VLCD #22 R2P2 - 3 ft of snow! Going skiing!!!

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)
(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )
R2P2 Starting weight 167.8
Weight lost this round 13.8 lbs.
Yesterday's weight 154.4
Today's weight 154.0
Loss of 0.4 lb.

Another .4 down the tubes. Good riddance. I have to report on the show last night. It was 'da BOMB! Yes even funnier in person and then you get to see how all these people look that you've only heard on the radio before. Carl Kassell looked just like he sounds. Older balding guy who never cracked a smile. Peter Sagal didn't look like I imagined, but not bad. The panelists change all the time, but Kyrie O'Conner who has a screechy fingernails on the chalkboard kind of voice was just a tiny little blonde thing. The celebrity guest on the show was our Governor, Janet Napolitano. She's a no-nonsense "non-feminine" looking woman who is very popular here and I'm a big fan, so it was great to see her in person too. She was quite funny too and traded quips pretty well. We're afraid that they are going to edit out one of the funniest bits though, that had her correcting the host when he counted the questions wrong. All in all though a very entertaining evening. My husband loved it too which is great because he doesn't listen to the show and was just going along for my sake. He said it was so much fun he'd like to do more things like that in the future! Cool huh?
So more fun is in store for me in the near future. We are packing to leave for northern Arizona where they received 36 inches of snow early this week. We'll go up and spend the night, get up early and hit the slopes. We're meeting some friends that we don't get too see too frequently so that will be fun too. Who knows, I may even be naughty and have a sip of wine! So no posting for me until Sunday probably. See you all then...

Update on MM down another .4
LO is down another .2

-------------------------

And to all my commenter's thanks for stopping by and checking up on me! Have a good weekend!

VLCD #21 R2P2 - "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me"

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)

(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )

R2P2 Starting weight 167.8

Weight lost this round 13.4 lbs.

Yesterday's weight 154.6

Today's weight 154.4

Loss of 0.2 lbs

Hey, I'm trying to get a quick update in since I won't be able to do a post later. Tonight is the night of the taping of the NPR (National Public Radio) show called "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" that my husband bought tickets for as a Christmas gift to me. It's my favorite NPR show. Kind of a funny, silly quiz show that airs on Saturdays. I gave him the hint way back in October and he actually bought me tickets and put them into a christmas card for me. So tonight's the big night and I'm going to have so much fun!

I'll post a quick update on my friends, MM and LO:
MM is on VLCD day 11 and is down 8.6lbs!
LO had a rough start and was worried about her 6 lb load gain but is on VLCD day 4 and down 7 lbs!
Since my daughter made her goal I've missed having someone on protocol with me so it's fun having buddies again.

-----------
Thanks for all the encouraging comments, you commenters, you!

VLCD #20 R2P2 - Don't sweat the "small" stuff...

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)
(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )
R2P2 Starting weight 167.8
Weight lost this round 13.2 lbs.
Yesterday's weight 155.0
Today's weight 154.6
Loss of 0.4 lbs

Yes! I'm on the move again. I love seeing a downward trend and I don't mind if it's just a little one. Little increments don't bother me a whit. I love it at the beginning of the round when it's bam, bam, bam a pound or two every day, but I know it's going to naturally slow down and that's just what's happened to me. I've noticed that some people are really fast losers, yes, you know who I'm talking about! But some of us are just slow and steady and we just keep plugging away. No use getting discouraged as long as I still see some progress, and I've come such a long way and am so happy with my success so far that I'm going through the days with a serene and content resolve that keeps me from stressing the small stuff. (forgive my "little" pun.)
I did the blog rounds tonight and am out of time so I'll say goodnight to all...

--------------------------

Regina, Yes please feel free to post the recipe. I just hope macayo's doesn't find out and sue me!!! LOL!

Mary thanks for the tapping link...

Wendy, let's meet at Macayo's when we're both at our goal weight! You bring your sis and I'll bring my daughter and we'll celebrate!!! This summer for sure...

Thanks Biz, I'll keep it in mind. I just wish I was a lady of leisure and could while away the hours just writing my heart out!

Jen, Never again will I say that nasty "J" word. I'm sure that's what did it... And you know I always love to read your blog. I gotta laugh at your little tattle tales on Ed!

Monica, I sometimes peek at the blogs at work but am too paranoid to actually post something. So it's all late nights for me. My hubby misses me these days!

VLCD #19 R2P2 - I keep my promises...

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)
(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )
R2P2 Starting weight 167.8
Weight lost this round 12.8 lbs.
Yesterday's weight 155.
Today's weight 155.0
Loss of 0.0 lbs

I guess I fell prey to the self fulfilling prophecy when I said I was afraid I would jinx myself because look at that big double zero up there today! LOL! No, I just didn't get in enough water I think. So today I worked on taking care of that problem.
I don't know if anyone has noticed or not, but I've been having a very hard time keeping up with writing my own blog and making the rounds of all the other blogs and commenting on them as well. And forget about trying to read the posts on the forum. There's just not enough time to get it all done. Having to work for a living really gets in the way of LIVING sometimes doesn't it? Oh well, just know that I'm trying to read all the blogs even if I don't always have time to add comments and I try to catch up when I can. Today, I took the extra time to type up the Spinach Con Queso recipe. Keep in mind that I usually just start adding stuff to the pot until it looks or tastes right so if you're making it and it seems like a little more of this or that should be added, well go for it. This recipe is based on the dip that is made at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Macayo's in Ahwatukee, Arizona. It's the best I've ever tasted and I get it every time I go there (for the last 15 years or so!) So when my stepdaughter took a job there about 8 years ago I asked her to see if she could get the recipe for me. Well, the closest she could come was to just give me a list of the ingredients and then I just experimented until I have a darn close match. It gets raves at any party I take it too, but if you just want to make it for the family, you'll probably want to cut the batch size in half at least! So here goes:

Oh wait, I have to remind everyone it's for P3 ONLY!

"Becca's wannabe Spinach Con Queso"

Ingredients
24 oz cream cheese
12 oz velveeta
1/2 cup of half and half
1 four oz can diced jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced cucumbers
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:
In a medium size sauce pan,
Melt the cream cheese and pour in half and half in small increments to create a creamy
sauce. Use as much half and half as needed to make it pourable but not runny.
Add jalapeño peppers to taste (whole can will be quite spicy)
Cut the velveeta into small cubes and melt into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
Add tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and spinach and mix well.
Top with grated cheese as a garnish.
And serve immediately.
Normally served with tortilla chips but use celery (or other dipping veggies) for P3.
Serves a whole superbowl party!

----------------------------------
Here is an update on MM (sorry but I'm telling on you!) She had a little cheat that involved a slice of PIZZA on Friday and gained a pound, but went back on the wagon on Saturday and lost it the next morning and then another pound this morning. She's down a total of 7 lbs! Way to go MM!
And I have another friend who just started so I'll see if she will let me give updates on her too!
---------------------------------------

Instead of addressing each person who commented on yesterday's post, let me just say THANK YOU!!! to you all for the great suggestions and ideas you gave to help those who might be struggling with the protocol right now. Mary brought up tapping, which is the Callahan technique I've heard about but never tried. If anyone has a link to this, it may be helpful. Lili, Biz and Jen were so generous in their responses, sharing personal experiences and insights. And CB is such a great cheerleader. And it made it especially worth the effort to hear Wendy say that it helped her at just the right time. I'm so glad to know that it was of some help to you! So I also hope it will help any newbies who are wondering if they're doing the right thing by starting in this protocol. If we all can do it, you can too! Just keep coming back with questions and concerns and there is always someone here who can help!

VLCD #18 R2P2 - Where does the will power come from?

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)
(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )
R2P2 Starting weight 167.8
Weight lost this round 12.8 lbs.
Yesterday's weight 155.4
Today's weight 155.0
Loss of .4 lbs

I'm still on a losing streak! I'm really happy with how this round is going. I don't want to jinx myself by saying it out loud (or on the page) but with the exception of one day that I had a small gain, I've lost every single day this round! My last round was mostly stairstepping. two or three days at the same weight and then down a pound. So I must say that it's a lot more fun to see the consistent losses even when they are just .4 at a time.
I'm having a little more trouble with trying to explain the ability to stick with the protocol and how to have the will power to resist cravings. And how do you say to someone, yes it's only 3 weeks that you have to remain on this strict eating plan, but then again, there are another 3 weeks that you still can't have the things you really love the most? I've explained that the HCG will actually help you feel not hungry, and that it will reduce most cravings significantly. I've pointed out that you're still eating a very balanced food plan even though it is very small quantities and that you will usually feel quite satisfied if not actually "full". But what about those people that just equate the carbs and the sugars with their entire social and activity outlet and have a hard time believing that they can get by without occasional indulgences? I know that these things were issues for lots of people who have successfully managed the protocol and I know that this support group has provided a lot of the emotional and practial support that is neccessary to succeed, but I guess I just don't know how to tell someone to just go for it and make it work for you. I can do it for me, and I don't think I have any superhuman willpower by any means, but how can I assure someone that they will be successfull too? I want to say that you just have to make the decision to do it and then just tell yourself every day when you wake up and see that loss on the scale, that all you have to do to see that same thing tomorrow, is to stick to it one more day. Just turn away from the things that are tempting to you. Don't look at them if they're calling your name. Turn to the things that you ARE allowed to have and learn to enjoy them and look forward to them. Use the recipes on Renee's recipe blog. Find the things that fill you up and suit your taste buds. Read other people's blogs to get new ideas for foods to try. Make the protocol your LIFE for a while. And yes, I'm sure that doesn't sound very appealing to someone who just wants to give it a try for a short while, but you kind of do need to immerse yourself in the protocol for a while so that it starts to feel kind of natural to you and that you don't feel like you're struggling against it anymore. And the biggest reason to work so hard at it right at first is so that you can start seeing the daily reward that comes to you when you step on that scale every morning and see it going down every single day. And when that starts to happen, you don't really need to work at it that hard any more because you will be so thrilled and happy with that daily step down on the scale that you just get into what Biz calls the "Zone" and you just go with the flow.
But then, what happens after the round is over? This is the most frightening time for so many people who are going through the losing part of the protocol. The fear of not maintaining or not knowing how to eat correctly. And after 3 weeks (or more) of very strict dieting, how do you keep from completely blowing it and going hog wild in the opposite direction? And what about those who just want to go back to what they did before? Going out to dinner and having pasta and a glass of wine? And you can't do it for another 3 weeks! So no, it isn't really just a 3 week diet. It's 3 weeks and then another 3 weeks of stabilization and then another 3 weeks of maintenance. So will you have wasted the first 3 weeks and gain back all the weight you lost if you stray during the stabilization period? Well that depends on whether you can stray for a day or so and then go back to the program because people who have been on Phase 3 have experienced over and over again that straying a little doesn't necessarily hurt them that much, but continuing to stray once you start seeing some gains will! And each person will have things that will make them gain, and also things that they can tolerate very well. Most people can tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. Some people can tolerate a little bread. But even those who cheat and gain, are able to get right back down to where they need to be by doing a steak day or an egg day as soon as they see a gain. And it also seems easier to diet back down to your LIW after the protocol. And it seems to be harder to put the weight back on than it was before doing the protocol.
So I apologize if this post seems a little rambling, but I think I'm asking for some help from all of the people who may pass by and read this...
Help me out here and give some advice to those who are unsure or struggling or just need reassurance... Anyone who posts a comment today, just give them an example of how the diet may have changed your ability to lose or gain weight during the P3 or even P4 phases? And any other suggestions for keeping the motivation to stick with it?
Thanks!

---------------------------------------

Mary, So you're saying I didn't cheat! Woo Hoo I'll take it!

Regina, yes the citrus is a plus in our climate. And I have actually gone from HATING grapefruit before the protocol to LIKING it now! So that's a plus! And the food was EVERYWHERE! It looked delicious but I kept telling myself that I can have it next time, just NOT today!

Biz, I think you must be right because I lost in spite of it! I don't think I'll risk it every day though!

Thanks Lili, I surely do love the fruit right off the tree...

Jennifer, I'm waiting one more day to post the recipe. After my post today I just thought it might not be appropriate. But tomorrow I'll talk about P3 and the GREAT things we can eat!

VLCD #17 R2P2 - $40 richer and boy did we have fun!

(Starting weight first round: 198 10-5-7)
(R1P2 LIW 160.4 12-18-07 )
R2P2 Starting weight 167.8
Weight lost this round 12.4 lbs.
Yesterday's weight 155.8
Today's weight 155.4
Loss of .4 lbs

Superbowl party tonight and CONGRATULATIONS to Monica and all the other Giants FANS! Wow, I'm not even that much of a football fan and I enjoyed the game! Part of it could be that I won $40 bucks on the football pool! Or it might have been that several people noticed and complimented me on my weight loss. Or maybe that I was actually able to avoid all of the forbidden foods and let me tell you there was a very hefty spread there. Mostly Mexican food. I must admit to a little "cheat" though... The hosts had a big bin of fresh picked pink grapefruit and another of Arizona sweet oranges from their tree. They were encouraging us all to take as many as we wanted home with us. So I bagged up about 12 of the absolutely HUGE grapefruit and a dozen or so oranges and couldn't resist peeling and eating one. Even though I had already had my fruit for the day. So I had an extra portion of fruit... We'll see if it hurts my weight loss tomorrow. I stuck to plan otherwise. I made the chicken fingers and they were just delish! Along with a big baggie of cucumbers I was quite satisfied to munch on them everytime I got too interested in the food. So all in all quite a fun time for us all!
I did talk to a few people about the protocol. One of them is a woman who did the protocol at a clinic in California in the 70's. She is interested in trying it again I think. So maybe...
Okay, it's late and my hubby just turned out the lights so I better wind this up. And I PROMISE I'll post the Spinach con Queso recipe tomorrow. It is P3 legal and I've used it to dip in veggies before and grissini might work too...

-----------------------

Thanks Lili, yes it was fun!

Yes Biz, I'm loving seeing a loss every day!

Monica, I'll have to see if she has any good Giants stories for us when we talk to her tomorrow. I know you're loving life right now after that great game!

Mary, I'll post the recipe asap. I've missed getting around to all the blogs myself and will have some catching up to do when I get to yours tomorrow. Hope you're doing well.

Jennifer, yes I keep reminding him that I'm 155lbs for goodness sake! I'm NOT anorexic!!! Then I give him some hugs and kisses and tell him how much I love him.... whoops too mushy huh?

Shelly, cool now I know your name. I will link to your blog too so I can check it out every day!

Regina, I am wanting to just tell everyone about it but I do know that some people just aren't going to take it well. So you have to be careful.
Oh and aren't grandkids the best! I've got 8! Gotta love 'em.

Crystal, yeah I don't know why I did it that high, I usually am a little lower too, must have been short on time and was already dressed! LOL!