P2 VLCD10

Weight: 181

Total loss so far is 9.5 pounds.

I think my body is working on breaking through a setpoint, as I've stayed this weight for awhile recently.  I was more hungry today than I expected and had to make a couple of adjustments, but I'm determined and I'm sticking to the diet.

P3D24 - 168

Weight:  168

See, I get all confident and look what happens!

Well, I think I did OK on food yesterday in that I had pretty much the same food I’ve had in the last few days.  However, stayed up pretty late working on a quilt project, and I also made gluten free cookies from a box (I’ve been craving sweets) and I ate quite a few.

This morning I’m also really tired, and really puffy….the bags under my eyes look puffy, which isn’t usual for me.

What I should do is get on the elliptical this morning.  I might…after I go back to bed and get a nap.

P9P3D23–166.5

Weight: 166.5

Wow, I seem to have stabilized!  AND survived the first round of Christmas food!

So in the past 13 days while I haven’t been blogging, my max weight has been 167.  What I’ve done so far is go for really low carb fare.  That means no bread, no cookies, no cereal, no grains.  Most of my carbs have come from fruit, like oranges, frozen berries in protein shakes, and on occasion, bananas. I’ve also ventured into a spoonful of leftover cornbread stuffing and some refried beans.  And I was convinced I’d shoot up.

On Thursday we had a potluck at our office.  Many of the attendees are either vegan or gluten free and there were LOTS of desserts, rice and few low carb protein options.  Well, I only gained a pound, I went from 166 to 167.

Yesterday I got onto the elliptical for 25 minutes and today I’m down by .5 pound.  Also, I wasn’t really hungry after all that food the previous day and I didn’t eat my normal amount of food, I just went with protein / low carb when I did eat.  In other words, I listened to my body and didn’t eat just because it was “time”.

I’m trying not to get overly confident.  Mostly, I feel like I dodged a bullet, but then, I always feel that way.  Sort of along the lines of “you don’t deserve to be thin”.  Which is total crap.

(Notice the phrase “you”, not “I” ?  That’s someone else talking, and I bought into it long ago).

Pure crap.

R9P3D10 – 165.5

Weight: 165.5

Well, I rather anticipated a larger drop, what with working out and the 1 pound drop earlier this week…or, at least, I was hoping!

I’m starting to think that this will be my set weight for this round, and I’m really quite pleased!

I am starting to crave sweets, though, so I have to be careful.  Also, my legs are still itching and I suspect nuts and/or dairy (cheese) is the culprit.  I need a new snack!

R9P3D9 –166

Weight: 166

I was grazing yesterday, and the choice I went to most was string cheese.  You know, instead of the veggies I had right in front of me!

I have a sensitivity to the protein in dairy so I really do need to stop eating string cheese, most dairy for that matter, at least on a consistent basis.

Anyway, my co-worker wasn’t available to go, but I did go for my walk yesterday.  When I looked at my fitness tracker it said I had burned 100 calories less than when she goes with me.  I’ll tell her that today!

As for this morning, I’m getting on the elliptical.  Gotta keep moving!

R9P3D8 – 165.5

Weight: 165.5

I had a pretty good low carb day, but I’m feeling pretty full this morning so thought my weight would be up.

I’m tired this morning, too, so no workout, but I’m planning a walk at lunch time, even if it is below freezing outside!

R9P3D7–165.5

Weight: 165.5

Well, the workout, and a low carb day, got me back in range.

I got to thinking about it, though…the protocol is talking about 2 pounds from LIW.  For me, that would still be 165 and at 166.5 I’d still be in range.

I called myself on it because it was an overall gain of more than 2 pounds no matter the number for LIW, and certainly, I’m still 2 pounds over where I was, due to my carb indiscretion.

It’s too easy to let this creep up, giving myself permission to stay higher than I should, and then I’m back in the same boat as before.  Then, what’s the point, right?

Overall, I’ve lost about 13 pounds on this round.  I’m still 15 pounds over my goal weight, one I’ve achieved in the past on the diet and where I feel fabulous.  The way I see it, I’m on shaky ground, and I need to be very vigilant.

I feel SO much better than I did before the diet, though.

R9P3D7–166.5

Weight: 166.5

So, I can’t do a steak day.

That is, I got hungry in the morning and I was hungry at lunch.  So I ate low carb all day.  And had a steak and low carb faux-tato salad.

And I’m up .5

So, this is where that “several days of strict dieting” comes into play.  I’m working out this morning, too.

Sigh.

R9P3D5 - 165

Weight: 165

I’m up 1.5 pounds today because I ate carbs at a get together yesterday.

It was stupid, really, because I’d brought my own lunch, with all of my allowed foods, but it just seemed weird to eat it when there was a table with stuff on it that other people brought to share.  Selfish, is how it felt.  Because I hadn’t brought enough to share with anyone else.

So, today has started out with a nice omelet, and I’ll focus on lots of high protein foods and water and see what happens.  I’m still within the 2 pound limit, before a steak day is necessary, which I’m thankful for, but it’s a good reminder for this holiday season.

Final Injection Weight: 165

Weight: 165

Today is the first VLCD without hCG.  According to the protocol:

Patients who need to lose 15 pounds (7 kg.) or less require 26 days treatment with 23 daily injections. The extra three days are needed because all patients must continue the 500- Calorie diet for three days after the last injection.

This is a very essential part of the treatment, because if they start eating normally as long as there is even a trace of HCG in their body they put on weight alarmingly at the end of the treatment.

After three days when all the HCG has been eliminated this does not happen, because the blood is then no longer saturated with food and can thus accommodate an extra influx from the intestines without increasing its volume by retaining water.

 

So, the signs of getting hungry will tell me when the hCG is out of my system.  This round has gone amazingly well.  I haven’t been hungry at all and I haven’t cheated at all.  I really haven’t felt like I was on a diet.  I’ve worked through a lot of issues through all of these rounds; I think some of this might be sticking!

R9VLCD21 - 165

Weight: 165

A whole pound drop!  Nice!

I’m usually not focused on a specific number when it comes to my weight, but there is something satisfying about hitting those “even” numbers.  No, 165 isn’t an even number, but it IS half way between those “decades”!

Yesterday I hit the elliptical for 25 minutes, and had a 35 minute walk at lunch.  My back is feeling a lot more limber, but it’s still a bit sore, and it doesn’t take much to stiffen up again.

It always makes me wonder about the protocol and how we interpret it these days.  Dr. Simeons didn’t say “sit on your butt while you’re on this diet”, he said don’t over do it.

That goes along with loading, too.  Most people go way overboard when loading.  I’ve done it, too, in the very beginning, and then spent at least a week of the diet getting that weight off.  What I’ve found is to focus on healthy fats, and don’t absolutely gorge.  It’s just not necessary.

R9P2VLCD19 - 166

Weight: 166

Slow and steady.

So, while I’m super pleased about my progress, I’m trying not to put on rose colored glasses.  Or, is that just being a joy killer?

Anyway, I tried on more of my jeans yesterday, and while I can get into them, where I couldn’t before I started this round, they definitely produce a huge muffin top.  No shirt would actually look good paired with them.  So, it was a good/bad sort of activity.  I’m in a better place, but I still have a way to go.  Is that life, or what?

I’ve got about 3 or 4 more days of injections left, and I think I’m ready.  It occurred to me last week that December 11th is just about here, and that will be exactly one month before my birthday.  So, it’s time to get this round locked in.

R9VLCD12 - 171

Weight: 171

OK, this is getting annoying.  I seem to be stalled at 171 and I don’t like it one bit!

Yesterday, though, as I put my hand on my hip, I realized that my muffin top seems a bit smaller, and that was definitely reaffirming.  Remember, it’s called Pounds & Inches for a reason!

I’m not going to do an apple day to break the stall.  The protocol says it’s only water anyway, and I tried it once when I first started this diet.  The only thing I accomplished was to feel deprived.  Even though I haven’t been hungry this week, due to the increase in my dosage, doing an apple day would still feel mentally hard and I’m not going to do it, not for just water weight!

Yesterday, as I was driving home from work, I started having thoughts of “real” food.  You know, the habit of “hey, it’s Friday night, let’s relax with a glass of wine and football food” sort of “real” food.  It was interesting because it helped me recognize an expectation, a habit, something that will need to be accommodated for post-diet.

Yes, I knew about this before, and this sort of thing has prompted cheating on the weekends in the past.  Some of that was being hungry, some of it wasn’t.  This round has been very different than any of the others.  I don’t feel like I’m on a diet.  That might be partly explained in that we eat pretty good, healthy food most of the time now.  I’m also not hungry.  I mean, really not hungry, and that has been a problem in the past.

I’m glad I am doing this round right now, before the holidays and my birthday in January.  It feels right, and I don’t think I’m going to be too tempted during the Thanksgiving.  Christmas cookies are another story!

R9VLCD10 – 171.5

Weight: 171.5

I had a feeling I wasn’t going to have a drop today.

I’m not exactly sure why; I wasn’t as cold as I was the day before, and for me that has always been a part of this diet.  Yesterday was also my “low” dose day for my thyroid medicine.  The doctor is having me take 2 grains for Armour on 2 non-consecutive days, and 3 grains on the other 5.  We’ll try that for a couple of months and check the results.  After my initial large weight losses, he moved me to 2 grains all the time, so he adjusted the dose with the extra stress I’ve been under lately.

I went to the chiropractor yesterday and my upper back is really sore this morning, so sore that I got up at 4:20 and did 25 minutes on the elliptical and stretched.  I’m not exercising to try to push the weight loss, but because I’ve been so stiff and sore sitting so much in my job.  Not only that, I’ve been in training for the past 2 days on very uncomfortable chairs, and have another half day today.

I’m hoping for a good drop going into the weekend!

R9VLCD9 – 171.5

Weight:  171.5

Wow, I’m sure happy to see a 1.5 pound drop this morning!  That makes feeling like death warmed over much more agreeable!

What I mean by that is, I get FREEZING cold on this diet.  Almost dead-body cold.  Yes, I really mean that.  I’ve got a thyroid problem, too, and before my medicine got adjusted properly my body temp was my biggest symptom.  And that’s what I felt like yesterday.  I was in the first of a 3 day training, and I had to wear my London Fog coat and mittens all day long.

I’m wearing a sweatshirt, hat, scarf, and fingerless gloves today!

R9VLCD8 - 173

Weight:  173

I was surprised the drop was only .5.  I was a bit hungry the day before, though, and have been at breakfast for the past few days, so I upped my dose to 200.

My strategy has been to skip breakfast and eat lunch and dinner.  The problem with that is that I adore breakfast, so it’s not only hard mentally, skipping this meal makes me feel a bit deprived, even if I’m just eating at my office instead of my own breakfast table.

So, I’ve decided I’d make a veggie soup, and that’s my “breakfast”.  Problem solved.

R9P2VLCD6 - 174

Weight: 174

Well, I sure didn’t expect a 1.5 pound drop, but very glad to have it.

Yesterday I went out for morning errands, and I took my veggie soup, made with low sodium chicken broth.  But I forgot my water, and boy was I thirsty!  Of course, my errands took my much longer than anticipated, so I didn’t even get to eat lunch until 2pm.

One of my errands was Costco.  Yes, I went there on a Saturday, with all of the samples lining the aisles.  I refrained, even from trying the gummy-bear style calcium supplement, because it had a crust of sugar on the outside.

One of my issues is being afraid of being hungry.  I actually managed that fear quite well yesterday, so I’m very proud of myself.

Today, lots of sewing and quilting!

R9P2VLCD4–176.5

Weight: 176.4

I was a bit hungrier Thursday, so I upped my dose slightly and I did much better all day.  I didn’t “measure” how much more, I just added a couple more notches on the barrel of the needle, so it’s probably about 180 units or so now.

I also was up early and got in a 20 minute elliptical workout, and was able to stretch.  My back feels better….stiff, but better.

Work has been especially stressful recently, and my doctor isn’t enthusiastic about me going through a round right now, he said it might not be very effective.  While I recognize his concerns, this is one area in my life right now that I feel have control over in making myself comfortable.

I’m having such a struggle with self confidence right now, mostly because of the issues at work.  Having gained back 25-30 pounds doesn’t help, either, then add in that I have no clothes that fit properly so that I’m always tugging at them and uncomfortable.  I thought about getting some larger sized clothes at the thrift store, but I haven’t because 1) I hate clothes shopping in the first place 2) I don’t want bigger clothes (can we say “denial” here?) 3) It takes time, and money, I don’t have to replace an entire wardrobe.

OK, so as I’m reading what I wrote, that sounds like a boat-load of excuses.

In any event, I really need to get this weight off, because I’m starting to spiral again into an attitude of not caring, and that’s when things go from bad to worse.  This makes me really focus, when the last thing I want to do is focus.  It’s easy to just eat myself into a drunken haze, but that’s exactly what I need to avoid.

This, too, shall pass.

R9P2VLCD1 - 181

Weight: 181

Well, the real business of the round is finally here.  I’m using 175 units this time.  I have to say, I’m glad, because I was so uncomfortable wearing my pants yesterday, I couldn’t wait to get them off when I got home.

I’m really looking forward to having my clothes fit again.  Since I procrastinated in deciding if I was going to do a round, I’ll be running up against Thanksgiving, but I think it’ll be fine; I’ve done that before.

I’d really love to get back into the 150’s, and getting it all done at one time might be the best way, but it’s too early to determine that for now.  I remember that first long round, and it was really hard at the end.

Onward ho!

R9P2 Loading Day 2 - 182

Weight:  182

Wow, I haven’t seen that number in a LONG time…and I’m not fond of it!  I couldn’t believe I jumped 4 pounds in a day!