Day 40 - Weight 115: Post HCG Day 2 of 3 - Measurement Day

My sister-in-law, her mother and stepfather, and my 4-year-old nephew have all had some horrible kind of stomach flu over the last couple of days. Some had it for 24 hours. Some for 36. It's so sad when I come to visit and then they are sick and I feel like I can't visit them. Who wants to get sick???

Well, even though I thought I had stayed at arms' length, last night the bathroom ogre called on me. Fortunately, I didn't throw up and only suffered on the other end. For about three hours I was doubled over in horrible cramping that gave me an immediate mental throwback to labor pains. Aaaah! It was awful but in the end, everything subsided and I was able to fall into a deep, deep sleep. Kind of like passing out, I guess. When I woke up this morning, I felt fine. A little worse for the wear but healthy and ready to take on my day.

Today is measurement day. I'm not sure what affect being sick might have on the measurements. What I've learned over this process is to weigh and measure regardless of circumstances. Factor in what you must after-the-fact. Because, over time, you'll see an average and "real" weight and measurement that holds true regardless of where you are at in your cycle, your health, your eating pattern for yesterday, etc.

Weight: 115 lbs. (-3 lbs.)
Bust: 34" (0")
Waist: 25" (-1/2")
Abdomen (read: GUT): 34 1/4" (+1 1/4")*
Saddlebags: 38 1/2" (-1 1/4")
Left Thigh: 20 1/2" (-3/4")
Right Thigh: 20 1/2" (-1/2")
Left Knee: 14 1/4" (+1/4")*
Right Knee: 14" (0")

TOTAL LOSSES for this week: 3 lbs., -1 1/2"*
(* Somehow I GAINED an inch-and-a-quarter on my abdomen and a 1/4" on my left knee. The "gut" I can explain with being swollen after being sick. The knee... hmmm, no explanation. The body can be funky and I'm not worried about it. We'll see how the next measurement day goes. I'm going to measure my abdomen in a couple of days to see if it goes back to normal).

TOTAL LOSSES TO DATE: 15 lbs. and 15 1/4" (EXCITING!!!)

It was a great day but a busy one and my eating schedule went all to pieces. I didn't plan well, didn't take any food out with me, didn't want to drive "all the way home" to eat, and thought if I broke up my stride I wouldn't finish everything I wanted to do today. I know myself fairly well and I was probably right. But, knowing myself as I do, I should have planned much better for my health and wellbeing. I ended up not eating anything at all until around 7 p.m. This would not be completely abnormal for me in my pre-HCG diet life. It wouldn't be an ordinary, every-day-day, but it definitely would fall within the norm of something that happens several times a month. I don't want to do that anymore. However.... ('However' is just a more refined way of getting that "BUT...." in! And that always makes me laugh). Ok, let's try this again...

However, I accomplished so much today and I'm proud of getting all of my "outside the house" running around done so that in the next days I can get all of my "inside the house" work accomplished. :-) For groceries, I hit up both Costco and a fabulous new health food store out in Washington, Natural Grocers ( http://www.naturalgrocers.com/ ).


It was my first time in Natural Grocers. They just opened in June. I was in heaven! I thought I had stepped back in time and was in a health food store of 20 years ago. Life was a lot different then in the "health food" world. It had not become the huge market share it is today and was full of "real" health products without all of the hype and the advertising and, frankly, the lying that you get in a lot of the "natural" products today. I really appreciated the "What We Won't Sell and Why" page on their website. If you are partaking of any of these products, you may want to rethink your strategy.

( http://www.naturalgrocers.com/wontsellandwhy.php )

The store is fabulous and if there is one near you, I highly recommend that you take advantage of it. Terrific prices, too!

I bought a car for my youngest (yes, it was more of an ordeal than those 6 words indicate!), conducted auto insurance policy update and financial appointments, and sauntered through a VERY long & VERY enjoyable trip to Barnes & Noble where I was "only" going to get some Fancy Nancy books to complete my niece's birthday gift but ended up perusing a good deal of the store shelf "real estate" and came home with treasures for me, too.




Books, books, books. I really don't think that you can have too many. I love my Kindle (one of mankind's most fabulous inventions!) but I still love a B-O-O-K. Always have. Always will.

At 7:00 p.m. I ate:

• One whole Grapefruit
• Asparagus, 200 grams
• Heirloom Tomatoes, fresh, 200 grams

I'm going to do much better tomorrow.

Day 39 - Weight 116: Post HCG Day 1 of 3

I have two children, both boys, 15-months apart in age. When they were little, strangers used to ask me if they were twins and I would say, "Almost." It's true that when their birthdays are that close they go through most of life's growth stages at pretty much the same time. Instead of two distinct phases, it just seems like one long phase for each period. From the moment each miniature man took his first breath, though, he was his own soul. Individual does not begin to describe their uniqueness. They are so different from each other! Their personalities, how their brains work and how they learn, their approaches to life and social situations, their interests and talents are all completely their own. They don't even look alike which is funny because they don't look like me or their biological father, either. I always told them that, clearly, they were "themselves," here on the planet to fulfill their own destiny.

My oldest has been working this summer at two resorts in the mountains above Cedar City, Utah, about 2 hours away from our house in St. George. He's live-in staff, waiting tables and working the front desk, at a small family-owned lodge in Duck Creek and also waits tables for the Cedar Breaks Lodge and Spa ( http://www.cedarbreakslodge.com ). Cedar Breaks is a world-recognized resort mostly known for ski season but definitely a great place for summer fun like ATV riding, mountain biking, and hiking. He's pulling about 60 hours-a-week and loving it. He's an adventurer like his mom and his new plan is to move to Boston with a friend of his from Texas, who is an executive chef. They've already lined up jobs & an apartment for themselves and next week my firstborn will get into his little Subaru Impreza and drive across the country; by himself to Texas where they'll meet up, and then in their separate cars they'll "caravan" and head the rest of the way across the middle of this huge land mass, taking a sharp left at the I-95 and heading north until they reach their destination... Boston: 'most confusing city to drive in in all of the United States of America.'

So, today my youngest and I drove up to Duck Creek to see where all the work had taken place so far, where he'd been living, and what he'd made of himself in the big wide world. LOL! It was nearly 20 degrees cooler in the mountains and mostly it reminded me a lot of Big Bear, in California. We hung out and caught up, and he updated the operating system on the Boot Camp/PC side of my MAC. (He's really into computers and all things "tech"). Eating proved to be a little bit of a challenge. Thankfully, I had brought an apple which I ate for my snack!

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups Coffee
• 1 liter Water
• 2 cups Mint Tea, herbal

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Hamburger patty (Plain. And there could be no doubt - it was cooked to death.)
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Pepperoncinis (CHEAT - because it's a mix of veggies. I had about 5 of them.)

SNACK/DINNER COMBO

• Strawberries
• Chicken & Cabbage Soup (Pico de gallo, Herbs de Provence, Garlic Salt)

Day 38 - Weight 116.8: LAST DAY OF HCG INJECTIONS!

Today is my last injection day. Weird. I'm ready.

I headed out to the Farmer's Market at Pioneer Square and picked up some microgreens, tomatoes, strawberries, and homemade Pico de Gallo. It's lovely to be out in the summer desert early in the morning before the heat rolls in.

After today, I'll stay on the diet protocol for another three days; same foods in the same amounts but with no shots. I hope it isn't too hard. It isn't supposed to be. Dr. Simeon hasn't let me down yet. :-) I'm not too worried about it.

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups Coffee
• 1/2 liter Water (Too much running around today. I just couldn't get it in.)

SNACK/LUNCH COMBO

• Strawberries
• Steak, grilled
• Swiss Chard, steamed with Bragg's Aminos

SNACK?
I skipped snack tonight. (CHEAT)

DINNER

• 200 grams chicken w/ Pico de Gallo (DOUBLE CHEAT: Extra protein & extra mix of veggies)
• Fresh Tomato

I cooked the chicken with the Pico on top in tin foil packets for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven. It was fabulous. Moist & Tasty!

Day 37 - Weight 116.4: Travel Day

On pretty short notice I needed to head to St. George today to take care of some things. One 17-year-old son and two little dog girls piled into the car with me this morning and 6 hours later we were in 120 degree heat. The drive seemed to go faster than usual for some reason even though the clock never lies.

I found myself, like on most travel days, a little shy of my water intake today but otherwise pretty much on target.

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups Coffee
• 1 liter Water

SNACK

• Apple (eaten in car during travel)

LUNCH (eaten very late - after arriving in St. G.)

• Steak, grilled
• Asparagus, steamed

I tried to order a grilled chicken breast sandwich at Carl's Jr. in Primm. In the drive-thru I was very clear that I needed no sauce, etc., of any kind on my chicken. Unfortunately, when I opened the sandwich, it had BBQ sauce on it and I had to get out of the car and head into the restaurant to ask for a new one. There they informed me that they don't have any chicken that does not have some sort of sauce, marinade or the like. I said "thanks, then" and asked for my money back.
They were very friendly and apologized.
I, however was still hungry.
You can't eat an apology.

SNACK/DINNER COMBO

• Strawberries
• Hamburger & Cabbage Soup

Day 36 - Weight 116.8: The BMR & Who is Harris-Benedict?

OMG! I only have two more days of injections after today. This feels very surreal to me. I'm pretty much holding steady in the 116 pound-zone. It looks as if I may have found my target weight? We'll see. I've been giving quite a bit of thought to how I'll eat after this diet is over. This isn't a "lifestyle diet" of sorts. I'll have to take my learned lessons and integrate them into my everyday life after I'm done with Dr. Simeon.

One thing I've been focusing on is how many calories I actually should be eating on a regular basis to maintain my target weight. This is called the Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR. (This is sometimes called the RMR, or Resting Metabolic Rate). The BMR takes your height, weight, sex, and age into account and provides a measurement of how much energy your body requires to do nothing but eating, breathing, sleeping, and existing. After all, calories are an energy measurement and your body uses energy to do everything - even to do what we think of as nothing, like sit on our tushies and watch TV. From this BMR foundation, you can also determine how many calories you need to maintain your current weight and how many additional calories you would need to maintain that weight if you were moderately or aggressively exercising. Of course, you can also determine your projected intake needs for losing weight and for gaining weight.

There are two standard methods for determining BMR, the Harris-Benedict Equation and the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation. Mifflin-St. Jeor is considered to be somewhat more reliable because it factors in a modern individual (it was created in 1990). Harris-Benedict has been used longer, by about 90 years, so it's the most common one you'll come across. It doesn't take lean body mass into consideration, so it won't be accurate for hyper-athletic types. Since I don't fall into this category at present, and it would take an act of God to get me there!, I'm not too worried about Harris-Benedict giving me an improper diagnosis. I found the following info to be really helpful.

***The Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)
The Harris Benedict equation is a calorie formula using the factors of height, weight, age, and sex to determine basal metabolic rate (BMR). This makes it more accurate than determining calorie needs based on total bodyweight alone. The only variable it does not take into consideration is lean body mass. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the extremely muscular (will underestimate caloric needs) and the extremely overfat (will overestimate caloric needs).

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Note: 1 inch = 2.54 cm.
1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.

Example:
You are female
You are 30 yrs old
You are 5' 6 " tall (167.6 cm)
You weigh 120 lbs. (54.5 kilos)
Your BMR = 655 + 523 + 302 - 141 = 1339 calories/day

Now that you know your BMR, you can calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) by multiplying your BMR by your activity multiplier from the chart below:

Activity Multiplier
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

Example:
Your BMR is 1339 calories per day
Your activity level is moderately active (work out 3-4 times per week)
Your activity factor is 1.55
Your TDEE = 1.55 X 1339 = 2075 calories/day***

(***The Harris-Benedict samples were taken from:
( http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html ).

I found a great BMR calculator online at ( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ ). My BMR turned out to be 1258.65 if I am as active as a slug or just stayed in bed all day. Which, if I am being perfectly honest and you've seen the pics to prove that I am at least attempting to do so, is sometimes true.

Every day is different and some days we are more active than other days. At least I am. So here are the equations to figure out how many calories you'll need on different days.

So... if I don't get out of bed, or just to walk to the kitchen and bathroom and back, I need 1,509 calories to maintain my current weight. If I exercise lightly, take the stairs instead of the elevator/park further away/do a very light yoga routine/take the dogs for a brisk walk (not too brisk!)... I'll need 1729 calories.

If I get myself back into a routine of repetitious low-weight training, cardio 3-5 times a week, etc.... I'll need 1949 calories.

If I start doing those Yoga Booty Ballet DVD's (you know, the ones I bought two years ago and haven't opened) on a daily basis on top of the the light cardio and the repetitious low-weight resistance workouts... then I'll need to consume 2170 calories a day.

AND... drum roll, please.... if I ever decide that I am now an athlete and must work very, very hard every single damned day to become a lean, mean, muscle machine... I will need 2,390 calories a day to maintain a weight of 115 pounds. Hah! I cannot imagine this being a part of my reality. However, I have learned in my lifetime that you must never say never. We do not know what the future holds for us.

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups coffee
• 2 liters water
• 1 cup chai tea

SNACK/LUNCH COMBO

• Strawberries
• Swiss Chard, steamed
• Grilled Steak

Dear Reader, I am terribly sorry but I did not write down what I ate for dinner. And now I can't remember! The days and the weights and the inches and the foods are all starting to blend together. I do know that I did not cheat today (I would have written that down for you!). So, I guess that means either an apple or grapefruit for snack, chicken or fish for dinner, and most likely asparagus as the veggie. That's what's in the house right now. Please forgive. :-)

Day 35 - Weight 116.6

OK. Today was a getting back to normal kind of day. The realities of the last few days are still real. But now we stop crying and handle the tasks that day-to-day life brings. Barely a hint of a headache still holding on at the base of my skull. Cleaning, and laundry, and grocery shopping to do. Bills to pay - thank god for online banking! The world does not stop when you are experiencing a personal crisis. So, take a day or two off, have a good cry, and then get up and get movin.' This strategy doesn't take away the problems. They are still there and they will have to be dealt with. It's like a Southern California coastal "June-gloom" over your summer day except it's really over your life. No matter what happens or what you are doing, it's just kind of grey and a little bit blurry.

Smart thing to do? Go have a double treatment with Jann at Pura Vida Day Spa! Oh, yes, I did. Massage followed by facial followed by no more headache. Thank you, Jann!!!! She's so fabulous. Everyone should have one! :-) LOL! The rest of my summer will be hectic, so I'm putting my membership on hold and I'll pick it back up in September. I'll definitely miss her but it's nice to look forward to something truly terrific, right?

LIQUIDS

• 1 C coffee
• 1 C White Tea
• 1 Liter water (I'm really struggling to get back on track with the water!!!)

SNACK

• Strawberries

LUNCH

• Pre-baked Chicken
• Salad

SNACK

• Grapefruit

CHEAT!!!

• 100 grams Heirloom Tomatoes (gosh, these are so yummy!)

DINNER

• Bison Burger (Grill Salt, Greek herbs)
• Asparagus, steamed

Day 34 - Weight 116.8 - MJ Memorial

Today was an awful, awful, awful, tearful day. As you know, this blog is several days behind the reality of my diet experience. In reality, today was Michael Jackson's Memorial Service (July 7, 2009). I watched all the coverage and, while a horribly sad day, there was genuinely a catharsis of sorts in all of those tears and all of that emotion that could be felt side-by-side with the emotional roller-coaster that's going on in my personal life.

My pre-teen and early teen years were all about Michael Jackson. His was the only poster I ever had on my wall as a kid when I was growing up. It was the one where he was wearing the yellow sweater vest. So, so, so cute! Oh, how I loved him. The power of his music and his "force" to be reckoned with in making the world a better place affected my life in ways that I wasn't even fully aware of before I started analyzing it in the days after his death. Even when I first heard that he had died (I was at the re-opening of Pura Vida Day Spa when I found out) it didn't really hit me how much he had meant to me. I really believe that it was Michael Jackson who first lit that bulb in my head that, as individuals, we actually have the power to make positive change happen in the world. If not for Michael Jackson, there would not have been a LiveAid, Artists United Against Apartheid ("Ain't Gonna Play Sun City"), FarmAid, or the like. These movements put the power of positive change into the hearts and hands of youth around the globe and changed the way we saw our world, our role in it, and our personal power & responsibility. He is responsible for that spark. That's not bravado. That's the truth.

In my later teen years, I turned my interest to Prince and then to punk. But when "You Are Not Alone" was released in 1995, I was a newly divorced, single mom of two toddlers. The song was an anthem of sorts and deeply supportive. I spent many nights listening to it over and over before dropping into sleep.

I have always loved excellence. Michael Jackson was excellence personified. And genius. And talent. I think the world was, indeed, a better place for having Michael Jackson in it. His sadness has always broken my heart. I feel the loss of him very deeply, even though I am surprised by my own feelings.

I woke with only a dull headache, not the valiant throbbing of yesterday. A dull ache is something I can handle without meds. So, today was an on-the-couch-with-my-kleenex-watching-the-MJ-coverage-all-day kind of day. Just me and those sweet little girls, Daphne & Zoe, who didn't make any messes and were so cuddly and loveable all day.

LIQUIDS
I really blew the water today. 2 C coffee, 1 C chai tea, 1 C Peppermint/Lemon tea, and maybe 1 liter of water. I doubt it was really even that much...

SNACK

• Grapefruit

LUNCH

• Steak, grilled
• Tomatoes, fresh

SNACK

• Apple

DINNER

• Pre-baked Chicken
• Asparagus, steamed

Day 33 - Weight 117.8 - Migraines & Tears

Today was one of the worst days of my life. Six months ago at the age of 16 my youngest son hooked up with some very bad people, made some horrible choices, and landed himself in some legal trouble that may affect him for the rest of his life. Today I took my "baby" to the first of what will most likely be several court dates. Of course, the outcome is unknown.

There is something surreal about finding yourself in this situation. You feel emotionally raw but you are not allowed weakness. You are a mother. It's your job to be strong for your child, to set an example of how to face with honor and integrity the realities of poor choices you've made, to speak intelligently with the attorney. To be there for your child who is putting on a brave face but is scared to death - which breaks your motherheart even more. Even though you feel like your life is somehow swirling down the toilet boil, you must remain calm, unflustered. Immovable.

I'm good in a crisis. I don't break down until things have been handled. Today was also a day to see how other people in your life stand up for you when you need it most. I learned that I couldn't count on the person in my life that should be the one person that I can count on. What that will mean in my future may be uncertain but, more likely, it is simply a certainty that I can't fully face yet. Today in court we achieved a 30-day evaluation "stay" and we'll move forward one step at a time and see what the next step brings...

That kind of stress and emotional unrest gives me migraines. The only thing that can really cure a migraine for me is Vicodin, a dark room, and a long sleep. Obviously I can't achieve that remedy unless everything else is taken care of so I'll wait until evening to get rid of this hell in my head.

Adding hours of tears to a migraine spells "no appetite" for me but I forced myself to eat today. Unfortunately, I fell far short of my liquids consumption minimums and I probably needed that water most of all. I really thought I'd skip dinner - the thought of eating almost made me nauseous - and I took my first Vicodin at 6:30. But as I was waiting for it to "kick in" I made myself prepare the food anyway. It felt good knowing I was taking care of myself one little step at a time. I hoped that one would do the trick. With no easing of the throbbing pain, I took another little magic pill at 8 p.m. and dropped off into a well deserved stupor by 9:30.

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Chicken & Cabbage Soup
  

(I made it last night. If I hadn't had it ready I probably wouldn't have been able to prepare anything, and consequently eat anything, this afternoon. When you're that down, you just can't make yourself).

SNACK

• Strawberries

DINNER

• Pre-baked chicken
• Asparagus, steamed

Day 32 - Weight 118 - CRAVINGS!

A funny thing happened today. I wasn't feeling particularly hungry but I started craving the "bad stuff!" The strongest cravings I've had since I started the diet. Craving things that I don't normally eat on a day-to-day basis but definitely things that I like to eat. Grilled cheese sandwiches with mild cheddar and gruyere cheeses. Macaroni and cheese; plain like my brother makes it or with salmon, one of my specialties. And those damned fabulous Orange Blossom cupcakes at 25 Main in St. George. Weird, hmm? I don't know if it was because I took Communion at church today (which is accompanied by the "Prosforo" bread, first bite of bread I've had in 32 days!) or if it's because I'm thinking about my husband already being finished with the diet and all the options soon to be open to him. Or maybe my body is just craving carbs. And cheese? The mind is a crazy place.

Don't worry. I didn't eat any of those things.

LIQUIDS

• 1 C coffee
• 2 Liters water
• 1 C Chai tea

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Pre-cooked steak slices
• Tomato, fresh

SNACK

• Strawberries

DINNER

• Snapper, baked
• Spinach, wilted

Day 31 - Weight 117.8 - Hubby's 1st "Post-" Day

Yesterday was my husband's last HCG shot. He stayed on the "juice" for 26 days and was ready to be done. Unlike me, he struggled with hunger for most of his time on the diet which made him pretty miserable.

Today is his first of three post-HCG days. After the last HCG injection, you have to stay on the strict diet protocol for three days. After those 3 days, you must refrain from sugar and the "starches" (i.e. rice, bread, potatoes, pastries, pasta, etc.) for an additional three weeks. The strictest rule is actually that you MUST weigh yourself religiously every morning just like you did during the actual diet. If your weight fluctuates above two pounds from your goal weight you have to do a "steak day" which I'll detail in another post. Other than those two rules, you can add anything back into your diet, including a reasonable smattering of fats and even an alcoholic drink with dinner.

He didn't have the level of success with the diet that I've had so far but he definitely did have success. In 26 days he lost a total of 16.6 pounds and 5 3/4". His pants, jeans in particular, no longer fit him and he has to go back to a smaller size. Thankfully, we still have a few pairs that we didn't get rid of! :-) He really looks slimmer and he is happy about his success. He deserves a shopping trip!

Today was a massive cheat day for me. I don't know what came over me! I didn't eat anything "off protocol" but I was definitely bad!

LIQUIDS

• 1 C coffee
• 1 C chai tea
• 2 liters water

SNACK

• Grapefruit, whole (CHEAT)

LUNCH

• Pre-baked Chicken & Green Salad (for hubby)
• Chicken Soup w/ Cabbage* (for me)

(*Pre-baked chicken, cabbage, Garam Masala, splash of Bragg's Aminos, Dried Onion, Garlic Powder, Salt, Lemon - this soup was really yummy)


HUGE CHEAT @ 4 P.M.

• Crab, fresh - 100 grams

SNACK/DINNER COMBO

• Hamburgers - 125 grams
• Asparagus, steamed - 150 grams
• Strawberries
• WASA (only for Hubby)

I seriously don't know what came over me. I was starving and craving that crab! I started out with 50 grams. After I ate that, I scarfed down another 50 grams. I tried to at least eat it slowly and enjoy it. Still, this was the first time that I actually felt a bit guilty over a cheat. I was so full after dinner that I really didn't feel that great. Not sick, exactly. Just not well. :-( Hubby's doing better without the injection than I am with it!

Day 30 - Weight 118.2

I tried on clothes today. Not at the store. In my closet. I can't believe how many inches I've lost as measured by how my clothes fit. I put a skort on this morning to run to the Farmers' Market and I could grab a handful of it at the waist and the hip! Awesome! In April, that skort was super tight. All the scales and mesuring tapes in the world do not give you the feeling of success like fitting smoothly into your clothes. Or having them drop off your body! LOL! So, basically, my larger clothes - sizes 6 and 8 - are now too big or nicely loose but I haven't really spent any time to try on the smaller sized clothing. I'm going to give myself a few days post-period to feel brave enough for that... Also, even though today should have been a measurement day, I'm also giving myself a couple of days before I do that. Right this minute, I know that measurements are not accurate. I'll let you know how it goes when I do measure. And when I try on the "skinnies." :-)

SNACK

• Strawberries

LUNCH

• Pre-baked Chicken
• Spinach, wilted

SNACK

• Apple

DINNER

• Steak
• Tomatoes, fresh (Me)
• Asparagus, steamed (Hubby)

Day 29 - Weight 118.8 - Back on the Juice!

OK. I'm back on the HCG injections starting this morning. I never felt any difference really as far hunger goes. Chalk up another one to Dr. Simeon. :-)

LIQUIDS

• 2 C coffee
• 2 liters water
• 1 C chai tea

SNACK

• Grapefruit, whole not half (CHEAT)

LUNCH

• Crab
• Tomatoes

SNACK/DINNER COMBO

• Apple
• Shrimp Ceviche (w/ Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Onion)

You've really got to see how beautiful these Baby Heirloom Tomatoes are. :-)

Day 28 - Weight 119 - Period Day 3/No HCG

I woke up today with quite a bit of energy and felt really good. It looks like this will be the last day of my period and I'm excited to, hopefully, get back to the injections and back on track tomorrow.

I've been thinking about getting back into the habit of stretching daily. I love stretching. Since I felt so good this morning, I decided to do a Classical Stretch routine ( http://www.classicalstretch.com/ ). Oh, boy! I did finish the routine but I have to tell you, I was E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D! I seriously felt so tired in my body. From doing a 30-minute stretch workout! I was not out of breath, light headed or anything like that. But my body felt really weak. I will admit that I always feel weaker during my period. I don't usually work out at all during that time, I try to take a nap during the day, etc. But this was more extreme than usual.

I had my apple snack right after the workout at 10:30 and then slid back into bed... By early afternoon I seemed to have recovered and took the "girls" for a walk, accomplished things around the house, etc. Still, I laid pretty low...

Today I started thinking about things that I can't wait to eat after the diet is over. :-)

• Feta cheese
• A "whole" salad (lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber...)
• Mixed veggies & fruits
• Broccoli
• Zuchini
• Salmon
• Ahi Tuna
  
• A "real" Steak

It's funny because everything that I can't wait to eat is actually really healthy. Cool, hmmm?

LIQUID

• 1 C coffee
• 2 liters water

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Shrimp Ceviche w/ Baby Heirlooms & Onion
• WASA

SNACK

• Grapefruit

DINNER

• Laura's Beef Hamburger Patty
• Spring Greens Salad w/ Spicy Vinaigrette

Day 27 - Weight 188.8 - Period Day 2/No HCG

Lost two pounds since yesterday. Yeah! I really think the weight gain or "hold" is completely related to my cycle. That's relieving, I have to tell ya.

It's the second day withholding the HCG injection and I still didn't feel any increase in hunger. I had light cramping throughout the morning but definitely not a big deal. The horror show from yesterday was definitely over! Unfortunately, I am feeling something like a head cold or maybe even allergies. I haven't completely recovered from the cold/infection that I had and now it feels like it's moved directly behind my eyes and into my head. Big time. I've never experienced allergies, hay fever and the like, but it seems like this is what they would feel like. Itchy, pressured eyes, sinus pressure, headache. My self prescription? I headed in to Pura Vida Day Spa for a massage with Jann B. and I came out feeling much better. :-)

Which Lettuce is Best?

I was thinking about lettuce today. Does that sound funny? I've always heard that the spring greens mix was higher in nutrients than romaine which is higher in nutrients than iceberg. My husband loves iceberg and I guess, over the years, I taught him to love romaine. I haven't been as successful in teaching him to love the spring greens. I did some research and actually found that, for the lettuce family singles, the highest nutrient value would be in spinach and the second highest nutrient value would be in loose leaf, green or red, lettuce. Romaine lettuce is higher in vitamin C than the looseleaf but that's it's only "winning" attribute. Still romaine ranks high above iceberg whose only real value seems to be it's high water content. I really like loose leaf lettuce so that will be an easy switch for me and, I think, for hubby, too. I'm glad I know better now and I'll also slip more raw spinach into our salads, too.

For details on the nutrient comparison values of the "lettuce" family, click here: http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/recipes/spinach/spinach&lettucenutrition.html (It's pretty much impossible to get a nutritional value breakdown for "spring greens").

LIQUIDS

• 1 C chai tea
• 2 liters water

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Chicken Soup w/ Collard Greens

(Sambal ulek, Bragg's Aminos, Salt, Minced Dried Onions, Garlic Powder, 2 C water, 2 TBSP Lemon Juice)

SNACK/DINNER COMBO

• Strawberries
• Crab, fresh
• Asparagus, steamed*
• WASA*

*The asparagus turned out to be kind of stringy and tough. I gave mine to hubby, who wanted it anyway, and added the WASA for myself instead.

Day 26 - Weight 120.8 - Period Day 1/No HCG

Finally. I started my period today. I won't have any HCG injections until my period is over. Typically, for me, that will be 3 or 4 days. Dr. Simeon's protocol states that there won't be any extreme hunger even though the HCG injections have been halted. I'm curious to see if that holds true, of course, but for today it was pretty spot on. I didn't notice any difference in hunger.

I did notice a difference in my period, though. Day one for me is usually the day I experience the most cramping. Today's cramping was almost unbearable, though. Much worse than usual. And I found myself doubled over with a hot water bottle a good part of the day. By late afternoon and into the night I also had terrible diarrhea. TMI! I know. But, it is what happened to me and I can only attribute it, anecdotally, to the HCG Diet because it isn't normal for me to experience this much pain and illness with my period. Be careful what you wish for. I wished that my period would start and now I'm wishing it hadn't. Urgh!

LIQUIDS

• 2 C Coffee
• 1 1/2 liters water
• 2 C Chamomile tea
• 1 C Lemon/Peppermint tea

SNACK

• Grapefruit

LUNCH

• Chicken Soup w/ Cabbage (Sambal ulek, Splash of Bragg's Aminos, Salt, Herbs de Provence)

SNACK

• Grapefruit (I know that was twice today. I was really craving it).

DINNER

• 3 Eggs, soft boiled (CHEAT)
• Spinach salad

I have been craving eggs for several days so I thought what better time to cheat than on my period. I deserve it, right? And they are kind of a sanctioned cheat. Unfortunately, they were just a tad bit overcooked. Coupled with how sick I was feeling, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as I had hoped. Bummer. :-(

Day 25 - Weight 120.6 - Pre-prepping Foods

Well, I remain hovering in the 120 zone. Start the period already! I know I cheated yesterday mixing more than one veggie for both lunch and dinner and adding an extra 50 grams of protein at dinner. Overall, I really feel like it's most important to listen to my body and to respect it.

One thing I've learned about being successful on this diet is to be prepared. Pre-prepping and cooking the food portions has been really helpful. Today I baked 6 chicken portions and grilled 6 steak portions that we'll eat during the week. I realize that this is something I can do and probably should be doing after the diet. The portions can be larger and more varied, of course! :-)

Pre-planning and cooking portions, especially for lunches, will keep us healthier over the long term. While I am a big proponent of fresh cooking and am pretty much anti-microwave cooking, I am realizing that it's healthier to have portioned, great food ready to eat instead of reaching for whatever is "easy." Whatever is easy is usually not very healthy and that means not only that easy and fast foods are higher in the "junk" that we shouldn't be eating but that they also don't contain a varied mix of nutrients that we should be eating.

LIQUIDS

• 1 C coffee
• 2 liters water

SNACK/LUNCH COMBO

• Strawberries
• Halibut (left-overs from last night)
• Spring Greens w/ Spicy Vinaigrette
• WASA

DINNER

• Grilled Steak
• Fresh Tomatoes
• WASA (for Hubby only, not for me)

SNACK (eaten after dinner)

• Apple

Day 24 - Weight 120.2

A perfect California day. Walk Salt Creek with hubby. Laguna Beach Farmers' Market with hubby. Plant some herb starts in pots on the patio. Nice long nap with Daphne and Zoe. A perfect day. And, yes, I feel very lucky.

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups coffee
• 2 liters water

SNACK / LUNCH COMBO (recipe below)

• Strawberries
• Shrimp
• Baby Heirloom Tomatoes
• Purple Onions - 50 grams (CHEAT)

SNACK

• Apple

DINNER

• Halibut - 150 grams (CHEAT)
• Fresh Tomatoes
• Onions - 50 grams (CHEAT)

Rub Halibut on both sides with Fresh & Easy spice rub. Bring 1 C hot water, 5 TBSP Bragg's, Garlic Powder, and chopped onions to a boil. Add Halibut. Reduce heat to simmer with lid on for about 5 minutes.

This recipe was too salty and strong. I would reduce the Bragg's to 2 TBSP and omit the garlic powder completely.


SHRIMP CEVICHE

• Shrimp, pre-cooked, diced in small pieces
  
• Baby Heirloom Tomatoes
• Purple Onions - 50 grams
• Lemon Juice - 3 TBSP
• Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt
• Pepper, fresh ground
• Cholula, to taste
  

Slice tomatoes in half. Chop onions fine in Cuisinart. Add tomatoes and pulse until blended. Mixture will be slightly chunky. Do not completely liquify tomatoes. Place tomato/onion mixture in bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well with a spoon, cover and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to blend flavors. Yum, yum, yum!

Day 23 - Weight 120.6

My weight is back UP to 120! WTH? I am following the protocol exactly since I got back from St. George. I'm hoping that the gain is in direct relationship to where I'm at in my "female" cycle. But, geez! Seriously?!?!?!?

I spent a while poking around on the internet trying to find some hard evidence on menstrual cycle weight gain and, particularly, HCG-related results. I found quite a bit of "soft" evidence on cycle weight gain in general, personal anecdotes, etc. Apparently 5-9 pounds of gain in the week before menstrual onset is completely normal. Good to know, hmm? I guess since I never really weighed myself in my pre-HCG diet days I never realized that I was gaining and then losing a few pounds every month unless my clothes felt tight that week.

I found basically nothing related to HCG and the menstrual cycle with respect to weight or inch gain. I do know that when I actually start my period I have to stop taking the injections until my period is over. Even though the injections are halted you definitely have to stay on the diet protocol. If you are taking the oral sublingual HCG drops, you don't have to stop taking them during your period. I haven't been able to find out exactly why that is but those are the rules. I wish I would just hurry up and start already.

LIQUIDS

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 cup chai tea
• 1 1/2 liters water (Oops! Missed the target on that one.)

SNACK

• Grapefruit (10:30 a.m.)
• Melba Toast (11:15 a.m.)

LUNCH

• Pre-cooked steak strips
• Baby heirloom tomatoes

SNACK (5:15 p.m.)

• Strawberries

DINNER (6:30 p.m.)

• Hamburger (w/Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic Powder, Sumac, Salt)
• Asparagus, steamed
• Melba Toast

(I've been eating asparagus a bit often because I had to finish the batch before they went bad.)

I had a lot of energy today. I went to the Farmer's Market in Laguna Hills and picked up my fresh produce before heading home to clean, clean, clean ALL DAY LONG. We're having some re-modeling work done in our home and we just had some tile flooring demolished in preparation for a new floor and kitchen remodel. Even though we tried to wrap & protect things, we have tile dust EVERYWHERE. Today was spent "wet-dusting" every surface in the living areas of the house, including door jams, sills, shelves, floors, etc. I was at it all day and it still isn't done, of course. Still, it was a productive day and we're that much closer to a completed re-do. :-)

Oh! I almost forgot about the electrotherapy results. Sadly, there was no change in my abdomen measurements. But what I was most disappointed about was that I didn't feel anything in my abdomen at all. If it was supposed to mimic a real workout then I definitely should have felt some after-effect results on the following day. I feel NOTHING AT ALL. I don't think I'm going to pursue that one. I guess there really is no way to avoid the gym.... urgh!

Day 22 - Weight 118 - B12 + Measurement Day

Weight: 118 lbs. (-4.4 lbs.)
Bust: 34 1/2" (+1/2")*
Waist: 26" (0")
Abdomen (read: GUT): 34 3/8" (-5/8")
Saddlebags: 40 3/8" (-3/8")
Left Thigh: 21 5/8" (-3/8")
Right Thigh: 21 3/4" (-1/4")
Left Knee: 14 3/8" (-1/8")
Right Knee: 14" (-1/8")

TOTAL LOSSES for this week: 4.4 lbs., 1 3/8"
(*This measurement could read 1 7/8" loss if you didn't factor in the 1/2" gain in my breast measurement. That measurement is, I am completely sure, directly a result of where I am in my menstrual cycle. Swelling breasts is something that happens to me monthly at this point in my cycle, so it is completely normal for me. However, I didn't alter the actual measurements at all. Today this is what my breast measurement was and so that's what I wrote down).

TOTAL LOSSES TO DATE: 11 lbs., 13 3/4"

I'm not very happy with my inch loss this week. Less than 2" is not what I had in mind for this drastic of a diet. However, I did go off-protocol a bit and I did have two travel days in close proximity during the week. I did lose almost 5 pounds but I really don't care about the weight number. It's a bit frustrating to feel like I've plateaued but I'm hanging on for the whole shibang! It's normal not to have a consistent loss although I just realized that with an 11 pound loss in 22 days - that's a pretty consistent 1/2 pound-per-day-loss. Not bad. Also, I'll be starting my period within a few days and that's bound to be wreaking havoc with the weight and the inches.

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Steak Salad w/ Spicy Vinaigrette (recipe & pic below)

SNACK

• Grapefruit

DINNER

• Hamburger
• Asparagus, steamed

I really haven't been hungry at all so I decided to cut the WASA or Melba Toast from my diet unless I actually feel the need to add it in. The protocol from AmaraMedSpa does not include this option at all. If I miss it, I'll eat it. After all I've been successful while eating it regularly. But if I don't miss it, I won't eat it.

Today was the grand re-opening of Pura Vida Day Spa ( http://www.puravidadayspa.com/ ). I have a massage and facial membership there that my husband purchased for me for my birthday last year. One of thebest gifts I've ever received! I do both my monthly facial and massage with Jann Barbour. She's F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S! The first time she gave me a facial I knew I'd never go to anyone else. I thought I was back in the eighties - before the day spa trend really killed the decdent pleasures of spa treatments!

This little hidden treasure of Orange County changed ownership a few months ago and the new owners have been getting on their feet. So today they had a full day of free treatments and fabulous food & drink, open to their members and potential clients. I went in fairly early to say hi and it looked like it ws going very well. They offered me a free body sculpting session on the

electrotherapy machine and I said, "Absolutely." I've been wanting to give the machine a try. Oprah has talked about it on her show and it's gotten quite a buzz. But it's a bit pricey to just dive in and buy a package of sessions. This was a great opportunity.

I asked the therapist to focus on my tummy area and she placed about 6 electrode pads on the different muscle areas of my torso. She warned me that it wouldn't hurt but it would feel uncomfortable. I've had similar treatments for back pain so I knew, generally, what to expect. It felt so weird! She said I had a very high tolerance and cranked it up as high as I could take it, which was totally up to me to decide. It is so strange to have your body "insides" moving and responding to an electrical impulse that is not being sent by your own brain!

The therapist said that one full session is one hour and that that one hour session is equal to 6 hours of working out. While I was laying on the table under treatment I suddenly remembered Dr. Simeon's distaste for therapeutic, or "hard," massage during the diet. He said that the body is working with the HCG in a very delicate balance on the fat cells and that even massage could disturb the that balance and be detrimental instead of beneficial. I was already strapped in so I decided to finish it out.

My session was about 20 -30 minutes. It was uncomfortable, to be sure, but it really felt like it was working and it definitely wasn't painful. I have a fairly high pain tolerance anyway. I drank my three glasses of water while I was there chatting with the girls. I can't wait to see if I feel anything tomorrow. I mean a three-hour ab workout would definitely be felt by my abs! Also, I'm going to measure my abdomen again tomorrow morning to see if anything changed.

SPICY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
1 TBSP Bragg's Aminos
1 TBSP Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt
Red pepper flakes

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Day 21 - Weight 121

This morning I popped out of bed, took care of the little girls, Zoe & Daphne, and headed out to Starbucks to meet my darling friend Z. We try to take our coffee for a long walk on Salt Creek Beach whenever we can. I had to cancel last week because of my unexpected trip, so I'm excited to see her and breathe in that fabulous air. Did you know that the air near the beach has more negative ions in it and that these negative ions kill free radicals? Free radicals break down healthy cells and cause cancer and aging, among other horrible things. Blog lesson for today? You should walk on the beach more. :-)

I brought my coffee with me since I can't have anything in it anyway and we drove the 5 minutes to the beach. The weather was fabulous and not too cold at 7:45 in the morning. We walked through that tunnel and down the big hill toward the sand as if we would never have to walk back up! :-)

Our walks aren't about cardio or speed. They're about sharing our week, issues - good and bad - we're experiencing in our lives, and starting our day off with positive energy. It takes us about an hour to head down to the cliffs and back, stopping abruptly at certain points to use our hands to make a point. Up the big hill back to the car is always a killer but there's no other way to get back up there so it's not like you can quit anyway. I'm glad it isn't uphill on the way there! Of course, after we get back to Starbucks, it takes us another hour to stop talking and let each other go. LOL!

LIQUIDS

• 2 cups coffee
• 2 liters water

SNACK

• Grapefruit

LUNCH

• Crab
• Asparagus, steamed
• WASA

SNACK

• Strawberries

DINNER

• Red Snapper w/ spice rub*
• Fresh Tomato
• WASA

The snapper turned out really yummy cooked in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. It could have been cooked for less time, though. Probably about 15 minutes would have been better.


I used a new spice rub that I bought at Fresh & Easy, an English market that expanded into the U.S. a couple of years ago. (http://www.freshandeasy.com/)

I like them because they carry great organic, free-trade coffee and many of the Indian foods and spices that I like. They're over in the Laguna Woods area which is a bit far from me and the distance keeps me from shopping there on a regular basis. However, my dry cleaner is just around the corner from them and so, at least once every two weeks or so, I have to be in that area just to run errands. (They are the best dry cleaner I've found in South Orange County. It's well worth the drive).



Anyway, back to the food! With such a limited pantry option for cooking the fish I was looking for a new spice. I found several "rubs" but noticed when looking at the ingredients that most of them have sugar added. That's a no-no, of course. The one I decided on was a total shot in the dark but it turned out to be a very fresh and simple option. It really let the flavors of the fish come through but wasn't boring.



You could make your own rub, too, of course. I find I'm getting lazier in the kitchen the longer I'm on this diet. It's hard to keep fresh ideas when you are eating the same things day after day. The ingredients in this rub are: Dehydrated Onion, Salt, Dehydrated Garlic, Spices (?), Lavender Flowers.

Housekeeping Note: I'm behind on posting, so this is the second post for today. Read below for yesterday's. And, please forgive!