Last Saturday, I just had to eat since my boyfriend was tempting me... he wanted to eat and he didn't want to eat alone... And so I went... and ate.
Sunday, we went on a trip to Bulacan... I forgot my drops because I was running late. It's BF's fault actually. He picked me up 6:45am for a 9:45am appointment. Talk about paranoid. Anyway, since I didn't take any drops, I was so hungry and ate breakfast at Mang Inasal where the rice is served unlimited. There was no other decent place to eat breakfast as other establishments were still closed (trust me, I really looked hard for one) and so we ended up at Mang Inasal. Of course, I had to order sisig and an extra piece of chicken. At the party, I ate a lot as well... out of respect to our host as he piled so much food on my plate. Seriously, I regretted this... the food was oily and bland... but I had no choice as I would be insulting our host if I didn't eat. Aaaarg!
Monday was supposed to be my non-cheat day. I started out well with eating strawberries for lunch. These were really yummy strawberries by the way. But come afternoon, I kept on thinking about the leftover steak in the freezer until finally, at around 5pm, I gave in to my craving (seriously, I was not hungry but I just kept on thinking about food) and grilled up a 200-gram steak.
Tuesday came and I had to go to school. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my drops again for lunch and was ravenous. I ordered canteen food and even had two servings of viand for my one cup of rice. Aaaarg again! When I went home, the dinner table was set and there was so much food since we were having visitors over. Aaaaarg again. I ended up tasting and tasting every food offering until I was stuffed.
Today, I almost didn't cheat but there was some leftover food from yesterday's feast that I just decided to finish it off. It was minimal... but for some reason, I had to eat a banana loaf and a chocolate chip muffin. Also, I had cravings for calamansi lemonade drink (which is 110 calories per cup) so I drank 4 cups.
All in all, it's like I am not on a diet at all. I guess not writing in this blog makes me forget I am dieting and on HCG in the first place.
Guess my weight? As expected, I gained weight. I am now 179 pounds. I hope it doesn't increase even further...
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
HCG Program Overview
The HCG diet program is divided into 4 phases of various lengths. Here they are in order:
I did this the first time eating lots and lots of rice along with some fatty viands. This was okay but not the ideal because during Phase 2, I craved for rice. This time around, I did my loading with FATTY FOODS ONLY. I didn't eat rice or any carbohydrates. I settled on the following:
I am currently on Day 10 of this diet. I want to continue until I reach my conservative milestone of 169 pounds. But I really want to reach 165 pounds this round. I have 3 more days to go and I can actually stop. But why stop? I will do my best to get to at least 18 days before going into the transition phase.
So far, my average has been to lose a pound a day. There are misses because I have cheated thrice already on this diet. The thing with cheating is that I quickly remedy it the next day with a steak day. This way, I see another weight loss the next day. Another thing with cheating is that it doesn't necessarily equate to weight gain. You just don't lose any pounds which is just as bad.
I haven't reached this round yet so I have no idea. But I guess something to watch out for in this phase is the hunger pangs because there is less HCG in the body. Since HCG make you forget hunger, I assume this time here... it will be harder to continue the 500-calorie diet.
I'll update this when I get to Phase 3.
- Loading Phase (2 days). Some call these the "binge" or "gorge" days. You start taking HCG drops on Day 1. For these first 2 days you must eat the most fattening foods you can until you are completely full. Concentrate on foods high in fats and oils, rather than sugar.
I did this the first time eating lots and lots of rice along with some fatty viands. This was okay but not the ideal because during Phase 2, I craved for rice. This time around, I did my loading with FATTY FOODS ONLY. I didn't eat rice or any carbohydrates. I settled on the following:
- Pork Sisig from Sisig House
- Crispy Pata
- Fatty Liempo Stick from Grill Queen
- Fried Chicken from KFC
- Core Phase (13-43 days). On the morning of Day 3, you begin the 500-calorie-per-day diet. You also continue taking the HCG drops at the specified dosage. The length of this phase depends on how much weight you want to lose.
I am currently on Day 10 of this diet. I want to continue until I reach my conservative milestone of 169 pounds. But I really want to reach 165 pounds this round. I have 3 more days to go and I can actually stop. But why stop? I will do my best to get to at least 18 days before going into the transition phase.
So far, my average has been to lose a pound a day. There are misses because I have cheated thrice already on this diet. The thing with cheating is that I quickly remedy it the next day with a steak day. This way, I see another weight loss the next day. Another thing with cheating is that it doesn't necessarily equate to weight gain. You just don't lose any pounds which is just as bad.
- Transition Phase (3 days). Stop taking the HCG drops at the end of the Core Phase. Continue on the 500-calorie-per-day diet for the 3 days in this phase while your body transitions and eliminates the high level of HCG in your body.
I haven't reached this round yet so I have no idea. But I guess something to watch out for in this phase is the hunger pangs because there is less HCG in the body. Since HCG make you forget hunger, I assume this time here... it will be harder to continue the 500-calorie diet.
I'll update this when I get to Phase 3.
- Maintenance Phase (21 days). Slowly increase your food intake and begin eating any foods that you want, except sugars, starches, or artificial sweeteners. Your metabolism is still trying to stabilize during this phase. Therefore, watch your weight closely, and slowly increase your calorie intake at a rate that allows you to maintain your new lower weight.
HCG Phase 2 Recipe: Easy Baked Tilapia
Here's another recipe that looks promising, and so easy to do. The original recipe includes cajun seasoning, but since I am not so fond of cajun, I decided to forgo that and stick to the basics. I have actually cooked this before and it is yummy!
Easy Baked Tilapia
Half of a slab Tilapa fillet
Salt and pepper
Lemon slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet of tin foil on cookie sheet. Place Tilapia filets on cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Top with lemon slices. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.
Notes:
Easy Baked Tilapia
Half of a slab Tilapa fillet
Salt and pepper
Lemon slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet of tin foil on cookie sheet. Place Tilapia filets on cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Top with lemon slices. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.
Notes:
- Lemon is not calamansi. I like to buy my lemons at Shopwise Libis. Look for Baguio lemons because this is the kind that is easier to slice. It is a nicer brighter yellow shade as well.
- I want to try this using just an electric griller, instead of an oven. Oven to fire up take quite some time. I think it will also do the trick.
HCG Phase 2 Recipe: Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
In order to survive this diet, I will have to put variation in my meals. I can only go so long with only shakes and soya sticks to fill me up. So, I checked the Intermountain recipe book and found some Filipino-friendly recipes. I say Filipino-friendly because the ingredients are all readily available in the supermarkets here in Manila. This one sounds promising.
Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
100 grams chicken breast, cut in strips
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup asparagus cut in 1" pieces (FRESH)
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1 dash cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
Microwave or steam asparagus until tender, but still crisp. Set aside. Heat water in a
skillet and add chicken strips, stirring, until cooked almost all the way through. Add the grated ginger, garlic, and cayenne. When the liquid is reduced by half, add in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Some Notes:
Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
100 grams chicken breast, cut in strips
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup asparagus cut in 1" pieces (FRESH)
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1 dash cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
Microwave or steam asparagus until tender, but still crisp. Set aside. Heat water in a
skillet and add chicken strips, stirring, until cooked almost all the way through. Add the grated ginger, garlic, and cayenne. When the liquid is reduced by half, add in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Some Notes:
- Don't use canned asparagus, because while more convenient, it is a no-no! The preservatives might not be HCG-compliant. You can find fresh green asparagus in Rustan's and Shopwise. I hear you can already find them in SM Supermarkets as well.
- I learned of Cayenne when I was doing the lemonade diet. It's cheap and available under the label "McCormick".
Cheaters Never Win... Mini Steak Day Again!
I cheated yesterday. I tasted the most wonderful concoction... shrimp cooked in garlic and yummy cheese. And today, I paid for it. I gained weight... not a lot of weight, just 0.2 pounds. (Yes, I already finished emptying my bladder and I stepped on the scale lots of times to make sure.)
Even then, I feel very, very sad. It is really true that nothing tastes better than skinny feels. If I could, I would turn back the time and not eat those 4 pieces of succulent shrimps because it is just not worth it. I am not thinking of just the 0.2 pounds of weight gain, but also the weight I COULD HAVE LOST had I not given in to temptation and shut my mouth.
Oh well, this is life and we all have to learn our lesson. I really have no idea how I can reach my milestone now of 175 lbs. before the week is over. But today, just to help things a bit, I will do another steak day. I won't eat for the whole day. I will just stuff myself with water.
Here's what I learned so that a "steak day" will be successful:
Even then, I feel very, very sad. It is really true that nothing tastes better than skinny feels. If I could, I would turn back the time and not eat those 4 pieces of succulent shrimps because it is just not worth it. I am not thinking of just the 0.2 pounds of weight gain, but also the weight I COULD HAVE LOST had I not given in to temptation and shut my mouth.
Oh well, this is life and we all have to learn our lesson. I really have no idea how I can reach my milestone now of 175 lbs. before the week is over. But today, just to help things a bit, I will do another steak day. I won't eat for the whole day. I will just stuff myself with water.
Here's what I learned so that a "steak day" will be successful:
- Absolutely no food before dinner. Not even the tiniest bit of lettuce should be taken in. No... just because it's green and leafy doesn't mean it is allowed in any diet... and for today, protein is king!
- Drink lots and lots of water. Don't wait for your stomach to grumble. Drink 2 glasses of water every so often (every two to three hours is recommended). Don't wait for thirst to get to you.
- Don't be idle. When you find yourself thinking of food, don't indulge and go on the net to look at food blogs. You are just torturing yourself. Instead, imagine yourself wearing nice clothes. Go to youtube and seek motivation from successful HCG dieters.
- Buy only 100 grams of steak! This is not a license to gorge on steaks. Since we are still on Phase 2, there's a limit to how much steak we can eat and read- that's only 100 grams.
- Look forward to your steak night. A taste of tenderloin will be worth the wait. Trust me! :)
Free "Pounds and Inches" by Dr. Simeons
I don't actually follow to the letter the VLCD diet by Dr. Simeons... because it is just too hard. If you have been reading my blog, then you would know that I would rather drink replacement shakes than eat vegetables.
I will venture out into the world tomorrow, though, and buy lettuce so that I will have variation in my diet. I am fast running out of stock of replacement shakes. But reading through the WHOLE TEXT of the book really helped me because I got a clue not only as to what I should have to do to lose the weight through HCG but also the WHY, which is really important and drives me not to cheat.
Here's a link to a PDF copy of the book. Enjoy! :)
I will venture out into the world tomorrow, though, and buy lettuce so that I will have variation in my diet. I am fast running out of stock of replacement shakes. But reading through the WHOLE TEXT of the book really helped me because I got a clue not only as to what I should have to do to lose the weight through HCG but also the WHY, which is really important and drives me not to cheat.
Here's a link to a PDF copy of the book. Enjoy! :)
Phase 2 Day 8
Here's what I did for the day:
I sat and sat and sat... I literally had nothing to do. Well, I did mostly nothing except look for a small piece of paper that I never did find. So, it wasn't a wonder that my mind centered on food. My cravings were of the highest intensity. I was craving for KFC Fried Chicken. I was craving for Brickfire Cowgirl Annie Steak. I was craving for Sotanghon Guisado. Seriously, all I could think of earlier was food.
I quickly texted my boyfriend so that he could give me some motivation. He told me to think of the dresses I would wear and how many pounds less I would weigh than him (hehehe, we are almost of the same weight... shameful, I know). That actually did the trick for a couple of hours. I looked in the mirror and saw how my body had shrunk (just a little, but it is a "noticeable" little). However, I cheated a little later with some shrimps. I hope that did not lead to much damage to my weight.
Day 7
Breakfast:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Cream flavor (120 calories)
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Lunch:
4 pieces of medium sized prawns cooked in garlic and cheese (220 calories)
3 fork-full pancit bihon (80 calories)
1/2 cup of soup from Bangus with tomato and onion
Dinner:
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Total calories: 560
The night is young. I better get to my bed early so that I don't get tempted to add any more calories.
I sat and sat and sat... I literally had nothing to do. Well, I did mostly nothing except look for a small piece of paper that I never did find. So, it wasn't a wonder that my mind centered on food. My cravings were of the highest intensity. I was craving for KFC Fried Chicken. I was craving for Brickfire Cowgirl Annie Steak. I was craving for Sotanghon Guisado. Seriously, all I could think of earlier was food.
I quickly texted my boyfriend so that he could give me some motivation. He told me to think of the dresses I would wear and how many pounds less I would weigh than him (hehehe, we are almost of the same weight... shameful, I know). That actually did the trick for a couple of hours. I looked in the mirror and saw how my body had shrunk (just a little, but it is a "noticeable" little). However, I cheated a little later with some shrimps. I hope that did not lead to much damage to my weight.
Day 7
Breakfast:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Cream flavor (120 calories)
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Lunch:
4 pieces of medium sized prawns cooked in garlic and cheese (220 calories)
3 fork-full pancit bihon (80 calories)
1/2 cup of soup from Bangus with tomato and onion
Dinner:
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Total calories: 560
The night is young. I better get to my bed early so that I don't get tempted to add any more calories.
Weight Update: Now at 177.2 lbs.
It's barely a day and I am back with another weight update.
I ate some pistachio nuts, because I made a mistake. I checked on the net for allowed foods and saw pistachio nuts. So I ate some. Actually, I ate worth 140 calories worth of pistachio nuts. However, after 2 days of enjoying pistachio nuts, I re-checked the site and saw that it was allowed for Phase 3 and NOT Phase 2.
So I was really worried about stepping on the scale today. But guess what? I lost A LOT. I lose more than a pound. I lost 1.4 pounds, which is pretty HUGE considering that I have been only losing a pound a day!
Here's a shot of my weighing scale:
You can imaging my happiness this morning! I was so happy that I wasn't even tempted to eat breakfast. I didn't want to spoil anything of the diet.
I ate some pistachio nuts, because I made a mistake. I checked on the net for allowed foods and saw pistachio nuts. So I ate some. Actually, I ate worth 140 calories worth of pistachio nuts. However, after 2 days of enjoying pistachio nuts, I re-checked the site and saw that it was allowed for Phase 3 and NOT Phase 2.
So I was really worried about stepping on the scale today. But guess what? I lost A LOT. I lose more than a pound. I lost 1.4 pounds, which is pretty HUGE considering that I have been only losing a pound a day!
Here's a shot of my weighing scale:
You can imaging my happiness this morning! I was so happy that I wasn't even tempted to eat breakfast. I didn't want to spoil anything of the diet.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Looking forward to a New Me!
I have nothing else to do. I can't go out because it's raining hard. I don't want to read a book because there are no classes tomorrow... so what to do? My boyfriend is out-of-town and working hard so I don't want to disturb him...
I keep on thinking of food and I just want to divert my attention to something less sinful and more worthwhile. So, I decided to list down all the things I want to do when I get thin.
Second Milestone: 175 pounds (11.8 pounds total weight loss)
I keep on thinking of food and I just want to divert my attention to something less sinful and more worthwhile. So, I decided to list down all the things I want to do when I get thin.
Second Milestone: 175 pounds (11.8 pounds total weight loss)
- Definitely not go to an eat-all-you-can feast. Instead, I will measure myself and see if I have already gone down a size. Then, I buy a new pair of shoes... not clothes, because I plan to be thinner before the month is out.
- Reward myself with a steak night. This is allowed in the diet. But I want to go to a nice steak place, one with great ambiance. I will purposely not eat the whole day and eat a nice big juicy steak at night. I can't wait!
- Bring out my old clothes and try them on. Regardless of how many clothes will fit me again, I will buy a new dress to go with my new shoes.
- Watch a movie at the expensive Ultra 7 Cinema in Eastwood or maybe at the ultra-expensive cinema at Newport. Imagine sitting on a La-Z Boy while watching characters come to life. I would have to choose a really long movie to get my money's worth. :)
- Go to Tagaytay with boyfriend in my new dress and new shoes. I love the fresh air and the cold weather there. Of course, getting away from the city and all the stress is the key here.
- At this point, I would have to stop my HCG diet and work on a healthy lifestyle. But this would be a good time to have an eat-all-you-can feast. I deserve a cheat, don't I? I mean, when I get to 165 pounds that is. But I don't gorge myself here. Instead, I just enjoy the variety but not eat too much. :)
Day 7 of Phase 2
As early as today, Wednesday, I am already planning another cheat. I have dinner with some friends on the 11th and I cannot afford not to go as it will be my boyfriend hosting. We will be eating at this nice restaurant in The Fort called ZONG. It's a nice place serving Singaporean, Chinese and other Asian cuisine. I don't think I can withstand not eating and chatting with people there.
Should I skip this dinner? I should but I won't because I value relationships more than my diet. I don't know if I am just justifying. But well, I will just have to make sure that I don't cheat the next three days. Here's my day so far:
Day 7
Breakfast:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Cream flavor (120 calories)
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Lunch:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Creme flavor (120 calories)
25 pieces of pistachio nuts with salt (105 calories)
Dinner
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Creme flavor (120 calories)
Total calories: 535
I know my diet itinerary looks pitiful but this is what I get for not having gone grocery shopping. The streets are flooded and frankly, I am just too lazy to go out. I don't want to brave the rain.
Should I skip this dinner? I should but I won't because I value relationships more than my diet. I don't know if I am just justifying. But well, I will just have to make sure that I don't cheat the next three days. Here's my day so far:
Day 7
Breakfast:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Cream flavor (120 calories)
4 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx (70 calories)
Lunch:
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Creme flavor (120 calories)
25 pieces of pistachio nuts with salt (105 calories)
Dinner
1 scoop of Spiru-tein Cookies n Creme flavor (120 calories)
Total calories: 535
I know my diet itinerary looks pitiful but this is what I get for not having gone grocery shopping. The streets are flooded and frankly, I am just too lazy to go out. I don't want to brave the rain.
Weight Update: Now at 178.6 lbs.
Here's my weight update.
Day7
Weight: 178.6 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 1.0 lb.
Pounds Lost So Far: 8.2 lb.
I was able to go through Phase 2 for a week with only 2 cheats, which is not so good... since I did cheat, but I was still able to register a whopping 8.2 lb. weight loss!
This is what showed on my weighing scale. Imaging my surprise! I was only gunning to reach 179 lb. and this is what greeted me this morning!
Classes are suspended today due to the heavy rains. All I did all day was to watch videos on youtube. I didn't realize there were so many hcg dieters who really lost a lot of weight... more than 50 pounds. I am only aiming to lose 50 pounds and yet some of those who posted vlogs actually lost 100++ pounds. It was so motivating for me to see their before and after pictures.
I am pasting my goal plan from my blog post last August 3, please see below:
First Milestone - 179 pounds - ACHIEVED (August 8, 2012)
Second Milestone - 175 pounds - NEXT TO BE CONQUERED
Third Milestone - 169 pounds
Fourth Milestone - 165 pounds
Fifth Milestone - 160 pounds
I am happy to report than my first milestone which is 179 pounds has been achieved. :)
Day7
Weight: 178.6 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 1.0 lb.
Pounds Lost So Far: 8.2 lb.
I was able to go through Phase 2 for a week with only 2 cheats, which is not so good... since I did cheat, but I was still able to register a whopping 8.2 lb. weight loss!
This is what showed on my weighing scale. Imaging my surprise! I was only gunning to reach 179 lb. and this is what greeted me this morning!
Classes are suspended today due to the heavy rains. All I did all day was to watch videos on youtube. I didn't realize there were so many hcg dieters who really lost a lot of weight... more than 50 pounds. I am only aiming to lose 50 pounds and yet some of those who posted vlogs actually lost 100++ pounds. It was so motivating for me to see their before and after pictures.
I am pasting my goal plan from my blog post last August 3, please see below:
First Milestone - 179 pounds - ACHIEVED (August 8, 2012)
Second Milestone - 175 pounds - NEXT TO BE CONQUERED
Third Milestone - 169 pounds
Fourth Milestone - 165 pounds
Fifth Milestone - 160 pounds
I am happy to report than my first milestone which is 179 pounds has been achieved. :)
Monday, August 6, 2012
Getting Away from a Plateau
Yesterday, in order to prevent another zero-loss day, I decided to do the "steak day". I didn't lose a single pound the other day and I just wanted to stop the "plateau" before it could progress.
So, anyway, I didn't eat anything the whole day since I was doing the "steak day". The "steak day" is one of the ways that Dr. Simeons highlighted that could remedy a "plateau". Here's how it works:
I tried having a steak delivered. But then, the minimum delivery was too high and I knew that there would be no stopping me from eating 2 steaks if I ordered 2 just to get steaks delivered. So, I decided to think about it first and then "Panic Room" was shown on HBO. The next thing I know, it was very late already and the restaurants were closed already!
I checked the sites and it turns out that if I eat below 500 calories, I would definitely lower my metabolism instead of increasing it. But the upside is.... despite my mistake, I registered a 0.8 lb. weight loss! I guess eat nothing all days also stops a plateau.
So, anyway, I didn't eat anything the whole day since I was doing the "steak day". The "steak day" is one of the ways that Dr. Simeons highlighted that could remedy a "plateau". Here's how it works:
- Take your HCG drops as usual, still the 10 drops every morning, noon and night.
- Don't eat anything at all. Just take in lots of liquids... meaning, drink lots and lots of water. (For me, I added ACV here since some blogs say that this helps too.)
- Eat a big steak cooked with oil (well, I guess less than 200 grams will do since we have to limit ourselves to 500 calories) with an apple or tomato.
- The next day, you should register a weight loss.
I tried having a steak delivered. But then, the minimum delivery was too high and I knew that there would be no stopping me from eating 2 steaks if I ordered 2 just to get steaks delivered. So, I decided to think about it first and then "Panic Room" was shown on HBO. The next thing I know, it was very late already and the restaurants were closed already!
I checked the sites and it turns out that if I eat below 500 calories, I would definitely lower my metabolism instead of increasing it. But the upside is.... despite my mistake, I registered a 0.8 lb. weight loss! I guess eat nothing all days also stops a plateau.
Weight Update - Phase 2 Day 6
Here's the breakdown for the past four days:
Day 4
Weight: 180.4 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 1.0 lbs.
Pounds Lost So Far: 6.4 lbs.
Day 5
Weight: 180.4 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 0.0 lb.
Pounds Lost So Far: 6.4 lb.
Remarks: I cheated on Day 4 so this is just my punishment: zero weight loss. :(
Day 6
Weight: 179.6 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 0.8 lb.
Pounds Lost So Far: 7.2 lb.
I should be doing a weight update tomorrow instead of today but seeing how I had managed to go past that 180-lb. barrier made me so happy that I just couldn't resist. :P Tomorrow, I post also my measurements to cap off my first week with HCG.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
"Nothing Tastes as Good Like Skinny Feels"
Seriously, this is so true! Nothing tastes as good like skinny feels.
Last night, I attended a party because some of our relatives from Canada arrived. My father actually had lechon shipped from Cagayan de Oro (where the best lechon are made) to treat the guests. I thought of not attending but my father would hear none of it. And I was thinking I would just deal with it by reminding myself that "a moment on the lips, forever on the hips."
I went through most of the day eating nothing. I just took the drops and I drank a lot of water. At around 4pm, I took some 12 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx as I was getting scared that I wasn't feeling any hunger despite not having eaten anything. Why so many sticks? Well... Soya Styx can be addicting and I am thinking of stopping this snack soon. I never eat only 4 sticks, which is the number of sticks amounting to 70 calories.
Anyway, night came and we arrive at the party venue. As I went through the buffet setup, I passed through chicken and so many other viands without getting anything as I was looking for vegetables. When I saw some shrimps (but they were cooked sauteed in soy and ginger), I decided to get 2 pieces since shrimps are allowed on the diet. I was thinking never mind, if hey were sauteed in oil, because the shells protect the shrimp meat inside it. But, no! This is disaster #1.
I saw some fresh asparagus and decided that this would be the rest of the meal. I took around 7 pieces of fresh asparagus and they were this nice green color and the best part is, they were steamed. A bit of asparagus was heavenly... and it's allowed in the HCG diet.
Unfortunately, I did not stop there. I saw the flavorful lechon (roasted pig) and I could not help myself. My mantra forgotten with the sight of a whole pig roasted to perfection, I took a rib and some fresh lechon meat. I am thicking that would probably have weighed 100 grams. I don't know if I am being kind when I estimate this but well... let's just say I had 100 grams of pork meat. This is disaster #2!
Aside from pork, the food I love most are noodles, particularly sotanghon (vermicelli or glass noodles). Of course, this was present at the party. I dunno. For some reason, my mind stopped working when I saw all the noodles on display. I just got myself some noodles... which is good and bad. Good because noodles replaced the rice that I so wanted but didn't get, and I researched today and found that vermicelli is actually made of mung bean which is allowed in the diet. But it's still bad because the vermicelli was cooked in chicken broth and oil (which is no-no in the diet). This is disaster #3!
What did I learn? "Nothing Feels Good Like Skinny Feels." Today, I am depressed. I was feeling so lazy and I didn't want to wake up. But when I remembered that I had to look at the weighing scale, I jumped up from the bed, went to the bathroom to relieve myself, removed all my clothing and stepped on the scale. I saw the numbers and I felt sad. 180. 4 pounds! :( I didn't gain any weight but I didn't lose any weight either.
Here's what the scale looked like:
It's not really so bad... but this was my weight yesterday as well.
In a nutshell, here's what I did wrong:
Last night, I attended a party because some of our relatives from Canada arrived. My father actually had lechon shipped from Cagayan de Oro (where the best lechon are made) to treat the guests. I thought of not attending but my father would hear none of it. And I was thinking I would just deal with it by reminding myself that "a moment on the lips, forever on the hips."
I went through most of the day eating nothing. I just took the drops and I drank a lot of water. At around 4pm, I took some 12 sticks of Soyami Soya Styx as I was getting scared that I wasn't feeling any hunger despite not having eaten anything. Why so many sticks? Well... Soya Styx can be addicting and I am thinking of stopping this snack soon. I never eat only 4 sticks, which is the number of sticks amounting to 70 calories.
Anyway, night came and we arrive at the party venue. As I went through the buffet setup, I passed through chicken and so many other viands without getting anything as I was looking for vegetables. When I saw some shrimps (but they were cooked sauteed in soy and ginger), I decided to get 2 pieces since shrimps are allowed on the diet. I was thinking never mind, if hey were sauteed in oil, because the shells protect the shrimp meat inside it. But, no! This is disaster #1.
I saw some fresh asparagus and decided that this would be the rest of the meal. I took around 7 pieces of fresh asparagus and they were this nice green color and the best part is, they were steamed. A bit of asparagus was heavenly... and it's allowed in the HCG diet.
Unfortunately, I did not stop there. I saw the flavorful lechon (roasted pig) and I could not help myself. My mantra forgotten with the sight of a whole pig roasted to perfection, I took a rib and some fresh lechon meat. I am thicking that would probably have weighed 100 grams. I don't know if I am being kind when I estimate this but well... let's just say I had 100 grams of pork meat. This is disaster #2!
Aside from pork, the food I love most are noodles, particularly sotanghon (vermicelli or glass noodles). Of course, this was present at the party. I dunno. For some reason, my mind stopped working when I saw all the noodles on display. I just got myself some noodles... which is good and bad. Good because noodles replaced the rice that I so wanted but didn't get, and I researched today and found that vermicelli is actually made of mung bean which is allowed in the diet. But it's still bad because the vermicelli was cooked in chicken broth and oil (which is no-no in the diet). This is disaster #3!
What did I learn? "Nothing Feels Good Like Skinny Feels." Today, I am depressed. I was feeling so lazy and I didn't want to wake up. But when I remembered that I had to look at the weighing scale, I jumped up from the bed, went to the bathroom to relieve myself, removed all my clothing and stepped on the scale. I saw the numbers and I felt sad. 180. 4 pounds! :( I didn't gain any weight but I didn't lose any weight either.
Here's what the scale looked like:
It's not really so bad... but this was my weight yesterday as well.
In a nutshell, here's what I did wrong:
- Shrimps sauteed in oil and ginger is not allowed. The shell will not protect the shrimp meat from being infused with oil. I was only deluding myself when I though otherwise.
- Pork, no matter how cooked, is prohibited in this diet.
- Vermicelli or glass noodles or sotanghon MAY be allowed but this has to be cooked in an HCG-compliant way... and definitely not sauteed in oil.
Friday, August 3, 2012
"A Moment on the Lips, Forever on the Hips"
Yesterday, the reporting group in one of my classes brought Pancit Malabon and some pichi-pichi from Ambers. I used to eat food from Ambers in Makati, where I previously worked and I can attest that their popularity with the offices are not without basis. Their food is absolutely yummy!
I managed to get through the class without any violations from the HCG diet, meaning I didn't eat despite the overwhelming aroma of the pancit in the room. Our room is air-conditioned and since all the windows are closed, the smell was really just.... in the air!
Here's what I did to overcome the temptation:
1. I repeated this mantra to myself when I learned that there would be food served in class. "A moment on the lips, forever on the hips." I reminded myself (silently, of course) that I wanted to lose weight more than I wanted a temporary fill of the pancit.
2. When the reporting group took a break and food was being served, I deliberately went out of the room. My friends didn't encourage me to eat as I had already briefed them about my diet. It really pays when the people surrounding you are supportive.
This is what I missed, and I am not sorry I missed this after I weighed myself this morning:
3. I took a peek in the classroom and saw a few minutes later that while everyone was eating already, there was still food left that were not yet served. I decided to wait a little more outside. I didn't want to have a choice whether to eat or not to eat in a classroom smelling like a kitchen. It was pretty boring but I managed to amuse myself by looking at pictures in the hallways, hehehe.
4. When everything was served, I joined the class already. I wouldn't have been able to eat even if I wanted to since there wasn't anything left to serve anymore. Surprisingly, my mouth didn't water even when I was forced to sit in a classroom with so many people eating extremely flavorful food in front, beside and at the back of me. I guess the HCG really worked.
5. All in all, it was a small personal taste of Victory for me. HCG's effects does not extend to the eyes and nose, so it's only your stomach that doesn't grumble when confronted with food.
In a nutshell, as much as possible, stay away from sources of temptation. If food is all around you, constantly remind yourself that you are after long-term gains, and not short fixes of bouts of temptation.
I managed to get through the class without any violations from the HCG diet, meaning I didn't eat despite the overwhelming aroma of the pancit in the room. Our room is air-conditioned and since all the windows are closed, the smell was really just.... in the air!
Here's what I did to overcome the temptation:
1. I repeated this mantra to myself when I learned that there would be food served in class. "A moment on the lips, forever on the hips." I reminded myself (silently, of course) that I wanted to lose weight more than I wanted a temporary fill of the pancit.
2. When the reporting group took a break and food was being served, I deliberately went out of the room. My friends didn't encourage me to eat as I had already briefed them about my diet. It really pays when the people surrounding you are supportive.
This is what I missed, and I am not sorry I missed this after I weighed myself this morning:
3. I took a peek in the classroom and saw a few minutes later that while everyone was eating already, there was still food left that were not yet served. I decided to wait a little more outside. I didn't want to have a choice whether to eat or not to eat in a classroom smelling like a kitchen. It was pretty boring but I managed to amuse myself by looking at pictures in the hallways, hehehe.
4. When everything was served, I joined the class already. I wouldn't have been able to eat even if I wanted to since there wasn't anything left to serve anymore. Surprisingly, my mouth didn't water even when I was forced to sit in a classroom with so many people eating extremely flavorful food in front, beside and at the back of me. I guess the HCG really worked.
In a nutshell, as much as possible, stay away from sources of temptation. If food is all around you, constantly remind yourself that you are after long-term gains, and not short fixes of bouts of temptation.
Day 2 of Phase 2
Yesterday was supposedly a hard day for me, but thanks to HCG, I managed to finish the day without any problems.
I had a full schedule that day with almost non-stop classes from 8:00am to 5:30pm. I only had 1.5 hours break so I was really busy.
Breakfast:
My 10 HCG Drops taken 15 minutes prior to my shake
1 HCG Shake only - 120 calories
A glass of water
Lunch:
My 10 HCG Drops
Around 4 glasses of water
I didn't have lunch because I lost my container which contained the HCG Shake. And I was also cramming to get ready for my next class.
Dinner:
My 10 HCG Drops
16 pieces SOYAMI Soya Sticks (Garlic Flavor) - 280 calories
Around 4 glasses of water
This is what a guiltless snack looks like:
SOYAMI Soya Sticks is available in Fitness First and some Fruit Magic outlets. It's compliant with the HCG Diet and was recommended to me by my seller. According to the label, 4 pieces of bread sticks will set me back 70 calories. I had 4 servings of 4 sticks so this translates to 280 calories. Not bad for lunch.
I had a facial afterwards. This is a boo boo, and maybe the reason I lost only 2.4 instead of 3 pounds this day. However, my appointment was already set and I actually really needed a facial already. I finally decided to go to my appointment and just hope for the best that there will be no adverse effects.
I actually wanted to do another ACV, which is what I was supposed to do... but I couldn't find my honey. And the ACV tastes really bad without the honey so I decided to forgo it as well.
While with my food intake I didn't cheat, I realize now that I violated some rules:
1. I went and got myself a facial.
2. I skipped lunch (but I could not help this so I don't feel guilty)
3. I didn't do my ACV.
Lesson learned. I will endeavor not to cheat again in the future.
I had a full schedule that day with almost non-stop classes from 8:00am to 5:30pm. I only had 1.5 hours break so I was really busy.
Breakfast:
My 10 HCG Drops taken 15 minutes prior to my shake
1 HCG Shake only - 120 calories
A glass of water
Lunch:
My 10 HCG Drops
Around 4 glasses of water
I didn't have lunch because I lost my container which contained the HCG Shake. And I was also cramming to get ready for my next class.
Dinner:
My 10 HCG Drops
16 pieces SOYAMI Soya Sticks (Garlic Flavor) - 280 calories
Around 4 glasses of water
This is what a guiltless snack looks like:
 |
| Label of SOYAMI Sticks |
SOYAMI Soya Sticks is available in Fitness First and some Fruit Magic outlets. It's compliant with the HCG Diet and was recommended to me by my seller. According to the label, 4 pieces of bread sticks will set me back 70 calories. I had 4 servings of 4 sticks so this translates to 280 calories. Not bad for lunch.
I had a facial afterwards. This is a boo boo, and maybe the reason I lost only 2.4 instead of 3 pounds this day. However, my appointment was already set and I actually really needed a facial already. I finally decided to go to my appointment and just hope for the best that there will be no adverse effects.
I actually wanted to do another ACV, which is what I was supposed to do... but I couldn't find my honey. And the ACV tastes really bad without the honey so I decided to forgo it as well.
While with my food intake I didn't cheat, I realize now that I violated some rules:
1. I went and got myself a facial.
2. I skipped lunch (but I could not help this so I don't feel guilty)
3. I didn't do my ACV.
Lesson learned. I will endeavor not to cheat again in the future.
Weight Update
Can I just say.... OMG! I just lost 5.4 pounds in 2 days! Seriously!!!
I didn't weigh myself before I started the Loading Phase. However, on Day 3 (yes, I added an extra day of gorging myself with extremely fatty foods), I unhappily stepped on my digital scale and it reflected 186.8 lbs... Huge, right?
Fast forward to Phase 2...
Starting Point: 186.8 lbs.
Day 2
Weight: 183.8 lbs.
Pounds Lost in a Day: 3 lbs.
Day 3
Weight: 181.4 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 2.4 lbs.
Pouns Lost So Far: 5.4 lbs.
I was so happy, I took a picture of my weighing scale. :)
I'll be doing this once in a while so that I have digital proof and this will serve as some sort of accountability report as well.
I didn't weigh myself before I started the Loading Phase. However, on Day 3 (yes, I added an extra day of gorging myself with extremely fatty foods), I unhappily stepped on my digital scale and it reflected 186.8 lbs... Huge, right?
Fast forward to Phase 2...
Starting Point: 186.8 lbs.
Day 2
Weight: 183.8 lbs.
Pounds Lost in a Day: 3 lbs.
Day 3
Weight: 181.4 lbs
Pounds Lost in a Day: 2.4 lbs.
Pouns Lost So Far: 5.4 lbs.
I was so happy, I took a picture of my weighing scale. :)
I'll be doing this once in a while so that I have digital proof and this will serve as some sort of accountability report as well.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Day 1 of Phase 2
Congratulations to me are in order because I was able to accomplish my VLCD and I did not give in to any temptations!
I drank protein shakes to fill me up. 1 for breakfast, 1 for lunch and another 1 for dinner. In between, I made sure that I drank lots of water as well. This set me back to around 360 calories. Honestly, I should still be eating an apple or whatever to reach 500 calories. However, I really don't have the appetite for it now so I am deciding to just forgo just this once.
I can now say that Intermountain HCG really works as I did not feel any hunger pangs during the day. It was only at around 9pm when I felt hungry, which served as a reminder that I had to get some dinner. I visited my blender and had an HCG protein shake in Chocolate Flavor. Yummy! :)
My mother arrived bearing some glazed donuts from S&R. Of course, I had to open the box and smell these wonderful donuts. However, she arrived just a few minutes after I took the 10 drops of HCG allotted for the night, my third dose this day and so, I was still feeling quite full. Wonders! While I smelled the Krispy Kreme smell of the donuts, I was not tempted to even take a small bite.
I can feel that this round of HCG diet will be successful. What made this round different from my other failed attempt was that I really mentally prepared myself. I made sure that I wrote down my goals and why I was doing this diet. I made sure that I psyched myself up to getting through this diet. Further, I resisted dining with my classmates, opting to go home straight without visiting the kitchen. I only had my protein shake lunch around 30 minutes after I had my drops.
What are my goals? I put them down on my profile in the myfitnesspal account that I have.
First Milestone - 179 pounds
Second Milestone - 175 pounds
Third Milestone - 169 pounds
Fourth Milestone - 165 pounds
Fifth Milestone - 160 pounds
I plan to at least reach my Third Milestone with the HCG diet THIS MONTH. Yes, I know... by any stretch, 19 pounds in a month is ambitious. But I just really want to see that digit "6" as the middle digit on my weighing scale as I have not seen that in years! With the help of HCG, I know I can do it!
I drank protein shakes to fill me up. 1 for breakfast, 1 for lunch and another 1 for dinner. In between, I made sure that I drank lots of water as well. This set me back to around 360 calories. Honestly, I should still be eating an apple or whatever to reach 500 calories. However, I really don't have the appetite for it now so I am deciding to just forgo just this once.
I can now say that Intermountain HCG really works as I did not feel any hunger pangs during the day. It was only at around 9pm when I felt hungry, which served as a reminder that I had to get some dinner. I visited my blender and had an HCG protein shake in Chocolate Flavor. Yummy! :)
My mother arrived bearing some glazed donuts from S&R. Of course, I had to open the box and smell these wonderful donuts. However, she arrived just a few minutes after I took the 10 drops of HCG allotted for the night, my third dose this day and so, I was still feeling quite full. Wonders! While I smelled the Krispy Kreme smell of the donuts, I was not tempted to even take a small bite.
I can feel that this round of HCG diet will be successful. What made this round different from my other failed attempt was that I really mentally prepared myself. I made sure that I wrote down my goals and why I was doing this diet. I made sure that I psyched myself up to getting through this diet. Further, I resisted dining with my classmates, opting to go home straight without visiting the kitchen. I only had my protein shake lunch around 30 minutes after I had my drops.
What are my goals? I put them down on my profile in the myfitnesspal account that I have.
First Milestone - 179 pounds
Second Milestone - 175 pounds
Third Milestone - 169 pounds
Fourth Milestone - 165 pounds
Fifth Milestone - 160 pounds
I plan to at least reach my Third Milestone with the HCG diet THIS MONTH. Yes, I know... by any stretch, 19 pounds in a month is ambitious. But I just really want to see that digit "6" as the middle digit on my weighing scale as I have not seen that in years! With the help of HCG, I know I can do it!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Starting my hCG
Hi everyone. I am an HCG dieter based in the Philippines. I am documenting my HCG journey to motivate myself and so that I feel accountable to really follow the diet. Hope you can accompany me in my journey losing all this excess weight!
SO, after learning about this diet in several forums, I plunked down PhP2,300.00 and bought my very own HCG on eBay. I researched and decided to buy the Intermountain HCG because according to the site, it has the best HCG formulation in the industry. It was delivered in sealed condition, which is great. Many Multiply sellers were offering pre-filled HCG injections but I was very uncomfortable with my HCG having been handled by people who do not work in a laboratory. I was very careful as well because my mom bought from another seller the other month and hers arrived in a bottle already just half-full, not sealed, and it came with no dropper but only one disposable syringe. I guess the seller expected my mom to use one syringe for the 40 days! Horrors!
Anyway, after 3 days of loading for Phase 1, I now weigh 186.8 pounds. I gained a few pounds because I really stuffed myself with lots of fatty foods. It even became 3 days of loading instead of 2 because I forgot to take the HCG drops on my Day 1. I checked the Internet and it was fortunate that doing 3 days instead of 2 is allowed.
Here's what I did: as taught by my seller, I took the HCG drops using a teaspoon. A dropper came with the Intermountain HCG that I purchased (the cap of the bottle is the dropper). So I just used it to place 10 drops on the teaspoon and I stuck the teaspoon under my tongue. The HCG was tasteless... there was no bitter taste at all, which is just fantastic!
For my loading phase, I ate extremely fatty foods. First day, I consumed chinese pork leg soup. I ate the pork skin and the visible fats (which didn't really make me feel that great, but still... it's fatty food) for lunch. I ate chicken curry with potatoes for dinner (the chicken I ate with the skin). Second day, I ate stewed pork with the visible fats again with rice and some squid. Yesterday, I ate some leftover chinese pork leg soup and 4 of the largest prawns for lunch and the best and fattiest steak for dinner. I really did go into calorie overload the past three days.
Here are my stats after the loading phase (on a digital weighing scale and in my birthday suit):
Weight - 186.8 pounds, Bust - 43 inches, Waist - 40 inches, Hips - 47.5
Yeah, I know. BIG, right? All that weight has to go somewhere... I used to weigh 50 pounds lighter 6 years ago (now it seems so far away). Somehow, some lifestyle changes, decreased metabolism and age got to me... and here I am now, overweight and desperate. I am still getting up the nerve to take some pictures so I will have before and after photos to show after my (hopefully) success with the HCG diet.
So today, I start my calvary. I just took 10 drops of HCG on a teaspoon. Using a teaspoon really helped as the drops were controlled and I am assured that the drops really went under my tongue. I tried to drop directly under my tongue before, and quite frankly, I ended up wasting some drops and I swallowing most of them. So, advice to HCG dieters: use the teaspoon technique.
Since I detest vegetables and bland foods, I bought myself some HCG-compliant protein shake. The brand I am using now is Spiru-tein, which is a soy-based protein shake and commercially available in any Healthy Options branch. A scoop will only set me back 120 calories. It is pricey, I have to admit. But it beats having to eat tasteless meals. I plan to drink these replacement shakes for my food intake today.
I drank some ACV (apple cider vinegar) diluted in water with honey (also a tip from my seller to speed up the weight loss). It tasted like... vinegar... as expected. It was not good. I drank everything in one gulp. Oh, what I do for weight loss. Here's the recipe as taught to me:
Apple Cider Vinegar Drink
2 tbsp. of ACV (I use the BRAGG Brand because the bottle says it's organic)
1 tbsp. of honey
1 glass of water
According to other dieters in the many forums I already read, ACV needs to be ingested already in diluted form to prevent teeth from getting damaged. I am thinking of drinking this with a straw as I could feel my teeth complaining as I gulped down my ACV drink. I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth afterwards.
I will be taking the ACV Drink twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. :) I bought my ACV from SM Supermarket. It's more expensive than the Datu Puti vinegar (obviously) but the health benefits is what I am after so I decided not to mind the cost.
That's it for today. Anyway, I will blog my experiences and hopefully, after a couple of weeks, I can announce that I have indeed lost a humongous amount of weight. :)
SO, after learning about this diet in several forums, I plunked down PhP2,300.00 and bought my very own HCG on eBay. I researched and decided to buy the Intermountain HCG because according to the site, it has the best HCG formulation in the industry. It was delivered in sealed condition, which is great. Many Multiply sellers were offering pre-filled HCG injections but I was very uncomfortable with my HCG having been handled by people who do not work in a laboratory. I was very careful as well because my mom bought from another seller the other month and hers arrived in a bottle already just half-full, not sealed, and it came with no dropper but only one disposable syringe. I guess the seller expected my mom to use one syringe for the 40 days! Horrors!
Anyway, after 3 days of loading for Phase 1, I now weigh 186.8 pounds. I gained a few pounds because I really stuffed myself with lots of fatty foods. It even became 3 days of loading instead of 2 because I forgot to take the HCG drops on my Day 1. I checked the Internet and it was fortunate that doing 3 days instead of 2 is allowed.
For my loading phase, I ate extremely fatty foods. First day, I consumed chinese pork leg soup. I ate the pork skin and the visible fats (which didn't really make me feel that great, but still... it's fatty food) for lunch. I ate chicken curry with potatoes for dinner (the chicken I ate with the skin). Second day, I ate stewed pork with the visible fats again with rice and some squid. Yesterday, I ate some leftover chinese pork leg soup and 4 of the largest prawns for lunch and the best and fattiest steak for dinner. I really did go into calorie overload the past three days.
Here are my stats after the loading phase (on a digital weighing scale and in my birthday suit):
Weight - 186.8 pounds, Bust - 43 inches, Waist - 40 inches, Hips - 47.5
Yeah, I know. BIG, right? All that weight has to go somewhere... I used to weigh 50 pounds lighter 6 years ago (now it seems so far away). Somehow, some lifestyle changes, decreased metabolism and age got to me... and here I am now, overweight and desperate. I am still getting up the nerve to take some pictures so I will have before and after photos to show after my (hopefully) success with the HCG diet.
So today, I start my calvary. I just took 10 drops of HCG on a teaspoon. Using a teaspoon really helped as the drops were controlled and I am assured that the drops really went under my tongue. I tried to drop directly under my tongue before, and quite frankly, I ended up wasting some drops and I swallowing most of them. So, advice to HCG dieters: use the teaspoon technique.
Since I detest vegetables and bland foods, I bought myself some HCG-compliant protein shake. The brand I am using now is Spiru-tein, which is a soy-based protein shake and commercially available in any Healthy Options branch. A scoop will only set me back 120 calories. It is pricey, I have to admit. But it beats having to eat tasteless meals. I plan to drink these replacement shakes for my food intake today.
2 tbsp. of ACV (I use the BRAGG Brand because the bottle says it's organic)
1 tbsp. of honey
1 glass of water
According to other dieters in the many forums I already read, ACV needs to be ingested already in diluted form to prevent teeth from getting damaged. I am thinking of drinking this with a straw as I could feel my teeth complaining as I gulped down my ACV drink. I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth afterwards.
I will be taking the ACV Drink twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. :) I bought my ACV from SM Supermarket. It's more expensive than the Datu Puti vinegar (obviously) but the health benefits is what I am after so I decided not to mind the cost.
That's it for today. Anyway, I will blog my experiences and hopefully, after a couple of weeks, I can announce that I have indeed lost a humongous amount of weight. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)