New rogue hhcg/hcg thread for week of April 30, 2012

[dazygyrl]

peeking out of lurkdom to see if anyone has ever heard form paula since those tornados? i haven't seen her post since before those. sure hope she is alright.

[minimonkey]

DAZY! I miss seeing your lovely face on a regular basis!

And no, I haven't heard a thing from Paula -- I was thinking about her yesterday, and worrying.... I really, really hope she is ok!

[dazygyrl]

hey, mini...so sweet of you to say. i'm around. was doing juddd, but have stepped back from that as i was starting to feel obsessive. hate that feeling. trying to go with IE for now. only weighing once a week, too.

i, too, hope paula is well.

[minimonkey]

I am going to be starting JUDDD in p3. I hope it doesn't make me obsess (well, any more than I usually obsess about everything) -- I suspect it'll be okay.

Hope the IE is working for you, and that you find peace with eating and with your body!!!

[RileyWorm]

Mini - yes it is the It Works wraps! My cousin wants to start selling it - she is really into fitness/exercise/diet stuff, and she really believes in this stuff. I am already signed up to host her first party (even though I have not even tried it yet but want to support her anyway)....Lynne, from what I can tell they are more like patches but the stomach ones do actually wrap around your whole tummy, I think. You apparently can cut them for your arms or legs, and there are smaller ones for your neck.
Like Mini said, from my understanding they are more to help drain your lymph system and excess water, which I am hoping will help cellulite since I have heard this is the main cause of it! I plan to take my own before and after pics, and they also measure you too. I will be sure to post my results (if any !)
Mini, have you heard anything about the contouring gel that they also sell? I'm wanting to try that as well maybe. If the wrap works...

And oh my I didn't realize that no one has heard from Paula since the tornado! I hope everything is ok, I sure wish there was a way to know for sure!!

[minimonkey]

I don't know anyone who has tried the contouring gel -- there's a lot of hype about it from people pushing the product, but that tells us very little.

I am so interested to hear your results! I know someone on another board who went to a wrap party, and then was totally a believer in the product... she swears it works wonders!

I do hope you get great results!

From what I understand about cellulite, it is a combination of things... part of it is the skin structure -- fibrous bands that are tight in places and not present in others, that cause fat to poke through unevenly -- and thin/less elastic skin in general allows this to be more visible. Lymph fluid accumulation makes the problem a lot worse.

I know that with this last bout of inflammation, my cellulite went from minimal to horrible very, very quickly -- so the fluid accumulation is definitely a part of the picture. It is now back down to a dull roar, but there's still a lot of room for improvement!

Come on, goal weight .. I want to see you again very soon

[goddesslynne]

Well, I'm headed back in the right direction, but ever so slowly.

I notice when I eat way less I'm cold!! I sleep in a hoodie!! No hot flashes at all, kind-of crazy!

I'm truly fascinated by the whole starvation theory. For the most part, I don't believe it, but not in a stuck-up, opinionated way. I just can't believe with all the pounds of fat on my body that there could possibly be a slow-down of my metabolism. Believe me, 140 is a VERY conservative goal. I'll look fine, but I will be barely in the "normal weight" category for my height, and especially for my frame size. I chose this goal because it will be an even 100 below my start weight, but mostly because I think and hope I can maintain it without heroic measures. I actually want to get to 138, so my window will be 136-140. then, I can get strong and fit, lift lots of weights, wear all my clothes and be normal, right? No nude photos, but I will be able to hold my head high!

I have renewed hope that I can at least be in the 140's by my vacation...barely!!

[julieboolie]

Lynn- Love your last post!! That's about how I feel too!! I'm thinking/planning for another round the end of July/early Aug (less social temptation there, quiet life for a change!!) and would like to get to 138-140 to be able to maintain in the low 140's, w/ exercise, w/o "heroic" measures too!! We can do it!!

Originally Posted by minimonkey

Julie!!!!!!

Good for you for having a heck of a refeed! Sounds like you enjoyed it, and that is the best part of all Rock on with the workout too!

It is crazy to me that a body can put on that much weight so quickly, but mine surely did its share of that the last two months. The good news is that we are catching it now and correcting, in whatever form that takes.

I am going to be starting JUDDD at the end of this round. I know it didn't work out the greatest for you, or Paula, but it seems others have done wonderfully with it, and I want to try it. I'm determined to make recurring rounds of hcg a thing of the past -- I need to find a more sustainable way of controlling my weight. JUDDD with p3 foods sounds excellent as a starting place, and I will see if I can add some good carbs in from there and remain stable.

I will also be resuming workouts, slowly, this week, and working up to hitting the weights in earnest in p3. Man, I miss that more than I can say!

Even if I don't make goal this round, I may not extend it, or at least not for very long. I guess I will see when I am closer to reaching the end. I suspect I'd be better off doing another p2 entirely, after a break, than to drag this one on too long.

Yes, it was a fun refeed!! I think my body was happy for the reassurance it's gotten in the month of May. Btw my vaca and my bday weekend, my body should have no fears I'm trying to starve it . You're doing well!! In the "zone" it seems. Good for you. Glad the scale is rewarding you. I think a short/normal length round, w/ good P3/P4 break adn then a final round down the road would be a good idea. Those long rounds just deplete your body so much and keep you from the exercise too. Just my $0.02. Hope JUDDD works well for you. Mentally, for me, the regular sense of restriction and deprivation of DD's did me more harm than good. Created a sense of entitlement and indulgence on my UD's. It's not good for my psyche to deprive myself regularly. LC works better for me, as I don't really care as much about sugar and starch, and like knowing I can eat to satisfaction. Plus, I love fat . Hope you have a strong day and the scale is your friend!!

Originally Posted by goddesslynne

Hope it's great!! Yes, I'm an esthetician and massage therapist!!

Ooh, would love to come see you!! I'm getting a massage today (mother's day gift). It's been so long. 90 minutes too!! Can't wait!! Dd (8) was up early throwing up poor little thing. She's asleep now, and seems ok. My older dd is babysitting while I go to my massage. I hope I can still make it!!

I'm doing well!! I'm planning a steak or burger CD today. Still up 6lbs from where I want to be. But I am sore from the weight training I've been doing. The soreness hopefully is about 5lbs worth . Nah, I know better. But, sore is a good sign to me that I'm challenging my body!! I can see a bit difference in my legs already, and my arms/shoulders. My clothes aren't reinforcing it, yet , but I feel good!!

[julieboolie]

Mini-I know you already know about the Weight-Loss Apocalypse book. I bought it (finally) last night on kindle store. It's quite good. She does measurements, and metabolic testing on her clients b/4 and after hcg rounds, and the results are wonderful. Just an idea! I look forward to reading it b/4 my final round.

[goddesslynne]

Julie, enjoy your massage!!!

I look forward to reading your review of Weight Loss Apocalypse! I've resisted purchasing it since I'm so very rogue, not sure how applicable it will be to my situation.

I'm enjoying my tiny treat for the day...a 2nd cuppa with 1T of hwc!!

I've been a bit sore from strength training as well. I started the "Lean" phase of ChaLEAN Extreme on Monday. I'm not sure if I described this before, but I think mini was asking. ChaLEAN Extreme is a strength training dvd series from Beachbody. There are 3 phases, 4 weeks each: Burn, Push, Lean. Burn is simple, single exercises designed to acclimate the body to weights and teach good form. 10-12 reps to failure. Push is much harder. Single exercises, heavier weights. 6-8 reps to failure along with breakdown sets of 3 super-slow reps. Lean is combo moves to engage the core, a bit lighter, back to 10-12 reps to failure along with breakdown sets. The dvd set comes with cardio workouts that I'm not using right now. In all the phases there are 3 separate workouts. I do them M/W/F since that works for my schedule.

I've had this dvd set for over 2 years and used it off and on. One thing I like about Chalene Johnson is that, with very few exceptions, she's not annoying!! Even now, I enjoy her cuing and coaching.

[suzi7]

checking back in.. yes, I kinda disappeared for a week. Spent it in NC at my darling daughter's house on "vacation". Had a wonderful time but wireless/cell service at her place was impossible. Got sand in my purse still (not planned). dreading the return to reality today. (actually mentally planning a move south... lol. dream. dream. dream.)

first step of that "reality" facing. my weight today (after not weighing in all week) is down only 1.4 pounds. 155.2 BUT I figured it would be screwy (if what I read is true) cuz I was seriously dehydrated yesterday from the long drive home (which took longer than expected due to SOMEONE (oops) getting lost 4 times (once following the dang GPS! but then my phone died so I navigated by road sign) and not eating right (didn't "sin" but not careful with portions, proteins, etc.) for the last week. So I am going to be a good girl today. and drink lots of water. and check again tomorrow.

second was... I crashed upon coming home last night and went to bed EWWWY from the trip. Got up this morning and HAD to have a shower. but forgot that I turned off the hot water tank before I went. sigh. That will wake you up fast!

No hHgc today. waiting for the UPS man... I will be at day 21 VLC tomorrow. and I have decided to go the distance. I've only lost (as of today) 9.8 pounds. BUT it is 9.8 pounds more than the last three diets I've tried the last 6 months. lol

I am also following the skincare posts. just time to read a couple and very interested. Will have to come back later and chat and research. More cool stuff to try. lol (tomorrow I have my first professional micro-dermabrasion scheduled and LED treatment. figured after the week on the beach, my poor skin could use it!)

know that you've all been in thoughts.

got to go face life. shower. frig is empty. catch up on my garden. mundane stuff like that.

ttyl
Suzi

[goddesslynne]

Great to see you, Suzi!! Congrats on the weight release!! Being out-of-town can be so challenging!! I'm sure once your back in your routine and well hydrated you will see even more progress!

[privatediva]

Lynne, just to be clear, "starvation mode" doesn't have anything to do with actually starving. It's a defense mechanism from the old days when we went long periods of time without the successful ability to hunt and gather. Think of it as metabolic hybernation. The bear eats a boatload of food, has a lot of excess padding, then when he stops eating because he's sleeping during the time he couldn't find anything to eat, his metabolism slows to a crawl in order to conserve fat. Even sleeping burns enough calories over the course of several months that were it not for the body's innate ability to conserve, the bear would starve. So...you can be on the chubby side and be in "starvation mode. " If your bod isn't responding to VLCD for a protracted period of time with the loss of pounds, it's really about the only physiological explanation that makes any sense.

[minimonkey]

Morning, wonderful ladies!

No change on the scale this morning (I did get on it, after waffling a bit) so I am hauling out the fat fast for a day or two.

Mostly coconut bark and coconut milk, with the tiniest little smidgeon of almond butter smeared on the bark -- and I will keep the calories to 1000 or less.

It would be nice to see that scale start moving again. I know this isn't even a real stall, but still... it's a short round (probably) and I want results, darn it

[CherylB]

I just posted this on my journal so I'm sharing it here so as not to have to retype it. I haven't read all the posts yet so give me time to get caught up! I had x-rays yesterday of my entire spine and both hips due to pain. Now the Doc ordered me some muscle relaxers. Said no to MRI, which is what Tammy ("Tay") said I should ask for. So, I'll be flopping all around on top of the horse tomorrow during my lesson, but I'll be pain-free! Hope I can pull it off. If the instructor finds out I'm "under the influence" of something like that, that will be the end of my lessons.

Originally Posted by CherylB

Have the results from the x-rays but I don't know if they will order the MRI. As I figured, it only shows mild Osteopenia in my sacral spine, bilateral hips show nothing (left hip is the one that hurts) and the lumbar spine shows nothing. "They're normal, Cheryl! Great news!" No. Not great news, honey. I wouldn't have gone to the Dr if I felt good.

So I'll call them and ask about the MRI but I hate those. In the meantime, I will wear a bra 24/7 (not super busty but it might help to harness those suckers.) I will be more conscious of my posture and take Motrin on a schedule. I will start to exercise and improve my health in that way. It's high-time I did regular exercise, anyway.

I will use not only the pain for incentive but the horse lessons. I won't get much out of the $$ I'm putting into the lessons if I'm not fit enough to practice what I'm being taught. Sometimes I think I should just put the lessons off for this season but I know that's not a great move. I need that weekly reminder that I have to face this issue and take control of my health.

It can't be managed by diet alone. I'm at the stage in my weight loss journey where it is imperative. I kept saying, "When I break the 200's" or "When I'm this or that." It's all just procrastination and putting things on the proverbial "back burner."

And I'm so tired of having the same old clothes to wear! I refuse to buy more clothes and I can't get under the 70's the way I keep screwing around with my diet. I was doing GREAT up until Mother's Day when I had two lite beers when we went out for dinner. Then that was it. I got the taste for beer again and that has been my weakness ever since. I've had a few other mishaps but as of last night, I went hog-wild, like I was on a load.

I have the rest of all that food and drink to take out May in style, then I'm going to really focus in June. I want to see how slim I can get by my nephew's wedding on the 30th. But more than that, I want to see how much pain I can get rid of!

It's lovely today! A/C's are off, windows are open, grass was mowed this morning as I slept, and there's a wonderful breeze blowing. Sunny, mid-70's, my kind of day.

I bought two goldfish a week ago (or less) and they love me! They get all excited when I walk by! Tropical fish don't do that. They are in a small, thick crystal bowl and when they start spending too much time at the surface (gulping air), I take them to the kitchen sink. I run the tap water until it feels like the same temp as the water they are in, then I let the water just run into the bowl and flush out the old stale water. They love it! I plug the sink so if one slips out it won't be disastrous. I need to do that about every other day. I then add a little bit of that stuff that makes tap water safe. (City water has all those things like chlorine and crap. I filter my drinking water in a Brita filter.)

Let's see. What else is new? Well, today is the only day I have NOTHING on my schedule and I'm taking full advantage of it. I'm staying in my PJ's (until I go out and do a bit of weeding which I told the landlady I'd do.)

I'm in a terrible sleeping pattern again and it's only going to get worse. I'm so used to taking more than one sleeping pill that I'm going to be running out of Restoril in about a week. I want to save two for the night before the wedding so I can at least get a good sleep the night before that special day but I don't know if I can exercise that kind of control.

I am up until around 3 am or so then sleep until 1 or 2 pm. (2pm today.) It's already 3:30 and I'm just finishing my first cup of coffee. What a waste of a beautiful day.

When I saw the Dr yesterday, I told him (though he was doing something else on the computer and I don't know if he even heard me) that I don't want him to renew my script for Restoril. I can't refill them without a renewal and I don't want him to refill them even if I do ask him to later on at a weak moment. Enough is enough! I've been taking sleeping pills for far too many years.

So, after today and finishing all the beer and food from yesterday, I'm going to go back to the diet I was eating before, which was basically eggs and cheese and cream in my coffee. Sauteed veggies in my scrambled eggs, etc. I have been eating more things like burgers, hot dogs, fish, etc and I find that it's more of a chore than a delight. I have a pork tenderloin that I defrosted. I know you aren't supposed to refreeze food but I'm going to do it. I'll freeze the rest of the fish I have, too.

In other news, I've been getting terrible bug bites at the farm. Monday and Tuesday were so terribly hot and the bugs were unmerciful. I'm still scratching the bites and it's Thursday! Monday I wore no protection, Tuesday I was covered with bug spray even on areas that were going to be clothed. Each bite has a little scab on it, like a bee sting. And anti-itching creams do nothing to help them. It is enough to make you want to wear clothes that cover every inch of your body, even though it's 90 degrees outside. Maybe if I eat more garlic. They actually add it to the horses' grain and it's to decrease the bugs. Don't think it helps them much at all.

I haven't weighed in the past two days but I was 177 at the Dr's office, fully clothed (no shoes.) So I'm up about 5 lbs through all my shenanigans. June is coming. May is behind me! And I managed to make that move into my duplex, against all odds.

Sorry I keep jumping from subject to subject. I'm scattered today and I have to stop and think what else to say. I know I haven't been around much at all and I want this to be all-encompassing.

I will be taking my riding lesson tomorrow, even with the tailbone injury from last week and even with the pains in my left hip and back. Oh freakin well! Life must be lived.

I'm thinking of picking up a few mornings at the farm for just the first few weeks that I've run out of sleeping pills. Just stay up all night and work my tail off at the farm, then come home and stay busy, then go to bed at 10 pm. Do that for a few days and I'm bound to reset.

I'm going to make a few other rules. No caffeine after 12 noon. No water or other fluids (except to take pills) after 9pm. That will be a hard one. All I know is when I've been drinking beer, that's why I've been getting up at 3 or 4 in the morning. To PEE! Water doesn't do that to me, so maybe just taking beer out of the equation will fix that problem.

Ramble-ramble! Okay. I just called the Dr's office and said I wanted an MRI. They are going to see if he'll order it and then I have to come in and sign something that will be faxed and then I can go to a place for an open MRI. I'm not super claustrophobic but open is fine by me.

Well, I guess that's enough for one post. I'll do another one if I forgot something. Hugs and love to all!!! Sorry I've been MIA. Will try and do better in JUNE!

[CherylB]

Great to see you again, Carrie! I was just thinking of you and Noah today. Even before I signed onto LCF. Is that Noah in the Avi with you? Nice hair he's got going on!!! How is he doing? Is it all over now? God, I hope so.

[dazygyrl]

Originally Posted by CherylB

Great to see you again, Carrie! I was just thinking of you and Noah today. Even before I signed onto LCF. Is that Noah in the Avi with you? Nice hair he's got going on!!! How is he doing? Is it all over now? God, I hope so.

So sweet of you, Cheryl to think of us.

that's actually my ella girl with me in my avi.

Noah has just 2 big treatments left. Tomorrow and June 22nd. not that he is counting down or anything. and still no hair for him yet.

[minimonkey]

Cheryl, do be careful riding while on muscle relaxants .. I really wouldn't recommend it. Not only can it affect one's judgment, but it can also lead to doing further damage to the body -- you don't feel the pain at the time, but the muscles are still strained, and then working them too hard can just make it worse.

I'm sorry to hear you are hurting!

Oh, and as long as I am on my soapbox... for goodness sake, protect yourself from insects! Half of the horses at your last placement had Lyme.. that should tell you a thing or two about Lyme and stables.... believe me, you DO NOT want to get this disease!

Fat fast day went fine -- I think I came in close to target on calories. I'll be going back to the regular protocol tomorrow though, because I am really missing my fruits and veggies...

TOM appears to be starting, so that is no-doubt going to mess with my weigh-in number tomorrow -- hmph. As many of you know, I generally don't even bother weighing while on TOM, but I might anyhow .. if I do, I will take it with a big grain of salt.

Dazy -- thanks for the update on Noah, and it is SO nice to see you more regularly! I am excited that he is nearly done with treatment.

[goddesslynne]

OK, can we talk for a minute again about coconut oil?

I'd like to include some in my program. I'm thinking of starting with a teaspoon in the morning coffee, and gradually work up to 1T.

Thoughts? Opinions? Cautions?

[minimonkey]

There are plenty of people who will caution you against this, but I find it actually seems to HELP losses for me. It definitely raises my body temperature, and that must be a good thing, since I tend to run really low normally, and even more so when restricting calories.

I love my coconut oil -- and I really hate to give it up, even for the duration of a p2.

I say give it a try, particularly since you are stalled anyhow, and showing signs of metabolic slowing down... maybe this will really help. It also helps a lot with hunger and cravings for me.

[CherylB]

Dazy, that's so great that Noah's almost done! I thought it was a bit wild for him to have such a lush head of hair already but it looked like it could be him.

Mini, I do hear you and I will be careful. I took the first muscle relaxer tonight and feel absolutely no different in any way whatsoever. Not concerned but will be cautious. This is no magic pill for what is ailing me. Clearly it's not muscular then, right?????

Yeah, the damn bugs and Lyme and all that good rot. And tonight I opened my door to let my dog outside to do her last nightly business and one of the scary looking spiders that have built an elaborate web near my flood light accidentally came inside and was dangling by one thread! I saw it and started to freak. Scrambling for a jar with a lid so I could trap him and check him out to see what the heck kind he was. I did find a glass but no lid. He's now trapped inside a brandy glass with tin foil over the top. Tomorrow I will see what it is. I might not sleep tonight if it turns out to be a Brown Recluse or something. They are meaty suckers.

Lynne, will stay out of the VCO debate. I have nothing good to say about it. Many others love it but it makes me bloat and gain and stop losing until I stop taking it.

Off to bed now. Riding lesson tomorrow! Will be careful and hopefully "loose."

[minimonkey]

Oh! And speaking of cravings... I think my dairy cravings are finally subsiding. That is the one thing I really, really crave when I give it up - but I seem to be doing okay the last few days. Probably all the more reason TO give it up, or at least limit it pretty seriously.

I do think I am starting to get addicted to apple cider vinegar, lol. I craved that as a kid, weirdly enough, and my mom had to keep me from drinking it straight out of the bottle....

I've been doing a lot of the vinegar/lemon concoction this round, and I seriously love the stuff. Thank goodness that is supposed to be a really good thing to be consuming.

[minimonkey]

Cheryl, I hope it isn't a brown recluse... if it is, take it outside, tip the glass over, and bolt! I was bitten by one of those as a teen (I was at summer camp) and MAN did it leave a weeping hole in my arm, even with antibiotics. Made me sick as a dog, too.

Muscle relaxants don't affect me much, either -- but the do affect some people quite a lot. If it isn't helping the pain, that does hint that perhaps the pain isn't muscular, for sure... but still be careful. I don't want to see your pain get any worse.

[minimonkey]

Cheryl -- I'm sure this has been suggested many, many times... but have you considered that your reaction to VCO is perhaps yeast die off?

Obviously, it might just be that you are sensitive to the oil itself, but it is such a potent antifungal ... and bloating and gaining are such classic die-off symptoms... it's a thought that might be worth considering. Take it or leave it.

[goddesslynne]

I had a T. of apple cider vinegar in my water this morning, mini. Do you think that's enough?

I will start with the CO tomorrow!! So excited!!

[minimonkey]

My Nerium shipped, and is scheduled for delivery on Monday!!!!!!!!!!!

I drink a ton of ACV -- I'm not sure how much is needed for a therapeutic effect though.

Good luck with the coconut oil!

[minimonkey]

I ended up going over my calories today for the FF... I may still see a good result though, as that has happened before to me.

Looking forward to getting back to fruits and veggies tomorrow!

Super PMSy, so I will probably just stay off the scale for a few days until the worst of that has passed. Maybe TOM will take ten pounds with him when he decides to leave, lol!

[DisneyPrincess]

Hello everyone. Just checking in to see how you all are. Doing well here. Anxiously awaiting my first ultrasound on Monday. Feeling slightly better though still have some awful days and am terribly exhausted.

[goddesslynne]

Oh happy day!!

I had a little drop, even w/out a visit from Bernice!!

And, my Nerium is going to be delivered today!! Squeeeeeee!!

I'm going to do a little more research about the ACV.

I just had coffee w/ 1 tsp. of CO and I'll be exercising in a little bit. I'm feeling like this is going to be a great day!!

[minimonkey]

YAHOOO on the drop, Lynne -- you deserve it!!!!!!! How exciting about the Nerium delivery -- we are going to look fantastic, I just know it.

TOM starting or no, I got a .8 drop from my fat fast, and that makes me really, really happy! It's back to veggies and fruits for me today.

Thinking about extending the round a little, if I don't get to goal on the short round... I would SO love to see 105 again, and I am now less than ten pounds from that, even WITH TOM arriving -- so I think it can be done

I won't go over the 40 days though, that much I know for sure.