My Bio, Stats & Why I Chose HCG...

"If you have your health, you have everything." It's so true!!!


Who Am I?

Hi - I'm Toni, a 38 y/o single mother of 13 y/o twins. I've lived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, USA most of my life and I currently work full time as a business analyst. I am an aspiring artist and my favorite media is clay. I am a Messianic Christian and my faith is an integral part of who I am.




What Happened?

When I was 28, my thyroid decided :P~~~ I'm done - you've stressed me out too much and I quit! Before I knew it, I'd gained 80 lbs in 6 months and my doctor at the time said I was depressed and put me on anti-depressants. HECK YEAH, I was depressed - I just gained a bunch of weight for no apparent reason!!! (DUH Moment!!!) Finally, I got the doctor to test my thyroid and whoa - low and behold it was just outside what is considered "normal" 6+ something. The normal range is between 0.5 - 5.5 (the range is lower now). I was diagnosed at that point with hypothyroidism and told I'd be on medication the rest of my life for this disease. So, as you can imagine, I was feeling pretty crummy, cold all the time, gaining weight, couldn't get any energy to save my life and a multitude of other symptoms. It took two years and another 20+ lbs before I found a doctor willing to work with me and get my thyroid stable. It took another 2 years to find the right dosage.

One day I found myself at 298.6 lbs - AHHHHHHHHHHH, what happened? I constantly blamed my thyroid for my weight problem. Well, come on people, yeah some of it was the thyroid, but a big portion of it had a little something to do with emotional eating. DUH!!! But the thyroid story was a good cover - don't you think? The only person I was fooling was myself.

Finally, my wake up call (I've had many) - when I had almost tipped the scales to 300 lbs I had to do something! Thus, I started on a weight loss journey in 2004 with WW. Over three years I lost 50 lbs - talk about slow!!! Summer 2007, I tried another program and lost another 35 lbs - great it was much faster. Unfortunately, 1/2 of that was in muscle and I've since gained back 20 of those pounds. I'm sure it has come back on as FAT! What I hate about all these other programs is it's always a struggle to keep the weight off...

I was in search of something that would reduce my fat quickly - NOT MY MUSCLE. A program that was reasonably quick but that after I'd lost all the weight I could KEEP IT OFF!!! I began to wonder if that was too much to ask for until...

How I Found HCG & Dr. S.

I was blessed to have a friend at church tell me about HCG. Initially - I thought he was CRAZY!!! Thinking to myself "You do what? Give yourself shots? You've got to be kidding me!!! ARE YOU NUTS?!?!?!" Although, I don't really have a fear of needles per se - I still thought it was absurd! He told me even though he didn't have a lot to lose it came off at the rate of 1 lb a day. I rolled my eyes and thought, "Yeah, Right!" Then, he told me about his sister - how she would exercise 2 hours a day, ate healthy, and she still could not get rid of the weight around her hips, thighs and bottom (Okay, ladies I know many of you can relate to this one!). But with HCG his sister's body was not only transformed it was able to rid itself of abnormal fat and redistribute the normal fat to the appropriate areas of her body. It sounded way to good to be true and I was quite skeptical! If this was something that really worked, why hadn't my doctor told me about it before? So, my friend encouraged me to research Dr. Simeon's Protocol.

What did I have to lose? Except get rid of this weight I've been lugging around with me for most of my life... So, I began researching, reading everything I could get my hands on I found Cindy Cook's eBook and Dr. Simeon's Protocol chock-full of information and met my needs to evaluate the program. Further, I started reading the blogs and yahoo sites (although to be quite honest the yahoo sites really annoy me - I like a little more organization than they can provide). Slowly, I came to realize this REALLY could be IT for me! HCG could REALLY be the CURE for my obesity. Although, we cannot in the states torte this as a "CURE or HEALING" miracle - everything I've read, individuals who follow the protocol to the "T" have "permanent" weight loss. I look forward to that in my life!!!

So, after all the research and reading all the success stories - I finally have hope. You mean, my hypothalamus could be damaged? You mean, my hypothalamus could be contributing to not only my weight but other hormones in my body being out of balance including my thyroid? Literally for the first time ever - I finally have hope for my health!!!

Why the HCG Challenge?

Quite frankly, because I am tired of being tired! Tired of everything that goes along with being FAT! I'm tired of the side glances of disapproval! I'm tired of the whispers behind my back! I'm tired of the "well meaning" people with all the weight loss advice!

I've struggled with my weight since I was about 9 y/o. On and off this or that diet - I've tried just about everything Mayo Clinic to WW - oh, who loved the cabbage soup diet - not my family ;-). I have never, ever considered gastric bypass as an option for myself. If it wasn't coming off through a natural method then I was resigned to the fact I'd have to struggle with my weight the rest of my life.

There have been positives from my journey - I wouldn't count it all as wasted time. I have gained some great tools. I continue to listen to "self-help" and "motivational" CD's to add to my personal arsenal in battling against self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. With my tool set I now have the ability to set goals, discover my emotional attachment to food and utilize them in my journey to a NEW healthy fat free self :)))) (Cindy also, talks about some of this in her eBook).

Then there was the blessing of the HCG Challenge posting on www.Drugdelivery.ca and I decided I would apply - I thought, "Why not give it a shot?" (HAHAHA, No pun intended) I was thrilled to find out that I'd been chosen as a candidate. I am really looking forward to blogging my results and keeping everyone up-to-date as to my progress.

Ultimately, Why Am I Doing This?
And Other Factors...

Let's just call a spade a spade - I'm obese...



Weight: 235.4 lbs
Height: 5' 6"
Frame: Small to Medium (Are you kidding??? I don't know! I haven't seen my hip bones in years HEHEHE)
Initial Goal: 156 lb (We will see as I journey through the HCG Challenge - maybe lower...)

NOTE: According to the infamous charts for my height of 5' 6" I should weigh between 130 - 140 lbs; I haven't weighed that since I was a 6th grader and am not sure that is a realistic goal for my age or not - plus from carrying around the fat for so many years I have some pretty decent leg.

Laundry List of Reasons

Health

• I lost my mother last year to weight & diabetic related health complications.
  
• I was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
  
• I'm hypothyroid & struggled with weight most of my life.
  
• My children will not have to care for me.
  
• Realization obesity is a "curable" disease that I don't have to live with for the rest of my life.
  
• Serious BONUSES
• Possibility of being off my thyroid medication.
• AVOIDING diabetes or developing other obesity related diseases.

Family

• I have two beautiful children to live for and they want their mother around.
  
• Health and energy to play with and do things with my kids, even now that they have entered their teen years they still want to do stuff and spend time together (I'm so blessed!) :D

I'll be honest here - IT'S ABOUT ME...

• I am ready... (HELLO, I'm taking this very public - I'd better be ready!!! RIGHT? LOL)
  
• Have my health for me!
  
• Get to a healthy weight that I can actually maintain for the rest of my life!
  
• I deserve it!!!
  
• I want to LOOK GOOD TOO!!!
  
• Finally look in the mirror and have the answers to my prayers - "Oh Lord,..."
  
• "Why can't I lose weight?"
  Your hypothalamus has been damage and your body has stored abnormal fat.
  
• "What's wrong with me?"
  Absolutely nothing - your hypothalamus has been damaged.
  
• "Why don't I have self-control?"
  Evaluate your relationship with food and your hypothalamus has been damaged.
  
• "Why don't I have will power?"
  Has nothing to do with will power - your hypothalamus has been damaged.
  
• "Why do I crave junk food?"
  Your hypothalamus has been damaged.
  
• "Why can't I keep the weight off?"
  Oh, and your hypothalamus has been damaged!!!

So, I can LIVE the rest of my life with health and vitality; be able to move with style, ease and grace.