I have been extremely lax about keeping this up to date. Once the initial settling in had passed, it was almost a no brainer. I am glad though, that I did sublingual, and not injections. It worked really well.

There were days when I lost a pound, most days was about half a pound, and there were a couple of days where I freaked and had put on a bit. But then I realized I hadn't been drinking enough water and other liquids. So that day I upped the intake and the next day I was down again. In the 29 days on the protocol, I lost 16.4 pounds total. I took my after pix, and I was blown away. I lost it most where I needed it - around my middle. Four inches off my waist is pretty amazing.

I would still like to lose another 5 or so, but I was getting bored with the program so figure the five I can lose through exercise. My new (free and old) exercise bike in front of the boob toob, and walking now the weather is finally improving.

I feel so much better, and can actually bear to look at myself in the mirror. The loss is really obvious in my face and I have to be careful that I don't end up looking haggard. One thing being slim, but another being thin at "our" age.

Yesterday evening I started P3, or the maintenance phase of the program. To start I can eat just about anything I want except any sugar or carbs like bread, potatoes, rice etc. Lots of veges, and I can have some cheese, something - about the only thing - that I missed. So last night, my first meal, I had scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon and strawberries for dessert. But my tummy was not too happy and I woke up feeling bloated. But still, down half a pound.
And as I sit here this morning I am having tea with almond milk. I enjoy it so much more than when it is black.

This whole system is pretty amazing and I cannot understand why it is not more widely known. I suppose because the FDA doesn't stand behind it - or something along those lines. But I can't say enough good stuff about it and hope that the word gets to all the seriously obese people out there who are looking at surgery and other drastic measures to lose weight. This works, for them and for people like me who just had a bit extra to get rid of.

Days 12 and 13

Day 12 was a bit of a bummer - I woke up and had GAINED a pound! How on earth can anyone gain on 500 calories? I went back over in my mind what I had eaten/not eaten the day before and couldn't see anything that would have derailed me.

Then I realized I had been drinking a lot of caffeine, tea and coffee, and not a lot of plain water. So that day I drank literally gallons of water with a bit of lemon juice and stevia and it worked.

Day 13 I had dropped a pound.

So back on track and today I have lost another. Today was a measuring day, but have lost only about an inch. But that's ok. I think my shape is changing and apparently, this is something that happens. So I will "soldier" on as they say.

If I don't hit my target loss, I will continue for another week. This really isn't a difficult thing to do. The cooking is easy and quick, I actually quite like it so it won't be a hardship for me.

Day 11

I was much happier this morning with a full one pound loss! I think skipping the tomatoes - and beef - did it so they are both nixed from the diet now.

I am really starting to see the difference now. Before, I could feel it a bit. My bras are too big (hopefully cups size will stay the same - too bad it won't increase lol) and my pants are becoming bloomers. I'm looking forward to a measuring day which is on Monday. My face definitely looks thinner but I can actually see my tummy shrinking and that is the area that needs this the most.

It is so amazing how the hcg removes the hunger - I often have to remind myself to eat! That's a first.

Days 9 and 10

Yesterday, day 9, was my birthday and I didn't feel like doing a blog. It also was a tough time to be on a diet as it was a Big Birthday and I was alone most of the day. Susan came down and we celebrated with Passion tea - whoopee!

But I stuck to it, no treats, just the same-o same-o so I wouldn't gain any of the eight pounds back. I'm getting really used to eating like this, and really have no interest in food. Sometimes I even forget to eat - and that is not a good thing. So I need to make sure I get all of my 500 calories.

Today is Day 10, and I only lost .2 pound but I can really feel it in the inches slipping away. When I lie in bed, I can feel my hip bones and ribs jutting out a bit and the tummy seems to fit better :). So I am not too worried about the weight part but am going to skip the tomatoes that I put in a mock chili as I read some people have a problem with them and don't lose anything when they are included.

Day 8

It was a bit disappointing this morning to only lose .8 pounds, but the measuring part made up for it.

The measurements I originally took on Day 1 were:

• bust
• under bust
• waist
• belly
• hips
• thigh
• bicep

So first thing this morning I measured and have lost a total of 10.25 inches! Most noticeable were 2" on my waist, hips and belly! Fortunately, none slipped away from the bust line, but under the bust went down 1.5" so that means bra sizes have to change. But will wait til the end of the program to do that as they are too expensive to buy every week.

I am soooo glad I did the measurements at the start - it really is a good indicator of what is going on.

Week 2 begins.

Day 7

Another pound flushed away!

I must say, this really is pretty cool - but food choices are pretty boring but I guess that's good as it keeps things simple.

Tomorrow is a "measure in" day so that's going to be really interesting. I really can't feel a whole lot of difference yet but I still have two weeks to go.

Day 6

Lost a pound - and broke a barrier that has been a stumbling block in any of my other weight loss attempts. So I am happy!

I also found out that I wasn't taking enough hcg and have boosted the amount to .5ml twice a day. The forum I went to and got a response from is very helpful - there are thousands of posts and Lynne, who appears to be the guru, answered my query. So today I am not as hungry and no headaches.

Susan and I went to a get together with other hcg-ers in Port Townsend, and that was helpful too, hearing what other people are experiencing and getting tips on how to make things work better.

So onward and foreward. Tallyho, as Mike Dooley says.

Day 5

It's working! I lost 1.8 pounds (a bit more than .8 kg)so tomorrow I will go below a weight I haven't been in years!

I was pretty headachy yesterday. Could have been I didn't sleep well the night before or I didn't get enough caffeine! So have boosted my intake.

My meal plan yesterday was the same as the day before, but switched the chicken to dinner and had grapefruit instead of an apple.

So far, my energy is good, working on the house, etc.

So it's all good.

Day 4

Well, I don't have to worry that the sublingual may not work! My first day I lost 2.4 pounds so almost back to where I started, before the binge. Susan has lost 30 pounds in 30 days!

My food list yesterday:

• Tea first thing
• Orange and melba toast for breakfast
• Stir fried (non-stick pan no oil) chicken and asparagus
• Apple snack
• Hamburger and cabbage stir fry for dinner
• Melba toast
• And lots of tea, coffee and water with lemon and stevia

I wasn't hungry - but very thirsty and of course, tea and coffee were black, no milk/cream. The food is quick and easy and not complicated if you stick to the eight daily ingredients. To make things simpler, I weighed the raw meat, divided by 100 gm to know how many servings, cooked it, weighed it again and divided it into the original serving portions, so now it's ready for me to just add the veges.

It's gratifying when things happen and you can actually see the results so fast. So off I go for my breakfast - orange and melba toast.

Day 3

Yesterday I really pigged out - ate a whole bag of Milano cookies on the way to Port Townsend, then a VERY rich casserole with sour cream, mayonaise etc for dinner and then ice cream. I felt like I never wanted to see food again. Still very thirsty and drinking lots of water.

I think my liver was complaining last night. I woke in the middle of the night with pains in my right side - of course it could have been indigestion! but I know my liver doesn't do well with rich food. But it went away and I got a good night's sleep.

This morning I weighed in and had gained one pound which was a lot less than I thought I would.

For breakfast I had my orange and one melba toast, jasmine tea sweetened with stevia and am making a pot of coffee. I am not hungry even though my mind is telling me I should be eating. I have a slight headache but that could be from the wellbutrin.

I ordered my stuff through drugdelivery but it takes about three weeks to get here from India. Often, other people on the diet have spare hcg they can loan to get started, then you just pay it back when yours arrives. I bought the 5000 IU ampoules because I am doing the sublingual protocol and it uses more.

Lunch will be chicken and asparagus. I found a really good calorie counter with weights so will see how much I can eat. Then dinner will be something with beef and cabbage. Mmmmm, yum!

Day 2 of the HCG diet

You'd think that eating as much and whatever you want would be fun but when you are not used to it, it's difficult! I gorged myself - chicken divan, super rich food, a tub of ben and jerry's ice cream, potato chips. And thirsty! Lots of water.

Today I woke up feeling like I had a hangover. Just shows what all that food can do to your system! And of course I put on weight which is normal. Today I do the same thing and then tomorrow onto the 500 calories. So going to the market today to get my food stuff and then we'll see the pounds fall off.

Decision

This is about doing a diet that is rather bizarre - but it works so I decided about 4 weeks ago to try it.

It's called the HCG diet and uses a hormone called Human Chorionic Gaonadotropin and a 500 calorie a day protocol. 500 calories? Good grief! Then I read about the diet and what this HCG does and I felt more comfortable about it. Then I started hearing about people dropping 20 pounds in a couple of weeks. Now, I'm not obese, I just need to lose the 20+ pounds from around my middle. They just won't go, no matter what I do.

So I thought - OK I will give this a go.

First thing to do was to decide whether to "shoot up" or take it sublingually and I chose the latter. I just can't see myself and the needles every day. And then I ordered and had to wait three weeks for my little ampoules to get here. I bought a needle kit too, on the off chance I might decide to do it but nah...

The stuff arrived yesterday from India in a plain brown wrapper - I bet Scott the mailman wondered what was in there. And last night I mixed up my batch with gin (the alcohol dilutes and emulsifies) and sublingual B-12.

This is very odd - for the first two days you have to gorge yourself - so I have been eating ice cream, candy. chips and a very rich casserole all day and feel disgustingly full. But apparently you have to store up this excess fat for the first couple of days before you start losing. I weighed in this morning, took before pix (which I will NOT post) and measured myself.

This will be my journey to a leaner me.