Showing posts with label hCG diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hCG diet. Show all posts

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Deciding What's Best For Me

I had a minor meltdown yesterday.

A friend of mine (great friend, well-meaning) gave me a bottle of oral hCG.

And it kind of freaked me out.

Not that she would give it to me, but the idea that I might do that diet again. I liked the hCG diet the first time I did it, but didn't follow the protocol very well the second time. It's not the diet with which I had the problem. The problem came in the aftermath. And all the fat that is now on my body but once wasn't.

I am now at the weight I was last spring when I went on the hCG diet. But I am two sizes bigger than I was. Yes, bigger. I have way more fat now than I did before. I don't know why. I'm not a scientist and I don't know why such a thing might be, but the fact remains that for me, it's true.

Recently, I've been feeling rather hopeful and kind to myself. Like I said in my post the other day--I'm not giving up, I'm still hanging in there, still trying.

I've been following the baby-step philosophy and I was all ready to post about that today, when this whole issue popped up.

Like I said, I kind of freaked out.

If I go on the diet again I might lose weight. Which would be great, because I totally need to lose weight. But what if I gain it all back again? What if I get even fatter? Again?

If I go on the diet, I might not stick to it as well as I need to and I might fail. Again. (Like when I have I gone on a diet when I haven't failed--eventually?)

Back and forth, back and forth. Should I go on the diet, or shouldn't I? Stress! Freaking out!

And then I talked to a friend (who, coincidentally is gorgeous and healthy and fit) about my panic and . . . relief . . . she gave me permission not go on the hCG diet. Just because my friend gave the medicine to me, does not mean I have to take it. I can keep it and maybe one day I'll want to use it, but for now, it's totally and completely okay for me to do what I'm doing.

Which is baby steps. As in, right now, I'm happy to exercise in whatever form I can. Fifteen minutes on my elliptical. A ten minute walk. Anything that's more movement than before is a success. I'm leaving a couple bites of food on my plate at every meal. If you do that, I've read, it can mean 500 calories saved by the end of the week for the average person. That's enough to stave off the annual 5 lb gain most people experience.

The freak-out has successfully come to an end and I'm at peace with my very small steps forward--for now. How about you?

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Things That Make Me Fat

My apologies for not writing in so long. It's not that I'm totally skinny now and don't need to think about my weight. No, no, it's not that at all. It's just that . . . I haven't wanted to look at my weight issues too closely, ya know?

Recently, a local news station ran a bit about the dangers of taking hCG without a doctor's care and my "pusher" (lol) has decided she doesn't want to be a drug dealer and so she's not going to facilitate getting the medicine anymore. I wasn't even really sure I wanted to, I don't know. I loved it the first time round when I really worked the program the way I was supposed to. But didn't like it so much the second time when I was a bit more carefree with the restrictions.

However, I liked knowing it was still an option for me. I'm quite sure I won't be signing up with a local weight weight loss clinic for $200 a pop. No, probably not.

Yet, the bulk (ha!) of the weight remains and my issues with it still remain. I have been really good at not binging for quite some time, but . . . I still have things that make me fat.

  1. I stay up late and sleep in late, leaving no time for exercise in the morning (really my only time for exercise because I home school and then we're on the run until evening and then I'm too exhausted to exercise.)
  2. I like food that's bad for me. I like hamburgers and fries and we eat out a lot. Way, way too much. Because my family, and I, like it. And I don't want to choose a salad, I want the hamburger.
  3. We eat out a lot. Mainly because I get tired or stressed or I haven't adequately planned the week's menu. Or I planned, but I failed to get groceries. It's like sabotage. Oh gee, there's nothing for dinner, guess we should eat out!
  4. Sometimes I just like to pop something into my mouth. Cookies work really well for this. They're small, yummy, and easy to grab and go. Fruits take far more work, plus they are bigger, and sometimes I don't want to eat that much. So I just eat crap instead.
  5. I can't resist nighttime snacking when Skinny Man brings out the Fritos or ice cream. I don't always have what he's having, but his snacking awakens my own desires and I just. can't. resist. must. snack.
  6. I don't drink nearly enough water. 'Nuff said.
Because there's nothing more fun that beating a dead horse, I'm back here again. Self-flagellation and all that. (So, I'm a dead horse? Hmm . . . might explain a few things.)

This week I'm going to work on 1 and 6. Going to bed at a decent time, getting up early, and drinking water. I'm not going to say how much, just more will suffice.

If you're reading this, where are you in your weight-loss journey? What's working for you? Or how will you, like me, start over, again?

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Cheating on the hCG Diet

Oh yeah, this time round has not been a walk in the park.

It's the chicken and the egg argument all over again. Am I hungry so much because I've been cheating a little? Or has the diet not been meeting my needs this time and so I've been cheating?

It's a conundrum, I know.

I've been on the diet for two weeks now and I'm suffering, man. I've had pizza, I've had a bowl of cereal, I've had some popcorn. Bad, bad, bad.

I've lost almost six pounds, but seriously? Come on, that's lame.

I'm trying to focus and tough out the last week of the low-cal part of the diet, but tomorrow's my birthday so, yeah ... not feeling all the confident. But I'm gonna try. Seriously.

I really wanted to get to 155 this round of the diet. That's five more pounds and I've only lost 5.5 in two whole weeks, so I'm not sure how confident I am that I can meet that goal. *sigh*

Maybe it's because I don't have any friends doing the diet with me with this time. Last time, I shopped with friends, shared meal ideas, shared meals even. Definitely, those things were a big help last time and I really miss them. I feel so weak without a friend to support me.

So it hasn't been a stellar go at the diet this time and I can definitely see how some people might hate the diet if this was how their first attempt went. Luckily, my first time was excellent, so I'm not ready to write the diet off because I'm having a bad couple of weeks.

Even if I weren't to lose any more weight than the near-six I've lost so far this round, this diet has still been a resounding success. I've lost almost twenty pounds in three months. That's not shabby at all.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Binging Blech

I've started on my second round of the hCG diet. I'm on day two, which means I'm still in the major pigging-out stage. You'd think that would be awesome fun, right? Eating as much as of I want of all the bad-for-me stuff I love? Yeah ... not so much. What's happened to me?

Actually, I think what's happened to me is ... (shudder, gasp) my body likes being healthy.

I KNOW! This is why I wondered what in the world is happening to me? I LOVE eating bad-for-me stuff. Or ... I used to.

But today I've been battling a migraine all day and I've had diarrhea most of the day too. Rotten, sucky, stinky. The good new is, it makes me really look forward to starting on the low-cal portion of the diet tomorrow.

I felt so good on the diet, clean, healthy, lighter, happier. I'll try to enjoy the last of the pig-out, but ... it's not as much fun as it used to be.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Life After the hCG Diet

It's been six weeks since I finished my last hCG shot and it has been easily as educational for me as the diet itself.

I've learned that my body really needs a low carb diet. The minute I start adding carbs to my diet, my weight jumps up and I feel rotten to boot. The good news is, the first time it happened to me I did that steak and tomatoes thing I told you about and the extra weight just popped right off.

I gained back two pounds, but have stayed at a consistent weight, still twelve pounds less than my starting weight for six weeks. I consider that a success. I start back on another round of the shots on Sunday and I'm looking forward to losing another ten to fifteen pounds. I had hoped the diet would be *more* successful, in that I hoped to lose in the twenties each round, but I'm really happy with how I've done. It just means I'll have to do the shots a few times as opposed to only twice like I'd originally hoped.

One of the reasons why I'm excited to start the diet again is because I need more practice making the good choices a part of my life. I've definitely improved--even Skinny Man noticed that I've been making better choices. But, I think I can only get better with more practice.

When I went on vacation a week or so back and we started eating crappy food. And man, I went insane. Holy Smokes. I ate like a madwoman. You'd think my husband had been starving me or something. Mostly, I pigged out on the bed late at night watching TV. I ate doughnuts and chips and chocolate bars. It was seriously bad. I thought my stomach would explode it was so full. And I'm talkin' more than once too.

I still don't know where that insanity came from, but I finally went "whoa" and got a grip. I wish I knew how I managed to do that because it's that fall from grace that scares me the most. That complete abandon of all that I know to be good and right. And that rebellious chick inside me who screams "I can pig out if I want to!" I have no idea what to do with her when she shows up.

But, like I said, I did get over it and it didn't do any damage to my weight and, I feel so good having kicked her in the behind and out of the house that I feel strangely empowered. I suspect she'll come back. I suspect she's like a teenager who never truly moves out. Just keeps coming back to do their laundry. But at least now I know I can kick her out and I can reclaim my sanity when she's gone.

Kinda nervous to start back on the diet again, but ... kinda excited too! Ten more pounds (or more)! Yeah!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Just a Little Update

So, I finished the first phase, the part during which I took the shots and ate the 500 calorie diet, last Tuesday. 

I was disappointed that I only lost thirteen pounds (I did drop another pound by the end of the week, so I'm at a little over fourteen pounds lost now.) I really had hoped for more. BUT, if you've read any of my posts here for the past several months, you know that losing ANY weight is a tremendous accomplishment. I need to focus on that and let myself feel proud and satisfied.

This next part of the diet doesn't have calorie restrictions, but is still a diet. No sugars and no starches/carbs. It's harder than it sounds my friends!

I'm finding it almost easier to stick with the restrictions of the phase one diet, because once I start letting in new foods, I find I start giving in and eating badly. I have cheated almost every day. Bad! I know! So far, I haven't gained back any weight, but I find I'm scared most every day that I'll gain back the precious pounds I lost.

There is a "trick" noted in my literature, that I'll pass on ... If you find that you've gained back two pounds, fast that day and then eat a large steak with tomatoes for dinner and nothing else. Supposedly you'll be back to your proper weight the next day. Haven't had to try that yet.

It's normal, they say, to fluctuate a little, but you shouldn't more than a pound. I've just been dancing around half a pound up and down. 

Anyway, that's where I'm at. If you're doing the hCG diet, I'd love to hear from you about what's been working and what hasn't. I'll be doing another round in July and I'd love to be more successful than I was this time.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Tips & Tricks for Surviving the hCG Diet

I haven't lost as much weight as I had hoped on the diet, but I still consider it a success. I have about five days left, I think, and so far I've lost thirteen pounds. Thirteen lost after several failed diet attempts is a giant success in my book! So, I thought I'd share some of the things that have helped me on this journey:

Your morning tea: buy a box of Chamomile (I bought Chamomile with honey and vanilla for a little sweeter taste) and a Fruit Tea Sampler. Mix it up every other day. One day, have the Chamomile. The next day, try something new from your sampler. The little bit of variety and the element of surprise changed what could have been a boring morning tea into something enjoyable.

Buy pre-cut and washed veggies and salad. Unfortunately for me, my grocery store only had salad and broccoli pre-washed and cut, but even that has been a huge help. There will be many times when you'll be starving or in a rush and you'll look in your cupboard or your fridge waiting for something to pop out at you screaming eat me! Let that thing be your broccoli. :) In a pinch, I can stick a bunch of pre-prepared broccoli in a bowl, add a bit of water and nuke it for two minutes and I've got a yummy vegetable with no waiting. Helps a ton.

Make extra meat. Whenever you're making shrimp, or fish or chicken--whatever meat it is that you're preparing, make a little extra. Stick it in the fridge so when you are having that moment like I mentioned above, you can grab a little protein to go along with your broccoli. Two minutes and you could be sitting down at the table with a yummy lunch.

Lemon & Pepper seasoning. This stuff is fabulous! A friend of mine who had done this diet before recommended this seasoning and it has become a favorite of mine. I used to think steamed broccoli was boring unless it was doused in butter or cheese sauce. Now I love it freshly warm sprinkled heartily with Lemon & Pepper seasoning. Very yummy. Even my boys loved it. And super-duper healthy and good for you. Hurray!

Try new things. It can be really easy to just stick with broiled fish and salad. Broiled chicken and salad. Grilled steak and salad. Not that there's anything wrong with those things, but after three weeks (or longer) those simple meals can get pretty old. Try branching out a little. Make some soup. Try a new recipe, like the Baked Tilapia or Tangy Chicken. These simple recipes can make a big difference to your satisfaction level.

Buy a George Foreman Grill. Seriously. Buy one. I got mine, a small one, for $19.99 and it has been worth every penny. The other day I was in a bind ... had to eat fast. I got out my grill, grabbed a handful of medium pre-prepared shrimp from the freezer and threw them on the grill. The nice thing about this grill is that you don't need to spray it or use oil of any kind. You close the lid and it cooks your meat on the top and bottom with pretty grill lines so you don't even have to tend it. Three minutes later--the time it took me to grab some salad from the bag, chop up a tomato and throw some cucumber I had cut at a previous meal onto my plate--my shrimp was done. I tossed them onto my salad and enjoyed a yummy shrimp salad. 

Salad Spritzers. These are not strictly legal on the diet, but I love them and they have made a world of difference for me. Just a couple squirts and you have enough to satisfy and add some variety to your salads. I have tried the Balsamic Breeze and Raspberry Bliss. The Balsamic was my favorite. 

Be creative with your fruit. You are allowed fruit twice a day. I don't like grapefruit, but I think you're allowed a half of one twice a day. I do however like apples, oranges and strawberries, all of which are allowed on the diet. I bought two of each type of apple they had at my store. This way, I get a little something different each time. I've discovered some new favorites! Try a Granny Smith apple with that cinnamon sauce one night when you're in the mood for munchies. Or put a handful of strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with Stevia--makes you feel like you're getting something special ... and you are!

Exercise. Yes, exercise. I know how much we love that word. But really? If you're losing weight, and starting to feel in control again ... you won't mind exercising so much. I swear. And the nice thing about this diet is they don't expect you to go crazy. Just walk. It's all you have to do, but it will help with the weight loss--never mind the emotional ways that exercise helps.

And Water. Drink lots of it. 

That's all I can think of at the moment. I hope this helps! If you come up with any tips & tricks of your own, will you please share? We'd love to hear them. 

Also, Kristi mentioned that she's concerned about the emotional eating. Twice while doing the hCG diet, I have had days where I really wanted to cheat. Really. I can't say how I managed to not give in, but I did. Remember "This too shall pass." Eat an orange. The tactile experience of it, and it's sweet juiciness seems to be particularly satisfying for me when I'm feeling the need to pig out. And, if you cheat a tiny, tiny bit (like I did with my two Rollos last week when I was feeling sad) it's not the end of the world. Just don't do it again :)

Good luck!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

hCG Diet Day Eleven

I haven't lost that much this week and I've been a bit discouraged by that. However, I also haven't been regular. You'd think that wouldn't be a problem eating so much roughage and all, but somehow it is. Apparently it's a normal side-effect of the diet. Go figure.

I've started taking supplements call BX-93. You can find them in a health food store or probably in a good pharmacy. They have helped me go a little, but I'm sure still not enough. Hopefully soon, the problem will correct itself. 

Nevertheless, I've still lost a total of 9.2 lbs and that's freakin' awesome.

I haven't lost that much in over three years doing traditional diets and exercise, so I am very happy with these results. I just ordered a second round that I will do after the appropriate rest once this one is done.

So far, I've had two difficult days. I don't remember the first one too well, but the second one was today. I wanted a Big Mac so bad I was practically salivating, lol. I wanted to stick things in my mouth--cookies, treats, chips, you know the stuff. I am so amazingly proud of myself to say I did not give in! I swear, I deserve a medal. 

And I will get a medal--when I am done with the second round and have succeeded in dropping a ton of weight I'm going to seriously reward myself. Oh yeah.

Oh, and on the difficult day line of thought ... I think the culprit is low blood sugar, because once I ate, I felt much better and not at all like I needed to cheat. It was the getting to eat that I was so tempted, not afterwards. So, yeah, I think it was blood sugar. A simple sugary drink, like juice or even sugar in water, or even a teaspoon of sugar would have remedied the problem quickly and I probably would have felt much better.

But I survived, without cheating, and I'm doing much better now. Whew! I am a little worried about date night tomorrow night. Normally we like to go to a movie, eat a personal pan pizza each, and have a huge bag of popcorn (buttered of course!) and a big pop. Tomorrow we'll go out for dinner instead and I'll have a steak and big salad and steamed veggies. I am so looking forward to this, I can't tell you! I'll bring a cut apple to the movie with me so I have something crunchy and satisfying to eat. I'm hoping that will help offset the craving for popcorn.

Alright then, some recipes, shall we?

I've tried two more that I really like:

Baked Tilapia

Ingredients:
  • 4 Tilapia Fillets (100 grams each)
  • 1 large or 2 med Vidalia onions, sliced 1/4" thick (I skipped this part altogether)
  • 4 Tbsp chopped Basil, or Tbsp dry Basil (I actually didn't have any Basil, so I just used dry Taragon--I think I will like it better with Basil, but the Taragon was okay.)
  • 8 cloves chopped or pressed garlic (I used minced garlic from the jar and used 4 tsp)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Peel and slice onions. Saute onions in nonstick pan until translucent, add a little water.
  3. In a shallow baking dish, place fillets over onion slices (since I did not make onions, I very lightly sprayed the bottom of the dish with olive oil baking spray which is technically illegal on this diet, but ... oh well.) Sprinkle Garlic and basil over fish. Place tomato slices on top. Salt and Pepper to taste.
  4. Place pan with fish in center of oven, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes until fish is white.
This recipe makes four servings--put three of them into individual containers and you've got an easy and quick fix for days when you're in a rush. Enjoy one fresh from the oven!

Yummy Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
  • 1 32 oz. container of organic, fat free, Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 quart bottled Tomatoes or buy organic with nothing added
  • 8 cloves of Garlic, pressed or chopped (you know me, only bottled will do!)
  • 1 large chopped Onion (I don't like onions much, but I just bought one big white onion--which I discovered has a very mild flavor which appealed to me. I used half of it for this recipe.)
  • 400 grams of Chicken, Beef or Venison
  • chopped Celery
  • chopped Cabbage
  • chopped Broccoli
  • any other legal Vegetables you want to add
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
  1. Bring broth and tomatoes to boil, while sauteing meat with onions in nonstick pan.
  2. Add meat and onions to broth mixture.
  3. Add additional vegetables, except broccoli.
  4. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through.
  5. Turn off heat, then add chopped broccoli, let sit with lid on for 5 minutes.
  6. 4 servings, place in individual containers.
  7. Yummy with Melba toast!
I LOVED this soup! It was delicious and made six servings for me, not just four. I've so enjoyed having a fast and easy something to make for lunch or dinner that is so yummy and satisfying. This was easily as good as any 'non diet' soup I've had. Very flavorful and awesome! Enjoy!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

hCG Diet Day Seven

Wow, I meant to post before now. Sorry.

They said to expect some mood swings in my first week on the diet, due to the hCG in my system, but I've felt just fine. I have on occasion felt like I was suffering from low blood sugar--but I think that was usually due to me waiting too long between meals or something like that. I've also felt a little hungry from time to time, but that seems to be passing.

I've lost 6.8 pounds! Wowie! If I continue at this rate, I could lose 25 lbs. But I'm only hoping for 20.

The biggest problem I've had on this diet is boredom. I haven't been that creative with my meals--having mostly the same thing for dinner as I had for lunch. However, last night I mixed it up a little and oh wow, what a difference!

So here's what I've been up to:

You begin with the shots, but for the the first two days you PIG OUT. I was lovin' the diet then! And I mean, totally pigging out. A license to eat whatever you want, as much as you want. If I understand the science right, (wait--I think I might have said this already in my last post. Sorry!) when you first take the medicine, your body sets your metabolism. The more you eat during those first two days, the more fuel your body will know it can burn.

Then on the third day you start the real diet. 500 calories a day. But your body is still burning what you told it it could during those first two days. Perhaps as much as 2500 calories--taking 2000 of those from your fat stores.

I did great on the pigging out!  Of course I did ;) I'm an expert.

For the 500 calorie a day part:

I drink a cup of herbal tea in the morning. I bought a package of chamomile with honey and vanilla and a sampler package. I alternate between the chamomile and something different from the sampler. I do find it kind of hard to go from breakfast to lunch--I was a big breakfast eater before.

For lunch you can have some protein--super lean something, like fish, chicken, or beef. I haven't had any beef so it's just been fish and chicken. Grilled. Boring. I need to branch out. I forgot I bought some shrimp that I need to use. And I need some lean beef--I've been totally craving beef lately.

You can also eat as much of a couple vegetables you want, like salad with cucumbers, radishes and broccoli. This is basically what I've been living on for the past week. Like I said ... boring. Oh, and no dressing really, except I've been using a little bit of a balsamic vinegar spritzer. Then one Melba toast or four soda crackers.

Dinner? The same as for lunch. Boring.

Oh, and you can have an apple, an orange or a handful of strawberries with or between lunch and dinner (so two times you can have a fruit.)

Nevertheless. I said I could do anything for three weeks if I was seeing results and I'm still singing that tune. Plus, last night I tried some new things and realized that flavor was what I was missing. 

So here's the two recipes I tried that I loved and added a lot more satisfaction with my diet.

Tangy Vinegar Chicken

Ingredients:
  • 100 grams chicken breast
  • 1/4 c. chicken broth or water (I just used water)
  • 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar (next time I make this I will likely cut back a smidge on the vinegar as it was VERY tangy.)
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion (I skipped the onion, as I'm not a huge fan)
  • 1 clove diced garlic (I used a tsp. of pre-minced)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions:

In a small saucepan combine vinegar, stock/water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chicken and cook thoroughly. Deglaze the pan periodically with a little water to create a sauce.

I have no idea what deglazing is. Mine was pretty watery, so I just turned the heat up a bit so it would thicken a bit. It was still pretty watery, but it tasted and smelled so good. I had no idea just smelling and anticipating something would add to it's satisfaction so much.

For dinner last night I had steamed broccoli, a green salad with cucumber and tomatoes (and balsamic vinegar spritzer) and a chicken tender using the tangy chicken recipe. It was very satisfying. 

Then later in the evening I wanted a snack. For several days I had a handful of strawberries with a little stevia sweetener. But then they were gone :( So last night I had an apple, but I thought I'd branch out and try something new again:

Apple Slices with Cinnamon Sauce

Ingredients:
  • 1 sliced apple
  • 3 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1-2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 2 tsp. but next time I'll try 1 1/2--it was a little strong)
  • dash of nutmeg
  • powdered stevia to taste
Directions:

In the microwave or small saucepan, heat the liquid and spice ingredients together, stirring constantly. Serve in a small dipping bowl and serve with chilled apple slices or other fruit.

Now I know that it will really pay to try some new recipes and not just go with the plain Jane stuff I've been eating. 

Only two more weeks to go and I'm feeling confident that I can do this. 

Oh, and I was asked about where I got my injections. A friend of mine, Gypsy, has done this diet before at a clinic. This time, she ordered the medicine and supplies online from a London pharmacy. I'm sorry I don't know any details. I know she did a lot of research to find one that was reputable and safe.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Breaking My Own Rules

I hate diets. In fact, I despise them.

Why? Because I suck at them. And I'm nothing if not one who needs reciprocated love.

I loved Weight Watchers until I didn't lose anything more than a quarter pound that kept leaving and returning, but never staying gone for long. I believe they call that fluctuation.

I loved South Beach and stayed on it for nearly two months before giving up. I lost a whopping two or three pounds on South Beach, even after denying myself all my sweet treats and happy-making-meals for what felt like eons.

But today, I started a new diet. 

I know, slap me. But I really do have hopes for this one. Why do I think it might work? Because I'm doing it with a handful of friends and we're going to meet once a week to check in, help each other, offer tips and support. Also, it's a very strict diet but it only lasts for three weeks AND you lose a lot of weight during that time. So I'm thinking that especially if I'm seeing results, I can do anything for three weeks.

What is this remarkable diet? Well, it's the hCG diet. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I'm doing it, because I'm not normally one to fall in with fads. However, a couple of my friends have done it (two of them are doing it again with me this time) and they have both had success in losing weight and in keeping it off for over a year. And ... I really need something to give me a boost. 

So, today I started the diet. What it entails is a daily shot of hCG--the hormone women produce when they are pregnant. The drug tricks the body into thinking that it is pregnant and starts burning a ton of calories--something like 2500 a day. 

For the first two days, you eat like a maniac. Anything and everything you can possibly consume. The more, the better. I'm not one hundred percent clear on why you do that, but I think it has something to do with tricking your body again. Your body is not only pregnant, but is also getting so many calories, it starts to burn them in earnest. Except on the third day, and for the next three weeks, you consume so little that your body's ramped up calorie-burning needs turn to your fat stores instead.

Anyway, so far so good, right? I mean, I love the gorging part. We'll see how the actual super-low calorie diet part goes--that starts on Tuesday. Don't judge me--please. Just, wish me luck, okay?