Hello lovely hCGers. This is a written interview only. This is part of what is now a plethora of weight loss success stories with real everyday women (and men! There’s a few dude interviews in there) who have used either hCG injections or drops with the hCG diet protocol to lose between 20 and 150 lbs. You can see the current episodes available here.

See all the hCG interview episodes
These are in-depth conversations one-on-one with hCG ladies where you get to hear their whole weight loss story and the tips that helped them succeed.

Read short written hCG testimonials
These are short testimonials of ladies who’ve written in their hCG diet results to me for quick motivation.

JANATHA’S BASIC STATS:

• Age: 39
• Height: 5’1″
• Starting Weight: 185 lbs.
• Ending Weight: 135 lbs
• Total Weight Loss: 50 lbs
• Clothing size change: Size 20 to Size 8
• Medical Detail: She’s on Birth Control: Depo Provera Shot
• How many rounds: 5 rounds
• How long was each round: They ranged from 14 days to 21 days

My highest weight was 204. I started with Weight Watchers and lost about 20 pounds. I then hit a plateau at about 180-185 which lasted about a year until I started HCG.

Show Note Links:

• Lipo Article
• Drinking Water on hCG
• 6 Ways to Make Drinking Water on hCG easy and enjoyable
• Phase 2 Cooking Tools:
• • George Foreman Grill
  • Non-Stick Gotham Copper Pot
• Rayzel’s Diet Workbook
• hCGChica’s Phase 3 to Life Program – you can enroll anytime, but I recommend at least a week BEFORE P3 starts if at all possible so you have time to familiarize yourself with the program and plan ahead.

How long have you currently been maintaining (or where are you currently at in your hCG journey)?

I recently achieved my goal weight so I am still in the early stages of maintaining. My original goal weight was 145 and once I achieved that I did 6 weeks in Phase 3

You do not realize how close 145 is to 150 until you are trying to maintain 145 lol! so, I decided to do 1 more 21 day round to get down to 135.

My goal is to maintain between 135 and 145 using 80/20 flexible dieting and working out, of course. I still use a lot of Weight Watcher’s recipes as well.

Tell us how you came to be overweight and your struggles with that?

I have been overweight my whole life. Losing weight has always been a struggle. I have done every diet out there and I usually can lose the weight but, never was motivated to keep it off.

I tend to be an emotional eater as well as a binge eater and I have used food in the past as a replacement for things that I may have been missing in my life. On top of that I actually really just LOVE food.

What type of hCG did you use? If injections or prescription drops, what dose worked best for you?

I use HCG injections. I purchase them from a local wellness clinic. Due to my birth control also being a hormone Shot the higher dosage works better for me. When I used the lower dosage, I would lose weight every 2 to 3 days instead of everyday so the process took longer the 1^st couple of rounds.

The nurse and the clinic prepared the shots so not sure of the exact dosage amount.

Have you ever used b12 and/or lipo shots, and if so, do you feel it was worth it and why?

Yes. I have used both B12 and Lipo Shots. During my 1^st round of HCG I used the lip shots as well. I did not see it making much of a difference and I was concerned about taking so many shots, at that point I was doing the depo shot, HCG shot and the lipo shot so I stopped using the lipo shot. I used B12 prior to HCG and though it did not help me lose any weight I did notice that I had more energy which increased my motivation to workout. I am not currently using either at this time and I don’t really think they are necessary.

What would you say your experience was the first week on phase 2? Easy or hard? explain. Could also discuss how you loaded if you like. What parts of the protocol were easier for you and which parts were more challenging? How did you handle the challenging aspects?

My experience the first week on phase 2 was not hard and I think it was because I really do well when something is structured. I think my dosage was good because I was not hungry and I really was motivated to succeed. I did not load clean. I ate high-fat foods, carbs, sugar, everything!!

I think not eating breakfast was a part of the protocol that was easier for me. One of the more challenging was drinking just plain water. I had tried to have flavored waters but, did not do well with them so I had to only drink plain water. I really missed the flavor of something other than water. I would often drink a glass of hot tea with a packet of Stevia and that would help.

Another challenge is the no oil products. I really need to add oil to my hair so getting my hair done and keeping it from looking dry was a real challenge as well as getting my nails done. I tried to schedule my rounds when nothing was planned but if an event came about I would just advise my stylist and the nail technician to use no extra oil. I would normally stall and not lose any weight the next couple of days but, I never gained.

What did you find yourself liking to eat during Phase 2/vlcd – how would you prepare your meals?

I did not have an issue eating the same meal over and over. My favorite meal was veal/lamb or lean ground beef.

I prepared most of my meals on the George Foreman Grill. I also have the Non-Stick Gotham Copper Pot that worked great when I cooked fish.

I was on the 500 calorie plan

What tricks do you have up your sleeve to stay sane while on Phase 2?

1. Don’t focus on the food!! I would cook both my lunch and dinner at the same time so when I was ready to eat it was ready.
2. Meal planning and cooking in bulk really helped me to stay on track. The George Foreman grill is a MUST!
3. Mustard is a great way to add flavor without adding calories.

What Lessons have you learned during Phase 3 – give us the good and the bad! What types of things did you discover when it came to maintenance that did and didn’t work?

I have learned that maintenance will have its ups and downs. You will gain some weight back at some point but, don’t let it discourage you and lead you to an all-out binge or force you right back into another round of HCG. HCG cannot be used as a crutch.

When I was at 145 lb it was very hard to maintain and I realized that I really needed to give myself a bigger cushion (5-10) pound window if I was going to be successful at keeping the weight off and maintaining the kind of healthy lifestyle that would work for me. Anything less than 10 pounds I would have tried to lose myself.

You have to use Phase 3 as a time to figure out what will and will not work for you long term. It is also very important to track your food in Phase 3 and if you see you are having a difficult time stabilizing add in exercise. While in Phase 3 I work out 5 days a week and try to maintain 1200 to 1500 calories.

I struggle with not eating carbs and sugars of course so I do fall off the wagon there sometimes. Like you I am a baked goods person. I do not crave carbs nearly as much as I craved the sweets. I have moved to vegan desserts and look for ways to make healthy versions of sweets at home.. in moderation of course.

In Phase 4: Can you tell us what types of foods you eat now in everyday life? And how is this different from what you used to eat on a normal basis?

I have never fully transitioned into Phase 4 however I plan to maintain my weight loss using 80/20 flexible dieting and working out, of course.

I still use a lot of Weight Watcher’s recipes and I try to go meatless on Mondays. My husband is diabetic so I have been cooking meals that are much lower in carbs and sugar. I am just planning to have an overall healthier lifestyle.

What have been your tools for maintaining your weight loss?

I have realized that I am a person that is required to work out. No matter how healthy I am eating my body holds on to weight and If I don’t work out I will gain. I no longer make excuses, I am now aware that exercise must be a part of my lifestyle. I do Zumba, Hot Yoga and Power Walking.

Do you have any memories of your life/body pre hCG that are totally different for you now?

Yes. I use to hate to take pictures and shop for clothes. Now I don’t mind being in pictures or posting them on social media.

I now can find things that fit and I can buy off the rack at regular stores that are trendier and age appropriate. I still hate to try things on and finding the right bra size since losing the weight has been a process but, it is worth it. I am way more confident in my appearance.

When you want a treat now, give us a couple examples of what you might eat? Also, are you ever able to indulge in a regular treat, like cake at a party, and still maintain?

The 80/20 flexible lifestyle is all about doing just that! 80% of the time you eat a healthy clean diet allowing 20% to indulge in a regular treat, like cake at a party, and still maintain. There is no “cheat day” There are no food restrictions.

I do love Lindor Truffles. The serving size is 3 truffles for 240 calories! So worth it.

I shop at my local farmers’ markets a lot and I often will treat myself to the baked goods from there. I will look for and purchase vegan cookies and slices of bread (banana/zucchini) when available.

What factors have you noticed to play a role in people NOT succeeding on hCG?

I think it can be hard to succeed if you do not plan and prep your meals. I have noticed a lot of cheating during Phase 2 and I think this may play a huge part in that.

I also think that many are still in the dieting cycle mentality. Thinking I will just extend this round to make up for the gain.

In addition, many are doing this protocol on their own, so there is less accountability. I am working with a wellness center, I had to text my weight daily to the nurse. She would provide support and motivation. She would advise when an apple day was needed or when I should add exercise to the process. This is missing for many who may need it until they are able to hold themselves accountable.

What do you feel are the most important keys to success on the hCG protocol? If someone said they want to have the same results you have, what would you tell them?

I think there are 4 important keys to success.

1. Accountability. You have to be accountable. I am very proud to say I never cheated while taking the HCG shot. I did not want to gain any weight and since I was only losing every 2 to 3 days as it was it would have really set me back. I was also motivated to be accountable because I had my nurse to check me as well. Find someone that you can be accountable too until you can do it on your own.
2. Support. My family, friends, and co-workers were all very supportive of me while on the protocol. I never felt pressured at events and if I felt it would be too tempting there would be no hard feelings if I declined. I really tried to do my protocols when nothing much was going on which made it easier. My husband did not complain that he had to cook his own meals for the most part which also helped.
3. Meal Plan/Meal Prep. I always had a meal prepared. I could grab it as I was leaving the house or as soon as I got hungry. I cooked in bulk and ate the same meal for the week. I would ensure that I had apples available in the car so if I was out all day I would have something to hold me over until I could get lunch or dinner.
4. Plan to Maintain. It is important to have a plan to maintain the weight loss while you are losing the weight. Practice new eating habits during Phase 3 and find/try new workouts. Decide how your lifestyle is going to change and start implementing some of the changes now so that when you are at your goal weight you are more likely to maintain it.

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