The cleanse.

There have been some requests for the "plan" I am following for the cleanse.

It's really pretty simple.

I eat as many fresh, organic vegetables as possible and 1/2 the amount of fruit.

I begin each morning with a fresh fruit smoothie made in my new vitamix.

I have a large salad with greens and any other vegetable topping I want. I sometimes add fruit and/or homemade soup from last night (also made in the vitamix).

For dinner I love having my ONE a day serving of brown rice or lentils made into something and a large portion of veggies.

Basically, I can make whatever I want with the following ingredients:

Brown rice (I love brown rice cakes) 1x per day

Lentils (I love lentil soup) 1x per day

Yams/ sweet potatoes (1/2 per day at max)

All Fruits.

Oils: Olive oil or Avocado (1/2 is a serving)

All Vegetables (2x more veggies than fruit).

Any vinegars, spices and herbs.

*** All foods should be fresh or frozen. Consume as many raw foods as possible.

NO:

• Starches (beans, breads, pasta, etc.) I do allow soy.
• Dairy (Cheese, milk, yogurt).
• Meat.
• Sugars (Unless natural from fruits)
• Caffeine.
• Canned or dried foods.

That's it! I'm not even working out right now. Although I am on my feet, running around a lot at work.

Going for another 7 pounds this month!

Ready to get the follow up.

Jesus of Nazareth.

I got AF a few days ago and she came with a furry from Hell.

If I am to die from this blood loss, please remember me fondly.

I am interested to meet with the surgeon (partner of my usual RE) on Monday to see what the results were from the surgery. To here first hand from him what he thought and how I'm doing now.

The tinges and pains are getting less. One vicodin was all I needed to relieve the cramps on Wednesday. That was a surprise seeing as that it followed the surgery.

My next thoughts turn towards the upcoming FET. When I will begin the process is unsure until I meet with my actual RE. I'm hoping the surgeon can give me some idea. 8 weeks exactly will be February 16th. But I wonder if they will need to get rolling with the schedule before that since I am also due for my next visit from AF the beginning of February. Perhaps they will wait until the following cycle if they plan on using BCP???

The FET thing is new for me despite all the IVF things I've gone through. What I do know is that it will be much easier and shorter than the UVF cycle--hopefully also with better results!

In other news, I am on day 6 of my cleanse. I am down 8.8 pounds as of this morning. I find it hard to believe that I enjoy getting up a few minutes earlier every morning to have one of my smoothies--but I think it could be the novelty of using my brand new vitamix. It's pretty sweet!

My goal was to lose 10 pounds per month getting me down to my goal of 30 pounds by April.

At this pace it would be this month--but being realistic-- the first few pounds always fly off--it keeping them off and getting down to the real fat that takes the time.

NEW GOALS:

January: Lose 15.8 pounds. Down to 165 by February 1st. (I need to lose 7 more pounds in 3 weeks).

February: Lose 7 pounds. Down to 158-- my lowest point during last year.

March: Lose 8 pounds. Down to 150-- a weight I haven't seen in almost 10 years!

It's going to be hard.

Going back onto medications for the FET will cause my body to go a little crazy.

More bed-rest for the FET, school work increasing, not being able to workout from the surgery/FET. . . and sticking to the vegan, low-carb, low-sugar cleanse. . . . for three months. . . that is worth some serious clothes shopping!

*** The day I fit into my size 8 skirt I bought a few months ago-- I'll throw a party. I bought it a size too small because it was cute and on clearance, thinking I'd lose a few more pounds instead of gaining 15. When that happens, I'll post a pic.

Until then I'll continue to get the body healthy and in shape for baby-growing. Because really, that is the goal, people. That is the goal.

Keep track of my weight loss on the ticker to the right of my page below my IF history. I update it everyday. Start your own ticker here.

Oh, life. . . .

It has been a while-- I know.

With conferences and the holidays, I've been swamped.

But there are a few updates since I've been MIA.

1. On 11.19 my BETA dropped to 13. Good news. But even better when yesterday, 11.27 it was negative. Finally. We can move on, physically, from this.

2. No deals on the house-- all our cleaning has been in vain thus far. . .

3. I've set up an apt, on Dec 10th, with my RE to meet and discuss the surgery on Dec 22nd. Yes, this looks like it is actually going to happen. I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Some days I am so glad that the "tubes" will be out of the baby equation. Other days I have already begun to mourn the loss of my female reproductive parts.

But DH made a whole lot of sense the other day. . . I was going over my reasons for having the surgery and the other reasons why I am not looking forward to it. I told him even though I know both our pregnancies have been ectopic, I am feel like I am losing my 'fetility'; That with the tubes disconnected the reality is we will never get pregnant without IVF.

DH said something like, "I don't think we will ever get pregnant with them attached. You can't lose a function that you never had."

Although painful, it is true. I needed someone to say, "So what?!?! Get over it. If you want to actually have a baby, this is what you need to do."

The "natural" way has never worked for us and it most likely never will.

I couldn't bring myself to risk our other four embryos again. I need to do something different. Even if this doesn't 'solve the problem' at least there is no chance they will ever get stuck in my tubes again. If they're not in the uterus next time, I'll spend the next FET cycle rolling around in a wheel chair so those suckers don't fall out! :)

4. I'm beginning my yearly November cleanse again. This is year two. I guess that makes it a yearly event. My cousin gave me the idea last year when she was doing one. I needed to get off some weight, and it worked. I lost about 20 lbs. I kept it off until IVF meds about two months ago--and actually only gained about 10 back.

I'm hoping to lose 20 lbs again this time. Going for the magical 150lbs that I've been eyeing for so long.

When I was younger I was always around 140-150 at 5'5". Then, after sports and high school ended, I got up to the mid 160's. I reached 150 by exercising 2x per day and restricting my eating to less than 500 calories a day. Not exactly healthy. And obviously, I gained it all back.

Now 10 years after high school graduation, I need to lose some of this. Not be be vain, but for health reasons-- mine and the kiddos I'm hoping to soon be hosting for nine months.

So tomorrow it begins. Another round of the vegan cleanse. I'm going to be on it until the day of my surgery, December 22nd.

I'll post updates as I go along.

Once I can chew again. . .

A lifestyle change is needed.

I've always been a fairly active person and I eat pretty well, especially as of late.

But I do think that my portion sizes are too big (even the good stuff) and that I need to actually commit to going to the gym and giving it my all 5-6 times a week instead of just talking about it.

My plan is actually quite simple in design:

1. Continue eating vegetarian--but remove more dairy, carbs, and sugar.

2. Get my A$$ in the gym at least 5 times a week. (Cardio everytime + weights every other). I may even begin a mini-training program for a half-marathon--MAYBE. It's on Halloween and I'm not sure there would be enough time to properly get in shape for it, but I gotta have a goal, right?

3. Loose the 20lbs you've been trying to loose before baby is inserted into uterus. (As I found out last time pregnancy can quickly cause your weight to stop decreasing and move towards the other side of the scale. . . ).

4. Get some acupuncture. I've heard more times than I can count, how valuable and important it can be in the IVF process. Getting it as much as possible before hand and once a week during the process, including right before and after ET (egg transfer).

Now I just have to plan on not getting admitted to the ER or having my teeth yanked out for a few weeks and I should be good.

This is always better said than done, but I have a lot riding on my health now. Big bucks are going to be spent on IVF. Whether we can have our own biological child could very well depend on how well I take care of myself over the next few months. Beginning a new job, moving and selling our house, etc. are all things giving me a lot of stress lately. So I'm hoping the acupuncture will help lessen how overwhelmed I'm feeling and the gym and eating habits will not only get the inside ready to go, but make the outside look damn good for baby holdin'.

I'll let you know when the teeth heal and I can start a movin'!