Stable Mable

Greetings my fellow HCG losers! How's the new year treating you?

Long time, no post but I've been busy. I've done okay this p3 but once again I've stabilized a few pounds higher than I would like. My busy work schedule has made strict protocol a little hard and I haven't been able to exercise as much as I would like. Hopefully that will change in the next few weeks.

I still can't believe that I am just one round away from reaching Onederland! Already I'm much happier with my size. It's nice being able to buy clothes in a size that doesn't require me to shop in a specialty store or pay a couple of extra bucks for the plus sizes. I still have a ways to go, especially with my tummy, but it's been a great journey so far!

I'm turning 34 in May, and by then I will be under 200 pounds. I honestly don't know how long it's been since I've been under 200 pounds. I briefly flirted with size 16 when I was about 23 or 24 but I'm not sure what my weight was at that age. Right now I'm wearing 18 pants, although I can fit into at least one size 16 jean and the new pajama bottoms that I bought are simply large, no extra needed. :)

I have no doubt this next round will be a bit hard for me, I was a size 18 for years and years, so I'm going to be busting through many an old weight point. And that's fine, I'm ready to do what it takes to see that scale go down and down. I have so much support, from my Hubs, from my friends, and from all of you here and on facebook that I'm not worried about getting off track.

Thanks for helping me be honest, and for keeping me honest. Weight loss is a personal journey, but its nice to know that I have people cheering me on, standing on the sidelines with bottles of water and home made signs. It keeps me going when I'm feeling worn out, and following your journeys helps to motivate me every single day.

Valentines will be here in a few days, so have a wonderful holiday and buy yourself something special... and it doesn't have to chocolate! :)

R4 VLCD4

So far 2011 is off to a great start! Despite the weight gain of this last round, the unwanted fat is dropping right off and I expect to be back in my 230's in just a day or two. I plan on continuing this round for 30 days, or however long it takes me to get in my low 220's so that I can reach Onderland by May. I feel really good this round, although I have a little fatigue. That could be my crazy work schedule though!

Well, it will be when I get there!

My focus this round will be on rocking p3. I've let the last two rounds get a little lax on the whole no starch, no sugar rule. I plan on looking into some Atkins style recipes, and really paying attention to my calorie intake. Plus, no more skipping the daily weigh in! It makes it too hard to keep on track if I'm not staying on top of my weight gain. And I promise to do a steak day at the first sign of going over... no matter my work schedule. I'll find a way to make it work. No excuses in 2011!

And that's it for now. Off to get ready for the grocery store- need some grissini for a few recipes and I might even try scallops this round... although I might wait until I'm comfortably in my 230's before I start messing about!

HCG in 2011!

Happy New Years, Hcgers!

Today is my first loading day of round 4 and it could not have come at a better time. I allowed the scale to creep upwards recently, but I take full responsibility for making bad food choices. I've been working a lot and I didn't watch what I was eating, and then the past few weeks I've just been eating and eating.

It appears that I am a cold weather snacker.

Ugh.

Perhaps it would not be so bad if I opted to eat mostly veggies, but alas that is not the case.

I haven't quite undone all the efforts of round 3, but just about. I'm determined to do a longer round this time (at least 30 days) and to have a strict and successful p3 this time around! I think I had such an easy time in round 1 that I just assumed that I'd be fine in round 2 and 3, and yet each time I've gotten worse. Sometimes it takes a screw up to get you back on track... or several screw ups. Let's not think about it too much.

It's tempting to not load properly, for fear of the scale gods judgment, but I know that I'd only be setting myself up for a horrible first week of p2. With that in mind, I have stuffed myself full of food today and tomorrow calls for more of the same.

It's nice to finally make a New Years Resolution that I know I can keep: to lose weight. 2011 will be the year I reach Onderland, and stay there the rest of my adult life! I cannot wait!

My other resolutions:

~To be kinder, in thought and actions, towards strangers and even more importantly my friends and family.

~To be a better blogger (this is in regards to my book blog)

~To vlog more for HCG... I bet I would have made more of an effort to maintain if I'd been keeping video track of it. Grr.

~To spend more time with my crazy family. And hope to serve as a positive role model for my wayward niece.

~To learn to say no to work if it interferes with my diet. It was nice having the extra money this Christmas, but I didn't have time to properly take care of me. I will practice saying "No, I can't work that shift" in the mirror daily until I can say it to my bosses too. And to not feel guilty about that. I love my job, I love my clients, but I need to lose weight in order to be a better worker.

~To not treat vegetables like the enemy in p3. I'm just not a veggie girl, but if I can make friends with the green ones during p2 then there's no reason we can't remain friendly in p3.

~To be more grateful. I am truly blessed. I have a wonderful, loving and supportive husband. I have an amazing, though crazy, family. My friends are the best people I know, the family I choose. My online friends, both the hcgers and book blogging community, have supported me and entertained me. I have a roof over my head, I have clothes, though they are going to be looser and looser on me, I have transportation, I have food. And I have a God who loves me. Sometimes I just need to stop and take time to appreciate all the wonderful blessings that fill my life.

~To drink more tea!

I'm sure I have lots more, but these are the biggest ones. I need to head to bed early tonight, I need to sleep and digest all the crap I just forced myself to eat. I swear, next time I load, I am only buying a few items at a time. I always buy more than I could possibly eat even back in my snack down heydays. Still, I manage to eat plenty on loading days. I was planning on doing a Olive Garden run tomorrow, because I have a gift card, but it might have to wait until next time.

So what are some of your resolutions?