Guess what today is? : o

It's my LAST DAY OF THE VLCD!!! THANK THE STARS ABOVE!!!
I was actually up .8 yesterday bummer- but I am attributing it to AF that is still lingering. So I'm not to stressed over it. And this morning I totally forgot to weigh. I had taken an advil PM last night and was comatose this morning when I woke up I was in a fog of haze, got a big drink of water and then realized I hadn't weighed. Oh well. I'll just use my lowest weight as my maintenance weight. . . . . . .
So- Now on to Phase 3. I'm really looking forward to some different foods. I've been eating the same thing over and over every day.
I'm going to meet with the nurse in about 2 hours to discuss insulin resistance and HORMONES! Which by the way have been out of control this month! :-p I'm hopping she can help me out.

I was not expecting this!...

I was down another .8 this mornin'!!! I was NOT expecting that! Plus AF is still lingering in the closet- started spotting so I would imagine that she'll be here tomorrow as TODAY WAS MY LAST SHOT!!! So I can't quite say that "I am done" because I still have 72 more hours of the diet but I can confidently say that i made it another round! I KNOW that I can't start P3 for 72 hours or I'll pack on the lbs so that keeps me focused and motivated!

I am making a grocery list of all the goodies that I'm going to buy at the store tonight. And when I say "goodies" I mean things that are on the p3 plan. No sugar and no starches! Im going to whip up some super bowl goodies that are P3 friendly. I can not wait for my L/C waffles on Saturday. I think I might sludge and have some sausage with it too! mmm... my tummy's growling! ; ) I'm going to have some high fatty foods on Saturday and Sunday and then be really careful starting again on Monday. Low Carb Veggies & salads, egg whites, turkey sausage, lean meats & cheeses, low sugar fruits such as berries and nuts. I also jumped online last night and purchased some lowcarb "stapels" such as carbquick- it's like bisquick only LOW CARB! You can make all kinds of things. I hope it's decent. It was hella' expensive!

I have been {{{{FREEZING}}}} all week!!! Apparently it's a fairly common side effect of the HCG diet. My fingers are like icicles and I can't feel my toes! {{{BUURRR!}}} I have been going to the gym every night to sit in the steam room just to get WARM! (Warning: TMI) Last night I was steaming it up and when I got out I smelled so nasty! Like the worst BO I've ever experienced & I'm usually not a smelly person! I am now wondering if I had released some serious TOXINS because later I got a migraine and didn't feel well at all and I had another substantial loss this morning-maybe there is something to this Steam Room thing! I'll probably go again tonight.

So all-in-all I am happy with the results I have seen in this round. To think I am now 30+ lbs LIGHTER than when Baby girl was 6 weeks old (less than 5 months ago) is pretty awesome! :)

Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by to visit my HCG DIET BLOG!

Way To Go Apple Day!

I'm going to keep this post breif (I promise this time!) 'cause I feel like I am getting a migraine. Boo! But I just wanted to update you and let you know that my apple day was a huge success! I was down 1.2 lbs this morning. For all those keeping track that puts me 1.2 lbs UNDER my "goal!" I have 3 days left for this round! I am litterally counting down the days!

yep- here comes the migraine. damn! : ( goodnight.

BIG "A" little "a"... what begins with A?

Aunt Annie's Alligator & APPLE DAY!!!

Due to yet another stall I am doing another apple day. I skipped a shot yesterday and AF still hasn't shown her ugly face so I'm just grateful I didn't have a gain. I am really hoping to get 2 more lbs off before phase 3 but who knows. I have 2 more shots (after today's) + 72 hours after last injection of dieting so it might happen...

I have been sitting in the steam room at the gym as often as I can. I don't know if it's helping with the weight loss but my face/skin feel a lot better and it's the only time that I'm WARM! I get SO cold on the HCG diet.

I have to admit that I am tempted to do another round. I am at a "normal" weight for my height but still 10 lbs above what is considered "ideal"... whatever that means. And even though I am wearing a size 6 (wore my tinniest jeans yesterday)I definitely still have extra fat, ya know? Plus I like not having to "decide" what to eat. I don't know. I'll just see how P3 goes and decide in a few weeks if I'll shoot for 10 more lbs in another 23 day round. what I really need is a VACATION to work towards! ; )

Have you ever heard the old saying "It takes 23 days to form a habit and only 3 days to break it."? It's SO TRUE!!! I remember during my last HCG round that I really struggled until I hit that 20-21 day mark and then it just seemed Old Hat. But then I was done on day 26 and had to switch to something different. It's a vicious cycle. That's how I'm feeling now- Like I have the hang of it and dreading a change. Plus I HAVE to start back at the gym and I have a love/hate relationship with the gym!

Last night we had our old nanny over for dinner (she's agreed to nanny for us again-yea!!!) And I made Chicken enchiladas and double chocolate cake and everything smelled SO GOOD!!! Everyone just raved about the meal! And because the enchiladas are cream based I altered the ingredients a bit to be low carb (other than the tortillas) and used some LOW CARB tortillas and made a few extra for me- just stuck them in the freezer! I can't wait to eat them! If you're interested I will post the recipe!

Lastly- I have a few HCG shout outs that have helped me through this round....
1) Smooth Move Tea
2) Dandilion Tea
4) Stevia sweetner
5) Stevia chewing gum
6) Apple Cider Vinager w/lemon on salads
7) Red pepper flakes to flavor chicken
8) The Steam Room & heating bags to keep me warm
9) My husband (who even though had to be asked) would clean up the dinner mess for me
10)My kids who would happily taste test for me so I wouldn't have to! I'm lucky my kids are so skinny! LOL!
11)Scrapblog.com! kept my mind/fingers busy since work has been slow!

Hang in there!

I DID IT!!! I DID IT!!! I DID IT!!!

I REACHED MY GOAL THIS MORNING!!!! WAAAA-HOOOOOOOO!!! I am so happy I can't even begin to tell you! To see that number on the scale was so incredibly satisfying!!! You'll see for yourself if you haven't already!!!

Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I had a bad day. Not so much diet-wise even though I just stayed the same on the scale. But it can pretty much be summed up in 3 words... P M S! I don't know why it's SO bad this month!!! My mom is convinced that it's because I'm "so skinny" and my body is "deprived!" ... Lol! She thinks I'm "so skinny!" that's awesome!... I'm not. I'm just right. I know it's not the HCG 'cause I didn't have it bad last month so it may just be a fluke. Anyway- to think that I was able to lose .6 yesterday and have Af RIGHT around the corner is fantastic. Still hasn't started but I can tell it will soon.

I have 3 shots left. I decided to skip a shot day today in hopes of that helping TOM. But I will shoot up Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday and then finish the additional 72 hours of the death diet Thursday and Friday! Saturday morning I am going to be indulging in my breakfast casserole... or maybe the L/C waffles... I just can't decide! And I am also rewarding myself for making it through another round (w/out a single cheat) by getting a ONE HOUR MASSAGE at 11AM on Saturday! I don't know which I am more excited about, real food again or the massage! And Saturday night we are going out for our Anniversary to a wonderful SEA FOOD restaurant w/many L/C options for me! And Sunday is my little brothers birthday (yes, I have a lot of little brothers 2 of which have b-days in January) so I think I will make myself a L/C cheese cake so I can have a goody while everyone else eats cake. The last b-day party was torture! But this time I am going to freeze MOST of the cheese cake and only have it on special occasions when everyone else is eating treats! Being PREPARED is Key on the HCG diet and it's extremely important to continue that habit through maintenance!

I will also be posting my before and after measurements sometime this week too! So watch for those!

6 Days Left!...

With only 6 days left (4 shots, 2 diet extra diet days) and I am {{{{drum roll please}}} .6 lb away from my goal! WAAA-HOOO! I am 145.6 this morning and I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me! And with 6 days left I KNOW I will make my goal!... Now what I don't know is if after a couple weeks of maintenancem, push my luck and go one more round in hopes of getting to 140? How SWEET would that be? Don't worry- that is well within my "normal/healthy range!" for my age, height & body frame. In fact some stupid website said my "ideal weight" should be 135... yeah, right! In my bra!!! (name that movie!)

Don't have much else to report today. I'm still livin' the lettuce/chicken/strawberries/apples/oranges/celery/bread sticks lifestyle! It's exciting! : p that's sarcastic!

Have a great night. Maybe in the AM I will be AT MY GOAL! Although it may take a couple days to get there as AF has been knocking at the door for the last couple days. Do you think if I ignore her she'll go away? Doubt it. bitch.

Be Happy! Be Healthy! Just B!!!

Opps! Did I miss a day?

Sorry- my laptop was in the shop yesterday and didn't get a chance to update you all with my progress. I was down .4 yesterday morning and down another .8 this morning. For all you math wizards, that puts me at a whopping 1 POUND AWAY FROM MY GOAL!!! HOLY SMOKES! I am really excited about that!

Another great thing is today I wore my tinniest pants to work. Old Navy size 6 (with NO stretch in them.) Best part? I can pull them down without even having to unbutton them- I don't think I've ever been able to do that. It feels great to know that I can go into my closet and grab ANYTHING and KNOW that it's going to fit! Nothing TASTES better than THAT! Am I right?

I've also begin to suspect that I may be insulin resistant. I began taking Metformin today and it might just be mental (lord knows I'm "mental!") but I was NOT hungry this afternoon. I usu sally get really hungry after I eat my first meal- and then continues throughout the day. I am really hoping this to be the answer for my diet struggles. My mother started taking it a few months ago and her cravings for sweets and breads have all but disappeared. Food isn't as appealing to her now that she doesn't have irrational "food swings!" & Cravings! Insulin resistance runs in my family and some have gone onto have diabetes as well. And not only that I remembered last night that I had gestational diabetes towards the end of my pregnancy which also puts me at risk for insulin resistance. Anyway- I have all the classic symptoms.

So that's all for now. I'm hoping to be down another POUND tomorrow but I know that's not going to happen... baby steps. I have about 6 more shots (8 more days of diet) and then I move to maintenance. Really looking forward to some yummers breakfasts!

I'm hanging in there! "I'm doing the work! I'm baby stepping!" (name that movie!)

Another day down...

Well, after a rough apple day yesterday I was back down the .6 I had been up. So that's good I guess. Even Steven. I'm kind of just sober about the whole diet today. So you'll forgive me if I keep today's update brief.

Stress is playing a huge part of my mood today. This afternoon when I got home from work my nanny let me know that she will be quiting in 2 weeks. Which is a whole stressful thing in itself. And tomorrow we have to tell all of our employees at work that they will be getting 10% pay cuts effective immediately. So, I know this isn't really diet related but I think stress ultimately really effects your overall spirit, mood and motivation when doing such a strict diet. Don't get me wrong- I've not fallen off the wagon or cheated at all but I just don't have the upbeat spirit and mood that I usually have.

I took a few minuets for myself this afternoon and sat in the steam room at the gym but all that did was leave me alone with my thoughts. Thoughts that tend to be on the negative side these days. I just wish I knew how to fix everything- And I don't know how to fix anything these days.

But Tonight I pray for our new President and his family. I can't imagine the pressure and stress that will greet him in the morning. I pray he can keep a positive attitude and make some much needed changes to this great country that we live in. I pray also for this country. I pray for peace and love and prosperity. There are so many people struggling to keep their heads above water and everyone (struggling or not) needs help. We have to help. We have to help each other and we have to help ourselves. We need leadership and guidance but we have to be responsible for ourselves and our actions. God bless this great country and help us remember how far we've come. Help us get to where we need to be.

goodnight and godbless you and your family

Rough Day-

Like I said earlier, today's been a rough day. Hence the reason for 2 posts. It's sad how the number on the scale ultimately sets the tone for my whole day. I was really bummed about the gain this morning and it's just stuck with me all day. Makes me wonder if the "number" is over rated. I felt fat and grumpy all day. And I really can't figure out this hunger thing. Is my HCG no longer workin? Or am I just totally over the whole VLCD?

Tonight I was watching Blaine's Low Carb Cooking on FITTV and got me really excited for food again! So I thought I would share a few of my low-carb recipes that I really enjoyed during the last round of P3. I know there is a lot of different information regarding what you can and cannot have during the maintenance phase but I just try and keep my carbs as low as possible and i was able to maintain just fine... But to each his own- this is just worked for me!

Low Carb Waffles (this was by far one of my favorites!) Just FYI: I 1/2 the recipe and it makes about 4 waffles. I top it with sugar free syrup & butter OR strawberries & whipped cream! It's so delicious! Serve with a serving of sausage if you're feeling really hungry!
Ingredients:
1 cup soya powder (local health store)
2 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon sugar-free vanilla syrup
1/4 cup ice water
Vegetable oil spray to grease waffle iron
Directions:
Heat waffle iron per manufacturers instructions. Whisk together soya mix, sugar substitute, baking powder and salt. Add cream, eggs and syrup and stir until well blended (batter will be stiff). Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until batter is easily spoonable and spreadable, about the consistency of a thick pancake batter.Spray waffle iron with oil spray. Place approximately 3 tablespoons of batter in center of a waffle iron. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions until crisp and dark golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.

Low Carb Cheesecake (top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream)
Crust: (i kinda made this up)
1/4 cup each of: crushed almonds, pecans & walnuts (crush in food processor until fine)
2-3 TBLS melted butter
3/4 cup crushed low carb peanut butter cookies (see recipe below)
Mix above ingredients together (adding butter last) and line into a buttered spring cheesecake pan bottom and edges
Ingredients:
* 5 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese* 5 large eggs* 18 packets Sweet n Low or Sweet One sweetener or Equal or a combination (Splenda works fine!)* 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract* 1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Make sure cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Spray a spring form pan with non-stick spray or rub with butter
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs, cream, sweetener and extract.
5. Add cream cheese in 1 to 2 oz chunks for easier beating.
6. After all lumps are gone pour into pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.(do not overcook)
7. Let cool and chill before serving. (at least 24 hours)
Serves 6

Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar substitute (maybe a little less if you are sensitive to the artificial sweetener taste)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
1mix ingredients in a small bowl.
2drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
3bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until set.

Egg muffins(sort of).
I sprayed a standard 6 muffin tin with cooking spray. Preheated oven to 350. Beat 3 ex-large eggs and add salt, pepper and a splash of tabasco sauce(or not)Into each muffin cup sprinkle some onion and ham (or breakfast meat of your choice). Add some shredded cheese -you want the cup almost full. Then carefully pour the egg into the cups to fill (the egg will settle around the filling, so go slow).Pop in the oven for 18 minutes

Devilishly delicious Deviled eggs I have to quadruple this recipe 'cause everyone LOVES THEM!
6 hard-boiled eggs
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Miracle Whip or mayonnaise (I prefer mayo)
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
2 tablespoons sugar free sweet pickle relish
pinch of onion salt
horse radish to taste
paprika
Directions
1Peel shells off cooled hard-boiled eggs and slice into halves lengthwise.
2Remove yolks from whites and put into small round bowl and mash yolks with a fork into fine pieces.
3Add 2 heaping Tbsp Miracle Whip, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish, and salt& black pepper to taste.
4Stir mixture until creamy.
5Spoon mixture into a zip-locked sandwich bag, seal bag and snip off one corner of bag.
6Squeeze mixture out of corner of bag into white egg halves.
7Sprinkle tops of filled deviled eggs with paprika.
8Chill in refrigerator 1-2 hours or until cold before serving.

Southwestern 'Breakfast' Casserole a'la crockpot! (another FAVORITE! This got better with each passing day!) again- I cut the recipe in 1/2- do not overcook. Mine was done in about 4 hours on LOW. I recommend making it the day before you want to eat it 'cause it cooks too fast to cook overnight.
1 tablespoon butter
18 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
1 small can green Ortega chilies or a small jar red jalapeno chilies
1 pound cooked hot 'n' spicy breakfast sausage (***See note below)
1 pound cooked mild breakfast sausage (***See note below)
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper (***See note below.)
1 cup diced green onions
salsa (optional) Brown both packages of the sausage thoroughly. Drain and set aside.Beat the eggs, heavy cream, and water together. Set aside.Grease crock with the butter.To layer the ingredients in the crockpot, start with half the cooked sausage. Sprinkle 1/2 the chilies, 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the red bell pepper, 1/2 the yellow bell pepper, and 1/2 the green onions over the sausage, distributing them evenly over the sausage. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the vegetables.Distribute the remaining sausage over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining chilies, onion, and yellow bell pepper over the sausage. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over all.Pour the beaten egg mixture over the ingredients in the casserole. Sprinkle the remaining green onions and red bell pepper over the egg mixture. (This produces a colorful top to the casserole.)Cover the crockpot, turn it on low, and cook for 7 to 8 hours.Serve with sour cream and salsa.Serves 8 to 10.

Low Carb Stuffed Pizza
3/4 cup olive oil to fry
6 low carb tortillas1 -
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. bag pre-shredded Italian Blend Cheese
48 slices pre-cut pepperoni
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stack tortillas and puncture with a fork about a dozen times. Fry low carb tortillas one at a time in about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a 10" nonstick pan over medium high heat until brown and crisp. Repeat adding 1 tbsp. olive oil to pan until all tortillas are brown and crisp. Make sure you cook tortillas on both sides then drain on paper towels. Season tomatoes with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put three tortillas on cookie sheets. Spread 2 tablespoons of tomatoes on each tortilla and top with 1/4 cup grated cheese and 6-8 pieces of pre-cut pepperoni. Top 3 made pizzas with 3 other tortillas and repeat with sauce, cheese and pepperoni. You will have a total of 3 stuffed pizzas. Cook on cookie sheets in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cut each pizza in half and serve.Yields 6 servings - approximately 10 net carbs per each serving

Low Carb 7 layer dip
First layer: Spicy guacamole (I buy the ready made easy stuff!)
2nd: pured re fried beans (optional if you are sensitive)
3rd: Sour cream (I let it sit out to room temp and then put it in a small zip lock, cut the end and drizzel on beans- makes it easy to spread)
4th: Browned ground beef w/taco packet
5th: Mexican Blend Cheese
6th: Chopped tomatoes
7th: Chopped green onions
It's good to serve fresh/chilled but I prefer warmed up! It's so yummers! Serve on low carb tortillas or low carb chips or pork rinds.

So those are just a few of the ones that I like when i'm doing the low carb thing. I found them to be life savers over the holidays 'cause it made me feel like I was actually eating and wouldn't you know it- other people really enjoyed them too! Obviously, you can't eat these kinds of things every day but it's nice to have a "treat" that's not going to throw you into a diabetic sugar coma!

Now my tummy is HUNGRY!... and I also just realized another possible reason for my hunger and crankiness- Stupid AF is due in about a week. : p

Thanks for stopping by to visit my HCG DIET/LOW CARB DIET RECIPE SITE!

Aa Apple Day...

I knew my streak couldn't last forever and was certainly NOT expecting a loss this morn, However, I was also not expecting a gain either- much less a .6 gain. BOO!!! I was pretty bummed. So, I'm doing an apple day. I have 2 suspects behind the gain- 1) Sodium from chips/almonds that I licked yesterday. I know, I'm weird. 2) I did Pilate's on Saturday and I'm a little sore and sore muscles retain water as part of the healing process. I'm also feeling like I'm coming down with something. A cold perhaps. I have very little energy today.

I've been having a hard time falling asleep lately and I don't know what's up with that... It's kind of frustrating because I don't fall asleep 'til after 1 and then can't get up in the morning. It's a vicious cycle. I think I'm going to take some Tylenol PM tonight and try and get on a better routine.

I feel as though this round is more difficult than the previous round. Is it because the newness and excitement is gone? Or is it because I'm not nearly as busy as I was during the last round- I've been bored and hungry unlike last round. who knows. I have 9 days left after today so I can make it but I not be much fun!

Thanks for stopping by to visit my HCG DIET BLOG!



I'm really hoping for a loss tomorrow.

U'll Never Believe This!

I was definitely NOT expecting a loss today so you can imagine my surprise this morning when I was down another 1.2 lbs! Helllooooo! I was so happy! I am only 2.2 lbs away from my birthday goal. BUT because I have like 11 days/shots left I'm thinking I should push for 7.2? :o We'll just see- My stomach might start eating away at my spine.

With that said- I've been pretty hungry again today. Ended up NOT doing an apple day but am strongly considering it for tomorrow. I have found myself doing horribly naughty things like sucking all the flavoring off of jalapeno smokehouse almonds and even licking tortilla chips. I know, that's horrible! Don't worry, I didn't put them back in the package- although it would have been funnier that way.

Tonight I got creative and mixed mama up a little cocktail. The juice (and meat) of 1/2 a lemon, a few strawberries and a few drops of my good friend Stevia, through it all together in my magic bullet w/a little crushed ice and water and Viola- a refreshing tasty little snack. I will definitely be making this treat again!

I'm pretty tired tonight and still need to watch "my stories" so I'm gonna run. I am ABSOLUTELY NOT expecting a loss tomorrow! Especially after all that chip licking going on (Ok, It was only a few) but still- that damn sodium will haunt me in the night! I have very low expectations for myself tomorrow!

Have a grreeaaattt night! Thanks for stopping by to visit my HCG DIET BLOG!

Holy Crap Bags!

OMG! I was down another .8 this morning! I was literally jumping up and down on my scale from excitment until I had chest pain! (just kidding, but anticipating that the cholesterol will eventually kill me!) I was shocked and totally surprised!

But speaking of cholesterol- that bitch is getting me down! I made the mistake of "researching" it on the internet and am now convinced I have shooting pains down my left arm & tightening in my chest. I don't. But it's really buggin! Ok, I'm just going to drop it!

Today was pretty uneventful. My "thing" for the day was "try and new recipe!" I find joy in torching myself so I seriously made a cheesecake! A Cheesecake Factory cheesecake no less! Because in lieu of the poor economy I am making homemade presents for all (5) of my brothers this year rather than store bought presents. This should get interesting. My little brother loves cheesecake & lasagna so I am really testing my will power by putting others before myself and making some seriously delish food for him. I all but shoved cheesecake up my nose 'cause it smelled so good!

Earlier I took a quick trip to the grocery store and found myself in the bakery casually smashing cookies between my fingers. I think I may have been hungry. Don't worry- I only smashed one. And then felt guilty so I paid for it. Food smashing is good hunger therapy. I do recommend buying the food, then smashing it to avoid the whole calling security thing.

Today menu: Chicken, Lettuce, apple and orange.... again. {{{sigh}}} Oh, and cardboard- I mean bread sticks! Yumm!

I'm feeling kind of over the VLCD tonight. I've been hungry this evening and don't really know why. I think I may need to do an apple day tomorrow- not because of a stall or gain but more because of hunger. I rarely feel hungry on an apple day. I can enjoy a nice juicy apple while my cholesterol free family indulges in a damn homemade cheesecake and lasagna that I MADE! Life is not fare. I hope there is a 7th circle in hell reserved for people who don't have to battle weight issues! I think I have issues.

HCGoodNight! Thanks for stopping by to visit my HCG DIET BLOG!!!

Still alive...

Hello. No, I am not speaking to you from the great beyond, I'm still alive and frankly, feeling quite well! I went back into the Doc's this morning and the good news is the cholesterol has gone down but that bad news is that it's still considered high. This is just shocking to me. I have now lost all the baby weight and high cholesterol does not run in my family. It's frustrating. They are going to fax the results to my primary care physician to get his opinion. I also found out that my thyroid is while still within the normal range is on the low end- which sucks. And apparently I have some kind of low-grade infection in my body... somewhere. So hopefully my regular doc will be able to get everything under control (with out RX drugs!)

I just spoke w/my Nurse Practitioner at my OB's office and she's not too concerned. She told me to take a Omega 3 complex everyday and get more exercise (which I will after protocol) so that's reassuring that she is not too concerned... She said they will test it again in about 6-9 months to see where we're at.

Now on to the best news of the day... I was down -1.4 this morning! Whhaa-Hoooo! I am now in "new numbers" and only 4.2 lbs away from my BIRTHDAY/ULTIMATE GOAL!!! I'm pretty happy!

Yesterday I went shopping for new jeans- something I normally dread. But I am so excited to report that I bought 3 pairs (ouch!) in a size 6!!!! Holla'!!! I had intentions of only buying one pair but they were so cute and I was so happy that the 6's fit that I splurged! It's been a few years since I bought some really cute (expensive) jeans so I deserve it, right? ; )

I can not even expect a loss tomorrow. After such a huge loss this morning I can't seriously expect to see another. In fact- I wouldn't be surprised to see a slight gain either. Hopping that's not the case but we'll see!

Have a great night & weekend!~

OMG!!! 300???

So when I first started this diet I had some blood work done. Everything seemed fairly normal and my cholesterol was a little high (211) she (the nurse) said it was probably from recently having a baby and would most likely drop after I shed the baby weight...

Fast forward 4 months and -25 lbs and my cholesterol level came back at 300 today!!! OMG! What the F???? Is that even possible? Before you ask- NO, high cholesterol does NOT run in my family. My mom's is normal and my Dad's is high but only because he's overweight, I don't even think he takes anything for it 'cause it's not "that high."... HEEELLLLOOOOO!!!! I"m kinda freaking out!!! They did a re-draw today just to see if it's a fluke but OMG, what if I have to go on High Cholesterol medication- I'M NOT EVEN 30 YET!!!!!!!!! WAAAHHHHH!!!!

On a good note, I am down -.8 this AM! I was stocked. Too bad I'll be dead before I get a chance to enjoy my new skinny body!!! : o

If you have any info on high cholesterol/HCG diet OR would like more information on funeral arrangements please feel free to comment... {{{{sigh}}} I'll write more later, assuming I'm still alive...

HCG Girl (aka HCG dying old hag) THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TO VISIT MY HCG DIET BLOG!

ps I have a disturbed sense of humor- I don't really think I'm dying... at least i HOPE I'm not.

Same Old. Same Old.

Stayed the same today. Which I guess is better than a gain. Still disappointed though. I was going to skip a shot today but after reading Trudi's blog I am thinking it's not really necessary. So I'm going to shoot it up today! ; )

It's kind of frustrating that I have only lost like 2 (new) lbs during this round. I am on day 8 I think and have lost a total of about 4 lbs so I guess that's an average of .5 a day. Slow and steady. I'm hoping for a loss tomorrow (dah-obviously) to lift my spirits. I can tell the HCG is working now 'cause last night I was an icicle! {{{{burrr}}}} Still battling with hunger though so that's hard.

And even though I am at about the same weight I was when I got pg last year I can tell things are just different. I'm flabby and it's frustrating. I hate how much time I have to spend at the gym to get toned up. I was working with a trainer for over an hour a day and I just can't justify that again with a new baby and with the economy being what it is... I feel too guilty when I'm gone that long, especially on days that I am working. Ack.... I just can't do it all.

I think my "thing" today is going to be clean out the media room. Yesterday I (sort of) got my office at work organized. I could have done better but was in a hurry 'cause I had to take my brother-in-law to the airport so I rushed. I am also going to get my car serviced which should have definitely been on the list! It's over due.

So to say I am frustrated today is pretty accurate. I'm racking my brain, trying to think of anything else i could be doing that would make this easier or more effective... I'm always open for your opinions and advice.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TO VISIT MY HCG DIET BLOG!!!

Another day down... only 16 to go.

So after an apple day I was down 1.0 lb. I was disappointed that it wasn't more but it's OK- I've said it before and I'll say it again I think the last few are going to be killer. . .

Apple day was OK. Very little hunger which is good however, I seem to be pretty hungry today which I think is strange. I did Pilate's yesterday and had intentions of doing it again today but with the day almost gone I might now fit it in... It's been a crazy day. I am surprisingly sore from Pilate's.

Tonight I made lettuce wraps with shrimp that were delicious!!! My kids were freaking out 'cause they loved them SO MUCH! Bonus! I could have eaten twice as much I think. Oh well- I still have an orange for my bedtime snack.

I'm truthfully not expecting a loss tomorrow- I wouldn't even be surprised if I have a gain. I'll be disappointed but won't be surprised. No, I didn't cheat at all- I just think my body is fighting this. I'm trying to visualize a loss and thinking good thoughts.

so that's all for today. being a single mom this week is keeping me busy. I'll update tomorrow!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TO VISIT MY HCG DIET BLOG!!!

slight gain...

This morning I had a .2 gain. For some reason I kind of expected it. I didn't cheat at all but just had a feeling that I would see a slight gain. So, I'm going to go ahead and do an "Apple Day!" Last night I took a fellow HCGers advice and sprinkled some cinnamon on a sliced apple, warmed it up a bit- It was delicious!!!

Hummm... Do you think the slight gain had anything to do with my horrible nights rest? I was up until almost 2am watching TV. Could NOT get my brain to shut off. Then my baby woke up at 4 for a bottle. Then I was back up at 6 to say g'bye to my husband who left on a business trip, then back up for the day at 7:30... I feel pretty rested considering but have a feeling it's going to catch up with me in a day or 2. I guess that's what I get for bragging about all the sleep I've been getting lately.

Today I am going to take a trip to the DI (Deseret Industries- similar to good will) I got some closets cleaned out last week and have 2 huge sacks to donate.


Last night I decided that IF I reach my goal by my 30th Birthday (7.4 lbs away, b-day in 40 days) I am going to treat myself to a makeover. I've always had long hair and frankly, I think it's time for a change. I'm thinking an a-line cut just below the jaw, sassy bob and maybe adding bangs. Something similar to this?

I think my husband is planning a surprise party (surprise?) so how fun would it be to have it cut that day and totally surprise everyone there? My husband would LOVE it, i think!

I'm just so skeptical that I'll even be able to get these last few lbs off. I hate to be a pessimist but I just think the last few are always the hardest and most stubborn! If anyone has any tips or tricks that might help I am totally open for suggestions! Should I add cardio? Should I cut even more calories?


This afternoon I did pilates. It was OK, I guess I'm just used to working out with weights & cardio machines so I don't really feel like it was all that effective. It felt good to really stretch and elongate my muscles but definitely don't feel like I "worked out."


I thought I was getting a migraine this afternoon when my hand started to tingle so I panicked and took my migraine medication. I believe you are supposed to avoid prescription drugs during protocol if at all possible but I panicked- nothing is worse than a migraine. I never did get a migraine so I'm wondering if I have a pinched nerve in my arm or neck...


I will post my "post apple day numbers" in the morning. I'm really hoping for a pound or more! I'm also really hoping for a good nights rest!

APPLE DAY- DO YOUR THING!!!

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!...

I am happy to report another -.4 loss today. I was expecting a stall but it seems as though i am getting a loss! Waaa-Hoo!

However, don't really feel like the HCG is working yet... I was feeling really GREAT by the end of my last round and I'm just not feeling it yet. And I am also utterly ashamed to admit how much I have been sleeping lately. Like 11 hours at night? That's not normal! I do have one kind of lame excuse- my brother in law gave me a blanket for Christmas that is like sleeping in BUTTER! It's SO SOFT and CUDDLY that I literally MELT when I snuggle up in it. It's pathetic, I know- but it's so awesome! I was wrapped up in it for like 3 days straight after x-mas! LOL! Another reason for the sleeping is- if I'm sleeping, I'm not eating or hungry. I would ideally like to be in drug induced coma for the next 2 weeks. Just kidding- it's not that bad.

I am NOT looking forward to this week. My hunz is going to Vegas on a business trip and my nanny is out with a broken nose. Which ultimately makes me a single mom. How am I going to juggle work, kids, & the dog on my own? :o Oh well, it will keep me busy at least. Ack- I also just realized that I have carpool and playgroup for my 4 year old this week too! Yeiks!

Taking a trip to the grocery store today just to get a few of my staples. Mainly fruit/veggies and chicken. I'm thinking I might get some shrimp too- really mixing it up. I think we are also going to take the kids to see Bedtime Stories today too.

So with piles of laundry to keep me busy Sunday is 1/2 way over... I am not expecting a loss tomorrow and I would be happy to stay the same. We shall see!

Have an HCG-riffic day!

Hunger & a Headache!

Not a good combination! I'm not gonna lie, I'm hungry and up until about an hour ago when I finally gave in and took an Excedrin had a massive headache. Truthfully- I had pretty much forgotten about how difficult the first week is for me. And I'm thinking that maybe it's even harder this time because I didn't do a gorge day. Maybe I should have just done like a mini-gorge or something. I don't know. I'm just hungry and cranky tonight.

BUT- with that said, I was down another .6 this morning. Waa-Hoo! That's 1 lb in 2 days. The last time I did the HCG diet I averaged about -.5 a day and would be happy with that again too.

Today my "thing" ended up being Movie with mom! We went and saw Bride Wars and I LOVED IT!!! 2 Thumbs up! Total chick flick and lots of FUN! I think my 4 yr old daughter would have loved it too (it's only rated PG) but I was kind of stoked about an afternoon w/out kiddos. Thanks to my hunny for staying with the babies so I could get out. Going to a movie is a great way to pass a couple hours on days when you're hungry. Unless of coarse you have a weak spot for movie theater pop-corn, in which case stay away! That place smelled sooooo good! I took an ORANGE with me and enjoyed every bite! Yummmm!

I stopped off at the gym last night and sat in the steam room for about 20 minutes (that's about all I could handle.) It felt pretty good! It was so cold out last night it felt good to be warm & sweaty. I am going to try and do that 2-3 times a week. I am also thinking that I might give Pilate's another try. I don't think I have the strength and energy to lift & do cardio like I usually do but I'm feeling pretty flabby so I was thinking Pilate's might help. I bought the Windsor palates DVDs a while back so I'm going to dust those off and see how that suits me, at least for the duration of this round. Once I start the maintenance phase I'll start back at the gym.

Speaking of maintenance phase. I am SO looking forward to making my LOW CARB CHEESECAKE again! I made it on x-mas and it really was good! (at least I thought it was!) I've also been fantasising about my 7 layer dip, peanut butter cookies and waffles too! You know you're hungry when your fantasy's include FOOD! I was even dreaming about food by the end of my first HCG round! I will post my Favorite LOW CARB recipes as I near the end of round two- it's just to painful this early on.

Again- my meals have been pretty much the same. I gotta start mixin' it up! But since your food choices are pretty limited there's only so much you can do, ya know?

Nighty-Nighty HCGsweet dreams! (mine will probably include whipping cream!)

Slow & Steady wins the race!

This morning I was down .4! Slow and steady wins the race, right? I am 8.4 lbs away from my ultimate goal and 3.4 lbs away from my 2nd goal (and where my body prefers to be). I hit my 1st goal during round one so I'm happy with that. I really really really want to lose those last 8 lbs during this round but with only 20 days to go it might be difficult! Plus I think I am already REALLY doing everything in my power to lose as much as possible. I can't think of anything that I'm not doing that would help. Oh, I AM going to go to the gym and sit in the steam room a couple days a week, I read that helps with water retention. I think I might go tonight after I get my nails done.

Good news- I got my closet cleaned out and for the most part everything fits! Yea! Bad news? Everything sucks! Yuck, I just hate everything in there! I haven't bought new clothes in over a year (other than maternity clothes) and everything just seems so old and out of style. Hopefully things at work will really pick up so I can spoil myself with some new clothes! I could really use some new jeans and the ones I am eyeing are $200 :o

My new favorite HCG friendly meal is the lettuce wraps- 4 large pieces of lettuce filled (lol) with warm chicken and sprinkled with taco seasoning! Yumm! Be careful not to use too much taco seasoning- it has 20 calories in a tablespoon.

it's crazy to think that only 4 months ago I had over 30 lbs to lose and now I'm on the last few! If I don't lose more than .4 in the morning I am going to do an apple day (even though you are only supposed to do them if you have like a 3-4 day stall)... During my last round I did an apple day on my LAST injection day and lost like 2 lbs! So I might do an apple day every now and then. I don't think it's going to hurt and I quite enjoy me an apple day, as long as ya get good apples that is!

No headache today & I would describe my hunger as only MILD.

Happy HCGing!

Day 2- CHECK!

Another day under my belt. Only 21 to go. Yes, I am counting. So I had been up 1.8 lbs from my lowest and after one day of VLCD (very low calorie diet) I am only .6 up from my lowest, so yea! I'm hoping to be at or below my lowest in the morn, we'll see!

I had kind of forgotten about the headache that comes with the first few days of this diet (at least for me)... It's like childbirth, you forget how hard it is so you want to do it again 'cause the end result is so awesome! Right now I'm in my first trimester of the HCG diet- kinda wishing I hadn't done it! It will be great in about another week (second trimester) and by the last few days I'll be miserable again waiting for it to be over! Good thing there is no labor or hospital bills involved! Ok, it's a bad analogy but it works for me.

My diet was pretty much the same as yesterday. Celery, apple, chicken, lettuce, orange... blah, blah, blah... I drink green tea & dandelion tea dail.y and "smooth move" tea pretty regularly to keep me regular and I only chew stevia gum. I'm not going to lie- the HCG diet can get borrrrring! But simple & similar means easy too.

My "thing" today was that I went and visited with My Gram. It's sad that I had to put "visit Gram" on my list of things to do but she is very important to me and I don't get to see her as often as I would like. What should my "thing" be tomorrow? I am thinking I need to get 'clean out my closet' off the list so that is stops haunting me and Saturday could be my 'trip to the DI' and I'm thinking that Sunday I will take the kids to See a movie. And depending on what my scales tells me in the next couple days I may to an "apple day" on Sunday too. We'll sese.

H C-ya-lata, G!

Round 2, Day 1! {{{Ding-Ding!}}}

Oh Sweet HCG- How I've missed you my good friend!!! Today is day 1 of Round 2. And while I'm a little hungry this afternoon, I'm feeling GREAT! OH! That just reminded me- I didn't eat my bread stick with my lunch! {{{running to the pantry!}}} Yumm!

I dragged my sorry A out of bed this morning after a late night w/the girls and started my morning with a big glass (about 40 oz) of water! Great, you say? Well, totally forgot to weigh before drinking my water- DAH!!! So I'm just starting with yesterdays weight and calling it todays. I did wake up feeling all flabby, fat & lazy so I was happy to be starting a new round!

Then later I took a trip the grocery store. Chicken, celery, lettuce, apples, oranges, tea! All my staples for the next 5-7 days (I try to get a weeks supply at once, but usually end up back at the store about every 4 days 'cause I run out of something or forgot something- like today, forgot strawberries, dah!) Maybe the HCG will help my brain function!

I came home and drank my green tea and later prepared my lunch of chicken, celery and a small apple. Oh, and water! water! water! Gulp! {{{running to the potty!}}} ahhh...

My thing today? I'm cutting, printing and organizing coupons. I have never done the coupon thing before so this is pretty new to me. I have picked a few products that I always use (diapers, formula etc) and are searching for the household staples. In lue of the poor economy I am trying to scrimp and save in anyway I can.

So I've pretty much got one day under my belt. Dinner plans include lettuce wraps (with chicken, although shrimp would be good too) an orange and I can't forget my delicious bread stick! Oh, I'll be stuffed!

*23 Th!ngs in 23 Days!*

I actually remembered to weigh this morning. I am 1.2 lbs up from my lowest weight. So that's a bummer but I'm still .2 lbs under my "last injection day weight" (you HCGers know what that means) so that's that. Overall, I think that's OK. I am really hopping to lose 10 lbs during the next round.

I AM starting another round tomorrow. And I'm trying to get geared up for it! I will be starting with the shots and the VLCD the same day. Usually you start with a "load day" but because I have only been in maintenance for 2+ weeks the nurse said I wouldn't need to do a load day. I will probably eat a little extra tonight but I will NOT be gorging so hopefully I won't see a gain on the scale tomorrow. I don't think I have quite enough HCG for 23 day series but the nurse said I can buy as many single shots as I need to finish the round for about $10 each... I may just play it by ear and see how the 2nd round goes.

I also need to go and get some more blood work done today. The nurse suggested I get my thyroid checked before my next apt so that is on the agenda. Not really looking forward so schlepping the girls out in the snow today but I have got to get it done...


So I had this idea of *23 Things in 23 Days!* It's a list of things I keep putting off or just need to do so I figured I may as well just do it while I do another round of HCG. Maybe it will help the days pass faster and help me feel less selfish about this often time grueling diet... Some things are tedious, others are FUN! I will sit down every couple days and pick a couple things off the list for next day or 2. Here is my list: red items are FINISHED!

1) Clean out my closet

2) Go visit my Gram

3) Organize my office

4) Clean out & organize the media room

5) Use my certificate and get a massage

6) Take a surprise lunch to my son at school

7) Take the kids to get their pictures taken (decided to wait 'til spring and do outdoor photos)

8) Take dinner to my very pregnant friend

9) Organize & host a family game night

10) Clean out fridge, freezer & pantry

11) Clean & detail my car

12) Stay in bed and watch old movies

13) Try a new recipe

14) Take the kids to a movie

15) Send out client Thank you cards

16) Take a trip to the DI

17) Clean out closet & drawers in bathroom

18) Clip & organize coupons

19) Have a play day with my daughter

20) Give hubby full body massage

21) Go to a movie with my mom

22) Plan a baby shower for my friend

23) Get the car serviced

Geeezzz... some of those just seem like a lot of work! BUT- staying busy is KEY for me to battle the munchies so this will be good for me!

Ste@k Day! Yummy!

So today I decided to do a steak day. Not because I was up on the scale (I actually forgot to weigh 2 days in a row, WTH?) but because I love steak days! What is a steak day? Well, it's recommended by Dr. Simeon's if you have a gain of 2 lbs in phase III. You don't eat anything all day and for dinner you get to eat a big filthy steak! You can even saute it in butter (which I do)! I love steak days so I do them about 1-2 times a week too help maintain my weight! I must remember to weigh in the morning!

I *think* I am going to start my second round of VLCD and shots on Wednesday. I have been under a lot of stress the last few days so I'm having a hard time getting myelf excited for it but I'm trying! A combination of my lingering 30th birthday and the poor economy is getting me down but I am trying to make lemonade out of lemons! As long as it's sugar-free of coarse!

Have an HCGreat day!

HCG Round 1! {{{Ding-Ding!}}}

If you have NO idea what the HCG diet is, click here for more information: http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/HCG_Diet-Dr-Simeons-Manuscript.htm

I started the HCG diet shortly after Thanksgiving 2008 and lost a total of 15 lbs in about 26 days!!! I won't bore you with each daily weigh-in but it averaged out to be a little over .5 lost per day. Some "experts" say you can lose anywhere from .5-2 lbs a day. I think the reason I only lost .5 a day was due to the fact that I only had about 15-20 lbs to lose. I think if you have 50+ lbs to lose you will lose at a faster pace. 

Phase I: You start the diet (day 1) with the shots and 2 "Loading" days. You basically eat as much as you possibly can for 2 days. For me, this was not as much fun as you'd think- it made me very sick. After the 2 days of gorging you start the VLCD (very low calorie diet.) 

Phase II: There are things that I really liked about Phase II, the first being the fact that you don't eat very often. I have done diets in the past where you HAVE to eat every 2 hours and it involved quite a bit of preparation. On this diet you wake up and have tea. Very easy. And throughout the day you eat 2 fruits, 2 veggies, 2 proteins and 2 bread sticks (you must choose from a specific list of foods and eat only a certain amount of each) It comes out to be 500 calories a day. It sounds a lot harder than it is. Trust me. You do have to be prepared but if you're a busy person you will love this diet because food is no longer a priority in your life. Some days are harder than others too. You will find at times you feel very hungry but it's often remedied with a large drink of water or tea. I found that if I stay as busy as possible I don't think about being hungry or wanting food much at all. You may be thinking why or how did you follow such a strict diet during the holidays? Honestly, it wasn't that bad. It is such a busy time of year that I didn't think too much about it... I'm not going to lie and say that I was never hungry or say that I wasn't tempted by all the Holiday goodies that were constantly in my face but knowing the diet was so successful for me kept me motivated. 

Phase III: I started the maintenance phase (no sugar/no starch) on Christmas eve day and have maintained my last injection weight for 2+ weeks. I have done 2 "steak days" due to slight fluctuation in weight but the steak day has always brought me back down to my last injection weight. I have found SO many GREAT "low carb" recipes on the internet- it's been my saving grace for Christmas and New Years. I made a low carb cheesecake for Christmas that was really good! Topped it with some whipped cream and strawberries- YUM! I have also made deviled eggs, 7 layer dip w/low carb tortilla chips, sugar free jellos, cheese trays, low carb peanut butter cookies, etc. And one of my favorite things that I have made is low carb waffles! I found the recipe on atkins.com. Add a little butter and sugar free syrup or fresh strawberries with whipped cream- They are SO GOOD! Phase III is apx 3 weeks.

So at this point I have 2 options- I can  start back on the HCG shots and do another round of Phase II (VLCD) in hopes of losing just a few more lbs OR I can go into Phase IV which is basically the same as phase III but you can slowly (like 1 a day) start introducing carbs and sugars back into your diet. So- what should I do? I am comfortably fitting into all my size 8 clothes and am pretty much at a weight that my body prefers and can easily maintain. HOWEVER, I turn the big 30 in about 6 weeks and would very much like to be down another 5-10 lbs! So, with that said- I think I am going to do one more round of phase II & VLCD in hopes of reaching my ultimate goal by my 30th birthday! After all, I do have about 18 more shots left! 

For me this diet has been great but wouldn't say it's right for everyone. I bought the shots from a doc's office and they set me back about $700. I have read through other's blogs that you can order it online, but I personally don't know of any safe/reliable websites. I liked being monitored by a nurse too, they do blood work and watch you very closely. She was always available to answer questions and help me with stalls. But I know that there are many people that go at it on their own. 

Thank you for joining me on my journey! Please feel free to post your questions or comments in the comment section! I will be more than happy to help you on your own journey!