Trail Blazers and Path Takers

[RileyWorm]

dazygrl-
I did what you are thinking about doing. Only lasted about 5 days before a major cheat, but I lost great on it. I kept it to around 800-900 cals, 50% fat, the rest protein/low carbs. If/when I go back to hhcg, this is my plan again.

But, I am like you, my mind is changing everyday on what I want to do...

[TerriMM]

Okay girls, I’m intrigued to say the least. Give me some parameters here.

I’m seeing basically -0- carb Carrie. Is that kind of your point or is it the tummy choice? I’m also seeing more of a fat protein balance.
And you Miss Shirley, I’m seeing many more veggies and a little fruit, less fat.

Both of you are doing no grains and about the same calories. I need the rest of the story!! I’m ready for a fresh approach too. I want to play.

[RileyWorm]

Terri-Here's an example of what I ate on one day:
Today's menu:
B- egg whites with spinach; coffee with 2 tbsp of HWC (3 whites, 1/2 c. spinach)
L- tuna with 1 tbsp mayo; 1 tbsp of peanut butter (3 oz. tuna)
S-SF hot cocoa with 1 tbsp HWC; an orange
D- 4 oz. ground beef with grilled onions and peppers; 1/4 tbsp. butter

It came to around 600 cals, 46% fat, 28% protein, and 26% carbs.
As long as I kept my fat up and calorie range between 800-900, I felt like I did pretty well on this. The higher carbs are from the PB and fruit, which you could totally leave out...

eta: I found my other menus...I basically did the same thing every day, just switching up my meals. Some days I did blueberries with low fat cottage cheese (1/2 c. cottage cheese, 1/4 c. blueberries), some days I had 100 cal popcorn. My cals varied from 550 up to 850, and fat ratio varied from 50-75%, depending on how much carbs I had that day. I had peanut butter almost every day. My parameters for food choices was basically anything I would eat on P3, just way less of it!

Sorry, I remembered also that I went into FF from here and off HCG because I was retaining SO much water from exercise (4 pounds bump), not because I cheated like I said above...but this protocol worked well for me the few days I did it. I will definitely return to it.

[dazygyrl]

yeah...fruit and veggies just don't do much for me. i do enjoy an apple or some strawberries, but i think i would be better served using those calories towards fat or protein. i may throw a little of my granola on some of my high fat yogurt or a fat free yogurt depending on how my total cals look as far as which yogurt i would eat. or i may have one of those 100 cal sandwich round things...there are several brands that make them now. i will stick to those for grains most likely.

Only lasted about 5 days before a major cheat,

... erin what did you mean by this? do you feel the diet led to a cheat or something else...?

i don't know, terri, i have to do something. when i did straight up LC for years, i never really lost on it, just maintained....so clearly, that's what is going on here as i have been eating mostly LC and the scale isn't going down. i must have put on actual weight during the wedding weekend indulgence and not just fluid, or i would think that would be gone by now, ya know? so i am simply going to have to bite the bullet and do something. i hate where i am right now.

[dazygyrl]

as far as parameters, terri...my only parameter will be the calorie amounts. no worry to amount of fat or protein. and just a few carbs once in a while.

[dazygyrl]

ok, so why did you leave that protocol then?

[RileyWorm]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

... erin what did you mean by this? do you feel the diet led to a cheat or something else...?

(

I mis-remembered what happened, although cheating was typical for me this round- I gained a bunch of water weight from exercise so I just called it a round and went into P3 and fat fasted the water weight off. I was just getting fed up of dieting and hcg in general...The higher fat protocol I tried was at the end of a month-long round, so I was ready for a break anyway. Part of my problem is I went back to hcg after a short interruption, and my heart wasn't in it from that point on. I did around 5 days on the higher fat protocol and lost well, but the exercise derailed me and frustrated by the water gain, I just went into P3 on a whim. I never know what WOE I will follow until I wake up in the morning, I change my mind so quickly.

I was at the point you were, totally fed up with all of it! I have to take a break from hcg but when I come back to it I will follow the higher-fat 'protocol'. It was SO much easier.

[dazygyrl]

gotcha...we are the group of mind changers so you fit right in!

enjoy your break.

[TerriMM]

Okay, I’m in. I'm starting the day with a nice fresh warm hardboiled egg, coffer with 1T HWC, a fresh perspective and a positive attitude. I do much better on higher than 500 calories and I think the higher fat will help keep me satiated. The weekend I'll have to take as it comes, DH is on P2 so it shouldn't be too bad. By the time Monday hits I'll have a plan down. Will update a menu as it formulates. Thanks for the ideas.

Carries right Erin. You fit right in with the mind changers here.

[dazygyrl]

well, since i am at the hospital, i obviously don't have my pellets. i have had like 12oz of my uber high fat yogurt...oh my it's soooo good! with a little granola on top. and some sunflower seed butter. and a large breve latte. will start taking pellets when i get home and will start the 700-800 cals tomorrow...if we get home today. :/ adding back in his one med that they stopped during radiation has affected him more than the last couple of times. not a lot of vomiting, but no appetite and just feels yucky. i have to remind him to drink of they won't let him go home. so, i will just keep it high fat today and start taking pellets as soon as i get home.

[shirleychef]

Originally Posted by TerriMM

Okay girls, I’m intrigued to say the least. Give me some parameters here.

I’m seeing basically -0- carb Carrie. Is that kind of your point or is it the tummy choice? I’m also seeing more of a fat protein balance.
And you Miss Shirley, I’m seeing many more veggies and a little fruit, less fat.

Both of you are doing no grains and about the same calories. I need the rest of the story!! I’m ready for a fresh approach too. I want to play.

Part of the reason for my choices today is I've been craving spinach & strawberries! Don't you love that scientific answer!

I didn't have my shake (I put the fat free cottage cheese, frozen berries and spinach into a blender with stevia and water and it was SOOOO refreshing and yummy) until about 10:00 a.m.

I'm going to go off my hunger, if I can make it through the day with only 2 proteins I will. I'm also trying to NOT do the starch b/c I want to see if it will help with cravings.... I can be a bit of a starch craver... like eating one grassini can sometimes make me want to eat the entire box, cardboard and all!

I'm really wanting to see if just the protein & veggies with few fruits will satisfy... or if I'll need to take out the fruit and focus on protein and fat only. I want to reach a point where I'm NOT craving anything sweet. This is totally new for me... but my goal is to stay under 800 calories with the intention of getting to the point where I'm closer to 500 calories for the final week. I'm also wanting to see if with just 2 tbsp of cream I can still lose at a good rate without feeling like my body is screaming for fat. I just hate my morning coffee with 1 tbsp of milk!

I'm also hoping to ave .5 a day loss. I think I gained about 3-4 pounds over these past two fat feast days. I'm just avoiding the scale until the plumbing starts to work and my ring is lose again. YKWIM??

OOPS... just guzzeled water and realized that I have NOT taken my hcg this morning yet.. it has been a busy morning!

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

well, since i am at the hospital, i obviously don't have my pellets. i have had like 12oz of my uber high fat yogurt...oh my it's soooo good! with a little granola on top. and some sunflower seed butter. and a large breve latte. will start taking pellets when i get home and will start the 700-800 cals tomorrow...if we get home today. :/ adding back in his one med that they stopped during radiation has affected him more than the last couple of times. not a lot of vomiting, but no appetite and just feels yucky. i have to remind him to drink of they won't let him go home. so, i will just keep it high fat today and start taking pellets as soon as i get home.

I forgot that you'd be in the hospital overnight. I'm sorry that Noah is having a rough time with the restarted medication. What a joy it will be to be done with all this chemo! To be back to living a normal life! And for his hair to grow back! Can hardly wait for you to get to that time of rest.

[dazygyrl]

good morning!

thank you cheryl...it will be interesting to say the least after june.

so here goes day one of my very rogue plan...altho, i don't think it's anymore rogue than the guy who does FEGT ratios on hcg. anyone seen his thread?

here's today's menu:

1 egg w/ 1/4 cup egg beaters, scrambled, topped with 1/2 T butter and sprinkled with cinnamon/xylitol.

4oz canned chicken w/ 1T lite miracle whip, 1 slice sharp cheddar, 0.5oz cream cheese

4oz burger (93/7%), sf ketchup, 1 slice sharp cheddar, 0.5oz cream cheese.

cals: 730
fat: 44g - 57.45%
protein: 69g - 39.72%
carbs: 4g - 2.84%

i made a new batch of ver HF yogurt last night. my yogurt maker holds 7, 6oz jars, but only ever get 6.5 jars worth when i make it.

shirley, when you figure your stats for yogurt, do include the starter in the calorie content?

here's my recipe:

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

after heating and cooling that, i added about 8T fage 2% greek yogurt. all of this filled 6 3/4 of my 7 jars. when i plugged it in my tracker, i only included the cream and milk which is 32oz, but for the batch total i put 40oz as that is approximately how much i ended up with based on how many of my jars are filled. i get a batch total of 2550 cals, 248 g fat. is that correct since i didn't include the starter in the "recipe".

am i making any sense at all??

[beachagain]

morning...

Day 4-VLC...not much more to report

I am checking out recipes to keep me going on the right path

Still praying for Noah

[dazygyrl]

thank you, cristen.

[TerriMM]

Having a little trouble reminding myself I’m on P2 not P3. Getting the calories lower 954 today, 1154 yesterday. No change today, hoping to see some downward movement tomorrow. Back to work, no luncheon plans or restaurant eating so it should be a much easier week. I think (I hope) I have my head right now. I’m using Deb’s “I can have that later” mantra. Tomorrow’s menu:
B: Strawberries and bread stick
L: Leftover chicken and cabbage
D: P2 Chili
S: Apple & bread stick
Should be under 600 even with 2% in my coffee, lemon in my tea and a bottle of cran water.

How’s out little soldier doing after his big treatment?

Have a great day tomorrow everyone. Good night whoosh fairy, hope to see you soon!

[dazygyrl]

good morning, bud! were you and dh off road-tripping again? missed ya! hope you see a whoosh this morning!

noah is eh. he seems to be having a delayed reaction of sorts to his chemo. he only threw up once after getting it....and he said he threw up once or twice in the night saturday night and 3 times last night. he *seems* to feel ok. can definitely tell, tho, that he got the one drug he hasn't gotten since before radiation. glad there is no school to give him another day to recoup.

yesterday was my first LCD....can't really say VLCD...came in at 830 instead of 800. was down 3.4 this morning. :UP:

today's menu:

3/4 c egg beaters scrambled, topped with .5 T butter, sprinkled w/ xylitol/cinnamon
4oz of my high fat yogurt w/ ezsweets & vanilla

4oz 93/7 burger w/1T lite miracle whip and sf ketchup

eating at mc'ds....going with 4 nuggets (gymnastics night with ella so we eat out)

cals: 794 (53g of fat)


would one of you ladies please wave your magic wand and make this incessant neck issue GO AWAY!! i have been fighting with it for weeks now. so tired of it....

deb, cheryl, cristen, shirely....hope you all have a great day!

[shirleychef]

dazygryl, you don't need as much GY starter as you are using. The ratio is 1/4 cup starter to every 1 quart of liquid. So you can reduce your starter amount and save some $$. :-) Yes you would add the starter yogurt into your calorie count. Sounds like your becoming a pro at yogurting! WTG!

I'll be praying for your neck to feel better. Do you use truvia?? It always gives me a horrid neck ache.

Well I'm totally into green smoothies these days. AND I've given myself permission to stop sometime this week. Sorry if that sounds weird but it really has been a big mind battle for me to be willing to stop b/f reaching goal, but I think I need to.

So my plan for today is 2 green smoothies, divided into 4 servings to drink throughout the day.

Breakfast divided into two shakes:
1/2 cup kefir
1 scoop protein powder (which is 1/2 a serving of the kind I have, it is whey based with no sugar)
1 cup frozen strawberries
5 ounce fresh spinach
1 tbsp cocoa powder
stevia to taste
water to make it the way I like it.

Lunch/dinner, divided into 2 shakes:
Shake same as breakfast but with 1 cup frozen blueberries instead.

Yesterday was hubbies first day in phase 4 and he wanted Mexican... so I ate off plan. I think I have enough doses of Rx to get me through about 3-4 days and since I'm so into green smoothies the tentative plan is to drink them for the next 3-4 days... maybe even through the 72 hours transition too... though I'm toying around with a FF for the transition... not sure. I'll see what my body is saying and go from there. :-) I'm up today at 150 again.. GRRRRR I want to end around 147 or less so hope the green smoothies with hcg will get me there before i run out of the Rx.

Have a superriffic day everyone!!

[dazygyrl]

thanks, shirley for the input on the yogurt. i haven't used trvia for awhile, but this is totally related to how i sleep...slept wrong one night awhile ago and it's still out of whack. and it move's around on my neck...i'm so tired of it.

hope your smoothies give you great results!

[TerriMM]

Morning All!
Well I'm down .30 so moving the right way at least. The whoosh fairy obviously hasn't made it all the way out here. Very happy to see she stopped by to kiss you bud! Woo Hoo

I totally understand Shirley, it's such a mind game. Your smoothies sound great. I've been waiting for the weather to warm up a bit they just chill me to the bone. Supposed to be mid seventies this week so they just might make it in the meal plan.

Working on my below 600 calorie day today. Started out with my mini squat lift routine, hopefully will walk later.

for our little soldier to regain his strength and his mommy to feel better too

[dazygyrl]

hey! down is DOWN! way to go!!

whatcha eatin' then today?

[TerriMM]

Oh and not really a road trip as typical. We ended up tree shopping. We took a couple out over the last couple years and finally got the last stump out when we had to replace part of our fence this winter. So we're ready to start re-landscaping. Ended up with a flowering plum and an Oklahoma Red bud. Could sure use your DH's help!

[TerriMM]

B: Strawberries and bread stick
L: Leftover chicken and cabbage
D: P2 Chili
S: Apple & bread stick
Should be under 600 even with 2% in my coffee, lemon in my tea and a bottle of cran water.

Going traditional today.

[dazygyrl]

heehee....i was just gonna say, that's right up hubby's ally. from taking them down to planting new.

[TerriMM]

So are you trying the EFGT method then, just limiting calories as well? I've been checking it out too. A little more livable then FF.

[dazygyrl]

i'm just planning my meals and they are ending up, ratio wise, like EFGT...my main goal is to stay 700-800 with fat. and as it turns out, the ratios are in line with EFGT, but that isn't my goal per se, just to stay in my set cal range and have some fat.

[TerriMM]

Looks like its working for you!

[dazygyrl]

i hope so. it's only been one day, tho.

[TerriMM]

You're back on HCG right? Do you have a duration planned? Or just working on getting back to your sweet spot?

[privatediva]

Saturday was the memorial service for Martha Holmes Longmire. She was my voice teacher for 25 years. Martha was a student of Lotte Lehmann, possibly the greatest lieder singer of the early 20th century. That legacy meant a lot to her students. She was a connection to a Golden Age of singing...and now we are that connection. May we be worthy stewards of the knowledge she left with us.

Her service was full of familiar faces from so long ago. She was married for 59 years to Bill...wonderful Bill. It was a marriage for the ages. He was a handsome young baritone singing on Broadway when they met. When Martha turned up pregnant with their oldest son, Bill went to work for a pharmaceutical company and stopped that Broadway nonsense to take care of his family. They would raise four fantastic people out of the babies God gave them. They adored each other, through thick and thin. Always always together. In recent years, Bill's Alzheimer's has become quite advanced. He doesn't recognize his children. It's heart-breaking. Some people with Alzheimer's disease become very difficult to manage. Bill has "sweet Alzheimer's". He is not 'all there' but he is as gentle and pleasant as a person can be. Bill doesn't know where Martha is this week...when he looks for her, they tell him she is at the Conservatory teaching...and that seems to be a satisfactory answer to him. That is sad...but maybe perfect. 59 years is a long time to be so in love. If he really understood about Martha, he might not survive it. The only time I totally lost my composure at the church was at the end of the service when they walked Bill out of the sanctuary. I thought I saw tears in his eyes and I wondered if there was some comprehension there. That was too sad.

Let me tell you what happened Saturday afternoon, after the service at the church.

Some of us went to Martha's oldest son's house. I took a seat next to Bill at the dining room table. I said hello and asked him how we was. He said he was just fine thank you, and he looked right at me, with a twinkle in his eye that made me feel that even though he couldn't have said my name, and had no idea why, he knew that he knew me. It was just a very comfortable expression. So I decided to eat my barbecue next to Bill. Martha's students had been singing. Folks were nagging me to sing and my dear old friend Karol called me a 'tutu head' for saying 'no', so I kind of had to. I was Bill's soprano soloist in his church choir for about ten years. Karol (who is some sort of healer guru...no kidding, she had this gathering under control and was determined that it would be a very positive and happy time for Martha's family and friends. Her training is totally music, but her calling is clearly something much bigger) had some karaoke stuff on her computer, pop and classical. Looking through it, the only thing I knew I could sing without screwing up the words was the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria. That's because I assigned it to one of my students for contest so I've been playing it every week for her lessons. Bill was still sitting at the table. When I started to sing, he sat right up, watched me and smiled and just...well...everybody in the room was watching him listen to me sing. I'm certain he had no idea who I was, but somehow, somewhere in there, he knew the sound of my voice. His daughter kept pointing at him but I couldn't look too much, I knew I'd cry. I guess it was pretty cool because his family was just jazzed. It has been a long time since they have seen him so involved in something that was happening. When I finished the song, I went over next to Bill and he took my hand and just squeezed it and held it for the longest time....stroking the back of my hand over and over with his thumb. He was...so relaxed and happy. I was, needless to say, working with all my might to hold it together. It was the most precious thing to me. I would still be standing there if Bill was still holding my hand. No way I was giving up a single second of that special attention.

After that, my old friend Karol put on something silly music and started kind of dancing. Bill got up from his chair and DANCED with her. No kidding...smiling and bouncing. He was so charming and his movements were reminiscent of the graceful, elegant man he once was. I wondered if he thought Karol was Martha. She is short and so was Martha...and she might have seemed sort of 'right'. It was absolutely apparent that Bill was having FUN. BUT...that wasn't the best part. A miracle happened. We started singing old songs. Karol (in another genius move) said "what's a good baritone song", as we looked down the karaoke list. We settled on and started singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot...and Bill began to sing. There was understanding in his eyes...he *knew* that song. He struggled with the first words... but by the time we got to "coming for to carry me home"...he was singing in his full, rich, 20 years ago baritone. On that last phrase, he used the perfect amount of 'ritard' to make the music sing...and his singing of the last word, "home", was so round and resonant and in tune. He even sort of hummed through the 'm' like good singers do. So the rest of us just stood there and bawled. Oh my lord...I've *never* seen anything as glorious in my life.

We went on to sing Amazing Grace with him, and "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain". And then he toddled off to take a nap. I will never be the same. Music is magic. God invented it and brought Karol to the party to make sure we used His invention to accomplish a little healing in the broken hearts of a wonderful family. Quite possibly the most convicting day of my entire life to date. I have taken so much for granted over the years. Got to stop that.