PHASE 4



BIGGEST LOSER COMPARISON

I was watching The Biggest Loser this week and all the contestants were getting ready to go home for a week or so. They were all stressing out about going back to their ‘real’ lives and keeping the weight off. Bob and Jillian sat all the contestants down and had a discussion about what it was going to be like in the ‘real’ world.

I can totally relate. Phase 4 is like being thrust back into the real world. There was comfort and safety in Phase 2 and Phase 3 because we were regimented, and knew exactly what we could and could not have. I could plan ahead and was basically in control of my eating. Whoa! Has that ever changed! I find that when I let life just happen around me, it is next to impossible to control my circumstances.

When we were on protocol, we always had grilled steak or chicken in the fridge so I could pack the meat and some veggies for lunch every day. Now, because we have not been doing that, I search the fridge every morning wondering what I’m going to do for lunch. I’m still trying not to eat bread or pasta, so that limits my choices. I have had a couple of sandwiches [3] since I started Phase 4.

Lunches provided by the office, family staying with us for a few days [kidlings included], holiday meals and leftovers, lack of meal planning; these have been some of my challenges this week. I am up two pounds. I need to do a steak and apple day(s), but have not been able to do it yet. Hopefully tomorrow will be my window of opportunity.

PHASE 4 - NOV 23
2 WEEKS IN


We started Phase 4 two weeks ago, but it feels longer. I handled Phase 3 better because the rules were very defined and I knew exactly what I COULD have and what I COULDN’T have.


Phase 4 has been much harder for me. I know I can add back sugar and starch, but I’m hesitant to do so. There was a company activity on Friday where they served lunch. Sandwiches, chips, cookies [you get the idea]. I nearly panicked. I found a sandwich on whole wheat, and I did eat most of it. I had a few chips, and of course I ate the cookie! No weight gain.


We went to dinner last night for our anniversary, and I ate fried coconut shrimp, and ate one piece of bread, and enjoyed the sweet potato. Up a couple of ounces. [however, I ate some peanuts and some pudding before going to bed, so it could have been that!]


I guess the point I’m trying to make is that I need to relax and allow myself to eat normally. I don’t mean I'd go crazy with sugar, but I shouldn’t be so squirrely about eating it sometimes. Thanksgiving is coming up this week and I will be making several pies. There will be rolls, potatoes, etc, etc. I plan to enjoy the day and not stress over ‘food’. I can always hit a few Zumba classes to get rid of Turkey Day blues.

Even with the weight loss, my cholesterol is still over 200 [203], so I am taking the fiber twice a day, the omega’s 3 times a day, the vitamins twice a day, and upping my noni. I need to get that number under 200! I probably also need to cut down on the peanuts and whipping cream!

PHASE 4 - -
HERE WE GO AGAIN


Today begins the first day of Phase 4. Phase 4 is the 'back to normal' phase, where we can begin introducing sugar and starch back into our daily routine.

We had company for dinner yesterday and it was the first time in several months that I have cooked for a crowd. It went well. I cooked a turkey breast, had 3 veggies, and a quinoa salad. Lori brought mashed potatoes [because I do not have them at the house any more], and they also brought dessert.

Lane and I ate the turkey and the green beans, and I had some of the quinoa salad. We chose to make our own dessert instead of eating the brownies. We made some chocolate pudding and covered it in whipped cream. Yum.

We are still maintaining well.

I ended up in a video that was posted on a national website this week. I may not have been totally happy with being filmed, but at least I was not stressing about my weight!

I LOVE HCG.

PHASE 3 - WK 3


I haven't written anything for a while, and actually there are some fun things to share. In Phase 3, we can eat whatever we want, with the exception of sugars and starches. Fats are fine, and we don't count calories.

All three of us have stabilized really well. We are all staying within a pound or two of our 'last injection day' weight. This phase is the most critical because it sets and stabilizes your metabolism.


'Mr. HCG' in my office recently shared some of his favorite things about Phase 3 with me, and wouldn't you know it, they have become some of my favorite things too! He asked me what desserts I was eating. DESSERTS????? I told him I couldn't have dessert, and he said, "Of course you can!"

The most exciting thing he shared with me was that we could have banana cream pudding, whipping cream and all! [recipe to follow] We LOVE it! He showed me a 'cream charger' and I decided to go right out and buy one. We love that too! You put a cup of cream in the container, attach a CO2 charger, and in literally 3 seconds you have fully whipped cream that does not separate. These little machines are AWESOME!
I add 1 dropper of Vanilla Cream Stevia before whipping and it flavors the whipping cream perfectly! I buy the stevia at the health food store. [and yes, you can use the heavy whipping cream]









Here are more fun things you can do on Phase 3:


Carl's Jr. - Low Carb Burger or Gilled chicken [wrapped in lettuce]
In&Out Burger - Protein Style burger [wrapped in lettuce]
Costco Chicken Salad
Rotissery Chicken - Make your own chicken salad!
Sugar Free Ice Cream - YUM [can't believe it's legal!]
Any fruit, coverd with whipped cream!
AND I ALMOST FORGOT - - Italian Place, Steak and Everything SALAD!!


And now (Drum Roll) - - - Banana [or chocolate, or butterscotch] Pudding:
1 pkg. sugar free pudding mix
1 banana
Whipped cream
cinnamon

Whisk pudding into 2 cups cold milk for 2 minutes. Set in fridge [5 min].
Slice 1/2 banana into bottom of cereal bowl
Spoon set pudding over sliced bananas
Slice 1/2 banana on top of pudding
Cover with whipped cream
Sprinkle with cinnamon
ENJOY!

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX

LIVES TRANSFORMED

I am finished with my protocol. I took my last injection on Thursday. My 72 hours of letting the HCG leave my system began Friday. Today I get to have my protein shake for breakfast, and I can eat nuts! Yum.

Jill has decided to continue for 1 more week. Because she skipped Sunday’s, she can do an additional 6 days. Jilly wants to see if she can get closer to losing 30 pounds. Lane wanted to get into the LOW 220’s but because his weight stabilized this past week, he ended his protocol on Friday. Today is his last day of his 72 hour cleanse.

Today I’m posting ‘before and after’ pictures. When I went searching for which pics to use, we were all pretty shocked to see some of the ‘befores’. The first pic is one that shows Lane and Jill in 2007 at their heaviest, and me from one year ago. We had all tried to lose weight over the past couple of years, but we were only marginally successful. Lane and I did Nutrisystem, '10 Day', etc, but nothing was ever as successful as HCG.
















My ‘Before’ picture was taken just exactly one year ago. Two people whose accounts I look after visited the corporate office and we had our picture taken together. I cropped out the other two for this posting. I decided to use this one because, at the time, I was really pleased with this picture. A co-worker recently saw the picture and was shocked at how different my face looks now. I must admit, the pic from a year ago definitely shows a ‘fuller face’. I was actually really surprised by my ‘after’ picture. I look good!! You don’t really notice all the small changes as they are happening, but a picture is worth - - - - - -. I didn’t have a lot a photos to choose from because I always make sure I’m the one behind the camera.
















Jill’s ‘Before’ picS were taken in 2007 at her heaviest, and then just this past March in Arizona. The ‘After’ pic was taken this past Wednesday as she was rushing around trying to get the car packed to go back to Moab. Wow. I am so proud of her. She is so excited to see her weight makeover. This is her first experience with HCG, and she is planning on doing a 2nd round in January. She will need a ‘buddy’ to do it with. Any takers??















Lane’s transformation is certainly the most dramatic. When I see what he used to look like, I hardly recognize him. He said he stopped weighing when he hit 350, but these pictures tell me he was well beyond that. His tailor told him that for every 10 pound loss, it is a belt size. His belts have gone from a 56 to a 42. His weight loss journey officially started in 2009. He dropped 70 pounds that year using the ’10-DAY’ diet. After that, he just couldn’t seem to lose more, and the pounds slowly began to creep back on. When I decided to start HCG in May, he was NOT going to do it. He was very leery of the 500 calories, and of being hungry all the time. I finally ‘nagged’ him into it, and we started our journey together. He WAS hungry the first couple of days, then just made up his mind to push forward. By June 15th he had lost 35 pounds, and blew past his 100 pound mark. This time, he has lost another 35 pounds which makes his total weight loss since 2009 around 140 pounds.














Wow, and Wow again!!!!! Doesn’t he look great??????????











This journey officially began May 1st, 2010 and has been one of the best things we’ve ever done together. I do think it is important to do it with a ‘buddy’. Son Mark tried to do it on his own and said it was very difficult not to have a ‘buddy’ support system. I think it would be easy to get distracted by outside forces if you were doing it alone. Jill joined us for our 2nd round, and it was great that she had someone to bounce ideas off, and she could share the journey with people who were going through the same things.

Lane wanted me to mention a couple of things: He said we have learned so much during this journey. We have learned some important details that will remain with us now that we are done.

1) There needs to be a time break between diets. Even if you are doing another program, the body needs a chance to stabilize before continuing. We waited 8 weeks between protocols. Jill will need to wait 8 weeks before she does phase 2 again.

2) Lane feels that the 2 loading days are really important. We didn't do it right. You need to load on fattening foods like lasange, pastas with cream sauces, ets. We loaded on sweets and sugars, but we should have loaded on high fat foods. It helps to make you less hungry the first 3 days. [Go get the tastiest, high fat foods you can find during that time. Also, you have to eat all the time during those 2 days, not enough to be ill, but enough so that you are full all the time.

3) You need to make sure you have a really good supplement while dieting. It helps with energy, and not being hungry. Tahitian Noni NatureBorn vitamins were wonderful. They are all natural, no synthetics.

4) Drink a LOT of water, and take fiber. Not stupid fiber like metamusil, but an all natural fiber complex. Talk to Annette if you want a really good one.

5) Don't drink diet soda while dieting. It still triggers an insulin response in the body, and you can gain weight by drinking it.

6) Phase 3 is very important. It allows the body to stabilize and set a stable weight. Adding sugars and starches too soon after dieting will not allow the body to re-set the metabolism.

7) Exercise!!! It does make a difference. It burns calories.



I begin my 2nd round of Phase 3 today. BRING ON THE PEANUTS!! [and the string cheese, and the milk, and the watermelon, and the almonds, and the salmon, and the parmesan crusted tilapia, etc, etc, etc]

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 36


THE GOAL IS IN SIGHT!!!!!!


What a weekend!! Busy, busy, busy. Jill and the girls are in town for Lizzy’s baby blessing yesterday, and Kaden’s B-day party last night. She came in on Friday, and thank goodness we are all doing the same eating protocols. It made the chaos more manageable.


SATURDAY: Lane and I were both down. He is now is the 220’s. Lane and Jill went walking at the mall at 7:00 a.m. I had a song rehearsal at 8:30. I made a strawberry / fiber shake and grabbed it as I bolted out the door at 8:20. I got home at 10:00 a.m. and by 10:30 was ready for a ‘snack’. We were all pretty hungry at noon so I made a stir-fry and used up the last of the cooked chicken and steak. Jill and I then took off for an afternoon of shopping.


When we got home, Lori and family were there. I told them I could make enough cabbage chili for everyone, but they didn’t think that sounded very good. SIL went to the store and bought fixins’ for sandwiches, so they all did that. I made a big pot of cabbage chili and Jill thought I was making too much. Nope. Between the 3 of us, we managed to eat it all.


SUNDAY: Crazy day. 7 of us were out the door before 8:30 a.m. for the baby blessing. I made Jill and I a strawberry / fiber shake and cut up and apple for Lane to eat in the car. After the meeting, we all went back to Mark’s home for brunch. Among the foods served were rolled deli meats and a green salad, so we were able to do our snack there and fit in with the crowd.


Lunch was leftover steak and an apple. We skipped our afternoon snack. Then in the afternoon we were off to Kaden’s birthday party dinner. Jill and I had Lane grill us a steak before we left so we could take it with us, and we brought a large green salad to share. Everyone else indulged in a baked potato bar while we ate our steak and salad.


MONDAY: Lane and I were both down again today. I’m almost to the point where I want to stop. Another pound and I think I’m good to go this time. Lane actually bought a new pair of levis on Saturday because Jill made such a big deal about how baggy his pants were. He bought a size 40. That’s down from a tight 54 in 2009!


I’ve been able to pass my good jeans to Jill, and boy did she need them! Her pants were looking hobo-ville loose. She was shocked that she could get into my 12’s. She looks great! We both bought a couple of shirts on Saturday and I’m so excited to fit into a Medium. I tried on a large just to make sure, and it was TOO BIG!! That felt good.


I’m going to take my last shot on Thursday. That will give me 72 hours over the weekend to stay on phase 2, then on Monday morning I will begin phase 3. [I’m excited to do my breakfast shakes again]

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 29

OKAY - - IT’S OFFICIAL; I’M NOT ON A PLATEAU! I’m down three pounds over the weekend. That feels remarkably good!

I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary this weekend, in fact I was rather sedentary. I did a lot of painting and listening to conference. We did eat a lot of steak and apples, and that is always good for the waistline. We had the cabbage chili for lunch instead of dinner and maybe that helped as well.

Lane is down into the 230’s. He weighed in at 231.5 after walking, but he put 232 as the real weight today, so he’s almost into the 220’s!! His face looked so thin this morning. He is doing great!

Update on Jill: she had an ‘oops’ today because she played conference bingo with the kids yesterday and she said ‘I cheated bad!’. She was up a pound today. Her total so far is 18 pounds down. She said she’ll have that naughty pound off today.

This is our last two weeks on phase 2. One thing that has really helped me lately is the small protein snack at 10:00 a.m. I was getting physically ill around 10:00 each day, but just pushed through it. SIL said it’s okay to eat 1 oz. of protein to help me make it to lunch. I’ve lost 1 pound per day since I started doing that. Lane puts his protein on a piece of melba toast.

Stay tuned for more good news to come.


DAY 29 - P.S. Jill called today to say she is down 2 pounds thanks to a steak and apple day yesterday. She said she doesn't think cheating was worth it!

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 26 [closing out week 4]


UGGGGGGGG - - - up and down, up and down, up and down. I think the pattern is supposed to be down, down, down! Lane and I are both fluctuating a lot. I’m beginning to wonder if I have plateaued.


I had just begun to trust the cabbage chili again, when, BAM! Up ½ pound today. I actually ate less of it last night than I usually do.


I need to go back and look at my history to see what I was doing on the 4th week before. I know I went up and down a lot, but when you’re working at it every day, it seems like it should just come off!


We had our department lunch today, and I told them I would just bring my own, but they wouldn’t have it, so because I was talking with one of my co-workers yesterday and he mentioned that he was going on a business trip but was not worried because they had lots of In-N-Out Burgers in California. [he’s doing phase 2 also] I knew I could have the ‘protein’ style burger with tomato, onion and mustard. SO - - that’s what I ordered for today’s lunch. It was VERY tasty! [and I usually hate raw onions on burgers]


Lane is down into the 230’s. [I’m so proud of him] He started this journey over a year and a half ago at around 350. Now, THAT is an accomplishment!!


We have a rather thin mattress on our bed at the trailer. We used to hate it because we both would wake up with sore hips and backs. Lane put another mattress on top of that one this year, and even though we were both sleeping better, I hated it because it was so tall in the room and the ceiling is low. Making the bed was a nightmare because Lane would push the mattress and bedding down every time he would get up during the night. By morning I would have to make the bed from the mattress up and it was such a pain. I finally had him haul it out and we went back to the thin mattress. Amazingly we both slept fine. It has to be that we are putting less weight on our hips and backs now.


Okay - - - - I CAN find some positive things to say today. I need to focus on the positive, and not the ½ pound gain. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can - - - - - - -

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 22


I LOVE STEAK AND APPLES!!!

I wish I had known this little secret over the last few years. Who knew that eating apples all day and a big juicy steak at night would drop the pounds????


According to SIL, it’s either supposed to be all apples or all steak, but we’ve found that the combination works great. Over the weekend we decided to just do two steak and apple days. Lane stayed with it more than I did, but I ate it a lot. I was down a full pound on Sunday. Lane was down two or three. It put me under a very important ‘zero’. I honesty wondered if I would ever be under that zero again. It felt fabulous!!


One danger with eating steak all the time - - - - - we’re becoming steak snobs. The little petite sirloins were great for a while, but now we are buying more expensive cuts. [we’re taking two filets on the department retreat on Wednesday.] Lane actually talked me into buying those expensive sirloin steaks from Costco on Saturday.


Another important factor is exercise. You can’t just be sedentary and expect to lose the weight. Even normal everyday activity is not enough. It needs to be a concentrated effort to move aerobically. Lane walks in the mall every morning, and if he also does other physical activities, he has better losses.


Lane talked to Jill about walking, and she tried it. She dropped 3 pounds.


I know that exercise was a missing puzzle piece for me when I was on Phase 4. I just get so stinkin’ busy! After working all day at the office, there is so much to do when I get home. [and sometimes I’m so tired I don’t WANT to do anything!] I know if I made it more of a priority I could do it. I have certainly done it in the past. I just didn’t let anything else get in the way. I need that level of commitment again.

But putting the exercise subject away for another day - - - I LOVE STEAK AND APPLES!! If you are feeling bloated or have overeaten, just spend a day eating apples and steak. It's like magic!

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 16


We’re in the 3rd week of this round. I compared my weight loss with the same time period last time, and I am actually ahead of what I did in May.


Jilly is down 15 pounds, I’m down 8 and Lane is down to a weight he said he hasn’t be at for so long, he can’t even remember the last time he saw this weight. Jill was really discouraged yesterday because her loss was coming in ounces, not pounds. Today is a different story; she dropped 2 pounds today and she is feeling GOOD! She said she was so hungry yesterday that by dinnertime she knew that the tiny portion was just NOT going to cut it. She doubled her fish portion and had a green salad. It took the hunger pangs away and she was able to get through the evening much better.


This brings up a good subject. There are just some days when your body is hungry all day. Lane struggles with this when his schedule gets interrupted. Last Saturday we were driving during lunch and didn’t end up eating lunch until 3 p.m., and he just couldn’t get over the ‘hungry’ all day. I gave him a large lunch [Cabbage chili], and he had his afternoon snack 2 hours later. He ate a large steak for dinner [way over the recommended 3.5 ounces] but he just couldn’t kick the ‘hungries’ the rest of the day.


Jill is on the go a lot, and ends up in town at lunch and dinner time quite often. Yesterday she discovered that Burger King has a great salad that fits in with Phase 2 perfectly. It is a large bowl of lettuce and they put the chicken and all the toppings in separate bags so you can put on only the sides you want to add. It is called the GARDEN SALAD, and is reasonably priced.


Bottom line today: 16 days in - - and we are all in a much better place than if we were not doing this. Jill would still be 15 pounds heavier, I’d still be 8 pounds heavier, and Lane would not have seen the miraculous number on the scale today.

PHASE 2 – PART DEUX
DAY 10


Not a long blog today, just a couple of interesting notes:

1) Lane and I made cabbage chili Monday night for dinner. It was wonderful. I will make it when we are not doing phase 2. It was extremely simple and cooked in minutes. It made so much I couldn’t eat it all. [Lane was happy to eat my leftovers as well as the extra in the pan] I’ll include the recipe at the end of the blog.


2) All three of us were ‘UP’ on Tuesday. Lane and I ate the same food for dinner, but Jill had something entirely different. Very strange. At first we thought it was the chili because both of us gained, but when Jill said she was up too, well, then it just got weird.


3) All three of us were back down today. Very strange indeed.


CABBAGE CHILI [one serving]

3.5 OZ GROUND BEEF [ Browned]
2 C WATER
¼ CABBAGE [Chopped]
1 TOMATO [Chopped small]
1 Tsp CHILI POWDER
1 Tsp OREGANO
1 Tsp CUMIN
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
2 GARLIC CLOVES [Chopped]


[We will also add some chopped onion next time around. I didn’t have any cumin and I don’t even know what it is.]


BROWN GROUND BEEF, ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO LARGE SAUCEPAN AND BRING TO BOIL. COOK UNTIL CABBAGE IS TENDER. [10 – 15 minutes]

PHASE 2 – PART DUEX
DAY 8


We are one week into the new program. Lane is down 15 pounds, I’m down 6 pounds, and Jilly is down 10 pounds.


Jill said she is so excited because there is no way she ever would have lost this much weight using a more traditional method.


This time around, Jill has introduced us to boiled radishes [not as bad as you might think], and baked radish chips. Radishes are only 1 calorie per radish, so they are a great choice as an add-on.


I’m still getting really hungry between breakfast and lunch, but I expected that. That time of day has always been my worst hunger time. A nice warm herbal tea does help to kill the stomach rumbling. Late nights have been fine. It just shows me that eating late at night is more of a habit than a need.


I’m eating a lot more steak this time. I’m hoping it will help me get past the .02 and .03 ounce losses I experienced last time. Early in phase 2, the first time, I chastised a fellow HCG blogger for eating steak every day. I was pretty brutal about how I felt about that and how stupid I thought she was, since beef is higher in calories than chicken or fish. I later apologized to her in one of my blogs because I had eaten a couple of beef meals and dropped some good weight. I still don’t understand WHY it works, but I know it does. Phase 3 taught us that if our weight went up, we would do a steak and apple day and it would be back down the following day.


Jill was not on the diet at that time, but she was visiting and decided to try it. It worked so well for her she formally adopted it and began incorporating ‘Steak & Apple’ days into her life. She bought a lot of steaks to start this program because she already 'gets it'.

PHASE 2 – PART 2
DAY 4

We started Phase 2 on Monday, Sept 6th. We were camping at the property [and without water most of the time, it really WAS like camping!], so it was pretty easy to do a loading day. I fixed a huge breakfast of eggs, hashbrowns, muffins, and pancakes. [actually Mark-son made the pancakes].


We got really busy in the afternoon and ended up skipping lunch. I did snack a lot on ‘stuff’, but we were leaving early, so between the packing and closing up the trailer, we just didn’t eat. Also, we were all full from breakfast and no-one wanted to eat. [Jilly is doing phase 2 with us this time]


After getting home around 5 p.m., Jill and I were lucky enough to get nail appointments, so we left Lane with the girls and we dashed to Walmart. By the time we came back it was getting close to 7:00 pm and we were starving! Lane couldn’t wait for us and had eaten a hamburger with the girls. We talked him into grilling us some steaks and we had fresh corn that an IPC had given me. Jill and I finished up with a piece of Amish Friendship bread and a scoop of ice cream.


Tuesday was day 2 of the ‘loading days’. Breakfast was my normal shake, I ate in the TNI café for lunch, and had baked Hungarian crepes. They sound better than they tasted. Lane brought home KFC chicken fried steak for dinner [yuk], and I ate m&ms before going to bed.


The ‘loading’ worked because I was up two pounds on Wednesday, which was the first day of the actual diet. I was a bit hungry during the morning but I remember that as being the most difficult time of the day for me. I did fine during the afternoon and didn’t get to my snack until 5:00 pm. We ate dinner at 6:00, then went to Salt Lake to see a grandson in the hospital. We got home about 9:30 pm and I went to bed at 10:00. I was not hungry at night.


Today I was down to my starting weight. The extra two pounds are gone. [Lane lost 6 pounds!] I had to bring both lunch and dinner to work today because my RS group is coming to view the gardens this evening. I’ll be staying here so I can greet them and show them out to the gardens. I’ll eat my dinner at my desk and just hang out until they come at 6:00.

PHASE 4 – WEEK 8 ½


FINAL FOLLOW-UP


I was looking back through the blog posts and found this statement from the June 28th post. I thought it was worth a re-visit.


‘Phase 4 of the HCG Diet requires you to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet and avoid overindulging. This doesn't mean that everything eaten must be healthy - it simply means to keep everything in moderation and avoid overindulgence.’

SO – O – O – O with this being the last week of Phase 4, how are we doing? I’ll take it point by point.


1) ‘Phase 4 of the HCG Diet requires you to exercise regularly’ - - Yeah, I’m not being so good on this one. I usually walk with the girls from work for a mile around the gardens during the day, but after I get home there are too many distractions. Lane and I were being fabulous about walking in the evenings around the rec center track, but when it got really hot, we stopped going, and I found other things to fill my time. Actually we had plans to go last night, but daughter #3 came over with her littles, and the evening just went by too fast. It was dark before we could go, and this is a perfect example of what I was saying about distractions. I have also re-discovered my paints, and that is another distraction. A sedentary one. [however, when I paint, I have to remember to eat]



2) ‘Eat a healthy diet’ - - We really have tried to be good on this one. We like eating better. I do a protein shake for breakfast, lunch is usually lean meat and a sliced pepper (or other veggie), and dinner is lean meat or fish with a fresh veggie. Of course we love the summer fruits, and an occasional dessert. One fun find has been two delicious coleslaw recipes. Tropical slaw and Apple/Cinnamon slaw. Both are made with yogurt as the dressing, so they are low fat, low calorie, and very yummy.



3) ‘avoid overindulging’ - - This was really easy the first few weeks of phase 4. We simply didn’t want to overeat or eat ‘naughty’ things. But I am finding myself slipping a bit on this point lately. I’m back in the habit of thinking I ‘need’ something to snack on at night. When I’m offered goodies, I usually take one, even when I don’t really want it. I seriously need to learn to say ‘no’, just like I did in phase 2 and 3. I think Lane is struggling with this more than I am. He has gained a few pounds back and I think it’s due to the night eating again, and larger portions.



4) ‘keep everything in moderation and avoid overindulgence’ - - I think we are doing well, overall. I need to up my exercise quotient, and Lane needs to reign in the night eating.



This was a beneficial check-up. Basically – we need to STAY FOCUSED and STAY COMMITTED to our goals.

[and I need to hurry and eat more salmon before Sept 1st!]

Recipe for Apple/Cinnamon slaw:

¼ lg. cabbage, chopped
1 lg apple, diced
½ C chopped pecans [or walnuts]
1 C vanilla yogurt
2 TLB apple juice [or milk]
¼ tsp. cinnamon
Combine cabbage, apple and nuts. Mix yogurt with juice or milk to thin, then stir in cinnamon. Add yogurt mixture to cabbage mixture and let stand before serving. [can be eaten right away, but it seems to be better after sitting for a while, so you can make it early in the day and serve with dinner.]

PHASE 4 – WEEK 8

THE WEEKEND!


Lane said I needed to blog about my weekend. He said it was worth writing about. That means that several ‘out of the ordinary’ things happened this weekend.
1) I got my FIRST ever speeding ticket. And yes, I deserved it. I was going down a hill [a steep one], and the speedometer got to 41 [in a 25 MPH zone]. He was nice enough to drop the speeding to 9 miles over the limit to ’limit’ my fee. Lane says if I take a class I can get if off my record. I guess I’ll be taking a safety class very soon.


2) My cell phone died. I don’t mean it ran out of battery. I mean it is officially deader than a doornail! They will be shipping me a new one, but in the meantime - - I’m incommunicado.


3) [Here’s the weight reference] - - - - I was up 4 pounds from my maintenance weight. DRAT!


4) I have recently picked up my paint brushes again, and our trip this weekend was to include buying more figurines to paint. I took some money from my 'savings stash' to pay for the figurines. I lost it. I searched high and low and could not find it. I was so bummed! I pulled more money from the stash, but was not happy about it. Lane searched, I searched, but to no avail. [when we got to Camelot, I took my debit card from my pocket, and Voila, there it was, stuck to my card. This at least had a happy ending!]


5) Traveling to the trailer we got into a construction zone that was a ‘no passing’ zone. Well, of course some people could not go 40 MPH and not pass. Three cars zipped past in the ‘no pass’ zone and the 3rd car shot a rock into my windshield! I got a huge crack in the windshield from that impatient driver. [wish I had a license plate number!!]


6) We got into a bug storm on the way and we didn’t dare use the wipers due to the crack in the windshield. We drove to the property looking between the spots.


The good news was that when we got up there, it was peaceful, beautiful and [almost] worth the travel trials.

PHASE 4 – WEEK 7


I recently taught a Relief Society lesson about how Christ organized his Church when he was on the earth. The last part of the lesson talked about the apostasy and what happened to the Church after Jesus died and the Apostles were killed. Little by little, old pagan ideas began to find their way back into the teachings. Old Jewish traditions were again being used. Soon, the Church that Jesus organized was corrupted and confusion reigned.



Now, what does that have to do with weight loss? Well, I think there is a significant connection. It is directly tied to human nature. We tend to go back to what we know. We do the same things we did before being ‘enlightened’. FOR INSTANCE: After a marvelous success with losing the weight and keeping it off during the maintenance period, I can see some insidious little habits begin to creep back into my life, corrupting the value of what I learned in May, June, and July.



Why do we do that????? I am up 3 pounds today, and I know it is the direct result of making ‘little’ choices that I know are harmful to me. I ate 2 brownies on Sunday. I have been ‘nibbling’ away at the ‘Wunderbar’ in my desk [you know, just cutting off a small piece each day - -], snacking on peanuts and m&ms in the evenings, not keeping up with my evening walks or exercise tapes. Little things that make a big impact.



Sept 1st is fast approaching, and we’ll be going back on Phase 2. I think it’s a good thing. I apparently need another kick in the pants to get back on track.

PHASE 4 – DAY 37

GOOD ADVICE!


I saw this picture and liked the message. It may not be the most profound message of the day, but I think it has great value.


Look around you. I mean, really look around you. Go to Wal-Mart and people-watch for a few minutes. Just when you thought your problems were enormous, you see someone whose life is so much harder than yours. Maybe it’s more physically challenging, maybe they are dealing with other issues that are noticeable, but you can always find someone who is worse off than you are.


Instead of taking ourselves so seriously this week, let’s do what we know we should do. Be thankful for the abundant blessings we are given on a daily basis. Allow yourself to notice the small things that we are given, instead of focusing on the difficult or stressful things.


This blog is about weight loss, so here is something I need to focus on:


THE WEIGHT I'VE LOST – and not on the pound or two I’ve gained. I know how to lose those two pounds, so I just need to do it. Steak and apples, baby! With our daughter and her girls safely back in their own home, we can now go back to fixing the meals we normally prepare. Easy, peasy.

PHASE 4 – DAY 26

THE WAITING GAME

This journey started on May 1st. Those first 6 weeks went rather quickly, but we were equally excited and fearful when they were drawing to a close. Phase 3 was fun as we added back favorite fruits, vegetables and nuts, dairy and fats. We found some great sugar-free foods that helped make that transition easier [Jell-o sugar free pudding, for example]. Phase 4 has been both great, and educational. Let’s talk about Phase 4.

The HCG diet has truly changed my life. I mean: I choose what I eat much differently now than I did before. The Regional Manager took my boss and I out to lunch yesterday. He took us to a very nice Italian restaurant. I ordered salmon w/ a side of veggies. He ordered fried calamari and I ate two bites. He said, “I bring you to an Italian restaurant and you order SALMON????” Yep. And it was delicious. I took 3 or 4 bites of the chocolate dessert, which was also delicious, but was satisfied with that.

I know that in the past I would have ordered much differently. More of the fried food, more bread, probably a pasta dish, and definitely dessert. BUT – since eating this way for the past 3 months, I actually WANT to make better choices. [case in point: I have had a ‘Cadbury Wunderbar’ from Canada sitting in my desk all week and haven’t opened it. What’s wrong with me???] [another case in point: I have had a Twix bar in my purse for 2 weeks, and haven’t opened it!] [It’s a good thing daughter Camryn does not read this blog. The Twix bar would be history!]

Okay – so what about THE WAITING GAME topic for today? Well – we’re waiting until we can start this process all over again. Sept. 1st is the day. [we liked tying it to the first of the month last time, so we’re going to do it again on the 1st.] This time, Oldest Daughter wants to join us. She is very excited to start the process of a healthier life. [and fitting into more of my clothes doesn’t make her mad, either!] Sonny Boy lost 30 pounds on his journey, and is just now entering Phase 3.

SO - - - Since Sept 1st is a Wednesday, we have 4 weeks and 6 days until this all starts over again.

BTW – we are both still maintaining. Yay. [and I still don’t trust the new scale]

p.s. - after writing this, I checked on the Twix bar in my purse. It was a melted, smooshed mess. [however, it still tasted good!]

p.s.s. - I only made it through less than half of the Twix bar. I threw the rest away.

PHASE 4 – DAY 23


CATASTROPHE ON THE HOME FRONT!


We went to the trailer for the weekend, and as we always do, we packed the things we were going to need. We didn’t come home with same items. I usually check every closet and cupboard to make sure we have everything, but this time I missed checking items in the coat closet. The item I missed was our bathroom scale.


HENCE: I COULDN’T WEIGH-IN AFTER THE WEEKEND!!!


It was hard not knowing how I did over the weekend. It is a gauge to base my activities and eating habits for the next day. I missed that essential little ‘crutch’.


Due to the time and gas involved in driving all the way back up there, I opted to purchase another scale. [now I can have one at home, AND at the trailer] When I weighed this morning I was totally sure the scale was NOT correct. It was too low. Now, low sounds good, right? But it didn’t make sense with what my weight was on Sunday. It would mean I had lost 3 pounds in 2 days. I don’t think so.


Lanny said he got 2 or 3 different readings this morning, but that is not unusual. He always weighs 3, 4, sometimes 5 times in the morning until he is satisfied with the ‘average’.


The scale may take some getting used to, but it’s good to be back on track knowing where we are.

PHASE 4 – DAY 19


Today’s blog is dedicated to some of the positive things we have gleaned from this experience.


10 reasons why this journey has been WORTH IT:
1. Giving away a lot of your clothes is both hard and FUN!
2. Having people notice that you look better is VERY nice!
3. Knowing you’re making healthier food choices is a GREAT feeling!
4. Watching your son lose 25+ pounds is AWESOME!
5. Looking at your husband’s skinny face is a joy, because you know he’s healthier than he’s been in, like, FOR-EV-ER!
6. Not having your belly rest in your lap is GOOD!
7. Buying new clothes to replace the ones you’ve given away is EXPENSIVE!
8. NOT COUNTING CALORIES IS FREEING!
9. Drinking 1% milk instead of worrying about only drinking skim milk is Excellent!
10. LOSING THE WEIGHT YOU JUST COULDN’T SEEM TO TAKE OFF BEFORE IS FANTASTIC!!!

Two favorite fish recipes discovered on this journey:

•PARMESAN COATED TILAPIA
1) Make a seasoned egg wash. [whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, etc. ]
2) Coat the fish with the egg mixture, then roll and press in parmesan cheese.
3) Cook in an oiled skillet, browning well on both sides.

•TILAPIA SANDWICH MIX
1) Cook tilapia pieces until done
2) Flake the fish into small pieces
3) Add relish and Miracle Whip
4) Use the same as tuna

PHASE 4 – DAY 18

Wheewwww - - It has been over a week since our company arrived, and today we are back to ‘normal’. Jilly bean and the girls came up on the 14th, and left for home last night.


You don’t really think your life will be SO different with extra people in the house, but it just is. Dinners were never normal; at least what has become normal for us. Our eating habits have absolutely changed during this journey. We continue to eat the same foods we ate in Phase 2, but with additional portions and choices. Our main foods are still chicken, fish, and steak.


When our company first arrived, Lane and I tried to fix food, doing what we normally would do, but you just get worn down after a while and end up caving to the easiest, fastest solutions. We did pretty well but we are both looking forward to getting our eating schedule back to normal.


Challenges:
Thursday- was Lane’s birthday. [we had family over and made grilled burgers]

Friday – I made myself a salmon burger and Lane had a salad

Saturday – party in the park for Lane’s birthday [we brought Wendy’s chicken salads]

Sunday - [pot roast and baked potatoes]

Monday – movie night for Jill and me [Lane grilled steaks]

Tuesday- My niece called to ask if they could have a birthday celebration for their sister at our house that night. Of course I said yes, but it was stressful getting everything ready when I got home from work. My daughter-in-law ordered pizza because it was fast and easy, and both Lane and I ate it. [Lanny paid for that one by being very sick all day Wednesday.]

Wednesday - I just had to make a normal meal for Lane. He grilled some chicken and I made a huge veggie stir fry [which none of the kids would eat] with onions, celery, peppers, asparagus, summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes. It was delicious.


One of the staples that has really helped us through this journey is that Lanny grills up a lot of chicken that we can use for lunches, salads, etc. We ran out of chicken during this past week, so that was a challenge in itself. The lunch I took to work on Wednesday was yogurt, 2 string cheese, and some pepper slices. I admit it, I’m a carnivore, and I missed having some meat for lunch.


The awesome news is that we are both still weight stable.

PHASE 4 – DAY 15


Well - - interesting indeed. We’ve had company since last week and it surely does change the dynamics of how I do meals.


I really am spoiled with just Lane and I at home. We can make spur of the moment decisions and it’s all good. With other adults in the house, as well as children, the meal choices are more complicated. What I would fix for just the two of us is not necessarily what I’d do for the whole group. Added to that; we have had some family dinners that involved all the kids and the grandkids. Group food requires different preparation and usually higher calorie / fat foods.


We did a birthday dinner for Lane on Thursday. We grilled burgers, cut up a watermelon, and had several chip options. That’s the first time I’ve eaten ‘bread’ for a long time. I had a bun with my burger. I passed on the chips, and ate watermelon. I also passed up the dessert. I was up a pound on Friday.


Things were crazy at the house when I got home from work on Friday, and I ended up cooking myself a piece of salmon and opening some green beans. I was still up that same pound on Saturday. Saturday was a ‘carb fest’. Cereal for breakfast, a tortilla w/ cheese and veggies for lunch, and although I ate a salad for dinner, I also ate a piece of carrot cake and a piece of chocolate cake for Lane’s birthday celebration in the park with the family.


Sunday I was back down to my maintenance weight. Again – Cereal for breakfast, a tortilla for lunch, and roast beef and baked potato for dinner. I was back up that nasty little pound today.


Sonny Boy is feeling DONE with this diet. He says he has only lost 23 pounds and he is discouraged by that. This is his last week on Phase 2. I’m not sure how well he’ll stick to Phase 3. He’s convinced that he could lose just as well eating a healthy diet and exercising. Perhaps; however, he wouldn’t be down 23 pounds if he hadn’t done the program.

PHASE 4 – DAY 10

Okay, I AM A BELIEVER!! The goal of the HCG weight loss program it to re-set your metabolism so that you don’t have to worry about every calorie you put in your mouth. Well - - - it seems to be working!


Although I still try to make good choices every day, I am branching out to old familiar foods on a limited basis. Yesterday we went to an afternoon movie and had popcorn [no butter] and a soda. I was down over a pound today, so I know my body can handle popcorn and an occasional soda and not freak out.


My daily menu was: my usual breakfast shake using Tahitian Noni soy shake, a cup of blueberries [or mixed berries], 1 scoop fiber, a couple handfuls of fresh spinach, and a tablespoon of peanut butter. Lunch was some left-over steak, cantaloupe and yellow bell pepper slices. Dinner was a filet of tilapia coated with a seasoned egg wash and rolled in parmesan cheese; the sides were asparagus and a sliced tomato. My night snack was a few peanuts and a Skinny Cow ice cream bar.


Oldest Daughter and her little girls are coming today to spend nearly a week with us. That will bring some unique food challenges, but since I’m at work all day, I’ll only have to deal with what’s for dinner. She is here to celebrate Lanny’s birthday, and to take her 3-yr old daughter for her annual heart checkup. She said last night that as long as I have cereal, milk and peanut butter, they will all do fine.

PHASE 4 – DAY 8


This past weekend was a great experiment in what we can eat and maintain our weight successfully.


We had guests for the weekend at the property, so the menu choices were a little out of the ordinary. We planned the main dish for Saturday’s dinner, so we knew it would be a good choice [tri-tip steak]. I planned grilled veggies to go with it, and our friends brought cantaloupe and fresh corn. Not bad, huh?


I started the weekend [Friday] by eating ½ a candy bar. My boss gave everyone a Snickers bar during the day, and around 4:30, it looked really good. It was the first real sugar treat I’d had since May 1. I actually only wanted half. It did not affect my maintenance weight the next day.


On Saturday, we had bacon and eggs for breakfast, and I decided to make nachos for lunch. We used guacamole chips, cheese, cut up chicken, salsa, and avocadoes. This was my first real foray into ‘starch’. The food was delicious and we really enjoyed the change of menu.


I didn’t know our company was going to stay on Sunday, but they went to church with us, and then stayed for lunch. I had to scramble to figure out what to serve, but luckily we had just enough chips left to do the nachos again. I laid everything out and let them put together what they wanted. I had orange and yellow pepper strips as a side, along with some left-over cantaloupe. So, I put chips on a plate, then they could choose from: cheese, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole as toppers. They loved it.


Lane and I were both tired when we got home last night, so we just did leftovers. He made a big salad, and I had the tri-tip, left-over grilled veggies and cantaloupe. Later I ate an apple and a string cheese. Around 10:00, I ate a Skinny Cow ice cream bar, then went to bed.


Today my weight was down. I’m delighted that after such an unusual menu over the weekend, I still managed to maintain well.

PHASE 4 – DAY 5


Well, we are almost through the first week. All is well in Maintenance Land. I’m still maintaining well, and Lanny is up and down, up and down, up and down.


Lane is trying to add carbs back into his diet. He bought tortilla chips and has been eating chips and salsa. I haven’t made that move yet. I just can’t push myself to add anything back in. Last night I decided to have a little sugar. I tried to eat a handful of M&Ms. Yuck. I tried mixing them with a soy trail mix. Better, but I still left them sitting in the dish. Before HCG, I could have eaten a whole lot more than a handful.


We bought some Skinny Cow ice cream bars the other day because they are only 100 calories and a healthier choice. I haven’t eaten one. I don’t even know if the packages have been opened. When I want a sweet snack, I have been opting for the sugar free Jello puddings.


I’m sure I’ll start eating some snacks and sweets, but I just don’t want to right now. If ‘gas’ offends you, stop reading now. One side effect of adding starches back into our diet is dealing with ‘gas’. I hadn’t even thought about it, but while we were doing Phase 2 and 3, we just didn’t have any. I didn’t even make the connection until we ate some starches, and the side effects surfaced. I had a Fiber Bar on Monday, and - - well, you know.


Lane’s birthday is next week and we’ll be going out to dinner and then having a party on Saturday with all the kids and grandkids. There will be food and snacks, and I’m sure we’ll enjoy the party.

PHASE 4 – DAY 1 & 2


Yesterday was our first day on Phase 4. We can now add in some sugars and starches.


However - - We didn’t do much out of the ordinary yesterday. We did both have a diet soda on Sunday, but we talked about not wanting to do it on a regular basis. We were actually at the mall yesterday and Lanny was hungry, so he went to the food court to find something. He ended up not buying anything because he didn’t want fried, breaded, etc.


I thought there would be a certain amount of euphoria when we reached this milestone, but because the scale is being so nice to me, I don’t want to ruin it by eating stupid things. It really has been a lifestyle change for us. We are still eating the same things we were eating on the plan, just not weighing and measuring. [but I must say that since starting Phase 3, my peanut comsumption has gone way UP]


The ‘Steak Day’ concept really works. We were both up a pound or so over the weekend and decided to do a steak day. We had steak for lunch and for dinner, with an apple. We both dropped like rocks the following morning. It’s a great trick to have in our arsenal.


We’ll start a new Phase 2 protocol on August 1st. We should be finished with everything by the first of OCT. In the meantime, I’ll continue to blog about how we're doing at maintaining a stable weight. It's very helpful to me to be able to use these blog posts as a journal of our weight loss adventure.

PHASE 3 – DAY 18


I’m still maintaining well. Up or down a few .10 of a pound, but stable within the same pound range. Lanny has been sick, so his numbers are way down. Sonny Boy is down 15 pounds since he started on June 18.


It is probably not a good sign when hubby keeps talking about the fact that we’re almost done with this phase, and is anticipating the next one. It will be interesting to see if we are able to retain our maintenance weights until we do the Phase 2 again in August.


Things we are looking forward to:
1) Yams (me)
2) Chips and Salsa (hubby)
3) Quinoa as a common side dish
4) Pineapple


I have found that one of the most difficult things for me on Phase 3 is remembering that I am not counting calories. I can have the good salad dressing, butter on my veggies, etc. I actually put a few drops of olive oil in my stir fry yesterday and it was great. After remembering that I can have them, the next part of the equation is to remember NOT to feel guilty when I eat them! Years of ‘fat-free’ mind conditioning have left me with an aversion to using them at all.


BUT – life is about moving forward and hoping to be:
1) A better person than we were yesterday
2) More spiritually in tune than we were yesterday
3) Kinder than we were yesterday


Then - - here’s to all my tomorrows, and becoming a better person than I am today.

PHASE 3 – DAY 16


WOOT! WOOT! I finally went shopping yesterday for some new pants. Being a bargain shopper, I found some killer deals at Maceys. BUT – the best news is that the size 12’s were too big, but the size 10’s were perfect! I did not expect that. I started in a 14, and expected to get 12’s, but they just didn’t feel right, so I tried on a 10. Perfecto! I tried on other 10’s, and they fit, too!


I was thinking last night that the best incentives for staying on track are the positive little things that have changed in my life. I feel better. I look better. Trying on clothes is not the horrible experience it used to be. When we do Phase 2 again in a few weeks, I’m going to get very excited about the possibilities.


I’m sitting here writing about weight loss and the reality hits that this is so superficial. Life can change in an instant. Jobs are lost. People become ill. How can I be so shallow as to think a few pounds are so important. My prayers today are with a good friend at work who has a medically urgent situation. My mood has gone from smug to somber. Please remember all those who need our prayers.

PHASE 3 – DAY 14


OR MAYBE IT’S DAY 15. I’m not sure. Whatever it is, we only have one more week of Phase 3, then it’s on to Phase 4.


What is Phase 4? I really had no idea. Here is what my research has taught me. This phase is for the rest of our lives [unless we do another protocol] Here are the recommendations I found on one site for maintaining a healthy body weight.

1) Drink your water!!
2) Eat organic food if you can.
3) Mimimize fast food,
4) Do a Candida cleanse
5) Clean your colon and liver and do a heavy metal cleanse.
6) Do a liver cleanse.
7) Walk for one hour, outside, every day.
8) Eat! Always eat breakfast, eat something six times per day, and finish your dinner three and one-half hours before you go to bed. Avoid eating a huge meal as this overtaxes the hypothalamus
9) Eat lots of low-glycemic veggies with lunch and dinner
10) Use organic virgin coconut oil as often as possible.
11) Use organic raw apple cider vinegar as often as possible.
12) Sleep eight hours per night; ideally
13) Every day take a whole food supplement,
14) Use stevia as your sweetener of choice.
15) Get sun on a regular basis
16) Take digestive enzymes with food
17) Limit carbonated drinks.
18) Limit non-prescription, over-the-counter, and prescription drug use.


Yeah, I stopped with 18, but there were more. Many more. It was getting ridiculous. Then I found this on another site.


Phase 4 of the HCG Diet reguires you to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet and avoid overindulging. This doesn't mean that everything eaten must be healthy - it simply means to keep everything in moderation and avoid overindulgence.

In Phase 4, you will use a scale to keep your weight within 2 pounds of your weight on the date of your last HCG injection. If you weight increase by more than 2 pounds, you will have a "Steak Day." If it drops by more than 2 pounds, you will have a "Philly Steak Day."


Now THAT I can live with!

PHASE 3 – DAY 11
JUNE 25, 2010


WOW – HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I was down a full pound today without even trying! My goal is not to lose weight on this phase, but I’ll take it anyway. That makes 18 pounds total for me. Lanny was also down today. He spent all day yesterday chopping wood and mowing lawns at the property, so he used up a lot of energy. He even ate his dinner at 10:00 p.m. last night, but was still down today.

Weeks ago, I thought that by the time my birthday rolled around I would be eating cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory, and enjoying my favorite dish. Now that it’s here, I have decided to go to a steak restaurant where I can eat things I should have. Back then, I didn’t even know about Phase 3. I had not done my research. I am so glad that I did find out about it and that I am having great success with it.

I tried a new form of exercise yesterday. I love to use the Leslie Sansone walking videos, and she came out with a new one that uses resistance cords. The belt straps around your waist, and the two cords are used to add resistance to arm movements. My arms are so flabby; I can use all the help I can get. If I used some arm resistance each day, maybe my arms would eventually look as good as daughter Heath Bar’s!

PHASE 3 – DAY 10

SHOPPING!!!! This weekend I’m going shopping! I’m wearing my only pair of khaki’s today and they are ridiculous. I have already taken them in on the sides, but they are still too big. I love that!

I also love PHASE 3. I am not counting calories at all. I eat what I want, when I want. I avoid sugar and starch and don't worry about anything else. Ham? yes Salmon? yes Green Beans? yes Quinoa Salad? yes String Cheese? yes Melon? yes Salad Dressings? yes Peanuts? yes Almonds? yes Mixed Nuts? within reason Sugar Free Pudding? yes Yogurt? yes

Yesterday we had to run down to Dad’s house for the evening and didn’t have time to cook dinner. We picked up a chicken salad from Wendy’s and it was great. Chicken, pecans, feta cheese, mixed greens. It was a good choice; Pricey, but a good choice. We paid more for one salad than we did to feed us both at In-N-Out.

Lanny was down a pound today. He is going up to the property today to mow lawns and chop wood. That should be good for his exercise today.

Sonny-boy is doing great. He is down 10 pounds and is so excited. I think he is hoping to at least match what his dad did. It’s amazing how motivating it is when the scale is going in the right direction. My next project is to get my two daughters to try it. Jilly Bean is under so much stress right now, she needs to be in a better emotional place before starting a diet. Heath Bar might really benefit from this because she is holding on to some very stubborn weight gained from taking a bad medication. Daughter #3 doesn’t need it, but WILL if she doesn’t stop eating all the cookies in my cookie jar!

PHASE 3 – DAY 8
JUNE 22, 2010

Well, it IS possible to eat out and be fine! We went with daughter #3’s family to Pirate Island restaurant last night, and Lanny and I both had the salmon. Veggies and a grilled pineapple section were the sides. We passed up the dessert, and played in the arcade with the kids. I was down ½ pound today. Lanny was up [which was totally expected. His body went back to his maintenance weight]


Education is a good thing. I remember hearing that other women were doing the HCG diet, and I was appalled. I thought they were existing on only 500 calories a day, and that is not healthy. When I did my own research into the diet I found that the body is actually experiencing 3,500 to 4,000 calories a day, and still drops weight. It really does re-set your metabolism. I can eat pretty much anything I want right now [less the sugars and starch] and my weight is stable. That has not happened forEVER!


A co-worker commented on my weight loss today. That felt really good. Lane’s is so dramatic, he gets comments every day, but my loss has been more subtle, and it’s nice to have someone notice.

PHASE 3 – DAY 7
JUNE 21, 2010

ARGGGGGGG! Today my sweet little granddaughter turns 10! To celebrate, we are going to join them at the Pirate Island Pizza restaurant. I have checked the menu and we can order a steak or pork loin with mixed veggies and salad bar, so we will be FINE!! [the noise may be a little much, but I guess we can handle it for one night]


My weight is still stabilized. I was up a full pound Sunday morning, but I just watched my food intake yesterday and the pound was gone today. It is really fun to step on the scale each day and not get a negative shock. Lanny was down 3 or 4 pounds today because he was up all night with an ‘intestinal gambu’, so it was bound to have an impact on the scale


It is so interesting how people try to get us to “just eat a little bit of - - - - “ some food we can’t have right now. I’ve known for many years that people are more comfortable when those around them are doing the same things. We’re perfectly comfortable saying ‘no’ to sweets and starches right now, but it seems to make others UNcomfortable to eat those things in front of us. [of course, if it’s daughter #3, she could care less whether we’re eating it or not, just bring on the sweet stuff!]

PHASE 3 – DAY 4
JUNE 18, 2010

IN-N-OUT BURGER

I have been trying for months to get Lanny to go to IN-N-OUT Burger. No dice. He just wouldn’t try it. He would go to 5 Guys, or Burger King, but not IN-N-OUT. Well, last night was Roundtable, we had a house full of people and he was hungry. I picked him up on my way home from work and took him to get a burger. We can’t eat the bun, so we had it prepared ‘Protein Style’ which wraps the meat in lettuce. We added tomato and onions and sauce [because we can have fats this week as long as they are not eaten with starches].


He loved it! He loved it so much he sent me back to get more so he could have another one after Roundtable. Of course he can’t make this a habit, but it’s nice to know he can grab some fast food if he gets caught needing something quick and cheap. [It was only $5.68 for both of us] AND - - I was down a little over ½ a pound today. That was nice, too!


Sonny Boy started Phase 2 today. He emailed to say that eating everything in sight is not all it’s cracked up to be. Trust me, I remember my first day. YUK. I just couldn’t do it for two days in a row. Eating junk food that I had been avoiding for months really did a number on me. I think Sonny Boy is finding out the same thing.

PHASE 3 – DAY 3
JUNE 17, 2010

Maintenance is going very well so far. Only sight fluctuations, but staying within the same 1 pound range.

Lanny was down today. He has been up a couple of pounds for 2 days, but was back down today. It’s actually helpful to weigh every day. There have been so many different schools of thought on whether to weigh every day or once a week. I understand both sides of this argument, and because I worked for Weight Watchers for years, I had a ‘once a week’ mindset. However, this experience shows me that I need to adjust that mindset for this journey.

Uncomfortable truth: 17 pounds is not enough that people really notice I’m down. It is pretty sad to think I had let my weight get so far away from me that a nearly 20 pound loss is not noticeable. Wow - - I have really been fooling myself for a long time! I have a difficult time understanding how I was able to wear half my wardrobe before. Several things are snug on me now, so they must have been ridiculous before!

On a more positive note: I can take nearly anything out of my closet now and wear it. I certainly could not say that before. Fact: now that I CAN wear them, I find that there are several I just don’t like whether they fit or not. I’ll have to rotate them ‘out’ when I can.

There will be a department BBQ tomorrow. I'll bring a salmon patty and some quinoa salad, pass up the chips and dessert, and love the fact that I'm eating my salmon again!

PHASE - 3

DAY 2

VERY INTERESTING!


Yesterday was my first day on Phase 3. I had some interesting challenges, but it all worked out. I gave a baby shower for my daughter-in-law and served a lot of foods I couldn’t have. We held it at my daughter’s home, but I came prepared. I brought some cut-up chicken that I could re-heat in her microwave, so while we were doing the final preparations before the guests arrived, I warmed up my food and ate the chicken and some veggies. I pieced on fresh fruit during the evening while the guests ate cookies, peanut butter bars, and chips. I was busy ‘hosting’, so no one even noticed I didn’t indulge in the goodies.


I was really hungry when I got home, so I ate an apple around 10:00 p.m. I went to bed at 10:30, but didn’t sleep until after midnight. [Jill’s family was in the front yard talking and working with a large blow-up structure for their business, so it was too noisy to sleep]


NOW TO THE INTERESTING PART!!! I talked with SIL for a few minutes during the shower. He gave me some information that I thought was fascinating. I asked him about the difference between the shots and the HCG drops. He said the drops, if obtained from a pharmacy, were only 1/20th the strength of the shots. If they are purchased from Canada or other online sites, they are only 1/200th the strength of the shots. He said the diet will still work because of the 500 calorie diet, but that the fat being lost was not the stubborn belly fat the HCG is known to burn. He said the weight usually will come back after taking the HCG drops. I’M GLAD I DID THE SHOTS!! I WOULD HATE TO ‘WASTE’ 6 WEEKS OF HARD WORK. He said the drops have to travel through the liver, so the strength has to be much less. Also, because it is sold as homeopathic, it cannot be at full strength like the shots. The injection does not travel through the liver, so can be given in a higher dosage.


The other exciting thing we talked about concerned the extra serum still left in our vials. He said it was good for 60 days, so it still had 20 days to go. He suggested we let our favorite son [our only son] use up what was left and see if it will work for him. He has gained a lot of weight over the past few months due to stress over being out of work. He asked yesterday to take the 3X shirts I made Lane give up so he would have some nice clothes to wear to his new job. We talked to him and his wife last night and he said he will do it. He took our extra serum home with him. I emailed them the instructions this morning.


I am so happy he was open to this. He needs some intervention with his weight, and we are in a position to give him some help if he is willing to take on the challenge of the restricted diet for a few months. Hopefully, he won't need those 3X shirts for long!

PHASE 3 –

THE BEGINNING –

JUNE 15, 2010

DAY 1


Well - - it’s finally here. 6-weeks of Phase 2 injections ended last Saturday. Today marks my first day on Phase 3. This phase will last for 3 weeks. I found some fascinating information online yesterday that has opened my eyes as to what this phase is really all about. SIL did not talk to me about all the things involved in Phase 3. [truthfully, I didn’t ask, and I guess I should have]


I was seriously thinking I would just eat the same food as Phase 2 and just keep losing. WRONG! The article I found yesterday actually explained why and how HCG works, and what it was doing in my body. I also had thought about continuing with the shots until the serum was gone, but according to the article, a person should never go beyond 40 days of shots, or 34 pounds of weight loss. We went to 42 days and Lane lost well over 34 pounds. We just didn’t know.


I was down another full pound today without even trying [that makes 17 for me]. Lane was up 2 pounds, but thanks to the information we printed out yesterday, he knows exactly what to do with his meals today. He is very excited to eat a regular breakfast, lunch and dinner. I brought a protein shake for breakfast! I still only have phase 2 foods at the house, so my lunch and snack are the same as usual, except the protein portions are higher. The protein shake is made with water today instead of skim milk because I didn’t have any milk in the fridge.


I went shopping yesterday for the foods I’ll be serving at my daughter-in-law’s baby shower tonight. Basically I bought a grundle of things I won't eat. Cookies, chips, M&Ms, rolls, etc. We will also have a veggie tray there and a fruit plate, so I’ll be fine. I can now eat anything I want except for sugar and starch [which factors out the cookies and the chips]


Today marks the beginning of another journey; A journey towards a stable weight that I can maintain and manage.