Thread: Trying to make sense of this diet as a whole, and what it means for the future

I do understand that this leads to a lifestyle and is not just a diet (p2, to me is a diet. P3 and P4 are more of a lifestyle). But where I'm confused is if I had a high fat/high protein/low carb diet before trying the HCG diet, I would lose weight, and have in the past. I do the SAME thing on P3, and I'm supposed to stabilize. I understand the importance of stabilizing, but I don't understand why eating in a way that would have caused weight loss before the diet will now mostly make me maintain, if not gain (more than the 2 pounds). This is what is hanging me up the most and is starting to make me think I've made a mistake.

As for side-effects, they are getting better. I've had a 2 week long headache that has almost made me quit. I felt extreme weakness for a while, but grammy helped me with my dose and that's better, though I'm still weak. I've also had a lot of muscle aches that last 5+ days before getting completely better. I've also been more prone to crying, but it's hard to say if that's the HCG or because of all the side-effects I've been having. With a lighter dose, things are better, but not perfect. For example, I live on the 3rd floor and am quite used to climbing all the stairs up here with no problems. Now, I sometimes have to take a break and my husband has to carry all the groceries because it's become so hard.

Originally Posted by Zero

I do understand that this leads to a lifestyle and is not just a diet (p2, to me is a diet. P3 and P4 are more of a lifestyle). But where I'm confused is if I had a high fat/high protein/low carb diet before trying the HCG diet, I would lose weight, and have in the past. I do the SAME thing on P3, and I'm supposed to stabilize. I understand the importance of stabilizing, but I don't understand why eating in a way that would have caused weight loss before the diet will now mostly make me maintain, if not gain (more than the 2 pounds). This is what is hanging me up the most and is starting to make me think I've made a mistake.

As for side-effects, they are getting better. I've had a 2 week long headache that has almost made me quit. I felt extreme weakness for a while, but grammy helped me with my dose and that's better, though I'm still weak. I've also had a lot of muscle aches that last 5+ days before getting completely better. I've also been more prone to crying, but it's hard to say if that's the HCG or because of all the side-effects I've been having. With a lighter dose, things are better, but not perfect. For example, I live on the 3rd floor and am quite used to climbing all the stairs up here with no problems. Now, I sometimes have to take a break and my husband has to carry all the groceries because it's become so hard.

The difference between P3 and Atkins style low carb diets is essentially that you are eating less carbs, but not extremely less carbs, if that makes sense? And again it's not that you eat SO few carbs, it's just the type of carbs you do eat are different, mostly from non starchy Vegetables and Fruits. So in P3 you should never really be in Ketosis like you would in a traditional low carb / Atkins style 'diet' Just the 1 piece of fruit is likely to provide more carbs than a Atkins style diet would permit for an entire day...so I don't know if that fully explains the difference for you or not...but I hope to helps some at least.

Rev

Thanks for the info Rev. It makes a lot more sense now. They still seem so similar, but maybe the fruit alone is enough to prevent ketosis and weight loss.

Originally Posted by Zero

As for side-effects, they are getting better. I've had a 2 week long headache that has almost made me quit. I felt extreme weakness for a while, but grammy helped me with my dose and that's better, though I'm still weak. I've also had a lot of muscle aches that last 5+ days before getting completely better. I've also been more prone to crying, but it's hard to say if that's the HCG or because of all the side-effects I've been having. With a lighter dose, things are better, but not perfect. For example, I live on the 3rd floor and am quite used to climbing all the stairs up here with no problems. Now, I sometimes have to take a break and my husband has to carry all the groceries because it's become so hard.

Are you taking magnesium and potassium, and making sure to eat adequate amounts of salt? For me, weakness and dizziness are a result of low or unbalanced electrolytes. I find supplementing potassium, especially, to be critical during P2. I took 3-5 potassium tablets spread throughout the day, every day during P2. I couldn't function without it.

I've been taking a single pill of each of those. Maybe I'll try to take the potassium 3 times a day, following my hcg. I'll see if that help.. thanks for the tip!