The advantage of being a multi-rounder
 

Or the advantage of starting out uber squishy :laugh:

Doing as many rounds as I have, I have noticed such a change in my "wants." I think that's important, because a good end result of protocol is that I'm able to MAINTAIN. I'll be able to eat what I WANT. Well, guess what - yes, I can, once stable -AND bonus - some of my WANTS have changed. Sure, I want pizza once in awhile. But not that much anymore.

I don't WANT my food full of Cr*p. I actually enjoy freshly prepared, no msg, fresh-tasting, healthy food. No more msg, high-fructose corn syrup, pre-packed, chemical-laden Frankenfood for me.

I went to BK tonight to get dinner for my secretary. I was making her work late with me... and that's what SHE wanted (I never go there). I thought I'd go ahead and order one of their expensive burgers, you know, the good kind with the good meat that cost like $6 ? YUCK. I threw away the bun anyway, but the rest was barely tolerable. Ya, I'm not craving that stuff anymore. What an epiphany! I'm getting ready to load, and I'm having a hard time deciding what to eat, because I just don't want that much anymore, and I remember how HARD it was to load the last few times.

I've learned how to treat my body because of the long haul that I've had - over more than a year so far. My body likes good food, not drive-thru. I notice how I feel when I don't eat well. I don't like how I feel when I eat crappy food. If I eat sugary stuff, not only is it *too sweet* but I hate how my body reacts to it. If I eat something with waaaaay too many carbs in it, I'm also not happy with how I feel just a short time later. Oh, I CAN eat that stuff, and once in awhile I do, I'm satisfied with a little bit now, I don't have to have it, I don't crave it, and I have no problem returning very quickly (using a steak day or another correction day) to my nicely-set, incremental set-point that I have established in between rounds. I'm happy to shed the weight, if I gained any, and I'm happy to get right back to my new, healthy-eating ways.

So, see, if I'd have had only one or two rounds to do when I started hcg, and I hadn't tried the p3/p4 cycle many times in between, I wouldn't have this nice advantage. The advantage of perspective.

I actually feel somewhat sorry for all you trying to do this and only having one or two rounds to do. I feel lucky that I got to take more than a year to listen to my body, and to develop new habits before I get to the end.

I'm getting ready to start Round 5. And that won't be my last one either. Yes, I was a former uber squishy. I have recently become reaquainted with my collar bones. "Oh, hello there!" And my hip bones. I still have a bit of a hard time looking in the mirror, but now I don't cringe when I do.

Just my thoughts as I prepare to begin R5.

Wow! What a wonderful testmonial. Thank you so much. The other advantage of doing several rounds is I would think your skin has a chance to catch up to your weight loss and tightened more than if you had done a continuous round or back to back P2/P3 as some do.

Here's to a VERY successful next round. :up:

C'Marie - What can I say other than ... :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: ?

I feel so blessed that I have had the perspective of a full P3 and P4. I've got maybe one or two rounds left but I can't say how much of an inspiration you are! BRAVA!

Awesome post!!! Learning about what is going on inside... and a change in mind is DEFINITELY a plus to this protocol. Knowing and understanding WHY there was gain does change the perspective in how to maintain!

Congrats to you, and all the best in your continued journey!

Wonderful post!! You rock!! :notwrthy::notwrthy::notwrthy:

I agree with the skin catching up. We lose so quickly that it needs some time to catch up with those losses. Love the additional inches lost in P3 as well!! :up::up:

Me too. The thing with P3/P4 that some forget is that it is also the time where we learn how to eat all over again!! We get to enjoy normal amounts of food...amounts that we used to *gain* on during previous diet attempts.

HCG is just great. :cool::cool::cool:

This is a great post and great perspective. It is true that HCG changes the way you eat. I simply do not crave some of the foods that I used to. Now, I love Snickers bars and I don't think that will ever change. However, there are other foods that just don't appeal to me any longer. I rarely eat all of the food allowed in P2 and find myself full on what I do eat. I am planning P3 for tomorrow and literally, I am not as excited as I thought I would be. I do plan on having an egg omelet with cheese, and some different fish like Salmon, but I have already planned to go to the gym to work off any extra floating calories. I like where I have come and the foods I am eating. I like encouraging people to make life changes and when they see how much I have changed they always want to know how it was done. If they want to make that change I take them by the hand and walk them through it. I believe it is worth it. The pharm. companies and FDA will not endorse it however, if done correctly, it is a healthy way to life.

Congratulations and thanks for a great post!!!!!!!

I learned a ton about good eating/clean food on Atkins, and I am so grateful that my tastes are now for clean, nutritious food.

It is because of people like you that I am now having a successful p3, and loving it! Yes, I freaked out with fear the first time, but this time it is easy and fun, and very yummy too :)

I agree! Wonderful post! Thank you! :clap:

isn't it AMAZING???!!!! and how ADDICTED we were before and even things we thought(and were labeled) werre healthy *shaking head* just unbelieveable

congratulations!:high5::high5::high5::high5:

Btw, while I'm giving shout-outs, just wanted to say thanks to Peggy/torister. Peggy, YOU are the reason that I am doing the full P3 and P4 before my second round instead of interruptions or cycling. And I can't tell you how glad I am that I read and followed your EXCELLENT advice. Thanks again! :love:

It is sooooo very awesome that there is a support forum like this! So much is shared and learned!!! :cool:

:o:heart::o:heart:
:hugs::hugs::hugs:

We work so hard at getting the weight off, that I just want us *ALL* to have the very best chance of keeping it off and living life like many of our friends whose metabolisms never got screwed up from years of bad dieting and crappy food.

This site is such a great support for me as well....:hugs:

Thanks to you Peggy for willing to stay here and help everyone out. You have been an inspiration to me.

Thanks, Marie!
 

That's a great thought! Lord knows my 58 year old skin is not what it use to be. :cry:

Me too. :) I admit to searching out Peggy's posts and looking for her pearls of wisdom. :blush:

I've started to refer to this protocol as "my detox" At first I was dreaming of ice cream sundaes and McDonalds and now I have been planning a trip to my favorite steakhouse for my first day P3 for a giant steak and grilled onions. Yummy!

:up:

Torister/c'marie are also the reasons that I have decided to not cycle. When I started this round I was dead-set on cycling to goal but have decided to wait atleast 8 weeks til next round. The smaller summer shorts can wait. And maybe by then they'll be on clearance!

A girl after my own heart!! Bahgains!!!

Great testimony, C'Marie! I look forward to the day when I can say I've lost 90 lbs! How exciting and empowering. I didn't know that Peggy was a go-to gal, but now that I do, I'll be catching up on her posts.

Don't you just love LCF? And hcg???

I didn't know either. :laugh: Seriously, HCG is wonderful and the results are real. I am currently in P4 of my 3rd round and I have lost about 80 lbs. Looking forward to my next P2 which starts 4/17!! :up:

Awesome! Bet you can hardly wait, too. Do you load each round? I hope so, cause I think I'd do a much better job of it in future loads. I know what it's like now, living on P2 foods and I would have zero guilt enjoying some lavish meals for two days. Know what I mean? ;)

OH YES load each round!

:D:D:D:D:D

I'm having fun loading today:
Brx: 1 1/2 oz cheddar cheese
avacado
4 strips turkey bacon (not real fat, but what I had)

Lunch:
Out with hubby, the light of my life for 30 years+
Deep fried potstickers
teriyaki chicken and a few big forkfuls of yakisoba noodles

Dinner:
2 avacados
cream cheese
pepperoni "chips"
olives
10 ritz crackers

snack:
Full fat Greek Yogurt

I'm trying to do a very low sugar, medium starch load. I was going to do pizza and/or Mexican, but decided with my work, going out to only one meal this time was plenty. So I chose my favorite: POTSTICKERS!!! Yummy!

Tomorrow, I will finish some cream cheese, olives, avacados, and more Greek Yogurt. I think that will be enough. I don't want to add 9 pounds loading like I did last time.

great post! I have noticed the same thing, my tastes have totally changed and I can taste all of the chemicals and additives in the stuff I used to eat!

THIS. This is awesome, and I couldn't have said it any better myself. Thanks C'Marie. :clap:

I have never had a potsticker! What are they like? My favorite Chinese food is Crab Rangoons.

Thank you for the amazingly motivating post. :)

Potstickers are a doughy shell with some really compacted meat and veggies inside, boiled first and then fried. Served with soy sauce or another type of dipping sauce. They're called Gyoza where I order them.

I'm done loading, I'm on VLCD1 right now, up 7 pounds from LIW. I'm pretty happy to be starting Round 5. Hoping for new virgin weight loss of 10-15.