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Happy New Year! 2011!

2011-01-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's 2011. And I can't believe it's been so long since I updated my blog. . . . Such a slacker!

Things are good on my end. Same old. Same Old. Still working out every day. Watching the "diet" and doing what I can to stay fit.

One of my new years resolutions (PS I don't generally "do" new years resolutions) is to make a more conscious effort to focus on HEALTH and WELL BEING. Not so much on "weight" or "size" etc. It's been a few months in the making but I have been easing into my new point of view.

It really started last year with a routine doctors apt. Standard CBC blood panel results showed extremely low iron levels and anemia- some other concerns like low calcium as well but other than the iron nothing too serious. I had to have some iron infusions though I never really felt "anemic"... Trying to increase my iron levels lead me to interesting data & studies suggesting that mineral balance in general is a tricky tricky business. Increasing my iron via juicy steaks and little green pills, may not necessarily lead to higher iron levels... Well that's awesome.

Over the coarse of about 6 months of Rx supplements & infusions my iron levels went from 3 to 13. Well that's exciting, right? I don't know. I don't feel any different. I didn't have super human strength or anything like that.

Since my impressive "13", I have added a multi-mineral to my repertoire as well as magnesium shots 2x weekly. Ps- those hurt like a son-of-a-b!+[#! So maybe that will help...

I had a follow up apt last Wednesday and I am anxiously awaiting my blood results. I'll let you know if I'm alive & well. . . . or clinically dead. Could go either way.

My SWEET new Addiction! mmm...

2010-03-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

Ok- I have a new addiction thanks to Hungry Girl! It's the Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal! It is TASTY!!! Splash a little ICE COLD ALMOND BREEZE on it along with a little HAZELNUT COFFEE MATE (sugar free, of course) and voila! You've got a sweet crunchy treat for less than 200 calories! It actually tastes a LOT like Captain Crunch! Yumm! Yeah, I had 2 bowls of it tonight for dinner. . .

And more exciting news from the HG front- Laughing cow cheese is launching NEW flavo'flaves in JUNE! I can't WAIT! I LOVE those hilarious wedges! There is going to be a new blue cheese flavor, a mozzarella something-or-rather as well as a kickin' queso flave. Mmmm... My mouth is watering & I can't hardly wait! Oh! And did I mention that they are all LIGHT too! Dah- the most important part! I giggle with anticipation of the new laughing cow~

"Excuse me, Miss. . . Do you have this in a size 4?!?!"

2010-03-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

I have never in my life uttered those words. . . UNTIL YESTERDAY!!! At 5'8" tall, I've never in my life (since I WAS 4!) worn a size 4 but yesterday I went shopping for new work pants and the 6's were just too big! I was actually giggling to myself in the dressing room and crying tears of JOY! No, not really crying, but pretty Freaking excited!

I'm still doing all the crazy things to maintain my weight loss but have not been intentionally trying to lose more weight. I was happy to be a size 6. But I was still working hard to maintain that- maybe a little too hard!

Also- I wanted to just talk for a second about hormones. The more and more I read and learn about hormones, the more I realize how much they play a huge part in weight loss & overall health and well being. About 3 weeks ago I went to see my doctor- During an evaluation in her office she asked me some personal questions & recommended that I use prescription strength testosterone for my energy and sex drive. And I've really noticed a difference already! She also put me on progesterone for the 2nd 1/2 of my cycle to help with PMS. So far, so good! : )

So alas- yet another thing that I deal with. . . . outta' control hormones. But I feel I'm one step closer to feeling my BEST!

HaPpY B!r+#d@Y to ME!

2010-02-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I celebrated my 31st Birthday! It was a great day! I started the day off with a 5mile run in 30* weather. And even though I haven't ran since Fall, I'm happy to report that I did GREAT! At 31, I am in the best shape of my life. I'm a little sore today because like i said, I haven't ran since fall but overall feel great!

I celebrated my birthday with some close friends & my husband at one of our favorite restaurants. We indulged in all the fine things in life. And even had my favorite- cake with butter cream frosting. But there's no guilt on my birthday!

I am also to report that for the first time in my life I feel good about myself and about my body. No, I'm not a size 2 or a swimsuit model. But I work hard to maintain a size 6 & feel good about my abilities in the gym. All the calorie counting & buckets of sweat is paying off! I will continue to strive for perfection- although perfection may never be reached, there's not harm in trying.

Continuing my fitness & health goals with working out, eating clean, & getting "wrapped up" as often as possible!

Life is good.

OOO 0n!on R!nGs! OOO

2010-01-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a recipe for Killer Krispy O Rings! Low Cal! Low Fat! Super Crispy! And GOOOOD FOR YOU! (in moderation of course!)

You will need:

Onions

Skim Milk

Whole wheat flour
Egg whites WHIPED
Panco bread crumbs whole wheat
Sray with olive oil cooking spray

Cut & seperate Onions and soak in skim milk for a few minutes

Dip onion is Whole wheat flour
Then dip in Egg whites WHIPED
Dip in Panco bread crumbs whole wheat (I like to add some garlic & onion salt to the bread crumbs)

Put onion rings on cooking rack on cookie sheet (line with tin foil for easy clean up)
Pray with olive oil cooking spray
Bake at 450* until golden brown & crispy! EnjoY!

dipping sauce

L/F mayo
liquid smoke
tabasco sauce
salt pepper

Oh Christmas Caloires! Oh Christmas Calories!. . . .

2009-12-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

Oh!. . . Damage done. Too many goodies! Too many sweets! Ham & salad (no, not the healthy kind) and potatoes OH MY! Ok Ok, the damage is done. No need to dwell on the calories consumed any longer. Time to move on and I have some good news! I got the new GoWear Fit (body bugg) for Christmas and the Sketchers Shape Up shoes! I also got a certificate for more body wraps! So while I was naughty yesterday with all the indulgences I am excited to get back on track with my eating & workouts! Yes, I missed the gym too- don't judge. ; ) But I'm officially back on track! Bam! (and while the above image is not actually ME, I do have that popcorn bowl.)

New Year- New You, What are your resolutions?

That's a WRAP!

2009-12-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, So I totally have a new addiction. . . 2 weeks ago my BFF called me up- she had scored us a killer deal at our local tanning salon. Unlimited tanning & an infrared body wrap every other day for a whole month for only $100. Whoo-Hoo! I didn't even KNOW what a body wrap was but I said "sign me up!". . . And it soon became my new addiction! To watch a video explaining a body wrap- CLICK HERE!

I have gone about 8 times now and I can really tell a difference! My mid section & legs look thinner & more toned. I LOVE laying in a nice quiet room, wrapped in a warm (hot) blanket, watching TV in peace & quiet. All the while sweating like I'm running a marathon! I was getting headaches after the first couple treatments but I think it was just because I was releasing so many toxins into my body- but now it's fine! Sometimes I feel like a human taco smothered in extra spicy hot sauce! But I like it! : )

Gobble Gobble Gobble!!!

2009-11-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is just ONE WEEK AWAY! Woot-Woot! I love Thanksgiving and hate thanksgiving all at the same time. I Love getting together with my family. I love the smell of turkey in the oven. The ThanksGiving day Parade on TV. Putting up the Christmas decorations & kicking off the Holidays...

Things I hate about Turkey day... the CALORIES! OMG! Just out of curiosity I googled "Average calorie intake on Thanksgiving" and the results made me cry. . . . If you don't want to know the results then click on the dubnutrition icon on the right side of the page NOW!

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The results?

The average calorie intake during Thanksgiving dinner is... 6,000 calories!!! Do you know how long it would take you to BURN 6,000 calories at the gym? Well- let me tell you!

10 HOURS (yes, I just said HOURS!) on the treadmill at a speed of 4.5 incline 3.0! Or level 5 on the elliptical w/arm strides! Or level 9 on the stationary bike! ughhhh... that's a lot of panting & sweating!

Think about THAT when you're going for that second helping of mashed potatoes & gravy!

Cardio Craziness UPDATE!

2009-11-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

So after more time on the Internet than I'd like to admit searching for answers to my cardio dilemma I think I have found my answer!

I read an article that really spoke to me- and LONG story short, here's my solution & plan!

Cardio 4 times a week for 30 minuets each session- 30 minutes of intense, hard, can't do more than 30 minutes of cardio, cardio. No need to do long low intense sessions of "fat burning" cardio- go big & go home!

c@rd!0 Craz!n3ss!

2009-11-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Are you a slave to your treadmill? Do you spend hours and hours on end chained to the elliptical or stationary bike? Ughhh... Cardio. We all need to do it. It's good for our hearts! BUT- what's the BEST kind of Cardio should we be doing? Does slow & steady win the race or should we sprint to the finish line? What is the most effective for weight loss?

I wanna know... What works best for you?

Am I just eating because I'm bored?...

2009-11-06T15:56:00.001-08:00

I often times ask myself that very question... Am I just eating because I'm bored?... It got me thinking- what other emotions do we confuse with hunger?...

Happy

Sad

Bored

Nervous

Excited

Depressed

Tired

What triggers your "hunger"? Are you more likely to eat when you are happy? Or do you find yourself reaching for a bag of chips when you are sad? If you're tired do you & pulling an all nighter does your calorie intake sky rocket? Are you a social eater? Hanging out with all your buddies may be ruining your diet! Or perhaps you are a sneaky eater- no one's watching so you sneak a few extra M&Ms...

Next time you find yourself snacking between meals ask yourself... "Am I really hungry? Or am I feeling something else..." Your answer may surprise you!

Household MAJOR AGERS! (part 1 of 2)

2009-10-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

Once again- I can't believe how FAST the week went by... Here is my promised fab 5 Friday post!

Beware of these 5 aging dangers that are lingering in YOUR home! Some of them might surprise you! I know they surprised ME!

1) Cleaning products that contain Bleach... It can actually get into your body through your skin and lungs. Solution? Clean with White vinegar & baking soda. Works just as well and won't irritate skin or increase symptoms of asthma.

2) Mosquito Repellent: Instead, enjoy Citronella Candles... & Clean up the junk that may be attracting the pests. And always avoid leaving large pools of stale water in your yard.

3) Soap. Soap? Really? Soaps that contain fragrances & chemicals can be very hard on your skin- stripping away your skins natural moisturizers. Always purchase PH balanced soap

4) BBQ Sauce- It might as well be on the dessert menu. Loaded with High Fructose Sugar, your body turns it right to FAT! And watch out for other items that contain this sugar in disguise.

5) Canned Frosting.... Mmmm... Frosting... Food manufactures add Trans fats to many foods to prolong the shelf life but Trans fats + Trans fats = heart death. Always, always, always buy items that don't contain Trans Fats.

Fab 5 Friday! FOOD edition!

2009-10-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

Can you tell that not only do I LOVE food... But I love LISTS TOO!I've traveled the globe in search of the worlds healthiest people. No, I haven't really traveled the world but I've picked a few surprising food items that may help you live longer!

1) Goat's Milk. NO, I'm not kidding and it's not even April 1st. It is REALLY GOOD for you. Don't trust me? Google it! I guess I gotta buy a goat... and then milk it... ughhh... edition

2) Whole Wheat Tortilla & Beans. Undelay' Undelay'!

3) Goya. Goya? What the H is Goya? Looks like a cucumber- Tastes like crud. This is found in many Japanese diets. Highest levels of anti-oxidant everrrrr! Fry it up in a veggie stir fry!

4) Dandelion Herbal Tea. Helps prevent dementia & also is an anti-diuretic. Helps lower blood pressure too! Mama had a baby & her head popped off!

5) Walnuts soaked in Water. I have never heard of this but I promise I am going to try this because I HEART walnuts!

So it's that simple (I guess!) Buy yourself a goat & soak those nuts! You'll live to a ripe old age of 100! Oh, And laugh a little too! Have a Fab Friday & Wonderful weekend!

T.G.I.F.!!!

2009-10-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

Holy Friday Batman!

I can't believe it's Friday ALREADY!!! And as promised- Here are my Fantastic Friday 5 health tips in 5 minutes or less! I really like these ones! Hope you have a fabulous Friday & a wonderful weekend!

1) Total body 2 minute workout: need something different or new at the gym? Jump on a machine- any machine and push it as hard as you can (without hurting yourself) for 2 minutes! Push! Push! Push! After 2 minutes hop on the next machine! Rotate between upper & lower body. It's a great way to get a total body workout & you will even get your Heart Rate up! And there is no way you can get bored with this workout!

2) Tubby Time! Take a nice hot bath or Shower before bed. The hot water will actually raise your body's core temperature which will cause your body to release melatonin- melatonin, that sweet sweet hormone that tells your brain it's time to go nightly night! Sleep is an extremely important key to a healthy lifestyle!

3) Of Cores You Can! Training and strengthening your core is so important to keeping your whole body healthy! Keeping your back & abs strong will help alleviate backache too! And it helps increase the calorie burn

4) Time OUT! Every so often put yourself in a time out throughout the day! Even if it's only for 1-2 minuets. Get up from your desk and stretch! Stand up tall and then touch your toes. It gets your blood flowing. If you're home with your kids, take a little break when you know the kids are safe and take some deep breaths, roll out your neck and feel yourself calm down. Do this as much as necessary. Less stress will help decrease that stubborn Belly fat!

5) Laugh your A$$ off! Ha ha ha! Laughter really is the best medicine. We all know someone who is funny ask hell! Give them a call or look up goofy clips on YOU TUBE. It's amazing how much a little chuckle every now and then will improve your health!

So get your exercise, sleep & take a little time for yourself to laugh! It can add years to your life! Have a wonderful Weekend!

I'm totally BUGGIN'!

2009-09-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

You guys- I have for months and months wanted to get a body bugg! But I just can't help but wonder how effective/accurate they are! And I'm also pretty sure that as soon as I DO buy one they will come out with a new & improved version- that's the way my life goes! (hello- iphone!)

What should I do? Should I get the bug! Should I bug off? . . . . Who has one? Who loves or hates them? Help me people- I can't make up my mind!

-Buggin!

2009-09-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Watch for my new FAB FIVE FRIDAY posts! I've been doing my research for Easy ways to improve your health & well being in 5 minutes or less. I'm giving them to you in 5 fantastic increments every Friday! Make these 5 small changes this weekend & you'll be feeling better by Monday!

Add these 5 fab food items to your shoppingg cart TODAY!

(and yes! That's me! I never go to the grocery store without my mini skirt & high heels!)

1) Wild Salmon- A great source of Omega 3 to keep your heart happy!

2) Almonds- I prefer raw almonds but you can choose dry roasted. They are the superstar of the nut family! (as am I!) he he he...

3) Tomatoes & Onions- I put 2 on this one because together with a little light Italian dressing you can mix up a disease fighting salad! Tomatoes are one of the best little antioxidants on the earth and even helps fight fat. Onions are proven to help fight colds, coughs and other respiratory conditions! mmm...

4) Avocado! The "good" fat! Spread a little on your turkey wrap or whip up a little guac for your veggies!

5) Chocolate. Yes- I said Chocolate. Dark Chocolate to be exact. And do you really need a reason why?

Here's to a happy, healthy (and delicious) Weekend!

are we failing because of our goals?

2009-09-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

This morning while I was working out I had a thought come to my mind... Why do people (I) set goals? A goal seems so final. This promoted me to look up the word "goal" in the dictionary. And here is what I found.

GOAL: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

End? End... So, I asked myself. What happens once I reach my goal? I pictured in my mind a runner. A runner running in a marathon who's ultimate goal is to win the race. What does he do when he reaches the end?... He stops! I then began to ask myself- is this WHY so many people FAIL at weight loss? Not because they don't necessarily reach their goals but instead because once they reach their goal they stop? Do they stop trying? Did they "win" their race?. . .

I instead like the idea of making CHANGES and starting a challenge. By definition, Challenge means: a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc. By challenging ourselves we are talking our healthy lifestyles changes to the next level. To temporarily push yourself to a new ability. Challenge yourself to change the way you are living forever. You will never fail again.

Don't set goals. Make Changes. A Goal has an end. A Change is forever!

September 7th- Checkin in!

2009-09-07T20:55:00.001-07:00

So I thought I better give a SUPER SEPTEMBER SLIM DOWN update now that we're a week into September (No, I still can't believe it!)... It's going good! Truthfully, It could probably be BETTER but "good" none-the-less! I've been getting up and doing my workouts in the morning and I even got a couple runs in this week too (word to the wise: don't take 2 weeks off from running- it's like starting over!)... My diet has been pretty good. I find myself eating the same things all of the time. I really need to try and try some new recipes or look for something new. I also have to admit that I probably eat too much fruit. (don't judge- at least I didn't say CANDY!) And lastly, I have to stop taking little bites here & there. They really do add up! Spoonful of oatmeal (again, don't judge! I love raw oatmeal) a few extra Veggie Crisps & an extra handful of grapes & we're talking 100+ calories!

Sooo... I'll be the first to admit I'm not Perfect! But I'm working on making a few lifestyle changes that will stick with me (and hopefully the kiddies) for the rest of our lives!One day at a time!Oh- And PS! I've decided that I'm going to post some "workout pix" on my blog! Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have them up! Check back often!

My 3 Keys to Weight Loss & Maintainance!

2009-09-05T13:43:00.001-07:00

I was 15 years old when I started "working out." In the gym of my uncles doctor's office I would spend hours and hours on end, sometimes into the late hours of the night, on the stair climber, health rider (are these even still around) or on the stationary bike. For my 16th birthday I asked my parents for an "exerslide" (are THESE still around?) and for Christmas that same year I asked for an ab-crunch-infomercial thingy. I don't even remember what it was called but it looked like a weapon of mass destruction. I also got a thigh master that same year, it was a banner Christmas for me! Don't get the wrong impression- this was ALL MY IDEA! My parents were not the type of people to buy me something THEY thought I needed. I wanted every "get thin fast" craze item on the market from the time I was a teen! I STILL get sucked into the late night infomercial and find myself reaching for the phone! But I refrain (it's been 5 years since I was suckered into buying... & since you asked- it was "SLIM IN 6!") because weight loss & maintenance ALL boils down to 3 "easy" things... (and I say "easy" because after 15 years it's finally comes natural for me!)

DIET: I start with diet because ultimately I think it's the MOST important ingredient (pun intended) to a recipe of weight loss/maintenance success. And when I say "diet" I don't mean: "Eat Cabbage soup for 7 days and lose 10 lbs!"diet (yes, shut up- I've done the cabbage soup diet) I mean "diet" by definition as: food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health. Everything little thing that goes in your mouth. Whether it's fruits & veggies or caramel malts with extra whipped cream- this is your "diet"... You don't go "on or off" a diet- you change your diet. You IMPROVE (hopefully) your diet and you MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DIET! I love food and I have a personal goal to see just how much food I can eat in a day and STILL stay within my calorie allotment. And I'm not going to lie, I'm good!!! I know which veggies have the least amount of calories- which fruits are higher in calories & sugars and which foods I have to avoid all together. I try and make it through the day staying under 1500 calories but OVER 100+ grams of protein and under 100 carbs. That's a lot of math- but it gets easier and easier as you go... I am also really big into supplementing. Supplementing by definition means: something added to complete a thing, supply a deficiency, or reinforce or extend a whole. Everyone should be supplementing. We can all benefit by filling in the gaps.

2nd- (and my most favorite) WEIGHT TRAINING: And when I say weight training I don't' mean doing bicep curls once a week with 3 lb weights! I mean serious, train like a man, leg pressing 200+ lbs, face turning purple WEIGHT TRAINING! Ok, so I don't really train like a man, but I can hold my own in a weight room! God blessed me with a strong body (I'm by no means claiming perfection here) but if there is one thing I will say it's that I am strong. I am much stronger when it comes to say shoulder presses than I am when it comes to cross country running or sprinting. Chicks of the world- I say to you "Don't be afraid of the weight rooms!"..... Do me one favor- next time you're at the gym, take a goooooood look around and tell me one thing: Where do you find all the people with the HOT BODIES???... In the weight room! And what type of people do you see cycling along at a snails pace? The chubby butts who think "slow & steady wins the race!" Now, that's not to say that cardio isn't important (see cardio rave below) I'm just saying it may not be as important as people are claiming! You gotta PUMP IT, GIRL!

But with that said, it's time to give CARDIO it's props! So when *I* say cardio I mean getting your heart rate up! This is where I give you MY cardio advice: Do something (anything) that you LOVE that gets your heart rate UP and KEEPs it up for an extended period of time. If you HATE ridding a stationary bike in a dark smelly gym then by all means- DON'T DO THAT! If instead, you enjoy an afternoon of tennis with a girlfriend even though you BOTH SUCK? Then PLAY TENNIS, KEEP MOVING and LAUGH YOUR A$$ OFF!!! If you are less than coordinated and were born with 2 left feet, then don't buy a "25 Step Class Punch Card"- Rather, Strap your 2 year old on your back and go for a hike! (trust me- that will be a great cardio workout!) Do what you LOVE and you'll LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING! I always say "The best kind of exercise is unintentional!" And I'm going to give you a perfect example. Yesterday I was in the toy room with the girls- I was laying on the mattress that was in there and we started throwing the balls around- we then started throwing them up at the window seal and got "2 points" if they stayed up there. We did this for well over an hour! (my daughter thought it was the funniest thing ever!) And this morning I woke up with sore abs! It took me like 10 minuets to even figure out why they were sore but it was from that silly game with my daughter! Accidental exercise ROCKS! ; )

So there you have it- my 3 ingredients for success! No, I'm not a Hollywood star trainer or a certified dietitian. I'm just a mom with some kids, a job, a needy husband, a dog that doesn't get enough attention (note to self: take the dog for a walk) and someone who's attended the school of hard knocks Diet & Exercise program!

POW3R P@NCAKE$! SO GOOOOOODD!!

2009-09-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my personal trainer gave me this recipe and I have tweaked it a bit & enjoyed it many many times through out the years! Here it is!

5 egg whites

1/4 Cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese

1/2 Cup Oatmeal

*1 TBLS Sugar free Hazelnut Coffee mate liquid (I've tried the s/f caramel vanilla but didn't like it as much as the Hazelnut)

*a few dashes of cinnamon (I like a LOT!)

*a few drops of Stevia sweetener

*a dash of nutmeg

*a couple drops of almond extract (or coconut is good too if you're into coconut)

*a few small slices of banana (maybe 1/4- 1/3 a banana)

*= optional

Mix all the ingredients in blender well (I use my magic bullet). Let the mixture sit for 5 or so minuets, this will cause it to thicken up! Poor onto a HOT skillet, just as you would regular pancakes. Cook side one until they begin to bubble & then flip (don't flip too soon)! Cook 2nds side. Spray with "I can't believe it's not butter!" and poor 1/4 cup sugar free syrup (I like Mrs. Buttersworth s/f) and ENJOY!!!

Makes about 8-10 medium sized pancakes! The pancakes will not be as "fluffy" as regular pancakes but they sure are tasty and they will stick with you for HOURS! Very satisfying! About 350 calories, & almost 30 grams of protein! Woot-Woot!!!

Super September SLIM DOWN! Challenge

2009-09-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ughhh... OK, I'm not going to lie. I have been less than good on my diet lately. It all started about 3 weeks ago- Our very good friends came to town & to sum it up we ate out at all 4 (yes all 4!) of my favorite restaurants in 3 days!... And then left for Hawaii the next day. I did "OK" in Hawaii- We ate in the condo for Breakfast & Lunch and I tried to eat good but comeon' people vacation in Hawaii! I was not going to eat rabbit food all week~...

So here I am 3 weeks later. The diet got worse before it got better. I ultimately feel off the wagon, rolled down the hill & ended up face down in a pile of chocolate chip cookies. Ughhhh... For me, sugar is like cocaine- once I start, there's no stopping me. . . . not that I've ever DONE cocaine- I'm just sayin'...

And now you're asking yourself- 'Comeon' how much damage could be done in 3 weeks?'... A lot. I am totally "fluffy" again. Not to the point that my clothes aren't fitting or really that other people might notice, but I CAN TELL! My muscles aren't as "cut" as they were a month ago & my not-so-love handles are back with a vengeance These are my genes. I have accepted them and must move one... But don't worry- I HAVE A PLAN!!!

GOALS FOR SUPER SEPTEMBER SLIM DOWN!
Eating Clean
Sticking between 1200-1500 calories a day (it's good to mix it up day-to-day)
No "whites"allowed... yes, I'm very prejudice when it comes to the color of my food! This means no sugar, flour, baked goods, breads, pastas, potatoes, etc! Kiss it, whites!
Protein, Protein, Protein
Fruits & Veggies- (helllloooo! local fruit stand closes up shop soon!)
Back to early morning workouts- up at 6! and yes, that's BEFORE THE SUN!
No eating after 8pm (realistically 9- can you say a job & 3 over scheduled kids?!?!)
And gotta keep up on my dub nutrition products! Increasing the energy & suppressing the appetite makes it SO MUCH EASIER!

Today was great. The only bad part was that I didn't eat a good lunch which left me a little on the low end of the calorie counter so I ate a bowl of Special K Protein Plus tonight at 9. But other than that I give myself an A for today!

So that's my SUPER SEPTEMBER SLIM DOWN PLAN! 29 days to go! Just in time for "jean season!" right?!?!?

PUBLIC LAUNCH!... Tomorrowwwwww!!!

2009-08-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

PUBLIC LAUNCH Tomorrow September 1st!!! Woot-Whoot! Rumor has it there will be BIG NEWS coming from corporate! Something about celebrity endorsers & additional opportunities..... :0

Keep following my blog & I'll keep you updated! http://hcgdietblog.blogspot.com/ or http://dubnutrition.blogspot.com/I know you wanna be apart of this incredible opportunity... JUST DUB IT!!!

dub'in up across the country!

2009-08-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Just a quick dub update!

Sorry for the delay in updates! I recently traveled to Hawaii with my husband, brother & 2 kids (age 9 & 5) and had a WONDERFUL TRIP! FYI- dub is even more awesome in Hawaii!!! I'm usually the "lay on the beach & soak up the sun" type but not anymore. I started out each day with either a 60 minute run along the beachwalk & on the beach (killer quad & ab workout by the way!) or a great workout in the fully equipped Westin Gym... But it didn't stop there. We played tennis, snorkeled, boogie boarded (& laughed until it hurt) and we even hiked to a blow hole & waterfalls! No laying around reading books on this trip! dub kept us going... and going... and going!!!

Get your dub today and make the most of every day! Especially vacation days! See the world through new (MORE ENERGETIC) eyes!!!

Sunday Spotlight! ACAI BERRY!!!

2009-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday Spotlight! I thought I would start "spotlighting" a key ingredient in the dub nutrition line each week. I found this interesting article about ACAI BERRY on ezinearticlescom. And if you watch oprah you already know that she & Dr Oz are huge fans of ACAI BERRY! ACAI berry is found in dub's YOUTH & MUSCLE blend. So as you can see- using ALL 3 products together will be most beneficial!

ACAI BERRY- It does a body GOOOD!

Placing a dub order!

2009-08-08T18:31:00.001-07:00

I'm putting in an order for dub products tomorrow if anybody wants to try it!!!

My husband started about a week ago and feels fantastic! He has struggled with many health problems throughout his life (I'd feel you in but geez- I got stuff to do today!) and has throughout his life struggled from lack of energy. He has been working out regularly and trying (bless his heart) to eat healthy! He does NOT need to lose weight but does need to burn what little fat he does have (just some lovey dovey handles) and beef up his muscles and he'll be magically dub-licious! He is really excited about the non-jittery energy he has had the last few days! Maybe I'll have a hard time keeping up with him soon!

Today I got to try the DUB ENERGY SHOT! (not yet available to the public) and it was SUPER! Very comparable to the 5 hour energy shots that you see on the market! Only the dub shot doesn't BURN your throat on the way down the way the others do! I had my "shot" and then went for a run! I ran about 50 minuets and stopped at the subway for a turkey/ham on wheat! Yummmm! Yeah, you can call me Jared! I don't really know how many miles I ran because I wound through the back streets and through the golf coarse. It was a BEA-U-TIFUL day!

I was not hungry at ALL today until about 6! So I've been snacking on Pirate's Booty. Probably not the best choice for clean eating but better than the Cheetos that I thought about eating... I'm lying- I didn't even consider it! ; ) pwshhh....

So Like I said- if anyone wants to try some dub goods lemme know! I'm placing a BIG order tomorrooowwwww!!!

Are you dub enough?

2009-08-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, So that's kind of a lame post title, I know- but I felt like I needed to give a dub nutrition product update since it's been a few days. I think it's been about 2 weeks since I started the dub nutrition products & program and I'm happy to report that I am feeling fantastic! Many of you know that after years to being a "slave to the scale" I no longer weigh myself. I decided that I'm better than a number. So I can't say that I've lost a number of pounds but Instead, I keep tabs on the way my clothes are fitting & by measuring myself occasionally. And I have really seen an improvement in the way my clothes are fitting! I am wearing my size 7 jeans w/no problems! They are even getting baggy! Hall'a! The muffin top has been upgraded to like a cupcake top & everything seems to be fitting so much better! I even went swim suit shopping today for our Hawaii trip (t minus 2 weeks) and it didn't end in tears! Yea!

But more importantly then that- my workouts have been incredible! We have been doing P90X 6 days a week & I run on Saturdays. Tonight I ran 5 miles in record time. I told my husband to meet me in an hour down at the yogurt stop so we could get some yogurt for the kids and I got there 20 minuets sooner than I anticipated! I felt incredible on my run. I felt so fast & strong! I couldn't believe it! Especially because it was 7:30 pm & still very HOT outside! I really felt like I could run forever tonight!

I am over all very happy with the dub nutrition products! The fat burner gives me so much energy during my workouts and the muscle seems to really help with the soreness that ALWAYS occurs afterwards and the YOUTH- well, I guess we'll see if I'm the hottest & sharpest Grandma on the block in 20 more years!

Thanks dub nutrition for giving me the extra help that I've been needing!

A few of my FAVS!

2009-08-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

It seems as though ever since I started P90x (oh, ps I started P90X about 10 days ago) I have been increasingly hungry! My friend who is a trainer says "that is petty normal! Your body is burning a lot more calories & needs more"... hummm...

So I thought I'd share a few of my low(er) calorie goodies with all'ya'll!

Laughing Cow Cheese Light- 35 calories a wedge! Great spread on an apple or with L/C crackers Garden Veggie Crisps- 110 Calories of heavenly delight! The only problem with these bad boys are they are too good to stay away from... sorry, no image is available. I bought them at COSTCO and don't know if I'll buy them again- just can't put them down!

Sugar Free Popsicles TROPICAL! Only 15 calories a POP! Pineapple, tropical orange & Some other deliciously sinful flavor- red something! A delish summer treat!

Stop off at your local snow cone shack & ask if they have SUGAR FREE FLAVORS! Most do! Another little summer sizzler! Yummzzz!

Yo' Yo' Fro' Yo! Gotta give a shout out to the low/fat & non-fat (and yes, even sugar free) Frozen Yogurt! At 80 cals for a 1/2 cup it comes equipt with PRO-biotics! It does a body good! Tonight I ran about 4 miles down to the Yogurt Stop and rewarded myself w/a sugar free fat free black cherry frozen yogurt! It was so GOOD! It was like the Seinfeld episode!

Cheddar, Chocolate & Caramel! Oh My! Quaker rice cakes are a tasty little snack! About 60 Calories per serving! It's perfect if you need a sweet & crunchy little snack to complete a meal!

My dirty little secret is well hidden in the butter compartment in the refrigerator... an ice cold box of junior mints! Just a couple is all I need to curb the sugar urge!

Whip it! Whip it good! A dollop or 2 of Cool Whip Light on top of my fresh strawberries & grapes is sweet & refreshing!

There's always room for JELLO! With a little Redi-whip of course, a treat with no guilt!

Fruit Fruit! Magical Fruit! If there is one thing that I probably eat too much of, it's fruit! And my kids are the same way! My baby girl could probably eat an entire watermelon by herself! I heart fruit!
I love cereal. Lucky charms, Cinnamon toast crunch & Reece's Puffs! I love all the good (bad) cereals from my childhood. I don't eat them often (if ever!) But I do still enjoy a bowl of cereal from time to time! I like Special K Protein Plus! Splash some ice cold FF milk w/a little sugar free hazelnut coffee mate & maybe a few fresh strawberries makes one deliciously sweet breakfast!

So those are just a few of my not-so-guilty pleasures! What are yours?

i NEED @ n3w d!E+!

2009-07-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

I need a new diet! I'm eating "healthy" and doing my dub nutrition products but I still feel like I need a strict diet to follow. Like I said, I'm definitely eating healthy but I find myself wandering around the pantry searching for something good to eat.

For breakfast I've either been doing 1 egg + whites and turkey sausage or a protein shake. And it seems like lunch & dinner are always just a boring combination of salad & chicken. Some times Ill shake things up and have a subway sandwich or something like that but for the most part my diet has gotten Lame-O! I try to stay away from frozen dinner type things- I think they just have too much sodium/preservatives. . . .

I LOVE fruit but I find myself eating too much of it- I guess there are worse things I could be eating but once I start on grapes and watermelon it's hard to stop! Especially in the summer! Yumm! : ) I heart veggies too but I feel like they too get booorrrriiiinnnnggg! I did make a really good veggie lasagna the other night that was straight up delish! Zucchini, tomatoes, 2% cheese, ground turkey, spices, mushrooms etc! My kids were even fighting over the leftovers! And the dish that I made for my friend got snarfed up before I could take it to her. Sorry girl!

Maybe I should try and google "healthy recipes" or something... I just feel like I'm putting 10,000% into my workouts and my dub nutrition program that I should be a little more strict with the food intake. . . . My only (lame) excuse is that TOM is coming to visit soon and I have a tendency to crave all the wrong things! So- if you have any healthy recipes I'd love to hear them! One other bonus note- my PMS has been non-existent this month. Could it be all the B12 in the dub nutrition products?

I am also excited about the launch of the dub nutrition lifestyle! A separate program that will help you customize a diet and exercise program! It's an added bonus coming soon! I'm excited to see what type of foods the dub nutrition lifestyle suggests!

Let me know your thoughts & suggestions!

dub nutrition... I have found a flaw...

2009-07-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

There is one thing that I don't like about dub nutrition. And it's that I have turned into one of those really annoying people that want to talk about all the products to anyone who will listen! I've turned into that obnoxious friend that stops you in the grocery store to tell you how fantastic I feel! I've started to annoy MYSELF! (not to mention my husband!)

Last night we had some friends over for dinner. After about an hour our friend Scott looked at me funny and says "What has gotten into you!?"... To which I reply- "what!?" He then tells me that he's never seen me in such a good mood or with so much energy! I had promised myself I wasn't going to bring up dub nutrition because I really didn't want my friends feeling like I was selling them something and I really didn't want my husband rolling his eyes at me. But after Scott brought it up my husband actually went on and on about how much happier I seem and how I'm running around all day like a (and I quote) "chicken with it's head cut off!"... I guess that a compliment? After our friends left (after 10pm) I had to clean up after 4 adults and 7 rambunctious kiddies. I was up until midnight, mopping floors, starting laundry, doing dishes etc... I felt great. I wasn't exhausted like I always am. In the past I would have gone to bed and left it for the morning. I laid down about 12:30 and feel asleep within 5 minutes... and slept like a lump on a log! zzzzzzzzzz....

I didn't know that "mood enhancement" would be a potential side effect from the dub nutrition line but hell- I'm not complaining! I had been SO MOODY after the birth of my baby daughter a year ago that I actually discussed anti-depressants with my doctor but I don't think for a second I'll need them now~!

But now I have to be that annoying person who corners you in a party and wants to tell you about her new find!... So I'm pre-apologizing to all my friends and family because like it or not, you're gonna get an earful!

I am now feeling bad though that I was such a b!tch before! :o

dub it' up~

day 3 of dub nutrition products!

2009-07-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

WOW! Is the best way to describe it!... You guys! I can't believe this product line! I called my good friend Hollie this morning just to talk about how amazing my workout was! After an hour and a half of abs, bis & tris I felt like I could have ran home from the gym! Hollie and I are 2 of a handful of people who get to try dub nutrition products before it's available. I feel so fortunate! But it's really hard to convince people because the product speaks for itself! It almost reminds me of that euphoric feeling I had when I was on the HCG diet. My head is clear & I have a lot of energy- which I also experienced on HCG... I just can't express enough how great the dub nutrition products are! I'm excited to get the energy drinks too! I can't imagine how much I'll get done then! LOL!

The best part about this feeling is NOT feeling anxious or jittery. I have tried products before that made me so uncomfortable. Like I was having a heart attack or a panic attack! But not dub nutritionproducts! There are no uncomfortable highs or exhausting crashes! I feel SO MOTIVATED! That's the best way to describe how I feel on dub!

I have been spending some time researching all the ingredients in dub fat burner, muscle & youth in hopes of better understanding what I am putting in my body. I have found that the ingredients in dub nutrtion products are all natural and safe! Some of them are products I have been using for years and others are things I've never heard of. But it seems to be the combination of everything that gives you such a great results!

I couldn't be happier about my decision to try the dub nutrition line!~ (I'm trying to convince my husband to do it too! He's the eternal skeptic but I think he's going to give it a shot! He's probably sick of how great I feel & how crappy he feels!)

Do yourself a favor- and look into it!
www.dubnutrition.com

New look!

2009-07-15T12:12:00.001-07:00

Hey! Welcome back! Yes, you're in the right place. Just trying to spice things us a bit! I was finding it pretty difficult to talk about a diet (the HCG diet) that I was no longer on & I felt like I was neglecting my blog because of that... Then I got to thinking about all the other diets I have tried over the years. Let's name them- it will be fun (or very depressing, could go either way!)
From the time I was 14 years old I was "on a diet." One of the biggest mistakes of my life. Because I think once you start- you can't ever stop! I don't really remember being a specific "diet" at the time. I remember eating a lot of "fat free" food (?) items- let's remember people, this was the 90's! And as part of my "fat free diet" I remember eating things like circus peanuts and licorice, cola, lemonade, saltines, WOW chips (come on, don't lie- you tried them!) and everything else I could get my hands on that was "fat free!" Oh, to be young and stupid again. That phase of my life lasted for a couple years- didn't get very far, obviously. Then when I was around 17 I figured it out a little more. Veggies & Fruits! Juice! I remember doing "juice cleanse" for days at a time. Not even comprehending the amount of sugar that all these drinks contained- yeiks! I was doing better though- I would try and choose wheat bread rather than white (aahhh... when I used to eat sandwiches!) and baked chips rather than regular. Let's face it, I was still in h/s & just wanted to have fun (and be skinny!)... A few more years pass & I continue to learn more and incorporate a lot of exercise into my life too. Oh wait- I have to back the crazy train up... the dreaded cabbage soup diet. OMG- Yes! I have done the cabbage soup diet. Many times, in fact! This all thanks to my mother who, still to this day, LOVES the cabbage soup diet! ughhhh... Can't talk about it too much... OK, Moving on. I think the first actual diet program that I either bought/joined or followed would probably have to be weight watchers. A timeless classic. While the program does evolve over time, it seems to be a steady competitor- and you know what they say "slow & steady wins the race!"... or does it?... The next fad that I got sucked into would probably be the Atkins diet. mmmm.... bacon!!! OK, I'm not going to lie- I LOVED this diet. Come on people, omelets, sausage & cheese every morning??? (now my stomach is growling- seriously!) But it gets old real fast. Especially if you start buying into the "sugar alcohol poop yourself gassy gas" goodies. I really wonder what all that CRUD is made out of. My stomach does NOT agree! Moving along down my destructive diet journey we come to the South Beach Diet. I originally downloaded this book onto my ipod but the narrator had such a bad lisp that I couldn't concentrate on what he was trying to tell me. Am I being over sensitive or just rude? Anyway- I would say this ranks up there with more effective diets. It's pretty basic & simple and works well- but again... gets old because let's face it- we've all started phase I about 10,000 times before! So that covers everything except for my most recent "diet"- the HCG diet... I'm going to be honest- I have mixed feelings about it and it's HARD! But it works and it's effective. But I'm also not entirely convinced it doesn't mess with your bodies own natural hormones. I don't think you would have a problem doing a round or 2 but I wonder how years and years of hormone injection would effect your body. Lord knows that years & years of "dieting" has messed me up! (yeah, see my non-functioning thyroid post below!) Oh!!! I almost for got the silliest diet of all. THE IDIOT PROOF DIET! LMAO- Really? Did I really do a diet that is idiot proof? I have mixed feelings about the idiot proof diet. Let's face it, very few things are idiot proof. If you've ever done this diet you know what I'm talking about. You choose from a list of a few dozen foods of items that you like and the computer system generates a custom diet for you. Not a bad idea. But when you tell me I can eat all the cheese, ham, cashews & non-fat frozen yogurt that I want all in one sitter? I'M GONNA! I give this diet a B-.
So let us review:
The 90's FAT FREE DIET: F (really, can't I have a diet where I eat tootsie rolls for breakfast?)
WEIGHT WATCHERS: A (an overall good way to live)
ATKINS: B- (mmmm... bacon! need I say more?)
SOUTH BEACH: B+ (maybe I need to learn more about the maintenance phase- just seemed like I was always in phase I)
CABBAGE SOUP DIET: D (it's OK if you're going to do it once in your life but it's just a "quick fix! but it's no way to live your life!)
IDIOT PROOF DIET: C (one of those diets that works well the first time and then not so much after that)
HCG DIET: B- (again, I have mixed feelings about our friend the HCG diet- it's really difficult but effective!) I may actually give it a B+...
So that's the breakdown on "diets I have tried"... Ahhhh CRUDS- I just thought of ONE other diet that I did the fall before I got PG with my 3rd little baby. A diet that was extremely effective and truthfully combined a little bit of everything above! (yes, even the tootsie rolls for breakfast!)... BUT, I'm late for my workout so you'll have to stay tuned (or connected? Idk) to find out what that diet was! (((insert mysterious music here!)))
Happy Thursday!
PS- Check out my dub nutrition post below! I just started my products YESTERDAY & I'M FEELING FANTASTIC! xoxo

dub nutrition? Sure, I'll try it!!!

2009-07-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate enough to be one of the first "users" of the dub nutrition products. I got my products last night! I used the "burner" & "muscle" this morning before my workout and I felt great! I wasn't shaky or jittery AT ALL! And as crazy as it sounds I felt like I was finally getting enough oxygen during my run! I didn't have to stop at all, I didn't get a side ache (like I always do!) and I ran to the gym in record time... I was convinced it was all in my head and was actually laughing towards the end of my run because I felt really good instead of felling like I was ready to be done! (I know, I know, it sounds CRAZY!)

So we will see how it all pans out... I have nothing but trust and confidence in Jeremy's (founder)knowledge of fitness & nutrition. He's lost over 100 lbs and has competed (and won!) several body building competitions. He knows his stuff. He and his partners have completely customized these products & put a lot of hours & money into this passion. They were originally encouraged to "re-label" an existing product as it would have been much less expensive, but they wanted something different, original and effective! It's my opinion they have achieved their goal!

I'M EXCITED!!! : D

Here is the link for more info! dub nutrition

***If you would like to order products, I'd be happy to be your sponsor! Agent: Amy Ohlson 1089***

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

2009-06-05T11:09:00.001-07:00

Thank you guys so much for all your positive feedback regarding my recent "low thyroid diagnosis!"... I'm coming to grips with it.

Trudi- I found that interesting about what you said about water weight. Yesterday I woke up and felt really thin. Out right skinny! And even DH commented on how different I looked, even just from a few days of meds. I had no idea water weight loss was a side effect of the meds. BONUS! However, I went out with my bffs to celebrate May Birthday's & had mexican food- tried to make good decisions but the bottom line with eating out is you NEVER know exactly what you're getting. I stayed up way to late and woke up feeling a little bloaty & puffy. So I'm really trying to drink a ton of water today to flush out the junk from last night.

My workouts are still going great. I started running again last week and feel good. My foot hasn't been bothering me (knock on woood) so I'm going to try and do my weight training 5 days a week and add cardio to 3 of those days. Makes for l o n g workouts but cardio & resistance training are BOTH SO IMPORTANT!

One other change that I've made within the last 2 weeks- Instead of eating 5-6 small meals a day I switched back to 3 square meals and 1 snack if I NEED it (which most days I do not)... This was a suggestion made by Jillian in her Master Your Metabolism book. She said it was ridiculous to eat 5-6 times a day. Says there is NO reason to keep your insulin levels elevated that often. Makes sense to me! Plus I like eating MORE food LESS often rather than the other way around. I HATE being a slave to food. So the less I have to decide what to eat & prepare meals the better! (this is just ME- I am not a dietitian)... I am also going to try and make an effort to buy more organic items. I am going to take baby-steps as I'm sure I'm going to feel it in my wallet! I'm starting with veggies & fruits, maybe some meat & then dairy too... So we'll see how it goes...

So my mood/spirits are still up & hopeful that the meds will work for me.

Ugh- Nothing witty or funny to say about THIS!

2009-05-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found out that I have a thyroid functioning at level POO! OMG! The nurse stood there reading the results with a look of disgust on her face. WTF!?!?!

Today I'm having mixed emotions about my recent diagnosis... Part of me is totally bummed that I'm not "normal" and will most likely have to be on thyroid medicine for the rest of my life & another part of me is hopeful that this means that once my meds kick in all my hard work & dedication will FINALLY start paying off. My relentless calorie counting. My obsessive exercising & every DIET ever known to man. Which reminds me- apparently THAT is what got me here. My years and years (since I was 14- WHAT?!) of crash diets, fad diets & over training my body... UGH- all this time I thought I was "healthy!" and keeping my body fit. What a disaster.

So now I feel like I'm in limbo. I pretty much wanted to CRY at the gym this morning. (I don't recommend crying at the gym- it scares men!) I don't know what to do now... Continue what I'm doing? Or shoot myself in the face. (If you're new to my blog you'll soon learn I use sarcasm as a defence mechanism. I assure you I will NOT kill myself)... ugh! That's all I can say.

I did go to B&N and purchased Jillian Michael's (The female trainer on the Biggest Loser) new book "MASTER YOUR METABOLISM" in hopes of finding some info/guidance. The first 3 chapters were amazing. I felt like I could have written the book myself. She too was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at age of 30 from years and years of crash diets & over training and struggled with so many of the same emotional issues that I did/do. I really felt like I had found a new bible (sorry Jesus) but then it got really HEAVY. She goes into a tyrant about how toxic everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) is! How all of our food is CRAP and how we should all "go organic" and NEVER touch anything processed or packaged. It's been VERY overwhelming to say the least. And tonight I stood in front of my pantry trying to find anything that didn't contain poo-touse or hydro-by-crapos. Everything is filth. I ultimately decided on a new york steak, mixed broiled veggies, sauteed mushrooms & onions & a big 'ol glass of red wine. I think that's called defeat. Or failure. I don't know.

I'm only about 1/3 of the way through Jillian's master your metabolism & never eat another thing again book so I'll keep you posted on my ultimate review. I will also try & update you more about my progress (hopefully it WILL be progress) with my thyroid meds & constant strive for perfection.

Again- no witty banter to end my post.

"Would you do it again?".... hummm...

2009-04-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

So I got a text the other night (actually my husband did) from one of our friends asking about the HCG diet- apparently his wife was looking into it... And he asked "knowing what you know now...Would you do it again?"... hummm... to be honest, I had to really think about it! My ultimate answer "I WOULD do it again... but I don't know if I COULD do it again!"

Have you ever noticed that the FIRST time you do a diet/workout program it's a LOT easier then if you ever try and do it again? (or is it just me!?!?) I think about how hard the first week is on the HCG- headaches, irritable, hungry and I just don't know if I COULD do it again. Don't get me wrong, I'm SO GLAD I did it the first time. I was able to lose ALL the baby weight in record time but I just don't know if i could do it again.

I think my apprehension is partly to do with my workout regimen. I have been able to get a lot stronger and have worked really hard to tone up and increase my strength & endurance and I KNOW that I would not be able to keep that up. And yeah, I could probably lose 10 more lbs if I did HCG again but I wouldn't be surprised to see that 10 lbs sneak RIGHT BACK ON as soon as I return to regular eating & exercising. And let's face it peeps- you can only fight your body so much... ultimately your body is going to settle in where's it's comfortable- whether it be a size 6 or a size 12. And for me it's a size 8. And even then, I still have to watch what I eat and workout 6 days a week...We have to all just except who we are and stop trying to be something we're not (like a size 2!) Sometimes I should listen to my own advice! he he he! BUT with that said- we can all strive to be the BEST/STRONGEST/HEALTHIEST we can BE!

love your HCGuts!
A

Slacker!

2009-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

You guyzzz- I'm such a slacker!!! No, not on my diet or workouts (ok, maybe a little on my diet) but on my BLOG! I just feel so BLAH about blogging lately. But things are going great. Still kickin' it! I have been a little bit of a slacker on my diet lately. Thursday night I got a visit from my obnoxious monthly friend and pretty much went to town on the kids' Easter candy. I ate ALL of their peanut butter M&Ms and cinnamon bunnys too. I was like a caged animal that was released into the wild! I swear- sometimes the monthly *B* just takes charge and I have NO say! But luckily it only last a short period- no pun intended. I'm back to my regular workout routines and eating habits. It's so crazy though how CRAPPY that junk food makes you feel. I really wanted to barf. I'm lying. It felt great! ; ) just can't let it happen often.

I've been trying to incorporate a little more cardio into my workouts lately. Today I did my regular Monday "quads/glutes & Abs" but in between sets I jumped on the bike and did 5 minute cardio bursts! it felt great! I'm lying. I wanted to barf. Just kidding, it wasn't that bad. I think people in general put too much stock in cardio and not enough on weights. In a perfect world you have time to do plenty of both- but let's get real, most of don't have time to have our legs much less spend hours at the gym. My ultimate goal at the gym is to train my muscles (lifting weights) so intensely that it gets my H/R up and causes me to break a sweat. 2 birds- one big fat sweaty stone! Do me a favor- next time you are at the gym, take a look around and answer me this- WHO has nicer body's: The people on the cardio equipment? Or the people in the weight room... I think you'll be surprised to see the people in the weight room are in better shape than the air suckers on the elliptical. Now, that's not to say that there is not a place in this world for cardio because chances are good the peeps in the weight room paid a visit to the cardio room a time or 2 but they get in there and they GET IT DONE! None of this meandering along on the tread mill for 60 mins a day. Boo!

Those are just my 2 cents for the day! But what the hell do I know! he he he!

Raw, Raw, Raw!

2009-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Helllooooo! After a weekend full of Easter goodies I am back on the wagon. I am toying with the idea of "going raw" for a few days. Meaning only RAW fruits & veggies & nuts. However, I don't know how I would get enough protein. I workout pretty hard and try to get about 100-120 grams of protein a day and just don't find the feasible on the "raw" plan... I would be a good cleansing diet so maybe I shouldn't be too concerned about the protein- how much could it hurt for a week or so?...
I had a GREAT workout this morning! Quads & Gluts & Abs and HIIT... This week I am on 8's. Meaning I do 4 sets of 8 reps PER exercise followed by 4-5 minuets of "burn out" at a lighter weight. For example- I started with seated leg extensions at 115 lbs. 8 reps (w/"baby pulses" at the end of each set) and then dropped the weight to 40 lbs and burned them out for 4-5 minutes... Oweeeeee! Then seated squats: weight 175 lbs again, 4 x 8 reps w/babies and burn out... Yeikes! Then the booty buster machine- (not sure what it's really called) w/weight of 90 lbs I think. And again- babies and burnout. Then I did 5 minutes of ball/wall squats on the bosu ball and lastly, I held a 10 lbs ball and did squat/crunches on the bosu ball- you sit down on the bosu, go back into a crunch, return to standing position all while holding the ball. Killer! After that I did some abs and then I did HITT for 10 minutes on the bike. I would have liked to do 20 but DH had to get to work so I had to hurry... 30 second sprints w/1 minute recover for 10 minutes. Really got my H/R up! And judging by my STANK i got a GREAT workout!
Eating plan for today: No Sugar/No starches... high protein. If I decide to "go raw" for a few days I'll have to take a trip to the grocery store!

Hello, Hello!

2009-04-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hey- HCGers! I'm so sorry that I've been MIA~ life is just crazy busy! I am still here and alive. I don't really have much to "report" as far as HCG goes. I finished phase II in Feb and have just been maintaining in p3 ever since. I don't weigh but feel I have, for the most part, stayed the same. I'm certain I've put on a few lbs from my lowest weight but I was so much lower than my body is "comfortable" that I knew that was inevitable. You can only fight your body so much.

I get up every morning at 6 and go to the gym to lift weights. And I recently started running in the evenings to train for a 180 mile relay race but a stress fracture in my foot has stalled those plans. It hurts so bad! Even to walk- so I'm just sticking w/the weights for now.

And as far as the diet goes I'm still doing the L/C thing. No sugar & No starches. I do allow myself a "treat" on the weekend as I am just trying to maintain and build strength & get toned now. Last night I had mexican food! And some of my daughters b-day cake. Yummers!

OH- I also found out last week that I have PCOS (polycistic ovarian syndrome) which sucks- BIG TIME! But hopefully now that I know what's "wrong" with me I can be more proactive to fix/control it. The doc has put me on metformin to help regulate my insulin levels which in turn regulates my hormones. Which, you should know- have been outta control lately! So I'm looking forward to feeling a little better as far as that goes. A fantastic side effect of metformin? weight loss and hunger suppression. BONUS! So maybe that will help even things out...

I have been recently toying with what might be a crazy idea... I would really like to get certified to be a personal trainer. I would like to specialize in training/motivating young teen girls that are struggling with their weight. I was an overweight teen and made so many poor choices when it came to diet/weight loss. I wish I would have had somebody to teach me how to be healthy! It will most likely not be something that I will do anytime soon as I already feel stretched pretty thin- but maybe once my youngest baby is in school I can look into it further...

Well... Thanks for stopping by! Sorry I don't have anything more informative or exciting to report. Weight loss and even maintaining is a progress & a journey. . . stick with it. It will get easier. It will become a part of your life and your life will be better & longer because of it!

Back in action-

2009-02-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

Monday morning bright and early. Started my day with a 6am workout. Quads and Abs! And started right back on my no sugar no starches. Sugar with drawl wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected it to be. In fact, I wasn't hungry much at all on Monday & Tuesday so that was good- usually I turn into a carb crazed psycho after a weekend of carb craziness! But not this time. We went to IHOP on Sunday with some friends and it was SO disgusting that I didn't even eat it- wasn't worth the calories! I was wishing I had stayed home and made my carb-quick pancakes & Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage, SO MUCH BETTER!!!

I am still having some hormonal issues though. Ever since I had my baby (6 months ago) I've had a hard time with regular cycles and that's frustrating when you are trying to lose/maintain weight. I believe hormones are a big issue in weight loss! I am going to call my nurse today and discuss my recent "issues"... But I won't bore you with the details. I hope we can get this straightened out so I can continue STRONG with my diet/weight loss goals!

So I'm still just here... hanging out in maintenance. This morning my friend and I were talking about doing a popular workout program known as Px90 but I'm scared! Ha! I'll keep you posted on what we decide!

Keep HCGing it!

Sugar! Carbs! Starches! Sugar! Carbs! Starches!

2009-02-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm not going to lie. The last 24 hours have been filled with SUGAR, CARBS, & STARCHES! SUGAR, CARBS, & STARCHES!... But how often does a girl turn 30? Yep, yesterday was the big Birthday! It was fabulous!!! we had a great dinner party with about 12 couples and had some really good food! (including mashed potatoes that were so yumm!) Everything tasted really good and I didn't allow myself to feel guilty! I gave myself a 24 hour pass! And it was wonderful! And I will be back to business tomorrow! No sugar and no starches! The best part? Everyone told me how fantastic I looked! (that sounded really conceded) And what's better than that- I finally felt it too! (and that sounded even more conceded!- geezz!) I know I'm not as "skinny" as I was 2 weeks ago when I was on my last days of HCG but I have been lifting weights and working out and I can really tell that I'm toning up! I feel great and I feel strong! And even better- I'm not starving!

So now I need to come up with a new "plan of action!" I have been really happy with the no sugar/no starches thing and I think that's what I'll stick with! And I will continue to workout every morning with my BFF. I do need to come up with a short term goal/something to work towards. Whether it's fitness related like doing 5 unassisted pull ups or running a 7 minute mile? (although I really hate running.) I need to think of some things to work towards. What I REALLY need is a vacation to work for but I just don't think I'm ready to leave baby and if I took her it wouldn't be much of a vacation. Maybe I'll just buy me a sexy swimsuit for the summer and work my trash off so that I dare wear it to the neighborhood pool! Any other thoughts?

I better get in bed. I am so tired from my 24 hour carb crash! I kinda wanna barf- but I kinda wanna eat more cake! Ha! Carbs are so controlling!!!

Keep stopping by to witness the insanity!

Answers for you, Lisa Loo!

2009-02-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

Lisa, You are doing great!!! I can't imagine 6 pregnancies! I've done this (gained/lost the weight) about 4 times in my life (3 pregnancies) and that is enough, huh!

I did NOT exercise while I was doing HCG other than doing Pilate's a couple times a week but nothing major- nothing compared to what I'm doing now. I didn't feel like I had the strength, you know? It's weird 'cause HCG gave me a lot of energy, but NOT strength- it's so hard to explain to people who are not on the diet! Especially because I felt really really good on the diet. And yes, I do feel like I lost muscle. Especially towards the end when I was down under my goal weight. But that was kind of my plan all along. Lose as MUCH weight as I can so that when I started working out and lifting weights again I wouldn't freak out about putting a few pounds back on (as long as it was lean muscle)! And even though I have only been back at it a couple weeks I can already tell that I'm toning up. My BFF who I workout with said she was really surprised at how fast I was able to get my strength back- I'm lifting what she's lifting now and she did a body building comp last fall so that's good. It does "come back!" And like I said, I'm not weighing now. Lifting weights and working out in the morning has put my metabolism into high gear and I am SO HUNGRY during the day so I am definitely eating more (still no sugars or starches) but really have not seen a difference in the way my clothes are fitting. Everything is still good.

I'll probably take my blog in a different direction now that I'm not doing HCG- and will probably not do it again anytime soon. Maybe turn it into a fitness/health/maintenance/strength training blog- that might be kinda fun!

Well, I'm off to the gym. Please let me know if you have any other questions! I love "helping" people on the HCG diet! And I totally relate to how you are feeling. After Cambria was born (6 months ago) I felt like a stranger in my own body and was obsessed with getting the weight off! Even though I didn't feel that way when I was pg- I was a psycho about it afterwards. I totally relate.

Hang in there, girl! You are ALMOST DONE!!! How has the weight loss been coming? Is it still consistent? Are you still losing? Let me know! I love to watch peoples progress! You'll be eating your own carbquick pancakes soon enough and the hunger will be a thing of the past! ; ) Good luck and keep me posted!

Can you say STRESS?

2009-02-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh. I am just so stressed out right now! I just sat through Pres. Obama's speech and I am stressed out! I just worry that the economy is going to get worse before it gets better and I fear for our business and employees. Anyway- because of that I keep finding myself lingering near the pantry. Don't worry, I am not eating anything that has sugar or starches but it's been one of those days where I know I've eaten too much.

My day did start out GREAT though. My baby daughter woke up at 5 (which sucks) but I ended up just getting up and going to work out with my BFF (who is a personal trainer) from 6:15-8! It was GREAT! I absolutely LOVE having my workout over with and done for the day by 8! The downfall? I've been so hungry all day! I think it's cause we hit the weights big time this morning and worked shoulders & quads (which is a major muscle group). But like I said, I didn't eat anything w/sugar or starches but probably too much none the less.

Yesterday I did a steak day. I was pretty hungry all day but was rewarded with a fat juicy steak from Texas Roadhouse. I plan on doing a steak day every Sunday as it's the only day that I don't workout. I did a steak day last Monday and thought i was going to DIE when I did my workout. Literally. Thought I was going to die so I won't do that again.

Gotta go- baby girl is so grumpy tonight!

Breakfast of Champions!

2009-02-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Ohhh... I just had to drop by and share my most delicious breakfast with you. Mmmm... I made the kids waffles & mama wanted one too. CARBQUICK to the rescue! I made me 2 carbquick waffles (w/sugar free syrup), scrambled egg whites and 3 links of turkey sausage. Oh! It was SOOOO GOOD! I almost took a picture of it, but I snarfed it way too fast to find the camera!

That breakfast will hopefully help me get through my workout that awaits me at the gym! Bi's/Tri's and CARDIO!

Have a great Saturday!

Measuring up-

2009-02-06T15:49:00.001-08:00

Ok Ladies, Here's the before & after measurements that I promised you!

Starting date Round one: November 30th '08
Ending date Round two: February 3rd '09
(2 23 Day rounds)
Breasts: 39"................36" -3"
Chest/ribs: 36"...........32" -4"
Waist: 33".....................28" -5"
Hips: 38"........................35" -3"
Lt Thigh: 24".................21 1/2" -2.5"
Rt Thigh: 24".................21 1/2" -2.5"
Calf (rt & lt): 15".............14" -1" (each)
Arm (rt & lt) 12"..............11" -1" (each)

Total inches lost: 24
Total lbs lost: 25

I have to tell ya though- I'm not feeling all that confident in phase III today. I don't know why- I just feel "fat". I was SO hungry today and yesterday that I probably ate too much. I didn't eat sugar or starches but probably too much none the less. I just feel like my body is putting weight back on. No, I didn't weigh this AM, my muscles are SO SORE from working out & lifting weights that I KNOW that I'm up from water retention (remember, sore muscles indicate water retention in effort to heal themselves) so I just didn't need that frustration on top of everything. I guess all I can do is my best and hope that I don't put weight back on. I'll probably get the measuring tape out in the AM just to make sure things are staying the same. It's crazy 'cause it's like unless I am STARVING I don't feel thin. Weird, I know.

I've been trying to find more information/blogs from people who have successfully maintained their weight loss long term from the HCG diet but haven't had much luck which is scary- it seems like every ones' blogs just STOP out of the blue w/no long term updates. Sketchy.

OK well- Thanks for stopping by! Gonna go play with my tiny baby!

Scaling Back-

2009-02-04T20:58:00.000-08:00

So I KNOW that you are "supposed to weigh every day" during P3 but lets face it, all my personalities can't handle the stress of daily weigh ins! i have been fluctuating about 1-2 lbs so I've made an executive decision that I am going to scale back on the weigh ins. Maybe once a week.

P3 is going well. I think. I am doing the low carb thing. Trying to stay under 30-40 carbs a day. This morning I made low carb pancakes with my CARBQUICK (like bisquick but like 12 times more expensive, yikes!) and they were SOOO GOOOD! My 4 yr old daughter snarfed them up too! W/a little butter and sugar free syrup (which btw gives me a stomach ache like 4 hours later) they are so yummers!

Another reason for scaling back on the weigh ins is the fact that I have started lifting weights again. And I KNOW that I haven't put on 2 lbs of muscle in 4 days but here's a fascinating fact that I was not aware of: Muscle retains water while it repairs itself from trauma (lifting weights/exercise) If your muscle is sore then that is a good indication that it is retaining water in effort to repair and build itself. Helloooo---- My muscles are SO SORE! I made the mistake of thinking I could pick up where I left off 3 months ago... I was wrong. And PS the HCG diet claims it 'only burns fat and you don't lose muscle'. I'm going to have to call BS on that. I have definitely lost some muscle. But I'll get it back. I'm trying not to get too frustrated at the gym but I am certainly not as strong as i was when i started the HCG diet.

I took all my "after" measurements today and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I'll post all the #s in the next day or 2.

Plan of action: continue livin' la vida low carb! Lifting weights/cardio 5 xs a week, keeping my skitso self off the scale for a few days and paying more attention to the measurements/way my clothes fit not so much the # on the scale.

It's true what they say-

2009-02-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

It's true what they say- Food does NOT taste the same after the VLCD! Yesterday I woke up and ate my waffles, don't get me wrong, they were good but I had imagined them SO MUCH BETTER! I wasn't very hungry at all yesterday so I didn't eat much throughout the day. And then last night we went out with some friends to celebrate our anniversary. It was a lot of fun! And the food was good (again, not great, but I think it was me)...

So now I am trying to come up with a plan of action for the next month. I will be doing high protein/low carb but I have GOT TO GET MY CAN TO THE GYM!!! I am thinking that I will do another round of HCG most likely after I get another visit from AF (which btw found me yesterday with avengeance) I met with a nurse on Friday regarding my PMS and stuff. It was good. She thinks I most likely have a sluggish thyroid and possibly early signs of insulin resistance. She also thinks I may have some "leaky gut syndrome"- I'm still researching it and trying to figure out what that is exactly but she doesn't think I'm absorbing nutrients properly. SO- She gave me some stuff to help with all that. She gave me some B12 shots and progesterone cream to help with the moodiness too. Now that I won't have much to report regarding the HCG diet maybe I'll journal about the other issues I'm experiencing. We'll see. That could get Bo-Ring! ; )

PS My CHEESECAKE ROCKED!

Guess what today is? : o

2009-01-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

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!...

2009-01-28T10:23:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2009-01-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

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!...

2009-01-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

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-

2009-01-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-17T20:09:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

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???

2009-01-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-01-14T09:32:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-01-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-12T09:14:00.001-08:00

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!...

2009-01-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

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!}}}

2009-01-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

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!}}}

2009-01-04T11:30:00.001-08:00

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!

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