Timing of Subsequent rounds
 

I know I'm getting ahead of myself but tonight I started planning the rest of my year.

Did those of you who have done several (or a couple) rounds go by what Simeons said about having 6 weeks before round 2, 8wks before R3, 12 before R4, 20 wks before R5 and 6 months before R6?

If I go exactly by that I would be in the middle of R5 at the end of a year. I need to lose roughly 100 lbs so that would hopefully be my last round.

I see some saying they arent doing P4, so I wonder if they are doing the rounds quicker or still doing Simeons timing but without adding carbs in P4.

Thoughts?

After I finish my first round I'm going to do P3 for 3 weeks and then cycle into another round of P2.

My goal is to get under 200 before the end of the year. After my 2nd round I'm going to do a P3 and then a full P4 until the first of the year.

Start another round in Jan. I'm thinking 4 rounds for me..maybe 5...I'll see how it goes.

I have no experience to share yet but those are my plans.

I am doing P3 and P4 before going into my next P2. I want to make sure I stabilize. I don't want to risk putting this weight back on. I know some people cycle, but I want to give my body a chance to adjust and let my skin tighten up and then go forward. Dr. Simeon wrote his protocol this way for a reason and I am following it.

Some people cycle, skipping P4 or barely doing a P3, but I wouldn't do another round without a minimum of 6 weeks in between. YMMV...

Yea I'm with you Torister, I think the 6 weeks to stabilize will be worth it in the long run. I was more wondering if people are doing the 8 weeks, then 12 weeks and so forth in between like Simeons said. I will definately do the 6 weeks minimum.

Interesting Colleen. Actually I marked it out on a calendar and doing the rounds Dr Simeons way I will be beginning R3 loading on Dec 29 so just before you. I'm a day behind you on R1 now. My R2 loading will be Oct 21 & 22. I wonder if anyone is just doing a 3 week P3 and right back to the next round over and over, without worrying about stabilizing. Dont know why I'm curious since I wont be doing that.

Doing it by the book and taking a year to lose 100 lbs would be plenty fast for me.

I am currently doing my 4th round, just started P3 yesterday. At the beginning I did it by the book. I did the complete P3 and P4 before starting another round. After round 3 I did do a complete P3 (In fact I recommend that you at least do a complete P3) but only did a very short (11 day) P4 before starting round 4. My round 4 has been an extended round, where I did P2 then took a P3 break and went back into P2. I did this because I didn't stablize well the first time. In fact I was up 15lbs by the time I went back into P2. This was not because I cycled. It was because I didn't do P3 correctly. I got cocky, thought I knew what I could get by with and used a carb blocker to go on vacation during P3. Well, it didn't work and don't screw up like I did.

Now, to answer your question. I think that the P4 breaks between rounds can be an very individual thing. If you are mentally ready to go back to P2 after you complete P3 then I say go for it. If not, then I would say do a minimum of 3 weeks of P4 before heading back into P2. I schedule my P2s when they are convenient for me. I don't want to be on vacation during P2 or P3 again if I can help it! The vacation I took during my last P3 was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I really don't think that the amount of time you spend in P4 does anything for your stablization. Stablization should happen during P3. JMHO!

Good Info Lindy,

Luckily I will be in P4 for my Oct vacation, my 2 week Christmas vacation and my hubbys birthday and in P3 for my Birthday so for once I started something at the right time. Oh also P4 for both Grandchildrens birthdays- cool.

I agree on the individuality thing. This really is such a journey isn't it? So much more than what we can/cannot eat. I have never had a problem sticking with a program. Honestly, if Atkins had continued working for me, I would probably still be doing it....but that is not what happened. Things for me happen for a reason and I am glad that I have found HCG and am really looking forward to my future rounds and losing more weight. I will prob still have 4-5 rounds to do before I reach goal. We shall see.... :)

i think the amount of time between rounds had something to do with immunity, so i don't think its as important if you're using homeopathic hcg (in which case, it should be enough to complete just p3 and p4 for 3 weeks each between each round)

Chantyl,

Good point! I never thought of that.

I think it was you that said you kept a lot of cucumber ready in case you got too hungry when you started R1. I've done that and it really helps me just knowing its there and will be very few calories if I have to have something extra. So thanks- if that was you! I havent eaten anything extra but nice to have an emergency food ready.

oh yea..cucumbers were my saving grace!!! (no problema)

I'm in my 3rd round of P4, and I did wait 3 months and 2 months respectively after P4.

I know that P3 is the crucial phase where you stabilize, but I'm really convinced that giving my body time to settle in P4, was the right thing to do for me. Additionally, I wasn't ready to do the subsequent rounds right away. My head just wasn't in the game, so I waited.

I did take a break this last round going from P2 to P3 for 8 days then back into P2 for the remaining time of my 40 day round.

A lot of folks have had great success in going from P3 back to P2; still others have the same success in only doing a short time in P4.

With each P4, I've been able to maintain between 3-5 lbs. of LDW.

It is an individual choice. but this has been my experience.

Gracie thanks! Because of the timing of Birthdays and Vacations (and Christmas) I may stick to Dr S way but I am kind of leery of having trouble not overdoing it in P3 & P4.

I guess I will take it as it comes, good to know I dont HAVE to strictly stick by Dr S breaks and could still do well.

Sunny,

Trust your instincts.

If you tell yourself you will do fine, honestly, you will. Keep saying that to yourself...that's what I did, and still do, even though this is my 3rd P4.
If you doubt and feel leery, then you open yourself up to not doing as well.

What ever you decide to do with the birthdays, etc. I am sure you will do just fine. Don't over think it too much and go with the flow!

Hope that didn't sound too preachy!

I just finished my first round and am down to the weight I usually get myself to before I self sabotage. My plan is to do 3 weeks of R1P3 then cycle straight into R2P2 after Labor Day, with the intention of losing ~15lbs. However, whatever I lose in R2 will be completely new territory and I want to be CERTAIN I can stabilize so will be doing both P3 and P4 for R2. R3 may or may not happen this year as it would fall on or around the holidays and I don't want that; I may do R3P2 between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that's the plan at least. But I'm hoping to be firmly entrenched in Onederland by the end of my next round.

I think Chantyl has a point about the time span in later phases growing larger to negate immunity but also it's to help you figure out your new body. We don't need to eat as many calories at 175 as we did when we were 230; indeed, if we tried we'd end up gaining. Our brains don't always catch up to our true weights; this weekend while shopping I was grabbing larges and 14s to try on even though my brain screamed there's no way they'll fit, and guess what? They did.

So give yourself time to stabilize; celebrate your newfound weight, even if it isn't your final goal. This round I got to 204 and while that's not nearly my goal weight I'm contenting myself with trying on 14s and Larges instead of worrying whether 16s will fit me or talking myself out of cute clothes because I couldn't possibly fit. I like what losing the weight has done to my self esteem - I've never been particularly shy or hesitant but I'm a bit more willing to try on clothes and random things now than I was 20lbs ago, probably because more fit now. I can't wait to see where I am by Christmas!!!

I totally agree Sarah! esp with the bolded. this is really a learning process and some will need longer to adjust than others.