Looking for Buddies P2

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by keepingcupsfull

I tried the shake with spinach and strawberries not sure I made it right as it didn't taste so good. I used fresh berries not frozen could that be why?

I know this is old, but I have made this shake with all fresh and then again with all frozen strawberries and it makes no difference in taste. I DO find that I have to add 3 packets of sweetener to my shake though. Then it is 'just right'. Maybe try that if you are so inclined to try it again.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by Mommytwingirls

I have a question. Have any of you found that if you leave off a fruit or the melba that your weight losses are larger each day? I have a coworker who lost 1 lb today after several days of low losses (.4, .5) I asked her if she did anything different and she said she didnt eat her dinner fruit or her dinner melba last night. Could that be what it was? Or do you think it was just her body and due time?

When I skip a fruit or a melba I do NOT lose any better. So I am guessing it was just her time. But we are all different. We all have different tolerances. I will lose fine eating tomatoes and chicken while a friend cannot eat chicken on plan. We are going to lose with different foods at different rates--cannot change that

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by LoriSax

He did not tell me there was no hcg in them, someone on here told me.
Lori

That was me Glad to hear you are losing with those drops!!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by prairierosetwo

I need some advise. I was on the hhcg for a few days with a good weight loss. I took a three-day trip to take care of my grandma. To make a long story short, I became very stressed and stopped taking the hhcg and just ate what I wanted. Today I'm home. I'm back on the drops and vlcd. I know I will pay for this. Here are my two questions:

1. How much do I screw my my system by doing this?

2. How do you deal with extremely stressful situations without running to food for comfort?

Sweetie, I am so sorry. I hope she is doing well I wish I could tell you how to deal with #2. I have those issues myself and continue to do so. Let me tell you when I was on P2 last year at this time and my 10 year old was in the hospital just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes--threw me for a loop. Talk about off plan eating and stress. They blamed me for her getting it--do not ever tell a mom that you gave your child a condition they will deal with for every single day the rest of their life I was in a sorry state and still feel badly. She is doing really well, but the stress was enough to break me. Fortunately I didn't gain EVERYTHING back that I had lost on hcg. Next week my DH's aunt is having a procedure done. Hopefully it will be no big deal, but with my DH they always think the worst. He is thinking bladder cancer I am not thinking that way. But if she ends up in the hospital......I just don't know what I will do.

Anyway, I can help with #1. I just did this. I took the weekend off. It was my son's birthday and we had some restaurant eating planned. I didn't want to waste my drops (they are precious as they actually contain hcg!!!) and I didn't want to gain enormous amounts of weight (think of loading) so I took a break. I started the drops back on Monday and counted that as my VLCD#1. So basically I am doing this round over, but it is OK. I know it will come off. Good luck to you!!!

[Abby1983]

Originally Posted by prairierosetwo

I did what you suggested and am back on track.

I'm also making it a routine to come here first thing in the morning and last thing in the day to help me stay on track. I'll be out of town this weekend, staying at a hotel. I'm already planning ahead. Thanks, Abby, for your help!

Im so glad that you are doing better!

[prairierosetwo]

Dawn - I wish I could remember the VERY FIRST time I turned to food for comfort and a stress reliever. (I didn't start until sometime in my late 30s.) I wish I could find that key that would open that lock and let me out of such a destructive habit. If I don't, I'm afraid that I will gain the weight back. These sad and stressful situations are common to all of us it's just that some deal with them in a healthier way. I'm 49 and I want to feel and BE better in my 50s than I was in my 40s. I'm so sorry for your little one and your husband's aunt. My DH was just diagnosed with cancer too.

[yellowhair11]

Lost the .6 i gained yesterday. I am getting tired of cabbage, i have been mixing it with my fish, chciken, etc. What do you do with the spinach for a stir fry type meal. Fresh / Frozen - how do you cook it and season - i know someone mentioned cottage cheese but i hate it.
Tues.
L: chicken breast, cucumber, grapefruit.
D: cabbage and shrimp

[IThinkICan]

Originally Posted by yellowhair11

Lost the .6 i gained yesterday. I am getting tired of cabbage, i have been mixing it with my fish, chciken, etc. What do you do with the spinach for a stir fry type meal. Fresh / Frozen - how do you cook it and season - i know someone mentioned cottage cheese but i hate it.
Tues.
L: chicken breast, cucumber, grapefruit.
D: cabbage and shrimp

I don't know about stir-fry, but I do just cook up frozen chopped spinach either stovetop or in the microwave. I usually season it with salt and onion powder - great by itself or with ground beef mixed in. I also tried garlic powder and salt for a slight variation and enjoyed that as well. You could also try some asparagus for a change just to get out of that cabbage rut.

Hope you find some new foods to enjoy. Stay focused. We all have our little plateaus and slight spikes here and there. Your weight will probably be down tomorrow.



I'm down .4 today... So my last three days were .6, .5, .4... I hope the pattern doesn't continue downward! But I'd love to keep up with the .5 average!

[Jilley]

Good Morning Ladies...Down .2 this morning.....
Yellowhair---I had a few gain days like that also but then followed with losses. Must be how the chemistry of this diet works for some. Glad to see it wasnt just me!!! Does everyone follow the no make up and no lotion protocol? I still use it but lightly. Have a great day and may the losses keep going for everyone!! Keep up the great work!

[Jilley]

Reading over some of the posts....how do you know if you have (real) hcg or not?

[Denise78]

Good morning!

YH, I use canned spinach (or frozen) and cook it on the stovetop and season with salt/pepper and a little garlic. I sometimes add boneless chicken and chicken broth and make a soup out of it. It's also good added to your one whole egg and 3 egg whites to make a scrambled egg dish on the stovetop or put in small baking dish in oven and make a spinach-egg bake. Just be sure to squeeze the extra moisture out of the spinach if you are using canned or frozen in your eggs.

For fresh spinach, I tend to use that more like a salad and add boneless chicken and sometimes even fresh strawberries. Add some Stevia to your vinegar to make a sweet dressing. That is good too!

I second the asparagus. You can make a chicken and asparagus stir-fry and that is very filling and easy to take to work with you.

I am still plugging along but with my son home on spring break, it's just too hard for me to stick to P2. He goes back to college on Friday, so I will be starting fresh on Saturday.

[Denise78]

Originally Posted by Jilley

Reading over some of the posts....how do you know if you have (real) hcg or not?

Read the ingredients on your bottle. I use Intermountain drops and the first ingredient is hcg. It also will say something about fat metabolizers in potencies of 6x, 12x, 30x, 60x, etc.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by prairierosetwo

Dawn - I wish I could remember the VERY FIRST time I turned to food for comfort and a stress reliever. (I didn't start until sometime in my late 30s.) I wish I could find that key that would open that lock and let me out of such a destructive habit. If I don't, I'm afraid that I will gain the weight back. These sad and stressful situations are common to all of us it's just that some deal with them in a healthier way. I'm 49 and I want to feel and BE better in my 50s than I was in my 40s. I'm so sorry for your little one and your husband's aunt. My DH was just diagnosed with cancer too.

My stepfather died last summer after his long 5+year battle with colon cancer. It has been a rough and stressful-beyond-words year and a half. My husband was going to walk out the door the week of 9/11 (yes my brother died in the WTC on 9/11 in the attacks and it was THE 10th anniversary last year) and leave me to raise our 4 kids. He was willing to just walk away......talk about stress we have been under some heavy dark clouds of doom. I think we have made it through. At least I can hope we have. My youngest is only 6 years old and we have a lot of living left to do! I wish you peace during this stressful time. I know my mom gained weight from the stress of dealing with her DH's cancer. It was not an easy time at all

[prairierosetwo]

Good Grief, Dawn! You've had more than your share. I guess that puts my problems in perspective.

[prairierosetwo]

Jilly - I use the same make up and lotion. I figured I would troubleshoot those if I discontinued weight loss.

[Jilley]

Thanks Denise .....yes my bottle says that..I use the Universal HCG which is affiliated with Intermountain. Ya I figured the same for the lotion and make up Prairier. Thanks Ladies!! I hope everyone is having a good week!! See you in the morning!!!

[yellowhair11]

Thank you for the spinach tips - on the way home from work i stopped and bought a couple of frozen boxes. I had a serving for dinner and it was ok and not cabbage I stopped makeup when i started this, i dont know if it helps or not-also my skincare routine. Maybe someone who has been more experience tested that I just dont want anything to hold me up if possible. I sort of pretend in my mind like i just started-helps me get thru the day-i don't think about how many days are left before i can start new foods. It has made me think about the tremendous amount of crap i was eating in front of the tube till i was a stuffed and could hardly get out of bed. I have a major stressful life but i can't use that as an excuse anymore or i would be 700 pounds. I also say why cant i just eat what i want at this stage in my life, whats the point, and who cares anyway...that one is harder to answer.
Wed
Lunch: P2 chile, plum
Dinner: Cod, spinach, orange
I am down 1 pound.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by yellowhair11

Thank you for the spinach tips - on the way home from work i stopped and bought a couple of frozen boxes. I had a serving for dinner and it was ok and not cabbage I stopped makeup when i started this, i dont know if it helps or not-also my skincare routine. Maybe someone who has been more experience tested that I just dont want anything to hold me up if possible. I sort of pretend in my mind like i just started-helps me get thru the day-i don't think about how many days are left before i can start new foods. It has made me think about the tremendous amount of crap i was eating in front of the tube till i was a stuffed and could hardly get out of bed. I have a major stressful life but i can't use that as an excuse anymore or i would be 700 pounds. I also say why cant i just eat what i want at this stage in my life, whats the point, and who cares anyway...that one is harder to answer.
Wed
Lunch: P2 chile, plum
Dinner: Cod, spinach, orange
I am down 1 pound.

I should start getting the frozen spinach. Whenever I buy the fresh, it goes bad in the fridge. It is not my favorite but I try to have it because it is sooo good for you. I am doing just a smidge of my beauty/facial routine this round. I have had good losses so far, but in week 1 I always have good losses. We will see if it continues. I am using a bit of coconut oil on my face--used to slather it on and now I just dab. And I stopped all lotion and even my usual facial soap (coconut oil soap). Don't even use my Wen hair care--it has menthol in it. Nothing like when I am in P3. I cannot wait for my mint toothpaste again!! I know I am on day #4 and am prepared to do this P2 for about 40 days. I have never done a long round before and cannot wait til this ends. But I need to do this and do it right!!! I have gotten to goal with the hcg, but my stressful life has gotten me back up in weight. Fortunately I have been able to catch it before it has gotten to gaining ALL my weight back. That would be awful. I keep trying. What this last year has taught me is that stressful events will never go away--they just keep coming so I better learn to adapt in a new way and not with chocolate. It is the hardest thing in the world, giving up what you like and what gives you comfort. But the alternative is great too. Good luck to us all!!!

[IThinkICan]

You keep getting back on track even after tremendous struggles, Dawn. That's fantastic!


So I had my .6, .5, .4 losses... and today was fortunately not just .3 but .7! Yay! And that puts me right back to my LDW from R4... This is R5. But now I'm prepared to keep going and see some scale numbers that I haven't seen since perhaps high school! Oh, and my jeans are now sliding over my hips without unbuttoning! Good stuff!

[2bfitb440]

I went off plan just for St. Patty's Day. It was planned. Didn't go CRAZY though. I gained 2 lbs which I didn't think was sooooo bad but I'm still up .8. I thought it would have been gone already. Sooo, that will help prevent me from straying again. I day or two of making up is ok but not 5. I'm sure I will have a drop tomorrow though. I must say I do feel like I dropped and clothes are looser. YAY

Congrats to all of those who stayed on plan! You guys inspire me.

[Jilley]

Hi everyone..I hope the scale was nice to everyone today!!!! I lost .4..It's creeping along it seems... This is my 1st round..I'm on day 15....Is it ideal to just do the 21 days or go longer? Also how long do you have to do the p3 for? I thought maybe do the 21 days.. then 2 weeks p3 then start again??????? Any suggestions

[yellowhair11]

Nice to hear the bottoms are looser, i certainly can feel that too ! Hopefully we are losing the inches on the crawl days/no loss days. I stayed the same-zero loss and i was more active than usual - took the dogs on a long walk - i thought surely ill be a pound down today but nope. I have cut out 1 fruit this week and that does not seem to matter either. Jilley- i am doing a long round. Denise and Dawn encouraged me and like they said you can always stop it early. I don't know anything about p3, just concentrating on p2 for now. Glad you mentioned the mouthwash D - i have been using a breath freshener and its mint, never dawned on me My spinach tasted better yesterday-must have been the garlic powder i added
Thurs
Lunch: chicken, cucumber, 1/2/grapefruit
Dinner: spinach and shrimp

[IThinkICan]

Originally Posted by Jilley

Hi everyone..I hope the scale was nice to everyone today!!!! I lost .4..It's creeping along it seems... This is my 1st round..I'm on day 15....Is it ideal to just do the 21 days or go longer? Also how long do you have to do the p3 for? I thought maybe do the 21 days.. then 2 weeks p3 then start again??????? Any suggestions

Jilley - Go as long as you feel you can, as long as it is at least 21 days you are on P2. Sure, you might see a slow down in losses, but not necessarily... though sometimes during times of little to no loss on the scale, the inches are shrinking. So something is bound to happen if you stay on longer. P3 is three weeks. You can add fats during P3 a lot easier than you can add carbs in P4, so just be mindful of that.

Originally Posted by yellowhair11

Nice to hear the bottoms are looser, i certainly can feel that too ! Hopefully we are losing the inches on the crawl days/no loss days. I stayed the same-zero loss and i was more active than usual - took the dogs on a long walk - i thought surely ill be a pound down today but nope. I have cut out 1 fruit this week and that does not seem to matter either. Jilley- i am doing a long round. Denise and Dawn encouraged me and like they said you can always stop it early. I don't know anything about p3, just concentrating on p2 for now. Glad you mentioned the mouthwash D - i have been using a breath freshener and its mint, never dawned on me My spinach tasted better yesterday-must have been the garlic powder i added
Thurs
Lunch: chicken, cucumber, 1/2/grapefruit
Dinner: spinach and shrimp

Congrats on the looser bottoms!
Isn't it amazing how much spinach can improve with just a little powder?


Yesterday I was constantly in the bathroom... But today I'm merely down .2... what on earth?! I was a down a little more than half a pound average per day for the four days prior, so I was due for something less, but still so weird to spend more time in the bathroom than any of those days with negligible results...

[Denise78]

Good morning!

YH, glad you like the spinach. My husband likes to add a splash of vinegar to his.

Once you are done your P2 round (whether it's 21 days or more) you will do 2 days of 500 calories without the hcg (I'm not sure about the injections but it's 2 days with the drops). Then you start P3, which is 3 weeks of no sugars, no starches. Then you do 3 weeks of P4, which is where you gradually add your sugars and starches back in. Then if you need to lose more weight, you can start back on P2. If this is your first round, I recommend doing a full P3 and P4. It's really important. I've taken interruptions before, where I stopped taking hcg for only a couple of weeks and then went right back to P2, but that was not my first round.

My son goes back to college today. I will start back up tomorrow. I have gained, I can feel it, and I am very bloated. I'm actually looking forward to going back to P2!!

[yellowhair11]

I had a day like that too, in the bathroom all day and i thought surely i would be down 1-2 pound ....but nothing Today is a skip injection day and i am soo tired but don't know if that has anything to do with it. I still am wondering why i am not down a bottom size by now..but yes, they are looser. I pray you don't have a horrible gain D.

[prairierosetwo]

I'm very hungry today. I'm eating what I normally do, but I am ravenous. What can I do to take the edge off besides get in my car and drive to the store for a large Hershey's with almonds? Food porn. Sorry. Any suggestions?

[Denise78]

Originally Posted by prairierosetwo

I'm very hungry today. I'm eating what I normally do, but I am ravenous. What can I do to take the edge off besides get in my car and drive to the store for a large Hershey's with almonds? Food porn. Sorry. Any suggestions?

A cup of chicken or beef broth always takes the edge off for me.

[Jilley]

Thanks for the input everyone...down .8 today..yayyyyy.. I guess I will do a longer round then do the full p3 then p4 to ease my body back into things..It does sound like an important part of maitaining in the long run! I truly appreciate all the input and encouragement from you all!!! Prairier.. I just find something to keep me busy to take my mind off it, seems to help. Also if I am having a sweet tooth day I make a smoothie with my fruit which curves the urge!

[IThinkICan]

Originally Posted by Denise78

A cup of chicken or beef broth always takes the edge off for me.

Totally agree! Had some chicken broth myself today for that very reason!

[yellowhair11]

I have low sodium chicken broth on my list now - im trying to avoid salt as much as possible ( place i buy my hcg at said no salt ? ) Not thrilled today- a .2 loss. When i began hcg (this is my first round) i thought i would be losing much faster. Evenings are the worst for me and i go to bed early..take pm's, benadrly, whatever to help-i am not advising this but it is how i am handling it for now. Food, tv,stress - is why i gained for years and years.( or my excuse to gorge). I wanted some jujubees last nite so bad that my jaw was throbbing-is that sick or what. A couple of work nites this week i loaded the dogs up and took them to dog park ( the traffic is horrendous at that time, gas $$, etc ) but once i get there it is relaxing. Then again a bag of cape cods and a box of jujubees(high fructose corn sryup) and a dark chocolate ice cream bar would cost more probably than the gas. What a stupid obssession i have with these items and why do i think about them every day. TV is just not the same anymore - what a nutty thing, a long time habit/association i need to break somehow ! I cant even think how many diets i have been on over time, lose the weight, and then gain it back with this crap thinking ill just have a handful. Thanks for listening.
Fri.
L: P2 chile, grapefruit
D: Cod and cabbage apple