Change

Today I'm thankful that the Lord has changed our plans. Hubby was supposed to be traveling to TX each week from July - December. Monday he received the opportunity from his company to take a position on a team where there is a new 5 yr contract starting in July. Phil has worked with the team at this college before plus we weren't sure that TX was the right fit for our family. 

So, where are we moving? Bismarck, North Dakota! We have much to finish up here around the farm over the next couple of months so our estimated time to move is mid-September. Phil will be spending time during July in Bismarck and we pray he will be able to find a house that will meet our needs within a 30-45 minute drive of where his office will be. Pray with us that he will be able to find the right home for us to rent... and soon. School starts August 23 in North Dakota and foot ball starts the beginning of August. Our two oldest boys would like to play football. If Phil is able to secure a place by the beginning of August it is possible that the older boys might move there with him so they can start Football and school on time.  This may sound like a big deal, to have Phil and the boys in ND while Eliza and I finish packing up the house with the littles, but I'm so very thankful that we'll only be apart for a few weeks rather than a few days EVERY week!

Many have wondered if we will continue trying to raise most of our food. We are wondering the same. It will depend on what type of home/property Phil can find for us to rent. We've enjoyed our time on the farm and have learned so much these past 4 years. But we've decided that it will be ok if we just have a nice little country home with a few laying hens. The boys would be able to be involved in athletics which is something we've not had time for with the farm. And the kids that want to, would also be able to become more involved with music and art opportunities. In many ways I cannot imagine life away from here, not milking my Jersey girls daily and enjoying their luscious milk and cream, but then again, I'm ready for a change. We've realized this past year that our kids are growing up SO fast. They've learned a lot about food and life these past few years. The farm has been good for us all but if we cannot continue in this lifestyle we will find the sources we need for the food we feel is important to our families health. 

We would covet your prayer as all the details get worked out. Pray specifically that we will find a house that meets our needs, that Thomas (our autistic son) does well with the transition to a new school and church, that we will find a new church in a reasonable amount of time, and that all the details regarding the move (like finding a truck to haul and keep frozen 4 freezers worth of food), will all go smoothly. We are trusting the Lord with all these things and know that He who has led us to this point will continue to guide us each step of the way.

Phase 4: Oatmeal Recipes

I don't link to other blogs/sites that often.. but this one looked WAY to yummy to NOT share! And honestly, if I post it here... I won't lose it!! HA HA HA! I'm a huge fan of soaked/fermented oats. But eating hot oatmeal in the summer is something that never happens here. These recipes look fabulous and healthy!  If you are doing the hcg protocol you'd want to wait to have them until phase 4, or enjoy these while loading! If loading be sure to add some melted coconut oil or butter right before serving to kick up the fat content! I didn't look through all the recipes on this site so please don't think I endorse them ALL just because I'm linking this one for you all to enjoy. I know that the readers here are wise in their food choices and always wanting to learn, so use your discernment and tweak recipes as needed to suit your personal nutritional needs.

http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal

Strawberries....MMMMMMMMMMMM

It is strawberry season here in WI. I'm blessed to be able to get my strawberries from my dearest neighbor and friend, who is Amish and does not spray her berries. She uses manure and a little miracle grow in the fall only. We have already put up about 65 pounds in the freezer and I hope to get another 30-40 pounds, if she has enough. The berries are very small this year and sparse due to the crazy spring we had. I feel bad for my Amish neighbors as many of them depend heavily on their strawberry sales each summer and this year will be a fraction of what it normally is. BUT I'm thankful for the opportunity to put these berries in the freezer for us to use in kefir smoothies, strawberry lemonade, and strawberry ice cream! And they berries have been lovely to eat fresh in my Greek Yogurt!

If you are not in the habit of buying local, please look for a farmers market in your area. I love buying from small farmers who raise their food clean and I DO ask them if they fertilize with chemicals. If they do, I pass by their table. I have found that most folks who sell at farmers markets do not. I love local fresh foods, nothing tastes better!!

 I hope you are enjoying fresh summer produce in your area!

Frozen Yogurt

I made yogurt the other day and have not had time to strain it into Greek Yogurt, so I decided to put some in my ice cream maker tonight. The end result was a creamy slightly tart ice cream. YUMMY!

Frozen Yogurt

4 cups yogurt (see my yogurt recipe here: http://roundsrecipesreallife.blogspot.com/2012/03/greek-yogurt-recipe-phase-3.html )
2 cups cream
1 Tbsp.Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp powdered stevia or vanilla cream stevia to taste or your favorite sweetener. The original recipe called for 3/4 cup sugar but I don't usually use sugar at all.

Put all ingredients into your ice cream maker and process until ready. My ice cream maker is a 2 quart so my maximum liquid is 6 cups. If your ice cream maker is smaller then just decrease the yogurt and cream so it will fit.

Homemade Flavored Liquid Stevia

Our family uses stevia as our primary sweetener the Sweetleaf flavors are our favorite. BUT I'm finding that I cannot afford them since we go through at least 2 bottles a week. I found a recipe online for homemade stevia and I altered it to make flavored stevia. Here is my recipe:

Flavored Liquid Stevia
1 1/2 Tbsp warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp extract*
1 tsp powdered stevia**
Empty bottle of the flavor you want to make, or relable old bottles to make new flavors.

Combine all ingredients. Allow to sit a couple minutes. Stir well. Pour into empty bottle.

* Here are some of the extracts I've tried: vanilla, chocolate, orange, caramel, root beer, etc. When I run out of English toffee I'm going to try combining chocolate & caramel and see if I can come up with my own version of English toffee.

** Be sure the powdered stevia you purchase does NOT have added sugar. Get a pure powdered stevia. Depending on how strong your powdered stevia is you may need a little more or a little less of the stevia. Just play with the amount until you get the sweetness you enjoy.

Miscellaneous Information about Hcg, JUDDD, and MTC

As mentioned in my previous post, last night I was able to share with a group of whole food foodies how thankful I've been for the hcg protocol. I shared with them that eating good whole foods was great, but that I was not a person who was able to lose weight while doing so. I knew that if I could get the weight off I could keep it off eating real foods.

Below is some of the information I shared with the group. I'm posting it here so that they can access it, and perhaps it will be helpful to some of you as well.

Detoxing

Many of you already know that Kevin Trudeau gave the Hcg Protocol its "phases". Dr Simeons just had "The Diet", three weeks of no sugar and no starch, then three weeks of adding it back in. KT came up with the phases and added in the Detox Phase. Though the detox phase is not essential to the protocol I do think that it does help to cleanse the body so that the transition into the diet phase is easier. I personally followed the Eat Fat Lose Fat Diet for the health compromised from the book Eat Fat Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Eing.  I pushed myself and probably consuming more coconut oil than I should have at first which pushed my body into a major detox. I do NOT recommend that! BUT I do not think it hurts to cleanse your body by cutting out the bad foods, focusing on densely nourishing foods and adding in anti-candida foods like coconut oil for a period of time before starting the diet. That being said, would I have detoxed had I known about hcg?? Most likely NO. I would have charged into losing .5 - 1 pound a day!! But I didn't know about hcg when I did the health compromised diet, I only knew that I was in desperate need of losing weight and getting my health back.

JUDDD for slower weight loss.

I shared with the group that I realize that some people cannot wrap their heads around the strictness of the hcg protocol. It is NOT for everyone! But I do think that those who wish to lose at a slower pace with additional health benefits JUDDD is a great option. For more information on JUDDD visit:

http://www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/

If you want to join a support group for JUDDD that I cannot say enough GOOD things about you'll want to join this forum:

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/juddd/

You can also purchase Dr. Johnsons book called The Alternate Day Diet. Most of the information you really need you will find on his website or through the JUDDD forum, so really the book is not a priority in my opinion.

The Hcg Protocol

See my previous post for a basic summary of the protocol.

This yahoo group is my favorite hcg group. In the files section you will find a copy of the entire Pounds & Inches Manuscript. Be sure to read the entire manuscript and take time to read over and over the section from "The Diet" through the end of the manuscript. The group owner provides an encouraging atmosphere where we help each other through the protocol as well as she takes time to post a lot of great information that will expand your health and nutrition horizons.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hcg2/

The very first hcg yahoo group I joined is the one below. You will find good information here. However, I find that I do not enjoy this group as much because there seems to be a negative tone. If you need straight forward protocol strict information then you might like this group. They do not discuss homeopathic hcg at all though.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HcgDieters/

Buying Hcg

The homeopathic hcg I used for my last round and am currently using on this round is listed below. You can get the original or the red labeled one that has B 12 added.  Often they offer "buy 2 get 1 free", PLUS free shipping. Making this the most affordable homeopathic hcg I've found.

http://store-ebde3.mybigcommerce.com/original-brand-hcg-drops-1-2-oz-bottle/

I've also used this homeopathic hcg:

http://www.easyhealthzone.com/h-c-g-plus-homeopathic-2oz-drops-nutri-dyn-p/hcg002.htm?click=71

Rx hcg can be a struggle to find. You can go through a local clinic which is very costly, usually $200 or more for a 30-40 day phase 2. I have used Rx and did buy it from overseas, but the company I purchased it from no longer offers it. If you are looking for Rx  and do not want to go through a local clinic I would suggest that you post on one of the yahoo groups I listed above and find out what the current sources are for Rx.

Made To Crave

I  highly recommend that while you are slimming your body down that you fight the spirital battle that food is for many of us. Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst is a great way to help you realize that food no longer needs to be an idol, stress relief, nor reward for you. I don't know if I'd be in agreement with the food plan she suggests but her devotional and the DVD is fabulous!  I have her bible study book and love it! You can visit her website for more information about the book:

http://madetocrave.org/

Hcg Protocol Summary

Last night I had the opportunity to talk about the hcg protocol at a local Makers Diet Meeting. I promised to get the group a summary of what was covered. This information will be on the groups website but until it is available there I wanted to post it here so the folks who were at the meeting can have access to the information.  Here is a summary of the protocol. I will make a separate post about where I purchase my homeopathic hcg , where Rx hcg can be found, a link to the original manuscript, and other information. Some of what you will read below is copied an pasted directly from the manuscript written by Dr. Simeons.

Hcg Protocol Information

Phases Recap:

Phase 1: Detox – completely NOT necessary, made up by a guy named Kevin Trudeau, not in the original protocol by Dr. Simeons.

Phase 2: 2 load days with hcg/drops, 21-40 days VLCD with drops, 2 days VLCD with no drops. Your last day with the drops will get your LDW=Last dose weight. This weight is important for you to track in Phase 3 & 4.

Phase 3: 3 weeks of no sugar and no starch. Must stay within -/+ 2 of your LDW. Details below.

Phase 4: 3 weeks slowly adding in sugar and starch. Must stay within -/+ 2 of your LDW. This phase gets longer with each round. Refer to the Pounds & Inches Manuscript for the correct time frame for each round.

A Round = loading, phase 2, phase 3 & phase 4.

NOTE with each round your total time of phase 3 & 4 lenghthens. Phase 3 is always 3 weeks but phase 4 gets longer. Here is the time frame listed out:

Round 1, P3 is 3 weeks, P4 is also 3 weeks.

Round 2. P3 is 3 weeks, P4 is 5 weeks.

Round 3, P3 is 3 weeks, P4 is 9 weeks

Round 4, P3 is 3 weeks, P4 is 17 weeks

Round 5, P3 is 3 weeks, and P4 is 21 weeks

Maintenance: For the rest of your life any time you go +2 of your LDW you will correct. If you do not monitor this you will not notice you are gaining based on how your clothes feel. The fat will be evenly distributed after following this protocol. So continue to weigh your self often and correct as needed.

Phase 2: You may want to take potassium 4-99 mg tablets a day. This is equivalent to a banana and will help prevent potassium deficiency. Magnesium can be taken to help keep the bowels regular. This is the ONLY food list, diet instructions you follow. There are a lot of modified versions out there, this is the correct one the one that will give you the highest level of success and greatest losses. This is a direct copy and paste from the Pounds & Inches Manuscript.

The Diet

The 500 calorie diet is explained on the day of the second injection to those patients who will be preparing their own food, and it is most important that the person who will actually cook is present - the wife, the mother or the cook, as the case may be. Here in Italy patients are given the following diet sheet.

Breakfast:	Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or other sweeteners may be used.
Lunch:	1. 100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken must be removed from the bird. 2. One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage. 3. One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast. 4. An apple or an orange or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit.
Dinner :	The same four choices as lunch.

The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes. Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, majoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing.

Tea, coffee, plain water, mineral water are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times.

In fact the patient should drink about 2 liters of these fluids per day. Many patients are afraid to drink so much because they fear that this may make them retain more water. This is a wrong notion as the body is more inclined to store water when the intake falls below its normal requirements.

The fruit or the bread stick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.

No medicines or cosmetics other than lipstick eyebrow pencil and powder may he used without special permission

Every item in the list is gone over carefully, continually stressing the point that no variations other than those listed may be introduced. All things not listed are forbidden, and the patient is assured that nothing permissible has been left out. The 100 grams of meat must he scrupulously weighed raw after all visible fat has been removed to do this accurately the patient must have a letter-scale, as kitchen scales are not sufficiently accurate and the butcher should certainly not be relied upon. Those not uncommon patients who feel that even so little food is too much for them, can omit anything they wish.

There is no objection to breaking up the two meals. For instance having a breadstick and an apple for breakfast or an orange before going to bed, provided they are deducted from the regular meals. The whole daily ration of two breadsticks or two fruits may not be eaten at the same time, nor can any item saved from the previous day be added on the following day. In the beginning patients are advised to check every meal again their diet sheet before starting to eat and not to rely on their memory. It is also worth pointing out that any attempt to observe this diet without HCG will lead to trouble in two to three days. We have had cases in which patients have proudly flaunted their dieting powers in front of their friends without mentioning the fact that they are also receiving treatment with HCG. They let their friends try the same diet, and when this proves to be a failure - as it necessarily must - the patient starts raking in unmerited kudos for superhuman willpower.

It should also be mentioned that two small apples weighing as much as one large one never the less have a higher caloric value and are therefore not allowed though there is no restriction on the size of one apple. Some people do not realize that a tangerine is not an orange and that thicken breast does not mean the breast of any other fowl, nor does it mean a wing or drumstick.

The most tiresome patients are those who start counting Calories and then come up with all manner of ingenious variations which they compile from their little books. When one has spent years of weary research trying to make a diet as attractive as possible without jeopardizing the loss of weight, culinary geniuses who are out to improve their unhappy lot are hard to take.

TIPS we have learned through our rounds:

1. Drink a minimum of 1 gallon of plain water a day if you want to have the best and most consistent losses.
2. Your melba/grassini must only = 20 calories a serving for a total of 40 calories a day.
3. To figure out how many calories you are consuming in a day you total your protein servings, fruit, and melba/grassini then you fill in the rest of the calories with your 2 servings of vegetables. You will get to eat a LOT of veggies.
4. You will have days of where you do not loose, you might gain, or you loose very little. These fluctuations in the losses are common. Just continue with the protocol and increase your water. You can read exactly what Dr. Simeons says about these issues and why they happen in the manuscript.
5. You can divide up your food portions during the day. Example: breakfast: coffee & fruit, Lunch: protein & veggie, afternoon snack: fruit & grassini, Dinner: protein, veggie & melba.
6. You may experience these detox symptoms for the first few days – 10 days of the diet: head ache, nausea, irritability, over all yucky feeling, cravings, hunger, etc. These are normal and will pass more quickly if you drink a lot of water. OTC pain killers can be used for the head ache. Hot tea/coffee tends to help with the hunger.

Planned Interruption: What if you have to stop the diet for some reason in the middle of phase 2. You must do a planned interruption. If you eat normally while taking hcg you will GAIN VERY QUICKLY!! A planned interruption is not to be done until you have had at 21 effective hcg doses. Please referr to the manuscript for the further details. This is a summary of how you do a planned interruption:

1. Stop drops and weigh. That weight will be your LDW for your planned interruption.
2. Do 48-72 hours VLCD from your last dose, make sure not to take any more drops. (a minimum of 48 hours for homeopathic and 72 hours for Rx)
3. Start Phase 3 type eating for the duration of your interruption.
4. Interruptions that last less than 14 days will allow you to resume the VLCD and drops any day you choose.
5. Interruptions that last more that 14 days will require you to eat normally for the first 2 days you resume dosing then start the VLCD.
6. I recommend that you do not to interruptions longer than 13 days and that you focus on a lot of healthy fat/protein/veggies/lower glycemic fruits, etc. in order to maintain you losses well.
7. If you choose to eat whatever you want during an interruption you will gain. It is not required that you eat Ph 3 style for an interruption it is simply recommended if you don't want to gain weight while on your interruption.

Phase 3: No sugar NO starch for THREE weeks.

For 3 weeks you will stay within 2 pounds either side of your LDW. If you go above +2 you correct by doing a correction day. More details on correction days below. If you do below -2 of our LDW you will add in some extra fruit.

You have to be cautious during this time of even naturally occuring sugars. You will stabilize best if you eat a diet filled with fat, protein, veggies and berries with limited dairy and nuts. Below is a list of ideas to get you started.

Fat: butter, coconut oil, and lard for cooking. Olive oil and no sugar mayonnaise for your salad dressings. Once again, make your own dressings because most store bought dressings have sugar/high fructose corn(hfc) syrup in them.

Protein: eggs, bacon, sausage (no sugar), all forms of beef, chicken with the skin on, fatty fish or lean fish swimming in butter, all forms of pork.

Vegetables: greens, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, basically any vegetable that is not high in sugar or starch. Avoid carrots, peas, potatoes, and winter squash until Phase 4.

Dairy: whipping cream (in coffee or whipped up over fresh/frozen berries), butter, full fat sour cream, full fat yogurt, full fat Greek yogurt, or full fat cheese. Do not drink milk during this phase, milk has too much natural sugar in the form of lactose. You must make sure that any dairy you do use does not have ANY ADDED sugar. All dairy has some naturally occurring carbs/sugar. So read the ingredient list, if no sugar/hfc is added then you can have it!

Fruit: start with berries then add in other lower glycemic fruits. Avoid melons, grapes, banana's, some tropical fruits, and other high sugar fruits until Phase 4.

Nuts: use cautiously and in moderation. Like no more than 1 oz a day.

So how does this look for a daily menu?

Breakfast: 2-3 eggs fried or scrambled in a couple tablespoons of butter, or an omlet loaded with veggies and an ounce of cheese. 2-3 pieces of bacon. Whipping Cream in your coffee.Whole milk kefir is a great way to start your day too. 

Snack: ONLY if you are hungry: ½ cup of yogurt and a couple tablespoons of fresh or frozen berries.

Lunch: Large serving of protein cooked in fat. Vegetables, if steamed add 1-2 TBSP of butter, if fresh slather with olive oil dressings.

Snack: ONLY if hungry: protein: like hard boiled egg, 1 oz of cheese, apple with nut butter (if you do ok with nuts)etc.

Dinner: Same as lunch.

Snack: ONLY if you are hungry. ½ cup berries fresh or frozen with ¼ cup whipping cream and sweetener.

Phase 4: You will continue to find your food balance. You will add in sugar and starch gradually. Always making sure you stay within the -/+2 of your LDW. You will do this by adding in a piece of toast, a serving of oatmeal with butter or part of a potato slathered with butter and sour cream periodically and see how you do. If you go above +2 you correct by doing a correction day. More details on correction days below. If you do below -2 of our LDW you will add in some extra fruit.

Correction Days:

Please note: correction days are only used during ph 3, ph 4 and maintenance. You NEVER do a correction day during the VLCD.

In the pounds and inches manuscript there is only one type of correction day listed for when you go +2 above your LDW: This is commonly referred to as a steak day. You will choose a large steak between 22-26 ounces to eat no earlier than 4 p.m. Along with an apple or a tomato. You can season your steak and cook it in oil/butter if you desire. You MUST drink a lot of water during the day but nothing else with the exception of a cup of coffee w/ cream for breakfast. Here is how Dr. Simeons describes it:

Skipping a Meal

As long as their weight stays within two pounds of the weight reached on the day of the last injection, patients should take no notice of any increase but the moment the scale goes beyond two pounds, even if this is only a few ounces, they must on that same day entirely skip breakfast and lunch but take plenty to drink. In the evening they must eat a huge steak with only an apple or a raw tomato. Of course this rule applies only to the morning weight. Ex-obese patients should never check their weight during the day, as there may be wide fluctuations and these are merely alarming and confusing.

It is of utmost importance that the meal is skipped on the same day as the scale registers an increase of more than two pounds and that missing the meals is not postponed until the following day. If a meal is skipped on the day in which a gain is registered in the morning this brings about an immediate drop of often over a pound. But if the skipping of the meal - and skipping means literally skipping not just having a light meal - is postponed the phenomenon clues not occur and several days of strict dieting may be necessary to correct the situation.

Most patients hardly ever need to skip a meal. If they have eaten a heavy lunch they feel no desire to eat their dinner, and in this case no increase takes place. If they keep their weight at the point reached at the end of the treatment, even a heavy dinner does not bring about an increase of two pounds on the next morning and does not therefore call for any special measures. Most patients are surprised bow small their appetite has become and yet how much they can eat without gaining weight. They no longer suffer from an abnormal appetite and feel satisfied with much less food than before. In fact, they are usually disappointed that they cannot manage their first normal meal, which they have been planning for weeks.

Over the years there have been many hcg users that have developed other types of correction days. Listed here are several others you can try if a steak day won't work for you:

Steak Day and Alternative Correction Days:

1. Steak Day- Skip breakfast and lunch, then eat a steak (between 12-24 ozs) and either a tomato or an apple for dinner.

2. Egg Day- Between 8-12 eggs. Focus on the eggs and add only enough fat to make the eggs tolerable.

3. Chicken Day- You can either do this like a steak day, skipping breakfast and lunch or eat the chicken all day long. Concentrate on the dark meat, but eat the white if still hungry. Some people will eat chicken thighs all day instead of a whole chicken. Try rolling them in olive oil and parmesan cheese and baking them.

4. Nut day- High fat nuts (raw) eaten all day. Macadamias and pecans are high fat nuts.

5. High fat day- Example: salmon eaten all day with little added oil to cook.

6. Protein shake day- Make sure it is a good brand with no added sugar and drink 4-5 shakes along with some added heavy cream and berries (just enough to make it taste good). Use 1/4-1/3 cup whipping cream and ½ cup berries in each shake.

7. Greek Yogurt day – Full fat greek yogurt (*must* be full fat), add a couple oz of berries per serving. 4 servings of 8 oz each.

Maintenance:

Continue to monitor you weight often. If you go above +2 you must correct right away. It is fine at this point to start another round or loose weight in any way you see fit. BUT if you want to maintain for life you will correct any time you go over the +2.