Weight loss update:

Its official! I shed 20 pounds of fat since October 19th. On this round alone I have lost 8 pounds in 11 days. I know its fat because my Doctor does a body composition test on me and it tells muscle, fat and water. At the end of the last round I actually gained 2 1/2 pounds of lean muscle! 

We are on the VLCD phase for 9 more days. But I might go a few more days longer to achieve my goal of 10 pounds more. Hubby might too, he hasn't decided yet. Then we will be on a 5 week break and back to 1200 calories and a modified South Beach or Atkins Diet. 

I have been so busy with planning my daughters baby shower and some family drama (on the phone constantly!) that I have been neglecting my work outs... I need to get back to my Fluidity! I felt good when I was doing that twice a week. I only missed this last week, so I am starting up again tomorrow. I still walk cause I promised my dog I would walk her everyday.

Stay tuned for a new picture and recipe coming soon.

Weight Loss update!

Here is another VLCD meal idea:

Chicken and spinach roll ups with baby cucumber spears and blackberries~YUM

No recipe needed. But I did spread on some mustard on the chicken breast before I put on the spinach and rolled them up. I used Mrs. Dash "table blend" on my baby cucumber spears. This quick and easy meal took me only minutes to make.

I hope everyone is having a happy New year

Weight Loss Update: 

I have lost another couple of pounds since I posted last. That brings my total since 12-24-08 to 7 pounds in 10 days! I am pretty happy about that. The hCG combined with the amino acids and the 2 mile walks a day and the Fluidity/10 minute spot work outs are a great combination for this steady weight coming off. And its coming off for good too! I feel awesome. I have plenty of energy for my walks and other things I might need to do during the day. I don't feel faint or weak. The 500 calories of food plus the apx. 2000 cal. that are burned by the hCG are keeping me healthy and in slight ketosis. The amino acids are helping with hunger issues between meals and keeping me happy and sleeping good at night. I am still getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night and 100 ounces of water per day along with my 5 cups of tea. I have hot tea in the morning and afternoon. The rest of the tea is iced and sweetened with Sweet and Slender. 

Here are the meals we had yesterday:

For lunch we had Shrimp & Spinach Salad:

Shrimp Sauté Spinach Salad

1 large handful of fresh Organic Baby Spinach

100g of salad size shrimp (I use pre-cooked from Costco)

1/2 ripe Roma tomato, seeded and sliced into strips

1/2 Tab. Organic coconut oil

Dressing:

Fresh grated ginger to taste (About 1/2 tea.)

4 Tab. apple cider vinegar

1 Tab. Braggs 

1 packet or less of stevia or I use Sweet and Slender.

1 drop of toasted sesame oil (A NO NO on the protocol but I use it anyway.)

That makes enough dressing for two servings.

Sauté the shrimp in the coconut oil (no it doesn't make it taste like a pina colada) very quickly just to heat them up. They are pre cooked so you don't want them to become rubber.

Place on top of your spinach and tomatoes, sprinkle with half the dressing and there you have it, a quick, tasty, and filling lunch.

DINNER

I guess I was in a seafood mood because for dinner I sautéed Halibut!

Pan Seared Herbed Halibut with steamed Napa cabbage and asparagus.

For TWO:

200g Halibut steak whole or cut in two. (I cook mine whole then cut it in half.)

1 Tab. Organic Coconut oil

2 Tab. Old bay Seafood Rub (Or any other kind of rub you like just watch for hidden sugar)

1 large Napa cabbage leaf

6 spears of asparagus 

Herbamare (Organic Seasoning) to taste or your favorite vegi seasoning...

{Careful with salt when you are trying to shed pounds}

Heat up a cast iron skillet over Med heat. Add and melt coconut oil... spread it around the pan. 

Season fish with rub and add to skillet. 

While skillet is heating place the cabbage leaves in your steamer with the asparagus.

Cook the vegi and the fish at the same time.

Place fish in skillet, carefully... cook 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on thickness of fish.

BON APPETITE!

Check back often for my progress! 

Thanks to my support team!

Chicken Spinach Soup:

Weight loss update:

I lost another pound this morning... that's a total of 4 pounds in 7 days! I had a little pizza mishap on Football Sunday. That set me back a little but I am fully recovered today and back to watching that scale slide the correct way.... DOWN!

Last night I made Chicken Spinach soup for dinner:

Chicken Spinach Soup for Two

4 cups low sodium  organic chicken broth

1  organic chicken breast half

1/2 organic onion diced

2 cups fresh organic baby spinach

Herbamare (Organic season salt) or salt and pepper to taste

Gently boil chicken in broth and onion, till chicken breast is done. About 10 minutes.

Take out chicken breast and shred chicken with fork. Add back to broth and onion with Herbamare (Season salt) and the 2 cups of spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve with 1 breadstick if desired. 

*You don't have to be on a diet to make this heart healthy soup nor do you have to use all organic.

*Here is what the Herbamare looks like: You can purchase this at Sprouts or most health food stores.

What a VLCD (very low calorie diet) looks like:

For Dinner tonight I made "Right-on Protocol"

 Chili for Two. 

You can add a grissni (Bread stick) to that if desired. I'm not eating the bread sticks or melba toast this round. But Hubby is.

200g lean protein (I used Elk, you can use beef, veil or chicken)

1/2 yellow onion Chopped

1 TAB. Extra Virgin Coconut oil

1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)

2 or more cloves garlic

1/2 tea chipotle chili powder 

1/2 tea cumin

1/8th tea unsweetened cocoa powder

2 TAB chopped cilantro 

1 green onion (optional) for garnish

In heavy bottom sauce pan or skillet melt coconut oil, cook onion. Add garlic.

Then meat and all spices and brown slowly. I ground up the tomatoes just a tad, then add them to the meat. I taste then add more chili powder to taste. Cook for at least a 1/2 hour then add the cilantro and cook another 10 minutes. Add chopped green onion for garnish.

Bon appetite! 

  

Weight Loss update:

Both hubby and I are down 1 more pound this morning! Getting up in the morning is like Christmas for me! I can't wait to get on the scale! That puts my total for this round at 4 pounds dropped since Dec. 24th! I am still taking those amino acids and walking 2 miles every morning, plus Fluidity on Tuesday and Thursday. I added the 10 Minute Solution Pilates spot work out to tone my arms on my days off from Fluidity... Yeah, gotta get rid of the bat wings! I got that work out DVD at CostCo ($9.99). They had a bunch of different ones but I liked this one cause, first of all its 10 minutes and second it really hits the spot! So on my off days from Fluidity I am doing a 10 minute spot work out. Its only 10 minutes outta my day. I am feeling great, even tho I am only taking in 500 calories my body is still burning 2000 calories of FAT! I have great energy and mentally I am just elated. That, I'm sure has to do with the amino acids I am taking. They raise and keep steady my serotonin levels. I am getting 100 oz. of water daily and getting 8 hours sleep every night. Good sleep too. With the help of some Valerian sometimes. 

If you want to view part of the DVD click below. 

The stretch alone is worth the price of the DVD its awesome!

Click here to view the stretch at Amazon.com

Other Stuff:

Sunday is my "Day of Rest" and I don't do a workout, but I do take the dog for a walk. But its a leisurely walk holding hands with hubby, stopping and talking to the neighbors. 

Happy Sunday!

Back on the weight loss slide!

Weight Loss Update!

Weighed in this morning and I am down 3 pounds since Dec.24th. Yeah! Hubby is down 2 pounds! Whoo hoo!

I made some salsa to last us the week. We love it on our grilled chicken! I make up a batch and keep it in a mason jar in the fridge!                                                                                                                   

Weight loss update:

The first day of the VLCD (very low calorie diet) we did very well. Along with the amino acids, we had our tea and apple for breakfast. We did a 2 mile walk. (brrrrrr it was cold tho) For lunch we had left over grilled London Broil-100g and salad with my mustard and apple cider vinager dressing. No snack for me or hubby... We just weren't  hungry at all. Then for dinner we had grilled halibut and baby bok choy. That was it. I am going to go off protocol tonight and we will each have the last of the Harry and David pears we got as a gift, for dessert. Going to drink another 16 oz of water tonight, get in the hot tub for 20 minutes and then call it a night so we get out 8 hours sleep. I am excited to get on the scale tomorrow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Weight loss news:

I'm back on the Protocol! Phase 2 Round 2 for hubby and I. We started this morning. Today is "Load Day" so is tomorrow. It was the Doc's idea to start a week early and load on Christmas Eve and Day! So I took my injection and weighed. Later today Hubby and I will take pix and measure for this round.

At the Doc's yesterday she did a body comp. and I gained 2 pounds of lean muscle mass! That is since my LIW on the first round! I was SO happy about that! That's why I was able to maintain between the first round. Ok, so we load today and tomorrow then its onto the VLCD on the 26th and we start the melting. I haven't set any goals this round. I don't know if I will. I know I will have to do at least one more round after this one so I might just go with the flow this round... However I would like to lose at least 15 pounds.

This round we are using the amino acids with the hCG Protocol. I hope to be able to lose more because of how good I feel using the amino acids. Only time will tell. But I am ready for the scale to start sliding!

I just put a bow on my little bears,

 they look so cute I had to take their picture.

Weight loss Update:

I like busy but I also like to have time to sleep!

This is what I had for lunch today... Its just cottage cheese with avocado chunks, tomato and green onion. Perfect, filling and fast!

Looking forward to starting the hCG Protocol again, this time for 21 days. 

Round II

I am shooting for another 15 pounds this round. 

My load days are 24th & 25th.

Then on to the VLCD. I'm so ready, but glad for that 6 week break to nourish my body, cleanse and do some heavy workouts.

Other Stuff:

I've been busy over at the Project Table. Check it out...

Finishing up last minute things and getting ready for loads of company.

I will be shopping the Christmas sales this week end...

 Gotta check out those 70% off  Christmas treasures! 

Who knows what I'll find!

Welcome to my second Tablescape Tuesday!

 Hosted by Susan on her blog Between naps on the porch. My I present a "A Simple Asian Table setting." With all the hustle and bustle of the holidaze, sometimes its nice to sit down to a simple but elegant meal... 

Followed by a lovely cuppa flowering Jasmine tea and chocolate covered fortune cookies.

For more on Flowering tea see my other blog: 

The Project Table

Weight Loss Update:

Well Doc. Logan said "no" to only taking a 3 week break. But she isn't a totally unreasonable person, so after I told her it was like having the key to the treasure chest and not being allowed to open it. We compromised and I am starting on Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day, they will be my load days. So that's about 1 week shy of 6 weeks. Hubby is going to start again too! So in 13 days we are back on the hCH Protocol! Yeah!

I have maintained only a 3 pound increase in 3 and a half weeks. That's over Thanksgiving and our one week trip to Disneyland! But Doc. wants to see that 3 lbs., at least, gone using the "high Performance" protocol. She thinks its totally doable by Christmas Eve. 

So there lies my challenge!

Three pounds on my own in 12 days... 

OMG! 

The twelve days of Christmas!

I CAN DO THIS!

Other Stuff:

My daughter had a 4D ultrasound today! 

Its so amazing to be able to see the baby inside the mother!

 Here is my grandson Preston:

Weight Loss update:

So we go to the Doc. tomorrow and I am going to tell her I am ready to get back to phase II. Its been three weeks now... or more and I am just ready to tackle this again and lose the weight. Now that I know how to do it... I want to get it done! I am going to try the three weeks on, three weeks off. We'll see what she says... I checked my original bottle of hCG with a kit and it said it was still good so I don't need to buy more. I think I have enough for 3 more weeks.

Hubby doesn't want to go back on the injections and the VLCD again till the new year. That's fine... I'm the cook and he will eat what I put in front of him anyway... hehehe... 

So far I am doing great on the Protocol that the Doc gave me... the Amino Acids work great! I feel full of energy and am NOT hungry. I eat for fuel for my body and not because I think I am hungry or for something to do... I am going to ask the Doc. tomorrow if I can take the amino acids while taking the hCG. I gained 4 pounds back from my original 20 pound loss at the end of round one on Phase II. But I lost two of those pounds already and I am holding my weight now for 4 days. 

Other Stuff: 

Got the tree almost done... There is a box way up in the rafters that I can't reach and I need to wait till hubby gets back. Its some flowers I put on the tree... to fill in the spots that are sparse.

I would like to start off my entry today with a prayer for a man named Dong Yun Yoon who lost his family on Monday in San Diego Ca. when a Marine jet crashed into his home. He lost his wife, two daughters and mother in law who was visiting from Korea to help care for the new baby. This story just really touched me ... Especially Mr. Yoon's forgiving attitude toward the pilot who was able to eject and parachute to safety. This candle is for Mr. Yoon's family.

My lunch was incredible today... 

I am decorating my tree... and got sooooo hungry so I made this quick lunch.

Garlic Shrimp with sautéed spinach.

Weight loss update:

Meals I ate today... I didn't take a pic of lunch, it was just turkey roll ups with spinach and cream cheese. Tasty tho... And I am actually under 1000 calories so I will have some fresh pineapple for desert.

Breakfast: Egg Beaters 1 egg omelet, 2 tab 2% milk, with 1/4 cup cheddar/jack cheese and 1/4 cup of my fresh homemade salsa. Around 2oo calories or less. 

Dinner: Elk Chili with beans and 2 tab crumbled  Mexican cheese.  Elk is low in calories and fat no cholesterol. Around 350 calories for one cup. 

 Pineapple for dessert?

Grilled Fresh Tuna with orange and cilantro marinade, and steamed asparagus with dill. 

Marinade recipe:

The juice of one fresh orange (Can also use lemon or lime)

A Teaspoon of zest

2 Tab. finely chopped cilantro 

I do baste the fish, you can use any firm white fish for grilling, with some coconut oil so it doesn't stick to the grill and it also leaves those wonderful grill marks. 

For you hCGers... That serving is MORE than 100g. Since I am in phase III I can have a larger serving size of protein. Also keep in mind that I use smaller plates.

Weight Loss Update: 

That's what I had for dinner last night because I am back on track with my weight loss. I was really full after I ate that... It was really good too. But that meal was loaded with protein and fiber. This morning the scale was leaning toward another pound gain and I am not going to let that happen! I will be posting my meals and adding pix if they look especially yummy and I am able to snap a pic before I gobble it down! I am on a mandatory break from the hCG Protocol. I will start up again the first week of January. 

So, I will carefully count calories today and stay on my 1000 cal. a day, Plus taking my amino acids twice a day and my 2 mile walks twice today. I have to admit to being REALLY ready to start back on the hCG! I loved seeing those amazing results!

I thought I was going to miss my coffee creamer when I went on the Protocol, and I did a little bit. But when I went into phase III I started using it again and it didn't taste as good as I had remembered. But I drank it anyway cause I only have 2 cups of coffee in the morning (Its the only vice I had left!). Then when we went on our Disneyland trip, we stayed at the Marriott on the concierge level. So in the morning I would put on my velours and get coffee every morning... they always have Star Bucks but they only had half and half creamer... so I used that and my "Sweet and Slender" sweetener and I really liked it! I have always known that the Nestles French Vanilla creamer is terrible for you... with its hydrogenated palm oils and other things I can't pronounce or spell. I was able to wean off that crap and now I enjoy my creamy morning coffee ALL natural. Organic French Roast coffee, Land-O-Lakes half and half and my new found friend Sweet And Slender sweetener. Its all natural, zero calories and tastes better than Stevia.

Its the baby steps people.... That get us to our goals safely!

Other Stuff:

I am also going to try and put up the Christmas tree today... 

SEE "The Project Table" blog tonight, for that little adventure.

Weight loss up date:

Yup, I still have that 4 pounds of extra baggage I

brought back from vacation! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrg!

Other Stuff:

 

Cardinals beat Rams 

34-10! 

We can't be stopped!

Nuff said...

Weight loss update:

I gained back 4 pounds of the 20 I had lost... that's from Thanksgiving to today. So... its back to serious weight losing for me this week. Starring tomorrow I am back to 1000 calories, taking the proper amount of amino acids prescribed by my Doctor. Walking two miles twice a day and my work out (Fluidity) on Tuesday and Thursday. 

Other Stuff:

We had a magical time at Disneyland! Five days running around with the kids and grandkids... Losing 20 pounds and walking 2 to 4 miles a day really helped my stamina. I might have gained more if I hadn't been on my amino acids and all the walking we do in Disneyland... we estimated its a good 5 miles a day total!

I miss Disneyland already... But it was nice to sleep in my own bed last night.

Here is the pic I am using as our Christmas Card this year...

Here is a picture of me at Disneyland next to a rose called "Disneyland." It was cultivated by the Disney gardeners and now you can purchase it from 

Jackson Perkins.  (Just type Disneyland rose into their search engine) We planted it last year in our front yard and its doing wonderfully! Its really a magical rose too... it turns shades of yellow, orange and pink! 

Here is a pic of my "Disneyland" Rose from my yard:

I admit to being a major Disney geek! Our whole family is too and our grown kids are raising their kids to be Disney geeks too! Its in our blood!

Visit my new blog The Project Table and see what project I have going now....

We are back from 

I will post a full trip report tonight with pictures! 

We had so much fun!