HCG at Gilded Lily's Pad

[Gilded Lily]

Welcome to Gilded Lily’s Pad! I tend to be a really private person, so I’m not sure how this journal will evolve. But I'm hcg OBSESSED and need a place to hold myself accountable… so here goes!

I am on R1P2VLCD15 and have lost a net of 12 pounds. I did count my load weight in there… as a plus when I gained it and as a minus when I lost it, so it evens out to zero.

I’m going to list my menus for the world to see. If you see anything off protocol, let me know!

Yesterday:

3.5 oz chicken breast with Franks hot sauce
Baby spinach
½ grapefruit
Melba
3.5 oz extra lean grilled beef patty
½ cucumber
Medium apple
Melba

Plus water. Lots of water!

[Gilded Lily]

Today is VLCD18 for me and I am down another pound for a net total of 13 pounds in 17 VLCD’s.

Here are my losses thus far.

Gained 3.5 during load

VLCD1 +3.5
VLCD2 -4.5
VLCD3 -3
VLCD4 -1
VLCD5 -1.5
VLCD6 0
VLCD7 -1
VLCD8 sick and didn’t weigh
VLCD9 -1
VLCD10 -.5
VLCD11 -.5
VLCD12 -1
VLCD13 -.5
VLCD14 -.5
VLCD15 0
VLCD16 -.5
VLCD17 -1

Total -13

[Gilded Lily]

I had a better day yesterday. I wasn't as weak and I had tons of energy. I did forget my vitamins though. :blush: I'm not used to taking anything.

My food for yesterday:

3.5 oz grilled chicken with Franks hot sauce
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

p2 chili
medium apple
melba

Plus, the obligatory water.

Hope everyone has a great hcg day!

[Gilded Lily]

It's noon and I barely feel any hunger. On every other diet I've been on, I'd be tearing the kitchen apart by now. I love not being at the mercy of my hunger. This is awesome!!!!

[Screamer]

oh hi Lily!

You are very steady in the loss department. I hope I do that too.

It's only VLCD1 and I'm not hungry at all. Must be left over from loading.

Mi

[Gilded Lily]

Hi Mi!

You'll do great on hcg. Just stay intentional and don't stray from the protocol. Twenty three days isn't so long! I'm actually thinking of going longer. Maybe.

[Gilded Lily]

When I went to bed last night, my weight was the lowest I'd seen it at night since starting hcg. Since it usually drops 2-3 pounds overnight, I was all geared up for a big loss this morning. Well, sadly that did not happen.

I lost zero and weigh the same as yesterday. However, my hands are swollen and my rings are so tight I can't get them off. I'm thinking I went a little wild with the salt shaker on that tomato last night.

Well, today is another day. Onward and downward. Let's keep on going with this thing.

[Gilded Lily]

My food for yesterday:

3.5 oz chicken breast with Franks
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

3.5 oz lean beef patty
tomato (drats, too much salt!!!!)
apple with splenda, cinnamon microwaved for 2 minutes (awesome!)
melba

I was really hoping not to have pay too much attention to salt as I am a fiend about the stuff.

[Gilded Lily]

Still at 13 pounds in 17VLCDs...

[Gilded Lily]

I'm down .5 for a net of 13.5 in 18VLCDs.

Yesterday's menu:

beef patty
1/2 grapefruit
tomato
melba

chicken w/franks
cucumber
apple w/splenda, cinnamon
melba

[Gilded Lily]

My weight loss seems so slow to me. I'm going to go over all my products with a fine tooth comb today to make sure nothing is off protocol.

Funny thing... in the mornings, my hands are swollen and I can barely get my rings off. By noon, my hands are soooo wrinkled and my rings come off pretty easily.

I've been trying vaseline on my wrinkled hands, but then I just get shiney wrinkled hands.

[Gilded Lily]

One thing that could be slowing me down is my lack of sleep. I was up at 4:30 day before yesterday. Last night I was woken at 1:30 and then at 3:30. It takes me a looong time to fall back asleep.

Tonight won't be any better. DD has a performance at 8 which ends at 10:30. Then she has a lock-in until 7:00 a.m. I'll have to be up at 6 am to pick her up in the morning.

[Screamer]

I know you didn't ask but I'll suggest:

Cut out the Franks Hot sauce and all artificial sugar for a few days. The protocol was written many years ago. Since that time scientists have found artificial sugar has quirky tendencies to hold onto excess water in the system.

Worth a try?

Also I use mineral oil (baby oil) at night, instead of Vaseline. Only three days of using it my hands neck and feet are feeling quite nice.



Mi

[Gilded Lily]

Thanks Mi! I appreciate the input!

I will def. try the baby oil... I don't like vaseline AT ALL.

I have decided to give up the beef for a few days and see how that goes. If that doesn't work, out goes the splenda. If that doesn't work, out goes the franks. I am NOT a meat person. (Lordy, any wonder I failed horribly at Atkins??!!!) I have to disguise the taste to tolerate it.

You know, on second thought... I'm ditching the splenda today too. I've only had a few packets since starting, but why chance it?

[Screamer]

Originally Posted by Gilded Lily

Thanks Mi! I appreciate the input!

I will def. try the baby oil... I don't like vaseline AT ALL.

I have decided to give up the beef for a few days and see how that goes. If that doesn't work, out goes the splenda. If that doesn't work, out goes the franks. I am NOT a meat person. (Lordy, any wonder I failed horribly at Atkins??!!!) I have to disguise the taste to tolerate it.

You know, on second thought... I'm ditching the splenda today too. I've only had a few packets since starting, but why chance it?

I agree. It's only 23 days. The office has bagels in the kitchen right now. It smells good. really good. I'll have one in 21 days.

[Gilded Lily]

Ugh... it's the smells that bother me the most. Begone, vile odors!

Stay strong!

[Gilded Lily]

I am down .5 this morning for a net of 14 pounds in 19VLCDs.

I ate chicken for both meals yesterday. I don't know if there's a correlation, but this is the first time I am able to turn my rings on my fingers. My hands are usually so swollen in the morning. Today my rings are kind of loose feeling.

I would like more sleep though. In the last 3 nights, I think I averaged about 4 - 5 hours.

Yesterdays' menu:

chicken w/franks
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

chicken w/franks
cucumber
apple
melba

[Gilded Lily]

Yesterday I discovered that my b12 has dextrose (sugar!!!) in it. I wonder if that has been slowing my loss? Out it goes. Maybe I can find something else without sugar, but I'm not feeling hopeful.

[Gilded Lily]

I was down a whole pound this morning making it 15 pounds (net) in 20vlcd's! I was so glad to see that scale move more than .5.

I think it might have helped that I took a nap yesterday and I got decent sleep last night. I have been sleep deprived for the last 3 or 4 days. It was definitely showing.

Menu for yesterday:

chicken w/franks
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

chicken w/franks
cucumber
1/2 grapefruit
melba

[Gilded Lily]

I am down another pound this morning! 16 pounds in 21vlcd's!

I actually had some rest and good sleep for the last two days and I'm convinced that has something to do with the 2 pounds in 2 days.

It feels great to be losing this weight. I have such a long way to go but I'm going to try to think in terms of one day at a time. Otherwise it can get overwhelming.

Menu for yesterday:

chicken w/franks
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

chicken w/franks
cucumber
1/2 grapefruit
melba

[shari]

Congrats! KUTGW!

[Gilded Lily]

Thanks for the encouragement, Shari! You're SUCH an inspiration!!!

[Gilded Lily]

I'm down another whole pound this morning. 17 pounds in 22vlcd's!

I don't know if it's because I gave up beef or I gave up the salty seasoning I put on the beef, but something is working better right now. I hope it lasts!

Menu for yesterday:

chicken w/franks
cucumber
1/2 grapefruit
melba

chicken w/franks
spinach
1/2 grapefruit
melba

[shari]

Originally Posted by Gilded Lily

Thanks for the encouragement, Shari! You're SUCH an inspiration!!!

Thanks, hun! Congrats on the loss!

[Screamer]

Originally Posted by Gilded Lily

I'm down another whole pound this morning. 17 pounds in 22vlcd's!

Gilded Lily... did you give up the artificial sweeteners? 17 in 22 is fabulous!!

Mi

[Gilded Lily]

Originally Posted by Screamer

Gilded Lily... did you give up the artificial sweeteners? 17 in 22 is fabulous!!

Mi

Thanks Mi! I think I might have had 5 or so packets of Splenda since starting p2 24 days ago. I haven't had any in a few days though. I've never used much of it and I don't really miss it. Goodness, at this point, I don't know if I miss anything!

How are you doing with hcg? I hope you love it as much as I do!

[Gilded Lily]

I was out of town yesterday and didn't get to post.

I lost .5 day before yesterday for a total of 17.5 net in 23vlcd's.

I didn't lose anything today for a total of 17.5 net in 24vlcd's.

My nephew has been doing this with me and he lost 3.5 yesterday! He has lost over 20 in around 20 days. I'll get the exact total and post it.

[shari]

You're doing wonderful! Remember the days you don't lose pounds, you're still shrinking in inches. Congrats to your nephew! Good for him.

[Gilded Lily]

I am not sleeping as much as I need/would like. I haven't been waking up in the middle of the night anymore but I am wide awake at 5:30. Hey, summer vacation is almost over, sleep, darn it, sleep!!!!

Yesterday, I ate my p2 food at the food court in the mall. DD had philly cheesesteak and I had my grilled chicken. Oddly enough, I didn't feel deprived. The only weird part was when someone I knew came up and started talking to us. I was hoping she wouldn't notice the baggies of cucumber and apples and the bottles of water. Oh well, you gots to do what you gots to do.

[Gilded Lily]

Originally Posted by shari

You're doing wonderful! Remember the days you don't lose pounds, you're still shrinking in inches. Congrats to your nephew! Good for him.

Thank you, Shari!!! I appreciate the encouragement more than you will ever know!!!