Don't sweat the small losses

Start Weight: 168 lbs
Goal Weight: 138 lbs
Weight after two loading days:  171.7 lbs (3.7 lbs total gain)
R2P2D11: 161.4  (-10.3 lbs gross, -6.6 lbs net)


So, 0.2 more lbs released today.  Can't call it a "stall" exactly, because I did lose, but I'll just call it a slow-down.  I'm good with that!  At least the scale is going in the right direction!


It dawned on me yesterday that when I hit 161 lbs, I will have officially lost 40 lbs since the start of my journey in early July.  When I think on those terms, it just blows me away.  40 lbs in three months?  Unheard of, short of The Biggest Loser, and I'm not working out 5 hours a day. Actually, I'm not working out at all.  (Not saying that is good for everyone -- it's just the way my life has been the last three months, lol!)  And I know that my body is reshaping.  In the last few days, I have had 4 people come up and tell me how wonderful I look and ask me what in the world I was doing.  That was a very good feeling.


So here is today's very short tip:  always focus on the big picture! Don't get discouraged by a stall -- stress caused by the scale is not your friend.  Try to identify any reasons that could possibly be causing it.  If you can find any, then address the potential problems and correct them.  If you can't, then ride out the stall and look forward to the inevitable big drop, because it WILL come.


Here is today's menu:
12:30p-1:30p:  Munched on a big Ziploc bag of celery sticks
3:30p:  Protein Powder" blended with frozen strawberries
6:30p:  ACV concoction
6:30p:  One toasted slice of Ezekiel bread* topped with
            mixed lettuces and tomato slices* and mustard
7p:       Hot herbal tea with stevia (sipped several
            throughout the evening)


* OFF PROTOCOL WARNING!
- The protein powder I used was a scoop of Jay Robb's Whey Protein Isolate which is a pretty clean protein powder that uses stevia as the sweetener.  Of course, this is not on protocol.  Many vegetarians have used this with success on the HCG diet, so I decided to try it.  It packs in 25g of protein per scoop, so it is a good alternative protein source.
- Ezekiel bread is not on protocol.  It is another alternative protein source for vegetarians.
- Mixing two types of veggies at one meal is not on protocol.


Reflecting on my menu and my day:  I have found that my eating habits during the VLCD part of this protocol are changing during this round.  I have suddenly noticed that I am (risking sounding cliche here) eating to live rather than living to eat.  I have heard that quote my whole adult life and thought that I could never adopt that motto. Prior to starting this journey, I am usually thinking about lunch before I've even finished my breakfast.'  I truly feel that I am now taking the "perfect" HCG dose for my body this round.  It may also be that I have conquered my carb addiction, but I truly believe that happened after about two weeks of round one.  I was hungry (not HORRIBLY, but I did get hungry at times) during my last round with the exception of a few days.  After about three weeks last round, I told my clinic that I was still hungry and they raised my dose by 25 IUs (to 200 IUs in a subcutaneous injection) and that is the dose I am now on.  At this time, I feel like I have hit HCG nirvana.  Most all of the day, I TRULY AM NOT HUNGRY.  So, be encouraged!  You can achieve this point if you work with your clinic and get the correct dose.


If this "not hungry" feeling for me changes down the road, I will reevaluate my dose at that time and I'll be sure to document it here. But for now, it is a wonderful feeling.  Til' tomorrow -- later losers!  :D