Sunday, October 10, 2010

Another round to get the weight back off

Well it has been almost two years since my last post. As you may remember, I had lost approx 40 pounds at that time. I managed to keep it off for a time, but a bout with depression during a time of serious financial struggle left me not caring what I ate or what I looked like. How foolish we can be when we aren't thinking straight.

Over a period of about a year I managed to not only put back on the weight I'd lost, but to gain even more. Up to a whopping 280# this past summer, a weight only 2 pounds lighter than my heaviest had been in 2005. I was aggravated  with myself for being so foolish, but I wasn't serious enough to do something about it when the weight began creeping back on me.

I knew I was playing with fire getting back up that heavy. In April of this year the beginnings of a a family tragedy that has forever torn our family apart started to unravel. Silently, too many pounds and the emotional effects of family problems began taking their toll. My mind was certainly not on weight loss...until I began to take notice of symptoms I'd been experiencing. I was pretty certain that my blood sugar and blood pressure were elevated.

Sitting at a Chinese restaurant with a friend enjoying lunch after church one Sunday I couldn't shake it off any more. That still small voice kept speaking to me, "your pressure and sugar are way too high." When I got home I did a quick blood pressure check (200's/100's) confirming one of my suspicions. Next, I went down and bought a glucometer and checked my blood sugar. 446. Way too high!

Now, I'm a nurse, so I know what the implications of those numbers are. But without insurance I was hesitant to add yet another debt to my list. I called a good friend of mine who works in the ICU units and tried to pick her brain: "So what exactly should I monitor for with a blood sugar of 446?" ...An innocent question, I thought..."Get to the Emergency Room NOW or I will do bodily harm to you!" was the response. "OK." I caved in at her threats of bodily harm, resigned myself to yet another bill and headed to the ER.

After being stuck for blood and receiving IV fluid and medication I was sent home with a prescription. Had I had insurance they would have admitted me, but as the doctor told his intern while at my bedside, "She doesn't have insurance, so we won't treat this the way we normally would."

I made a decision that day that I would get the weight back off and keep it off for good. That was a few months ago and I just recently was in a position to start the HCG diet again. I knew it had worked for me before and being  half-way into VLCD day 8 tonight has proven it. I have lost a total of 16-pounds so far, with a net loss of 11.6-pounds after you subtract the weight gained during the loading days.

I share my story above because I want others to avoid the health issues and financial strain that I have allowed myself to now have to deal with. The HCG works! It is an effective way to not only lose weight, but to lose stored fat that doesn't normally burn off with normal exercise. I hope those who read this and have been struggling with weight issues will study up on the program and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my own experience. You can download a free copy of Dr. Simeon's manuscript - "Pounds and Inches". It explains all about the HCG diet and lists suppliers for the HCG and supplies.