Well it's been a while since my last post, a lot has changed in my life since then however I'm still not at a point where I know what's going on so I can't explain! BUT I want to keep a journal of the new diet that I'm doing, and I thought there's no better place!
On Wednesday night I began taking a form of HCG (yes the hormone found in pregnant women's urine). The idea is that the hormone triggers your body to start using up it's fat storage, most people who stick to it lose an average of 1lb a day, or 20-30 pounds in a 30 day period. It's no walk in the park, you have to stick to a very strict 500 calorie a day food consumption, and only eating certain things allowed. Here is a website that can explain everything a tad better than I can http://diyhcg.com/mm5/index.html
The first three days (which I'm just finishing up with today) are the "gorge" days where you eat anything you feel like, with absolutely no restrictions (sounds odd but keep reading). When you deprive the body of food that it's used to consuming, it sends it in "fasting" mode and will hold onto everything. However with HCG, it is almost the opposite, it triggers the body to start using the stored up fat. The reason they say "gorge" for the first three days is to trick the body, let the HCG get in your system and begin work before your body even has a chance to start holding onto it all. Anyways, sounds like too good to be true right? Well I started at (I feel perfectly comfortable telling my weight) 193lbs on Wednesday, on Thursday morning I was at 192, and then this morning when I woke up I was at 191. That's 2 pounds in not quite 2 days (and that's with eating donoughts for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and candy bars in between). Today is my last day on the "gorge" and I can think of no better "last meal" than CHINESE FOOD!!!
I start the 500 calorie diet at 5 tonight and will continue that for app. 30 days. There are very very strict guildines for everything in a book I have by the doctor who "created" this diet. This will be my basic day: Wake up, weigh in, take 1st set of HCG (did I mention you can take it by shot, or orally? I'm doing the oral) have a quick breakfast of crystal light (they say you can have tea or coffee but since neither really hit the spot with me I'll be having just a yummy bit of crystal light) at around 10 am I'll have a light fruit snack-- an apple, an orange, a few strawberries, whichever I feel like. At 12:15 I take a second dose of HCG and 20 minutes after that I can have a lunch which will consist of 1 protein of 3.3 oz, 1 veggie, and one "starch" (but a starch on this diet is like a wheat thin, or melba toast-- yuck). At around 2 or 3 I can have another fruit snack (not an actual fruit snack, but a REAL fruit. lol) and at 5 it's my last HCG dose followed by dinner about 20 minutes later (which is the same as lunch). The only "protiens" allowed are: chicken, veal, fresh white fish, shrimp and lean lean lean lean lean beef. People who do the 500 calorie a day diet without the HCG typically lose about 1/2lb per day, but combine the diet with the HCG and people lose between 3/4lb and 1 lb a day.
I have two other people doing this with me at work, which will help out QUITE a bit. Tim eats healthy most of the time anyways so I know being at home won't be hard. The thing that's hard about sticking to the diet is the "social" eating-- which is a major factor of our society. I have put together books for myself and the people at work that includes all of the information regarding the diet, daily logs, diet trackers, and recipes of the foods we can consume. I know that if I stick to this, I can do quite well. They recommend taking a break after about 30-35 days on the diet and slowly bringing back foods that were restricted before. They also recommend doing a 2nd cycle should you wish to lose more weight, and dependant upon how I do the first time, I feel I will try the 2nd cycle. However this diet isn't a cure all, you have to maintain a good life style, exercize, and self monitor.
So, in summary I'm very excited to begin this new chapter of my life, it has needed to be done for quite some time, and with enough motivation and control I believe I'm capable of almost anything. I'll be updating on this blog how everything is going throughout this process. I'd also like to throw an apology out there in case I may be a little "snappy" while on just 500 calories a day. I will try my hardest to not let it effect me. But come on, no chocolate? That's enough to make anyone a LITTLE cranky once in a while.


Day:::::::::::::::::::::: 2
Starting weight:::::: 193
Current weight:::::: 191
difference::::::::::::: -2 lbs

This weekend began sooooo great, and ended great as well! It all started with a surprise day off from work on Friday. (which I really REALLY needed to catch up on some sleep and get ready to head down to Riverton). So Friday I had to go and get some canned cat food for Mr. Kitty (who has yet to be re-named) because he hadn't eaten since the night we brought him home. Thank goodness for hats, I threw one on and ran to Target. As soon as I got back, I went by the side of my bed (where kitty was hiding) and opened the can. Sure enough he popped his little head out and started eating! YAY! My cat wasn't going to die of starvation! I then let Bella out of her cage because she was going CRAZY knowing that I was spending time with the cat while she was stuck all by herself. I spent most of the day re-arranging kitty stuff and Bella stuff so everyone would be happy with each other. Kitty spends most of his days hiding behind the toilet in the upstairs bath, and Bella has to check on him every now and again. They are fairly civil to each other. Bella barks at him because she just wants to play, and he'll hiss if she gets right in his face, but all in all it's going ok for them just starting out! So that's how I spent most of my Friday before my boys got home. As soon as Tim and Taylor got home around 4:15, we had to start getting ready to head down to Riverton for the parade and BBQ at my aunt Melody's house. There wasn't any traffic like I had feared, and we made it just in time for the BBQ. Good food, and family. What more can I ask for?
After the BBQ we walked up the street to the parade. Of course I forgot to bring a blanket to sit on! And we don't have any camping chairs, so we were a little ill prepared for the whole thing. Luckily Jera's dad let me use his chair and Taylor sat on my lap while Tim stood behind us. Can I just say that the parade is NOT as fun as I remember it being as a kid? What's up with businesses piling people in the back of their trucks? That's not exciting! Taylor only got 3 pieces of candy because all of the kids kept running in front of us.
So we sat through the entire parade and made our way back to the Lindleys. Time to swim!!! We had such a great time with all of my cousins. They really are SO great! I have missed all of them, and it was good to be able to catch up. The only cousin's of mine Tim hasn't met are Tam's three boys who live pretty far away.
After a night of swimming we made our way back home. We were greated by a crazy Bella who had been in her kennel for 6 hours straight! (poor baby) She definatelly kept us awake for quite a while. And of course kitty had his usual meowing session once Bella was finally asleep. We ended up shutting our door so the cat coudn't come in and meow under our bed, however he'd stick his head under our door and meow so it's just the same!
We had to take Taylor back to his mom's that Saturday afternoon, so it was just Tim, me, and the animals for the fourth of July. I had a whole bag of fire works that I could not wait to light! I put on a little firework show for Bella and Tim (I think I had more fun then they did). And we made our way to bed. Of course kitty made his way upstairs meowing meowing meowing. At this point Tim and I were both sleep deprived and could not take it! So kitty ended up in his kennel in our downstairs family room for the rest of the night.
We were able to pick up Taylor again Sunday morning. We spent the entire day playing outside with the chalk and bubbles. Man was it hot! We had a very relaxing day, a GREAT way to end the weekend. When it was time for bed, I decided that I did not want to go through meow fest again, however I didn't want kitty forced to stay in his kennel. I made him a neat little set up in the bathroom DOWNSTAIRS so we couldn't hear his meowing (we could still hear it but it wasn't loud enough to keep us awake).
I think after the cat opens up more to us and starts moving around in the day time we won't have to be locked away at night for being too noisy. So we'll just see how it goes! He's starting to be more outgoing too! He'll actually sniff Bella (as long as she's not being hyper) and he'll even play with her a little (if he's under the bed he'll paw at her). I'm excited to see his personality finally open up!
So that was my fantastic weekend! I just love life!

Well I did it.... if any of you really know me, you know that when I want something- I get it-- even if it's not the BEST idea. I have in my house a 1 year old Russian Blue cat. I picked him up last night, along with everything a cat would need. We brought him home and got his new room settled (he gets the washroom until he and Bella can get along) and I opened his kennel and he RAN out! He got a drink of water, started eating, and just started exploring. This gave me false hope that he felt comfortable, so I let Bella in......BAD idea. She chased him downstairs, around the couch, and back up. Bella was put outside and poor kitty was back in his kennel, as far as he could get from the door. It was almost Bella's bedtime, so we put her away, and decided to leave Slate's door open hoping he'd come out and explore. Well.... he DID come out and started MEOWING! At first it was cute because he could make all sorts of different noises, but then it just became horrible. He would not stop. Tim and I both tried to get him to play with us, but he still wasn't comfortable. So we decided to shut our door and go to bed. Not such a good idea either, he came out of the washroom finally and started meowing and scratching our door. Needless to say this went on the ENTIRE night. And when I"d go to try to talk to him to comfort him Bella would wake up and start whining and crying. Tim went downstairs on the couch eventually because there was just no way to sleep with all the animal noises. Slate finally came in my room, and got brave enough to jump on my bed. (this was around 4:30 this morning) He actually fell asleep at the foot of my bed! He would wake up a few times and meow a little, but would go back to sleep. Tim came back up around 5:30 to check on us, which woke up the cat who began meowing again, which sent Tim BACK downstairs. Slate ended up UNDER the bed asleep and when I woke up I put him in his room and got Bella out of her room. Now I know this was his first night home, and he's probably beyond stressed with what he's been through, so I'm trying to be patient..... The whole point of fostering a cat that's GREAT with little dogs is so that Bella will have company and someone to play with! I guess I just play the waiting game until they realize they like each other. IF that doesn't happen, I can luckily take him back to the shelter (a no kill shelter here in Layton) and they will find a home he'd be happier in. so for now, if anyone has any ideas on how to get a cat to stop meowing at night, I'd GREATLY appreciate it! Here's a picture of him that was listed on Petfinder.com. He really is the prettiest cat I've ever seen! And he's very friendly, let's just hope he'll adjust to a new house!