March 7, 2013
Round 6 (R6), Phase 4 (everything in moderation), Day 5 of 26
Well, here I go. Tomorrow (Friday, March 8), at exactly 2:30 p.m., I begin my 24 hour trip to India. I'll fly out of O'Hare at 6-ish p.m., and head to Frankfurt, Germany (can I stay longer than my 3 hour layover, PLEASE?!?!). From there, I will head to Bangalore, India. They are 10.5 hours ahead (starting on Sunday, Central time, after we spring ahead). So, if you're wondering what time it is where I am, add 11, then subtract 30 minutes. That's my time. I'll be there from Saturday (U.S. time) until Wednesday morning (U.S. time). Then, I fly to Singapore. I'll be there until Friday morning (U.S. time). It's like a blip in my trip, but, probably the most exotic and fun place. Then, starting on Friday morning (around 11 Central U.S.), I'll fly to China. I'll remain in Shanghai until Thursday, March 21.
I'm going to be doing a lot of presenting (about Diversity & Communications) and learning a lot (lots of facility and city tours, business meetings, etc.). I plan on taking a LOT of pictures and (maybe) video. I also plan on Skyping and Factiming (for you people with Apple products). I DON'T plan on sleeping a lot. Unfortunately. Because, it's one of my top 10 favorite things to do. But, I'll be in meetings (or sightseeing with coworkers from each city) from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. each night. So, if I want to talk to my loved ones (which, you know I do!), I'm going to trade in sleep for love. That's a trade I'm happy to make. I've made that trade many times before, and am happy to do it, international travel or not. :-)
I bought a travel scale so I can continue to weigh myself every day while I'm there. I expect, with being in the air a total of 48 hours in 2 weeks, and another maybe 12 in layovers, that my body is going to be in shock. Is it wrong for me to hope for dysentery so I don't gain weight while I'm gone? :-) Most people (who aren't doing HCG) gain about 7-10 pounds on a business trip (hosts LOVE taking visitors out for meals). My plan is to pick at my food (even though I LOVE Indian and Chinese food) and try to eat mostly the protein (even if it's in sauce ... a girl's gotta eat). Caterpillar is putting me up in some swanky 5 Star hotels in each city, to they are supposed to have wonderful breakfast buffets, so I'm going to eat my weight (probably not) in eggs. That should sustain me most of the day. So, maybe I'll lose weight.
Maybe I'll get dystentery in India. Is it wrong for me to hope for that, so I can lose some weight?
My plan is to correct the day I come home (even though that's going to be the day the Hobbit is released on DVD and I'll be watching it with friends that night), so I can get my weight down a bit. Then, by the next weekend (Easter weekend), I'm going to load (Round 7, here I come!), and start up P2 again. That should get me safely out of the 200s. If I don't gain a TON in Asia. Lord, help me.
Oh, and yes, you did just read that. I admitted I'm STILL in the 200s. Big surprise, for any of you who have seen me. I'm 5'8" and I'm still hanging on in the 200s. Frankly, I'm sick of those. I like odd numbers (what can I say, I'm an odd person). And, I VERY MUCH dislike even numbers when it comes to the starting number on my weight. So, here's to Round 7 (odd number) getting me into another odd number (the 190s).
My plan is to blog while I'm gone, upload some pics, etc., to keep you guys traveling with me. Hopefully, I can get on line. I know China locks down Facebook, but only in pockets, so maybe I can be out there too. So, stay tuned! And, please pray for travel mercies. I'm not worried about dying (not at all ... I have the security of heaven, and who doesn't want to end up there?!). I'm worried about getting quaranteened in India because of some stupid reason (they do that a lot), or getting my luggage stolen or lost, or not getting through customs. So, travel mercies, please.
And maybe dystentery.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
R6P2D27/28 - Speaking through Lewis
February 8, 2013
R6 (Round 6), P2 (Phase 2), Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 27 of 28
I have had a devotional book on my desk at work for the past 2 years (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, and Jesus Calling). This year, I'm re-reading a book I got for Christmas one year from Linda and John ... "A Year with C.S. Lewis, daily reading from his classic works." I read it in 2005, and now, 8 years later, I am dusting it off again. It's profound. I have (and have read) every scrap of writing from Mr. Lewis, but, there's something fun about opening these pages and having something from Screwtape pop up one day, and Mere Christianity the next.
Today, I don't have much else to say besides passing along two very splendid things I read in the last two days by C.S. Lewis, who is, without a doubt, my most favorite of favorite authors (not counting God, of course). I think Lewis was divinely inspired to uncover some of the hard-to-understand truths about faith in God, and he uncovers them with words. I can't wait to meet Mr. Lewis someday. I hope you'll be with me, too.
"Authority exercised with humility and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live ... in the Body of Christ, we step outside that world which says, 'I am as good as you.' It's like turning from a march to a dance ... We become, as Chesteron said, taller when we bow." C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory."
Here's another one. This is from Mere Christianity (this is a WONDERFUL explanation about what the Trinity is, how to understand it, and, frankly, an answer to the question from non-believing intellectuals, "How can an intelligent person can believe in such rubbish?"):
"The union between the Father and the Son is such a live concrete thing that this union itself is also a Person. I know this is almost inconceivable, but look at it thus. You know that among human beings, when they get together in a family, or a club, or a trade union, people talk about the 'spirit' of that family, or club, or trade union. They talk about its 'spirit' because the individual members, when they are together, do really develop particular ways of talking and behaving which they would not have if they were apart. It is as if a sort of communal personality came into existence. Of course, it is not a real person: it is only rather like a person. But that is just one of the differences between God and us. What grows out of the joint life of the Father and Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.
This third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the 'spirit' of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind that the other two. I think there is a reason why it must be so. In the Christian life you are not usually looking at Him. He is always acting through you. If you think of the Father as something 'out there,' in front of you, and of the Son as someone standing at your side, helping you to pray, trying to turn you into another son, then you have to think of the third Person as something inside you, or behind you. Perhaps some people might find it easier to begin with the third Person and work backwards. God is love, and that love works through men -- especially through the whole community of Christians. But this spirit of love is, from all eternity, a love going on between the Father and the Son."
R6 (Round 6), P2 (Phase 2), Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 27 of 28
I have had a devotional book on my desk at work for the past 2 years (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, and Jesus Calling). This year, I'm re-reading a book I got for Christmas one year from Linda and John ... "A Year with C.S. Lewis, daily reading from his classic works." I read it in 2005, and now, 8 years later, I am dusting it off again. It's profound. I have (and have read) every scrap of writing from Mr. Lewis, but, there's something fun about opening these pages and having something from Screwtape pop up one day, and Mere Christianity the next.
Today, I don't have much else to say besides passing along two very splendid things I read in the last two days by C.S. Lewis, who is, without a doubt, my most favorite of favorite authors (not counting God, of course). I think Lewis was divinely inspired to uncover some of the hard-to-understand truths about faith in God, and he uncovers them with words. I can't wait to meet Mr. Lewis someday. I hope you'll be with me, too.
"Authority exercised with humility and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live ... in the Body of Christ, we step outside that world which says, 'I am as good as you.' It's like turning from a march to a dance ... We become, as Chesteron said, taller when we bow." C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory."
Here's another one. This is from Mere Christianity (this is a WONDERFUL explanation about what the Trinity is, how to understand it, and, frankly, an answer to the question from non-believing intellectuals, "How can an intelligent person can believe in such rubbish?"):
"The union between the Father and the Son is such a live concrete thing that this union itself is also a Person. I know this is almost inconceivable, but look at it thus. You know that among human beings, when they get together in a family, or a club, or a trade union, people talk about the 'spirit' of that family, or club, or trade union. They talk about its 'spirit' because the individual members, when they are together, do really develop particular ways of talking and behaving which they would not have if they were apart. It is as if a sort of communal personality came into existence. Of course, it is not a real person: it is only rather like a person. But that is just one of the differences between God and us. What grows out of the joint life of the Father and Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.
This third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the 'spirit' of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind that the other two. I think there is a reason why it must be so. In the Christian life you are not usually looking at Him. He is always acting through you. If you think of the Father as something 'out there,' in front of you, and of the Son as someone standing at your side, helping you to pray, trying to turn you into another son, then you have to think of the third Person as something inside you, or behind you. Perhaps some people might find it easier to begin with the third Person and work backwards. God is love, and that love works through men -- especially through the whole community of Christians. But this spirit of love is, from all eternity, a love going on between the Father and the Son."
Thursday, February 7, 2013
R6P2D26/28 -- And, so it begins ...
February 7, 2013
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 26/28
Yep, you didn't read that wrong. I ran out of drops, so I'm ending this a day before "plan" -- but, actually, I planned it. That's the joy that's me. I switch gears in the middle of driving with almost no second glance. I decided it was better for me to do a mountain of P3 (protein eating) cooking on Sunday where I could actually taste what I was cooking (for instance, to be able to make sure the seasoning is right). It also could be torture to cook all of that yummy food (like cauliflower cheese bake, deep dish pizza quiche, tuna, chocolate mug cake ... all modified to take the carbs out) on my last day of P2.
To refresh your memory, for those of you reading this who have never done HCG and think my blogs consist mainly of Ps and Rs and HCGs and LDWs, I'll explain. Briefly, don't worry.
Those last 3 days in P2 without the drops can be a little, welll, mind bending. Really, this diet is all mental. It's about telling figuring things out, analyzing, sticking to a schedule, planning, cooking, and talking yourself out of things that are bad for you. I'm good at it about 75% of the time. I think I'll do okay with P3 this time (I have a plan -- you know how I love those). P4 scares me a bit. In fact, I could use some prayer about it. I'll have less than 1 week in P4 before I travel to Germany (just the airport), India, Singapore and Shanghai in March. That means a solid 2 weeks (weekends included) of business dinners. Ruh roh. My plan is to eat well for breakfast (evidently, all 3 of the hotels I am staying in for work are "5 star" so they are supposed to have excellent breakfast buffets where I can load up on eggs). I'm packing protein bars (my very-well-traveled boss told me those are invaluable and pro-biotics), so I can have those for lunch, if I have to (I guess ... hello, Red-Green, from the Red-Green show). They are rather "carb-y" too (go figure, for protein bars), but it's better than noodles or rice or anything with an unidentifiable sauce.
I think my biggest "problem" will be mentally. I LOVE travel. I don't let myself do it much, because I can always find more practical (or fun, around the home) things on which I spend my money. But, when I do travel, it feels like a party. I obviously LOVE food, and part of that "travel party" is eating fun (read that as TERRIBLE for you) food. Here I am, going to parts of the world that are exotic and I may never travel to again. I LOVE Indian food. I LOVE Chinese food. And, I'm going to be low-carbing it. I'll also probably be a little lonely in those 2 weeks (I love my peeps, as you all know). And, I'll be EXHAUSTED. Lots of flight time. The flight home is 14 hours straight from Shanghai to O'Hare. All of that is a recipe for a food disaster in Julia world. But, I have God to give me strength. And, I know, it's progress, not perfection. I'm already figuring I'll do one correction day the day I return (all of those noodles and sauces ... there is no way I'm coming home without the usual 5-7 pound work travel gain). But, I'm doing ONE. After that, for the next week, I'll eat clean. And, start R7 with loading on March 29-31.
So, here's my heart. I cannot, just CANNOT stomach (pun intended) the thought of re-losing this weight a THIRD time. Blarghhhh. Yes, December was wonky for me. I threw in the towel several times in the beginning of the month, and fully THRUST it in with verve by the middle of December. And, here I am, R6 LDW day at only 1.9 pounds below R5 LDW day. 26 days of P2 and that's what I have to show for it. Now, don't despair for me. I'm THRILLED (I actually did a WOO HOO, arms in the air shout while standing on the scale this morning -- I'm glad I live alone) that I'm below R5LDW. It was touch and go there for a bit about if I'd actually be able to get here. But, that's my point. Normally, it IS touch and go at the end. But, when you're in new territory, it's SO okay. You're getting into new clothes. People notice a difference. It makes all of the effort and hard work, well, more worth it. It gives some needed "oompf" to the last part of P2, which feels like drudgery, let me tell you. Well, when you're re-losing weight, it's like a race against yourself. And, that is no fun.
I can't do that again.
I'm praying THAT, and maybe only that, will keep my big, gaping maw shut in Asia, when I'm feeling lonely. Or sad. Or tired. Or like celebrating.
Oh, and one more thing. I now have Facetime set up on my Mac, iPad and iPhone (thank you, Lisa, Dad, Linda and Kate for testing with me). Anyone who has an apple product, and wants to Facetime with me, send me an email, text me, whatever, and we can exchange Facetime emails so we can Facetime for free (I swear, I feel like I'm living in an episode of the Jetsons). Also, I have set up a Skype account (for those of you who don't have an Apple product). If you have an account, or want to set one up (they are free, you just need internet capability), we can talk on that too.
Alrighty. I think that's about it for now. This is like the War and Peace blog entry. War (with weight) and Peace (with well, everything else). Ah. All is right with the world.
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 26/28
Yep, you didn't read that wrong. I ran out of drops, so I'm ending this a day before "plan" -- but, actually, I planned it. That's the joy that's me. I switch gears in the middle of driving with almost no second glance. I decided it was better for me to do a mountain of P3 (protein eating) cooking on Sunday where I could actually taste what I was cooking (for instance, to be able to make sure the seasoning is right). It also could be torture to cook all of that yummy food (like cauliflower cheese bake, deep dish pizza quiche, tuna, chocolate mug cake ... all modified to take the carbs out) on my last day of P2.
To refresh your memory, for those of you reading this who have never done HCG and think my blogs consist mainly of Ps and Rs and HCGs and LDWs, I'll explain. Briefly, don't worry.
- P = Phase (Phase 1 is loading/gorging for 3 days while you take drops and let them build up in your system ... you gain usually between 2 - 5 pounds during this time, but it drops RIGHT off in the first day or two of Phase 2. Phase 2 is eating 500 calories, from a very locked down food list, taking HCG drops and losing weight. Phase 3 is eating only meat, vegetable and fruit carbs and maintaining within 2 pounds up or down of your LDW -- see below. Phase 4 is eating what you want in moderation ... this was my bane last time ... that and steroids and "Hobbit" movie theater popcorn.)
- R = Rounds (You can do as many of these as you want. It means all 4 Phases. I have completed all 4 Phases almost 6 times, which means, I'm ready to start P3 in 2 days, and P4 in 3 weeks. I plan on completing 7-8 Rounds by the end.)
- HCG = the drops and the "program" of eating (no to low carb) forever.(You only take the homeopathic drops in P2, and it's the only time you lose weight)
- LDW = Last Dosage Weight (This is the weigh in on the morning that you take or your drops -- or, the morning after you have taken your last drops -- there's some debate about that. I'm counting today, the morning after my last drops, as my LDW. You still have to eat the 500 calories in P2, but can up it to 800 with an extra portion or two of protein, because you are getting the drops out of your system. It can be touch and go, because a lot of people get very hungry towards the end of these three days.)
- CD = correction day (This is practiced on the day when the scale shows you have gone 2.1 above your LDW. There are some moderations on a CD, but Dr. Simeons only talked about and approved a steak day, which means, eating up to a 26 ounce steak and 1 big tomato, any time after 3 pm. The weight will be off the next morning. You have to start your 21 days of P3 over again. Well, you should. I didn't in R1-R4. I didn't have a correction day in R5, so that's my goal this time.)
Those last 3 days in P2 without the drops can be a little, welll, mind bending. Really, this diet is all mental. It's about telling figuring things out, analyzing, sticking to a schedule, planning, cooking, and talking yourself out of things that are bad for you. I'm good at it about 75% of the time. I think I'll do okay with P3 this time (I have a plan -- you know how I love those). P4 scares me a bit. In fact, I could use some prayer about it. I'll have less than 1 week in P4 before I travel to Germany (just the airport), India, Singapore and Shanghai in March. That means a solid 2 weeks (weekends included) of business dinners. Ruh roh. My plan is to eat well for breakfast (evidently, all 3 of the hotels I am staying in for work are "5 star" so they are supposed to have excellent breakfast buffets where I can load up on eggs). I'm packing protein bars (my very-well-traveled boss told me those are invaluable and pro-biotics), so I can have those for lunch, if I have to (I guess ... hello, Red-Green, from the Red-Green show). They are rather "carb-y" too (go figure, for protein bars), but it's better than noodles or rice or anything with an unidentifiable sauce.
I think my biggest "problem" will be mentally. I LOVE travel. I don't let myself do it much, because I can always find more practical (or fun, around the home) things on which I spend my money. But, when I do travel, it feels like a party. I obviously LOVE food, and part of that "travel party" is eating fun (read that as TERRIBLE for you) food. Here I am, going to parts of the world that are exotic and I may never travel to again. I LOVE Indian food. I LOVE Chinese food. And, I'm going to be low-carbing it. I'll also probably be a little lonely in those 2 weeks (I love my peeps, as you all know). And, I'll be EXHAUSTED. Lots of flight time. The flight home is 14 hours straight from Shanghai to O'Hare. All of that is a recipe for a food disaster in Julia world. But, I have God to give me strength. And, I know, it's progress, not perfection. I'm already figuring I'll do one correction day the day I return (all of those noodles and sauces ... there is no way I'm coming home without the usual 5-7 pound work travel gain). But, I'm doing ONE. After that, for the next week, I'll eat clean. And, start R7 with loading on March 29-31.
So, here's my heart. I cannot, just CANNOT stomach (pun intended) the thought of re-losing this weight a THIRD time. Blarghhhh. Yes, December was wonky for me. I threw in the towel several times in the beginning of the month, and fully THRUST it in with verve by the middle of December. And, here I am, R6 LDW day at only 1.9 pounds below R5 LDW day. 26 days of P2 and that's what I have to show for it. Now, don't despair for me. I'm THRILLED (I actually did a WOO HOO, arms in the air shout while standing on the scale this morning -- I'm glad I live alone) that I'm below R5LDW. It was touch and go there for a bit about if I'd actually be able to get here. But, that's my point. Normally, it IS touch and go at the end. But, when you're in new territory, it's SO okay. You're getting into new clothes. People notice a difference. It makes all of the effort and hard work, well, more worth it. It gives some needed "oompf" to the last part of P2, which feels like drudgery, let me tell you. Well, when you're re-losing weight, it's like a race against yourself. And, that is no fun.
I can't do that again.
I'm praying THAT, and maybe only that, will keep my big, gaping maw shut in Asia, when I'm feeling lonely. Or sad. Or tired. Or like celebrating.
Oh, and one more thing. I now have Facetime set up on my Mac, iPad and iPhone (thank you, Lisa, Dad, Linda and Kate for testing with me). Anyone who has an apple product, and wants to Facetime with me, send me an email, text me, whatever, and we can exchange Facetime emails so we can Facetime for free (I swear, I feel like I'm living in an episode of the Jetsons). Also, I have set up a Skype account (for those of you who don't have an Apple product). If you have an account, or want to set one up (they are free, you just need internet capability), we can talk on that too.
Alrighty. I think that's about it for now. This is like the War and Peace blog entry. War (with weight) and Peace (with well, everything else). Ah. All is right with the world.
Monday, January 28, 2013
R6P2D16 of 29 - Love connection
January 28, 2013
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 16 of 29
Well, you asked for it. Here's my "date" overview in 100 words or less. I survived. I didn't kvetch or hyperventilate on my way there. He didn't have a machete. Score!
I can't speak for him other than what he wrote to me afterwards and what he tried to do -- and was rebuffed by me -- as the 2 hour non-"date" in the middle of the day drew to its close. But, I can say, for my part, I am very content to keep him as a minor part (if at all) in my life. Was that diplomatic enough?
I'm sure some of my readers are rolling their eyes, thinking I'm looking for some vapid movie-star look alike (I assure you, I am not), or that I want someone to make big bucks (again, nope), or be smart like Einstein (thank you, no, I'd like to be able to keep up intellectually). I want someone who loves Jesus, has a compassionate heart, has some brains in his head, holds down a steady job (even if I make more money than him), can hold a conversation and has maybe 3 things he likes that I like (outside of Jesus and food, so we'll make that five things).
Okay, enough of the love (dis)connection.
Back to food. I had a good weekend of weight loss, and this morning, awoke to a 2 pound gain. It's official, the full moon makes me gain (regardless of the Phase I'm in). This is the 6th Round where I've seen it again and again. So, I press on, joyfully. I think I read that somewhere. ;-) (It's in the Bible, just in case you didn't know).
That's about all I have to say today. It seems like a good night for a book (Cranford), a cup of tea and a fire in the fireplace. Maybe I'll paint my nails. My old stand-by.
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 16 of 29
Well, you asked for it. Here's my "date" overview in 100 words or less. I survived. I didn't kvetch or hyperventilate on my way there. He didn't have a machete. Score!
I can't speak for him other than what he wrote to me afterwards and what he tried to do -- and was rebuffed by me -- as the 2 hour non-"date" in the middle of the day drew to its close. But, I can say, for my part, I am very content to keep him as a minor part (if at all) in my life. Was that diplomatic enough?
I'm sure some of my readers are rolling their eyes, thinking I'm looking for some vapid movie-star look alike (I assure you, I am not), or that I want someone to make big bucks (again, nope), or be smart like Einstein (thank you, no, I'd like to be able to keep up intellectually). I want someone who loves Jesus, has a compassionate heart, has some brains in his head, holds down a steady job (even if I make more money than him), can hold a conversation and has maybe 3 things he likes that I like (outside of Jesus and food, so we'll make that five things).
Okay, enough of the love (dis)connection.
Back to food. I had a good weekend of weight loss, and this morning, awoke to a 2 pound gain. It's official, the full moon makes me gain (regardless of the Phase I'm in). This is the 6th Round where I've seen it again and again. So, I press on, joyfully. I think I read that somewhere. ;-) (It's in the Bible, just in case you didn't know).
That's about all I have to say today. It seems like a good night for a book (Cranford), a cup of tea and a fire in the fireplace. Maybe I'll paint my nails. My old stand-by.
Friday, January 25, 2013
R6P2D13/29 - Disengaging my force fields
January 25, 2012
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 13/29
It's been a rather ho-hum sort of Round thus far. I'm not saying that in a dramatic, "I hate this" sort of way. More in a, "I don't have much to say about it" sort of way. My weight loss is tracking with other Rounds. It's not the worst, but it's certainly not the best. I am still making up ground from R5 Phase 4 (eating what I want in moderation). I realized after writing the last time, that not only do I blame myself (going a little nuts with movie theater popcorn and Christmas goodies) for gaining in R5P4, but the steroids I took for the first time in my life (thanks to my head cold) ... but also for the "sugar free" Halls cough drops I ate like they were the elixir of life. Something tells me that 100 sugar free cough drops aren't so "sugar free" when eaten constantly for a week. Duh, Julia!
So, on to the weekend everyone. This weekend, I will be trying something that I haven't done for a while. I'm going on a coffee "thing" with a guy tomorrow. I'm not calling it a date. In fact (I hope you're sitting down), I don't want to date. I haven't since I started HCG. My head is elsewhere. But, after being asked by a couple of random guys in the last two months (I skillfully deflected them ... FB can bring out some doozies, let me tell you), there's this guy. No, my heart strings aren't a-strumming. But, why not try something new? I did with HCG, and I'm at a place in my life I never thought I'd be. So, maybe this guy will be like HCG in my life. Or, maybe he'll be like Weight Watchers was -- NOT for me. But, how will I know, unless I put down the excuse force field ("I'm tired after work." "We have nothing in common." "I work long hours." "I don't like meeting new people." "I don't want to be distracted from my weight-loss journey." "He won't fit in with my life.") and just have coffee, like he suggested several times, and move on.
So, I accepted. I'm not losing sleep over it, but I must admit, I'm not sure if that was the right decision. But, nothing is forever. Certainly spending a couple of hours at Starbucks talking to some guy my friend recommended is not forever. One thing I've learned about myself (among the many) from doing HCG is, if I don't open myself up for new experiences, then I better like what I've got. Yes, I love my life as it is. Would it be enriched by the man God has for me? Absolutely. So, unless I expect for God to plop a man into my life, as he would drop a star from the sky, I better be open to meeting guys. I feel so dirty even writing that. Don't worry (Mom and Dad) ... I'm not joining a singles website, or club (do they even have those anymore). I'm just going for coffee and then meeting up with friends afterwards.
So, here goes ... force fields disengaging.
It
feels
weird
out
here.
:-)
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 13/29
It's been a rather ho-hum sort of Round thus far. I'm not saying that in a dramatic, "I hate this" sort of way. More in a, "I don't have much to say about it" sort of way. My weight loss is tracking with other Rounds. It's not the worst, but it's certainly not the best. I am still making up ground from R5 Phase 4 (eating what I want in moderation). I realized after writing the last time, that not only do I blame myself (going a little nuts with movie theater popcorn and Christmas goodies) for gaining in R5P4, but the steroids I took for the first time in my life (thanks to my head cold) ... but also for the "sugar free" Halls cough drops I ate like they were the elixir of life. Something tells me that 100 sugar free cough drops aren't so "sugar free" when eaten constantly for a week. Duh, Julia!
So, on to the weekend everyone. This weekend, I will be trying something that I haven't done for a while. I'm going on a coffee "thing" with a guy tomorrow. I'm not calling it a date. In fact (I hope you're sitting down), I don't want to date. I haven't since I started HCG. My head is elsewhere. But, after being asked by a couple of random guys in the last two months (I skillfully deflected them ... FB can bring out some doozies, let me tell you), there's this guy. No, my heart strings aren't a-strumming. But, why not try something new? I did with HCG, and I'm at a place in my life I never thought I'd be. So, maybe this guy will be like HCG in my life. Or, maybe he'll be like Weight Watchers was -- NOT for me. But, how will I know, unless I put down the excuse force field ("I'm tired after work." "We have nothing in common." "I work long hours." "I don't like meeting new people." "I don't want to be distracted from my weight-loss journey." "He won't fit in with my life.") and just have coffee, like he suggested several times, and move on.
So, I accepted. I'm not losing sleep over it, but I must admit, I'm not sure if that was the right decision. But, nothing is forever. Certainly spending a couple of hours at Starbucks talking to some guy my friend recommended is not forever. One thing I've learned about myself (among the many) from doing HCG is, if I don't open myself up for new experiences, then I better like what I've got. Yes, I love my life as it is. Would it be enriched by the man God has for me? Absolutely. So, unless I expect for God to plop a man into my life, as he would drop a star from the sky, I better be open to meeting guys. I feel so dirty even writing that. Don't worry (Mom and Dad) ... I'm not joining a singles website, or club (do they even have those anymore). I'm just going for coffee and then meeting up with friends afterwards.
So, here goes ... force fields disengaging.
It
feels
weird
out
here.
:-)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
R6P2D4 - Yellow Fever Isn't Killing Me!
January 16, 2013
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 4 of 29
I still can't believe I'm typing 2013. It's hard to believe when I started this blog (and HCG), it was the end of 2011. As of tomorrow, I will have been following the HCG protocol for 15 months. Crazy, with a capital CRAZY!
So, I got my final vaccination for my March Asia trip yesterday, and it didn't seem to upset my weight loss. I was a little concerned, because the Yellow Fever vaccine (which was LIVE culture!) was incubated in egg. I can't have egg right now. But, I had to have the vaccine (and Hep A, Hep B, typhoid, TB). Since none of those were "live," they didn't have to be incubated. Yellow Fever did. Well, I'm happy to say, I didn't gain, I still lost, and (perhaps I should have put this first), I didn't get Yellow Fever. Although, as a Cat employee, I suppose I should have "Cat yellow" fever. Not that I do. :-)
So, I'm down 2.0 overnight. I'm making up some ground. I still have 12 pounds to go to my absolute lowest (when I was exactly 2 pounds below Last Dosage Weight). I'm tracking along with my weight-loss in Round 5, so I will be slowing down any day now. Each of my other 5 Rounds, my weight loss slowed down between days 5 - 9. So, that's what I'm expecting to happen this time. No surprises. And, as you know, I hate surprises (they are almost always bad -- except for the 2 surprise parties I've received and the 4 I've been a part of in the last 3 years). In weight-loss, it's generally not fun to be "surprised" because it's usually in the up direction. But, sometimes not. Today, actually, was a good surprise. Of course, my scale went all wonky on me, and I had to get on and off about 5 times to finally land on the same weight twice. That's the one I took. It actually showed about 0.7 pounds less in one of the tries, but I'm not counting that, as it didn't "stick." I think the battery might need to be replaced. Either that, or it's just wonky. But, I'm not switching scales now. 15 months, it's my friend. And, you don't dump friends, regardless of how silly they are. :-)
I'm hearing a BIG amen to that one -- all of you out there thinking how silly I am and you're not dumping me. Thanks!
So, that's all for today. No yellow fever. Check. Weight still going down on the sale. Check. Two blogs in two days. Check. Making up for lost time and gained weight. Check. Grateful for HCG. Check. Grateful for my friends and family. SUPER check. Signing off. Check.
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD) 4 of 29
I still can't believe I'm typing 2013. It's hard to believe when I started this blog (and HCG), it was the end of 2011. As of tomorrow, I will have been following the HCG protocol for 15 months. Crazy, with a capital CRAZY!
So, I got my final vaccination for my March Asia trip yesterday, and it didn't seem to upset my weight loss. I was a little concerned, because the Yellow Fever vaccine (which was LIVE culture!) was incubated in egg. I can't have egg right now. But, I had to have the vaccine (and Hep A, Hep B, typhoid, TB). Since none of those were "live," they didn't have to be incubated. Yellow Fever did. Well, I'm happy to say, I didn't gain, I still lost, and (perhaps I should have put this first), I didn't get Yellow Fever. Although, as a Cat employee, I suppose I should have "Cat yellow" fever. Not that I do. :-)
So, I'm down 2.0 overnight. I'm making up some ground. I still have 12 pounds to go to my absolute lowest (when I was exactly 2 pounds below Last Dosage Weight). I'm tracking along with my weight-loss in Round 5, so I will be slowing down any day now. Each of my other 5 Rounds, my weight loss slowed down between days 5 - 9. So, that's what I'm expecting to happen this time. No surprises. And, as you know, I hate surprises (they are almost always bad -- except for the 2 surprise parties I've received and the 4 I've been a part of in the last 3 years). In weight-loss, it's generally not fun to be "surprised" because it's usually in the up direction. But, sometimes not. Today, actually, was a good surprise. Of course, my scale went all wonky on me, and I had to get on and off about 5 times to finally land on the same weight twice. That's the one I took. It actually showed about 0.7 pounds less in one of the tries, but I'm not counting that, as it didn't "stick." I think the battery might need to be replaced. Either that, or it's just wonky. But, I'm not switching scales now. 15 months, it's my friend. And, you don't dump friends, regardless of how silly they are. :-)
I'm hearing a BIG amen to that one -- all of you out there thinking how silly I am and you're not dumping me. Thanks!
So, that's all for today. No yellow fever. Check. Weight still going down on the sale. Check. Two blogs in two days. Check. Making up for lost time and gained weight. Check. Grateful for HCG. Check. Grateful for my friends and family. SUPER check. Signing off. Check.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
R6P2D3/29 -- "Roid" Rage
January 15, 2012
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD 2 of 29
No, you're not seeing things. My progress scale went back from 91 (90.8 actually) to 68. Whuh?! Well, I blame myself and I blame "roid" rage. What's that, you ask? It's my pithy way of saying, for the first time ever, I was put on steroids (January 1 - 12) to get over a head cold. What happened? Well, besides eating off of plan, the "roids" helped me gain back my R5 weight. WHAT? You are right to be astounded. I was. Rather disappointed in myself, actually. But, I'm glad I had the medication (to get over my cold) and that I had hHCG (homeopathic HCG) Round 6 to look forward to. I got back on that wagon by loading January 10 - 12 (Happy Birthday, Jim Wallace on January 12!), while I was on my business trip. And, boy, did I load.
Business trip food, coupled with steroids ... I was one uncomfortable camper. Actually, I forgot, until today, that part of my gain was because of those. But, let's be real. After stabilizing like a champ (no correction days for me), I hit the mid-December mark, went to the Hobbit 12 times (yep) and ate enough movie theater popcorn to fill a small theater, but I didn't stop there. I ate other stuff, like candy, and fast food. What did I learn? CONSTANT VIGILANCE. Yep. That's the name of the game.
So, I'm learning as I go, not beating myself up, and moving forward.
Today was my 2nd weigh in on P2. I've lost 8.8 pounds in 2 days, which is my highest (by about 1/2 a pound) loss in all 6 Rounds. I'll take it. I have 12 pounds to go to recover my Last Dosage Weight (LDW) from Round 5 (October 28), but it's do-able.
So, my next big adventure is preparing for my Asia (India, Singapore, Shanghai) trip from March 9 - 22. I'll be safely ensconced in Phase 4 (eat what I want in MODERATION). Since I can stabilize like a champ (at least, I proved THAT to myself), my next goal (or one of them) is to stay stabilized in P4. That will be right when I travel. Yikes! But, I'm not giving into fear. I'm going to do what I can to pack protein bars (I'll take suggestions on what ones are low carb too) and eat those. So, buckle up. I plan on zooming at jet speed back to my LDW, and hopefully, in 29 days of P2 (instead of the 23 days that I did last time), I'll be able to make up ground and deplete a few more pounds from my scale to boot.
Sorry about the radio silence in December and 1/2 of January. Not sure where the time went, but it wasn't spent blogging, that's for sure. I'll try to be better about staying plugged in and accountable.
Round 6 (R6), Phase 2 (P2) Very Low Calorie Day (VLCD 2 of 29
No, you're not seeing things. My progress scale went back from 91 (90.8 actually) to 68. Whuh?! Well, I blame myself and I blame "roid" rage. What's that, you ask? It's my pithy way of saying, for the first time ever, I was put on steroids (January 1 - 12) to get over a head cold. What happened? Well, besides eating off of plan, the "roids" helped me gain back my R5 weight. WHAT? You are right to be astounded. I was. Rather disappointed in myself, actually. But, I'm glad I had the medication (to get over my cold) and that I had hHCG (homeopathic HCG) Round 6 to look forward to. I got back on that wagon by loading January 10 - 12 (Happy Birthday, Jim Wallace on January 12!), while I was on my business trip. And, boy, did I load.
Business trip food, coupled with steroids ... I was one uncomfortable camper. Actually, I forgot, until today, that part of my gain was because of those. But, let's be real. After stabilizing like a champ (no correction days for me), I hit the mid-December mark, went to the Hobbit 12 times (yep) and ate enough movie theater popcorn to fill a small theater, but I didn't stop there. I ate other stuff, like candy, and fast food. What did I learn? CONSTANT VIGILANCE. Yep. That's the name of the game.
So, I'm learning as I go, not beating myself up, and moving forward.
Today was my 2nd weigh in on P2. I've lost 8.8 pounds in 2 days, which is my highest (by about 1/2 a pound) loss in all 6 Rounds. I'll take it. I have 12 pounds to go to recover my Last Dosage Weight (LDW) from Round 5 (October 28), but it's do-able.
So, my next big adventure is preparing for my Asia (India, Singapore, Shanghai) trip from March 9 - 22. I'll be safely ensconced in Phase 4 (eat what I want in MODERATION). Since I can stabilize like a champ (at least, I proved THAT to myself), my next goal (or one of them) is to stay stabilized in P4. That will be right when I travel. Yikes! But, I'm not giving into fear. I'm going to do what I can to pack protein bars (I'll take suggestions on what ones are low carb too) and eat those. So, buckle up. I plan on zooming at jet speed back to my LDW, and hopefully, in 29 days of P2 (instead of the 23 days that I did last time), I'll be able to make up ground and deplete a few more pounds from my scale to boot.
Sorry about the radio silence in December and 1/2 of January. Not sure where the time went, but it wasn't spent blogging, that's for sure. I'll try to be better about staying plugged in and accountable.
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