Confused of what happens on Phase 4

[sweetbiella]

Okay so on Phase 3 once you've finished with your phase 2 days you go 3 days without taking anymore hcg. After that it's phase 4...which lasts 3 weeks? and you eat the same way but increase your calories and no sugar or starch!!

The thing is when I was reading online most sites kept saying Phase 4 is for "the rest of your life"...what did they mean by this...I'm certainly not going to eat that way for the rest of my life I'm really craving some Subway after I'm done with hcg...

[myrna]

What you're calling phase 4 is actually phase 3. Phase 3 is the no starch/sugar, but meant to STABLILIZE at the weight you lost in phase 2.

Phase 4 is after that, when you start to introduce starch/sugar back into your diet, paying attn to what works for you and what doesn't. It's more of a MAINTENANCE phase, to keep yourself in that range for good.

If I understand it correctly, lol.

- still in phase 2

[sweetbiella]

Okay so basically once I'm done with phase 2! I start phase 3! which will last me 3 weeks. No sugar no starch....does this mean yes to oil? I can cook things with oil and eat? as long as they have no sugar or starch? if that's the case this will be easier than I thought.

[jnaakins]

Yes, oil and butter are just fine! Just no starches/sugars

[kaylem]

I totally understand the confusion! When I first started this diet, the information that I received gave the "Phases" different numbers, too! What most folks go by are the phases as listed in Kevin Trudeau's book "The Weightloss Cure They Don't Want You To Know About." Somehow his references have become the standard or most recognized "references."

The beautiful thing about P3 is that you can EAT! Yes, to oils and fats! Everything is ok--except for starches, sugars, and really starchy veggies and fruits. (Think Atkins induction).

After P2, P3 is a BREEZE...



Kay

[sweetbiella]

I'm half way to the minimum of 23 days of HCG diet. I've been trying to research recipes once I enter phase 3. I found out about Almond Flour which does not contain starch and you can bake bread cake pies brownies etc with it and I'm kinda excited but still not very sure about it. Have any of you tried Almond Flour? almond flour - Google Search

[metqa]

Hello Sweetie!

There is a thread just for recipes and some are P2 and many are P3 so go check it out.
Simeon's Protocol Recipes Only



Almost any Induction friendly recipe will also be good for P3. the only thing to remember is that LOWCARB does not equal No Sugar/starch, so you must be aware, if it is made with any sort of grain it is starchy even if it is low carb. ( no wraps)

Almond Flour is wonderful, it has negligible starch and makes wonderfully rich baked goods. But be aware it is NOT sugar/starch free, just very very low, so don't go crazy.

Some things I've use almond meal for :
almond thin crackers, pound cake, peanut butter cookies, butter cookies, graham style pie crust, parmesan pork rind almond flour breading for baked or fried meats ( it burns easily don't overheat)

Now having said all that, it is recommended to avoid adding allergenic foods back into the diet very quickly during P3. Coaches and folks who advise others advise starting by adding More of what you eat in P2 in quantity, then adding oils, and fattier versions of those same foods: fatty meats, richer veggies, but to wait to add: Milks, cheeses, and dairy, nuts and seeds, because these foods even if you aren't allergic can sometimes trigger water retention and quick weight jumps. I just noticed many of these are high in amino acids that also increase blood pressure, you can see the direction I'm going...

So I hope you enjoy the new freedom of P3 with butter and bacon, and do some searches on the board for almond flour recipes.

Classic Almond Flour Pound Cake
Uses for Almond Flour?
Almond Thins
Apple Almond Tart

[sweetbiella]

Thanks so much metqa and everyone else

[Violet_Dream]

Originally Posted by myrna

What you're calling phase 4 is actually phase 3. Phase 3 is the no starch/sugar, but meant to STABLILIZE at the weight you lost in phase 2.

Phase 4 is after that, when you start to introduce starch/sugar back into your diet, paying attn to what works for you and what doesn't. It's more of a MAINTENANCE phase, to keep yourself in that range for good.

If I understand it correctly, lol.

- still in phase 2

I believe you are 100% correct. I read on these boards that if you're using homeopathic hcg (which I am) you only need to go two days on the 500-calorie plan without the hcg (which I'm doing now-today is day #1)

[LaraSuzz]

A Plan for Surviving P3, P4, and Lifelong Maintenance
by Jeanette Shouse and jointly edited with Sunlight/ada
P3-How Long?
In my opinion we must figure out what works for us as an individual. Some people may not need any P3 at all and can continue on P2 indefinitely. Some of us may need a full six weeks or more between rounds. However, after following the newsgroup posts for quite some time, I feel that we might need to continue P3 for a few weeks AFTER the weight becomes stable. In other words, if your weight only stabilizes (no ups and downs to speak of) at or near the end of the 3 weeks, it might be very beneficial for long-term success if we continue maintaining that weight for an extra week or so before moving into a new P2 or on to the extended and lifelong maintenance of P4.

P3 is not just something we have to live through to get to P4. Take it very seriously folks, and learn from the experience of others who DID NOT do it right the first time around and are doing it over again.

If you are planning to immediately begin an additional round of P2, you may be able to do only 2 weeks of P3 before returning to P2. If you have any symptoms of immunity, or plan to take several weeks/months off before a new P2, or if you are at your goal weight, you MUST complete a strict P3 and have stable weights for as long as possible before beginning P4. Stable weights are when you do not lose or gain more than 2 lbs. from your last injection weight (LIW). Not continuing to lose weight is important because any loss in P3 is usually loss of muscle or structural fat.

The Purpose of P3The 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.

8. Has your elimination routine (BM’s) returned to a normal pattern?

PHASE 4
Analyzing a Gain in P4

Entering P4 is not an automatic green light to eat everything in sight, or to gorge on all the things you have not been eating! It is a continuation on the process of losing weight and learning to maintain that loss. You are not quite yet to the point of total freedom from watching what you eat or free from analyzing the process.

Add back small amounts of sugars and starches SLOWLY and add back only one item at a time. If you find that you are gaining weight—you must go hunting for the culprit causing the gain.

Here is what to do (In addition to a steak/protein day, should you need one!):

• Continue to keep a daily food journal and write down ALL the foods and beverages. If you have a gain, check to see what you ate the day prior to the gain showing on the scale. Sometimes the cause for the gain can even be traced back to a food eaten about 48 hours before a gain shows up on the scale. Do this for each incident of a gain. You must experiment and analyze your findings to discover which of those items may be causing your gains and fluctuations. It may be a food itself, components of a food—such as flour, sugar, or chemicals and additives—that may be in the food and cause a reaction in your system.

• Keep a list of all the items you identify that cause you to have a gain. This will be your list of specific foods to keep a close watch of. Try them again a few weeks down the road and see if you get the same reactions. It is possible that as your system stabilizes and normalizes, that you will be able to handle some of these items, at least on a controlled and limited basis.


Choosing What to Eat and How to Add Foods in P3 and P4

For those who are finding themselves uncertain about what foods should be added and when to add them, or are showing sensitivity to carbs, I suggest that you try adding carbs back according to the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a rating of carbohydrate foods and is an indicator as to how fast they are absorbed by the body and converted to sugar. Diabetics use it to keep blood sugar levels under control, but it is also a guide as to which carbs will create more glucose in your blood stream and also the amount of insulin that your body will release to handle that sugar. Insulin is what controls whether your body uses the sugar for energy or stores it as fat. The higher the insulin levels circulating in your bloodstream, the more fat is stored.

The glycemic chart is separated into three sections: low, medium, and high impact carbs. The higher a food item is on the chart, the higher and faster your blood sugars will rise and the more insulin your body will put into your bloodstream in response. Start adding carbs back from the items that are lower on the list and slowly move up the charts to see what the individual items do to you.

There are very good glycemic index charts on this website: http://www.4eatsmart.com

[LaraSuzz]

hi Sweet, that post was for when you're done with your very low calorie days and after. It just gives you a better understanding of why you're doing what you're doing but yes by all means read Pounds and Inches again and again. Every time I read it I discover something new. It's like my bible. Lol@Subway I want a sandwich too! That would be for P4, just cause of the bread etc. MMmm meatball marinara with extra cheese and provolone! Good luck on your losses. I will join Monday in the P2 thread.

[chewiegand]

Wow--LaraSuzz, thanks for all that info. I've been researching hcg. That is great info.

[sweetbiella]

Thanks LaraSuzz for all the info. I'll try to be very careful once I reach P3. And as you said I might extend my P3 for another week

[Lildrew]

Lara, that was super helpful!! I was just wondering about the logistics of P4!!