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I finally get a chance to update!

I have enjoyed blogging so much as I go through this experience. It has been an amazing journey so far and to be able to share it with others, and get their feedback, has been a huge part of my motivation and drive. The support, the love, the prayers, the questions, and the sharing of your own personal stories, has been so encouraging. Thank you again.

So here I am now. Already two weeks in to round two of the hCG protocol.

The maintenance period (the 3 weeks after you finish the shots) went great. I decided that I didn't want to add sugars and starches back into my diet, even once allowed, because I knew I was going to start the protocol again and I wanted to continue to cleanse my body from what I had craved the most.

I did however introduce breakfast back into my routine. I made sure to have a low-fat, protein breakfast with no fruits or veggies, as advised. My breakfast was usually either egg whites, lean sausage, greek yogurt, or my favorite, a gluten-free, sugar-free, soy based, vanilla Spirulina protein shake with a drop of vanilla creme liquid stevia and a splash of soy milk. That is actually what I am missing most now back on the VLCD! It is so strange and wonderful how my body has changed.

It was great having more ingredients to work with for lunch and dinner during the maintenance period. I enjoyed having some mixed seasonal berries with yogurt, or mixing up a great salad, with some shredded cheese sprinkled on top and some sugar-free raspberry vinaigrette.

Speaking of sugar-free raspberry vinaigrette...

2pm, at the Safeway next to my office, in the dressing aisle:

Container of veggies, a tub of cottage cheese and a pint of strawberries cradled in my left arm and the my right arm reaching for salad dressing up on the shelf so I can read label.

I spot an elderly couple approaching from the end of the aisle, coming from the right.

They are probably in their 90's. Both hunched over walkers and are slowly approaching. Scooting to be exact.

Me: still looking at salad dressing labels, looking for the 1 out of 80 that is actually sugar-free.

Elderly couple: still approaching. Very slowly.

Me: I can feel the walkers getting closer, but continue to look at the salad dressings. I can see out of the corner of my eye that the old lady has veered to the other side of the aisle. The old man continues straight down my side of the aisle.

Old man: *scoot*

Me: I feel like I can't move. Not sure what to do. Is he playing chicken? Is he blind? I think about moving but I don't want to startle him.

Old man: *scoot*

Me: still clutching groceries in left arm and I now have my arm extended in midair holding a bottle of dressing that I stare at but I am no longer reading.

Old man: *scoot* *scoot*

Me: statue holding bottle of dressing like a trophy.

*scoot*

*scoot*

*scoot*

I feel the cold metal of his walker softly push against my leg.

*Note: For the three months prior to this incident I had been lifting weights on a daily basis and my arms had become more defined and toned. Now, although I had lost 34lbs up until this point, my arms had not been a place where I had noticed much weight loss. My face, shoulders, tummy and waist had all slimmed down, but again, not my arms. So this makes my arms stand out more compared to the rest of me. I have always been broad shouldered and heavier on top. Also, my arms have always had a good amount of muscle and with the fat over the muscle they appear even larger.*

Old man: in a shaky New York/Jewish accent, looks up at me, eyes glazed over, maybe even sparkling, says, with much gusto, "You've got the biggest arms I've ever seen on a lady!"

Me:

Old man: "I looked at you and was thinking you couldn't hurt a fly, but no guys better mess with you with those arms you of yours!".

He continues to stare up at me, almost in amazement, my arm still flexed holding the salad dressing in the air.

I delicately place the bottle back on the shelf and slowly put my arm down to my side.

Old woman: "Come on!".

Old man: takes one last look and then scoots around me and off around the corner to the next aisle to catch up with her.

I walked in a daze to the checkout line.

I sat in my car for a good 10min before going back in to work, just staring at my arms in the rear view mirror.

Maybe he had an arm fetish and had a monthly subscription to some magazine called like "Bulk" or "Muscle Maidens" about woman bodybuilders? I mean, I had been tanning and had put aloe gel on my arms early that day? Big, shiny, tan arms...maybe that was it?

Or maybe, he was super hungry, and just like in the cartoons, right before his eyes my arm turned into a big chicken wing? His eyes glazed over as he slowly made his way, scooting down that aisle, the DRESSING aisle, making it all that much more glorious...maybe?

Or maybe, I just have really big arms for a lady.

But that is pretty amazing because he is not far from the Smucker's birthday greeting from Willard on the Today show, so, you know, he's seen a whole lotta arm in his day.

So that is my humbling arm story. Should vanity strike as my weight continues to plummet, just yell out to me "Katie, you've got the biggest arms I've ever seen on a lady!". And yeah, that should do it.

So I started round two on July 3rd. I went in and saw Dr.G, who I couldn't thank enough, and got weighed, got my B-12 shot, and my bag of hCG shots and I was on my way. I had lost a total of 41lbs. I was ecstatic. I was ready for round two and so excited to continue my journey. But wait...

What are the first two days of the protocol?

Anyone?

Bueller?

LOAD DAYS.

Oh yes, load days. Two days where you are instructed to "eat to full capacity". Two days of loading up on fats and carbs. Two days to get in all your favorite foods that you will not be having in a long time or maybe have decided not at ever to have again.

Load days.

Sponsored by:

Yeah, my stomach wasn't exactly prepared for load days, nor was my mind. I had said goodbye to these foods and now I am eating them to full capacity (which was much less capacity than the first time). But you've got to follow the protocol, so I sucked it up and did what I had to do. It is all kind of a Pepto Bismol, baked goods, food coma blur. There was an iced white chocolate mocha, a blueberry crumb cake, french fries, crabcakes, corn on the cob, a patriotic cupcake (it was 4th of July weekend after all), nuts, avocados, hots dogs...I feel sick just typing it.

Well, those two days are long gone and it is back to business. We are back to the basics: tea, coffee or water for breakfast and all through the day, 100 grams of a protein at lunch and dinner time, one fruit at lunch and one at dinner, and one vegetable at lunch and one eat dinner. Back to 500 calories, no sugar, no starches, and a restricted list of foods. It is thoughtless this time. No over thinking it. I know my body better than I ever have. Food is nutrition now. Exercise is essential. Health is obtainable.

Since that weigh in on the 3rd, I have already dropped another 11lbs. So, as of yesterday morning, my total weight loss since beginning of the protocol in mid April, is 52lbs.

My energy and focus is up and I know what to expect. I know there will be bad days. I know there will be obstacles. It is easier now knowing what to avoid and how to cope, but it doesn't mean it takes any less willpower or drive. Seeing the results though is really amazing as far as my outlook goes. I know it is possible now. I am still very anxious about the future and keeping the weight off and continuing to loose. That is one of the reasons I decided to continue to go without out the sugars and starches (other than the load days) during the period between starting the protocol again. I wanted to see what I had learned. I wanted to see what my body had learned. I wanted to put my new habits into practice. The hCG had done its job and I needed to do mine. It was important to me not just maintain the weight loss during those weeks but to continue to loose. And of course it wasn't at the rate that I lost during the hCG shots and VLCD, but I continued to loose weight, with a healthy diet and exercise. It was important because it was something which my body didn't allow me to do before. It shows me that things have changed and are continuing to change.

I have been given a gift. I am so thankful for God's grace in my life. I have a long way to go still, but I have hope. Please continue to keep me in your prayers.

I meet with Dr.G again of Saturday. Like I've said before, if you have questions or would want me to go with you for a consultation, just let me know. I am very fortunate to have a friend who is extremely stubborn and was not going to give up on me until I met with Dr.G. I tried every excuse I could find, but she didn't let up and I am so grateful for that. I have so many amazing people in my life who have been there for me, not just relating to this, but with so many things, and I just want to be able to be there for others. So, I'm here.

Hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying their summer.

Oh, and let me know if you are interested in two tickets to the gun show;)