Burned out....

Well, I guess I'm human just like everybody else... I started a second challenge April 5th, and pushed my self, just like the first challenge, for the first couple of weeks... but it seemed to just get harder and harder! And I can make up all the excuses in the world, but I won't. I just got burned out, and too busy... not too busy to not care anymore, because I still did all the workouts, even though I tweeked my back, but just burned out on being in the kitchen all the time. I got lazy on the cooking in bulk, and planning ahead. And it was a little hard in the afternoon with track practice. That saying, 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail,' is so true. But before I could fail completely, I realized what was up, caught my triggers, and have decided to move on to something new... But don't get me wrong, BFL is a good program to get you where you want to be, but it isn't maintainable over 1 or 2 challenges - for most people. Even my little bro dropped off after the first couple weeks on our second challenge :( And everyone that joined me in the first challenge has dropped off... but 1.5 challenges isn't bad, and even though the results weren't what I had hoped, they were still great results, and BFL got me in the right frame of mind to exercise and eat right again, and it had been years since I was doing that. My results weren't as spectacular the second time around... I basically worked off the extra I had gained during my 2 week break, and a little more. It was frusterating, because it seemed like no matter how hard I worked, I wasn't really budging. Here were my results from the second challenge:

week 1
Body fat- BIA - 27.8% - w6 - 26.8%
chest - 39 - w6 - 38
shoulders - 45 - w6 - 44
bicep - 13.75 - w6 - 13.25
waist - 34 - w6 - 32
abdomen - 40 - w6 - 38
hips - 44.25 - w6 - 42
thigh - 26.5 - w6 - 25.5
calve - 15.5 - w6 - 15
weight - 188 - w6 - 183

Those 2 weeks off really did damage, but I was at least able to get it off, plus a little more, from my first challenge. I love the BFL workouts, but nutrition got me in the end... so on to something new...

So what's this something new? I guess it may be considered controversial? Or another fad, or yo yo diet... which it is... but over the last couple of months, I've had many people - friends, family, clients - inquire about it. So I did some research and even went in and talked to my family doctor. While it is something he doesn't recommend, due to the unknown, he didn't say no... It has been around since the 50's-60's, and is being researched more and more, with great results... and I have no questions whether or not it works, its only obvious, but I do question whether or not it is maintainable, or just another fad/yoyo diet. So after reading the book, and all the instructions, and asking LOTS of questions, I have decided to try hcg.

I started last week, and am on day 6... It basically works like this - You load for 3 days while starting the drops or injections (I'm doing drops), then you cut doen to 500 calories of a protein, 'cracker', fruit, and veggie, 2 meals a day, only 8 items a day. And LOTS of water. You maintain this for a minimum of 23 days, and maximum of 43. Once you've reached your goal, ou stop taking the drops, then maintain the 500 calories for 3 more days until the hcg is out of your system. You then go on to a 1500 calorie diet of what ever your'd like, except no sugar or carbs/starches. After 21 days of the 1500 cal, you bump up to 3000(ish) calories to a maintanence phase, and slowly can introduce sugars and carbs again... Simpl enough right? We'll see. I weighed 184 before I loaded, then 192 on my first day of 500 cal, yesterday I was at 186, today at 183... so tomorrow will be the interesting day... to see if I can finally break that 183 barrier I have been up against the last 2 months... Like I said this is controversial, but for those of you that have always wondered, feel free to follow me in my next adventure. I'll probably blog everyday, or every other day on this one since the change is so drastic, plus I have lots of thoughts to share. Hope all are well, and keep staying active!