trouble stabilizing

[lagirl]

I've done three rounds of HCG, and I've lost 42 lbs since May last year, and now I'm down to 136. But my last injection weight is 131 and I'm having trouble stablizing this time. I just finished P4 and my weight still jumps up 2-3 lbs with nearly anything I add other than pure low-carb. Hence my current weight of 136.

It's so frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

[Nicole T]

Originally Posted by lagirl

I've done three rounds of HCG, and I've lost 42 lbs since May last year, and now I'm down to 136. But my last injection weight is 131 and I'm having trouble stablizing this time. I just finished P4 and my weight still jumps up 2-3 lbs with nearly anything I add other than pure low-carb. Hence my current weight of 136.

It's so frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

Yep...EVERY time I do P3 I experience that After 6 or 7 rounds and trying to introduce "healthy grains" (oatmeal, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, beans), I have come to the sad realization that I just cannot eat any grains of any kind and I am also really sensitive to white potatoes and corn (as in tortilla chips).

What's the definition of insanity again? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well, that's me! Losing on P2 great and then thinking I can add in grains, only to start gaining slowly but surely and get back to where I was when I started P2!

So this time I am just facing the fact that I have to pretty much eat Paleo for the rest of my life with small splurges here and there with nachos or a half of baked potato but NO grains.

I wish I could give you a better answer but sometimes our bodies are just really clear with us that they won't tolerate a certain food and it's our job to listen.

[Nicole T]

Oh but I did want to add that the ONLY thing I had success with in P3 when it came to stabilizing was following the Leptin Protocol. It's not easy...especially with having to eat a HUGE breakfast within 30 min of waking up but it did work and I actually lost weight doing it!

[Millenia98]

What are you adding that jumps your weight 3-4lbs?

Yes, I experience this. I chalk it up to my body not at ALL being used to this new weight. I weighed between 200-300lbs for my adult life. Now in the last few years (I'm 30 now), my body is not taking kindly to being 150lbs. It feels like it's fighting not to be there, but that's ok. It just means more work. Some of us can't eat normally (full of carbs) and be skinny like the people who have been thin their entire lives. It sucks but if I have a large plate of gnocci, I'm going to pay for it. I can have a few tastes/bites, but that's it. Maybe my body will even out in the next few years.

There is a documentary explaining how obese people who have lost weight to be a normal weight basically have to maintain a significantly lower calorie diet than those who have been thin their entire lives.

[onedimsim]

Originally Posted by Nicole T

Yep...EVERY time I do P3 I experience that After 6 or 7 rounds and trying to introduce "healthy grains" (oatmeal, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, beans), I have come to the sad realization that I just cannot eat any grains of any kind and I am also really sensitive to white potatoes and corn (as in tortilla chips).

ShelbyLA has an interesting take on this....b/c of the lo-carbing (no grains/no potatos) we become hyper-sensitive to carbs....she did the "Potato Hack" to desensitize her body to carbs again post diet....i may try this for final maintenance.....

[Millenia98]

Originally Posted by onedimsim

ShelbyLA has an interesting take on this....b/c of the lo-carbing (no grains/no potatos) we become hyper-sensitive to carbs....she did the "Potato Hack" to desensitize her body to carbs again post diet....i may try this for final maintenance.....

I read about Shelby's potatoe hack. Is this something done just once? Is it something done only on P4?

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

I read about Shelby's potatoe hack. Is this something done just once? Is it something done only on P4?

I am doing the potato hack now No, you don't have to do it only once. Shelby is doing it for the second time right now too. Well, she just finished. And yes, I would NOT attempt this in anything other than P4. P3 you are NOT allowed any starches. Here is the thread on it: A DD Hack Yes, it is long but a lot of good info in there.

[Millenia98]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

I am doing the potato hack now No, you don't have to do it only once. Shelby is doing it for the second time right now too. Well, she just finished. And yes, I would NOT attempt this in anything other than P4. P3 you are NOT allowed any starches. Here is the thread on it: A DD Hack Yes, it is long but a lot of good info in there.

Do you find that it really does help with your carb sensitivity?

[mojocat]

Can I just offer another point of view. A lot of people have had success with the potato hack and I'm carb sensitive and fell into thehack after some of the paleo/perfect health diet followers started to talk about adding in "safe starches"'. It caused a severe hypo attack - I was shaking, lightheaded and dizzy. The next day it had triggered a severe binge, the kind of which I had never encountered which continued until I had to rein it all in with another round of HCG. I would never do it again and if you have had a potato starch problem in the past you may want to proceed slowly or with caution.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

Do you find that it really does help with your carb sensitivity?

No clue. This is my first time doing one. I sure am hoping so No issues or problems as of yet. After eating nothing but taters for 2 days I saw the scale drop 2.4 lbs.

[lagirl]

okay, thanks for the input.

anytime I add any sort of carbs, I gain. I had 20 tortilla chips and gained 2.5 lbs overnight. lost it with a correction day, then tried again next weekend. same result. okay, no tortilla chips. I get it. darnit.

but then have done same with other carbs. I can eat an apple, sometimes, and get away with it okay. but cashews and almonds make me gain, on and on.

it's not a reasonable amount, tho. it's 2-4 lbs in 1-2 days. it's not an actual calories in/fat gained kind of thing. I'm working out a lot, so not sure if that is a positive or negative impact. but I can't see how it would be negative.

I didn't experience this with my first two rounds. I was able to add in a bit here and there and be okay. that said, now that I'm thinking about it, I started my next rounds within 2 weeks of finishing P4 each time, so maybe this is my normal and I didn't give my body a chance to get this far back then. I finished my third round 8 weeks ago.

I had hoped to not need another. Despite weighing 136, my body is smaller and tighter than before. I'm can fit into the same clothes (same ones, literally, I'd saved them!) from when I weighed 117 lbs about 12 years ago! My waist is 27 inches and hips are 36 inches, so I'm wearing size 4. Just still have some fat around my middle and a little on my thighs that I want to get rid of.

I'm trying low-carb now, my old atkins style, and seeing where that gets me. is that similar to paleo? or wait, paleo is no dairy, right? I do fine with dairy. if I eat cheese I don't gain.

Ideally I think I'm within about 8 lbs of my best weight. so close and yet so far!

[Nicole T]

Originally Posted by lagirl

okay, thanks for the input.

anytime I add any sort of carbs, I gain. I had 20 tortilla chips and gained 2.5 lbs overnight. lost it with a correction day, then tried again next weekend. same result. okay, no tortilla chips. I get it. darnit.

but then have done same with other carbs. I can eat an apple, sometimes, and get away with it okay. but cashews and almonds make me gain, on and on.

it's not a reasonable amount, tho. it's 2-4 lbs in 1-2 days. it's not an actual calories in/fat gained kind of thing. I'm working out a lot, so not sure if that is a positive or negative impact. but I can't see how it would be negative.

I didn't experience this with my first two rounds. I was able to add in a bit here and there and be okay. that said, now that I'm thinking about it, I started my next rounds within 2 weeks of finishing P4 each time, so maybe this is my normal and I didn't give my body a chance to get this far back then. I finished my third round 8 weeks ago.

I had hoped to not need another. Despite weighing 136, my body is smaller and tighter than before. I'm can fit into the same clothes (same ones, literally, I'd saved them!) from when I weighed 117 lbs about 12 years ago! My waist is 27 inches and hips are 36 inches, so I'm wearing size 4. Just still have some fat around my middle and a little on my thighs that I want to get rid of.

I'm trying low-carb now, my old atkins style, and seeing where that gets me. is that similar to paleo? or wait, paleo is no dairy, right? I do fine with dairy. if I eat cheese I don't gain.

Ideally I think I'm within about 8 lbs of my best weight. so close and yet so far!

I can only speak for myself (and a few others here who have the same issue) but any time I add in any kind of high intensity exercise, I gain weight or can't lose. The only thing I do that doesn't cause me to gain is brisk walking. I know that my body type is an endomorph and this phenomenon is very common for us endo's.

[lagirl]

interesting. I did jiu jitsu from august until last month, tho, with some high intensity stuff in there, without any problems. did two of my HCG rounds while doing it.

would be weird if exercise was suddenly causing a problem but anything is possible. can't cut that out, tho, or I'd be flabby, so I guess I will deal.

thanks for the input!

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

Do you find that it really does help with your carb sensitivity?

It does for me, for sure! I used to gain 2-5 pounds any time I had a c**ktail or glass of wine or any type of carb, except fruit. Even regular salt was messing with me. I gained 6 pounds from eating salad at Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation once from using their dressing. Jeesh! After my first hack, as long as I don't go off the rails, i.e. REALLY over-do it with a long stretch of eating carbs or drinking or both, I'm ok. I might gain a pound or maybe a little more but I see those fluctuations on a daily basis anyway. I think the last time I went to Mexico and drank beer, ate chips, and all kinds of nonsense for 5 days, I came back 3 pounds up??? Something like that anyway.

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by Nicole T

I can only speak for myself (and a few others here who have the same issue) but any time I add in any kind of high intensity exercise, I gain weight or can't lose. The only thing I do that doesn't cause me to gain is brisk walking. I know that my body type is an endomorph and this phenomenon is very common for us endo's.

Add me to that list too. Weights especially do me in. Gonna try starting a slow burn thing and see how I do later this month...

[lagirl]

I've read a bit about the potato hack here, after it was mentioned. thanks. but I'm still not clear on how long you do it. one day, or longer?

[Millenia98]

Originally Posted by lagirl

I've read a bit about the potato hack here, after it was mentioned. thanks. but I'm still not clear on how long you do it. one day, or longer?

same here. thanks

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by lagirl

I've read a bit about the potato hack here, after it was mentioned. thanks. but I'm still not clear on how long you do it. one day, or longer?

Originally Posted by Millenia98

same here. thanks

I think the minimum recommended is 3 days of only potatoes but some people have gone as long as 40 days. I usually end up with 3-6 days. So far down 9 pounds in the last 7 days.

Btw, weirdly, I get into ketosis right around day 3. Weird metal taste in the mouth and everything.

[garnet10]

Originally Posted by lagirl

I've done three rounds of HCG, and I've lost 42 lbs since May last year, and now I'm down to 136. But my last injection weight is 131 and I'm having trouble stablizing this time. I just finished P4 and my weight still jumps up 2-3 lbs with nearly anything I add other than pure low-carb. Hence my current weight of 136.

It's so frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes! It was after my third round as well. I had been following protocol strictly for all three rounds, stabilized incredibly well after the first and second round, then with the third round I was "the incredbile gaining woman". Nothing that I did worked. Correction days: down 2. Eat the next day: up 3. It was an exercise in futility.

I foolishly stuck to protocol and stuck out P3 and P4 (I was gaining even on P3). If I had to do it over again, I would have gone right back on hcg to "stop the bleeding" and then tried P3/P4 again.

I don't know why this happens; I hope you find some resolution. For me, I now have a plan if this happens again.

[garnet10]

Originally Posted by Nicole T

Yep...EVERY time I do P3 I experience that After 6 or 7 rounds and trying to introduce "healthy grains" (oatmeal, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, beans), I have come to the sad realization that I just cannot eat any grains of any kind and I am also really sensitive to white potatoes and corn (as in tortilla chips).

What's the definition of insanity again? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well, that's me! Losing on P2 great and then thinking I can add in grains, only to start gaining slowly but surely and get back to where I was when I started P2!

So this time I am just facing the fact that I have to pretty much eat Paleo for the rest of my life with small splurges here and there with nachos or a half of baked potato but NO grains.

I wish I could give you a better answer but sometimes our bodies are just really clear with us that they won't tolerate a certain food and it's our job to listen.

Yes, yes, yes! This is me, too.

[garnet10]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

What are you adding that jumps your weight 3-4lbs?

Yes, I experience this. I chalk it up to my body not at ALL being used to this new weight. I weighed between 200-300lbs for my adult life. Now in the last few years (I'm 30 now), my body is not taking kindly to being 150lbs. It feels like it's fighting not to be there, but that's ok. It just means more work. Some of us can't eat normally (full of carbs) and be skinny like the people who have been thin their entire lives. It sucks but if I have a large plate of gnocci, I'm going to pay for it. I can have a few tastes/bites, but that's it. Maybe my body will even out in the next few years.

There is a documentary explaining how obese people who have lost weight to be a normal weight basically have to maintain a significantly lower calorie diet than those who have been thin their entire lives.

What I found interesting, is that when I was eating no starch/no sugar (I hate saying low carb because I ate lots of veggies which are not low in carbohydrates), I was eating a lot of high fat foods, and eating a LOT of calories from fat, and I maintained just fine. For me, it was the addition of flour products that were a problem. (Likely the research assumes people are eating a standard diet which contains grains.)

I read recently something about lectins in wheat that can masquerade in the body as insulin--they mimic the insulin hormone, which aids storage of fat. And because insulin-like activity drops your blood sugar, you become hungrier (just like when you eat starch or sugar). The other problem is, there is no feedback inhibition for these wheat lectins--insulin is regulated by the pancreas, the wheat lectins are not--so they can continue to make your body store fat and make you hungry without being shut off until you stop eating them. (google wheat lectins and weight gain for more information--not sure if I can post the website.)

When I read this, it was an "ah-ha!" moment for me. This information is consistent with my own experience (it may not be for others of course), and helps me realize I can't eat my beloved sandwich daily. (Now I also found that I overate GF sandwiches as well, so for me, grains just cause too much craving for me.)

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by garnet10

Yes! It was after my third round as well. I had been following protocol strictly for all three rounds, stabilized incredibly well after the first and second round, then with the third round I was "the incredbile gaining woman". Nothing that I did worked. Correction days: down 2. Eat the next day: up 3. It was an exercise in futility.

I foolishly stuck to protocol and stuck out P3 and P4 (I was gaining even on P3). If I had to do it over again, I would have gone right back on hcg to "stop the bleeding" and then tried P3/P4 again.

I don't know why this happens; I hope you find some resolution. For me, I now have a plan if this happens again.

Oooh, you have to share now. Not fair if you say you have a plan and then don't share said plan For me, I thought it would be JUDDD. But I have a hard time with restrictions after being on P2 for so long. I just wanna eat!!! So I am having a hard time after doing any type of P2.

Oh, that is unless your plan is to do another P2.

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by garnet10

What I found interesting, is that when I was eating no starch/no sugar (I hate saying low carb because I ate lots of veggies which are not low in carbohydrates), I was eating a lot of high fat foods, and eating a LOT of calories from fat, and I maintained just fine. For me, it was the addition of flour products that were a problem. (Likely the research assumes people are eating a standard diet which contains grains.)

I read recently something about lectins in wheat that can masquerade in the body as insulin--they mimic the insulin hormone, which aids storage of fat. And because insulin-like activity drops your blood sugar, you become hungrier (just like when you eat starch or sugar). The other problem is, there is no feedback inhibition for these wheat lectins--insulin is regulated by the pancreas, the wheat lectins are not--so they can continue to make your body store fat and make you hungry without being shut off until you stop eating them. (google wheat lectins and weight gain for more information--not sure if I can post the website.)

When I read this, it was an "ah-ha!" moment for me. This information is consistent with my own experience (it may not be for others of course), and helps me realize I can't eat my beloved sandwich daily. (Now I also found that I overate GF sandwiches as well, so for me, grains just cause too much craving for me.)

Garnet - this is fascinating to me. Thanks for posting it. I am definitely going to read up on wheat lectins because I seem to have way more trouble with wheat products than with anything else as far as satiety factor, overeating and weight gain. Oh and sugar of course!

[OaklandRaiders15]

I have a ton of food intolerances/allergies so I have to avoid everything or the weight will come back, regardless of the eating plan I'm on. Not only am I losing some fat along this journey, I'm learing about discipline and not giving in to my cravings and laziness. I have not cheated one singal instance and I'm on VLCD15. It's very difficult but worth it.

[OaklandRaiders15]

Ugh, SINGLE!!!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by OaklandRaiders15

I have a ton of food intolerances/allergies so I have to avoid everything or the weight will come back, regardless of the eating plan I'm on. Not only am I losing some fat along this journey, I'm learing about discipline and not giving in to my cravings and laziness. I have not cheated one singal instance and I'm on VLCD15. It's very difficult but worth it.

Yay you I have found that the more rounds I do, the harder they are You have learned a very important lesson early on. You are doing very well

[onedimsim]

Originally Posted by Millenia98

What are you adding that jumps your weight 3-4lbs?

Yes, I experience this. I chalk it up to my body not at ALL being used to this new weight. I weighed between 200-300lbs for my adult life. Now in the last few years (I'm 30 now), my body is not taking kindly to being 150lbs. It feels like it's fighting not to be there, but that's ok. It just means more work. Some of us can't eat normally (full of carbs) and be skinny like the people who have been thin their entire lives. It sucks but if I have a large plate of gnocci, I'm going to pay for it. I can have a few tastes/bites, but that's it. Maybe my body will even out in the next few years.

There is a documentary explaining how obese people who have lost weight to be a normal weight basically have to maintain a significantly lower calorie diet than those who have been thin their entire lives.

ah sheesh.....i have seen those studies...as i once "topped out" at 366 this is what i have to look forward to? I am so hoping my adipose cells figure out how to kill themselves off rather than waiting for fat to refill them....

[garnet10]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

Oooh, you have to share now. Not fair if you say you have a plan and then don't share said plan For me, I thought it would be JUDDD. But I have a hard time with restrictions after being on P2 for so long. I just wanna eat!!! So I am having a hard time after doing any type of P2.

Oh, that is unless your plan is to do another P2.

Oops! Didn't make that clear--My plan for maintenance is to eat no flour/no sugar (except once a week as a treat). I actually ate this way for over a year and maintained at 130. If I even add in a sandwich (2 slices of bread) it sends me down a slippery slope into craving more.

I was trying to lose "my last 10" doing JUDDD--the problem came when I started to add bread in on the UDs (I thought--how bad could it be to just have a sandwich!) It made me gain pretty quickly. I actually put on about 10 pounds "trying JUDDD" because I added in flour products. After I ate bread or pasta, I couldn't stop. I had to learn the hard way what my body just can't tolerate.

If I get exhausted again doing hcg, I would try JUDDD again, but this time no flour/sugar products until I hit maintenance (and then just have them once a week).

Originally Posted by shelbyla

Garnet - this is fascinating to me. Thanks for posting it. I am definitely going to read up on wheat lectins because I seem to have way more trouble with wheat products than with anything else as far as satiety factor, overeating and weight gain. Oh and sugar of course!

Yes, I was so happy to read this, because it made sense with what was happening to me. I actually gained weight doing JUDDD (not JUDDD's fault--but mine) I started to overeat on my UD's because I thought I could eat flour products on those days, when it made me crave, and then I couldn't stop eating. I was making a sandwich as a snack after dinner! Yikes.

I just have to be very, very vigilant when I hopefully, finally reach goal (yet again!) I can't eat the way everyone else does, and I think this revelation will finally stick in my head.

[garnet10]

Originally Posted by onedimsim

ah sheesh.....i have seen those studies...as i once "topped out" at 366 this is what i have to look forward to? I am so hoping my adipose cells figure out how to kill themselves off rather than waiting for fat to refill them....

Yes, die fat cells die! Those dang things are so hardy.

And you look so beautiful it's hard to imagine you were ever 366!

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by garnet10

Oops! Didn't make that clear--My plan for maintenance is to eat no flour/no sugar (except once a week as a treat). I actually ate this way for over a year and maintained at 130. If I even add in a sandwich (2 slices of bread) it sends me down a slippery slope into craving more.

I was trying to lose "my last 10" doing JUDDD--the problem came when I started to add bread in on the UDs (I thought--how bad could it be to just have a sandwich!) It made me gain pretty quickly. I actually put on about 10 pounds "trying JUDDD" because I added in flour products. After I ate bread or pasta, I couldn't stop. I had to learn the hard way what my body just can't tolerate.

If I get exhausted again doing hcg, I would try JUDDD again, but this time no flour/sugar products until I hit maintenance (and then just have them once a week).



Yes, I was so happy to read this, because it made sense with what was happening to me. I actually gained weight doing JUDDD (not JUDDD's fault--but mine) I started to overeat on my UD's because I thought I could eat flour products on those days, when it made me crave, and then I couldn't stop eating. I was making a sandwich as a snack after dinner! Yikes.

I just have to be very, very vigilant when I hopefully, finally reach goal (yet again!) I can't eat the way everyone else does, and I think this revelation will finally stick in my head.

This is me. However my drug of choice is sugar. So, just exchange your "flour products" for chocolate and that is it! I could eat my weight (and more) in chocolate and not bat an eye Don't care for wheat, bread, potatoes, pasta, but candy--in particular chocolate, brownies or chocolate chip cookies; (no gummies or hard candy please)--and I am gone. I wonder what THAT means. I don't think Reese's has lectins in it, does it??!! I am looking at the dopamine diet for my affliction. I have to get a handle on it sooner rather than later. I am starting to outgrow my clothes and it is summer, when I should be slim and trim