My HCG Journal. Looks like I need to start one!

[dazygyrl]

so good to hear sister took your email well. i hate conflict, or uncomfortable situations such as yours, but have learned that dealing with it head on fares much better in the long run. ((hug))

[CherylB]

Thanks, dazy! Right back at'cha. (Hugs, that is.)

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by CherylB

Paula, can you post that recipe? I think that sounds yummy and I happen to have 2 avacados ripening up right now. In fact, I have lemons, too.

You bet! It's from my Joy of Cooking. They call for a cup of French Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice (i use lemon)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Then you gradually add 3/4 cup olive oil, shaking between additions.

To make the avocado dressing, mash one avocado and blend with one cup French dressing. Don't overblend or you'll get that weird blender effect where olive oil turns bitter. It's really good, but my kids hated it! I think the tartness of the lemon was too much for them.

You could also cut the dressing recipe in half, and use the other half of the avocado in your salad. I think that's what I did since 3/4 cup oil would have been too much.

[CherylB]

Thanks, Paula. I don't care for French Dressing at all. (green face) I wonder how that "Green Goddess" dressing is. That was something listed in the original Atkins book. I think it is avacado and sour cream or something like that. Hmmm...

I love eating avacado right out of the "shell", though. I cut it in half, pull out the seed (that's some seed!) and salt the heck out of it, then eat it with a spoon. Just plain goodness!

Going to eat some string cheeses to start off my day, then will eat more substantial things as the day progresses.

Look at my ticker! I'm almost out of the 30% fat range! Does that mean I'll be in the green numbers when I get to 29%? I'm so psyched!

[TerriMM]

Boy, I'd have a hard time not letting the losses continue. You're doing so great!!

[CherylB]

I am too, Terri! My losses haven't stopped yet, either. But I'm really going to try to eat more today. We can do this thing!

[obraxton]

170 on P3, My HCG-hero!! Whoo hoo!

[CherylB]

Thank you, Dessa. It's quite a ride! That's for sure.

[CherylB]

Menopausal Status: Postmenopausal Age: 48
Hormone Test In Range Out Of Range Units Range
Cortisol Morning (saliva) 8.5 ng/ml 3.7-9.5
Cortisol Noon (saliva) 2.9 ng/ml 1.2-3.0
Cortisol Evening (saliva) 1.3 ng/ml 0.6-1.9
Cortisol Night (saliva) 0.7 ng/ml 0.4-1.0

I just put all these values in the correct columns, but it won't stay that way. These are the results of my Diurnal Cortisol test (aka "spit kit.") I just called to track down the results and they look pretty dang normal to me.

All values fall under the "In Range" column and nothing under the "Out of Range" column.

What do you think, Shelby? Did I just blow $128 bucks and spend a fruitless day spitting into tubes and watching the clock? If so, welcome to my world, where symptoms abound but nary a diagnosis does fit!

[CherylB]

Okay. My day of eating is over and I have to say that, if I lose again tomorrow, I don't know what to do. I ate 1775 calories or so. I'm supposed to eat 1820 to maintain at my current weight.

I ate a total of 9 oz of cheese; string cheese, cheddar cheese and cream cheese. I ate all the other things I mentioned earlier, then I ate 5 jalapeno's (hence the cream cheese) with real bacon bits for a topper.

If I lose again, then I'm in the Atkins losing zone and I don't know what I'll have to do in order to stop more losses. Maybe if I inhaled the skin off an entire roasted chicken? Or the toppings off of a medium pizza?

Tomorrow morning should be interesting, no matter how it plays out.

Nite, ladies! Sorry for all the drama! I never expected this in P3, though I did wonder how one was supposed to stabilize while following Atkins.

Correction: Current BMR is 1468, so I over-ate today. I don't have to try so hard now!

[Zbunny]

Originally Posted by CherylB

Morning, peeps! I lost again today (see siggy.) I will eat more today. I will focus on eggs, cheese, cream, maybe some bacon, maybe a salad with lots of fattening dressing, maybe a chicken thigh with skin on. That should do it! If not, I'm in trouble on this P3.

Have a wonderful Monday, if that is possible.

No more losing now, missy!

You're doing so well, girl, and I'm proud of you for handling the situation with your sister so diplomatically -- you protected your boundaries but you did so graciously. Nicely handled.

I posted on the other thread that my first day of P3 started with an unhappy shock, but I'll leave that to the other thread.

Have a great evening!

[Dreamchaser]

Cheryl, well it sounds like you can't stop losing and I can't seem to start!

Where are you at compared to your last dose weight?

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Good question. So funny how we have such unexpected problems. :-) My body is doing what I thought it would, starting to gain as soon as I start eating, but I am trusting the program and trusting that it will even out. We will help you get this figured out. :-) And hey, could be worse, right? :-)

[CherylB]

Good morning, ladies! I am awake before the dawn today, after a particularly difficult bout of insomnia. (See Daily Note below.) I took an extra 1/2 of Ambien but then woke around 5! I don't lose on days like this. I read some and hoped to go back to sleep. So far, nothing. Yawning and may still eek out a nap.

After rechecking what my BMR is (for the 170.6,) I discovered the calorie allowance had dropped 400 per day! Can't recall when I last checked it, but I think it was a while ago. So, I will shoot for 1500 from now on and see how that does.

I think all the uncertainty of my CT/AZ/CT friend is what's keeping me on edge. I don't know if I mentioned him yesterday but he was my initial mailman when I bought this house. He loved my dogs and we became acquaintances. He retired and move to AZ with his wife. We keep in touch via FB or an occasional email. He did his annual trip around the country on his Harley and now he is presently in CT.

I told him for weeks that I needed him to give me a heads-up when he planned to visit. He called me once and said, I'll be leaving here (AZ) in about 9 days. Last call I got he said, "I should be in CT in about 3-4 days." So what does he do? Exactly what he did last time. He didn't call, text, email. He drove up in front of the house yesterday afternoon, parked his bike and then called my phone number to tell me he was standing outside the house. Well, I wasn't home. He left an irritated voicemail and drove off.

When I got the message I explained that I wasn't home and said that I would meet him wherever he happened to be at the moment. 2 voicemails later and no reply back from him. Then on FB I saw that he had been at a BBQ with people he knew (just had posted some pics.) So I commented under the pics, "Well I see where you ended up going after you left here. I'm sorry for not being here when you came. Was that my one and only shot at seeing you?" Then reasserted the need for him to communicate with me that he is on his way. What is so hard to understand about that?

So, I believe that alone is what caused my sleepless, restless night. I'm sensitive to things that "throw me off." That's why I keep my life very simple and as predictable as possible.

So, rant, vent, leak, spew. All done now! Thanks for hearing me *itch. Been doing that a lot lately, haven't I. It'll get better soon. I promise!

Eating today will be less cheese; no cream cheese specifically. Fried chicken thighs with skin on and maybe some coconut or almond flour and spices for a coating. Scrambled eggs, strawberries, maybe a salad.

I hope everyone has an excellent day, with only good surprises! Thanks for all the compliments and encouragement! Right back at'cha!

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by Dreamchaser

Cheryl, well it sounds like you can't stop losing and I can't seem to start!

Where are you at compared to your last dose weight?

Not sure today because of the sleep deprivation. I never get an accurate weight on mornings like this. I would take a Milk of Magnesia, if I knew whether the Harley dude was coming back today, but don't dare if I don't know what he's got in his spontaneous brain of his.

Where are you in your plan? I get lost and confused with all the people who post here.

Originally Posted by RedL.I.

Good question. So funny how we have such unexpected problems. :-) My body is doing what I thought it would, starting to gain as soon as I start eating, but I am trusting the program and trusting that it will even out. We will help you get this figured out. :-) And hey, could be worse, right? :-)

Yes, it could! I'd much rather stabilize at a lower weight than the actual LDW. I think this is kind of erroneous anyway, since the last two days of VLCD off the pellets, your system is still swimming in hcg (which is why we keep the calories low on those two days.) So, maybe the weight you achieve on either of those two days off pellets should be your LDW. I'm a rogue, so don't do as I do! Just watch me do as I do!

KUTGW, ladies. Work it!

[shelbyla]

Hey Cheryl. Got a busy day (and yesterday obviously) but should have time to comment on labs tomorrow. Good news is that it looks like these are easily treatable with herbals! Whoohoo! Ttyl...

[CherylB]

Awesome! Hope you have a great day. Hope it's a "good busy"!

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Originally Posted by CherylB

So, maybe the weight you achieve on either of those two days off pellets should be your LDW. I'm a rogue, so don't do as I do! Just watch me do as I do!

Yeah - I'm still confused about that. I knew that as soon as I started eating like a "normal person" - on Atkins induction - that I would go up. I don't think my body will cooperate much on losing at all now. Just like the past 20 years. But - I'm hopeful for maintenance! I really envy that you are still losing! WOW!! I think that's awesome! :-)

[CherylB]

Well, I can't say if the trend continued today, but I seriously doubt it after all that cream cheese last night. If only I had gotten a good-night's sleep! What a waste of a good scale oportunity!

I hope things go well for you, Red!

[dazygyrl]

so sorry about eh insomnia, cheryl. hope you can get some rest today. and sorry about your mailman dude. you'd think a simple phone call wouldn't be so hard.

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Cheryl, you probably already know this, and I'm "preaching to the choir", but do you use melatonin to help with sleep?

[CherylB]

I was, until I was told that, depending upon your Cortisol cycles and levels, Melatonin can actually work against you. I am a long-time taker of Ambien 10 mg and Benadryl 50 mg each and every night. I took an extra 5 mg of Ambien which is what finally put me out. Why I woke so early is most likely due to the underlying uncertainty of the old mail guy. I'm quirky like that.

Shelby is going to look at my Diurnal Cortisol results and suggest the right suppliments to help get my Adrenals back on track. That is supposed to help me with my sleep patterns, too.

[TerriMM]

Hi Cheryl,
Couldn't wait to hear if you had made it to the 160s today. Know I should pray you stabalize but couldn't help but hope a little

I hate when people just stop by. I can't help but wonder if they are just clueless or are doing it on purpose. Maybe he thinks he's so important that you'll just sit on baited breath waiting on his arrival.

Sometimes I can't get my brain to shut off at night and I'll take Valerian or Kava. Hope you have a better day.

[CherylB]

Don't know what those two things are. Herbs of some kind? I am pretty dependent on Ambien and Benadryl, but I'm hoping that, if I take things that will help to support my Adrenal needs (waiting on Shelby for this,) I might find I can sleep without taking something on a daily basis.

I had so little sleep that my scale was all askew. That happens to me alot. It was in the 173's. I know that's a lie, so I will have to wait until tomorrow for a better clue.

Yes, it is annoying when people just fly by the seat of their Harley's, but he's on vacation and I guess he's not the kind of guy to make plans that are set in stone. I still haven't heard anything back from him, after leaving him 2 voice mails on his cellphone and commenting on a couple pics he posted on FB yesterday afternoon. Perhaps he won't be back. Just tell me! That's all I want to know. Every time I hear the distant rumble of a Harley I think, "Is that him?" Then I still to listen and if it comes closer, I assume it's him. Then it goes past my street and I think, "WTH?"

Treating myself to some non-alcoholic bubbly this afternoon! It's not bad, but it ain't great, either. It's a nice break from diet soda's and iced teas, though. Sometimes I just get sick of all the sweet-sweet stuff.

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

LOL "fly by the seat of their Harley's" That's funny!!

Both of those are herbs which are thought to have mild sedative effects. Whenever I take Valerian, I have crazy dreams!!

About the drinks:
During my P2 phase, I experimented with all kind of cool teas and combined them with sparkling water too. Blueberry. Cranberry apple. There's a really great peach one that includes some stevia leaves - DELICIOUS!!!

I wanted to wake up my taste buds in any way I could during P2. I did a 40 day cycle.

Cheryl, this small town where I am living now, (now that I've moved from Las VEgas), it is local tradition to stop by. Sometimes several times in one day visitors will stop by. They will drop off a fish they caught, or to ask a question, or for a variety of reasons. I'm used to living in a city - and this is a small town, but they are very interdependent. It's nice - I just have to get used to it!

[dazygyrl]

MRS. DASH!!

the garlic and herb is very good.

i am making a chicken breast right now with the southwest chipotle!

i do add a smidge of sea salt too.

[CherylB]

Those drinks sound very good, Red. I'll have to check them out sometime.

Speaking of chicken, I'm getting a little wild over here. I just decided I would try and make my own Shake N' Bake chicken thighs. Here's what I'm doing (just it case it comes out good):

Almond Flour
Coconut Flour
Parmesan Cheese
S/P, Garlic Powder
Paprika, Chili Powder,
Onion Powder,
Oregano

Put all that into a doubled-up grocery shopping plastic bag and twisted it up, then squished it all around to mix it up.

Four whole eggs
Couple Tablespoons of Mayo
S/P

Whipped up with a fork and let get to room temperature.

Four chicken thighs, rinsed
1/2 container of store-bought salsa
1/2 fresh lime (just the juice.)

Got the chicken in a ziplock, marinating in the salsa and lime. Will let it sit for about 2 hours (in bag on counter, getting to room temp.) Then I will fry them up in Veggie oil on the stove, having dipped them in the dry, then the wet, then the dry again. Will keep oil to 350 degrees, as best as I can.

Doesn't that sound yummy? Chicken is bone in and skin on. I'll let you know how it turns out!

[TerriMM]

That sounds fantastic! I tried something simular with ground almonds, but didn't work out too well. Will be looking for almond flour the closer I get to P3.

[CherylB]

I buy all that stuff at Netrition. I hope it comes out good! I was going to add a litte LWC to the eggs, but then I thought about the Mayo and it sounded like a better choice. This may be the first time in my entire life that I made fried chicken on the stove-top. I've done shake n' bake in the oven with pork chops (maybe chicken, but I doubt it) so this will be very interesting.

I was reading some fried chicken recipes online yesterday and the 350 degree veggie oil is where I learned that. I wish I had peanut oil. Might be better. (I have lots of coconut oil, but I don't respond well on it. Bloat and stalling of weight loss.) You know what? I just may use some coconut oil!

I marinated chicken wings in salsa once and I couldn't believe how fall-off-the-bone tender they were! I cooked those up in the oven, though.

I wonder if I should bake these instead of frying them? What do you think? No, never mind. If I wasn't coating them, that would work. But not with coating.

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by CherylB

Bloat and stalling of weight loss.) You know what? I just may use some coconut oil!

It's great at killing yeast (in fact, can cause bloating and other gastro symptoms).

But yeah, too much for me is just too many calories, and stalls me.