Some recent discussions about eating sugar-free foods vs. "natural" foods on P3 has made me curious if there's any trends we can learn from here...

1. How easily did you stabilize during P3? How far off are you from your LIW?

2. Did you eat sugar-free foods with artificial sweeteners, like splenda, during P2 and/or P3? Or some other kind of sweetener, like stevia?

3. Did you make a point of eating "natural" or organic foods? Natural meaning minimally processed foods and avoiding chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

4. Are there any other factors that you think may have affected stabilizing, like eating sugar and/or starch, adding new foods in too quickly, or food sensitivities?

1. How easily did you stabilize during P3? How far off are you from your LIW?
I stabalized fairly easily & stay 1-2 pounds below LIW

2. Did you eat sugar-free foods with artificial sweeteners, like splenda, during P2 and/or P3? Or some other kind of sweetener, like stevia?
No sugar free items, they have alcohol sugars. I used stevia daily, no artifical sweeteners.

3. Did you make a point of eating "natural" or organic foods? Natural meaning minimally processed foods and avoiding chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
I did eat real foods, vegetables, chicken, beef, eggs, cheese and fruits.

4. Are there any other factors that you think may have affected stabilizing, like eating sugar and/or starch, adding new foods in too quickly, or food sensitivities?
I don't really indulge much in starchs or carbs. I eat healthy, I go to restaurants but choose wisely. I have a couple of glasses of wine 2-3 times a week
I'm close to my goal weight of 140, I may do another round of P2 in Januaray for the last 6 pounds or so
I LOVE HCG! It's amazing & it works

1. How easily did you stabilize during P3? How far off are you from your LIW?

Very, very easy. 2lbs under LIW exactly.

2. Did you eat sugar-free foods with artificial sweeteners, like splenda, during P2 and/or P3? Or some other kind of sweetener, like stevia?

No artificial sweeteners during P2 at all, used stevia exclusively. P3 I avoided ALL "sugar free" products altogether. Reintroduced agave nectar in P4; no problems.

3. Did you make a point of eating "natural" or organic foods? Natural meaning minimally processed foods and avoiding chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

YES!!!! Was doing that even before the protocol, but can't stress enough how important it is. Eating organic for some can be EXTREMELY difficult due to availibility and price, however. It is WAY more expensive to "eat organic" and I am fortunate to have organic products easily available, and the financial ability to do so. However, I do understand those who either don't have organic available to them or can't afford the high price tag that they normally carry. But if you can do it, DO IT!!!!! :)

4. Are there any other factors that you think may have affected stabilizing, like eating sugar and/or starch, adding new foods in too quickly, or food sensitivities?

Thanks to this message board, I was able to really watch what I ate and took the cue from others who made mistakes, especially with the sugar free products in P3(no offense guys, you actually helped by making those mistakes and posting about them, 'cause I would have made the same ones!!!)

I can't stress enough how important a food journal is. I think more people would do much better in ALL the phases if they actually kept them, including things like "I showered today and used "X" products and makeup". I did that and even though it seemed ridiculously ANAL at the time...it proved to be SO helpful later. I also believe that many don't want to admit that using an artificial sweetener slowed them down, but I think if they REALLY went back over the days they used it and the days they didn't, they would find a difference...but again, that is just my opinion. I also can't believe how many people do NOT read labels!!!!!!!!!! LABEL READ!! If it's something you have to ask what it is, it PROBABLY is not good for you and a clever way for the manufacturer to "mask" the words SUGAR or STARCH!!! LOL!!!

I also think too many people do NOT actually READ Pounds and Inches. Seriously. They SAY they do, but they really don't, otherwise we wouldn't have 47 threads about TOM...LOL!!! ;) It's CLEARLY listed right in there! I also believe that although it is a grammatical nightmare(right Colleen??;) ), Linda Prinster's book REALLY is quite helpful, although organized very poorly. Even though I want to scream , "it's not "INTENTIONAL", it's "DELIBERATE" or "ACCURATE" (depending on the sentence) every time I flip to that page...;), it does have some very, very useful tips (including directing me to this message board!) :)

1. How easily did you stabilize during P3? How far off are you from your LIW? Very easy. I stabilized both rounds at 1.5 pounds over my LIW.

2. Did you eat sugar-free foods with artificial sweeteners, like splenda, during P2 and/or P3? Or some other kind of sweetener, like stevia?
I used 1 packet of Sweet n Low per day in my coffee. that's it.

3. Did you make a point of eating "natural" or organic foods? Natural meaning minimally processed foods and avoiding chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
Not organic since I live in a small town and that is hard to find but I eliminated processed foods and did a lot of cooking of real food. I didn't count calories and ate whatever I wanted.

4. Are there any other factors that you think may have affected stabilizing, like eating sugar and/or starch, adding new foods in too quickly, or food sensitivities?
I had to do 2 steak days, both dealing with insensitivities I didn't know I had. Once I eliminated them, no problems.

Great idea to do this, Amy!

1. How easily did you stabilize during P3? How far off are you from your LIW?

Very easy. I stabilized 2 lbs below my LIW. Never had to do a steak day.

2. Did you eat sugar-free foods with artificial sweeteners, like splenda, during P2 and/or P3? Or some other kind of sweetener, like stevia?

I used Truiva, 3-4 packs a day. Toward the last of P3 I added SF Chocolate pudding and went up. Once I quite eating it I dropped back to the 2lbs below LIW.

3. Did you make a point of eating "natural" or organic foods? Natural meaning minimally processed foods and avoiding chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

Natural. But living in a rural area I had a lot of fresh veggies available.

4. Are there any other factors that you think may have affected stabilizing, like eating sugar and/or starch, adding new foods in too quickly, or food sensitivities?

Listen to your body(thanks Margie) Only eat until your are full, don't try to stuff youself that first week. I ate a lot of protien, eggs, cheese from day one. Didn't worry about fat or calories but took my time adding new things. Stayed away from SF stuff until towards the lastand I gained so I stopped using them. Didn't add milk until towards the last of P3 because of chance of sensitivity.

Paulla