Experiment Update

Update: I've lost 5 pounds since Day One...

With all the traveling we've been doing its been hard to stay on any kind of a routine. But being back home and starting this experiment I've been able to drop the 6 pound weight gain and am back to where I was at this darn plateau! This morning I weighted and I was down a half of a pound and officially on the downside of the scale. If I can keep this up... that means the plateau is shattered and I'll be losing pounds and inches one again. Of course the lesson here is consistency! You don't have that when you are traveling, especially when you are traveling by air. You really are at the mercy of the airlines, airport, times zones and flight times. At a later time I'll figure out how to stay consistent while traveling, but right now I'm focused on this little experiment while I'll be home for 21 days straight.

I'm very encouraged. I'm not hungry (and when I am I eat) and I am feeling great. A couple things I have noticed...

1. I know we've all heard this time and time again... DRINK MORE WATER! I've started chugging slightly chilled water, 6 oz (Juice glass size) every hour. Its actually been easy... I start around 9:00 and continue all through the day. Brining a water bottle everywhere I go. If I am home I just fill up my juice glass right from the fridge with filtered water. So far so easy.
2. When on the HCG its recommended that you don't do any strenuous exercise. But walking is good. So I walk... but I found its been better to walk in the evening rather than in the morning when I've not taken in a lot of calories during the night and the morning, with only coffee for breakfast with 2 tab. cream. So an afternoon walk it is! Feeling awesome!
3. Craving fruit or peanut butter. Not together but sometimes yes. Apple with 1 small tablespoon of peanut butter has been afternoon snack of choice. Sometime I do switch it up and have celery and peanut butter tho. I need to top eating the peanut butter every day tho.

Other than that its been pretty easy dropping those 5 pounds. Now lets see if I can keep those last 5, I call em "travel pounds" off for good and stay on the downhill of my weight loss.

One thing that I am doing differently... Because its hot here is blending my fruit in my NutrabulletRX. (No, Im not affiliated with NutrabulletRX, I just wanted to show you this amazing machine) So I peel an orange cut it up... pop it into a blender with 1 cup of water, about 6 ice cubes a couple of fresh or frozen strawberries and let the Nutrabullet do it things... YUM! A cold refreshing juice, totally healthy because I am using the whole fruit and filling because I'm getting the fiber, plus all those frothy bubbles that fill me up. I count that as one of my daily fruits. I have it before or after my walk. (Its too hot here in Arizona to walk outside now so I've been on the boring treadmill) Its really good too. (Sometimes I do put in some Truvia if the orange is particularly sour or I'm making this with a ruby red grapefruit.) Here's a photo of my orange strawberry drink I call the "naked pink lady". If you are not on the HCG diet you can add some protein powder or yogurt for a more nutritious drink, but then its a smoothie. 

 Here's a photo of yesterdays "Naked Pink Lady"
Smooth, frothy, filling and refreshing.

Here's the NutrabulletRX its pretty amazing! 

Ok I'll update soon...

Doing a round of HCG this month + Quick Microwave scrambled eggs

Just want to get into shape for the holidays so my body is more prepared for the busy stressful weeks ahead.

Here is my morning routine:

~Wake between 6:00 & 7:00am~
~Potty, weigh, brush teeth, wash face, dress in work out clothes~
~Have one cuppa coffee and record weight and take blood pressure~
~Eat an apple or 1/2 grapefruit~
(Or smoothie or egg)
~Take Gadget for a short walk~
~Then I'm ready for the day~

Quick breakfast or meal when on the HCG Protocol. I always eat something for breakfast within one hour of getting out of bed. I have meds I need to take in the morning with food. Plus I just feel better having a small meal before I work out.
Try this anytime when on HCG or just in a hurry!

In a Hurry scrambled eggs

1 egg and 2 egg whites
A dash of water
A dash of hot sauce
Chopped chives
Whisk eggs and water
Pour into a lightly sprayed
mug. I used coconut oil. Pam will work.
Add chives, or anything else, like ham, cheese, spinach.
Microwave for 30 seconds... check... 30 more seconds if needed.
Quick healthy meal.
This has saved me many times from eating something bad when I was hungry and in a hurry to eat.
ENJOY!

6.2 pounds shed... And I feel great!

This morning my weight didn't change. It stayed the same. Sometimes that happens on HcG. That is why the original protocol, written by Doctor Simeons is called "Pounds and Inches".  Some day's you don't lose pounds you lose inches.  So I won't fret yet, my body is responding nicely to the HCG once again and I am losing pounds and inches and my clothes are getting loser and I have more energy and I feel great!

I had a 1/2 cup of applesauce for breakfast with my coffee this morning.



And yesterday I had:

Chinese Chicken salad for lunch

Dilled Cucumbers and chopped roasted chicken for dinner

And a beautiful Pacific Rose Apple cut up with cinnamon sprinkled on it for snack.

Did I mention an earlier bed time?

Sufficient sleep is important on the HcG protocol.

Getting to bed between 10:00pm and 11:00pm is crucual, because around 11:00pm - 3:00am in when your body goes into repair mode. Its busy cleaning your blood, reparing your muscles and moving toxins and waste, so you can eliminate then in the morning. 

Go to bed...

Sweet Dreams...

22.6 pounds and...

...the countdown has started!

I have 7 more injection days left and 7 more pounds to lose...
I don't usually lose a pound a day on this Protocol so my goal looks a million miles away!
All I can do is keep trying...




Today for breakfast I had:
Baked apple chunks with cinnamon and Truvia

For lunch I had:

1/2 cup of low fat Cottage cheese, green onion tops and tomato from my garden!

Al Fresco!

For dinner we had "simmered all afternoon Marinara" and Bison Meatballs.



I will post the recipe for this on Sunday!

Waving goodbye to 20 pounds!

I did it!

I met my mini goal a day early!

That doesn't mean I can slack off tho...

I still have another goal to reach.

Another 10 pounds by May 25th!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today for lunch: 4 oz Grilled chicken salad with Boston lettuce leaves.

(Click on the photos to enlarge)

1 pre grilled chicken breast- diced

1 dill pickle-diced

1/8 red or sweet onion-diced

1/2 teaspoon Grey Poupon mustard

a few sprigs of fresh Lemon Thyme or Dill (or any dried herb you like)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place chicken in mini food processor and process till small chunks

Add onion and pickle and Thyme, salt, pepper and mustard

Process till smooth or desired consistency.

No need for mayo

Roll up a spoon full of chicken salad in a soft lettuce leaf and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For dinner we had:

Meat loaf (made with bison) and Mashed Fauxtatoes (made with cauliflower)

If anyone is interested I will post the recipes... Just ask :)

Have a great night...

And Keep Moving that body and feed it the good stuff!

~Rainey~

Inches...

The Hcg Protocol is also called Pounds and Inches. Because you lose pounds AND inches. You lose fat in places that are hard for crunches to get to. Hopefully today I lost inches... The scale didn't move this morning. Tomorrow is my weekly Doc. appt, and weigh in. Also last night I had beef. And I tell ya... I'm thinking beef doesn't work for me on the Protocol. Even the most lean cut of beef. Last night we had a beef filet. And looking back at my log book, its starting to dawn on me that I can't eat beef! And I love a good steak.

So NO more beef while I am on Protocol!

(Only 15 more days!)

Yesterday for lunch we had:

Roasted Chicken nuggets (No breading) and tomato parsley salad.

(Yes, we ate the parsley, if was fresh from my garden.)

Last night for Dinner we had:

Grilled beef filet tenderloin and a large salad with ginger dressing.

We also had fresh strawberries for desert:

Slow progress...

But Progress non the less! The scale isn't moving too fast, but I feel better and wear my clothes better and I can get up from the floor easier. I have great energy still and I can't complain about any of that!

I am going to cut out the Melba toast this week and see how I do. I really don't like the Melba Toast anyway, I just grind it up and use it for bread crumbs anyway. I am staying home for the next 7 days anyway, so I can really hide from the world and its tempting food choices.

This is the part of this diet that gets hard, the last 20 days. Because you are SO limited on food choices, after the first 21 days you are ready for a change! But if you keep saying to yourself "FOOD IS FUEL FOR MY BODY" and using this as your mantra you can make it through till the end. It really is your state of mind that is going to see you through the tough days.

So I'm moving with T-Tapp and walking, measuring and counting my calories and taking my supplements and using the Hcg. I have 21 more days on the protocol. Then I take a 12 week break. Those weeks are maintenance weeks. The first three weeks, no starch or sugar. Then ease back into a regular diet. Carefully monitoring my weight and any 2 pound change I will have a Steak day to keep my weight where it was when I finished the Hcg round. Then, if at the end of that 12 weeks I am not at the weight I want to be I will do one more 21 day round of Hcg!

I'm over at my Son's and Daughter in law's house babysitting the grand-kiddos, so I brought eggs and salsa for lunch...

And Apple for snack.

Funny thing is... when I eat the eggs with salsa and I eat the apples cup up like this; its what the kids want too... So they eat it with me!

Weigh in With Doc this morning!

Half way point weigh in and I am a pound more than I should have been... No need getting upset about it... I'm just gonna move on and make progress. I still have another 15 pounds to lose. I think I can do it. I still have 21 Days to go. I know I can lost at least 15 pounds in 21 days.

Successful Apple Day!

I dropped another pound and a half yesterday doing an apple day... I am no longer carrying around 12 1/2 pounds of fat! Tomorrow morning weigh in will let me know if I broke the stall.

I start T-Tapp today after my morning walk. I'm excited to add T-Tapp to my diet routine. Its supposed to really enhance the Hcg Protocol. By toning muscle so when as the fat melts off toned muscles show. Also with Hcg and T-Tapp there will be NO sagging skin at all.

I have a personal 30 minute playlist on my iPod that I made for myself to keep me motivated and to keep my tempo. But a friend of mine suggested an iBook while walking... What a great idea! I think I will try that in the morning... for some reason my morning walk is a little boring... I LOVE my evening walk... there are other people out and about, kids playing at the park I walk past and other dogs to say hello to. It really is more of a social walk although I still keep my tempo when I am walking. Thanks for the suggestion Dave!

I think I will just get them from the library instead of you shipping them from the Virgin Islands Dave, and thank you so much for the suggestions and for being my cheering section!

I will be posting more later today...

Apple Day

I haven't really "Stalled" but TOM was here. Its been four days since I have had any significant change, so I did a apple day today. When I do an apple day, I usually pick a Sunday when we have no family obligations and call it "Spa Day"

I slept in till 9:00am... Had tea on the patio with the Sunday paper, took a long shower, did my toe nails pretty, I even painted little flowers on my mamma toes ... Took a nap listening to the sound of a running stream. Read my book. Took an evening walk with my dog... And ate 3 (I'm supposed to eat 6) apples and sipped minted iced tea all day. That's it... That is all I ate. I am heading out to the hot tub now then going to be in bed at 9:00pm.

Apple days work really well for me when I do it this way.

My Weight Today...

As of this morning I have lost 11 pounds! I still feel great, have lots of energy and haven't been starving and am losing Fat. I have been losing a little muscle. But that has slowed down now that my body is adjusting and learning to burn the fat stores, not what I am eating as energy!

My Lunch Today:

Shrimp WanTon Soup

My Dinner tonight:

Chicken spinach roulades

9 pounds GONE!

I was amazed this morning when I got on the scale! I have lost 9 pounds from April 3rd to April 12th 2010. Part of it is water but most of it is fat, I know this because I see a Doctor every week and she does a body composition test on me. Also I am not losing muscle. I am starting to build muscle now. During the first week.... of NO carbs, my body realizes that it isn't getting quick carbs to burn as energy and it goes to the FAT stores. If I walk and do bands or yoga... my body knows I need muscle and won't eat muscle for energy! This isn't an easy diet, but it is a diet that works if you put in the effort. And it works and it works efficiently! I am burning close to 1200 calories of fat everyday as long as I keep moving.

Or as my Buddy Dave says "Move yer ass!"

Walking is what I do in the morning and evening... I walk my little doggie... I would like to walk with Hubby but he won't get off his chair... (note his weight change next to mine)

I just started T-Tapp... No its not tap dancing,I'm way too uncoordinated for that! Its a cross between yoga and Pilates but you need NO equipment. Just 3 times a week. You can even to T-Tapp sitting down!

Ahhhhh LUNCH! I was hungry this morning... and I'm not supposed to be hungry using the HCG! (Might need to get my dose adjusted) But I made it to lunch and we had grilled Bison Burgers with grilled onions, Boston Lettuce and Tomato.

The dieters version of a burger and a soda!

I wrapped up the Bison burger and onions and tomato around that beautiful buttery boston lettuce and ate it like a burger!

It was fantastic!

And my drink of choice with a meal is this Canada Dry Sparkling Seltzer Water!

Its NOT sweet. Its refreshing tho with just a hint of orange, then I add my own on the brim so I can smell it when I take a drink. I can't complain.

So... I have been really missing my Sweet Tea...

Although I am a Southern California Girl, Hubby is a southern boy and loves Sweet Tea.

So I got hooked on it.

What does a girl do that loves Sweet Tea but can't have sugar do?

Make NO calorie GREAT tasting Sweet Tea with Truvia!

See my Truvia Taste Test here.

Its hot today so I made Sweet Tea!

Now I feel better!

Wait till you see what's for dinner!

Yes, we can have crab!

4oz of fresh crab and 1/2 cup of cucumber salad

Doc. appt. tomorrow!

Weigh in and body composition!

Lunch and Dinner photos...

I have lost 8 pounds since last Saturday...

I always lose pretty quickly the first week but now the slow and steady begins...

Today for lunch we had 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

and yellow and red tomato w/ green onions.

Today for dinner we had Bison Chili

I feel great!

I lost another couple pounds (7 and 1/2 pounds total) and I am starting to feel really good! I mean, lots of energy and better stamina... I have upped our walks to 2 miles... One mile in the morning and one mile in the evening... My cardiologist prefers that I break up my walks through out the day anyway. Rather than do all my miles for the day at one time. Yesterday I babysat at my Son's house all day and I was really busy... So I wasn't able to photograph lunch.

For the morning commute I had a travel mug of Yerba Mate Tea with a whole packet of Truvia! YUM! And I had brought some strawberries to snack on but didn't end up eating them cause after the Yerba mate tea I wasn't hungry. Yerba Mate tea is a great appetite suppressant.

I packed my lunch. It was just some deli chicken sliced thick. One piece is 4 0z. and a sliced tomato and lettuce. I made a roll up with it and it was fantastic!

When I got home I had Halibut unthawed in the fridge waiting for me... I fired up my Flip Grill and seasoned the heck outa my fish and plopped them on the grill, while I sliced cucumbers and some red onion and made a homemade dressing of ground ginger, rice vinegar, Bragg's liquid amino and a little Truvia. It took me all of 15 minutes to get dinner ready:

Dinner: Grilled Halibut with Dijon sauce and marinated ginger cucumbers.

I actually had dessert tonight... Just strawberries with Truvia.

And of course the ever present lemon water.

But I am switching to Lime water. For a change.

Doesn't that look refreshing?

And I am making some Iced Sweet Tea with Truvia. I can drink that all day long its so good!

I am also getting ready for a two day yard sale... my Son and daughter and mother in law and us! A huge 4 family yard sale! So I am going to be really busy... Good thing my body is dipping into that stored fat to use as energy! I MUST drink all of my water today!

Also I have a Doc. Appt. Its Weigh in Day! She is going to be pretty happy with my results this week! I know I am! *UPDATE* Doc's scale says I lost 9 pounds, but i'm going with my scale while I do this diet. I only have another 41 days to go!

FRIDAY= Yard sale Day:

Lunch:

I call these "Scorpion shrimp in the grass" cause they look like scorpions when you "butterfly" them and grill them like that and because I put a dash of Cholula Sauce on them just before serving to give them that "sting". Served on a bed of julienne spinach with lemon dressing.

We are having "Fried" chicken and steamed cabbage for dinner:

Will update later... Yard sale went well... doing it again in the morning... Going out to work in the garden for a while...