Simeons Protocol -- P3/P4 Week of 7/4/11

[porkfatrules]

Two and a half weeks into P3, and I'm rock solid. 182 this morning, exactly 2 pounds below LDW. I'm eating about 2,000 calories a day, and really feel like I'd have a hard time eating more -- in the evening, I sometimes feel like I'm eating more than I really kind of want, but I need to keep the calories up so my body doesn't get used to less.

Last night for dinner, we had chicken thighs marinated in a KILLER peanut-lime-ginger-cilantro marinade and grilled, along with Napa cabbage slaw made with the same sauce as the marinade. YUMMMMM!

On the subject of P4, here's what I think (Of course this is my first round, so I don't know anything, but I think lots of things . . . ) From what I've read and experienced doing LC, the key thing is that fat, in the absence of carbs, is used by the body as fuel. There's a whole hormonal thing that I won't get into here, but there's a Bio 101 lesson about how this works. Fat, in the presence of carbs, is shuttled into your fat cells faster than you can say, "Large vanilla shake, please!" So, P3 is fat, fat, and more fat, but in P4 it'll be a balancing act of lowering fat as you add sugars and starches in. Finding that balance is the key, and will be different for each of us. 1moretry is right that some people probably can't ever really add in sugars and starches -- depending on your insulin resistance, blood sugar problems, metabolic syndrome, whatever you want to call it. Others will do fine. It's very much like climbing the rungs of the Atkins OWL ladder, and figuring out what you can still eat and what you can't.

Yes, Pedantic Porkfat has returned -- but I'm full of musings on this as I head for vacation and P4 on Sunday, and am so afraid of coming back 20 pounds heavier! (Yes, I have a teeny-tiny travel scale, courtesy of Shelby who recommended it!)

OK, that's enough for now. Except when I come back to rave about the ale-marinated porterhouse steaks, with grilled portobello mushrooms and vidalia onions we're having for dinner!!

[porkfatrules]

Originally Posted by catkin

Smooch!

[dazygyrl]

question about this quest to get our bodies to LOVE calories without storing them and gaining.

what about when you don't *feel* hunger...growling tummy and what not....do you STILL eat just so your body is used to having a lot of calories whether you actually feel hungry or not?

like this morning, 7 am-ish...i didn't have a growly tummy so just had coffee with cream and waited till i "got hungry" later on, 9:30 am-ish and then had half an apple with PB.

am i making sense?

[catkin]

Originally Posted by jabbok

I am back to ldw this is day 6 for me on P3, I have been sick the last 2 days so I really don't know if I am stabilizing or just not eating enough.

Hang in there, Cindy girl!

[1moretry]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

question about this quest to get our bodies to LOVE calories without storing them and gaining.

what about when you don't *feel* hunger...growling tummy and what not....do you STILL eat just so your body is used to having a lot of calories whether you actually feel hungry or not?

like this morning, 7 am-ish...i didn't have a growly tummy so just had coffee with cream and waited till i "got hungry" later on, 9:30 am-ish and then had half an apple with PB.

am i making sense?

Yes, you are making sense AND you are listening to your body, which is GOOOOOD!!! Everything I have read about low carb living for weight control says to ONLY eat when you are hungry -- not by the clock, not by the "rules" -- only when your body says "feed me." I just ordered two more books about low carb eating and lifestyles and hope to learn more about this very subject.

I am still learning how to do P3 and tried sour cream yesterday. Normally I don't get hungry for 4 hours after eating lots of fat, but today I had the hunger symptoms come in around 2 hours after eating, and that makes me wonder where my ideal mix of carbs, fat, and protein is or whether sour cream is okay for me. I am going to stop typing and go make something to eat. Maybe we should collaborate and write a book together called, "Life As Dietary Guinea Pigs in Our Own Experiments"! (just kidding, but not entirely)

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

question about this quest to get our bodies to LOVE calories without storing them and gaining.

what about when you don't *feel* hunger...growling tummy and what not....do you STILL eat just so your body is used to having a lot of calories whether you actually feel hungry or not?

like this morning, 7 am-ish...i didn't have a growly tummy so just had coffee with cream and waited till i "got hungry" later on, 9:30 am-ish and then had half an apple with PB.

am i making sense?

I've been making myself eat, MANY times when I'm not hungry on and off for a week now. I can let it go a day no problem. But 3 days? No way. For me, if I did that, I sense that my body would immediately adjust down; like: "Okay Red. I get it. NOW you want me to operate at 1600 calories a day. Fine." I've been messing my body up that way my whole adult life.

That said, I have to be detailed enough here to mention that I ate pretty strictly P3 that whole time; and very happily so!! So, yeah, I was over 2000 calories, but they all came from meats, cheese, nuts, fats, non-starchy veggies, and fruit. My one usual excursion is using agave syrup.

Today I sort of made myself put eggs onto a wrap. (I said; "this is dumb, I don't need a wrap, and I don't even want one!"), but I'm trying to be cooperative with P4 here. Anyway, can I eat 2200 calories a day, with a few servings of whole grain thrown in? Some wraps, a portion of oatmeal, or maybe some whole grain pasta? I don't know. I think I'm about to find out.

******Edited, because I just read 1moretry's post above this one:
I know it sounds contrary, but I also agree with listening to ones body. In general - I feel that is the way of wisdom. But in these few weeks, I am really goal oriented on re-training my hypothalamus. A month from now, I'll be off that particular "hamster wheel" and focusing, I hope, on exercise and firming up; getting my heart and muscles strong. So, my post above was written exclusively from the perspective of someone in the first weeks coming out of P2.

When I was not hungry, but thought I needed to bring up my calories, it was easy enough to have some whipped cream with berries. Tiny volume, big calories.

For six weeks of my life, I want to keep my calories high. It's new. It's different. My weight is stable, so I can't argue with the results.

[catkin]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

question about this quest to get our bodies to LOVE calories without storing them and gaining.

what about when you don't *feel* hunger...growling tummy and what not....do you STILL eat just so your body is used to having a lot of calories whether you actually feel hungry or not?

like this morning, 7 am-ish...i didn't have a growly tummy so just had coffee with cream and waited till i "got hungry" later on, 9:30 am-ish and then had half an apple with PB.

am i making sense?

Great questions, I look forward to some answers. I've been eating to my hunger levels, which have really decreased lately I'm in P4 so no complaints.

I'm at 144 this morning. This puts me back in the top of my original R2LDW, Just going with the flow....

[jabbok]

Originally Posted by catkin

Great questions, I look forward to some answers. I've been eating to my hunger levels, which have really decreased lately I'm in P4 so no complaints.

I'm at 144 this morning. This puts me back in the top of my original R2LDW, Just going with the flow....

good for you back in your window.

[MaryMouse49]

I haven't posted in a few days because I thought I could handle a small container of chocolate covered almonds, nope ate the whole thing monday, tuesday, up 6 pounds, was already up 2 from ldw, did a steak correction day yesterday, down 2.5 this am, eating clean today and doing another steak correction day thursday, I am no longer adding anything p4ish, staying p3 till I get back to ldw, then loading 2 days and then p2, done with this roller coaster ride. I envy you guys that have been having an easy time. Mary

[LaraSuzz]

OMG I'm so tired.... had a couple bites of cottage cheese and then remembered why I don't like it, lol. Thinking about calling in sick for work tomorrow so I can stay home at eat lol. Oh p3 hurry up and save me!

[LaraSuzz]

Originally Posted by MaryMouse49

I haven't posted in a few days because I thought I could handle a small container of chocolate covered almonds, nope ate the whole thing monday, tuesday, up 6 pounds, was already up 2 from ldw, did a steak correction day yesterday, down 2.5 this am, eating clean today and doing another steak correction day thursday, I am no longer adding anything p4ish, staying p3 till I get back to ldw, then loading 2 days and then p2, done with this roller coaster ride. I envy you guys that have been having an easy time. Mary

See's candies has sugarfree chocolate covered almonds!

[MaryMouse49]

Originally Posted by porkfatrules

Two and a half weeks into P3, and I'm rock solid. 182 this morning, exactly 2 pounds below LDW. I'm eating about 2,000 calories a day, and really feel like I'd have a hard time eating more -- in the evening, I sometimes feel like I'm eating more than I really kind of want, but I need to keep the calories up so my body doesn't get used to less.

Last night for dinner, we had chicken thighs marinated in a KILLER peanut-lime-ginger-cilantro marinade and grilled, along with Napa cabbage slaw made with the same sauce as the marinade. YUMMMMM!

On the subject of P4, here's what I think (Of course this is my first round, so I don't know anything, but I think lots of things . . . ) From what I've read and experienced doing LC, the key thing is that fat, in the absence of carbs, is used by the body as fuel. There's a whole hormonal thing that I won't get into here, but there's a Bio 101 lesson about how this works. Fat, in the presence of carbs, is shuttled into your fat cells faster than you can say, "Large vanilla shake, please!" So, P3 is fat, fat, and more fat, but in P4 it'll be a balancing act of lowering fat as you add sugars and starches in. Finding that balance is the key, and will be different for each of us. 1moretry is right that some people probably can't ever really add in sugars and starches -- depending on your insulin resistance, blood sugar problems, metabolic syndrome, whatever you want to call it. Others will do fine. It's very much like climbing the rungs of the Atkins OWL ladder, and figuring out what you can still eat and what you can't.

Yes, Pedantic Porkfat has returned -- but I'm full of musings on this as I head for vacation and P4 on Sunday, and am so afraid of coming back 20 pounds heavier! (Yes, I have a teeny-tiny travel scale, courtesy of Shelby who recommended it!)

OK, that's enough for now. Except when I come back to rave about the ale-marinated porterhouse steaks, with grilled portobello mushrooms and vidalia onions we're having for dinner!!

were did you get the travel scale from, gona need one in about 8 weeks. Thanks, Mary

[Angel In TN]

Jabbok, I hope you feel better soon

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Originally Posted by MaryMouse49

I haven't posted in a few days because I thought I could handle a small container of chocolate covered almonds, nope ate the whole thing monday, tuesday, up 6 pounds, was already up 2 from ldw, did a steak correction day yesterday, down 2.5 this am, eating clean today and doing another steak correction day thursday, I am no longer adding anything p4ish, staying p3 till I get back to ldw, then loading 2 days and then p2, done with this roller coaster ride. I envy you guys that have been having an easy time. Mary

Hey Mary
Are you thinking you gained all six pounds from those almonds? Or your up six? Either way, we can get you back down. I think you're comeback plan is perfect. Steak day, clean day, easy on the cheese/nuts/HWC.

This is stuff we learn from! I had a beer today and a tortilla; along with the regular P3 food. It feels weird. And my usual strong level of confidence in what I am doing is way low. Hubby wanted to make some dessert and I said, "No, please. I had a beer today! And a tortilla! It'll all go to my butt!" (He meant a P3 dessert).

Mary: I went to Amazon and did a search for "travel bathroom scale" to find mine.
Jabbok: Awesome to be in your window!!
Catkin: You too!! :-)

[porkfatrules]

Originally Posted by MaryMouse49

were did you get the travel scale from, gona need one in about 8 weeks. Thanks, Mary

All credit to Shelby -- on ebay, it's called something like the "Hello Kitty" digital scale. No, I'm not a Hello Kitty fan. But, I loved the size (you can barely get your feet on it!), and price, and I did side-by-side comparisons with my regular scale and it was pretty accurate.

[Angel In TN]

Jabbok, I hope you feel better soon

[Beezer Louisiana]

Looks like I am staying at 157.8 lbs. That's .6 lbs. above my window.

I've had house guests for the past 9 days. My friend decided that 'she wanted her children and herself to eat low carb, just like me' while they stayed here, so that meant I had to COOK everything she and her 8 yr. old daughter and 14 yr. old son ate for 9 days. (I'm trying to figure out if it was premeditated or just an innocent oversight on her part. It was a LOT of work for me.) It also cost me a LOT of money!!!!! She wanted me to cook all of my LC dishes so she could watch me cook it and take notes. They are gone now.

So, with them here and me cooking low carb food for everyone, I didn't get to do a CD.

I haven't done a CD yet in P3. The thought of not eating until dinner (without HCG drops) terrifies me and I end up drinking a cup of coffee with HWC or scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Is staying at 157.8 lbs. okay? I can be happy at that weight as long as I don't gain any more.

[catjrow3]

Originally Posted by Beezer Louisiana

Looks like I am staying at 157.8 lbs. That's .6 lbs. above my window.

I've had house guests for the past 9 days. My friend decided that 'she wanted her children and herself to eat low carb, just like me' while they stayed here, so that meant I had to COOK everything she and her 8 yr. old daughter and 14 yr. old son ate for 9 days. (I'm trying to figure out if it was premeditated or just an innocent oversight on her part. It was a LOT of work for me.) It also cost me a LOT of money!!!!! She wanted me to cook all of my LC dishes so she could watch me cook it and take notes. They are gone now.

So, with them here and me cooking low carb food for everyone, I didn't get to do a CD.

I haven't done a CD yet in P3. The thought of not eating until dinner (without HCG drops) terrifies me and I end up drinking a cup of coffee with HWC or scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Is staying at 157.8 lbs. okay? I can be happy at that weight as long as I don't gain any more.

Of course its okay if you are comfortable there. Thats the key... feeling good in your own skin!! Nice of them to create more work for you huh?

[porkfatrules]

Originally Posted by Beezer Louisiana

I haven't done a CD yet in P3. The thought of not eating until dinner (without HCG drops) terrifies me and I end up drinking a cup of coffee with HWC or scrambled eggs for breakfast.

.

Oh no -- what a story! Hopefully she loved your food, even though she may not have been the most sensitive about the work it put you to.

There are "eat all day" CDs also -- roasted chicken, GY, eggs -- and you just eat that item all day. I'm not saying you need a CD (that's your call) but don't feel like you have to do the starve-all-day kind.

[Beezer Louisiana]

Originally Posted by catjrow3

Of course its okay if you are comfortable there. Thats the key... feeling good in your own skin!! Nice of them to create more work for you huh?

Yeah. Well, I did my good deed for the . . . year? LOL!

Friday is the end of P3 for me, but I don't plan on eating any differently. I'm eating the way that I will eat for life already (no sugar, no starch.)

[Beezer Louisiana]

Originally Posted by porkfatrules

There are "eat all day" CDs also -- roasted chicken, GY, eggs -- and you just eat that item all day. I'm not saying you need a CD (that's your call) but don't feel like you have to do the starve-all-day kind.

I might be more likely to do that. Now if I could only figure out how to have my heavy whipping cream too . . . !!!! LOL!

[dazygyrl]

I'd still drink the coffee with cream, beezer, but then I'm just rogue like that.

Coffee w/ cream just in morning then CD food the rest of the day.

[shelbyla]

I drink my usual morning beverage on CDs too Beezer. I think it's allowed.

And speaking of CDs, my GY CD netted me a 2.2 loss to bring me down to just above LDW. Still about 4 pounds up from my lowest but TOM is in the house and I still feeling a little post-vaca bloat so I think this will be gone in no time.

Off to get in some time on the treadclimber.

[LilacBruze]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

I drink my usual morning beverage on CDs too Beezer. I think it's allowed.

And speaking of CDs, my GY CD netted me a 2.2 loss to bring me down to just above LDW. Still about 4 pounds up from my lowest but TOM is in the house and I still feeling a little post-vaca bloat so I think this will be gone in no time.

Off to get in some time on the treadclimber.

Congrats, Shelby!

[LilacBruze]

Originally Posted by Beezer Louisiana

Looks like I am staying at 157.8 lbs. That's .6 lbs. above my window.

I've had house guests for the past 9 days. My friend decided that 'she wanted her children and herself to eat low carb, just like me' while they stayed here, so that meant I had to COOK everything she and her 8 yr. old daughter and 14 yr. old son ate for 9 days. (I'm trying to figure out if it was premeditated or just an innocent oversight on her part. It was a LOT of work for me.) It also cost me a LOT of money!!!!! She wanted me to cook all of my LC dishes so she could watch me cook it and take notes. They are gone now.

So, with them here and me cooking low carb food for everyone, I didn't get to do a CD.

I haven't done a CD yet in P3. The thought of not eating until dinner (without HCG drops) terrifies me and I end up drinking a cup of coffee with HWC or scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Is staying at 157.8 lbs. okay? I can be happy at that weight as long as I don't gain any more.

Donna! I have been wondering about you!!

[dazygyrl]

Stabilizing is going pretty well. P3d5 weight is down 0.4 from yesterday and just 0.2 above LDW. And what's even cooler is the last couple days I haven't been tracking. I don't want to be slave to tracking for life. So very happy to be stable with no tracking these last couple days.

Hope you all have a great day.

[Angel In TN]

It sounds like we are all doing well!!!

Down to 171.6 (0.4) today and P3D18 with no corrections and never close to one

[KelliC]

Hhm, weight gain from tom should be gone but am still up .6 (however that's still 3lb below ldw) maybe I didn't drink enough water-- haven't had much the last 2 days

[1moretry]

Checking in with a slight loss of 0.4 lbs and a slight drop in blood sugar, but these might just be normal, day-to-day variations. P3D8 and holding pretty steady, just 1 lb above LIW. I started adding more veggies whch meant slightly more carbs, so my ketones dropped down and I started getting hungry 2 hours after a meal instead of 4, and was much more hungry at that. I must be incredibly sensitive to carbs, even from non-starch veggies. I can't say that thought exactly thrills me in terms of what my future holds. It will be what it will be.

To the rest of you, it seems you are doing well. Congrats!

[Beezer Louisiana]

Originally Posted by LilacBruze

Donna! I have been wondering about you!!

Lilac, I didn't recognise you!!!!! Look at how thin your face is!!!! Awesome!!!

Congratulations!!!!!