Learning From My Mistakes and Getting It Right

I am officially on R4 VLCD3 and taking off the last 17 lbs. I actually reached my goal weight in R3 and then quickly realized I had actually set my goal too low for my body type so I knew it wouldn't be realistic to stay there. I also let myself go a little overboard during the holidays and then by the time I finished loading (and gained about 7 lbs there alone) I am sitting 17 lbs above where I think a healthy weight is for me. I am doing a 21 day round (unless I need to go just a little longer and then I will) and the best part is I now know what to do to stay where I want to be.

My mistakes this last time were getting into life phase and then I stopped tracking what I was eating and I did 3 things wrong - 1) not enough protein 2) not enough veggies 3) being too liberal with the sweets. With that experience I can say that I am ready to come out of this one doing it right. Yay myhcgplus.com - thank you for making this possible for me!

I also have a hcg buddy this time. A friend of my daughter's who for medical reasons has gained weight that shouldn't be there. She turns 16 soon and I knew her weight really bothered her. I gently asked her if she would do the hcg protocol with me if I bought her it for her birthday. She said, "Yes!" and with her mother 120% on board she has embarked on this journey with me. We see each other at least 5 times a week and even have some of our meals together so we are excellent support for each other. We are also having a water contest to see who can drink the most water each day (a pair of new jeans is at stake - we are going strong on this!). My goal is 17lbs, her goal is 25-30 lbs and I can't wait to get a picture of us together at her 16th birthday party!

VLCD Sample Menu

SAMPLE MENU


A friend of mine is interested in starting Hcg but wanted a sample menu before she ordered... I couldn't find one so instead...

Let me tell you what I have eaten over the last few days:

Lunch : Steak and grilled onions
Snack : Apple
Dinner : Shrimp scampi with asparagus
Snack : Strawberry Smoothie

Lunch : Chicken strips with spicy mustard and cucumbers
Snack : sliced fresh strawberries sprinkled with stevia
Dinner : a hamburger with mustard and sliced tomatoes
Snack : an orange

Lunch : chicken & spinach meatloaf
Snack : baked apple with stevia and cinnamon
Dinner : baked lemon pepper flounder with asapargus
Snack : strawberries dipped in chocolate (made from Hershey's cocoa and stevia)

Lunch : meatloaf and onion rings
Snack : orange
Dinner : taco soup (ground beef and tomato in chicken broth and taco seasoning
Snack : apple

A meal out at Runza : bed of lettuce with diced chicken and add my own orange on top to make a citrus dressing and then iced tea to drink.

You can also have 2 servings of melba toast per day, I usually don't unless I really have the munchies. I love using them in some of my recipes though - like the meatloaf and onion rings.

I drink lots of water and iced tea. A treat is to take Perrier water and add flavored stevia drops to make a soda pop - I like grape, rootbeer, vanilla creme, chocolate raspberry and peppermint!

The possibilities are endless on this diet. You just have to be dedicated and stick with it exactly as written. I am currently down 50.5 inches, 68.1 lbs and have gone from a size 16 to a size 4. I am 2 weeks away from being finished with my last round. The key to being successful with Hcg is getting the right product and the right support. Too many people are successful in the weight loss part of it but then they aren't told how to go through Maintenance correctly (or at all) and that is where they blow it because that is when your hypothalamus resets and your metabolism gets a jumpstart.

That is why I am such a huge advocate of http://myhcgplus.com/a/5920. Their customer support is second to none and they walk you through all the stages of Hcg weight loss, not just sending you a box with drops. The best part is that because of their referral program, if you are successful people will start asking you what you are doing and you can earn back every penney you pay in. So far I paid out $199 when I ordered (that got me through 2 full rounds and 60 lbs gone) and I have earned $530 in referrals. I also won one of their contests and got a $500 shopping spree for new clothes! I am way ahead right now :-)

Bumps in the road... finally smoothing out...

So today is the end of VLCD7 and things are going good now. I had a few hungry days in the past few days. I talked to customer support and they wondered if I was running out of abnormal fat because I am getting close to my end goal. I was suspicious but pretty sure that I was okay. I am on the high end of normal (actually crossed back into overweight during my load days) - I really don't want to be that close to the overweight mark. I finally had one extra serving of protein yesterday and for some reason that was enough to set things right. I also worked a lot harder to make sure that I was drinking enough water and tea today and I know that helped too. I am not advocating eating past the 500 calories or changing the protocol at any moment just to fit your desires, but I do think that for whatever reason I am in good shape to keep moving forward with VLCD now.

As of this morning I weighed in at 133.4. That is down 12.4 lbs from my weigh in last Saturday (6 days later). So much for the theory that I would lose weight lots slower this time since I'm so close to my goal weight. And that is 66.3 lbs total. I am 5.4 lbs from my high goal and 8.4 lbs from my low goal. So even if my weight loss slows down a lot I should still be fine since I have 14 days left. I also measured a couple days ago and I'm down a total of 50.5 inches right now since Jan. 10th - 50.5! Isn't that crazy?!? Who would've guessed? To top it off I am in a comfortable size 4 - down from the 16 I was wearing back in December. I don't really expect to go smaller than that (in fact I'm not sure I really want to), I'm already in a Small shirt and size 4 pants. You have to understand that for someone who has been buying L/XL shirts and 14/16 pants for as long as I can remember this is pretty unbelieveable. I feel like I'm living a fairytale right now. My husband said today, "I don't mean to fixate on it (the weight loss I've had)." And I said, "No, that's ok. Fixate away!" It is still so mind boggling to me that I need to pinch myself sometimes.

Anyone can do what I've done. I'm no one special. You just have to be focused and determined. Hcg definitely requires dedication, but if you are committed then you can see your life utterly changed forever! I can do this and so can you. I started with 75 lbs to lose and I am almost there... my goal is so close I can almost taste it (LOL). But just remember no daunting how far away your goal seems right now there is one first step for everyone - you have to start. You can't finish if you don't start. I should know - I put starting off for 2 years! My husband and I want to renew our vows next year for our anniversary and last year I said, "I'll never be able to wear my wedding dress!" Now I am telling my husband, "My wedding dress will be too big! I'll need a belt!" Anything is possible!

VLCD Steak & Onion - Yummy!

For VLCD2 today I tried something a little different and it was so simple and so good! I took my 3.5 oz of steak and put it in a saucepan with enough chicken broth to cover the bottom of the pan. I added some steak seasoning and then sliced and separated an onion and put it in the pot with the lid on. I let it cook and then flipped the steak and added a little more seasoning. When it was done I drained the broth and poured the steak and onion on my plate - delicioso!

The Final Countdown!

Ok, here it is... The Final Countdown!!!

Today is my first day of Round 3 (R3) in which I hope to lose 15-20 lbs in a 21 day round. After finally stabilizing during Maintenance in R2 and ending with really good success, it is a little hard to go back down to such limited options for my food. But here again I remind myself - it is only for a short period of time... after that it is back on Maintenance and then onto Life Phase feeling better than I have for 1/2 my life. I made a discovery this week, a very important discovery - possibly a life altering discovery! Since I knew I was getting ready to go back into VLCD and when I was done I would be entering Life Phase I decided that for the 4 days leading up to loading I would eat whatever I wanted. So I did. A Whopper and fries, French Dip Sliders, Boneless Buffalo Wings and Potato Twisters at Applebees, Spicy Jack burgers and onion rings at Runza, desserts... whatever sounded good. Ironically I discovered that when I was at Applebees I would have rather had a big steak with steamed veggies and a side salad. I told Matt that I honestly won't have trouble eating on Life Phase forever... I actually prefer to eat that way! I feel good when I eat lots of protein, veggies and fruit and I feel good about myself too. I look forward to counting down the days on VLCD and then attacking Maintenance with a vengence. I talked with a friend today that has also done two rounds and is ready to do one last round - she said, "Isn't Hcg a blessing from God?" And I was like, "YES!!! I agree completely!"







I know there is no diet for everyone, but this one is definitely for me!

What Are You Worth?

Are you worth putting yourself first for a short term so you will have the energy to put your family first long term?

Are you worth discovering what it was that led you to a place of being overweight in the first place?

Are you worth deciding that you are fed up with where you are and you are finally ready to take action?

Are you worth the dedication it takes to rediscover (or maybe discover for the first time) the best you?

Are you worth saying "No." to things that you like for a small time frame so that you can say "Yes." later and feel good about it and not feel guilty?

Are you worth a new wardrobe when you melt away the stored fat in you and nothing you own fits anymore?

Are you worth finally feeling proud of yourself when you look in a mirror instead of disgusted?

I know that once I figured out that "I am worth it!" It has changed my life. I have added years to my life and life to my years (cliched but so true). My family is proud of me, my kids are proud of me, my husband is proud of me and I am proud of me. This week I have been hearing over and over - "You look so great! And your pictures don't even do you justice!" I love it, but I worked hard to get here... and I am worth it!

Motivation

NOTHING TASTES
AS GOOD
AS SKINNY FEELS!

This saying gets me through lots of those cravings for chips and ice cream - it is so true! My size 4
skinny jeans are way better than a bowl of ice cream :-)

Do you have a favorite saying that keeps you going?