Day 8 VLCD

Okay..... today the 290.4... goddness I might make it below 290 to start the new year and that would be fantabulous!!!! I am so glad that I am rocking and rolling right now... I have to remind myself that I was obviously very water logged and so not to plan on seeing 17 pound drops every week :) I have been using a protein powder for some of my meals, but otherwise sticking to the Dr S meal plan, minus the melba toast/breadstick thing. My protein powder is MetRx chocolate, it mixes with water really well, is easily digestible and comes with 46 g of protein, 7 g of carbs, 2 g of fat and 220 calories. I get mine at Trader Joe's. It doesn't taste chemical like the Muscle Milk or EAS. I used to lift and have also used protein supplements on Atkins.

I've been taking fiber supplements, even though Dr. S didn't say we needed to, but I worked so hard to get regular I don't really want to let that go. Has anyone else kept their fiber supplements in? I am also keeping up with the Alive! multivitamin. I might alter the food to the NHWs options if I start to get bored with the protocol, but we will have to see.

I don't know if any of you have Panera near you, but that is the easiest place I have seen to follow protocol at. They have a classic salad to which you can add 100g of chicken and have a small apple as a side item... Just ask for the dressing and anything else to be left off since it is assembled as you order!

Happy New Year everyone!

Day 5 VLCD

Ok... so I survived Xmas and a road trip :) I still have not received my dd.ca order, GHI's pharmacy was not returning my phone calls and were therefore useless... so last week I bit the bullet and I contacted NHW so that I could start immediately. They have been great. I am not sure that the scale that I was using in IN was accurate but according to it I went from 307 Monday morning down to 295 this am. I will recheck weight on my home scale which is the one that I did my preload weight on. It was surprisingly easy to follow the diet even being out of town. I took protein powder with me just in case I would need to eat while out. Other than giving myself a few bruises I am doing well with the program :)

You ladies weren't kidding about the ease of this life change. My whole family is curious now to see about trying it out.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I look forward to losing with all of you!

First Injection

The saga of waiting for my DD.ca delivery seems to be neverending, but thanks to NHW I am on my way with my first load day today! Yeah for painless injections and feeling like I am finally getting a chance to start making a difference in my health.

Starting weight for the load days...302

And then there was the waiting...

This has by far been the hardest finals week ever!!! I have had so much trouble concentrating and getting my papers done (Plenty of family melodrama to go along with it!)...

I'm still like a kid waiting for Christmas for my dd.ca delivery to arrive. I have been doing some workouts pretty consistently for the past couple years. I use swimming to focus my mind, especially when I am having writer's block. I prefer deep water running, because it is a lower impact in terms of cardio/pulmonary load (only about 80% of land) with light resistance coming from the water. When I lived in AZ I was able to run outside year round in a heated pool :) Water exercise like this can be meditative in nature.

I am so inspired by everyone's stories... I can't wait til I get to join in!!! I'm trying to convince my sister to help me with the before pics and measurements. So I've reviewed my directions for mixing my HCG and read and reread Dr. S's pounds and inches.... Funny how it is more compelling than my other homework :)

First installment

So the HCG "kit" arrived today, ie the syringes and ampules and other mixing supplies. I am super excited to get these things... it makes me feel like I am getting closed to my first load day. I am trying to decide if I want to stay on my BC or go off of it. I know that Dr. Simeon says that it is fine to stay on it and mine means that I wouldn't have a TOM in the middle of the protocol since I am a seasonique user.

I am trying to imagine all of the changes that are possible between now and my birthday in March. I need to find out what exercises people have been doing while on protocol. I know KT recommends an hour walk daily. I'd like to swim because I don't want to forget how when my body isn't as buoyant.

Happy holidays everyone, and thanks for your support!

Finally a day of action!

Yesterday was a day of resolution and action. After looking into the option of ordering online as suggested by so many of the yahoo hcg2 group and reading all the negatives about going with GHI it seemed like a no brainer. Can you believe ALL of the supplies I will need for 4 cycles of hcg was less than going with GHI's pharmacy for one month. Unbelievable. I couldn't have done it without the guidance of the famous Biz. She was able to help me figure out everything I needed to order and sent me this awesome pdf that laid it all out.

Now I just have to wait for my shipment to arrive. With the free shipping coupon from the hcg2 posts it was no problem to go ahead and pay the extra few dollars for priority shipping. I am still glad that I went ahead and got the bloodwork done. When I went into the dr to get a pre weightloss physical she required an EKG. So at least I know that a quick check of my heart looks awesome and my bloodwork pretty darn good too. I still have what is termed as subclinical hypothyroid and am waiting to see what happens with that after this process. The advantage of doing the bloodwork through GHI first time around is that my insurance will only cover it once a year and so now my follow up bloodwork can be on them. I am guessing they will want to if I really lose 160 pounds before I go back :)

So today... I am down to my last week or so of waiting. I started journaling yesterday... Biz reminded me how important this is. I cam across a few things that are really bugging me. As a general statement, the men in my life are making me a little crazy. I am flattered that they all care as much as they do, but I don't know if any of them are the best fit. Perhaps that is a whole other blog of relationship angst. Professionally I am coming up on some major changes, I will take my comprehensive exams in the spring/early summer and propose my dissertation next fall if I stay on track.

The one thing that I am sure of is that now is the best time of my life to make these changes and let my body be its best, not just exist as a vessel to provide my brain with life support. I can't help but get excited about all the possibilities... like this time next year I might have run my first marathon and I will be buying clothes in the 5*7*9 store instead of Layne Bryant, who is great but SO expensive. And imagine I haven't been able to buy bras at Victoria's Secret since I went into 38 DDDs as a Freshman in college. I've never had much luck at Perlina or any of the nice undergarment places... It will be a whole new world. I can't wait til my body reflects me to not hides me from the world.

So I will be waiting for a couple more weeks...

Well apparently all of the glowing recommendations on GHI are accurate... it will take a couple more weeks for them to get back to me and prescribe the Hcg. Not sure what I should do with the next two weeks... am considering doing a cleanse just to feel like I am doing something. I am also trying to mentally prepare for this weight loss adventure. Reading Biz's blog has really inspired me as have the posts on the yahoo hcg2 health group.

Everyone's joy and optimism has me looking forward to this life change, unlike the dread I normally experience before implementing a new diet and exercise regime.

Getting Ready....

Well I have been doing my research online, have done my medical profile with GHI, and am waiting for my first supply of HCG. I decided to go the DR route to make sure that I was completely legal. I have licensure and certification issues for my professional life that require me to make sure I don't have legal issues ever. I didn't find anyone having legal problems, but I am a cautious person.

I find myself wondering what I will find as I progress towards my goal. I don't know exactly how much weight that I want to lose in total. I know that I will probably lose between 120-160 over the course of the protocol. Dr. Simeon's book suggests that this will be up to 4-5 rounds of HCG therapy.