Mattress butt

For real this time!

2010-11-01T09:21:00.004-05:00

Ok, I'm starting my 2nd round that I am actually going to stick to! I plan to do it for 25 days til Thanksgiving, cheat on Thanksgiving, and then if I can be strong I WILL get back on and stay on for another 2 weeks. That's the plan anyway.
I just feel and look like crap. I have been eating like crap all month. I don't know what my deal is. I get bored, I eat. I get sad, I eat. I'm happy, I eat. I'm lonely, I eat. It's so frustrating!!! And my husband started a part time job this month so now he's gone a lot and I miss him, so... apparently I EAT. I need to get this under control.
I'm just gonna lay it out there- I am not giving up my Diet DP. It makes me miserable and I don't want to be miserable. I AM cutting down. I will be drinking lots of water and eating right. But I need my diet DP.... Just sayin'...
I would love to lose 15 by Thanksgiving, but 10 would be awesome too. Let the games begin!!

Unplanned break

2010-10-05T09:58:00.003-05:00

Football season has really made it hard to follow this diet. My planning has been horrible. It's not that I'm eating food I'm not suppose to all the time. Most of the time I'm just not eating because we're on the go so much and I don't wanna pay $6 for a salad at a fast food place. I was getting really cranky and irritable. The last couple of days I haven't taken the drops. I haven't been eating much at all, just not taking the drops either. I haven't gained or lost any weight. I also took my measurements and was down almost 8 inches! Yay!
I will start back up on the drops once I figure things out. It's just been crazy busy. My husband also started a new part time job this week so I'm on my own taking the kids every where, picking up, etc... I was used to having him home during the week to help. I'm not trying to make excuses because I do want to lose weight and I'm not going to screw things up by gorging myself for a month again. haha Like yesterday I ate 2 frozen waffles in the morning and then a small portion of our family dinner. I may have had an apple or something for lunch. I can't remember... I also played basketball for 90 minutes. So, I'm not going to undo the progress I've made. I will update this blog when I start the drops again. I'm thinking in a few weeks. Idk...

I'm a cheater

2010-10-02T10:16:00.003-05:00

I basically cheat a little everyday whether it be Diet DP, a couple of Tootsie Rolls, Nutter Butters, the corner of Liv's sandwich... whatever. And the weightloss has been slow. I guess by "slow" I mean not the pound a day stuff. But, I have been on the VLCD 12 days and I am down almost 9 pounds. I've been stalled the last couple of days, but it's that "time of the month" and I slowed down during that time my 1st round too. Also, I know sometimes you drop weight each day and sometimes it's a big drop all at once. So, I'm not stressin' it. I may do an "apple day" if I don't lose anything by Monday...
I'm not sure what my goal is. I mean, I have a goal area I'd like to be in, but I also want to be happy and not diet all the time. I have set a goal to return to the gym at least twice a week, plus basketball twice a week. It's not a lot, but it's more that I go now. I know I will look better and feel better if I exercise more.
I still plan on 30 days on HCG, then I'll evaluate my progress and go from there. As much as I'd love to be the 115 pound super cute mom I was back in 2001, it's not gonna happen. I'm too lazy to work out 2 hours a day and I like to eat and live a little. So, I've come to the realization that feeling good and fitting in my clothes are more important to me than being the hottie I was when I met my husband. ;)

A post with TMI

2010-09-29T07:20:00.003-05:00

This post contains Too Much Information- especially if you're a guy. You have been warned.So, remember my "minor setback" from the last time I started round 2? I thought I was getting my period a week early, so I stopped the drops and decided to restart later. Well in actuality my boobs hurt, I spotted some and then... nada. Then I started my period at the normal day it was due. Sooo bugged.
Well, this time around I started the drops and then 2 days into it my boobs started hurting like they do when I'm PMS-ing. I was like, "Crap! Again?" It was 9 days before my period was due. But I decided I wasn't going to stop the drops this time because obviously this is how my body was reacting this time, so I should go with the flow. (Excuse the pun. Eew.) So, I ended up with a period 6 days early. I also had no loss for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. However, I don't know if that's because of the chips and queso or because of the hormones. But then this morning I was down 2 pounds. So, I am still down almost 8.5 pounds in 9 days of VLCD, so I am glad I stuck it out.
Has anyone else had hcg mess with their "monthly"? ;) I've read online that is can happen, so I'm not worried. It just didn't happen my 1st round. But whatever. :) I am losing and feeling good! I haven't had any major hunger either AND I may as well admit I am still drinking Diet DP. Not like crazy. Just one a day or whatever, but I haven't given it up. I also, just as on round 1, have not changed any cosmetic or hygiene products. Mary Kay all the way yo! Hopefully I will continue to lose.

Punishment

2010-09-26T14:15:00.002-05:00

I weighed this morning after "the big cheat" last nite and I was up .8. But a couple of hours later I was only up .4. I was expecting a 2 pound gain! So, if that's my whole "punishment" then I'll take it! ;) I'll have to wait and see if my weightloss is slowed for the next couple of days... I'll update again soon.

I'm so weak

2010-09-25T23:17:00.002-05:00

This morning I was down another pound! That's almost 7 pounds in 5 days on the VLCD. I am stoked! So stoked that I TOTALLY cheated tonite. I didn't PLAN on cheating it just sort of happened. I went out with my mom and sis-in-law. Food wasn't suppose to be involved, but we ended up at On the Border and I ate chips and queso. I wasn't even hungry and I ate like there was no tomorrow. Such a dork.
I am so bugged with myself because:
1) My stomach totally hurts now.
2) There was no reason for it.
3) I probably set myself back a few days. Boo. I am NOT looking forward to weigh in tomorrow.

But... the chips and queso tasted so yum. Just sayin'...

I can't beat myself up about it too much. What's done is done. And tomorrow IS another day.

French fries are a no-no ;)

2010-09-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

So, I'm doing ok so far. I'm down almost 6 pounds after doing the low cal for 4 days. That's awesome, but I think it may have been more if I hadn't eaten a small fry all by myself. I was running in between football practice, gymnastics and scouts, so we grabbed Burger King for a quick dinner. I totally chowed on some fries before realizing what I was doing. :( I just totally spaced it. And I paid for it. The next day I didn't gain, but I didn't lose either. So I'm assuming it was the fries. But then this morning I was down 2 pounds, so... I guess I'm ok with those fries!! haha
I remembered to take measurements this time at the beginning. I will check measurements at the 2 week mark and then at the 4 week mark. I thought this would be a 23 day round, but now I think I'll just go a full month-- hopefully meeting my goal. If I have to extend past the month to meet my goal I will. Last round I lost 21 pounds in 35 days, so I'm hoping I can do 18 in 30 days. We'll see. :)

Day 1 of VLCD

2010-09-21T16:16:00.002-05:00

So, day one of VLCD (very low calorie diet) is down and I'm almost thru the 2nd. I did pretty good yesterday. Lots of lettuce, chicken, apples... I did have maybe 8 oz. of Diet Dr. Pepper. I didn't drink as much water as I should. I need to get water bottles, but I forgot. :(
I was down 2.8 pounds this morning. I only gained .8 on my gorge days because seriously I've been such a pig all month that it wasn't a huge deal to my body. haha
Today I've had a chicken salad and will have steak tonite. :)

If you've done the diet before did you eat broccoli? It's not listed in Dr. Simeon's protocol, but I know I ate it last round and obviously lost. Just curious if other have tried it as well...

Gorging sucks

2010-09-19T21:02:00.004-05:00

I've been gorging for 2 days. Gorging consisted of a lot of Totinos pizzas, donuts, a candy bar... I feel like crap. I can't wait to only eat 500 calories tomorrow. Gag.

Day 1 Round 2

2010-09-18T11:22:00.005-05:00

I am starting Round 2 today. I am gorging- although I don't really gorge very well. I am disappointed with my starting weight because I have just been a psycho pig eater the last month. I think it's because I knew I was going to start round 2, "So what's a few extra pounds?" I have to remember that hcg will help me lose and reset my metabolism, but if I eat like a 400 pound man I. WILL. GAIN. I am still down 13 pounds of the 21 I lost and I still fit in my clothes, but now instead of wanting to just lose "10 more" I need to lose 18. :( That's what happens when you eat fast food almost everyday. Football season is killin' me! haha
But today is another day and I'm ready to do this! I am going to the grocery store to get chicken tenders, lettuce, cucumbers, etc... I'm also getting bottled water because that seems to be the only way I'll remember to drink it.
On a funny note: I told my husband that if I got a tummy tuck I'd probably drop 5 pounds right there. His response? "Yeah. Probably." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I think I did both! When he realized what he said he was like, "Sorry babe! I wasn't paying attention to what you said!" Like NOT LISTENING to me was going to save him. haha
Wish me luck!

Starting Round 2 this week!

2010-09-11T21:56:00.002-05:00

Ok, I feel like I'm ready to start round 2 once again. Minor setback before, but now I'm ready to go!! I am excited to lose this weight. I've been a psycho pig eater for the last 3 weeks. I'm not sure why. I'm an emotional eater and school started and I have a lot more free time... Idk- I'm making excuses as I sit here and eat my peanut M & Ms....
I'm ready to do this! My anniversary is on Tuesday, but my son has a football game so I doubt we're going out anyway. So, once I find out our date nite then I'll decide my official starting date. Will keep you posted!!

Minor setback...

2010-08-27T20:39:00.002-05:00

Alrighty, Mother Nature decided to visit me SIX DAYS EARLY and from everything I've read you should not start the diet around "that time of the month..." So, I am gonna put this round on hold for about 10 days. No wonder my weight had hardly changed since Monday. :( This makes more sense.
I will start updating again when I start again. I'm disappointed that I have to stop and then start again, but I think I would be super frustrated if I wasn't losing for a week because of stupid hormones.

Day 2 VLCD Round 2

2010-08-26T08:41:00.002-05:00

I did fine yesterday except I did drink some Diet DP. Not a lot, probably 8 oz. I'm totally NOT hungry. I ate:

apple
chicken with lettuce
meatballs (probably not legal, but that's what I made for dinner and I wasn't hungry enough to make something for me...)
orange

I did better on water, but still didn't drink a ton. Probably had 4 16 oz. bottles. What does that equal? 64 oz? I'm trying, just not thirsty!!

I was down 2.8 pounds the first morning and another .8 this morning. Not the ginormous loss I was hoping for but I really didn't eat enough or drink enough. And it's still over 3 pounds in 2 days. :)

Day 1 on VLCD round 2

2010-08-24T22:13:00.003-05:00

Today wasn't bad at all. I haven't felt hungry so that's great. Here's what I ate:

cucumber and chicken for lunch
apple for snack
lettuce and chicken for dinner
orange for snack

I did drink a little diet DP only because I like the taste. And I'm worried I didn't drink enough water. I will have to do better tomorrow.

2nd Round here I come!

2010-08-18T19:52:00.002-05:00

I didn't start August 9 like I had planned. I decided it'd be easier to start when the kids go back to school- which is the 23rd. I've gained about 5 pounds back, but I can only blame myself. I've been eating like crap. All.the.time. It's the summer, we're on the go, and I like junk food.
So I am going to start next week with the goal of 15 pounds. Honestly I want a little bit of cushion so if I gave a few pounds it's not devastating. I'd love to weigh 20 pounds less than now, but I don't think it's really a realistic weight. I just wanna look cute in my clothes. Is that too much to ask? ;)
I will start updating this blog frequently when I start the drops. I am also back in full swing of playing basketball and I think I am going to be playing volleyball a day or 2 a week also. I attempted to play tennis for the 2nd time in my life just the other day. Yeah... I'm not very good. I played softball growing up so my 1st reaction is to whack the ball right over the fence. haha
Stay tuned for updates!!

Update after vacation

2010-07-28T12:20:00.002-05:00

So I was out of town for 2 weeks, with 5 days of driving. It was a great vacation but hard on my stomach. Blech. I brought my scale and weighed myself the 1st 9 days. I stayed with a pound up or down of my last drop weight. I was surprised considering how, uh, constipated... I felt. Gross.
Anyway... When we got home I was only .3 over my last drop day weight. Not bad since I didn't really have a big choice in what I ate. But now that I'm home I feel like it's hard to eat right!! Aack. I thought it'd be opposite.
I haven't gone to the grocery store since getting home- so that could be part of the problem. I am planning to do one more short round of 23 days. I will start August 9 most likely...
I am proud of myself for not going crazy on vacation. :)

Day 9 maintenance

2010-07-09T11:15:00.003-05:00

It's in the morning, so I haven't actually completed day 9, but I just thought I'd mention that I was down .8 pounds this morning from my last drop day weight. How random is that? I'll probably be back to normal tomorrow, I just thought it was weird because I'm pretty sure I ate more yesterday than the other days that I "cheated." But I was mostly eating salads, strawberries, an apple... Wow- GOOD food DOES make a difference. Go figure. haha Too bad my body craves bad. It's a curse. Peanut butter M & Ms have been calling my name! I tried to curb the craving by eating apple slices with some peanut button on them. Yeah... definitely NOT the same! ;)

I thought I'd post some tips in case you're having a lot of hunger or if you're not happy with your loss rate:

- Spread your drops out. You can do 7 drops 5x a day. Or do 12 drops 3x a day or something like that. I changed mine up depending on how I felt. Experiment and see what works for you. Different people need different dosages.
- Half your fruit. Ex. Eat 1/2 an orange in the morning and the other 1/2 with your lunch. 3 hours later eat 1/2 an apple then add the rest to a chicken salad at dinner. Or something like that.
- Cut out the melba toast if you can. It seemed to make me hungrier.
- Add more veggies. There isn't a real measurement to follow. I mean, an entire cucumber is only like 45 calories.
- Don't eat the same protein 2x in one day. I did sometimes, but I read it slowed some other people down.
- Drink tons of water.

Day 8 maintenance

2010-07-08T16:50:00.004-05:00

I've now been doing the maintenance part of hcg since last Thursday. So I guess this is day 8. I'm not counting the 3 days of no drops, but still only 500 calories. So far, so good. I surprisingly DIDN'T gain enough to merit a steak day even after the crappy eating. I gained a pound, watched what I ate - mostly protein- the next day and was back to my last drop weight the very next day. I have been within .2 pounds of my last drop weight every day since. I'm not gonna pretend I've been perfect this week because I haven't. I ate 2 small pieces of frozen pizza yesterday, but the other food I ate- an apple, chicken, salad... - were all fine. I have found that if I stick within 1200-1400 calories I don't seem to have a problem. And honestly, I'm not hungry enough to eat more.
I'm still kind of nervous to eat much, but I realize I am leaving on vacay soon and there's gonna be food. My husband is Polynesian and it's his family reunion: LOTS of FOOD. I have been trying to make sure I am more active each day which I should do anyway. We have hikes planned on our trip and this may sound crazy- but I'm taking my scale. I don't want it to get out of control. We are also taking snacks in the car- apples, carrots, granola bars, etc... so that cuts out fast food. I'm just trying to make better choices and eat ONLY when I'm hungry and only before 7pm if at all possible. I was hungry last nite and my man cooked steak around 10pm. I didn't have any. I wasn't starving and after drinking some water I was good.
I'm still trying to decide whether to do one more round after vacay. I'd love to lose 10 more pounds, but I'm also liking where I'm at- and a few of my shorts are really baggy in the butt area. My friend saw me for the 1st time since losing weight and she said "WOW!" She was surprised by how much my body had changed. She lost a lot of weight this last year as well. I told her I wasn't sure if I should lose more because I'd have to get all new clothes. She said, "DO IT! You won't have a lot of clothes, but they'll be new!!" haha I'll see how I feel after vacay. I'm wondering if I'll do a 2nd round as well now that the need to lose isn't so intense. Ya know? Or will I be like, "It doesn't matter if I cheat. I already fit in my clothes. These last 10 pounds are just for the heck of it..."?? It would definitely only be a 23 day round and then maintenance. That's still a big commitment. I'd love to shop for some cute jeans... mine are dorky. ;)

Maintenance Day 3

2010-07-04T19:47:00.003-05:00

I am sucking eggs at maintenance!! I'm suppose to eat low carb veggies, lower sugar fruits, and protein- no sugar or starches. All I wanna do is go wild and eat! And I was not very good this weekend at all. And by "weekend" I mean Friday AND Saturday AND Sunday. I'm gonna be doin' a steak day for sure. My weight has been within a pound of my final weigh in after drops, but it's gonna catch up with me. I'm not eating A LOT of food, just not the food I'm suppose to be eating. In my defense... Friday we went to Oklahoma for a wedding and to visit the OKC Memorial I ate a 6 inch turkey sub, a chicken breast, salad and lots and lots of Reeses Pieces. :( They had a "candy bar" at the reception... But my weight was fine in the morning. Saturday I ate a salad with chicken on it, 2 pieces of pizza and some Nilla Wafer Firecracker Bites I made... See- not a lot of food, but not the "ok" food. Today I started out ok. I had sweet and sour meatballs with some salad. Then some yummy pudding fruit salad that was no ok. And a bowl of cereal. Idk why. I'm weak. But tomorrow I am vowing to do better and to do maintenance the way it's suppose to be done. I'm just thinking my weight will be up tomorrow and I'll be doing a steak day. We'll see.
What's funny is that I didn't eat that much today, but I feel gross. I don't like to feel gross. I've also realized I haven't been drinking as much water as I did the last 6-7 weeks. I am just sucking. But sucking ends RIGHT NOW. I WILL drink more water. I WILL eat the right foods. I WILL be strong!! YAY!

Day 3 no drops (aka Phase 3)

2010-07-01T08:19:00.004-05:00

For the first 72 hours off of drops you're still suppose to follow the 500 calorie plan while all the drops work their way out of you system. My last drops were 11am on Monday- because I forgot to take them that evening. So, technically at 11am today I am free to start eating more. But I'm scared!! I'm starting to think the drops were my security blanket. I do so much better when I'm told, "This is all you can eat, in this amount." Now it's like I'm more in the real world- minus sugar and starches- and I'm scared!!
I DID totally screw up on Tuesday. We were at Six Flags all day. I ate a turkey sandwich, a funnel cake and some shrimp that was so good from Panda Express. I was hoping the 2 mile walk with my dog that morning, then all the walking that day would even it out. Nope. I gained 2.5 pounds. Boo. I know it's because there were still drops in my body, because really, my calories weren't that high. I mean, I shared the funnel cake with 2 other people. ;) So, I only ate an apple and some shrimp last nite. I also took the kids on a bike ride, & hiking on a trail with the dog. I haven't weighed this morning yet... I'm nervous. I'm such a dork. But I will weigh in a little while...
I'm nervous to start eating more, but I know I need to learn to eat normally again. I just SO don't wanna gain weight. I know if I continue to play basketball, take long walks with my dog, and eat good food, then I should be ok. I guess I'm not really excited about eating more because I can't eat a bowl of cereal yet or a slice of pizza. I really want a bowl of Frosted Cheerios. Is that so wrong? ;)
Anyway... I'll update thru out the maintenance phase. I'm hoping to not have to do a "steak day" at all. See, thru out maintenance I have to weigh myself every day. If my weight is more 2 pounds more or less than my weight on the last day of hcg, then I only drink lots of water and eat a big steak (8-14 oz.) that nite. Then have an apple or raw tomato. This should even my weight out the next day. The idea is training my body to recognize the new "normal" weight. You know how you kind of get "stuck" on a weight? That's what this diet is suppose to help do- fix your metabolism and help your body find it's new normal weight.
I am still trying to decide whether to do a short 23 day round when I get back from vacation. Of course, what I weigh when I get back may decide for me!

Day 35 measurements!!

2010-06-28T09:01:00.001-05:00

These are the inches lost since my original measurements on Day 4. So, that would be the loss in just 31 days. Awesome. I can't believe the loss on my legs and arms. I mean, I'm stoked about the hips and waist for sure, but I HATED my thighs and arms and they shrunk a ton!!

Waist: 3" loss
Hips: 2.5" loss
Thigh (R): 2.75" loss
Thigh (L): 2.75" loss
Arm (R): 1.25" loss
Arm (L): 1.25" loss
Chest: 2" loss
Neck: 1" loss

Total inches lost in 35 days = 16.5 inches! :)

Day 34

2010-06-27T14:46:00.005-05:00

So my kids had been at the ex's for 2 weeks and came home last nite. My parents brought pizza and I bought stuff for ice cream sundaes. I didn't eat pizza. I ate shrimp, cucumbers and chopped apple. But I did eat a small ice cream sundae. Hey- I missed my kids and I was ready to party. haha Anyway... I figured if anything I'd wake up and maybe have not lost any or gained, or maybe a small gain at most. I was ok with that.
Nope-- I woke up weighing a 1/2 pound less than yesterday. That's an even 21 pounds lost!!! Idk how that happened, but it happened and I'll take it. I may not lose anymore tomorrow- which is my last day on drops- but I will be ok with 21 pounds. I am so stoked. I like getting dressed. I feel good about myself. YAY!! I'm still nervous to stop the drops, but I think I've gained better control of myself and I can't eat very much in one sitting anyway.
I have found that the last few days when I've lost weight I did not eat after like 7pm. I WANTED to eat, but I didn't. I made sure I ate my last fruit early and I just drank water from then til bedtime. I think that made a huge difference.

After pics

2010-06-26T22:12:00.016-05:00

I know I'm ending the drops in a couple of days, but I figured I'd take an "after" pic while I had on make up... lol
So, here they are!!
BEFORE

...

...

...

...
AFTER

Weightloss day by day... kinda

2010-06-26T09:43:00.004-05:00

I tried to keep up with my weight each day on my phone calendar, but I missed a few days. I think I may have stayed the same on those days so I didn't record the weight. I think this adds up to 20.4. What's funny is that in my head I was losing really slowly or not consistently. But looking back it was pretty consistent. I may have labeled the day numbers wrong, but you get the idea...

Day 2 - 3.2
Day 3 - 2.8
Day 4 - 1.6
Day 5 - .2
Day 6 - .8
Day 7 - +.6 (right before my period)
Day 8 - .8
Day 9
Day 10 - 1.2
Day 11 - .8
Day 12 - .6
Day 13 - .4
Day 14 - .7
Day 15 - .7
Day 16 - .6
Day 17
Day 18 - .4
Day 19 - 1
Day 20
Day 21 - .4
Day 22 - .2
Day 23 - .8
Day 24
Day 25 - .8
Day 26 - +1.4 (cheated)
Day 27 - 1
Day 28
Day 29
Day 30 - 1
Day 31 - 1.2
Day 32
Day 33 - 1.2

Day 33

2010-06-26T09:31:00.006-05:00

I have been losing weight like mad the past few days!! Over 3 pounds in the last 4 days. I am stoked. It's been so steady and slow that I was thinking I wouldn't even get to 20 pounds. But here I am- 20+ pounds gone and I still have a few more days to go.
I'm also scared. I'm scared to start eating the maintenance diet. I'm scared of gaining weight. I'm scared of doing what a lot of people have done- gaining back the 20 and then some. I am determined NOT to let that happen!! My husband is so proud of my weight-loss. I mean, he NEVER said anything about my weight-GAIN although I felt there may have been some subtle hints. But he can't compliment me enough now. I don't wanna let him down and get chubby again. And I WAS overweight. My BMI was a 27.5. Now it's in the normal/healthy range as a 23.8. YAY! I just want to stay this way without obsessing over every morsel I put in my mouth. I am going to stick to maintenance and do my best. I also already play basketball twice a week and walk the dog. I will have to add in some more exercise. I'm just nervous since I'm going on vacation immediately after maintenance. I just have to MAKE GOOD CHOICES!!
I'm just kind of bummed because I wonder if I was able to go the full 40 days if I'd make my goal? Or at least get soo close. I'm only 7 pounds away and if I was doing 40 days I'd have 7 more days to lose. Even at 1/2 a pound a day I'd hit 25 pounds. :-/ I really want to have enough time on maintenance and at this rate I'm only gonna have 2 1/2 weeks. :(

Before pic

2010-06-25T19:04:00.003-05:00

This is my before pic. I will post an "after pic" in a couple of days. I will wear the same jeans... or maybe the new swim suit I bought today!!!!

Day 31

2010-06-24T14:27:00.003-05:00

I am so stoked that I didn't give up when I was feeling like it. I've thought about quitting everyday for the last week. I didn't and I lost 1.2 pounds last nite!! That's over 2 pounds in 2 days. :) I am so happy! I am now down 19.2 pounds!!!! Wa hoo!!! I was sooo surprised when I saw the numbers on the scale. I stepped on and off several times just to make sure. I moved the scale around and everything and the number didn't change!! So, if you're stalling or getting frustrated with .2 losses DON'T STRESS!! It will happen!!

Day 30

2010-06-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

So, my advice would be DON'T CHEAT! Although that food tasted awesome, the weight gain and weightloss stall sucked eggs. I didn't lose weight on Monday or Tuesday. I was kinda gettin' stressed. But today WOOHOO! I am down a pound! I am down 18 pounds. I am stoked. STOKED! I cannot complain. I am really hoping that in the next 5 days I will drop another 5 pounds, but it's probably not gonna happen. I have to stop at 35 days instead of 40 because I need enough time for maintenance before we go on vacation. I'd be happy with 3 pounds. I won't reach my ultimate goal, but 21 pounds in 35 days IS NOT BAD!! And I'm pretty positive I will do a short round after vacay to lose 10 more.
I am hoping that I will control my eating. That's my main problem- I love food. But my friend who just started hcg gave me this awesome recipe book with TONS of recipes. These are things I can eat even when I'm not on the very low calorie diet. It's just good food. I need to learn to eat good and learn that treats like cake, candy, coke, are just that: TREATS. I've gone 3 weeks with no Diet DP. There's no need for me to rush out and start spending the $$ on 12 packs and 2 liters to keep at home. I've gone all this time without candy. I can live WITHOUT it.
I am not going to measure again until the last day. So far I'm 11 inches down. I fit in most of my clothes. There's a few pair of jeans I don't fit in, but I will if I do the 2nd round. I fit in all my shorts and I look good in my shirts because I have a waist again. ;)

Day 27

2010-06-20T20:53:00.002-05:00

So, I gain 1.5 pounds from cheating. WTH!? I had a mini-steak day yesterday, meaning I only drank water and didn't eat until dinner. I had a small steak and an apple. I lost a pound overnite, but I'm still over what I had lost to. I'm trying not to get too stuck on the number on the scale. I tend to not lose anything for a couple of days and then drop a pound. I lost another 1/4 inch off my waist and 1/2 inch off my right thigh. YAY!! My legs DO look less fat and I have a cute waist again. 26 inches, yo!!
I may end the drops a few days early just so I have enough time to do maintenance properly before our vacation. I will most likely do a short 23 day round after vacay just to lose the last 10 pounds. I'm hoping to drop 3-4 more pounds before I stop though. Fingers crossed!!

Day 25 - I cheated

2010-06-18T21:31:00.003-05:00

Boo on me. I cheated today. I was just sooo onry and pissy and I just really wanted to eat the freakin' banana bread muffins I made for my man to take to work. I've been cooking for my family while on this diet and hearing about how good the food was and not getting to try it. Today I was just in a bad mood. So, I decided to give myself a mental break. I ate 2 muffins. I ate 2 slices of frozen pizza. I drank Diet DP. And I ate a package of powdered donuts. And now... I feel like crap. CRAP y'all. I will NOT be cheating AT ALL for the next 2 weeks. That's when I stop taking the drops and I start maintenance.
On the happy side- most of my shorts are baggy. I can fit in all my swimsuit board shorts that were tight and going up my butt just 3 weeks ago. There are a few pairs of shorts and jeans I'd like to fit better but so far I am VERY pleased with the results. I feel better. I look better. And I'm playing basketball better. lol

Measurements 22 days

2010-06-15T15:17:00.004-05:00

These are the inches lost since my 1st measurement at day 4.

Waist: 2 3/4" loss
Hips: 2" loss
Thigh (R): .5" loss
Thigh (L): 1.25" loss
Arm (R): 1" loss
Arm (L): 1" loss
Chest: 1" loss
Neck: 1" loss

Total inches lost in 18 days = 10.5 inches! :)

Day 22

2010-06-15T14:58:00.002-05:00

I'm down almost 16 pounds!! Woo hoo!! Feelin' good, but ready to be done with this diet and move on with life. I'm proud of myself for sticking to it for the most part. Over 2 weeks of no Diet Dr. Pepper. That is INSANE for me!! No candy. No bread. No peanut butter M & Ms. No Taco Bueno...
I am so stoked about my progress and the clothes I can fit into now. It's so nice to have more than 2 options when it comes to shorts. ;)

Day 21

2010-06-14T13:41:00.003-05:00

I cheated. I mean, I didn't eat a ton and just go crazy. I ate a 2 pizza rolls and a very small slice of Totino's cheese pizza. I LOVE that pizza. I'm weird, I know. But I basically grew Liv with those pizzas. When I was pregnant with her I ate one almost everyday for a few months straight. Anyway... I ate the slice and rolls and didn't eat my regular dinner. My fate? I didn't gain or lose. I can handle that. I'm down almost 15 pounds in 3 weeks. THREE weeks!!!! And I only have 3 weeks left of the very low calorie diet. Then I go to the no starch/no sugar for a few weeks. Then I'll be on vacation and I'm hoping I do ok. I plan on bringing my scale so I can keep myself in check. We are also going to be hiking so that will help, I hope.

Day 18

2010-06-11T17:18:00.004-05:00

So far things are great. I had a few days where the losing was slow, but it has be consistent loss so that is good. I average about 1/2 pound a day, but I lost 1 lb in the last day. :) I have lost 14 pounds in 18 days!! I am stoked!
The hardest part has been not cheating. I have grabbed little bites of things I shouldn't every once in a while, but nothing major. My husband also figured out some cool shrimp recipes that taste great so that's been nice. :)
My original goal was 25 pounds. I'd still be happy with that, but I now changed it to 28 pounds. I'm not really expecting to lose 14 more pounds in 22 days just because I know it tends to slow down near the end of the diet, but who knows! If I lose 1/2 pound each day that will get me to my original goal. So either way is cool. And I plan to maybe do a 23 day round after the 6 weeks off if I feel like it. I would love to get down to the weight I was when I met my husband, but that would be 20 more pounds off from where I'm at now. It may not be realistic. I want to enjoy life- not worry about gaining a pound or 2 all the time. So I'm trying to be realistic with my goals.

Day 16 measurements

2010-06-09T09:29:00.005-05:00

Waist: 2" LOSS
Hips: 1 1/4" LOSS
Thigh (R): No LOSS
Thigh (L): 1" LOSS
Arm (R): 1" LOSS
Arm (L): 1/2" LOSS
Chest: 1/2" LOSS
Neck: 1" LOSS

Total inches lost since Day 4: 8 1/4"!!!!!

Day 10

2010-06-03T19:44:00.003-05:00

So far, so good. I can tell you that I'm pretty much sick of the food. I LOVE food and I just wanna eat. Not because I'm hungry, but because I like food. So, that's been the hardest part of this diet now that I'm past my Diet DP headache.
I am down almost 10 pounds. It could possibly be more, but I forgot to weigh first thing in the morning 2 different days. I have energy. I'm not hungry. I'm not even eating the Melba toast anymore. Sometimes I even get all the way to dinner and I'm like, "Wait, did I eat lunch?"
I am enjoying the weightloss, but sick of the diet. I am happy that I will be done in 20-30 days. I don't have a choice. I have to stop at 40 days. So... I can do this. I'm just going to look for new recipes. I know there's lots out there. All I've been doing is eating 2 chicken tenders and lettuce. That gets old...

Day 6

2010-05-29T13:10:00.001-05:00

I am in the middle of day 6 and happy to report I am down 7.6 pounds since Monday!! I have lost at least a pound every day except for between day 4 and 5, but even then it was a loss and not a gain or stand still. I even went out to dinner last nite with my friend. I ordered a 7 oz. steak and broccoli with a take out box. I immediately cut the steak in 1/2 and put in the box. I ate my greens and meat and I was F.U.L.L. I literally had to force myself to eat my 2nd fruit. I ate an orange before bed. I am not hungry at all. Today I didn't eat until after 1pm. My caffeine/sugar headache is totally gone now. I still drink a little Diet DP each day just because I love my Diet DP. But it is definitely a ton less than what I would normally drink and since it hasn't affected my weightloss I think I'm ok. :)
I am stoked to be down this weight. I still have 15 lbs at the very least I'd like to lose, but at this rate I am POSITIVE I will lose it all before the 40 days I had originally planned to be on this diet. A few days ago I was thinking I couldn't go the 40 days and would just have to be happy with whatever weight I had lost by the 20-21 day mark. But now it seems like no biggie. If I need to go the full 40 I will.

Day 4

2010-05-27T22:16:00.000-05:00

My plan was to blog every day of this diet, but it didn't quite work out that way. I basically thought I was dying because of the crazy headache I was having the 1st 3 days. Oh.my.gosh. It was bad. I don't really have anyone to blame but myself. I know the headache was because of my addiction to Diet Dr. Pepper and sugar. I drink about a 2 liter a day and love candy. But I only drank 8-10 oz each day this week. I'm not suppose to drink any, but I didn't want my brain to fall out. It didn't seem to affect my weight loss because as of Thursday morning, day 4, I am down 6.6 pounds. WHAT?!?!?! Awesome isn't it!?
Not only that, I am no longer feeling like I'm starving and the 4 oz of Diet DP I drank today tasted super sweet. My headache was also down to just kind of a dull ache instead of a "my head is gonna explode." YAY! Not only that, I didn't feel the need to eat my "lunch fruit" for breakfast. You're allowed to eat your melba toast or fruit for breakfast or snack if you want. I've eaten an apple for breakfast around 9 am Monday thru Wednesday. Today I didn't eat until noon. I also still have not eaten my dinner fruit and it's 10:25 pm. I'm just not hungry anymore!!! It's awesome.
Anyway... that's my update thus far. I will try to update each day.
Also, I forgot to take measurements to begin with, so I'll just start with the ones from today.

My arms are as fat as my neck?????

The diet

2010-05-23T22:30:00.000-05:00

10 hcg drops under my tongue 30 minutes before eating 3 x a day.

Breakfast:

Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or stevia may be used.

Lunch:

100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.

One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.

One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast.

An apple or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit or 1 orange.

Dinner: The same four choices as lunch.

The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes. Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing.

Tea, coffee, plain water, or mineral water are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times.

The fruit or the breadstick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.

Mattress Butt??

2010-05-15T01:24:00.002-05:00

Years ago I went on a cruise. I decided to visit a weight loss class. The girl was from Britian, I believe, and she said something about having "a mattress butt." This was the 1st time I'd heard the term, but it made me laugh once I pictured what a mattress looked like and then thought about how closely it resembled my butt! White and dimpled.

NOT pretty.

I have since that cruise given birth to 2 more children and added a 25 pound pad to that mattress butt. I'm tired of it and I want it gone once and for all. I don't look good. I don't feel good. I want this to change.

My goal is to lose 25 pounds by July 15.

Here's my exercise plan:
Monday - Basketball 9am to 11am
Tues - Walk dog
Wed. - Basketball 9-11am
Thur - Walk dog
Fri- Walk dog
Sat - Walk dog

And diet plan is:
HCG drops + the 500 calorie plan

I was skeptical until I talked to 4 different friends who have tried it and had great success. I know my downfalls when I diet:
1) I do better when I have a set diet, restricting me from certain things. If I am allowed to eat something "in moderation" I won't. I'll pig out. The hcg diet tells me exactly what I can eat.
2) I have to see results on the scale fast or I'll quit. Atkins always works really well. I'd drop 6 pounds in a week or 2. From my homework it seems that you can lose 1-2 pounds a DAY on the hcg diet.

Don't knock it til you try it. READ about the diet first. www.diyhcg.com is a great site.
I'm starting on Monday, May 24. This blog will follow my hcg diet journey.