To cheat or not to cheat... that is the question

Start Weight: 168 lbs
Goal Weight: 138 lbs
Weight after two loading days:  171.7 lbs (3.7 lbs total gain)
R2P2D7:  163.6  (-8.1 lbs gross, -4.4 lbs net)

Two more pounds released -- woohoo!  I know this high weight-loss rate will not continue like this past the first week or so of the VLCD, but it sure is fun when it happens!


Today's tip:  I want to extend a word of caution to my newbie HCG pals...  Chances are that you might still lose weight on this amazing first HCG week even if you cheat a little here and there, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose.  But, you are doing yourself a serious disservice if you cheat.  First, let's say that you cheat a little and then find that you still lose a half a pound the next day.  You shouldn't say to yourself, "Hey, I can cheat and still lose weight!"  You should say, "Man, I probably could have lost four times that much if I hadn't cheated!  I'm going to jump back on the wagon right now!"  Some folks can get away with cheats during this first week, but you will pay for it later.  Please don't start eating two melba toasts at a meal instead of one, or let your protein portion creep up higher than 3.5 oz.  It is a slippery slope.  Even worse:  do NOT let yourself have a significant cheat such as having fat or sugar.  That cookie will NEVER taste as good as skinny feels!  At best, your weight loss will stall for a few days.  At worst, you will have a significant gain and it might take you a week to get back where you started.  In Pounds and Inches, Dr. Simeons says "if [the patient] starts eating normally as long as there is even a trace of HCG in their body they put on weight alarmingly." I've seen reports from folks whose weight has stalled out from washing greasy dishes without wearing rubber gloves or preparing non-protocol foods for their family and getting oil/fat on their hands.  Even Dr. Simeons mentioned some cases of patients getting oil on their skin and not losing weight, even while following the protocol exactly.  If your weight-loss is that sensitive to fats on your skin, imagine how much worse it will be if you ingest the fat!


You are paying a good amount of money to participate in this weight loss program.  You only have 40 injections to lose as much weight as you can.  Don't waste the precious HCG -- it is like liquid gold! MAXIMIZE your losses during P2 (the VLCD portion).  You can only have 40 injections in a round, so make the very most of these injections!


Okay... I'll climb down off my soapbox now. ;-)  I'm not trying to beat you up -- I just care about you and I want you to have success!


Here's the menu for today...
9a:  ACV concoction
9a-12p: Slowly sipping my coffee and Hazelnut stevia
12p:  ACV concoction
3:30p:  1 slice toasted Ezekiel bread* topped with
             Tomato and Baby Spring Mix Lettuce*
             and spicy brown mustard
6:30p:  1 large apple
9p:       1/2 Cucumber with salt, pepper and ACV
9:30p:   Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt* mixed with
              diced strawberries and Vanilla Liquid Stevia


* OFF PROTOCOL WARNING!

• Mixing veggies.  You'll note that I do this a lot, even though Dr. Simeons specifies that you should not mix vegetables.  It has never seemed to affect me, but the argument could be made that I would have lost even more weight my first round had I not mixed veggies.  I do take care to reduce each veggie to a partial portion so that I'm not getting too many calories.  I don't know if that was the issue, or if there is some problem with having more than one type of veggie at a time.
• Ezekiel Bread and Nonfat Greek Yogurt is not on the list of allowable foods.

I didn't eat late today on purpose.  I was just really busy and running crazy from 12 noon through 9p and it was hard to fit in eating. Hopefully this won't affect the number on the scale too badly tomorrow.  If it does, then I'll deal with it.  'Til tomorrow, later losers!  :D