Day 13 on hCG and 17lbs gone!
Starting Weight: 233 lbs
Today’s Weight: 216 lbs
Total Weight loss: 17 lbs
So, I can’t explain how excited and hopeful I am today…the end of this week my weight loss slowed a little..I only lost .5 lbs on wed. and .4 lbs on thur. But then when I got up this morning and weighed, I had lost 2.3 lbs…which totally made up for it! I just can’t believe that I’ve lost 17 lbs in 13 days..that is truly unbelievable to me.
Here are some exciting things that happened this week: Wore a pair of jeans that I bought 3 years ago..wore once and then gained too much weight to ever wear again. And today, I have on a pair of Victoria Secret “pink” sweatpants that I”ve been dying to wear again..they were my favorite about 3 years ago but I grew out of them rather quickly…and am so excited to be able to wear them again! I am finding myself spending time, just standing in my closet just trying on everything that hasn’t fit in over 3 years..it’s really a liberating and motivating thing to do!
I also realized that this is the week that people start ‘noticing’ me again. This whole experience of going from having a great body and getting attention etc.. to gaining so much weight that some people didn’t even recognize me has really been hard on the ego and confidence. I think the central theme throughout it has been the question of “is there more to me than just the way I look?” and it’s really made me stop and ask myself where my confidence comes from..and I think in the past I got so much attention because of my appearance that I began to rely on that to fuel my self esteem. So, when that goes away..what do you have left? I’ve noticed over the past 3-4 years that everytime something goes wrong in my life, I’ve blamed it on the fact that I was overweight..and I’ve found myself saying ” well if I was thin and attractive, that wouldn’t have happened” and unfortunately…many of the times that is true. I don’t care what anyone says but the fact of the matter is…people get treated differently based upon their appearance. I’ve experienced it myself many many times. Having gone from thin, to overweight you get an up close and personal glimpse at the true colors and integrity of people. Maybe that was the whole point of my experience, I’m yet to know that at this point. However, I can guarantee that it has changed the way that I view people and interact with them.
While I’m in deep thought here lol, I’d also like to talk about self image. I find it fascinating to watch those programs where girls who are barely 125 lbs get up and talk about how they think of themselves as being ‘fat’..and when they look in the mirror they see a ‘fat’ person. I believe they call this ‘body dismorphia’. However, I have never heard an overweight person say that they have the opposite problem..where they don’t recognize themselves as being as overweight as they really are. I don’t know if I am the only person who has experienced this or not but I will never forget the first photograph that I saw of myself after I had begun gaining weight. It launched me into a pretty deep depression because I had NEVER thought of myself as looking like that. When I saw that photo I literally had to look at it for several seconds before even realizing that I was in the photo. I think my mental image of myself was the way that I had always looked, and I never replaced it with the ACTUAL way that I looked..it was a very hard reality to take. Even now, I struggle with this b/c in my mind, I don’t see myself as being overweight..and even thought I’ve lost a total of 30lbs since March, I feel like I should look ‘back to normal’..and I am noticing that my confidence is coming back. However, just yesterday when I passed by a window of a store and saw myself…I realized that I’ve still got a long way to go…before I’m back to normal. It was almost as if someone took a pin and completely bursted my balloon and I said to myself “ya, your still fat, don’t get too excited”. Which is a negative thought that I am trying to replace with positive thoughts..but honestly, it was my first thought.
There are some times when I look forward to a day when I don’t have to constantly worry about what I look like, or feel uncomfortable in clothes, or live by the scale…and I know that day is alot closer than it was 2 months ago. So this process is not only an exercise in self confidence..but also in PATIENCE!
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I am glad you are feeling good about your weight loss but how long are you planing on doing this hcg? Are you doing other things changing your eating habits, learning what is heathy, working out and learning what works for you.
Do you also know that HCG is not approved by the food and drug administration for weight loss. Yep some doctors will love you getting these shots because you have to go in every week to get your shot. You have to do what you have to do but please do not promote this. it is very unsafe and not healthy
Actually Kerstin, my issue has little to do with changing my eating habits and learning what is healthy. I am a certified nutritionist AND personal trainer who has been battling Polycycstic Ovarian Disease for 4 years and gained 70 lbs due to the hormonal changes that accompany PCOS. So..no diet or excercise program in the world makes you lose weight if you’re hormones aren’t in check. This program has proven to be a lifesaver for many many women struggling with the side effects of PCOS.
And yes, I do not know that it’s not approved by the FDA..but do YOU know why? hCG is a naturally occuring hormone which means that it can NOT be patented by a pharm. company..do you have any idea what happens when something can’t be patented? The drug co.’s can’t earn $$ off of it. Do you know what happens when the pharm co.’s don’t earn money? They can’t support their governmental lobbiests. If you can’t see how the animal works then I feel bad for you =(
It is very sad that millions of women out there are suffering from obesity and at the hands of Dr.’s performing extremely dangerous bariatric procedures when something this simple and MUCH healthier exists.
And in reference to your comment about the Dr.’s just wanting you to come in on a weekly basis to take their shots. I assume that you then have been under a Dr.’s care for this program? Because surely you wouldn’t give advice and opinions based on something that you personally have never experienced?
My Dr. charges $10 per shot. I use 3 per week and do them in the privacy of my own home, no weekly Dr.’s visits here. One cycle of the program is 7 weeks followed by two phases of maintenance, which only suggest a monthly visit at $35 to get your bloodwork and body measurements checked. Any idea what gastric bypass surgery costs? I do..and it’s a He$$ of alot more money that that.
One last thought..most, if not all, of the products found at your local GNC or Vitamin World are not approved by the FDA..do you advise people not to take any of these either?
well thanks for writing back.. And taking time out to explain. Fine if you have PCOS then it works for you but most people here do not have it and you still advertised it as being a great thing. NOTHING is a good alternative to doing it with sensible eating and working out. Consuming less calories than you burn will work. I do not know anything about your homonal imbalance but for 99.99% of people there is a way if there is a will.
I can tell you love what you are doing and like I said good for you. But there might be this person here who can do it the RIGHT way but see HCG as a quick fix which is what it is.
As for you being a personal trainer and a nutritionist you should know that you can loose weight and should loose weight the right way, learning new eating habbits and MOVING.
I also do not believe in surgery or any other weight loss spill quick fix alternative.
I do know a few things about HCG not as much as you but enough to know it is not the way to go and maybe just maybe you should explain that in your blog because there is PLENTY people wanting to loose weight here and thinking.. Oh wow look at her. I want to loose that fast..
Well, it’s not a quick fix at all. and if you take the injections and do not also follow a VERY regimented diet eating 500 calories of ONLY foods that are listed in Dr. Simeons protocol..then you will gain weight. It is a chemical reaction that occurs in your body and you have to be very specific and careful about what you put into your body while on the program. And, anyone who is serious about doing the program will research it and learn that.
And before anyone gets all worked up over the “500 calorie diet” thing..let me just say that there is a VERY good reason why you only take in 500 calories of external nutrition, the hcg is releasing the equivilancy of anywhere from 1000-1500 in calories through the release of the fat cells..so taking in more than 500 calories and your body doesn’t burn them all..would equal weight gain.
But, I am just one success story, feel free to read about what other women have had to say:
http://www.amazon.com/hCG-Success-Stories/forum/Fx21UTZ9E9YYDLN/Tx36QM0CTLLPQKY/1?_encoding=UTF8&asin=097878510X
I hope you dont mind, but this blog, along with a few others spurred a blog from me.
This is a touchy subject with me. Having to defend yourself for doing what you think is right for You. A lot of people think there is only one way, a right way to do this. That’s fine, they are definitely allowed their opinions.
So, glad your here, keep blogging ok. Good luck with the injections. It sounds like your doing good. I just think your allowed the support and love that the ones that are doing it the “right way” get too.
Kudos to you andreaonhcg! Today is my first day and it seems I got my head bitten off for suggesting anything to aid in the weight loss of others. I suggested a method that worked for me and may work for someone else and some attacked me in disgust. Keep it up!
THANK YOU guys!! you’re right..It’s called a ‘blog’ because you can write whatever you want and I don’t appreciate being told what or how I should write about something. I mean, what am I supposed to do..NOT tell the truth..and NOT talk about what a miracle this program has been for me just because someone who has never had more than 20lbs to lose in their lives are telling me not to?? I love those people who say “diet and exercise is the only way to lose weight..1-2 lbs per week..that’s the only way to lose weight” well…those people are medically ignorant and hav obviously never had medical issues restrain their weight loss…arrghhh that bugs me haha
Oh..p.s., I lost another pound yesterday (yippee)
Hi Andrea
Will you have to take these injections of HCG for the rest of your life? - I ask because surely if you stop the injections and the VLCD then in your case Andrea the hormonal imbalance caused by Polycystic Ovarian disease will still be there the same as it was - will this not just result in you putting the weight back on? Or will you be able to change the hormonal imbalance in another way. I ask this because i have a family member with the same condition - she is gaining weight too.
The other question I have (sorry to be pumping you for information - but you seem to be qualified in this area!) is to do with the actual HCG injections - AS far as I understand it they are the hormone that you release in early pregnancy. What are the implications for women who are close to menopausal - are they able to use this programme effectively or are there other health implications for this group of women?
If you have a moment to answer I would really appreciate this.
Shelli
Hi Shelli, I will not have to take them the rest of my life. Each hCG ‘cycle’ is 7 weeks…then, if you need to do another cycle..there is an ‘off period’ where you go into maintenance mode before going back into another cycle. To answer your question regarding the hormonal balance. The beauty of the hCG program is that it actually ‘resets’ your hypothalamus which controls the majority of your metabolic functions. Over 90% of the people who do this program do NOT gain the weight back.
I was in a no-win situation..the weight was contributing to my pcos and the pcos was contributing to the weight. Once I get it back down to where it should be…I know without a doubt that I can maintain it. In the past, I wasn’t as aware of what my body was telling me and I let things go on until they were basically out of my control.
To answer your other question..I am 34 and luckily haven’t hit that milestone yet..however, I have a friend in my office building who just started the hCG program yesterday and she was concerned initially b/c she has had a hysterectomy and takes multiple hormone creams daily. The Dr. told her to continue taking the hormonal creams to keep her balanced and that the hCG was not going to have any negative effects on her..so I would only assume that it would be the same for your friend. She lost 5lbs yesterday on Day 1 by the way!!
What most people don’t realize is that we all, men and women, produce a small amount of hCG that is in our bodies on a regular basis…min. level is 5 miu/ml …when a women gets pregnant that level doubles every 48-72 hours..eventually reaching the 300,000 miu/ml mark. The small amount that we inject only lasts in your system for 2-3 days and it is not unsafe at all..or else the extremely high levels that are produced by a pregnant woman would be considered EXTREMELY unsafe haha
Thanks Andrea for taking the time to explain -
regards
Shelli X