HCG Purgatory

Okay, happy giddy days are over for the moment. I have been on the HCG drops for two weeks now and I feel absolutely awful. I have had a huge drop in my energy levels and mood. And yet I’m on the fence as to what to do about it because it really does seem to be working.

So yeah. I don’t know what to do. If you want more details than that, read on.

I have been on Very Low Calorie Diets before, averaging 900 calories per day along with running 30 flights of stairs, walking, etc .. and didn’t lose anything after months of consistent effort. In fact, when I gave up the intense exercise, I -gained- weight, even though the 900 calories per day thing had become a mindless habit I’d break once or twice per week when I was with friends or family. And for years I went on like that.

Last August or September or so, I got with a nutritionist who scolded me soundly and had me bump up my intake by a few calories at a time until I was maintaining my weight at 2000 calories per day. She’d said I should be at 2500 for my body type and typical activity level, but I hadn’t reached that point yet, when I reintroduced daily hour-long workouts. I did that most of this summer, and I did not lose ANY weight.

I have not, however, tried low-carb diets before this one, for what it’s worth. I -LOVE- my carbs (cracked wheat and blueberries with honey, oh how I miss you!!) and have been trying not to eat very much meat. So this is definitely shaking things up for me that way.

Anyway, I still think the fact that I’ve dropped 14 pounds in the past two weeks really is significant. And it’s coming right off my fatty places: my belly, my chin, my thighs. The muscles in my abs and arms are just starting to show through. This morning I discovered just a hint of a collarbone again. I absolutely HATE this diet, but I cant deny it’s working. I only have 16 more pounds to go before I’m in the top end of a healthy weight range. And to think last Monday I was borderline obese. Yeah, I don’t think I looked “obese” either. Overweight, yes; but both my BMI and my body fat percentages concurred: I was headed for some major health risks if I didn’t shape up.

So I’m happy to finally see some progress there.

And yet I’m so incredibly miserable, I’m severely tempted to quit. EVERYTHING from work to laundry to polishing my talk, to wearing a smile or walking up the stairs – it is _just so hard_ to deal with right now. And I really do have a lot to do.

So I’m considering tinkering with Simeon’s protocol and adding some healthy carbs into the mix while remaining on the drops, while closely observing my weight, waist, mood, and energy levels, as well as checking ketone levels out of morbid curiosity.

I don’t care if my weight loss slows down or even stops. I know I was a whole lot happier 14 pounds ago than I am now. But I do care if I start gaining again after what I’ve put myself through so far. So I’m out on the net trying to find out whether anyone else has done the same and what their results were. And if nothing else, I’ll comment here to let you know what I decided to do and how it worked out.

By the way, if you feel like torturing yourself this way, I noticed the Fresh Markets around here have the drops for about $30. I so wouldn’t recommend it though unless your life is virtually stress-free, especially if you haven’t given healthy habits a long-term, consistent effort.