Seriously??? it's been more than two weeks since I posted? Wow. It felt so refreshing to hit "new post" today!
Sorry I've been so MIA. Is there anyone out there who still cares? Big Daddy told me I've probably lost all my readership by now. I hope not! Anyway, I'm finally starting to feel like I'm not constantly drowning in boxes and unpacking and cleaning and all that. I still have a lot to do around here, but hopefully this will be the beginning to me getting back to normal posting.
One of my friends emailed me recently to ask how things have been post-HCG. Have I maintained my weight? Am I still eating right? So I thought I'd post my answer to her in case anyone out there, all two of you, might also be wondering the same thing. I know one of the biggest criticisms of the HCG diet is the results' longevity. So, to answer her questions:
Yes, I've done well. In fact, I'm 2 lbs lower now than I was at the end of HCG. I did the HCG maintenance phase pretty strictly for about a week or two. You're supposed to do it for four weeks, but I couldn't go w/o carbs any longer. But I was very careful to still eat small portions of carbs and little sugar for the rest of the maintenance phase. But the big thing for me was that after I went back to "normal eating" or at least not the HCG diet, I still followed a pretty moderate eating plan and exercised regularly. I think a lot of people coming off this diet, and most diets, go overboard in their eating 'cause they have felt deprived for so long. I think that's why most people gain their weight back--they go back to eating the way they did before. But I was on a pretty reasonable diet/exercise plan for 9 months before HCG, so I just went back to that. Basically, I still exercised 3-4x a week, and I tried to avoid big portions, fatty food, and sweets. But I didn't completely keep myself away from them. I just tried to be moderate. That, plus the exercise, let me keep the weight to within 1 1/2 lbs of my last HCG weight. Then when I was getting ready to move a couple weeks ago, I was doing so much physical labor all day that I lost 4 more lbs. I've gained back 1 1/2 of those since settling in, which puts me 2 lbs below my HCG weight.
Does that more than answer your question?! LOL Anyway, if you're wondering if it's worth it, YES. If you have a hard time losing weight, no diet will help faster. BUT it's a very hard diet to do. You really have to be committed to it. And I would also say if you have a hard time maintaining your weight on a regular basis, don't do this diet. But if you find that maintaining isn't an issue for you, it's just losing weight, just getting over that hump you're always hovering at, I think this is a really good diet. You just have to be sure to go back to your eat right/exercise routine after the diet.
I guess in summary I think it's a sad fact of being our age that you can never live the lifestyle of indulgent eating + being mostly sedentary. If you want to lose weight, the HCG diet can help you--fast. But if you want to stay there, you're going to have to work at it for the rest of your life. You can learn to eat less or learn to be more active, or both. But no matter what diet you do, you can't go back to living the way you did before you lost the weight or you will gain it back.
But I'll also say this: I'm a LOT more motivated to watch my eating and exercise now that I feel really good about my body than I did when I was 15 or 30 lbs heavier. I am so determined not to get back to that old fat me.
Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Anything else anyone wants to ask about HCG? (And for those of you that are sicker than hell of hearing about my stupid diet, this will be the last time, promise!)
Showing posts with label HCG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HCG. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Falling Off The Wagon (HCG Phase 2)
When you finish the 500 calorie + injections phase of the HCG diet and move on to the maintenance phase, you're supposed to feel a great sense of relief. You're supposed to have so many more food options open to you, it should feel like a feast after a famine.
But you still can't eat carbs or sugars. And so I'm finding that I feel almost as deprived on this phase of the diet as I was on Phase 1. Just not as hungry. But deprived isn't all that far from hungry, I'm discovering. Think about it. You can't have cereal for breakfast. Or pancakes. Or oatmeal. Or waffles. Or toast. Or any of the other wonderful breakfast foods you'd normally eat. What does that leave you? Eggs. Yes, and bacon, sausage, ham and all the breakfast meats. But you can't just eat breakfast meats for breakfast. And an egg without toast is not that enticing. Even if you can choke it down, you can't do it day after day. So what do I end up eating for breakfast? A strawberry smoothie. Same as before.
Then there is snack time. What would you eat for a snack normally? Some crackers with cheese? (No crackers allowed). A granola bar? (Guess again). Chips and salsa? (Ixnay on the ipschay). Seriously, it is HARD to think of stuff to snack on! So far I've come up with nuts. A handful of nuts. I should feel grateful that I can eat nuts. But I'm so used to thinking of them as fattening, that even though they're allowed on this phase of the diet, I am paranoid about eating them.
And then there is meal-time. I still eat my lean meats--shrimp, fish, chicken, turkey, steak. But I can't add carb-based side dishes to them. No potatoes au gratin, no rice pilaf, no noodles, no bread, no fries. So what can I eat with my meat to meet my daily calorie goal (1500-2000 calories)? More veggies? For real??? A couple of fruit choices that I couldn't have before? Whoopdeedoo. I'm not joking, people. Not eating carbs is freaking HARD!
I don't mean to be such a whiner. I know I should be grateful that I can have cheese now. And nuts. And full-fat dressing. But either I'm so paranoid about eating them because of the fat, or they just don't offer me any kind of satisfying feeling. Because I still find myself obsessing about carbs and sugar. Way worse than any diet I've ever been on before.
Which explains why, today, when I had a complete lack-of-sugar meltdown, I made cookie dough and ate three heaping spoonfuls of it, plus two cookies, and sucked them down with the same fervor and joy that a person would do to water after wandering in the desert. It was like I was eating for the first time in years. That's how it felt. It was AMAZING.
The aftermath? I'm sure it won't be pretty. Despite a lot of exercise today (walking a mile while picking up trash with the Scouts, playing volleyball and Frisbee golf, washing the cars) I may see a big gain tomorrow. But for right now, while the memory of brown sugar and butter and flour and chocolate chips is still lingering on my tongue, it was heaven. And it was worth it.
But you still can't eat carbs or sugars. And so I'm finding that I feel almost as deprived on this phase of the diet as I was on Phase 1. Just not as hungry. But deprived isn't all that far from hungry, I'm discovering. Think about it. You can't have cereal for breakfast. Or pancakes. Or oatmeal. Or waffles. Or toast. Or any of the other wonderful breakfast foods you'd normally eat. What does that leave you? Eggs. Yes, and bacon, sausage, ham and all the breakfast meats. But you can't just eat breakfast meats for breakfast. And an egg without toast is not that enticing. Even if you can choke it down, you can't do it day after day. So what do I end up eating for breakfast? A strawberry smoothie. Same as before.
Then there is snack time. What would you eat for a snack normally? Some crackers with cheese? (No crackers allowed). A granola bar? (Guess again). Chips and salsa? (Ixnay on the ipschay). Seriously, it is HARD to think of stuff to snack on! So far I've come up with nuts. A handful of nuts. I should feel grateful that I can eat nuts. But I'm so used to thinking of them as fattening, that even though they're allowed on this phase of the diet, I am paranoid about eating them.
And then there is meal-time. I still eat my lean meats--shrimp, fish, chicken, turkey, steak. But I can't add carb-based side dishes to them. No potatoes au gratin, no rice pilaf, no noodles, no bread, no fries. So what can I eat with my meat to meet my daily calorie goal (1500-2000 calories)? More veggies? For real??? A couple of fruit choices that I couldn't have before? Whoopdeedoo. I'm not joking, people. Not eating carbs is freaking HARD!
I don't mean to be such a whiner. I know I should be grateful that I can have cheese now. And nuts. And full-fat dressing. But either I'm so paranoid about eating them because of the fat, or they just don't offer me any kind of satisfying feeling. Because I still find myself obsessing about carbs and sugar. Way worse than any diet I've ever been on before.
Which explains why, today, when I had a complete lack-of-sugar meltdown, I made cookie dough and ate three heaping spoonfuls of it, plus two cookies, and sucked them down with the same fervor and joy that a person would do to water after wandering in the desert. It was like I was eating for the first time in years. That's how it felt. It was AMAZING.
The aftermath? I'm sure it won't be pretty. Despite a lot of exercise today (walking a mile while picking up trash with the Scouts, playing volleyball and Frisbee golf, washing the cars) I may see a big gain tomorrow. But for right now, while the memory of brown sugar and butter and flour and chocolate chips is still lingering on my tongue, it was heaven. And it was worth it.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
HCG - The Final Analysis
Final Weight Loss: 10.2 lbs in 22 days. (Average ~ 1/2 lb per day)
Final Inches Lost: 19 inches (arms, legs, waist, neck, hips, chest)
Final Sizes Difference: Shirt - Medium to small, Pants - size 10 to size 6
Final Comments: This was a hard diet, but this was also a very worth-it diet. As I said when I started, I just couldn't seem to get over that hump with diet and exercise. Whether my body was clinging too tightly to that weight I'd been at for 2 years, or I just didn't have the motivation to keep it up long enough, I knew I needed something to push me to a new level. And this worked!
I know everyone is on pins and needles now to see if I can keep it off. So am I! I'll tell you one thing, my first day off the VLCD and on to the Maintenance Phase, was hard! Even though I should feel like I have a lot more food options available to me (nuts, eggs, all meats, dairy, all fruits and veggies), I still have a hard time thinking what I can eat when carbs are forbidden. I had an awards dinner for my husband and turned down the juice spritzer, the rolls, and most of the mashed potatoes. I did, however, lose my gumption when it came to the cheesecake dessert. I ate most of it. Shame on me! I just couldn't help it. It was my first dessert in 3 weeks!!!!! (That is pretty much a complete mircale for this girl!) But let me also tell you, I felt like I was going to burst after 1 1/2 pieces of the 3 slices of pork roast I was served, some asparagus and a baby carrot, 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes, and 1/2 cup of cheesecake. I thought I would die! And I wasn't hungry again at all until 7pm. Then I had a chicken salad (full fat dressing, yum! thank goodness that is allowed now) for dinner and 2 1/2 hours later I still feel so full I want to barf. I guess that is one thing about eating such small amounts over the last 3 weeks...it has totally shrunk my stomach down and I just don't want large quantities of food anymore.
Other observations:
- I drink way more water now.
- My joint pains have almost disappeared (curious, huh?). I wonder if it's from all the fruits and veggies or less fat or what.
- My nails are super thick and strong (unlike usual, when they're super weak)
- My skin is very dry (no fats or oils in lotions were allowed)
- I have totally gotten over my pop addiction
- I automatically think of adding fresh veggies and fruits to my meals
- I am pretty satisfied with a 50 calorie strawberry smoothy for breakfast. I may keep that up. (But I will allow a real snack later since the smoothie isn't terribly long-lasting.)
- I feel like, in a lot of ways, I've reprogrammed my brain and body to eat healthier, smarter, fresher, and lower calorie. It's like when I first did Weight Watchers and I suddenly realized that there was a better way of eating. This has done the same thing, I think. Even more so.
- I'm actually excited to exercise (I know, hold the phones!). Not a brutal work-out, but a nice run outside in the warm weather or a swim in the pool. Even though, on the whole, I hate exercise, I'd gotten so used to it that my body misses being more active.
- I did not reach my goal weight. I am still about 4 lbs away. I feel good where I am, and am very relieved about the difference in the way I look, but I would still really like to reach that weight, just to give myself a little more cushion.
- Pretty much nothing I own fits me. Except these jeans that I didn't know what to do with. (I'm so glad I hung onto them!) I need a whole new wardrobe. Literally, I hardly have anything to wear. And I can't afford $2000 to rebuy every pair of jeans, capris, skirts, dresses, shirts, pajamas, sweats, etc. I guess I'll be dressing really boring and repetative for the next little while!
Stay tuned for a few more updates on how the Maintenance Phase is going. If I can keep up with it, I should be able to make a new set-point for my body. Who knows, I might even lose a few more!
*originally written 4/12/10
p.s. I was going to post before and after pics, but honestly they don't look that all that different.
Final Inches Lost: 19 inches (arms, legs, waist, neck, hips, chest)
Final Sizes Difference: Shirt - Medium to small, Pants - size 10 to size 6
Final Comments: This was a hard diet, but this was also a very worth-it diet. As I said when I started, I just couldn't seem to get over that hump with diet and exercise. Whether my body was clinging too tightly to that weight I'd been at for 2 years, or I just didn't have the motivation to keep it up long enough, I knew I needed something to push me to a new level. And this worked!
I know everyone is on pins and needles now to see if I can keep it off. So am I! I'll tell you one thing, my first day off the VLCD and on to the Maintenance Phase, was hard! Even though I should feel like I have a lot more food options available to me (nuts, eggs, all meats, dairy, all fruits and veggies), I still have a hard time thinking what I can eat when carbs are forbidden. I had an awards dinner for my husband and turned down the juice spritzer, the rolls, and most of the mashed potatoes. I did, however, lose my gumption when it came to the cheesecake dessert. I ate most of it. Shame on me! I just couldn't help it. It was my first dessert in 3 weeks!!!!! (That is pretty much a complete mircale for this girl!) But let me also tell you, I felt like I was going to burst after 1 1/2 pieces of the 3 slices of pork roast I was served, some asparagus and a baby carrot, 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes, and 1/2 cup of cheesecake. I thought I would die! And I wasn't hungry again at all until 7pm. Then I had a chicken salad (full fat dressing, yum! thank goodness that is allowed now) for dinner and 2 1/2 hours later I still feel so full I want to barf. I guess that is one thing about eating such small amounts over the last 3 weeks...it has totally shrunk my stomach down and I just don't want large quantities of food anymore.
Other observations:
- I drink way more water now.
- My joint pains have almost disappeared (curious, huh?). I wonder if it's from all the fruits and veggies or less fat or what.
- My nails are super thick and strong (unlike usual, when they're super weak)
- My skin is very dry (no fats or oils in lotions were allowed)
- I have totally gotten over my pop addiction
- I automatically think of adding fresh veggies and fruits to my meals
- I am pretty satisfied with a 50 calorie strawberry smoothy for breakfast. I may keep that up. (But I will allow a real snack later since the smoothie isn't terribly long-lasting.)
- I feel like, in a lot of ways, I've reprogrammed my brain and body to eat healthier, smarter, fresher, and lower calorie. It's like when I first did Weight Watchers and I suddenly realized that there was a better way of eating. This has done the same thing, I think. Even more so.
- I'm actually excited to exercise (I know, hold the phones!). Not a brutal work-out, but a nice run outside in the warm weather or a swim in the pool. Even though, on the whole, I hate exercise, I'd gotten so used to it that my body misses being more active.
- I did not reach my goal weight. I am still about 4 lbs away. I feel good where I am, and am very relieved about the difference in the way I look, but I would still really like to reach that weight, just to give myself a little more cushion.
- Pretty much nothing I own fits me. Except these jeans that I didn't know what to do with. (I'm so glad I hung onto them!) I need a whole new wardrobe. Literally, I hardly have anything to wear. And I can't afford $2000 to rebuy every pair of jeans, capris, skirts, dresses, shirts, pajamas, sweats, etc. I guess I'll be dressing really boring and repetative for the next little while!
Stay tuned for a few more updates on how the Maintenance Phase is going. If I can keep up with it, I should be able to make a new set-point for my body. Who knows, I might even lose a few more!
*originally written 4/12/10
p.s. I was going to post before and after pics, but honestly they don't look that all that different.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
HCG Day 23 - The End In Sight
So I haven't posted much on the HCG Diet lately. It's been pretty status quo. But I just finished my last dose of HCG this morning, so I thought I'd do a little update...
Everything went pretty well until late last week. Then I started feeling way more tired and empty and hungry. There is a sectoin of the HCG Protocol where Dr. Simeons talks about this happening when a person is reaching a natural body weight for their height/age and begins to run out of fat stores. They no longer have the fat calories to support a lower calorie diet. So they begin to feel lethargic and hungry. And that's exactly where I was. In that case, says the manuscript, the person should go up to a 800-1000 calorie diet, but continue to take the HCG for the full 3 weeks. So on Friday and Saturday, I increased my meat portions by 50% and increased my veggies/fruit somewhat. And I felt much better. I also didn't lose any more weight, which is what is supposed to happen. You're just supposed to stay steady until the end of the 3 weeks.
HOWEVER, then came Easter. Saturday night as I (I mean the Easter Bunny) filled the baskets, I (I mean the Easter Bunny) decided to eat a few pieces of candy. And then the next day was our semi-annual Big Daddy's Family Conference Brunch. It's a big eating event, chalk full of wonderful carb-based and fat-based delights. I knew there was no way I would be able to go and not eat. So I planned on blowing off my diet that day, but still trying to keep things within reason. I did pretty well. I ate some more candy (maybe 10-15 pieces), 1/2 cinnamon roll, 1 1/2 servings of breakfast casserole (egg-based, full of veggies, so not entirely outside the diet), a helping of mixed berries (totally on the diet) and a tiny piece of ham. Then for dinner I stuck to the diet completely with just shrimp and veggies. No more candy or other sweets. And when I tallied up my calories for the day, I was just under 1200, pretty decent for a day of mini-binging.
I did gain 0.1 lb by Sunday morning and 1 full lb by Monday morning. But then I went back on the diet hardcore yesterday and lost 1 1/2 lbs, putting me at my lowest weight in 10 years!
So where do I go from here? I have three days of "detox" where I continue the 500 calorie diet while the HCG leaves my system. Then on Friday I start the maintenance phase. It's where I don't have any calorie restrictions, I can begin to eat fats again (dairy, eggs, nuts, higher fat meats), I can eat all fruits and veggies, but no starches or bad-for-you sugars. That lasts for 3 weeks. My weight should stay steady and it should help my body's set-point be reset to my current weight and not try to regain my old weight. After that, it's just recommended you bring in carbs slowly and keep an eye on your weight. (There is a contingency plan for if you go more than 2 lbs over your last HCG weight, but let's not talk about that. I hope it doesn't ever happen).
So that's where I stand. I feel great today. I was hardly hungry at all, thanks to the carbs from Sunday. I am hoping to drop maybe 1 or 2 more lbs in the next 3 days that the HCG is still working. And then, hopefully, I will maintain until I can resume my normal "exercise and eat reasonably for ever and ever amen" semi-diet program.
Any questions?
Daily Weight Loss: 0.8 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 9.4 lbs
Everything went pretty well until late last week. Then I started feeling way more tired and empty and hungry. There is a sectoin of the HCG Protocol where Dr. Simeons talks about this happening when a person is reaching a natural body weight for their height/age and begins to run out of fat stores. They no longer have the fat calories to support a lower calorie diet. So they begin to feel lethargic and hungry. And that's exactly where I was. In that case, says the manuscript, the person should go up to a 800-1000 calorie diet, but continue to take the HCG for the full 3 weeks. So on Friday and Saturday, I increased my meat portions by 50% and increased my veggies/fruit somewhat. And I felt much better. I also didn't lose any more weight, which is what is supposed to happen. You're just supposed to stay steady until the end of the 3 weeks.
HOWEVER, then came Easter. Saturday night as I (I mean the Easter Bunny) filled the baskets, I (I mean the Easter Bunny) decided to eat a few pieces of candy. And then the next day was our semi-annual Big Daddy's Family Conference Brunch. It's a big eating event, chalk full of wonderful carb-based and fat-based delights. I knew there was no way I would be able to go and not eat. So I planned on blowing off my diet that day, but still trying to keep things within reason. I did pretty well. I ate some more candy (maybe 10-15 pieces), 1/2 cinnamon roll, 1 1/2 servings of breakfast casserole (egg-based, full of veggies, so not entirely outside the diet), a helping of mixed berries (totally on the diet) and a tiny piece of ham. Then for dinner I stuck to the diet completely with just shrimp and veggies. No more candy or other sweets. And when I tallied up my calories for the day, I was just under 1200, pretty decent for a day of mini-binging.
I did gain 0.1 lb by Sunday morning and 1 full lb by Monday morning. But then I went back on the diet hardcore yesterday and lost 1 1/2 lbs, putting me at my lowest weight in 10 years!
So where do I go from here? I have three days of "detox" where I continue the 500 calorie diet while the HCG leaves my system. Then on Friday I start the maintenance phase. It's where I don't have any calorie restrictions, I can begin to eat fats again (dairy, eggs, nuts, higher fat meats), I can eat all fruits and veggies, but no starches or bad-for-you sugars. That lasts for 3 weeks. My weight should stay steady and it should help my body's set-point be reset to my current weight and not try to regain my old weight. After that, it's just recommended you bring in carbs slowly and keep an eye on your weight. (There is a contingency plan for if you go more than 2 lbs over your last HCG weight, but let's not talk about that. I hope it doesn't ever happen).
So that's where I stand. I feel great today. I was hardly hungry at all, thanks to the carbs from Sunday. I am hoping to drop maybe 1 or 2 more lbs in the next 3 days that the HCG is still working. And then, hopefully, I will maintain until I can resume my normal "exercise and eat reasonably for ever and ever amen" semi-diet program.
Any questions?
Daily Weight Loss: 0.8 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 9.4 lbs
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
HCG Day 14 - Update
I haven't been blogging as much lately about how the HCG diet is going. But some of you have emailed me or asked me, so I thought I'd do an update.
It's fine. Just fine.
Hunger: Totally manageable
Weight: Gradually losing (averaging 1/2 lb per day)
Clothes: Getting baggier
Ability to Resist Temptation: depends on the day
Overall, I feel good about things. My hunger is completely under control. By that I mean that, yes, I am occasionally hungry. But I'm not starving like I was the first 3 days. I have plenty of energy, my brain is working fine, I feel normal. And if I do get hungry, I eat a grissini breadstick or eat a few strawberries and I'm fine again. It's no worse than when I was on Weight Watchers and had reduced my caloric intake. Only I'm losing weight way faster than Weight Watchers.
I've also gotten a pretty good feel for what to eat. I have my smoothie for breakfast, then I eat fish or shrimp for lunch with cooked spinach or cabbage or broccoli. Or chicken breast on salad greens. Ditto for dinner, only I usually have steak or ground beef. I have a breadstick or two between meals if I need it (most days I don't). And then after dinner to kill off my sweet tooth, I'll eat strawberries with Steveia or make an apple crisp (using Melba toast ground to crumbs, mixed with cinnamon and Stevia, sprinkled over an apple and baked). I drink a lot of water and occasionally herbal tea or crystal light.
The hardest thing with this diet has been consistency. I've had trouble both of the last weekends with having to go places where food was not in my control. A ward party, a family dinner, and of course my own birthday, for which, I'll have you know, I ate perfectly all day and only allowed myself 1 piece of pizza, 1 cupcake, and 1 slice of cake for dinner. That was a serious test of will since normally on my birthday I pig out on every good thing I can think of. (Also because the chocolate ganache cupcakes my friend Kati made me might possibly have been the mos delicious thing I've ever eaten and I wanted to eat 4 or 5, not 1). Anyway, both weekends, the day after I ate things I shouldn't have, my weight slowed, and the day after that I showed no loss or a small gain. That has set me back 4 days overall. It's amazing how much my body sucks up any fat or sugar I eat on this diet. Normally, eating 1 pork taco with salsa for dinner wouldn't affect my weight at all. In fact, I'd consider it dieting normally. But on this diet, your body is eliminating the fat to such an extent that any fat/sugar taken in is immediately metabolized back into normal fat stores.
So aside from that, and I am learning to try to stay away from any situations where I can't eat my usual foods, the diet is going well. Some days I wish my loss was bigger/faster (the last 3 days have been only .4 loss /day. Normally that is a lot, but on this diet, closer to 1 lb is normal). But in the next week before my VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) ends, if I can lose another 3 lbs, I'll still be my lowest weight in at least 10 years. And that is a good thing.
Starting next Tuesday, I will no longer take HCG. I will continue the VLCD for 2 days to let the medicine get out of my system. Then I begin phase 2 of the diet, the Maintenance Phase.
Any other questions? Feel free to ask.
Daily Weight Loss: 1 1/2 lbs!!!
Total Weight Loss: 7 lbs
(FYI, after several days of small losses, I decided to rededicate myself to the Protocol. I had been making more and more minor changes that I think were affecting my weight loss. So yesterday I did an experiment where tried to stick exactly to the Protocol. I drank way more water, avoided salt, plus no diet drinks, no yogurt, no 0-calorie butter spray, no forbidden veggies. I stuck as strictly to the protocol as I could, and obviously it worked!)
It's fine. Just fine.
Hunger: Totally manageable
Weight: Gradually losing (averaging 1/2 lb per day)
Clothes: Getting baggier
Ability to Resist Temptation: depends on the day
Overall, I feel good about things. My hunger is completely under control. By that I mean that, yes, I am occasionally hungry. But I'm not starving like I was the first 3 days. I have plenty of energy, my brain is working fine, I feel normal. And if I do get hungry, I eat a grissini breadstick or eat a few strawberries and I'm fine again. It's no worse than when I was on Weight Watchers and had reduced my caloric intake. Only I'm losing weight way faster than Weight Watchers.
I've also gotten a pretty good feel for what to eat. I have my smoothie for breakfast, then I eat fish or shrimp for lunch with cooked spinach or cabbage or broccoli. Or chicken breast on salad greens. Ditto for dinner, only I usually have steak or ground beef. I have a breadstick or two between meals if I need it (most days I don't). And then after dinner to kill off my sweet tooth, I'll eat strawberries with Steveia or make an apple crisp (using Melba toast ground to crumbs, mixed with cinnamon and Stevia, sprinkled over an apple and baked). I drink a lot of water and occasionally herbal tea or crystal light.
The hardest thing with this diet has been consistency. I've had trouble both of the last weekends with having to go places where food was not in my control. A ward party, a family dinner, and of course my own birthday, for which, I'll have you know, I ate perfectly all day and only allowed myself 1 piece of pizza, 1 cupcake, and 1 slice of cake for dinner. That was a serious test of will since normally on my birthday I pig out on every good thing I can think of. (Also because the chocolate ganache cupcakes my friend Kati made me might possibly have been the mos delicious thing I've ever eaten and I wanted to eat 4 or 5, not 1). Anyway, both weekends, the day after I ate things I shouldn't have, my weight slowed, and the day after that I showed no loss or a small gain. That has set me back 4 days overall. It's amazing how much my body sucks up any fat or sugar I eat on this diet. Normally, eating 1 pork taco with salsa for dinner wouldn't affect my weight at all. In fact, I'd consider it dieting normally. But on this diet, your body is eliminating the fat to such an extent that any fat/sugar taken in is immediately metabolized back into normal fat stores.
So aside from that, and I am learning to try to stay away from any situations where I can't eat my usual foods, the diet is going well. Some days I wish my loss was bigger/faster (the last 3 days have been only .4 loss /day. Normally that is a lot, but on this diet, closer to 1 lb is normal). But in the next week before my VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) ends, if I can lose another 3 lbs, I'll still be my lowest weight in at least 10 years. And that is a good thing.
Starting next Tuesday, I will no longer take HCG. I will continue the VLCD for 2 days to let the medicine get out of my system. Then I begin phase 2 of the diet, the Maintenance Phase.
Any other questions? Feel free to ask.
Daily Weight Loss: 1 1/2 lbs!!!
Total Weight Loss: 7 lbs
(FYI, after several days of small losses, I decided to rededicate myself to the Protocol. I had been making more and more minor changes that I think were affecting my weight loss. So yesterday I did an experiment where tried to stick exactly to the Protocol. I drank way more water, avoided salt, plus no diet drinks, no yogurt, no 0-calorie butter spray, no forbidden veggies. I stuck as strictly to the protocol as I could, and obviously it worked!)
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Breakfast Of (HCG) Champions
On the HCG diet, along with 200 grams of lean meat, one is supposed to eat two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit a day. She can eat them together, at a meal, like Halibut, cucumbers, and oranges. Or separate, as a snack or for dessert. For me, I like to have my first serving of fruit for breakfast, in the form of a smoothie. So I thought I'd share my smoothie recipe. Because even if you're not on this diet, you will love how delicious, nutritious, and low-cal this breakfast or snack is.
Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
Throw in the blender:
5-6 strawberries, cut in quarters (leaves removed)
1 TBS non-fat Greek yogurt (you can also use regular non-fat yogurt, but the Greek yogurt is so much creamier. You can also use vanilla yogurt for extra flavor).**
2 TBS water
3 packets Truvia (or 2 TBS sugar if you like getting fatter)*
5 ice cubes
optional - 1/2 orange (add one extra ice cube)
Blend until smooth.
Enjoy this 42 Calorie Breakfast, dessert, or snack!
* Truvia is an all-natural, 0 calorie sweetener. It's made from the sweetest part of the Stevia leaf, (Stevia is a member of the crystanthemum family). Stevia has been used for sweetening foods and drinks in Paraguay for over 200 years. And did I mention ZERO calories!?!
** Yogurt is not officially on the HCG diet. However, I have been using 1 TBS in my smoothies in lieu of the permitted 1 TBS non-fat milk for most of my diet and haven't noticed any difference in my weight loss. I find that it adds a lot of flavor and creaminess to the smoothie, so I'm sticking with it. Feel free to substitute it with non-fat milk if you're following the HCG diet exactly.
Daily Weight Loss: 0.4 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 5.2 lbs.
(Yesterday I had a .2 gain. Thanks a lot, birthday cake.)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
HCG Day 9 - Back On Track
This will be brief. I just wanted to say...
YAHOOOEEEE!
I lost 1 lb since yesterday! So my mini carb-binge punishment is over and I am back on track to losing weight. Phew. Those two days of gaining slightly and then not losing SUCKED. Were the carbs worth it in retrospect? Um... YES, duh! But still, I am not going to be doing that again any time soon (well, except on Friday when I might allow myself to eat one piece of birthday cake) and I am glad to be losing again.
(I also feel a bit more confident than some of the smaller cheats I'm doing are not having an ill effect....like using Pam for cooking, adding 1 TBS non-fat yogurt to my smoothy, eating non-approved veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini, and mixing them at a meal, and continuing use of my regular face lotion. )
Goal Weight: Only 9 lbs to go!
Daily Weight Loss: 1 lb!!
Total Weight Loss: 4 lbs
YAHOOOEEEE!
I lost 1 lb since yesterday! So my mini carb-binge punishment is over and I am back on track to losing weight. Phew. Those two days of gaining slightly and then not losing SUCKED. Were the carbs worth it in retrospect? Um... YES, duh! But still, I am not going to be doing that again any time soon (well, except on Friday when I might allow myself to eat one piece of birthday cake) and I am glad to be losing again.
(I also feel a bit more confident than some of the smaller cheats I'm doing are not having an ill effect....like using Pam for cooking, adding 1 TBS non-fat yogurt to my smoothy, eating non-approved veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini, and mixing them at a meal, and continuing use of my regular face lotion. )
Goal Weight: Only 9 lbs to go!
Daily Weight Loss: 1 lb!!
Total Weight Loss: 4 lbs
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
HCG Day 8 - Equilibrium
So I've been doing the diet part of this diet for seven days. And I've finally reached a state of equilibrium. Actually, I think I hit it on Sunday. That was day 5 of the actual diet. But I wasn't sure if it was from my tiny carb slip up or not. but now that carbs have been out of my system for a couple of days and I'm still feeling great, I think it's safe to say that things with this diet have normalized.
I feel:
normal
happy
not starving
hopeful
energized
healthy
satisfied
Quite a drastic change from how I felt a few days ago when I couldn't stop thinking of food and I felt famished, weak, dazed, headachy, foggy, and slightly like cat in a washing machine. (But not that hairy or wet).
I find this diet completely manageable now. The portion sizes are pretty satisfying. Breakfast is still a little sparse. And I still see sweets/fats/dairy etc and want to eat them. That never goes away with any diet, I'm guessing. But I don't feel any feeling of desperation anymore.
I've found a few things to eat that I think help. If I'm really craving sweets after a meal, I have a big strawberry with Truvia (natural sweetener) on it. It actually curbs my dessert craving.
Or I make myself an Almost As Good As Apple Crisp. I cut up one apple, sprinkle it with cinnamon-Truvia and some lemon juice, put it in a bread pan lined with foil, crush up one melba toast to crumbs, add Truvia and cinnamon to those and sprinkle it over the apples, spray it with butter flavored pam, and bake 45 minutes. It comes out warm and cinnamony and almost fools my body into thinking I'm eating a decadent dessert!
I've also started eating a few off-diet vegetables. The vegetables that this diet allows are kind of odd. Spinach, lettuce, cabbage, onions, celery, and then a bunch of greens we Americans (at least those not in the South) never eat, like beet greens and chard. You can't just eat onions on their own. And as far as I know, no sane human ever eats celery plain either. It just needs ranch or peanut butter or dip. And I've found I can only eat salad (whether spinach, lettuce, or cabbage) so much before I want to scream. I need something warm, something more wintery and satisfying. So I've taken to eating broccoli, zucchini, and cauliflower. I really think eating a hot vegetable with my meat makes me feel like I'm eating a full dinner instead of meat and an appetizer salad. I know they're not allowed. And if I don't have better weight loss by tomorrow, I may consider cutting them out for a day or two to see if it helps. But for now it's making the difference between feeling hungry and feeling full, so I'm going to keep it.
So that's where I'm at, for those of you wondering whether you can do this diet. You can! The first few days were hard, I won't lie. But I've reached the point where my body has gotten used to this calorie intake and/or the HCG is releasing all those extra calories into my body from the stored fat. Whatever the case, I'm now at a place where I feel good about going on like this for another two weeks.
The one down side of my carb load is that I gained back 1/2 lb yesterday and had no loss (or gain) today. I'm crossing my fingers for something good tomorrow.
Daily Loss: 0 lbs
Total Loss: 3 lbs
I feel:
normal
happy
not starving
hopeful
energized
healthy
satisfied
Quite a drastic change from how I felt a few days ago when I couldn't stop thinking of food and I felt famished, weak, dazed, headachy, foggy, and slightly like cat in a washing machine. (But not that hairy or wet).
I find this diet completely manageable now. The portion sizes are pretty satisfying. Breakfast is still a little sparse. And I still see sweets/fats/dairy etc and want to eat them. That never goes away with any diet, I'm guessing. But I don't feel any feeling of desperation anymore.
I've found a few things to eat that I think help. If I'm really craving sweets after a meal, I have a big strawberry with Truvia (natural sweetener) on it. It actually curbs my dessert craving.
Or I make myself an Almost As Good As Apple Crisp. I cut up one apple, sprinkle it with cinnamon-Truvia and some lemon juice, put it in a bread pan lined with foil, crush up one melba toast to crumbs, add Truvia and cinnamon to those and sprinkle it over the apples, spray it with butter flavored pam, and bake 45 minutes. It comes out warm and cinnamony and almost fools my body into thinking I'm eating a decadent dessert!
I've also started eating a few off-diet vegetables. The vegetables that this diet allows are kind of odd. Spinach, lettuce, cabbage, onions, celery, and then a bunch of greens we Americans (at least those not in the South) never eat, like beet greens and chard. You can't just eat onions on their own. And as far as I know, no sane human ever eats celery plain either. It just needs ranch or peanut butter or dip. And I've found I can only eat salad (whether spinach, lettuce, or cabbage) so much before I want to scream. I need something warm, something more wintery and satisfying. So I've taken to eating broccoli, zucchini, and cauliflower. I really think eating a hot vegetable with my meat makes me feel like I'm eating a full dinner instead of meat and an appetizer salad. I know they're not allowed. And if I don't have better weight loss by tomorrow, I may consider cutting them out for a day or two to see if it helps. But for now it's making the difference between feeling hungry and feeling full, so I'm going to keep it.
So that's where I'm at, for those of you wondering whether you can do this diet. You can! The first few days were hard, I won't lie. But I've reached the point where my body has gotten used to this calorie intake and/or the HCG is releasing all those extra calories into my body from the stored fat. Whatever the case, I'm now at a place where I feel good about going on like this for another two weeks.
The one down side of my carb load is that I gained back 1/2 lb yesterday and had no loss (or gain) today. I'm crossing my fingers for something good tomorrow.
Daily Loss: 0 lbs
Total Loss: 3 lbs
Monday, March 22, 2010
HCG Day 7 - Pay Back
Well, I ended up eating a very little bit of carbs and fat again last night because of eating Sunday dinner at the in-laws. I tried to keep very close to my diet. Tacos were served. I had one, with shredded pork on it. So that's one tortilla, 3.5 ounces of shredded pork, 1 Tbs guacamole. Plus two chips. And I didn't eat my second fruit, or second grissini, to make up for it. But, alas, two days of eating off-diet foods caught up to me. And today I have a small gain of 0.4 lbs. :(
(Shhhh....it was worth it!)
(As long as I lose weight by tomorrow).
(Or I might cry.)
(But it still might have been worth it for that one tiny peanut butter chocolate bar on Saturday.)
(Plus, I still weigh less than I've weighed for the last year, which is awesome.)
(And that is still 3 lbs of weight lost in 5 days, which is better than I've ever done on any diet before.)
(Shhhh....it was worth it!)
(As long as I lose weight by tomorrow).
(Or I might cry.)
(But it still might have been worth it for that one tiny peanut butter chocolate bar on Saturday.)
(Plus, I still weigh less than I've weighed for the last year, which is awesome.)
Daily Weight Loss: +0.4 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 3 lbs
(And that is still 3 lbs of weight lost in 5 days, which is better than I've ever done on any diet before.)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
HCG Day 6 - Reprieve
I will keep this short and sweet. Eating carbs yesterday, however few, was heavenly. Not only did they taste wonderful and make me feel so satisfied, but I stayed satisfied all evening, all night, and even into the morning. I HEART CARBS. This is nothing new. I have always known that carbs were my most dear and cherished friend. It's why I never jumped on board South Beach or Atkins. Also cause I was in denial about how I looked. But mostly cause I love carbs.
So I still lost 1/2 lb, despite the carbs. I don't know if it was a fluke, if it will show up in tomorrow's weight. But if it doesn't, I may consider cheating every few days just to help myself function better!
Daily Weight Loss: - 1/2 lb
Total Weight Loss: 3 1/2 lbs.
So I still lost 1/2 lb, despite the carbs. I don't know if it was a fluke, if it will show up in tomorrow's weight. But if it doesn't, I may consider cheating every few days just to help myself function better!
Daily Weight Loss: - 1/2 lb
Total Weight Loss: 3 1/2 lbs.
HCG Day 5 - The Screw Up
Well, yesterday was turning out pretty well until dinner. I moved my protein to breakfast and had scrambled eggs with one yolk and 3 egg whites, and 1 piece of turkey bacon. I felt a lot more satisfied and normal after that breakfast. I was still a little hungry, but I wasn't starving and I wasn't weak or spaced out. I think it was a good move.
Of course, I had no idea what I was going to do when it came to dinner since I had already used up one protein of my two allowed, and the other one would be for lunch.
As it turned out, things took care of themselves. Because I forgot we had a pizza party at church, which my husband was in charge of so I couldn't skip it. I made a fruit salad so that I would have something there I could eat. But the fruit alone just didn't cut it. And my other options were pizza, pasta salad, pasta chili, jello salad, and 10 kids of desserts. So in the end, I just decided to forego my diet for the evening and just try to eat moderately. So I had one piece of pizza, a small portion of pasta salad, a bunch of fruit, a small handful of caramel corn, and one small peanut butter bar (hey, at least it had protein, right?)
I was very worried about what it would do to my weight, after having protein at breakfast AND a big deviation for dinner. But I'm delighted to say that I still lost 1/2 lb!
And I can't even explain to you how utterly delicious and filling those carbs were. Oh my gosh, the sugar and flour together in those bars....I could have eaten 15 of them! Dear carbs, how I love you so. Please forgive me with my temporary affair with protein. Love, Me.
Daily Weight Loss: 1/2 lb.
Total Weight Loss: 3 lbs!
(I am now my lowest weight in a year!)
Of course, I had no idea what I was going to do when it came to dinner since I had already used up one protein of my two allowed, and the other one would be for lunch.
As it turned out, things took care of themselves. Because I forgot we had a pizza party at church, which my husband was in charge of so I couldn't skip it. I made a fruit salad so that I would have something there I could eat. But the fruit alone just didn't cut it. And my other options were pizza, pasta salad, pasta chili, jello salad, and 10 kids of desserts. So in the end, I just decided to forego my diet for the evening and just try to eat moderately. So I had one piece of pizza, a small portion of pasta salad, a bunch of fruit, a small handful of caramel corn, and one small peanut butter bar (hey, at least it had protein, right?)
I was very worried about what it would do to my weight, after having protein at breakfast AND a big deviation for dinner. But I'm delighted to say that I still lost 1/2 lb!
And I can't even explain to you how utterly delicious and filling those carbs were. Oh my gosh, the sugar and flour together in those bars....I could have eaten 15 of them! Dear carbs, how I love you so. Please forgive me with my temporary affair with protein. Love, Me.
Daily Weight Loss: 1/2 lb.
Total Weight Loss: 3 lbs!
(I am now my lowest weight in a year!)
Friday, March 19, 2010
HCG Day 4 - Surviving
Day before yesterday, the first day of the real diet, was HARD. I thought about food A LOT. I think part of the time I wasn't actually hungry, I was just used to feeling really full when I stopped eating. I wasn't full once the whole day yesterday, and that was disconcerting. But also, I was hungry. A LOT.
Yesterday, it wasn't as bad. I was terribly hungry in the morning. I forgot to have some herbal tea. Maybe that would have helped. And I forgot to have a snack. And then I went to the temple for two hours on a pretty empty stomach and I swear I didn't hear a word that was said. I just could not focus. Morning seems to be the hardest time for me. Although normally I am hungriest in the afternoon or late at night, for some reason this diet has me starving in the morning. Maybe the long period from after-dinner through until morning is just too long for my body to go. I think I need to try to transfer some of my calories to the morning, when I feel the most sluggish.
Menu.
Yesterdat I ate:
a strawberry smoothie
Cajun shrimp and broccoli
An apple
Steak with mushrooms and onions + sauteed spinach
2 grissini, 1 strawberry with Stevia
LOTS of water.
I'm peeing a lot in case you were wondering. Were you wondering? Well, there you have it. ( I love to make my readers happy.)
Technically, I'm cheating. The official Pounds And Inches HCG diet says no mixing your vegetables. You can eat one per meal. But I think I will seriously die of food boredom if I try to do it that way. So I'm going to have to mix it up. And I have read several sources that say mixing probably isn't a big deal as long as you are losing weight, but if you stop, it's an area to consider changing.
Anyway, to sum up, yesterday wasn't as bad. I wasn't quite as hungry. I didn't think of food quite as often. And I felt more satisfied after today's 2 main meals. But the morning thing needs adjustment. Big time.
Daily Weight Loss: 1/2 lb.
Total weight loss: 2 1/2 lbs
Yesterday, it wasn't as bad. I was terribly hungry in the morning. I forgot to have some herbal tea. Maybe that would have helped. And I forgot to have a snack. And then I went to the temple for two hours on a pretty empty stomach and I swear I didn't hear a word that was said. I just could not focus. Morning seems to be the hardest time for me. Although normally I am hungriest in the afternoon or late at night, for some reason this diet has me starving in the morning. Maybe the long period from after-dinner through until morning is just too long for my body to go. I think I need to try to transfer some of my calories to the morning, when I feel the most sluggish.
Menu.
Yesterdat I ate:
a strawberry smoothie
Cajun shrimp and broccoli
An apple
Steak with mushrooms and onions + sauteed spinach
2 grissini, 1 strawberry with Stevia
LOTS of water.
I'm peeing a lot in case you were wondering. Were you wondering? Well, there you have it. ( I love to make my readers happy.)
Technically, I'm cheating. The official Pounds And Inches HCG diet says no mixing your vegetables. You can eat one per meal. But I think I will seriously die of food boredom if I try to do it that way. So I'm going to have to mix it up. And I have read several sources that say mixing probably isn't a big deal as long as you are losing weight, but if you stop, it's an area to consider changing.
Anyway, to sum up, yesterday wasn't as bad. I wasn't quite as hungry. I didn't think of food quite as often. And I felt more satisfied after today's 2 main meals. But the morning thing needs adjustment. Big time.
Daily Weight Loss: 1/2 lb.
Total weight loss: 2 1/2 lbs
HCG Day 3 - The Meltdown
Ya, so, remember yesterday when I was too full to choke another Oreo down? I would DIE for an Oreo now. I would die for a piece of white bread right now. I would die for the crust of a piece of white bread right now. Or a crumb. I think a crumb from a piece of white bread would be heavenly. A big crumb, please.
I AM STARVING!!!
That is to be expected. Not only did I go from eating fairly normally to dieting rather extremely. But I went from binging and super high fats/sugers to very low fats and sugars. I think this could even out after a few days. I remember being very hungry the first few days on Weight Watchers too. So I'm giving it a few more days to see if I can get control of this hunger. If not, something's going to have to give.
Because it's not just hunger. I am very tired. And I don't feel like I'm thinking very clearly in the morning, when my calorie intake is at its lowest. I'm usually fine after lunch. But the morning time is pretty brutal. And the afternoon. And the evening. And the late evening. But especially the morning.
So my daily menu, in case anyone cares, was:
Breakfast-
1 cup lemon zinger herbal tea with Stevia
1 stawberry smoothie (strawberries, 1 TBS milk, stevia, water, ice)
Snack-
Grissini (hard breadstick)
Lunch-
Grilled Lime-Marinated Turkey Breast
Vinegrette Cole-Slaw
Snack - Grissini
Dinner -
Hamburger patty
Salad w/balsamic dressing
Orange
LOTS of water.
The good news (yes, there IS a silver lining, and I'm sure this is what has kept me going all day) is that I lost 2 lbs since yesterday! WOOT! As of right now, I'm at the lowest weight I've been in two months. And once I lose another 1/2lb, it'll be the lowest weight I've been in a year. So from here on out, it's all icing, baby.
ICING??? WAAAAAAH!!!!
Daily Wieght Loss: -2.0 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -1.0 lb
I AM STARVING!!!
That is to be expected. Not only did I go from eating fairly normally to dieting rather extremely. But I went from binging and super high fats/sugers to very low fats and sugars. I think this could even out after a few days. I remember being very hungry the first few days on Weight Watchers too. So I'm giving it a few more days to see if I can get control of this hunger. If not, something's going to have to give.
Because it's not just hunger. I am very tired. And I don't feel like I'm thinking very clearly in the morning, when my calorie intake is at its lowest. I'm usually fine after lunch. But the morning time is pretty brutal. And the afternoon. And the evening. And the late evening. But especially the morning.
So my daily menu, in case anyone cares, was:
Breakfast-
1 cup lemon zinger herbal tea with Stevia
1 stawberry smoothie (strawberries, 1 TBS milk, stevia, water, ice)
Snack-
Grissini (hard breadstick)
Lunch-
Grilled Lime-Marinated Turkey Breast
Vinegrette Cole-Slaw
Snack - Grissini
Dinner -
Hamburger patty
Salad w/balsamic dressing
Orange
LOTS of water.
The good news (yes, there IS a silver lining, and I'm sure this is what has kept me going all day) is that I lost 2 lbs since yesterday! WOOT! As of right now, I'm at the lowest weight I've been in two months. And once I lose another 1/2lb, it'll be the lowest weight I've been in a year. So from here on out, it's all icing, baby.
ICING??? WAAAAAAH!!!!
Daily Wieght Loss: -2.0 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -1.0 lb
Thursday, March 18, 2010
HCG Day 2
Day 2 was awful. I couldn't even begin to eat all the fatty horrible stuff I was supposed to. I was still completely full from the day before and my stomach did not feel good. What is amazing to me is that there are people who eat that way ALL THE TIME. Fast food, greasy food, high sugar and fat content, processed food... my body did not like it. I can't imagine anyone's body likes it. So I toned it down quite a bit for day 2, even though I was supposed to be living it up.
For breakfast I had 1/2 bowl of Mini Wheats.
For lunch I had a fish taco and a beef taco, a little rice and beans, a few chips with guac, and an apple beer. Not exactly excessive. But normally I would have had only one taco, no chips, and probably no drink.
For a snack I had two Tag-Alongs (Girl Scout Cookies) and 3/4 cup of milk.
For dinner I had a bowl of lobster bisque soup and 1/2 a can of Coke.
For dessert I had a piece of cheesecake.
So overall, not terribly over-the-top. But my stomach felt awful all day and I could not force myself to eat the turkey, spinach, artichoke sandwich I had gotten to go with my soup. It's still in the fridge. Anyone want it? It's delicious, I'm sure.
Now I'm at the start of Day 3, the day the real diet begins. Big Daddy and I went shopping last night and bought all the food we'd need for the next three weeks: halibut, shrimp, crab meat, ground beef, steaks, ground turkey and turkey breast (which isn't actually on the diet, but chicken is and turkey probably didn't exist in Italy in the 1960's when/where the doctor wrote this diet, so I'm sure he'd have put it on if it had.), cucumbers, asparagus, radishes, lettuces, tomatoes, a few other vegetables that I can't recall off hand, apples, strawberries, grapefruit, lemons, and oranges, hard breadsticks, and melba toast (these are the only carbs allowed). Plus some herbal tea and some Truvia. Truvia, if you haven't heard of it, is a natural sweetener from the Stevia plant. The leaves and stems are very sweet but contain no calories, so it truly is nature's perfect sweetener. We also bought some seasonings and stuff to dress up our meat. So this is what we will eat for the next three weeks:
100 grams of protein 2x a day
vegetables 2x a day
fruit 2x a day
melba toast/breadstick 2x a day
tea and water as much as possible
1 TBS of milk is also allowed (for coffee or tea, or wherever, I guess)
I took all the meat out and cut it down to the 100 gram size last night, which is just shy of 4 oz, and it actually didn't seem that small. I really don't think I'll be starving. Probably not 100% satisfied, but not starving I hope!
I'll update you tomorrow on how the first day of the real diet went.
And if you're bored by all the HCG talk and just want to know how much weight I'm losing, you can scroll down to the bottom of every HCG post and just look for this:
Daily Weight Loss: -0.6 lbs, Total Weight Loss +0.8 lbs
For breakfast I had 1/2 bowl of Mini Wheats.
For lunch I had a fish taco and a beef taco, a little rice and beans, a few chips with guac, and an apple beer. Not exactly excessive. But normally I would have had only one taco, no chips, and probably no drink.
For a snack I had two Tag-Alongs (Girl Scout Cookies) and 3/4 cup of milk.
For dinner I had a bowl of lobster bisque soup and 1/2 a can of Coke.
For dessert I had a piece of cheesecake.
So overall, not terribly over-the-top. But my stomach felt awful all day and I could not force myself to eat the turkey, spinach, artichoke sandwich I had gotten to go with my soup. It's still in the fridge. Anyone want it? It's delicious, I'm sure.
Now I'm at the start of Day 3, the day the real diet begins. Big Daddy and I went shopping last night and bought all the food we'd need for the next three weeks: halibut, shrimp, crab meat, ground beef, steaks, ground turkey and turkey breast (which isn't actually on the diet, but chicken is and turkey probably didn't exist in Italy in the 1960's when/where the doctor wrote this diet, so I'm sure he'd have put it on if it had.), cucumbers, asparagus, radishes, lettuces, tomatoes, a few other vegetables that I can't recall off hand, apples, strawberries, grapefruit, lemons, and oranges, hard breadsticks, and melba toast (these are the only carbs allowed). Plus some herbal tea and some Truvia. Truvia, if you haven't heard of it, is a natural sweetener from the Stevia plant. The leaves and stems are very sweet but contain no calories, so it truly is nature's perfect sweetener. We also bought some seasonings and stuff to dress up our meat. So this is what we will eat for the next three weeks:
100 grams of protein 2x a day
vegetables 2x a day
fruit 2x a day
melba toast/breadstick 2x a day
tea and water as much as possible
1 TBS of milk is also allowed (for coffee or tea, or wherever, I guess)
I took all the meat out and cut it down to the 100 gram size last night, which is just shy of 4 oz, and it actually didn't seem that small. I really don't think I'll be starving. Probably not 100% satisfied, but not starving I hope!
I'll update you tomorrow on how the first day of the real diet went.
And if you're bored by all the HCG talk and just want to know how much weight I'm losing, you can scroll down to the bottom of every HCG post and just look for this:
Daily Weight Loss: -0.6 lbs, Total Weight Loss +0.8 lbs
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
HCG Q & A
I've had some questions asked of me about this diet, so I thought I'd post some of my answers in case anyone else is wondering the same thing. If you've got more questions, please feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them as best I can based on my research.
Q: Do you really eat 500 calories a day on this diet?
A: Yes, you only EAT 500 calories a day. But the HCG unlocks the abnormal fat stores, which usually go untouched by dieting because the body first uses normal fat stores when there is a lack of calorie intake, so up to another 2000 calories a day are released into the blood stream from that fat. The reason behind it is that when a woman is pregnant and building a baby, her body needs to make sure that energy is pulled from stored fat, not from the muscle or healthy fat tissue that is becoming the baby. That's the whole key to using HCG. It is nature's way of making sure a woman can build a healthy baby. And I for one can vouch for the fact that my metabolism is awesome when I'm pregnant. I only gained 17 and 18 lbs with my two kids even though I ate like a fiend the entire time.
Q: Is it healthy to eat 500 calories?
A: Normally no. Normally that's called starvation and not only is it not good for you (because it forces the body to get energy from muscle tissue) but it also jacks up your metabolism. That's where the HCG intake is crucial. Like I said above, extra calories are being released into the blood stream as those resistant fat stores are broken down. So a person doesn't starve. in fact, their body is getting plenty of energy. Therefore not only are the fat stores broken down, the metabolism never goes into starvation mode.
Q: Can you keep the weight off?
A: Well, if you follow the whole diet--minimum 23 days on HCG + 21 days of maintanance diet (reintroducing fats and sugars slowly), you should have reset your hypothalamus to use the abnormal fat stores more readily. But like any post-diet, it depends on what the individual person does. If they go back to eating a lot and not exercising, yes, they will gain it back. If they maintain a reasonable diet with moderate exercise, they shouldn't. This diet requires people to continue to monitor weight every day for a while after the diet ends, and if weight goes up more than 2 lbs, there is a temporary food regimen the person can use to stop the weight gain. But again, it's all about what you do after the diet is done. The diet is not meant to be one you live on for the rest of your life. It's meant to get the weight off and then you have to be sensible to keep your weight. I think this is true of any diet or even gastric bypass: If you lose the weight, you have to eat and exercise in a way that will allow you to keep it off. Of course, this is all theory for now. We will see what happens to me once I go off! I have been pretty good about staying within 2-3 lbs of my current weight for the last 2 years, so I feel pretty confident that once I go off I can stay there. I'll keep you posted!
4) As for whether it is a fad diet that will later turn out to be dangerous, I highly doubt it. First of all, this diet has been around since the 1950's or 1960's. It has been used by obesity clinics on thousands and thousands of patients on several continents. And the amount of HCG used for the diet is 1/100th of what a pregnant woman's body produces in a day. (Pregnant woman 10,000 iu's of HCG per day, this diet 125-175 iu's). So I can't imagine that small amount could be unhealthy. I read through a lot of websites before starting this diet, and I couldn't find any sites that claimed any health dangers from it. And it's been around so long, that you'd think by now something would have come up if it were dangerous.
I hope that helped. I'm not an expert; I've just started. But I did have a lot of reservations about this diet and tried to research a lot before starting it. I really hope it works because I just didn't have much hope of ever losing these last 15 lbs without some help.
Q: Do you really eat 500 calories a day on this diet?
A: Yes, you only EAT 500 calories a day. But the HCG unlocks the abnormal fat stores, which usually go untouched by dieting because the body first uses normal fat stores when there is a lack of calorie intake, so up to another 2000 calories a day are released into the blood stream from that fat. The reason behind it is that when a woman is pregnant and building a baby, her body needs to make sure that energy is pulled from stored fat, not from the muscle or healthy fat tissue that is becoming the baby. That's the whole key to using HCG. It is nature's way of making sure a woman can build a healthy baby. And I for one can vouch for the fact that my metabolism is awesome when I'm pregnant. I only gained 17 and 18 lbs with my two kids even though I ate like a fiend the entire time.
Q: Is it healthy to eat 500 calories?
A: Normally no. Normally that's called starvation and not only is it not good for you (because it forces the body to get energy from muscle tissue) but it also jacks up your metabolism. That's where the HCG intake is crucial. Like I said above, extra calories are being released into the blood stream as those resistant fat stores are broken down. So a person doesn't starve. in fact, their body is getting plenty of energy. Therefore not only are the fat stores broken down, the metabolism never goes into starvation mode.
Q: Can you keep the weight off?
A: Well, if you follow the whole diet--minimum 23 days on HCG + 21 days of maintanance diet (reintroducing fats and sugars slowly), you should have reset your hypothalamus to use the abnormal fat stores more readily. But like any post-diet, it depends on what the individual person does. If they go back to eating a lot and not exercising, yes, they will gain it back. If they maintain a reasonable diet with moderate exercise, they shouldn't. This diet requires people to continue to monitor weight every day for a while after the diet ends, and if weight goes up more than 2 lbs, there is a temporary food regimen the person can use to stop the weight gain. But again, it's all about what you do after the diet is done. The diet is not meant to be one you live on for the rest of your life. It's meant to get the weight off and then you have to be sensible to keep your weight. I think this is true of any diet or even gastric bypass: If you lose the weight, you have to eat and exercise in a way that will allow you to keep it off. Of course, this is all theory for now. We will see what happens to me once I go off! I have been pretty good about staying within 2-3 lbs of my current weight for the last 2 years, so I feel pretty confident that once I go off I can stay there. I'll keep you posted!
4) As for whether it is a fad diet that will later turn out to be dangerous, I highly doubt it. First of all, this diet has been around since the 1950's or 1960's. It has been used by obesity clinics on thousands and thousands of patients on several continents. And the amount of HCG used for the diet is 1/100th of what a pregnant woman's body produces in a day. (Pregnant woman 10,000 iu's of HCG per day, this diet 125-175 iu's). So I can't imagine that small amount could be unhealthy. I read through a lot of websites before starting this diet, and I couldn't find any sites that claimed any health dangers from it. And it's been around so long, that you'd think by now something would have come up if it were dangerous.
I hope that helped. I'm not an expert; I've just started. But I did have a lot of reservations about this diet and tried to research a lot before starting it. I really hope it works because I just didn't have much hope of ever losing these last 15 lbs without some help.
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