More Drops!

I just received my December shipment today! If you think you'll be wanting to take off a few pounds after all the holiday cheer-let me know. Contact me at aweenig@mac.com

What Makes It All Worth It!!!

The best feedback I've had so far!

Hi Allison,

I am so excited!!! I just wanted to e-mail you to thank you and your husband for giving me the opportunity to lose weight, feel better about myself and get back to where I was and more. I am so grateful and wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

I feel wonderful on the drops and the diet is great with all your tips. We know dieting is no fun, but you have made it fun reading your blog and recipes. You are a true inspiration.
I am so excited thanks to you. I did Jenny Craig about 2 years ago and lost weight, but unfortunately I gained it back.

Everyone keeps asking me why I started before the holidays, but this is the best time to do it. This way I will have less to get off, instead of gorging myself with fatty bad foods.
Waiting after the holidays would do me harm then good in my mind.

Well, anyway thanks for reaching out and helping us feel better about ourselves, that shows what a kind heart you and your husband have.

Happy Holidays!!

YES!!! I'm still here!

I just received a new shipment of drops this afternoon and they are almost ALL GONE!!! If you are interested in a losing some quick weight before the holidays, email me asap at aweenig@mac.com with your order.

***I will be posting new recipes soon!!! Happy Dieting

Plugging Away

Two more days on this round and then it's off the diet wagon to enjoy the holidays. This round was a little disappointing (admittedly my fault)-I'm only down 10 pounds. I wanted to lose at least 15...I'm planning on another round after the holidays...I don't plan to pig out or anything...I'll be happy to maintain my weight and to have enough energy to work out again.

Up a Half Pound and Out of Drops

Yep...that pretty much sums it up. I went back up .5 this morning-doing NOTHING wrong and am really frustrated. I guess the last 10 aren't that easy to lose! Maybe I just need to be happy where I am. I fit into all my "skinny" clothes-some of them are even big. I was desperately hoping this would be the last round I would have to do-it looks like I'll be finishing up the week and then looking forward to another round after the holidays. We'll see.

My last shipment of drops went super quick! I am expecting a new shipment later this week. Let me know if you want me to reserve one for you!

Can I Get A Woot Woot!!!

Last night I told my husband that if I didn't have a loss this morning I was going to quit this round and try again after the holidays. Luckily, I woke up to a 1.5 lb loss! I've now officially lost 40 lbs total. WOW. First of all, I can't believe I had that much to lose to begin with. Secondly, I can't believe how quickly it has come off. I'm so thrilled. Today, I had to go bra shopping because all of my bras are too big...this is a GOOD thing...DD's are much easier to haul around than DDD's. Too much info? Probably. I had a wonderful moment in the dressing room today with my mom. I tried on a size 8 skirt that was too big...and got to ask the lady if she could, "Please find this in a size 6". I turned to my mom as I said it and was grinning from ear to ear. Skinny me is MUCH happier than chubby me.

Slow and Steady?

I definitely feel like the hare from the tortoise and the hare this round! I stalled for a good three days and then finally the scale moved again today-only 1/2 a pound. Maybe it's because I'm working on my last ten pounds? Trying to stay motivated...

Thai Beef Soup

Now that the weather is cooling, I think I'm going to try some soups. This one looks good...

3 oz. beef
celery
2 cups beef broth
3 T. Bragg's
1 T. chopped green onion
1 clove garlic-minced
fresh cilantro
1/2 t. grated fresh ginger
1/8 t. chili powder or red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
stevia, salt, and pepper to taste

Heat broth-add dry spices, Bragg's, garlic and onion and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Add beef and celery an cook for 20-30 minutes till done. Add salt, pepper, and stevia. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

***Hubby is done-he decided he's happy where he is.
***I'm done 6 lbs! Woohoo!!!

Update

I'm down another half pound for a total of 4lbs. in 4 days.

Hubby is up a half pound.

***Serves him right (he cheated again last night and ate a Chick-F-La fried chicken sandwich...I don't get him)

Steak Rolls

3 oz. lean flank steak
finely chopped cabbage or spinach
1 c. beef broth (or water)
2 T. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's raw apple vinegar-more flavor)
2 T. Bragg's liquid aminos
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. onion, minced
1 T. dried herbs (of your choosing- I like basil or oregano)

Tenderize steak (good for getting out aggression) with manual meat tenderizer until flat and thin. In a frying pan, combine cabbage or spinach with spices, vinegar and Bragg's and cook until tender. Spoon cabbage mixture into pounded flank steak and wrap into a roll. Fill the bottom of the pan with a little water or broth. Salt and spice the top of the roll. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Baste occasionally with juices to keep from drying out.

***Hubby lost another pound yesterday-I lost 1/2 a pound. He ate jordan almonds and a spicy chicken salad at Pei Wei. I was good. Go figure.

"Fauxsghetti"

When the rest of my family is eating pasta, this one satisfies my cravings:

1 pkg. miracle noodles (calorie free)
3 oz. ground beef
onion to taste
green pepper to taste
can of diced tomato (make sure no sugar is added)
your favorite italian seasonings (oregano, basil, etc.)

Brown ground beef and add onion and green pepper to soften; add can of tomatoes and simmer. Add seasonings. Meanwhile, rinse miracle noodles thoroughly. Add noodles to sauce to heat. Serve immediately.

I love this diet

down another pound-total of 3 in two days
hubby down total 4

Yahoo!

Welcome Fall Apple Chicken Salad

3 oz. chicken, cooked and diced
1 apple, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
sprinkle of cinnamon (I prefer a generous sprinkle)
sprinkle of nutmeg
dash of salt
3 T. lemon juice
stevia to taste

Mix ingredients and enjoy! YUM

***I'm actually enjoying this yummy salad for lunch RIGHT NOW. It's a good one! Loading was super fun this time. I made a point to eat all the things I never let myself eat-Mint Milanos, Hot Tamales, etc. and planned a night out at Morton's for my last meal. From my authorized and "unauthorized" loading-I gained a total of 4 lbs. This morning (after one day on the VLCD) I'm already down 2. I love this diet :)

They're HERE!

Yippee...I have my new shipment sitting here with me on my desk. Let me know if you want some-they're sure to go quickly :)

Confessions of Closet "Loader"

My name is Allison and I love to eat. I'm starting round 2 of the HCG tomorrow to take off these last 10-15 pounds. Knowing I'm doing another round has been a bit of a stumbling block for me-I've used the excuse that it'll "come right off" and spent the last week LOADING-big time. Tomorrow are my official loading days, but I've spent the last week or so stressing that I'm not going to be able to eat anything for 3 weeks (or more) so I have to eat it NOW. Not smart. I may or may not be up 3-4 pounds already. Geesh. I'll try and post daily during this round so you can follow me on this leg of the journey-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Happy Dieting!

New Shipment!

We are officially "out" of drops for now. Wow, they went fast! We just found out our next shipment is coming in about ten days. Let me know asap if you're thinking of trying the diet and I'll "earmark" some for you. Email me at aweenig@mac.com

Ginger Chicken

3.5 ounces uncooked chicken
1/4 c. chicken broth
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. lemon zest
1/2 t. fresh ginger
4 T. Bragg's aminos
1 T. chopped onion
1 packet stevia (or to taste)
Salt and Pepper
Cayenne Pepper

Saute' chicken with a little lemon juice and broth until slightly browned. Add spices, ginger, salt, lemon and stevia. Add Bragg's (can be found in Sprouts, Henry's, Whole Foods, etc-has a soy sauce flavor) and finish cooking till chicken is cooked through. Add water to the pan to deglaze if necessary. Serve with Broccoli or your favorite vegetable.

My FAVORITE Cucumber Salad

1 English cucumber, sliced or diced however you like it
2 T. vinegar (I prefer apple cider)
1 T. amino acids (Bragg's)
1-2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. finely minced onions
1-2 packets of Stevia to taste

This is one of those salads that tastes better the longer it sits. It's perfect to mix up a couple of batches at a time and keep in the fridge. It's a totally "free" food so it's great to have around.

Enjoy

Yummy Tip

Yum, yum, YUM!!! I have to share this "tip" with everyone. One of the things that SAVED my on this diet is this yummy snack from Provident Pantry. My favorite is the freeze dried peaches. These cans are HUGE and have 20+ servings per can. I used a serving as one of my fruit servings for the day and would often save it for a movie treat. It was great to have something to crunch and they taste SO GOOD. If you let a little bit of air get to them they soften a bit and get really chewy. YUM!

Asian Beef

3.5 oz. flank steak (or similar lean steak) cut into thin strips
1/4 c. beef broth
2 T. Bragg's aminos
2 T. vinegar
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. grated fresh ginger
garlic to taste
salt and pepper
stevia
1/2 T. chopped green onions

Saute ginger, garlic, and spices in broth and other liquid. Add beef and stir fry. Add chopped green onions before serving.

***Holding steady at my end weight. Yahoo.

I Heart....

One of my "finds" on this diet is the Walden Farms products. I got mine at the Sprouts grocery down the street, but I know they can also be found at Henry's. They are SO yummy! It is unbelievable that the products have zero calories, fat, sugars, etc. The dressings come in jars, as well as individual packets, so I always kept a couple of varieties in my purse. Much more satisfying than straight vinegar when you're out! The cocktail sauce added just the right touch to shrimp and crab cocktails. Since I have a major sweet tooth, I also LOVED the caramel dip. A sliced apple at night dipped in the dip SAVED me some nights. Happy dipping!
***We received our first shipment today of HCG and have been busy labeling and shipping all day today! We have a few left so let me know asap if you are interested.

Orange Chicken Salad and an Update!

Salad
6 oz. chicken, diced
2 large english cucumbers, sliced
4 small mandarin oranges (segmented)
2 T. onion, minced
Dressing
Juice from one small orange
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. vinegar (I like Bragg's all natural apple cider-more of a bite)
2 t. chopped fresh tarragon (or equivalent dried)
Stevia or Sugar Substitute to taste (this really brings out the flavors!)
Season with Salt and Pepper

Combine salad ingredients and toss with dressing. Marinate at least 30 minutes
***Serves 2

The shipment has left the lab and is on it's way. If you have pre-ordered with me, I will send you a paypal invoice and ship asap!!!

I am super proud to announce that I have successfully finished my first round of Phase 2 (the drops) and have lost a total of 23 lbs! I am enjoying adding some fats to my diet and of course eating a lot more than 500 calories. The two 500 calorie days without the drops weren't bad at all. I was really worried and managed just fine. I think it has something to do with the fact that we are having a major heat wave and I have NO appetite. I also worked out for the first time in a year yesterday-it felt so good. I'M BACK!!!

It's On It's Way!

We got good news today...our first shipment is on it's way. It should be arriving by the end of next week. This shipment is almost all "spoken for", so if you're interested let me know asap. Today was my last "drop" day for this round. Luckily for me, it is really hot here in So Cal right now and that usually dampens my appetite. Hopefully, it won't be too hard to do the 500 calorie days without the HCG. I've already told my friends that if my eye is twitching on Sunday at church, it's just 'cause I'm really hungry. Monday morning the kids start school (yipee!) and I am already looking forward to my annual girlfriend breakfast after we get the kids off to their new classes. Yummy omelet, here I come! Phase 3 will be interesting. Matt has kept his weight off while not strictly adhering to the phase 3 rules-he's had breads and starches. Overall, he is eating better, but he's still eating a lot and the weight is still staying off. I know I won't be so lucky so I'm really planning to stick to this part of the diet too. I don't want all my hard work to go to waste :)
***Tip of the Day: I couldn't have done this diet without the Kirkland brand pre-cooked, sliced chicken breast (in the refrigerated section) from Costco. It has such a good flavor and is so convenient.

Now THAT's More Like It...

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I thought I'd post a few....BEFORE...

I really can't believe I'm posting this picture!

And AFTER...

MUCH better, wouldn't you say???

Sorry I haven't posted in so long...we've been busy with family vacations, a wedding, and the "adoption" of my sisters three kiddos while she and her new husband are on their honeymoon. This last weekend was very rewarding for me. It was so nice to see people I haven't seen in awhile and actually feel GOOD about how I look. I'm not "there" yet, but it's getting closer. To date, Matt lost a total of 20 lbs (three weeks on HCG) and I've lost a total of 19 lbs (5 weeks on HCG) and 34 lbs. total. Wow. ***We are expecting our shipment of HCG within the next couple of weeks. Thank you so much for all your patience. I have three more days on the drops and two 500 calorie non-drop days after that. We'll see how it goes!

Backordered Blues

I just talked to the manufacturer and apparently the product is backordered for 4 weeks. Their lab just moved and they are a little behind. That said, we are on a priority list to ship as soon as product becomes available. Our interest list is growing by the second, so don't hesitate to contact me if you are interested.

***Tip of The Day

In 'n' Out Burger has been a lifesaver for me! With four children and their busy schedules, there are times when I just don't have the time or inclination to cook. Order a hamburger, protein style (wrapped in lettuce), double meat with tomato only. Matt likes to add onion as well-make sure it's not grilled! I didn't trust that you could have two patties at first so I actually bought a burger and came home and weighed the meat. Each patty was only 33 grams!

Our Journey So Far!

My husband and I started the HCG diet three weeks ago using the homeopathic drops. We are so pleased and happy with our progress! To date the man is down 19 lbs. and I am down 14 lbs. I had been dieting previously (Jenny Craig) and it has taken me only three weeks to lose what it took me 3+ months to lose on Jenny. We follow Dr. Simmeon's diet protocol (with a few variations) and the 500 VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) has been extremely "doable".

Recipe of the day:

Lemon Zest Crab cakes

3.5 ounces real crab
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 T. onion powder
1⁄4 t salt
1⁄4 t. pepper
1 t. dry mustard
Juice of 2 lemon wedges
1 T. parsley
1 t. lemon zest
Mix everything together and put into 2 small patties. Place in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes and place on serving dish.

***I subtracted a little crab and replaced it with 1 egg white to four patties (double recipe). This helped bind the ingredients and hold them together. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. SO YUMMY! I served it with asparagus. What a treat.