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!