sunshinestyles

Hi All,

I just wanted to share that I used Enrico from Jump Limousine last week, for transfers from the airport to the port before our cruise and for transfers from the port to our Rome hotel afterwards.

He was amazing, both times he was there before we arrived, waiting for us with a sign. He had maps of Rome for us and was very patient and helpful during both one-hour journeys as I wanted to practice my Italian on him.

He is an excellent Italian teacher! Very nice and speaks English well so he can explain words and their translations. He gave us lots of great info about Rome that made our visit better.

He mentioned that he had a bad review on Cruise Critic and that it had hurt his business a lot. He said that in that case, he sent an email asking for a confirmation from the customer but never received final confirmation from them, so he did not go to pick them up. The process to confirm is to send him a request, then he emails back saying its ok and requesting confirmation. Only when he gets the second confirming email does he consider the pickup confirmed. Just something to keep in mind when booking Jump Limousine.

I would highly recommend him to anyone visiting Rome.

Sunshine

Thank you so much for this wonderful review. We board the Epic on 5/22 in Rome, and your advice has been so helpful as we prepare!

Just a quick update, in 4 weeks on the diet, I lost 20 pounds. I'm now taking a break since I'll be traveling a lot for a few weeks, and just eating about 1600 calories a day, with no drugs or injections. I've maintained the weight loss of 20 pounds for 2 weeks so far. I'll restart the diet in a couple of weeks to lose the last 10. I liked the HcG effects, more energy, fewer skin breakouts and much less hunger, so I'm actually looking forward to doing it again!

Well, it's been almost 4 weeks now, and I've lost 18 pounds. It's been getting easier every week, my energy is still high and I've maintained all of my muscle mass. I'm really thrilled with the results. In 2 weeks I'll go on to phase 2 of the program, which is 1600 calories a day, without any HCG shots, to stabilize the weight loss. After 3 weeks on that, I'll go into maintenance which will be about 2200 calories a day. I'm very hopeful that it will be a long-term weight loss, since my friends with similar results have maintained their new lower weights for years.

Thanks for the kind words, it's good to hear something nice back! It's still going great, I'm down by 15 pounds now in 15 days. I'm keeping up with my daily 1 hour of weightlifting and cardio, as I've done for years. I know I still have my lean muscle since now I can see it with most of the fat layer gone!

Good for you Sunshine! As long as you are getting plenty of water and taking a good vitamin & calcium supplement every day then 800 cal. a day for just 8 weeks should not be a problem. Definitely lifting light weights every day so you don't lose too much muscle. It always amazes me how when someone begins to lose weight the saboteurs (usually overweight themselves) seem to come out of the woodwork. My favorite diet mantra is "I've come too far to take orders from food"

I have before and current photos and measurements that show where the weight has been lost. My lean muscle is intact. My point is, it's easy to criticize the diet, just because it sounds bad, but for someone who has trouble losing weight it can be a godsend. I'm exercising daily and my muscle strength has not diminished. You can't prove I've lost muscle, that's just an easy way to explain away what you don't choose to believe in.

Fixed :)

I just wanted to update on my progress. The second week was even easier, once the HCG kicked in fully I was never hungry, and I still have tons of energy. At my two week weigh-in I had lost 12 pounds, 18 to go to reach my goal.

I appreciate everyone's opinions, it's good to hear what people have learned about this since it's hard to find independent info on the internet. I read that most of the studies done didn't follow the protocol exactly, with the right combination of foods, and that's why they didn't find conclusively that HCG helped with dieting.

I agree that rapid weight loss can be just a loss of water and worse, muscle, and I know that on any diet the initial weight loss is more dramatic than in subsequent weeks. That being said, I'm halfway into week two and losing at an average weight of a pound a day. My energy levels are still very high, I'm able to work out for an hour daily as I did before starting the diet. My skin has cleared up and some fine lines and crows feet have disappeared (verified by my facialist).

I know many thing HCG is awful, but I just wanted to share my personal results since my experience with this version of the HCG diet has been excellent.

Below is a link to the double-blind study my clinic refers to. Again, the clinic I go to has modified the protocol, and has been using it since 1987 with great results.

Here's some info from their website on hCG:

We have available a natural hormone called hCG*, which stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin*. hCG* is believed to break down your abnormal body fat, causing you to lose inches. At the same time, it protects your body's good fat (endogenous) and muscle from depleting. That means that you can go on a low calorie food plan and lose weight without the typical problems such as muscle loss and sagging skin. We do have prescription appetite suppressants available that have been used to assist with weight loss for over 40 years. These give you great will-power by curbing your appetite, making it easier to eat the right food in the correct proportions for successful weight loss. We also have natural alternatives and enhancers. These products can jumpstart your metabolism, burn more calories, reduce body fat, and block carbohydrates from being stored as fat.

This is the research website:

http://hcgobesity.org/

I don't think this is the only way to lose weight but it is a way to make it easier for those who lack the willpower to stay on a 500 calorie diet (like me). Regarding fat loss, they're not claiming to spot reduce fat, only that structural fat will not be lost. All of the people I know who've done the diet still have the necessary facial fat so they don't get the gaunt look that many do when they lose too much weight. Most of their figures develop a slim hourglass shape, from my personal observation.

Yes, I agree that it's the low calorie diet that causes the weight loss. The HCG releases fat from the body stores but if you eat too much, it just goes back. Again, I'm doing a version with 800-875 calories, so it's not quite so extreme. The HCG also helps with mood and promotes loss from storage areas (abs and thighs) instead of structural fat.

By the way, I was horribly nauseous during both of my pregnancies, but not at all on the HCG. It has now been 8 days and I'm down by 9 pounds, my energy is great and I'm able to work out and lift weights with even more strength than usual.

I'm glad to hear your opinion and I know many people share it, I'm just sharing my experience since this diet works for me and my friends like no other has before.

The more I read about it, the more this particular diet bugs me. I went through several scientific studies, including FDA reports.

 

The FDA has not approved this for weight loss because no scientific evidence proves it works for weightloss. Which pretty much confirmed my suspicions because HCG is a hormone secreted during pregnancy in women and it slows your thyroid, to help your body feed the baby. High levels also induce vomiting, aka morning sickness in pregnant women.

 

So im sitting here wondering why a woman would want to lessen her metabolism and be nauseas and how that would effect weight loss.

 

So i studied a little more and found on every single HCG diet forum the maker states it results in rapid weightloss when couple with a VLCD...or a Very Low Calorie Diet.

 

THERE LIES THE ANSWER. The hcg is very expensive to obtain legally with a prescription. So these guys are selling people an expensive drug that actually has no effect on your appetite or weight loss and telling you it really works if you eat 500 calories a day. WELL DUH! I could eat 500 calories a day and exercise and lose the same amount of weight.

 

All that weight that is lost is mucle mass and water, until eventually it begins to eat away at fat stores too, but not before the water and muscle is gone, that is scientific fact and will be happy to post any number of links to those studies if requested.

 

I am actually outraged these clinics get away with this, its frustrating because it does work...but its not the HCG its the near starvation diet.

 

Do yourself a favor and save a few bucks..if you have to stick to that diet to lose weight go for it, but dont waste the money on the HCG, your body does not need it.

That sounds very healthy and balanced. I agree that we all need to find how many calories we can handle daily without gaining weight, the program I'm on has a 6 week time at the end where you test calories levels to figure out the personal 'magic number' to maintain weight.

There's definitely no one formula for everyone, we all know people who eat everything in sight and stay super-skinny or others who have extreme trouble losing weight even on very restricted diets.

A thermo is short for thermogenic, which is a fat burner. Body building magazines have a variety of them, the most common for women are probably Hydroxycut and Xenadrine. They have stimulants and caffeine to speed up your fat-burning. The non-prescription ones usually make me jittery and irritable, but the prescription ones I'm on now with my HCG have been fine, I just have tons of energy but no bad side effects.

"with maybe a thermo thrown in"...what is this? :confused:

 

Debbie

I know, I think 500 would be impossible to do. There's a 3 week stabilization program at the end of the injections that resets the metabolism to maintain the lower weight, and they help you eat the right amount of calories daily to not gain weight. Also anytime weight creeps up again, they'll help get it back down for free with their maintenance program. I've heard most people gain back 5-7 pounds durimg the 2 years after the loss, and that's fine with me, I'm going to lose enough that the regain won't be a problem.

800 cal a day I am fine with. I don't eat much over 1000 cal on a normal day anyway, so 800 isn't much of a stretch. But 500 - I'd never advise that without a doctor (which apparently you have). Still, I never think losing weight this way is a good thing as you are not learning a healthy way to eat every day...you can't take the injections forever, so what happens then? Hopefully this program also has a phase where you learn to maintain your loss.

Congrats on the weight loss, I have heard that program is good. I've done lots of diets and programs, and for 5 years have worked out for an hour a day, but still struggle with keeping weight off. I'm hoping this will be a permanent solution for me.

You have to be losing muscle and water, which is not good. How does this diet work. That's alot of weight to lose in that short amount of time :confused:

 

I've been doing the 30 day shred and have lost 8 lbs, quite a few inches and I have gained alot of lean muscle mass. I started the 3rd week of June, I think. I'm 5'9 and my goal is 140 too. My weigh in today was 145! :)

Yes, it's the HCG injections 5 times a week plus prescription appetite suppressants. I go to the Transformation clinics in Florida, supervised by a doctor with weekly doctor visits. The version I'm on is 800 calories a day, less than 12 grams of fat a day. The HCG reduces hunger and releases fat into the body so the 2000 calories per day of body fat provide the daily caloric needs. There are clinics all over the country, here's a list of them that I found:

http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/HCG-Provider-Directory.htm

I'm a major 'foodie' and love to eat, and I'm still doing well on it. I put it off for so long thinking there's no way I could live on so little food, but my concerns were unwarranted. I just make sure everything I eat is really healthy, with protein and fiber for fullness, so there's no empty calories going in.

This is a Yahoo group that has the how-tos on the diet for do-it-yourselfers, I've been getting some good tips from there:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HcgDieters/

I heard about it about 18 months ago from friends that had lost a lot of weight on the program, and they have all kept the weight off, that's why I decided to go ahead. Also, my chiropractor told me his wife used it to lose 35 pounds, and he researched it and thought it was safe and effective. As far as losing muscle goes, I've been working out for an hour daily and I have more energy than ever for both weight training and aerobics, and the diet is supposed to not target muscle at all, only the stored body fat.

I'm doing an HCG Diet, through a local clinic here in Orlando. I've tried lots of diets, and this one is definitely the most effective and easiest to stick with. I've already lost 8 pounds in less than a week. The best part is I'm not hungry, irritable or exhausted like with all other diets I've tried.

My starting weight was 176 and my goal is 140 (I'm five foot nine). I have a lot of friends who have used this clinic, and they've lost all the weight they wanted and kept it off for over a year. The clinic says it'll take 8 weeks or less to reach my goal. Then I'll be ready for all the formal Christmas parties and our Mediterranean cruise in May!

Anyway, I feel like I've discovered the best secret for dieting and just wanted to share. Is anyone else doing an HCG diet?

I think Blaine should go, his shorts outfit this week looked like the model was going to Summer Camp. I think Bermuda shorts can work at the office, but they have to be dark and tailored, and balanced with a dressier shoe and a jacket on top.

I did like Jarell's outfit, it looked great for TV, but did you see what HE was wearing? He gets weirder looking every week, last week a deranged dictator and this week in a white lace dress?!

Did anyone else notice how the tube top fits- it appears to hit the model right at the center of the breast, with a big bulge above it. I thought it had just slipped down while she was on the runway, but it looks the same in this picture. I like the outfit otherwise, but I think the tube top looks strange that way.

Terri is second!

And this is why I'm torn. After sleeping on it overnight, I think this deserved the win.

Why? The athletes get one "nice" outfit for this ceremony and march. They might need to wear it for interviews afterwards or press events and parties.

They already have their separate official USA sweat suit (as I mentioned above) for before, after and during the actual competitions.

 

This is a more different alternative for them. It is smart, it is sophisticated, it is modern with a very smart eye and wink to classic American design.

It looks American - in just the way that it is supposed to look.

 

The jacket is beautiful and smart, and note the attention to the buttons and details. The pants are awesome, and I love the tuxedo stripe down the leg.

The top had a bit of a too tight "fit" (which is what you all are noticing as being a bit "not right" there), but she told her model it was going to be a really tight fit, and that is easily fixed in production - as these are basically just prototypes. The entire idea is there.

 

It would look great on a wide range of female athletic bodies. It is easily translated to menswear.

And the extra pop of the neckwear is great and different for the TV shots en masse.

I could easily see the female athletes using this jacket and pants after the Olympics for events, parties, press conferences, etc.

 

To me, this perfectly represented the challenge, and what the athletes would want and be proud to wear.

 

I'm still okay with Korto winning, but I think this was a step up the sophistication ladder and more actual female athletes would vote for it.

 

Which brings me to...

 

I wish they really would wear something like this, it's so sleek and modern, I'm glad she won!

I'm torn on this win. I do think it was top two. I don't think it's a bad win, I think it's a good win, but I'm still torn.

So, why do I like this?

It's a perfect elegant fit. It would look good on several different female athletic body types. I really really like the leather top/vest.

(Hey Sleathah! That's how you make leather look modern and sophisticated - pay attention!)

It's a really good balance between athletic, yet dressy. A lot of the female athletes would love this.

I also took into consideration what could translate well to menswear (I don't know if they ever mentioned it was part of the challenge, but I thought about it, and I know that Apollo did as well).

I could see this translating very well to the men, in a more masculine cut.

So, I give a big thumbs up for this entire look.