My Diet Confession

Okay, so I have been Twittering and Facebooking about my rapid weightloss.  I know I know I know some of you will be quite against this.  But this method has really worked for my Sister in Law and she has kept it off, is feeling better than ever.  It has completely changed her attitude and emotional need for food as well.  When she first started it I was so skeptical.  This is a girl that runs half marathons (in her 40s) and does bootcamp and xc90.  She is fitter than I come close to.  But she just could not lose weight.  So she started this thing called the HCG diet.  You can find more out about it at www.diyhcg.com.  

All your weight-loss is contained in the first 3 week phase of the diet.  It is rapid… rapid then most often recommended for losing weight.  But the caveat is that the next 2 3-week phases you gradually add things in your diet and maintain your weight.  You don’t gain, you don’t lose more.  This helps a person learn how to maintain their weight while eating normally. 

I thought at first when she described it to me that she would be tired and cranky and unable to complete her tasks of being a homeschooling mother of five and super-mom that she is.  Instead she would tell me how great she was feeling!  So I decided to give it a whirl.

You have to take the hcg hormone 3 times a day.  The first two days of the diet you front load on fat… basically you eat a lot of fatty foods.  This is suppose to help curb cravings in the beginning.  Then after that you maintain 2 basic meals that add up to around 500 calories a day (gasp).  I know, 500 sounds crazy… but truthfully once the hormone really gets in your system you don’t feel hungry.  Supposedly the hormone takes up to 1500 calories from your fat stores to provide energy. 

The first lo-cal day for me was okay.  The second was a killer.  I had a TERRIBLE headache.  I think it was withdraw from all the white sugar and white flour.  Every once and awhile the next couple days I had a very dull ache in my head.  Other than that I felt great.  Now I feel amazing.  It used to be that by afternoon I felt like I needed a nap and since I couldn’t take one I would end up laying out the couch half out of it while my kids played.  Now I actually have the energy to clean and get all that I need to get done, done.  

I know I sound like a freaking infomercial but it has really made me realize how addicted to those processed things I was.  I’m not saying I’ll never have any again (at all) but I’m going to be very cautious about these things in the future.  

Anyway, I have lost 5.5 lbs in 6 days of the Lo calorie phase.  I’ll be on 21 days total of Lo calorie then will be in my maintenance phase.  My meals are limited, but even more limited by my palette because I’m so picky.  For lunch I have 2 hormone free chicken tenderloins, spinach or asparagus, a handful of strawberries and one piece of melba toast.  For dinner I have 100 grams of steak, asparagus an apple, and a piece of melba toast.  Then I drink a ton during the day but nothing but water, tea, or coffee (that can only be sweetened with Stevia (my favorite brand of that is Truvia).  

So I’m not saying all this to get you on board.  I’m telling you because I have confessed my need to lose post pregnancy weight before on this blog.  I wanted to explain the diet a little more because some of my friends expressed concern.  My Sister in Law’s friend was actually put on this by her doctor.  Anyway,  I’ll blog a little more about it (at least I’ll twitter) to keep you updated on my status.  I’ll be totally honest about how I’m feeling and if I cheat.  The one cheat I have done is I had a small diet coke one day and that same day I had some oil on my asparagus.  That was the only day that I did not lose.

Also if you do decide to do something like this… please buy the book they sell so you are fully informed on how it works and really understand the guidelines.  It isn’t easy… but you’ll feel great.