It's long, but it's good info! You guys really came through with all your brainstorming and suggestions, and I wanted to compile it all into a couple vlogs.
1. Make sure you do a 2 day load, then a minimum 20 day VLCD, followed by a 3 week P3 stabilization period before starting a new round or cycle. Do not cut your cycles short.
2. Check the dosage of your drops or injections.
3. Go back and check your food log for hidden sugars, fat, excess sodium, ingredients of pre-packaged foods. Deli meat should be nitrate free with no added ingredients or preservatives. Organic produce, and antibiotic/hormone free meats, and wild fish/shellfish (farmed fish/shellfish are sometimes fed growth hormones and antibiotics). Go back to Dr. Simeons original protocol food list, don't mix vegetables, don't eat the same protein twice in the same day. Alternate your fruits.
4.Drink a minimum 8 cups of water per day. Some suggest half your weight in ounces. So if you're 200 lbs, drink 100 ounces a day.
5. Metabolism boosters: cayenne pepper, green tea, 2 tablespoons ACV, MCT oil (MCT oil is derived from coconuts but it is in a much more broken down form and easier for your body to use as fat energy) , 2 tablespoons of organic virgin coconut oil.
6. Check your make-up, lotions, shampoo, and deodorant products for hidden oils. Your skin and scalp will absorb the oils and the hCG could be attacking those oils and not the stored fat. Crystal deodorant, Ivory or Dial brand soap, and mineral oil to moisturize skin. When preparing family meals with oil, or washing greasy dishes, wear gloves.
7. Activate hCG drops by tapping bottle on palm 10 times. Wait 15 minutes after eating to take drops, hold under your tongue for as long as you can, up to 15 minutes. Wait 15 minutes after taking the drops before eating again. Mint of any type may conflict with the effectiveness of homeopathic drops, so check your toothpaste, herbal teas, and don't chew gum during P2!
8. Ensure you're getting at least 8 hours of good sleep every night. If you are having issues sleeping try taking 2.5 to 5 mg of melatonin about an hour before bed. Calcium/Magnesium supplements can also help. Herbal tea before bed can also be relaxing, or put on some white noise to help you fall sleep.
9. Ensure you're having regular bowel movements. If you haven't had a bowel movement in a few days, try smooth move herbal tea (senna is the active ingredient) before bed, or epsom salts (aka magnesium sulfate). Take 1 teaspoon of epsom salts in 4 ounces of water with a dash of lemon to help with constipation. Wait 4-6 hours and take another dose. Do not take anymore during that 24 hour period. I use xylitol as a sweetener because it has a gentle laxative effect, and keeps me regular.
10. Women, where are you in your monthly cycle? TOM can cause up to 5 lbs in water weight gain. Ovulation can cause stalls. Sometimes it's just a matter of time and patience to get through that time of the month.
11. If you've had a surgery, illness, or are taking medication, that can also cause a stall. It's best to time your Phase 2 rounds before or after a surgery if possible. Some medications may require more detoxing. I drink the Traditional Medicinals brand detox tea, and an epsom salt detox bath can work wonders for getting the losses moving again after a medical set-back.
12. Time of day you're eating and drinking water can effect weigh in. Eat your last meal and finish your water at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Don't drink all your water in the evening, stretch it out over the course of the day so you're well hydrated all the time.
13. If you have a high activity lifestyle or job, cut back on the physical activity, or up your daily cals to 800. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, try adding in some light exercise. Start with 10 -- 15 minutes of light walking. Be careful not to overdo it as your body has a sensitive calorie intake to calorie burning balance to maintain during Phase 2.
14. Once you've tried all of that, adding some additional protein in could help push your body further into ketosis, or fat-burning zone. Try upping your protein portions by 50 grams, or you could replace your fruit with 0% Fat Greek Yogourt. If you're not sure if you're in ketosis, you can purchase ketosis strips from any pharmacy.
15. A correction day is only for when you've had 3 days of no weight loss at all. The apple correction day is from Dr. Simeons protocol. Eat a regular P2 lunch, then from then to lunch the following day you only eat 1 to 6 six apples (any size) with unlimited protocol fluids, then go back to a regular P2 protocol.
16. If you are close to your ideal weight, the losses will definitely slow down, so it may not be a true stall, just that you're alternating between losing inches and pounds. In fact that holds true for anyone. If you're having slow losses, take your measurements, you may be having an "inch round" instead of a "pound round".
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I'm confused about your interpretation of the apple day rules (yours are way better than mine!). He just says from noon the first day to noon the next eat up to 6 apples and take as little fluids as possible. What part do you take to mean eat a protocol lunch before? (not arguing just new to me and now I'm curious)
graphxgrl 2 months ago
@graphxgrl I guess I figure if I eat lunch and then do the apple day for 24 hours and then eat lunch to break the apple fast, that's not going to be a problem. I've done just water-only fasts (for religious reasons) since I was a teen, and that's how we always did our fasts. Eat a meal, start the fast after the meal, go 24 hours, break the fast the same meal you started it on... I've had amazing results doing it this way, so I think it must be okay. :)
rillasvilla 2 months ago