HCG: Maintenance Week One

Our first week off the hCG/500-calorie diet has been completed, and it has been a learning experience.

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I was worried about staying within the "don't gain more than 2 lbs/don't lose more than 2 lbs" limits for 6 weeks. As it turns out, it's a valid concern, particularly during the week before Christmas!

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The week began well enough...

Day 1: No gain or loss

Day 2: 0.8 lb gain

Day 3: 0.4 lb loss

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Sarah did even better. She lost 2.6 more lbs during the first 3 days off the diet.

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Then came Wednesday. Jacob decided to make one of my favorite foods, chicken enchiladas in green chile sauce. The rules say NO starches or sugars for the first 3 weeks, but I bought low-carb tortillas and told myself it would be okay. I also taste-tested several hand-dipped pretzels that night, plus some banana pieces dipped in leftover chocolate.

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The next morning I was up 2.8 lbs! Sarah was up 1.6 lbs.

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We reined it in for Christmas Eve, but we had planned to cheat on Christmas day, sort of like we did on Thanksgiving. I ate a couple of small cookies and candies (pre-Christmas gifts from friends), plus 5 pieces of my all-time favorite, English toffee. Our dinner was exactly the same as Thanksgiving dinner, except no candied yams this time, and I ate lightly. I did indulge in peach pie for dessert.

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Yes, I was baaaad!

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The next morning I was up another 1.2 lbs, putting me 4.8 lbs above my lowest weight from Sunday and Monday.

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I was kicking myself and thinking, "You worked so hard for this! What, are you crazy?"

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Fortunately, Dr. Simeons had worked out a solution for this situation. I reread the final chapters of his book, Pounds and Inches, to make sure I got it right.

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I quote: "As long as their weight stays within two pounds of the weight reached on the day of the last injection [of hCG], patients should take no notice of any increase, but the moment the scale goes beyond two pounds, even if this is only a few ounces, they must on that same day entirely skip breakfast and lunch but take plenty to drink. In the evening they must eat a huge steak with only an apple or a raw tomato."

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I had already expected I'd have to try this method the day after Christmas dinner, but the words I typed in bold letters leapt out at me. I was thinking I'd gained 4.8 lbs, but that was incorrect. I had actually lost 2.2 lbs after I stopped the hCG (but while still on the 500-calorie diet). Apparently that is unusual. Most people quit losing as soon as they stop the hCG.

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That meant I was only 2.6 lbs over my weight on the day I stopped the hCG. That made me feel much better! I only had to take off 0.6 lb in order to stay within the 2-lb boundary.

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As I said, it's been a learning experience. Yesterday I did the all-day fast followed by steak and a raw tomato, and this morning I had lost the 1.2 lbs gained on the previous day! Sarah has stayed within the 2-lb range, but she decided to try the fast-and-steak method with me. She had gained 1.4 lbs on Christmas day, and this morning she was back down exactly 1.4 lbs. Amazing!

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So it seems at this point that Sarah and I are maintaining, even if we broke some rules and came dangerously close to blowing it.

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For those who are wondering about the claim that the hCG diet changes your relationship with food, the jury is still out. I do see some positive changes, but the whole Christmas goodies theme has made it difficult to judge.

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I cannot deny that I am loving eating the foods I missed during the diet.
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Oddly, what I'm enjoying most is being able to eat eggs for breakfast again. To me, this spinach, cheese, and red onion omelet is heavenly!

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Yet I haven't indulged myself as much as I'd expected I would after 7 weeks of deprivation.

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I find I'm satisfied with less food and not inclined to want to snack. (The inability to resist Christmas sweets falls into another category, I think...)

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When I sat down to Christmas dinner, I looked down at the small portions on my plate and thought, "I don't want this." And I didn't. I left food uneaten, but my belly still felt like it would burst!
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So maybe there is a change. We still have 5 weeks of maintenance left to find out!