** HCG Alternative Plans, week of August 8, 2011 **

[try2basunbeam]

So, can I ask a question here? I start R2p3 tomorrow--being rogue and actually starting tonight when hubby takes me to dinner--but anyway, I was rogue or cheating, however you want to look at it through this whole round. I lost what I had gained between rounds and another 5lbs so I am happy weightloss-wise. What I am afraid of is that I will gain it all back because I didn't stick to protocol. Mostly I did, but I had SF items, some bread once in a while, extra meats, non-protocl veggies...I never really gained from my cheats, just didn't lose.
So last round I dove into p3 full force and this time I am thinking of babying it a bit because of my rogueness. Any advice? Maybe I need to just not stress about it and go with the flow...

[catjrow3]

Morning ladies...
Well, I woke up extremely dizzy this morning, and feeling pretty much like crap, and then got on the scale and was up a 1 lb... made me feel even worse! I did not eat bad yesterday, so its either the braggs amino acids I had last night and sodium retention, or TOM is due in a few days.. either way, BOO!!!! Hope everyone else does better than me today!

[mousie tartufo]

Ugh. The dreaded mini-stall. Spent the last five days bouncing around with the same damn .5 pounds down up down up down... This happens EVERY round with me. Hopefully I'm back in a downward trend now, until the day 12 stall. Every 6 damn days. Like freaking clockwork. Honestly, it doesn't seem to matter what I eat (or don't), or do (or don't), I stall out. The worst bit is that my measurements don't change either. Well, whatever, I'm kicking this fat to the curb. But thanks for letting me vent.

[dazygyrl]

back from vacation. weight is 2.6 up from when i left (5.8 above LDW). lots of salty foods and not enough water....eating bigger portions than i need. a little disappointed in some of my choices, but they weren't as bad as they could have been. today i am keeping it as light as possible. will be eating out for supper, though. i am loading for round 2 starts tomorrow. i am hoping to be down some by morning.

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by try2basunbeam

So, can I ask a question here? I start R2p3 tomorrow--being rogue and actually starting tonight when hubby takes me to dinner--but anyway, I was rogue or cheating, however you want to look at it through this whole round. I lost what I had gained between rounds and another 5lbs so I am happy weightloss-wise. What I am afraid of is that I will gain it all back because I didn't stick to protocol. Mostly I did, but I had SF items, some bread once in a while, extra meats, non-protocl veggies...I never really gained from my cheats, just didn't lose.
So last round I dove into p3 full force and this time I am thinking of babying it a bit because of my rogueness. Any advice? Maybe I need to just not stress about it and go with the flow...

I wish I had P3 advice but I think I struggle more than most. I think most people advise holding off on nuts/dairy for a few days, until you're eating more without gaining.

I don't think rogueing your P2 makes P3 any harder...but I think "going protocol" on P3 is probably more important than P2 for stabilizing. Just my thoughts!

[minimonkey]

Some people think a totally protocol p2 makes for easier stabilization -- I haven't had any real personal experience with that either way.

Cat -- Bragg's makes me gain a lot overnight -- much more than regular salt... no idea why...??!!??

[minimonkey]

Mousie -- those stalls are just so frustrating!! I have had one every round too -- sometimes very long ones. Hope it goes away for you soon!!!!

Sorry that so many of us are having such a tough time right now!!! Grrrr!

[minimonkey]

I really am back to p2 today, with some new modifications, and not unduly hungry yet today due to the refeed -- this is a good thing, and I hope it lasts. I didn't weigh this morning -- still very much on TOM, so it would be a rather meaningless weight anyhow. I suspect I am up a bit from the refeed, but hoping that comes off and then some.

OMG do I have butt squish! Goooshy goooshy gluteus, mooshy maximus! Let's hope that goes away, like NOW.

My whole body felt pretty inflamed last night, but that is settling down a bit today. I may take it easy on the exercise, though -- chronic inflammation is not a good thing at all. I ate dairy on the refeed, and that may be part of the culprit. I also haven't taken a true rest day from exercise in about 10 days, and that is also not helping (I HATE rest days )

I'm thinking the main reason for the crazy bad depletion this round was the almost-no-fat nature of what I was doing -- so I am aiming for 1000 calories now, but with about 200-300 of those coming from good fats.

In essence, I'll just be doing calorie restriction/clean eating plus hhcg on the low days, and lowcarb refeeds when/if the depletion gets bad again. We'll see what this yields -- or doesn't.

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by minimonkey

In essence, I'll just be doing calorie restriction/clean eating plus hhcg on the low days, and lowcarb refeeds when/if the depletion gets bad again. We'll see what this yields -- or doesn't.

Have you looked into JUDDD at all? When I did a round with it I just took the hhcg on my "down" days, and worked the down days M/W/F rather than a true every other day. I really, really enjoyed it! Plus no depletion, even on my down days. Just thought I'd mention it... I did the up days around BMR and P3 style, but it varied day to day.

[minimonkey]

Paula -- yes, I've looked into it a bit, and I think that is more or less what I am doing here -- I loosely tried the every other day thing for a bit, but found it was too easy to have more "up" days than down.... so I am trying things in a bit more of a structured fashion.

Right now, I need my down days to far outnumber my up days, and hopefully the up days won't end up needing to be eat-a-thons. I have no regrets at all about this refeed -- clearly my body needed it.

A number of writers on muscle building and fat loss advocate training to depletion, then refueling in a pretty aggressive but time-limited fashion, and repeating. Most of them advocate low-carb to depletion, and then a carb-up --

I may yet try that, but my current plan (based on nothing but my own ideas) is to eat/train to impending depletion... refuel... and repeat. I'm doing it backwards though... moderate carbs on low days, and high fat/low carb on refeed days. Adequate protein every day is the constant.

This plan is not based on anything except a sense that it might work for my particular body... we'll see.....

[CherylB]

Hi, ladies. I have not been feeling up-to-par today. I woke at 0400 (the two previous nights I woke at 01 and 02.) I took another half ambien another melatonin and another 25 mg benedryl and fell back to sleep eventually. I then woke at 11 am and felt totally drugged. Eventually I just layed back down and hoped to nap. I eventually did and when I woke up, I got to change my ticker AGAIN! Twice in the same day!

I was down 0.8 at 11 and another 0.8 at 3:30 after my nap! I can hardly believe my eyes. Things do happen in fits and starts, don't they? I hope it continues so I can reach my goal of being 160... something on the day I leave for camping. Then my goal is to be in the 150's the following week (between camping and the Fair.)

Hugs to all and lots of hoots and hollers to those feeling great about their progress today. Those who aren't so happy, hugs of a more comforting kind.

[minimonkey]

Cheryl -- awesome losses!!! No fun about the sleep issues though... I had a terrible time sleeping last night too. That's pretty uncommon for me these days, but I do still have my nights of bad insomnia, and sometimes sub-par sleep in general.

I'm thinking about trying melatonin... I am never taking Ambien again!!

[dazygyrl]

ahhhh....round 2 has begun! just took my first dose. dh will be joining me this round. we are starting loading tonight. chinese is on the menu!

i'm ready for the structure of p2 again. was getting all out of sorts for some reason.

i'm going to try this round without eating till noon, like protocol.

will allow up to 700 cal if i need.

probably have slightly bigger protein portions.

i'm starting dh at 800 cal and will increase up to 1000 if he needs. he's very fit and active so don't want him getting too depleted. he's a landscape contractor, so quite active.

ok! off to chinese!

[minimonkey]

Good luck to you and dh, dazy!!! Hope you both have successful rounds

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

i'm starting dh at 800 cal and will increase up to 1000 if he needs. he's very fit and active so don't want him getting too depleted. he's a landscape contractor, so quite active.

ok! off to chinese!

Oh, make sure he gets his electrolytes replenished! How fun to be doing this with your DH. Hope you don't regret it when he starts losing like gangbusters. I get super jealous of my DH. He drops the ice cream and drops 5 pounds in a week. I look at the carton and gain 5.

I also really enjoy the skipping breakfast. Once I'm used to it, I have very little morning hunger, helps make the lunch/dinner seem more satisfying.

[dazygyrl]

first loading meal was yummy. i am FULL! had some chocolate covered peanuts on the way home from town. YUM!! used to be one of my favs!

i'm going to try and get dh on a dosing schedule that he doesn't have to try and remember to take them while he's working. so am thinking of right before he leaves for work, as soon as he gets home, and before bed. they won't be evenly spaced, but do you think that will matter?

and yes, paula...i fully expect him to lose faster than me...daggummit.....

[julieboolie]

Hey girls!! Sorry I haven't posted much lately! Worked today and been out all day!! I'm up today +1.6 from yesterday and out of my window . Sad, but not unexpected. I had dinner at Paradise Bakerry, tomato soup and SW chicken cesar salad, so I figured I'd see a bump from it. Comapny comes tomorrow so I did a GYCD today in hopes of getting closer to my LDW so I can enjoy the weekend. We'll see.

I need to workout, that's the challenge. I did a good workout earlier in the week, but havent' made it back yet. Sunday we're going hiking in beautiful Sedona, so that'll count!

to the stallers or my fellow gainers!! I know how frustrating that is!! Hang tough!!

I'll do personals later, maybe tomorrow I'm tired, and hungry, so I'm off to bed. First time I've been hungry on my GYCD, hope that's not a bad sign!

[paulabob]

Hope everyone had a great Friday night!

Our temps dipped below 100 finally starting Thursday...and right now, it's RAINING! I know the farmers and ranchers must be thrilled. It's a beautiful sound when it's been so long.

I am down 3 pounds after chicken wing + wine day. So I know it'll bounce a bit up from that. But it's awfully nice to be back in my window for the first time since Aug 5th.

Planning more chicken wings for lunch plus vegetables, pork rinds or jerkey snack for the car ride, and I know it's Springcreek BBQ at my folks tonight. Should all be P3 friendly. So excited to see the nieces...haven't seen them since Xmas. I know they'll be surprised DS is several inches taller.

[catjrow3]

I was only down 0.2 this morning of the 1 lb up yesterday, so still up 0.8, but it is what it is... should not be water retention today, so maybe its cuz TOM is due in a couple days... booo!! We can do it ladies, just keep on pushing

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by julieboolie

Hey girls!! Sorry I haven't posted much lately! Worked today and been out all day!! I'm up today +1.6 from yesterday and out of my window . Sad, but not unexpected. I had dinner at Paradise Bakerry, tomato soup and SW chicken cesar salad, so I figured I'd see a bump from it. Comapny comes tomorrow so I did a GYCD today in hopes of getting closer to my LDW so I can enjoy the weekend. We'll see.

I need to workout, that's the challenge. I did a good workout earlier in the week, but havent' made it back yet. Sunday we're going hiking in beautiful Sedona, so that'll count!

to the stallers or my fellow gainers!! I know how frustrating that is!! Hang tough!!

I'll do personals later, maybe tomorrow I'm tired, and hungry, so I'm off to bed. First time I've been hungry on my GYCD, hope that's not a bad sign!

I LOVE SEDONA! I lived in Kingman for one year but that is hardly the same as Sedona. Before that year, I'd done about 4 long road trips across the entire state, driving different routes each time. AZ is enchanting. A very spiritual place if ever I've experienced one.

That tomato soup probably had some kind of thickener in it. I hope it doesn't cause you too much trouble.

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

first loading meal was yummy. i am FULL! had some chocolate covered peanuts on the way home from town. YUM!! used to be one of my favs!

i'm going to try and get dh on a dosing schedule that he doesn't have to try and remember to take them while he's working. so am thinking of right before he leaves for work, as soon as he gets home, and before bed. they won't be evenly spaced, but do you think that will matter?

and yes, paula...i fully expect him to lose faster than me...daggummit.....

Dazy, you load like I do! Isn't it fun? I love to have absolutely no guilt for two full days before starting a new round. I hope you have wonderful "luck" with your DH on this round!

Originally Posted by minimonkey

Cheryl -- awesome losses!!! No fun about the sleep issues though... I had a terrible time sleeping last night too. That's pretty uncommon for me these days, but I do still have my nights of bad insomnia, and sometimes sub-par sleep in general.

I'm thinking about trying melatonin... I am never taking Ambien again!!

Thank you, Mini! I take the tablet form of Melatonin but I hear that the liquid sublingual kind works better. Quicker and better. Try it sometime! Lousy sleep is bad news. It affects everything in your waking hours, too.

Originally Posted by paulabob

Hope everyone had a great Friday night!

Our temps dipped below 100 finally starting Thursday...and right now, it's RAINING! I know the farmers and ranchers must be thrilled. It's a beautiful sound when it's been so long.

I am down 3 pounds after chicken wing + wine day. So I know it'll bounce a bit up from that. But it's awfully nice to be back in my window for the first time since Aug 5th.

Planning more chicken wings for lunch plus vegetables, pork rinds or jerkey snack for the car ride, and I know it's Springcreek BBQ at my folks tonight. Should all be P3 friendly. So excited to see the nieces...haven't seen them since Xmas. I know they'll be surprised DS is several inches taller.

FINALLY! I hope it's just the beginning of many more rainy days ahead for TX and all states parched and scorched! I love your "wing and wine" CD! Right up my alley, girlfriend. Enjoy your family BBQ! Stay cool if you can.

Originally Posted by catjrow3

I was only down 0.2 this morning of the 1 lb up yesterday, so still up 0.8, but it is what it is... should not be water retention today, so maybe its cuz TOM is due in a couple days... booo!! We can do it ladies, just keep on pushing

That's about it! Or as someone said on another thread the other day, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."

No losses today. No surprises, either. This is my last couple of days to post before I go camping. I'm going to be missing all of you! I will be going cold-turkey from all my computering from Monday until Friday afternoon or evening. It will be nice to camp and also nice to come back home! (If I didn't have a broken hinge on one side of my laptop, I was going to take it with me and try to buy a converter thing to charge it in my car. But I can't chance the other hinge breaking.)

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend and has good scales days at least every other day. That should keep us going!

[minimonkey]

Paula, Cheryl, Julie -- I hope you all have fabuous times at your respective destinations!!!

Lord knows, we've all been struggling, and deserve some fun

Good job with maintaining, and getting back in your window. You are rockin' your plan!

Cheryl -- the losses will come again, not to worry.

[minimonkey]

Yesterday evening, and all night, I was peeing like a racehorse... so I decided to step on the scale today, TOM notwithstanding... (I still feel bloated in the belly)

118.8

I may be hating this, but it IS working -- I can see a huge difference in my body visually now.... and the refeed seems to have been a very good thing.

So for now, I will continue this plan... 5 days low calorie with hhcg, and then a l/c refeed with no pellets, and repeat. I will do the refeed sooner if I feel I really need it, or stretch the lowcal days out longer, if I feel I can... but I think regular refeeds are perhaps the key to doing this for any length of time (for me.)

I have never struggled this hard with any of my previous rounds... and rarely ever with dieting, even with all the years of dieting I have done.... At the very least, I am proud of myself for keepin' on....

[dazygyrl]

something i have now and also when i started R1. shortly after starting dosing, i am 3 doses in, my tummy is tender to touch, in the, ahem, "fluffy" portions of my tummy. is it the hcg "doing something" to the fat? got sore bewbies too! it's doing it's job!!! lol!

[minimonkey]

Dazy -- I don't know about the stomach tenderness, but I definitely have breast soreness, and it seems to correspond with the hhcg. I'm also in perimenopause, so who knows... it could be that, too... but I do think this changes our hormones.

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by dazygyrl

something i have now and also when i started R1. shortly after starting dosing, i am 3 doses in, my tummy is tender to touch, in the, ahem, "fluffy" portions of my tummy. is it the hcg "doing something" to the fat? got sore bewbies too! it's doing it's job!!! lol!

Well, it is a pregnancy hormone so maybe that is just the way it affects you. I hope it goes away soon! I'm sure it will. In the meantime, guard those mammaries!

Mini, WTG on the 118! The start of more good things to come, I'm sure.

[ncgirl37]

Just wanted to say I'm excited! I just ordered my Intermountain pellets from Netrition. I have tried hcg before and lost weight on the rx shots, but because of funds I could not keep it up. I also tried the drops twice but just got slack and did not keep up with it. After seeing my weight go up, up and away, and seeing how good the results are with this, I decided to give it on more shot. I also prefer the alternative way of doing it just because with a 16 year old son and hubby, I can't always eat the exact way every day. I know on the plan that the doctor had me on, it was about 600 to 800 calories a day with most of that coming from protein. I lost about a half pound to a pound a day. Unfortunately, after I had my tubes tied about two years ago, the weight came back on with a vengence. Anyways, just subscribing and can't wait for my pellets to get here!

Oh, I'm also curious how many calories a day do most of you usually stick to? I would love it if I could stick to as close to the 500 that I could get, but I don't want to beat myself up over having a 600-800 calorie day.
Erin

[privatediva]

Hi Erin and Welcome! I try to stick to the 500 calories, and to be honest, I haven't had any trouble with that at all. I am rogue for the Simeonites, but not for my Dr's plan, which includes more food choices and doesn't discourage mixing vegetables or using cosmetics. I think you are totally right, btw...beating yourself up over having a 6-800 calorie day would be really silly! Glad to make your acquaintance and I look forward to your posts!

[dazygyrl]

Originally Posted by CherylB

Well, it is a pregnancy hormone so maybe that is just the way it affects you. I hope it goes away soon! I'm sure it will. In the meantime, guard those mammaries!

Mini, WTG on the 118! The start of more good things to come, I'm sure.

Yeah, kinda cool to know it's doing something. It's not my stomach as in upset stomach. It's my tummy fluff the is tender....weird...I'll choose to think it's the hcg getting ready to release all that fluff, right?

[dazygyrl]

Just to clarify..dh wants to do the shortest round. So that would be 2 loading days, 21 vlcd days. Does he stop dosing on day 21 and then move to p3 after 2 vcld w/o hcg?

[privatediva]

Cheryl, I'm sorry about the sleeping problems! I hate that. Hope you sleep like a wee babe tonight!