Chinese proverb

"Man who say it can not be done should not interfere with man who is trying to do it"

My parents had this old saying on our refrigerator growing up and this week I've experienced it first hand. As I said in my first post I was very hesitant about "coming out" with the HCG info. I knew people would quickly form an opinion and maybe give me some feedback that I didn't want to hear.

I know the difference between concern, doubt and just plain old criticism. And I don't much like the latter but I know once you make something public, it's open for PUBLIC opinion. I can respect that even if I don't want to hear it at times.

I am really guarding this season of my life because it's important to me and still in a vulnerable stage. I'm changing and growing and helping others do the same, so it's very important for me to stay positive and stay in faith. I know I am leading an example for others following behind me and I take that responsibility very seriously.

This is a bloggers public service announcement of sorts: if you don't understand, like or care about this new plan I'm on here are your options: write me a private message, I'm more than happy to answer any questions/concerns you may have. But, please save your negative or condescending remarks for an episode of "The world according to Paris". I know it's not your intention to upset or discourage me, but you wouldn't believe some of the responses I've gotten thus far and honestly, not sure how else to take it. I know it's strange and "extreme" and I'm learning so much more about it and really enjoying the journey.

On a positive note, a big thank you to all my supporters (you know who you are) you've made this year's journey all the more worth it. I appreciate all the kind and encouraging words, they mean more than you know! I know you're for me and for my success and I love you ALL!!!!

There's more than one way to skin a catfish and everyone has their choice of plan to follow. You have to find what works for YOU, commit and go for it! I encourage you to do so!

Too good to be true

Here on day 22 of my HCG drops, down 22 pounds and feeling great! It's changed my life in so many ways. Not only am I getting lighter and lighter, my wallet is getting heavier and heavier from all the savings! All those Starbucks and gas station drinks really add up! Not to mention the occasional fast food drive thru (embarrassment).

Eating my healthy little meals has made all the difference! I've taken on some preparation tactics to help me plan for the week and it's making life super easy! Weighing and measuring out my meat for the next few days and then I freeze it in baggies.

Digital food scale from Wally World for $20. I use it every day - great investment! I'm allowed any meat other than pork and I can even have shrimp and lobster! (oh happy day!)

Found this cute little cooler bag online and it's very useful to bring my lunches and snacks along with me. Plus, it's super cute! Since I'm in the care a lot and always on the go, it's quite useful!

These little guys have come in handy when you need that carby-crunch (they make great croutons for your soup too!)

Can I say how delighted I am that I can have espresso?? Love this machine, a perk from my years as a Barista. I've been taking my frozen strawberries and blending them in this little hand blender (also from Wally World) along with my liquid vitamins and lemon juice for a delish sorbet-textured smoothie!

My taste buds are bursting with flavor profiles that I haven't noticed in food in a very long time - "The snozberries taste like snozberries!" I really believe that since I began my "health journey" back in the beginning of the year that it greatly prepared me for this plan. Yes, I felt discouraged and had all the foot and hip pain issues arise, but as previously stated, this was an answer from above!

Although, I am facing some "mourning" if you want to call it that over the loss of frequent eating. You'd be amazed how much mindless eating & grazing we do in a day (although, if you're heavy - you shouldn't be - admittance is the first step to recovery!) Food had been my constant companion even with the healthier choices I had started making at the beginning of this year. None the less, it's a one way relationship and had turned abusive. Call it the Ike to my Tina, I had to kick it to the curve.

Yes, I literally say out loud sometimes, "You are not good to my body and I can have you from time to time, but for now, I am saying goodbye"

I find that it's mind over matter when it comes to sticking to anything....I mean of course it is. I always read about people's weight loss testimonials in magazines and books and the common thread was always some form of positive self-assurance. These people either wrote on their mirrors, makeup compacts, journaled, stuck sticky notes on their fridges and steering wheels with positive messages to encourage themselves. I always minimized and wrote it off as silly/cheesy/dumb what have you. You'd think from years of learning about the power of a good confession and your tongue, I'd have gotten it by now!

I have been telling myself every day that I can do this, that I can develop a good relationship with food, that I can find success with my health, and above all, that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! It's on my mirror, it's in my heart and it's quickly getting in my head.

Drop it like it's HOT!

Hello my peeps,

Yes. I'm alive. I'm well. I'm back.

Here's the thing, I was M.I.A for a while due to many-a-things like: busy summer schedule with my photography, foot and hip pain and just plain old discouragement with my S-L-O-W weight loss. Enough excuses. I'm back on the wagon and this time, I'm feeling more determined than EVER!

So I'm about to let you in and share WHY I'm feeling so t-t-t-t-terific! Honestly, I wasn't going to blog about this and wanted to keep in on the DL (that's down low - mom) for several reasons. It's not for everyone, it's "out there" and some might even say it's down right controversial. Also, I didn't want to deal with all the "nay-sayers" and doubters and such. I wanted to be confident in my decision before committing. No, I' haven't become a Hindu vegetarian. I have however committed to a way of life that includes a very regimented and strict way of eating (500) calories, along with these hormonal, homeopathic drops I take sublingually 4x day.

WOAH, settle down. I know, I know. Don't worry I'm not going to grow a beard and I'm not going to starve myself. The plan I'm doing is called HCG or Human chorionic gonadotropin. Here's the deal:

HOW HCG WORKS IN OUR BODIES

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin:

HCG is known in medical terms as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin that is produced in women during their pregnancy. The Job of HCG is to protect and control the metabolic function of the body. During pregnancy most women encounter mild to heavier forms of morning sickness. Also what was once a body feeding only 1 is now feeding 2 or more depending on the situation. The natural hormone HCG is produced by the body as a protector of ones metabolism creating a link between body and brain that its number one priority is to always make sure there is enough food and nutrients to burn in order for both the fetus and mother to survive. This signal to the brain creates a constant open access to all fat stores in the body. The body is then conditioned to always burn calories using stored fat sources verses muscle tissue and nothing else. This ensures that mother and baby always have enough to eat even if she endures morning sickness through the entire pregnancy. HCG has been used for years to not only treat and reset ones metabolic rate but also treat things such as infertility in both men and women. By using HCG your body is being told that it is imperative to burn fat stored in your body as much as it can to stay healthy. This in turn burns about 4000 calories a day which is the result of losing 1-2 lbs of weight loss per day.

HCG is both used by men and women and has little or no side effects because it’s an already produced hormone and is no stranger to the human body. All humans are born with proper fat levels. There are no obese nor malnourished newborns. HCG hormone is responsible for this. For this reason, it is found to work on ALL humans with no exceptions. How well it works is up to the human.

Reset Metabolism:

When on the HCG diet you are in a way, wiping your body clean and re-introducing the fat burning process to it. Over the years of eating habits change we fluctuate up and down and our body programs its self accordingly. If a person only eats once or twice a day the body is convinced that it is starving and stores any source of fat it encounters. People who eat many small meals per day (in this case, 500 specific calories along with the drops) program their bodies that it always has everything it needs and there is no reason to save anything.

It is found that people who consistently feed their body in small amounts keep their metabolic rate burring at a high level all the times, which results in the ability to be more free with food choices in their eating habits. In the Phases after your weight loss your body starts to re-program its self to your new food intake. This is the most crucial and important part of the diet. This phase ensures that you keep the weight off that you just spent all your time trying to lose. When in this phase your metabolic rate is restored to its highest working function. This is why in the 2 weeks after you diet it is important to stick with the foods you are given even though your calorie amount is almost tripled. This enables your body to get use to its new program of burning so that when you do start to introduce things like sugar and starches again, it will keep functioning at such a high rate it will have no problem burring right through those unwanted calories.

As you'll see in your Google research, there's about a 50/50 feedback for the HCG diet. As like anything, it has it's controversies. As soon as people see that it isn't FDA approved they get up on their soapbox and start a-preachin'. Let's not forget that most if not ALL of your common daily herbal supplements, vitamins and elixirs are not FDA approved. Also, the 500 calorie diet you HAVE to follow also raises most people's blood pressure in shock, but as you read (if you read that LONG insert) you'd see that your body will be getting more than sufficient calories from your abnormal fat storage. And in my case, it's definitely not going to be hurtin'.

Let me backtrack for a sec, HCG came into my knowledge last year after hearing about a well known individual who had done this plan and lost a considerable amount of weight. At the time, it was predominately available in injection form for which you needed a prescription. Okay, hate needles, no way. Then while on a plane flying out to Texas this January, I stared chatting with this pharmaceutical rep. As women so often do, we got on the subject of weight. She then politely told me I should look into HCG but again, said it was an injection you got from your doc. So that put it out of my head a second time!

Wouldn't you know several months later a very good long-time family friend of ours showed up looking very svelte and the thinest I'd ever seen him! Come to find out, he and his wife had been doing...what do you know? HCG diet! He began to inform me of all the details and what it entails and like many of you who will read this blog, I was SKEPTICAL. I had a ton of questions and a lot of reserve. But, I had to keep coming back to what I saw with my eyes as my friend sat next to me. Someone I knew, trusted and - minus a belly I had come to know for so many years. The proof was in the pudding (or lack there of) and I became curiouser and curiouser.

I decided to read everything there was to read about this plan. I took a month, I did hours and hours of research and most importantly, prayer. I came to a decision but was still struggling with the idea of doing yet another "fad" diet and fear of failure. But, all the stories seemed too good to be true and I couldn't leave it alone. It was a Saturday night and I felt like I was on a precipice of yes, but not quite %100, when I received a text from a friend at church. She asked if I was going to be there the next morning (Sunday) because she had something very exciting that she felt was from God to share with me.

I show up and we start talking...

She begins to open up to me about none other than HCG!! I was blown away and all I could do was laugh! I literally told no one (other than family) that I was even considering this road. I wanted it to be private and now, here's a girl confirming that this was definitely for me!!! I couldn't believe it, but had to praise the Lord for Him speaking through her to me.

I started that week -July 11th and to date have lost an amazing 21.6 pounds!!!! That's right, 21.6 pounds in 3 weeks!!!

I have energy like I haven't had in literally years, sleeping through the night and dreaming again which means I'm getting in REM, my eyes are brighter, my skin is clear and I have so much hope for my thin future! It's really been amazing and so now you see why I just had to share with my blog friends.

I wanted to hit 30lbs before the "grand reveal" but since I'm losing at such a quick rate, people are already starting to notice and I feel obliged to open up about it now. I know this can help many people, in fact, it already has. My friends and family have gotten on board and for the sake of their privacy I won't say who or what but they are all big losers like me!

As I said before, this is not for everyone. It is very strict and follows a regimented diet along with the drops. Yes, men you can participate too and no, you won't grow uh....ah-hem, any lady parts. This is a carbon copy of the hormone and homeopathic. It only attacks the abnormal fat supplies in your body.

Not to come across pushy, but I've actually become a distributor so if you have any questions, hit me up! I have other attachments and info I can email you.

Thats all for now, I will be documenting my journey and am thrilled with the results I've gotten! It came just in time for me. With my foot and hip injuries, this was such an answer from above. Since January 2011, I have now lost 30 pounds (21.6 from HCG) and feeling great about it. Keep an eye out for recipes, ideas and updates as I embark on this exciting new "weight & see" chapter!