet is they way that I am getting back to eating healthy. Everything is organic and non-processed. I had to stock up on a few staples. For sweeteners, nothing "chemical" is allowed (which I think is awesome...I used to drink diet coke like it was going out of style, not lately, but still), so I needed to buy "Stevia" which is derived from the stevia plant which is native to South America. Dried stevia leaves are steeped in water, similar to making tea. This unlocks the best tasting part of the leaf which is then purified to provide a calorie-free sweet taste. One packet (the size of your normal sweet n' low or splenda packet) is equal to the sweetness of 2 tsp of sugar. I plan to use this with apple cider vinegar and water in order to make a nice salad dressing.

I eat 8 items per day (2 from each below):

Meat (100 grams each item, I had to buy a food scale for this)-
Chicken
low fat beef
fresh white fish
lobster
crab
shrimp

Fruit-
apple
orange
strawberries (1-1 1/2 cups)
grapefruit (yuck! never have liked it!)

Veggies-
radishes
celery
cabbage
tomatoes (hey-I thought this was a fruit?)
lettuce
cucumbers
chard
onions
fennel
beet greens
sinach
asparagus
chicory greens
"spring mix" salad

Starches (ooh, the choices are vast!)-
Melba toast
gluten-free bread stick (I bought these, they are expensive, but I was in a hurry and couldn't find Melba Toast)


Also- with this diet, you should stay away from all makeup that is not mineral based. Interesting. For me, that wasn't a change because I already use Bare Minerals makeup (I highly suggest it!), but I thought it was helpful info!

Day 2 - load day

Wow! This diet is great! I gained 2 pounds! YIPEE! ;) I weighed 156 this morning. And I got to eat like a pig again today. Fun times! It's okay, I really think I get the gist of why you do the loading days, it is just so hard to eat like this and watch the weight pour on. I am pretty sure tomorrow, when I start my VLCD, I will be wishing for a loading day. I am just going to take it day to day. You can do anything for 38 days right? I mean that is just a little over a month. But it is going to be hard. I am also going to try and run every day. I have a 5k race on February 6th (hopefully it won't be 10 degrees below zero). Mackenzie says that she is going to wake me up at 5:30 every morning to go to the gym...I hope she can follow through with that, because when the alarm goes off at 5:30 am, I am sure to be the one hitting snooze.

I gave myself the injection in the upper thigh this morning, I expected this to hurt more than my butt, but it didn't.

On a side note, I had to give up nursing TJ to do this diet. I thought I would be okay with it, since he really isn't using nursing as nutritional tool anymore, more like a "mommy pacifier", but it was still hard. I quit cold turkey Friday night. :( It was still sad. I made it almost 20 months with him. He is such a boob man. It was so cute....oh well. I need to do something for mommy now...

I figured out, if I just lose 1/2 pound a day, like I am supposed to, I will reach my goal in 40 days to be 20 pounds lighter. That makes me happy! :)

Now, let the real work begin tomorrow!

Day 1 - load day

Okay, this HCG diet is flippin' nuts. Basically today, I ate whatever I wanted and a LOT of it! I had 3 donuts, cheese sticks, salami, beef jerky, buttery rolls, crispy chicken with fattening dressing...and the list goes on! I am sure I gained 5 pounds today. This diet better work, because if it doesn't I am going to be fatter than ever.

I got up this morning, and went to mix my injection. This morning I gave myself the injection in the butt. It didn't hurt, but man these needles are WAY too big. They are 21 guage...I was expecting more like a 29 size. And they are 1 1/2 inches long, and I was thinking more like a 1/2 inch. YIKES! But, at any rate, it didn't hurt.

The point of the "loading" days, is to load up on fat so that when you start the VLCD (very low calorie diet) you won't feel as though you are starving as the HCG pushes its way through your system. The more research I did on this diet, the more I found that this is the one place people didn't do right, and they paid for it. I mean, I have to admit, I thought it was NUTS to pig out for two days when you are in the mode to "diet". I know darn well that I will weigh more on Monday morning when this is all over with. But I found that people felt REALLY hungry if they didn't load properly, and also, the weight didn't seem to come off very fast.

With this diet, you are supposed to expect a loss of 1-2 pounds per day. Elaine, my dietician, says that more realistically, I should expect a loss of 1/2 pound-1 pound per day. Fine with me. Ideally, I would like to lose 19 pounds (well, probably after this weekend, 25 pounds!). I want to be at 135 by summer. My starting weight for this diet is 154, weighed in this morning. I took before pictures, and I plan on taking photos every Monday, but I don't have enough guts to post ANY photos until my third week. So, I plan to show "progression" photos on February 8th.