~~ Rogue/Alternative HCG/hHCG plans for week of 8.26.12~~

[CherylB]

I'm so happy to have such great company on this round! Mini, I hope you can get a handle on those 20 lbs. I can't picture you wearing 20 more lbs on your little frame. You must be quite unhappy in your skin right now. I HEAR THAT! I can NOT believe I put all these lbs back on me. I'm not over 200 but way too close for comfort. I never thought I'd be above 190 ever again, even at my worst.

I did my second farm day today and I got chewed alive! I have welts all over my face and neck; mainly the back of my neck and all over my forehead and temple regions. And I used bug spray; several times! I felt like my face was blowing up into one huge hive by the time I was leaving to go.

I groomed FOUR horses today. It just wastes me to groom that many in a couple of hours. It takes all my upper body strength and endurance to do a good job. I feel like I'm in a car wash and doing nothing but vans!

I had my two meals today and then I ate a small tomato off my one tomato plant and ate a nice orange after dinner. According to the OWL plan, (revised for 2012), I can have three servings of fruit if I don't drink any alcoholic beverage. I will have a second fruit and then call it a night.

Can't wait to see what the scale has to say tomorrow! I am hoping I'll be out of the 90's. I am so READY!

[CherylB]

PS: I'm going to do some swimming at the gym tomorrow. I like to take it easy the day before and the day after my two farm days. I think muscles appreciate a break. Then I'll do the weights and cardio on Thursday.

[pendragginp]

Struggling....

Oh well, tomorrow (wait - today!) is another day. With no mistakes in it.

[minimonkey]

Well, day one down, and it wasn't bad. Came in right about 800 cals I think. A bit hungry tonight, but nothing to get upset about.

Yeah, Cheryl, I am definitely feeling a bit uncomfortable in my skin, to be sure (though I have been even heavier than this, by nearly 30 lbs, when I was at my worst with the Lyme). I actually wear this weight surprisingly well, for someone of my frame and stature. Being muscular helps a lot in that regard. What I am not wearing is most of my clothes, and that is truly annoying!

Hoping for some nice losses up front with this round -- the sooner the better, I say!

I had a good start to the semester, and feel like I am finally making some forward progress in my life in general ... so am hoping the same holds true with my body goals.

I'm pretty resigned to the idea that I'll have to stay low calorie in maintenance, at least for quite a while ... the last few failed attempts to maintain have taught me that I rebound horribly if I increase calories by very much after hitting goal.

I think I can live with that a lot more easily than I can live with the extra weight, though, at this point in my life.

[minimonkey]

Rock on with the gym, Cheryl!

Plum, sorry to hear you are struggling

Glad to have you ladies on this journey with me -- and I hope we are all rewarded by nice scale numbers for a while

[pendragginp]

I'm glad you had a good day, mini!

Onward and downward ladies!

[Gracie514]

Great job everyone! Scale going down for me too - it was 3.0 lbs. this morning. I'm happy about it but still just relosing the same pounds over and over and over ..... Not sure why I punish myself?

Cheryl, swimming sounds wonderful!

Mini, I'm also uncomfortable where I am right now. TOM is on the horizon too which only makes it worse

Suzi, best of luck!

Pendra, today is a new day

Yesterday's Menu
B: coffee/ half-n-half/ equal
L: ground turkey burger/mushrooms/mustard
Snack: gala apple
D: ground turkey sauteed with onions.

Lots of water and one huge Powerade Zero.

[CherylB]

Plum, . I really hope things go better for you today. I had many attempts at hhcg after the first really long one that seemed so easy and I understand that you really have to be ready for it. You can't "fake it 'til you make it" on this plan. Give it your all today, eat things that are satisfying to you (I love my version of P2 chili) and see if you can find your happy place.

Mini, WTG on the happiness academically! That must be quite a relief after last semester. I remember how you struggled to make the "upper crust" happy with your paper and no one seemed to be "on the same page." (No pun intended. They just happen sometimes.) I hate when my clothes no longer fit! I remember how comfy they were and how happy I was wearing them. I'm getting back there, very soon!

Gracie, if you can lose 3 lbs and still have half-and-half in your coffee, my hat's off to you, woman! I have been loving my iced coffees this summer but without cream, no way in Hell am I drinking those. I'm going to buy some lemons and switch over to iced teas.

I'm down another 2.4! I'm out of the 90's in just 2 days! I tried for several weeks on No S to do that very thing, and I just couldn't. I'm so THANKFUL that I was finally ready for another round of hhcg, and that my pellets that are over a year old are still alive and well.

I have nothing on my agenda today. I'm sore and I may just take the day off and do nothing but domestic things. I am POOPED and deserve a little rest after two farm days. I know that rest is when the muscles recover and get stronger. So I think "rest it is"!!

It's a lovely day and all the a/c's are off and the windows are open. I love these months when you can just stop trying to control the climate with air conditioners and heaters and just enjoy what's out there. Long Live Autumn! (Please!)

Have a terrific day, ladies!!!

[verbqueen]

Morning, ladies! I'm back after playing hooky from LCF for the last six or seven weeks! (And playing hooky from my normal eating habits and regaining some weight, too.)

I'm starting a new hcg round today. I loaded yesterday (I figured one day of loading was probably enough, since I've been loading for a month and a half, haha.)

I'm really looking forward to the challenge of a new round. I always enjoy it once I get into the swing of things.

I hope to come in and post several times a day. I always do better when I'm active on the board, I've found.

Thanks for the invite, Cheryl!

[Dedee62]

I have to ask. Why are some of you only loading for 1 day? The two-day loading is of utmost importance. Please enlighten me as I have not been on the protocol for the last 3 years.

[minimonkey]

Whoohoo on those nice drops, Gracie and Cheryl!

Dedee -- I've done rounds where I've loaded and rounds where I haven't, and I honestly haven't found there to be much difference (except that the first couple of lbs I lose when loading are the load weight.) I haven't found that loading makes for a better round, less hunger, or anything else, really.

Speaking of loading, the .6 lbs I gained on my 1 mini-load day is gone today, so I guess I am off to the races. (Very slow races, probably, lol!)

Still, it feels good to be doing something, and I will just take it 1 day at a time. I don't really stress the small ups and downs on the scale at this point.

I'll take any losses I can get -- small and slow beats no losses by a fair margin!

Woke up with next to no hunger, and that alone is a good sign -- I'm definitely feeling the effects of the hhcg already. Now, just to stick to this one day at a time.

[Gracie514]

Originally Posted by Dedee62

I have to ask. Why are some of you only loading for 1 day? The two-day loading is of utmost importance. Please enlighten me as I have not been on the protocol for the last 3 years.

I only loaded with hhcg on Sunday but believe me, I've been loading for days before that! I couldn't stand another day of loading and my hunger has been A-OKAY.

ETA ~ And we are a "Rogue" group - not 100% Simeons

[Gracie514]

Well, well, well, guess who just showed up? TOM!!! Sheesh on LCD #3 I hope the TOM cravings stay away from me!!! I wasn't due until Sunday so I think the hcg is probably causing the early TOM.

[minimonkey]

I've had major TOM wackiness since starting hhcg/hcg a couple of years ago -- never have been sure if it is the hcg, or just perimenopause, causing it.

My doc just put me on BHRT to regulate my cycles, so we'll see if that helps keep it from getting so weird this time.

At least you can get TOM out of the way early, and hopefully just get it over with -- right?

[minimonkey]

I've also been eating without restriction, for about a month, which is why I felt a load wasn't necessary. If I had been restricting for a while, I think I would have loaded.

[Gracie514]

Originally Posted by minimonkey

I've had major TOM wackiness since starting hhcg/hcg a couple of years ago -- never have been sure if it is the hcg, or just perimenopause, causing it.

My doc just put me on BHRT to regulate my cycles, so we'll see if that helps keep it from getting so weird this time.

At least you can get TOM out of the way early, and hopefully just get it over with -- right?

Yeah, it's nice to get it out of the way. Plus, at least I know that PMS is over, right? I've been kind of cranky and tired the past couple days too. Hoping after TOM to get my energy back.

[Gracie514]

Originally Posted by minimonkey

I've also been eating without restriction, for about a month, which is why I felt a load wasn't necessary. If I had been restricting for a while, I think I would have loaded.

ME TOO

[CherylB]

Bummer about TOM showing up! I hope he goes away soon. If you have a slow-down on the scale, please place all the blame on HIM and keep the faith and just keep going strong.

I had a wild afternoon so far. Some old man tripped and fell in my driveway and was on his hands and knees for a couple of minutes before some ladies walking by found him. I didn't see him and didn't know anything was wrong until I heard a lot of talking going on and I looked outside. I wrote all about it on my journal thread, but I'll copy and paste it here:

Originally Posted by CherylB

Wow, ladies. I had a very weird thing happen around noon today. I had just finished eating my lunch and I heard some people talking outside. They didn't leave so I got up to peak out the window. There was a man down on all fours in my driveway and a few people there with him. I was still in my PJ's so I just threw on a bra and put my PJ top back on and headed out there.

They got him up on his feet but he was scraped up and bloody. He had an egg-sized hematoma on his right forearm and some blood from jamming his right hand ring finger into the pavement. He also had blood on his forehead. I went and got him a chair and placed it in the shade. We assessed him for pain and if he'd lost consciousness. He said he hadn't and he didn't have any pain. The ladies who found him said he'd been on his hands and knees for a few minutes and that others had walked by and hadn't stopped.

The ladies had already called 911 and as I was going inside to get a wet paper towel and a little water for him to drink (and a bag of ice for his forearm), the ambulance came up (sirens blaring.) He wasn't supposed to have some water but come on! He was clearly in need of water after walking from his home to the Dunkin Donuts and turning around to walk back home.

They checked his orientation, his blood sugar, his BP, etc. Turns out his glucose was in the 40's which was a large part of the problem. (His pressure was 200/90's, too.) They gave him a tube of glucose orally but those things are like peeing in the wind. I went in the house after they rechecked his sugar and it hadn't gone up even a little. I had no sugar or juice but found some honey. I poured some into a cup and had him feed himself with a spoon. We had to keep reminding him to eat it. He was not diaphoretic but clearly not thinking straight. He was repetitive with what he was saying. (At one point I went inside and actually got dressed!)

The second tube of glucose and the honey got him up into the 114 range. He didn't want to go to the hospital so I said I would drive him home and make sure he ate something. The Paramedic suggested a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Richard" had bread but neither PB or Jelly. I packed a jar of PB and my honey to take to his house and I made him a sandwich. As he sat eating it, I called his niece and got her voicemail. I told her what had happened and that he was home now. I gave her my cell number so she could call me and get the full story. I haven't heard back from her yet. (I left the PB and Honey there for him.)

It made me feel like a nurse again and it also made me feel that God had him fall in MY driveway rather than someone else's driveway because I was able to help him. Both of my upstairs neighbors were home and they had to have seen the whole thing going on, at least after the ambulance came. He is an EMT, too. But neither of them came out or even asked me about it after I returned from bringing him home. They are still pissed at me over the whole computer modem thing. What imbeciles! That just shows their true character. This was the PERFECT opportunity to patch things up. Oh, well.

I wrote down Richard's number and I'll call him later to make sure he's okay. I thought of giving him mine but thought that might open a can of worms that I couldn't close later on.

I'm feeling pretty good about myself right now and I think I'm going to head to the gym for that swim after all!

[pendragginp]

Originally Posted by minimonkey

I've also been eating without restriction, for about a month, which is why I felt a load wasn't necessary. If I had been restricting for a while, I think I would have loaded.

And me! I have stayed in a five lb window though, thankfully.

Great losses for people! Yay!

[CherylB]

Note to self: Don't go to the gym after 3 pm.

I went to swim but it was open to all; kids and adults. There are two lap lanes and then a larger open section, where a couple of adults and about 5 grade-school-aged kids. One was teaching some of the others how to swim. At first I got in and just tried to swim in the large area, along the boundary floaty thing. But I felt odd so I got out and went to sit in the hot tub and wait. But the two die-hards in the lap lanes were not going anywhere.

I got out and sat in a chair and clearly came across as someone who was waiting. I waited about 30 minutes then gave up and got back into the larger section with the kids and adults. I didn't swim long and then I got out and went to the sauna. Took a shower and got the heck out of there, wiser than I was before.

Another note to self: Bring a small bottle of shampoo! They have dispensers of soap in the showers but no idea which does what. None of them seem to be good for hair so I just have to pack my own shampoo. I only shower there on pool days.

But at least I went! I enjoy going and I want to keep stoking that fire.

I ate my one meal at noon and then when I came home from the gym, I ate an orange. I'm now baking up some zucchini in the toaster oven. I hope it comes out good! I sprayed the pan with Pam and then sliced the zuke lengthwise into strips, then salted and spritzed with zero calorie butter spray. Yummy!

How is everyone else doing today?

[verbqueen]

Dedee, I have to agree with Mini--I've done a lot of rounds, and I never notice much difference in hunger levels whether I load or whether I don't, and since I, too, have been doing about six weeks of unrestricted eating, i didn't feel a 2-day load was going to be helpful for me. I was just ready to get started.

Cheryl, you were an angel of mercy today! Hooray for you!

I haven't done much today. I've been waiting ALL DAY for Home Depot's service department to call me. We bought new toilets, and I'm waiting for the service people to set an appointment to come out and install them. They called Monday while I was taking my daughter out to lunch on her birthday. Yesterday, I left the house for ten minutes to drive to the late-pick-up mailbox down the hill from me, and they called while I was gone. They don't leave a number to call back, just a recording that says "we'll call back later." So I've been sitting by the phone all day, and no call. AAAARRGGHHHHH!

However, the good news is that I'm not a bit hungry. I ate two thin slices of bacon when I got up, and a piece of sirloin and half an apple about an hour ago. (Hey, I don't deny being rogue.) I will probably eat some more lean meat of some sort and a veggie later.

Now--I'm going to phone Home Depot and see what gives.

[CherylB]

How frustrating! Should give them your cell number and keep it close at hand. I hate all that waiting. And you're right. They always call during the few minutes you are away from the phone.

Hope you like your new toilets. Or should I call them "thrones"? Wow! You really are rogue! I'm doing the OWL plan that has been updated for 2012. It allows more fruit and veggies than I think it did before, but maybe I just wasn't using my noggin the first round. I never ate veggies in the first round. I didn't care much for the WF dressings and I had canned tomatoes in my ground beef so I just called that my veggie.

But those zucchini's were GREAT!!! Having those regularly, as long as they don't mess me up. And since I'm not having the popcorn, the veggies are the only things I'll be using the zero cal butter spray on.

[verbqueen]

Your zukes sound delicious! Hallie used to like to slice them lengthwise and grill them on the GFG, with soy sauce and lots of red pepper flakes. Hm....I think I'll go buy some tomorrow! Tonight I ate another piece of sirloin and a half a cup of green beans.

[CherylB]

I don't have a GFG. Actually, one of my sisters has several brand new ones and I offered her $20 for one (she got them for free at a casino) and she said they were worth so much more. She doesn't get the whole "retail vs us" selling crap. I thought $20 was a good offer.

I think they came out just great in the toaster oven on the little pan that goes into it. I just sprayed the pan well with Olive Oil flavored Pam, laid the slices out and salted them, then sprayed them with the ICBINB (butter spray). I was so amazed at how yummy they were. And I still have 3 zukes left to eat!

Off to bed now. Sleep tight, ladies! May we all have amazing moments on the scale tomorrow.

[minimonkey]

Wow, Cheryl, what an experience! That man is so fortunate that you were the one to help him. I'm glad you were able to put your skills to such good use, and really hope the man will be okay -- you are such a lovely, kind person!

Verb -- good luck with the 'throne' installation.

I'm equally rogue -- in fact, I'm on no plan at all, except that I am aiming to eat about 800 calories a day, and no sugar or gluten. I am definitely limiting my diet sodas these days, too -- but beyond that, I am simply sticking to whole foods that are nutritive.

Today went fine -- a little hunger this evening, but really not very much -- and so far my energy is good.

I'm having a flare up of Lyme symptoms right now, which is expected -- Lyme replicates on about a 3 week cycle, so when in treatment, one generally gets a die-off flare about once every three weeks, and then increasing periods of relief in between the flares, if all is going well. This is actually a good thing ... it means the herbs are doing the trick-- but I have sore, stiff knees right now, and a lot of inflammation in my tendons (hands, arms).

I'm also getting a rather major acne attack -- but this time it is on my chest and upper back, and not my face (thank goodness!) -- I think heat, stress, and new hormones are all playing into that -- and so long as it stays limited to areas I can easily cover, I won't complain too much. The facial acne is pretty much under control now, due to a diligent daily regimen of African Black Soap and sea salt in warm water -- I hope that continues to keep my face mostly clear.

I'm also wishing everyone a good night, and a wonderful encounter with the scale tomorrow!

[pendragginp]

Cheryl, yesterday on a break from work I just skimmed for losses and posted quickly; I went back just now to read more thoroughly and saw about the man in your driveway! How lucky for him that you were there!

So great that you went swimming and plan to go back. I envy you the sauna!

The zukes sound good! Did they crisp up?

Oh Jessica, OF COURSE they called when you were out! That's because Murphy is the law of the land! Better luck with it today!

Gracie, stinks about TOM! Makes you believe literally about the curse in the Garden, doesn't it!

Mini, I'm sorry about the Lyme flare. One of my good friends had Lyme and it was such a bear to deal with. (((Mini)))

I had a good day yesterday eating-wise, so I'm happy. I've mostly been having my chai tea in the morning with sf hazelnut creamer (REALLY feel deprived if I don't have that!) and then a big salad with lettuce and baby spinach, chicken, red onion, one hb egg, cukes split between the rest of the day - just eating at it whenever I felt hungry and had the time. I've been working so much this fits in well. I discovered though that the one WF dressing I really liked, the Creamy Bacon, had 40 cals and 4 grams of fat in 2tbls! I had not worried about how much I used before thinking they were all no cal/no carb! Thank goodness I found out early in the round!

Good Thursday everyone! Coming here to these boards really helps so much!

[Gracie514]

Cheryl ~ Wow, what an experience! I'm glad you knew what to do - I would've been lost! I panic in situations like that

Jessica ~ Hope you hear back from Home Depot soon. Figures as soon as you leave you get the call

Mini ~ Sometimes the hcg causes me to get a rash too. I think it's probably a detox rash and should be gone in a few days. The way I was eating before starting I should probably be getting one at any give minute!

Pendra ~ That's interesting about the WF dressing. I thought they were all Zero Calorie, Zero Carb, Zero Sugar? I just ordered some on Netritio- hope I didn't waste my money!!!

AFM ~ The scale was nice this morning and went down -1.6 Lbs. I suppose that's good with TOM here. I actually spotted yesterday but then nothing today I did have a headache and back cramps though so he should be showing up real soon. I need to work on getting in more water. I drank two huge Powerade Zeros yesterday and just 3 bottles of water. I'm going to try and drink 3-4 bottles before dinner so I'm not up peeing all night

[pendragginp]

Pendra ~ That's interesting about the WF dressing. I thought they were all Zero Calorie, Zero Carb, Zero Sugar? I just ordered some on Netritio- hope I didn't waste my money!!!

You know what, wait on accepting what I said. I have both the individual packets and the bottle and the packets say 0/0/0; I could swear the bottle said 40/4 no carbs but let me check that when I get home before I slander them!

[CherylB]

Mini, I'm so sorry you feel that Lyme flair-up. Sounds absolutely horrible. I hope it passes quickly and goes back into a very long remission (like FOREVER!) Thanks for what you said. But I can't imagine anyone doing less for someone like that who landed in their driveway. Seems kind of criminal to just watch the guy hobble away and say, "Take care!" Ya know?

Oh, those dang acne attacks! I feel for you, sweetie. I had a bad case of cystic acne on my face and neck (maybe one on my chest) after I stopped drinking for a while. I stopped on 8/8 and for about a week, I had a terrible outbreak. I figured it had to be my body getting rid of all the toxins from the months of drinking lots of beer. I'm so glad that's all out of my body now! I hope whatever is causing your outbreak finishing cleaning out your system. Drink lots of water! (I never heard of African black soap.)

Plum, the zukes didn't crisp up but if I left them in longer, they would have. They would have gotten more and more dehydrated. I was aiming for just cooked all the way through and soft. The thinnest parts of certain pieces did get a bit crispy. They were so good!

I love having the gym to go to now. I'm so glad I rejoined. I like a dry sauna a lot better than those steam rooms. (UGH!) They don't have one of those. The sauna is in the ladies locker room so it's only ladies using it.

Murphy does appear to be the "law of the land." The curse in the garden! You are slaying me today, Plum. I had no clue that any of the WF dressings had calories! I think I have that bacon one. OMG! Going to check it out right now. I checked all mine. I have "Bacon Ranch" not "Creamy Bacon" but none of mine have any calories in them. Are you sure? Check that label again!

Go Gracie! Happy for you! I hear you about not drinking enough water. That was never my problem until two days ago when I brewed several pots of tea (in the coffee brew-station) and have iced tea at-the-ready. I am digging it! Before I was drinking iced coffee's but I can't bear the thought of those without cream.

I'm down another 1.2! I was hoping for 88 and I got the low 88's so tomorrow I'll probably be in the 87's for sure. I can't believe how quickly hhcg works! I struggled on the No S plan to lose even 2 lbs a week and never came close. I enjoyed the plan, otherwise!

It's back to the gym today for cardio and weights. I only do two days a week so I have to space them out and keep them apart from my farm days. That leaves only Thursday and Saturday for that routine. I feel slightly sore all over, so I know I must be doing something right! The day I wake up and have no soreness is the day I need to step things up!

Have a wonderful day, lovely ladies!

[verbqueen]

Good morning, ladies! Congrats to those who lost overnight. Isn't it great how hcg makes you look forward to waking up and weighing yourself? Who'd'a thunk, ya know?

I haven't weighed yet, for various reason which I detail in my journal, if your interested. (And I put it there rather than here because my lengthy musings are NOT very interesting to anyone but me! ) However, I will weigh in another day or two and start tracking after that.

Mini, I have noticed through the months I've hung out here that you are an instinctive person, and I think "no plan, natural, nutritive" is the perfect thing for you. You are pretty tuned into what your body likes and needs.

I have a plan of my own making, based on the various hcg protocols and tweaked to my own requirements. I guess my "rules" are that I must 100% honor what I know works for me--no "fudging." (Please excuse me for mentioning fudge! )

In my mind, I have this "magical thinking" belief that once I've got three days under my belt, it gets easier. Today is day 2. I feel good, not hungry, energized and happy. I always feel that way doing hcg! I don't know if it's the pellets, the diet, or just a happy placebo effect, but I'll take it.

I think I can do this.