The HCG System Works

I realized that I have not posted in a while and want to take a few minutes to give you an update on my progress with the HCG Weight Loss Program.  The demands of grad school, my business, and taking care of my family temporarily nudged in front of all the fun things I like to do, including inspiring others to wake up and live their lives on purpose and sharing a life changing weight loss program that has worked for me!

After completing Phase II of the HCG Weight Loss Diet and series of shots, I am now in maintenance (Phase III) of the program.  In Phase III, I am no longer on the 500 calories per day menu that is supported by the physician prescribed injections, which makes the weight loss process SAFE.  I am on my own now.  Pretty much I can eat anything I want in Phase III of the HCG Diet besides carbs and sugar (no pasta, potatoes, pastries, etc.) and continue losing weight throughout the next phase.

I am hovering at 152 pounds on my 5’3” frame. For perspective, I weighed 150 pounds 29 years ago after giving birth to my first child, except today my stomach is flatter, and I am much more fit, thanks to the Bar Method exercises as well.  I am so happy at my current weight.  I look and feel healthy and have lots of energy.   I have not reached my initial goal of 144 pounds yet.  Realistically, I think I may be too skinny at that weight.  I don’t want to look like my daughters – I’m 56 and have had three children.  I like looking like a woman, complete with curves.

The HCG Diet has been an incredible journey of transformation not only physically but emotionally as well. Losing well over 30 pounds on the HCG Weight Loss Program under the guidance of Dr. Justin Mager at Clear Center of Health, reshaping my body through regular exercise at The Bar Method, and quitting my job to find meaningful work was part of that transformation.

I have not had any side effects from being on the HCG Diet, except healthy weight loss, an education in my personal eating habits, energy to start and maintain a core strengthening exercise program, and lots of attention from people who cannot believe how great I look.  Most people don’t recognize me and just stare.  I am sure they are thinking, “Do I know that person?”  I had some medical issues and many aches and pains in my body prior to being on the HCG Weight Loss Program, which have all disappeared.

I will write another post again, soon.  Right now, I have to jump to other tasks: homework and taxes.  In my next post, there are a few things I want to say about all the bad press that the HCG Diet is getting and emails from concerned friends. The HCG Weight Loss Program works!  It is safe, effective, and has helped to put be back in control of my life.

Barbara Bonardi

HCG Meets HBG

I pride myself in being a pretty good writer, which is highly supported by my personal experience, honesty, and integrity.  This is the criteria I have given myself to be able to say, “I am a writer!”  With that being said, I must embarrassingly share the following entry.  Not doing so would not be honest as to my experience on the HCG Weight Loss Program, and I would have to take myself out of the writer’s lineup.

It started Monday afternoon.  I was extremely low on energy, and I wasn’t really sure why.  I had worked all weekend, but my work was energizing and engaging.  I ate lunch and flipped on the television to watch a Sherlock Holmes rerun, while I checked my email.  I clicked on one of the MSN videos of the tsunami that hit Japan several days ago and watched intently.

The images replayed in my mind and throughout the evening.  I tried to focus on my upcoming class assignment; however, getting some homework done was out of the question, because it would only add fuel to the natural disaster that had occurred.  I am enrolled in the GreenMBA program (Sustainable Enterprise) at Dominican University of California.  In our last session, I sat through two, four-hour classes of the state of our world.  I came home wiped out and overwhelmed.

It was late at night.  I gave myself a shot of the HCG serum in my left thigh and jumped in bed with a hot cup of CALM, a great stress reducing drink while on the HCG Weight Loss Program that supplies my body with calcium and magnesium.  My stomach grumbled and my mind instantly traveled back to the kitchen to rummage through the shelves to look for comfort food.  I picked up the novel I had been reading for the past three nights, which was delivering exciting passages and a great distraction away from my evening food habits.  I also knew within a short period of time, the growling in my stomach would subside, and I would be sound asleep in bed and the novel slumbering on the floor.

I woke up depressed.  It took everything in me to drag myself to The Bar Method to workout.  After class, my instructor asked me if I was okay and if there was anything she could do to help.  I tried to hide my low point, but I guess I didn’t do a very good job of it.  I didn’t know what was wrong.  I had not been that low in a long, long time.  I usually caught myself before I fell too far, but my mood was slowing getting out of reach.

I called home to tell Frank I was running away to figure things out.  He understood.  Then my dear friend, Suzanna Stinnett, called to fill me in on her weight loss challenges.  We were both wading through some very thick, murky emotional energy.  Not only did she understand, Suzanna shared some insights that I had not thought about regarding the shift our planet experienced due to the earthquake(s), which were affecting everyone on earth whether they realized it or not.  The global disasters were psychically larger than we could handle.

I wanted to be alone and drove up to Healdsburg, about 60 miles North on 101.  No one knows me up there, and I would have me all to myself.  Healdsburg was home away from home for a long time throughout my undergraduate studies.  Today, it was going to provide me the comfort I needed while I journaled my way through my emotions that were collecting in my throat.

By the end of the day, I had exhausted myself by capturing thought after thought and filling up the blank pages of my journal trying not to leave any stone unturned.  I was able to work out several things that were weighing heavy on my shoulders.  I also realized that the tragedies that happen around the world were affecting me, and I was shutting down.  My global neighbors are going through hell.  To them, it must feel like the end of the world.  I had taken in the devastation, and all I could do was pray for all of Japan.

The anger dissipated; the dark cloud of depression that my instructor had seen surrounding me earlier this morning had lifted; and I was an hour away from home.  The pit of my stomach was empty – so empty, I knew the emergency apple in my purse was not going to satisfy the nausea that was stirring from not eating and drinking too much coffee.  I was hungry and only footsteps away from the gastronomical haven of Healdsburg.

It had been raining steady throughout the day, and as I ran to my car to put my computer and journal away, I decided to go for a walk around the Healdsburg Square and do some window shopping with my camera.  My attempt to distract my hunger didn’t work, and I made a conscious decision to go off the HCG diet for the day and eat something grounding.  I knew I was going to have to write about my experience or give up my plume.  I chalked my lack of resolve to “being human.”  In a way I was celebrating life, my mountain overcome, the fact that I had lost half of my desired weight so far on the HCG diet, and letting my body know that I could hear what she was telling me, “I came through for you, now nourish me,” and I did.

As I walked around from restaurant to restaurant reading the menus displayed outside their establishments, I thought about Dr. Mager.  I have to tell him I detoured off the HCG diet.  I didn’t want him to be disappointed in me.  I don’t know where that thought came from, because he has never been anything but supportive.  Dr. Mager has always honored the “human” side of me and treated my whole being – my mind, body, emotions, and spirituality.  I consoled myself by telling myself that he would probably say go ahead and feed myself then get back on track tomorrow.

I was soaking wet from my walk when I ventured into the HBG, the Healdsburg Bar & Grill, just off the Healdsburg Square.  This is where the HCG Diet met the HBG Menu displayed outside the front door.  Cozy inside, I ordered their Black Angus Natural Beef cheese burger with grilled onions, a bucket of fries, and a local draft beer.  I ate the burger with gusto, only scratched the surface of the fries, but polished off the beer, which turned out to be a local favorite:  Boont Amber Ale.  After a few hours and another cup of coffee, I did a little more window shopping with my camera until I felt it was safe to venture back home.

When I reached home, I went straight to bed and continued reading the novel where I left off the night before, fell asleep, and woke up briefly at 4:44 a.m. still full from dinner – and it felt good.

Barbara Bonardi

WINDOW SHOPPING with MY CAMERA

Eating Sustainably

I am the daughter of a Longshoreman and avid fisherman.  When I was young, I did not realize how fortunate I was to have a dad that hunted and fished for our food.  On weekends, dad would take my brother and me in our Ford station wagon with fake wood paneling for a drive to the hills of Marin County to pick wild mushrooms, Tomales Bay for oysters, and the creeks near Point Montara Lighthouse for watercress, abalone, and eels.

Oftentimes, he would take me deep sea fishing to catch salmon or sea bass.  We had to leave the house at 5:00 a.m. in the morning to get a place on the boat that left from the small fishing village of Crockett under the Carquinez Bridge.  Even though I always turned green on those trips, I was determined to make it through without getting sick, because I did not want to miss out on an opportunity to be with my father.  However, halfway through the fishing trip and miles away from land, I remember always dreading my decision as I hurled my insides over the side of the wooden boat that smelled of dried up bait.  To this day, I still have a fondness for orange soda, saltines, and red licorice – dad’s remedy for those long boat rides and pretty much any other time I was sick …. and it worked!

When Dr. Simeons research on the HCG Weight Loss Program was introduced, the foods that were allowed while on the diet included various fish and seafood, which are either endangered or not suitable for consumption today.  I frequently check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website and talk with local fishermen regarding what is being caught in abundance.  Also, I am not a fan of farm raised seafood and will always choose wild over raised fish.  Another thing, when you go to your local grocery store, don’t be embarrassed to ask your butcher where the fish and other seafood are being caught and if the fish is wild or farmed.  Many times, I have found that the seafood is not properly labeled, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Friday morning, Frank woke up with a cracked tooth, and our dentist’s office is nearly three hours away.  We used it as an opportunity to get out of Marin for the day and went for a drive down South.  The news of the tsunami that hit Japan reached the West coast, and we saw our tax dollars being put to work as police cars, the fire department, and other roadblocks were set in place to keep people away from the beaches.  We were forced to make a few detours on our way to the dentist office, but finally arrived in time.  The visit was short, and we headed for the Monterey coast to our favorite restaurant, the Sandbar and Grill, before heading home.

By early afternoon the beaches were still closed, however, the pier, which extended out to the Monterey Bay, was opened.  We come here often and know what is on the menu.  Most of the menu is not allowed on the HCG diet, but it can be easily converted over.  Eating out while on the HCG Diet is challenging but very doable.  I ordered a salad with fresh cracked crab on top and no dressing.  There were bits of carrot for color, but they were too small of an amount to be concerned about.

We had a great seat overlooking the boats in the harbor.  Coffee came with a red and white pinwheel mint, which I unraveled and put in my mouth without hesitation.  It was a small treat for having lost 10 pounds on the HCG Diet so far.  I am exactly half way to my goal weight.

As we left the restaurant, the sound of the barking seals in the distance led us to the water.  From the pier, we enjoyed watching a playful sea otter floating on its back that turned out to be camera shy.  The pier was filled with fishermen and fisherwomen and children that frequented the local fishing spot.  I felt completely connected to them, an echo of my youth reminding me that some things are worth hanging onto and the importance of preserving these rituals and gifts.

At the end of the pier, we found two local fish markets.  Frank and I ventured into the Monterey Fish Company and talked with the merchants/fishermen.  All of their fish was locally caught on the California coast, including clams, mussels, squid, prawns, and crab.

Crab, shrimp, and fillet of sole is on the HCG Diet, and we bought some to bring home for the family.

In my upcoming book on HCG weight loss menus, I have revise the list of allowable foods in Phase II and III of the HCG diet to be in alignment with today’s healthy and sustainable choices.  Meanwhile, you can download your own Seafood Watch Pocket Guide for your specific region at http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx.

Barbara Bonardi

Plateaus

I have hit a plateau for three days, which means I have not lost an ounce.  It is a depressing way to start the day, and I broke down and had a Macchiato at Peet’s Coffee & Tea this morning, espresso with steamed milk.  The steamed milk is only about a half a cup, but is not allowed on the HCG Weight Loss Diet.

At the café, I journaled my way through this low point and reviewed the prior three days while on the HCG Diet and the choices I had made:

SKINCARE SESSION

Four days ago, I had a facial appointment with Karla at Marilyn Jaeger Skincare Studio in San Francisco.  I had made the appointment last month and forgot about it until the day before my session.  Creams and lotions are not allowed on the HCG Weight Loss Diet for the duration of the program, and I had to make a decision.

I did not want to cancel at the last minute, and since I cannot wear anything on my face throughout the diet, I felt that it would be a great boost to my complexion, even though I knew I may plateau, not lose any weight, for a few days.  Men are lucky, because they can shave every morning, which is a great exfoliator.  I have always thought that men always look more youthful, because they are constantly shedding the top layer of skin several times a week if not daily.

The minute I stepped into Marilyn Jaeger’s Skincare Studio, I was so glad I didn’t cancel.  I stepped out of my busy world and into a world of pampering.  Karla, my dear friend and skincare specialist, greeted me with a warm smile and a hug; and for the next hour, my face and neck were cleaned, scrubbed, massaged, exfoliated, cleansed again, and prepared with sunscreen for the unexpected City sunshine.  My skin looked and felt outstanding!

So was that worth the three day plateau?  Yes.

SUNDAY NIGHT BREAKDOWN

Here’s one of those habits that is hard to break, especially if one person is on the HCG Diet and the other person can eat anything they want.  I don’t have a problem if someone is eating ice cream in front of me, because I cannot smell what they are eating.  The taste of ice cream is only a memory; however, the smell of freshly popped popcorn is intoxicating.

I was just about to fall asleep when the aroma entered the room and rendered me with absolutely no will power.  I was wide awake and struggling with my body.  “You’re not hungry, you’re not hungry,” I kept chanting to myself, but that wasn’t working.  Then I reminded myself, if I give into the popcorn, I will have to disclose it to my readers.  You would think that would have been the one motivating factor, but it wasn’t.  I even started writing the blog in my mind as to how I was going to tell you that I “fell off the HCG wagon.”  I was miserable.  Popcorn is one of those comfort foods that trigger happy feelings, and I wanted “happy!”   I got out of bed, drank a huge glass of water while waiting for the popcorn to pop, and then I ate it!

The popcorn was a microwave product that declared it only had 100 calories per pouch, but it was not as great as the homemade popcorn I usually make.  The portion was so small, by the time I decided to stop eating, it was already consumed . . . and it didn’t make me happy.  I finally fell asleep and woke up with a stomach ache in the morning.

So was that worth the three day plateau?  No.

EXERCISING AT THE BAR

If you are exercising throughout the HCG Weight Loss Program, which you should be in order to maximize the benefits, your scale won’t go down as fast:  muscle weighs more than fat.  In fact, the morning readings on your bathroom scale will require restraint as you may be tempted to fling it out the window.  The scale teases you with readings that fluctuate up and down from day to day – it’s frustrating.  What you need to focus on is how much better you feel and how much looser your clothes look and feel on your body.

I had just increased my workouts at The Bar Method.  What is great about The Bar Method is the one hour that is completely dedicated to me ~ no phones, no computer, nothing.  I don’t have to take care of anyone but myself.  Why is it so hard for many of us to give ourselves one hour to maintain our personal universe?

When I walk into The Bar Method studio, I not only exercise my physical body, I “work-out” anything that is clinging on my mind, emotionally upsetting me, and reconnect with spirit (my higher self).  When I leave the studio, I am completely energized.  Is it hard to get to the studio?  Yes, because I can think of lots of other things I can do instead: homework, writing, laundry, preparing dinner for the family, paying bills, scrub the bathroom, etc.  But you know what, when I spend the hour with myself, all of these chores get done anyway – I just get to do them with a little more gusto, because I took care of myself first.

So was that worth the three day plateau?  Absolutely!

Tomorrow morning, I may not even weigh myself and trust that the HGC system in working within me.  Besides, I have proof – my own past successes and over 30 pounds thinner due to the HCG Weight Loss Program.  You can follow my 30-pound weight loss transformation in my e-book available on Amazon.com:  HCG Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss ~ A Journal of Transformation.

Barbara Bonardi

Late Night Eating ~ How To Break Habits

I had an interesting episode the other night.  This weekend my husband asked me if I wanted to join him for dinner at a local restaurant whose motto is, “This is a bad place for a diet.” I did not want to miss the opportunity to sit and chat with my husband, Frank.  We had both been like two ships passing in the night lately, due to our busy work schedules.  I said, “Yes,” even though I had eaten an early HCG dinner at home.  I decided before meeting him at the restaurant to only have a cup of coffee, while he ate his dinner.  [NOTE:  Frank lost 35 pounds on the HCG Weight Loss Program last fall with Dr. Mager’s guidance, has kept his excess weight off, and can now eat without restrictions.  More about Frank’s weight loss in the book, HGC Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss by Barbara Bonardi.] 

“You can order a salad – just put your own dressing on it,” he suggested, feeling a little guilty about what he was about to order.  I looked over the menu out of habit.  I really wanted the Crispy Potato Skins.

“Well, I could have the shrimp cocktail . . . without the cocktail.   That’s on the HCG Diet.  Oh, here’s another thing I can have, the French Onion Soup without the bread and cheese . . . . oh, wait, I’m sure they made the soup with oil or butter,” I rambled on, while earnestly looking for something that I could have eaten (for future reference), since I was already approaching my 500 calorie allotment for the day.

The remainder of the conversation stayed in my mind:  “Fresh Pear Salad? No, it has Danish Blue Cheese and walnuts.  Cheese Burger?  Without the cheese and bread and fries, of course – no . . . why eat?”  Then my mind skipped over to the dessert menu:  “Carrot Cake?  Barbara! What are you thinking?”

The waitress had been making regular visits to our table throughout my decision ordeal.  Mind you, I HAD ALREADY EATEN DINNER!  I was NOT hungry.  I was experiencing an old habit – eating even if I was not hungry.  I glanced over at a man who was bursting on both sides of his chair gobbling down a bacon and cheese burger with a mound of fries drenched in ketchup and a glass of beer.  I gulped and ordered water and a cup of coffee, even though it was 7:00pm, and encouraged Frank to order the Black Angus steak, potatoes, and salad that he was eyeing.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Frank asked.  I paused for a moment before answering him to check in with my body.  I was NOT hungry.  I was, actually, looking forward to returning home to my sliced apple with cinnamon treat tonight, and maybe even heating the apples in a pan with a little water and Truvia TM sweetener to make a mock apple pie dessert later that evening.  But right at the moment, I was not hungry.

The coffee came, and I decided that it was too late for caffeine, so I ordered a cup of hot water and stirred in a sample package of CALM, an anti-stress drink that contained Calcium and Magnesium, that was given to me at Dr. Mager’s office today at Clear Center of Health.  That was the ticket!  I was able to relax.  The sweetness of the CALM did not make me feel like I was depriving myself of food.  I was grateful I did not give into anything that was going to make me feel awful later.

This was a real learning opportunity.  Frank and I talked about the habits we have built around food – mostly, late night food.  During the day, we are busy and sometimes forget to eat, but late at night, when things wind down, we are looking for something to eat.  We know not to watch regular TV late at night, because a Sara Lee commercial will do us in every time.  Late night snacking is a tough habit to break.

I have come up with a strategy for breaking a habit – replace it with another habit. Here are some things I have learned that help me get over the weak moments I have been experiencing late at night.  These strategies can be used while on the HCG Weight Loss Program and anytime stress and overwhelm come into the equation:

1)      Have something hot to drink that is non-caffeinated, while reading a favorite book till you get sleepy.  Display the tea bags in a glass container alongside a beautiful cup and saucer as an inviting reminder.  MY FAVORTIE DRINK AND BOOK(s):  I really enjoy the CALM drinks, which come in several different flavors.  I have a pile of books next to my bed, including a dear friend’s book, Michael Phillips, on The Seven Laws of Money, Alexandra Stoddard’s newest book, Happiness for Two, and an autographed book that I bought at the Legion of Honor Museum after viewing the Pulp Fashion Exhibit by Isabelle De Borchgrave.  Borchgrave’s hand-painted paper costumes are “eye candy” and very satisfying.

2)      Drink a glass of water and then continue working on a project that you have set aside for just those times.  Keep it out where you can see it and work on it without having to look for supplies.  PROJECT: I am hand sewing a silk/rayon scarf for myself.  I saw one in a shop in Point Reyes and decided I could make it myself with fabric and beads I had in my craft container at home. 

3)      Drink a glass of water, get your bed ready by pulling back your covers and putting out a nightgown to slip into (if you wear one), set your alarm clock a half an hour earlier, then take an extra warm bath.  STRATEGY: I tell myself, if I am still “starving” by tomorrow morning, the extra half an hour will give me enough time to get something to eat at home before I start my day.

4)      Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea and work on your visual journal.  PROJECT: I keep a journal/scrapbook of outfits, accessories, etc., that I will be looking forward to wearing on my thinner body.  I also have a home journal, which is where I collect ideas from magazines, catalogs, or pictures that I have taken of great interior design ideas for my home.

I have been revisiting the above strategies nearly every evening to break the engrained habits around food consumption.  Happily, by the time I complete Phase III of the HCG Weight Loss Program, I expect to have finished the scarf, covering the dining room chairs, sewn four new pillows for the living room sofas, and be sleeping under the duvet cover I am making for my bed.

Barbara Bonardi

The Portable HCG Diet

Two days a month, I attend graduate classes at Dominican University of California.  The classes last all day, and I am away from my refrigerator for 11 hours.  However, the HCG Diet is portable.  All I have to do is plan my meals for the day the evening before.  Planning in advance is essential for making it out of the house early enough to be able to stop at my favorite café for an Americano in the morning.

I had hung the clothes I was going to wear on the dresser knob and prepared the food I was going to bring to school to get me though the day.  Today it’s an orange for breakfast, two hard boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes for lunch, and an apple sliced into small wedges sprinkled with cinnamon to snack on …. and, lots of water.

My car is frosted over, and I am, once again, pouring cold water on my windshield.  Lately credit card use has soared in Marin County as residents have been pulling out their high-interest credit cards and putting them to good use ~ scraping ice from their windshields.  My hands are frozen, my steering wheel is frozen, and notice I have not aged in several days, obviously preserved by the dropping temperatures in the Bay Area.  Stopping for an Americano serves two purposes:  to wake me up and to thaw my hands.

My food choices were perfect to get me thorough the first class and an hour into my next class.  However, it’s 3:00 p.m., and I am starving!  I can’t even concentrate on the professor, because my brain has left the room and is hovering in front of the vending machine on the first floor of Guzman Hall.

My brain connects with my body a few seconds later and reports that there is nothing in the vending machine that is acceptable on the HCG Diet.  Right then, the professor gives the class a 15-minute break.  Perhaps I’m not the only one with the starved look on their face.  I remain seated in my chair and argue with my recollection of the vending machine choices.  There must be something I can eat.  I grabbed two dollars out of my purse and proceeded downstairs.

My choices:  lethal vending machine coffee and sunflower seeds.  “Are sunflower seeds on the HCG Diet?  I think so …. no, I don’t know,” I question in my mind.  The coffee was awful, but the sunflower seeds were delicious.  I poured out a few into my hand and ate them slowly.  As I munched and walked back up the stairs to the classroom, I was trying to read the ingredients.  Without my glasses, the fine print on the back of the sunflower seeds package registered as fuzzy black letters.  Meanwhile, I had a few more.  Oh, mama, they were amazing!

Back in the Classroom With my glasses on I read:  Canola Oil and 345 calories per serving.  Oh, no ….. it took every bit of strength to get up and throw them into the trash can.  I drank half of the water in my water bottle to rinse away the salt, and after a few minutes, my fake hunger pangs stopped.  I calculated that I had eaten 37.5 calories – not too much damage.  I took the next few moments to journal about what happened before class started again.  Am I bored?  Stressed?  What’s going on around me?

I deduced that because my classmates were munching on various snacks throughout the lecture, my inner child claimed that she was starving and wouldn’t be able to make it to dinner.  The feeling was just an old habit.  I wasn’t really hungry.  In fact, if I was burning excess calories, I had plenty of fat reserves to make sure I was well fed.  That is what the HCG Weight Loss Program is about; that is why I give myself a shot of the HCG serum every evening; and that is why I was losing weight every day.

I made it through the rest of the afternoon and came home to a fabulous dinner:  grilled Organic buffalo meat and my favorite salad with apple cider vinegar dressing.  I had my second apple for the day, which was not allowed, but I figured it was the least damaging thing I could do, because my sugar craving kicked in, and it could have been disastrous.

My weight is down to 157.8 lbs., but due to the extra apple this evening, I expect to be at the same weight tomorrow morning.  So far, I have lost over six pounds, and the weight loss has made such a difference in the way I feel, look, and my energy.

A Better Plan On the days that I am in school all day, I have come up with a better plan.  I will start my morning with an omelette and coffee at home, have my fruit later in the morning, and eat my dinner earlier (in the afternoon), while I am still at school.  This would work, because usually when I get home from school, I am physically and mental exhausted and could easily slip into bed at 8:00 p.m. and sleep without any additional food.

“An omelette is allowed on the HCG Diet?” you ask.  Yes, I figured out how to prepare one within the HCG Weight Loss Program, which I will share with you at another session.

Barbara Bonardi

I’m Melting ~ Three Days Later

I am three days into Phase II of the HCG Weight Loss Diet and grateful that I have been able to melt away five pounds, even though my body wants to hang onto as much insulation as possible to protect me from the extremely cold weather we have been experiencing in the Bay Area – almost snow at sea level.  My bathroom scale has given me an encouraging boost to my morale by digitally displaying the numbers 1, 5, and 9 in the window above where my feet are firmly planted.

This drop in weight is without working out for a few days.  The gorging stage put on some weight gain on my hips, thighs, and, of course, my stomach, that I felt and noticed in the studio mirrors.  I was overzealous in my exercising a few days ago and pulled a muscle in my right thigh.  Not only was the five-pound weight loss encouraging, I have gained a boost of energy to get me through today’s workout back at The Bar Method, my exercise of choice.

Five pounds may not seem like a lot, but I want to share something with you that will put this number into perspective.  In my book, “HCG Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss,” I wrote a chapter entitled, Butter In the Freezer.  I had bought five, one-pound packages of butter to put my weight loss into something tangible and as a monument to what I had just accomplished.  At the time, it was a small step, and I had earnestly hoped but had no idea that I would be losing another 20-plus pounds in the future.

Impressive, huh?  Tomorrow is a long day, and I will be sharing some ideas on how to make the HCG Diet portable for work and school, and I’m looking forward to melting away another pound by tomorrow morning.

P.S.  The five pounds of butter lived in my freezer for several months when I went on the HCG Diet for the first time.  The five pounds of butter in the refrigerator served as a support system whenever I ventured into the freezer late at night to visit the several varieties of Ben and Jerry’s* who had been living there untouched and frosted over at the edges from age.

Barbara Bonardi

*Author’s Note: As a courtesy, linked to their site, as I cannot tell if they are Copyright or TM protected.

The Scale Doesn’t Lie

I stumbled out of bed this morning, I’m sure due to the extra weight I put on during the last three days of gorging in Phase I of the HCG Diet.  My joints ache due to the dropping temperatures in the Bay Area.  The weatherman is promising snow at sea level.  This is not normal for the San Francisco Bay Area.

I stepped on the bathroom scale:  164 pounds!  “Wow!  That must be wrong!” I exclaimed to no one there.  But, of course, as we all know: The Scale Doesn’t Lie.  So, I immediately reminded myself that I needed to trust the HCG process before I launched myself into a state of depression.

Okay, so I have effortlessly managed to gain seven pounds in a tad over three days.  In my previous blog entry entitled Truly… A Shot A Day Melts the Fat Away, I wonder if I planted a seed when I wrote, “If I reach 164 lbs. by the end of Phase I, Day 3, my goal will be to lose 20 pounds, which will put me in the 144 lb. range.” Nevertheless, I am sticking to my HCG strategy – if I eat everything I think I might be craving later on, while I am on the 500 calorie a day portion of the diet, then it should be easier.

One of the first things that was on my “must eat when I’m gorging” list was a donut …. or maybe you spell it “doughnut.”  I have learned that anyway you spell it, a donut is a doughnut, and has the power to transport me back in time to when I was a little girl eating a scrumptious chocolate raised doughnut.  Definitely comfort food!

Next, I thought pizza was going to be high on the list, but I realized I only loved the pizzas I ate in Italy and my own homemade pizza.  Everything else is less than amazing.  [Key to continued weight loss:  if it’s not spectacular, don’t eat it!]

What was high on my list was barbequed oysters from Tomales Bay with French bread to soak up the garlic/butter/barbeque sauce.  This, again, is another comfort food and launches strong memories from my past when my Longshoreman father used to drive the family two hours up the coast to the very same restaurant.  That was over 50 years ago, and the restaurant is still there.  If you are ever in the San Francisco Bay Area, and you love fresh oysters, Tony’s in Tomales Bay is a must!

Unfortunately, there aren’t many people that love oysters as much as I do …. except for my dear friend and “talking blog” buddy, Suzanna Stinnett.  I was thrilled when she said, “Yes!  I’ll go with you — I love oysters.”  Suzanna was in the gorging stage of her own successful weight loss program [which I will share with you in future blogs], and the only one I would trust watching me gobble up those little babies.

Well, I give myself an A+ for Phase I of the diet — this is a very good start in the HCG Weight Loss Program.   I have read that if you do not load up on fats and calories on these three days, the diet is not as successful.  In fact, when I was on the diet in the winter and the holidays were approaching, I might not have eaten as many calories as I should have, because I was not trusting the system and afraid to add on weight.  Even then, I still dropped seven pounds throughout the holidays, which is no easy task.

Today I am starting Day 1 in Phase II of the HCG Diet and looking forward to the Organic strawberries and Americano.  Bon Appetite!

Barbara Bonardi

Barbara Bonardi with her “talking blog” buddy, Suzanna Stinnett @ Tony’s in Tomales Bay

Truly . . . . A Shot A Day Melts the Fat Away

The holidays have come and gone and it has been two months since I completed the HCG Weight Loss Program.  My weight has been staying low and fluctuating between 153 and 157, within the HCG program’s promise.  I have never felt so healthy, happy, and balanced in my life.

Throughout the program, an excellent informational book that was given to me by my doctor, Dr. Justin Mager, at Clear Center of Health prior to starting the program, was the HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide by Linda Prinster.  The book has been one of the best supplemental guides to Dr. Simeons’s weight loss program, the founder of the HCG Weight Loss Diet.

I decided to blog my way through to my 20-pound weight loss success.  I thought it would be a good way to keep me on track and true to the diet, but I didn’t realize that the weight loss would also affect other parts of my body: heart, mind, and spirit.  Being true to my readers and myself, I shared those treasures as they surfaced.  Even after I lost the 20-pounds, I still found what I wrote to be too insightful to be lost in space and knew I had to capture my experiences into something a little more permanent — a book (an e-book).

The Book ~ HCG Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss

The last time I saw Dr. Mager was shortly after my last round of the HCG Diet.  I was so happy with my progress and wanted to tell the world.  I promised him that I would be publishing a book on my personal transformation in a hope to encourage others to take back control of their individual selves.

On February 22, 2011, my e-book was official published on Amazon/Kindle entitled, “HCG Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss – A Personal Journal of Transformation.” There are a lot of books on the subject, but what I felt was missing was the human element – a real person that could honestly share the emotional ups and downs of weight loss, the challenges; in other words, the real truth.

A Shot At Weight Loss: The Last 15-20 Pounds

With my doctor’s permission, I have chosen to go on the HCG Weight Loss Program to melt away the last 15-20 pounds.  I am starting at 157 pounds and expect to gain 5-7 pounds in the first stage of the diet, which is the “gorging” or “loading” stage (as one of my readers suggested).  This is Phase I of the program that lasts three days, while I start taking the HCG serum.  The HCG kit was ordered through my doctor’s office and includes everything I need to get started on my injections.

If I reach 164 lbs. by the end of Phase I, Day 3, my goal will be to lose 20 pounds, which will put me in the 144 lb. range.   I cannot remember the last time I was 144 lbs.  I think I was in my 30s!  And, although, this is my goal, if I start to look “too skinny,” I will adjust my goal.  Yes, there is such as thing as “too skinny.”  The focus is to maintain a healthy weight . . . and look my age.  More on that later.

Meanwhile, you can expect some open and honest, sometimes embarrassing tales of my progress, and other surprises.  I am going into the HCG Weight Loss Program with first-hand experience and completely trusting that “TRULY …. A Shot A Day Melts the Fat Away.”

Barbara Bonardi

Whatever Happened to the Writer Behind the Blog?

February14th, 2011

Whatever happened to the woman who was on the HCG Diet and lost 20 pounds?

Well, she lost another 7 pounds on the second round of the HCG Weight Loss Program, even though it was an absolutely challenging time to lose weight, because the diet was smack in the middle of Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas hors d’oeuvres and prime rib, and New Year’s cioppino!

My final weigh-in was 153 in November, and I have been hovering between 153 and 157 pounds throughout the holidays.  It all depends on what I eat, drink, exercise, and emotions, too, especially stress.  So, I watch my bread intake, try to drink water before I am thirsty, schedule exercise on my weekly calendar and stick to it, and as far as stress goes, I pick my battles:  stress caused weight gain for me, so I use strategy to avoid it!

I got a little nervous when the scale climbed up four pounds, but my HCG weight loss physician, Dr. Justin Mager, had informed me that it was normal to gain three to four pounds after the program.  I was also reminded that muscle weighs more than fat.  That would explain why my clothes kept getting looser even though the bathroom scale had shown an increase in weight.

I am not the same person I was on August 2, 2010, when I started the HCG Weight Loss Program — I have given away over half of my wardrobe; some people don’t recognize me anymore; but, I still indulge in candy — I just make sure it’s the best or nothing!

And I am going to contradict that last remark by saying, ” I am the same person I was when I started the diet., so why do people treat me differently now that I have lost nearly 30 pounds?”  [More on that in my upcoming blog.]

I have learned that losing weight is more than the physical weight loss that you can see.  There is an “unseen” loss of weight as well.  As I visually lost pounds and inches, invisible pent up emotions that were weighing heavy on my heart, mind, and spirit were released as well.  I believe some of the plateaus I experienced were rest stops that gave me one last opportunity to finally learn my lessons in life.  I discovered a chunk of unresolved anger, dug up a buried fear or two or three, finally disconnected an old relationship and regained my personal power, and even released some internal self-doubt messages that I no longer needed.

I melted away more than just bodily fat.  I took a thorough look at myself through the lens of the observer and did some internal house cleaning and external pruning of the dead branches that were weighing me down physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Does the HCG Weight Loss Program work? It did for me.  I lost the weight and kept it off.  For you guys out there . . . it has been six months, and Frank and Aaron both have kept their weight in check through eating right and exercising.  That doesn’t mean we are not enjoying food — we are still eating ice cream, just not the entire container.

If you are ready to give up 22-33-44 pounds or more, you have not missed the boat.  I would recommend that you get started with as much information about the HCG Weight Loss Program.  Dr. Simeon was the founder of the HCG weight loss program.  An excellent book that was given to me by my doctor, Dr. Justin Mager, at Clear Center of Health is the HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide by Linda Prinster.  It is one of the best supplemental guides to Dr. Simeons’ weight loss program.

As I have mentioned before, I chose to go through the HCG Diet guided by my practitioner.  I highly recommend that you consult with your doctor about the HCG Weight Loss Program to see if the HCG Diet is right for your weight loss needs.  Meanwhile . . . .

I am not saying goodbye . . . in fact, I am ready to launch my next personal HCG Weight Loss Program.  After the first three days of gorging (or “loading” as some of my readers have suggested), I expect to reach 160 lbs. then start my way down the scale to my ideal weight.  What is that?  I’m not sure …. but I will know when I reach it.  AND you get to follow along as I write my way through the ups and downs of losing the last bit of cushioning.  It will be interesting to see what surfaces for me — I’m sure the fat closest to the bone has been around for a long time and will reveal lots of challenging memories and emotions.

Phase I beings on Friday, February 18!  I know what to expect and am so excited about the next round of the HCG Diet.  I promise some interesting writing filled with surprises.

Contact Info:  BeePublished@gmail.com

Barbara Bonardi

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