The advantage of being a multi-rounder

[C'Marie]

Total weight loss now:

105 pounds. Taking a break for now, doing low carb to maintain and build muscle when in therapy. I may update my avi, I don't look much different, seem to be distributed a little different is all this time around, jeans etc looser, but I'm happy with it for now.

This round 6 was rough, starting from a gain from October's hormone storm (finished menopause, gained 8+ in less than 2 weeks) and then getting through some really stressful family events I had alot of sleep issues, more hormone issues (thanks to Shelby for some help with that) and put on a few more, then the holidays and I said "eff it, whatever, I'm starting another round soon." Um. Big mistake. Don't do that, okay? The holiday weight (alcohol, sugar cookies, potato chips - and not a whole lot of any of them, just the combo on top of the earlier gain) almost put me back to where my last round didn't even happen.

So I got all those pounds off plus a few extra. I'm going to be militant about maintenance at this point, and hope that I can get the 18 pounds I have left to my goal in one round now. If not, I'll get as far as I can get and do the best I can do. That's all any of us can do!

[katiesmemaw]

C'Marie as I have said to you many times.....you are awesome and inspirational!!! You are beautiful and PERFECT in every way. You have done beautifully in this your last round and you WILL get every single ounce off you want off in perfect time. Take a break and take the praise you so richly deserve!!!
Betty

[paulabob]

Congrats, and have fun in maintenance!

[C'Marie]

Bumping for newbies who asked about 100+ pound weightloss with hcg.

Cut and pasting some suggestions for someone I posted in another thread:

HIYA.... C'Marie here

Yes, 100 pounds with hcg is possible. I lost 32 pounds first round, 22 on the 2nd, 18 on the 3rd, so just about 75 within the first 8 months of 2010. Then I have been slowly inching my way down the scale from there. The most dramatic of it will be your first 2-3 rounds. I did the required breaks, 6 weeks between round 1 and 2, and 8 weeks between round 2 and 3 and 12 weeks between 3 and 4 etc... it gets longer.

My main advice is to follow the protocol. Nothing else. Don't let anyone deter you. It's such a short period of time, I don't care WHAT Dr. S said to eat, if it was tuna/oatmeal/dogbiscuits every single day I'd probably do it. I was desperate to lose the weight. You have to ask yourself, "Am I desperate/committed enough" to do it ? I don't say that to be all preachy or harsh, I'm not like that. I encourage everyone, even if they don't do it to protocol. But my advice is to follow what he said. After all, he did it for 40 years. Why mess with success? Life's too short to stay fat. If for some reason you do the first round and just utterly hate it, then you can see what the differences would be if you made a tweak or two in your next rounds.

OH - DO NOT CHEAT. On this plan, it has fairly large consequences - weight gain quickly, increased cravings, and possible trouble with maintenance. Just.say.no.

[C'Marie]

Pictures, I think

These are in my pictures here but I finally figured out how to post them inside a thread.

[verbqueen]

AMAZING photos! I've seen your "after" many times, of course, but seeing it side-by-side with your "before" really brings your amazing weight loss home in a powerful way! Hooray for you!

[C'Marie]

I'm updating this thread with progress to date. I am now on round 9. I am attempting to break past the setpoint that must be pretty serious, because I've been bouncing around it with multiple rounds after beginning meno. I've had gains and losses and maintained since I last updated after round 6 above. I am hopeful that I'm far enough *past* menostorm for things to settle down. Dr. S says that going through those hormone changes may "unset" a previously re-set hypothalmus and therefore the fix is simple - do another round.

I have read further information that make me think that as the closer one gets to goal the more hcg dosage you may need to make that fat circulate as it should. I think I needed less in the beginning (125-140-160iu) than I do now because my weight is lower. So I have upped my dosage to 200. My doctor wanted me on 250 in the very beginning (easier that way for them to treat everyone the same I think) but I had told him no, because P & I says 125-200 max. Dr. Emma and some other clinicians however are having their people go up even from the 200. I'll hold out on doing anything more than 250 at this point until I do further study. I use that as my upper end because my own doctor does that in his practice with many people.

I also have added a few other protein choices to sub in on an occasional basis (tuna in water, whey protein, non-fat Greek Yogurt) veggie choices (mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli rarely) one more fruit choice (blueberries), and more starch choices since I've gone gluten free (rice crackers, very rarely popcorn) still holding within each ratio pretty close to Dr. S' menu except due to adrenal insufficiency and other therapies I'm doing for my hip I have upped my protein and once in awhile go up above 500 calories if necessary, usually no more than 650-700 maximum. I haven't noticed a difference in myself between these changes and strict protocol except more protein makes me feel better and doesn't set off heart racing I get from my low cortisol issues. I can say this with all honesty, having done completely on protocol rounds many times before. I still believe that anyone attempting this for the first and even second time do it completely "by the book" so as to have a baseline to measure your own results against.

I am not advocating anyone do the changes I have, I am simply sharing what I have done to be honest. YMMV and all of that.

[C'Marie]

Oh - I'm not calling goal - I'm trying for another 15-20 or so. We'll see. First, if I can get close, and second, if I can hold it.

[letsloseit2013]

Gluck

[C'Marie]

I made it *past* that setpoint and am in virgin fat territory now (VFT). I inched my dose up slightly past 200. I'll see if that affects hunger in a negative way, and if it does, it'll go back down. I'm hoping with an increase in hcg NOT to stall. I have had stalls that last 2 full weeks before.

[onedimsim]

Love the coined term "VFT"

I should be there very soon (at least not weights seen since post college) - so hoping to "join" in VFT!

Also worth noting our start points and goal weights are roughly the same...although after reading some posts from folks it is *tempting* to go for the ultimate gusto of the 130's!

all your posts!! Thanks for the valuable contributions. Please keep us posted on increased dosage thoughts/results!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by C'Marie

I made it *past* that setpoint and am in virgin fat territory now (VFT). I inched my dose up slightly past 200. I'll see if that affects hunger in a negative way, and if it does, it'll go back down. I'm hoping with an increase in hcg NOT to stall. I have had stalls that last 2 full weeks before.

Yay Congratulations C'Marie. You soooo deserve this So happy for you my friend.

[mojocat]

C'Marie just noticed your before and after pics here and you look YEARS younger in the after shot. So much for the fat making our faces smoother/younger...load of bollocks..... looks like you found the fountain of youth Congratulations

[julieboolie]

Uh, not to sound whiny, but I really think you should put up a more recent "after" picture!! you're amazing!

[C'Marie]

OY! after my nice 2-pound drop, I am bouncing back up .6. Not liking this at all! Water, water, water!

I am wearing a new pair of skinny jeans, though!

Re: dosage, no change in how I feel at this point. Not really hungry, but definitely able to eat all my allotted calories.

[Millenia98]

You go!! VFT!!

I'm there too! never been 149 ever. From 310lbs to this (and fit and muscle). Huge cheers to us!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

You go!! VFT!!

I'm there too! never been 149 ever. From 310lbs to this (and fit and muscle). Huge cheers to us!

Congratulations to you