P2 Simeons Protocol Month of January

[jabbok]

Originally Posted by dooy

Down another 1.4lbs this morning! I'm at 168.4 from 173 in day 6! Now I hope I can get this lack of sleep thing under control. Gonna try the melatonin tonight and see what happens.

Fivenine, you can do this! You can!

Have a great day, everybody!

Another lady said she if she took her hcg after 7pm she was up all night so you may want to take you last dose earlier.

congrats on the loss.

[lemonmama]

It's interesting to me that so many of you are struggling with lack of sleep on protocol. I think I sleep better on HCG...just goes to show how all of our bodies are so different.

However, I used to really struggle with sleep issues, waking up with panic attacks etc., until I started taking Natural Calm (natural magnesium powder) every night. I adore the stuff and recommend it to everyone I know!

It's VLCD 2 for me today, and I saw the scale drop four pounds today! I only gained 1 pound with my load, so it is good to see the scale go down so much. That makes me about 5 pounds away from the weight I seemed to stabilize at pretty easily, but 15 away from my lowest LDW (from last fall), which I really want to reach again!

Hope everyone has a good day!

[buttah]

Yup, on protocol I'm up by about 6pm. In bed by 10, if not earlier. And my husband says I'm sleeping restlessly.

Off protocol, I can sleep until 8am if allowed! And I stay up till midnight.

The hardest thing about waking up early is all the hours before lunch, although I typically have a bit of my protein and fruit between wake-up and lunch. (I was told to think of my protocol food as a big platter I can draw from whenever needed - as long as I don't eat two fruits or breads together - and never to let the hunger get too far ahead of me.) Then I can make it to 11:30 and 5:30 for my meals.

[moonriver]

STS 2nd day in row. Typical for me. I should see a drop tommarrow. Raining here. Got to go out for my annual eye exam and then go do payroll. Then LUNCH!!! I mean, lunch.

[fiveninepointfive]

Originally Posted by lemonmama

I'm jumping in here...VLCD 1. So happy to start FRESH right now! Feeling good today and drinking a TON of tea.



Oh I'm so not looking forward to being cold again. That is the strangest part about P2. I just try to focus on it somehow meaning my body is burning fat and then I bury myself under 17 blankets! Good job on the 1 lb. down....only 3 to go?!? I can't wait to be there myself.

I recently bought a heated blanket. It is massive. It has two zones. I am not messing around!

[mommy2]

Originally Posted by fiveninepointfive

I recently bought a heated blanket. It is massive. It has two zones. I am not messing around!

omg i need one of these! my husband thinks im crazy that the house is 70 degrees and im in a sweatshirt, sweatpants and socks like its freezing.....

[Jeanyyy]

Down 0.7 lbs today, for a total of 7.6 my first week back on P2. Yayyy!!

[Shrinking]

Down 1.4!!!! Yay!! Now off to work

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by dooy

Down another 1.4lbs this morning! I'm at 168.4 from 173 in day 6! Now I hope I can get this lack of sleep thing under control. Gonna try the melatonin tonight and see what happens.

Fivenine, you can do this! You can!

Have a great day, everybody!

Here is the response from my friend:

"Dawn, if I took hcg any later than 7 pm, I was up all night. I took the drops around 9 am, 2 pm, and then 7 pm for the most part, and that worked well. I still was up very early in the morning but at least I could get to sleep at a decent hour."

So she still saw sleep as a problem. Sorry

[Clothilde]

Originally Posted by fiveninepointfive

Thanks, Cloth. It is the isolated social situations that I dread on P2/P3. I know I'll be okay with staying on Protocol. I just don't want to come off as a person with an eating disorder or a hypochondriac with the food sensitivies. But I think that is what your 40s are all about, right? Not giving a care to what others might think of you.

I had to laugh - at first I thought you were saying your 40s are all about having an eating disorder or being a hypochondriac! LOL! But, yeah, you're right. It's all about telling people that if they don't like something about you, then it's THEIR problem!

Originally Posted by dooy

Down another 1.4lbs this morning! I'm at 168.4 from 173 in day 6! Now I hope I can get this lack of sleep thing under control. Gonna try the melatonin tonight and see what happens.

Originally Posted by lemonmama

It's VLCD 2 for me today, and I saw the scale drop four pounds today! I only gained 1 pound with my load, so it is good to see the scale go down so much. That makes me about 5 pounds away from the weight I seemed to stabilize at pretty easily, but 15 away from my lowest LDW (from last fall), which I really want to reach again

Originally Posted by Jeanyyy

Down 0.7 lbs today, for a total of 7.6 my first week back on P2. Yayyy!!

Originally Posted by Shrinking

Down 1.4!!!! Yay!! Now off to work

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!!!

Originally Posted by buttah

The hardest thing about waking up early is all the hours before lunch, although I typically have a bit of my protein and fruit between wake-up and lunch. (I was told to think of my protocol food as a big platter I can draw from whenever needed - as long as I don't eat two fruits or breads together - and never to let the hunger get too far ahead of me.) Then I can make it to 11:30 and 5:30 for my meals.

This is a good way to think about it.

Originally Posted by moonriver

STS 2nd day in row. Typical for me. I should see a drop tommarrow. Raining here. Got to go out for my annual eye exam and then go do payroll. Then LUNCH!!! I mean, lunch.

I love your "LUNCH!!!" I do that too, sometimes. Don't worry about your STS, though. It WILL resolve itself. Your system knows best, and it is taking care of things. [Paul Revere on hCG] The whoosh is coming! The whoosh is coming! [/Paul Revere on hCG]

Originally Posted by mommy2

omg i need one of these! my husband thinks im crazy that the house is 70 degrees and im in a sweatshirt, sweatpants and socks like its freezing.....

Here's me at 65 degrees in the house: longs johns, both tops and bottoms, three heavy t-shirts, a heavy oversize sweatshirt, sweatpants, and heavy socks. Occasionally I pull up the collar of the sweatshirt over my head and tuck my face down inside the sweatshirt where it's "warm," lol. It's supposed to be in the 70s here over the next couple of days (no wonder everybody stays sick here!) so maybe I'll be able to at least lose the long johns!

[Clothilde]

I'm down 2.6 this morning, so my blip up yesterday resolved itself. Got another busy "running, running, running, OMGosh-can't-get-anything-done" day again today at work, but I'll do my best not to let the stress get to me.

[dawnyama]

CLoth--you too? We are supposed to be in the 60s today and by Fri will be 70. WooHoo!!! I used to hate doing P2 in Jan, but this year it is not so bad. I got a heated throw for Christmas (I asked for it). They used to be called electric blankets, but now just heated. Anyhow, my DH is hotnatured and I am very cold natured. My throw stays in the living room for while we are watching tv and when I go to bed, I have 3 blankets on top of my flannel pjs. I am soooo cold normally, on P2 even more so. Looking forward to some heat!!!!

[mommy2]

it is 32 degrees in CT and that is considered pretty decent for this time of year...last week it was in the teens! I am at work with my heater blowing in my face.

[buttah]

I HAVE GOT TO STOP WEIGHING TOO EARLY. CORRECTION:

pre-load weight - 155ish (didn't have my scale)
12/17 - VLCD1 155.9 (gained .9 from load)
12/18 - VLCD2 154 (lost 1.9 total, -1 lb from pre-load)
12/19 - VLCD3 152.5 -1.5 (down 2.5 from pre-load)
12/20 - VLCD4 151.9 -.6 (down 3.1 lb from pre-load)
12/21 - VLCD5 152.5 +.5
12/22 - VLCD6 151.1 -1.4 (better!)
12/23 - VLCD7 150.6 -.5 (down 5.3 from pre-load)
12/24 - VLCD8 150.9 +.3
12/25 - VLCD9 150.7 -.2
12/26 - VLCD10 149.9 -.8
12/27 - VLCD11 149.1 -.8 (down about 5.9 from pre-load)
12/28 - VLCD12 148.5 -.6 (-6.5 from pre-load, but I think pre-load was more like 155.5!)
12/29 - VLCD13 147.5 -1.0 (corrected from earlier weigh in)
12/30 - VLCD14 148 +.5
12/31 - VLCD15 146.6 -1.4
1/1 - VLCD16 STS
1/2 - VLCD17 STS
1/3 - VLCD18 146.1 -.4
1/4 - VLCD19 STS
1/5 - VLCD20 145.6 -.5 and a whoopdee BFD doo.!
1/6 - VLCD21 145.8 (meh - calling that STS)
1/7 - VLCD22 145.5 TOM!
1/8 - VLCD23 144.6 -.9
1/9 - VLCD24 144.0 -.6

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by dooy

I'm hoping for more responses here on this question of weird dreams and frequent wakening before I tweak my drop schedule. Feeling a bit groggy today without sleep.

Generally speaking, this happens because of the impact to the adrenals from the fasting that the hCG protocol calls for. Essentially what is going on is that the 500 calorie diet stresses your body and your body uses up its normal store of cortisol. After that, two things can happen. If your adrenals are in GOOD shape, the body makes more cortisol which can cause you to feel "amped up" later in the day and can cause restless sleep. This is where Melatonin can be useful as it is a cortisol reducer. If your adrenals are in BAD shape, the body usually can't keep up with the new cortisol requirements so the adrenals produce adrenaline to handle the stress--which obviously can also cause sleeplessness or disturbed sleep. In this case, Melatonin is actually BAD to take because you don't want to reduce your cortisol further. How to tell whether you have good or bad adrenals? I would say try the melatonin. If it helps, then you should be good to go. If after a couple of days, it doesn't help, then let's talk more. In either case, epsom salt baths (magnesium) and extra oral magnesium supplements at night will be beneficial.

Originally Posted by dooy

Thanks, Pandora! I'm wondering how many drops people take? How do I find the right amount/timing for myself? I guess I need to just watch and play around with this a while. I am taking 20 drops 4 x per day: 8am, noonish, 5ish and then 8pm.

I read this as 20x4 or 80 drops per day! Total of 20 per day though, right? I actually took 12 drops 3x per day and that worked great for me until my last round when I needed to decrease it to 8-10. I don't think playing around with your drop dosage will help the insomnia though (see above).

Originally Posted by Jeanyyy

ONEDERLAND!!! 199.8 !! Wheeeee!! R2P2D6 6.9 lbs to date!

WELCOME TO ONEDERLAND!!!!!

Originally Posted by buttah

1/8 - VLCD23 144.6 -.9

Whoopwhoop! Just keep this in mind! You GOT this!

Originally Posted by Crazy PreK Teacher

I am 169.0 this morning, so down -1 lb. more...3 more to go

New decade! Go Angela, GO!

Originally Posted by lemonmama

Oh I'm so not looking forward to being cold again. That is the strangest part about P2. I just try to focus on it somehow meaning my body is burning fat and then I bury myself under 17 blankets! Good job on the 1 lb. down....only 3 to go?!? I can't wait to be there myself.

Yes and there is an explanation around here somewhere for this. I'll see if I can dig it up from and old post. It has something to do with energy being diverted to core functions. Sometimes my brain really feels 45...

Originally Posted by livnonahill

Does anybody know if an occassional Virgil's cream soda would be acceptable during P2? I'm listing the ingredients below and I don't see anything that throws a red flag.

INGREDIENTS: Purified carbonated water, GMO- free caramel color, stevia rebaudiana leaf extract, vanilla extract, natural flavors, citric acid, spices.
No Preservatives, No Caffeine And No Artificial Anything!
Gluten Free

Should be ok, at least occasionally. I think rebaudiana leaf extract is a natural sweetener related to stevia??? Maybe it IS stevia?

Originally Posted by dawnyama

I eat it all the time on P2. I seem to not have any kinds of issues with whatever brand I use. Maybe I am just lucky, or is it that I don't eat a veggie with it when I have the cottage cheese Just seem to have a hard time figuring out a veggie to have with my cottage cheese and fruit so I leave it out.

I like a savory cottage cheese with seasoned salt and lots of black pepper, maybe a little salsa. Mushed up or processed in a food processor, it's very similar in texture to ricotta cheese or sour cream. I then use it as a "dip" for celery, cucumber slices, or, my favorite, endive leaves (they are the perfect little scoops!). I know that Dawn isn't a fan of the veggies in general, though!


Everyone else, KUTGreatW!!!!! You are all doing awesome!!!

[dooy]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

I really think the lack of sleep won't go away til you are done with the hcg. The hcg does work with hormones and that won't shift/change up til you are done manipulating the hormones via hcg. Sorry but it is what it is. I know when I first started the protocol a few years ago, I would get much less sleep than normal and hated it, but didn't feel the worse for it. I mean wake up at 5AM and not get back to sleep. Normal wake up time for me was 7AM so I was quite irritated, but couldn't be helped. Another answer I got from a friend doing protocol right now is that she has weird dreams while on hcg too. They don't stop til she stops the hcg. Sorry I think the results of the protocol are all worth it though. Losing 15 lbs in 21 days is way worth it

Thanks, Dawn! I agree that the weight loss will be worth it in the long run! I am Thanks for getting back to me with your friend's experience, too!

[dooy]

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Generally speaking, this happens because of the impact to the adrenals from the fasting that the hCG protocol calls for. Essentially what is going on is that the 500 calorie diet stresses your body and your body uses up its normal store of cortisol. After that, two things can happen. If your adrenals are in GOOD shape, the body makes more cortisol which can cause you to feel "amped up" later in the day and can cause restless sleep. This is where Melatonin can be useful as it is a cortisol reducer. If your adrenals are in BAD shape, the body usually can't keep up with the new cortisol requirements so the adrenals produce adrenaline to handle the stress--which obviously can also cause sleeplessness or disturbed sleep. In this case, Melatonin is actually BAD to take because you don't want to reduce your cortisol further. How to tell whether you have good or bad adrenals? I would say try the melatonin. If it helps, then you should be good to go. If after a couple of days, it doesn't help, then let's talk more. In either case, epsom salt baths (magnesium) and extra oral magnesium supplements at night will be beneficial.

I read this as 20x4 or 80 drops per day! Total of 20 per day though, right? I actually took 12 drops 3x per day and that worked great for me until my last round when I needed to decrease it to 8-10. I don't think playing around with your drop dosage will help the insomnia though (see above).

Thanks so much for this detailed response, Shelby! It really helped me to understand. I am also going to download the Woodall book later on today as I just finished reading that very long thread on her work and watched some YouTubes. I really need to get my head wrapped around the science of this if it is truly going to be a way of life and not another quick fix. Interestingly, I have lots of energy now! Not tired at all and not "wired" where I feel like I'm on an adrenal rush...just alert and able to focus.

I am reading a lot about Nature's Calm and think I will try that before the melatonin. One thing I have not shared here and just realized could be impacting my sleep is that I am also on estrodial and progesterone! I have been decreasing my estrogen for the past 4 weeks so perhaps the addition of the hcg is stirring things up.

All in all, I'm thrilled! My DH is down 7lbs, too since we're doing this together!

[dawnyama]

I use Natural Calm at night while on P2. Maybe that is why I don't get any uninterrupted sleep at night any longer? Like I posted earlier, I did have issues in my first round. But this round, no sleep issues.

dooy--I said it all comes down to hormones. And the hcg sure interferes with them.

[buttah]

Originally Posted by dooy

I am also going to download the Woodall book later on today as I just finished reading that very long thread on her work and watched some YouTubes. I really need to get my head wrapped around the science of this if it is truly going to be a way of life and not another quick fix.

Bingo!!!!! I truly believe this is where most people fail, even after losing on HCG.

[buttah]

Originally Posted by dooy

I am also going to download the Woodall book later on today as I just finished reading that very long thread on her work and watched some YouTubes. I really need to get my head wrapped around the science of this if it is truly going to be a way of life and not another quick fix.

Bingo!!!!! I truly believe this is where most people fail, even after losing on HCG.

FYI, I have had several conversations with her, and I've posted about them... unfortunately not all in one place.

[shelbyla]

FOUND IT! Jeesh! I am going to re-post this in the short form. It comes up so often and it always takes FOREVER to search for it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a different explanation that is perhaps more pertinent to hhCG...

Fasting increases the blood flow to your body fat. So when you are fasting, more blood is traveling to your body fat, to help move it to your muscles where it can be burned as a fuel. Due to this increased travel to your body fat, micro-vasodilation occurs. It is called adipose tissue blood flow--blood flow is diverted to fat cells and the rest of the body, slightly deprived of normal blood flow, shivers.

[travelintobin]

Hi everyone! Its R1P2D7 for me down -8lbs ttl. Day3,4,5 stayed same weight. D6 -.8, Day 7-1.0 and got TOM today! So, now I know why I was stalling!

I have been reading all of your posts and I have been having nightmares the last couple of nights. When I started this I was sleeping great but not so much the last 3 nights. I will try melatonin or Natural Calm as some of you have suggested. I am not hungry and have energy. I'm loving this diet.

I did do an epsom salt bath yesterday for about 20 minutes. My heart rate went way up, my face was flush and I was a bit light headed afterwards. I got a headache too that lasted 4-6 hours. I did not take anything for it because I didn't want it to interfere with the HCG....

Feel much better today though.

[buttah]

Another vote for Natural Calm. Keeps me regular and helps me sleep!

[fiveninepointfive]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

CLoth--you too? We are supposed to be in the 60s today and by Fri will be 70. WooHoo!!! I used to hate doing P2 in Jan, but this year it is not so bad. I got a heated throw for Christmas (I asked for it). They used to be called electric blankets, but now just heated. Anyhow, my DH is hotnatured and I am very cold natured. My throw stays in the living room for while we are watching tv and when I go to bed, I have 3 blankets on top of my flannel pjs. I am soooo cold normally, on P2 even more so. Looking forward to some heat!!!!

I noticed the change of name, also. LOL!

[livnonahill]

Down 1.2 this morning Have I mentioned how much I love love love my new scales?

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Should be ok, at least occasionally. I think rebaudiana leaf extract is a natural sweetener related to stevia??? Maybe it IS stevia?


I like a savory cottage cheese with seasoned salt and lots of black pepper, maybe a little salsa. Mushed up or processed in a food processor, it's very similar in texture to ricotta cheese or sour cream. I then use it as a "dip" for celery, cucumber slices, or, my favorite, endive leaves (they are the perfect little scoops!). I know that Dawn isn't a fan of the veggies in general.

The rebaudiana leaf extract is stevia. Turns out the cream soda is ok during P2 AND it was sooooooooo good! It satisfied that sweet tooth I had yesterday perfectly

I like your idea for cottage cheese also. I'm def gonna have to try that soon!! Thanks for sharing!

[Felina]

Hi everyone, I'll be starting another round in about ten days.

I'm up from my lowest of 146. I'm currently 152.5. I'm not complaining though since I know it's the result of several planned and unplanned gluttonous vacations. It was totally worth it and thanks to hcg, I know how to get rid of it.

I'm eating low carb right now and I just can't lose unless my fat percentage is close to 80% or better. It gets a little boring trying to maintain that and occasionally I cave in and have some fruit. I just can't lose any weight when I do that.

I hope I will be able to get into the thirty's next round. I don't like to do a minimal round. I want to do at least 40 days especially since I will probably gain ten lbs loading. Once I'm in the losing mode, I want to keep it going.

Congrats on everyone's losses!! I'm just trying to maintain right now and will join you guys in ten days!!!

[sweetlady2k]

Originally Posted by mommy2

omg i need one of these! my husband thinks im crazy that the house is 70 degrees and im in a sweatshirt, sweatpants and socks like its freezing.....

I had that last round but not this one for some reason? Its working on the hunger. But i am not losing as well as last round either. I lost 2.5 lbs this week ( im on vlcd 13) and a little over 8 lbs total this round. I was alot stricter last time though. I have been averaging 2-3 cheat meals a week this time

[pandora174]

R4P2D5 & down -2.4 to 137.6. At least I can see the 130's again. Taking it one day at a time. It's a very hard round mentally when I am re-losing old weight vs new weight.

[dooy]

Originally Posted by pandora174

R4P2D5 & down -2.4 to 137.6. At least I can see the 130's again. Taking it one day at a time. It's a very hard round mentally when I am re-losing old weight vs new weight.

Hang in there, Pandora! Hugs to you!

I've been kicking myself, too for gaining a ton of weight back but I'm now realizing I need every ounce of positive energy to just stay on plan for the day - heck, even the next meal!! I am going to learn from my past mistakes this time and educate myself on this "body" of mine and what it truly needs versus what my stinkin' thinkin' tells me it wants!

Down .2 this morning. and I will take it graciously and gratefully!

Wishing everyone well today!

[mommy2]

down another 1.4lb on vlcd9....total of 13.8. i am very suprised that i even lost anything. I cheated yesterday, while i was making my kids yummy dinner i had a couple of tastes...and then got so mad at myslef. i guess it wasnt enought to hurt me. yay!