1Body4Forty - Day 7

Amy – 165.2 (-0.0; 7.1 Total)

Well, we are finally at the end of the first week!  Unfortunately this morning, my weight is the same as yesterday and I think this ‘stall’ may be due to the hamburger patty I ate yesterday (and possibly the steak the day before that) since I think that red meat does not facilitate the weight loss as well as chicken or fish.  Also, I only had 2 out of my 4 bottles of water yesterday and not getting enough water makes a huge difference.

I started the day with a lunch of tilapia with blackened seasoning and cold asparagus from the can at 12:30 pm.  I opted to have my fruit at 3:45 to tide me over until dinner. 

I don’t that we’ve mentioned this yet, but Peggy and I are good friends, so we thought we’d support each other in our weight loss by starting the HCG diet at the same time.  I spoke to Peggy shortly afterward and after a week of being very good and preparing our very austere meals at home, we decided that we felt cooped up and it was time to go out for dinner.  Eating out, when you have to be so careful about no added fats and sugars, dressings, etc., can be a challenge.  Especially in the climate of chain restaurants everywhere, but it can be done.  We decided on Lone Star which was actually my favorite, and easiest, place to eat out during the first round and even afterwards during maintenance.  It is easy to order a 7 oz steak there and a side of spinach or broccoli without butter, along with a tall glass of…. Sigh… unsweetened ice tea (don’t forget to bring your own stevia packets with you!)  (Sorry, the red wine is out of the question.)  The main thing you need to do when you receive your meal, however, is to cut the steak in half and take the other half home for another meal.  My favorite is the Delmonico steak sandwich (hold the bread, etc.!) and substitute a side of spinach, no butter. What ever you do, DON’T EAT THE ROLLS.  According to the wait staff, those yummy rolls are 200 calories a piece!  A no no even when you’re not dieting.

Another place that’s ok is Red Robin with their chicken sandwich (again hold the bread) cooked with no oil and a side salad with a few wedges of lemon for dressing.  

If you have any other great restaurant suggestions, please let us (and everyone else know!)  It’s nice to feel that you’re not trapped at home for 40 days. 

1Body4Sixty - Day 6

Peggy – 208 (-2.0; 11.0 Total)

Yes, I lost another 2 lbs. weighing in at 208 lbs. this morning!! Had incredible energy and ambition so I accomplished a lot through out the day.

Yesterday I drank 64 oz. of water, i.e. one half gallon. (I prefer to think of it as ounces, as then it doesn’t seem like as much!)

When taking my vitamins and probiotics, I also take the statin I take for cholesterol. Yesterday I had purchased some pink grapefruit to alternate with the other fruits I can eat. I happened to read on my prescription that there is a warning for people taking them to NOT eat grapefruit or grapefruit juice.

Lunch was a hard boiled egg, a BLT salad (2 cups romaine and iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and 2 T. Waldon Farms Creamy Bacon Dressing. I actually forgot my morning fruit, as I was not hungry.  

Had two cups of green tea with Stevia during the afternoon.

Dinner consisted of ¼ lb. (4 oz., here I prefer to think of it in lbs. instead of ounces) seasoned with garlic and spicy mustard. My vegetable was delicious fresh asparagus with lemon pepper. Of course, I ate my allowance of two bread sticks.

PM snack was six medium to large strawberries.

I cannot believe how quickly I am losing without exercising! My idea of exercise is picking up the remote! This diet is awesome!  

1Body4Forty - Day 6

Amy – 165.2 (-1.5; 7.1 Total)

So happy the weight is still coming off, although it seems to be slowing to the 1-2 pounds per day as is normal on the HCG diet.  At least the steak for lunch yesterday did not stall me out. 

After having 3 cups of coffee this morning, which is a little more than I usually have, I skipped the morning fruit and had a lunch of baked tilapia with roasted garlic and herbs spice mix and sautéed spinach with the same spice.  In the afternoon I had one of my fruits as an orange which really hit the spot.  For dinner, I had a lean hamburger patty cooked with Chicago Steak spice and a sliced tomato with fresh basil and balsamic vinegar and ground pepper.  This is sort of a caprese tomato salad without the cheese and it’s still really tasty.  I had my second fruit of an apple and cinnamon a little while later for ‘dessert.’

After being on the low calorie part of this diet again for 4 days now, I remember how much I actually enjoy the food I get to eat during this phase.  Although getting used to cooking with no oil was a minor issue at first, I am struck by how great tasting food can be when it is stripped down to the most simple and basic level. Using (or experimenting with) simple spices, herbs, lemon, etc. that are fresh, pure (and not loaded with added sugars, chemicals, etc.) really brings out the flavor and makes the most boring chicken, beef, fish, vegetable into something wonderful.  This is a diet that really teaches you how to get back to eating the best food for your body that is unencumbered by chemicals and fats.

1Body4Sixty – Day 5

Peggy - 210 lbs (-3.0; -9.0 Total)

Happy days, my weight this morning was at 210 lbs.!!! That comes out to 1.8 lbs. per day! I again was up five times during the night, however, I realized that I have not had the nightly bout of heartburn that I had always experienced since starting the 1Body4Life Weight Loss diet. For years, I have kept anti-acids in my nightstand and used them daily. I am unsure of why I have not been experiencing this, but am very glad that I am not.

Morning coffee with Stevia (2 cups), my probiotics, and injection has become a routine.

Lunch was ½ cup of low fat cottage cheese (my protein substitute) with ground pepper and two cups of spinach. Mid afternoon I had an orange and two cups of Oolong tea with Stevia. Dinner consisted of 4 oz. lean steak seasoned with garlic and sea salt and a salad of romaine and iceberg lettuce, tomatoes with two tablespoons of the Walden Farms ‘free of everything’ Creamy Bacon Dressing and two bread sticks. Yum! Evening snack was one cup of fresh strawberries.

It has been an effort to stay away from oil based personal care products. Although my make-up is water based, other personal care products do have oils. My cologne has oil in it!! Apparently, scents do have oil bases. So while on the HCG diet women (and men that use scents) should consider using a ‘toilet water’ type scent.

1Body4Forty - Day 5

Amy - 166.7 (-4.3; 5.6)

Finally down 4.3 lbs to hit the 160 range! So happy the extra weight has come back off!  Such a relief    to feel like I'm back on track to losing weight.

I started the day with a couple of cups of coffee and late morning fruit of strawberries with stevia. (My favorite.)  Lunch was 3.7 oz of lean steak broiled with Weber Chicago Steak spice mix and a vegetable of sauteed spinich (more of my favorites...)  An orange mid-afternoon became my second fruit for the day.  For dinner I had baked chicken marinated in white wine vinegar and cumin, along with a salad of greens, tomato and a red wine vinegar & greek spice dressing. 

I am hoping I don't stall tomorrow because of the steak I ate for lunch, plus I was a few glasses shy of drinking all of the water I needed.  All in all, it has been a good start to this diet!