Newest results are in...on to the next stage...

So finally I get to update. This weekend and last weekend have been crazy and I have a lot to say.

Here I am, 40 days into my journey and at a huge milestone.

So to go back from the start...

It started with the two load days (aka stuff your face days), followed by 42 days of the VLCD (very low calorie diet - 500 calorie).

Here is the outline of the VLCD:

Breakfast:

Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin, Splenda or Stevia may be used. (I am a huge fan of liquid Stevia!)

Lunch:
100 grams of a protien
1 breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast
1 vegetable
1 fruit
W
hen you start the protocol, you receive an list of approved foods for each stage. Like I have said in past post, bananas are not allowed during the protocol. Why? It is all about how our bodies process foods. The body processes bananas as a starch. Nothing about this protocol is random or without purpose. It is based on science.

The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes. Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, majoram, etc. may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing.

Tea, coffee, plain water, or mineral water are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times. (At least 2 liters a day)

No medicines (you stay on your prescription drugs) or cosmetics other than lipstick, eyebrow pencil and powder may be used without special permission (mineral based and all natural are okay). Buy all organic if possible , which I did as much as possible.

You inject a shot of hCG in the morning (IT DOES NOT HURT! Everyone asked me this and my honest response was that someone pinching me hurt a heck of a lot more). You start the shot on the first load day and continue them for 39 days. My last shot was on Thursday.

You continue the 500 calorie diet for three days after your last shot.

After that, you may add in additional fruits (except ones like watermelon which read as a sugar to the body) and vegetables (other than things such as potatoes which are a starch) and different proteins and dairy. You add in a breakfast that is all protein. Still no starches and no sugars.

After the 3 weeks, you can slowly introduce starches and sugar back into your diet, and from there you are maintaining. If you want to do the protocol again (starting back up on the hCG to continue the resetting of your metabolism and increase your weight loss) you need to wait about 5 weeks so that your body does not become immune to it. (I am planning on starting back up in July). People have lots of questions about the hCG and the protocol and I have addressed a lot of them in past post, but I went ahead and posted some of the most common questions and answers at the bottom of the post.

Okay, so here is we are: the 1st day of the 3 week phase.

2 weeks ago, when I had my appointment with Dr.G, he said he really wanted me to up my exercise. And so I did. I hiked to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. The following day I went on a 2 mile bike ride. The next day I did 200 crunches, 100 leg lifts per leg, 200 squats, 200 arm lifts and lots of stretching. I realized at that point that I actually wanted to exercise. I didn't want to miss getting in a workout. That weekend I went to Baltimore for 4 days. I did lots of walking, always used the stairs at the convention center and stuck to the protocol. I have continued to exercise and I am slowly learning the best things for me. Today I hiked to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain again.

I saw Dr.G yesterday and had my weigh in. My body fat is down my water intake is up, and I am down about 3 pant sizes (I am wearing clothes I have not been able to fit into for years). And the total pounds lost in a little bit more than a month is 28lbs. Not too shabby. And it was in the places that mattered. Stomach, waist, shoulders back...all the places I usually don't loose from.

Other exciting results:

* I can eat foods I have not been able to eat since childhood without having a severe allergic reaction.
* I can not think of the last time I have had this much energy and focus.
* My skin is clear and glowing.
* My psoriasis is better.
* I have had no ear infections or ear pain.
* I am sleeping better.
* I am still taking the Vitamin D and hope that next time it is tested I am more in the normal range.
* The craving for sugars and starches have faded.


Now, those are the health results. The mental and emotional ones have been the most amazing for me.
God has revealed so much to me during this time. Food was an idol to me. Not so much in the consuming it (although I did have issues with binging from time to time, and struggled with bulimia in the past) but more so it was the thinking about it and it was consuming my thoughts. I felt guilty and anxious about eating. I made plans around where and what we were eating. I saw eating as recreation instead of just maintenance and nutrition. This is not saying that you should not enjoy your food! There is nothing wrong with that! But when it starts to consume you, instead of you consuming it, then we have a problem.

I was way too focused on myself. When I went out, I immediately assumed that everyone around me was thinking about my weight. Talk about being a little vain! Sure, maybe one or two people noticed it and moved on, but I wasn't what they were focused on and for me to assume so was silly. I want to be more others focused. I don't want to be pulling or tugging on my clothes and worrying about how I look in the jeans I am wearing while someone is trying to have a conversation with me. I want to be involved and listening and interacting.

God has given me more strength, willpower and stamina through all of this than I could have ever imagined. I am more thankful for those in my life as I have been overwhelmed with their love, support and encouragement. So much was revealed to me during this time. There were so many times in the past that I would just tune out the world and my thoughts and just sit in front of the TV and eat. Without the food, TV isn't half as enjoyable. I am thinking, and analyzing and processing. I am spending more quality time with my son. I am not wasting away my days. I am reflecting on what I am experiencing and planning for what is in front of me. I feel more in control and self disciplined. I feel more aware. I am learning more, feeling more and experiencing more.

I had given up hope. I could not have done this without the Dr.G, his care and guidance and the protocol. I still have a long way to go but it is so different now, knowing I can do it and that it is possible. It wasn't just "eat less, exercise more". There is so much more to it. I am also so thankful for my stubborn (in the most loving way possible) friend who knows God is sovereign and didn't give up on me, or rather, didn't let me give up.

My hope, is that others who are in the same situation I was/am in, find hope and are inspired when they hear about my journey and experience thus far. I hope that triggers them to decide to finally do something and that they would take that step. It is more than weight loss. It is your health. It is your life. It your mindset. It is giving up your idols and gaining back focus and control. I want to be healthy. I want to be the best Mom I can be to my son. I want to be the best wife to my future spouse. I want to be the best daughter, friend, employee, example...you name it, that I can be. And it is so much more than those numbers on the scale. But believe me, those help too.

If you want to talk or have any questions, please contact me. I now have a burden on my heart to help others. If you want to meet with me and talk I would be more than happy. I urge you just to setup a consultation with Dr.G. It is free, what could it hurt? And if you would decide to do the protocol, I would be happy to go grocery shopping with you the first couple of times so you can get an idea of what you are shopping for and what to look for on those tricky labels. I have recipes to share. I would be here for support and letting you know what to expect each step of the way and reminding you that you can do it.

I was SO skeptical. I was jaded and bitter. I had been jerked around by so many doctors. I tried every diet. And on every one I was always hungry, cranky, unhealthy, unfocused, having horrible cravings, and the weight loss would freeze at about 10lbs. I couldn't do it anymore. False hopes, wasted money and time, and no results. I went into this expecting the same. I could not have been more wrong.

I almost got gastric bypass surgery last year. I went to orientation and was ready to put down the down payment and make an appointment for surgery. I changed my mind for various reasons: money, complications, healing time, future complications, nutritional needs, etc. I know realize what a huge mistake it would have been. It is all about mindset and changing behaviour. I have met so many people who had the surgery and have reversed the results. You can stretch your stomach back out. And they have such poor nutrition, some to the point that it is fatal. They are supposed to have a deck of card size of food each meal. They cannot drink with their meal. So if you have someone who has not overcome their eating habits or conquered their cravings, you end up with someone who decides to choose four french fries for their meal rather than some vegetables or a slice of grilled chicken. So now their body is deprived of nutrients. Or maybe next time, the person ups it to five french fries, then to six, until they have slowly stretched out their stomach and are back to their old eating habits. Maybe it works for some people, but it never would have worked for me.

I have conquered my cravings for starches and sugars. I stop eating when I am full and many times did not finish one of the meals during the protocol. I am so aware of what I am putting into my body. Of course, if I see a piece of cake it looks good, and I know it would taste good. But I am not craving it as I did before, that I actually felt a physical need for it. My body has been retrained. Now I must maintain. Of course I could go back to poor eating habits and overeating. But with this protocol, you take ownership. I have worked so hard, I don't want to go backwards. I want to continue on this journey.

Thank you for following along. I will be updating again soon, as I go through this 3 week phase and then on to maintenance. I will also let you know how the exercise is going (Dr.G urged me to sign up for yoga which I am really excited about). I ordered the same scale they have at the clinic today and will be weighing myself daily. I will let you know how I am doing emotionally and mentally. And again, I am here for any questions you may have. Seriously, I would be more than happy to go to your consultation with you. Heck, there is a Starbucks right by and I will treat.

So, almost 30 down and I going for 60 - 90 more.

Thank you again for the support, encouragement, love and prayers.


Below is the answers to the most common questions I get about the protocol.







About the HCG Protocol

What is HCG?

HCG (Human Chorionic Gondaotropin) is a hormone naturally produced in a large quantity during pregnancy.

HCG is used in infertility treatment for both men and women.

Dr. ATW Simeons found that small regular doses of hCG caused the body to release abnormal fat when used in conjunction with a specific 500 calorie daily diet. This is detailed in Dr. Simeons’ manuscript Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity. This low calorie diet is only comfortable and advisable with hCG. Most participants are not hungry and have plenty of energy.

What are the positive effects of HCG?

Besides the accelerated weight loss and body re-shaping:

* better, more deep sleep
* lower cholesterol and blood pressure while on the HCG, and sometimes continuing afterwards
* higher energy levels without a nervous or edgy feeling
* a general feeling of well-being

How exactly does HCG allow you to lose weight?

The HCG allows your body to tap into your body’s abnormal fat deposits (shoulders, upper arms, stomach, hips, thighs, and buttocks). In obese clients, these deposits are not usually accessible to the body for fat consumption. The HCG present in the body allows these abnormal fat deposits to be tapped, releasing the abnormal fat into the blood stream and out of the body.

This release of fat is also why clients taking the HCG are not hungry. The HCG actually releases 1500-4000 calories per day into the bloodstream. This is the ONLY reason why it is okay to be on a 500 calorie diet. Without the HCG releasing the abnormal fat and, therefore, thousands of calories into the bloodstream, the client would be starving and be facing excess nutritional deficiency.

Why the 500 calorie diet (VLCD—very low calorie diet)?

You are on a VLCD (very low calorie diet) of 500 calories because while you are on the HCG, your body is releasing 1500-4000 calories from abnormal fat into your bloodstream each day. So, with the 500 calories you are consuming plus the 1500-4000 calories being released into your system, you are actually getting the benefit of (500 + 1500-4000) = 2000-4500 calories each day.

Of course being on a 500 calorie diet will help you to lose weight. How is the HCG protocol different from any other diet out there?

Dr. Simeons, the physician who developed the HCG Weight Loss Cure Protocol, said:

“When an obese patient tries to reduce by starving himself, he will first lose his normal fat reserves. When these are exhausted he begins to burn up structural fat, and only as a last resort will the body yield its abnormal reserves, though by that time the patient usually feels so weak and hungry that the diet is abandoned. It is just for this reason that obese patients complain that when they diet they lose the wrong fat. They feel famished and tired and their face becomes drawn and haggard, but their belly, hips, thighs and upper arms show little improvement. The fat they have come to detest stays on and the fat they need to cover their bones gets less and less. Their skin wrinkles and they look old and miserable. And that is one of the most frustrating and depressing experiences a human being can have.”

Most “diets” begin weight loss by depleting your structural fat (that fat which cushions your organs) and your normal fat reserves. However, they are slow to affect the abnormal fat which is stored in your abnormal fat deposits, which seem to have only one efficient key to unlock them: HCG.

Besides tapping into the abnormal fat deposits, HCG also proposes to affect your hypothalamus and your base metabolism. This protocol provides a detox and gives your entire system rest from the onslaught of food and drinks by allowing only a small amount of relatively healthy items to be processed in your body and your hypothalamus. Some experts feel this ‘detox’ allows your hypothalamus to clear itself of the chemical build-up that could be preventing weight loss and re-establishes the natural functioning and hormone release of the hypothalamus.