Monday, May 23, 2011

Two Week Check In

Exciting News!
We've made it through our first 15 days !! The total weight loss between the 3 of us is drum roll please..................

41.4 lbs !!!
Myself and two of my daughters are going through this phase together. We all feel great and are excited for these big totals! My third daughter is on the maintenance phase and lost 20lbs through her phase 2.

I am beginning to feel better with my own self-control, as I had hoped it would happen again for me this round. I guess the second time round the appetite-suppressant takes a bit longer to kick in, which was apparent for me but I found at about Day 10 the appetite suppressant started to work better for me.

Our clothes are getting bigger, but because we are continuing to loose there is no point in buying clothes that fit. This is where we need a plus size consignment store, so as we lose we can trade down our clothes.

Since February 21 2011 I have lost 47.8lbs! It feels great! It's been cool to feel smaller, and to feel my hip bones, (something I didn't know I had hahaha) I will post more photos soon

More to come....

Disappearing Diva M

Friday, May 20, 2011

How many days left?

HA! We are only on day 5 of this phase, 25 days to go. But happily I can say I've lost 6lbs so far. (two of my daughters have started with me and have lost the same amount which equals 18lbs total!)
I seem to struggle at the beginning (some of it is to do with the high amounts of personal stress in my life)but I will try to press on through and get to Day 7. I am not feeling hungry, but still want to snack on something to give that boost to my emotions.
This is very difficult for me, and I hope that it passes, I just want to hunker down like before and stay focused on the weight loss. Last time, once we were well into the phase, we started to forget about food, weird I know, but it happened. So, I will hope that it happens again.
I would like to get to the place where eating a tasty little snack will not be the thing that gets me through a crisis, that I will look for other ways to cope.

At Christmas time I had out-grown my clothes, so I waited for the year end sale to purchase 'fitable' things. I've now out-shrunk those clothes and have bought 2 dresses 4 sizes smaller. woo hoo! One of the dresses is for a special event I have to attend at the end of June, and I would like to go with a few less pounds....
I keep the dress in view to help remind me to... STAY FOCUSED!

More to come
Disappearing Diva M

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

VAIN!

Ya you would think I was Vain for how many photos I've posted on this blog. But these photos are my sanity keeper.



I've lost approximately 37lbs. But when I look at myself in a mirror or some other sort of reflection device, I see the same person as I was before. This is extremely disheartening and discouraging. But when I see the difference of myself in the same dress, I CAN see these first changes. The before and after photos are what keep me going. My thoughts to you, as you bare through yet another before and after photo of me...If you ever go on this diet, or any other sort of weight loss program... do do do, the before pictures... wear your big stuff, and look all puffy and chubby! (ok fine, that was my normal "oh natural')But even if you don't like how you look now or like to take pictures... before and afters are the PROOF IN THE PUDDING...
So I do look at my current photos often to encourage myself of the success and know it's what will keep me on this diet for the next 30 days!!!!

Disappearing Diva M

Monday, May 16, 2011

Another Time Around The Mountain Woopee!

In life there are always lessons to be learned, and if not learned the first time there tends to be another opportunity to learn that lesson. Round and Round the mountain is what I call it. I sort of feel this way doing this second round on the HCG diet, with the exception I feel quite positive heading around this mountain again. Of course it's because I still have more weight to lose.

We are at day 2 of this second round. Day 1 & 2 are called load in days where you eat as much high fat, sugary foods as you can. (annnnd, they call this a diet??)The reason for this type of intake is to wake up and force the metabolism to work hard as well as to have a 'fullness' in your system to last while the body transition to the VLCD.

My first round I don't think I ate enough both days, so this time around I made sure of it. It was hard to eat and keep eating, since my stomach has shrunk from doing the first round and I just can't consume large amounts of food. But, I gave it the college try and walked around feeling like post turkey dinner for the past two days... UG!

In the first round I learned more about my body and how it works and doesn't work with certain kinds of food. After eating 'clean' for 40 days, my body now has the chance to tell me... "ya, we don't like those foods, so don't eat them" I am listening.



I am hoping to have great success with these different drops (different company) and success with learning more about my system, and hoping I correct my metabolism once and for all.

Disappearing Diva M

Friday, May 13, 2011

And The Battle Begins!!

I received my shipment of drops 2 days ago, and promptly sent out two orders to friends of mine who want to do the diet! I am excited for them! The other exciting aspect is, I am right on time for my next round of weight-loss! waaa hoo!
But!, the Battle begins.

This is the mind battle of "well I'm not going to get to eat/drink 'that' for the next 30 days, so I will eat/drink 'it' now". Of course I am not talking about celery, spinach and naturally blended vegi-drinks. I'm talking about chocolate, cheese, wine and the likes!!! Foods that would be weight increasers if I ate them in excessive amounts. Of course it wouldn't be a weight increase of 10lbs etc, but that even an increase of 2lbs, is 2lbs.

It's easy for the mind to think "well it won't matter if I gain 2-3lbs, because as soon as I am on the drops and the VLCD I will lose it again."
But then I ask myself why do I want to eat, and possible gain only to have to work at losing it again. Is it worth it? No. This mind battle is showing me that I haven't quite learned how to control the food.

So the battle begins, and I will take these next 3 days to win! The other thing, is when I start this next round of the diet, I will have the two days of 'load in' and can enjoy those foods then. (btw Load in, is where you are to over eat to prepare your body for the transition of the VLCD)

My weight as of now is up 5lbs, which is caused by edema. I hope to use these next 3 days to get my water retention under control, So that I am starting at my lowest weight and my new created set point.

More to come...

Disappearing Diva M

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

I've got drops... I can help!

I'm waiting anxiously for my next order of drops to come in. The armed guards at the boarder are doing their duty as the products past through customs.

I have "heard" that with the second round of the drops the weight-loss can be a bit slower. I am hoping that it will not be the case for us, and that we will be able to see good productive weight-loss as we did the first time.

As I dream of the VLCD aka as RATIONS (according to one of my daughters)and the coming new weight-loss, I see so many people who would benefit from this diet.
I feel like I'm going to turn into a pushy sales-man. "I see you have some weight to lose, I have just the trick to help you lose 30lbs in 30 days GUARANTEED!! I'VE GOT DROPS... I CAN HELP"
This diet has been the easiest & quickest way I have ever lost weight, and so all I want to do, is share it.... so I WILL!

My next order will have 6 bottles for me to sell to friends and family! How exciting to share the HCG drops with people who are ready to lose weight with me.
I think I've already sold 5 of the 6 bottles. woo hoo!

more later....
Disappearing Diva M

Saturday, May 7, 2011

The beginning of the weight loss

(This was written from before I officially started the blog)

I've been struggling with my weight and eating habits, well all my life. I did have some success in 2009 with losing about 50 pounds. Slowly but surely it has all returned.
Food of course is a comfort to me, and life as we all know is stressful. My personal life has hit an all time low and mama needs all the comfort she can get!
5 Kids almost half are adults, but everyone lives at home!
Their father who is battling cancer
Part time job
Full time music career
and then the day to day stress of money, cars repairs, bills etc.

As a general rule, I actually don't consume a lot of food, just not always the best choices and then with little to no exercise. I digress.
I started the HCG diet drops February 21 2011. The diet is, you take these drops 2x daily and consume only 500 calories per day. The drops are to help you to burn your own fat and keep you from feeling hungry.
On the first day of the 500 calories...I was rather hungry, and my brain screamed, THE DROPS ARE NOT WORKING!!! (The drops take 3 days to kick in)So I had to assume everything was on par. The great thing with the lack of food and the drops is that you can loose .5 to 1 pound per day.
The second day all I seemed to think about was food, which is really unlike me. But from the prompting of my friend, she just kept saying... it's only 40 days...you can do it.
The diet allows for you to do a 26 day cycle or a 40 day. I am attempting the 40 cycle.

Second week I struggled with my body temperature, and was always cold. It only lasted a couple of days. The rest of the time was easy. I felt good, slept fairly well and did not feel a lack of energy. Even if you only have 10 lbs to lose... THIS program will work for you and it will be the easiest 10lbs you ever lose!

Disappearing Diva M

Thursday, May 5, 2011

But can you keep it off???

"But what happens when you go off the drops and start eating normal again, do you gain it all back?" is the question that was asked of me by many people..


(Photo: February 20th 2011 just before I started)

This diet is designed in Phases and was created in the 1950's by Dr Simeons. You can read his manuscript "Pounds & Inches A New Approach to Obesity" to learn more.

I was uncertain what would happen while I'm off the drops (Phase 3), but according to Dr. Simeons, these drops are actually going to help change my hypothalamus, and get my metabolism working properly. Am I skeptical? ABSOLUTELY! am I being convinced? ABSOLUTELY!

When I was coming to the end of Phase 2 (VLCD & drops) I panicked! I didn't want to start eating normal again in-case I gained it all back, I wanted to keep eating with the protocol. But, with the insistence from my friend who said, "if you don't eat, you WILL gain it back, you must keep your body and metabolism working for you, SO EAT!"
In this phase the goal is to stabilize the weight and maintain it, creating a new set point for the body.

I began to increase my calories and include foods permissible on Phase 3. My weight fluctuated up and down, increasing up to 6lbs. I did my corrective days and brought the weight right back down to the new set point.... and then dropped 2 MORE POUNDS!woo hoo!

I DO see the difference in my how my body absorbs and processes food. Some days I am not hungry at all and will wait to eat a bit later and of course I'm eating less. Certain food have no appeal to me, so it's easy to skip over highly processed foods. I try out some foods that I used to love, but realize my body doesn't care for it and I regret it later. Lesson learned.

The evenings are my biggest struggle, but not from hunger. I try to make good healthy choices to snack on like Kale Chips, and will allow myself the odd glass of diet pop.
I know I'm not out of the woods yet, and have at least 2 more rounds to go. I begin the VLCD and drops again May 15th and I am super excited to begin again and drop more weight.

I'll keep you posted....

Disappearing Diva M

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I Have Got To Do Something About This Weight!

These were the thoughts rolling around in my head as performed my daily ritual of standing on the scale and seeing the numbers creep higher and higher!
My weight was "gaining" out of control, all from my mediocre eating habits, edema and lack of movement. The worse of the three for me was the lack of movement, because of the pain in my knees and heel. It was bad, and it didn't matter if I was sitting, standing or laying down... they always hurt. I suspected needing some sort of knee surgery within the next year, or needing the use of a walker. This could be a bit over-dramatic, but the pain was horrendous.

January my girlfriend told me about HCG drops. Her daughter had used them and she herself was on them having incredible weight-loss... "where do I find these?" "Ebay" she replied. I didn't feel very confident randomly picking an unknown seller and a set of these unknown drops. But happily February 21 2011 everything changed!

I went on the drops and the VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet)and successfully lost 37lbs in 40 days. Easiest, Best, Quickest way I have ever lost weight.

The first week was a bit difficult to get my head around the VLCD but it changed quickly after the loss of 10lbs in my first week. From that point on, It was mind over food, which really wasn't to difficult. On the drops, I wasn't hungry, didn't have cravings and no withdrawal from sugar etc. It seemed I could resist everything, because I wanted a successful weigh in every day. This mentality worked for me. Reminding myself that it was only for 40 days... and heck, it's easy to give up something for 40 days, if you know that you are going to lose weight!

I did have before photos taken of me, but were unfortunately deleted from my camera, but being a musician, there are always pictures being taken of me.
I'm adding these before and afters...The Before is from two different shows. The After is of my birthday April 30th.... in all the photos I am wearing the same dress.

Disappearing Diva M


R: April 30 2011 L: December 17 2010


R: October 16 2010 L: April 30 2011