P3 Day 6 108.6 (-0.3, +3.1 over LDW)

Well, it's a little better anyway.

I thought (hard) about doing a steak day today, then decided I simply didn't want to. And I've always read that you need to do it the day you go over the 2 pound mark, or it's not as effective. Frankly if I'd gone through with it and lost 0.3, I'd be upset LOL. So today, I will continue the no cheese program, drink lots of water, and carry on as normal.

Happy Thanksgiving by the way!!

Being new in town, and not knowing anyone yet, will make for a quiet day. A coworker at my new job invited me over, and I may go, haven't decided yet. I spoke to those I love this morning and wished them a happy Thanksgiving, and that was lovely. The quiet day is not a bad thing for stabilization anyway, no real temptation.

Stay tuned for the progress I hope to see tomorrow!

P3 Day 5 108.9 (+1.0, +3.4 over LDW)

Arrgh and the restaurant food strikes!

Today I kept going, cheese free etc, I had 2 eggs fried in butter for breakfast, bulletproof coffee, egg salad (with sugar free mayo) over mixed salad greens for lunch, chicken thigh and an egg with salad greens with olive oil (and a dollop of sour cream on the chicken) for dinner. Snack was some cream cheese (I'm not including that in my no cheese experiment for now... if I need to, it will go too.)

We'll see what the scale says tomorrow. I bought a huge steak today in case I need to do a steak day tomorrow. I am determined to finish stabilization at my LDW, and I'm sure I'll stabilize to there in the remaining 2.5 weeks.

Oh, and I was called skinny by a very forthright lady (new coworker) at the lunch yesterday! Me! It's a whole new world, I'm telling you!!

Onwards!

P3 Day 4 107.9 (+0.1, +2.4 over LDW)

Okay, another slight gain... not great.

Today was my first day of no cheese, and it's gone great. There's only one thing that I'm worried about, and that is that we went for a going away lunch for the lady I'm replacing at my job. I had to go, and I ordered the most innocent thing I could see on the menu. I ordered a burger (no cheese, discarded the bun) and had a side salad.

That said, I could taste the sugar in everything. And found it very salty. I'm worried about tomorrow as P3 is strictly no sugar, no starch. But I did my best, and if Thursday ends up being a steak day (my version of Thanksgiving lol...) then so be it. I drank a lot of water today,  11 glasses, so hopefully that will have flushed stuff out. Also, TMI alert, had some very, umm, productive BMs today. Much needed.

There was a tiny bit of feta in the salad, and I had one bite of artichoke dip, so there was a little cheese in that too, but other than that, no cheese. I'm quite pleased with how well I did in that area.

Wish me luck with the scale gods for tomorrow!

P3 Day 3 107.8 (+0.7, +2.3 over LDW)

Yes, I know I should run screaming straight to a steak day... however...

TMI alert!!!

With the addition of potassium and magnesium, things are, ahem, moving along better...

I had a comment on yesterday's post that has gotten me thinking... along the lines of every encounter with the protocol being different - maybe at this time, I can't handle cheese as well as I used to. A big part of doing Phase 3 is having an open mind, paying attention to your body, seeing what works, what doesn't.

Thank you Skinny Cow for speaking up and supporting me in that experiment, that having an open mind :)

I'm going to try a little experiment for the next two days.

No cheese. At all. And see what the scale ends up saying on Thursday. Can't hurt, and frankly now I'm curious to see what could happen! Cheese may have to go on the list of occasional foods, which would be sad, but what do I want more? To keep this fabulously lean new me, or to eat cheese? It's only food after all, and trust me, no cheese tastes as good as being this size and weight feels!

I'm not giving up the bacon (or the pork rinds lol, although truthfully I'm finding them a tad salty, so they can sit in the cupboard no problem), so don't even try LOL.

Anyhoo, we'll see what happens, should be fun!

P3 Day 2 107.1 (1.6 over LDW)

Well, not totally unexpected.

It's funny how each experience with HCG is different (kind of like each pregnancy is different, or so I'm told). I've been constipated, so I'm taking some potassium and magnesium with each meal to get things moving again.

Wasn't feeling too good this morning. I woke up at 7am, then went back to sleep until almost 11am. Which is where the K and Mg comes in lol.

Food wise has been much less than yesterday. Bullet proof coffee (which is coffee with butter and heavy whipping cream in it. You can also put coconut oil in it), and 2 eggs with bacon and cheese and butter for breakfast. Some pork rinds (3 or 4), some cheese slices with bacon as a snack. And dinner will be some beef fried up with onion and celery. Then as a side I'll have a tomato with a little mozzarella and olive oil. So all in all, getting closer to being structured again in my eating, 3 meals and a snack.

Onwards!

P2 Day 155 112.5 (-0.4) (-54.2)

Wow! One more pound to go!!!

Feeling good, slept a little restlessly, but I think that's more because I have a lot of planning for the road trip/move on my mind, etc.

I've felt a little light headed the last day or so, debating whether to go back on the potassium or not, but it's only for another week (!!) and then I'm onto Phase 3 Stabilization (P3), so I think since I'm not having any cramping (or very little), I'll just ride it out.

I spoke to my cousin last night, it was her birthday, and told her I was a pound away from goal, and she was so pleased and proud for me - as she said, it's been done under not the best of circumstances (rooming with others, almost constant stress over work and home situations, living in limbo trying to figure out next steps), so I've really achieved something. I'm pretty proud of myself too!

That said, I'm well aware that in many ways the real work is ahead, and that's fine, I'm looking forward to it!

Onwards!

P2 Day 152 113.4 (-0.7) (-53.3)

Woo hooo!!! So excited about that release! 2 pounds to goal!!!

I really need to find my tape measure and do my measurements, I know I'm smaller than the last time, all my zeroes are a perfect fit now!

Had a great night sleep (other than the dog wanting out at 3am), got a good 9 hours sleep in, which I'm sure doesn't hurt.

I mixed a new batch of HCG for the last two weeks, the last batch was almost done so I figured what the heck, see what a new batch does.

Only 13 more days on HCG, and then the 72 hour weaning off period will coincide with my road trip/move to another state, in a way being on the VLCD will make a road trip easier, I won't have to think about food at all, no gas station/fast food temptation!

My leg cramps have been very mild the last week or so, I haven't been taking potassium or magnesium at all, and my energy has been very good as well.

Anyway, better get on with my Saturday, I have a dog show to go to! Happy Saturday!

Day 144 Update - 116.1 (-50.6)

I really need to post more often! Anyway, as you can see below I've passed the 50 pound mark. Yay!

Day 140	117.9	-0.2	48.8
Day 141	118.4	-0.5	48.3
Day 142	116.8	1.6	49.9
Day 143	116.5	0.3	50.2
Day 144	116.1	0.4	50.6

I had to laugh on day wednesday when the scale gods were teasing me at 49.9 pounds released. And now, I'm just thrilled where I am. Five little pounds to go! Woo hoo!

Energy is good, sleep is good, mood is good. My meals are chicken at both meals now, mustard is my best friend, and veggies are still cukes and tomatoes. I do eat an extra apple every day and it's really working for me, I feel good.

Yay!

P2 Day 139 Update 117.7 (-49.0)

Wow you can tell it's been a super busy week, I haven't posted for 5 days!

I moved into some dear family friends home for a little bit (long story, more changes are afoot!) So the week's been hectic.

Here is the update:

Day 135	119.1	0.0	47.6
Day 136	118.6	0.5	48.1
Day 137	118.8	-0.2	47.9
Day 138	118.1	0.7	48.6
Day 139	117.7	0.4	49.0

I'm feeling great, now fitting a size zero (!!!!!), it feels great to be this size again! I have six pounds to go till goal, and will likely (not committed just yet) try for another three pounds after that, as I tend to gain three pounds once I hit maintenance. It really bugs me lol, so I'd rather have that gain mean I'm right at my happy weight, instead of just above it.

Anyhoo, sleeping well, enjoying my food with my extra protein and apple, and enjoying this last little piece of phase 2!

Onwards!

P2 Day 134 119.1 (-0.0)(-47.6)

Well, it's a rest day, which is fine, hopefully we resume the releasing tomorrow! I am still so excited to be in the teens and 8 pounds away from my goal weight of 111!

Physically, I feel so much better with that extra 20-30g of protein at every meal, and that extra apple in the morning, I am now only taking potassium in the mornings, no cramps for a few days. Sleep is good, energy is good.

We will see if I need to make any further adjustments in the next couple of weeks, I'd really like to see some regular releases coming, as you can imagine I am definitely ready to move on to Phase 3, stabilization - it's been a long haul, even without the two pauses in this round!

Anyway, off to work!

P2 Day 133 119.1 (-1.1)(-47.6)

Yay!!! The teens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Continuing with my extra and apple today to see if the trend continues!

So thrilled!!!!

Day 132 Update

Well, with yesterday's gain, I came within inches of quitting P2 and moving straight on to P3 with no 72-hour weaning off period.

Day 131	121.8	-0.6	44.9
Day 132	120.2	1.6	46.5

Instead, I just ate more. I was actually hungry! So I had an apple for breakfast with coffee, lunch was 2 hamburger patties (well, more like 1.5, there was a half sized one in the container that I'd cooked up) with tomato and basil, dinner was over 100g (cooked weight) of chicken, cucumber and strawberries (with sweet n low, I'm a bit suspicious that the Stevia I bought has dextrose in it so I'm leaving it be until maintenance).

And that was quite the release this morning! 0.3 away from the teens!

I followed basically the same meal plan today, except that both meals were chicken. Chewed some gum, so we'll see if that's a problem or not...

I order to talk myself into sticking to it, I worked out that if I stick to my plan of staying on it until the last week of October, then that (according to projections based on the averages of the last couple of months) would mean another 5 pounds gone. Okay, I won't be at goal necessarily, but 4 pounds away is better than 10 for sure.

I'm pumped again, so....

Onward!

P2 Day 130 121-2 (-0.0)(-45.5)

Well, guess my body is taking a rest day, that`s fine. We shall see what happens tomorrow!

Off to work!

Day 129 Update 121.2

Soooo close to the teens!!!

Day 128	121.9	-0.6	44.8
Day 129	121.2	0.7	45.5

Things are trucking along, 10 more pounds until I reach my happy weight. I`m going to get a bit stricter over the next little bit, salt gone, no gum (it`s been irritating my jaw and intestines, sorry TMI), cutting down on diet soda, and decreasing the protein (I`ve been eating around 90g of cooked chicken, it should be no more than 78g cooked weight), and buying a lower fat beef for my patties. I`ve been buying 90/10 beef, I`m going to scale back to 93/7 or even better 94/6. We`re getting down to the nitty gritty and I want to get the work done and move on to Phase 3 stabilization.

I`m currently a size 2, when I started I was a size 14. I`ll have to post pics sometime soon...

Onwards!!

P2 Day 127 Update

Eeek! Been a whole week since I posted. Sorry about that!

I've had a very eventful week, but since this blog is about the HCG protocol, I'll stick to that (mostly) in this post.

Here is the update:

Day 121	123.0	0.0	43.7
Day 122	121.9	1.1	44.8
Day 123	121.7	0.2	45.0
Day 124	122.9	-1.2	43.8
Day 125	122.7	0.2	44.0
Day 126	123.5	-0.8	43.2
Day 127	121.3	2.2	45.4

So, the blip over the weekend was due to me being a bit stupid. I decided to start taking D3 again. Bought gel caps. What is usually in gel caps? Oil.

Oil.

Duh! You can't have oils or fats on the HCG protocol!

Anyway, once I clued in and stopped taking it, the weight dropped off plus 0.4 more. Lesson learned. I will buy some more D3 as I feel great when I take it, but I'll make sure it's in the tablet form that I was taking before with no gains, and nice releases.

Just finishing up TOM (I was initially blaming the gains on that until I clued in).

I'm fighting boredom a fair bit at present, I'm ready to move on to P3 mentally anyway, but I am bound and determined to get that last 10 pounds off before I do. As I alluded to earlier, lots of stuff going on, a move to a new house, potentially even a new city depending on what happens on the work front in the next very short while. No matter what, I am determined to keep on going with the protocol. It will be easier and cheaper to stick to that even while adjusting to a new temporary (a few weeks at most) living situation, and a potential road trip of a day and a half wouldn't be a big deal on protocol either. Anyhow time will tell. If things work out I may be finally getting both a permanent work AND permanent living (as in alone, my own kitchen...ahhhh) situation. Fingers crossed! But both situations have pluses, so we shall see.

Day 120 Update - 123.0

Here's an update, I know I'm slacking again lol... lots going on at present.

New batch this evening, so we'll see if that impacts anything.

Here's the update:

Day 118	123.1	0.4	43.6
Day 119	123.1	0.0	43.6
Day 120	123.0	0.1	43.7

Other than the number, life is going along well. I had a mini bug for a day or so that I beat, so that was good. As I said, lots going on, I'm a bit stressed, but all is well, life is good!

Onwards!

Day 117 123.5 (-0.3)(-43.2)

And with that weight, I find myself in the weight range and BMI that are considered normal for my height.

NORMAL!

That pleases me enormously! Yes, I still have 12 pounds to go, but... normal! Big smile here!

Today is a big day on an emotional level as well. Two years ago today I was going through some of the worst stress and sadness of my life, saying goodbye to people and the life I loved. So to be able to sit here, and look at all of the blessings in my life, the dreams I've achieved... well, it's a pretty wonderful day. And then you add "normal" to it.

Life feels pretty sweet today!

Hope yours is too!

Day 116 Update - 123.8 (-42.9)

So the week's going along well, kept meaning to blog, but just not getting to it.

Here's the update:

Day 113	124.4	0.2	42.3
Day 114	124.3	0.1	42.4
Day 115	124.0	0.3	42.7
Day 116	123.8	0.2	42.9

All in all it's going well, although not as quickly as I'd like. Still, down is down :)

I'd been experimenting with a slightly higher dose, and unlike other rounds, I'm actually feeling better on the recommended dose. So back to that I went this morning.

Sleep is well, food is good, moods are good although I'm a tad cranky in the mornings, but that may be due to the dark, gray skies we've been having. It's so hard for me to get up when it's dark outside. But of course, I do... eventually. Thank goodness for coffee!

I'm still taking my potassium and magnesium for the leg cramps, and I certainly do notice an increase in cramps when I slack off on that, so it's important this round. Interestingly, there's been very little dizziness (by which I mean headrushes when I stand up quickly, or a weird, echoey sensation at times when standing around), so that's good.

And... it's Friday! Yipeee!!

P2 Day 112 124.6 (-0.6)(-42.1)

Yay! Great release! What a great start to the week THAT is!

Day 111 Update = Going Strong!

Going strong! Here is the update since Thursday:

Day 109	125.6	0.6	41.1
Day 110	126.0	-0.4	40.7
Day 111	125.2	0.8	41.5

I'm sleeping well, eating well, and feeling great. With continued use of magnesium and potassium, the leg cramps have gone away and my energy is good. Man I love this program!