For real this time!

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

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

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

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

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

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 ;)

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

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

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

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!

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...

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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)

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!