R2P4D1/40 - And so it (Phase 4) begins ...

February 27, 2012

Round 2, Phase 4 (eat whatever I want in moderation) Day 1/40

Yes, for those of you Lord of the Ring-ers (like me), the title of this was a quote.  Wow, a Sherlock reference the last time I wrote (on Thursday), and an LOTR reference today.  I'm letting my inner Geek shine through loud and clear!

So, it's official.  I am stabilized.  I had (for lunch on Saturday) a Hardee's low carb thick burger (it was 4 pm and I hadn't eaten lunch ... desperate times call for desperate measures), which means, it was a Frisco burger sans the bun (but with lettuce).  Can I just say it was about the best fast-food I have ever eaten?  Anyway, I also had a Coke Zero that day.  AND farro and Indian food (all home made) for dinner (all approved, but I had never had farro before, so I didn't know how my body would react).  I also had 1/2 a homemade brownie (uh huh) and a crumpet with Denise's homemade grape jelly for breakfast.  In short, I ate carbs (MUCH less than I would have before HCG, but I had them).  And the scale ... stayed flat.  On Friday, I had an entire stuffed bowl of popcorn, and the scale actually went DOWN on Saturday morning.  Funny.

This is what stabilizing means.  Now, it's going to take me the entire month of March to feel comfortable eating carbs.  I'm still going to weigh every day, and I'm still going to, as much as possible, eat low to no carb.  But, if I "splurge" with a little something special, then, "on my head, be it."  (Wow.  Another GEEK quote.  It was from Harry Potter.)  For example, I'm having dinner at Mom & Gram's next Monday, and I might, just might, try a little pie (if Gram makes one).  Maybe not, but I could.  Maybe a 1/2 a piece.

This weekend, I went through my closet (coat AND clothes) and tried on everything I own.  I ended up donating 1/2 of it.  At the start of this, I thought I would pay to get things altered.  But, as I tried on dress after dress and swam in them, I decided, "Seriously, Julia ... just wear what you have that fits, donate the rest, and buy off of the sale rack when you get to the size you should be at."  So, that's the plan.  I'm down 3.5 (ish) sizes from when I started, and I'm hoping to be able to be down at least another 2 - 3 sizes by the time I wrap all of this up next year at this time.

So, I'm securely into P4 (0.6 under Last Dosage Weight) and will continue to weigh every day.  If I see that scale go up 2.7 pounds, I'll correct and re-stabilize.  If not (which I'm praying it won't get to that), then I'll be starting Round 3 (loading on the Saturday before Easter, and Easter Sunday/my Dad's birthday) on April 9. 

May the force be with you.  Yes, I just went there ... a Star Wars quote.  It's like a GEEK quint-cathlon in this blog (LOTR, Sherlock, Harry Potter, Star Wars ... and I don't even LIKE Star Wars).   I'll leave you with another little goodie (for those of you Sherlock-ians like me) from Sherlock, Season 2, Episode 1 ...

R2P3D18/21 - Have I traded in one addiction for another?

February 23, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 18/21

I've traded in my food addiction for an addiction to the BBC's Sherlock.  Okay, just kidding.  I'm just trying to find an excuse to use this picture and Season 1 (2010) with the Sherly quote and picture that I just found.  Why?  Well, yes, I think it's clever and funny.  But, mainly because I think it's apropos to this blog.  First, let me be clear.  I do NOT have delusions that I'm a fictional male character, nor do I think I'm a genious, sociopathic, Victorian sleuth.  It's because right when I saw this picture 10 minutes ago, it reminded me of what I so often think of after I hit send on this stream-of-consciousness, showing-myself-warts-and-all blog.  I very often think, "Perhaps I should have edited myself out of that just a wee bit?"  And, yet, I blather on again and again.

Okay, down to business.  Yesterday, I actually forgot to eat until 9 pm.  Uh huh.  I forgot.  Don't worry (I can literally HEAR your "oh honey" right now, Mom) ... I'm 0.2 below Last Dosage Weight (LDW), so I'm healthy.  I really drank a normal amount of water yesterday (I think around 70 - 80 ounces), which filled me up a bit.  I have never, EVER forgotten to eat.  Yes, I've chosen not to eat, but I've never forgotten!  I've even been so distracted that I didn't have time to eat.  But this time, I completely forgot.  I think, with God's help, I'm overcoming my love affair with food, little by little.  So, I ate some steak (a big chunk) around 9, stayed up until 12:30 (as late as I could push it) and woke up to ...

a 2.5 pound loss. 

To be fair, it was 2.5 pounds that I realize now, was still left over from the fever (yes, I even have a left over fever blister that has almost gone away ... I'm a picture of beauty let me tell you).  It's normal, especially when doing a weight-loss program, that when you get sick, your body stores liquid (hangs onto it like a bad penny) to help ward off infection.  So, I'm on the mend, and I'm back where I should be.  It might be Day 18 before I'm there in P3, but I'm there.  Fortunately for me, I plan on doing P4 (eating what I want, moderately) like I did in Round 1 -- I'm going to keep eating P3 foods, except for special occasions.

So, please excuse me while I leave you now to go eat lunch. 

God's blessings to you all!

R2P3D16/21 - Strep Throat Freight-Train

February 21, 2012

Happy birthday to my honorary nephew, Daniel.  He's 8 today.   Look at this picture of him from almost a year ago.  I defy anyone to look at that precocious little smile and NOT feel happy.  : ) 

So, for those of you who don't know (I think you all probably do), I had a 103.5 fever and strep throat on Saturday.  Sooooooo THAT'S why I was having troubles stabilizing.  This diet does that ... you get a little bit sick, and it sucks up (and doesn't release) water for days at a time.  I suppose that's a good thing for a sick body.  But, I'll tell you what ... I haven't felt that bad in years.  My throat felt like it did when I got my tonsils taken out, so I knew something had to be wrong. 

I'm back to normal (well, almost) today.  And, my weight is in the 2 pound Last Dosage Weight (LDW) range.  I even threw caution to the wind the last three mornings and had a crumpet with Devonshire clotted cream and homemade grape jam.  It was awesome.  And, I didn't gain.  Now THIS is what P3 is supposed to be like.  I technically have 5 more days, but I'm going to keep going in P3 through the end of March, with ocassional P4 (moderately eating carbs) for special ocassions (like a movie out, or dinner with a friend).  But even then, I'm going low-carb.

Okay, enough about me.  Back to Daniel.  I pray God's blessing and protection over Daniel, that he will grow to be a mighty warrior for the Lord and that his hands and feet will do the work of God.  I have no doubt he will, because of his love of God AND his ninja like strength and dexterity that he's had from the moment I held him at 8 hours hold and his little newborn fist grabbed hold of my hair so tightly, it took TWO adult hands to pry one little newborn mit open.  Little monkey. 

R2P3D11/21 - Homemade Popcorn & Exercise at Night = Correction Day

February 16, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 11/21

Yep.  I did it.  I went against my better judgment and made popcorn (1/2 c.) in coconut oil last night.  I read on the HCG forum that 1/2 c. of homemade popcorn is approved eating in stabilized P3 and P4.  Last Round, I had an entire bucket of movie-theater popcorn when I went to see Sherlock Holmes, and didn't gain.  Well, this morning, I gained back what I lost from the egg correction day.  This has brought home several messages:

1. Today is a do-over, so no worries!
2. Every Round is different -- I knew that, but in typical me form, I thought (or at least hoped) I would break the pattern and all of my Rounds would be the same -- yah right.
3. Perhaps they meant 1/2 c. of POPPED popcorn was okay.  Because I couldn't even finish my 1/2 c. (uncooked) of popcorn, because it popped into so much!
4. Don't eat carbs (under the recommended 100 carb mark in a day) the day AFTER doing a correction day.  I probably should have let myself stabilize.
5. Exercise in P3 (unstabilized, which I'd say I am since I've done 3 correction days, now, in 11 days) is unwise ... it makes your body retain water.
6. I'm not eating enough calories.  That can make you gain.  Can you believe that?  I tracked my food yesterday, and I came in 100 calories UNDER where I should be to maintain.  You'd think that would make me lose?  But, in this protocol, where we are re-setting our hypothalamus (sp?), we HAVE to (and they aren't kidding) eat our calories.  I haven't been eating enough of them.

So, here I am, correcting again.  Since I just did an egg-day 2 days ago, today, I'm doing a steak and tomato day.  That means, no food until after 3 pm (it'll be after 6 pm for me, by the time I get home from work).  I'm pretty confident that the weight will come off.  But, will it STAY off?  Fortunately, it's only 3 pounds above LDW, and it's not 54 pounds back.  GOOD.  But, it's taught me not to hurry this.  Just take it as it is ... I'm going to be eating carb-clean as much as possible for at least 11 days (when I enter Phase 4, eating in moderation), and hopefully, by then, I'll be stabilized.  We'll see.  Either way, I'm going to basically eat Phase 3 foods in most of Phase 4.  With the ocassional pizza night, or meal out with friends.  But even then, I'm removing as many carbs as I can from my menu.

Tonight, I'm going to "redo" my menu.  I believe I'll be having my eggs and sugar free bacon (all fine) for breakfast, some chicken salad for lunch (with a pepper), and I think for dinner, I'll have a big spinach salad with blue cheese and some rottisserie chicken (I think).  It's not much different that what I normally have eaten in P3 this time around, but I'm hoping all of the veggies will do their work.  Oh, and I'll eat a Lara bar and maybe a handful of nuts.  Maybe.  Gotta get those calories up!

R2P3D10/21 - Writer's Block

February 15, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 10/21

I have absolutely nothing to say.  I know you people are astounded by that.  In fact, I had completely forgotten about writing this blog today until my Mom sent me a sweet, "Where is your blog today?" email. 

Hi, Mom! 

I lost 1.9 pounds this morning, as a result of the egg Correction Day (and 150+ ounces of water ... that's 5 liters of water, peeps).  I'm still 1.1 pounds above Last Dosage Weight (LDW), which is fine, but my over-achiever doesn't like it.  So, I'm drinking like a fish (lemon water, coffee, tea) today -- I've had 97 ounces so far, and will have at least another 48 when I get home.

So, upwards and onwards, as CS Lewis said.  Or was that, "further up and further in" (from The Last Battle)?  I think it was that one.  Oh well.  Either way, I mean, keep plugging towards your goals.  I know I am!

R2P3D9/21 - Eggs, eggs, eggs

February 14, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 9 of 21

I can't believe it!  I am SO focused on weight-loss that for the first time in, perhaps, my life, I didn't realize it was Valentine's Day until (ready for this?), I walked into work and saw my newly-married co-worker with her hair all be-dazzled.  Actually, I didn't even realize it then.  I thought, "Wow.  That's weird to see such a hairdo on a Tuesday."  I then proceeded to go to my desk, sit down, get logged onto my laptop and suddenly, I thought, "Wait ... a ... second ... today ... is ... Valentine's ... Day."  I think I have successfully proved to myself that I don't care.  First.time.ever.that.I.don't.feel.like.a.reject.today.  Hallelujah!  : )

Yesterday at work, I saw a florist delivering a beautiful bouquet of flowers to someone in my building and didn't think about VD.  And no, in case you were wondering, I DIDN'T hip check him, grab the flowers and run, thank you very much.  Actually, on Sunday, my sweet Mom gave me (instead of her traditional little box of chocolate candies) some purply-pink sparkle nail polish (on Sunday) -- which I'm wearing as I type this -- so you'd think I could remember that today is VD.  But (haha!) I didn't.  Awesome!  I guess I don't mind that it's easier for a single woman at 40 (me) to be killed by a terrorist than to get married.

So, to all of you marrieds out there, enjoy your day.  To the rest of you singletons, like me, enjoy OUR day. We get to do whatever we want, and not have someone else's mood affect ours.  Again, awesome?  Don't get me wrong ... I would like to be married someday (and I always felt that way), but right now, I'm focused on weight-loss.  I don't need distractions like going on a date and having to tell the guy, "Um, yah, I can't eat carbs right now."  : )

I guess I've COMPLETELY strayed from the HCG blog, haven't I?  I better get back to business before you hip check ME.  This morning, I gained 1.4 pounds.  No real reason, really.  Since that happens, and I've been pretty stable (except for one correction day early on), I'm doing an egg correction day today.  It is between 8 - 12 eggs (throughout the day) total, any way I want them.  I had 4 hard-boiled eggs and 52 ounces of water for breakfast.  I'm having 4 for lunch (with probably another 50 ounces of water + coffee) and I'll have 4 more for dinner (if I haven't completely gone off of eggs by then).  Oh yes, and tea.  

And Sherlock.

That's right.  I said it.  Sherlock.  We're on a first name basis now.  I have a new crush.  It's so much easier to like a virtual man.  I can see him when I want to see him, and then move on.  No let downs, cheating, fights, mood swings, space-invasion, smells (breath, toots, whatever green-house gas emissions come out of others).   : ) 

(I'm being slightly tongue and cheek here, so please put your wig back on if I've frightened you.) 

As I log off for the day, and march head-long into a day of "eggs," don't worry about me.  I won't be sitting at home feeling blue.  I will be spending my VD evening watching Sherlock Season 2, Episode 3 (my favorite!), wearing something comfortable, knitting some socks & crocheting a pair of mittens, eating eggs, having a fire in the fireplace, drinking lots of tea, giving lots of pets to Lucy-dog & having a discussion with one of my singleton friends, Kate, as we wrap up Season 2. 

Okay, enough silliness.  It's my heart's desire that each of you readers will find that God is the true lover of your soul, regardless of you are a married or a singleton.  He made you.  He loves you.  He sacrificed himself for you.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)  Now THAT's a real Valentine.

R2P3D5/21 - Hmmm, when is the See Saw going to settle down?

February 10, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 5 of 21

Well, I'm enjoying a nice little see saw right this week.  That's normal, but it's never fun.  Down and up the scale goes.  I ate some almonds (a bunch) at dinner last night, and that probably threw me over the top.  I just can't quite figure out why I'm so hungry this round.  Maybe it's because I drank so much water each day in P2 that my body now requires even more to keep me full?  I'm getting a lot in each day (at least 120 ounces), so I'm going to try to up it.

I was up on the scale this morning.  Not to the Correction Day amount, but, to be frank, it's made me a bit apprehensive about eating today.  So THAT'S one way to get my appetite to go away.  : )

I'm dog-sitting my friend's dog (Lucy) all weekend, so we're going to be tooling around home all day tomorrow (tonight we're going to my friend Linda's house, since she has a dog-friendly home).  I tend to wonder how things will go at home all day -- will I be tempted to nibble when I shouldn't on foods I shouldn't?  We'll see.

The good thing is, I'm eating all approved foods.  I'm not the slightest bit tempted to cheat with things that aren't protein.  But, my temptation comes from wanting to eat too much of those approved things.  It's like, this time around (and I noticed this in the last week or 2 of P2 as well), when I eat, I don't FEEL full.  That didn't happen at all last time.  In week 1 of P3 last time, I could eat what I'm eating now and feel full about half way through.  Now, when I eat, it's like I just start, look down, and it's gone.  All of it.  Hmmm ... something is up.  I'm not frustrated or defeated (so no worries there).  I really feel like I'm Sherlock Holmes (okay, I'm not a genius like him, so maybe I'm Dr. Watson) of food right now.  It's like I'm always trying to deduce, "This food does this, but why?" So, I persevere!

So, I have a request for you, if you are one of my faithful praying readers.  Would you pray for me that whatever this is that's making me feel like I'm not 100% satisfied with normal amounts of food that I could conquer it?  Thank you very much.

Tune in Monday (I doubt I'll write over the weekend, but you never know!) to see how the weekend played out in this silly little guessing game!

R2P3D4/21 - Correction Day Success

February 9, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 4 of 21

The Correction Day paid off.  I was down exactly 2 pounds, bringing me back exactly to my LDW from February 4 (55.3 pounds off total).  Good.

Now, on to today.  As I said before, I knew I had eaten too much approved food.  Approved or not, too much food is gluttony!  Good grief ... when am I going to get that into my brain?!  Three Lara bars (made of dates) is a lot in a normal day, and in the second day of P3, when we're supposed to slowly (key word, SLOWLY) reintroduce foods, it's way too much!  I am slowly introducing foods, like Mary's Gone Crackers or Spelt Pretzels (all made with grains that break down in your body as protein, not like flour breaking down into sugar) until at best week 3 of Phase 3.  But, I went whole hog (pun intended) on cheese.  Wait ... I could have eaten a LOT more (so that's a victory), but I ate a lot more than I knew I should in week 1 of P3.  I also ate about 6 Tbs. of peanut butter.  Yikes.

So, this morning, this is what I've had.  1 hard-boiled egg, 1/2 an avocado (the good, necessary fat) and 0.5 Tbs. of coconut oil & 0.5 Tbs. of peanut butter (in a chocolate delite I made).  For lunch, I'm having chicken salad, a green pepper, about 2 Tbs. of cream cheese, 2 more chocolate delites (a cashew in one and peppermint flavor in another).  For a snack, I'm going to have a jalepeno cheese stick.  For dinner, I'm going to have some roasted chicken, another green pepper (maybe 2), some brie (again with the cheese?!?!) and a Lara bar.  That's a lot of food.  I'm going to have to put it into My Fitness Pal and see if I'm at my 2,400 calorie day limit.  If I go over (on that website), I'm cutting out the food.

So, tune in tomorrow to see if my 55 is still 55, or it goes up (hopefully!) or down (no!!!).

R2P3D3/21 - What was that I said about not doing a Correction Day?

February 8, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins) Day 3 of 21

So, um, yeah ... today, I'm doing a Correction Day (CD).  The scale was up today, to exactly 2.0 above LDW!  Yowsah.  I knew I was eating too much yesterday (& even the day before).  I believe I need to start tracking my P3 food.  I didn't do that in Round 1, but, since every round is different, I might need to start doing that in Round 2 P3.

So, while I'm not technically over 2.0 pounds above LDW, I'm doing a CD today.  I've chosen to do the steak and tomato day.  That's up to (I think) 26 ounces of steak + 1 tomato for dinner, plus all of the water I can drink today.  If it's anything like P3 last time, I'll be down by 1.5 - 3 pounds in the morning, and I'll go back to regular P3 eating (just less of what I ate in the last 2 days). 

The first week of P3 is always the most see-sawing, so I'm not taking this as a failure, but, actually as an encouraging thing.  Why?  For several reasons, really. 

1) I'm not hiding that I gained 2.1 pounds overnight.  I'm transparent about my losses, so I'll be transparent about my gains.  I ate too many "approved" carbs, and I knew it.  I ate LOTS of veggies yesterday, 2 LARA bars, peanut butter AND I drank a caffeine free diet soda at lunch (it was a business lunch and there was nothing else to drink). 

2)  Basically, it's like life -- not everything can or should be controlled so tightly, so, there will be days when (notice I didn't say IF) I get to my goal weight that I will gain due to the food choices I make or what's available to me.  Well, if that happens, and I go 2 pounds above my goal weight, I finally know how to get those pounds back down and start back with mostly proteins (and NORMAL amounts).  I never knew how to do that before.  I don't feel defeated and hopeless!

Life moves on.  It's not all about food, or size, or abilities.  It's about loving and trusting God, having a good attitude in the middle of struggles and enjoying life.  And, that's what I choose to do.  I hope you do too, in the middle of whatever struggles you may be facing.  I know personally that some of you are having REAL struggles in your lives right now, and me being all worried and in a wad about a number on a scale seems to pale in comparison.  Chin up, everyone.  God will bring us through our current struggles, no matter how big or how small they are. 

Exodus 14:14 - The Lord will fight for you.  You need only be still.

Amen, Lord.  Amen!

R2P3D2/21 - Day one down, and I'm still under LDW!

February 7, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins), Day 2/21

I survived the protein feeding frenzy yesterday and only gained 0.7 pounds.  That's completely satisfactory since the first week of Phase 3 sees the most see-sawing (from everything I've experienced or read) as our bodies get used to more calories and things (like milk, nuts, different meats) that we haven't consumed for a month.  For dinner, I ate a yellow pepper, some brie (several ounces of cheese yesterday -- probably 8 in total!), some rotisserie chicken (about 1/2) and I had a HUGE cup of tea with cream.  Yum!  All P3 approved. 

I'm still 0.1 pound below LDW (what I think is my LDW).  I'm at 55.4 pounds off.  I'm very happy about that.  Now, there are some people who gradually add in P3 foods, and others who don't.  I'm kind of in the middle (except, yesterday, I did go a bit "gang buster").  Today, for breakfast, I had a hard boiled egg, 1/2 an avocado and a cheese stick.  For lunch, I have to eat in the cafeteria (I'm having a lunch meeting there with a co-worker, so I'll have to pick something).  I have decided I'll have a BIG salad with blue cheese, roasted chicken (if I can find it) and oil & vinegar.  Oh, and a Lara bar.  Then, for dinner, I'll make that cauliflower mash (steamed cauliflower, cream cheese, sour cream, cheese ... see a pattern), some chicken and probably a Lara bar.  I'll see what tomorrow does.  If I go 2.1 pounds up from where I am today, I'll do a correction day (steak and a tomato).  But, my goal is to have no correction days (CDs), because I'm aiming high in P3.  But, I won't be mad at myself if I do, because it's part of P3.  Even the best-on-the-plan folks have to do CDs.

As I wrap up for today (sorry, it wasn't really exciting or funny or even a very good read), I'll leave you with what I hope we all do ... enjoy the day, make as many good food choices as possible and keep that chin up!

R2P3D1/21 - You are looking at one happy girl!

February 6, 2012

Round 2, Phase 3 (Proteins), Day 1 of 21

I just realized today is another cool date -- 2/6/12 (2x6=12).  Oh, how I love numbers!

Here's another number I love ... the one I saw on the scale this morning.  I dropped 0.7 pounds into a new decade.  How I've missed this decade!  And, I look forward to dumping it when I get in Round 3 in April.  Don't I sound fickle?  (For those of you who don't understand my lingo, a decade works like this ... if you weigh 140 pounds, you are in the "40s" decade ... so each time I lose 10 pounds, I drop into a new decade.  Following me?) 

Today is my first day of Phase 3.  I was SO excited about it when I got up this morning!  So far, I've had 2 hard-boiled eggs (breakfast), 57 ounces of water + 20 ounces of coffee, chicken salad (just chicken and Duke's mayo), a couple of cheese wafers (Fresh Market), a jalapeno cheese stick, celery and organic peanut butter and a Lara bar.  Yes, that's pretty much 4x as much food as I had been eating, so I feel totally full.  I figured that would happen today.  I might not even want dinner, which I'm okay about. 

I was really (R.E.A.L.L.Y) hungry on Saturday and Sunday (the last 2 days of Phase 2, so that means no drops).  Both days, I ended up splurging on more protein (I even ate a few olives on Saturday and it didn't affect me).  Oh, and yesterday afternoon/evening, I drank 2 cans of diet Sierra Mist yesterday at Dad's as a treat.  I was down 0.7 pounds today.  Nice. 

Yesterday before I left for my shift in the toddler nursery (yes, I was there, for all of you readers who go to Bethany and didn't think I was there!), I weighed myself.  I lost a lot of inches all over.  That was pretty cool.  I think I'll end up taking a front & side view picture tonight when I get home.  Maybe I won't look like I swallowed a house in these pictures (like I still looked after Round 1 Phase 2).  I probably still look like I swalled a shed, but at least it won't be a house.  : )

R2P2D33/35 - Line Dancing and Baby Steps

February 3, 2012

Round 2, Phase 2 (Very Low Calorie) Day 33/35

I went line dancing (3rd time in my life) again last night and, just as I suspected, I've got about 15 left feet.  I was a bit better than when I went the last time (in November).  I plan on going every other week to learn the moves and gain confidence.  One victory in the whole thing is, I didn't get tired or winded.  I could have danced (except for those extra feet of mine) all night and not been tired. Niiiiiiiiiice.  I love this weight loss thing.  There are happy surprises around every corner.

Okay, down to business.  I lost 0.8 pounds from the scale this morning.  Cool!  I'm 0.3 pounds from being in a new decade.  I'm hoping I can be there tomorrow (which I'm counting as my Last Dosage Weight, or LDW).  Technically, I think today might be my LDW day (since I'll take my 4 doses though midnight tonight).  But ... we'll see.  It'll just depend on where I see my body stabilizing at in P3 (proteins).  I have every plan of going well below LDW in Phase 4 ("moderately eat what you want").  I did it in Round 1, so now that I know I can exercise and drop below 2 pounds of my LDW in Phase 4 (once I'm stabilized in the three weeks of P3), I'm really hoping & praying that I'll drop into a nice comfort zone in the middle of the new decade I've been pining for since starting Round 2.  But, regardless, where I am today is a weight I know I should (and can) be proud of achieving.  55.3 pounds off in 3.5 months.  I'll take it!

Before I sign off today, I thought I'd let you know how I'm doing with my resolution to say thank you to compliments.  You know, the one I made yesterday? 

Not 5 minutes after hitting PUBLISH POST, another co-worker came to my desk and  complimented me on my weight-loss.  Hello?!?!  Can I get a "commitment" from someone out there?  I smirked (at the inside joke God just did for me by making me put my money where my mouth is), and, despite all of the sarcastic / self-depricating comments just lining up to burst out of me, I said, "Thank you!"  And, my brain didn't explode.  Imagine that?!  Then, at line dancing, Carrie (one of the 3 HCG musketeers who inspired me to do this --- all 4 of us went line-dancing together) walked in and complimented me.  Since that little stinker read my blog yesterday, she KNEW what I had committed to.  I looked at her, chewed on the words a little and then said, "Thank you!"  Nevermind that I quickly followed that up with, "I really want to say something sarcastic, but I'm not going to."  Baby steps, Julia, baby steps.

R2P2D32/35 - Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock

February 2, 2012

Round 2, Phase 2 (Very Low Calorie) Day 32/35

Happy Groundhog Day!  Where I live, I should be calling it GroundFOG day, since it's SO foggy today.

Want to know who's not in a fog?  Yours truly ... me.  I am SO clear-minded about starting Phase 3 (proteins) on Monday.  I am literally counting the days.  The clock can't move fast enough.  Tick tock tick tock!

I went grocery shopping last night and got a bunch of protein (eggs, ground sirloin, strip steaks for correction days that I hope I don't need this Round of P3, cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, celery, cauliflower, cream, olives, kippers, tuna, crab).  I can't wait to eat this food!  I even splurged with Crumpets again this time.  I'm going to try them with butter, devonshire clotted cream and homemade grape jelly from my friend Denise -- in the end of Phase 3 just like last time.  Last time, I could eat them like that (1 a day) and not gain an ounce.  Man, I love crumpets.  Mmmmmm, crumpets are so yum... wait, I've distracted myself. 

This is what you tune in to see.  I lost 0.3 pounds this morning, bringing my grand total to 54.5.  I know that little tracker got your hopes up that it was a nice, round 55, but it rounded up.  Silly tracker.

Okay, on to business.  I promised myself (and you, dear reader) that I was going to be completely transparent in my weight-loss journey.  I did say it was going to be good, bad and ugly.  It's right over there in the info/bio section.  It's like a disclaimer for me to be a little batty.  Well, here's an ugly part.  I hope you're sitting down.  It's not good news. 

I wore a dress to work today (a maroon sweater dress that goes down to my knees) with almost knee high boots.  I've never worn it before.  Well, walking in, 3 of my (female) coworkers literally said, "WOW!" when they saw me.  I was stunned, embarrassed, and, well, rather pleased.  But, mostly embarrassed.  Then, one of them (the only one who knows I'm doing this & has been encouraging me all along), asked me to do a spin.  When I did, her mouth gaped open and she said, "JULIA?  You look awesome!"  She's a pretty straight-shooter, so I know (in my head) that she wouldn't say that if she didn't mean it.  Okay, what comes next is why I'm sharing this.  I started to bustle away (to get AWAY from the compliments?!?!) and immediately I noticed that I started to discount the compliments in my head.  HUH?  Yep.  I have a problem believing compliments about anything regarding my physical appearance.  Lovely.  I want them but I don't trust them?  Uh, yah.  Nice work, Julia.  What can I say?  I'm an enigma, wrapped around a riddle (I don't remember what movie I ripped that off from ... 50 bonus points if you do). 

This distrust of compliments on my physical appearance is NOT something I am proud of.  I remember being around the age of 20 and one of my friends paid me a compliment.  I don't even remember what it was about.  But, this I remember like it happened yesterday.  Up came my compliment armour and I brushed it off like I always do (probably by making a joke about myself).  He looked me straight in the face and said, "Do you think I'm a liar?  Because when you don't accept my compliment, you're telling me you think I'm a liar."  Yowsah.  Of course, 20 years later, I'm just realizing I'm still doing it.  MAJOR yowah. 

I wonder if there's a support group hotline for people who want, but distrust sincere compliments?  What would that be called?  The Self Hate Hotline, otherwise known as SHH (Get it? Shhhhhh). 

Well, no more!  When I compliment someone, I mean it.  I'm going to start paying people the courtesy of believing them and not running away when they compliment me (I did that to you last Friday night, didn't I, JoEllen?).   I'm going to start praying about it (and if you want to pray with me about it, I'd much appreciate it!).  That way, if another compliment comes in (and I promise, I am not begging for one now), I'll mentally say, "Get behind me" to the little voice whispering, "that means you looked REALLY bad before" or "they don't mean it" or "you can't keep up the good work."  I'm going to start gracefully accepting one compliment at a time.  If you feel led to pay me one, I hope you hold me accountable if you see me trying to side-step it with sarcasm or run away or deflect it with a negatively cloaked, "I have a long way to go."  I believe, at this point, the only acceptable thing for me to say is a graceful, "thank you."'  If I don't do that, I want you to punch me.  Wait.  Scratch that.  Just give me "the" look.  You know?  The one that means, "Knock it off, Julia"  See, I'm giving you permission to boss me around.  I don't give those free passes out very often.  : )

I promise I'm not certifiably nuts.  I'm just cooooky.  Of course, you already know that.  : )

R2P2D31/35 - It's official ... I'm ending on Sunday!

February 1, 2012

Round 2, Phase 2 (Very Low Calorie) Day 31/35

Before I say another thing, I LOVE today's date.  2-1-12 ... it's a palindrome (the same backwards as forwards).  Awesome!

Okay, last night I fell asleep before taking my last dose of HCG, so the scale was down (but at least it was down) a whopping 0.1 pounds this morning.  That's because I didn't have enough HCG in my system.  If anything, it tells me that Shawna (from that HCG support group) was right ... I need the correct dose for 12x HCG drops .... 80 in a day, if I want to lose more than 1 ounce here or there. 

The great thing is, my grand total is 54.2.  You know what that tells me?  My mind is ready for Phase 3 (proteins) because I have flubbed up 2x in 3 days.  So, it's official -- I'm moving to P3 on Monday.  That makes my last dosage weight on Friday (or maybe Saturday morning), since my last dose will be around midnight on Friday.  I'll eat P2 foods on Saturday and Sunday, and as of Monday, I'm eating eggs and cheese, etc.  Yes, I'm plotting it. 

: )

So, here's to me losing another 1.8 pounds to get me to a nice even number to remember all through P3.

Oh, and Linda, since you read these every day, prepare to have me coming over 3x a week to use your elliptical starting week 2 of P3.  Consider yourself warned.  ; )