Steps: Mom did well!

Mom is doing very well on Step2 of my test.  She dropped 1.2# today.  This far into VLCD, that is just absolutely unheard of for her.  About now, day 9 of VLCD, she historically slowed down to a .4# or .5# loss.  So, we're very happy with this result.

Myself, I'm also on Step2.  I was hoping to counteract the effects of being female.  I'm still in weird-o female cycle land, so we can't really go by my results.  All I can say is, I feel great and at least I'm dropping this cycle!  Historically, I'd start my cycle and just stick like a magnet to whatever weight I was at when I started the thing (or gain a little) during my cycle.  So, my little 2# drop over the past few days has been a happy experience, too.

Over all, I'm very happy with the Steps concept.  We still have Step3 (LM 0/3) in reserve as well as a few other Steps, if necessary to maintain a higher weight loss and avoid the slow down time.

CDL2010:

First, CDL2010 means Christmas Day Loading 2010.  I'm just trying to differentiate between the two calendars, which are only a week apart!

So, you've been in VLCD now for a few days, right?  How's it going??  The first week or so of following the HCG Protocol is my favorite to hear from people about.  :)  There's so much going on and so much fat getting burned.  Everyone is always so pleased with the results they're getting.

On the calendar, there's a special message for you today.

We hope to hear from you in the comments about how you're doing!!

Prep for VLCD for everyone following the Christmas Loading Days calendar!

You've had one whole day of Loading.  Congratulations!  The Loading Days are always the most difficult for Mom & I.  We always feel so...  icky, full, bloated, uncomfortable, just overall yuck.  On the second day of Loading, I generally feel green and have a tough time keeping the food I'm eating down and gag reflexes start kicking in.  Ever try to eat a cream cheese brioche and drink a breve when you just can't seem to swallow?  Sometimes, the breve comes out your nose a little.  Ouch!  It's hot!  I DON'T recommend it at all.

Anyway, while you're not in the mood for food at all, it's the perfect time to sit down and figure out what you're going to have for tomorrow's meals (and, to make the costs of the foods lower, what you'll have for the next week or so).  It's Sunday, so the paper in your area should be stuffed full of the latest ads so you can peruse and find the best deals on the meat, which is really the most expensive part of this program because it's got to be lean, lean, lean and if you can get organic on your budget, that's a bonus.

Just in case you don't have it, here's the list of what we all get to eat while following VLCD.  This list is the list of foods that Mom & I follow.  We've always experienced wonderful results following it; I'm sure you will, too.  When I was on VLCD, I even printed that post out and kept it in my backpack/purse so I'd just have it as a reference.  It was handy and, especially in the beginning, made life much easier because I didn't have the whole thing memorized.

It's also time to change out your toiletries tonight:

• Your regular anti-persperant for Crystal Deodorant Rocks
• Your regular lotion for Corn Husker's Oil-Free Lotion
• Your regular beauty regimine for stuff that's Oil-Free (I don't wear makeup, so can't really help you there; I'd be completely making stuff up and feel like I was leading you astray if I said anything on this topic.  Since that's just NOT who I am, might there be any suggestions from the readers who've already been there, done that?)
• Your regular hand soap for Pear's Oil-Free Soap
• Your regular shampoo for Magick Shampoo

Look around for other oil-containing things that you might use and find some oil-free substitutes for them!

The slow down is starting to happen

Already! I'm down only .9# this morning. I know, I know, it's almost a whole pound, but I think the 3# range should be able to continue for at least a week!

Yah, I'm whining. I know it. I can't even have any cheese with my whine. lol.

I suppose I'd better just suck it up and get going, though, hadn't I? I've been eating cottage cheese each night since I started VLCD but switched from 4%fat to 2%fat last night. Wonder if that's what caused the sudden slowness?

So, YAE! 7ish pounds gone!

Two days in, down 6.7#!

The first week on VLCD is always the best week, in my opinion. I wish we could just do a week or 10 days of VLCD (just until the releases slow to those partial pounds) and then go off into P3! :) For now, though, I get to celebrate BIG numbers.

Day 1: -3.4#
Day 2: -3.3#

Tough to beat numbers like those. I had a real headache on Day 1 this time around. That was pretty unusual for me. I FreXed the headache away, mostly, though did "cheat" and have 4 cranberry powder pills. Cranberry powder is great for reducing inflammation & I use it during my cycle to get rid of bloating, headaches, and cramps. Works brilliantly!

Day 2 & today, I'm experiencing a slightly upset tummy (not hungry, but a little nauseated). That's new for me, too. So, I decided I'd just break down and have a cup of baking soda water (1t baking soda in 1/4c water). It balances the pH in the stomach, so it works *every* time.

I'm off to the symphony today!

Happy Less of Us!

VLCD: Discussion of Fatty Fish

While I was following the VLCD part, I had lots of questions about my recipes containing Orange Roughy, which, according to one popular writer of HCG books, is a "fatty fish." What I'd really like to do is examine these thoughts.

First, the main tool I use when looking up nutrition about a food - especially one that doesn't come from the store with a label - is http://www.nutritiondata.com/. It's a *great* way to check up on facts for yourself rather than taking someone else's word for what the facts are. I encourage you to investigate for yourself!!

When you find your food, be sure to set your serving size and look for the raw food, as that's what we're supposed to be weighing to eat.

So, I wanted to take a look at one other meat, hamburger, that's called out on *all* versions of allowed foods that I've seen, and compare it to Orange Roughy.

Hamburger (95/5): http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/beef-products/6188/2

Orange Roughy: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4099/2

Mostly, I want to take a look at the fat content of each protien. Hamburger, even very very lean, has 5g of fat in 100g of meat. Orange Roughy, the "fatty fish," has a single gram of fat in 100g of meat.

So, I don't eat veal, but it's another protein on the "allowed" list for all the lists I've seen. The data on it is startling, when considering that we're supposed to cut out all fats:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/lamb-veal-and-game-products/4740/2

Wow! In 100g of breast meat, there's over 200 calories and a whopping 15g of fat.

When comparing the other allowed meats to the "fatty fish" to see if it's a good choice or not, it becomes pretty clear that compared to the other allowed meats, even a fatty white fish is better than most of them!