Ask Grammy

**germanshepmommy** · March 15th, 2012, 09:03 AM

Grammy - question - is balsalmic vinegar allowed on protocol? Someone mentioned that it has sugar in it but I want to check with you since I don't know. Is liquid stevia okay and is there a limit on how much you can use in a day. What about truvia - is it allowed and if so what's the limit. Also, is it alright to eat pretty much the same food for both meals and even day after day? I get in a habit and it is easier for me to do it this way. I don't like seafood at all and can only half tolerate beef so the chickens are running from me as that is all I have been eating. Would just like to hear your expert opinion. Thanks.

**Nilly** · March 15th, 2012, 02:14 PM

Thank you Colleen. What would I change the dose to in either case? Currently I take 0.5 ml twice daily.

Also do I just continue the round as normal or do I add I day for the 24 hours I skipped a dose? I am on a 40 day round.

Finally, while I skip the dose do I add calories or stay at the 500?

Thank you so much!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**readytolooseit** · March 15th, 2012, 03:08 PM

Grammy - this forum is great and I appreciate all of your thoughtful responses. I am round 1 - VLCD 20 - lost 23 lbs. I have read pounds and inches several times, but at times there is so much conflicting advise out there:

1)I've had no hunger thus far. My dose is 5ml bac water with 5,000 iu of HCG, and on the insulin needle am doing 20 units. Does this seem right? I'm ready to mix my next vial and wanted your advise.
2)Do you support skipping a day each week? I haven't skipped a day yet... --
3) I had my TOM and continued injections - no issues. Should you skip?
4) I'm not having BM's - going on 8-9 days....what should I do?
5)I've read drink as much fluids as you can - gallon of water a day and others say drink 80 oz a day. How much water should we drink?

Thanks for info on 'stevia in the raw' --- I had been having quite a bit of it, and realized it isn't on protocol. Fixed that one!

Thank you for your help!

**Tammylayne** · March 15th, 2012, 05:38 PM

Grammy,
I figured you didn't get my PM when I didn't hear from you. I must've sent it to heavens knows where.
Anyway, here's the problem. My 14 (almost 15) year old daughter and I started hcg homeopathic drops on the same day. 21 days after loading, she had had enough. She was still committed to losing but the hcg diet was just too restrictive. This was before I found this forum and knew how important P3 is. Anyway, after her 2 vlcd without drops, I took her to the local diet center. The lady placed her on a high energy, low calorie diet. She followed both diets religiously. She has been on the new diet for 12 days now. The first week, she maintained her weight but then it started creeping up. At one point, she was up 4 pounds. Now she's only 2 up but I've added a ton of protein and have eliminated the starches. Can she keep losing on a high protein diet or does she have to maintain for a while. Thanks for your advice, I feel so guilty for getting her into this mess.

**grammy1952** · March 15th, 2012, 09:33 PM

I'm not sure about cooked meat, ktanns. I always weigh it raw. Exercise like that can cause inflammation so that could affect your weight.

german, no balsamic. It has more sugar in it. liquid stevia is okay. Truvia stalls some and some do okay. You can eat the same food. It's not forbidden but it's good to mix it up so you don't develop a sensitivity but it's not required.

Nilly, you stay on the 500 calories just like those who skip a day a week do. You can add the day to the end of you like but it's not necessary. I'd try .4.
ready, that is a very large dose but if you have no hunger, it's okay. But that's 200 iu. Yes you should skip a day a week. Try magnesium citrate for the BM issue. Most dont' skip with their TOM. I never advocate drinking more than about 100 oz a day in fluid. You can drink too much and flush out your electrolytes.

Tammy, the problem with a low calorie diet is that it can mess up her metabolism all over again. Read up on the leptin protocol and consider putting her on that instead. good luck!

**janmarie** · March 15th, 2012, 10:34 PM

Hi Grammy,
Thank you for all your good info and inspiration. I just successfully finished my 3rd long round and will be entering p-3 on Sunday. This round corrected the gain I had during the holidays and now I'm back at goal weight. I successfully completed 2 rounds in April 2009 but steadily the weight creeped on as I stopped weighing myself and just let myself eat anything for the last quarter of 2011.
I have a new perspective this time and am very interested in the Leptin Reset as a plan for life. I've read all the posts and want to try the LR plan of eating.
1. Should I begin right away on my 1st day of P-3 or should I ease into it? I love eggs and meat and look forward to the large breakfasts.
2. I'm a heavy exerciser and continued my spinning, weight lifting and kickboxing classes all through P-2 with no loss of energy and no stalls. The exercise keeps me focused and it feels great to have folks at my club notice my weight loss and improved strength. I know in the LR program, we are not supposed to do heavy exercise. I really don't want to quit or slow down my exercise. What would you recommend?
3. When can I start adding carbs if I follow the LR? It looks like I continue LR for 6 weeks and then start adding carbs. So I basically stay in P-3 longer. Is that correct?
I am encouraged that you have success following the LR plan and I look forward to a new way of eating.
Thanks again for all your help.

**cascadel** · March 16th, 2012, 08:09 AM

Stalled! I am on Round 3 (last round ended July 2011 with 45 lb lost. HHcg) Day 20. Began this round at 161 after regaining 22 lbs. Using HUCOG Hcg purchased from ADC, 150 iu injections sub Cu, no injection on Mondays. I have stalled here are my last days weights: 151.60, 151.60, 151.60, 151.60, 150.80, 150.60, 150.60, 150.60. All days 450 - 505 Calories except one apple day. Conciously drinking 2 liters of water, green tea every morning.

Help! This is so discouraging.
Marie

**grammy1952** · March 16th, 2012, 08:22 AM

I know Dr. Kruse says not to do it when you're following the leptin reset but you may not even be leptin resistant. You could just try to follow the timing of food. Kruse is okay with weight lifting and sprints but not with aerobic things because they shorten your life, basically. And he likes the weight lifting and sprints to be in the afternoon not the morning. If you're following Kruse, you never add back in grains. The only carbs you ever up are things like some sweet potatoes, a bit of fruit, etc. And even then, he says it should be seasonally. You probably should go to his site and read more about it. He's changed some of his recommendations. Read his post leptin reset blog. You can jump into the leptin reset if you want though if you had weight creep, you might want to ease in and make sure you don't have a problem with eggs.

Marie, you're just barely in a stall. It's not even considered a stall until you hit 4 days with no loss and you've had 3. LOL I have TEN DAY stalls in every round. Just hold on and it will break. It's normal.