Saturday, August 21, 2010
HCG: Divine's First Round
For now, I won't write much about the protocol itself...but I will do so soon. As the moment, I am still learning about HCG and focusing on one Phase at a time (though I did take a peek at what to do in future Phases).
For the past two days, I've been taking homeopathic HCG drops (H-HCG, for short), and "loading up" (otherwise known as "load" days, which means eating a lot of good fats). Today I will begin the "diet" - a VLC (Very Low Cal) way-of-eating, for just 21 days. (That's just one part of the "protocol.")
Before one panics on hearing "VLC," please know that the only reason I'd dare try it is due to the effect of the HCG drops. What effect? It pulls out the tough fat, upon which the body will get is energy; repairs and reset the hypothalamus, and the protein and veggies one does eat are just enough to help the body repair. There's more...like the "side benefit" of greatly mitigating arthritis pain while taking HCG.
I am doing this since I have tried every low-carb angle possible, and still I am "stuck." I think a 2 year experience of bouncing, fighting it off, losing a little, gaining it back (along with very unwelcome friends) is ENOUGH. It is time to find out why low-carb worked (for awhile) and then STOPPED working. According to Dr. Simeon's, those of us who struggle like this do have a "Metabolic Disorder" and it needs quite a few adjustments to get it straightened out.
Since my own doctor can't or won't help me, I'm on my own (again). After getting blood tests (all normal - or so he says) and reflecting on the only choices he gave me (giving up OR trying a higher carb, lower protein diet that has never worked for me but which my doctor "snarkily" recommended), I mentally dismissed him and immediately began looking for more options.
But where to look when one doesn't know exactly what one is seeking?
So I searched around low carb boards and discovered something called HCG. Honestly, I donj't remember hearing about it, and yet it seems to ring a distant bell. So I read a bit about it, didn't know what to think....and pondered for awhile.
Eventually, I went to a brand-new health store near my little town. Lo and behold, they had info on HCG, as well as a few books and the homeopathic drops. After discussing it with the fella behind the counter (whom I've met before and who informed me he is also on the HCG, having lost 24 lbs. in 21 days), I bought the books and the drops.
Then I came home and read and pondered a bit more. Though I have a bit of anxiety (which is silly - what do I have to lose except unhealthy fat?), I am "gong for it."
Never give up, never give in! And as the old commercial jingo goes, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Whoosh Fairy
The Whoosh Fairy is the best friend of low-carbers. She visits when one least expects it. What she seemingly does is reward those who stick with the low-carb lifestyle, despite all temptations to despair (especially when the scale goes stubborn for a matter of days or even weeks).
Just when one really needs it most, the Whoosh Fairy visits, waves her magic wand, and - Whoosh - the pounds disappear (overnight) in 2, 3, 4 or even 5 lb. increments. (With the fellas, she's sometimes even more generous! Lucky dudes!)
Of course, there's a scientific explanation for the Whoosh, and it has to do with insulin, glycogen stores, muscle vs. fat, and all that jazz. And I could and have explained it in a scientific manner, many a time.
But the Whoosh Fairy is beautifully whimsical, and there are times in life one simply needs the whimsical.
Besides, I prefer to believe in faeries and mermaids and the man-in-the-moon...
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Here Comes the Bride - 25 Years Later
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Low Carbing and the Swing in Your Thing!
Metaphorically speaking, my Mean Metabolism and I are engaged in a constant struggle. For the first decade of my life, she was my friend. She was just "Miss Metabolism" then. But puberty came, and Miss Metabolism changed. It started with slow changes - turning the slim child into a "pleasantly-plump teen," no matter how active I was.
By the time I was in my 20's, Miss Metabolism was very unfriendly. Once I hit my 30's, she was downright mean. In the Metabolic Arm-Wrestling Match, of which I was an unwilling partner, she got me all the time. Why? Because, lurking in the shadows, insulin resistance had turned my former friend into a vicious monster. As it turns out, the only way to help Miss Metabolism (and myself!) is by healing her - even though she wants no part of it.
For many long years (decades, in fact), Miss Meanie Metabolism maintained complete control over me - all because I did not know what had gone wrong in our relationship. I didn't know that to help Metabolism means to get that insulin resistance under firm control - and keep it there. Once that happens, Meanie Metabolism will start to heal, but we have to understand that insulin resistance will always be waiting in the background, ready to take over Metabolism once more.
The situation reminds me of what happened to Peter Parker in Spiderman III - when an alien and evil symbiant sneakily turned the usually decent and hard-working Peter into one aggressive stinker. Once Peter figured out what was going on, he struggled with the "false high" the alien gave him - but he inevitably made the right choice, and found an unusual way to defeat the allures of the symbiant.
What the evil symbiant did to Peter Parker is what insulin resistance does to our poor Metabolisms. For insulin resistance is our inner symbiant; it makes us crave the carbs that are bad for us; it gives us an artificial high that, in the end, will change not only the way we look but what we are, inside. It will destroy us. Just like Peter, the symbiant is not only bad for us - but for those we love, and for those who love us. Kickin' carbs is the only way to control it (because, unlike Peter, we can't totally be rid of insulin resistance) .
For those with Metabolic Syndrome, kickin' carbs results in a slimmer and healthier you. (On top of that, wouldn't you just love to once more have that swing in your thing? LOL!)
So - back to my epiphany. Things are a little different now - because, like Peter, I now know of the 'unusual' weapons against insulin-resistance and I must use them! At this point in my intra-personal Metabolic Arm-Wrestling Match, it seems that the Mean Metabolism and I are of equal strength. Sometimes her arm goes down, and other times my arm goes down. But she has been at her tricks a lot longer than have I. Eventually, as I keep using all of my low-carb strategies, I will overcome insulin resistance, and that means transforming Miss Meanie Metabolism back to my former friend, Miss Magnificent Metabolism!
Today's update, by the way! Divine: 3 lbs. down, for a total of 15 lbs. in 7 days (hear the crowd roar!)/Miss Meanie Metabolism: Zilch!
Meanwhile, I've initiated a Challenge at LowCarbFriends called The 100 Day PLUS Challenge. It's as simple as it is straightforward: a set of 'mini-challenges' for anyone who is low-carbing.
The Goals: To help each one of us stay on plan (whichever low-carb plan you choose), with 'mini-challenge' after 'mini-challenge' (all within one Over-all Challenge). Individually, we set our own goals. We are not challenging each other, but supporting each other while proving to ourselves we can stay 'on plan' 24/7 - no matter what!
End Results: 1) Each person who is faithful to plan will be well on their way to healing their own Metabolisms. 2) Each one of us will see outer results of weight loss and enjoy better health with inner, hidden results (lower blood pressure, better cholesterol numbers, lower incidences or complete disappearance of GERDS, etc.). 3) We build comraderie and support each other, day after day, week after week - right through the last days of summer, early fall, Halloween sweets time, Thanksgiving carby-time, and all those Christmas goodies, everywhere we turn! (Oh, that Mean Metabolism - how she tries to trick us to use her very own weapons against ourselves!) With a strong support system, we can not only manage low-carbing but excel at it and revel in it! (And each one of us will inevitably defeat that Meanie Metabolism, whether yours is a Miss or a Mister!)
The first mini-challenge ends on September 8 (a Tuesday) - because many people have a hard time with the Labor Day weekend bar-b-q's. That mini-challenge started just two days ago, but you can join anytime.
Then we move on to the next 'mini-challenge' - and so it will go, until we get to New Year's Day, 2010!!! Anybody who is low-carbing (or wants to!) can join us at any point in the 130 days of challenges. I'll be glad to see you there - just be sure to post a note in the "100 Day PLUS" thread and throw a holler at me!