I may continue there, but I'm trying to put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak, and since I have the ability to have it all in one place, here I am.
It was February of 2009 when I began that journey. By the end of 2009 I was 80 lb. smaller after 4 rounds of Protocol. By the following year I'd dropped another 5 lb. pretty much just living. I did try to do protocol at least 2 more times, maybe three, trying to get down to 116, which would have been my optimal BMI weight according to my Wii (and other charts). I have two of those documented, but I got lazy about doing so publicly, so I'd have to dig my private journal out to be specific.
In any case, the reason I think there was a third time was I remember thinking, "Three strikes and you're out! Obviously your body likes 126-132." At that weight I was a size 4-6 and pretty happy. I'd started out at a size 18-20!
So between the failed attempts to lose more, I maintained. Not only did I hang out there pretty effortlessly, like I said I lost about 5 lb. just by adopting a 'new normal.' I ate about 1500-2000 calories per day depending on how active I was; I did not restrict fat; I ate meat (I had gotten fat being a vegetarian for 20 years.); I cut out most grains, most of the time; I eliminated 99.9% of sugar.
I had tried to modify my diet to that extent before I lost the weight many times. It was different this time. Like I said...it wasn't really hard at all after protocol.
Fast forward to June 2011.
I had not had Hcg in my system for months. I need to preface what I'm about to share next with that bit of information because I know people will want to somehow associate my life-altering event with Protocol. If I were on protocol when the following happened, I might too, but I wasn't.
On a trip to Singapore to give a presentation on Kangaroo Care for preterm babies, I endured a 22-hour flight, both to and fro. I was booked in 'economy.' I developed 'Economy Class Syndrome'
The treatment was 9 shots of Fragmin (a blood thinner) into my belly and 3-6 months of Coumadin. When my lab work came back I discovered that I have two genetic mutations that make me more prone to clots, so I was told I may need to be on Coumadin (which is rat poison, BTW) for perhaps a year, or maybe the rest of my life.
I had gained a lot of weight already on Coumadin and felt like death warmed over. I had a doctor who was willing help me manage the situation more naturally.
By December 2011 I decided I needed to get the weight off. I had spent the summer hiking and biking...2-3 miles minimum walking every day, many dates 5-7 miles, and between 13 and 28 miles biking. I had lost no weight eating reasonably. So I began another round of Hcg, with 'loading' starting the day before New Year's Eve.
Blot clots are a theoretical risk on Hcg. However, during 2 pregnancies and several rounds, even with a genetic predisposition, I did not have issues. Obesity is also a risk factor for blood clots. I weighed the risks and benefits and decided if I was at risk anyway, I'd rather chose the risk that put me back in the skin I felt comfortable in.
I am taking supplementation that keeps my blood 'thin' and 'slippery' and I also take enzymes that have been shown to dissolve blood clots.
This is my 5th day of Very Low Calorie Intake (VLCI). I've lost about 7 lb. I feel great. So far I've walked every day (M-3 miles, T-2, W-3, T-1) and I am about to get out for another walk today.
A couple of times in the first two days I thought I was hungry, but realized there is a bit of a conditioned response to being home. When I'm not home, I don't feel it. Yesterday I didn't notice it so much, and today I didn't even eat all my fruit selection because I was full. I might still eat it after my walk, but just like all the other times that protocol worked for me, I feel just fine.
On another note, I know that my supplementation is not over the top or anything as I am bleeding and clotting appropriately. I got my nosed pierced a week ago, just before starting the program, and I'm healing well. :-)