Two Island Girls Weight-Loss LLC: June 2011

HCG Approved Recipes: Lobster and Asparagus

100 grams lobster (about a 5 oz. tail including the shell)

2 c. asparagus

Garlic salt

Sea salt

Put lobster tail in steamer with asparagus. Sprinkle with garlic salt and sea salt.

Servings: 1 Protein, 1 Vegetable

HCG Approved Recipes: Lemon Zest Asparagus

1/3 lb. asparagus
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Sea salt
Ground pepper

Rinse asparagus and break off any tough, white bottoms. Cut into 1-2 inch sections, slicing the asparagus at a slight diagonal. Fill med sized pan half way with water and bring to a boil.. Add the asparagus and reduce heat slightly to a simmer. Parboil the asparagus for exactly 2 min. Drain hot water. While asparagus is still hot, toss them in bowl with lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or room temp.
servings: 1 vegetable

HCG Approved Recipes: Cucumber Apple Salad

1/2 chopped apple
1 sliced cucumber
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. water
garlic salt
pepper
Stevia (opt)

Chop apple and thinly slice cucumber. Combine vinegar and water. Season with garlic salt, pepper and stevia (opt) to taste.
Servings: 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit

Dr. Oz on HCG

Weight-Loss Controversy: HCG Diet, Video Link Pt 1
1 out of 5:

In this video, they discuss what HCG is and what it does. One of the things Dr.Oz talks about that we appreciate, is the importance of staying away from over the counter HCG as well as all of these new online companies popping up. Dr. Sheri Emma owns a weight loss clinic in New Jersey and does a great job explaining the what and hows around the 500 calorie diet, as well as the reason why you are not hungry. This is important information because without the HCG a 500 calorie diet would put your body through starvation mode eating away at important proteins in your body. In addition, once you start to eat normally coming from a 500 calorie diet Without HCG your body will work even harder to store fat, for fear of being deprived again.

Weight-Loss Controversy: HCG Diet, Video Link Pt 2.
2 out of 5 : In this video Dr. Oz has a few patients that have went through the program. As you can see the going price is double than what we charge at Two Island Girls. Blood work is not required for the prescription. However, once the doctor reviews your medical history if there is anything that causes concern he may ask for blood work as a precaution. Very important information around the HCG drops!!! "They are homeopathic and only contain traces of the HCG hormone not the pharmaceutical grade."

Weight-Loss Controversy: HCG Diet, Video Link Pt 3.
3 out of 5:
In this video we see different spectrum's of HCG users that on one end have stated they are very pleased with the results not experiencing adverse side effects and on the other hand we have a woman that stated she did not do well and it caused her to faint(not typical). She stated she was experiencing headaches, feeling lethargic and eventually passed out. Firstly, it does not sound like she was being properly monitored during the program. (ie. weigh ins, calorie and water intake checks, exercising) One of the things we stress is the importance of drinking water in addition to NEVER skipping a meal despite not feeling hungry. These symptoms described by this individual sounds like the onset of dehydration. Without a wellness coach to walk her through the program there would have been no way for her to properly identify and manage that.

Weight-Loss Controversy: HCG Diet, Video Link Pt 4.
4 out of 5: In this video there were a panel of doctors that gave there input on the HCG diet. One of the common concerns were around the HCG drops and the fact that we/you have no idea what is actually in the drops. The issue again, are these fly by night online companies selling HCG products that we have no idea how or who are manufacturing them. Hence, giving the possible side effects mentioned in the video. At Two Island Girls we provide both options. However, our HCG Drops are cGMP compliant. What does that mean?

Manufacturing processes are clearly defined and controlled. All critical processes are validated to ensure consistency and compliance with specifications.

Manufacturing processes are controlled, and any changes to the process are evaluated. Changes that have an impact on the quality of the drug are validated as necessary

Instructions and procedures are written in clear and unambiguous language. (Good Documentation Practices

* Operators are trained to carry out and document procedures.

Records are made, manually or by instruments, during manufacture that demonstrate that all the steps required by the defined procedures and instructions were in fact taken and that the quantity and quality of the drug was as expected. Deviations are investigated and documented.

Records of manufacture (including distribution) that enable the complete history of a batch to be traced are retained in a comprehensible and accessible form.

The distribution of the drugs minimizes any risk to their quality.

A system is available for recalling any batch of drug from sale or supply.

Complaints about marketed drugs are examined, the causes of quality defects are investigated, and appropriate measures are taken with respect to the defective drugs and to prevent recurrence

Weight-Loss Controversy: HCG Diet, Video Link Pt 5.
5 out of 5: This video stresses the following important facts that we here at Two Island Girls wholeheartedly support.

DO NOT order HCG supplements (ie. drops) online or over the counter
Work with a wellness facility that actively has doctors involved
HCG can go a long way in curing obesity and offering an alternative solution for individuals that struggle with their weight
It is not a one size fits all solution. Which is why working with a wellness coach is extremely important to your success.

Two Island girls pride ourselves on educating our clients around the HCG program as well as life after the program to ensure weight loss success.

Call and schedule you're FREE weight loss consultation TODAY!

The Importance of Water and the HCG Program....

During the HCG program you are to consume a minimum of ½ and up to 1 gallon of water a day. The illustrations demonstrate how many bottles and how many times you need to refill just to meet the minimum.

If you fail to take in enough water each day while on the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Fat Release System, your body thinks that it is entering a period of drought. As a result, your body reacts by storing as much water as possible to get through this drought. This extra, stored water leaves you looking and feeling bloated. As well as stalling your weight loss.

Additionally, water is essential for proper kidney function. If your kidneys are functioning at a sub-optimal level, it demands assistance from your liver. One of the liver’s functions is to metabolize fat. Therefore, when you liver is lending a hand to your kidneys, your fat metabolism process is less efficient, and therefore, less productive.

Bottom Line: Water, water & more water.......

The Link Between Couples and Weight Gain/Loss

A growing body of research has found a connection between couples and weight. Not only do women and men who live together tend to gain weight at similar times, they also are more likely to achieve better results if they tackle weight loss as a couple.

While it's true that many factors play a role in determining body weight, so does a shared living environment. There's a considerable amount of research showing that people who live together, particularly spouses, tend to have similar BMIs, and if that shared environment is conducive to weight gain, there is also an increased risk of obesity.For example, in a study that followed newly married spouses for two years, researchers found that the couples had similar BMIs and that marriage was associated with a weight gain.

The reasons why living together may predispose couples to excess weight seem to be twofold. First, marriage generally increases eating opportunities because married people tend to eat together, and they may eat more when dining together than if they were eating alone. Secondly, the newly married person may have less motivation to stay thin. In a single world, both men and women want to maximize their attractiveness to the opposite sex and that often includes having a healthy body weight. With marriage, the comfort of being in a stable relationship can lead to a reduced commitment to maintaining one's weight.

Losing weight as a couple works:The good news is there is also evidence that couples who join forces to lose weight are more successful than those who go it alone. For example, a study done in Australia investigated the effects of a 16-week lifestyle-modification program for new couples just moving in together. The researchers found that couples who changed their behaviors as a team had better success than those going it alone. The couples lost weight, improved their diet, exercised more and reduced their cholesterol levels. Most importantly, one year after the program ended, the couples had maintained their weight loss and improved their overall health.
Similar results have also been found in couples working to reduce their risk of disease and increase their activity. For example, in a study that involved almost 1,500 British couples participating in a lifestyle-intervention program to reduce the risk for heart disease, the researchers found that the people in the study who benefited the most had partners who had also benefited the most. Conversely, the men and women who showed little benefit from the program had partners who also showed little benefit.

Furthermore, in a study involving married people participating in an exercise program, the researchers found that the group where the married couples did the program together had significantly higher attendance and a dramatically lower dropout rate than the married people who participated alone. ⁷ In fact, only 6 percent of the married couples dropped out compared with 43 percent of the singles.

Bottom Line:Couples working to lose weight or keep the weight off together encourage each other's progress and help each other through the challenges that come with losing weight, improving the odds of weight-loss success and better health.

article source

HCG Approved Recipes: Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

· 100g crab meat

· 1 grissini (ground into powder)

· 1 t parsley

· 1/2 t tarragon

· 1/2 t paprika

· 1/2 t lemon juice

· 1/4 t cayenne

· 1/4 t white pepper

· 1/4 t dry mustard

Grind grissini into powder and place into small dish.
In bowl, combine crab meat and remaining ingredients. Mix well & form into patties.
Coat each side of patty with grissini powder.
Brown in non-stick skillet over MED heat for 3 mins each side, or place on George Foreman for 4-5 mins.
Serve immediately.

TIP: It helps to squeeze out any excess moisture from crab before adding seasonings and keeping some of the crab in bigger chunks while breaking it apart. Also, you can add some of the grissini powder to the crab mixture before forming patties as this helps it stick together if your crab is still very moist. If making these ahead of time, mix the patties and set them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight as this helps the patties set.

These make a great salad topper as well.

HCG Approved Recipes: Shrimp Fried "Rice"

Shrimp Fried "Rice"

· 100g shrimp

· 200g cabbage

· 4 T broth

· 1/2 t onion powder

· 1/2 t garlic powder (or use fresh minced, if available)

· 1 1/2 t Liquid Aminos

· black pepper (to taste)

· red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
Finely shred cabbage in food processor.
Add cabbage, 2 T broth, and 1/2 t Liquid Aminos to pan.
Stir fry for 2-3 minutes just until slightly tender.
Remove cabbage and place on serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh black pepper.
Turn heat down to MED.
Add shrimp, 2 T broth, onion powder, garlic, and 1 t Liquid Aminos.
Stir fry shrimp until they curl up & turn pink.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. (optional)
Serve immediately over cabbage.

HCG Approved Recipes: Teriyaki Fish

Teriyaki Fish

· 100g whitefish

· 2 T Liquid Aminos

· 1 T rice vinegar (be sure to read the ingredients so that it includes NO sugar)

· 2 cloves minced garlic

· 1 t ginger

Mix Liquid Aminos, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a ziplock bag or dish with lid.
Place whitefish in marinade and coat.
Seal and refrigerate for 30 mins - 1 hr, turning once.
Discard marinade and pat fish slightly dry with a papertowel.
Grill 3-4 mins on the George Foreman until fish flakes. Or you can broil for 5-10 mins depending on thickness of fish.

HCG Plateaus?? Don't Get Discouraged.....

Plateaus are normal with this diet. The up to two pounds day weight loss you will experience are based on the average over a 23-43 day period. So don’t worry when your weight loss stalls a bit. It’s to be expected and just because you stall out for a few days or even a week is no reason to panic.

We will outline a few of the reasons why you might hit a plateau and also what you can do about it. One of the reasons people plateau is that after a particularly rapid and dramatic loss of weight such as occurs when you first start the diet is that the body just needs to pause and catch up a bit. You may even find that though the numbers on the scale don’t change very much you are still losing inches in your “problem” areas.

Another reason you might hit a weight loss plateau is around your menstrual cycle. Hormonal changes and water weight gain are normal at this time so just wait it out and you will begin dropping again.

If you were at a particular weight for a long period of time in your life you may also have a longer plateau when you reach that former weight set point. For example: If you spent most of your 30′s at 150 pounds, when you reach that level again it may take a little extra time to break through that barrier and drop below that.

Most plateaus on the HCG Diet will resolve themselves on their own. Usually in a week or less and then the weight loss will pick up again. However, Dr. Simeons and Kevin Trudeau recommend doing an “Apple Day” to help things move along. (call the office to get details on "Apple day")

Most importantly, while the SCALE may have stopped the TAPE MEASURE has not!!! You will STILL lose inches.

Make sure you contact your Wellness Coach as soon as you notice your plateau.

We Are Live!!!!!!

In this era of social networking, Two Island Girls LLC. wants to make sure we keep up with our clients means and preferences of communicating. Especially during your weight loss journey, we understand the importance of having someone available to you for moral support as well as answering any urgent questions you may have. With this being said, in addition to our open door policy we have gone LIVE!!!