Laurie's "Grand HCG Experiment"

[LAinSEA]

Day 1: The Office Visit - 500 calories a day? Who are you kidding!?!

History: I'm 45 years old and despite eating a low glycemic index diet, I've gained 70 lbs since the last time I was journaling on WISH. The worst of it is that I've actually put on 25 lbs just in the last two months and believe me, I have not been eating cookies non-stop from a box hidden under my pillow.

My father is very overweight and since his early 40s, he has not been able to lose any weight for any substantial amount of time and keep it off. To be truthful, he likes his protein and salty, crunchy things. But he isn't a glutton and he does exercise a moderate amount--mom drags him on an hour walk each day at a pretty brisk clip.

In my 30s, I taught skiing fulltime in winters along with walking or hiking an hour each evening on and off season. My weight during the off-season would go up by 20 to 30 lbs despite being very careful about what I consumed and even trying to up my exercise level with weights and dance classes. I didn't worry too much because I knew as soon as December rolled around I'd lose what I gained plus some. When I could no longer justify teaching skiing fulltime and needed to find a fulltime job that paid more, I found that there was no amount of exercise, or cutting back on food that would take the weight off.

In 2000, my husband and I starting eating low-carb - Atkins program. Wow, it worked, lost almost 40 lbs, along with my walking routine, until we began adding in more carbs - whole grain starches and fruits. Soon the weight wouldn't budge even with going back to induction-level fats and proteins. We have tried South Beath and the Med and Sonoma diets since, I lose 2-5 lbs the first two weeks, then nothing, then I actually begin gaining weight despite cutting down portion sizes and refined carbs. I increased the amount of time exercising and it actually made the weight gain worse. (I'm now back to 40 minutes of walking 3 to 5 times a week, and 20 minutes on off-days.)

When my stress level goes up, so does the weight gain. May was a super stressful month (thought I would lose my job or at the very least be transferred) and I put on 15 lbs! Today at the my appointment, I found out that I put on another 10 beyond that! That's 25 lbs in just 6 weeks and no, I don't eat fast food, or doughnuts! (I did get to keep my same job-but the stress level is still high right now even if I'm not teaching this summer.)

What led me to HCG diet? My sister is a RN and she, like my mother (who is 5'2" 105 lbs), thought that I must be eating nothing but junk and sitting on my behind all day and night. Then my sis needed knee surgery and was sidelined from being able to take her daily run or ice skate for 6 weeks. Yes, she eats very carefully and continued to during her time off her feet. But, low and behold, she put on 20 lbs in the first month and gained another 10 the next two weeks during her rehab. Once she could exercise again the high level she was doing prior to surgery, she couldn't drop the weight either. "See," I said, "that's what I'm talking about and it will only get worse, you'll see!" She is three years younger than I am and had not seen the dad-like weight gain before.

She lives in Utah and a friend recommended two things to her; get your thyroid checked and go to the HCG clinic and get B12 shots. Her nurse practitioner put her on thryroid meds and she began the B12 shots weekly (she didn't do the HCG because she had less than 40 lbs to lose to her goal weight--120 lbs). Her diet plan is less restrictive also; still low carb, but with much more choice in fruit than what I am starting on this week. She was up here over the weekend and told me to find a clinic in my area and just try it. (I've since had my thyroid checked and I'm low in the same area-T3 uptake-that she is, but I've yet to find a dr. that will take new patients in my area.)

Truthfully, I'm very skeptical, but desperate enough to try anything for two to four weeks. If I don't have results in four weeks, I will try and find a surgeon.

Vital Statistics (to keep me honest):

5'3"
Weight: 218.4 lbs
Bust: 48.5
Waist: 45
Hips: 48
Size: 16 W or 1X

Goal Weight: 122 lbs
Goal Size: 12 on top, 10 on bottom

First Cycle Goal: 35 lbs (183 lbs) with 4 weeks

Tonight and Tomorrow Meal Plan:
2 days of "loading" - eating all the high fat, high carb, high sugar (fruit--since I don't like pastries) food I can stuff into myself without being sick (not as easy as it sounds as I don't eat this way ever!) and self-administered HCG shots.

First day of HCG shots, shakes, and VLCD beginning Friday

WISH me luck and willpower

Laurie

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 2:

I succeeded in giving myself the shot without too much squeamishness this morning. I'm not going to pretend that I don't like needles, but I was brave. The most difficult part was making sure I drew the HCG into the syringe without any air bubbles. (The nurse said it was not a problem if there was a slight bubble as I am not injecting the shot into a vein, but it would be better to not draw in much air and it wastes HCG to remove air after the draw.)

Since I had to eat within half hour of waking, I heated up my last remaining mini quiche from the freezer and it seems that I've been trying to eat something all day (high fat) ever since. Thought I was doing well until I went to return the shake mixes--because they contain coconut and I'm alergic--and the staff asked what I'd had to eat today by 2pm. Apparently my idea of eating a lot and theirs is a bit different. I came home and found a package of brie that was kicking around in the icebox and then snacked on some pistachios (didn't know I had these things in the pantry).

Tonight is Chinese take-out - DH said he'd miss this more than pizza, but...we usually order stuff with more veggies stirfried with a little meat. Tonight it's deep fried foods. He ordered Almond Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork! I haven't had either in a decade.

The shake substitutes will be two egg whites scrambled over low heat in a non-stick pan, if I am overly famished. I was hoping for extra veggies instead to snack on. The shakes are very high in protein. I am surprised that I haven't developed the no Diet Coke headache yet today. I had non-sweetened iced green tea for breakfast and have been on loads of water since.

All I feel right now is too hot, guilty for eating things that are against my better nature, and bloated from all the water I've pounded. I guess if the load days are not really for the physical reaction for the HCG to start metabolizing fat, they are to make one so nauseated from over eating that one looks forward to the fast to come.

Laurie

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 3: Woke up this morning needing to bolt to the bathroom. All that water yesterday!!! After dinner last night, I had thought I'd even try to have a snack prior to falling asleep--just to make sure I'd loaded up on the load day, but couldn't even bring myself to going downstairs to do it. It had been so long since I'd had fried food, it was sitting there at the top of my stomach feeling like some kind of lead weight. I couldn't fathom putting anything else in on top of it except the water, water, and more water.

Surprisingly, I was not hungry this morning, not even psychologically. I managed the shot and fixed a glass of green tea over ice. By mid-morning, I was pounding down the ice water and didn't even feel a tinge of hunger, so I skipped making up a two-egg white scramble to replace what should have been the shake. I got to lunch later than I should have. I was doing laundry and then got a call from my mother (sure she was checking on me to see if I'd fainted dead away yet.) Lunch was 5 defrosted pre-cooked prawns (weighed prior to defrosting to make sure I wasn't over the 100 g./3.5 oz on the protein--they weighed 90 g after defrosting), my "handful" of mixed greens with 3 small yellow tomatoes from my garden quartered and tossed with a small drizzle of red wine vinegar, and a medium-sized granny smith apple sliced thinly (more to munch on--almost like have crisps). More water and off to an imaging appointment where I should have taken a bottle of water with me as I had to wait 20 minutes after my appointed time.

More water before dinner. We "marinated" chicken tenders in a splash of lemon juice with garlic, sea salt, ginger powder, and cracked pepper. DH grilled them on medium heat praying they wouldn't stick without any oil. I juliened a third of a cucumber and some mint and basil leaves and rinsed and dried off some butter lettuce outer leaves. We made fresh rolls with mint, basil, cucumber drizzled with a little vinegar and added a half of chicken tender. To reach 100 g/3.5 oz for the chicken, it appears that one larger size and one smaller size tender does it. Together, after cooking, they weigh 90 g. I also had my apple - a medium-sized gala this time - sliced into my "crisps."

Frankly, I was starved before the chicken was grilled, but after eating, I'm not wanting more right now. If I feel hungry prior to bed, I can whip up the egg white scramble as the shake subsitute. Again, more and more water before bed. Our water glasses are 16 oz size; so far I've had 6 and I need 3-4 more before bedtime. I do have a slight headache most likely from no Diet Coke since Thursday am.

I have to weigh in tomorrow on my home scale and check for ketosis first thing tomorrow am. I see this weigh in as a baseline--not to track any changes from my official weigh in at my appointment. I know that the scales will weigh differently.

Laurie

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 4: After getting up and sprinting to the bathroom again today (and forgetting that the ketosis strips were downstairs and I was supposed to check this morning), I got on the scale and received a shock. 7 lbs gone from last night. Now I know I wasn't supposed to weigh myself last night, but the scale needed a new battery and when that didn't make it OK, DH took it apart and found that it needed one of its leads re-soddered (sp?). After he was done, the whole family tested it out. First he weighed Sasha (youngest cat--10 lbs and it matched her last vet check), Niko (12 lbs) and Tilda (16 lbs) were then submitted to humiliation (especially Tilda who resembles her Meowmy), then DH got on and swore, which prompted me to get on and the scale read 218--the same as I weighed in the office on Wednesday afternoon on the "official" scale. After two days of eating non-stop fatty foods and one day eating VLCD, I was pleased that it read 218 and not higher. But wow, weighing 211 was clearly not in my wildest expectation by morning. It's got to be all water weight.

Felt hungrier this morning, so I tried to make an egg white scramble. It looked quite unappetizing and tasted very bland even with sea salt and pepper on it. I've got to find a palatable substitute for the shakes--my father suggested I just boil a whole egg and discard the yolk--it would be more appetizing to consume. I also tried licorice tea (as suggested) and I actually liked it, but checked twice to make sure there was no sweetening in the bags--it tasted very sweet to me. That was followed up with 4 tall glasses of water (I've found putting a very thin slice of fresh lemon in the water makes the water go down much quicker for me), a tall glass of ice tea (to try and get rid of the no Diet Coke headache), followed by more water and lunch. Repeat of day one; shrimp, mixed green salad with 3 small yellow "cherry" tomatoes, and a granny smith apple cut into crisps.

Before lunch, I tried to mow the lawn (our heatwave broke from 94 yesterday to 84 today). I had completed about 2/3s of it when I felt really light-headed (and not due to dehydration). DH finished it for me. I sat down and had more water, but still felt weak. Then I looked at the clock and it was nearly 1:30 pm--definitely time to have some lunch. Surprisingly, I almost didn't want to finish eating--I felt full before I was done with it. But I did force down the rest of my meal (is this a good thing?)

Dinner tonight was wild caught sockeye salmon (100 g), my handful of veggies was microwave-steamed asparagus cooked with a drizzle of lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper, and a gala apple cut into crisps. I really wanted more asparagus...but I feel full now, right after eating.

More water (and running to the bathroom) until bed. My parents called to check in on me--I'm not sure if it is true concern or morbid curiosity right now for them given the tone of the conversation. Can I really live on 500 calories a day? And could my father, who really, really, really needs to find a successful way to lose weight live on 500 calories a day? Still, I am reserving judgement on whether this plan will yield success in the short and long term.

Laurie

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 5: Remembered the ketosis strips and it registered at slightly pinker than "trace" levels. This is good, but I was hoping for a higher reading. Still I'm supposed to be between trace and small (5 to 15). If I am higher I can have a larger portion of veggies. Hopping on the scale I was down to 209. Wow, 9 lbs gone! Really!

Meals yesterday were: Breakfast - hot licorice tea followed by a tall black iced tea (to help with the no Diet Coke headache that is still raging), Lunch - Repeat of Friday's dinner with chicken, cumber, mint and basil butter lettuce roles with a dash of vinegar for flavor, one granny smith apple, and lots of water, water and more water, and Dinner grilled flank steak (DH "marinated" the meat for one hour prior to grilling in a bit of lemon juice, bit of red wine vinegar, dried parsly and oregano, minced garlic, sea salt and pepper), mixed green salad with a drizzle of lemon champagne vinegar (had same carb/calorie content of the apple cider or red wine vinegar), and a gala apple.

We did a great deal of gardening yesterday - major weeding and pruning. My back, which I injured last spring, was super tight last night so a I slept with one of those thermocare back belts last night. Two felines were pressed up against my lower back by morning--they definitely know how to find THE warmest spot in the room. We also did a mild stroll through a garden center looking for cocoa mulch (as we are both alergic to beauty bark); however, the cost is too large to get it there. I'm looking for another source. Walking away from a nursery without anything is a first for me. I love to garden!

Morning of Day 6: Can the weightloss be sustained? Again slightly pinker than "trace" on the ketosis strip and down to 207 on the scale. Wow 11 lbs gone since Saturday evening! Given the amount of fluids I'm taking in (100+ oz of water plus tea in a day), it can't just be "water weight" or can it? I'm losing my healthy skepticism. Called mother to gloat (poor father is going to be subjected to renewed calls that he go to the clinic.)

Plans for meals: Breakfast was licorice tea and a glass of black iced tea (still have residual no Diet Coke headache in morning hours), begun chugging the ice water. Lunch--I have the choice of either shrimp, chicken or left over flank steak with either a mixed green salad or the butter lettuce-cucumber rolls up. Plan for dinner is grilled halibut with a mixed green salad and, of course, my apples at both meals. I sure glad that the ketosis strips shot at least the trace amount or I would have to give up the fruit for 48 hours. If I get hungry and want a substitute for the shake, I can poach some egg whites or DH found some trim cottage cheese that almost exactly matched the nutritional content that the shake had for 1/4 cup. I'll see how I feel throughout the day as to whether I need either substitute to ward off hunger which really didn't happen at all yesterday except close to lunch or dinner. Exercise: I plan on getting in a moderate 20-30 minute walk and we are going to do some more work on the garden if DH is up to it this evening.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 7: Ketosis strip show "small" (15), yet the scale still showed 207 this morning. I feel deflated and frustrated. What did I do wrong yesterday? Eating all on plan (no cheating), lunch-time apple was a golden delicious (instead of the granny smith or gala) and a little larger in size than the others. DH cooked the halibut in parchment with a couple of thin lemon slices and onions, but I didn't consume either. Maybe I was low on water? I was feeling very saturated by early evening, but kept drinking. The doctor said that as long as I'm in ketosis, I'm losing but the scale may not show it for a couple of days. I just didn't expect to hit that wall so soon. No shot this morning, this is my off day this week. I resume shots tomorrow.

Today I've had hot licorice tea for breakfast, followed by a large glass of iced green tea, followed by my ice water. I feel hungry, so as soon as a I get down another full glass of ice water, I'm going to have a 1/4 cup of trim cottage cheese. Strange how I haven't been hungry in the am until today and this is the day the scale didn't cooperate.

Lunch will be butter lettuce, cucumber roll ups with either shrimp or flank steak and dinner will be salmon with mixed green salad and, of course, my apples with both meals.

I finally found a family practice clinic that is taking new patients and have an appointment to follow up on the thyroid test results and symptoms my OB/GYN RNP found the end of May this Friday morning. I hope that this doctor is willing to listen, especially now that my younger sister is being treated. I've had symptoms for years and years, yet the TSH test showed low, but in the normal range, so my old doctor chose to do nothing. Funny, I guess he doesn't see the loss of eyebrows or eye lashes as a problem nor the weight gain (eat less and exercise more...did that, still gained weight.)

Need attitude adjustment - weather supposed to be way too hot for Western Washington today. Need to seek out A/C place to walk.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 8: Slept in over my alarm this morning. I was actually achy yesterday with the sneezes (summer cold coming on?) The trim cottage cheese (1/2 cup) mid-morning actually diminshed the headache, but I paid for it with a running stomach after lunch--or was that the cold. The extra did not take me out of ketosis for today (I show a trace, not as pink as yesterday's level), but still in the right range according to the workbook. Scale cooperated; down to 205.

Today's meals; breakfast hot licorice tea, followed by tall iced tea (sticking with black today--the green made me nauseated, must be a later in the day thing for me), snack at mid-morning (if I need it) 1/2 cup trim cottage cheese, lunch left over planked salmon and mixed green salad with vinegar dressing, dinner DH's choice of either halibut or salmon in parchement with mixed green salad. Fruit apples one meal, strawberries the other. (I had strawberried last night for dinner and wow, what a refreshing change--nearly out of season here though.)

My exercise goal is to get out this morning and walk, while it's still cool enough, around my neighborhood for 20 to 30 minutes at a moderate pace. It was way too warm to do any gardening yesterday evening when DH got home, so projects await us out in the yard as well.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 9: Ketosis in small (15) range, weight still 205. So that's the way it's going to be...every other day? Still I'd rather see the scale move even by a pound than do two every other day. Still, ketosis is supposed to be my measurement.

I did walk for 30 minutes yesterday, but took the hills in my neighborhood instead of staying on the flat. It is overcast again this morning, so I'll do a walk in a few minutes after getting down my tea. I found after my walk yesterday that I wasn't hungry, so I didn't have any cottage cheese. I'm not hungry right now, so I'll see again after my walk if it is necessary. I've got a bit of a head cold for certain. A cold is supposed to make you retain water in your system, so maybe that is why the scale isn't moving.

I did the iodine test last night. Supposidly, if you take tinture of iodine and put a dropper on the inside of your elbow and then on your inner thigh before bed and if it's gone by morning, then you have a thyroid issue. My sis and her daughters did this; sis's was gone, oldest daughter still there, youngest daughter gone (we know that Allysa has had thyroid issues in the past-infections). This was part of the evidence sis took to her doctor to be prescribed thyroid meds. Allysa hasn't been to the doctor yet as the test was done the night prior to leaving for her father's for the summer. My mother (the 105 lb wonder) and my very obese father did the same test this week. Dad's was gone, mom's still there. My test? I was tired, so I went to bed early last night and put the stuff in the right places. DH was still puttering around. At 11pm, he woke me from the beginnings of sleep to say that I needed to remember to put the iodine on my inner elbow. I groggily told him, "I did that already." "It's gone he said." I got up and went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Gone in both places. So then he gets out a sharpie and draws a circle in both places and literally paints on the iodine. He gets out the digital camera and takes photos. Before he left for work this morning, he's shaking me awake again. Iodine is gone, skin is normal color. The weird thing is, that I can actually taste that weird iodine taste in my mouth this morning--sometimes it's there with shellfish, but weak. This is stronger. My body absorbed it all and is metabolizing it. Very weird.

I'd read an article, several weeks ago, that American's are becoming iodine defficient. It isn't used in our flours or even our salt in the same way it was 20 years ago. Other preservatives are cheaper. The article encouraged readers to eat more iodine-rich veggies and proteins, like shellfish. Iodine is also a poison in not too high a quantity, so I don't think letting it absorb into your skin is the best supplement in the long run.

There must be something about the NutraSweet and Splenda the doctor at the clinic talked about. I'm pretty sure it's not the caffeine that I want right now, but I'm craving sweets. Not just any sweets, I'm perfectly happy with the sweet of an apple or strawberry, but I'm actually craving sugar-free gum! (known artificial sweetener). The doctor said the only safe alternative was Stevia (Truvia), but still I should avoid using much of it as it would make me hungrier. I suppose that is true. Honestly, I'm not a fan of cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, etc.--but since I've started this plan, visions of cupcakes with tall frosting are dancing through my head. What does that craving say about me? Before eating this way, I was a sucker for swedish fish candies and licorice red and black--not cupcakes (I turned them down when my students brought them to school.) I'm hoping the cravings go away very soon.

Meal Plan today: Breakfast-licorice tea and iced black tea, water, water, water, trim cottage cheese (if needed), Lunch-shrimp, salad with vinegar and apple, water, water and more water, Dinner-chicken tenders - either as part of a green salad or in lettuce wraps, strawberries (DH's request--he really liked the lettuce fresh rolls last week.)

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 10: Ketosis a bit pinker than in the small (15) range, but not to the next level, weight 204 (206 fully clothed on the doctor's office scale). (I was hoping for at least a two lb drop as my weight didn't change yesterday.)

I was so hungry 2 hours after dinner that I had 100 g of trim cottage cheese. My schedule was a bit off for meals--DH said he would be getting off early from work as he had put in several hours of OT throughout the last two weeks and I anticipated an earlier for us dinner (more the time we should be eating on a regular basis.) After my walk in the morning, I wasn't hungry--just kept pushing the water. I had lunch more like 12:30pm instead of 1:30/2pm. By 4:30 I was getting hungry, but though DH would be home anytime. He didn't get home until 6:30pm and then it took another half an hour to prepare dinner once he was home. Eating at 7 or even 8pm isn't out of line for us--during the school year, sometimes it's later than that, but I hadn't anticipated the hunger pangs brough on by an earlier than normal lunch. Even after eating dinner, I was still hungry. Kept pushing water, thinking once dinner was well under digestion the feeling would go away. It didn't. By 9:30, I knew I wouldn't sleep unless the grumbles stopped. The cottage cheese did the trick, but it took a full hour and more water before sleep to diminish the hunger pangs.

I'd like to say it psychological instead of physiological. I can handle migraine/sinus headache pain better than most people, even joint pain I can deal with, I'm not quick to take an advil or aleve or aspirin for anything. But hunger is so intense that I change personality. It was one of the reasons I was so skeptical about this diet plan--but I've not been hungry like that until last night. Funny, but in the morning hours, until I eat something, I'm almost never hungry. Needless to say, I know what hungry feels like--something that most doctors and nutritionists will look at a fat girl and say, "No, you are misreading hunger feelings."

It has taken all summer to find a primary care physcian on my insurance plan that will take new patients. I was referred to an endrocrinologist the first week of June by my OB/GYN RNP, but the clinic in my area wouldn't see me until I had been seen by a FP, GP, or IM. Now my lab results from the end of May are considered "out of date." New labs had to be taken and the call from the FP's office to the Endocrine office said they won't schedule unless the labs values are a certain level. My sis knew this would happen up here--"Tell them your symptoms, insist they try you on the meds while you wait for all the rigamarole!" But no, four vials of blood later and an urinalysis and another week before lab results, can we talk to the Endrocine clinic for a consult--and by the way they're scheduling out in late September or early October. I'm ready to drive up to Canada and do a drop in appointment in Vancouver. Health care reform can't come soon enough for me, and I hope when it does, all the physicians are dropped into the sea. In my area, which is a larger, growing, suburban area, there is a shortage of physicians--especially Family Practice doctors and certain specialists. There has been a shortage of FPs for over 25 years (my DH tried three times to get into med school-wait listed all three times, but being white and male, he was passed over for women and minorities with lower grades and MCAT scores--his goal to be a FP/ER doc and serve the West Yellowstone area (still without a fulltime physician presently.) I actually waited to see the doc in charge of admissions the third time, because I was hugely pissed off and my media credentials got me in the door at the time. When he finally saw me, he asked why I didn't apply, as I had a much higher chance of getting in than my white, male husband. I turned the info over to a reporter at the TV station I worked at and a law was finally passed in our state that was supposed to do away with the "quotas." Too late for DH--he was then considered too old for admission to med school. But, the institutions are still finding ways to deny entry to qualified candidates over the need for diversity. End of rant! I'm a teacher, and I love all my students regardless of their background, but I hold all to the same level of accountability--no one slides for any reason. I use standards-based learning/assessment which means students must demonstrate learning for their grades not just put up the points.)

FP doctors, IMHO, should feel up-to-date treating metabolic issues not just the flu or minor sprains - although, she admitted today that she would send me to an orthopedist for a sprain. She was as "selective" of me as I was being of her--as a new patient and even suggested at one point that maybe I keep looking for FP. Yeah right! So now doctors can decide if they like you as a patient--if you don't want to know my medical history and why I'm not seeing doctor I had in the past, don't ask. All I know is that I don't like being talked down to like I'm some uneducated idiot, I took biology, physiology and psychology as part of my undergrad (20 years ago) and actually remember all of it. I now have my Masters in education and have probably done more professional development (required and personal choice) in the last four years than any physician. I only have one more year to teach and I can apply to a doctoral program and once I have earned my PhD, the MDs can address me as Dr. also. (Sorry more ranting--can you tell I'm mad?)

Meals - breakfast - cold jasmine/green tea's tea on way to appointment, need to catch up on water intake, lunch - left over chicken and mixed green salad with apple, dinner - DH is going to look for more of that halibut, or we'll do leftover flank steak with lettuce/cucumber fresh rolls and strawberries.

Must find better attitude - walk planned for after lunch today instead of this morning, hope it doesn't heat up too fast out there.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 11: Starting very late; I slept in. Because of my appointment yesterday morning, I got a very late start on my water consumption. I was trying to catch up all day and ended up drinking way too much prior to bed (still didn't meet my goal of 102 oz.) As a consequence, I was barely asleep and then up to run to the bathroom. Up again at 4:15am and same drill. I feel for those who have a restless bladder as this is new to me. I'm getting my combo black/green tea into me now and skipping the licorice tea today also.

Ketosis: pinker than "small" (15) but not quite as bright as the "moderate" (40). I'm glad because it means the trim cottage cheese I had again to stave off the night hungries didn't take me out of ketosis. (If I was using the shakes, I would be having one right before going to sleep and three others spaced throughout the day before and between meals.) Weight down one lb to 203 (now a 15 lb loss since beginning the VLCD a week ago Friday.)

Meal Plan: Chicken, cucumber, butter lettuce fresh rolls with an apple for lunch. Flank steak, with mixed green salad and strawberries for dinner. Now that I have a late start on fluids, I'd better get to drinking.

Plan for exercise: 30-40 minute walk quickly as it is getting very warm outside. We also need to finish two interior doors so we can get them installed along with finishing the main floor baseboard this weekend. Gardening, if I can find some shade to work in.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 12: despite the warming weather, I had a real difficult time meeting my water consumption goal for the day and probably fell 32 oz short. However, not wanting to be up and down to the bathroom all night long, I didn't "pound down" the water the last hour prior to bed, but just sipped until it was cool enough to sleep around midnight. Which means I'm awake later than I should be to begin the day and getting in the fluids again today.

Weight: still 203
Ketosis: small to medium range (not quite bright enough to be considered medium (40), but well over small (15). DH noticed that those "batwings" above my bra line are basicially gone today, my upper arms are looking more toned and my face thinner--I have cheekbones again. Still, I'd give it all up to make my belly disappear first. I guess I'm destined to lose from the extremities in and not from the core out.

I did have some trim cottage cheese (100 g) mid-morning because I wasn't hungry for it last night at all despite going to sleep much later. It did help to get the digestive track moving; the lack of dietary fat really doesn't help with regularity (sorry if this is too much information.)

We walked last night at 8:30pm after waiting for it to cool down some. Thunderstorms only made it more muggy, I'm afraid. I wasn't up early enough to walk before it started getting hot today. I realize that "hot" is relative; but in Western Washington summers are supposed to be 75-80 degrees and lower humidity--that's why we stay here despite better job offers over the years to places east and south. We are now nearly 90 degrees at 1pm and it is the beginning of a 6 day stretch of 90+ weather for us. The little AC unit willed to us by dear friends moving to the SouthEast three years ago and installed in the dining room on the main floor is a godsend. Wish I had some extra cash for an upstairs unit. Someday we are just going to need to break down and get the whole house AC--someday.

Still working on putting the clear finish on the new interior doors--funny how a project takes much, much longer than anticipated. We began remodeling 18 months ago, starting with new hardwood floors through the main level (we have a tri-level home), complete re-do of the kitchen and powder room. Then, of course, the doors looked so out of place, so they are next along with completing the baseboard. Then on to downstairs to put down the hardwood floor down there and trim it out--we already did a stacked slate fireplace surround and new mantle to match the fir cabinets in the kitchen. Most of the work we've done ourselves, learning along the way. However, there are days I wish I could call in HGTV and have it all done in a 1/2 hour show.

Meals: Breakfast-iced tea (mix of black and green) and trim cottage cheese, Lunch-left over chicken tenders with cucumber-butter lettuce rolls up and apple, Dinner-halibut cooked in parchement, mixed green salad, and strawberries (unless DH has another idea.) Water, Water, and more Water.

Exercise (if it cools down by late evening): 30-minute walk.

 

[VernRDH]

Laurie-

I have been reading your journal and am impressed!! I don't think I could do what you are doing, so many kudos to you and DH!!!

Water can be tough, especially if you are not a big fan of water. But especially in the heat it is important.

Good luck and I am looking forward to hearing all about your progress!

 

[LAinSEA]

Veronica, thank you so much for your kind words!

Truthfully, willpower is not a trait I'd describe myself with. Since I was 5 years old (and a competitive swimmer beginning to get up at 4am to train at that time), I've been addicted to caffinated diet soda--Tab, then Diet Coke. Mom also bribed me to keep going with red/black/grape licorice and swedish fish and it is amazing that when I am stressed, that is exactly what I want. Poor DH, a ranging case of PMS would send him to the store at all hours of the night to pick up those things when we were first married. He then began to put away a store of them for emergencies. After all, look at you running 1/2 marathons! Wow!

DH has been very supportive; he is not following the plan except for dinner, but he's not a big eater either and sometimes he doesn't get to lunch at all while at work. (To look at him and you'd get his expanding belly is all about hitting the vending machine for chips and going through fast food drive throughs--he could stand to lose 40 lbs to be at the weight when we got married--a good, but not too thin weight for him--he'd like to be 180. But his place of business doesn't have the vending machines nor is he keen on fast food; he'd much rather play Emeril and create something fantastic and flavorful and (usually) healthy. Again, we have been eating low carb, lower fat, and low glycemic index-style for years and it didn't keep our weight in check.) HOWEVER, DH did expect that with my success on the scale, that he would have shed a few pounds also along the way. He's eating the same portions I am at dinner and doing whatever he has time for with leftovers out of the freezer for lunch when he has the time. He got on the scale yesterday morning and he'd lost 3 lbs in the same time I'd lost 15 lbs. Now, that's a change. Usually if we are "dieting," he is dropping weight left, right, and center and I'm the one waiting for something to happen and getting very frustrated that I don't have a male metabolism. To be a true experiment, he'd have to be eating just the 500 calories--the same foods as I am--each day. Somedays he is probably under when he doesn't get to lunch, others over. I can only surmise that my success is the HCG (whether that is physical or psychological at this point, I couldn't say for sure.) All I know, is that my hunger as diminished as the days go on, but knowing that there is something "safe" to go, like the trim cottage cheese or a couple of egg whites, if I feel hunger, is very comforting.

Ketosis: pinker than small (15) not quite as rosey as medium (40)--can't decide what color that is for medium.
Weight: 202 (down one more despite the heat for 16 total)
Really tired this morning as it was tough to sleep. Really wish we had AC in the bedroom. I've pulled all the curtains and shut the windows for daytime until the temp drops into the 70s tonight. I did keep things cooler to do this yesterday, but still, I'm the type of sleeper who wants at least a sheet on me (or I feel exposed--no snug as a bug in a rug feeling without something.) It was way too hot for that. So when it's warm, I just keep waking up (full bladder or no full bladder, so I can't blame the fluid intake.) We did get our walk in, but it was nearly 9pm before it feel cool enough to DH to go. By Wednesday this week, I need to be getting in 30 minutes twice a day per instructions. Prior to starting the HCG, I was used to 40 to 60 minutes at a stretch, but this program doesn't want you to bonk on low energy. Actually, despite the tiredness from lack of sleep, I don't feel anything like I did the first few days on the program. Energy levels are good (not great, but good).

Doctor's office just called to let me know that I need to schedule the appointment with the Endocrinologist as lab reports are being sent over there. My copy is on the way. I would have expected the doctor or a nurse to go over those values with me so that I know what was found. It feels like a blow off--like being turfed without the communication. That is quick turnaround on labs; taken Friday and results sent Monday. Kudos to the lab techs.

Today's plans: Make Endocrine appointment, move HCG clinic appointment to earlier in day on Wednesday (thought I would have to sit for federal jury duty this week and I'm not needed to report this week!), pick up house and do inside cleaning on level with AC, maybe get pedicure, do some lesson planning (now that there is a draft of national standards for English to go along with state/district standards.)

Meals: Breakfast--iced green/black tea mix, making fish "tacos" out of left over halibut for Lunch (make "salsa" with little bit of cucumber, tomato, onion and red wine vinegar with dash of chili powder and cumin and parsley (need cilantro for this really) and use with fish inside butter lettuce and apple, Dinner--DH's choice--either rockfish or grilled flank steak, with mixed green salad and strawberries. Water, Water, Water.

Exercise: Walk again late this evening when it cools off some with DH.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 14: Missed going for the walk last night; DH was not in the mood (heat changes his personality into that of a grizzly bear that has been startled on a trail while he's busy eating huckleberries--and having done that once in my lifetime, I don't challenge the bear.) That and he found a really interesting feature in the Excell macros function he needs to strip out data from work; each time it runs it defaults to Chinese characters (Mandarin/Taiwan). Weird and a little scary. He actually, then built one on my personal machine and the same thing happened (not with proprietary data), but my machine is not showing any virus activity and neither is his work laptop. He tried to report it to Microsoft last night through the on-line help chat, but was told to call it in this morning. The whole thing is freaky because he deals with critical financial information for the district and despite the firewall here and the remote firewall of the district, the language change in the coding makes the data easy for someone to hack. Again, too much info, and not a real good excuse for not going for the walk all by myself (our neighbor is quite safe even after dark--which we'd waited for so the temp would fall into the 80s and not in the 90s where it had been up until 8pm. Again, we are heat wimps here in Western Washington. I've been real good about walking this past week, so I suppose I should feel intensely guilty about skipping a day, but I do anyway. If DH isn't willing tonight, I'm going anyway and he can feel guilty about being non-supportive.

This morning:
Ketosis: small (15) - I took the advice of the handbook and added another half a handful of lettuce to last night's salad because I'd been more in the medium (40) range.
Weight: still 202 (and I'm guessing that with this heat, despite meeting my water goal yesterday, my body is hanging onto fluids--my rings are tight and my feet feel swollen.)

Sleeping was again difficult last night, so I feel a bit "punch drunk." I shut the upstairs windows again this morning and pulled all the curtains to keep out the heat until it gets dark. Poor little AC unit on the main floor; it sounds like a small train engine pulling the kiddie ride at the fair. I was thinking about heading to a mall to wonder and walk today (or tomorrow), but I'm guessing everyone else will have the same idea. I'm also waiting for more lab results--my UA showed that I'm fighting some infection and I had to go in to do another so it can be cultured before treatment. I'm not willing just to take antibiotics unless I know what they are targeting; the weak ones just don't do anything for me except make my body resistent to them when I really need them. I've also been reading "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels (DH picked it up yesterday on a Costco run for TP yesterday.) It's really interesting and the eating plan I will definitely try once this weight is gone! It is all about the hormones responsible for maintaining/losing weight and how we, as Americans, have managed to screw up our metabolisms to the point that many of us can't lose weight even with careful dieting and lots of exercise. What she has to say is really hitting home with me right now; I'm just hoping that my labs show something that can be addressed.

Meal Plans: Breakfast--iced green/black tea, Lunch--leftover halibut and butter lettuce salad and apple, Dinner--most likely rockfish (DH choice of grilled or baked in parchement, or maybe I can talk him into making the packets heavyduty foil and then doing the steaming on the grill so that the oven isn't turned on), and strawberries.

Exercise: 30 minute walk (I have to go to twice a day starting on Wednesday when the temp is supposed to be over 100--so I guess I'll be setting the alarm for an early morning walk--Oh well, I guess I need to reactivate the alarm again sometime.)

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 15: Wow is it already way too hot outside. I woke up early (or did I just not sleep--again?) and got in my walk and even did the big, steep hill (40 minute walk instead of 30 minute walk, but much more strenuous.) We tried to walk last night after dark, but the temp was still 85 at 9:35 and it didn't drop below 71 (officially at SeaTac Airport). That's a new record for us here in the Seattle/Tacoma area. I say try, because we did attempt to go. Once around the greenbelt was all DH and I could manage--he just was drenched on the first slight hill and my calves kept cramping up despite being well hydrated. In hindsight this morning, I should have gone at 7am instead of just before 8am. The temp shot up almost 10 degrees in that 40 minutes!

Ketosis: Small (15) range
Weight: down one lb to 201

Official Clinic visit stats:
Weight: 203.4 (15 lbs lost)
Neck: 14" (down 1")
Chest: 47" (down 1.5")
Upper Arm: 13.5" (down .5")
Midriff: 42.5" (down 2.5")
Hips: 47" (down 1")
Thigh: 24.5" (down .5")

Fat %: down .8
Hydration: up 2%
Phase Angle (cellular health): up .7

I got an "A+" for my first two weeks. Better yet, I was cleared to eat a serving of low-carb organic cottage cheese (check label for highest protein, lowest fat, lowest sugar %), a stick of low-fat organic string cheese, one whole egg or three egg whites for breakfast (now mandatory instead of just tea) or snacks in place of the shakes that have the coconut dirivative in them. As long as I stay in ketosis, I'm (hopefully) burning fat. I also opted to have a B12 shot to increase my energy level (and that my recent lab results showed I was B deficient as well as very D deficient--but haven't solved that problem yet.)


What I've learned thus far:
Use smaller (salad-size) plates instead of dinner plate and the portions appear larger.
Start hydrating early--it's too difficult to catch up if you start late.
Even a medium apple can look like a feast if you slice it into thin crisps.
Don't skimp on flavor or variety of foods (even on a very low calorie diet with a very restricted group of "safe" foods.)
Butter lettuce is your friend! Wow, the amazing variety of wraps, "tacos/fajitas," fresh rolls that can be made with the outer leaves of this little veggie!
Salads really don't require olive oil to be flavorful; a splash of vinegar and or lemon juice or combo is all that is really needed (when you want to kick it up add some dry mustard or wasabi powder to the mix.)
A slice of lemon in your water makes it much more refreshing and easier to keep on drinking.
Don't beat yourself up when the losses aren't what they were to start--be content with that pound every other day, but hope for two

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 16: After getting back from the clinic yesterday and shopping for some new foods to safely add to my veggie allocation for variety, I received a call from my doctor. My UA had really turned up with a serious UTI/kidney infection (no other symptoms, yet explains the transient lower back pain I've been experiencing.) She prescribed Bactrin and cranberry juice. "Juice! I can't have juice!" is going through my mind. Call to the HCG clinic and one must do what the doctor orders--if ketosis falls below trace, I will have to give up my fruit serving with lunch and/or dinner and make sure I don't drink the cranberry juice alone. This morning, I'm getting it down with my "mandatory" breakfast before my walk--which I must start soon because the thermometer is already nearing 80.

It hit 106 at the little airport here, SeaTac 103! definitely a record for us. Puyallup forecast for 100 again today, so you can imagine how difficult it is to keep the house cool enough to sleep. I need to shut windows upstairs (again) and pull the drapes (again) before I walk.

Ketosis: just a trace (already decided to halve the fruit at lunch).
Weight: down 1 lb to 200!

Meals: Breakfast-100 gm trim cottage cheese, 8 oz cranberry juice (sweetened with apple & grape juice instead of sugar, splenda, or HFCS) and iced green/black tea, Lunch-flank steak, spinach salad, three strawberries, cranberry juice, pm snack low-fat string cheese (lightheaded--probably antibiotics), Dinner-halibut "tacos" using butter lettuce with "salsa" cucumber, tomato, onion, green tomato (tomatillo) mixed with salt, pepper, red vinegar & lime juice, 1/2 apple and cranberry juice.

Energy level is pretty low (lack of good sleep) despite the B12 shot yesterday (but sore hip where it went in), but I'm going for the walk anyway as soon as I get down this iced tea. I am, I really am!

 

[VernRDH]

Laurie-

Hope the infection clears up soon! Keep drinking all the water too, it definately helps.

200 How awesome!! You could be in ONE-derland tomorrow!!! I'll be looking forward to your post tomorrow to see what happens!!

 

[LAinSEA]

Veronica: again, thanks so much for your support and kind wishes...

Day 17: This UTI is now symptomatic after taking the Bactrin for 36 hours. I hurt, I shake, I'm lightheaded along with the other uncomfortable feelings a UTI will bring. Feel nauseated about 2 hours after dinner last night, still too warm to sleep well until well into the morning hours. To add insult to the injury, I'm out of ketosis this morning--must be the addition of the cranberry juice 3x a day with meals even though I cut the fruit serving at lunch and dinner in half. I have to lose all fruit now (except the juice today) until I'm back into fat-burning land. I won't have an afternoon snack either today. I'm trying to get through the trim cottage cheese for breakfast now before my walk, and it's not sitting well.

Ketosis: none
Weight: up 1 lb to 201 (no one-derland for me just yet.)

Plan for the day: Breakfast--100 g trim cottage cheese, 8 oz cranberry juice, iced black/green tea and meds, Lunch--shrimp "taco" using left-over "salsa" and butter lettuce, Dinner--chicken tenders and mixed green salad, cranberry juice and meds.

Exercise: walk 50 minutes.

Treat: Get manicure and pedicure and "date night" to see HP & Half Blood Prince in IMAX3D (must generate willpower to stay clear of popcorn.)

 

[VernRDH]

Would it help to cut the juice with water? Usually cranberry just helps symptoms, doesn't actually do anything, that is what antibiotics are for!

This is only a temporary setback-pretty soon you will be on your way again!!

 

[LAinSEA]

Good idea, Veronica about cutting the juice with water; but now that I've finish my 2-qt bottle, I'm hoping that I don't need it anymore. Still, I was not symptomatic of having a UTI until I started on the meds/cranberry juice--must have started mobilizing all of the those little nasties out of my system and that has made me uncomfortable. I wish I could find cranberry sweetened with Stevia, but we are just starting to get products in our stores that use it instead of other sweeteners...What was weirder about the juice was the way the first couple of sips made me feel. It was very much the "sugar rush" -- I felt actually light-headed and it took most of my meal eaten before that feeling went away.

Last night, we went to see the Harry Potter film in IMAX-3D. (I liked it, I'm a big HP fan of books and films, DH didn't like it as much as the early films when there was much more fantasy and magic and things closer to the novels.) I love popcorn. I've actually drempt about popcorn. Couldn't not eat popcorn (especially at a movie theatre) if I could smell it. And walking through the lobby was tough last night. Going to the ladies' just before the show started, I purposed left DH in charge of the handbag to make sure I wasn't tempted to get in line for it. However, by the time we were leaving after the show was over, someone had burned the popcorn and that smell is perhaps worse than any other burned food smell except for milk, and I didn't want it anymore. So one test passed.

The other test came today; going up to my parents for their "luau" dinner party to see off them, my sis, and her two girls to Kauii and Hawaii for the next two weeks. Mom was good enough to hold back some shrimp from the marinade and oil, and also a skewer of peppers and mushrooms, and didn't toss the salad dressing with the greens (which I usually do), so everyone could add their favorite. I brought some "safe" vinegar up for me to use. She also made sure to pick up some strawberries to go with the tropical fruit and made sure five were held back from the fruit tray for me. Again, test passed, I didn't feel leftout, nor did I feel hungry, but Dad did look at my plate vs his own, and comment on how little food their was and "How could your mother expect me to live on that?" (She's now pushing the diet as something to try when he gets back from vacation.) Nobody, not even my mother or sister, said anything about my weight; not "your face looks thinner," or "you look like you're doing well," nothing. That in itself is strange, because what I look like is usually the first thing off my mother's lips when she sees me, positive or negative. However, she did just see me three weekends ago right before I started the diet. I guess when you're as large as I am, almost 20 lbs gone isn't going to make much difference in appearance. I guess I should just be happy she wasn't pushing an Oreo at me while saying I need to do something about my weight, and wishing my father would. (She eats sugary junk non-stop and is about 90 lbs wringing wet on a 5'2" frame.) OK, done with "poor me."

Today:
Ketosis: barely a "trace" color change
Weight: back to 200 (found lb lost again)

Meals: breakfast--100 oz trim cottage cheese with meds, lunch--high protein 1 egg, 2 egg white omelette with shrimp (skipped fruit and veggies to try and get back to ketosis), dinner--grilled shrimp, green salad w/vinegar, mushrooms, tomato, green/red peppers, strawberries with meds.

Exercise: mowed lawn (45 minutes to get it done, not time for walk today)