Shaky start.

Hopefully you read my last blog that gave a little history of how I became morbidly obese. (when you're at least 100 pounds overweight) It ended with the realization that change was imminent in my life and it was up to me to make that happen.

The first thing I did before starting yet another weight loss diet was to go see a doctor.  You always hear that you should do that, but I had always ignored that warning.  I have a good friend that couldn't say enough about the doctor she was going to so I decided to try hers.  First of all she was a female doctor and secondly she was older so that combination sounded great to me.  I had a complete physical and a lot of blood work done.  When the results came in, my doctor sit down and went over everything that was not balanced in my system.  No wonder I felt horrible!  She recommended several supplements that my body needed and also suggested the HCG diet for me to try.  Honestly I had heard a lot about this particular diet and wasn't interested.  The fact that it was a hormone that tricks your body into thinking it's pregnant was a big turn off for me.  At my age, I really don't need anything messing up my hormones!  I was confident that if my moods got any worse that me or Jerry one was moving to another country. 

After visiting with my doctor, hearing that she herself had lost 50 pounds, and that it was helping a lot of her patients lose weight, I decided to give it a try.  I was desperate!!  She also told me that she had done research on the diet and it in no way affected the hormone levels that I was worried about.  Knowing that she would be monitoring me medically, I started taking the drops this past June along with the accompanying supplements.

Amazingly, it worked for me!  Just as the diet predicts, you really do lose a pound a day.  IT'S NOT EASY and it's expensive!  Hopefully you understand this.  You only eat 500 calories a day for either 21 or 40 days.  (I couldn't make it to 40, so I stopped at 21) The calories also come from a very small list of approved foods.  However, seeing the results on the scales every single morning was motivation to keep me going.

By the end of the first week, I was so weak I could hardly lift my arms.  I would walk to my truck, get in and then have to sit awhile before I could start the engine.  I was extremely weak.  Barely could function.  I thought maybe it was just because my body wasn't use to only getting 500 calories.  I finally talked to a nurse who suggested I take my blood pressure.  It registered 83/56 which is extremely low for me.  I've been taking blood pressure medicine for 8 years.  I called my doctor who suggested that I try just taking half of my normal dosage.  After a couple of days of still feeling lethargic, I cut the whole dosage.  I am so thankful to report that I was able to totally get off of my high pressure medicine! Another side benefit of the diet.  Sometimes after getting off the diet, your blood pressure will return to being high.  Not mine!  So blessed.

After you’ve done the drops for 21 or 40 days, you have to get off the diet for a short period of time but still stay on a low carb, 1200 calories a day diet.  Ok, I’m off the diet, I’m down 23 pounds, doing great, feeling wonderful, and then we went on vacation to Colorado for a week.  I’ll tell you how that went next blog.  (Not so good!)