P2 Day 37 142.5 (-0.1) PAUSE

Well day one of phase 3 eating while on my temporary pause went well. I was bloated last night and a bit afraid of what I'd see on the scale this morning but I should just have trusted the protocol. All was well and I dropped the 0.1 I'd gained yesterday. Siting 0.3 below LDW. 

Ha bad heartburn despite taking Zantac for it. I think it was the bacon. I went through the usual mild tummy pains and loose stools (sorry TMI) for about 4 hours mid morning then all was well. 

My sleep was not terribly good, partly due to the heartburn and also I think to being off the HCG. Back on my melatonin and valerian combo tonight. 

All in all I'm pleased with day 1, and still planning my eating on the trip. The only real indulgences I'm planning are a piece of dads birthday cake (it IS his 90th after all!) and some wine at my friends that I am staying  with. She's planning a dinner party and I am going to ask her to make it low carb friendly. 

Onwards!

P2 Day 35 142.5 (-0.1)(-24.2) PAUSE

I am 0.3 below LDW. Not bad!

Tomorrow morning my pause will start, resuming dosing and phase 2 eating next Tuesday. 

Unlike other 73 hour weaning periods, my tummy is gurgling and I'm feeling a little hunger but it's not too bad. 

 Visions of phase 3 eating are dancing through my head, purely psychological. My one fear in all of this is losing my motivation, but that's just a fear. I'll be fine once the HCG is back in my system. 

P2 Day 34 142.6 (-0.2)

So now I'm-0.2 below LDW feeling good,  

Preparing myself mentally for my pause. 

P2 Day 33 142.8 (-0.5)(-23.9)

LDW (last dose weight) = 142.8

I finished my batch of HCG a day early so today is the beginning of my 72 weaning period before my brief Phase 3 break for my dad's birthday.  Average loss per day was .72 pounds. 

I continue eating phase 2 style for 72 hours, so on Tuesday morning after 9:30 I begin eating phase 3 style - high fat, high protein, no sugar, no starch and about 1500-2000 calories a day. I'm essentially feeding my body all the fat it's been consuming from my fat stores, or it'll go into starvation mode. 

I'll resume phase 2 and taking HCG on Tuesday July 2. I will do my level best to maintain all of my releases until I resume P2. Wish me luck!!

P2 Day 32 143.3 (-0.8)(-23.4)

Very good release ! 

Cutting out the diet soda definitely seems to be doing something as does the additional water. 

I'm feeling excited about my diet again! It's feeling doable, and my goal weight is feeling achievable again. Yay! 

P2 Day 31 144.1 (-0.7)(-22.6)

Wow nice release! I think I'm on to something by getting rid of the diet sodas.

I also drank more water yesterday, coming in at 12 glasses, rather than the usual 9 or 10, so that might have helped. I've also resumed taking potassium 3x a day, as well as D3 twice a day.

Still sleeping heavily, still have good energy, I've had the odd headache from time to time, but I'm not terribly worried about that.

I'm changing my veggies up here and there, having asparagus, cabbage and celery instead of the usual cucumbers and tomatoes. Not everyone tolerates cabbage well, resulting in stalls, but I'm lucky that it doesn't affect me negatively, because I really love cabbage.

Onwards!

P2 Day 30 144.8 (-0.8)(-21.9)

Wow, day 30. That sure went fast! 

Good release I'm quite happy with that. 

I didn't have any diet soda yesterday so I wonder if the decreased sodium contributed to my loss?

In any case, I'll take it!

P2 Day 29 145.6 (-0.3)(-21.1)

A nice little release! Six more days until my temporary pause for my trip, it will be interesting to see where the scale ends up. 

I hope to gain very little on my pause, and will jump back on HCG the day after I get back. When you've been off HCG for less than two weeks there is no need for loading days. Hopefully anything I may have gained will come off quickly!

P2 Day 28 145.9 (-0.0) (-20.8)

Sigh, gotta love these rest days...not. LOL

It's fine, it just means a good release the next day or two.

Restless sleep last night, lots of crazy dreams (my new HCG side effect I guess), but otherwise I'm doing just fine.

P2 Days 25, 26 and 27 Catchup

Well, the last few days have gotten away from me. 

Here are the results over the last few days:

Day 25 - 146.4 (-1.0)

Day 26 -  146.3 (-0.1)

Day 27 - 145.9 (-0.4) (-20.8)

P2 Day25 146.4 (-1.0)(-20.3)

Wooooo hoooooo!!!!! Finally broke the twenty pound mark! Can ya tell I'm happy lol!

I'd made the switch to 90/10 beef yesterday as that was the lowest the grocery store had the other day and I didn't feel like driving all over town to find a lower fat ground beef, and I was a little worried about it but looks like it was just fine. Came in at 470 calories yesterday. 

Onwards!

P2 Day 24 147.4 (-0.1)(-19.3)

Well I thought I'd see a better release than that lol. Oh well tomorrow is another day!

Good day all around ate about 480 calories today. 

P2 Day 23 147.5 (-0.0) (-19.2)

Well I guess it's a rest day. No biggie. I also think I had a bit too much sodium yesterday, so I'll scale back on that today and up my water.

Still trucking along, feeling good, other than feeling blue off and on, and some crazy dreams. The blueness is a surprise as I normally feel so steadily happy on HCG, but each round is different. The dreams are new too. It's quite funny, I wake up shaking my head over some of them.

My energy is good, as long as I listen to my body and have an after work nap, and get eight hours in a night.

And that 's it for now!

P2 Day 22 147.5 (-1.0) (-19.2)

Great release!! I was so excited seeing that number this morning!

So far I've shrunk two sizes, and I'm about to shrink another, judging by the fit of my dress pants and my jeans. Yay!!!

I've taken to napping after working each day, I definitely need more sleep on HCG.

Feeling great, that dry mouth I had last week or the week before is long gone thank goodness. I have good energy, and that blue feeling is passing. I'm still loving the no hunger side of all of this.

Looking ahead, I'm going to continue with P3 style eating as my permanent eating style. Or rather, it will be low carb, moderate protein, high fat. So, similar to P3 in the no starch, no sugar (except very occasionally), and probably lower in calories by a fair bit than you eat in P3.

And that's all there is to report this evening :)

P2 Day 21 148.5 (-0.8) (-18.2)

Sooo close to the 20 pound mark!!

Today was a good day (hectic at work, but still good), with good energy. Calories around 450.

I had a wonderful nap when I got home, and am enjoying the evening watching a movie.

Boring post, I know, but not much new to report other than the day's result.

P2 Day 20 149.3 (-0.6) (-17.4)

What a great release! Can't believe I've been on HCG for almost three weeks now. 

Not much to report today, normal eating although I skipped the grissini sticks today. 

I've been a bit blue for the last couple of days, not sure why, if its HCG related or just one of those things. This too shall pass  I'm sure. 

Calories were about 440 today. And now off to bed. I love how well I sleep on this protocol!

P2 Day 19 149.9 (-0.3) (-16.8)

Yay!!! The 140s are here again! The scale was toying with me, I weighed in a couple of times at 149.9, then a couple of times at 149.2. I decided to go with the first weight - if the second was correct, it will make for a nice surprise tomorrow. Better than showing a false gain tomorrow.

I veered off a little today, decided to buy some grissini, which are Italian bread sticks, very thin. Dr. Simeon recommends them as part of protocol, 20 calories worth. I generally don`t include them in my diet, but thought at least today I would.

My apple was larger than usual, 212g, normally is about 178 or so, so we`ll see if that and the grissini cause me any problems. I came in at 453 calories today, which is fine.

And that was my Saturday!

P2 Day 18 150.2 (-0.1) (-16.5)

A small release, but still downwards! I think I had too much salt yesterday...

I was a bit more hungry than usual today, and had some heartburn, but nothing I couldn't live with, on both counts.

Calories today 450ish. Menu still consists of chicken, beef in the form of 96/4 hamburgers grilled on a George Foreman type grill, cucumbers, tomatoes (with fresh basil leaves, they ARE considered a herb after all so it's allowed),  apples and strawberries. Sometimes I'll have asparagus, celery or even lettuce to shake things up a little.

So basically nothing new to report, except that my size 10s are getting loose! I have to measure my inches again soon, I'm hoping to be in a size 8 for the trip up for my dad's birthday. That would be nice!

And now, off for my exercise - walking the dogs!

P2 Day 17 150.3 (-0.3) (-16.4)

Ooooh the scale is teasing me! Always when I'm moving down to a lower decade. It also happens when I'm gaining, I flirt with the next decade for days until I finally pass the number. Sure hope I see the 140s tomorrow!

My caloric intake for today should be about 450ish.

It's already been a busy day, an interview for a job this morning, then to work, then a phone interview later, then off to my second job afterwards. I'm so glad my energy is keeping up!

And that's all for now :)

P2 Day 16 150.6 (-0.7) (-16.1)

And another nice release! I'm rounding the corner to the 140s! Yay!

Yesterday's calorie count was 430, I suspect today will be around 450, I ran out of apples and had to pick one up for lunch today, so I don't know what it weighs, but it's likely around 180g after the core has been removed.

That's the thing with HCG, you weigh everything you eat, it's the only way to be sure you're staying under the  500 calorie limit.

I bought some Archer Farms coffee, cinnamon vanilla nut - oh my, it's like drinking hot chocolate it's so tasty! Your tastebuds get very sensitive on this program. Under normal circumstances, I'd never consider a flavored black coffee to be such a luxury!

P2 Day 15 151.3 (-0.4) (-15.4)

Not bad for two weeks work!! I had hoped for more, and it likely would have been a little more, but for the water retention I went through.

Onwards!

Yesterday I had 429 calories, a little lower due to my veggie choices, cucumber instead of celery for instance, and due to having chicken at both meals.

Today presents a challenge, some international visitors are coming in to the office today, and I've been invited to the in-office lunch we are having. I am either going to beg off, pleading a conflict, or I will attend, be honest and say I'm on a strict protocol and will be eating my own lunch. Either way I'm not veering off program!

More later (probably)!

I ended up begging off and going and doing my own thing for lunch. The day went well, I'm feeling good, lots of energy!

P2 Day 14 - 151.7 (-1.0) (-15.0)

Another great release!

Feeling a touch under the weather today, good energy and all, but I've got stomach cramps, I think I've been taking too much potassium (or not drinking enough water with the potassium, either one), so I will scale back a bit on it, and take 3 a day - I've been taking 5 or 6 to get the water retention down. 3 is my normal while on HCG.

I'm still sleeping well, that's one thing I love about being on HCG, no problem falling or staying asleep, it's wonderful!

I'm going to visit my dad at the end of the month, and will be taking a 5-7 day interruption at that time. From everything I'm reading, it's the same as transitioning to Phase 3. I stop taking the HCG, eat VLCD for 72 hours, then eat phase 3 style during the break (this is high fat, high protein, zero sugar, zero starch), and when I go back on the HCG there is no loading to be done. Just start taking the HCG and eating the maximum 500 calories a day (protocol foods only of course). Wish me luck! I'm hoping I don't gain much at all...

P2 - Day 13 152.7 (-0.4) (-14.0)

Great day, with good releases over the last couple of days. I am averaging about 480ish in the calorie department.

Today I had lettuce with my dinner, boy 100g is a lot of lettuce lol.

Feeling good, the potassium is definitely helping with the water retention and tension I was feeling, although my hands are still a touch tingly as yet.

Not much else to report. Feeling good, love that I've lost 14 pounds in 13 days! Yay! And I've lost 14.85 total inches (and 1.5 of those off my waist) ! Double yay!!!

I love HCG! So worth the sacrifices!

P2 - Day 12 - 153.1 (-0.6) (-13.6)

Well that's a bit better! My TOM started too, so I think in conjunction with my increase in Potassium, and a ton of bathroom trips, the water retention is finally subsiding.

My day yesterday was about 470 calories, I plan on today being about the same, and plan also on continuing the potassium and D3 supplements. I am calmer, less tense on them, and that in addition to lessening the water retention make it a good decision right now.