P3 peeps, PLEASE OH PLEASE chime in with your daily menus! :o)

[Dreamchaser]

If you are doing P3 right now, please post your daily P3 menu (for the whole day), what round and day you are on and how your stabilizing is going!

This is for all of us scared P3 newbies and almost P3 newbies! I'm sure I speak for others when I say....we need help!

I'm not sure which is more terrifying for me....when I was getting ready for and when I started P2 or the anticipation of going into P3!

[LilacBruze]

Crickets? Are we supposed to eat crickets? 'Cause that's all I'm hearing!!

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by LilacBruze

Crickets? Are we supposed to eat crickets? 'Cause that's all I'm hearing!!

[LaraSuzz]

For the first couple of days on p3 I prepared the following dishes that I could eat at home whenever I got hungry.

Creamed spinach
Sausage with tomato sauce
had lots of cheese on hand

Breakfast today was...
Iced coffee with half and half Splenda, Hazelnut Davinci syrup, and cinnamon
2 scrambled eggs with cheddar and 4 sausage links
I will skip lunch
might have some tuna salad with mayo for dinner.

My advice to you is take is slow the first couple days of p3. I usually bouce up 3 lbs right off the bat and then stabilize, but right at the moment I'm 4 over last injection weight. Did a steak day yesterday. Hoping to do another tomorrow.
I start another round at the beginning of the month and I dont want to get to carried away with loading but if I do I dont care becaue it will come off anyway.

If you get scared because you are trending up, stick to meats and cheeses.
Stay away from nuts and sweet fruits

If you start to loose eat more veggies like spinach and green beans.

[LaraSuzz]

This is from Yahoo diet groups page pm me if you would like more info...

The Purpose of P3

The three weeks of strict P3 must be done because the ultimate purpose of P3 is to RESET and lock-in your new base weight (the weight you recorded as your LIW). If you fail to follow the protocol during these weeks, your experience when you begin adding back other foods in P4 WILL be to regain weight up to your former base weight (the weight you were before you began using the HCG protocol or the level you set on the previous round).

Personally, I feel that P3 is the most difficult and most important part of the whole process. Not only must it be done correctly to establish the new base weight, there are many other things that have to be learned in P3.

• You have to learn how individual foods affect your weight as they are added back into the diet. Continuing to keep a daily food journal will help you pinpoint problem foods and discover which ones work well for you.
• You have to learn to identify the foods that cause you to gain weight. Once you know which ones do this, you can decide when to eat them and what to do when the gain comes.
• You have to learn what portion sizes you can eat without gaining weight.
• You have to learn how to make adjustments to your food choices and portion sizes to maintain this new base weight.
• If you do not do this in P3, you will gain weight in P4.

One way to approach P3 is to keep your vegetable and fruit choices (but not quantities) the same for the first several days to a week and to add additional proteins and fats. Your protein intake should at least double or triple and you should not be trying to limit fat intake.

If you are still losing weight, then increase your vegetable consumption. Add back green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and other low glycemic veggies. (See the Glycemic Index Chart in the HCGDIETERS YAHOO GROUP files.) If you are still losing or maintaining nicely, then add some new fruits and berries, such as blueberries and cantaloupe.

If you gain weight or your weight begins to fluctuate, reduce the amounts consumed or eliminate the latest foods added for a few more days to a week and then try them again.

As you add new choices to your diet, keep a food record and note what reactions you had to the new items. Did you gain weight? Did you retain fluid? Did you have stomach upsets, gas, bloating or indigestion? Did you feel more hunger after eating, stay satisfied for shorter periods of time, have food cravings? Use these notes to develop your own personal list of foods that are OK, should be limited, or should be avoided.


Analyzing a Gain in P3

Many people NEVER have to resort to calorie counting or analyzing the intake percentages of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. However, there are some of us who do not experience an easy stabilization of weight in P3. If you are gaining weight in P3, try the following in the order listed:

1. Check all the foods and beverages you are consuming for hidden sugar and starch.
2. Count calories!! OH NO!! Just for a little while, until you find your individual intake level.
3. Use a site like ****** - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to check your calorie count and your intake percentages of protein, fats, and carbohydrates (carbs). If your calorie level is where it should be to maintain your weight and you are still showing a gain, you may need to adjust the percentages of the nutrients you are eating.
4. During P3 your protein and fat intake needs to be higher than normal. Many people find that their protein intake needs to be around 65% in order to maintain.
5. After you have stabilized and maintained for a while, you can adjust the protein downward and the carb intake upward until you find a good balance for you.
6. Eliminate the fruits for a few days to a week. Add them back slowly after the weight stabilizes.
7. Are you exercising too much, too soon? Try cutting back or cutting out any new routines you have added until P4.

[Wigglesmom]

Great information LaraSuzz. Thank you!

[Lildrew]

Lara, you rock!! All that information is SUPER helpful!!! P3 is a bit off for me, but it helps to have all the information!!!!

[kaylem]

P3D1 is TOMORROW for me....I will be planning my meals and posting them here...I'm simply dreaming about them right now...Ha!

Kay

[Dreamchaser]

Lara, thank you so much! Awesome info you have shared there!

[dbunny]

P3 is very near for me... the thought of creamed spinach is making me dizzy. in a good way \

ETA: wait! If my last dose is at say, 7 pm tonight, could I possibly have a normal P3 meal~ 7 oz steak and creamy, dreamy spinach, say.. Friday nite at 8 pm?? Mebbe a glass of wine???

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by kaylem

P3D1 is TOMORROW for me....I will be planning my meals and posting them here...I'm simply dreaming about them right now...Ha!

Kay

Thanks Kay. I'll be looking forward to seeing your menus!

[mysterious_5122]

Originally Posted by kaylem

P3D1 is TOMORROW for me....I will be planning my meals and posting them here...I'm simply dreaming about them right now...Ha!

Kay

OMG, I remember my first bite of eggs, bacon, sausage and glorious cheese after my first round of P2. You may need a couple minutes of "alone time" the flavors are THAT good!!!!

ENJOY!!!!

[shelbyla]

- Protein shake with coconut milk
- Hard boiled egg and one serving of bacon or sausage
- Salad with avocado, fatty meat (chicken thighs), blue cheese dressing
- Lunch fruit
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Fatty meat, veggies with butter
- Berries with HWC

~2000-2300 calories

[Majerus]

Usually it's something like this:

B: 2 or 3 eggs; berries, sometimes with yogurt, sometimes not; occasionally bacon or sausage
L: Salad with tuna, tomatoes, olives or the night before's leftovers
D: Some sort of meat (steak, pork chop, roast...), salad (lettuce, tomato, almonds, cheese, ranch dressing), and/or some sort of veggie (with butter )
S: cheese or almonds, usually
I also usually have "dessert" of berries and cream or I'll make a little plate with some berries, cheese, almonds and olives

I've had a few steak days, but they've been all because of really bad choices the day before (donut, for example). Other than that, I've stabilized really well. YMMV

[BigBravesGirl]

Pizzzzzzzzzzzzza!

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by BigBravesGirl

Pizzzzzzzzzzzzza!

I can't wait to try your pizza crust recipe...........yummo! What about the rest of the day, Lisa!

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

- Protein shake with coconut milk
- Hard boiled egg and one serving of bacon or sausage
- Salad with avocado, fatty meat (chicken thighs), blue cheese dressing
- Lunch fruit
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Fatty meat, veggies with butter
- Berries with HWC

~2000-2300 calories

Well, I certainly don't have to ask if you are stabilizing........Miss successful!

That menu sounds great, shelby!

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by Majerus

Usually it's something like this:

B: 2 or 3 eggs; berries, sometimes with yogurt, sometimes not; occasionally bacon or sausage
L: Salad with tuna, tomatoes, olives or the night before's leftovers
D: Some sort of meat (steak, pork chop, roast...), salad (lettuce, tomato, almonds, cheese, ranch dressing), and/or some sort of veggie (with butter )
S: cheese or almonds, usually
I also usually have "dessert" of berries and cream or I'll make a little plate with some berries, cheese, almonds and olives

I've had a few steak days, but they've been all because of really bad choices the day before (donut, for example). Other than that, I've stabilized really well. YMMV

Thanks Majerus, great menu!

[LaraSuzz]

You're welcome ladies! It helped me so much, and I'm happy to pass it along.

[miamiloca]

Originally Posted by dbunny

P3 is very near for me... the thought of creamed spinach is making me dizzy. in a good way

ETA: wait! If my last dose is at say, 7 pm tonight, could I possibly have a normal P3 meal~ 7 oz steak and creamy, dreamy spinach, say.. Friday nite at 8 pm?? Mebbe a glass of wine???

This made me LOL. "mebbe" lol

Glass of wine sounds pretty good right now---oh wait--it's only noon here!

[BigBravesGirl]

Originally Posted by Dreamchaser

I can't wait to try your pizza crust recipe...........yummo! What about the rest of the day, Lisa!

I eat tuna salad, egg salad, pizza crust sandwiches stuffed with cheeses and meats and veggies, lasagna with pizza crust noodles, cabbage fried in bacon fat with bacon crumbled on top, broccoli, cauliflower, cole slaw, fauxtato salad, salads with full fat ranch dressing....

Making myself hungry, it's almost supper time!

[Dreamchaser]

bump!

[Violet_Dream]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

- Protein shake with coconut milk
- Hard boiled egg and one serving of bacon or sausage
- Salad with avocado, fatty meat (chicken thighs), blue cheese dressing
- Lunch fruit
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Fatty meat, veggies with butter
- Berries with HWC

~2000-2300 calories

Thank you Shelby and everyone else! Today is my first day of P3 (I did two days of the 500-calorie plan without the hcg because I was told I only needed to do if I was using hhcg - which I am. I sure hope that is correct). I lost 2.2 pounds overnight and thought I felt a huge whoosh coming on. Three weeks and I'm back to my next round.

[catkin]

No menus to share right now but I suggest you stabilize at your LDW for a few days before moving to P3. This can truly save a lot of stress...

[nmbnancy]

I took it slow the 1st few days. Then I ate to calorie max !
B - 2 eggs, SF bacon and coffee
L - cheeseburger or chicken breast, salad with all veggies w/ Marie's blue cheese dressing(has no sugar)
D - steak or pork, veggies w/butter and salad filled with veggies
I drank vodka and club soda and didn't see a gain
I had a craving for PB so found some grind your own almond butter and snacked on that. I moved on to berries and cream, spinach dip and celery, mushrooms stuffed w/ cream cheese & cheese for snacks.
I made "pizza" sliced a zucchini long ways not too thick, hollowed out some of the middle added SF tomato sauce, mushrooms and mozzarella and baked it.
READ everything you buy, there is added sugar to so many items you won't believe it. Watch out for sugar alcohol content too.

[Dreamchaser]

Originally Posted by catkin

No menus to share right now but I suggest you stabilize at your LDW for a few days before moving to P3. This can truly save a lot of stress...

That is a big priority for me. I am definitely trying to do that!