Yippee!

I lost another pound! Just one more to go to get to 30 lost total! I thought that I had 'cheated' for my first time last night. Hubby cooked a steak and put some kind of rub and Worcestershire sauce on it. It smelled so good that I cut a piece off and ate it without weighing it. It looked pretty close to the right size, but actually, I didn't care...it was my birthday and the steak was wonderful!
I also had found some organic mustard from Whole Foods made with apple cider vinegar. Wasn't sure if it was ok, but needed a different taste with my hamburger...it was good. So this time my experiments paid off. I also had a HUGE amount of water yesterday, which I'm sure helped.
I went to Nordstrom and got an awesome pair of jeans for my birthday (they have those fun snags on them - very young and fun) and I picked up the funkiest sunglasses! My hubby and I took our son shopping with us (you may remember he is turning 21 in June). I always worry that I will get stuff that is too young for me, and I know that I will be stopped from that if he goes, hehe. I want to look cool but not like I'm trying to be a teenager, you know?
The down side of having our son with us, was that he got hungry and stopped on the way back to our house and got teriyaki chicken with yakisoba noodles. OMG they smelled and looked good! I looked at it and said, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!" and then put my hand on my belly (where most of my fat is stored) to remind myself that I still have a long way to go, and don't want to waste it. But I tell you...on Phase 4, I am eating that! hehe
I found these softer than loofah scrubbing gloves from Whole Foods the other day. It seems to be helping my itchy body some...at least I'm not pealing as bad. I needed to find something fairly soft as my darned skin is sooooo sensitive. Anyway, they aren't as good as lotion, but I can still wear my tank tops and shorts without being too self conscious.
My parents gave me a gift card for Bath and Body Works, and the softest T-shirt ever. It fits perfectly and is black with white letters. It says, "Genuine." I wanted to ask, "Genuine what?" but was afraid to, hehe. We are going to go for a walk today (as we FINALLY have some sun) and I will check out Bath and Body Works. I only use organic stuff on my body, and I don't know if they have that there, but I do like socks and T-shirts, etc...I'll let you know what I find.
Hope you have a great day and much success in all you do! Tootles! =)

Not Much to Report

Stayed the same weight this morning, but I feel smaller, so I probably lost more inches. As soon as we have a sunny day, I will go outside and have my picture taken. I look way different now than I did in my first picture.
We have put off celebrating my birthday, of course, since I can't eat or drink anything special. But I really don't care because I am doing what I want - getting healthy and slim! :)
So, every diet I have ever been on, I have lost weight (or at least size) in my breasts. I haven't changed cup size at all after almost 30lbs lost, so I'm wondering, have any of you other ladies had weight loss in your breasts using hcg? Maybe it will happen next time I'm on Phase 2, but this is strange to me...
Look forward to hearing from you! Tootles! =)

Happy Days are Here Again!

My headache is down to a dull roar and I lost another pound this morning, so I'm feeling much better - mentally and physically. I did dream about food again last night, and I was hungry until after I ate my dinner yesterday, but not ravenously hungry. And I'm not really hungry so far today, so I am hoping to at least get to the 30 lb mark (2 more lbs) before going on to Phase 3.
I wonder if those people who live where the sun actually shines do better on this program? I think the darkness blues may have had some effect on my weight loss...or I suppose it could be that I don't get much variety in my foods. I wish I wasn't so picky.
The forecast does call for some sun this weekend, finally. I'm keeping my fingers crossed (which makes it hard to type, btw, hehe). I miss the great outdoors. Usually by this time of year I've spent a lot more time outside. Besides the fact that I have new shorts to wear, and need warm weather to show them off in! :P
Well, I am really hoping to get up in the morning (my b-day) and have another good loss. Wish me luck! Tootles!

Immunity?

I had my first food dream last night, and in it I was really hungry. I haven't lost more than a few ounces the last few days, so I'm thinking that I may be building up an immunity to the hcg. I've also had a screaming headache the last few days...not sure if it's connected, or a coincidence. But I have needed naps and I am exhausted and achy. I'm trying to drink more fluids, hoping that will help.
I really don't have much else to talk about...sorry I'm boring today. I will do better when my headache is gone. Tootles!

I Lied!

Bra shopping is more motivating that swimsuit shopping or jean shopping! The outlet mall in Lincoln City was having an amazing Memorial Day weekend sale, and the lingerie store was having a 'buy one bra, get the second 1/2 off' sale. Now, who can resist that? Well, maybe I should have, though I needed bras, I didn't need the frustration or all the full-frontal-views that I try to avoid as much as possible. But, I am happy to announce that I did succeed in finding 2 - one cumfy for everyday type use, and one black lacy number that actually looks darned hot! Imagine my surprise!
I also got 2 pairs of shorts at the GAP outlet, and one of them is a size 12 and fits like a dream!!! That was a happy moment, I can tell you that! And my friend bought me a really cute top for my birthday, in addition to all of the outfits, jewelry, purse and wallet she bought for an upcoming vacation. So great fun was had by all, hehe.
All that shopping made us hungry and I knew of a bistro in the mall that made amazing sandwiches from homemade bread. So we went and picked up a sandwiche and stuff for her, drove to a view point and I ate my chicken salad and water while she ate her food and we had a great time!
The view was divine, the weather warm and perfect, the company entertaining, and I was satisfied with the healthy food that was nurturing my body. Now don't get me wrong, I will eat at that lovely bistro in the future and savor every bite. But right now I am totally focussed on my health and wellness and weight. And taking care of those things satisfies me on a level that food alone cannot.
Hopefully the scales reflect my dedication in the morning, but if not, I'll wear my black lacy bra for the day and feel beautiful anyway! Tootles! :)

Birthday Plans

Ok, so the 29th is my birthday...no, please, no Happy Birthday messages. I didn't tell you that to get a response, but to let you into my thought process. (Hang on - you're in for a bumpy ride!) Ok, so what do I want for my birthday? Well, I want more weight loss. I should be moving onto Phase 3 by the 27th and we had plans to go to my favorite bar for cheese fondue (with steamed brocholi dippers), but what I really want is to get down to the 150's - even if it's only 159 - by the time I move to the next phase.
So, here is what I am doing...I haven't had a shot for 3 days (time of the month - it's been REALLY whacked out this month) and I am hoping to not need one tomorrow either. Then I will start back up with the shots again on Monday and see how I do. Dr. Simeon said that we know that we are building an immunity to hcg when we start getting ravenously hungry, so I am going to use that as my guide.
I'll just keep on as long as my current bottle lasts and I'm not hungry. So, hopefully, happy birthday to me will be more weight loss! :) I'll keep you posted, of course.
I got a nice comment from someone at Zsweet. It sure wold be nice to get some kind of discount for all this free advertising I'm giving you guys, wink-wink. hehe But seriously, in the past my biggest sugar no-no has been a caramel macchiato from Starbucks. I am seriously addicted. If I could figure out a way to make sugar free caramel with the Zsweet, that tastes similar to theirs, I would be in heaven. (Because, as most civilized people know, java is the nectar of the gods.)
I'm going to see if I can find any bulk Zsweet locally so I don't have to have it shipped. But no hurry, obviously, since I'm going to continue with Phase 2 for a bit longer. Gives me time to search for recipes and maybe someone with more candy making skill than I, will have ideas.
I am off to Lincoln City on the Oregon coast tomorrow for some outlet shopping with a friend. I will be packing a chicken salad and a fruit with me, and told her she can have whatever she wants. I'm getting used to people eating yummy things around me. I just tell myself that 'Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!' And it's sooo true! Besides that....we will be shopping for jeans, and the only thing more motivating to weight loss than jean shopping is swim suit shopping, hehe. I'll let you know how it goes. Tootles!

Silly Me!

I had a dyslexic moment yesterday, and said i was 176.5 instead of 167.5. The second one is better, don't you think? =) And today I was down another pound. It feels so good for the scale to be moving down again. I really want to hit 150's by the time I'm done with this first round of phase 2...we'll see. As my brother-in-law always tells his daughter, 'It's good to want things!'
My size 14 jeans that I was just able to fit into 2 weeks ago, are now baggie. I tried on a size 12, though, and I have a ways to go yet for that. But I will just keep trying, hehe. It hasn't been that long since I wore them, and I am anxious to get back to that.
MORE GOOD NEWS! I tried ZSweet sweetener today and I love it! I tried so hard to like stevia, as I said yesterday, but I can't stand the aftertaste. I was going to order ZSweet, but Whole Foods just got it in (it wasn't even in their scanning system yet) and I had a lovely cup of cinnamon spice tea with it. I am in love! Thank you God and the ZSweet people for making my taste buds dance! =)
I had crazy dreams last night from watching Battlestar Galactica. We are almost done with season 2, and there is so much conflict and fighting. I was fighting in my dreams with my husband all night...good thing I don't hold it against him and wake up angry anymore, or he would have had a bad day! ;) (I used to do that, but I think with age, we are able to separate those things easier...BTW, I have to search for those good things about getting older, so if it has nothing to do with that, don't burst my bubble, ok?)
If I have a crazy night again tonight, I might take the advice of one of my fellow hcg'ers and take some melanin before going to bed. Hopefully, I will just sleep like a log (NOT a baby, as my son never seemed to sleep.) Tootles!

Yippee, Hallelujah, and Horay!!!

The scale is finally going down again. I was 176.5 this morning. I really thought I wasn't going to lose today, because I was having a kind of hungry day yesterday, and I had my 2 meals pretty close together. I guess that was what I needed to do, because not only did that cure me of my hunger, but I lost. It's good to listen to your body sometimes, huh?
I came across a different organic sweetener yesterday that has 0 calories, has no aftertaste, is good for baking, and is digested by the small intestine so if eaten in normal quantities does not give digestive difficulties like some sweeteners. It's called erythritol, though the most popular brand name seems to beZsweet. Has anyone tried this yet? I am going to order some today for my 3 weeks on phase 3, but if it's as good as so many people say, I will gladly use it instead of sugar permanently.
I've really tried to build up a tolerance for Stevia, but can't seem to get past the aftertaste. I even bought a couple of stevia cookbooks. I may use them in the future, but I'm going to give erythritol a try for now. I'll keep you posted. Tootles! :)

Day 5

I have gone 5 days without losing weight. I really hate these plateaus! I can't do another apple day, it really hurt my kidneys last time. It not worth hurting my body just to lose weight. I am concerned that I only have 10 days left, and if I stay on this plateau through the end, what will happen when I go on phase 2 again?
Oh well, we'll see...
I am trying to keep on the positive side. I tend to be a happy person. I just had such high expectations...silly me.
So, we've been watching the first season of the new Battlestar Galactica. Hubby likes the show, and bought the first couple of seasons when I was on my trip to the east coast. Now, I really like sci-fi and fantasy books and movies. BUT I have a hard time checking my brain at the door. I can believe the world is different, but if the characters are people, then they need to act the way people do in reality.
We are only 1/2 way through the first season, and I can't tell you how many times I've said, "That person wouldn't do that! No one would! That's stupid!" I keep threatening that "This is the last episode I'm going to watch," and then they do something that interests me, darn them! ;)
I guess it gives me something else to complain about instead of the dreaded scale, hehe. =)

Not Much to Report

I haven't cheated at all on this program. I think this is the longest I've ever done any diet and not cheated with even a bite. So, I think that's one of the reasons that I am so frustrated at how slowly I am losing. I REALLY wanted to be in the 150's for my 6 week break. However, I did this to myself and have no one to blame but myself.
I have been a stress and pain eater for many years. Especially if I'm in pain, I want to feed. The last few years, (since I almost died) have been so filled with pain, that it's been a real fight. I am permanently curing myself of the weight gain that is associated with that through this program, though. And that's exciting!
We decided that with gas @ $4 a gallon, we wouldn't go to the coast for the day, but down to the river. We live next to the Columbia River and there are so many places to go that are beautiful and relaxing. The beautiful spot we found yesterday is calling us again today. I just wish I could picnic...but soon! :)
Like I said, not much to report. Talk to you soon! Tootles! =)

Slowly, Slowly the Scale Goes Down

I am averaging a pound lost every 4 days. That is REALLY slow. However, my husband reminded me that my medication metabolism is totally different than most people's. If a doctor wants to kill the pain for me, he/she has to give me at least double the pain meds they would normally give to someone my height/weight. They never believe me at first. Most people are completely conked out with the 'normal' amount. I, however, feel no effects and they are astonished and proceed to believe me and give me more meds.
I did up my dosage this week after he reminded me of that, but no change. I did, however, fit today into a pair of jeans I couldn't get into last week, so that's awesome. I just have to say though, that I do NOT want to have to do Phase 2 more than 2 times! I have a goal, and I intend to reach it, but I'd like it to be this summer, not fall or winter...
I got an oil free moisturizer at Whole Foods yesterday and it feels great, but I am being very frugal with it. I am going to only put it on when my skin hurts during the day, and then I will put it on before going to sleep. Thanks, Toni for the ideas. :)
I cleaned out my 'fridge yesterday...how do those things get so scary?!?! It looks beautiful now, but I recommend cleaning out your refrigerator if you are hungry. One whiff of moldy whatzit is enough to curb the appetite!
I then rewarded my self for a 'job well done' by going to a movie. "What Happens in Vegas" was the reward and it was way better than I thought it would be. Very cute. It's good for a laugh (or 2), and if you go to the late show, you don't get tortured as much with the sounds and smells of food, hehe.
I've been PMSing...(should start tonight - ish), and I've been craving pickles. I am so glad we can have apple cider vinegar. I have had several tablespoons of it every time I have a craving and it really helps! I made a salad dressing using it too, and it really hits the spot when I need something tangy and salty.
We have a friend from NY staying with us for 3 weeks. I feel bad that I am not fixing her meals, but I forewarned her that this is my priority right now, and she has been really supportive. Not that she has EVER had to think about her weight. She is SUPER tiny, but she is sweet. I haven't told anyone except my husband and son about the shots, though. Everyone else thinks I am doing another cleanse. And I am in a way...I am cleansing myself PERMANENTLY from fat, right? =)

What a Weekend!

This was a hard weekend. Not because of Mother's Day - my son was great! He is very supportive of my diet and just brought over his own food and we spent the day together. We talked, laughed, watched a movie (Alvin and the Chipmunks)...it was great. My son might be turning 21 next month, but he still likes watching cute movies with us. That makes me happy! :)
It was a hard weekend because I hit another plateau; in addition to my body being so dry and pealing that I am not getting very much sleep. I am soooo itchy. It's driving me crazier than I already am! Even the palms of my hands are pealing! I tried aloe vera and a loufa (sp?) and they don't work for me...
If I hadn't lost weight today, I was going to do my 3 days without shots and then go onto phase 3 so I can get the oils in my body that it needs. But I had a 2 pound loss today, so I will plug along a bit longer. I do wonder if I'm harming my skin by letting it get so dry. I really don't want wrinkles. I've taken very good care of my skin since I was a teenager, and I don't want this time to ruin all that hard work and money.
The weather has still been pretty cold here, but we are supposed to jump up to 90 degrees for 2 days this week, and then back down again. We are talking about heading out to the beach for the day, at least. Who knows when/if the sun will ever come back again, hehe. We love the coast - the waves hitting the big rocks, the roaring sound of the surf, the cry of the gulls...the only problem is that I get ravenously hungry in all that salt air. Maybe I will just build a sand castle and forget about my grumbly tummy. I'll keep you posted. Tootles! =)

20 Pounds!

Well, the apple day worked, though it was only a little over a pound lost, I am feeling better. AND I feel vindicated, hehe. I kept wondering what I was doing wrong and second guessing myself. I still have to admit to being disappointed in how slowly the weight is coming off, in comparison to what I have read.
BUT, I just keep telling myself that cures take longer than quick fixes do. So, I am happy in the moment.
OK, so out of curiosity I just went in and tried on my size 14 jeans and they fit perfectly! Yippee! I am REALLY happy now, hehe.
I think I need to go somewhere in my smaller pants! hehe. Maybe I'll take a picture for y'all! Tootles! =)

Apple Day

This is day 4 of my plateau, so I am going to try an apple day. Dr Simeon says it won't help if you are doing something wrong, and I don't think I have been. But it seems like it's a win-win situation. Either I lose and get past this plateau, or I take a closer look at what I am doing. (For example, I've been having 2 oranges a day. Maybe that's too much for my body. Maybe I need to have strawberries or apple instead...)
My hubby says I have a black cloud over my head, and he's right. I am really close to throwing in the towel. I'll keep you posted.

Grueling

Every pound lost seems so hard right now. Just got over another plateau. 3 days this time. I know my 19 pound loss is great, and I'm happy about it...it's just so much slower than I thought it would be. I really want to lose at least 30 pounds this first go-around. It could still happen, I just have to stop hitting these blankety-blank plateaus!
I could understand them if I had cheated. But I have been really good this whole time! /Sigh. Vonda, you are losing weight in the areas you want, you aren't hungry, and even if you are bored with the food, it will all be over soon.
There, I feel better, hehe. For now, at least...I'm sure I will be talking to myself a lot today. It seems harder when the sun isn't shining. I am so grateful, however, that the oranges this year are divine! Is there anything more wonderful than a juicy orange? If you haven't had one yet this season, go to your local organic store and get one - you are in for a treat! Let me know how it goes. Tootles! =)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Even though I really would like to take this day and eat Mexican food and drink Margaritas, I want to lose weight even more! The scales were the same today as they were yesterday, but I'm not as frustrated by this as I have been in the past. I know the weight will come off, and even though I am impatient, my body is going to do what it's going to do. Fretting about it isn't going to help.
But I am down 18 pounds and I'm about half way done with this first round of phase 2. My pants are fitting looser, and I'm hoping next week to go down to size 14 (temporarily). My ultimate goal is a size 8/10. That's where I am most comfortable.
I'm trying to decide if I am going to wait the whole 6 weeks to get on the second round of phase 2. I am tossing around the idea of a 4 week break, instead of a 6 week one. And then trying it to see if I have an immunity to it still or not. I'd really like to be completely done with both phase 2's by the end of July.
My skin is really dry. I got some aloe vera gel and rubbed that on my hands and then put on cotton gloves for a while. That seemed to help some, but I told my husband that as soon as phase 3 starts, I am slathering my skin with lotion morning, noon and night! =)
I was craving something tangy last night, so I put balsamic vinegar on a tomato. That didn't do it. So I had several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and that seemed to help. Normally I'd grab a pickle when my body had those cravings, so I had to improvise. Not as crunchy and satisfying, but I didn't cheat, and that's awesome! Because I was REALLY craving a pickle.
My hubby and I have been going on lots of nature walks. I love spring! I love seeing the flowers, the baby ducks, and all the different colors of green. We've been mostly walking near water - lakes and streams. There have been so many young boys fishing in these areas, that I commented yesterday that I think fishing was invented by mothers. It keeps little boys quiet and still for hours at a time. Of course, when those boys get older, they actually catch fish, so that is a benefit (as long as they clean them too). But when men fish, they need to add something to the experience - beer. I think it helps them create those fish stories, "You should have seen the one that got away!" Hehe. I'm just kidding. I think hobbies are, for the most part, a great thing. Even when I don't understand the urge. And, I do like to eat fish! =) Tootles!

Rest is a Key!

We had one of those rare sunny days yesterday, and my hubby and I were really wanting to take advantage of it and go for a walk. It was my prep day for my foods, so it took awhile to get everything cut, weighed and in freezer bags.
By the time I was done, I was feeling a little shaky and lightheaded. I thought that I just needed to eat my lunch, get off my feet for a few minutes, and I'd be ready to go. In the past, if I was feeling this way, I'd just run up to Starbucks and get a latte. That energy boost from the caffeine and sugar would get me through whatever I needed/wanted to do.
But I am not drinking coffee during this diet. I know I can, but I like it sweet with milk and seemed like the perfect time to break the habit, anyway. So, instead of just 'pushing through' my weariness, I listened to my body and took a nap. A THREE HOUR nap! Now, I had gotten a full nights' sleep the night before, and I have been sleeping just fine. However, I know that my body is going through a lot of changes right now, so I gave myself permission to sleep.
I woke up and got on the scale, and I'd lost over a pound! It's still off this morning! So, from now on, if I hit a plateau, I'm going to nap! =)
It's not as good weather today, but I have trees calling to me... Tootles!

Day 2 of 2nd Plateau

SIGH! I am really wanting to see my scale go down. I haven't cheated at all, and I am starting to feel discouraged. I've had plateaus on diets in the past, but I've never been on this restrictive and boring of a diet before. I'm going to try upping my water today and try to go for a walk to see if that will help.
'Ironman' the movie was really good last night, though we didn't get home until 2:30 this morning. I recommend that movie to anyone who likes action movies. The special effects were great.
I finished my book with the embarrassing title...don't think I'll get one that I have to explain again. Or maybe I will, just to test myself. :-) Take care!

So Hard to Stay Positive

I have to admit that on mornings when I step on the scale and there is no weight loss, I have a hard time keeping motivated. If this was just a restrictive diet, I would have cheated by now. But I keep reminding myself that it's a CURE not a diet. And cures sometimes take awhile.
My hubby and son took me to see the movie 'Forbidden Kingdom' today. The theater was empty, except for us, so I didn't have to listen to wrappers crinkling or smell the treats, so that was good. The movie was ok, but it was just nice to get out of the house, because we have had so much rain. We are going to go to the midnight showing of 'Ironman' with our son's friends, so that will be fun. But, it is a sold out show, so I will be around all those sweets and food. I will just focus all of my attention on the details on the screen, and not on the food around me.
I miss eating out at restaurants in social situations. That is probably the hardest thing about this program right now. Why is it that our society is so food oriented in social situations? Everyone wants to meet for lunch, dinner, or drinks. I wonder if it's that way in other countries? Maybe they meet more often for a walk or a swim or something more active? Maybe, but I doubt it. I think our species just likes to eat and chat.
So, I'm reading a book that embarrasses me to let people read the title. It's called 'How to Seduce a Ghost.' No, it's not what you think. It's a novel about a gal who is a ghostwriter. It's a perfectly normal book, but I have to laugh at the looks my friends/family give me when they see what I am reading. I am also amused at myself that I feel compelled to explain it to them. I wish I was just a little bit more crazy, so I could read books with this kind of title and not explain anything, just smile. ;-)
OK, wish me luck for the morning! Tootles!