It's not easy being cheesy

So, we did 5 weeks on the HCG diet when we were original thinking 6 in the beginning. I only really count 4 because we didn't abide by all the guidelines for one week in the middle. Honestly, I think I was really only on the strict diet for a little over 2 weeks but I tried to stay as close as possible. I lost just over 20 lbs from start to finish and Hubby lost about 35. We started into the maintenance phase of our first round and that's where we had more problems. You're supposed to maintain your weight within 2 lbs of where you stopped the HCG, but we didn't eat perfect and we've both put on about 5 lbs.
I am excited that overall I have lost 30 pounds from my highest weight. I have not redone my measurements since stopping the HCG but that was exciting too. I dropped at least 3 inches around my torso. I lost 5 inches around my waist and 6 inches around my behind. The jeans that used to cut me in half when I wore a girdle are my go-to jeans right now (without a girdle) and they don't hurt to wear!

But.. and there's always a "but" with me. At the same time I think I'm seeing signs that I may be pre-Diabetic. No, I have not been to a doctor about it but I went through the classes that explain the disease, the symptoms and how to function with it and a visit with a nutritionist... See, I've been waiting for this to happen. My husband was diagnosed Diabetic in November 2008. My grandmother was diagnosed at the end of 1996, my mom in December 2008, my dad in February 2009 and my sister was diagnosed "pre-Diabetic" shortly after that. And honestly, I make that comment describing myself as pre-Diabetic in sarcasm. There is no PRE-Diabetes. Your numbers are high or they aren't. You are Diabetic or you are not. So. The first thing a doctor tells you when you are diagnosed Diabetic is that you should lose 20 lbs. I want to lose at least 67 more lbs.

My current plan: We tried to start the drops and ELCD again on March 26th but had out-of-town guests and were traveling and it just made it too difficult to the ELCD. So, we have intentions to start again April 30th. Since we are not starting the HCG again for 2 weeks, I want to start exercising every day and try to remain on the maintenance diet. It means me having to cook 98% of the time and I HATE cooking. My biggest problem with food. I like it fried and everything tastes better with cheese.

(I don't hate cooking actually. I hate that I do all the cooking. And all the cleaning of the entire house when it happens. And I'm the one that takes out the trash and pays the bills and is with the kids from before 8am until 8:30pm everyday with rarely a break. I've mowed the front yard three times in the last two months and almost all of the huge backyard by myself. I could keep going... but this is not supposed to be a rant.)

Yummmm... cheese.

Really?!?!

Hubby started his drops January 19th. I started on the 20th. The first two days of the diet, you are supposed to gorge yourself on all of those things that diets tell you not to eat so that you feel full all day long... Fried foods, ice cream, cakes, cookies, greasy, heavy, yummy foods. I know the science says that this is the trigger for the HCG to start working, but I think it's because they want you to be so SICK of food that you don't want to eat on days 3 and 4 that are harder.

Hubby struggled with his first day on the Extremely Low Calorie Diet (ELCD). He took his drops three times a day and ate his food spread out rather than primarily in the afternoon and evening as suggested by the directions. After watching him, I decided to take a half dose 6 times a day and made sure to eat as little of my food as possible in the morning. There was only one time that my hunger pain felt intense, but my dinner was two hours late that night because we were doing other things. We were both grumpy on our Day 4s which is part of the reason we staggered our start dates.

After 2 days of eating salads twice a day, we knew we couldn't continue to eat this way for 6 weeks. I've put several hours of research into finding recipes for herb rubs and prepared meals that fit into the diet guidelines. I think I may post them all once we get thorough our first round.

So, on his Day 6 and my Day 5, he was down over 11 pounds and I was down over 7 pounds. I'm not at home this morning but according to the scale here, I'm down about another 2 pounds. I'm very excited. I'm already feeling a change in my body and the way my clothes are fitting. Hubby is super excited. He's already having to tighten his belt and his shirts are getting too big.

We have a LONG ways to go. I still have 85 to go and he has about 75, but this is awesome so far.

Wow

So, our drops came in yesterday and we will be starting our first round of the HCG in a couple of days. We took our "before" pictures tonight and I am so ready to get started... Finding it funny that I'm not in the mood to have a snack like I normally do if I'm up this late at night. I will NOT be posting those pics until I have some improvement pics to tie to them. Ugh.

A New Year

So, I did really good for a month and dropped about 7 or 8 lbs. The hubby got onboard with getting in shape and we were walking as a family and eating better. Then he got a upper respiratory infection and it knocked him out of everything for a month. I got caught up in trying to take care of him and the kids and fell off the bandwagon.

Here we are in the third week of January... My thyroid levels have been fluctuating the last few months (as is common up to a year after having a kid). My dosage has been increased twice in the three months. I started to realize there was a problem when I was losing more hair in the shower, feeling tired all the time and I put on about 5 lbs in a week without changing any habits. I'm up to 217 lbs.

We are going to be trying something new. Have you heard of the HCG diet? We have ordered our drops and have been looking at all the guidelines. We are excited about getting it and getting started and dropping some of our weight so we can be healthier. Hoping to start by the end of the week.

Blah Blah Blah

Three weeks later... nothing. Still drinking too much soda and eating too many sweets. Still weigh the same.

Was looking to start P90X today but I didn't realize there was a 40 minute physical pre-test and a bunch of nutrition stuff to be set up prior to beginning. Told the hubby we will have to start next week so we have time to get it all ready.

I'm exhausted from just the normal day-to-day activities. I'm with the kids from 6am until 10pm. If I am lucky they share 40 minutes of their naptimes. I get a couple of hours away once every two weeks. I'm supposed to take care of everything in that 40 minutes if it exists or after they go to bed but I'm supposed to rest when they are resting according to the hubby. Now I'm supposed to spend time working out and getting all of his stuff ready to work out or eat better.

Pessimism setting in.

The first week

Wow. So, I actually did really good the first couple of days. I drank a ton of water and was looking at the points of everything I ate. I dropped 4 pounds in like 3 days by cutting out the sodas and just paying attention. Then the weekend hit. My husband was home and nothing... absolutely nothing... went the way that I planned. When I got on the scale last night, I weighed the same as before I started. Awesome. So, we'll start over.

I did come up with one thing. I want to amend my goals.
I am moving my goal date forward a few weeks. Our 6th wedding anniversary is May 6th. Our son was only 3 months old on our 5th anniversary so I made the hubby promise to take me on a vacation just the two of us for our next anniversary (holding out for another cruise right now). I would love to be down to my goal weight for that trip. Take some good pictures finally. :)

That gives me 47 weeks to lose 86 pounds. That's less than 2 lbs a week. We'll see what happens!

Let's try this again.

In the beginning...

I think I have battled with my weight most of my life. I was heavy as a pre-teen before I became an avid athlete in middle and high school. I tore the ligaments around my ankle while warming up on court when I was a junior and had to stay off my foot for 6 weeks. I gained a little weight the summer before my senior year. Went to college and gained my "Freshman Fifteen". Then I worked in a cubicle at a desk and continued to gain weight over the next ten years. I had my darling baby girl over two years ago. When I was within 10 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight, my thyroid function decreased causing more weight gain (actually, I gained 25 lbs in 5 weeks WHILE exercising and eating Jenny Craig). The day I found out I was pregnant with my son last year, I weighed more than ever. Now, he's almost 4 months old. I have lost 22 pounds primarily because I was so sick during the pregnancy.I always talk about my plans and my goals and have had very poor follow through in the past, so I have decided not to talk about it... I will write.

And here we are. My kids are in bed. My husband is gaming on his computer upstairs. I just finished 24 oz. of water, a bag of movie theater butter popcorn and a snack bag of plain m&ms. I'm thinking about this 210 pounds on my 5'2" frame. I have a difficult time finding clothes that I can wear in my closet. I often wear my husbands XXL t-shirts with flannel pj pants around the house. My daughter is almost to an age where she will remember me like this and I don't want her to.

I don't expect to be perfect. I know there are days and possibly even weeks when I am going to totally blow it, but this has to be a life decision so I'm ok with taking my time. I also know that after developing a thyroid condition and having two kids, my body will have changed from what it used to be. My goals may have to be "edited".



Current weight: 210 pounds
Neck: 15"
Bust: 48"
Waist: 43"
Hips: 50"
Rt Bicep: 14"
Rt Thigh: 28"
Rt Calf: 16"












So let's make some goals.
Time: 1 year... May 31, 2012
Weight: approximately 125 pounds
Measurements: 35-27-38 (size 8)

Total loss would be:
Weight: 85 lbs
Bust: 13"
Waist: 16"
Hips: 22"

(This is a pic of me last time I weighed 125 lbs.)


Plan of attack: Improve eating habits, build a regular routine for my day that includes exercise with the kids and hubby

Tomorrow is a new day. Let's go.