Women lie...

Don't worry I will explain. :) Just had the following thoughts running through my mind yesterday and thought I would write them down before I got distracted. I think it is interesting and amusing!

...Women tend to lie about the little details of their bodies. Am I wrong? We fudge the numbers a bit. We lie about our age, height and most definitely our weight! I did! I always added an 1-1/2" to my height and deducted about 10 to 12 pounds from my weight when asked- before HCG.

Apparently, women DO NOT lie while shouting their HCG story from the blog mountain top. :) We tell all. We state matter of factually, exactly what the scale says, how old we are, how tall we are, what kind of bowel movements we have had and I have even seen some share their new sexual experiences as they decrease in weight. We outline almost every little detail about ourselves and our transformation. I say, this is AWESOME! It feels good not to lie. I am not afraid to tell anyone what I really weigh, now. It feels good to share what seems insignificant and perhaps slightly embarrassing, but could be of great help to someone else who is trying to lose weight just as you are. I think being open about one's journey can give a sense of camaraderie and remove some of the guesswork from the experience: Am I normal? Is this okay? She is telling how much she weighs- I can too!

I was also wondering if there are any men out there blogging? I have not found a blog written by a man, yet. Is blogging about weight loss for everyone and anyone to read just a feminine phenomenon?

Day 12, Round 2- Not surprisingly

weigh in: 151.2 pounds
gain of: 1.2 pounds
total loss to date: 10.6 pounds

Not surprisingly, I had a gain today. Not really worried about it! :) Thank you for the comments yesterday! I appreciate it. And, if you read Nicole's comment it seems I am not all that abnormal. This can happen and should not be met with too much angst. However, do make good food choices. I did stress over it a bit more last round, but this time around I have welcomed the short break and am just biding my time. Can't wait for my upcoming losses!

Today I ate a strict VLCD (very low calorie diet- for those of you who may not be up on the lingo :)) and feel so much better. My tummy was so full yesterday and I just didn't feel that great even though I really didn't eat all together that much more food. Probably just an additional 5oo calories.

*Cross your fingers* for me tomorrow. :) I suspect I will be right back on track with more gumption and if not that is fine. I can adjust and figure out my next plan of attack. :) Fat, you don't stand a chance!

Trial and error

Good evening! I have done something today I feel good and badly about. I ate! I ate a lot more food than necessary and some of it was not that great like the caramel apple. I was reading back through my blog posts and my journal to remind myself of what exactly went on during Round 1. According to my entries, about Day 12 my blood sugar started to dip sharply and I had to bring myself back up and I did this by eating like a horse for two days. I gained 2 pounds during that time. Like I mentioned in the post below I could feel those symptoms coming and decided to take the afternoon off. I feel so full it is ridiculous, but at least I don't feel zapped and on the verge of plummeting. The days following this little break from the diet during Round 1 I consistently lost either a pound or little over a pound every day. These days were nice and constant- it felt like I was running a marathon rather than a sprint. I could almost count on a pound lost everyday. So, I made a decision. I was going to do it again, and I did.

I think my body was trying to tell me something yesterday as I smelled that appetizing onion bagel. HCG puts your body into overdrive and sometimes you have to catch up, for lack of a better description- at least my body apparently does. I hope this works the same way it did last time. I also, hope that by only doing an afternoon and not two days that this will thwart a real need for a lengthier break and not so much of a gain to lose again? I don't know, we will see in the next couple of days. Trial and error, that is the name of the game. You have to be flexible and willing to test different ideas that may help you achieve your goal. I went three days feeling poorly last round because I thought if I deviated even for a moment I would have terrible results. I did this above listening to my body. Check out this post from one of the blogs I follow covering much the same topic: My Journey with hHCG. I have not taken the time to read through some of the blogs of others, but has anyone else experienced this? I would be interested to see if this is a pattern in others' experience with HCG. Does a slight delay always occur while on the diet and HCG?

Oh, and I apologize for not posting that outline I promised. I just can't seem to go back and fill in all the blanks. So, I hope I am helping a little more by writing more frequently and descriptively.

Day 11, Round 2- This is getting old...

weigh in: 150.0 pounds
loss of: 0.4 pounds
total loss to date: 11.8 pounds

I am about ready to lose it! It is a conspiracy, or some cruel trick! Maybe my scale is broken. It only reads 150 and above and can't come up with a reading of anything below 150. Yesterday I worked so hard and followed everything to a tee! I didn't even wear makeup, and for that matter take a shower! :) It doesn't help that last round I had lost 15.4 pounds by Day 11. I know, I know- shouldn't compare, but I can't help it.

I ate boiled chicken breast for lunch, which I cut up and made a salad with spinach and strawberries. For dinner, I broke out the shrimp and had half a grapefruit and one grisinni breadstick. Maybe that was it?! No, I seriously doubt it. I think I have hit a stall and I am just going to have to stick it out. I really don't want to do an apple day, because this morning I felt slightly like I did last round- dizzy and light headed. So, I ate an apple and a quarter of a banana around midmorning and for lunch I ate a veggie burger with tomatoes, onion and lettuce (no bun). I feel better right now and am just going to keep plugging along. It can't last forever! {right?} :)

I did have a bit of a problem about this time last round and perhaps my body just needs a little time to adjust to the sudden weight loss. We'll see? And, to tell you the truth I think it is better I have lost a bit slower this time, because it was just way too fast for me last round and I had a backslide. So theoretically if I can keep going, slow and steady I should be in a better place then I was last round, by that I mean- no weight gain just a short stall. I am just being incredibly impatient! Honestly! Almost 12 pounds lost in 10 days should be celebrated!

Until tomorrow...

Onion bagel

The onion bagel popped up from the toaster and the aroma was overwhelming. As I spread the cream cheese on the bread I thought I might relent and take just a small, tiny itty-bitty bite.

My girls love onion bagels with cream cheese and this is what they wanted for a snack. I ran out of the kitchen after I plopped their respective portions on their little, pink plastic plates, and started blogging about my experience staring at the bagel trying to justify a little taste. Sorry I am torturing everyone else alongside. I didn't eat a bite of that bagel and I have this blog, the scale and my followers to thank for that. I want so badly to see 14o something on the scale tomorrow and I definitely did not want the shame of reporting my crime tomorrow. :) Dieting can be so difficult! It makes me envious of those people who never have to suffer through the trials of dieting. Right now, I wish I was just naturally skinny with not a care in the world- can eat whatever I want and never gain a pound. :)

Okay, so I really don't wish those things, because regardless of the struggle this is who I am and this is my life. I have also been thinking about the breakthrough feelings I have experienced, which have ultimately led me to wholeheartedly embrace my lot in life in regard to weight and body shape: The feelings of coming to like my body even at 150 pounds, which I don't know if I would have been able to truly correct my poor self-image without losing weight. For me it took losing to really see myself and respect my body. I am enjoying clothes now. I like how I look in clothes and I really can't wait to shop, which is a new one for me! Yesterday I wore my high-heel boots. It is so amazing to walk in high-heel shoes with greater ease and grace! I LOVE heels and with almost 30 pounds gone from the load I have to carry, walking around in them is so much easier. I am enjoying feeling healthy and sexy, being able to run and changing.

Changing, the way I look, the way I carry myself and the way I feel. What a journey! I have noticed that word, journey in the titles of many the blogs I follow. It is a journey. A trip with bumps in the road and beautiful, grand vistas. It takes a lot of energy and focus to embark on this life changing journey. I feel better after writing this post. I think I will have my husband make the girls onion bagels for the next 13 or so days. haha! :) Tomorrow morning is a beginning to another day and I can't wait to get on the scale. :)

Happy losing, everyone!

Day 10, Round 2- A stall or dietary error?

weigh in: 150.4 pounds
loss of: 0.0 pounds
total loss to date: 11.4 pounds

I don't believe I have hit a plateau yet, because of some dietary errors I can point to for yesterday. I met some of my family in Cheyenne at Olive Garden and just eating out can be a problem (totally worth it though- I have missed my aunt, especially so much). I had chicken breast, asparagus and salad (however, the salad had dressing on it). I also had a buffalo burger and orange for dinner at home. I had larger portions today. At lunch I was hungry, but at dinner I just kept eating until it was all gone rather than until I felt satisfied. I drank much more water yesterday. I have been feeling parched lately, and still do this morning. I think I will up my water to 4 liters today and see if that helps. I have also been experiencing some uncomfortable constipation. I am going to try to go for a little run later on this afternoon and hope that in conjunction with water and the supplement I am taking will help. I am tempted to do an "apple day," but I think I will wait until tomorrow to see if I am still stalling. Here is a description of what the "apple day" entails as outlined in Dr. Simeons' manuscript:

"An apple-day begins at lunch and continues until just before lunch of the following day. The patients are given six large apples and are told to eat one whenever they feel the desire though six apples is the maximum allowed. During an apple-day no other food or liquids except plain water are allowed and of water they may only drink just enough to quench an uncomfortable thirst if eating an apple still leaves them thirsty. Most patients feel no need for water and are quite happy with their six apples. Needless to say, an apple-day may never be given on the day on which there is no injection. The apple-day produces a gratifying loss of weight on the following day, chiefly due to the elimination of water. This water is not regained when the patients resume their normal 500-calorie diet at lunch, and on the following days they continue to lose weight satisfactorily." (25)

I hope for a break into the 140's tomorrow! I am getting a little frustrated not seeing those digits on the scale. :( However, I completely understand this diet and how it works- I CAN be patient. :) I will end this post with the following citation for my own and those of you who may need the inspiration and comfort:

"A plateau always corrects, itself, but many patients who have become accustomed to a regular daily loss get unnecessarily worried. No amount of explanation convinces them that a plateau does not mean that they are no longer responding normally to treatment." (24)

Day 9, Round 2- I'll take it!

weigh in: 150.4 pounds
loss of: 1.0 pounds
total loss to date during round 2: 11.6 pounds

I am still not into the 140's and I had just a pound of weight loss today, but I'll take it! :) Further comments to follow later on today...

Happy final day to the weekend... and, happy losing!

Day 8, Round 2- ONLY!

weigh in: 151.4
loss of: 0.2 pounds
total loss to date: 10.6 pounds

Only a loss of 0.2 pounds! I was really hoping to break into the 140's today. Still pretty good for a complete 7 days, though. These are all the reasons I think my weight loss slowed to such an extent:

• Did not drink enough liquids! This, in my opinion is key. You have to get down as much water, tea, coffee etc... if you want to lose the greatest amount possible in a day.
• We had friends over to play Rock Band. Well, it was very fun but I had a couple sips of a mudslide drink. I just couldn't resist. :)
  
• I also stayed up way late. I think sleep has a lot to do with weight loss, too.
• I have been wearing makeup the past 6 days and it hasn't seemed to affect my weight loss, BUT perhaps it is now??? I am not sure? I am going to wear some today and see what happens tomorrow.
  
• This is what I ate yesterday: I had buffalo burger for lunch with tomatoes and half of a grapefruit- I have not been eating a grissini breadstick or Melba toast so far on this round. For dinner I had chicken breast boiled and then marinated in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, Bragg's, basil and cinnamon. I put it on a bed of spinach and had the other half of the grapefruit.
• Perhaps I am not eating enough? I know this had a drastic affect on me last round and set me back a few days. I feel fine, though, so I really don't think this is the problem.
• I also have did not have a BM yesterday. The Gentle Calm is working, however it hasn't been completely consistent. Perhaps I need to up the dose to three times daily as it says you can work up to that amount per day?
  

To tell you the truth, this diet is amazing and I feel like a million bucks, but it can be tricky sometimes. HCG can get your hopes up so high you can feel like a failure some days even with a decent loss. Weight loss evens out over a 23 day or more period. An average of a pound a day is wonderful! Especially, when it is pure fat and typically from the areas you need to lose fat the most. We can do this!

My advice, so far from my experience is to drink as much fluids as you possibly can and to merely analyze your day to see where you could have possibly faltered and make the necessary corrections. And most importantly- enjoy yourself! Enjoy eating better. Enjoy feeling better! Enjoy your transformation! I will post a more in depth outline of the past few days later on. Thank you for the request, Vicky! I really appreciate comments, because they can keep me honest and conscious of the details. I also have much gratitude for the support! I will also try to be more descriptive and detailed in future posts.

Day 7, Round 2- Milestones

weigh in: 151.6 pounds
loss of: 1.4 pounds
total loss to date during round 2: 10.4 pounds!

I have hit the 10 pound mark! Yay! I also wanted to make note of another milestone. If you look to the right in the sidebar and read my outline I am below the 20 pound mark to achieve my goal weight of 132 pounds. Only 19.6 pounds to go!

A concern?

Hey, everyone. I just found this story done on the news sometime ago, and wondered if anyone is concerned about this. Apparently, it is illegal to buy injectable HCG from anyone but a non-licensed pharmacist. Is that the case with the homeopathic form? They also pushed a concern over people not having professional health care supervision. I just don't know what to think?

Here is the link: KSL 5 News Investigates

Let me know what you all think or know on this subject! Thanks!

Additional comments on this issue: Thanks for the comment! The homeopathic form is not illegal. I checked further into it and all is fine. Phewwww! :) However, if anyone starts HCG and is doing it on their own, please be careful! Myself included. :) I would strongly encourage seeing your doctor just to make sure you don't have any unknown heart or other problems. I think problems arise from HCG products that are not pure and the source is not known. I have complete faith in HCG and my life will never be the same because of it, but you never know. So, just another reminder- BE CAREFUL! HCG is not for everyone.

quote of the moment

I thought I would post an inspirational quote and picture whenever I find one you all might like to read. I am calling it a "quote of the moment" because it won't be daily or weekly- just in the moment. So here is the first:

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.
Anais Nin (1903-1977)

infrared pasture by werol

Day 6, Round 2

weigh in: 153.0 pounds
loss of: 2.4 pounds
total loss to date during round 2: 9.0 pounds

I will update more later on today. Have a great day!

Here are some of the updates I wanted to make note of for today:
The buffalo meat was very good! It didn't seem to affect my weight loss either. I also wanted to mention the Gentle Calm detox/cleanse has started to work. I have not been feeling that great in the digestive area the past couple of days. However, I really like this product so far, because last round I would drink a cup of Smooth Move if I was having problems and it was way too harsh. It felt like instead of really improving my digestion the tea just caused a momentary disruption. Very happy about that improvement this round!

I would also like to make an update on the whole clothes situation. The jeans I have been saving for over 5 years (see post titled: The night before Christmas...), well I thought I would just try them on for kicks this morning. I never dreamed I would be able to button them this early in the game! They are ridiculously tight, but I wore them anyway. :) It was better than the others falling off my hips. Another 10 pounds and they ought to fit quite comfortably! YAY!

Another interesting observation I made this morning is about dressing your body according to its current weight and shape. I LOVE the show What Not to Wear with Stacey and Clinton, and not that I have obviously taken any hints, ;) but someday I would like to really try and dress my body appropriately. However, I think I am having a little bit of a break through. I tried on a couple other garments hanging in my closet that I wore last fall. The two skirts I tried on do not look "right" on me anymore. And, not just because the size is too big, but rather it is the wrong cut. I am only 5' 3 1/2" (got to get that 1/2" in :)), and with the weight I have lost I definitely am looking more petite. I think they looked decent enough on me when I was heavier, because they hid much of the weight, but now they are too heavy and pull me down. I don't need as much fabric, perhaps? When I pulled back the fullness of the skirt and streamlined it a bit the skirt looked better on me. I think it will be so much fun to go shopping! I can't wait! It will be fun to experiment with clothes to see if different styles would now look good on my new body!

Oh, and I am definitely going to have my wedding rings resized. I might put them in a safe place for the time being. They are to the point of being quite worrisomely loose!

Day 5, Round 2

weigh in: 155.4 pounds
loss of 2.4 pounds
total loss to date during round 2: 6.6 pounds in 4 days!

So far so good! I tried out the Bragg's amino acids (I left a comment in post below) and it is wonderful how it brings out different flavors. The ground buffalo I wanted to try last night was not completely thawed so I boiled chicken breast and cut it up in chunks. I put the chunks in a mixture of Braggs, apple cider, basil, cinnamon and a pinch of stevia (I don't know specific amounts- just made it up as I went and taste tested it). I put the chicken on a bed of spinach and chopped apples. It was SOOO good! I loved it! I am really having fun already with new tastes and experimentation. Too fun!

Happy losing, everyone!

Mixin' it up

This after noon I went to the Big Hollow Food Coop downtown and found the above items to assist me while I diet. I would like to share a little about a few of these products. The Yerba Mate teas are amazing!!! I am addicted and it has become my new favorite tea. The taste is excellent and the benefits are supposed to be amazing. Read about it at HCG Diet Information. (You have to scroll down the page a ways, but it is pretty interesting!) I will keep you all posted as to my own personal observations. So far I have had an increase in energy. I have accomplished two big things that have been on my "real estate to do list" forever (and still have time to make this post :))! I am a very part time REALTOR®, but my husband and I opened our own business Raving Real Estate and therefore he needs whatever limited help I can offer. That feels great to mark those items off of the list!

Anyway, I digress. The Gentle Calm product to the left in the picture is a detox/cleanse product which I am very excited to see how it effects my digestive system. Constipation and other factors can be kind of annoying on this diet. The description on the container reads as follows:

"Living clays have long been recognized for their ability to eliminate and destroy toxins and diseased cells. Diatomite Minerals contain vital nutrients that promote glowing clear skin, along with stronger nails, lashes, hair and bones. Psyllium husk powder is one of the most effective natural dietary fibers."

Now, this is not "HCG approved." I am just going to give it a try and see if it affects my weight loss or not. Stay tuned.

I also obtained stevia, Bragg's amino acids, apple vinegar and coconut oil to add into my food preparation. The reason I got these different items is because of a few different resources. If you look to my blog list there is a blog titled: Wee Skinny- Our HCG Journey. There are a couple recipes that I think sound very good and stevia, Bragg's amino acids and apple vinegar are some of the ingredients I need. Additionally, on the website HCG Diet Information there is a long list of other various products, along with the Yerba Mate teas, that may help maximize your weight loss. Once again I will let you all know how I feel about each of these. Oh, and I bought some ground buffalo and local farm fresh eggs. I am going to try out the buffalo tonight (supposed to be really lean) and the eggs were so delicious at lunch! I LOVE those poached eggs! :) See previous post I wrote in July about poached eggs: Day 7- Things are getting a little more difficult!...

I suppose because this is my second round I am feeling like I need to "mix it up" a bit and venture out a little more with experimentation. I also am comfortable with the basics and therefore not as nervous about the diet. We will see what happens, but it is nice to add these different elements to keep my mind actively dedicated during this period.

Let me know if you have any questions, because I know I have a tendency to neglect important facts which would be very helpful in reproducing results. :)

Oh, and that reminds me! I just wanted to throw out this little tidbit to those of you who may not be familiar with homeopathic remedies. Before each dose of HCG I disrupt the bottle. By this I mean, I hold the bottle (with top tightly closed) in one hand and rhythmically strike the bottle three times in the palm of my opposite hand. I don't believe the number of times matters- I am just an old basketball player and I guess the rule of bounce the ball the same way and number of times before every free throw has stuck. :) Anyway, this "energizes" the formula, if that makes sense, and is necessary to get the most from your homeopathic formula: "Homeopathic remedies are prepared by serial dilution with shaking by forceful striking, which homeopaths term "succussion," after each dilution under the assumption that this increases the effect of the treatment." Wikipedia

Once again let me know if this makes sense. Check out this link if you want to learn more about the theoretical premise behind homeopathy.

Day 4, Round 2- Biggest Loss Ever!

Good, good morning!!!

The reading on the scale this morning shocked me: 157.8 pounds! I took three readings and all three readings showed the same weight.
That is a total loss of 4.2 pounds during round 2 in 1 day!

The biggest loss in a day I had during my first round was 3.8 pounds so this was a pleasant surprise. I could feel it come off yesterday, too. I love that feeling- quite literally fat melting away! I am glad I didn't gain so much this round during the load days, because of obvious reasons. It only took a day to get past the gain and get to really losing. I ran a bit yesterday evening and did a much needed yoga routine. My back and legs were hurting and I was just very tense. However, I feel much better this morning. Also, I don't know if this helped produce such a loss, but I drank a ton of hot green tea and others along with water yesterday. I was just so thirsty and I don't know if that helped to wash everything out?

Okay, so that is enough joyous reveling, because I know this can't happen every day so I might as well take it for what it is worth, enjoy the moment and prepare myself for a balancing, per se.

Thank you once again for all of your support and help! It is so nice! Until tomorrow...

Day 3, Round 2- Is it enough?

Good morning everyone! I am not sure if I have gained enough during my load days? I know this sounds a bit ridiculous- cursing the scale for not being enough gained. :) I am already on the rollercoaster ride again, but we all know this part of the game is really important in activating abnormal fat. Can anyone help? Here are the numbers:

weigh in: 162.0 pounds
gain of: 2.4 pounds
total gain of: 3.8 pounds?

Last round a gained a whopping 6.2 pounds! I don't know?! Yesterday, I ate pancakes, Arby's (shake, curly fries and all), a ton of potluck food at a school gathering, Popsicle... Should I load another day or not worry about it? Any of your input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Day 2, Round 2- Sweet tooth

weigh in: 159.6 pounds
gain of: 1.4 pounds

I have decided my sweet tooth is officially gone. I cannot stand anything sweet now (except for that pomegranate chocolate :)). I poured Hazelnut Coffeemate in my coffee yesterday and about gagged. I ate a Popsicle and had sugar cookies with frosting and same thing. Yuck! : { Well, that is good in my opinion! I am glad I don't crave and enjoy sweet things like I used to.

Anyway, the Taco Bell chalupas I had yesterday were pretty good, however I could barely eat both of them. One more day of this and then begins the exciting beginning days of taking HCG! Watch those pounds melt away! :) Until tomorrow!

Day 1, Round 2- Here we go!

Today is the day! I have a dose of HCG under my tongue right now as we speak. I looked at the calendar counted out the days and asked myself one simple question, "Am I just afraid to be slender?" The answer was easy enough, "Hell, no! So, what are you waiting for?!"

130's you better watch out, because I am going to be a happy member soon enough!

weigh in: 158.2 pounds
I know, I didn't make it to 156, however I can't wait any longer so here we go!

Have a great weekend everyone! I am going to be eating, which sounds easier than it really is. :( All you HCG people know what I am talking about. :)

Oh, and I just wanted to send out a quick thank you to my 8 followers! That is awesome! Thank you so much for caring about my story! I so enjoy all of yours! We have quite a little support group we have created for ourselves. :)

Keep on a going!

158.6 was the reading on the scale this morning. Down 0.6 pounds from yesterday. Only 2.6 pounds to go to reach 156 before Round 2! I love HCG! Even when I am not on it! My body just responds better to a little effort!

Good day!

Good Riddance, Girdles!

Today I wore a vest and jeans I wore continually last fall, because I loved and still do (I can zip it up now- that's a wonderful feeling) the brown vest which I thought covered up some of my problem areas. However, I wore a Kimora girdle without fail almost everyday. I HATE GIRDLES! My husband hates them even more.

So, I just want to say GOOD RIDDANCE to those terrible, awfully uncomfortable girdles! What torture I put myself through because I felt so poorly about my appearance. And, my husband used to say, "I don't know why you wear that thing? I am sorry, but I can't really tell a difference anyway." It used to make me mad, but the truth hurts, right?! :) Well, those days are gone, regardless of not being to my goal weight yet.

This is a picture of me and my girls last fall in the brown vest and jeans I am referring to in the above paragraphs, and let me tell you I got darn good at hiding myself in a picture. Oh and Photoshop helps too! :) It is amazing what lighting and clone stamp tools magically do to a person. What a cheater I am! Anyway, in the following picture I have that stupid girdle on, my kids are hiding me and I found if you sit with your butt down (like in a wagon) your legs will appear smaller. So, this picture is really basically a farce when it comes to my actual body. But, oh well I still LOVE it! My girls are so adorable!

I think I am going to have a girdle burning party someday in the future. haha! :) I also, wanted to mention I actually almost forgot about that constricting girdle until today when I put on these clothes. It thought it was going to get away unscathed. Not so
fast! :)

Thank you again for humoring my ramblings!
Goodnight my wonderful readers and fellow bloggers.

Going in the right direction...

Wanted to give a little update. Yesterday, I started trying again. This morning I weighed 159.2. I went down 0.8 pounds. A couple more days of stringent dieting and I will be ready for Round 2! :) I hope, at least. ;) I am going to aim for 156, and call it good and get on with losing more weight!!! So excited!

Doing it yourself...

Hello, everyone! Just a quick post tonight. I have been on a role today apparently. :) Anyway, I just wanted to mention there are a couple drawbacks obviously of doing HCG yourself. You kind of have to figure it out as you go, because you don't have a knowledgeable expert assisting you. However, I wouldn't want it any other way!

I am reading the old and original Dr. Simeons' Manuscript and it is based on injectable HCG. So, there are a few corrections I need to make. You only have to wait 3 weeks in between rounds (still not sure about the length of time you need after the 1st and 2nd round are completed, so when I find that I will post it, or someone may post a comment to my aid). Also, you only have to wait 48 hours after discontinuing HCG at the end of a round (see comment on post below, Thank you AKA Skinny Me!). I also, have no clue about all the abbreviations so please look to my blog list for help there. There are some amazing stories and a deluge of knowledge and experience out there from people sharing their experience through blogs! I am happy to be following and learning from many of these narratives!

The diet portion of taking HCG seems the same, but there are recipes and helpful hints out there to make the days a little more bearable by mixing it up a bit. I will be venturing into those areas during my second round.

Anyway, sorry about the confusion and I hope this helps. I could not afford any other approach other than doing the best I can on my own and with the resources I can gather. Regardless, I am glad that I have at least achieved comparable results. The maintenance period is just not as difficult as I am trying to make it out to be. :) Please feel free to correct me when I am relaying misinformation. I appreciate it immensely!

Goodnight! Hope everyone has a great start to their week tomorrow!

BMI Calculator

I was playing around with this BMI Calculator, and the results I find interesting. At a weight of 155, I am "OVERWEIGHT." Okay, fine. Then I put in a weight of 135 pounds and I am, "AVERAGE." A result of "AVERAGE" remains until I finally put my weight at 105 pounds and then I am "UNDERWEIGHT." I think this is completely ridiculous! 105 pounds, and I am sorry, but I would look emaciated not "UNDERWEIGHT". At 110 pounds or even 115 pounds I think I would look the same. Furthermore, why does the great authority of the BMI take it to an extreme of "OBESE," and yet at 105 pounds I would just be "UNDERWEIGHT?"

I additionally, put a weight in for my height of 95 and 200. The 95 pound weight finally comes up "ANOREXIC," but my risk factor is "MODERATE." At the weight of 200, I would be "OBESE." However, my risk factor is "VERY HIGH." That does not make sense!!! Why are the risk factors so much higher for a 200 pound woman rather than a 95 pound woman? I was only 20 pounds shy of 200 and I sincerely believe I would be in far worse of a health condition if I dropped down to 95 pounds rather than reaching a weight of 200! I have no medical background, but for some reason I find the 95 pound woman much more of a concern? Am I crazy? Oh, another interesting observation. I put in my original weight of 180, and yes I was labeled "OVERWEIGHT," but more interestingly my risk factor with "HIGH!" Are you kidding me? I have a greater risk factor being a 180 pound me versus a 95 pound, ridiculously skinny me???

An explanation of BMI on the site states: "It is primarily implemented to identify obesity problems. Although the body mass index is an accurate representation of weight compared to height, it is not considered accurate to determine obesity and general body health." BMI Calculator

No kidding! So, why may I ask is BMI "currently the most widely used body weight diagnostic tool."??? BMI Calculator

I don't know, just thought you all might find this amusing? :)

Working the numbers, AND drumroll please...

This morning I have been sitting here scribbling out the various possibilities that could occur based on a couple factors. If I started HCG today with the remaining drops from my first bottle (hopefully, my second bottle will be here at the latest on Wednesday of next week) then I would have a bit of a problem. I unfortunately, weighed in at 160 pounds this morning. So, that would mean after my gorge I would get up to around 165 pounds. I would then have to lose 30 pounds not 25 pounds to get to 135 pounds. A five pound weight difference doesn't seem like a lot, but in reality it is. I want to get into the mid 130's!

After much consideration, I think I will be a little more patient. I am going to make a stronger effort to lose 4-5 pounds in the next few days and start HCG after (have not really been trying one way or the other, which is good, at least I have not gone above 160). I believe I should do this, because I am not sure I will have the endurance to lose that extra 5 pounds from 25 to 30 pounds. And, who is to say it would only take 30 days to lose 30 pounds, because weight loss does slow as you progress further into the round. I, also know towards the end of my first round I was fading fast, and the 3 days after discontinuing HCG seemed like an eternity. :) Anyway, at least I know myself, so I better give myself every advantage and put in the time early.

I know you all wanted to hear all my inner discussions. Sorry and thanks for listening. :)

Oh, and you know those before and after pictures I have been promising forever and just have been reluctant to share, well here they are. This is where the drumroll comes in. :) This is me at 180 pounds. I am now 160 pounds, hopefully soon to be back at 155-156 pounds to start my second round off right. :)
I don't have a waist, and my arms and thighs look so thick. Look at my after picture! I could not even come close to zipping this jacket up before and I have a waist and I definitely can see it in my face and arms! :)
Now for the side pose. Jeez! It is comforting to be 20 pounds away from this picture!

My disappearing tummy, bulky arms and thighs. Yay! :)

Sharing these pictures was kind of hard for me, but I think I finally needed to post them. It gives me motivation for the second round and replaces my nervousness with excitement! So thanks for patronizing me. :)

We all have our own weight loss journey and a common denominator is, and can be (for all those future HCG users) HCG. With diligence and determination we all have the capability of getting down to a healthy and desired weight! Here is to feeling fabulous, healthy and of course sexy again! :) Cheers!

Second Round Here I Come!

Ready or not!

I found out you don't have to wait 6 weeks, but rather only 3 weeks! I was reading from the manuscript and I assume the 6 weeks is for people on injection form? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Yesterday, I ordered my second bottle of HCG from DIYHCG. It will be here early next week. To tell you the truth, I am a little nervous! This is going to be my big push to my goal. I will probably have to go 30 days. If I start out at around 160 pounds after gorge. It is going to take a good 25-30 pounds to get down to 130 or so pounds. I don't think it is realistic for me to try to get down around 120 pounds. I have always had a muscular frame and I truly think a weight of 130-135 pounds will be perfect for me. I guess, I will reevaluate after I am at 135 pounds and see how I feel. I hope it is not too difficult as you get closer and closer to your ideal weight.

These next couple of days I am just going to prepare myself for the next 30 days. I don't want to have the same little hiccup I did in my previous round (I wasn't eating all of my 500 calories and it set me back a few days and a few pounds). I can do this, and I am anxious to see how it will feel when I am done. If I feel so great now, I can't imagine how it will be when I am a slender 130 pounds!

I also want to send out a congratulations to a couple of people in my life using HCG and experiencing huge success. I love you guys, and we all can do this!

Wish me luck! :)

My girls and me at Lake Marie last weekend.

I love these two! You know, I was thinking what a wonderful thing it has been to learn about and experience HCG, because of one major factor. I will be able to help either girls later on in life- if they want to heed their mother's advice and encouragement. :) I hope they both don't have any weight issues to deal with, but you never know in this day and age. Our insufficient food and the constant temptation of fatty foods never helps.

I am an Affiliate!

If you want to buy HCG through diyhcg.com, please help me out and click on the above button to start your order. I am now an affiliate of DIYHCG and strongly encourage using DIYHCG as your HCG provider! I only paid for 2 oz. of HCG and opted out of other materials that can assist you while you diet, because of the many resources available with just a click of a mouse. I paid $75 plus shipping and handling. I would decide what would be best for you either more intensive supportive help or the more do-it-yourself approach. Thank you in advance! Leave me a comment if you have time to let me know about your purchase or if you have any questions. I LOVE HCG and love helping anyone who might take the plunge! :)