Journey to Me Via HCG

I'll share more soon, but for right now, a very not safe for work funny!

2012-02-02T22:11:00.002-07:00

Happy New Moon and Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T11:19:00.001-07:00

I deleted the last post as it was so melodramatic.

My goodness, so much has happened and time has gone by.

I've really missed writing here. I'm not sure what happened, but the blog was warning of a possible malware issue if you clicked on it, so I just abandoned the blog altogether.

For some reason, it's functioning again. I am also in need of it, so here I am.

I would LOVE to do another round of HCG, but until the heavy metals are cleared from my tissue, it's too dangerous.

I've not experienced foot drop since January of last year, so this is excellent news. I still have issues with my hands now and then, but it's nothing I can't live with.

In preparation for my treatments to remove the lead from my system, I've been working on cutting down/out alcohol, and taking supplements to support my liver.

Last time I weighed myself, I was 136. This was in November. I've not weighed since. I know it's more and I hate that, but now my health needs to be priority #1, not my weight (though I know they're related). It's frustrating as last year this time I was around 114-118. I know I can get back there again once this lead is out and I can do another couple rounds.

I am beginning my Tae Bo today that I got for Christmas. I'd planned on starting before, but I ended up with that horrible crud that's been going around.

I have no more excuses, so today I begin. I was in the best shape of my life right after I had my son and started Tae Bo. I know it can whip me into shape again. I'm also doing protein shakes that have me feeling amazing, mixed with psyllium powder. Here it is, for those interested: http://proteinpowder.mercola.com/pure-protein.html . It is full of pro-biotics, and even has coconut oil in it. It's organic and provides a punch of 20 grams of protein per serving. It's my goal to do a bit of a fast with it starting tomorrow (I had steak in the fridge, so I'm doing a steak day today).

I've also ordered Red Maca. It's worth googling. The health benefits are extraordinary. I heard about it on TV as a boost for the female libido. I could use some help in that department, so I began to research. It's a wonder food! I am so looking forward to adding it into my diet.

It's time for a new collage. Normally I do this at the 1st of the year, but I wasn't feeling it. Now it's the first of the Chinese New Year and a New Moon, so I think today may be the day. I'm very curious as to what my subconscious wants me to know.

I'm a bit frightened about the next process of the heavy metal detox, but I'm also excited. I truly feel there is a major transformation ahead for me that I am just on the edge of.

My goal this year is to be the healthiest person I know. If I manage to squeeze back into my size 2 jeans, great, but more than anything, I'm striving for balance and good health. I want to be around for a very long time, especially for my family.

Thanks for being here! I've missed you!

PS - this was truly a beginners post. I have a lot to share that I'm warming up to.

SOPA

2012-01-17T22:40:00.002-07:00

Oh my God. "slimmer's paralysis". Check the bold.

2011-06-26T16:47:00.005-06:00

http://www.cordingleyneurology.com/peronealneuropathy.html

Peroneal Neuropathy:
Waiting for the Other Foot to Drop

Gary E Cordingley, MD, PhD
A droopy ankle, with or without significant numbness, can indicate that the
peroneal nerve is in trouble.
A "foot-drop" is a medical term which--thankfully--does not mean that the foot suddenly disconnects from the
leg. Rather, it means that when the leg is lifted from the ground, the foot droops downward at the ankle. The
muscles that are supposed to prop up the foot have become so weakened that they cannot overcome gravity's
downward pull. When people with this problem try to walk, they have to either hike the leg higher to clear their
drooping toes or else risk tripping over them.

What is to blame for this inconvenient symptom? In truth, there are multiple possible causes, but one of the
most common culprits is injury to a nerve-bundle in the leg known as the peroneal nerve. To understand how
this nerve-bundle can get in trouble, a quick review of the bones of the leg is helpful. There is just one bone, a
big one, that connects the hip to the knee, and that is the femur. There are two bones that connect the knee to
the ankle. The tibia is the larger one and lies more to the inside, while the fibula is the thinner one and lies
more to the outside. That's the extent of the bony anatomy we need to know.

The nerve-fibers constituting the peroneal nerve travel with the huge sciatic nerve that runs behind the femur
from the buttock to the lower thigh. That's where the "common peroneal nerve" splits out from the pack and
runs along the outside of the knee, tucking behind the head of the fibular bone (a knobby protrusion just
beyond the knee) and then snaking around the neck of the fibula just below its head. The neck of the fibula
forms the floor of the fibular tunnel that the common peroneal nerve must pass through. Within this tunnel the
common peroneal nerve is particularly vulnerable to injury.

Also within this tunnel the common peroneal nerve splits into two branches, the "deep peroneal nerve" (farther
from the leg's surface) and the "superficial peroneal nerve" (closer to the leg's surface). Because the two
branches have different connections to muscles and skin, injury to one produces different impairments than
are produced by injury to the other.

The deep peroneal nerve is responsible for cocking up the ankle and toes, so injury to this branch produces
weakness or paralysis of the muscles responsible for these actions. There is just a tiny patch of skin, located
between the big toe and the toe next to it, connected to the deep peroneal nerve, so damage to this branch
produces numbness limited to this small area.

The superficial peroneal nerve, by contrast, is responsible for skin sensation on most of the outside of the calf
and top of the foot, so these areas can become numb when the superficial peroneal nerve is injured. This
branch is also responsible for lifting the outside edge of the foot, so this action is gone when the superficial
peroneal nerve is not functioning properly.

Impairments due to injury of the common peroneal nerve (the parent of the two branches) are the sum of the
impairments associated with each of the branches. So this means that the ankle and toes cannot cock
upwards, the outside edge of the foot cannot lift, and there is numbness on the outside of the calf and top of
the foot.

"Peroneal neuropathy" means impairment of the peroneal nerve. Peroneal neuropathies are the most common
neuropathies (of the kind that affects just one nerve at a time) in the lower extremities. Investigators at the
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center recently collected a series of 318 patients with peroneal
neuropathy who required surgery, while Italian researchers collected another 69 cases that included those who
didn't need surgery. From these two tabulations of cases a good picture emerges of the more common causes
of peroneal neuropathy.

Many were due to physical traumas. Some of the traumas were severe enough to break or dislocate bones,
while others involved deep cuts in the soft tissues, and still others involved just a stretch or bruise. Another
common cause was surgical operations. Some of the surgeries were to the nearby knee, but others were
performed on more distant structures, like the hip, the abdomen or even the chest.

Many cases were due to excessive external pressure being applied to the nerve. This occurred in different
ways. For example, in prolonged leg-crossing the knee of the bottom leg pushes steadily against the peroneal
nerve of the crossing leg. Peroneal neuropathies seen in bedridden patients were presumably due to lying on
the fibular tunnel for too long without a shift in position. Other patients had entrapment or pinching of the nerve
within the fibular tunnel unrelated to external pressure.

A surprisingly large group of patients had peroneal neuropathy due to weight loss, also known as "slimmer's
paralysis." More than one factor might have been at play in these cases, including lack of nutrients, pressure
on the nerve, or both.

Researchers and clinicians find that in some people an apparently isolated peroneal neuropathy is actually the
leading edge of a more widespread polyneuropathy. "Polyneuropathy" means that peripheral nerves are
impaired in a more diffuse pattern--not just single nerves in single places. So in some cases of apparent
peroneal neuropathy further investigations turn up polyneuropathy due to other causes, for example, diabetes,
excessive alcohol consumption or genetic factors.

How are cases evaluated? The physician's evaluation starts with the time-honored methods of history-taking
and physical examination. As part of the physical examination the doctor inventories which muscles are weak
(and which are not) and maps out areas of numbness affecting the skin. Additional testing with
electromyography and nerve conduction studies, which check on electrical functions of the muscles and
nerves, often provides valuable information, including whether additional nerves are affected and how bad the
impairments are.

How about treatment? Treatment varies according to what caused the peroneal neuropathy in the first place,
but let's consider a typical case unrelated to severe trauma. Nonsurgical approaches are usually tried first,
including avoidance of further pressure on the peroneal nerve, improved nutrition and supplementation of the
diet with vitamins. A simple brace applied to the ankle improves walking. In many cases the nerve recovers
without anything more drastic being done. But if these conservative treatments fail (and the peroneal
neuropathy is not part of a more widespread polyneuropathy) then surgical exploration of the fibular tunnel is
often indicated. If the nerve is pinched, then the surgeon frees up the nerve from whatever was pinching it.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

I started my detox on Tuesday. Even after just 2 days, the shakiness in my hands...

2011-05-19T09:41:00.000-06:00

... have subsided substantially. I still twitch, but not to the degree I was. It looks like this may also knock some pounds off as well. I didn't weigh in on Tuesday, but yesterday I was 129.7. Today I am 128.1. This could also be due to the fact that I started on the Full Moon, as I always start such adventures, be it HCG or this, on either a Full or New Moon.

I asked very detailed questions about the testing process with the doctor, specifically why my blood would be fine and my urine off the charts and her explanation made sense to me, that using this drug during the urine test, it pulls the metals from the soft tissue of the body, which could be stored for many years there, where the blood test shows that I'm currently not being exposed to an ongoing threat. She, like myself, some of you, and my acupuncturist believe my symptoms were triggered by releasing too much too fast.

So I am now gluten free, caffeine free (oh, my coffee!), dairy free, sugar free, and alcohol free (oh, my wine!). I have a 6 months supply of the drug that attaches to the metal. I take it 3 days on, 11 days off. On the 11 days off, I flood my system with vitamins and minerals, as well as herbs to support detoxing for my liver, gallbladder and kidneys, which I do not take during the time I'm on the drug, so that nothing interferes with eliminating the metals.

I've had every intention of keeping up with you all as well as keeping you up to date on this, but as with any detox, the first couple days had me down and out. It feels like the flu but without the chills. It feels like the very first week of my first round of HCG, actually. I'm pretty sure I've had candida in my gut as I'm having those detox symptoms as well.

This blog will turn into my detox journey. I hope in the next 4 months or so I'll be ready for a comparative test. I'm very hopeful to be rid of the symptoms sooner than later, but given just 2 days in I am noticeably less shaky, I think that bodes well.

Your concern and support is so valued by me. Thank you, thank you for keeping tabs on me, offering your support, and your advice. I am OFF to check in on you!

FDA

2011-05-10T19:51:00.001-06:00

Hi Clarity -- I saw your post about your blood test and wanted to respond but couldn't figure out how to do that on the blog. So, I got your email instead!
Anyhow, I am a mercury poisoning survivor. My numbers were off the charts due to my "silver" fillings and I had to be detoxed. I just wanted to tell you that neurotoxins, whether lead, mercury, whatever, leave the bloodstream fairly quickly and hide in other parts of your body including the brain. The results from the provoked sample are far more accurate than a blood test. I suspect that the mercury and the lead have a synergisticly negative effect on your system, because your mercury was also high. You'll be fine once you get rid of the poison!
Good luck to you,

Kate

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/detail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=1003401

DENTAL AMALGAM FILLINGS (MERCURY) NONE Back to Search Results
Event Type Injury Patient Outcome Life Threatening; Other
Event Description
Dates of use: 6 to 8 years. Diagnosis or reason for use: high tissue levels mercury. Event abated after use stopped or dose reduced: yes. In 40 years, i had missed only six days of work because of illness. But over the past eight months, i have watched my energy levels drop significantly. It turns out i had come down with a case of mercury amalgam dental toxicity. What were my symptoms? i incurred infection easily. My joints ached. I didn't sleep well. A bruise lasted forever. I was retaining water, and my ankles were swollen. I developed a never-ending cough. Cxr revealed a small lesion in my upper right lung. I was having balance problems. Tremors appeared in one hand, then both. By this time, my physician made the diagnosis of heavy metal mercury toxicity and verified it with urinalysis. He had suggested i take a urinary heavy metal test after he noticed all the "silver" in my teeth. Some people may have a "normal level" of 3 mcg hg/gm of creatinine or less in urinary excretion, while i maintained a hefty toxic 21 mcg hg/gm of creatinine. Meanwhile, my dermatologist called to let me know that, a biopsy performed on me several weeks earlier found that i had squamous cell skin cancer, and surgery would be required. As my doctor concluded, my immune system was not functioning properly because of the mercury problem. The three amalgams in my mouth (two large molars and one small) had to come out. I called my dentist and he agreed to replace my fillings immediately. However, he believed my problem to be diet-induced and suggested a sharp reduction in my consumption of fish and shellfish. I told him that my wife and i have shared the same food for 25 years, but she is unaffected by mercury. I said i believed my silver mercury fillings were to blame. The following monday, the dentist removed my small molar filling and replaced it with nontoxic materials. I was scheduled for removal of the remaining fillings eight days later. For me, it was too long a wait. I contacted another dentist who agreed to treat me the next day. Both molars were replaced the following morning. Previous to this, my physician had recommended an iv containing a heavy dose of vitamin c to serve as an antioxidant, which i received. That same day, i had my physician's prescription for dmsa (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) chelation filled at a local compounding pharmacy. Dmsa acts as a binding agent to the mercury and draws it out of the tissues for excretion into the urine or feces. But chelation is not without problems. My regimen was to be one capsule of dmsa containing 150 mg of active ingredient (based upon my body weight) taken three times daily with food for three days, then off 11 days. This was repeated for five cycles, which made me eligible for another urinary test for mercury. During the first day, i incurred only slight stomach problems, but some of my joints were uncomfortable. My liver and kidneys became the most uncomfortable parts of my body, with nonspecific pain and irritation to both areas. Congestion filled by lungs and throat, and my coughing continued. I had a classic back ache for three to five days per cycle. But each successive cycle became less of a problem. Within two weeks, i lost 5 lbs, probably because my kidneys improved efficacy with an overall drop of mercury content and water loss. I was back to a very fitting 34-inch waist. My cxr was followed up with a cat scan. I was also injected with contrast dye for a better picture of my lung problem. It was taken after my first cycle of drug therapy, and my cough was not that noticeable at the time. Cat results showed the problem to be resolved. That was the good news. The following month, my dermatologist performed mohs skin cancer surgery on me, which showed the biopsy had removed the cancer. Slowly my immune system is coming back, and i am feeling better with each passing day. After five rounds of chelation treatment, i learned via my last urinalysis that i am now within the normal range. Mercury is dose dependent. Heavy metal poisoning can be insidious, with some even mimicking early disease states such as multiple sclerosis and alzheimer's. Pharmacists are in a unique position to observe their patients over time, review their drug profiles, and note medication changes. Acute mercury toxicity can be identified with a simple blood test. However, chronic heavy metal toxicity screening should be evaluated by urinalysis over a six to twelve hour urine-collection process, because mercury is mainly confined to the tissues. I learned the hard way that the only way to protect yourself is to eliminate it from your system.

UPDATE!

2011-05-09T17:30:00.001-06:00

My blood test! Normal lead is 0-19 and I'm a 2! WTH????????????

A little video for all y'all

2011-05-08T10:39:00.002-06:00

I've filmed some of my symptoms...

??? I didn't weigh today. Update on the lead thing.

2011-05-06T18:23:00.000-06:00

I showed the urine analysis to my acupuncturist and she was very intrigued, trying to figure out how this was possible, but also wanted to make it clear that a blood test is far more accurate to determine how toxic I am. I haven't heard back about my blood test but expect to very soon. In the meantime, I took my kids in to have their blood tested to rule out that they'd been exposed.

When I proposed the theory that perhaps losing as much weight as I did so quickly (1/3 of my body weight!), that perhaps that flooded my system with toxins I'd stored for years in my fat, her eyes grew big. She said that it absolutely was a possibility.

I'm beginning to think that one of the reasons Dr. S. says to do 21 or 42 day rounds with time in between is to avoid such things happening. My first round was 60+ days. He also says not to lose more than a certain amount per round.

I will start my metal detox on Monday. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. If I can do the HCG diet, I can do ANYTHING.

Your love and comments mean the world to me. LD, I miss your posts but am so grateful you still follow me here!

I love you all so much!

President Bush Reacts to Osama Bin Laden's Death with Will Ferrell from Will Ferrell

127.5

2011-05-03T12:38:00.002-06:00

OFF THE CHARTS LEAD POISONING!

^From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning

Signs and symptoms

Lead poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms and signs which vary depending on the individual and the duration of lead exposure.^[10]^[11] Symptoms are nonspecific and may be subtle, and someone with elevated lead levels may have no symptoms.^[12] Symptoms usually develop over weeks to months as lead builds up in the body during a chronic exposure, but acute symptoms from brief, intense exposures also occur.^[13] Symptoms from exposure to organic lead, which is probably more toxic than inorganic lead due to its lipid solubility, occur rapidly.^[14] Poisoning by organic lead compounds has symptoms predominantly in the central nervous system, such as insomnia, delirium, cognitive deficits, tremor, hallucinations, and convulsions.^[9]

Symptoms may be different in adults and children; the main symptoms in adults are headache, abdominal pain, memory loss, kidney failure, male reproductive problems, and weakness, pain, or tingling in the extremities.^[15] The classic signs and symptoms in children are loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, constipation, anemia, kidney failure, irritability, lethargy, learning disabilities, and behavior problems.^[15] Children may also experience hearing loss, delayed growth, drowsiness, clumsiness, or loss of new abilities, especially speech skills.^[12] Symptoms may appear in children at lower blood lead levels than in adults.^[16]

Early symptoms of lead poisoning in adults are commonly nonspecific and include depression, loss of appetite, intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and muscle pain.^[17] Other early signs in adults include malaise, fatigue, decreased libido, and problems with sleep.^[10] An unusual taste in the mouth and personality changes are also early signs.^[18] In adults, symptoms can occur at levels above 40 μg/dL, but are more likely to occur only above 50–60 μg/dL.^[10] Symptoms begin to appear in children generally at around 60 μg/dL.^[19] However, the lead levels at which symptoms appear vary widely depending on unknown characteristics of each individual.^[20] At blood lead levels between 25 and 60 μg/dL, neuropsychiatric effects such as delayed reaction times, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, as well as slowed motor nerve conduction and headache can occur.^[21] Anemia may appear at blood lead levels higher than 50 μg/dL.^[17] In adults, Abdominal colic, involving paroxysms of pain, may appear at blood lead levels greater than 80 μg/dL.^[11] Signs that occur in adults at blood lead levels exceeding 100 μg/dL include wrist drop and foot drop, and signs ofencephalopathy (a condition characterized by brain swelling), such as those that accompany increased pressure within the skull, delirium, coma, seizures, and headache.^[22] In children, signs of encephalopathy such as bizarre behavior, discoordination, and apathy occur at lead levels exceeding 70 μg/dL.^[22] For both adults and children, it is rare to be asymptomatic if blood lead levels exceed 100 μg/dL.^[11]

128! :( Update

2011-04-26T16:17:00.002-06:00

Here I go again, not checking in with you and checking on you. I've no excuse. I'm just out of the habit.

As you can see, Easter did a number on my weight! I ate and drank whatever I wanted. Back to being more careful. Part of the problem is my thyroid meds keep getting adjusted and I think that's not helping the numbers.

I have an appointment to meet with my new doctor next Tuesday to go over the results of the heavy metal testing. You'd think if there was nothing to report, they wouldn't want to see me, right? I think I may have some answers soon!!

While I'm there, I'm going to ask about being cleared to do another round. I have enough HCG for 3 short rounds. I need 1 to knock this weight off. The other 2 would be reserved for cleanses. I really hope she lets me.

My hands are still being funny, but I'm getting used to it. Thank GOD, nothing amiss with the feet right now.

I will go check on you guys - I'm so sorry I've not been. You ARE in my thoughts and I love you guys!

Edited to add...

I will no longer add frowny faces to my weight posts. Are you kidding me? Before this journey, I was almost 170 pounds. 170. 128 is FINE. Yes, I would rather be between 111.1 and 116, but I am no longer a heart attack waiting to happen!!!!!

PPS - Blogger won't let me follow http://seemommydiet.blogspot.com/ !

127.5 :(

2011-04-21T21:13:00.002-06:00

.

2011-04-10T22:02:00.002-06:00

125.6 despite clean P3 eating and a half an hour on the elliptical... and now an important message NSFW from our sponsors...

2011-04-08T18:38:00.001-06:00

Long overdue update and an apology for falling off the planet. 124.6 today

2011-04-07T10:36:00.001-06:00

I'm a slacker and I've been just awful about keeping up with y'all. I really feel badly that I've not at least been following your progress.

Taxes, and the guilt of not doing them, kept me from the blogosphere, though somehow not from facebook. Gads is that ever addictive!

My taxes are done, so I'm back, though I need to get back in the habit of checking on you guys when I have my coffee.

So, I have a terrific new doctor who has run a gazillion tests on me. She's working very closely with me on supplements, diet, and my thyroid medication. I couldn't be in better hands. She's fantastic. Next week she's testing me for heavy metal poisoning to see if that could possibly be related to the nerve thing. She thinks it may be that doubling the thyroid medication as my last doctor did so suddenly could have triggered some domino effect given it happened shortly after that.

Yesterday I gave blood for the first time, something my doctor encouraged me to do since I no longer have periods. Boy, am I glad I did now that there has been yet another quake in Japan. It just breaks my heart what's happening there.

I've been doing pilates off and on, but am working to make it more of a habit, and yesterday I bought a used elliptical machine (though I couldn't use it yesterday because I'd just given blood). I am anxious to hop on it shortly, and then do pilates. I am hoping to get into a routine of half an hour on the machine and half an hour of yoga/pilates.

Depending on what my doctor thinks given my nerve issues, I may start another round next month. I won't without her consent though. I did go ahead and ordered from pharmacy escrow as it seems ADC has been compromised. My friend's credit card was stolen from them and when I go to their facebook page, I see one complaint after another about this very thing happening to many others.

That's it for now. I'm feeling a lot better - a lot less stress since starting certain supplements and acupuncture. I have another appointment for that tomorrow morning.

XOXO and off to check on you guys!

Funny for today... GOD I love Oregon!

124.2 - 10 pounds above LDW. Blech, but there are more important pressing matters.

2011-03-18T19:59:00.001-06:00

My dears, it's been too long. I'm afraid the best I could do is check out your latest posts. I've not caught up, but if time permits I will... but not until I gather and submit my tax stuff to my CMA.

I'm heavier than I want to be. My normal according to the experts is between 98-127 pounds. I gained about 5 pounds after my Holland trip, but that was fine. I was 120 when I met my husband when I was 23 years old. It's a healthy weight. However, the last couple weeks I've creeped up to 126. Not acceptable.

I'm focusing on exercising and healthy eating. That's all I can do. I don't want to do another round until I'm cleared to do so.

Although I announced my hands were better last post, it's been off and on since then.

I have since been referred to an incredible nurse who spent 2 hours with me going over my health history, my supplements, my prescriptions, and my lifestyle. I love this woman. She was impressed by what I eat and take and that I've, for the most part, kept the weight off post HCG (I've been within 5 pounds of the same weight now for 2 years!). She had apparently helped people with HCG in past but they went right back to their old life style and gained it all back.

Anyway, she is completely thorough. She ordered more tests than I've ever had. She is determined to find out what's wrong with me.

I had my blood taken by the lab, not her office, in my suburb (she's downtown), and he was telling me that she is a rock star. He said he hears nothing but great things about her and that everyone looking to find answers to mysterious symptoms find their answers through her. YES.

I'll try to be better keeping up with all y'all, but it may be tough until my taxes are submitted!

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

It's a day late...

My hands.

2011-03-04T22:22:00.003-07:00

Normal for the first time in MONTHS!!

Laughter is the best medicine

2011-03-01T20:02:00.002-07:00

I'm still having problems, especially with my hands, but I keep focusing on things that make me laugh. I have 2 new doctor appointments - one for general and the other for the lump in my breast - I'll keep you posted!

:)

2011-02-22T22:15:00.001-07:00

Just checking in...

2011-02-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm rocking steady around 120... I'm waiting until I'm cleared by the neuro before I do another round. I'd hoped to do one in May but may wait until August.

I'm sorry I've been so absent. I'm afraid I have a lot of catching up to do with you guys as well. I have a long weekend so guess what I'll be doing? :)

THIS had me laughing so hard I cried. It just gets better and better... xoxoxoxox

Good news!

2011-02-07T13:39:00.002-07:00

I passed my neuro exam with flying colors! All signs point to normal. They didn't even bother ordering an MRI.

I have a call into the nurse asking what it was he thought I had. He told me, and it was a mouth full, but didn't write it down. It's hereditary. Basically, it's the outside nerves in my arms and legs that have damage to the coating around them which, when pressed just so, will cause a temporary lapse in signal. He did ask me if I'd recently lost a lot of weight. Interesting. I have an appointment to go back in 6 months, unless I have another episode and then I'm to call and get in right away where they can do some kind of electrical test on those nerves to make a definitive diagnosis.

I am relieved beyond belief. They did a series of tests that all pointed away from MS.

Thank you ALL for thinking of me today!!

XOXOXOXOX

Thank you all for the comments. Tomorrow we begin to unravel this mystery.

2011-02-06T21:12:00.001-07:00

My appointment is SUPER early (7:30 am) with the neuro.

My incredible husband has taken tomorrow off and will drop me off and then drop the kids at school so I don't have to drive. This takes so much pressure off of me.

I'll post as soon as I know anything.

In the meantime, the daily funny. I LOVE Ruby.

My psychic reading on my health. This has been coming to me.

2011-02-03T20:12:00.006-07:00

My Reading

Thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes! XOXO

It's my birthday... I'm gonna party...

2011-01-28T16:07:00.004-07:00

Hovering right around 120 for the past week! Looks like I'm stable, despite being +6 of LDW. I'm the same weight I was when I met my hubby, and that was 13 years ago. Not too shabby. This is also including the additions I had in December ;)

I had cake this morning which was soooooooo yummy, but I immediately felt ill. I can no longer "do" sugar. There could be far worse things.

We're having a wine meetup tonight. I hired a cleaner that I hire to clean my rentals and listings to clean just the places where the party will be. She is good. The place never looked so sparkly! She took 4 hours just to clean 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas and a kitchen. I think I'll hire her once a month. I need the help. I suck at cleaning and with the weird body stuff, it's gotten even harder.

And now... your funny. Poor bawk bawk!

Checking in...

2011-01-27T16:52:00.001-07:00

Hi guys!

Thanks so much for checking in with me. I'm sorry I've not commented on your posts - I'm a tad behind but trying to catch up. In the meantime, my energy is less than stellar, and I'm busy with work (NOT complaining about the latter).

I went to the acupuncturist again today. I really, really like her. She is so sweet and so knowledgeable. She checked my pulse again today and asked how much caffeine I'd had. I told her none. She said my pulse was so fast it was as if I'm constantly in a room with a tiger! I checked it at home and it was normal. I get around anyone judging my health and get extremely nervous. I left feeling absolutely serene. I almost fell asleep during my session.

I am feeling so grateful for my life right now. I am so incredibly blessed. I love my family so much and feel so supported.

And now, your comic relief...

Chocolate

2011-01-20T21:57:00.001-07:00

Hi guys :)

Tomorrow is an important day. The kids are out of school, so we're going to see Tron. We're also going to buy a box of chocolate for Zach in Dr. Saltzman's office (the ortho) for moving mountains to make sure I got the appointment with the neurologist. If he hadn't, I'd be waiting for months. Six months. They had lost my file and he made sure they had what they needed to expedite my appointment.

A box of chocolates is the least I can do for my hero.

I've looked up my symptoms. It could be stress. It could be MS

I have an appointment!

2011-01-18T15:47:00.003-07:00

Hi m'dears...

I've not been updating my weight - it's been as high as 121.4 and as low as 119. I'm fine with this, though my pants fit better when I'm more like 114-118. I'm NOT stressing about this though. Right now I'm focusing on making sure I'm eating a balanced diet supportive of all my systems. So far so good. I'm not carb sensitive at the moment. My body just seems to want to be at this weight.

I spoke with the neurological center this morning and was so pleased. She said my referral had somehow gotten lost in the system at first, then they found it, then they thought it was too vague to assign me to a specialist, then they re-reviewed it and saw that it was in fact specific enough. I am going in for a neuro-muscular consult on February 7th at 7:45 am. 7:45!!!! I won't complain - the next available was February 22. I googled the doctor and rheumatoid arthritis is one of his specialties. I wonder if that could be what this is - it is common for something like this to come on suddenly in a person my age. It certainly came on suddenly.

I love you guys.

Checking in

2011-01-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

No real news. I won't hear back from the doctor until Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll be sure to keep you all posted. It's really wonderful having all of you here to talk to.

I'm calmer. I still have panic attacks, but they're less intense and not as many.

On my collage I have "miraculous results" and "natural healing" as well as "Fear nothing". I'm focusing on those words.

To top all of this off, we found out when we got back from our trip that my husband's father has cancer. They didn't tell us on the trip because they didn't have any definitive answers at the time and didn't want us to worry. It's funny, because there was a melancholy feeling that hung over the entire trip, especially when we were all opening presents. The good news is, they have isolated the tumor and it is operable. He goes to the hospital Wednesday for his operation and they will remove the entire tumor. There should be no need for chemo. I hope this is enough of a wake up call for my husband to quit smoking.

Okay, now it's time for the daily laugh...

Got a call about the neurologist

2011-01-13T19:49:00.001-07:00

Hi guys! First, thanks for checking in with me. I can't express my gratitude enough. I really can't. I had a horrible day today with full blown panic attacks, which I've experienced before, but I've learned to know what they are. Now with the possibility that I have a lesion on my brain or MS, I had the horrible fear it wasn't a panic attack. Guess what THAT did for my stress level??

Good news. I got a call from the medical assistant to the orthopedic surgeon this evening and they are doing everything they can to find out what tests they need to order for me since the neuro department couldn't take my case for another 6 months. God bless these guys. Really. I will most likely first get an MRI to rule out a brain tumor or lesion. If that is clean, then I will most likely get a spinal tap to rule out MS. I am scared silly about the testing, but am so much more relieved knowing that they care and will get to the bottom of this.

I keep looking at my family and feel my heart break. I know I need to be positive. This could be as simple as stress. The acupuncturist (who is a licensed MD in China) kept assuring me that this is most likely nothing to be worried about. We just have to rule these things out.

In the meantime, I continue to look for humorous websites to relieve my stress. My favorite 2 right now are http://damnyouautocorrect.com/ and http://whenparentstext.com/ . The laugh of the day though came from this video. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

Love you too!!!

PS - After all these years, you are part of my family and I'm so grateful for you.

Update post acupuncture

2011-01-12T12:29:00.001-07:00

I had an AMAZING experience with the doctor. She listened, wasn't intimidating, nor judgmental. She did make me promise to make an appointment with a neurologist to rule out a lesion or MS. They are booked until June, but right now my orthopedic surgeon is trying to work out being able to order some tests and an MRI to rule out or confirm before I need to see a neurologist.

I'm nervous, I won't kid you, but I'm taking steps to make sure I'm okay.

She worked on my stress and my blocked energy and I immediately felt so much better stress wise. I have 2 more treatments a week apart to get a grip on my energy. I'm also adding in more complex carbs to my diet. I have felt so out of balance and I knew intuitively she was right. I came home and had a piece of Julian carb smart bread with salsa and cheddar cheese melted on top when I came home and I'm grilling some asparagus.

I've been afraid to exercise because of my foot drop experiences (I didn't know there was an official term for it!) but she told me not to be afraid - start yoga, even if it's only a couple days a week.

She assured me that the chances of anything really being wrong with me at my age are very small.

Thanks for checking in on me! I really appreciate it.

XOXOX

Off to check on you

118.3 - small update

2011-01-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day in 2011 that I've weighed in. I've been afraid to. My jeans are a little tight and I've been over indulging. We got some frightening news about my father-in-law and I'm afraid I don't deal with stress well. I truly need to get a grip. Hopefully everything will be okay, but no matter what I'm not doing anyone any good not taking better care of myself.

Speaking of that, I can't remember if I posted about my weird foot issues. My right foot is slightly swollen and has been for about a year and a half. It's had an MRI and there is *nothing* wrong with it. About half a year ago I was wearing shape ups and suddenly I lost the ability to flex that foot up. It resolved itself after a few days. I assumed it had something to do with the swelling. Well, the day I did my collage this year, I was sitting on the floor to do so (wood floor). I was sitting awkwardly on my left side when doing so. Well, my left foot somewhat fell asleep, and when I got up off the floor, I realized I was having trouble walking. Now my LEFT foot was no longer able to flex. It's better now, though not 100%. Needless to say, I'm a little worried about exercising and this is not helping my stress.

Since Western medicine doesn't appear to be providing any answers, I'm making an appointment with an acupuncturist who also works with Chinese medicine. I'll let y'all know.

I hope all of you are doing well! I'm off to check in on all y'all!

XOXOX

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T15:44:00.001-07:00

Helloooooo my peeps! I am wishing you all the very best this 2011! Today is 1.1.11 - LOVE IT!

My collage is done! To see it all at once, click on the picture. You'll notice the background on the blog is now the new collage.

XOXOX!

LM 117.1 (+3.1 LDW)

2010-12-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

Oh my lovies...

I am so sorry I've been absent. So much is going on with the holidays and work that I've just not been on the way I'd hoped.

I've only been in range twice since coming home from Holland 3 weeks ago. My weight seems to stick to 116-118 these days, which is fine by me. My clothes still fit. When the kids go back to school, I swear I'll start pilates and yoga again. If I can just keep at it for 21 days, I know I'll stick with it long term. It takes that long to make or break a habit. I felt SO GOOD in Holland with all the walking I did that I know if I can just get a routine, my body will be thrilled with me.

Someone (sorry I forgot who since it's been so long since I posted) asked about the photo. I'm trying to post a photo from my trip with each entry. The next one is of my daughter with her Opa:

It was so wonderful to spend time with my husband's family. I am truly blessed that we all love each other so much. They are incredible people.

Someone else (again sorry!) asked about continuing to try to lose or to just accept where they are. I really don't have an answer. It's all so personal. I'm thrilled to be where I was 10 or so years ago, but I'm also happy to know I have a healthy BMI. Right now I want to focus on toning up and eating more balanced. LOTS more veggies. I think a detox round for me twice a year will be enough, and we'll see what happens with the weight.

I want to wish ALL of you the very best during the holidays and an incredible 2011. I will be shopping for my poster board to do my yearly collage on New Year's with my daughter. The blog background will be changing to the new one shortly!

XOXOXO

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW)

2010-12-21T09:12:00.002-07:00

Almost back in range...

Again, I'm hoping to be able to do the next round 6 months post last round, which has me at May 19th. That seems so far away! I may start a little earlier as I don't want to be in P2 while my kids are out of school. If I can time it so I am in P3 when they get out, that would work for me. I actually have a goal of being 111.1 (love this number!) by that time, which means I need to lose .25 a week. That way it is TRULY a reshaping round, and I can eat 1000 calories a day.

LM 116.7 (+2.7 LDW)

2010-12-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

That's what I call a successful steak day!

LM 120.2 !!! (+6.2 LDW) -

2010-12-19T14:08:00.002-07:00

Dude. What the hell? 2 days ago I was 116.1 (2.1 pounds over LDW) - I've gained 4.1 pounds in 2 DAYS.

Symptoms:

Sore breasts
Broken out
Full moon around the corner.

This HAS TO BE HORMONAL.

Yesterday I weighed in at 117.9. I should have done a steak day, but I knew guests were coming and I've held off before to do a steak day the next day and figured that's what I'd do. I also figured I'd still be about the same weight, not GAIN an additional 2+ pounds!!! Damnit.

Anyway, I'm doing a steak day today and P3 clean until Christmas. Christmas eve we're having dinner with friends, but I'm in charge of the menu and we'll be having Turkey (P3 friendly), Mashed potatoes and for me, mashed cauliflower (P3 friendly), green beans (P3 friendly) and dessert that I shall avoid, UNLESS I am 116 or less by Friday.

I had previously planned on doing another short round in January, but I really need a break from HCG. I would love to make this a twice a year thing. We'll see though. I can always fall back on HCG, thank God. This protocol has saved my life.

So, something I got to experience while in Holland was this total sense of freedom of fear of food. The scale weighed in in increments of pounds, not ounces, which takes a LOAD of psychological pressure off of you. In fact, I may get myself a scale that measures in half pounds and switch it to kilos. Personally, I'd love a scale I could design where I say here is my "safety zone" and if I'm out of it, tell me! :) Maybe someday I will... :)

I'm sorry I've not been writing more. Getting back into the swing of things was harder than I'd thought it would be. Lots of exciting developments happening that I will be able to share soon.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

(that's me taking the pic in the trench coat)

EDITED TO ADD: Looks like May 19 is 6 months post last round. Even if I can maintain at THIS weight until then, I'll be okay with it. I hope to be back to 114-116 before then though.

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW) - POST steak day

2010-12-12T20:32:00.001-07:00

I've been TERRRRRRIBLE about posting, and I'm sorry. I'm still getting used to being home.

I got up to 118 Saturday after mucho pizza and wine with a girlfriend. I had a wine meetup last night, so the modified steak day with wine and cheese was a huge success, in my opinion!

I'm out of range and not freaking out.

I had the most wonderful experience in Holland. I was very cautious the first couple days. After that, I relaxed on the carbs. Further into the trip, I allowed a LOT more sugar, and I hated the way I felt. I can hear my body again and I know what foods work, and that includes carbs. Not pure sugar, but fruit and veggies in addition to my normal diet felt sooooooooooo good. I know how silly this sounds!

I will start the exercise either tomorrow or Tuesday. I have class tomorrow so it may not work out, but I'm so ready. Pilates, Wii Fit, and yoga, alternating.

EDITED TO ADD: 115.5 today and back in range!
Pic 2 from the trip...

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW) - Fancy pipes in!

2010-12-09T08:45:00.001-07:00

HA! Hahahhaha! Oh dear. I had a feeling the scale in Holland was FULLY aware I was on vacation and wanted to make sure I was relaxed. According to it, I was as high as 115.5 and as low as 110 at one point. So, I know I did pretty well given all I ate, but it looks like I may have technically needed a correction day or 2 unbeknownst to me. So be it. I thought I was going to do a "correction round" in January, but given I am less than half a pound out of my range after ALL that (and the fact that I have PMS), I'm going to wait until 6 months post last round as a detox.

I should do a steak day today but I'm not going to. I think I'll just do a clean P3 day and see how that goes.

I have sooooooooooooooo much to do. Unpacking, laundry (although not too much thanks to my amazing mother-in-law), bills to pay, and I need to show a house in a few hours. That and SHOPPING. We did an excellent job eating all the food out of our fridge before we left and now there's nothing left.

I will try to post a pic a day from the trip. I took at least 200 as well as little films. My son is going to put it all together on a DVD and do a presentation at school.

I must get into some exercise too! My entire family is home until Monday so I'm thinking that will be a good day to start. Jen, are you reading this? If so, where do you work out again? I was going to start up with my pilates but thought maybe we could do some cardio together.

Lots of love to all y'all!!

XOXOXO

LM 113.3

2010-12-08T13:25:00.001-07:00

Now the news!

You may have guessed it, but I was in the Netherlands the last 2 weeks! I am actually updating my status on the plane home!

I arrived at 52 kilo and left at 51.5 kilo. Since the scale only weighs in .5 kilo increments ( which is approximately 1.1 pounds), I have had to guestimate. Regardless, I left Holland lighter than when I arrived without 1 steak day and I ate ANYTHING I WANTED! This included kroketten (fried meat in some kind of sauce), Dutch pancakes with cheese and bacon baked right in them, sausage breads, spekulaas cookies, chocolate, a divine birthday tart, split pea soup with smoked worst, bread, potatoes, etc., etc.! Oh and wine! :)

I'll be very curious what Fancy will have to say!

I had a magnificent time, but I am ready to sleep in my own bed. No rest though. I have to show a home tomorrow and have half day classes Friday and Monday.

I'll post pictures soon!

I'm on anti-anxiety meds right now so I'll update when I'm home and less loopy. ;)

Xoxoxo

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW) - This made me smile

2010-12-07T04:00:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Yesterday I was at the top of my acceptable weight, but one day of clean P3 eating gave me a 2 pound loss!

I'll have LOTS of news on Thursday. In the meantime, this made me smile!

XOXOX

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW)

2010-12-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

Gads. I'm sorry. Here I go again not updating. I have a lot to share but it will have to wait. Anyway, thanks for all the lovely comments! I promise to give a proper update when I have time which should be pretty soon. :)

LM 112.2 (-1.8 of LDW)

2010-11-29T02:05:00.000-07:00

Man, I'm late in updating!

I have been at 112.2 for 4 days. I'm still counting calories (well, not counting them per se but more being accountable by writing down what I'm eating so I'm conscious about the choices I make). I am truly blown away right now. My body is responding to calories in, calories out, not necessarily food combining which is what I depended on for years. I have small amounts of sugar every day, bread and potatoes. Before my weight would shoot through the roof when I did that. I am steady. I suspect the following:

I was 113 for yeeeeaaarrrs and I believe my body has grabbed on tight to this weight since it was a familiar one for so long.

I added the bread sticks last round.

I was much better about taking the multi-glandular support 10 days before P3 and throughout P3.

I think my thyroid medication, which was doubled a few months ago, has kicked into high gear.

Adding the carbs in small amounts is allowing my body to become used to them.

I'm walking a lot more.

So, there you have it. I am fascinated and delighted!

I see some of you (though not enough!) have updated so before I turn this off, I'll check on y'all.

XOXO

LM 111.1 ! (- 2.9 LDW)

2010-11-25T07:45:00.002-07:00

Holy moly! I was shocked at the number but I have been running around like mad, so perhaps that and something hormonal explains it. Regardless, woooooohooooo! I've told you before, I see 11:11 quite a bit so this weight made me giggle! I don't expect it to last, buuuuut, I must say I think the grissini did, in fact, do the trick in allowing me to be less carb resistant. I'm not eating a ton of carbs by any stretch, but I am slowly adding in a little bread here, a little more starchy veggies there.

I am so VERY grateful for you, and so very grateful for this protocol! I am grateful to have my life back. I'm grateful for my family and our health.

”Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”― Aesop
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW)

2010-11-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Still adding carbs and still losing! WOOT! Too busy to talk... I hope to at least have time to catch up with all y'all - I need more water today and have had salty stuff, so not so sure about tomorrow... we'll see!

XOXOXO

LM 114.4 (+.4 LDW)

2010-11-23T08:35:00.001-07:00

Again, sorry to be so absent, but I warned you! Busy busy! So busy I'll keep this ultra short but I wanted to say that I think I may truly have stabilized, and I think LavenderDiva was spot on about adding in the grissini during P2 to avoid being carb sensitive. The last few days I've had a rueben sandwich (regular bread and all!) AND mashed potatoes with cheese, and I actually dropped weight! I'm going to remain cautiously optimistic... :)

Okay, I have got to get back to it. Lots to do, so little time!

XOXOXOXO

LM 115.2 (1.2 above LDW)

2010-11-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being absent! I'm beyond busy with work right now. I'll try to be better about checking in, but I reckon it will be a little less often than my usual chatty self!

It's CHAMPAGNE tonight! Woot! I had my closing on a house that has been a real trial from the beginning so it's a huge relief. The owners are good friends of mine and I can't help but take their stress on personally. Knowing they are totally taken care of now is such a huge relief!

So yesterday I was 115 and we had guests over. I ate pizza toppings including pepperoni (SALT CITY!) so I was truly surprised to see only a .2 gain!

I haven't been good about my water consumption either. In fact, after I post this I'm going to put on the pot for tea. I've GOT to be better!!

XOXOXOX!

Hair!

2010-11-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

R5 Day 20 P3 114.6 -.8 (+.6 of LDW )

2010-11-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

ALMOST have all the damage cleaned up from Sunday's disaster. .6 to go. Same eating plan today as yesterday.

I am so boring. I've got no news of any import. Just working, working, working. Today is property management work and tonight is a wine club organizer meeting, tomorrow I'm getting my hair done and showing homes, and Friday more homes to show. I'm not complaining! :)

XOXOX Off to check on you!

R5 Day 19 P3 115.4 -1.8 (+1.4 of LDW )

2010-11-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks ALL y'all for the support yesterday! Ugh, that sucked. Not only was my weight so far up, but also I had heartburn all day long. I was miserable. Certain foods just don't agree with me and I should know better.

Okay, well, 1.8 down is EXCELLENT. As I said though, it's going to take serious work to get back the LDW. Yikes. Today it's coffee with cream, LOTS of water and tea, chicken and I have half a steak left over. Hopefully that will help knock that extra weight off.

I have one appointment after another so I need to flee, but I'll catch up with y'all first. :)

Thanks again!

XOXOX

R5 Day 18 P3 117.2 +3.2 (+3.2 of LDW ) - Recipe for DISASTER

2010-11-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

We had dinner with friends. A roast that had slow cooked all day. No worries, I'll just have the meat and avoid the carrots and potatoes.

After having this tasty, extraordinarily sodium filled dish, I came to find it had cooked all day in BBQ sauce and a COKE.

Oh GOD. Damn, damn, DAMN! Damn.

Steak day, needless to say, but I believe it will be DAYS to recover. GAAAAADS!

I also only had 1 cup of tea and coffee, so obviously not enough to drink, and no "potty action" either.

Just Damn.

R5 Day 17 P3 114 -.2 (+/- 0 of LDW )

2010-11-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hooray for being at my LDW!

We have a new blog to follow, all y'all! Check out Fit Fab Forties! Hi, La La! I'm glad we found each other!

I have a fire in the pellet stove and a to-do list a mile long, but on a cold Sunday, I feel like just curling up on the couch and watching a chick flick. Oh well...

XOXOX off to check on YOU!

R5 Day 16 P3 114.2 -.4 (+.2 of LDW )

2010-11-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

I didn't expect that drop! I over did it with the calories yesterday so I'm quite surprised! Maybe something hormonal is shifting.

Sorry about the tease. I promise that as soon as things are official, I will share but until then, just know that positive things are brewing.

I've got so much to do so I'll end it here!

XOXO

R5 Day 15 P3 114.6 (+.6 of LDW )

2010-11-12T08:32:00.002-07:00

Looks like this is where my body wants to be. Again, I CANNOT complain as the last round was somewhat spur of the moment and I'm 2 pounds below R4 LDW. Still, not bad for having dinner at 9 pm!

Gads, guys, I have stuff I really want to share but I can't right now. It's all good though. As soon as I can, I'll let you know what's going on. :)

Poofarts!

XOXOX

R5 Day 13 P3 114.6 (-.2, +.6 of LDW ) and POOFARTS!

2010-11-10T18:47:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was 114.8. I really had hoped to be closer to 112, but I really cannot complain.

I'm super stressed so I'm spending more time on sites like http://damnyouautocorrect.com/ to relieve it.

My husband videoed me cracking up. I didn't realize it at the time!

R5 Day 11 P3 114.6 (-.2, +.6 of LDW )

2010-11-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well that was disappointing. At least it was a drop. Note to self: no more blue cheese at 9 at night.

I'm overwhelmed. Have I also mentioned I'm petrified of flying? God, I am having such a hard time with my stress.

I need to process this fear but I don't know where to begin. I should be excited, not scared. I'm really trying to transform that anxiety into excitement.

R5 Day 10 P3 114.8 (+1.8, +.8 of LDW )

2010-11-07T11:24:00.002-07:00

I knew it...

I am not upset as I know this is mostly water weight. We had a BBQ last night where I had a bunless sodium filled burger with cheese, as well as 4 devilled eggs and lots of wine. I wasn't concerned as I was under my LDW and I know a few days of watching the sodium and keeping my water up will knock that weight right back down.

I really don't have much to say. I'm just trying to get everything I need done, done. I'm slightly overwhelmed... :)

Okay, since this post is so drab, I bring you not 1, but 2 videos that had me in stitches yesterday:

R5 Day 9 P3 113 (-1.4, -1 of LDW )

2010-11-06T11:41:00.000-06:00

Woah!

I'll take it!!!

Thanks so much, Susan! I was thoroughly freaked out yesterday but you put my mind at ease! I did a little more research and orange roughy will often cause that symptom! Eegads, as much as I love the flavor, I am never again touching that fish!!

Stats!

Off to check in on you before I get going to the store. It will be 70 degrees today! We are so going to BBQ!

R5 Day 8 P3 114.4 (+.2, +.4 of LDW )

2010-11-05T11:14:00.000-06:00

I'm surprised by my weight today as I hardly ate a thing with all my running around, but I also didn't get enough water in. Not a big deal, but I'd really like to be 112 by the time we take off.

This may be TMI for some of you so if you're grossed out, skip this paragraph. I had a strange and scary BM this morning where there was oil in my stool. I was afraid to google the symptoms as I tend to panic easily, but decided I better. There could be any number of causes but one that stood out was gallbladder issues. I remember reading in P&I about gallbladders having a rude awakening after P2 and I've experienced loose stools, but never oil in my stool. The other thing is that I ate orange roughy yesterday. I remember it made me gain in P2 and that it seemed particularly oily to me so I am wondering if that had anything to do with it. I am going to keep an eye on it and if it persists I'll get myself to the doctor but for now I'm not going to worry. I told my husband about it (the cool head between us) and he said he'd had it before. Didn't blink an eye.

Sorry if that was horrid but I thought I ought to share given we've all done rounds and in case it happens to you, then we have experiences to compare.

Another busy day, but mostly because I've got my kids home so we're going to the movies in about an hour. They deserve it. Both got As on their report cards. Celebrate!

Hearts and kisses to you! Time to check to see how all y'all are!

R5 Day 7 P3 114.2 (-.2, +.2 of LDW )

2010-11-04T07:58:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the feedback, guys! It seems 5 & 2 of the short cuts were the favorites... NEW question... Everyone seemed to like the longer hair with the layers... I can do that, but not that long without extensions. Shall I go for that same look but shoulder length?

Busy day ahead... Short day at school for the kids, then parent teacher conferences, then showing homes, then the Utah Wine Club officers meeting. Loooooooooooooooong day. If my kids do well enough, we'll hit Megamind tomorrow. :)

Off to drop off the kids and check in on you!

R5 Day 6 P3 114.4 (-1.8, +.4 of LDW )

2010-11-03T09:20:00.002-06:00

Whew, that's better! Steak days work. I'm going to be a lot more careful given this is the time my hypothalamus is resetting. I got so used to eating P3 style in P4, I almost forgot we're still working here!

My candidate lost HANDEDLY. He only got 31% of the vote against a guy with only a high school education who doesn't believe in science. *SIIIIIIGGGGHHHHHHH*

Okay, I need your advice. I know I'm going dark for winter with my hair, but I'm trying to figure out the style. My stylist has been going for this look, only shorter:

I like this, but am considering going even shorter. I'm just not sure. Here is me about 11 years ago with REALLY short hair:

Here are some ideas for hair I have:

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Look 4

Look 5

Anyway, I'd be curious what you guys think. My hairdresser thinks I should go as long as I can because of my face shape (which I totally got while I was overweight). My husband also prefers it a little longer, but I don't know - look 4 is awfully kicky! I like all the looks though.

Busy day today but I'm off to check on you all! Thanks again for alllllll your support and help!

XOXO

R5 Day 5 P3 116.2 (+.8, +2.2 of LDW )

2010-11-02T08:37:00.001-06:00

What the hell?

I don't get it. Is it possible Costco roasted chicken is full of sodium?

Steak day. Good thing I'm busy. I have an appointment at 11 this morning, then I have property management work to do, and this evening at 6 I have 3 homes to show. I'll get my steak in at 5 before I leave.

Lots of water and tea today. I AM having coffee now with cream (I always do).

XOXO

PS...

VOTE!

R5 Day 4 P3 115.4 (+.6, +1.4 of LDW )

2010-11-01T09:21:00.000-06:00

UGH.

I ate steak throughout the day thinking I could do a modified steak day and then FELL INTO THE DAMNED CHEESE CURDS LAST NIGHT. What's WRONG with me???

Lean protein and lots of water today, yessirree.

R5 Day 3 P3 114.8 (+1, +.8 of LDW )

2010-10-31T11:42:00.000-06:00

Woaaaah nelly! 3 words: wine and cheese.

I went to a friend's house last night and our kids went trick or treating and we had a BBQ. I ate A LOT of cheese. I had cheese dip ON cheese. Cheese, cheese, cheese.

Today is attack the house day. I have laundry coming out the wazoo, as well as ironing, vacuuming, scrubbing, etc., etc. I am putting off bills for tomorrow. I need a shiny house.

I'm off to check on you all! Happy Halloween!

R5 Day 2 P3 113.8 (-.4 - - .2 of LDW )

2010-10-30T09:49:00.000-06:00

Good morning peeps!

I don't get it. Not sure why the gain yesterday and not sure why the loss today. I shall not question it!

Short update as today is going to be nutty. Kids have dental appointments in a couple hours, and then it's an afternoon/evening of Halloween events (in Utah no one does anything on Sunday but church - well, and Costco. That's where all the Gentiles go on Sunday :P ).

I'm thinking scrambled eggs are in my future, but first more coffee with cream!

Thinking releasing, stabilizing, maintaining thoughts for all y'all in your various phases!

R5 Day 1 P3 114.2 (+1 - +.2 of LDW )

2010-10-29T08:30:00.000-06:00

LOL, most appropriate for my last day of this WTF round!

ON TO P3! COFFEE WITH CRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMM!

I've no idea what caused the bump up but I'm awfully close to my LDW so I shall not panic so long as I don't keep going that direction.

The kids are out of school today, however it's just their school district so we've made a deal that if we can totally clean and organize the upstairs, we can go out to the other side of the valley and catch a movie where the school district there has their kids in school. I HATE crowds, so this works very well for me. Clean upstairs and a quiet theater. I love that I don't need to worry about the butter on the popcorn touching my skin! It's the little things... :)

So, I'll be in P4 on Nov. 19th. Yippee!

Off to drink my coffee, take my supplements (including my fish oil!), and to check on you. :)

R5 Hour 48 of 72 hour transition - 113.2 (-1.4 - -.8 of LDW)

2010-10-28T09:05:00.000-06:00

1.4 loss??? Gads! I'm thrilled I am under my last dose weight. More room for the Dutch goodies. I just remembered this morning about kwark. Oh. MY GOD. You have not know deliciousness until you've experienced Dutch kwark. I plan on experiencing it quite a bit. I used to get the vanilla flavor, but it does come in plain so I may get that and sweeten it with vanilla stevia. :)

So I was 113 for years and years, though I was generally in my late teens and early 20s. I am kind of hoping my body goes, "Oh HEY! I remember THIS!" and sticks to it. I'm taking my glandular support and have been for about a week and a half, so hopefully that helps as well.

My kids have no school tomorrow (I've NO clue why) which means they're out early today which means if I want to accomplish anything, I need to get to it. I'm not sure if I do want to. :P

It's cold enough for us to use our pellet stove and we did last night. It's one of the few joys of winter for me. I love how cozy it makes me feel!

Okay, here's Fancy's findings - the weight and body age (I'll be 36 in January) have me dancing for joy, though the body fat % went UP (still normal, but not by much - I must start exercising!!):

Off to check on all y'all my dears! XOXOXO

R5 Hour 24 of 72 hour transition - 114.6 (+.6 of LDW)

2010-10-27T09:04:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I didn't dose...

I'm not shocked at the blip - I just had a feeling. I didn't get enough water in.

And THIS is what we woke up to. Eeegads, first snow of the season was a pounding!

I'm not motivated to do anything at this point. I think it's the weather. UGH, I hate snow. It's pretty, but it's cold and shoveling is NOT my thing, nor is driving in this mess!

I'm off to check on all y'all!

XOXOXO

R5 Day 23 (VLCD 22) 114 -.8 - Cream can wait until Friday!

2010-10-26T08:34:00.000-06:00

I done dosed, y'all.

My HCG has been mixed now for 8 days, so I'm not very confident in it's potency, but I'm hanging on to it rather than remixing. I doubt I'll dose tomorrow regardless of whether or not I lose, but who knows.

Why does this happen at the end of each round? AND, why the drop today? I had 1100 calories, some including vodka!

9 pounds this round. I'm beyond thrilled.

Off to drink coffee and catch up with all y'all... some of you aren't updating, damnit! I need my bloggy fix!!!

R5 Day 22 (VLCD 21) 114.8 -.2 and stats

2010-10-25T09:04:00.002-06:00

Hi all!

I've decided not to mix a new batch of HCG. I still have some left from my current batch, and I did dose this morning, however I won't dose tonight. This way I get cream in my coffee Thursday, unless I drop significantly tomorrow, in which case I'll dose with my current mix and call THAT my last dose day. So, we'll see! Either way, I am beyond thrilled with where I ended up. I tend to drop a little in the initial P3 days as well, so I am within 3 pounds of where the stats say I'm healthiest, and may get there yet.

Here's the latest from Fancy:

R5 Day 21 (day 20 VLCD) 115! -.8

2010-10-24T09:18:00.000-06:00

SHUT UP!!

115? YAY!

I'm now 38 according to Fancy and no longer 41. Only 3 years older than my actual age :P

So I posted last night a rant that I later deleted. It was about my brother. One thing I love about this protocol is that deep emotional "stuff" always comes up. The trick is moving through it and not stuffing it back down. So, I ranted about my brother last night. This morning I realized it was important for me to do so, but that the rant itself really didn't belong on a public blog so away it went.

I've been trying to figure out if I should go as long as I can (until Thursday) on the protocol or end as soon as I can (Monday). I mix my HCG one week at a go and Monday happens to be the day I'd need to remix. It seems a waste to mix and only go until Thursday. We'll see how I feel Monday, but as of today I am really thinking I'll save the HCG for next round in January and have cream in my coffee on Thursday. :)

I really need to thank you guys. You've gotten me through so much. I really don't know what I'd do without you and your support. This round has been particularly challenging. You are invaluable to me! I am serious about us all getting together in person at some point... some point when we're all in P4! ;P

XOXOXO

R5 Day 20 115.8 (- 1, NEW LDW to come!) - Can I get a WHUT WHUT?

2010-10-23T05:19:00.001-06:00

What. What??

R5 Day 19 116.8 (- .6, +.1 LDW) - it's FANCY DANCY DAY!

2010-10-22T08:49:00.001-06:00

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.1 from LDW and given I've not had any PA today, I can safely say I am at my last dose weight! Yea, yeah, YEA!

4 pounds down in the last 2 weeks - hey, it's the right direction and I'm at my LDW!

Nice BMI! Smack dab in the middle of NORMAL!

HOLLAH! in 11 days I went from overweight body fat % of 35.3 down to NORMAL (below 33%) to 31.3%!

Skeletal muscle is up!

Resting metabolism is DOWN! There's less of me to support! WOOT!

Okay, I'm still 4 years older than my actual age, but down 2 years from 11 days ago!

Visceral fat (the fat you can't pinch) has remained 5 throughout - normal is 1-9.

I'm thrilled. :)

All this, and I think something is going on hormonally. I mentioned I thought I was ovulating a couple days ago. Yesterday and today my breasts have been aching which normally happens when I'm having my actual period, so it's one of the two. I'm parking funny so it may be more likely my period. I tend to park askew that time of the month. :) Weird, I know!

I'm off to attack the day, but not before I check in with all y'all!

XOXOX

EDITED TO ADD: Another blog to follow! Welcome to HCG! Changing my life with HCG

R5 Day 18 117.4 (- .4, +.7 LDW)

2010-10-21T11:30:00.000-06:00

Another 800 calorie day yesterday and I still dropped! Woooooot!

Today I am experimenting (why not??) and doing a chicken day. Nothing but chicken. I just had a whole breast for lunch! I think I'll do 100 grams as a snack and then another whole breast for dinner. I have lean steak in the fridge to do a random steak day, and I have my apples for a random apple day. I have 7 days (or 4 depending on my mood) to go, so I may as well play a little. I'm already within 1 pound of my LDW so let the games begin!

XOXOX

R5 Day 17 117.8 (- 1.0, +1.1 LDW)

2010-10-20T08:49:00.001-06:00

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are."– Tobias Wolff

I ended up snacking up to 800 calories last night and late into the evening! - 1?? Going with the flow. 8 more days. I think I may actually end up at my LDW from last round, however I was serious last night when I said I really am done. What releases, releases. Detoxing now. I actually can stop earlier than 8 days if I want to, which is Monday. So depending on where I'm at and how I feel, I COULD stop in 5 days. We'll see, we'll see!

I'll keep this short and sweet like me! :P

XOXOXOOXO

I'm ovulating!

2010-10-19T21:16:00.003-06:00

There's the blip.

Why is it when you gain or don't lose you're hungry?

I'm not REALLY hungry, but cravey. I ate extra fruit, veggies, and grissini. I am up to 600 calories.

I know I said I'd given up losing anymore before, but I REALLY have given it up. I was reluctant before, but at this point I really feel like saying screw it. Not in an angry way, but in a resigned way.

So the plan is not to exceed the 500 for the next 9 days, unless I do an apple day (which I'll do) or a modified steak day (which I may as well do too). There you have it. That also mixes things up in the next 1+ week. Ha.

What a weird round. I'm glad I did it though, regardless of the fact that today I am 1.1 pounds lighter than I was the day before I loaded, 2 weeks ago. I'm glad to know I can do a detox round without losing and still reap the benefits of having my body fat % go down and my organs breathe a sigh of relief with a cleanse.

I'll take it.

XOXOX

R5 Day 16 118.8 (+.8, +2.1 LDW)

2010-10-19T09:39:00.002-06:00

What a weird round this has been for so many of us. I can't explain this blip. I'd considered doing an apple day, but I'm going to give it one more day and see if things even out. I weighed prior to any "movement" if you know what I mean, and it was a significant one once it happened. Sorry, TMI.

Okay, so I want to introduce you all to 2 new blogs I'm now following of 2 people totally new to the protocol! Please check out My Hcg Journey and A Boston Gals HCG Voyage...making eye contact with my Goals .

I've been working on real estate and property management stuff this morning, and need to switch hats and attack the laundry. Today the kids are back in school after 5 days!!!!! I must admit, this is a much needed break! :)

XOXOXO

9 more days!

R5 Day 15 118 ( -.6, +1.3 LDW)

2010-10-18T08:14:00.001-06:00

10 more days!

I weighed on Fancy but I failed to bring my phone, so no pictures. The BIG news is that my body fat % is now 32.9%! That's .1% under the limit to be considered normal! Woot! With 10 more days to go, I'm sure I'll see that shift further, and I may even reach my LDW from my last round.

I have my kids home one more day (some teacher thing has kept them home), but I'd determined even with them here that I will get some serious sorting done, mainly my husband's side of the closet. I'm pulling out everything I've not seen him wear in a year and evaluating whether or not to donate it. That and ANYTHING with a hole or stain goes. After that, I need to make sure I've ironed his shirts so that he does in fact have something to wear to work.

I'm getting really excited!

Last night a migraine began to creep up on me so I'm off for some advil and coffee.

I hope you're all well! I see some updates so I'm off to check them out. :)

R5 Day 14 118.6 ( -.0, +1.9 LDW)

2010-10-17T09:52:00.000-06:00

Cheated!

Oh, heavens. I really had no intention of doing so, but last night we had friends over for a BBQ since the weather was SO nice. I was so compliant. Totally good, until... I somehow thought that vodka wasn't a bad idea. Hell, it's an astringent, right? Right! So I had sparkly water with flavored stevia and vodka. 3 of them. That and 3 extra grissini bread sticks to make sure something was in my tummy with the vodka. We sat around the fire and had a wonderful evening. My head is paying for it this morning, but all in all it was worth it. I will be absolutely strict with the protocol from here on out. 11 more days.

Speaking of 11, today is my 11th anniversary.

This was taken after my bachelorette party. :)

Off to check on you guys!

XOXO

R5 Day 13 118.6 ( -.6, +1.9 LDW)

2010-10-16T08:40:00.001-06:00

Losses 2 days in a row? (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, we don't want to scare the body!)

I weighed in on Fancy again so my husband could sleep in. All the other numbers are pretty much the same.

It was a welcome surprise! I'm barely back in range of LDW, but back in range nonetheless! *happy dance*

So, with the load weight, I'm averaging .35 a day now. Of course, we're not looking at that right?? Strictly a detox... all else is icing...

I'm more than half way through this round. 12 doses to go! I'll have a glass of wine (or two) on Halloween (of course this being Utah, all the festivities will have happened the night before).

It's going to be 78 today!! October 16 in Utah! Our leaves on our trees haven't turned yet! SO WEIRD.

XOXOX

R5 Day 12 119.2 ( -.6, +2.5 LDW) Check in with Fancy

2010-10-15T09:37:00.001-06:00

Hi all,

Again, thanks for holding my hands and all the supportive comments during my WTF round. As I stated in my last post, doing this as a detox/cleanse was one of my main reasons for going through another round, so that's my main focus now given how stubborn the weight is being. 13 more days and we'll see what happens. I'd be really surprised if I didn't at least get back to my LDW from R4, but if not, as Nick and Meg said, damn, I look good.

So, Fancy weighed me today and here are the results. The body fat percentage drop had me very happy.

Anything above 33% is considered above normal - went from 35.3 to 33.6! Phew!

The body fat percentage drop has made ALL of this worth it. Just think - 13 more days - I may be able to drop into the normal range!

Today I'm going to spiff the house and pay bills. Joy! :) It will feel good to have that accomplished. It's a beautiful day - I'm going to make sure the kids and I have a chance to enjoy it!

LOVE YOU! Off to check on you.

Regroup.

2010-10-14T22:31:00.000-06:00

First and foremost, thank you all SO much for your support right now. Obviously, this is a very difficult time for me with this round.

That said, I have had to shift my perspective.

As I said before, part of this is a detox round. In that capacity, I'm golden. I need to view this round as that and that alone. What I release during the next 2 weeks will be icing on the cake, but I'm letting go of any expectations as far as weight released. Here's hoping I don't gain anymore! Regardless, I will concentrate on this as a cleanse (and a much needed one).

My tummy is STILL distended, so I have to say I really cannot expect a major loss. If it happens, it will be a glorious surprise, but I won't count on it.

In frustration, I had 2 lemons today and an extra grissini. I wasn't hungry, but as I said, frustrated. I'm not thrilled I did that out of dealing with a negative emotion, but at least my cheat was with P2 food, and I know I can go up to 1000 calories with that menu for reshaping. Not a big deal. Calories only went to 540 with the extras. Back to 500 tomorrow, and no extras.

Again, thanks all of you. 2 more weeks. It's really nothing. Who knows what will happen, but for certain my body will have had a nice cleanse.

XOXOXOXO

R5 Day 11 119.8 ( +.5, +3.1 LDW)

2010-10-14T08:47:00.002-06:00

I tend to name my rounds. I've had one I called the roller coaster round that was so frustrating. What I wouldn't do to have that round back. This is my What The Fuck round.

Pre-load weight: 119.9
Net loss after 10 days of VLCD: .1

How is that even physically possible?

14 more days.

R5 Day 10 119.3 ( -0, +2.6 LDW)

2010-10-13T08:55:00.005-06:00

Believe it or not, I consider this a win. I didn't gain after my apple day, and a familiar pattern for me is a substantial loss and then nothing and then another loss. I fully expect a loss tomorrow. If not, then I may have reason to be a little concerned but really, what's my choice here? I can't stop now. I need to simply follow the protocol and end up where I end up. I still hold out hope that I'll end up where I want to end up. If nothing else, surely I'll at least get back to my LDW in the next 15 days. I hope for closer to 7-8 more pounds released in this time. We shall see! In any case, as I said, I was really, really happy to see that I'd not gained and that the apple day did, in fact, kick things back into gear.

More than anything at this point, I want to fit in my jeans again. I have probably half a dozen sizes 2-4 and can only fit in a couple pair now. Seems to me that my weight strategically hit my hips and thighs. If I can get back into those, I'll be happy.

Sunday is my and my husband's 11th wedding anniversary. I had a particular print I wanted to buy him that I can no longer find.

I've just googled De Boom and can't find it! Hmmm...

Okay, more coffee. It's a short day for the kids and then they're off until Monday. We'll work on their rooms and making sure they have what they need. That and I got a more than full price offer on my listing! YES! I'll put that together too. It will close before we leave. Thank goodness!

Love you all. I really appreciate you!

R5 Day 8 120.6 ( -.1, +3.9 LDW)

2010-10-11T08:33:00.007-06:00

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Apple day.

I've been at VLCD for 7 days now. 5 of the 7 days I've gained or stalled. This is no way to start a round, my dears. Talk about zapping all motivation.

The good news is that I am partially treating this as a detox/pattern interrupt and in that respect, this has thus far been successful.

If you're not aware of the Daily Om, you may want to be. For instance, today's Daily Om is titled: Setting a Limit to Sit with Emotions How Long

I recently saw one that spoke to my condition about change, and it took me back to when I'd met my husband for the first time, and when I knew I wanted him long term in my life.

The entry is called: Ready for Change Declaring Our Intentions

If you want to produce change in your life, take the time to declare it to the universe in whatever way feels right.

You can read the entire article here

One of the things the article suggested is writing our very clear wishes and intentions down and putting them under our pillows. As I said, this took me back. When I met my husband, I did a collage, very much like the one I have as a background here on my blog, of him in the center, surrounded by symbols of commitment (wedding rings, etc., etc) and I put that precisely under my bed where I slept. Remembering this, I took the current collage I have and did the same. I do have some things I need to write and add to it. In any case, it was a welcome reminder of how well I've manifested my life and continue to do so, though I need to be more precise in my focus as to what I want.

Today the cat/house sitter comes to interview us so I need to work on the downstairs, particularly the cat room in anticipation. That and exercise! I have several episodes of a Dutch reality show to catch up on and my lap top to stream it so I'll just take my computer from room to room as I attack.

Thanks for letting me vent. I hope the protocol is treating you more kindly than it's treating me!

XOXOXO

R5 Day 7 120.7 (+.1, +4 LDW)

2010-10-10T09:19:00.000-06:00

Day 4 of either a gain or minuscule change. I have enough apples to do an apple day. I think I may hold off on that for 1 more day. If I don't see a significant drop tomorrow, for my own sanity (which is beginning to shake), I'll do an apple day.

My tummy is still distended. Is it possible this is the first round I've started while during my cycle? This is the only explanation I can come up with for the distended tummy. The weight I could very well see given how close to my goal I am, but the distended tummy is something else for certain.

I had my grissini yesterday for the first time. They didn't have plain, so I opted for the garlic flavor and I must say it was a treat. I took mustard, mixed a little tobasco and a drop of plain stevia and made sweet hot mustard dip for it. Yummmmm.

Le sigh. I know I should know better (and I do) but I can't hide my disappointment. I just want to go back to bed. Today is cleaning day though and I vowed to exercise every day. Maybe I'll just go back to bed for a little while.

Off to check on you guys (though most of you seem too busy with the weekends to update).

XOXOX

R5 Day 6 120.6 ( -.2, +3.9 LDW)

2010-10-09T10:13:00.005-06:00

Gads, this is frustrating so early on! This is almost an official stall and I'm only in week 1! 2 days of losses and 2 days of nothing and 1 day of gain. Bleah!

I did exercise for the first time in aaaaaages, and I am up to 3 zits and continued bloat. I can't worry about this. I'm going to continue to exercise as all my numbers are normal except for body fat/muscle percentage. That's where I need to focus, so I will continue VLCD with HCG and although I really want to shed some weight, I want to concentrate more on toning my bod. Hey, I have just under 6 weeks to do it and I know between the HCG/VLCD and the pilates/yoga, I will see amazing results.

I didn't do measurements this round, but I have them from the last time. This time I'm going to focus more on what my new fancy pants scale has to say about my numbers. I'll measure at the end and see how it differs from last time. Speaking of fancy pants, that one I will weigh in on weekly rather than daily. I imagine those numbers will be more dramatic that way. Our clients only come in once a week to weigh in on it so I'll leave the daily weigh ins to my bathroom scale which we know is in sync with fancy pants weight wise.

Gads, I've babbled. Here's some entertainment for you - this is AMAZING!

Love all y'all!

EDITED TO ADD

I was unable to do pilates 2 days in a row - my muscles need a break! I did manage yoga though. I'll do pilates every other day until my muscles are stronger. :)

R5 Day 5 120.8 ( +.8, +4.1 LDW)

2010-10-08T08:37:00.004-06:00

Up almost a pound. I feel totally bloated and have a zit on my chin and I'm craving salt, so I'm fairly confident in saying this has to be hormonal. I'm surprisingly calm!

So this morning I compared my weight on my bathroom scale (120.8) with my new fancy pants scale (120.8)! I was so happy to see they were both right on. I got the rest of my stats as well. I was none too pleased with my body age, however my PA calls that part of this scale "hokey", though it should go down as I continue on the protocol. Worse than that was my body fat % which is out of the normal range. Here are the stats:

Weight

BMI (normal is 18.5-24.9 - I'd like this number to be closer to 20-22)

Normal for my age is 21%-33%! EEK!

Skeletal muscle is in proportion to the body fat %

Resting metabolism

Real age is 35

Visceral fat (the fat you can't pinch) - Normal is 1-9 - Woot!

Here's a link to buy the scale

Obviously I have some work to do. Yes my BMI is normal, but I am high on the body fat %. I'm sure this is due to a lack of exercise for the last 2 years! Time to start the pilates now that I have a clean bill of health with the foot. In fact, part of me gets the idea that pilates may help with the circulation and perhaps help my foot.

So all in all I am really glad I got this scale. It forces me to look at an overall health picture rather than just my weight on the scale. That said, I'm starting (slowly) pilates today! I may follow that with a very calming yoga. By the time we leave on our trip, I should be tone and calm! :) OH, and I can take my pilates with me and play it on my laptop while away! Woohoo!

Speaking of the trip, I arranged a house sitter which has me feeling so much more calm about the trip. My fur babies will be well taken care of, as will my plants, and knowing that my home is being watched gives me so much more peace of mind. I always worry when we're away. Not this time. :)

OK, my lovies! Drinking more coffee, and then off to pilates and yoga - the rest of the day shall be faaaaaabulous! :)

Love y'all and I'm off to check on ya!

R5 Day 4 120 ( +.1, +3.3 LDW)

2010-10-07T08:48:00.003-06:00

Meh! Day 3 and essentially the same as yesterday. I had tomatoes for the first time during P2 and this morning I could hear the chatter in my head wondering if that could have caused the lack of loss and then I could hear the clients I've counseled asking similar questions... and then I heard what I've told them, which is that this is normal. Granted day 3 is a little early, however I have very little to release. I'm practically within my range, and 5-10 pounds from where I'd like to end up with 17-21 days to go.

I suspected I wouldn't have a loss given how heavy my tummy was feeling. Not sure what that's about. Anyway, I'm not concerned.

I just got my NEW fancy dancy scale! It's the one we use at work. It not only weighs you, but it also calculates the following:

Omron HBF-514C

Body fat%

Body mass index (BMI)

Skeletal muscle%

Visceral fat level

Body age

Resting metabolism

Body weight

I've watched clients get really excited even if losses are slow because they are able to watch their body composition totally shift.

I didn't have time to try mine this morning before coffee so I'm waiting until tomorrow. I'll be very curious how it differs from the scale in my bedroom. Here are some other images:

Off to check on you guys!

R5 Day 3 119.9 ( -1.9, +3.2 LDW)

2010-10-06T08:27:00.003-06:00

That was a pleasant surprise! By surprise I mean I couldn't have gotten more than 3-4 hours sleep last night and I know how that can affect releases. It's so nice to see all the load weight is GONE, only 2 VLCDs into this round. I have 18-22 days left (18 more days minimum to get 21 effective doses or up to 22 to get me to P4 on time). Certainly I can get to my LDW and maybe even to 112-114 (112 is considered "ideal" for my age, sex, and height).

I suspect I know what may have caused the insomnia. I took my 2nd thyroid pill at 7 pm and have heard it can cause sleep problems.

Today I hope I can just make it through the day. I am running on empty (the little sleep was plagued by nightmares) and I have a real estate class to take.

I can't wait to see how all of you did!

Thanks again for being here for me! Means the world to me!

R5 Day 2 121.8 ( -1.1, +5.1 LDW)

2010-10-05T08:41:00.000-06:00

Good morning, peeps!

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant getting on the scale. I had a round where my first day I only released half a pound. I was so disappointed. Of course the following day I had a huge drop. Anyway, it was a relief to see more than a pound release on my first day. Only 5 more to go to get to LDW from last round. We'll see how far my body wants to go this time.

I am so glad I checked my checking account this morning. Just over $100! My husband failed to tell me he was paying a bill for close to $1000 this week. GAH!! So, I've written myself a check from my commissions which I avoid doing since it's pre-taxed money. Oh well. Thank God I can do this. My husband gets paid Friday so this should hold us. Gads, though talk about an adrenaline rush looking at that number!

I have so much organizing to do. Fortunately I feel so much better today than yesterday, so I think I may be able to make a decent dent (as soon as I run to the bank and cover our asses).

Off to check on you guys!

R5 Day 1 post load weight 122.9 (3.2 pounds up in one day! GADS!)

2010-10-04T08:25:00.001-06:00

Bleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I feel like throwing up. I am so glad today is VLCD as I seriously don't think I could do a 2nd load day.

I have bills to pay and a house to clean, but I think I'm going to lay down for just a second... I felt some nasty bug creeping up on me yesterday but I managed to get rid of the sore throat with emergen-c, zinc, and extra vitamin d3. I can't take the emergen-c today, but will continue with the zinc and d3. Hopefully I can stave off anything major.

Off to check with you!

119.7 ( +3 LDW)

2010-10-03T20:17:00.002-06:00

LOAD DAY.

According to my calculations, I've eaten close to 300 grams of fat and close to 4400 calories. E-FUCKING-GADS. That's insane! I feel like utter crap, but hey! We knew that would happen.

Unfortunately this wasn't as anti-carby as I'd hoped. I had cheesecake and onion rings. I am a little worried about the scale tomorrow.

My daughter had a grand day for her birthday. I'm glad I could play along. :)

How did all y'all do? I need to check in.

Tomorrow is DAY 1 of VLCD! Woot! Go us!

119.5 (2.8 above LDW) Slight change in plans...

2010-10-02T11:42:00.001-06:00

Hellooooo!

Lis, I am following your lead. This is such a short round and I have very little to release, so tomorrow will be my one and only load day. I have plenty of wonderful fat foods to load up on. We will be travelling tomorrow to visit a set of grandparents and celebrate my daughter's birthday, so I need to make sure to bring cheese to snack on while on the road. I'll bring nuts and avocados too.

Tonight we have a wine tasting to attend. We're bringing smoked salmon as our appetizer. I need to remind myself not to flip if I gain a little as it is very salty. Then again, I'm not planning on eating the whole thing! :) I am very much looking forward to be able to go out and be social with my husband.

So, I still haven't done anything about getting the house ready, but I figure this round is about total transformation not only for me, but I hope to tackle some of those home projects. So much to do, but I'm feeling extremely confident it can be done.

XOXOXOX! Tomorrow is the day!

119.7 ( +3 LDW)

2010-10-01T09:39:00.001-06:00

Morning!

Okay, 1 more day before I begin the next round. I'm really sticking as best I can to low carb, even during the loading. I bought avocados, cheese, clam chowder, cheddar soup, steaks, heavy whipping cream, etc., etc.
The fact is, I have never been someone into sugar as it makes me feel instantly ill so I'm really going to avoid the sweet stuff this time. I think that will help with the load weight as well. Last round I gained so much loading I was so physically uncomfortable. I ended up back in the 130s! I really want to avoid only losing load weight if you know what I mean!

Today will be nuts. I need to go shopping with a friend who is throwing a party tonight (Costco - I'll pick up P2 foods while there so I'm totally prepared for Monday), and then I need to go to my daughter's class as she is V.I.P. this week, and I need to tell the class how fantastic and unique she is (that's easy!).

The day is slipping away. Much love and and positive vibes to all y'all!

120.3 - 3.6 above LDW

2010-09-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

Thank you ALL for the wonderful comments! I'm feeling the love! *HUGS*

LD - I start loading Sat-Sun and VLCD Monday until the 28th of Oct. which has me in P4 by Nov. 21st. What do you say? Wanna join me?

I love this...

100 pounds lifted off my shoulders!!!!!!

2010-09-29T18:44:00.000-06:00

Last night I spoke with my husband. We talked about local issues that were driving us both nuts. I pleaded with him and said, "Please, please tell me we can leave here!" and he said we could.

I almost couldn't believe it. I actually burst into tears this morning when it hit me that he'd agreed we'd leave.

My chop wood carry water project has just been put on fast speed. Like I said before, if he's given an offer elsewhere today, we're not ready so it's my job now to make sure we're ready when that time comes. Oh my GOD, though - there is light at the end of the tunnel!

My real estate licence is good through next Summer so it's my hope that between now and then I can get the house in order and sell as many homes as possible.

Speaking of, looks like I'll have an offer on one of my listings and I'll have a new one next week. A really nice one!

On another subject, I changed my name with Social Security right after I got married , but we were living in the Netherlands where it is not easy to change your last name so I kept my maiden name. I continued with my maiden name when we came to the states. I saw my driver's license will expire in January so I went to find my SS card and it was no where to be found. I went to order a replacement, with my maiden name, and was told I first had to prove I was the person with my maiden name before they could issue a new card. Otherwise, I could go to the courthouse and for $360 have my name legally changed before they'd issue a new card. I scoured my home for other docs and was lucky enough that the other women I met with there later accepted my wedding license as enough and she changed my name officially back to my maiden name on my SS card. Lots of miracles today.

I am so very grateful.

Just 2 more days until I load...

XOXOXO

120.9 (4.2 over LDW)

2010-09-28T08:49:00.002-06:00

I did a steak day yesterday and got an almost 2 pound drop. I allowed myself a carb heavy day despite my weight on Sunday which strapped me with 2 additional pounds. I'm astonished as to how carb sensitive I am.

I've been without my thyroid meds since Friday. I'm picking them up today. I'll be low carbing until Friday, when a dear friend is throwing a housewarming party at the home that I negotiated a lease option for her and her family. Saturday is my first load day as well as a wine tasting, and Sunday is my daughter's birthday and my second load day. I'm hoping to get down to 118-119 pre-load in the next few days. We'll see if I can pull that off. I'm going to be very careful on Saturday (excluding the wine) to stick to low carb, high fat load foods. I won't be as careful Sunday, though sugar was never my deal so I'm not a huge birthday cake person. We'll probably do our traditional cheese fondue dinner which works out well for me!

I'm going to take Lavenderdiva's advice this round and include the grissini. I excluded them in past rounds as Dr. S. said you could exclude anything except the protein. I am going to see if including the grissini this round helps me avoid becoming carb resistant. As I've said before however, if so then I do a cleansing round twice a year. Not a big deal.

The PA at the clinic I work at called me last night. She's back in town earlier than expected so I have the rest of the week off. I have no idea if she'll continue to hire me or not. We'll see! It was a fantastic experience either way, and she told me I got rave reviews. That made me smile.

Okay, peepalapeeps. Time for more coffee and something to eat!

122.7 (+6 LDW)

2010-09-27T22:09:00.002-06:00

No, I'm not loading.

I am truly undone!

I can handle doing this twice a year.

119.3 (2.6 over LDW)

2010-09-25T10:24:00.002-06:00

Thanks for all the support, especially from my last post.

I needed to get that out there. I'm feeling so much better now since I did.

@LD, I had the lump checked by my surgeon when I discovered it in July. He feels it's nothing and suspects it's breast tissue that was loose after my surgery, but wants me back in sometime this fall so he can check again, unless I feel it change and then he wants me in sooner. As far as I can tell, it's remained the same shape and size which is awfully good news.

MRI - Nothing. No fracture, no infection, no tumor. He thinks it will resolve itself on it's own, but just to be on the safe side, he wants me to have a neuro consult. God, I'm hemorrhaging money. We have a $3k deductible.

So. Here's the deal. If my husband was offered a job out of state today, we're not ready to go. My kids' rooms need wallpaper stripped, walls painted, and all the original carpet in this house needs to be replaced, all the walls pretty much need painting, and the fence needs to be replaced. It's chop wood, carry water time. I need to focus on getting this house in shape. Not only will that keep me busy and focused, it will carry me to the next phase where we will be ready if such an opportunity presents itself. This has me feeling so much more "in control" however illusionary that may be. Who cares. I feel better.

I need to vent here more often. It's why I started this blog to begin with. To deal with the emotions in a constructive way rather than imploding, sometimes without my knowledge.

Thanks again all y'all. Off to check on you!

120.7 (+ 4 over LDW)

2010-09-22T11:07:00.000-06:00

I'm struggling right now emotionally, and I believe that has a lot to do with my weight at the moment.

I am due to start my cycle tomorrow according to that blood work I had done which also makes a difference, especially since I've been craving chocolate and salt, both of which I fell into last night. I am not happy about it but I also know there is no point in beating myself up over it as well. It is what it is and I did what I did. What sucks though is I have a wedding on Friday. Think I can drop a couple pounds between then and now? Last steak day only yielded a .2 drop. I'm doing high protein, low carb today. May do a steak day tomorrow. I'm waiting to experiment with an apple cheese day when I am in range just to see how my body reacts since carbs are difficult with me. This is the weight I'd hoped to be post load.

I'm also scared. I am scared of what they will or will not find today during the MRI on my foot. I am also scared of the lump I found in my breast. I'm also scared to fly and I will be making a big flight in a couple months.

I'm also very, very angry right now. The culture here is becoming more and more intolerable to me. I am furious that the school district sent home "opt out" waivers so parents could keep their children from watching the President give a message about how important school is. I'm furious that our very corrupt Governor will win re-election against a man who is so incredibly qualified for the job, but because he has a D marked down for his political affiliation and the fact that he's Catholic and not Mormon, he will lose. I am furious that I am surrounded by women who are so depressed they have to be medicated - 2/3rds of our State is, and that's just those who have prescriptions.

I am furious that my husband doesn't get why I am so desperate to move. I'd be pissed if it were just he and I, but I am furious because it isn't just the two of us. We are raising two children here who will never totally fit in, and my poor daughter is considered less than just because she is female. I'm pissed. I'm really angry and I realize I've not let myself feel this rage because it is so intolerable. The dam done broke though. I can't not feel this anymore.

I really don't know what to do. I feel like I'm a hostage. I've lost almost all hope.

It feels good to let this out. I probably shouldn't have while waiting between HCG consults as I have tears in my eyes. Fortunately my next client won't arrive for another 20 minutes or so, so I have time to regroup.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I love all y'all.

Journey to Me Via HCG

I'll share more soon, but for right now, a very not safe for work funny!

Happy New Moon and Chinese New Year!

SOPA

Oh my God. "slimmer's paralysis". Check the bold.

I started my detox on Tuesday. Even after just 2 days, the shakiness in my hands...

FDA

UPDATE!

A little video for all y'all

??? I didn't weigh today. Update on the lead thing.

127.5

From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning

Signs and symptoms

128! :( Update

127.5 :(

.

125.6 despite clean P3 eating and a half an hour on the elliptical... and now an important message NSFW from our sponsors...

Long overdue update and an apology for falling off the planet. 124.6 today

124.2 - 10 pounds above LDW. Blech, but there are more important pressing matters.

My hands.

Laughter is the best medicine

:)

Just checking in...

Good news!

Thank you all for the comments. Tomorrow we begin to unravel this mystery.

My psychic reading on my health. This has been coming to me.

It's my birthday... I'm gonna party...

Checking in...

Chocolate

I have an appointment!

Checking in

Got a call about the neurologist

Update post acupuncture

118.3 - small update

Happy New Year!

LM 117.1 (+3.1 LDW)

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW)

LM 116.7 (+2.7 LDW)

LM 120.2 !!! (+6.2 LDW) -

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW) - POST steak day

LM 116.4 (+2.4 LDW) - Fancy pipes in!

LM 113.3

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW) - This made me smile

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW)

LM 112.2 (-1.8 of LDW)

LM 111.1 ! (- 2.9 LDW)

LM 113.3 ( -.7 LDW)

LM 114.4 (+.4 LDW)

LM 115.2 (1.2 above LDW)

Hair!

R5 Day 20 P3 114.6 -.8 (+.6 of LDW )

R5 Day 19 P3 115.4 -1.8 (+1.4 of LDW )

R5 Day 18 P3 117.2 +3.2 (+3.2 of LDW ) - Recipe for DISASTER

R5 Day 17 P3 114 -.2 (+/- 0 of LDW )

R5 Day 16 P3 114.2 -.4 (+.2 of LDW )

R5 Day 15 P3 114.6 (+.6 of LDW )

R5 Day 13 P3 114.6 (-.2, +.6 of LDW ) and POOFARTS!

R5 Day 11 P3 114.6 (-.2, +.6 of LDW )

R5 Day 10 P3 114.8 (+1.8, +.8 of LDW )

R5 Day 9 P3 113 (-1.4, -1 of LDW )

R5 Day 8 P3 114.4 (+.2, +.4 of LDW )

R5 Day 7 P3 114.2 (-.2, +.2 of LDW )

R5 Day 6 P3 114.4 (-1.8, +.4 of LDW )

R5 Day 5 P3 116.2 (+.8, +2.2 of LDW )

R5 Day 4 P3 115.4 (+.6, +1.4 of LDW )

R5 Day 3 P3 114.8 (+1, +.8 of LDW )

R5 Day 2 P3 113.8 (-.4 - - .2 of LDW )

R5 Day 1 P3 114.2 (+1 - +.2 of LDW )

R5 Hour 48 of 72 hour transition - 113.2 (-1.4 - -.8 of LDW)

R5 Hour 24 of 72 hour transition - 114.6 (+.6 of LDW)

R5 Day 23 (VLCD 22) 114 -.8 - Cream can wait until Friday!

R5 Day 22 (VLCD 21) 114.8 -.2 and stats

R5 Day 21 (day 20 VLCD) 115! -.8

R5 Day 20 115.8 (- 1, NEW LDW to come!) - Can I get a WHUT WHUT?

R5 Day 19 116.8 (- .6, +.1 LDW) - it's FANCY DANCY DAY!

R5 Day 18 117.4 (- .4, +.7 LDW)

R5 Day 17 117.8 (- 1.0, +1.1 LDW)

I'm ovulating!

R5 Day 16 118.8 (+.8, +2.1 LDW)

R5 Day 15 118 ( -.6, +1.3 LDW)

^From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning