!ate March 20 - Back on Track!

Sorry about no post yesterday- I was actually contemplating THROWING myself off the wagon. But, I made it through the day- without cheating (other than a drip of cream in my coffee)...and today- I was sure glad. Down 1.5 lbs from yesterday- which is what I gained when I fell off on date night with the brushetta, pasta, chicken, 3 beers, AND the Ghiradelli chocolate-chocolate-chocolate pazookie at BJ's.... but look- if I was gonna cheat...it was gonna be WORTH IT! And it WAS!!! Since date night sets me back- but only a day...I may use that as my splurge day again and see what happens... if I could do that it would make this diet so much more bearable the other 6 days of the week. So that would mean (so far) that I would be able to lose a total- of about 5 lbs a week....and THAT is OK with ME!!

For me, 5lbs meant I could wear some jeans that I couldn't wear just a week ago, and my tummy looks more like just after my tuck than it has since the baby was born. Not that it was bad -my tuck held like the Hoover Dam- but it looked more "natural" I guess you would say after the baby. It was a little soft around my belly button- but still very flat. I noticed a lot of difference in my hips- they are for sure smaller- and smoother.

If you think about it, 5 lbs is a lot of actual weight. Consider stacking 5 lbs of hamburger meat on the counter- 5 trays of 1 lb each...that's A LOT! So if you shave that off your body each week- you have a lot more room in your clothes!!

March 18 - No Loss from yesterday :(

Well- I guess that Chickfila and Outback (even though it was grilled stuff) isn't going to fool my body! I didn't gain or lose from yesterday's weigh in- still at 167.5 lbs.

Labs and official weigh in at doc's office today at 11AM...then gonna do eggs, tomatoes & melba toast for lunch. The kicker is gonna be date night tonight with Ric...they are always on Thursdays. I think I will pre-plan this to be safe. The place we usually go has some great cajun grilled shrimp -so if I do that on some lettuce with tomatoes- I should be ok. The hardest part...no beer. Its a micro-brewery and they have GREAT beer...I will miss enjoying it :(

Update March 17- good night!

Today was crazy- I had to get lunch on the run- but did grilled chicken breast from Chick-fila and a fruit cup with diet Dr Pepper. It was "OK" - but not sure I'd do that too often. Ran around like a mad-woman most of the afternoon- and was actually hungry when I got home around 4PM- so I ate 1/2 and orange and a few bites of melba toast.

After a plea via TM for Ric to take me out for dinner - we loaded up with the baby and headed to Outback. I managed to get through the bread and butter phase of the night- and onto my dinner which consisted of 1/2 chicken breast (grilled of course) and 5 small/medium grilled shrimp. It came with steamed green beans and steamed broccoli...it was all pretty good. Then Ric decided he would have a Spotted Dog Sundae while I watched...which is exactly what I did...watched- I didn't EVEN eat the cherry! Seriously- I didn't... I couldn't believe it myself...it was still on the table when we left. (Calling to me like a lost child in the night...)

Update March 17- Weigh In

You won't believe it- I am down another 1.5 lbs from yesterday's weigh in!! Thats a total of 6 lbs in less than 5 days!! I am shocked but oh sooooo pleased! I had on a pair of jeans yesterday that had been too tight for me just a week ago... I was SMILING!!

Update March 16 - Good night

Well folks...I made it through another day of the HCG diet...no problems! Well except I over seasoned my shrimp tonight and it was too salty. I will know better next time- I was using a Cajun seasoning that I am not familiar with... should come with a warning "use sparingly" ...

I was supposed to have a relaxing day at home since the nanny was off today...but you know that just couldn't work out for me. I ended up running around part of the day taking pics for a buyer (I'm a Realtor for those of you who don't know)- then spent the rest of the day getting an offer and a new listing together. Thankfully Ric got one of his teeth worked on today and he was home recouping (or supposed to be)- and was able to help me with the baby.

Not sure about breakfast tomorrow...that's one of the hard things about this "diet" - your options are VERY VERY limited and its not hard to get bored pretty quick with your choices. The egg beaters seem to make me gag more each time I think about them..which is odd because the first time I tried them over the weekend- I really liked them! The boiled eggs seemed to make me happy this morning... might try that again.

More later! Good night all!

Update March 16

Still feeling good! Just had some lunch about an hour ago- 2 boiled eggs, melba toast and tuna. Although tuna is not on the diet- I decided to see if I had any negative effects from it- I used the white tuna packed in water. It was only 1 gram of fat and 50 calories- I had about 3 oz of it. Also topped it off with a large granny smith green apple. I was full and satisfied when I got finished. The green tea that I have been having everyday - is great! Its Arizona brand- made with Splenda and comes in those handy packets that you dump into a 16 oz bottle of water. So far- I've tried the peach tea flavor and the pomegranate tea flavor- BOTH are excellent!

Ric went to WalMart today and brought home some shrimp- I will grill that up later with some Cajun spice and have it will a salad or some broccoli...

So far so good! I feel great and ITS WORKING!! I am 4.5 lbs down from Saturday!

Update- March 16, 2010 - 2 lbs vanished!

This mornings weigh in was amazing! 2 lbs gone since yesterday's weigh in! WOW! I was fully satisfied with what I ate yesterday- and not hungry at all. WOW- I can't believe its working like this! At this rate I will make my goal by the end of next week!! WOOO HOOO!!! Just had coffee so far this morning- gonna enjoy those boiled eggs and tomatoes later on...I am really motivated now!

Update- March 15, 2010- Dinner

Well- I changed my mind about the eggs...and Ric grilled a chicken breast for me again tonight. I enjoyed it with a salad (lettuce tomatoes & crumbled melba toast) -drizzled with white wine vinegar dressing (my own recipe -minus the olive oil). Everything was good! I am getting ready to have my nightly jello cup- oh and earlier today I ate a large orange. Hoping tomorrow the scales will reveal at least a 1 lb lighter PJRay! But even if not...I sure am eating more healthy...and this can't be bad for me!

Update March 15, 2010

Ahhhhh!! Much better today!! I worked so my mind was busy thinking about things other than food. I enjoyed a nice lunch of grilled shrimp with lime and steamed broccoli at Chilis...iced tea and wow was it good!

My weigh in this morning revealed 1/2 lb less than yesterday- so I am still losing!
Tonight's dinner will be light, boiled egg (maybe 2), sliced tomato, melba toast and some strawberries.

Its the end of the day- bedtime...and I am not hungry at all. My dinner was over 4 hours ago- so I am thinking that maybe my body may be getting used to this VLCD and is settling into it better now.

I was pondering about what my meals will be tomorrow- still not sure. I can have lean beef- so was considering a strip steak- omg that would be so good. The salad I have been eating until today was a "spring mix" of various greens- and as it turns out- its good if you can dress it up with a good Italian dressing, real croutons and real bacon bits...but I can't have any of those things on this diet- and the greens...well they just aren't that good alone. So tonight I just went with the regular iceberg lettuce salad- a few diced tomatoes and it was much better. I will likely have that again for dinner tomorrow. Not sure I can do the egg beaters again for brunch at 11AM...so I am going to try boiled eggs (2) -tomato- and melba toast.

I will also be scouring the internet tomorrow for some kind of substitute for cottage cheese- since I can't even stand the thought of putting that stuff in my mouth- hopefully I can find something else that will work and not derail me.

Dinner was amazing!

OK FINALLY! First time today I felt satisfied- thank goodness! I enjoyed a chicken breast seasoned with a citrus rub and pepper...grilled to perfection by my Ric. Added in a salad with tomatoes & crushed melba toast for croutons- with a white wine vinegar dressing- and it was all very good! I am saving my fruit for a little later- and that will be strawberries. I will likely be eating more chicken now- it was juicy and tasty and seems to fill me up better than the eggs- and the crab I had last night.

Not sure just yet if I can recommend this diet to anyone... its a little soon. I did suffer from a pretty intense headache today- and I was forewarned that it might be a side effect. I think from the lack of caffeine mostly. I was praying it wouldn't turn into a migraine- and it didn't...it finally subsided about 30 mins ago. Whew!!

Sunday 3/14/2010 update- afternoon

My body isn't liking this too much... although I still don't feel hungry -I keep thinking I need to eat- probably because I do. Weird how your body will try its best to take care of itself...it's kicked in my brain to keep food in the forefront of my thoughts. It doesn't help that 4 of the cinnamon rolls Ric made for breakfast are taunting me on the counter. He's lucky- his metabolism is faster than the speed of light... he eats like crazy and is still slim and muscular...uugghh MEN!

Dinner will be a salad with vinegar dressing (no oil) sprinkled with tomatoes & melba toast (sub'd for croutons) -and a grilled chicken breast- hopefully seasoned to the point where it makes my mouth water.

I cheated today...just a little. I made a cup of coffee- and although I only used the allowed sweetener...I did drop a DRIP of creamer in it just to turn it a dark brown. It was so good...if I don't have any negative effects from that negligible amount of fat (in tomorrow's weigh in...I might try it again)

I have seen enough variations in this "VLCD" menu that I think some slight adjustments can't hurt. From what I have read and heard from friends who are on this plan- the meats are the same- but some of the "extras" tend to vary just a tad. I have to find a way to make this work for me...

Update on how this is making me feel...

I am a few days into this HCG diet-(with injections) and I am tired. I want to eat something- but not really because I feel hungry- but rather because I think I would feel better if I had some food in me.

Breakfast @ 11AM was egg beaters with mushrooms and asparagus again...and a large green apple. Before I finished the eggs- I was thinking "if I eat one more bite I am gonna be seeing it again..." Kinda sick feeling...so I quit. Drinking iced pomegranate tea again- its really good.

I keep thinking of the 2 lb success I have already had- so I won't give up...at least not today. Plus the $600 that I spent on this- is keeping me determined too. (We will see how long that lasts)

HCG- Menu Day #2 ...Injection Day #5

Its 8:37AM (time just changed last night -and so starts that dance of "well its really 7:37AM- which will be played until the math confuses me too much & I get bored of it)...so in any case its early for me. Baby is up- happy as a clam with her cereal bottle- she is singing (or at least we call it that) in her highchair.

I woke a few minutes ago- thinking "COFFEE...oh wait...I can't have cream & sugar so what is the point??"...Got up- peed- stepped on the scale (for those of you who don't remember- yesterday was my first menu diet day)- and HOLY SCHMOLY! I have lost 2 lbs (according to my scale) since I weighed yesterday morning! Okay...so if I needed a little motivation to keep on- I was starring at it... Yesterday said 173.5 -and today clearly 171.5!

I am headed back to my little singing bird in the kitchen- she is gonna sing me through making some tea and waiting for my next scheduled meal at 11AM. Prolly gonna be egg beaters again...will update later.

Day 4: Menu Day #1...Injection #4

Today I began the "very low calorie diet" (VLCD) phase of the HCG plan. I got up early- made some herbal tea with Splenda and sat down to make my grocery list...which took about 17 seconds. There isn't much on the diet to choose from to begin with- and when you whittle it down to the items that you actually care to eat...it gets really skinny- pardon the pun ;)

My grocery list looked like this;

• mushrooms
• asparagus
• onion
• kiwi
• strawberries
• oranges
• apples
• egg beaters
• tea
• melba toast
• sugar free jello cups
• chicken
• crab
• shrimp

Reading that makes one think of some elaborate gourmet recipe that will be carefully put together for a snooty dinner party later tonight...but no. These are the foods that will last me for the week- and these are ALL of the foods that I will be eating...nothing more.

On the way home from the grocery store- I stopped by a local health food store to pick up an Amino spray that was recommended by my doctor...it was promised that I could sub it for soy sauce on veggies and meats...I was sceptical but- curious. $4 for a tiny little bottle- and it better be good.

The HCG/VLCD plan says no food before 11AM...and I was approaching 12:30 by the time I got home. I unloaded the baby, diaper bag, groceries and got everyone and everything in the house. Put away the food- and pulled out my HCG planner to remind myself of the quantities of food that I can have. After careful consideration- since this would be my ONLY meal until dinner time several hours later...I decided on scrambled egg beaters, asparagus & mushrooms and a cup of strawberries.

I cut up the mushrooms and asparagus and heated a splash of water in a nonstick skillet to create some steam- threw in my veggies and sprayed them with the Amino spray... and YES it does taste like soy sauce- WHEW!! After the veggies steamed just long enough to soften them slightly- I dumped in the 3/4 cup egg beaters- and 2 egg whites. There is was...my first meal. It looked good- smelled good- and after a sprinkle of salt and pepper- I have to tell you- it really was tasty! I sat there eating it- slowly -so to enjoy it fully- thinking "I can actually do this for 3 weeks...even if THIS was the only thing I made everyday..." And I know there are lots of other things I can eat- so I am going to be fine.

That was around 1PM...and it is now 3:15... I am thinking I want to eat...but wondering " am I hungry- or do I just want to eat because I know I can't?" Either way- I am not eating anything til dinner. I have a big glass of iced pomegranate tea- and that will be it til the next meal time.

About me...and HCG- the first 3 days

Hi Everyone!
My name (for blog purposes) is PJRay...and I have decided to try the 23 day HCG plan- using injections.

I am 39 and just had a baby 6 months ago. I only gained 22 lbs during my pregnancy- a very intentional effort to gain enough to grow a healthy baby -but not so much that I messed up my "mommy makeover" which included a breast lift and tummy tuck- about 2 years ago. I succeeded- and only gained a small amount- so I didn't suffer from any new stretch marks, my tummy stayed flat and within 3 weeks of giving birth I had lost the 22 lbs- plus another 8 lbs (probably from breastfeeding)- and was back at my pre-pregnancy weight of right at 170 lbs.

I am 5'4"- so 170 is a little bit much for my frame- I feel that I look the best and am most healthy around the 150 lb mark on the scale. Since I didn't have a lot of weight to lose- I wanted to try this HCG program- and see how it would work for me.

So, 4 days ago on (March 10th) - I began my injections and the first of three "binge" days. The binging was hard for me- because I don't over-eat nor do I regularly eat unhealthy or fatty foods. My doctor encouraged me to eat 3000 calories per day for the first 3 days...and I probably get around 1400-1800 per day on average in my normal daily life. This is probably the reason that I don't have any trouble maintaining a weight- that caloric intake would be about right for me and my activity level to simply "maintain." However, I want to LOSE weight...and that's what brought me to this.

The first "binge" day was fun- I had my husband take me out for a mexican lunch which consisted of sour cream enchiladas, refried beans, tortillas and a huge slice of carrot cake. I was thinking "YES" this is a great way to LOAD UP! The problem was- I made it through 1 of the enchiladas and was pretty much full- I managed to get down 4 bites of the carrot cake before I was pushing away from the table. For dinner I had a nice helping of spaghetti and meat sauce, a piece of garlic bread and a mixed greens salad with a small splash of Italian dressing and a sprinkle of croutons.

The second "binge" day started out with a bang- 2 eggs, 2 sausage patties, 2 pieces of cinnamon toast, a roma tomato and coffee with cream and sugar. OMG- I was STUFFED! For lunch I had tortilla soup and 2 soft tacos -then a honey drizzled sopapilla at Ninfas. This happened to be a Thursday- and that is weekly "date night" with the husband! We went to dinner at a local grill and brewery- and I enjoyed 3 beers, a rice & chicken dish with peppers and onions and a couple of mozzarella sticks. I am pretty sure I was close to my 3000 calorie goal that day.

Yesterday was the third and final "binge" day- and it was also a road trip -taking my brother home. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast- where I ordered and finished a sausage/egg biscuit, 1/2 of a small OJ and a large coffee with cream. A couple hours down the road- we pulled off for a break-and I grabbed a bag of "Bugles" - a bag of "Cracker Jacks" (both single serving bags- not the family size that you throw in your pantry) and a diet Mt. Dew. Later in the day- around mid-afternoon I found a Sonic and upon finally convincing myself "its OK to do this- its part of the DIET" - I ordered and semi-enjoyed a hamburger with ketsup, mayo & veggies, all but 3 in the order of my tots and a diet vanilla coke....man it was all so GOOD! Last night in bed I ate a brownie that my husband baked- knowing it would be my last goodie for a while.

Each morning for the past 3 days- I have given myself the prescribed HCG injection. The first day was hilarious- as I stabbed myself in the thumb- very strategically in a nerve- so that my whole arm hurt that day. I had never handled a needle before- much less given myself an injection... so it was an experience for sure. My stomach area-below my belly button is mostly numb from the tummy tuck- so pain wasn't a concern- and needles don't make me squeamish at all. So- I loaded up the needle and stuck myself! That was that. It has been pretty much a non-event each day since- and this morning was the 4th injection.