LDW, Phase 2, Day 34

Today is going to be my last day on the drops. That means that this morning's weight is my LDW. 239.6. I decided to end the drops early because my body is just telling me that I need a break. I had a rash show up on my hairline on the back of my neck. It has really been itching like crazy for the past few days. I have also just been feeling off for the past few days. The maximum weight you are supposed to lose in one round is 34 lbs, anyway. I am at -31.8 lbs. As much as I want to lose the extra weight that would hopefully come off with a few extra days, my body is telling me I'm done.

What happens now?

Now that I am stopping my drops, I will continue the VLCD for two days (since it is homeopathic drops - if it were Rx drops, it would be 3 days). On the 3rd day, I can start Phase 3. This is where I will up my calories and add more foods into my diet. Basically everything except sugar and starches. I am planning on starting easy; adding eggs for breakfast. Possibly making it into an omelet? Yum! I have had eggs a few times while on P2. While it is a little rogue to have eggs, it didn't effect my weight. Since I have had eggs, I am not worried about adding them in P3. I will be adding cheese on P3 Day 1. I am excited for that one. I also have found a recipe for lasagna that uses either eggplant or zucchini in place of the noodles. I can't wait to try that! Mmmm, food. I am hoping I will lose more inches in P3.

I plan on doing another few rounds of hcg. I will be starting round 2 in June. I will be doing a short round then. (23 days) After having done a 34 day round, I have no problems imagining myself being able to do a shorter round.

Sunday was my measurement day. Here are the results:

waist: stayed the same (total -5")

hips: -1" (total -5.5")

chest: -1" (total -4")

thigh: -1" (total -3")

arm: stayed the same (total -2")

Phase 2, Day 32

I had a minor set back this week. Actually, I don't really think I would call it a set back. On Thursday, I forgot to eat lunch. This was the first time during this round that I have skipped a meal. I do NOT recommend doing this. Even on accident. I woke up the next morning at 6:30 with my kids and got up and immediately passed out. I felt shaky most of the day. I normally skip the allowed melba toast/grissini breadstick, and fruit to get better losses. Yesterday I made sure I ate those to get the extra calories. I feel better today, but I will definitely not be skipping any more meals.

I plan on taking my last drops on March 9th and starting phase 3 on April 12th. Can't wait!

Today's loss: -1.2 lbs.

Total loss: -31.8 lbs.

Phase 2, Day 27

I have been thrilled with how much weight I have been losing. Today I am down 2 lbs! I have been averaging around .8 lbs a day, so to have more than double that in one day is exciting. I also have been able to fit into clothes I haven't worn since shortly after my first child was born five years ago.

Still no cheats, which is why I am continuing to lose so well, I'm sure. It has been hard to not cheat on same days more than others, but I really don't want to risk not losing anything for a few seconds of food that really won't satisfy me anyway. Why bother? I start phase 3 soon enough. At that point, I will be adding in dairy, fats, and nuts.

Today's loss: -2 lbs. Total loss: -28.2 lbs

I took measurements on Sunday. This week's measurements results:

waist: -1" (total -5")

hips: -1" (total -4.5")

chest: stayed the same (total -3")

thigh: -1 (total -2")

arm: stayed the same (total -2")

Phase 2, Day 22

I had a stall last week. It was my first stall, and it only lasted a day. I am okay with that. I didn't do anything wrong. I followed protocol exactly. Stalls happen. I was lucky to not have my first stall until near the end of my third week.

My losses have slowed down a lot more than I was hoping, but also something that just happens. On average, women lose .5 lb a day. There have been two days in the past week when I have only lost .2 lbs. It was a little discouraging, but I have to be grateful. A loss is a loss. Even if I am not losing lbs, I am surely losing inches.

I have a little less than a month to go. I am hoping I can lose another 20 lbs in that time frame. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Today's loss: -.4 lbs. Total loss: -22.2 lbs

I took measurements on Sunday. This week's measurements results:

waist: -1" (total -4")

hips: -1" (total -3.5")

chest: stayed the same (total -3")

thigh: stayed the same (total -1")

arm: -.5" (total -2")

Phase 2, Day 14

Today has been 2 weeks since I started P2. I am feeling very impressed with myself for getting this far. It has definitely been a challenge. There have been days when all I wanted was to eat everything in sight. Emotional eating has always been a weakness of mine. While my husband is gone, I am always more emotional, especially with 3 small children crying "mommy, mommy" all day long. I have held strong, though and not eaten anything off protocol.

I bought smart water. It is bottled water with electrolytes. I am hoping that this will help with how tired I have been the past few days. I am not quite sure what else to do about it.

Yesterday was my measurements day. I take measurements only once a week. Here are this week's results:

waist: -1.5" (total -3")

hips: -1" (total -2.5")

chest: -.5" (total -3")

thigh: stayed the same (total -1")

arm: -.5" total (1.5")

today's loss: -.6 lbs total loss: -17.8 lbs

Phase 2, Day 9

I need to drink more water. I have always struggled with drinking enough water. Before I started hCG, I struggled to drink just 16 oz of water in a day, and now I have to drink 66 oz of water?! Needless to say I have a hard time with this. I fill up my 27 oz water bottle first thing and try to drink it throughout the day. Then I try to drink a 16 oz glass of water at lunch and a 16 oz glass of water at dinner. I try to also drink another glass of water at night. That puts me up there, but let's be honest. I never really completely get through my water bottle...That's my goal of the week. Keep up my water intake.

Loss today: -1.2 lbs. Total loss: 14.2 lbs.

Phase 2, Day 7

Today, when I stepped on the scale, I was very pleased to see my weight continue to go down. I had only gone down .3 lbs between days 5 and 6. I know why there was the small loss, and no, I did not cheat. I am down another 1.6 lbs between yesterday and today, which brings me down a total of 11 lbs from day 1 of phase 1.

I took measurements on Sunday. Since I am doing them myself, they aren't completely accurate, I'm sure. I am down a total of 9.5 inches. I have gone down an inch in each thigh, an inch in each arm, 2.5 inches in my chest (which really is always the first to go when I lose weight), 1.5 inches in my waist, and 1.5 inches in my hips.

As far as the protocol goes, I am pleased to say I have not strayed. This surprises me, because I really have never had self control when it comes to food. I am finding myself not hungry after a meal. I don't crave the same things I used to. I still have the mentality of "I want" sometimes, but I am learning that it really is just psychological. I just have to remind myself that no, I really don't want it, and I'm fine.

I was on a support forum, and someone had a saying in their signature that I really liked:

Dieting is hard. Being fat is hard. Pick your hard.

Phase 2, Day 5

I am down another 1.1 lbs today. That brings the total to 9.1 lbs lost. Tomorrow I will take measurements and see how big of a difference it is. I have had to take my belt in a notch, which was exciting.

It has been slowly getting easier. I think one thing that makes it easy is that I have 3 young children who love eating the fastest foods to prepare (tacos, burritos, chicken, etc). I don't have to worry about feeding my husband right now because he is out of town for a few months. That is part of the reason I chose to do this diet now. I thought it would be easiest for me to prepare my own meal separate from my kids and not having to worry about making something nice for my husband. I am THAT wife. When my husband comes home from work, there is a homemade dinner ready on the table for him. I like to do that for him, and I love to cook, so it's really a win-win. Once I am done with phase 3, our meal choices will just be more healthy.

Phase 2, Day 3

Last night was difficult for me. I had to make cookies for my husband's work. I was very proud of myself, though. I didn't eat any. It did take a lot of willpower, though. I am addicted to cookies.

Today was not difficult. I had a lot of running around to do, so it helped that I wasn't just sitting at home with my kids.

I am down an additional 2.6 lbs today. Total loss: 6 lbs.

Phase 2, Day 2

Yesterday was fairly easy. I was surprised at how much energy I had. I took all of the recommended vitamins (a whole food vitamin, a multi-vitamin liquid solution, and the sub-lingual B12), which probably helped with that. I also haven't gotten hungry at all.

One concern I have had regarding this diet is headaches. I have had migraines for years. I have been to neurologists and I am just one of those people who gets migraines with no reason. I have several triggers that I am aware of - one of the main ones being not eating. I was very concerned that being on the VLCD would cause me to have migraines. So far, that is not the case. I had a slight headache last night, but I was expecting a bigger headache.

I am down a total of 3.4 lbs. I am hoping that once I get more into phase 2, I will lose a little more quickly.

Phase 1 day 2

Today was day two of phase one. Everything I read said that during the load phase (yesterday and today) I could gain a few pounds. I am already down 1 lb since yesterday.

I am worried that tomorrow will be more difficult than I am prepared for...Stay tuned.