Phase 2 - Day 26-33

I've had a lot of success so far. I keep cheating so I keep stalling. My own fault, but as long as I know this isn't a race--this is a life change, I don't get *too* depressed about it. I've also added this cool new ticker at the bottom of my post to visualize my weight loss. Check it out!

Favorite meal this week:

(166 calories)

Spicy shrimp & tomato soup

4.5 oz shrimp - remove shells and de-vein if not already

4 Tbls chicken broth

5 oz tomatoes, cut into bit size chunks

1 Tbls lemon juice

Frank's hot sauce to taste

sugar free soy sauce to taste

garlic to taste

pepper to taste (if desired)

Cook shrimp in garlic & chicken broth. Add tomatoes and "squish" them as they cook. Add the rest of the spices. Render down into a thick sauce. Add water if it is too rich/salty. Once cooked to desired consistency, feast!

Weight Loss: 7.4 pounds since last post

Total Weight Loss: 25 pounds in 33 days!

Tip of the Week: Watch the exercise. I did a workout yesterday and it stalled my weight loss today. When they say don't do strenuous exercise, they mean it!

Weight Loss Center is your best free resource for weight loss

Phase 2 - Day 19-25

I've been really bad at keeping up with the blog. So I'm going to start posting on Tuesdays my progress made from the previous week. Instead of listing my daily menu, I'm going to list my favorite meal and the recipe.

Favorite meal:

(166 calories)

Chicken Curry with Water Chestnuts in Lettuce Bowls

4.5 oz chicken

2 Tbls chicken broth

1/2 small can water chestnuts

Butter leaf lettuce, separated into little "bowls"

red curry paste to taste

ginger to taste

sugar free soy sauce to taste

garlic to taste

Cut chicken up into bite size pieces and cook in garlic & chicken broth. Add water chestnuts, ginger, red curry, and soy. Render down into a thick sauce. Add water if it is too rich/salty. Once cooked to desired consistency, scoop into lettuce bowls and enjoy!

Weight Loss: 3.2 pounds last week

Total Weight Loss: 17.6 pounds (not too shabby for only 25 days)

Tip of the Day: Stress causes your body to hold the weight. Try de-stressing. Easier said than done, I know, but try. I've been taking St. John's Wort to help alleviate stress and it helps.

Phase 2 - Day 18

GAINED AGAIN!!! I'm ready to cry.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (60 calories)

Egg Beaters - 1/2 cup at 30 cals per 1/4 cup

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (171.5 calories)

Cod - 5 oz at 23 cals per oz

Spinach - 9oz at 7 cals per oz

Snack (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15cals per oz

Dinner (166 calories)

Chicken - 4oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 6oz at 7 cals per oz

Weight Loss: -1.4

Total Weight Loss: 13.4 pounds (I'm actually back to where I was at the end of week one! So angry and frustrated.)

Tip of the Day: Trying not to give up. So hard when I've gained over 3 POUNDS in 2 days.

Phase 2 - Day 17

Not good results. How does a person GAIN 1.8 lbs on this diet? How does a person gain on this diet at all? Ugh. So frustrated...

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (193 calories)

Tilapia - 5 oz at 27 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 9oz at 5 cals per oz

Snack (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15cals per oz

Dinner (180 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 6oz at 7 cals per oz

Weight Loss: -1.8

Total Weight Loss: 14.8 pounds

Tip of the Day: None

Phase 2 - Day 16

I need to stay away from the energy drinks. As if I'm not wired enough on this diet I had to go and add a Monster! Aack! I didn't blink for hours after drinking it. I also forgot to eat dinner last night, so I only had 299 calories. My bad. No wonder I didn't lose much.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (60 calories)

Egg Beaters - 1/2 cup at 30 cals per 1/4 cup

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (171.5 calories)

Cod - 5 oz at 23 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 9oz at 5 cals per oz

Snack (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15cals per oz

Dinner (166 calories)

Chicken - 4oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 6oz at 7 cals per oz

Weight Loss: 0.6

Total Weight Loss: 16.6 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Water is your best friend on this diet. Drink it. Use it to cook with. I add lots of seasonings and then water to create a soup when I make my meals. VERY filling.

Phase 2 - Day 15

I drank some of that organic smooth move tea and that stuff really works! Word of advice--if you drink that tea, when it kicks in make sure you aren't too far from the bathroom!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15 cals per oz

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (193.5 calories)

Tilapia - 5.5 oz at 27 cals per oz

Tomato - 9oz at 5 cals per oz

Dinner (203 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cucumber - 16oz at 3 cals per oz

Weight Loss: 2.4

Total Weight Loss: 16.0 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Make sure to have some sort of organic laxative as part of your diet on this protocol. I use Traditional Medicinals "Smooth Move" tea. It comes in regular or chocolate.

Phase 2 - Day 14

Not good news for me. I'm up .4 pounds. I'm not doing ANYTHING wrong so I'm really frustrated and confused at my results. I've been reading that, because I lost so much the first week, that it can take up to a week to really get the body to adjust to the weight loss before it starts dropping again. I've also started an herbal laxative tea (I know, gross!) to see if that will help regulate, ahem, stuff.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15 cals per oz

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (190.5 calories)

Tilapia - 5.5 oz at 27 cals per oz

Spinach - 6oz at 7 cals per oz

Dinner (203 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Asparagus - 8oz at 6 cals per oz

Weight Loss: -0.4

Total Weight Loss: 13.6 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Really don't have one today. Sorry. Too frustrated.

Phase 2 - Day 13 (old Day 11)

I messed up my days and forgot to count the first two days, so I'm changing the days to reflect the actual day I'm into the hCG diet. I started on 02/26/2011 so 03/10/2011 would be 13 days.

Only lost .4 lbs, but a loss is a loss! That puts me at 14 lbs over 2 weeks. I'll take it!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (105 calories)

Apple - 7oz at 15 cals per oz

Tea & Coffee

Lunch (190.5 calories)

Tilapia - 5.5 oz at 27 cals per oz

Spinach - 6oz at 7 cals per oz

Dinner (203 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Asparagus - 8oz at 6 cals per oz

Weight Loss: 0.4

Total Weight Loss: 14.0 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Add some toning exercises. Even if you don't lose (as in my case this entire week) you are still toning what you have!

Phase 2 - Day 10

Didn't lose, didn't gain. Very mediocre day for me.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (60 calories)

Egg Beaters - 1/2 cup at 30 cals per 1/4 cup

Tea & Coffee

Snack (90 calories)

Apple - 6oz at 15 cals per oz

Lunch (174 calories)

Shrimp - 3.4oz at 31 cals per oz

Tilapia - 1 oz at 27 cals per oz (ran out of shrimp)

Tomatoes - 5oz at 9 cals per oz

(I love my gumbo!)

Dinner (143 calories)

Chicken - 3.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 5oz at 7 cals per oz

Snack (32 calories)

Strawberries - 3.5 at 9 cals per oz

Weight Loss: 0.0

Total Weight Loss: 13.6 pounds!!! <--no change. :-(

Tip of the Day: If you stall in your weight loss, see if there are any hidden sugars in your spices. Also double check the lotions you are using to make sure they are on the "approved" list.

Phase 2 - Day 9

I ate something very salty for dinner last night and woke up puffy. I'll keep my salty dishes to lunch. Not much to report today. I did lose, but very little.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (120 calories)

Apple - 8oz at 15 cals per oz - splitting this between snacks

Lunch (193.5 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 5.5oz at 7 cals per oz

(steam the cabbage in a couple tablespoons of chicken broth but don't let it get limp. Cook the chicken in another pan with a couple more tablespoons of broth. Add together and sprinkle curry, celery salt, garlic, and pepper. I also add water since this is usually spicy/salty. It's like a curry soup and it's awesome!)

Dinner (183 calories)

Bison - 4.25oz at 32.5 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 9oz at 5cals per oz

Snack (0 calories)

Apple (whatever I don't eat for morning snack)

Weight Loss: 0.6!

Total Weight Loss: 13.6 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: If one of your meals is saltier than the other, eat that one for lunch so you have time to flush the salt out with water.

Phase 2 - Day 8

This week we should see my weight loss even out to about a pound a day. At least that's what all the literature says. I'm down a pound, so I guess it's true so far. Last night I hung out in my hot tub for a bit and this morning I woke up "puffy" from the water retention, so I'll have to think long and hard about whether I want to spend time in my hot tub knowing it makes me retain water.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (120 calories)

Apple - 8oz at 15 cals per oz - splitting this between snack and dinner (putting some in my salad)

Lunch (195 calories)

Shrimp - 5oz at 30 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 9oz at 5 cals per oz

Dinner (183.5 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Lettuce - 11oz at 4cals per oz (wowza - I don't know if I can eat that all)

Apple - whatever I don't eat for snack (cals counted at snack)

Snack (0 calories)

no snack since my apple is so big.

Weight Loss: 1.0!

Total Weight Loss: 13.0 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Beware of hot tubs while on this diet. I've been in mine 2x and each time I woke up puffy and retaining water.

Phase 2 - Day 7

Yesterday I ended up going out to lunch, which made me nervous at first. We went to Red Robin, known for their big fat greasy burgers, and I was even more nervous that I wouldn't find anything I could eat. But then I spotted my lunch on the menu--Apple Chicken Salad. I'm allergic to nuts so I cut out the candied walnuts and the blue cheese (not allowed on this diet), had my vinaigrette on the side, and ate the entire petite serving without guilt. It had my fruit (apple, tho not an entire serving), my veggie (salad), and my protein (chicken) all in one! And it was good. I indulged and I loved it. AND I STILL LOST!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (97.5 calories)

Apple - 6.5oz at 15 cals per oz (I put the apple in a baggie and shake it with cinnamon and stevia - holy crap, is that good!) <--I can't get enough of this snack!

Lunch (209 calories)

Shrimp - 5.3oz at 30 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 10oz at 5 cals per oz

Dinner (189 calories)

Beef - 3oz at 53 cals per oz (ouch! I had no idea beef was so high in cals!)

Celery - 7.5oz at 4cals per oz

Snack (0 calories)

no snack since my apple is so big.

Weight Loss: 2.0!

Total Weight Loss: 12.0 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: When you cook meat high in fat (like beef), cook it in water in the slow cooker. Once it's done, place it in the fridge until all the fat rises to the top and hardens. Then you can pull it off and have low fat meat!

So that is a total of 12 pounds in 6 days! I didn't take in enough calories yesterday so I'll do better today. I plan to take in a bit more since today is my cleaning day and I workout cleaning the house.

Phase 2 - Day 6

I cracked. I'm not proud of it, but I did. Fridays are my "toast to the weekend" days and I cracked. I made myself a vodka/water with a twist of lemon. Although I still lost weight, I feel like hell, both from the guilt and physically. I won't do that again. Having a drink definitely wasn't worth the way I feel today.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (97.5 calories)

Apple - 6.5oz at 15 cals per oz (I put the apple in a baggie and shake it with cinnamon and stevia - holy crap, is that good!)

Lunch (??? calories)

Chicken - ???oz at 31 cals per oz

Veggie - ???

(I have to go into the city today. My sister is starting the diet and this is her first load day so I know we'll be going out to lunch--probably Red Robin. I'll ask for a grilled chicken and steamed veggies, and be VERY careful on how much I eat.)

Dinner (??? calories)

Tilapia - ???oz at 27 cals per oz

Spinach - ???oz at 7cals per oz

(It all depends on lunch. I'll post a comment to this post on what I ended up doing.)

Snack (13.5 calories)

Strawberries - 1.5oz at 9cals per oz (I forget to eat these, so I'm not to worried about)

Weight Loss: 2.5!

Total Weight Loss: 9.0 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Don't drink alcohol on this diet. You may think it's worth it, but the way you feel after you drink it definitely isn't.

This will be my first day "out" since I started. I'm nervous that I'll screw up but I won't know until I try.

Phase 2 - Day 5

After spending much time in front of the PC and working out my spreadsheet, I felt confident when I went to bed last night that I'd wake up today down some pounds. You know what? I WAS RIGHT!!! Woo hoo! I lost what I'd gained yesterday and then some.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (97.5 calories)

Apple - 6.5oz at 15 cals per oz (I put the apple in a baggie and shake it with cinnamon and stevia - holy crap, is that good!)

Lunch (197 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 5.5oz at 7cals per oz

Dinner (205 calories)

Deer Steak - 4.7oz at 34 cals per oz

Asparagus - 7.5oz at 6cals per oz

Snack (13.5 calories)

Strawberries - 1.5oz at 9cals per oz (I forget to eat these, so I'm not to worried about)

Weight Loss: 2.5!

Total Weight Loss: 7.5 pounds!!!

Tip of the Day: Freeze your fruit and use them as ice cubes in your water. It gives your water a refreshing fruity taste without adding any calories!

I freeze my strawberries and then use them for ice cubes in my water. It gives me a hint of strawberry all day long, which is why I forget to eat them as a snack. But you should try it with any fruit. Strawberries. Blueberries. Peaches. All of them freeze well and give your water just a hint of flavor without the sweetness. But, if you wanted sweetness, you could add stevia. That's my tip of the day! Readers said they like my tips so I'm going to add that to each post.

Phase 2 - Day 4

This is a late post. I've been trying to figure out what I did wrong. It is a dark day in the last of hCG protocol... I gained weight. I'm thinking it's a combo of things. First, I made a gumbo last night and put way too much celery salt, garlic salt, AND creole seasoning in. I'm puffy this morning, so I know I'm retaining water. Then I went through my menu from yesterday to see if I could see what I did and--BAM! I had my math wrong on my spreadsheet. I had 512 calories. So now that I know what I did wrong, I feel better about the gain. I'm not happy about it, but at least I understand why.

But I refuse to let that stop me from reaching my goal. I WILL GET SKINNY!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast (0 calories)

Tea & Coffee

Snack (75 calories)

Apple - 5oz at 15 cals per oz

Lunch (210.5 calories)

Shrimp - 5.3oz at 30 cals per oz

Tomatoes - 10oz at 5 cals per oz

Dinner (197 calories)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31 cals per oz

Cabbage - 5.5oz at 7cals per oz

Snack (36 calories)

Strawberries - 4oz at 9cals per oz

Weight Loss: -1.0 (I gained) :-(

Total Weight Loss: 5.0 pounds (still not too bad for only 3 days)

I created this fab recipe for my chicken/cabbage. I grill the cabbage in a combo of water and broth while at the same time grilling my chicken in the same (separate pans). I combine both, including juices, add curry and ginger, and viola! It was so yummy yesterday that I'm having it for dinner tonight.

Keep your fingers crossed that I lose for tomorrow.

Phase 2 - Day 3

Yesterday was good, but I got a little stressed out over the state of the house and ended up spending 1.5 hours cleaning. I then went and worked out, quite vigorously, and I know that's a no-no. I think I would have lost more if I wouldn't have worked out, but I still lost!

Here's my menu for today:

Breakfast (75 cals)

Apple - 5oz at 15cals per oz

Tea/Coffee

Lunch (178 cals)

Chicken - 4.5oz at 31cals per oz

Cabbage - 5.5oz at 7cals per oz

I made a yummy soup - I'll post the recipe after I finish the menu.

Dinner (192 cals)

Shrimp - 5.3 oz at 30cals per oz

Asparagus - 7.5oz at 6cals per oz

Snack (45 cals)

Strawberries w/Stevia - 5.5oz at 9cals per oz

Weight Loss: 2.5 pounds!

Total Weight Loss: 6 pounds!!!

Here is that chicken/cabbage soup recipe:

Chicken and Cabbage Soup (substitute beef and beef broth if you want)

Ingredients

100 grams chicken (3.5oz - I used 4.5oz since I needed more protein)

Cabbage (5.5oz is what I used, but you can use more if you need more cals from veggies)

2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)

2 cloves garlic crushed and minced

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon rosemary

Cayenne to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine chicken and spices in medium saucepan. Bring broth to a boil.

Add cabbage. Reduce heat and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Add

additional water to broth as needed. Variations: change the spices and add

fresh tarragon or turmeric. Add a ¼ lemon with rind to the broth and

simmer for a rich lemon flavor.

Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)

So there's my recipe. I'll play around with it until I'm happy with the results. So far, being down 6 pounds in two days, I'm VERY happy with my results on hCG!!! AND I'M STILL NOT HUNGRY!

Phase 2 - Day 2

I'm amazed at the results in ONE DAY!!! I feel great, slept better than I ever have (without drinking too much!), and even squeezed a workout in yesterday. So far I'm a HUGE fan of hCG!

Breakfast (97.5 cals)

Apple - 6.5oz at 15cals per oz

Tea/Coffee

Lunch (182 cals)

Chicken - 4.25oz at 31cals per oz

Tomatoes - 10oz at 5cals per oz

Dinner (180 cals)

Tilapia - 5.5oz at 27cals per oz

Spinach - 4.5oz at 7cals per oz

Weight Loss: 3.5 pounds!!!

I put 1/2 a packet of Stevia on my strawberries yesterday and was in heaven! For my apple a very good friend and my support (she started this at the same time as me!) told me to try cinnamon and Stevia together and nuke it, so I may try that. But I love that crisp apple in the morning so that may be a day 3 thing for me.

So there it is! Awesome results on day 1!!