[Oberjej]

I feel like I have done pretty well, lost 15 pounds, and Day 23 is tomorrow. I am doing drops and need to stop. But I am not at my goal wait, I would like to lose 15 more. I am ok on the diet but that TASTE in my mouth (from ketosis?) makes me literally sick. I can't handle it anymore. I am really texture, etc., sensitive and this has been a real battle for me....

That said, after P3&P4, how should continue to just lose some more weight gradually? Is Atkins best, will it work well after HCG? I would like to exercise more. Do people go into ketosis on Atkins, too? I seriously can't stand the thirst/yuck taste in my mouth and need to do something where that does not happen.

[GoveMoony]

Yes for Atkins is a ketosis diet. You'll need to keep your carbs higher if you don't want to hit ketosis. However you could lose weight with before HCG will work after. A WW style plan might be best for you since you don't want to deal with ketosis. Or simply counting calories and not worrying about doing low carb at all.

[voodoosdv]

Thanks, poobears, I have tried counting calories in the past and just not succeeded, which let me to HCG...but now I think I have learned so much just from this experience that I might be much much better at counting calories and not cheating. Because on HCG, I've been scared to death of cheating (except in very minor ways) for fear of gaining! I don't hear anyone here saying they would ever even try WW or general low-cal so I am glad you see that as an option for me. I am kind of sad I need to quit because I TRULY COULD keep up the food diet to 40 days (even though it's hard), but I feel nauseas a lot of the time from this ketosis mouth and I find it hard to get to 500 cal to be honest! I drink and get some relief but it last but for a moment and I'm back to miserable, not able to think about anything else.

[Lhtfajba]

Just make sure you don't try to go too low on your calories without the HCG. You could continue on HCG and just try going rogue and adding in enough healthy carbs like fruits and maybe whole grain breads to keep you out of ketosis. Since you have to quit it's worth trying it another way before you do. I just started a general low cal yesterday with HCG to see how it will work. No ketosis, no super low cal, just a range that worked previously for me 700-1100. Too soon to tell how well it will work long term but first day went well.

[i32I7qyH]

Stay with the plan until you complete P3. Do it just as dilligently as you did P2. I found that I stabalized and kicked some of the toxins and turned around some of the problems I had before hcg. I could gain 4# overnight following WW or Atkins. After hcg, it was a different story. You may find one of the other programs, followed completely, will work for you but don't do it until after a good P3. Good luck.

[drugstore]

No way to gain 4lbs of fat overnight so you were eating foods your body was sensitive too or binge eating on atkins foods and had a huge amount of unprocessed food in your stomach. It's just not possible to gain that in fat in one night, just like on HCG it's water retention. That is why it's important to know what foods have negative effects on you so you can avoid them.

[dabibibff]

I so appreciate the feedback here! I am Day 23 today. I do feel proud of myself for even getting here---15.5 lbs down. Linda, I do plan on doing P3 very diligently, so whenever I quit HCG, I plan to do that. But...that confuses me a bit with poobears rogue suggestion---which I like the idea of. I mean, I have a 40-day supply of drops that I won't use up if I quit. So if I stayed on HCG but started adding a few more cals of fruits and maybe some whole grains (like 2 slices of 100% whole wheat a day?) and stayed on HCG, wouldn't I GAIN?? That is my fear that HCG makes you fat unless you do low cal. Or could I still lose SOME BIT at low calorie of 700-1000? (btw, I actually ate just a few chips last night and a small piece of bread in the a.m. yesterday and was STILL down 0.5 lbs this morning!) And then when I do stop HCG, would I just do a normal/standard transition to P3 (which would be fine). hmmmm....if I could lose even .25-.5 lbs a day from here until HCG is gone, I would be thrilled. On most days right now, I lose about 1 lb, but I had a several day stall so therefore only 15.5 lbs down.

[rsdefwgxvcfdts]

Just make sure you don't try to go too low on your calories without the HCG. You could continue on HCG and just try going rogue and adding in enough healthy carbs like fruits and maybe whole grain breads to keep you out of ketosis. Since you have to quit it's worth trying it another way before you do. I just started a general low cal yesterday with HCG to see how it will work. No ketosis, no super low cal, just a range that worked previously for me 700-1100. Too soon to tell how well it will work long term but first day went well.

This was going to be my suggestion too. I know what you mean, ketosis breath is really intense for me. My husband says he doesn't even notice if he has it or not. Personally my mouth tastes like I just drank something super sweet. I feel like I need to brush my teeth all the time.

I think I would attempt it with the grains or even starchier veggie choices. I honestly believe the reason HCG works is the low calorie intake along with the HCG allowing you to not feel like you are starving. You could probably continue losing (maybe not as quickly) even with a few more carbs.

Whatever you do, once you decide to quit the HCG, I would definitely do P3 and possibly P4 to stabilize.

Good luck! Let us know how it works.

[corolaelwis]

This was going to be my suggestion too. I know what you mean, ketosis breath is really intense for me. My husband says he doesn't even notice if he has it or not. Personally my mouth tastes like I just drank something super sweet. I feel like I need to brush my teeth all the time.

I think I would attempt it with the grains or even starchier veggie choices. I honestly believe the reason HCG works is the low calorie intake along with the HCG allowing you to not feel like you are starving. You could probably continue losing (maybe not as quickly) even with a few more carbs.

Whatever you do, once you decide to quit the HCG, I would definitely do P3 and possibly P4 to stabilize.

Good luck! Let us know how it works.

This is encouraging to me...thank you. Now I think I will try to stay as true to protocol as possible today because it's Day 23, then maybe I will give myself some wiggle room and just try to be sure I am still losing *something* and not gaining at all and see how it goes....until my drops are gone.

But when I do get off the HCG and go into P3, I can't have ANY starches at all--or near zero once again, isn't that right? For example, if I ate some peas or carrots in P2 (post Day 23 and still just a few, not hoarding myself or anything, LOL), wouldn't I have to CUT them out again the minute I start P3? That part confuses me a bit. I want to make sure I do P3 as accurately as possible so I don't reset my metabolism wrong!

Thanks again. You guys make this journey do-able!
(btw, my breath feels more dry/metally than sweet...I wonder if this is a detox thing! DANG, so confused! I also FEAR talking to anyone! I don't want to stink! It's horrible. I don't know why this feels so unbearable to me. The 1/2 hour I have to abstain from drinks when I take my drops is torture!!!)

[Karensmith]

I have heard others refer to theirs as metally tasting too. I think it is just a personal thing.

As for the peas and carrots thing and P3 and all, I have no freaking clue! LOL I just don't know what to tell you. Have you investigated the rogue board? They might have some advice for you.

[gardeniyas]

(btw, I actually ate just a few chips last night and a small piece of bread in the a.m. yesterday and was STILL down 0.5 lbs this morning!)

Personally I would up the calories like poobears advised, but stay away from breads, pastas, and definitely chips. Eat fruit or higher carb veggies, throw in some sour cream or fage yogurt, and heavy whipping cream (all in moderation of course). Check my blog under Optimal Diet modified, it might give you some ideas. Another girl here is doing it and is losing really well.

[Henldyhl]

I can't lose if I alter the diet but if you're young and have good muscle mass you might be able to up your calories some and still lose. I'd just suck it up and stay on protocol for 40 days and you'd probably get to goal though. It's only a few more weeks.

[Zvmwissq]

I'm no expert here but, I have to agree with grammy. If hunger is not an issue, just find a way to deal with the taste in your mouth. Maybe gum? Mouthwash. I've been drinking Kool-aid made with sweetner for most of P2 and I have lost about .6 per day so, I don't think it has affected much. I did have that taste in my mouth for a couple weeks and it was gross but, I think I either got used to it or it has gone away, maybe the same thing will happen for you?

I would try and stick it out, you have come so far, and it's only a couple more weeks. I would just try and find a way to cope.

Good Luck

[Nidsstese]

OH, thanks, I didn't even think of the rogue board...I am new here so I didn't realize it was there. Ohhhh fun, I feel like such a rebel! LOLOLOL (btw, you know what I have eaten today? It's 5 pm and I have drank lots of water and had a chick-fil-a chicken biscuit with just 1/2 the biscuit at 8:00 am. That's it. And I took my kids to Dairy Queen Grill a little bit ago and had nothing...considering my day, I feel like such a good girl. But protocol probably calls me a bad girl. LOL! I will eat good protein tonight in a small amount and probably that's it. I'll likely be down a pound in the morning. Apparently I BELONG on the rogue board. LOLOL!)

[kSmica]

atkins way of life is this, fats alone do not make you fat. sugar, starch and fat make you fat.... just think cave man