Saturday, November 10, 2007

Day 24 VLCD

November 10, 2007
Weight: 234.2
Loss: 0
Good Morning everyone. No loss overnight, but no worries here. I can't believe I have an average loss of .87 per day! I know it is not anything out of the ordinary among our bunch of losers, but, for me, it is stupendous!!! :). When that scale says 199, you will probably hear me yell! lol. It has been 15 years since I saw below 200 lbs.
I gotta say this: Biz, when I saw your picture at the fair, tears rolled down my face. I could not help myself. I felt such pride for you! You look terrific!!!!. Yours is the first comments I read and your blog was the first I found. I read it in it's entirety, prior to starting this protocol. You encouraged me from the beginning as you and the others do so unselfishly. Now to see you, makes me, TRULY WANT TO GO ON! I think we will have to call Oprah up and have her put us on the Spring Schedule to show the the world!!!!!lol! :D Thanks Biz! Oh, by the way, I had half & half in coffee this am!!! Have a great weekend!
gracegiven2me

Friday, November 9, 2007

Day 23 VLCD

November 9, 2007
Weight: 234.2
Down 2 pounds
Hello everyone, how I've missed communicating with you all! Could'nt get to my blog as the 1st week of the month is sooooo busy for me. Well I had a bit of a stall, but no worries, still got that downward motion going on. This is my 23rd day and I have lost a total of 20 pounds. Not bad at all! My weight stayed at 232 - 237 for 2 years doing low carb, so it aint liking giving it up!! I have been sneaking a peak at the other blogs when ever I could, so I have been getting the encouragment I needed. I will take some measurements and possibly pictures this weekend, although I don't know if there will be much of a difference to the eye. Yesterday, I went for some pre-screening tests for employment (trying to find a better job) and grabbed an old pair of favorite dress slacks. I zipped them up, and fastened the hook and let go. They fell to the floor! lol. That was very encouraging. I have, like I am sure, most of you, tons of clothes and shoes. Already, I need to put a pile in the yard sale box! I didn't think 20 pounds would show up that much in clothes. I have said it before and it bears repeating, This "Pounds & Inches" deal is great!
Well my eating is the same with the exception, that I don't always get the fruit in or the melba toast. I read the half and half discusions. I love the stuff too and have not been drinking my morning half cup of coffee because it just is not the same without it. I believe we all have something that we do on this protocol that helps to keep us sane. I believe our bodies "see" food by its' fat, protein, carbohydrate, etc. counts. It is my opinion that if Dr. Atkins could have worked with Dr. Simeons, this world would be in a lot better pysical shape! I truly believe that fat when not eaten with sugar or starch, will not turn to fat in the body. I lost so much weight on Atkins and have kept it for a few years now. I would just get tired of living without the carbs I like and stop low-carbing for long periods of time. I experimented with myself in food combinations and some would make me gain quick and others not at all, no matter how much I ate. I am beginning to think after reading the Phase 3 dieters comments day after day that Dr. Atkins' 2 week prep stage and HCG might be a great weightloss combination. If the diencephalon is set at a "weight point" and we are trying to reset it to a lower "weight point", why would green beans versus green spinach make a difference? I know Dr. S. said he didn't appreciate folks changing the "foods allowed list", but, wasn't that more of an "ego" thing? Much research has been done since and clinics have been administering the HCG all along with sucess using other diets. The one I went to for just 2 injections back in the 80's, before the doctor was killed, did not give out a diet plan and folks lost weight. The thing was, they did not follow the tapering off at the end either. I had a friend who lost a ton of weight but gained it all back. She never was hungry and ate very little, but to no avail eventually. Oh, well, I don't know, but will do some experimenting later down the road. For now I will be a good girl until I loose all I need to. Just my thoughts today! Thanks for all the comments. Great Day to all!
gracegiven2me

Friday, November 2, 2007

Day 16 VLCD

Friday, November 2, 2007
Weight: 236.2
Down: .40
Morning: You know I stayed at this weight for about a year before creeping up to over 250. I guess my body is trying to hang here! lol All you partners in HCG weighltloss Land have gotta send some good vibes down south to me, please:D! I have to admit, I am having visions of steak, squash, eggs, & cheese! Yep, the Phase 3 menu has been calling my name!!! Don't want candy, pie, or cake, just meat and veggies I like. Oh, I do want potatoes, but know better than that! haha. I have about 50 kinfolk coming for Thanksgiving Dinner and I can't even eat the stuff! This will be a real test for me, although I did cook some of my favorites when the brother-in-law was down with the new wife and did not cheat a pinch! I wasn't even getting enough HCG then, so this should be a breeze now that I actually have enough in my system. Everyone brings items and I will be cooking: Turkey with Homemade Cornbread Dressing & Giblet Gravy, Squash Casserole, Original German Chocolate Cake, Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, Homemade Yeast Rolls, etc. Get the Picture? And these are the items I will be cooking! My mom is absolutely the best southern cook on this plant, hands down!! The rest that are coming are also great cooks. I thought I would freeze all my favorites and have a "Truly Thankful Dinner" when my excess, unwanted, don't like, heavy on my knees, weight is GONE!!! lol. Have a great Day all!!
gracegiven2me

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Day 15 VLCD

Thursday, November 1, 2007
Weight: 236.6
Down: .60
Morning: Love that downward movement.:) . I must say, that I still am not hungry. I ate a ground beef patty that I seasoned with spices and Braggs Amino Acids and a "ceasar" salad (romaine) for supper (that's dinner in the deep south). I have a hard time swallowing down the ACV, and I've tried all the recipes, to no avail. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is the base for my dressings. I've not had time to read the blogs this week and I miss them. Wanted to note here because I keep forgetting....From the start I had these little red spots come up all over. I'm not one to get blemishes, so they really irritated me at first. I was scratching all over. But, finally they didn't itch as much. They still pop out every now and then, but they are not bothersome. Maybe a 'side effect" of the "foreign" hcg in my body? You know, come to think of it, when I was pregnant each time (9), the first few weeks I would breakout all over and itch. I had several miscarriages due to "allergic reactions to the fetus". Oh well, my body finally became immune to it all as I did finally carry 4 full term!! TMI!!!! So much for the history lesson and the autobiography!! Gotta get to the bookkeeping. Have a Great Day!
gracegiven2me

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Day 14 VLCD

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Weight: 237.2
Up: 1 pound
Good Morning all. Well, up we go, where we land nobody knows. And it really doesn't matter cause we gotta go down down down to land!lol That pound is from all that water I drank yesterday. Those 2 pounds I lost left all those empty cells that needed filling up with water, right?.. You know, my clothes are just hanging on me.:) I am already going to have to start going thru the closet and culling. Oh, and I never did get hungry yesterday and not at all today. HCG IS GOOD!!!
gracegiven2me

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Day 13 VLCD

Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Weight: 236.2
Down: 2 pounds

Morning: WOW!!!! 2 pounds!!!! I guess hard labor pays off! lol :) Now is this diet crazy great or what? I took my measurements also and will post them midday. Remember where Dr. S. says that the weight and inches come off about the same? Well, I have lost 18 pounds and about the same in inches!! Like Biz's friend JPS, I too measure everthing left and right. I am recommending this to friends and family and I get the feeling most think I'm a bit quacky, but the stats don't lie. Have a good day! :)
Midday: No hunger whatsoever today. It is amazing how much easier this is when you actually have enough HCG in your system!!
Well here goes the loss this week in inches:
chest .5, waist 1.5, hips .25, neck .75, uparm rt 2.75,uparm lft 2.75,F arm rt .5
F arm lft 1.00,Rt Thigh 1.00,Lft Thigh 1.25,Rt Knee 1.25,Lft Knee1.00,Rt Calf 1.00,Lft Calf 1.00 Total Inches: 17 1/2
Now I have checked this 3 times and still come up with the same measurements. That is a total of 22 inches so far! Like I said above, you can't argue with the stats! I guess that is why my pants and undies are drooping on me.
Evening: I plan on eating skinny soup and a beef patty for supper. Gotta go deliver some food to a sick friend. All have a great evening. Oh yeah, I joined the HCG2 group today.:))
gracegiven2me

Monday, October 29, 2007

Day 10,11,12 VLCD

Saturday, October 27, 2007
Weight: 239.6
Up: .40
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Weight: 238.6
Down: 1
Monday, October 29, 2007
Weight: 238.2
Down: .40

Morning: My weekend was busy. As you can see above, it was and up & down weekend! Saturday, I must tell you, I was so hungry by the time I ate lunch that I thought I would collapse. I went flea-marketing to try and get fresh veggies and went unprepared. I had my fruit but I got so hungry and weak that I did not buy anything. I just left and went searching for salad. BIG LESSON LEARNED. On Sunday, went regular grocery shopping and when I got home and began putting items in the frig, I saw my HCG bottle. It was stil 3/4 full! Now if the 2 ampules were for 40 days total, then 1 ampule should last 20 days. I have had 13 shots so far. Get the picture? I have not been getting nearly enough of HCG daily. No wonder I have been starving!!!!!! There should only be about 7 more doses in that bottle. Theres probably 27 more in there! I could have sworn that I did it right. Gonna check all that out tonight. Hubby gave me 1 cc yesterday which is 200 IU, I think. Anyway, Inever did get crazy hungry yesterday.
Midday: This is my skip day for hcg. I am not hungry yet. Ate a salad (romaine) with grilled chicken breast. I had a strawberry sorbet and that was resreshing ( http://www.hcgrecipes.blogspot.com/ ). Hey what about Biz's success? I get so inspired by the pictures. I show them to everyone! You're a star Biz!!!
Evening: It was a good day, had to work (physically) harder than usual. Maybe I drop more weight than usual! lol.
gracegiven2me

Friday, October 26, 2007

Day 9 VLCD

Friday, October 26, 2007
Weight 239.2
Down: 1 pound

Morning: I am satisfied. Thank You Lord! I just realized that I had comments posted!! What a thrill! Thanks to all of you for your support. I read all the blogs that I connected to from Biz's blog and and like all of you jump from one to the other. This protocol is so do-able. I just found out yesterday about the video blogs and watched quite a few. That is neat to see the people transform right in front of your eyes. Today I had hubby give me my shot in the arm. It did hurt but I really think I needed it there. I've been getting desparately hungry about 6:00 pm which is when I leave the office. I am in a rush to prepare my dinner and get it down. I have read on so many postings that people are having a hard time getting down all their allowed food! I eat every crumb!!! I figure that because my hips are very fatty, the hcg might not be getting in my bloodstream like it should. Most of my weight is in my hips, thighs and arms with a distintive waist line. I say this, but then there are the folks that are getting their shots in the belly where the fat is! Oh, well we will see. Amy Dawn, I hope you begin reading the blogs. Go to http://www.theprogressofbiz.blogspot.com/ and read her blog and all the others you can go to from her list of links. Start at the bottom of the archive and work you way up in time. I know that you will be enthused and enspired. Tammy, did you do a VLCD when you took the shots back in the 70's? and did you do the load days and then the the three days without the shots but still VLCD and then the 6 weeks of no starch & sugar? Please comment and let me know. I'm doing some researching!!! Happy TGIF to all you hcg losers!:D
Midday: I tried shredded cabbage and ground round beef stir fried (sizzled in hot broth at high temp) and did not like it. My hubby cooked it and brought it to me at work. There was ton of cabbabe & I had to send out a search party for the meat!!! haha. I am a real meat lover. Like veggies too, but the ratio on that on was off. Ok, today was so much better. I have not starved at all. These darn hips of mine are always getting in the way! lol I think it is important to note these things for those following behind. I will not be posting agin until Monday. Have a great weekend.
gracegiven2me

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Day 8 VLCD

Thursday, October 25, 2007
Weight: 240.2
UP: .80 pounds

Morning: Well, I knew it was coming! I'm not discouraged though! Nope, I've not cheated a pinch. My body, I am sure is shifting and adjusting. I can already see such a difference in the mirror, and my clothes are all so comfortable. The only thing I did different than what I've been doing yesterday, was eat a 1/2 grapefruit as one of my servings of fruit.
gracegiven2me

Monday, October 22, 2007

Day 4,5,6,7 VLCD

Sunday, October21, 2007 Day 4 VLCD
Weight: 243.0
Down: 2 pounds

Monday, October 22, 2007 Day 5 VLCD
Weight: 241.6
Down: 1.4 pounds

Morning: WOW! What a way to start out a Monday! I am so thankful Lord! I have jeans on this morning and I am sitting at my desk and I can breathe!!!!! Believe me, I rarely wear them because they are uncomfortable about my waist. Not today haha!! Had a great weekend with the brother-in-law down with new wife. What a nice girl! Cooked em up some southern fixins: Baked Ham, Potaoto Salad, Baked Beans, Coconut Cake, Rolls, Sweet Tea. All from scratch and never licked a finger! Now that is awsome! This HCG stuff is very effective on suppressing the appetite. Woke up to hubby frying bacon for company and it smelled wonderful, but I wasn't enticed! But, this is my skip day for a shot so I will post a little later, my progress. I will post my loss in inches later. You gotta go over to Biz's blogspot and check out her pictures. They are awsome http://www.theprogressofbiz.blogspot.com/!
Afternoon: My lunch was tastless. I did not prepare ahead so hubby fixed my spinach & chicken. Can't do that again! Have felt tired all day. Stayed up the last 2 nites to close to midnite. Had a wonderful time with company. Hope they will consider coming back. Been reading all the hcg blogs I can find. Can't get enough information. Oh, I didn't say it did I? Well, here goes - I have LOST 12.6 pounds since Tuesday, October 16 after load days and 4 days of VLCD! I think it is awsome and I am very encouraged!
Evening: My dinner wasn't very good. I got away from the stove talking on the phone and scorched my ground beef and onions. I ate them but they were bitter. My boys are eating up the grissini. Gotta go get more. Tomorrow's meals will be better because I cooked them tonight. I fixed chicken tenders and cooked my freshwater bass the same way.
Oh, I almost forgot it is measurements time.

LOSSES:
Week 1: Chest .5, Waist 1.5, Hips .5, Neck 0, Up Arm Rt .80, UpArm Lt 0,ForArm Rt 2.5,ForArm Lt 0,Thigh Rt .75,Thigh Lt .25,Knee Rt 0,Knee Lt 0, Calf Rt 0, Calf Lt 0 = 4.55" LOST
Total Weight Loss for Week 1: 12.6 pounds
Wow, it really adds UP when your slimming DOWN!
gracegiven2me


Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Day 6 VLCD
Weight: 241
Down: .6 pounds

Morning: I knew it had to slow down sometime. All is good. Any loss is a good loss. Back on the HCG today.
Afternoon: The chicken tenders I cooked were really good. I made a marinera sauce and it was even better. Today like the last few days, I have had extra energy, so have been keeping busy. My size 22 jeans are really getting baggy. I had put them up for several months because they were so tight. So far no real side effects on HCG.
Evening: The pre-cooked freshwater was good. I could have eaten a whole plate!! Oh, well don't want to tip the scales in the wrong direction.
gracegiven2me

Wednesday, October24, 2007 Day 7 VLCD
Weight: 239.4
Down: 1.6 pounds

Morning: Thank You Lord for the LOSS! Ok, I am starting to believe that this all might really work. If I can continue to figure out ways to make my food taste really good, I think I can, I think I can. I have a little potpourie crock pot that I cleaned up and am cooking my steak with some roasted tomatoes and spices for lunch. Cooking the fish is were I need the most improvement. Growing up on the lake and eating tons of fish, I know how good they are cooked southern style. Trying to match the taste with limited resources, is a challenge. I used Renee's recipes for chicken tenders over on hcgrecipes on the fish and it was good. I have been reading the posts on hcg dieters at yahoo and there was a discussion about stopping the protocol fro Thanksgiving day. Dr. Simeons does state what to do for interuptions. I am pleased to know that stopping the injections after 20 injections will not cause you to lose any progress, only time. Of course this makes sense as those who have only a small amount to lose have only a 23 day plan. Of course they would have to be stopped 3 days prior to interuption while continuing the VLCD. It is my understanding that, then for Thanksgiving, you would eat Phase 3 style only. No starches or sugars. I don't know if getting to eat turkey and veggies and fat for a day is worth stopping. I will certainly think on that.
Midday: Lunch was good. Hit the spot.Feeling ok today, just sleepy. I placed a mini frig in my office today to keep my fruit and water in. Also put in a microwave to make hot water to brew tea.
Evening: The fish was very good. I made coleslaw and enjoyed it as well (shredded cabbage, 1/2 ts milk, juice of 1/2 lemon, dillweed, dash celery salt, 1 pack stevia,garlic powder, pepper) Not bad at all.
gracegiven2me

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Day 3 VLCD

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Weight: 245
Down: 1
Morning: Another one bites the dust! And another one's gone and another one's gone! Love smaller numbers, don't you? Might not post again until Monday which I believe is my skip day for the injection. Got 175 IU's today. We will see how it goes. Got company coming in tonite and will be cooking good ol' southern food for them and the family and I will keep my fingers out of the pots, bowls, and mouth!!
gracegiven2me

Friday, October 19, 2007

Day 2 VLCD

October 19, 2007
Weight: 246.2
Down: 2.4
Morning: Thank you Lord for that downward movement! Hooray! Now that the chicken dance is over (gonna do the worm when I get this belly gone). lol Let me tell you about my injections. I preloaded 3 syringes and put them in frig along with my HCG bottle. My husband takes 1 out each morning to warm up, then gives me the shot when I holler. I believe I didn't put enough in the syringe. He makes good and sure some shoots out so there is no air (don't won't to be killed before I get skinny!!). I looked at the syringe this morning before he shot me and it was well below 100 units. I was striving for 125! Oh well, I will get it right tomorrow. He and I both have eyes that are telling our age!

Midday: Feeling less weak and dizzy today than yesterday. I split my chicken lemon spinach soup in two and ate it separately about 3 hours apart. I had the apple crisp as well to carry me over to supper. This is probably best for me as my blood sugar drops drastically.

Evening: I really, really, liked the Meatballs (http://www.hcgrecipes.com/) . I just cut up a bunch of little tomatoes and threw in some water, 1 pack stevia powder, some itallian seasoning, and onion powder. Got em boiling, then threw it over into my mini-crockpot and let it cook. Did this last nite ahead of time. Ate an orange a couple hours later. Getting my water in. I have 3 liter jug. I fill it up in the morning. I drink throughout the day until I have 2/3 gone to make sure. Any tea I drink is just extra.
gracegiven2me
P.S. God, our creator loves you more than you or I can even fathom!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Day 1 VLCD

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2007
Weight 248.6
Down: 5.6 lbs
Morning: Can that be right? I was just mortified when I got on those scales yesterday. Then this morning down 5.6pounds. It is all good as long as the scale goes down.

Midday: I have been weak today. I got really super hungry by the the time hubby brought my meal. Pan grilled chicken breast and steamed spinach. Will fix my food tonite for tomorrow, but I do so love food just cooked! Still don't know how many calories in my chicken. Will figure it out though. Been dizzy most of the day but I know that I am hypoglycemic and am going to ignore for now. Going to fix some fresh lake bass with asparagus for supper.

Evening: Well, the bass sure wouldn't like Moma fixed it! lol The asparagus was so so. Going to go get those recipes from those nice girls what done posted them on the blog. lol Yep, gotta have sompin gooder tomorrow! I will try out the Mini Meatballs with tomato sauce of some sort. I will make the lemon chicken soup with spinach and an apple crisp. Let you know tomorrow how they turned out.
gracegiven2me

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Day 2 Load

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 (Injection #2 - Load)
Weight: 254.2
I bought a new digital scale today at Wally World. Boy what a differnce!! It says I weigh 254.2. Geemonetties, that's a really BIG difference. Oh well, it is better to know the correct numbers, right?

Today has been ok, no pain, no hunger, feeling just fine. Why not, I've eaten like a horse! What will the morning bring? I start on the 500 calorie diet tomorrow!!!!. I am armed with fresh spinach, tomatoes, celery, asparagus, apples, chicken, fish, beef, etc. All meats weighed and sealed in baggies in the freezer. I am looking forward to using all those recipes the other dieters have so willingly given over at http://www.hcgrecipes.com/. I have been reading the blogs of http://www.theprogressofbiz.blogspot.com/ and many more. Each one gives you click on links to more. I have learned so much from all of them. Can't wait to get the evening over so I can start a new journey to Skinnyville.

gracegiven2me

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Day 1 Load

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 (Day 1 - Dr. Simeons Protocol - Load)
Weight: 254.2
Injection: 125 IU
Well, here I go! My husband gave me my 1st injection this am. I barely felt anything! I could hardly sleep last nite thinking he was going to put air in and kill me! I have been eating all manner of fattening foods for the last week. We southern folks do that automatically. I am not accustom to eating in between meals though, so this is different. I wnated to tell how I heard about Dr. Simeons Protocol: While at work, an "angel" asked me one day why I was having a hard time getting around. I told her that I had hurt my knees going up and down the stairs to my office. My boss had built a new facility and placed the office up in a loft which is quite nice, but oh so damaging to my knees. I have a rare degenerative bone disorder with no cartilage. Bone on Bone and plenty of slipping goin on! My boss when revealing the newly built stair case to me for the 1st time said "We'll get that weight off of you now". God love him!(cause it sure is hard for us humans to) haha. He is a little man and doesn't care for fat folk!! But anyhow, this "angel" who has become my friend, said she wanted me to read a set of books she had and brought them to my office the next day. Of course, they were Kevin Trudeau's books: Natural Cures they don't want you to know about, More Natural Cures they don't want you to Know About, and the The Weight Loss Cure, they don't want you to Know About. I began using organic foods 1st. Then I purchased a colon cleansing product and used it, meanwhile reading the books an surfing the web to get all the info I could find on HCG. My swelling was gone, but more importantly, THE PAIN WAS GONE!!! The funny thing is, that back in the early 80's I went to a clinic and began this hcg program. It was all the rave at the time. People were dropping weight fast. Unfortunately, my first week, 2nd injection, the Dr. was killed in a boating accident. The clinic shut down. I promise I will not be so chatty everyday!! Like everyone else who has started this journey, my excitement over the prospect of finally loosing this weight is extreme! Where do I get the HCG?. How will I mix it? Can I afford it? I soon discovered it wasn't so easy to obtain the HCG. I called several centers and their rates were very high. One wanted $450.00 to just fill out the paperwork! After that, there were blood tests to get, and then HCG which was another $400.00. I was really downhearted for a couple of days. I found a place that would sell the products to me that I needed from abroad but the delivery time was 6-8 weeks! I don't know about other folks, but I am not a procrastinator. Once I get on to something, I'm ready to go! One clinic here in the states said they would send me pre-loaded syringes and they seem to be fair priced, but they did not have a Dr. to write the order for the blood tests! Anywho, they were supposed to call me back but never did. Now on to how I got my supplies so quickly: I was reading the daily entries on the dieter's group I like and a lady said she had some extra supplies she wanted to sell. There were a couple replies to her notice. I replied that I was interested and asked her to call me. I waited anxiously. I just knew one of those other folks beat me to it. Then the 2nd "angel" called. You know I decided to write this journal so that I can show accountability to myself and to share with my loved ones, especially my sisters, true friends and family. That being said, I have been praying for God to help me with my weight. I've kept off the 60 pounds I lost while living in Mississippi! Thank you Lord! I truly believe that the Lord had a hand in having this lady contact me. She called and explained that she had ordered her supplies for a 2nd round and had ordered for a friend who saw her results and wanted on-board. I agreed to purchase a 40 Day kit and a 20 Day kit. God is ALWAYS Good. I got them both for less than a 40 Day kit and did not have to wait 6 -8 weeks. THEY CAME YESTERDAY!!! I will write each day, my progress. God Bless You!
gracegiven2me

P.S. It's not what you GAIN, It's what you GIVE that measures the WORTH of the LIFE YOU LIVE!