[Opislossy]

I have a couple of weeks before my hCG arrives and have been thinking about the loading days. Has anyone ever PLANNED for loading?

I don’t want to just eat everything in sight, only to find I don’t have enough rich foods over carbs and end up not loading properly. (Its the fats we want right?) I’m feeling like I want to make a list or a meal plan for those days and be more structured about the whole thing. I think about making sure to include a banana split or an A1 Steakhouse burger from BK, or some treat I rarely indulge in.

I know that sounds very “Last Supper”-ish but it occurs to me that after this experience I may not care to eat some things ever again. (Like some folks have mentioned regarding soda/diet soda) I mean aren’t we also, in addition to losing weight, resetting our metabolism and what our bodies interpret as fuel? I can see myself getting four days in and remembering some food that I wish I would have eaten before beginning the protocol when I had the chance and still enjoyed eating it.

I think I read here somewhere that someone thought that one of the benefits of loading was that you actually CRAVE lighter, simple, more natural foods. This is what I'm anticipating. That I won't miss being stuffed after two days of loading, and that the allowed foods will be much needed reprieve from such richness.

People always think of the one person, or CD, or food they would take with them on a deserted island if they could…

What is the one thing you made sure you ate while loading… or wished you had? (either for "last chance" purposes or in terms of insuring a successful round.)

[popillio]

Absolutely! I planned to eat all the foods I liked and knew I would not eat again for a long time: pizza, fried shrimp, ice cream, sausage biscuit, tacos with sour cream, spicy fried chicken sandwich. I enjoyed eating without guilt or worry.

But I didn't like feeling stuffed.

[mitiaycatq]

I tried to plan before Round 1 but the information on loading was so sketchy. The best advice I read from Beth_M was to load on lots of healthy fats plus some things you know you'll miss. So I ate full fat cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, macadamias...but we also went out to dinner one night and I had KFC one day for lunch. Ohhh, and a few cocktails!

I would say the two things I MOST wanted to get in were the extra crispy KFC chicken breast and the cocktails.

My Round 2 load was a joke. It was 4th of July and crazy. I pretty much DRANK all of my loading calories, which didn't help me at all with hunger that first week but the hangover on July 5th helped me not want any cocktails this round !

I should add that I will likely need at least two more rounds of hCG to get to goal and for future loads my plan is 1) not to pick a hectic/busy/holiday time, 2) continue to load on mostly good fats, and 3) pick one or two things I'll miss for 40+ days. Beth_M's advice was spot on!

[Glipseagrilia]

I start my load today....definitely planning on wings for happy hour and Houston's veggie burger for lunch tomorrrow...don't let the veggie part fool you, it's worse for you than a burger. Other than that I'm definitely going to enjoy some cocktails even though I know its not part of the load i'm going to miss my happy hour drinks.

Nachos will definitely come into play at some point during the two day load. Then Sunday start the VLCD...for me it's best to start it on a Sunday so I have a day to get acclimated at home before doing it at work.

I'm starting exactly six lbs over LIW which was from February....i was within two pounds until about two weeks ago so I definitely am proof you can keep it off. I think i let a few pounds slide in there late because I knew the next round was around the corner, but still down 26 lbs from start of round one.

[10traistintarry]

I loaded for about a month before I actually started because I thought I would start before I actually did. I also planned my load pretty well. I knew there were several items that I would miss, so I made sure to get them. Although I enjoyed my load, I couldn't wait for it to end! I did a Youtube video of my loading days:
http://youtu.be/udm-gtV9KCY
I tracked what I ate and the amount of calories was amazing!

[Texdolley]

I start my load days this weekend. I love Mexican food with lots of cheese. That is what I will miss most and will make sure to eat along with donuts, jalapeño almonds, chocolate, mountain due, cream in my coffee, ice cream sandwiches, pasta, ........ And no p2 foods. LOL.

I just hope I'm not too stuffed to enjoy care free eating.

[GenManagerS]

My first round I figured I'd just eat whatever I felt like but in larger quantities. I pretty much ate out every meal and had cheesy pasta, donuts, burgers, fries, and other junk. I gained 3 lbs from my first load day, but on the morning of my first VLCD I was back to my pre-load weight. I think I was just bloated from the carb binge and it made my first week extra tough. This time I shopped for my load and made sure I had nuts, avocados, steaks, butter, coconut oil, etc. on hand. I'm only going out to eat once, tonight, because we're out of town and the closest restaurant happens to be a BBQ buffet. My goal this time is lots of fat, not so much carbs. I'm not terrified of missing out on junk anymore since I lost my taste for most of it my first round.

[fiettariaps]

Knittedsister: Cool video footage... thanks for sharing. "Access granted to Phase 2" I LOVE it! (I'd load on KFC in a MINUTE if I wasn't allergic to poultry. It SMELLS sooooo good!)

Dionn: CHEESE... yes I must remember to include plenty of this. I'm a very cheesy gal. And ice cream sandwiches... these are things I don't indulge in most of the time anyway. I have to have an ice cream sandwich.

I'm thinking I'll do two naughty carb things each day, but concentrate on the fats the rest of the day. Definitely going to make a list. (Doubt I'll get through it.) Like everyone else I'm sure I'll be sick of loading fairly quickly... I don't think anyone is used to or comfortable eating like this.

That said, I'm looking forward to looking forward the load ending.