First of all, let me say that plateaus are normal with this diet. The up to a pound a day weight loss you will experience are based on the average over a 23-43 day period. So don’t worry when your weight loss stalls a bit. It’s to be expected and just because you stall out for a few days or even a week is no reason to panic.
I’m going to outline a few of the reasons why you might hit a plateau and also what you can do about it. One of the reasons people plateau is that after a particularly rapid and dramatic loss of weight such as occurs when you first start the diet is that the body just needs to pause and catch up a bit. You may even find that though the numbers on the scale don’t change very much you are still losing inches in your “problem” areas.
Another reason you might hit a weight loss plateau is around your menstrual cycle. Hormonal changes and water weight gain are normal at this time so just wait it out and you will begin dropping again.
If you were at a particular weight for a long period of time in your life you may also have a longer plateau when you reach that former weight set point. For example: If you spent most of your 30′s at 150 pounds, when you reach that level again it may take a little extra time to break through that barrier and drop below that.
Most plateaus on the HCG Diet will resolve themselves on their own. Usually in a week or less and then the weight loss will pick up again. However, Dr. Simeons and Kevin Trudeau recommend doing an “Apple Day” to help things move along. This is mostly for psychological reasons as you will drop the weight quickly and feel like you are back on track which helps you stay motivated. To do an “Apple Day”, forgo your regular meals for the day and eat 6 apples over the course of the day. Drink minimal water, just enough to quench any thirst. By the next morning’s weigh in you should see a dramatic drop in weight and your weight loss continues. Only do an apple day if you have 4 or more days without any change in your weight loss.
Hope this is helpful for you. The most important thing when following the HCG Diet is to stay positive and focused. Over the course of your HCG Diet treatment you will lose up to 1 pound a day on average. Remember to stick to the program strictly and drink plenty of water to flush out your system. You are a fat burning machine right now so stick with it and you will be successful.
Hi Tammy,
thank you so much for your tips, tricks, and encouragement. I am 42 lbs down since July and am thrilled to have found this. I too had tried what seemed like ”everything” to lose but God opened this door and am i thankful!!
I am craving sugar and carbs like crazy and sleeping icky…. but am determined to try and stay on track. Today i cheated but am regretting it and am looking forward to getting right back on track!
thanks again. i will be frequenting your website for additional help and would love to be on the list for your new cookbook. I need some new ideas. I have about 80 lbs to go.
Hi Christine,
Thanks so much for your kind words and I am thrilled that you’re finding the info you need. I have been working hard on this new cookbook so I haven’t been blogging as much as I would like but I’ll definitely put you on the list. I always send around a free mini book just for fun so let’s keep in touch! I am really really REALLY proud of you. You have done incredibly well so don’t worry about the past now… just get back to it and know that you will reach your goals. On sugar and carb issues you might consider a candida cleanse at some point. A little L-glutamine amino acid under the tongue can help too in a pinch. Try chocolate stevia on fruit when you want something sweet. All the best to you,
Tammy
I read this on another forum and it really gave me comfort as I weathered a 5-day stall (which broke with a 1.2 and 1.6 lb loss):
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In the original Pounds and Inches, Simeons states that the explanation given for stalls or little loss goes like this:
- Fat weighs less than water.
- While the body breaks down fat from cells, some cellular structure is still left behind and as the fat goes, water comes in to fill the space.
- Before the cellular structure is broken down and reprocessed by the body, it has water hanging around in it.
So, the space that was once filled by fat (lighter) is now filled by water (heavier) and THAT is why we sometimes see stalls but lose inches.
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In my experience, when I have a day where I urinate a LOT, I smile and think of all the water being released from those old fat cells being “reprocessed.” And the scale usually reads significantly lower the next day.
Hi Laura,
I really appreciate your perspective and I agree. The body is dumping fat so much and so fast that water rushes in and is retained. So it’s really just about the body catching up and creating a balance again. This is why we often see a stair step pattern of dramatic loss of weight and periods of plateau. I loved the apple days! Dr. Simeons in Pounds and Inches of course mentions that its helpful mostly for psychological reasons as most stalls will resolve themselves with time but it does feel nice to “break the stall” Thanks so much for sharing your experience
i’ve been on my second round of HCG injections for three weeks now, losing a pound a day. Now of all of a sudden I am at a plateau for 6 days now. I have had previous experience with plateaus from doing the diet before. unfortunately I only have 11 more days until my injections end and my doctor has told me that because I have been so previously successful, and my weight will be where it needs to be, that he will not permit me any more HCG. I have done an apple day, but had the feeling there was no water retention going on, I tried fiber pills for more frequent bowel movements, and even a laxative. But nothing has worked! I sat down and counted my calories to sadly discover I wasn’t reaching the full 500, so yesterday I made sure I had a full 500 and only lost two ounces! Are these two ounces a sign that tomorrow will be a bigger weight loss? These 11 days are extremely important, I need to loose at least five pounds to at least be near my goal weight range. Please help.
Hi Renee! Not eating the full 500 calories each day could very well be the reason for your stall and it may or may not regulate before you finish your hcg. Also being close to your menstrual cycle could be causing the stall and drinking lots of water could help. Plateaus are normal with the HCG diet. Weight loss usually presents in a stair-step fashion with a consistent large drop in weight followed by a slight plateau or slower loss for a few days. At least 1 significant plateau occurs in the 2nd half of the protocol that often lasts 4-5 days. This is normal and will resolve itself in time. HCG will not allow you to lose too much weight to get that skinny, gaunt look so if your body is close to the best weight for you, it will quit working. Any or all of these things combined could be causing the plateau…