LIBRARY LOUNGE

I am into my 3rd week of being off the HCG. I had lost an additional 4.4 lbs. but last night I went off the diet for the first time to celebrate my birthday and I had some sugar and some carbohydrates. I am up one pound today but I expect that to level off again tomorrow. I am not really supposed to be loosing weight during this phase but I just hate to stop when it seems to be coming off so much easier than it used to. Next Tuesday is when I will begin the 2nd three week phase where I start to add sugar and carbohydrates on a regular basis. I think I will find it a little more difficult then to maintain my weight but we will see. Other than catching whatever it was that everyone at the office had, I have been feeling pretty well.

So I have finished with the shots a little over a week ago. I have lost an additional two pounds since then. At first I was doing great with lots of exercise - even jogging again but then I got this flu that everyone at work has had. While it didn’t change my appetite much it did make working out impossible (bad cough). In any case I have been able to maintain my weight no problem even though I have increased my calorie intake. I need to keep this up for about 1 1-/2 more week and then I can start to add in carbohydrates and sugars. I can’t wait!

I am very happy with my results and I am feeling very good about my total loss which is now at 20 lbs. I will do another round starting in January to try to get to my goal. It will be interesting to see if the second time around I loose more weight during the 43 days than I did this first time.

Weight still the same… No more shots and today is the beginning of three days of staying on the 500 calories with no shots. Then I can start adding more volume to my intake as long as I don’t gain any weight. I have been feeling very good and I am still hoping to loose another pound or two before Monday is over.

I am still up a lb. from two days ago… Today is my last shot and then Sat, Sun and Mon I stay on the diet. I hope to loose at least one or two more lbs. before Tues. I am still feeling good but I am really, really looking forward to hair conditioner and skin lotion!

I am thinking about waiting until we return from California, the first week of January to start up again but I will see Dr. Malmgren this coming Wednesday and we will talk about it then.

17 lbs. total so far and today is an apple day so I am hoping to be down another pound tomorrow. Monday is my last day on the 500 calories and then I am going to increase to about double - 1,000 calories - basically eating the same diet, just more of it. Hopefully I will be able to maintain my weight doing that - if I loose I can eat a little more and if I gain I will have to cut back (or maybe exercise more). I am counting down the days now as I am ready for a break.

One of the best things is that I now fit in my size 10 clothes again which gives me a lot more clothing options!

Yesterday (Sunday) I was down another .6 of a lb. - have not weighed yet today.
Had a great day wandering around the Botanical Gardens for a second day in a row and then we walked all the way around Cheeseman Park - beautiful!
I had non-fat cottage cheese for the first time and I think I will stick to meat in the future - not too tasty!
Shrimp and cabbage for dinner, orange and an apple for fruit.
Saturday I did 20 minutes on the stair machine and then spent about 3 hours walking around the Botanical Gardens. Brought my lunch chicken-lettuce.

I have now lost 16 lbs. total.
Not much new to report - my mood is good, hunger is managable but I am counting down the days!
I have been trying to increase my exercise - yesterday I did 25 minutes on the stair machine instead of 20.
Today I will go to Tai Chi and then wander around the Botanical Gardens for a few hours.
I have been sticking to the diet religiously and drinking well over 64 oz of water plus tea a day.
I am also sleeping very well again. I am starting to think about my schedule and the holidays and travel and when I will start the diet again - I don’t want to do it while I am on vacation in December or during the holiday season so I may wait longer than 6 weeks and do it at the beginning of January.

I was down about a half a pound yesterday. I did not make it to Tai Chi but I did do 20 minutes on the stair machine. Drank plenty of water and ate the usual - nothing much different. I felt good, lots of energy, good mood, not overly hungry. My average now is a little less then 1/2 a lb. a day but still very close. I am hopeful that the rest of the week will be good and I will loose another 5 lbs. before this is over on the 41st day.

Well I was up a tiny bit today…. Has to be water retention.
Yesterday I did not exercise - literally no time.
Had my usual 3 cups of tea, 1 cup of coffee with 1 tbs of skim milk, 2 melba toast, 2 apples, 2 cups of lettuce with 100 grams of chicken breast for lunch and for dinner I had a 95% lean hamburger patty (100 grams raw) with one cup of raw tomato. I had two and 1/2 bottles of water so well over 64 ounces.
Today I am planning 20 minutes on the stair machine and then Tai Chi tonight.
My energy is good and I am not having hunger pains but am enjoying my food - and I slept well for the last two nights!