Getting ready for HCG Loading

Happy Tuesday!

Tomorrow is loading day #1 for me. I’m excited. I just hope I can keep the excitement and motivation going through the entire round…I know I can though, I just have to stay positive and focused! A new skinnier, healthier me is just around the corner :)

Tonight I am taking pictures and getting all my measurements - I’ll post everything here and here. I know it’s going to be embarrassing, but maybe that’s what I need for some accountability. I never think I am as big as I really am until I see pictures. It’ll be a wake-up call for sure.

I plan on loading with Burger King and Starbucks coffee for breakfast, wrap for lunch with avocado and mayo, and maybe a burger and a beer for dinner, with some snacking along the way.  I will miss bananas, avocados, peanut butter and ice cream so I plan on eating these things for my loading days. 

XOXO, 

Crystal

Living with someone NOT on HCG

I live with my boyfriend who can eat anything and everything and never gain one pound. He complains sometimes that he WANTS to gain weight! On the other hand, if I even LOOK at a piece of chocolate I gain 10 pounds. Living with him is hard because he brings stuff in the house or he eats every 5 minutes and makes me want to too or I have to cook his meals and then end up taking a million bites before I even realize what I'm doing.

He’s very supportive of me beginning this diet and I’m sure he’ll be more cautious eating around me now, but I don’t want him to have to change anything because I am on a diet. I do want him to eat healthier and that is something that we are both working on and will go into full force once I complete HCG. But if he wants to have a yogurt at night, I’m all for it, even though I can’t.

Here are some of my tips for living with someone who is not on the HCG diet:

-          Prepare your meals in advance for both you and the non-HCG’er. Preparing in advance allows quick meals  for the week for both of you so that you aren’t grabbing anything in the fridge when you are starving. 

-        Prepare the same meals for the non-HCG’er and yourself, but add additional items for them. For example, we  can both have chicken and a veggie and then I can make a baked potato to add to round out his meal. 

-       Have them prepare their meal a couple nights a week. (My boyfriend is slow when it comes to anything in the kitchen, but I can walk him through easy recipes and we have fun with it!)

-        Have one of your veggies or fruits to snack on while you are preparing dinner if you mindlessly munch.  

 

     What are somethings that keep you on track when living with someone not on the diet? I'd love to hear some more tips and tricks! Hope everyone is doing fabulous :)

     XOXO, 

    Crystal 

 

Grocery Shopping for HCG

So this weekend I am getting everything together to start my HCG diet next week, which includes grocery shopping. I thought I'd share what is being put on my list, as well as some tips/shortcuts I've found along the way.

For me, simple recipes are the key. I have a looong drive home from work every day and the last thing I want to do is throw down in the kitchen for a hour. So quick and simple dinners are what keep me on track. I also learned from the last time that making big batches of meals for the week stopped me from coming up with the excuse "I have nothing to grab for lunch, so I'll grab fast food today"....Being prepared is the key to staying completely faithful to your HCG diet!!

Grocery List:

Chicken 

Canned Chicken

Lean Ground Beef

Tilapia

Spinach (raw)

Tomatoes

Asparagus

Broccoli

Celery

Strawberries

Apples

Oranges

Lemons

Melba toast

Chicken Broth (no sugar, low salt)

Egg Whites

Skim Milk

Nothing extraordinary here. Just plain, simple good foods! I should mention that I have a million spices already, but if you do not I would highly recommend adding spices to your grocery list as well. It can change a meal up so that it's not so bland or boring without adding anything extra to your thighs. I swear by spices; use them!! Some that are my daily go-to's are garlic, chili powder, oregano and Ms Dash Italian seasoning. Also, things like dry mustard, Bragg’s Liquid Amino, sugar free worcheshire,  any of the Ms. Dash spices, apple cider vinegar any any of the flavored Stevia's.

I buy mostly all my fruits and veggies from a Farmers Market. Thankfully, I live in the south so we have a couple that are open year around right next to our home. I visit them every weekend. Not only is it cheaper for us, but it's so much better because it's fresh and doesn't have all the nasty pesticides and chemicals. I would suggest checking out a local one near your home.

Another tip (though I'm sure you've heard this before) is to not go to the grocery store hungry. I go to the grocery store the same time I go to the Farmers Market on the weekends. Go after lunch so you won’t have the temptation to grab anything bad in your cart. Unfortunately for me, I’m not only going shopping for myself, but for my man so I have to grab things that I can’t eat (that’s another post that I will get into tomorrow) including some of my temptations like chocolate! So hard,  but much easier if I'm not hungry!

That's about all the tips I have for now. I'm so ready to start :)

XOXO, 

Crystal

Vitamins

Taking a multi-vitamin while on the HCG diet is extremely important because you are limiting your food intake so much that you may be missing out on nutrients your body needs.

I got mine from our local Vitamin Shoppe, but you can find them anywhere. I would recommend finding a good quality one that has 100% of most of the nutrients listed. I did a ton of research online before I chose one. Mine is specifically for women and includes Iron because I have had low-iron problems in the past. I also take a calcium supplement.

If you are unsure, discuss with your doctor to see which vitamins you should include daily.


** Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or nutrition specialist by any means. I would discuss with your healthcare providers any concers and questions you have. This is only my personal opinion and what has worked for me.

Working out on the HCG Diet

According to the USPS tracker online, my shipment should be in the mail waiting for me this afternoon. Yay, so excited!  I'm still planning for a Feb 1st start date though.

I felt like I needed to do something today though so I decided to spend some time on the elliptical. I am so out of shape; its pathetic! But I did it and I'm proud of myself.

I actually plan on doing light exercise while taking HCG as well.

In my last attempt of the HCG diet, I did 30 minutes of light cardio (walking, slow elliptical, leisure bike ride) 5 times a week, but sometimes switching it up with some toning exercises (squats, crunches, push-ups). If I was hungry on the days I worked out, I would add egg whites for additional protein. That worked for me and didn't get me off track so that's what I am planning again. 

My ultimate goal is to start getting into running again so I think its really important to begin a work-out regimen and slowly build myself back up. You definitely don't want to do any heavy cardio or weights while on HCG and a 500 calorie diet though! So keep it light and listen to your body.

Xoxo,
Crystal

Gettin Skinny with HCG

I've been dealing with my weight for about 7 or 8 years. In 2010 I exercised my fat butt off, lost a ton of weight and felt fabulous. But being in a relationship, being lazy and just never making the time for the gym has caused me to nearly gain back double the pounds that I originally lost. These past months my weight has spiraled out of control and I've gained another 15 pounds!

I don't even recognize myself anymore. I look in the mirror and can't believe its even me looking back. I see pictures of myself and I'm so disgusted. None of my clothes fit, I feel gross and lately I've been having health problems that I'm sure are related to my weight.

I'm ready to kick my butt into gear and lose this weight for good. I'm ready to get my sexy back, my sparkle and just be the real me.

I've tried HCG before, but never finished through. This time I am promising myself to finish. My goal is to complete 2 rounds of HCG and hopefully lose at least 25-30 pounds with it. That will give me great motivation to lose the remaining pounds by making a lifestyle change of eating healthy and exercising.

I'm excited and ready to start this! I still haven't received my HCG but I'm really hoping it comes soon! So for now I have a start date as of Feb 1st.

I hope to share my story, tips for getting through, recipes and find friends along the way. Let's lose this weight together and become the new and fabulous selves we know we can be!

Xoxo,
Crystal