25-pounds lost with HCG!

Hello everyone!  As you can see I have not posted in a bit; I've been pretty busy the last month.  First I've been working more on my other blog, catered more for entrepreneurs.  And second (and most importantly) I lost 25 pounds!  Yes, you read right, 25 pounds in 30 days!  Well, 33 days to be exact ;)

How did I do it?  Well it all started when my friend told me about her success with a very strict, doctor supervised diet she was doing, which involved taking medication.  She had mentioned a few aspects I found curious, such as avoiding oils, lotions, and most make-up.  She did not know it was called the "hcg diet", but upon research I found that's what it was.  I went down a rabbit hole of information.  I won't bombard you with too much info in this post, but I will be sharing in upcoming posts some tips and tricks I learned along the way for anyone interested in the HCG diet.  The most important things to keep in mind for the HCG diet are 1) it can be done with the HCG drops, or via injections (both are taken daily; I did it through injections), and 2) the hormone is paired with a very low calorie diet (VLCD).  If you are taking the right dosage, you will notice your appetite will be suppressed, allowing you to follow the caloric restrictions with ease.

Significant loss of inches, especially around my back and stomach

Anyway, I was having a very hard time losing weight prior to HCG, even while eating healthy.  I also found that I was essentially caught in a catch-22. I wanted to lose weight; I had been feeling so "heavy", and with such low energy, I even had a hard time breathing. I mentioned to you before the state of my energy and how I felt there was something up with my hormones/thyroid, but my blood work came back normal. I still felt there was something wrong. I had no energy to work out, to lose weight. Instead I opted to get back to eating healthy again. My energy level did increase, but not enough to exercise like I wanted to. I started doing yoga to get in some physical activity. I was maintaining my weight; not gaining or losing. I needed to find a happy medium between food and exercise, but without the energy to do it, I could only focus on eating healthy and therefore weight loss would be that much harder. I felt so discouraged.  I got to the end of my rope in late August. I never, ever wanted to undergo weight loss surgery; I just feel it's not for me, but I had to find an effective solution, otherwise I would have to force myself to go under the knife. I just felt I need a substantial amount of help.

I could no longer fight this battle on my own.  

I found an affordable doctor in San Diego who offered HCG injections.  I decided to try it, all or nothing.  Thankfully the doctor made the process seem more manageable.  He provided me with information, tips, and of course taught me how to inject myself with the HCG.  By the way I am not squeamish with needles, and the injection is a tiny, insulin needle, which I would quickly prick into my stomach.  The whole process takes about 15 seconds.  It didn't hurt at all, sometimes I would feel a little pinch, but it would be so quick that it didn't even matter.

My injections; I would prepare the shots a week at a time

If you're considering the HCG diet, definitely consider following the protocol with a doctor.  I would not recommend doing it alone your first time.  Also, there is a debate on HCG injections vs. HCG drops.  I am going to share my friend's story (in a later post), since she followed the diet with drops, while I did with injections.  I've read many articles about injections being more concentrated than drops, which is why I did not mind injections at all.  I really wanted to make sure I had something potent to work with, for maximum success.

Another thing I want to point out is that results vary for everyone!  On average, you lose about 1 pound per day, however sometimes when you're changing foods, or if you come in contact with some fats (like oils in lotions), or if you cheat, then your weight loss will vary greatly.  I also experienced stalls during ovulation and then pre-menstruation, so it's important to share those things with your doctor.

In later posts I am going to share what I ate and tips, but for now just wanted to give you some basic info on what I did, and why I did it.  Again, do your research; if you've been having a really hard time to lose weight and are at the end of your rope, this may be a solution for you.  I don't have the patience to lose weight slowly, at least not before because I had so much to lose it would've taken me forever!  Now I feel like I have a great head start, especially since my energy is so high, that I can lose weight in a "normal" way through diet and exercise.

P.S: I actually just finished what's called "phase 2" of the diet, which is the very low-calorie portion. Now I finished the injections and am moving on to a low-carb, high protein diet; kind of a mix between Paleo and Atkins.  Do what works for you!  After the weight loss from that phase, you have to keep the weight off, and of course keep losing until you meet your goal.

Thanks for stopping by, and be on the lookout for future HCG posts! =)

FREE Thyroid Sessions - issues with weight loss, autoimmunity, fertility and more!

Hello people, happy Wednesday! I am so happy today because I am, once again, being pushed in the right direction. I mentioned to you before that I have been feeling lost trying to figure out why I've been struggling to lose weight, among other things. I made many lifestyle changes, primarily with how and what I eat, and still have not witnessed the results I was expecting.

In previous posts I shared with you how I've been feeling and the results of my blood tests. Nothing was abnormal but I still feel something is off. I surrendered my plight to the universe and then BAM! I received this email from Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness with information on an upcoming Thyroid Sessions event.  He's provided FREE access to clips and information, if you don't want to invest in the full event. You'll have access to a plethora of valuable information related to thyroid imbalances which can cause so many issues in the body. He's interviewed many experts in the field who provide information on what to look out for, what can trigger imbalances and much more. I know I discuss a lot about weight loss and overall health but even if you're not focused on losing weight, do yourself a favor and listen in. They discuss the many ways hormonal imbalances can negatively impact your body; autoimmunity, cancer, issues with fertility, etc...

Honestly this has been the best free resource I've found thus far to help me feel like I'm not alone in this battle. I feel there's a lot more going on than my doctor has lead me to believe and so now I have to play doctor with my own body. At the end of the day you have to take care of yourself and do what's best for you. Do one great thing for yourself everyday; listen to the powerful messages and I hope they help you find what you need.

By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out =)

Why am I not losing weight?

If you've been following my posts you've noticed a pattern of experimentation with different tactics to help me lose weight.  Some have helped me more than others but I am still finding it super hard to lose weight.  I mentioned that I went to the doctor and have mild anemia which explains why my energy level has been so low.  I also noticed an increase in appetite which can be a few things; I think mainly because I'm not getting enough of the nutrients my body needs (which at this point could be more fiber and iron).

I've been doing some research on anemia and also hormonal imbalances.  An important piece of information I stumbled upon was something called "Leptin Resistance".  From my research I understood Leptin to be a hormone which lets the brain know if the body has enough fat to survive.  Our bodies don't want us to starve so it stores fat for when it needs it most.  However, with "Leptin Resistance" the brain is unable to receive the message from the Leptin, letting it know the body has enough fat stored for later use.  Since the brain doesn't get the message it thinks the body needs more fat, therefore increasing appetite.  I'm not a medical expert but I think that's the most basic explanation of LR I understood.

I also learned there's no quick fix to removing the LR.  I am going to do more research on ways to get balanced and finally lose this weight once and for all.  It's almost sad that I have to do this on my own, having a doctor and all.  From my experience, traditional medicine is all about a quick fix and easy answer.  My doctor saw me and immediately labeled me "obese", as well as wrote down a list of potential problems I might have, including hypothyroidism.  Not once did he mention anything about my hormones, even after I mentioned having low energy and increase in appetite.  He just assumed I'm fat so I overeat naturally. Don't get me wrong, he's a nicer doctor than I've had in the past, but still has that same quick solution mentality. Anemia wasn't even one of his original reasons why I might be having low energy, that is until my blood tests came back.  Thankfully nothing else was abnormal; no high cholesterol or anything like that.  He wanted to suggest I speak to a nutritionist but I told him I wrote off traditional nutritionists a long time ago.  All they know how to do is go by a food pyramid which is a "this works for everyone" solution, and it really isn't. Every body is different and every body needs it's own, individual food guideline.  A traditional nutritionist will suggest you "eat this" and "stop eating that", oh and don't forget to count your calories!  But what I need is someone to say, hey have you looked into this as a reason for why you're not losing weight?  Someone to suggest something other than "diet and exercise" or "willpower" as the solution.

This is why I've adopted a holistic approach to weight loss.  I want to look at the big picture rather than just a small piece of the puzzle.  I've been struggling with my weight and body since I was about 10 years old. Prior to my 30's weight loss was about my self-esteem and body image; it was about how I was perceived in the world.  Now I want to understand my body for myself; I'm taking a more introspective approach. Because I've become more in tune with my body and have learned to listen, I can now understand more of what's going on and why I'm not seeing the results I am working towards.  I actually wrote a quick e-book called "Greens on the Side" which is available when you subscribe to my mailing list.  I share how I got started by just taking simple steps to lead a healthier lifestyle.  You don't have to make a drastic change, you can just change step-by-step.  Check it out!

P.S: I'll keep you posted on what I discover about LR!

By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!