Im Thankful Im not a Quitter

November is the month of giving thanks, and while I try to give thanks regularly for the wonderful things in my life, I want to post a special blog on the topic. I am blessed to have a job, an apartment, a car, my health, an amazing family. I am blessed to be in school, to have talents, and to have so many people who support me while I chase my dreams. Not a day goes by that I dont realize how blessed I am.

But theres something else Im very thankful for this week, something I dont always recognize. Its not a person, a place or a thing. Its a personality trait of mine. Its the reason I have done all that Ive done. Its the reason I am who I am. This week, I am especially thankful that Im not a quitter.

7 days into starting the HCG Diet I was down 6.6 pounds! Wooohoo. I was so excited, but I knew that I was about to hit a road bump.... Let me explain: I am blessed to have a boyfriend who takes me for who I am and makes me feel beautiful despite what the scale says. Before starting this round of the diet, he made me promise for his birthday I would eat whatever I wanted. So Monday I knew I was going to have a cheat meal when my boyfriends parents took us out for his birthday dinner. Then I knew Wednesday was his birthday dinner with friends. Same request, "Eat what you want."

So today I weighed in, knowing I was going to be up, I saw I gained 3.6 pounds back. A little discouraging, but not surprising. I stepped off the scale, my never-quit personality wiped away the feeling of discouragement. I took a breath and thought, "So what? Today is a new day. The birthday celebrations are over, and I dont need to rush."

Ive had to remind myself of that quite frequently through my journey, "Dont rush." It is so easy to get down on yourself and be negative about your body. If there is one thing I want everyone to know its this: Your body is amazing because it functions and youre alive. Stop hating it and just try your very best to take care of it. The weight will come off if you just stay focused, take your time and most of all stay positive. You will mess up, mostly because youre human and it takes time to break habits that were formed from emotional eating, but you can ALWAYS try again. There may be things in life youve given up on, like wearing your hair in a bob (flashback to kids calling me mushroom head in 8th grade), or trying to keep your dog from barking at the mailman, but never EVER give up on your health.

So heres to me and my journey, heres to starting fresh today and getting back on track. Heres to you and your beautiful life. Go live it the best way you know how, and dont forget to be grateful for every second of it.

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Why I decided to do the HCG Diet Despite the Controversy

This morning Im a little frustrated. Ive been spending some time on forums recently, talking to people who are trying to lose weight or who are asking questions about HCG. I feel pretty educated on the matter. Ive managed to lose weight . A lot of it. And I work for a company that sales HCG. Ive used their drops and have been completely transparent about my journey. I know my way around the pros and cons of the diet. Truly, I do.

So, why am I frustrated? I hate when I see people who are hopelessly overweight, grasping for an answer, asking questions about the HCG Diet and they are met with the response: "Youre starving yourself, youll gain it all back." Its especially frustrating when they get this answer from people who have never been overweight. Even more frustrating when they get this answer from people who know nothing about the diet.

I was told things like this by several of my friends and family members. "Youll just gain it back."

Despite their doubt, despite what the FDA said, I decided to give it a shot. I started June 2012.

In March 2013 I hit my 100 pound weight loss mark. Today, I am 8 pounds above that (post holidays) while

on my TOM. Nearly 11 months later and Ive fluctuated less than 10 pounds. I understand the concerns surrounding the HCG Diet. I know it is low calorie. I know that its hard. But, I also know that it is a short term program meant to spur quick results that motivate you to make a lifestyle change. Because I lost weight with HCG, I was able to start exercising without joint pain. I was able to retrain my body to crave healthy, delicious foods instead of crap. It took me 293 days to lose the weight and Ive kept it off for 11 months.

Current Weight: 193. Starting Weight: 285

So to all the people who think HCG is a dangerous fad diet, to all the people who told me Id gain it all back: How dare you doubt me when I am already swimming in my own self doubt. How dare you tell me that eating 500 calories for 26 days is more dangerous than a lifetime of eating 3500 calories per day. How dare you tell me that if I just made an effort I could do it without a diet. And how dare you tell me Id gain it all back. You do not know what Ive tried, what Ive been through, and what I need. Most of all, you dont know how wrong you are.

I guess it is so frustrating because I see how sensitive weight loss is for those who are morbidly obese. And for someone to be brave enough to ask for help on a public forum, just to be shot down...It breaks my heart. I know how much Ive changed, and grown and blossomed because of losing weight. I dont want a stranger to rob someone they dont know of that opportunity by telling them theyll fail.

So, to those who are considering doing the HCG Diet. Heres some advice for you from someone who knows what its like to be extremely overweight, from someone whos lost weight with HCG despite the controversy: Theres hope for your situation. Research. Learn. Plan. Get regular check ups. Make sure you are being smart about taking breaks between rounds.Go through a site you trust. Ask questions from people who have done what you are trying to. Regardless of which diet you choose, it is a life long journey. After losing the weight I wanted to with HCG, I knew I couldnt go back to how I was eating before I started. Obviously thats what contributed to my obesity...I realized that maintaining weight loss meant changing my habits long term. I had to learn to eat healthy consistently. I had to learn to exercise. HCG was a jump start into a healthier lifestyle. Its hard changing old habits, but its the best change Ive ever made.

People will doubt you. They will be skeptical of your methods, but it is your life, not theirs. You have the power to change your situation. You do not ever need to feel stuck or helpless, even if there are people in your life trying to convince you otherwise.

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