Hard lesson learned

160.7 Post 2 day load

I had the mind set during the holidays that "have what you want, you are doing HCG come January". Terrible mindset!! Note to self -- I should have weighed and done the correction days as needed.

So now I have 10 lbs to lose before I get into the new territory that I had gotten so close to obtaining.

I will be doing the P2 today with the exception of the dinner I have to attend tonight but I will be watching very closely to what I order.

Breakfast -

Coffee

Water

Lunch -

100 grams ground chicken

spinach

melba toast

water

Snack -

1/2 apple

New Year

Well, it's not quite a new year yet, but I am wanting to get started sooner than later. Afterall, the Wildcatter's ball is the first week of February and I may just be at goal by then....that would be great, but not probable.

I have no idea how much weight I have gained during the "Feast of Foods" between Thanksgiving and New Years, but will start weighing in again tomorrow after my two load days. I started loading yesterday, so today is my second load day and tomorrow I will again begin my 500 cal. diet. I am ready to see the scale move downward and ready to detox my body from all of the fat, sugar and refined foods over the past month. I always feel so much better when I have clean foods in me. I wish I could say that I have my mind in motion for this.... I don't, but hopefully once I get started it will kick in and I will be good with it for the long haul.

Update:

I guess I will be "loading" an extra day. We had some trauma in the family -- all okay, but will have to wait until Friday for the 500 cal. day.

Stabilizing

150.8

So far, this has been a stabilizing round that has been much more easy than last time. I am staying within 1/2 lb. range of my LDW.

I am having lots of protien and veggies. I am using coconut oil and coconut flour as well as almond meal and flaxseed meal. The "multigrain" pancakes are to die for (as far as lo carb goes).

I have gotten my calorie intake up to 1600 a day and maintaining well.

So far a good week of stabilizing.

Almost to a New Decade

150.2

So, So close. My last day of VLC and last no dose day. Tomorrow I start P3 --- bittersweet for sure. I really wanted to reach that new decade of the 140's and tomorrow may be the day, however knowing my body I will gain to stabilize. I did last time about 3 pounds above my last dosage weight (LDW). But I did stabilize which is what is important. I look forward to eating mixed vegetables, cheese, good fats and adding more protein, but I will miss the losses each morning as I walk to the scale.

I did have to go shopping for clothes this past week. Those of you who know me, know that is not a favorite thing of mine! I had to as all of my clothes were falling off of me and I really did not have much to wear in my closet. I have gone down a size and 1/2 depending what clothes I measured by in the closet. It does feel good to be down and I do have a fear of returning to that size now that I am no longer dosing and doing very low calories. But in about 8 weeks, I will return to lose the rest of the weight and hopefully get into a comfortable 8/10 size. That is my goal --- not necessarly the numbers on the scale. The numbers are just an indicator of how I am doing on a daily basis.

Finally!!!

150.4

Dropped .6 since yesterday morning.....Finally! I had been stuck at 151/151.2 for days! No reason that I can think of, just my body re-adjusting I guess.

Today is a non dose day....seems weird since I have developed a "habit" of taking it first thing in the morning. Just two days of VCL and then I can have a mixed salad with ranch dressing :)

I hope the stabilizing goes better than last time.....but I do realize that you have to be on the stabilize protocol for 21 days for a reason....to STABILIZE and it may just take that long.

Can't Get Past 151

I hit 151 and just cannot get the scale to move past it. I am very dissapointed that I won't make the 140's by the end of this round. Oh well, 18 pounds and I am happy. Today is my last dosing day on this round. Two days of VLC and then onto P3 where I can have yummy foods, just no starches, sugars or legumes. Who knows -- maybe by Friday I will hit the 149.8 and make it a solid 20 pounds! :)

Bummer-- Stalled again

I have two dosing days left and I had hoped to be in the 140's....don't think it will happen. The good news is that I have gone from the catagorey of being obese to being overweight and I am only 3 points from being in the healthy catagorey. That will happen in the next round for sure!! Just have to get through the holidays eating cleanly and splurging only on the special occassions. And then not big splurges.

New Week

169.8......151

We have had a very busy weekend. No posting and really not much to say but that I just keep going down. I had been going down .4 everyday until this morning. I didn't expect it just because of the craziness of yesterday. I wasn't able to get my drops in at the right time in the afternoon and came home to a house full of people from my small group. I didn't have the chance to eat correctly -- so I ate the non-carb foods available which was not on protocal. Still was down .2 this morning and I will happily take that!!

Today is suppose to be a non dosing day....I have decided to extend this round until Friday. My non dosing days will start on Thursday. I just want to get into the 140's before ending this round and I an sooooo close to it. I hope that I will be 148 before Friday......LOTS of water today!! :-)

Down again

169.8......152.2

I may have to extend this round as I am doing so well. I may just wait and see if I make it into the 140's before stopping. I really think the timing of the drops are making a huge difference!

I think I know why I have never liked fish....I have been eating the wrong fish....Grilled some Chilean Seabass with lemon and dill......AWESOME!! I could eat that every night except for the fact it is a little on the expensive side. Kinda of like eating beef tenderloin from H&H.

Still Going Down

169.8......152.8 (-17)

Yesterday was a great day but not such a great food day. However I was still down .4. I actually have started taking the drops right before going to bed. I'm taking them first thing in the morning, around 2 in the afternoon and then right before going to bed. It seems to work better than just before meals which is what I did last round. That is the ONLY thing that I have done differently on this round and the results are much better.

6 days to go

169.8......153.2

Pounds not coming off as fast, but still happy with the results. Yesterday was a difficult day time wise. I had to leave for Bible study at 3:45 so I basically only had one meal yesterday. I had lunch and then had to cheat with a few bites of cheese at the Bible study. Oh well, it's my life!! Still was down today, so I can't complain.....hoping to see a new decade before this round ends.

Coming into the Home Stretch

169.8.....153.6

Down to the home stretch....7 days to go and I had to reorder drops today. I don't have enough to last for that long. I am thrilled with the results of this round. So far in this round I have lost 11.6 lbs. and still have time to lose a little more. I realize that since I am coming close to the end, losing becomes slower. 16.2 lbs in two rounds --- I'm very happy.

I will do P3 until the holidays are over and then begin again in January to finish the loss. Hopefully I will stabilize during the holidays, reload and then finish off the last few pounds before spring.

Not a good day

169.8......156.6

This has been a terrible week (it could be worse, I know). Allergies, knee issues that cannot be resolved until I have been on Advil for two weeks and due to being careful with the knee, my back began to hurt yesterday and I ended up at the Chiropractor. So last night my precious husband just wanted to take me out....I had no resolve left in me, so we went to the Brazilian Steak house here in The Woodlands. I thought it was awesome, especially since it is P3 friendly and I didn't have any carbs to tempt me. However, this morning it hit me hard. Upset stomach and I was up 1.5 lbs. So not worth it. Also, their meats were more on the greasy side than I anticipated which is not good for a stomach that has had little or no oil for two weeks.

So taking it easy today with lots of water and rest.

Half Done with Round 2

169.8........155.2

Down more than usual at this point in protocal. YEAH! 11 Days to go and then I get more variety in my daily meals.....light at the end of the tunnel!

Day 11

169.8.........156

I guess today is considered halfway through the round. I am ready for it to be over, but not ready to stop losing the weight.

Down .4 again today.

Knee is still hurting and the Dr. prescribed a heavy Advil pill to take WITH FOOD. Since it is just once a day, I will take it with my lunch and be done with it.

Off Subject Today

169.8......156.4

I've had and interesting week to say the least. I somehow have hurt my knee which is making it difficult to walk. So I made an appointment to visit the orthopedic Dr. in my area (so I thought).

I got to the Dr.'s office at the time requested to fill out all of the paperwork which was a minimum of 10 pages only to find out that my appointment was elsewhere. When making the appointment, no one once asked me where in the Houston area did I live.

"Excactly where am I suppose to be? .....I thought my appointment was at this facility"

" No, but let me look it up for you......I'm sorry the Dr. that they booked you with is in Katy, TX." An hour away!!

Fortunately, this is a really good clinic and somehow worked me in to see the orthopedic Dr. He made a diagnosis that my meniscule needs to be looked at by way of MRI and quickly handed me over the the tech to make the appointment. Wonderful!!, let's get this pain removed as quickly as possible.....sounds so good and maybe would have been the senerio 5 years ago. I received a phone call from the Drs. office this morning and they had to cancel my appt. because my insurance company feels that I should be on Advil for a minimum of 2 weeks and then a follow up with the Dr. before they will approve my MRI. I guess this is what we have to look forward to with the new "health care" that is in our future. It will be up to someone else to determine your physical welfare who has not even seen you or knows the pain that you are in to determine if you can have the nesessary procedures your DOCTOR asks for you. Live with the pain for a minimum of 2 weeks on the "approved" list of OTC meds that we, the insurance co., requires of you and then maybe we will approve your MRI or maybe will just send you to therapy regardless of the pain.

To this I say "THANK YOU, reid, pelosi and obama". This is the hope and change the American people asked for!!?? You passed the bill and now we get to "see what is in it"......It STINKS!!!!

Day 9

169.8......156.8 (-13)

Finally.....a release!! Down .4 today after stalling for 3 days!! Staying the course even though I had a big slip up Sunday night eating cornbread and my homemade chili that has ranch style beans in it with our small group. I haven't seen the results of it and hopefully won't. Bodies are so finiky when trying to lose weight, that I wouldn't be surprised at anything at this moment!!

Planning on -

Biz's shake for lunch and

Shrimp for dinner with asparagus

Day 7

169.8.......157.2

Stalled...

Looking back at my journaling, it was this same time in protocal that I stalled in Rd 1. I guess it's normal, at least for me, to stall while my body adjusts to the new diet. Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully I will see a release.

Lunch

Grilled chicken breast with dressing-less salad from Cafe Express

1/2 apple

grissini

A Very, Very bad evening food wise.

Small group here at my house -- made chili and ending up eating it plus a small piece of cornbread (someone brought it and I was polite) : - (

Also, all of my doses have been at different times....I dread tomorrow looking at the scale, but it will be all clean from now on. Why is the second round harder to keep to protocal? I think because I tasted what life could be like, and hate to be disciplined when it comes to food invading my life with LIFE!!

Day 6 R2

169.8.......157.2

I again was suprised by a nice loss overnight. Down .8 Happy the weight is coming off, but I do miss P3 very much!! Only 17 more days until I can have a mixed salad and creamy dressing.....ok, thinking way too much of the ranch dressing that I enjoyed sooo much on P3. :-)

Lunch -

ground chicken

spinach

1/2 apple

grissini

Dinner

Mahi Mahi grilled with lemon and rosemary

cucumbers

grissini

strawberry slushie

I feel like I have cheated....I did a taste test of the chili I am making for our small group tomorrow night. Maybe just a tablespoon to make sure the spices were correct but still not on protocal. :(

Day 5 of R2P2

169.8........158!!

What a surprise....I was down 1.2 lbs. this morning! I really thought from yesterday that I was going to slow down and just have the .4/.6./.2 loss like the last round, but something is working differently this round and I don't understand it. That is just fine! I will take the big losses anytime and try not to get discouraged when they are small!

I was a little hungry yesterday and woke up hungry this morning. I will be happy when 11 o'clock gets here to take my drops and then get busy fixing my lunch!!

Lunch-

Grilled chicken and dressing-less salad at Cafe Express

Dinner

Steak

asparagus

strawberries

Day 4 of R2P2

Ok, I guess the big releases are over :( I had a loss of .4 today coming down to 159.2.....it's going to come I'm sure, but I did like seeing the weight going down fast!!

R2P2 Day3

169.8.........159.8

I woke up to another BIG release (at least for me) of 2.4 lbs! This round so far is much better than last round. So I am back to 10 lbs. even in total loss. I wasn't expecting that until the end of the week, so I will be happy to see what the rest of the week holds!

Lunch-

Grissini

Mexican Soup

2 T. milk with pumpkin spice coffee

Dinner-

100 grams chicken

100 grams spinach with Franks

1/2 apple

grisinni

R2P2 Day 2

I woke up to a 3 lb. loss!! Totally needed it since I had a 5 lb. gain during loading. I started R1 at 169.8 and after 2 weeks of P3 and two loading days, I was up to 165.2 Down today to 162.2....Should be back to the 150's by the end of the week. It feels so good to lose again and not be worried IF I will lose.

Lunch -

100 grams ground beef

cucumber

1/2 apple

grisinni

Dinner-

100 grams ground chicken breast

spinach cooked with Franks

strawberries

grissini

R2P2 Day 1

I certainly was not happy with the added weight from loading over the weekend. Back up to 165 after being down last Thursday at 159. Oh well, I feel that it is mostly water weight as my clothes still fit nicely and I'm sure after drinking 8-9 venti cups of water today will take care of it by Wednesday.

I can't say that I am mentally prepared for being back on P2, but I just need to remind myself that it is for a short (LOL) 21 days!! And I will be so happy with the results 21 days from now -- totally expecting to be down a couple of sizes and hopefully will not have to do another round.

Lunch-

100 grams lean ground beef

1 tomato

5 strawberries with chocolate stevia

1 grisinni

Missing food, but not really hungry!

Dinner -

100 grams of chicken with Frank's

cucumber

1/2 apple

grisinni

Lots of water!!

I'M Back...

After two weeks of a break, I am returning to the protocal to lose hopefully the last 10+ lbs. I had a hard time stabilizing, but once I did I was fine. It was that it was 2.5 lbs above LDW instead of the recommended 2. I'm okay with it and now have an understanding of stabilizing...the first few days are scarey to say the least as you see the scale rise for the first few days and then your body finds the calories/weight to settle into and you are fine.

Not really excited to go back to the hum-drum foods for the next 21 days, but I know that I will love the results!

So today and tomorrow will be my loading days....then back to 500 or less for the next full 21 days!!!

I'll be posting to give me some accountability and reassurance of watching my foods and the weight going in the right direction.

No dosing Day 1

So today is a new day. No dosing today and tomorrow.....makes me nervous to start P3 on Sunday as I have worked so hard that I do not want to regain an ounce!!

Yesterday was an interesting day. I met a sweet, sweet friend for lunch at Cafe Express. Told the manager "PLEASE, no oil at all on the chicken" Did they do it??? Of course not! So I had to eyeball my 3.5 oz. of chicken and dab off all of the oil that I could see. Got my spring mix salad with NO dressing and it had paramesan cheese sprinkled on it. Got as much as I could off....not the end of the story. As we were walking out of Cafe Express, I fell!! I think I have broken my big toe on my left foot. Ugh!! It is black and blue but bareable to walk on today. Still not the end of the story ....... as we were saying our goodbyes, I started to look for my car keys, NO WHERE to be found in my bottemless purse. I finally removed everything to no avail, no keys!! I retraced my steps on my broken toe...Z gallerie, Maggies and back to Cafe Express. Looked twice in my car, they weren't there. I called Sherry who went to my house for the extra set and was on her way up to Market Street when I went back into Cafe Express for the THIRD time and said "there is no other place that they could be, they have to be here". After waiting another 10 or so minutes, here comes the manager with my keys! I had to call Sherry and let her know that I had them and then was on my way home. I had planned on going furniture shopping after having lunch with my friend.......didn't happen!

However, I was down again today to 158.8 Total loss 11 pounds even!! Whoo Who!!

So I will not be taking the HCG drops today or tomorrow, but will continue the 500 cals. until Sunday. Then it will be on to Phase 3 for about a week and then back to P2 and hopefully will not have to go on a 3rd round.

Busy Day

169.8.......159.8

No time to post much but daily diary:

Lunch -

P2 Chili - 220

1/2 apple - 40

grissini - 20

total - 280

Dinner-

Chicken patty - 113

Cucumbers -16

strawberries - 24

grissini - 20

Total - 173

Daily Total - 453

Just Another Day

169.8......160.00

Okay, this is becoming boring so I thought I would think of things that have been positive while on this protocal besides losing the weight and inches.

1. I have a few new favorites: flavored stevia, dillweed, Frank's hot sauce and Ground Chicken Breast.

2. I have certainly become a creative cook. Since the ingredients are limited, I have learned what a few new spices tastes like such as dillweed. It makes a cabbage taste like a slaw when mixed with ACV, salt,pepper and a little xylitol.

3. It doesn't take long to fix lunch or dinner as the amounts of food are small and only one serving. Hal is enjoying my cooking as I am creating meals for him but using EVOO/butter and allowing him the carbs.

4. LOVE my caphilon panni/grill. Great for the hamburger and chicken patties.

5. Amazed at the energy I have on such few calories.

Lunch -

Beef Patty - 178

Cabbage - 21

grissini - 20

Total - 219

Snack - 1/2 apple 40

Dinner -

Chicken Patty - 113

cucumber - 16

strawberries - 24

grissini - 20

Total - 213

Todays total - 432

GAIN???

How do you gain weight on 500 calories?? My first since starting the program. The only thing I can put my finger on is the oil that was in the omlette on Saturday just catching up with me.

I was busy yesterday so I didn't post but had a loss and was down to an even 160.

Lunch was chicken patty, cucumbers, strawberries and grissini

Dinner was P2 chili, 1/2 apple and grissini.

I don't have the calorie totals, but all was on protocal.

Will just have to wait and see what today holds and how kind the scale will be to me tomorrow. I am sooo close to being in the 150's that today was disappointing to say the least.

Lunch -

Chicken patty - 113

cucumber - 16

strawberries - 24

grissini - 20

Total 173

Dinner

Biz Shake -170

Grissini -20

Total - 190

Todays total - 363

Half way there - 10 Days to Go

169.8 ...........160.8

Down 9 lbs!! I am very encouraged with this diet. It is working to say the least. Of course after 12 days of very strict calories, I would like the instant gratification of being at my goal. But I know that I will appreciate the hard work and be more watchful of gains when this is all over.

9 pounds in just 13 days! Soooo happy.

Off to soccer game today and then the kiddos tonight. Should be fun!

Brunch

Omelette 1 egg + 2 whites - 188

Tomato - 21

Strawberries - 24

Grissini - 20

Total 253

Dinner

1/2 Apple 40

Shrimp - 106

Cucumber -16

grissini - 20

Total - 435

I doubt that I have a loss tomorrow since we went to Black Walnut for Brunch. It seems that my omlette may have been cooked with some oil..... we will see what tomorrow brings.

Day 12 - 11 to go

169.8......161.4

Another day of notta -- no loss. But the good news is that I am fitting into some jeans that I couldn't just two weeks ago!! YEAH! I want to say, not just fitting into them, but wearing them well with some room.

Today is Caleb's 9th birthday!! Sweet, sweet boy. I went and had lunch with him and then had lunch with Sam. Such good times. :)

Looked at houses today with Cyndy. I don't think I need a 9000 sq ft. house!! Not at my age. It had the most beautiful yard, kitchen, beautiful woodwork, but still 9000 Sq. ft?? I would be crazy. The pool was 27' long having to use two "tractors" to clean it not to mention that it had to have 6 units to air condition the house.

Hal and I are taking his 88 year old Aunt to the Astros game tonight....

Lunch

Hamburger patty - 178

cucumber - 16

grissini - 20

strawberries - 24

Total - 238

Dinner (because of the game)

Biz's shake - 170

grissini -20

Total 190

Total for the day - 428

Day 11

169.8.............161.4

I woke up to a wonderful surprise -- 1 full pound gone!! YEAH ! 8.4 pounds in just 11 days. Amazing..... 12 days to go

Lunch -

Biz's chocolate shake - 170 cal.

grissini - 20

Boy this day is dragging by.... I woke up hungry and haven't been able to quench the hunger no matter what I do. Hopefully the day will fly by once I pick up the grandboys. I have had 6 of my large cups of water, drank tea at chick fil a and had some sparkling water with orange stevia. Still wanting food....maybe its emotional eating that I am craving....no, my stomach is growling!

Well I have made it through the day but not without discomfort. I don't know why that I have been hungry all day because usually the drops take care of the hunger. Hopefully, I haven't done something wrong today. I pretty much had 1 gallon of water before lunch and then had to take it easy the rest of the day. Oh well, I made it through it all.....

Dinner

100 g. beef patty - 178

100 g. asparagus - 25

grissini - 20

1/2 apple - 40

Total - 263

Days Total - 453

No Apple Day for Me!

Thank Heavens that I managed to lose .6 this morning or I would have done the apple day.

Down 7.4 lbs. in just 10 days -- that is amazing as it would have taken 2 months on any other diet that I have done in the past.

I am so blessed to have a friend doing this with me ... she is just a few weeks ahead which helps me tremendously as she is clearing the path for me to see what to expect. She has also reached her goal (high five) and I am so happy and proud for her.. Congratulations Kelly!!

Lunch -

3.5 ozs ground chicken patty -115

1 cup lettuce with ACV - 5

Strawberries - 24

Grissini - 20

Total - 164

Dinner -

100 g. shrimp - 106

chicken broth - 2

spinach - 14

1/2 apple - 40

gryssini - 20

Total - 182

Day Totals - 346

Stalled ....

GRRRR... stalled at 163! How in the world is that possible???? I mean 500 calories a day! Seriously?? !! I really, really don't want to do what the Dr. suggests for being stalled. I just don't like apples that much to eat only apples for a day. Tomorrow will be the test....if there is no movement, I guess I will pull myself up by the bootstraps and go for it!!

Lunch -

3.5 ozs. ground chicken breast - 115

1 cup cooked spinach

1/2 apple - 36

grisinni - 20

total - 198

Off to the Beth Moore Bible study tonight. Taking Biz's shake with me.

Biz's shake 170 cal

Grissini - 20

Total today 388

Hope this helps in the loss tomorrow!!!

Day 8 - Fifteen days to Go

169.8...168...166...165...164.6...163...163

Love the Lord God with all of you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. -Matthew 22:37

At church yesterday I struggled with "should I or shouldn't I, should I or shouldn't I" take communion since we are to stay to a very strict protocal. There is NO Fudging for 21 days!! I decided to take communion because of Christ's sacrifice for me. I have given everything to him, so why not this too? I didn't have a loss today but that is okay with me --- I was in obediance to God and that is all that matters when this life is done.....not my age, my finances, my apperance or my weight but my obediance to Him. I Love Him so....

Lunch -

3.5 ozs. chicken patty - 115

1/2 cucumber - 16

grisinni - 20

strawberries - 24

Total - 175

Snack - chicken broth - 17

Dinner -

3.5 ozs. beef patty - 136

1 cup cabbage mixed with xylitol and ACV (tastes like slaw) - 22

grisinni - 20

1/2 Apple - 36

Total - 214

Total - 406

Weekends are Hard

169.8..168..166..165..164.6...164...163...

I had somewhat of a rough weekend. I started out feeling great on Saturday but by the afternoon I was feeling pretty tired and "blue".

Hal waited until I made my Chocolate Shake before we left to have lunch with our children and grandchildren at McAlistors....I drank a glass of tea while they had lunch. Fortunately, my shake filled me up and I wasn't desiring any of the food that was on the table.

Now this is when the day became difficult. I had forgotten that I had a cup of "smooth move" tea before I went to bed the night before......FYI - it works!! The rest of the day was spent on the couch wishing that I never had heard of "smooth move" tea. It helped do its job and I did lose another pound today....

We had dinner with some sweet friends that fixed for Hal and was very gracious of letting me bring my little meal. It consisted of steak, asparagus sprayed with Braggs and apples cut up with cinnamon and xylitol.

Today, I cooked my meal before we left for church and took it into Cafe Express where we have lunch with our family on Sundays. I could actually eat one of their grissinis so I didn't have to take mine. Hopefully, the tea won't have an effect on my results in the morning.

Lunch -

3.5 ozs. Ground Chicken Breast - 115

3/4 Cucumber - 16

Strawberries - 24

Grissini - 20

Total - 175

Dinner -

3.5 ozs. beef patty - 178

1 small tomato - 21

1/2 orange - 43

grissini - 20

Total - 262

Total for the day - 437

New Favorites

Since food is very limited, I have found a few new favorites this week in the "water" catagory.

Sparkling Water with Orange Flavored Stevia - tastes like an orange cream soda.

Sparkling Water with Grape Flavored Stevia - tastes like a Grape Ne-Hi.

Also, a favorite "meal" is Biz's chocolate shake ---contains cottage cheese, Hersheys Cocoa, Water, Strawberries, sweetner + I add a little Chocolate Flavored stevia and spinach....yes, spinach. You don't even taste the spinach and the shake tastes like a strawberry chocolate shake. Since I have had a good loss this week, I am treating myself to that for lunch!

Down another .6 today making this weeks loss so far 5.8 lbs.

Lunch -

Biz Chocolate Shake - 170 cal

1 grissini - 20

Total - 190

Dinner -

3.5 oz. Beef Tenderloin -185

80 grams of asparagus - 15

1 apple - 50

1 grissini - 20

Total - 270

Total - 460

My first week with HcG

Who am I? I am a 54 year old Wife, Mother and Grandmother. My husband and I have been married 35 years. We have two children + two in-law children and four precious grandchildren ages 9, 5, 4, and 2 1/2. I am blessed to have all of the "chicks" close to my nest and get to see my precious little ones all of the time.

I have had a weight issue since having my children in 1977 and 1979. Of course, they are worth every pound I have gained and lost over the years, but I have been very puzzled why for 30+ years I cannot maintain a "normal" weight. I have tried every diet on the planet...Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Cabbage Soup (Yuk!!), Yeast free, Dairy free, Wheat free, gluten free, etc, etc, etc. The only real success that I have had has been on a diet that prescribed ephedrin. I lost 35 lbs in 11 months. It took most of my friends doing the same diet only 3 months. I have no idea why I don't get rid of the weight as others do. I am basically a very healthy person dealing only with High Blood Pressure (weight loss should take care of that) and no other illnesses. I work out and eat healthy 85% of the time. Always aware of what I am eating. So why??? Why can I not maintain?

This to me has also been a terrible spiritual issue. I tend to think of dieting, food, my self image and by comparing myself to others, I tend to look inward instead of upward toward my Heavenly Father.

My husband has been a huge support for me over these past 33 years and has loved me regardless of what the scale has said. I am so blessed to be married to this man! I love and respect him more and more as the years go by.

So, with the blessings of my husband, children and personal trainer, I decided to try the HCG beginning on August 28, 2010 - my daughter's 31st birthday.

The first two days of "Loading" were both fun and miserable. Fun in the fact that I was free to eat whatever I wanted without feeling guilty.... and miserable because my body is not use to that much fat and sugar!! I felt like I was floating in fat. Even my cheeks felt bloated!! I was actually happy to start the 500 calorie day on Monday.

So my weight loss for the week has gone like this:

Saturday and Sunday were the preload days in which I did not gain any weight (go figure!!)

8/30 - 169.8

8/31 - 168

9/01 - 166

9/02 - 165

9/03 - 164.6

A total of 5.2 lbs in 5 days. I was pretty disappointed this morning with a small loss of .4, but I didn't eat enough yesterday. I managed to have only 338 calories without much hunger at all. But I need to try to get very close to the 500 calorie a day protocal or it will slow the loss down.

So the journey begins (with a whole lot of prayer)......

Today's meals looked like this:

Breakfast-

Water and Coffee

Lunch-

3.5 oz chicken breast grilled on my indoor grill with Franks hot sauce and garlic powder.

They tasted like "wings"

1/2 cucumber

1 grissini

1/2 cup strawberries

Total 220 Calories

Dinner-

3.5 oz. Tenderloin Filet

1 cup cooked spinach....cooked with 1/4 cup chicken broth and Franks hot sauce

1 grissini

1/2 apple

Total 268

Total calories for the day is 488.