Day 33 Round 2

126 lbs. Well, I'm out of hCG and think that this will be one of those shorter rounds. I really have not had the will power to be as committed as I was in my first round. Not sure why this happened. Maybe it's because I'm closer than ever to my goal of 115-120 lbs. I've had popcorn almost every night for the past 2 weeks. And, we're not just talking a little bit of popcorn! I've found that it doesn't hurt the scales. You just don't lose any weight the next day. In essence, I've been maintaining the same weight for weeks now.

My plan at this point is to try and lose another 5 lbs. by watching my caloric and fat gram contents. I will also eliminate carbs and sugar as is required in phase 2 of the hCG diet. So, I will be following the protocol, more or less. I had some salad dressing that needed to be eaten and that probably did me in the other night. I will get low-fat salad dressing from here on out.

This diet has been a success and the most sound thing I've ever done. I also really believe that I need to start a regular walking regimen that gets my heart rate going and tones my body. Not your grandma's stroll in the morning type of walking. Prevention magazine outlined a good plan that also incorporated the stretchy bands for the upper body. Not sure if I can do that and walk at the same time, but I think I'll give it a whirl.

Temporarily, I have full time work due to the death of the regular carrier whom I've been subbing for over the past two years. I am busy. If I can just adhere to the rules with whatever works best for my hectic schedule right now I can get through this. We have summer camp coming up next week and a week's vacation in August to tempt me. If necessary, I can always do another round later. This is the diet I will always come back to. The others, and I've tried them all, are just too slow for me personally. I want it now!

Phase 2 is where the cheese comes in. I sure do miss the cheese and am so glad that it contains no carbs!

Day 24 Round 2

128.5 lbs. Still can't shake the popcorn routine. I don't know what's wrong with me and my willpower lately. I did so well on Round 1. Today I make another promise to myself to do better.

Day 21 Round 2

128.5 lbs. I am bouncing around on this round like there's no tomorrow! Every day I want to cheat! Plus, I've had upsetting circumstances, birthdays and parties galore. I've got to get a grip. It's likely I'll need to mix up more hCG to get me through this stage. I have vacation in August! I really wanted to be on phase 4 by then. Even the best laid plans sometimes end up failing.... It is by no means a crisis, but I expected to be further along than this. I've lost my discipline and can't locate it!!

Day 17 Round 2

129 lbs. Yesterday I was 126.5 lbs. I cheated mightily with a milk shake and plenty of popcorn. I think I've had my popcorn fill as of late.

It's time to get serious again. Given the events of the past week it has been difficult to stay focused. Today is Monday and I plan to do better. I've come so far and this is no time to backslide. Working full time, even if it is somewhat temporary, in this heat it really shouldn't be too hard to continue to drop these last few pounds. I just need to keep my eye on the prize. Plus, yesterday I did buy 3 pairs of jeans.....size 4. Can't have that be for not.

Day 15 Round 2

127.5 lbs. With all the happenings of late, I'm not surprised that I am still losing or maintaining my weight. I have cheated with popcorn (not one, but two bags) for two of the last three nights. The other night I forfeited an hCG dinner and drank an entire bottle of wine.

In life, one can be blind-sided by the people we care about and think we know. It is not up to us to judge them for their deeds, but to try and understand what it might feel like to walk in their moccassins. This week my regular rural carrier for whom I've been a substitute (cover days off and vacations) for the past 2+ years decided to check out of this life and move on to the next one. It was a double deal made with her husband. You could say that in their minds it was all about pain and love. Understandably, the situation is very rough for the rest of their family and friends. To say that no one saw this coming is a blatant understatement. Everything was well planned by them, including the distributing of their wills and letters via USPS to their children from previous marriages. I talked to her the night before when she called to give me a head's up that I would likely be working the next day and the day after. Her reasons for the absence were fabrications and I played right into her hand as would have been predictable. No clue, no suspicions.

What unfolded over the last two days has been tragic and difficult to pull off. I've had to step up and fill the shoes of one of the most caring, competent, diligent, knowledgeable and nurturing postal carriers I've ever known. While I miss her presence terribly, I trust in her actions and that God has taken her under His wing. She was an angel among us and now I feel she will be watching over us.

Today it is time to put my diet first again. No more cheating. It's time to shed the rest of this weight. There's so little to go, therefore I should be able to do it without any problems. Focus....

Day 11 Round 2

128 lbs. This time around I really want to cheat!! Yesterday I did have 3 extra grissini sticks and about 1/3 extra fresh apricot. I also took a brisk walk for about 40 minutes. Granted, it wasn't the worst cheat ever and I did still manage to lose 1 lb. I guess after being on phase 4 for so long and managing my weight so well, I feel it's hard not to eat just a little bit more of something that previously would not hurt me. I never thought this would be such a struggle because I was really looking forward to round 2 and taking off the last 10-15 lbs. It seems I have to watch myself more than in the last round. That's a big surprise.

Day 10 Round 2

130 lbs. Saturday I went to dinner and went off course pretty bad. The day went well, but the dinner (expensive) was another story. I had 1 spare rib for an appetizer. Dinner consisted of 2 shrimp, 3 scallops, and a very small lobster. Not bad, if you don't notice how they were all cooked and in what. Dessert, shared by four was coconut ice cream, pineapple upside down cake and drizzles of raspberry and two other sauces I can't remember. 2 glasses of wine were also consumed. With all that, I only gained a half lb. Unfortunately, that makes me think I can cheat more often. I really need to watch these last 10-15 lbs. and stay focused.

Next week I'm working a full schedule, so maybe there won't be time to think about cheating. I just have to get through this week.