R1P3D1

Translated: Round one, phase three, day one. :>

Yesterday was my last VLCD. I achieved 93% of my goal, approximate my inches lost as six, and averaged .47 lbs/day over the 32 days I have been in phases 1 and 2. I expected not to completely meet my goal since I am being careful to ween myself off of phase 3 prior to a planned trip out of town, where I will be in NO control over my food intake. Yes, for those who know me, I am heading up to mom's. :> So....I am right on target. I'm fitting into clothes that have been hanging in my closet unworn, and buttoning and zipping where there was no hope before. :D

After doing a bit of research on this third phase, I've come to understand that this is, by far, the most important part of this protocol. I have to keep my weight at no higher, and not less than, two pounds of my last weigh-in on the last day of phase 2. During this phase, my body no longer contains hcg, which enables me to pull calories, etc. from my abnormal fats. I have to maintain at least 1500 cal/day or I may throw my body into a 'survival' state where it will begin to gain gain gain. It may be on this phase that my scale will bounce up and down. This is normal, I understand, as my hypothalamus is leveling out. I must continue to weigh myself each morning, or I risk not realizing that I am gaining weigh. I will not notice my clothes getting tighter, as I would have prior to starting this protocol, because my body will distribute the weight gain evenly over my entire body.

During the next three weeks, my hypothalamus is resetting itself to where I will no longer have food cravings, I will be full with less food, and one day of eating poorly will not mean more weight when I step on the scale. [That would be ONE day of eating poorly, ladies and gentlemen.] I cannot eat ANY starches, or sugars during this phase. So I must avoid carrots, oranges, real sugar, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. I should eat six times a day, i.e. breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.

So here it goes....

VLCD 29

My current mixture of hcg will run out after today. Orignially I planned to mix half the dosage for an additional week. Then I remembered the hcg is in a ampule, and it is in powder form. I don't have a sensitve enough scale to split it in half, and also I would be left with the problem of how to store the remaining half. I cannot mix up a whole batch since that would be for 15 days, and would mess with my timeline of being back to eating ANY foods by the end of May.

So this means that beginning tomorrow I will continue the 500 cal/day for three days. It takes that long for the hcg to clear your system. Then I will begin Phase 3, which is eat anything that does not contain sugar and starch. Yay, back to juicing and raw foods and exnay the meats! This will continue for three weeks while my hyperthalmus is continuing to reset itself. It it still very important that I stay strickly within the protocol, or I can risk gaining heavily. And yes [for those of you who have been following since the beginning], broccoli sprouts in are in the sprouter! Yeah baby. Should be readhy in about four or five days.

I will continue to weigh myself each morning and log it and what I eat each day. It will be interesting to see if I can manage to continue losing since I am not at my goal yet. I have a month to see what I can do. Bets anyone? :>

VCLD 28

I am really learning with this "weigh every day" deal to focus on the big picture. I tend to forget there's a process going on here, and keeping in mind that no diet I have ever been on has done this well. My metabolism does run amok. But when I average it out I am losing exactly what the protocol says I will loose: .5 lbs/day for women. A good reason to pay more attention to the green 'trend' line on the graph here, than the blue weight line.

Although, I can say when I was strickly raw for three weeks I averaged losing .3 lbs/day. I'm looking forward to getting back on track with raw foods after Phase 2 is done [soon!]. No calorie counting; just wait for hunger and JUICE! LOL

Do sea vegetables contain any special phytonutrients?

In addition to their wonderfully rich mineral profile, sea vegetables also include unique phytonutrients. One category of nutrients for which sea vegetables are well known is sulfated polysaccarides. These carbohydrate-related nutrients, also called fucans, have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers are also investigating their antithrombotic activity (their ability to inhibit blood clots). Additionally, they have been found to have antiviral activity in laboratory studies.

Yet, their phytonutrient offerings do not end there as sea vegetables are also a noted source of lignans, phytonutrients for which flaxseeds have become famous. In the body, lignans are converted into compounds that have weak estrogenic activity, helping to balance estrogen levels.

George Mateljan

Your skin acts as a barrier to the world, yet it is not impenetrable.

That is why many of the healing practices we use are fomentations, oils, ointments etc. The skin will absorb much of what is placed on it. "Chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream, causing toxic effects". Some say absorption through the skin is more dangerous than through the mouth. What is absorbed through the skin doesn't go through the digestive system where enzymes break them down and detoxify them. What is absorbed through the skin goes directly to the bloodstream without being filtered through the liver. So it is very wise to be aware of what you are placing on your skin so that it will bring healing and life.

George Mateljin

VCLD 25

Yesterday I whined to my husband about how frustrated I was. The last two weeks' weight loss has been disappointing to me; I gained one day and plateaued another. He's like, "Just go with it."

This morning.....I DROPPED TWO POUNDS. Can you freakin' believe it? What it is is my ridiculous metabolism. Seriously. I can't tell you how many times I have stepped on the scale in the past, expecting to have lost weight, and my body says nah-ah.

I also can't tell you how long it's been since I weighed what I weigh now. Yippee Yi Ki A babies! :D I am at 56% of my goal.

Oh, and I forgot to eat my fruit last night LOL.

Even now, though, a little pesky voice in my head says, when you get on that scale tomorrow morning, you will have gained it all back. /sigh I don't think it's only my metabolism that's a mess.....

VCLD 22

A Revelation

I've been complaining about being so stuffed eating large amounts of veggies with both meals so that I get closer to 500 cal. H says listen to your body and stop eating when you're full. Won't I stall? So I posted on an hcg group and learned that I just need to be careful I don't go over 500 cal. [One more reason to review the protocol.]

I have been skimming through these groups and am amazed at how many people don't get this program. It couldn't be any more clear; you cannot vary any items on the foods lists, and the options for your skin care and makeup. Period. Why didn't I lose, or why did I gain, I only _____ [fill in the blank]. READ THE PROTOCOL AND STICK TO IT. It's like a diet book for dummies. Easy-peasy.

So last night I had this dream where I was in a bikini looking at my figure in a mirror. It was almost perfect, if I sucked in my itsty bitsy tummy; that was the only thing 'left to go.' LOL So when I woke up I was sure that I had lost pretty well. Stands to reason, right? This morning I lost the most I since the 4th or 5th day into this. Wuhu! So I am almost at one of my main goals. So far I've lost 42% of my goal. I've got 15 more days to go.

I'm a bit surprised at myself for not being tempted in the least to cheat. In my mind I have some motivations, but I think the main reason is because I know, with the hcg in my system, that if I do cheat - even a bit - I will gain in a major way. Then I would have to start all over re-losing that weight again. The fact that this is in my body is the biggest motivator for me. Plus, I am really looking forward to Phase III. LOL

VCLD 20

I get to pat myself on my back. I took myself to the movies last night [which is my haven for popcorn AND a movie], and did not partake. I had an apple in my purse that I munched into [my afternoon-allowed fruit], and I was happy. Of course it helped that I went on an 'off night' and was almost the only one in the theater. So I was not surrounded by happy popcorn munchers - or my husband. Too tempting to just reach over and grab a handful from him. :D

Cool movie. Special effects are awesome these days. I saw How to Train Your Dragon in 3-D. Only bummer: $14.50 for the ticket!

Do most turkey products contain sodium nitrite?

Virtually all nationally marketed, non-organic deli meats contain sodium nitrite (or sometimes potassium nitrite) as a preservative. Occasionally, a non-organic manufacturer will introduce an "all-natural" version of its deli meat that does not contain any nitrites, but the only way to be sure about this is to check the ingredient list on the back of the package. Since preservation with sodium nitrite is not allowed in certified organic deli meats, these organic versions are a great way to steer clear of this preservative. Cooked whole turkey products and cured turkey products often do contain sodium nitrite, but there are nitrite-free products in the marketplace. Once again, your best bet is to look through the ingredient list and check for sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite among the ingredients. Nitrite-free products will sometimes advertise their nitrite-free status on the label.

George Mateljan

VCLD 19

Yippe Yi Kiyay! It would seem my plateau is ovah! Always a good feeling when I get off the scale, to see progress has once again returned.

/sigh of relief

I really hate my scale. Getting on it I hold my breath and pray. I know. Told ya: headcase. :>

80% of fish eaten in the US cancer- and birth defect-causing?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0F8x4i5GYE

Foods that are bad to eat....?

There are very few natural, whole foods that we would consider "bad" to eat. In and of themselves, and prepared in a way that preserves their natural nutrient composition, virtually all foods are good for you! It's usually what we do to foods that make them bad for us. In other words, we can turn any good food into a bad food by destroying its natural and beneficial qualities.

Here are some of the steps we can take to turn a good food into a bad food:

We can fry it in fat.
We can overprocess it and destroy too many of its nutrients.
We can grow it in unnatural soil that has been treated with synthetic fertilizer or chemical additives.
We can spray it with pesticides while it is growing.
We can add synthetic chemical ingredients to it, like synthetic colors or flavors.
We can add synthetic preservatives to it to extend its shelf life far beyond its natural shelf life.

Common examples of "good" foods turned into "bad" foods include:

Whole grains that have been turned into 60% extraction grain flours, in which the majority of original vitamins and minerals are lost along with removal of the bran and the germ. (Any baked good with 0 grams of fiber per serving would be a great example of a good food turned bad through excess processing.)

A whole fruit turned into a low-pulp or pulp-free fruit juice, with all of the pulp nutrients being lost from the juice

Nearly colorless, overcooked vegetables that have lost their vibrant greens and yellows due to excessive exposure to heat

Any prepackaged food that is a mystery in terms of its ingredient list and which contains more synthetic additives than whole food components

White, granulated sugar that has been stripped of virtually all nutrients contained in the original sugar cane plant

VCLD 16

Oops! I gained. Just when I was thinking how great it was that I was losing everyday. But I know what happened. User error. I used leftover beef broth to saute some fish last night. 1. only use chicken broth. 2. and it must be fat free. I blew it on both counts. Just not thinking. If you don't stay on protocol - you gain. Bummer. But, it's .5 lb and it could have been worse. Just a day lost in the weight-losing sense. :P

I have often thought of lost weight in terms of weights. Yeah, the kind you lift. If you lose 1 lb or 5 lbs think of that weight lost as a 1-lb or 5-lb dumbbell. It will put the weight that is no longer carried on your body into tangible terms. So....yesterday I actually hefted the dumbbell that represented my current lost weight. I was awestruck, and quickly realized; it is one thing to imagine the dumbbell weight in your mind, and quite another to lift it. Now multiply that out in your mind by 10s +++ for those who are very obese. Add to that gravity, and it's amazing that our bodies can sustain the unnatural weight.

VCLD 14

This is the infamous two-week mark, and I have achieved 33% towards my goal.

I am comparing this to where I was at the last time I dropped significant weight in a short time period. At a three-week mark when I was doing strictly raw foods/juicing, I had achieved 28% towards my goal. So there's a definitive effect using the hcg.

The average of my weight loss per day is .68 lbs/day. I understand the average for women is .5 lbs/day, so I would say I'm right on track.

I also know that I have dropped inches. I know that by my clothes, but not by measurements. I opted not to measure, or caliper myself. I'm too much of a head case. I knew going in I would know I was losing inches without the mental anguish of journaling it.

I was pleased to recently read in the protocol that if you are still taking hcg after you have lost your 'bad' fat cells, the hcg will NOT being withdrawing from your 'good' fat cells. Good to know.

I will say that I continue to be amazed at how full/satisfied I am after my meals. Things that make you go hmmm......

VCLD 10

That place I mentioned that I wanted to be..... I did it I did it I did it!

Okay. Maybe I am getting a little more confident about this process. Should be an interesting week. I will say that drinking more water does seem to lead to a bit more weight loss the next morning. So there's my big tip! Nothing I don't already know, but now I'm actually doing it.

Oh and here's something I discovered that was an error. One of the food/calorie lists I got off the net had a mistake. A big one. I love fresh asparagus, which is allowed on this. I could never figure out how to get my calorie intake close enough to 500 whenever I ate it. Remember when I picked up some ground beef [blech] to help boost my calories? The list I was using showed 3.5 oz of asparagus at 3 calories. Yesterday I thought, you know, maybe I should check this out. Try 20 calories! That's one thing I realized rather quickly with this diet; there's a plethora of information out there. More then you would think are not correct. This is just an isty bitsy example of that.

VLCD 9

I'm pretty excited. I'm on the cusp of moving into a lower weight range, and that may happen tomorrow. That would be a big boost to me; less of 'this is going to fail' and more of 'I'm on my way.' :D So far I'm at 26% of my goal after 11 days.

I have one more day with beef [blech] and then I'm done with that. Picked up a bag of frozen white fish, and a bag of frozen organic chicken at Whole Foods yesterday. That will make it easier to prepare. You know, once you get the hang of the foods it's not such a hassle. Because of the proportions, you end up preparing several servings at once.

I still struggle a bit with trying to reach 500 calories for the day. I have to be careful, and usually end up just under by 20-30 calories. I am not hungry. Can you imagine? This is a great indicator that my hypothalamus is burning up the not-normal fat cells. Burn baby burn!

VLCD 7

So....the scoop so far is in the first week I dropped 19% of my goal weight. As of this morning, I've dropped 24% of my goal.

I must say I am gaining more confidence in the weight loss happening. I will definitely say that the hcg HAS to be the culprit in curbing my appetite. I just don't see how a person, normally, would not be ravenous with 300 - 400 calories. I am not. I do experience a mild 'empty' feeling, and that's when I slip a stick of sugarless gum in my mouth. No problem. But I HAVE to eat at least, and no more than, 500 cl/day or my weight loss will stall.

I've decided to skip the recipes in the various hcg cookbooks and blogs. It's too confusing for my brain. Sometimes the information contradicts the Simeons protocol, and since the diet is SO exact, any variance to the protocol can make a big difference in the outcome.

What keeps me so motivated is the expectation of getting on the scale loosing weight each morning. Think about it. When does that happen in any diet -- and still be a healthy diet?

So now....on to week two.

Oh, and PS....I did opt to get the ground beef so I could keep my calories from being too low. It was convenient for me to go to Trader Joes and get their organic beef. They only had 90/10, and it is recommended you get the 97/3. Well, I don't care which it is......blech!. It's just gnarly. I'm using it up, and that will be that.

VLCD 4

So far so good. I've dropped 17% of the weight I'd like to loose. Cool beans.

I had trouble again yesterday getting enough calories. I think the deal is beef and chicken are higher in calories than fish. If I ate the meat twice a day I'd do fine, but I'm alternating between fish and chicken so it amounts to less calories. I'm left scrambling at the end of the day trying to get in enough calories. I cannot increase the meat and fruit portions. Veggies are low in calories and I can only eat so much at a time. I'm not too sure how to resolve this without buying into eating beef. I'll have to think on this a bit.