MattsMom17

So it's been SEVEN YEARS since I did the hcg diet - almost exactly to the day. I thought I'd post to encourage others that the hcg journey does not end at the end of P4. It is a lifestyle change to eat healthy, to be mindful of what you eat, and how much you eat. I learned a lot about food, metabolism, and making healthy choices the first time around in 2011.

You're probably asking, "So did you keep the weight off?" The answer is yes, for the most part. I have never "dieted" all these seven years. I have weighed myself EVERY day since the end of P4 in April 2011, with the exception of a few trips we took. As of Friday (3/23) my weight was exactly 4.3 lbs above my LDW from seven years ago. I maintained my LDW for two years, and then found myself doing a steak day nearly every 7 to 10 days. (I have done many, many, many steak days.) I'll be honest - steak days are hard on me. I get dizzy, lightheaded, and/or shaky at times. A person can drink only so much water. So I let myself gain the three pounds I was battling, and began a new "set-point".

At near the six year point (Jan 2017) I started having difficulty again, (new job, different hours and lots of goodies around ALL THE TIME) and found myself again doing steak days every 7-10 days. It just about killed me to give in and allow another new starting point, but my sanity was suffering.

Since Jan 2017, I've been as high as eight pounds (after meal indulgences) over LDW, but clean eating and steak days have taken care of the gains. But steak days are more frequent again, and although "only" 4-5 lbs over LDW, my clothes do not fit the same as in 2011. I have a lot of the same clothes that I bought that first year, so that's I know. And I can see in the mirror that my body shape is different. My assumption is that my fat stores have shifted over the years. I have back fat again, and what I consider to be fat thighs, stomach & hips.

I decided to do the hcg diet again because, from experience, I know that hcg & the diet will literally transform my body. I did homeopathic drops the first time and I'm using similar drops this time. My motivation is not about weight necessarily (yes, I want to lose that lousy five pounds!), but it's more about shape and feeling good about myself. No one would guess that I've gained weight or that my shape is different, but I know.

I've been reading the threads about lotions and such, what is allowed and what to avoid, to get familiar again. It occurred to me today though, that perhaps there are folks out there that are curious - will the weight stay off, can I stabilize, can I eat like a normal person again, is it worth it? The resounding answer to all is YES.

I know you can do a 3-week R1, then P3, and P4, but I will do R1 till the drops in this bottle run out, so likely 4-5 weeks. Started drops 3/23 with the normal two-day load and this is VLCD D2. I'm down 3.1 lbs...amazing... :D