Another Newbie

[glam]

Emotional help needed   

I am new to the HCG therapy.  I had read some of KT's information about a year ago and was very interested but there really weren't a lot of places (if any) providing this therapy in AZ.  Recently, I can across a website for a physician (naturopathic) that provided this tx (follows Dr. Simeon's protocol with a few small adjustments).  I am usually pretty skeptical about "diets/lifestyle changes" as I have been on diets since I was 7 (I'm now 38  ), was always a super active kid, and not a huge eater... until years later. 

I joined up and began injections Friday followed by the 48 hour "clog your arteries diet" which was tough because I have a lap band (have been stalled for a year, after -72lbs, even on 1000 cals/day) and even when loose my stomach has shrunk enough to where it was pretty uncomfortable.  Anyway, I find myself already feeling as though I will fail this therapy.  I have lost 4 lbs since I first weighed on Sunday (which I know is significant) but I am in the mental mode of "of course I'm going to lose when I'm eating 500 cals/day".  I think until I loose at least 10-20 lbs (I still have quit a bit to lose to be healthy).  I have followed the diet to the letter(s) but of course it's hard (as everyone knows).  Mental hunger is a BEAST.  I have 2 jobs and 1 is very fast paced and the other is a desk job (I'm a nurse).  The very first day (Mem. day) a facility brought homemade cookies... my very first day on the VLCD... but I stood strong and didn't even look at them.. except about 5 times.  Today at my desk job, someone had brought doughnuts and ordered out lunch.. but again I didn't budge and stuck to the plan.  Talk about trial by fire.

Sorry this was so long but has anyone else dealt with these feelings and had the success?  I also wondered if everyone self-ordering and self-administering is following KT's protocol or what?  As you can imagine, continuing with the physician would end up being pretty expensive. 

I appreciate anyone's time

Another Newbie... Glam   

[kathy in California]

I think the best way is to remind yourself that it's only for 3-6 weeks and that nothing that you want to eat now is going extinct or leaving the planet earth anytime soon. Also, remember that although of course you would loose weight on 500 calories, your body would not normally release 2000 fat calories from the "right" places while on a 500 calorie diet. You just watch, as you get into the groove and you get encouraged by your progress, you will gradually find yourself disconnecting from food. Probably 2 weeks from now you will see a big change in your appetite and willpower. Become a tea drinker, use stevia to sweeten it and drink lots of water-at least two liters per day. Are you taking a fiber powder? This is a very filling supplement. I use Organic Triple Fiber or Super Seed beyond fiber.

[glam]

Hi,  I am so glad you responded.  I actually had seen your replies to other questions and you seem extremely knowledgeable about the therapy.  How has your success been?  How long have you been on it?  Do you follow KT''s?

I do drink the Oolong tea twice a day without sweetener.  I have stevia but have just been afraid to use any artificial sweetner.  The MD's diet plan states you can use Stevia, sucralose and nutrasweet to tea and coffee.  You are allowed an "occasional" diet soda (I don't drink soda at all since the band) and non-caloric drink mix (crystal light). If wt loss stops these are the first items to be halted.  I don't use nutrasweet at all (did a paper on it in college where I found out with long-term use it can (and has) killed brain cells (like mine!).  I do like the Lipton ice-green teas to-go (Peach, raspberry, blueberry, cherry blossom) as these teas use splenda.  I usually don't add a whole one to a bottle of water but just add enough for a slight flavor.  I haven't had any since starting HCG because I've been afraid to.

I'm a big water drinker (1.5-2.5L per day) already as I dehydrate very fast here in AZ and get headaches after a day of not drinking enough.  I've started just rotating adding lemon juice to it.  I just started taking fiber tablets today as I can tell things have kinda slowed down.  Do you know if it's o.k. to go through a 2 wk detox regimen (just the kind that you take fiber laxative, milk thistle and liver clenasing tabs) or would this interfere with the therapy.

[kathy in California]

Stevia is an entirely natural south american herb with no calories. I found a particular brand at the health food store called Sweet Leaf Stevia Plus that has soluable fiber added. I don't use splenda, nutrasweet or saccharin at all if I can avoid it. Sometimes I have a skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks and I'm pretty sure it has splenda in the sugar free vanilla shot, but that is the only time I allow it.

I am going to start my third round soon because I have more to lose. Maintaining has required constant vigilance for me. It won't hurt to have the cleansing stuff as part of your regime. I have found the smooth move tea and fiber to be very important to elimination during injections. The tablet kind of fiber doesn't give me the full feeling that I get when I mix a scoop with a glass of water and chase it with another glass of water.