HCG Drops – Day 44 – Links

Well, I made it. Not to my goal. Nooo, that is a long way off. But I made it through the drops, and I’ve got to say, it wasn’t that bad. I liked only having a small list, kinda getting back to basics. Here are my stats:

• I’ve lost 26 lbs (I had hoped for 30, but I’m happy.)
• I’ve lost 7.5 inches

Note that the inches are only in three strategic places on my body, not the overall number. The next time I go to Curves, I’ll have them measure me and we’ll see how many inches I’ve lost. I know my ankles and legs are thinner.

But that pesky stomach thing. . . It is three inches smaller, but so is every other area, so it still looks large to me. My pants fit better, though, and I only have one more notch in my belt before I’ll have to get a new one. (I’ve been through two notches now. Yea!)

Here’s my latest pic:

I went off the drops for three days, (72 hours is recommended to get all the HCG out of your system,) and by the fourth, I was beginning to feel hunger. I’ve been adding in fats today by way of cream cheese and sour cream in a couple of scrambled eggs and Ranch dressing on steamed broccoli. According to protocol, you shouldn’t lose or gain more than two pounds after finishing the drops. This is to set your metabolism. I’ve known of people, however, who continue to lose during the last two phases. I hope their weight doesn’t spring back on them when they’re through.

Following are the links I’ve found most helpful. Some are the same ones I included in past posts, but I thought I’d include them here so they’ll all be in one place.

• Pounds & Inches – This is the original protocol by Dr. Simeons. It refers to the injections, but the food and time spent on the diet are all the same. It is advisable to read this whole thing before starting the diet.
• HCGDietJourney.com – This is a brief overview of Dr. Simeons protocol plus some FAQs.
• BuyHCGToday.com – This is where I got my drops. IMPORTANT: If you need to buy more than one bottle, then go to the picture that offers that many bottles. You get a special price doing it that way. If you go to the single bottle and ask for multiple quantities, you won’t get a discount. I ordered three at first, but they’re only good for a month and I went on the 42 day drops. So, I just ordered three more for a total of $99 + $9.99 shipping. ALSO IMPORTANT: You don’t need all the other bells and whistles on this site. Mediral HCG drops without vitamins and stuff is just fine. 
• hcgrecipes.com/HCG-ebook-preview.pdf – A really good cookbook for the VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet of 500 calories.)

Recipes abound for free on the net, you just have to search for them. Always keep the protocol in mind, though, because some people like to stray from it. What works for them might not work for you.

I’ll be on low-carbs for three weeks, then I’ll get to add starches to my diet for three more weeks. Then, I’ll do this all over again.

If you’re confused about the different phases, here is what I’ve learned:

• P1 – Phase 1 in Dr. Simeons’ Day was the period where one is on the drops. But Kevin Troudeau had to come in and mess with it. He is an infomercial giant, but has gained notoriety with his book, The Weight Loss Cure (“They” Don’t Want You to Know About.) In it he recommends that you do detoxification with a colon cleanse before starting this diet. This has now become the new P1 making the very low calorie diet (VLCD) the new P2. In most of my research and among my friends doing this diet, the colon cleanse is not necessary.
• P2 – As a result of Trudeau’s meddling, this can now refer to either the VLCD  phase or the low carb phase.
• P3 – And now, this can be the “adding starches back in” phase or low carb phase.
• P4 – Non-existent in Dr. Simeons’ day, but with the Trudeau debacle is the starch phase.

No wonder I was confused! I now check the article or recipes carefully for clarification before assuming what phase they’re talking about.

Honestly, this is one of those diets that you simply have to research for yourself to see how simple it is. I hope I haven’t confused you while trying to relay what I’ve learned. If so, please disregard everything I’ve said and do your own searches. I promise, it is really easy once you get into the groove of this plan.