To all of you HCG-ers, I could use some advice...

[2bfitb440]

I want to do everything I can to make these 21 days as effective as possible...

I love this forum and love to read all of your stories and advice.. Could you help me out with some questions?

Do I really need to change up my protein every day? I find it easier to eat the same thing.

Are you guys eating broccoli on P2? It's in the cabbage family, right?

How about seltzer, can I drink it?

Do you think I will lose a little better if I don't eat the fruit and melba toast?

Should I do some light exercise or nothing? Haven't really been exercising for last 6 mos.

I'm having tea twice a day and putting a splash of milk in it. Do you think the milk splash will slow me down?

Thank you!

[debkeversole]

TIPS FOR P2 OF DR. SIMEONS PROTOCOL

[Abby1983]

Hi 2bfit!

If this is your first round i suggest following protocol to a 'T'. I try to do this as much as possible and find i lose best this way. Measure everything (including those splashes of milk) and stick within your limits. I drink milk in my tea as well and have been losing fine (r3p2vlcd4). I usually switch my protein between lunch and dinner. This week ive been having beef and chicken, but yesterday i lost fine doing beef for lunch and dinner. It is okay to cut out the fruit or melba if you want, but i would suggest giving it a week to see how you feel and try to stick to protocol. Broccoli is not protocol but seltzer is a-okay!
If you have been excersizing you can keep it up, but as you havent i would wait until p3.

Hope that helps, and good luck!!

[2bfitb440]

Thanks for the link Deb. I had seen that before and it's a great thread. It must have taken you a lot of time.

Abby, thanks for your response. Well, I'm glad I can have my seltzer - much easier to get my water in that way. I'm a little sad abt the broccoli but I know you are right. Why chance it... You know what's funny? Your original weight is my goal weight - at least my goal for now. I can't imagine being in the 130's! Good for you and congrats on your success!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by 2bfitb440

I want to do everything I can to make these 21 days as effective as possible...

I love this forum and love to read all of your stories and advice.. Could you help me out with some questions?

Do I really need to change up my protein every day? I find it easier to eat the same thing.

Are you guys eating broccoli on P2? It's in the cabbage family, right?

How about seltzer, can I drink it?

Do you think I will lose a little better if I don't eat the fruit and melba toast?

Should I do some light exercise or nothing? Haven't really been exercising for last 6 mos.

I'm having tea twice a day and putting a splash of milk in it. Do you think the milk splash will slow me down?

Thank you!

To make the most of your round, do it to a "T". Just like Abby said

Answers to your questions:

No. Nowhere in protocol does Simeon say to switch up your protein. You can do chicken and tomatoes for every single meal if you wish. Boring is sometimes good and I had great losses do that for a few days too

2. Broccoli is NOT on the list. I would NOT eat it if I were you. Protocol veggies only!!

3. I believe seltzer is fine. It is water, right? I don't drink it so I don't know.

4. You will lose faster by following plan and that means including everything that is on the list. If Dr Simeon's thought you could lose faster, better, more without those foods, he would not have included them. He included them for a reason. The grapefruit helps me to burn fat. I love apples--imagine being low carb for 12+ years and not having fruit to have an apple a day and lose Shocking I know I love my fruit now!! Melba I could do without, I don't find it interesting. But I know Dr S. included it for a reason so I include it. I don't want to be without carbs forever!! And don't want my body to freak out when I start P4 by not having a tiny bit of carbs in P2.

5. As for exercise, you will have to make that call. I was a work out feind before starting P2. I looked forward to P2 and being a slug. My body lost best with adding in a 20 minute stroll every single day. Yes, I walked even when it rained. I took my 3 year old son with me...and he walked, did not want to be in a stroller. I mean I did not power walk. That little bit of movement was just what I needed. Some do best with no formal exercise at all. You will see for yourself what you do well with, but if you have NOT been exercising then do not start.

6. I think if your splashes of milk do not exceed the allowed milk you should be fine. I say start off doing your normal 2 cups and see how hit goes. If you think you can lose faster without that 2nd cup, then you can eliminate it and see how you do. I think you will see you lose no matter if you have 1 or 2 cups a day.

Good luck!!

[shirleychef]

Going to answer each question you asked in bold. Not b/c I'm shouting at you... just because I thought it would be easier to see each response in relation to the question.

Originally Posted by 2bfitb440

I want to do everything I can to make these 21 days as effective as possible...

I love this forum and love to read all of your stories and advice.. Could you help me out with some questions?

Do I really need to change up my protein every day? I find it easier to eat the same thing.

No, Dr. Simeons never said we have to have different proteins each time. Just eat whichever proteins you like. I often have had chicken 2 times in the same day, no biggie!

Are you guys eating broccoli on P2? It's in the cabbage family, right?

Depends are you going to be a Simeons stricty or not. Broccoli is NOT on Simeons list but there are many other clinics out there that use broccoli for the VLCD.

How about seltzer, can I drink it?

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! I make sure to get one WITHOUT sodium so I can drink it freely. We love flavored stevias and make many great soda flavors by combining various ones like: Valencia orange and vanilla cream... tastes like creamsicle soda, chocolate & vanilla cream = chocolate cream soda, root beer and vanilla cream = creamy root beer... etc.

Do you think I will lose a little better if I don't eat the fruit and melba toast?

No.. I personally think it is wisest to include all the food that Dr. S recommends unless you are gluten intolerant... and if so then find an acceptable GF starch. The food list is so small that you need the nutrients from each and I believe folks lose best if they include a little of everything.

Should I do some light exercise or nothing? Haven't really been exercising for last 6 mos.

Dr. Simeons says to continue what you have been doing. So nada = nada. If you chose to add exercise now it will most likely cause muscle soreness and water retention which means you will not lose well.

I'm having tea twice a day and putting a splash of milk in it. Do you think the milk splash will slow me down?

Depends on if you are a stricty or rogue. Splashing would be considered rogue and thus YMMV (your mileage may vary). It might not effect your round and it might not, only you will know.

Thank you!

Have a WONDERFUL round!!

Blessings,
Shirley -- Phase 3 -- Total hcg loss: 88.8 pounds in 3 rounds totaling 145 VLCD days!

[2bfitb440]

Dawn and Shirley, thanks for taking the time to share your wisdom!

Dawn... Yeah, it's kind of crazy after low carbing for so long to think eating fruit is a good thing! BUT, I am trying to wrap my brain around this and follow the plan to a "t" since looking at the stats of many around here, it clearly works. I'm also gonna just do a leisurly stroll instead of anything tougher. It's just such a different way of thinking.

Shirley, I LOVE your flavored soda ideas! Thanks for sharing. And I hear you about the exercise... I won't do it... just a lazy stroll.

It's funny how I let myself gain the weight back slowly over time (that I had taken off Atkins style) but now I've got to lose it all at warp speed. I've got to find a little patience, and thank goodness we are on the fast track anyway.

[shirleychef]

You are very welcome. You can rest assured that the more strictly you follow the protocol the best your results will be. Any modifications tend to be different from person to person. So being a stricty will allow the highest level of success... though it is a tough path.. it IS worth it. :-)

My kids and hubby are always coming up with new stevia combinations for the "soda". My favorite flavored stevias are by sweetleaf. I just google for them to find the best prices online. I find they are the most expensive if I buy them at health food stores, unless they are on sale.

You'll get down again.. you KNOW that he VLCD works and works FAST!!! See... you're already back into "onederland"!! WTG!!

Sometimes we can be our worst enemy because we know what our food balance SHOULD be, yet we refuse to eat within that balance. We have to re-train our brain and emotions so that we are content with a good food balance. :-)

Blessings,
Shirley -- Phase 3 -- Total hcg loss: 88.8 pounds in 3 rounds totaling 145 VLCD days!

[shelbyla]

Shirley - just a question for you... I've been looking and looking for a reference indicating Dr. S said no exercise other than what is done normally and I can't find it anywhere in the manuscript. There are a couple of references to exercise in P&I, including one about the body retaining water after unusual exercise, but as far as I can tell, there isn't a prohibition against it, even "new" exercise. Can you point me to where you've seen this? Not saying it isn't there--just that I can't find it. Thanks!

[shirleychef]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Shirley - just a question for you... I've been looking and looking for a reference indicating Dr. S said no exercise other than what is done normally and I can't find it anywhere in the manuscript. There are a couple of references to exercise in P&I, including one about the body retaining water after unusual exercise, but as far as I can tell, there isn't a prohibition against it, even "new" exercise. Can you point me to where you've seen this? Not saying it isn't there--just that I can't find it. Thanks!

Been reading it over and over... thought I saw somewhere in there where he discusses this... still trying to find it. I know he does discuss sunburn, the common cold, and exercise as causing gains due to water retention. I thought there was another section where he discusses maintaining "normal" exercise. He didn't state NOT to exercise but also didn't encourage new exercise.... BUT perhaps that is simply my own conclusion after reading this section:

"We encourage swimming and sun bathing during treatment, but it should be remembered that a severe sunburn always produces a temporary rise in weight, evidently due to water retention. The same may be seen when a patient gets a common cold during treatment. Finally, the weight can temporarily increase - paradoxical though this may sound - after an exceptional physical exertion of long duration leading to a feeling of exhaustion. A game of tennis, a vigorous swim, a run, a ride on horseback or a round of golf do not have this effect; but a long trek, a day of skiing, rowing or cycling or dancing into the small hours usually result in a gain of weight on the following day, unless the patient is in perfect training. In patients coming from abroad, where they always use their cars, we often see this effect after a strenuous day of shopping on foot, sightseeing and visits to galleries and museums. Though the extra muscular effort involved does consume some additional Calories, this appears to be offset by the retention of water which the tired circulation cannot at once eliminate."

I admit to reading the protocol many times over the past year and STILL not fully remembering everything, so my conclusion is probably just that... mine, sorry to mislead anyone. But I do think that adding in exercise will cause gains based on the passage above, which is probably why I've always encouraged folks to do what they already have been doing or they can plan on possible gains/stalls.

Blessings,
Shirley -- Phase 3 -- Total hcg loss: 88.8 pounds in 3 rounds totaling 145 VLCD days!

[shelbyla]

Yeah, this is what I found too. And don't worry--you're not the only one! I can't tell you how many times I've given out this EXACT advice! It was only when my bf attempted to try the protocol that I looked and couldn't find anything specific in P&I. I think it's just such a common belief that it's become gospel, so to speak. I was just hoping that you knew something I didn't!

[shirleychef]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Yeah, this is what I found too. And don't worry--you're not the only one! I can't tell you how many times I've given out this EXACT advice! It was only when my bf attempted to try the protocol that I looked and couldn't find anything specific in P&I. I think it's just such a common belief that it's become gospel, so to speak. I was just hoping that you knew something I didn't!

Shelby... isn't there another section where he talks about exercise and endurance??? I cannot find it?? I know there is the section about muscle fatigue... but those who already have an exercise routine and continue it through phase 2 don't get this muscle fatigue... according to Dr. S. Do you know of another section... I thought it was mixed up in the diet section.... I thought somewhere he talked about not being able to maintain the same level of a work out???

Two heads are ALWAYS better than one!

Blessings,
Shirley -- Phase 3 -- Total hcg loss: 88.8 pounds in 3 rounds totaling 145 VLCD days!

[2bfitb440]

Originally Posted by shirleychef

Shelby... isn't there another section where he talks about exercise and endurance??? I cannot find it?? I know there is the section about muscle fatigue... but those who already have an exercise routine and continue it through phase 2 don't get this muscle fatigue... according to Dr. S. Do you know of another section... I thought it was mixed up in the diet section.... I thought somewhere he talked about not being able to maintain the same level of a work out???

Two heads are ALWAYS better than one!

Blessings,
Shirley -- Phase 3 -- Total hcg loss: 88.8 pounds in 3 rounds totaling 145 VLCD days!

I remember reading exactly what you are saying about if you already exercise it's ok but otherwise don't. It must not have been in the book but on the boards. UGH

[shelbyla]

This is the only other passage that I found...

Muscle Fatigue
"Towards the end of a full course, when a good deal of fat has been rapidly lost, some patients complain that lifting a weight or climbing stairs requires a greater muscular effort than before. They feel neither breathlessness nor exhaustion but simply that their muscles have to work harder. This phenomenon, which disappears soon after the end of the treatment, is caused by the removal of abnormal fat deposited between, in, and around the muscles. The removal of this fat makes the muscles too long, and so in order to achieve a certain skeletal movement - say the bending of an arm - the muscles have to perform greater contraction than before. Within a short while the muscle adjusts itself perfectly to the new situation, but under HCG the loss of fat is so rapid that this adjustment cannot keep up with it. Patients often have to be reassured that this
does not mean that they are “getting weak”. This phenomenon does not occur in patients who regularly take vigorous exercise and continue to do so during treatment."

[shelbyla]

I guess 47,024 heads (the number of people on the board right now!) can become a collective brain...