Iosol Iodine Tea

Drinking Iosol Iodine straight, or even in water, is just yucky. Last night, I tried adding some Vanilla Stevia to my water and Iosol Iodine mix. Not only did the mix turn blue, but it still tasted awful. There's something about the Stevia that made it turn blue, as just the water and Iosol Iodine together were an orange-red color.

This morning, I tried something new. I added the drops to my pot of tea. Luckily for me, the amount of water in the tea diluted the blue color of the Iosol Iodine and Vanilla Stevia mix so I was still drinking something that still looked like just tea. I couldn't taste the iodine in it at all and was impressed.

Want to know another great thing about the iodine addition to the diet? I'm NOT tired this afternoon. I don't feel like I need a nap to make it through the rest of the day. There's just nothing like immediate results like that.

The only problem with drinking the iodine in tea is that I need to get down at least two pots of tea in addition to the daily water intake. I'm going through a *lot* of TP, let me tell you!

Any way, here's the sharsies on the tea recipe:

Iosol Iodine Tea

1 T loose leaf tea (I use Rooibus, a red, but you could use black, too)

8 drops Vanilla Stevia (or what ever flavor you prefer)

2-4 drops of Iosol Iodine (depending on your tastes)

Add dry tea, iodine, & stevia drops to a teapot; set aside. Bring a pot of water just to the boiling point, but not quite to a full boil. Add water directly over the tea in the teapot, let steep 5-10 minutes and sip.

Day 3 of Phase 2

Last night, just before, was the first time I've felt hunger since I began this. Of course, then I ate that great giant very filling soup and wasn't hungry again. I figured for sure I'd be next to starving this morning - but I'm not. :)

I've found that changing "breakfast" each day really helps with feeling like I'm "missing out" on something. Today, I've got Cherry Green tea. I generally sweeten it with Vanilla Stevia, just cuz I like vanilla flavor, but you could use other flavors if you wanted. I think a Raspberry Stevia with the Cherry Green tea would be delightful.

So, the breakfast menu today:

Cherry Green Tea (0 calories)

1 T loose Cherry Green Tea

10 drops Vanilla Stevia

Add tea and stevia drops to a teapot and set aside. Bring a pot of water just to the boiling point, but not quite to a full boil. Add water directly over the tea in the teapot, let steep 5-10 minutes and sip. This is wonderful hot or cold.

Lunch Repeaters

We were still unprepared for lunch today so we had a repeat. I know, I know, we're Lunch Repeaters! Mom varied it with a bowl of fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden and added some spices to the shrimp, but it was very similar to yesterday. I suspect it's got something to do with lounging around enjoying tea all morning and the lunch hour sneaking up on us. I enjoyed a wonderful pot of Honeybush Vanilla tea (I use loose teas - they taste better).

Breakfast menu:

Honeybush Tea (0 calories)

1 T Honeybush Vanilla loose tea

10 drops Vanilla Stevia

Heat water just to the boiling point. Add tea and stevia to teapot, then add the water. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Relax and enjoy the whole pot out on the deck while watching a green frog crawl up the side of your house.

Here's the lunch menu:

Better than Standard Cucumbers (58 calories)

4 cups cucumber

salt to taste (better than vinegar, I think!)

Add cucumbers to a bowl and toss with celtic sea salt (YUMMY). Enjoy whilest watching a pleasant movie like Miss Potter.

Balsamic Vinegar Cherry Tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes

Balsamic Vinegar to taste

Add cherry tomatoes to a bowl and add enough balsamic vinegar so that it's precisely right for your tastebugs. (Yes... That's what taste buds are called when you're a 9 year old girl.) Allow to rest in the bowl for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy while lounging on the couch in front of a movie.

Spicy Braggs' Shrimp (90 calories)

100g shrimp (about 16)

Creole' seasoning

1T Braggs' Liquid Aminos

In semi-heated dry pan, add shrimp and pour Braggs' over shrimp; "fry" in Braggs' until shrimp are cooked.

And, let's not forget the sad and lonely bread stick, for 20 calories. :) I'll have to figure out a way to incorporate that into and be part of lunch, rather than be a side of lunch. Perhaps I'll just put that thought into my Mom's head and see what she stews up. She's wonderfully clever with food and most of my fondest memories begin with something that she made in the kitchen. That's probably why I'm so rotund. Hahaha!

I've discovered over the years that the setting in which you eat is just as important as the food you're eating.

So, here's the latest on us:

Me:

Started: 327

End Phase 1: 332

Today: 325

Total: -2

Mom:

Total: -3

Yae us!

Relief

I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am that I didn't have to eat anything this morning. I am still full, full, full from the last two days and gained 5 pounds with my Loading of fat. Ugh. I sure hope this thing works!

So, my breakfast consisted of the supplements I'm to take, the hCG drops, and two pots of green tea. I love green tea and normally have tea for breakfast, along with a slice of toast with a creamed nut on it (almond, generally). Today, just the green tea. I have NO desire for food yet and I am NOT hungry.

I was surprised when my Mom asked what we were having for lunch. That's still an hour and a half away and I'm just enjoying the fact that I don't have for force anything more down me!

So, I'm up to 332, according to my scales - isn't that backward of where I want to go?

Here's hoping!