May 14, 2009 ~ 300.8 pounds  I once broke a scale just by stepping on it.  I sat in a wooden chair and broke it.  I once had a leather belt that... well, the buckle came off.  I  went to San Diego once with my father, Dr. Hayes, for a weight loss seminar.  He went for the seminar and I went for the beaches.  When we checked into the Motel, Dr. Hayes wanted to see if he could get me some lunch vouchers.  He presented me as "This is my 'before exhibit...' er I mean, my son."  Now you must understand that humor is a common thing in my family.  He was actually getting even with me for embarrassing him earlier in the day.  During our stay, dad got food poisoning and couldn't get out of bed.  At one point he asked me to go down and see if I could bring some fruit and soup from the luncheon.  The staff told me, "Oh you're the exhibit, you can have anything you want."  They sure knew how to make me feel special.

I once worked in a very stressful environment.  I didn't eat very well, fast food / restaurants mostly.  I drank nearly every night and every weekend.  I paid for a gym membership, but never went.  I told everyone that paying a monthly fee for a membership that I didn't use was better than buying a weight bench for the house.  Granted, the home gyms make great cloths hangers. I got laid off from work Feb of 2009.  Instead of going out and finding another job, I decided that it was time for me to go to school.  The opportunity presented itself and I took it.  I moved back to my home town of Paris, Texas and work part time at Hayes Clinic.  I figured that I could be the 'before' exhibit again. Shortly after I started work, the clinic was looking into the hCG diet plan.  Rhonda (the office manager) asked if I would like to do the diet.  "You can loose up to a pound a day!"  So, I looked into it.  Boy, the diet plan is tough!  The first 3 days I loved, as you don't have to pay attention to what you eat.  I gained 4 lbs in just 3 days.  Then the hard part started.  I could only eat 500 calories a day!  My vegetables are limited to the non-starch veggies. (potatoes, corn, olives are out)  My choice of meat is limited to chicken or fish.  I can't have any oils at any time.  No dairy products (milk, cheese, coffee creamer, etc.).  I had been on the diet for two weeks, when I had a family reunion to go to.  Keeping on the diet was very difficult.  I wasn't in my home environment.  When we would go out to eat, I would order a salad and only eat till I felt full.  I would then tell everyone near me: "OK, I'm done eating.  Don't give me anything if I ask you for it."  Everyone was very supportive. Friday before the reunion I weighed 289.0 lbs, Monday when we got back and I had access to a scale, I weighed 286.2 lbs!  I lost weight even while I was on 'vacation'.  I did have the support of my family, but most importantly I used self control.  I knew when I had eaten enough, and then stopped.  I continued to drink the required amount of water, and I still had fun on the trip!

June 26, 2009 ~ 263.2 pounds I have lost 37.6 pounds in a month and a half.  It was a rough diet, but I feel it was well worth the effort.  I am now going to go on a 6 week ' maintenance' diet.  My calorie count per day will be 1500 instead of 500.  I won't be taking the daily injections, but after the 6 week period, I can go back on the diet if I want to. I feel I have learned a lot during this diet.  I know how to 'inspect' food and order the 'right' thing at a restaurant.  I know that once I feel full, that it is time for me to stop eating.   Sept 12, 2009 UPDATE Well, I promised an update and here I am to deliver an update.  The maintenance period testimonial.... I did not do well during the maintenance period.  I wish I could say that I kept my new habits and always ate when and how I learned, but sadly I slipped back into my old habits.  Instead of losing more weight, I gained weight.  I gained roughly 12 pounds so when I started the Hcg diet again on Aug 24, I weighed 275 pounds.  I'm not proud of that fact, especially since it has taken me this long to finally post it on the web site.  As mentioned, I am doing the Hcg diet again.  I am losing weight every day.  I reached the 263 pound mark and have passed it already and am in the 250's.  I feel great, but I know that if I had done maintenance like I should have, my weight would be less and I would feel even better.   Nov 09, 2009 UPDATE I started the 2nd phase of the Hcg Diet on Aug 24 with a weigh in at 275.2.  I actually ended the diet early as I had some heath issues arise.  Nothing related to the diet, no worries there.  When I ended the diet my weigh in was 250.0.  I found round two of this diet went really well.  I knew what I could and could not eat and I knew I could over come temptation!  I had the confidence already and it felt really good.  I look forward to round 3 of the diet. New shirts and pants had to be purchased after this diet.  Even with a belt holding up my pants, they were just too baggy to wear.  I was amazed to how much extra material my shirts now have!