Day 118

133.5 lbs. Man, what a weekend! Eating, drinking, sunning and funning. It has been nearly 4 months since I began the hCG diet and I've been able to maintain my weight pretty easily. Phase 4 is really a piece of cake. When you take what you learn and actually apply it, the difficulty of getting back into the same old trap becomes more and more remote. Steak days can fix anything. Who can't stay committed for one day? If we can't, then we are truly weak and destined to fail. I really believe I am past all of my former thinking about food. Just about any slip up can be fixed in one or two days of eating properly. I'm enjoying life again. 

However, my blood pressure is still on the rather borderline high side. This really was to be expected....by me, at least. The book indicated that it might go down because of the weight loss, but that it might also return to previous levels. I've never felt like I might explode. Nonetheless, I need to keep a close check on this item. 

As I go past the six week mark since my last injection, I'm eagerly anticipating round two. Haven't really decided when it will start, but it may be as soon as this weekend. I'd like to be in phase 4 by the middle of August since we will be going to Montana for about ten days. To be on a diet at that time would certainly not be optimal!

I'd like to shed the last 15 lbs. This round I think it might be important to get more exercise. I don't want to look as though I've lost weight quickly and my skin is just hanging. That is the way I feel right now. Even though I can fit into a size 4 at 132 lbs. or so, I don't think of myself as thin. I still have a somewhat fat, flabby and poochy self image. Exercise is on the menu with this next round. I hope I can stick to it since it is so hot here in the southeast! 

Looking forward to gorge days!!!!

Day 80

132.5 lbs. This past week I've only fluctuated 1-1.5 pounds up or down from my LIW of 132. I'm managing to keep things stable. And, I'm eating pretty much what I want. If I splurge one day, I back off the next. It's really not hard. I've even had a few beers here and there.

The only thing worth reporting is that I'm maintaining my weight on phase 4 with little to no effort. I know that carbs and sugars are pitfalls. I must avoid them, but I can also skirt around the fringes and not have devastating things happen to me.

I am looking forward to taking off the last 10-15 pounds in June. I think only then will I really believe that I've succeeded. Once that goal is obtained, then the challenge is to keep the weight off for a year or more. I've learned a lot and now know what combinations work for my body.

Day 71 ~ Phase 4

130 lbs. Well, I made it. And, tonight I will test it with a vengeance. I went out to dinner again at Outback Steak House...different city. This time I avoided the Blooming Onion that showed up at my table 2 minutes after I arrived. I did have one piece of bread with butter and I indulged in splitting a brownie/ice cream sundae thingie.  There was also the split bottle of wine that was shared. We'll see how all this plays out tomorrow when I hit the scales. It could be said that I didn't hold back. I already have steak on hand in case it's a STEAK DAY!

Day 70

131.5 lbs. Easy come, easy go. I think it might have been the 2 butterfly pork chops last night...or the corn. It's still under the LIW (last injection weight) of 132, so I'm happy.

Tomorrow starts phase 4 ~ adding in carbs and sugars. I will need to research this stage on the yahoo groups so see how people survive. I can see how one could easily snowball and fall to the bottom of the hill. It really doesn't take much in the way of carbs to derail me. I can only imagine the same would be true for sugars. Just a little bit scared. Looking forward to pizza, but not sure one piece would be satisfying. I see steak days in my future....

Day 67

132 lbs. That dinner last night didn't hurt me one bit. When you follow the rules, no carbs and no sugar, the pounds really do stabilize. If you mess up, the steak day abolishes your sins.

This is Day 18 of phase 3. That means 3 more days of this phase and then it's on to phase 4. I'm leery of phase 4 where you're allowed to introduce carbs and sugars back in, albeit in moderation. What little carbs I've splurged on seemed like moderate to me, but had dire consequences. Not sure if I can imagine having an English muffin and then gaining two pounds the next day. I wonder if I'll be able to have bread or pasta at all? Likely, the key is to increase the exercise...i.e.,...earn your treats. I guess I should start wrapping my head around that concept, which isn't bad....really.