Well it has been another rough week on the HCG diet. I am learning the hard way that you have to stick with this wholeheartedly or it's not going to be a success! I had another very stressful week and ultimately made a big decision regarding my career. I have been working 2 jobs for 2 years now. One job is full time and pays the bills and I enjoy the people I work with but that's about it. The other job has only been part time but I LOVE everything about the job. I pretty much decided that I was done working 2 jobs but couldn't see EVER giving up my part time job....soooo, I put in my notice at my full time job and am going full time with my current part time job!! Confused yet?
Thus, the reason for the title of this blog. After making the big decision and getting the offer I needed and wanted from the company I decided to go out and celebrate with my "boss" from the new full time job. I felt that I needed and had earned a night off the diet. I went all out, we had an appetizer and I had buffalo wings with ranch dressing. I also had 3 alcoholic drinks....yikes!! I probably drank a week's worth of calories for this diet in ONE night!! I didn't think it would make that big of a difference. : ( Luckily, I haven't gained any weight but I also haven't lost. I'm trying not to get discouraged though. I was not feeling well yesterday and by the time I was up and moving for the day I decided to just skip my injection yesterday. Today I have started back up, again, and am hoping for some results tomorrow.
So while I was hoping to hit 15 lbs down by today I guess I should count my blessings instead that I didn't gain. The whole glass half full theory... All in all, after a stressful week I would say that my glass is now more than half full. Life is looking up and my weight is going down (I hope!)!!!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Double Digits!!
My goal was to lose 10 pounds by the end of week 2. I have accomplished that goal. Friday was the end of week 2 and I was exactly 10 lbs down. I had a rough week, not just with the diet, so I probably could have lost more if I had eaten better. I had a lot of little cheats this week and those all add up! I'm not going to beat myself up over it. If I can lose 3.2 lbs in a "bad week" with this diet then I'm not complaining. Instead I have resolved to do better this week!! So far I am doing well and as of this morning I have lost an additional 2.4 lbs since Friday!!! I'm sure you can all do the math, but I want it in writing....my total weight loss is now at 12.4 lbs in 2 weeks and 2 days! I certainly can't complain about that!! I have 21 days of injections left so I am still hoping to lose a minimum of 12.6 more but my ultimate goal would be to lose another 17.6. I believe that is still possible!!! I have already decided that after completing this round of injections I will take the required 3-4 weeks off and then begin another round of injections. Doing this could put me at my ultimate goal weight by July 4th. At this point though, I am just taking it 1 week at a time. My goal this week is to reach 15lbs lost! Here's hoping for a great week for everyone!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thank God for small miracles
Yesterday was the first day since starting this diet that I completely cheated. I basically went OFF the diet for the day. I still did the injection in the morning. I didn't wake up with the intention of blowing the diet for the day. I have had a very stressful couple of days and JR wanted to go out to lunch. We went to Pizza Hut. I treated myself to the salad bar (with dressing!) and 2 pieces of pizza. Later in the evening I went to a movie with a couple of friends and had popcorn, soda, AND candy. I have to say, the salad and pizza tasted awesome but the junk food just didn't taste as good as I remember. I hope this means that I truly am past the worst of the cravings. After all that cheating I was prepared to see a gain on the scale today. I was just hoping that it wouldn't be too bad. Amazingly when I stepped on the scale this morning I was actually down...yes, DOWN! It was only 0.2 lbs but hey I'll take it!! Today it is right back to the diet and hopefully a big loss tomorrow! I am very thankful that yesterday's fun didn't derail my progress. I will also say that I am beginning to notice a difference particularly in my abdomen. I feel like the weight is coming off from the right places. I haven't taken before pictures yet. I've just been too busy. If I'm going to take them I better do it soon!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Piece of Cake
Piece of Cake...this is by no means a description of this diet, rather it is what I am craving at the moment!! While I started the injections 9 days ago I have officially been on the 500 calorie diet for 1 week. I have currently lost (drum-roll, please) 6.8 pounds! This is just shy of the 1 pound per day that is possible with this diet. Keep in mind that the pharmacist does warn that women don't typically lose that much. While men can easily lose 40 lbs or even more on this diet women usually lose 20-30. My goal is 30 but I will be happy if I can lose at least 20. If I can keep close to the pace I'm at now then that is a perfectly reasonable goal!
I didn't update sooner because honestly the first 4-5 days I really wasn't sure if I could continue this diet. I was only really hungry the first day of the VLCD. Unfortunately the cravings for sugar and sweets lasted well beyond that point. I finally feel like the cravings are under control. Not gone but manageable. I am much less tempted now. I will admit that I have made some minor adjustments to the diet to make it work for me. These changes include, chewing sugar free gum, an occasional small spoonful of forbidden foods such as mashed potatoes, corn, etc. (so nothing too extravagant) and when the sugar cravings have been bad I have sucked on a life saver or jolly rancher. When researching the diet many people say minor things such as these can have devastating results...I've been willing to chance that. I also have not changed deodorant, conditioner, soaps, or lotions. Many of these products contain fats and oils that are also thought to affect weight loss with this diet. Again, I am willing to take this chance. I do try to limit the amount of lotion (I don't slather my whole body) and don't leave conditioner on quite as long. I still stand by my previous statement that the injections are painless. I do have some nasty bruises on my stomach from them though. I'm not quite sure what is causing the bruising...maybe it's just me? It's certainly not my shot giving technique!! I pride myself on being a pretty darn good shot giver...LOL! I've certainly had plenty of practice on others!! : )
All in all I am really very happy with the results I am seeing. I am happy to say that Danielle has been equally successful with a healthy diet and exercise. She has currently lost 6 pounds. I am thrilled for her and I hope she continues to keep up with my loss and me with hers! It is great motivation. I believe Lisa is still waiting for her appointment with her physician to discuss starting the injections. I wish her lots of success!! I will be there to motivate her when the going gets tough, especially the first week!! I've also had another challenger, Travis. Last I heard he had given up soda and lost 7 pounds in 1 DAY!! Good for him!! Although, I think any woman would agree that men ALWAYS lose faster than women! It is one of the most frustrating things! If anyone has seen the commercial (I think it is for slim quick?) they show the stick husband and wife. They both start dieting and the man slims down but the woman just loses her boobs! Hilarious and TRUE!!!
Well here's to hoping for another 6+ pounds next week.......
I didn't update sooner because honestly the first 4-5 days I really wasn't sure if I could continue this diet. I was only really hungry the first day of the VLCD. Unfortunately the cravings for sugar and sweets lasted well beyond that point. I finally feel like the cravings are under control. Not gone but manageable. I am much less tempted now. I will admit that I have made some minor adjustments to the diet to make it work for me. These changes include, chewing sugar free gum, an occasional small spoonful of forbidden foods such as mashed potatoes, corn, etc. (so nothing too extravagant) and when the sugar cravings have been bad I have sucked on a life saver or jolly rancher. When researching the diet many people say minor things such as these can have devastating results...I've been willing to chance that. I also have not changed deodorant, conditioner, soaps, or lotions. Many of these products contain fats and oils that are also thought to affect weight loss with this diet. Again, I am willing to take this chance. I do try to limit the amount of lotion (I don't slather my whole body) and don't leave conditioner on quite as long. I still stand by my previous statement that the injections are painless. I do have some nasty bruises on my stomach from them though. I'm not quite sure what is causing the bruising...maybe it's just me? It's certainly not my shot giving technique!! I pride myself on being a pretty darn good shot giver...LOL! I've certainly had plenty of practice on others!! : )
All in all I am really very happy with the results I am seeing. I am happy to say that Danielle has been equally successful with a healthy diet and exercise. She has currently lost 6 pounds. I am thrilled for her and I hope she continues to keep up with my loss and me with hers! It is great motivation. I believe Lisa is still waiting for her appointment with her physician to discuss starting the injections. I wish her lots of success!! I will be there to motivate her when the going gets tough, especially the first week!! I've also had another challenger, Travis. Last I heard he had given up soda and lost 7 pounds in 1 DAY!! Good for him!! Although, I think any woman would agree that men ALWAYS lose faster than women! It is one of the most frustrating things! If anyone has seen the commercial (I think it is for slim quick?) they show the stick husband and wife. They both start dieting and the man slims down but the woman just loses her boobs! Hilarious and TRUE!!!
Well here's to hoping for another 6+ pounds next week.......
Saturday, February 12, 2011
A Hard Start
My plan had been to update yesterday because it was my first day on the VLCD (500 calories). Unfortunately I was starving, tired, had a headache, and was very grumpy by the time I made it home from work. I was feeling very discouraged because the research I had done seemed to promise that you won't feel hungry with the HCG. I actually called the pharmacy to ask if I needed to increase my dose or my calories. I will admit I was really hoping they would tell me to eat a candy bar or something! No such luck, they said to drink LOTS more water and that the hunger would subside after a few days. I ended up drinking about 7 liters of water yesterday trying to curb my hunger!
Fastforward to this morning and I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scale and it showed that I am down 2.2 lbs since yesterday. 2.2 lbs in ONE day! Needless to say that helped to remotivate me to continue. I did decide to eat a few Melba toast rounds (about the size of a cracker and 50 calories for 4) this morning. I have really not felt hungry at all today. I ate my apple about 10:30 and then lunch at noon. My lunch today consisted of lean ground beef (with a little taco seasoning) on lettuce. I put about a tablespoon of forbidden salsa for some added flavor. Hopefully my couple additions today won't come back to bite me on the scale tomorrow! I've basically decided that a few small concessions are needed to be able to stick with this strict plan. I figure the worse case scenario will be that I don't lose as much weight as I hope to but I will still be developing healthier eating habits, ie: small portions, low fat, avoiding starches and sugars. Speaking of sugar...you would be amazed how many things contain sugar that you wouldn't expect, such as table salt, garlic salt, salsa, etc. Oh, and I've also allowed myself to chew sugar free gum, which technically is NOT allowed!
All in all I am much happier with how I feel today and once again feel like it is possible to stick with this. I continue to be cautiously optimistic. Here's hoping for another 2 lbs off by tomorrow!! : )
Fastforward to this morning and I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scale and it showed that I am down 2.2 lbs since yesterday. 2.2 lbs in ONE day! Needless to say that helped to remotivate me to continue. I did decide to eat a few Melba toast rounds (about the size of a cracker and 50 calories for 4) this morning. I have really not felt hungry at all today. I ate my apple about 10:30 and then lunch at noon. My lunch today consisted of lean ground beef (with a little taco seasoning) on lettuce. I put about a tablespoon of forbidden salsa for some added flavor. Hopefully my couple additions today won't come back to bite me on the scale tomorrow! I've basically decided that a few small concessions are needed to be able to stick with this strict plan. I figure the worse case scenario will be that I don't lose as much weight as I hope to but I will still be developing healthier eating habits, ie: small portions, low fat, avoiding starches and sugars. Speaking of sugar...you would be amazed how many things contain sugar that you wouldn't expect, such as table salt, garlic salt, salsa, etc. Oh, and I've also allowed myself to chew sugar free gum, which technically is NOT allowed!
All in all I am much happier with how I feel today and once again feel like it is possible to stick with this. I continue to be cautiously optimistic. Here's hoping for another 2 lbs off by tomorrow!! : )
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A Challenge
Things are getting interesting!! I have 2 friends with differing opinions on this diet. Sooo...my friend Lisa is on board with me and is going to talk to her doctor about getting started on the HCG protocol. It will be great to have a friend to commiserate with through this. My friend Danielle is playing the part of the skeptic! She is going to spend the next 40 days eating healthy and exercising. This too will keep me motivated. I have to prove this can work! I will keep everyone updated on our progress over the next 40 days. GAME ON!!!
Day 1 - Easy as Pie!
Day 1
Today was my first day of daily HCG injections. Now I can honestly say, from experience, that there is NO pain involved in these injections. Giving the injections will be the easiest part of this journey! Today was really as easy as pie today but for a very good reason! Day 1 and 2 are gorge days.
According to the diet protocol you are to eat a high fat diet for the first 2 days. There is more than one reason behind this. First, the HCG supposedly takes a couple of days to "kick in" and suppress your appetite. I'm not sure I agree with this because I definitely noticed a difference in my appetite today. Second, the HCG is meant to trigger your body to break down abnormal fat stores. Eating higher fat foods for the first couple of days helps train your body to attack the fat. Then when you eliminate the fat from your diet on day 3 your body will go after the fat stores. Lastly, it is important to ensure that your NORMAL fat stores are well stocked! Normal fat stores are those that protect your organs. If these fat stores are lacking then your body will resist letting any fat go. I highly doubt any of my fat stores have been lacking but I'm enjoying my last 2 days of eating however I want.
I did my grocery shopping today and bought lots of apples, oranges, chicken breasts, spinach, etc. My diet for the next 40 days is going to be boring to say the least. My feeling about this is that I can do anything for 40 days. After the 40 days there are two 3 week maintenance phases where you slowly add back in starches, carbs, and sugars in moderation. This diet may offer quick weight loss but it is not a magic pill. It will take determination and commitment just as any diet program requires!
Summer clothes here I come!!
Today was my first day of daily HCG injections. Now I can honestly say, from experience, that there is NO pain involved in these injections. Giving the injections will be the easiest part of this journey! Today was really as easy as pie today but for a very good reason! Day 1 and 2 are gorge days.
According to the diet protocol you are to eat a high fat diet for the first 2 days. There is more than one reason behind this. First, the HCG supposedly takes a couple of days to "kick in" and suppress your appetite. I'm not sure I agree with this because I definitely noticed a difference in my appetite today. Second, the HCG is meant to trigger your body to break down abnormal fat stores. Eating higher fat foods for the first couple of days helps train your body to attack the fat. Then when you eliminate the fat from your diet on day 3 your body will go after the fat stores. Lastly, it is important to ensure that your NORMAL fat stores are well stocked! Normal fat stores are those that protect your organs. If these fat stores are lacking then your body will resist letting any fat go. I highly doubt any of my fat stores have been lacking but I'm enjoying my last 2 days of eating however I want.
I did my grocery shopping today and bought lots of apples, oranges, chicken breasts, spinach, etc. My diet for the next 40 days is going to be boring to say the least. My feeling about this is that I can do anything for 40 days. After the 40 days there are two 3 week maintenance phases where you slowly add back in starches, carbs, and sugars in moderation. This diet may offer quick weight loss but it is not a magic pill. It will take determination and commitment just as any diet program requires!
Summer clothes here I come!!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Beginning
Let me start by saying that this is the beginning of my attempts at blogging....one of two reasons for the title. So bear with me here.
This is also the beginning of my new weight loss journey. Yes, I said new which implies that I have attempted weight loss before. This is true. I have tried Weight Watchers, appetite suppressants, counting calories, Curves, and have even had a personal trainer. I have lost weight with each of these but unfortunately I have also gained back that weight. I realize that these and other options have worked for other people and that is great! My goal in doing this blog is not to discourage anyone from other weight loss options or even to encourage this plan. It is simply meant to be a record of this time in my life. I will also state that I am an RN and I fully understand the concept of calories in vs calories burned. I also know from my personal experience that it is easier said then done!
What does this new weight loss journey consist of you ask? HCG injections...yes, with needles. If you think I am crazy for being willing to give myself daily injections you are not the first to think so. Let me explain, these are subcutaneous injections, given into the layer of fat that lies just beneath the skin. The needles are TINY...a pinch would hurt worse! It's really not a big deal! Now that we got that out of the way you are probably thinking that this sounds like a gimmick. Maybe that is what it will turn out to be but this is a diet that has been prescribed by my nurse practitioner and is made and prepared by a licensed pharmacist. Beware of online homeopathic HCG that you can purchase without a prescription, it is NOT the same!!
I will attempt to explain the basics of this diet without rambling on. Basically this diet consists of daily injections of low doses of the hormone HCG daily x 40 days. The injections are used in conjunction with a very low calorie diet (VLCD)...500 calories to be exact. No, you did not misread that it actually says 500 calories! Anyone could lose weight on a 500 calorie diet but they would be miserable, starving, exhausted, have headaches, etc. Also, their body would begin to break down lean muscle for energy. Our bodies need to be retrained to break down abnormal fat stores. The science behind this diet is that HCG (also known as the pregnancy hormone) activates the hypothalamus and triggers the body to break down these abnormal fat stores instead of lean muscle. This is why even if a pregnant woman spends the first trimester vomiting every day the baby is not harmed. The body utilizes the energy contained in these fat cells to provide necessary nutrients to the baby. High HCG levels are thought to be one contributor to the cause of morning sickness. This diet involves very low doses of HCG and therefore does NOT cause nausea or vomiting. The dose is just enough to trigger the appropriate response. Yes, even men can use this diet.
Now we know why HCG is supposed to work but why the VLCD? In order for the HCG to work for weight loss it is necessary to avoid consuming fats, sugar, starches, oils, etc. If you are eating these then the body is simply going to use these for energy and will not resort to using the abnormal fat stores. By eating a very specific diet of lean protein and veggies and eliminating fat, sugar, starches, oils, etc. your body is forced to utilize these fat stores. The HCG prevents you from feeling hungry while on this diet. After the 40 days of injections and diet you then follow a similar diet but with increased caloric intake. After completing a 3 week maintenance phase you can then slowly add back those "forbidden" foods in moderation. The goal of this diet is not only to lose weight quickly and retrain the body but also to build healthier eating habits to keep the weight off long term.
Okay so maybe I did ramble a bit but there is a plethora of information regarding this diet. Please do not make a decision to use or not use this diet based on the limited information I have provided. If you are interested be sure to research this and other options and speak with your doctor. Be aware that some doctors may not understand or agree with this diet. There are risks and benefits to any diet!
The purpose of this blog in the coming weeks will be to give readers a real idea of how this diet does or doesn't work. Essentially I am willing to be the "guinea-pig". I am committed to giving this a valiant effort. The fact that I am sharing this with others will hopefully help to keep up my motivation! I will add that I have not yet decided if I am willing to share my weight and/or before and after photos! I will share how much I am losing throughout the process though.
This is also the beginning of my new weight loss journey. Yes, I said new which implies that I have attempted weight loss before. This is true. I have tried Weight Watchers, appetite suppressants, counting calories, Curves, and have even had a personal trainer. I have lost weight with each of these but unfortunately I have also gained back that weight. I realize that these and other options have worked for other people and that is great! My goal in doing this blog is not to discourage anyone from other weight loss options or even to encourage this plan. It is simply meant to be a record of this time in my life. I will also state that I am an RN and I fully understand the concept of calories in vs calories burned. I also know from my personal experience that it is easier said then done!
What does this new weight loss journey consist of you ask? HCG injections...yes, with needles. If you think I am crazy for being willing to give myself daily injections you are not the first to think so. Let me explain, these are subcutaneous injections, given into the layer of fat that lies just beneath the skin. The needles are TINY...a pinch would hurt worse! It's really not a big deal! Now that we got that out of the way you are probably thinking that this sounds like a gimmick. Maybe that is what it will turn out to be but this is a diet that has been prescribed by my nurse practitioner and is made and prepared by a licensed pharmacist. Beware of online homeopathic HCG that you can purchase without a prescription, it is NOT the same!!
I will attempt to explain the basics of this diet without rambling on. Basically this diet consists of daily injections of low doses of the hormone HCG daily x 40 days. The injections are used in conjunction with a very low calorie diet (VLCD)...500 calories to be exact. No, you did not misread that it actually says 500 calories! Anyone could lose weight on a 500 calorie diet but they would be miserable, starving, exhausted, have headaches, etc. Also, their body would begin to break down lean muscle for energy. Our bodies need to be retrained to break down abnormal fat stores. The science behind this diet is that HCG (also known as the pregnancy hormone) activates the hypothalamus and triggers the body to break down these abnormal fat stores instead of lean muscle. This is why even if a pregnant woman spends the first trimester vomiting every day the baby is not harmed. The body utilizes the energy contained in these fat cells to provide necessary nutrients to the baby. High HCG levels are thought to be one contributor to the cause of morning sickness. This diet involves very low doses of HCG and therefore does NOT cause nausea or vomiting. The dose is just enough to trigger the appropriate response. Yes, even men can use this diet.
Now we know why HCG is supposed to work but why the VLCD? In order for the HCG to work for weight loss it is necessary to avoid consuming fats, sugar, starches, oils, etc. If you are eating these then the body is simply going to use these for energy and will not resort to using the abnormal fat stores. By eating a very specific diet of lean protein and veggies and eliminating fat, sugar, starches, oils, etc. your body is forced to utilize these fat stores. The HCG prevents you from feeling hungry while on this diet. After the 40 days of injections and diet you then follow a similar diet but with increased caloric intake. After completing a 3 week maintenance phase you can then slowly add back those "forbidden" foods in moderation. The goal of this diet is not only to lose weight quickly and retrain the body but also to build healthier eating habits to keep the weight off long term.
Okay so maybe I did ramble a bit but there is a plethora of information regarding this diet. Please do not make a decision to use or not use this diet based on the limited information I have provided. If you are interested be sure to research this and other options and speak with your doctor. Be aware that some doctors may not understand or agree with this diet. There are risks and benefits to any diet!
The purpose of this blog in the coming weeks will be to give readers a real idea of how this diet does or doesn't work. Essentially I am willing to be the "guinea-pig". I am committed to giving this a valiant effort. The fact that I am sharing this with others will hopefully help to keep up my motivation! I will add that I have not yet decided if I am willing to share my weight and/or before and after photos! I will share how much I am losing throughout the process though.