Phase 4 is such a bugger for me, FEAR, GAINS, BLOAT oh my.

**Maisie** · June 22nd, 2011, 02:01 PM

Need some help, encouragement, or a kick in the pants. I stabilized OK in phase 3, I did require 2 steak days to bring myself back to LDW. I’m now in phase 4 and climbing. I’ve avoided the scale for about a week but this morning I faced my fear and jumped on the scale and I’m +8 over LDW. Let me back up and give you some history, I’m backed up, I live backed up! I’m lucky if I go twice a week. On this diet it’s been a challenge, and I’ve yet to find anything that works for more than 2 applications. I also haven’t had a period for two months. I’m only 41 and my tubes are tied, pretty young for menopause and fairly certain I’m not pregnant. I feel bloated and look bloated, and it’s all bloat, because I’ve never really carried weight in my belly, I have a ton of little tiny rolls over this large distended abdomen. In the evening it’s so bad that after I’ve had all my water for the day the bloat reaches into my chest cavity. I run a lot, and do Ashtanga yoga 2-3 times a week. If exercising is sabotaging my diet then I need to find a new diet. If I have an intolerance to a food I’ve yet to pin-point it. My typical phase 4 day would look like this:

Breakfast: coffee with stevia and low fat milk, overnight oats, made with almond milk, OR eggs with low fat cheese, and turkey bacon.
Snack: low fat string cheese, wrapped in good quality Deli cut turkey breast, OR homemade low fat greek yogurt with fruit
Lunch: Low carb, wrap with laughing cow cheese, turkey, lettuce, toms, OR gluten free sandwich
Snack: Almond butter, or dates, or handful of Almonds, or Atkins Indulge Cookie
Dinner: Salad, and Turkey burger without the bun, OR Taco salad, with some black beans, and guacamole, lf cheese OR some sort of fish with a salad
Desert: low fat ricotta mixed with something yummy.

I’ve kind of switch from high fat low carbs to good fats, good carbs. Kind of South Beach, but I’m worried about the gains and getting them under control. I actually toyed with the idea of doing another round of HCG, and actually order some pellets last night, but really for just an 8# gain I don’t know that it’s necessary, but don’t think steak day(s) are going to pull me back to LDW either.
Any advice on getting back to LDW which BTW is goal and then transitioning to a more South Beach way of living? Or have I blown it all together and am I stuck eating phase 3 foods for the rest of my life?

**julief** · June 22nd, 2011, 02:12 PM

How long have you been in p4? Also if I eat lowfat dairy or soft cheeses I bloat, and gain. I can eat full fat fage cheddar heavy cream etc though.

**Sabina** · June 22nd, 2011, 02:31 PM

Any advice on getting back to LDW which BTW is goal and then transitioning to a more South Beach way of living? Or have I blown it all together and am I stuck eating phase 3 foods for the rest of my life?

P3 has basically been my diet since HCG a year ago. I lost 50 and gained back 30lbs in a matter of months. I eat carbs or gluten, I gain 3-5 lbs, I eat Atkins all week to get it back off. It's a vicious cycle.

**Maisie** · June 22nd, 2011, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by julief

How long have you been in p4? Also if I eat lowfat dairy or soft cheeses I bloat, and gain. I can eat full fat fage cheddar heavy cream etc though.

This is day 9 for me. So do you eat any carbs? How do you balance the fat and carbs?

**Maisie** · June 22nd, 2011, 06:08 PM

Sabina, have you always been sensitive to carbs and gluten or just since HCG. I really don't want to eat Atkins for the rest of my life.

**MrsZiggyB** · June 23rd, 2011, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Maisie

I really don't want to eat Atkins for the rest of my life.

I am extremely concerned about this as well. I'd been feeling wonderful eating vegetarian for only two months prior to hcg, but added chicken during protocol for convenience. Now, I am seeing so many here saying the only way they can maintain is to eat high fat, low carb. I've lost 25+ lbs on atkins more than once (gained back in between), and I never want to eat like that long term again. Don't care about rice or pasta that much, but must be able to have beans, whole grain bread, and potatoes! In moderation, of course.
R1P2 hhcg
D18: down 13 lbs, incl load wt & one pretty bad cheat night

**mgsondance** · June 23rd, 2011, 10:28 PM

maise- i'm also stuck in P3 and gain ridiculous amounts of weight within HOURS if i eat any sugar or starch. what foods have you added? just the oatmeal and the beans? i'm actually guessing it's all the dairy you eat- that's a lot. it could also be you're sensitive to yeast (in the gf bread), or the sugar alcohols in the atkin's stuff. sugar alcohols cause horrendous bloating and gas for some people. being constipated could also be responsible for 5 of those pounds. do you take a daily fiber supplement?

i also notice that your diet is pitifully low in veggies and fruit- that could be causing a lot of your constipation. i believe that lean protein and lots of veggies should be the staple foods for long-term maintenance.

**Cassie7** · June 24th, 2011, 12:20 AM

I too think going back to P3 for a while will let you see a difference. First go to animal proteins and veggies for a few days. Then only introduce dairy to see if that is your bloating issue. Wait a few days and then add almonds, wait a few days, then add gluten products. You should see a spike the day after you eat whatever is bothering you

**Maisie** · June 24th, 2011, 09:20 AM

Yesterday I ate Atkins induction food, and also had a colonic was down 4lbs today! In my sample menu I don't think I included all the veggies I consume becuase I really don't count them. But for dinner I always have a large salad 3+ cups, and include a veggie such as asparagus, zucs, french green beens, and about every other day a large salad with lean protien for lunch. I'm sure I could or should add more veggies in for snacks. Mgsondance you do have a very good point about the yeast. My hydrotherapist is always telling me that I have candida, yet my colonic during phase 3 was clear, but yesterdays was full of it! Fiber supplements and I don't get along, it tends to make things worse even with all the recommended water. I do take my probiotics, ALC, and an essential enzyme to help digestion. But it's got to be something that my body just isn't happy with. So my take-away is stick to phase 3 foods until I get back to goal, lose the dairy (or at least half), remove yeast and then, really take the time to introduce foods slowly. I really want oats and beans back in my life and it's sounds hopeful. Thanks for your feed back everybody!

**LisaAPB** · June 24th, 2011, 10:50 AM

Lose any of the low fat dairy for sure. I would try removing all dairy and then testing some. I have a definate lactose intolerance, and I cannot have any soft or low fat dairy. But, I can have heavy cream and hard cheeses (they have very little lactose). This was a bummer for me because I really love greek yogurt, but it caused bloat, gas, and weight gain. Different people can tolerate different levels of lactose, so it's really individual. Also, a lactose intolerance will take days to clear your system because once you introduce the lactose food, it must travel trough your gut and that's when the party really starts. It can last days. The normal gut bacteria get into a frenzy trying to digest all that lactose. The reason low fat dairy is worse is because the process that reduces the fat, also increases the lactose (milk sugars).

**mgsondance** · June 24th, 2011, 04:05 PM

maisie- sounds like a good plan! i'd definitely quit the yeast. be really cautious with fruit as well, if you have a candida problem.

**Sabina** · June 24th, 2011, 04:56 PM

I would think that P2 should have cleared Candida, especially a long round.

Sabina, have you always been sensitive to carbs and gluten or just since HCG. I really don't want to eat Atkins for the rest of my life.

Never that I noticed, I mean I was fat, hence doing this protocol, but I never gained as quickly as I do now.

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