My weight loss journey

Let me first say that, this is MY OPINION, I have in no way, shape or form been paid for my opinion or this post.  I am not a doctor nor do I have any type of medical degree.  Please consult with your doctor prior to starting this diet.  And if you don't care to know the dirty details of my weight loss journey then please save yourself and stop reading.  With that being said, here we go:

I have been struggling with my weight for a long time.  When I got married I weight 145, I was working out, lean & fit and LOVED how I looked naked.  (Apparently so did my husband because 3 months later we got pregnant.)  When I found out I was preggo, I was 162 @ 5'8".  (Yes, I said it and I will continue to admit my weight from this long journey through out this post)  I was at a normal BMI and I was comfortable in my skin and clothes.  I gained 50lbs when I was preggo with her.  Do the math people, 162 + 50 = 212 which is BIG OLE WHALE on the scale.  After having Zoe, I lost 25 pounds.  212 -  25 = 187 still considered to be overweight.  I worked out and dieted, but the weight wouldn't come off.  Then to make matters worse in the weight department, I got preggo again. (five years later)  I gained 48 more pounds with Ava.  187 + 48 = 235 which again BIG OLE MOMMA WHALE!!  I lost down to 194.5 after Ava.   Being a mommy of two makes it hard to get to the gym and working out at home is even harder.

When my mom start talking about this 'miracle' diet, I was a skeptic but really intrigued at the idea of losing weight fast.  So I watched my mom lose 34 pounds in roughly 40 days and decided to just do it.  What did I have to lose right?   I weighed 194.5 and was EXTREMLY unhappy. 

What did I take?
I took/take Smart HCG.  It is made at a local lab and it works.  The first round of Smart HCG was only HCG and Water, however this second round has extra ingredients.  (L-carnintine, Arginine, and a few others)  It still works the same but now it just has some amino acids and energy boosters.  The most important ingredient is the HCG though.  If it doesn't have HCG, it's not the right stuff.  GNC sells something that says it's HCG but it doesn't have HCG in it.  You want to make sure to read the label.  You can by it online or in certain vitamin/herb stores.  (My mom is selling it also, I can get you the deets if you are interested)

How does it work?
Well, I could write it all out for you or you could just go look online at these sites for more info or google it yourself:
http://www.truemd.com/blog/2009/04/the-hows-of-the-hcg-diet/
http://www.healthyhcg.com/faq.html
http://www.hcg1234.com/
 
 
What worked for me?
I did alot of research before and during the diet to make sure I was completely informed.  I strongly encourage you to do the same.  I used Sparkpeople to track all of my food the first cycle but this time I'm using MyFitnessPal.  (It has more food options and I like it better)   This cycle Nick is doing the diet with me.  (It was so hard the first time to cook different meals for me and my family)  I tried to cook as many meals ahead of time to save time.  I made a pitcher of green tea to drink daily and if I got hungry I would drink a glass of tea.  I also took B12 drops and a multivitamin daily.  I was VERY strict on the diet, I didn't cheat or sway from the diet in any way.  I used tabasco, garlic and Pace picante to add extra flavor to meals I felt were a little boring.
 
What can you eat on the diet?
From www.nutritiondata.com – USDA nutrition data base ~ all foods measured & weighed RAW


FRUIT: one fruit per meal; do not mix
Apple: medium = 95
Grapefruit: ½ = 44
Orange: large = 86
Strawberries: 10 medium: = 40

STARCH:
Melba Toast: 1 = 20
Melba Snack: 2 = 24
Grissini Breadstick: 1 = 20

MEAT: 100 grams - 3 ½ ounces; all visible fat removed; weighed raw; cook with no oil or fat:
Chicken Breast: = 110
Ground Beef: 95% lean = 137
Steak: (round/sirloin tip) = 142
Crab: = 84
Halibut: 110
Cod = 110
Flounder: 91
Tilapia: 96
Lobster: = 90
Shrimp: = 106
Veal: = 112

VEGETABLES: measured raw; one vegetable per meal; do not mix; ADJUST the serving sizes to fit your 500 calories per day!

Asparagus: 10 medium spears = 30
Beet-Greens: 3 cups = 24
Cabbage: 1 cup = 22
Celery: 2 cups = 32
Chard: 3 cups = 21
Cucumber: 1 medium = 45
Fennel: 1 cup = 27
Lettuce: 3 cups green = 15
Onion: ½ cup = 32
Red Radishes: 1 cup sliced = 19
Spinach: 3 cups = 21
Tomatoes: 1 medium = 22 1 cup = 27

MILK: 1 Tablespoon whole milk = 9 calories
 
 
What was my daily diet routine?
Breakfast:
Drops 10 minutes before meal
Large cup of coffee
Orange
 
Lunch:
Drops 10 minutes before meal

Salad
Steak/Chicken or Shrimp
Cup of green tea
 
Snack:
Apple 
 
Dinner:
Drops 10 minutes before meal

Asparagus
Steak/Chicken or Shrimp
Grissini breadstick or Melba Toast
Cup of green tea
 
Recipes:
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/cookbooks.asp?cookbook=190562  (Lots of good ones)
http://www.diyhcg.com/phase-2-recipes/
http://www.hcgloss.com/recipes/category-recipes/phase-2-vlcd.html


What was it like?

It was hard. But you get used to it and it gets easier. The first week I was EXHAUSTED!! Then afterwards it was easier. You have to retrain your body to eat NORMAL portions. The food can get boring but you can find recipes online or above to help along the way. The weight will come off, sometimes it doesn't come off as fast as you want it to. Sometimes you gain .2 of a pound and that's disappointing but normal.

My Stats:
Cycle one
Starting weight on 2/1/11: 194.5lbs
Ending weight on 3/9/11: 168lbs
Total weight lost: 27.5lbs

Cycle two
Starting weight on 4/25/11: 168lbs
Day 2 of VLCD weight on 4/28/11: 166lbs
Goal weight 145!!

I am using this diet as a starting point to get the weight off then I plan on getting in the gym again to keep it off.  This post is sort of all over the place but I tried to cover everything.  Email me with any questions you have.  Stefaniewade1023@yahoo.com

Good luck and take care!

Stefanie

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

Happy Easter Everyone!

These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad



Now that I have that song stuck in your head.  Here are a few of my favorite things for this year so far:

Hello, Kahlua K-cups!!  This is the best coffee on the planet.  I like to drink it at night after the girls go to bed, even though there really isn't any alcohol, it makes the long day better & I feel like I'm sneaking an adult beverage without actually sneaking an adult beverage.

Speaking of coffee, isn't my new coffee mug adoreable?!  Our coffee mug set is black & white and I love them.  But when I saw this at target I had to have it.  It is big enough to hold the larger cup setting on the Keurig.  I love it!  It is soo me. 

I love my new washer and dryer.  They aren't actually new, I've had them since November, but everytime I do a load I'm all like "Yay, ME!!"  I don't have the bottom comparments but hope to get them in the future.  They are quiet and they work WONDERFULLY! Is it sad that I'm in love with my appliances?

I love these Jeans!  I haven't bought a good pair of jeans in a very long time and with my weight loss I needed some new jeans in a bad way.  I found these at JCP and love them.  They are designed for women with curves.  They are lower in the front and higher in the back to prevent the gap in the back.  And as the ad says... well you see what the ad says.  Below are the pair I got.

I have a few more favorite things but I think I'm going to do one a month, maybe that will remind me to sit done to blog.  Or maybe not. Who knows?!

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future...

I know that was corny.  But that is how I feel about the past 4 months!!  I'm sorry for the lack of update on my part.  This whole stay at home mom & working mom & college student thing is hard.  It seems that every time I sit down to blog/eat/pee/breathe I have someone wanting something from me. 

Today, however I am finally able to sit at the laptop with a five year old cuddled on my arm watching Tron & the one year old is napping.  

Soo, no more excuses...  How about the good stuff, UPDATES::

The Five year old:

Zoe is doing good.  She is enjoying her time at home with her momma and sister, but misses her friends & school terribly.  We enrolled the girls in a drop in daycare for Saturday and Mondays, so she is making new friends and enjoys the social interaction.  She is SUPER excited about starting kindergarten in August.  She asks me questions about it all the time!  We have had some struggles, her and I, but we are working through them.  She really enjoys doing all things crafty.  She is so smart and inquisitive.  She currently loves Justin Bieber and iCarly.  I gave her my old iPod Shuffle filled with Justin Bieber songs and she loves to sing & dance around the house listening to her songs.  She is really big on playing 'Mom & daughter' right now with her dolls.  It's kind of crazy&scary&cool seeing the 'Mom & daughter' roles from her perspective. 

The One year old:

Wow, Ava has changed soo much since the last time I blogged.  She is talking alot!!  She has 12 teeth and is cutting more.  She is so laid back.  Ava thoroughly enjoys playing outside and loves to 'weee' down the slide.  When ever she does something I ask her to she says "ta-da!" She knows multiple signs to communicate with us what she wants.  (eat, drink, milk, more, juice and all done) We are working on potty training, so far we have had one successful pee-pee in the potty.  Her hair is growing but still all crazy! Her new favorite word is "NO!" Mommy doesn't like that very much.  Ava has discovered how to climb on EVERYTHING, but her favorite is her sisters bed.  She is very smart and very much like her big sister.  I am so excited to see this little girl grow up.

The Hubby:

Nick just recently got back from Milwaukee for school.  He had to celebrate his 33rd birthday out of town.  :(  We didn't like him being gone, but he enjoyed himself.  Nick recently switched jobs, he now works in Bedford.  This is a great move for him and is getting better every day.  The owner sought him out and thinks very highly of him.  I call him the "Prized Chicken" because they love him so.  He also is enjoying spending the weekends with the girls while I'm at work.  He is still working at the tattoo shop and staying busy.  When he's not busy he is drawing/painting/whatever else artist do. 

Now for Me:

Hmmm.. Where to start..  I am still working nights at BUMC on Fri-Sun nights.  I stay home with the girls Mon-Fri.  It's tough but it works.  I started back to school this spring, I am taking one class just to get acclimated, then hope to take more in the fall.  I am really enjoying life right now, watching my babies grow and experience new things is amazing!  We don't really have a routine just yet, but we are working on it.  We have been trying to go to storytime and church during the week.  I have officially lost all of my baby weight!!!  I'm soo excited to be skinny again.  It feels great to fit in single digit Levis.  I haven't been this size since before I had Zoe.  How did I do it, you ask?  I did the HCG diet and it works.  I plan on doing it again in a few weeks.  I would like to get down to my wedding weight. 

(I had to wear a different shirt because the shirt in the first picture is TOO big!!)

The Dog:

Beezus is Beezus!  She's a mess.  The girls love her and she loves them.  She will be one year old in May. 

Well, that about wraps up my update.  I have a few more posts coming in the very near future but for now this is what Ive got. 

I hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying their year as much as I am.

Stefanie

P.S.

It took me all day to write this post.