The First Three Weeks

Exactly one year ago today, I began this journey. On March 11, 2009, I started the first rotation for three weeks. I picked the start date after looking at the calendar and realizing that we were going to Destin in April. I wanted to get started, and I didn't want to wait until we got back. We also had another trip coming up in May. If I waited until after two trips, there is no telling how much I'd weigh and I'd never have time to lose the weight before July 25.

On March 11, some of my stats were:
*Weight - 254.4
*Bust - 50"
*Waist - 47"
*Hips - 53 1/2"
I also measured my arms & legs, but I won't bore you, dear reader, with all of that! I'm not sure exactly what size clothes I wore, but I think it was about 22. I had clothes in all sizes - 16 and up.

I want to stress before revealing the food plan itself, that I am not advocating that everyone do it. If I have learned one thing, it is this - You have to do what works for you. That is what I was trying to communicate in yesterday's post. The people who have been successful in not only losing weight, but keeping it off, chose their own path. They, like me, knew what needed to be done to lose the weight, and selected what worked for them. You can too. Everyone has their own unique circumstances, likes and dislikes. Everyone has to discover for themselves what works and what doesn't within that frame work. So far, for me, this is working.

For three weeks I followed an extreme diet program, and gave myself hcg injections. My daily intake was:
*2 servings of protein (3 1/2 oz.) chicken, shrimp, or lean beef
*2 servings of fruit (3 1/2 oz.) strawberries, apple, grapefruit
*Vegetables - but not the good ones like corn & potatoes, I mostly ate lettuce & cucumbers. Others were allowed like tomatoes, but I don't like them.
*64 oz of water
This is the same diet as was popular in the '90's at places like The Diet Center.

It was grueling. I can't say that I was hungry. The injections took care of that problem. Nothing took care of my brain though. I just wanted to eat. I missed the sensation of it. Clearly, I ate, but not like before. My meals were over with in just a few minutes. I told myself things like "I can do anything for 3 weeks" and "You only have x days left". I also found other things to do in the evening to get out of the kitchen. The battle, was largely in my mind.

John was very supportive and agreed to prepare his own meals while I was doing this. That was a huge help. I also exercised, but I'll discuss that in greater detail in another post.

On Sunday afternoons, I would weigh my food for the week and pack my lunch for the whole week. I even measured out my portions for my evening meal as well. That way, all I had to do after work was heat my food that needed heating and eat. It worked for me because I needed to get out of the kitchen.

My stats after three weeks were:
*Weight - 236
*Bust - 48
*Waist - 43
*Hips - 51 1/2
I really couldn't tell in my clothes yet. Clearly, they had to be not so tight, but nothing was really loose yet. I still wonder about that. My clothes must have been tighter on me than I realized!

Go grab your calendar and find three weeks where you have no excuses, no birthday parties, anniversaries, etc. The sooner the better. Find an eating plan that you know you can follow, one where you've successfully lost weight and make a plan. Let me know, your progress.

I'll tell you about the second three weeks next time.