R1P3D1

Translated: Round one, phase three, day one. :>

Yesterday was my last VLCD. I achieved 93% of my goal, approximate my inches lost as six, and averaged .47 lbs/day over the 32 days I have been in phases 1 and 2. I expected not to completely meet my goal since I am being careful to ween myself off of phase 3 prior to a planned trip out of town, where I will be in NO control over my food intake. Yes, for those who know me, I am heading up to mom's. :> So....I am right on target. I'm fitting into clothes that have been hanging in my closet unworn, and buttoning and zipping where there was no hope before. :D

After doing a bit of research on this third phase, I've come to understand that this is, by far, the most important part of this protocol. I have to keep my weight at no higher, and not less than, two pounds of my last weigh-in on the last day of phase 2. During this phase, my body no longer contains hcg, which enables me to pull calories, etc. from my abnormal fats. I have to maintain at least 1500 cal/day or I may throw my body into a 'survival' state where it will begin to gain gain gain. It may be on this phase that my scale will bounce up and down. This is normal, I understand, as my hypothalamus is leveling out. I must continue to weigh myself each morning, or I risk not realizing that I am gaining weigh. I will not notice my clothes getting tighter, as I would have prior to starting this protocol, because my body will distribute the weight gain evenly over my entire body.

During the next three weeks, my hypothalamus is resetting itself to where I will no longer have food cravings, I will be full with less food, and one day of eating poorly will not mean more weight when I step on the scale. [That would be ONE day of eating poorly, ladies and gentlemen.] I cannot eat ANY starches, or sugars during this phase. So I must avoid carrots, oranges, real sugar, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. I should eat six times a day, i.e. breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.

So here it goes....