At some point on the HCG diet, almost everyone has ‘stalls’, in other words, days when you don’t lose any weight on the scale. Most people, regardless of knowing the logical reasons for the standstill, get angry, frustrated, or scared that the protocol is not working. In addition, if the stall goes on for awhile, which certainly can happen, or your weight loss seems to be happening more slowly than you expected, it is easy to think that the HCG protocol doesn’t work, that it is not the right ‘diet’ for you, and to then get frustrated enough to ‘cheat’ on the diet, binge on foods, or even worse, quit altogether. I have been surprised to witness this behavior in both friends and family, even people in their second and third rounds who have been successful with HCG in the past.
The first thing to do when you hit a stall is to be sure that you are POP (perfect on protocol):
- Re-read the allowed foods for Phase 2 (P2) / VCLD (very low calorie diet). Be sure you are eating ONLY what is on the list and nothing else.
- Be certain that your protein portion is about 100 grams or 3.5 ounces of protein. Be sure to cut the fat off of beef, and take the skin off of chicken before you cook it, to lower the amount of fats you consume.
- Keep your fruit to either Apples or 1/2 grapefruit as suggested in the original program. Stop eating strawberries or oranges.
- Be sure that your ‘cracker’ is 20 calories or less and that it has no sugars or extras in it.
- Double check all ingredients on everything you are eating and be sure you know what you are eating. It is safest to eat home cooked foods with organic ingredients.
- Be certain there are NO OILS or FATS in your foods. It is shocking to realize that even a small amount of FAT or OIL can stop your weight loss, even though the calorie count could be low. Most people don’t want to believe this; you will be surprised at the increased weight loss if you cut out ALL fats and oils.
- Be certain that there are no hidden sugars or starches in your foods. Many foods have added sugar or starch that you may not recognize. ‘Cane Juice’, ‘Dextrose’ ‘Corn Syrup’ etc are all examples of sugars that will greatly inhibit your weight loss. Starches include things like Malt, Wheat Starch, Vegetable gum, etc. There are many more names that could hide some sugar or starch; it is important that you are ruthless in eliminating these items from you diet while you are in phase 2.
- If you are taking any supplements, be sure that the do NOT contain oils, wheat, or sugars.
- Be certain that you are drinking more than enough fluids.
- Double check all of your body products including shampoos, toothpaste, and lotions. Stop using anything with oils. Most people think that they can get away with using oily body products. You can’t. Your weight loss will slow down or stop.
- If you are mixing vegetables, stop.
- If you are eating a lot of tomatoes, cut down.
- If you are eating anything outside of the original protocol, stop.
After you have you have double checked all of the items I have listed above and made adjustments, the next important thing to do when you stall is to NOT FREAK OUT. We have all done it. You step on the scale, and your weight hasn’t changed. GRRRRRR! Anger, frustration, upset, disappointment can all take over. Especially if it goes on for 2 or 3 or 4 days! You want to throw the scale against the wall, or kick it, or give up! Definitely you want to EAT since it isn’t working anyways, right?
You have to keep the big picture in mind. 40 days / 6 weeks is a very short time to lose 15-25 pounds. While you are IN IT, it feels like forever, and every single day matters and takes effort. However, if you stick closely to the protocol, YOU WILL lose the weight. Remind yourself of how much you have lost already!
I have observed that many people lose large amounts of weight the first week, sometimes 1 or 2 pounds a day, and they get excited thinking that they could lose 40 pounds in 40 days. I do think that some people may actually do that. However, from what I have read and seen, most women lose about 15-20 pounds in 40 days, or an average of about .5 pounds per day. Men may lose a bit more than this, and people who have a lot of weight to lose may lose more on their first rounds.
Your body balances out the weight loss. In other words, if you have days where you lose 2 pounds, you will likely have 3 days with no weight loss. That will ‘average’ out to .5 pounds per day. Or you might lose .75 pounds one day, .25 pounds another, which also averages out to about .5 pounds per day.
From what I have seen and read, stalls often happen around day 12 – day 14, and can last 4-5 days, especially for people who lost large amounts at first.
It is a good idea to figure out your average weight loss per day. This is easy. Take the total number of pounds lost divided by the number of days it took to lose it. For example, if you have lost 12 pounds, and you are on day 15 when you are weighing yourself in the morning, you lost the 12 pounds in FOURTEEN days. You divide 12 by 14 and voila, your average weight lost per day is about .86 pounds per day. This is a very high average. It is possible you will have lots of stalls, until the average winds up being about .5 per day, or 20 pounds in 40 days. (give or take about 5 pounds).
I imagine you have heard this before: everyone can lose the weight on HCG, or any diet for that matter. The key, the hard part, is maintaining that weight loss and ultimately, changing your relationship to food. In order to do that, you have to really deal with what is underneath your relationship to eating and food. One of the reasons that I LOVE the HCG diet protocol is because it really gives you the opportunity to break your addiction to food, change your metabolism, and give you a clean slate for starting over. However, if you don’t use this time to deal with your issues around food and your body, those same issues will crop up again, and you will likely gain the weight back.
I led a group for many years supporting women in healing their relationship to food and it was called ‘It’s Not About Food’. Remember this, whenever you feel frustrated about your weight loss, deprived because you want more food, angry at your body or the scale, or afraid that you won’t be able to maintain, NONE of this really has anything to do with food. Except for true real hunger because your dose is wrong, almost every emotion you experience that seems like it has to do with food or weight loss, really has a deep rooted cause. If you can find that cause, and do some inner work and healing, the food cravings, the anger, the impatience, and whatever other obstacles you are feeling will all dissipate. This is the key to getting through a stall, and to ultimately transforming your lifestyle, your health, and your body over time.
Let me give you some examples:
Lets say you hit a stall, and you feel frustrated, angry and out of control. You have already lost 10 pounds in 12 days (which is a GREAT weight loss for 12 days, and the stall could easily last 3-4 days), but you don’t care, you want to see the scale go down. If you take the time to explore the feelings and find out what’s underneath it, you may discover that what you are really angry or afraid of is feeling out of control. And if you track those feeling of anger or fear at being out of control back to their source, you may find a time (probably many times) in your life when you felt out of control and were then hurt or abused (either in small or large ways), and you made a decision to never that let happen again.
You can look throughout your life at situations where you avoid feeling out of control. You may try to control the uncontrollable or perhaps you freak out and get irrationally upset when you can’t get the situation under control. One way that this might show up in your life is not being able tolerate other people being angry at you. As a result, you don’t say how you feel in attempts to avoid their anger or perhaps you get really angry at another when they could potentially be mad at you. Sometimes you do something you don’t want to do in order to appease another or maybe you distance yourself from that person and withdraw in some way rather than communicate.
Another example might be that you are at a dinner party where they are serving a food that you want to eat while on the HCG protocol. You are embarrassed or afraid to say ‘no’ to that food and you feel angry and rebellious because you want to eat what YOU want to eat.
If you explore your fear of saying ‘no’ you may find times in your life when saying ‘no’ was not an option. If you said ‘no’ it meant that you got in trouble, someone left, or people got angry at you. If you explore your own rebelliousness and frustration about not being able to eat whatever you want, you will likely find a whole lifetime of battles between the part of you that wants ‘control’ and the part of you that wants ‘freedom’. Coming to terms with those two parts, creating peace between them, and learning to ‘feed’ and ‘nurture’ both parts is really the key to a lifetime of maintenance and a healthy relationship to food and your body.
Once you begin to explore what is underneath the feelings that seem to be about food or the scale, you will find a whole inner world of emotions and decisions that affect the way you eat when they are not addressed. The issues get clearer when you are on HCG because you don’t have much food to hide behind or turn to. This is a GREAT time to get support in doing some core healing. If you know how to do the work yourself, great! For those of you who are just learning to explore your own inner workings, get support. Find a support group, get some therapy, do some reading, start a journal, and talk to healthy friends. Engage in activities that help you get past the surface feelings and support you in healing the source of your difficulties in how you deal with food and feel about your body.
Once you begin to see the core of what was driving you to eat and to feel frustrated, impatient, angry or afraid, you can begin to ‘feed’ those parts of yourself what they really want and need, other than food. Anger wants healthy expression. Fear wants comfort. Hurt and sadness want tears. Frustration wants an energetic release. etc. Once you identify the feeling and the decisions you have made about those feelings, you can begin to make new and healthier decisions on how to deal with these feelings. The protocol, and your commitment to lifestyle changes in how you feed yourself, will get much, much easier.
Successfully completing the HCG protocol requires a huge commitment. It requires a concerted amount of effort, time, energy, and money. In order to be successful at it, and even more importantly, in order to maintain the changes you obtain, it is really important that you deal with the underlying issues that surface. It really can change your life if you let it, and it really can give you a clean slate. This protocol is worth everything you put into it. Go all the way with it! Really allow it to change your life.
Commit to getting as much support as you need. In addition, along with following the protocol, commit to spending time each day addressing any feelings and emotions that come up and keep reminding yourself that ‘it is NOT about food’!
You are spot on regarding patience and realistic goal setting. I was on the program too and lost 20+lbs in 4 weeks. But 1 day I might have lost a pound the next .25 of a pound.. http://thebodyfollows.com/weight-loss/hcg-injections/ Thats me and all I can say is, like you mentioned… Dont panic!
Wow! Amazing. I LOVE HCG. Glad you were so successful, and yes Don’t Panic!!! 😉
Best to you!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
Hi dear
My English is not very good may b you will understand my issue today is 21 day of my hcg diet I little cheat and now I’m again gaining my weight what should I do I’m very upset in starting I loss 13 kg but now I’m stuck
Plz guide me
Saba
Dear Saba,
Thanks for reaching out. I am sorry you are having a hard time. For me, the best thing to do when you cheat, is to just get right back on the protocol.I know it’s frustrating, you can gain ALOT from a small cheat when on the protocol, argh! It can take a bit of time to lose the weight from a cheat, but if you stick to the protocol, it works, just be patient.
Good luck to you, and let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
This is my 3rd round on hcg prescription compound cream. I rub it on the insides of my wrists and stay on it about 23 days. My first round I lost 40 pounds then gained 10 back. I had to stop my second round because I just could not get my head into it. Now on my third round I’m on day 12 and have lost seven pounds. I’m still having trouble getting my head into it. I developed an aversion to food for the most part and drink two Glucerna Hunger Smart drinks a day plus a small amount of meat. This is totally not POP and I get that. Now today I felt like I was weak all day. I tried to drink a lot of water but think I fell a little short. I was out to lunch and had fish tacos with white fish, cabbage, cilantro and baja seasoning. Initially I didn’t eat the wraps but I could stand the flavor of the seasoning so I put a tiny streak of ranch on each. I ended up eating almost a whole wrap (very small) which I never intended. It didn’t perk me up like it should have. For dinner I lost my mind and ate two and a half cups of chicken pasta alfredo. I was so hungry but not stomach hungry, blood stream hungry. I need to begin protocol tomorrow and quit screwing around with it. I sure need some support!
Dear Kristi,
I am sorry you are having a hard time. The HCG protocol is really challenging, and yes, you do need to ‘get your head around it’ to be successful. One thing it can do is bring to the surface and any and all issues that you might have with food and your body, issues that most of us have. These issues need to be addressed and hopefully healed for long term maintenance. Without dealing with the underlying source of the problem, HCG just becomes another yo yo diet 🙁
Good for you for realizing you need some support. Making a food mistake here or there is one thing, but if you are consistently having trouble sticking with it, you will likely not lose what you want to lose, or else gain it back. I do think that either before HCG or during, it is important to get some therapy or join a support group of some type. Making real changes in your relationship to food is the key to weight loss, and more importantly, long term maintenence.
Best of luck to you,
Let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I did the 23 days program and only lost 8.8lbs (skipped couple of days and cheated). Now, I would like to give it a try again and this time I’ll discipline myself to stick with the strict diet and not skip few days. My last injection was on the 30 October. Is it okay to start the 23 days program just four weeks after my last injection? I’ll be changing doctors as well, should I inform him that I’ve done HCG before? What if I don’t mention it?
Hi,
Thanks for reaching out.
In my own experience and in supporting others I have found that waiting between rounds really helps. If you start a round too soon, you may not lose as much as if you wait. I do know that everyone is different, so you need to decide for yourself. I don’t think that there are many hard and fast rules 🙂
The OP (original protocol) recommends waiting 6 weeks (I think) after the first round and then you add 6 weeks more for each round after that.
I would definitely discuss this with your doctor. If your doctor is familiar with HCG and promotes it, then they will likely be more experienced than I am and will know the medical consequences better.
One thing I can say is that rounds of HCG take a lot of effort, work, attention and energy. Personally, I think it is really worth taking the time to do it right, get informed, and get the support you need to stick with the OP 100%!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
I have not cheated but day 8 no lost day 9 gained 400g. Feeling really bloated. What am I doing wrong
HI Gia,
What is your overall loss and how much are you trying to lose? You have to consider the overall weight loss rather than just one day at a time. You might stall several times, and bounce around, but it is important to keep in mind that the average will be about .33 to .5 per day depending on many things. Don’t get caught up in one or two days!
Be sure that you are POP (perfect on protocol) and not getting any oils in toiletries, as well as the other items I mention in this post.
Let me know how you are doing!
Best to you,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I have done this protocol many times before but just cannot get it right. I have put so many other people onto it who have had great success but each time I lose, I regain it all and some. This is a great diet but it also completely messes with your head. I am 155 cm and normally get to around 50 kg but as soon as I get there, I start eating all over again. After a holiday I am back up to 67 kg – I think that’s like 40 pounds…well here I go again. I just hope I can get it right finally!
Dear Maria,
I am sorry that you have had such a hard time.
I do think that doing HCG without being able to complete P3 (maintenance) is a set up for failure, and that it really does ‘mess with your head’ and your relationship to food and your body. I do not think it a great idea to keep losing weight and then gaining it back; that is classic eating disorder behavior and feels horrible, I KNOW!
If you simply keep gaining the weight back, then HCG just becomes like any other YO YO diet! Which no one wants.
I really think that getting some support in healing your relationship to food and your body is critical to keeping the weight off long term. Perhaps before you do another round or maybe during this round, it behooves you to get involved in a support group, some counseling, or even therapy to help you to do this and heal what is causing these issues.
Finding a way to follow through on the whole protocol including P3 and P4 is what really matters; without that, by doing only the VCLD and then overeating after you end P2, this protocol, like any diet, becomes painful and hurtful and could leave you feeling worse and overeating even more.
It is so worth the work to get some therapy to deal with the underlying issues that drive you back to food each time.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 😉
Hello!,
I was wondering if I could get some advice from you. I’ve done two full rounds so far and right now i’m on my third one. Every round before this one I’ve lost a little over 20 pounds. I was 191 pounds before loading for my first round and now I’m 138 pounds. I’m nearing the end of my third round and noticed that I’ve slowed down on weight loss and now I only lose .2 ounces a day. I really wanted to get to my goal to be in the 120’s but I have only thirteen days left before the end of this round. I really wanted this to be my last round. My question is, is there anything I can do or change to lose more? And if I don’t get my goal after I do phase three would doing another round work in your opinion to lose the last pounds I want? Thank you so much for sharing your story and your time!
Hi!
Wow, Congratulations. 73 pounds? That is amazing. Good for you! 🙂
The bad news is that I have found that in those last 10-20 pounds the weight loss slows way down. I only lost about 15 pounds in a 40 day round when I was approx 135 (down to 120). However, just because you are only losing small amounts right now, doesn’t mean it won’t pick up near the end; I have stalled for 10 days at a time and then dropped 2 or more pounds in a few days. Hang in there! and remember, it is pounds AND inches…. even if it doesn’t seem like you are losing weight, you ARE getting smaller.
I have found that those last pounds are very stubborn and slow to come off. If you do not reach your goal, you can do another shorter round, yes, after waiting the appropriate amount of time, for me, the longer the better! It is often not recommended to do HCG for losing less than 10 pounds, but I have done it, and it has took about 3-4 weeks to lose those last 6 pounds…. which do NOT want to stay off! 😉 For me, it is worth the effort, however, and the only way I can even lose weight at all.
Things you can do to accelerate your weight loss:
• Be sure you are NOT getting ANY oils in your toiletries (soaps, shampoo, etc)
• Be sure you are 100% POP according the ORIGINAL PROTOCOL. Be very very strict.
• Do not mix vegetables
• Stick with apples and 1/2 grapefruit as your fruit
• Cut down or cut out red meat (only if you feel physically ok doing this!)
• Cut down or cut out tomatoes
• Do an apple day or a 1/2 apple day
• Do a mini steak day
I have found that all of these help, however, in the long run, sometimes those last pounds just take a while to leave.
I hope that this helps!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
Hi there I’m writing all the way from Australia..
Hoping you can help ..
I’ve been on the HCG diet for one month ..
First week I wasn’t strict enough and didn’t lose .
Week 2 and 3 I did a vegetarian version with red lentil soup with spices and I list around 10 pounds in 2.5 weeks ..
Now .. I’ve stagnated for a whole week ?
I have 2 more weeks to go on a 6 week round and don’t know if I should stop the diet to break the stagnation and do another jumpstart in 6 weeks or continue on injections for another 2 weeks????
How can I jolt my system back in to weight loss? I was losing every day and then with a minor cheat day (extra protein) it all stopped!
I would really appreciate any input and also any referral to someone I could consult ..
Many thanks!!!
Cherry
Hi Cherry,
Thanks for reaching out. I am sorry to say that personally I have not found that the vegetarian versions work as well as the Original Protocol, from what I have heard and seen. Of course, everyone is different, and you have to do what is right for you. I have not, however heard of a vegetarian version with lentils…. I don’t know much about the 2.0 protocol however.
I have stalled for 10 days at times. Hang in there! You are still losing inches. Weight loss is not a straight line down, you need to think big picture. If it were me, I would switch to the Original Protocol to get the most out of this. You can always do an apple day, or a half apple day, or a mini steak day. But my best suggestion is the Original Protocol by Dr Simeon.
https://www.hcgchica.com is the most informed and knowledgeable HCG person I know. Check out her page.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
I am on my third round. The first time I ate mostly white fish and chicken. The second round I only did vegetarian food, and this time chicken, red meat and fish. I lost the most my second time doing the vegetarian food, 30 pounds in 40 days. The only reason why I didn’t do it this time is because it took more planning, and I’m extremely busy and unable to do it. I’ll have to do a fourth round to shed the remaining weight and will not eat any meat or fish.
Hi Sarah,
I have found that every round is really different. It always surprises me. I have also seen that most people actually lose less weight with the vegetarian version. HOWEVER, everyone is different, and you have to do what works for you. That is amazing 30 pounds in 4o days, wow!
Keep in mind that with each round, you may lose weight more slowly. The closer you are to your goal, the slower the weight comes off, however you may notice the inches rolling away.
Best of luck to you, and let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Hello- I like your blog! Day 13 here and only 3lbs gone. I’ve been the same weight all week and it’s frustrating! I’ve done the plan a couple times before with success but it’s never been this slow. I’m extremely strict with what I eat and measure everything, and I don’t have much of an appetite. Leaving tomorrow for a long weekend away and a wedding so I know this weekend is going to be very hard. I was hoping to be down a couple more pounds!
Sincerely,
frustrated.
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for reaching out. Remember that every round is different, and the less you have to lose, the slower the weight loss is. Keep in mind that you ARE losing FAT, and inches! It really helps to take measurements and try on clothes!
How much do you have to lose? How long has the weight been on? and what is your age and circumstance? These all affect weight loss.
Also, keep in mind that that is about a .25 per day weight loss. That is on the low side, yes, but most women lose an average of .25 to .45 per day, from what I have seen. If you start off slow, you might lose more later. It is important to not get caught up in the day to day losses, but keep the big picture in mind.
Please do consider your toiletries as well as your food. Even small amounts of oils in shampoo, soaps, and lotions can really have a significant affect.
I hope this helps.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
Hi ,Im so frustrated .I have been on HCG pills for a week and literally starving plus working out and have lost nothing in9 days,What am I doing wrong. Can anyone please tell me how and wen u take ur pills.
Thanks
Greatly appreciated
Aasma
Hi,
Thanks for reaching out. I am sorry you are having this experience! I do not know anything about HCG pills, sorry to say. What I do know about dosing with drops and with injections is here:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
What I can say is that you SHOULD NOT be hungry. If you are hungry, your dose is wrong, and you will likely not lose weight. In addition, working out on the HCG plan will also make you too hungry and it actually slows down weight loss. Have you read Linda Printer’s book? (HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide: A Supplemental Guide to Dr. Simeons’ Pounds and Inches Supporting All Types of HCG) That will really help.
The HCG protocol can be really challenging, and hard work, and I personally believe that it is worth the time to learn about it and do it according to the original protocol.
Another important thing to be sure of is that your HCG product actually has REAL HCG in it. There are many scams out there. Read the label, and you can also test it. HCGchica.com has lot of information on this.
Best of luck to you, and let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Hello! I wanted to ask you all a quick question that I haven’t been able to find the answer to anywhere! If you are a healthy weight, aka NOT overweight, will you still lose the same amount of weight at the same rate as someone who is overweight? I am 5’2″ and 130 lbs, my BMI is around 24. I don’t look too bad but I can tell I am a bit heavier than I used to be. For my height, between 100-130ish lbs is a “healthy weight.”
If I theoretically wanted to get down to 110 lbs, would I be able to lose the 20 lbs in the 3 week period? I am worried that the weight loss is going to be really slow for me since I’m not really overweight. Let me know your thoughts, thanks.
Hi Alyssa,
Great question. How quickly you lose weight is dependent on many things, I think, including age, health, how much weight you have to lose, how long you have had the weight on, metabolism, etc. Everyone is different, so it is really hard to say.
I can tell you, however, that I do not think that you will lose 20 pounds in 3 weeks, even if you had alot of weight to lose. Most women seem to lose about .3 – .5 pounds per day. That would be somewhere between 6 and 11 pounds in 21 days. Of course there are exceptions 🙂
In addition, I have found that the less you have to lose, the slower it goes. I have similar stats as you. I started at 134 and I am 5’3″. My first round was about 43 days, and I lost 14 pounds. In 3 weeks rounds, I have lost about 6 pounds. It took awhile for me to get and stay stable at 114 pounds because I am in menopause, and haven’t weighed this little since junior high school!
I would think that a realistic goal for your first 3 week round would be between 7 and 10 pounds. Keep in mind, however that with HCG, you lose abnormal fat, not structural fat, and you will be amazed at how much thinner you will be than expected. I think it could take you 2-4 rounds to get to 110 and stay there, but again, everyone is different, and depending on all the other factors it could happen faster.
I have found it to be SOOOO worth the time and effort, and I love how I feel now.
Let me know what you think and how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Hi—when dealing with hunger when you are down to the last 10 lbs to loose—-how do you know if you need to go up or down in dosage? thanks
Hi Sandee!
Congrats on making it this far, yea! I found that those last 10 pounds are the most challenging. For dosing, go to this post:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
The bottom line I have heard is if you are TOO hungry before meals or between meals, your dose is too low. If you are too hungry after you eat, or just hungry all the time, then your dose is too high.
I would guess, if you have lost weight already, that it might be too low. I found that as I lose weight, I have to increase my dose, in order to release enough FAT to keep me full. Also, I had heard, and found this to be true; That when you get down to those last 10 pounds or so, it is really difficult to get your dose right because you just don’t have a lot of fat left. I was told to increase my protein, and veggies (NOT FRUIT OR BREAD). I have done that in my last few rounds, increased to 4, 5, or even 6 ounces of protein at meals, and bigger portions of veggies. I still lost the weight, and felt much better. I also ate MORE red meat which really helped.
Everyone is different, so it really is a process of trial and error for each person! Test out what works for you, and I would love to hear your results 😉
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
HI, I did round 1 without the phase 3 as I was on vacation. Such a bummer because the 17 lbs I lost came right back. I waited a month and started another round however I left my injections at home for 3 days and then 4 days of travel. I stopped about 2 weeks ago to reset. I’d like to start again in a week. Any thoughts?
Amy
Hi Amy,
As I am sure you have figured out, Phase 3 & Phase 4 are really the keys to the HCG protocol and what make it different from a normal ‘diet’. I do believe you have to be really ready to change your eating habits before you embark on the HCG journey. One thing that really helps is planning to stick close to home for P2 & P3, and even into P4 until your new eating habits become normal. If you do not do P3 & P4, you definitely will gain the weight back, as you know.
The Original Protocol (OP) recommends that you wait 6 weeks after your first round before you do a second round, and I think it is 12 weeks before round 3. Doing rounds too soon seems to slow down weight loss. I have found that the longer I wait between rounds, the better. Of course, everyone is different, and you did not do a full round… so who knows? The most important thing, I do believe, is that you fully prepare yourself, and that you really commit to the full round, and then the maintenance phases, before you start again. Perhaps get some support for this with a support group, or some counseling; it really helps!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Hi and thank you for the reply. I appreciate the help. Unfortunately I am a Flight Attendant which makes the diet very difficult as we all know, it’s not easy getting healthy food while traveling. I am going to wait at least one more week and try this again… The entire hcg diet.
Hi Amy,
Yes, traveling, and certainly being a flight attendant does make it quite challenging. I have a friend who is a Flight Attendant, and she has managed a number of rounds. You have to plan very carefully, and bring all of your own food, I think! And the injections would be much easier than drops, for sure!
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
Hi Barbara,
So…. I am taking your advice and waiting a full 6 weeks to start again. Just bought my next round of 23 day injections because I got a great deal but will pick it up in 5 weeks.
Will be in a better place to complete the round since I have an Italy vacation in 4 weeks. (Def won’t be able to follow diet there…will call it pre loading loading. ) ha.
My Ht 5’10 ” weight today 150 lbs. goal 135.
Will be exercising daily next 4 weeks and after Italy begin my hcg.
Thank you for all of your advice and support.
Will check back with you soon. 🙂
Many thanks, Amy
Good luck Amy! It really is the best way to do HCG, to put 100% attention on it, do it completely, stay POP, and do maintenance correctly!
Best to you!
=)
Which is the best HCG to buy? There are so many on the market and I’ve heard that many of them are not effective. I’d like to buy what people are saying really works.
Hi!
I personally have never purchased injections. However, hcgchica is really an expert, and she has done tons of research on the best ones to buy. Check out her site.
I use drops and love MIRACLE SKINNY DROPS. I have had great success with them. Just be sure when purchasing drops that they have REAL HCG in them! You can test the potency with a pregnancy test.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I’ve read through a few blog posts and many of the comments now. ..I just wanted to say thank you. I was getting ready to throw in the towel due to a 2 day stall (after losing 7 lbs in 7days). Definitely need to work through my food issues,stay POP, and wait for my body to get back to losing weight! Your blog is exactly what I needed this morning! Thank you! !!
Hi Sara,
I am so glad that you found it helpful! and 7 pounds in 7 days is amazing! YES! STAY POP. You will have lots of stalls. Hang in there, and trust the protocol, you will lose the weight, 15-25 pounds in 40 days, depending on many factors. Do your best to not get caught up in the day to day weight losses and fluctuations, but rather keep the big picture in mind!
Let me know how it goes!
Best of luck to you,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Hello Denise, I am on round 2, day 4 of p2, I have only lost my 3day load weight, which is 5lbs. I am a bit discouraged this morning because my weight is the same as yesterday!! I am thinking I may need to do an apple day already. Do you think that is an good idea? Please give me some advise? Thank you in advance. Mary E.
Hi Mary!
FYI, my actual name is Barbara. I am not sure if you are wanting to talk to me or someone else?
It is very normal to have stalls, and lots of stalls! We don’t lose weight in a straight line. It is great to keep the BIG picture in mind and not get caught up in the day to day losses. Losing your loading weight in 3 days is a great start. You can figure that you will lose 15-20 pounds in a 40 day round, or an average of .3 – .5 per day AT MOST. Some days you might lose a full pound, other days, .2 pounds, and many days nothing at all. Just stay POP and trust the bigger process.
You might want to re read this blog post also, that might help!
Apple days are recommended after 4 days of stalls, but they are not required 😉
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Barbara I’am so sorry for calling you by the wrong name. Thank you so much and reading the blogs are very encouraging, I’ve lost a total of 10 lbs. Since I last posted, It looks like its gonna be a little tougher on round 2 opposed to round 1, but I think I’am on my way to success, I just want to hit my wonderland weight….I’am at 219 lbs. I lost 30 lbs in my first round, if I can make it to 199 lbs. I will be happy, this is my short term goal. My long term goal is to be at 150 lbs. Thank you so much, you give great advice. Mary E.
Dear Mary,
No worries at all, i LOVE that others are writing on my blog, thus the name confusion 🙂
SO glad that you find my blog posts helpful! 🙂
I think that 20 pounds is a great goal in a 40 day round. I round myself staying on my rounds a few more days than planned to lose a few extra pounds. 40 days is the recommended days, but I have seen people stay a few extra days based on how you feel and your health, and your doctor 😉
I have found that the longer I wait between rounds the better. Not just for the health reasons, but the psychological reasons too. It takes some getting used to, this new body, and way of eating. And learning maintenance is always a challenge!
Good luck to you! Best suggestion is to STAY POP, and don’t get caught up in the day to day weight loss or stalls, EVERYONE stalls, weight loss is NOT a straight line down. Just keep the bigger picture in mind; you WILL lose the weight if you follow the protocol and stay POP.
Let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
Hi Barbara,
Help. I’ve been on HCG diet. 8 days and lost only 7.8. Pds. Only .4 pds the last 4 days. I have not cheated. My only problem is I did not do my 2 load days with drops? Is that causing this ? What do you suggest ?
Thank you
Denise
Hi Denise,
7.8 pounds is ALOT of weight to lose in 8 days! That is .98 average pounds per day. Most women lose about .3 -4 pounds per day, or 15 -25 pounds in 40 days.
I do not know the affects of not loading. My understanding is that loading properly helps prevent hunger the first week, and also it sets your body up for losing abnormal fat rather than structural fat. I don’t think I would personally start over, and your weight loss is great. But it would be a good question for a doctor.
Remember to focus on the big picture, and don’t get caught in the day to day weight loss. By losing that much weight so quickly, you will very likely stall for awhile. The weight loss always balances out, and you may find yourself at an average of .3 or .4 per day over a period of 40 days.
Here are some tips that can help enhance your weight loss:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-phase-2-tips-for-enhancing-your-weight-loss/
and some thoughts about the amount of weight you might lose:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-realistic-goals-how-much-weight-should-you-be-losing/
I hope that this helps!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hello Denise
I am thinking of getting started on another round of HCG diet. I did doctor prescribed injections for 21 days. I lost 13 pounds and it was great. I keep reading about drops but don’t know which ones to buy. What are you using? You are doing great and would like to try the brand you are using.
Thank you.
Jennifer.
Hi Jennifer,
I have had great success with Miracle Skinny Drops. Whatever brand you use, be sure it is professional strength HCG and has REAL HCG in it. There are a lot of scams out there, so be careful!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Denise,
Do all Miracle Skinny drops on their site have HCG or do some not have HCG and I need to read each bottles ingredients?
HI!
I am not sure if Denise used Miracle Skinny drops (MSD) or not?
I think that all Miracle Skinny drops do, but I really don’t know. You should always read the labels before you buy, or call the company, they are very helpful.
=)
10 days into HCG……… 3 pounds!! Oh my gosh. Please help! I only wanted to lose 25 but don’t think I am gonna make 10 at this point. Any ideas????
Hi Diane,
Thanks for reaching out. 3 pounds in 10 days is really not that bad. That is about .33 pounds per day. Most women lose about .3-.4 per day on average over the 3 or 6 week span. In a 40 day round, I have seen women losing from 15-25 pounds at most in a 40 day round. Not everyone loses the full 25. I only lost 15. It depends on age and other factors. Also, you might lose smaller amounts for awhile, and then alot really fast and then nothing…. It is often not consistent. You have to remember the big picture.
Here are some tips for enhancing your weight loss, that might help:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-phase-2-tips-for-enhancing-your-weight-loss/
and some things to consider:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-realistic-goals-how-much-weight-should-you-be-losing/
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi Barbara,
Please help! I finished my last injection on 05/20/16. I am supposed to remain on the 500 VLCD through Monday. But I messed up today! I had some macaroni and spoon full of mashed potatoes, 3 organic lemon wafers. I am freaking out. I don’t want to gain weight back. What do I do? Do get back to the 500 calories tomorrow and Monday or start another 23 day program of hcg injections? Please help. I feel horrible and don’t want to start over. But today I messed up. How can I correct this? I’m freaking out. Thank you! Theresa
Dear Theresa,
I am so sorry you are having a hard time. You have worked so hard to get this far, of course you don’t want to gain the weight back. argh!
I am not sure what the original protocol would say to do. I personally don’t think you need to start all over again. You could wait to see how much you gain, but you might have gained a bit from this. You could just accept the gain, and get back to the VCLD 500 calories, but you might be really hungry after the carbs.
I think one thing you could do is a steak day. This is just a GUESS on my part, but I think if it were me, that is what I would do.
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-how-to-do-a-steak-day-p3-phase-3-maintenence/
I don’t know if this is a ‘rogue’ suggestion, but I do find that steak days are quite effective, and might get you back on track. Then I would do the VCLD for another day or two, and ease into P3 slowly.
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-maintenence-phase-3-tips-on-getting-started-on-p3/
I hope that this helps! How much total did you lose? Even if you gain a few pounds from this, I do think it’s important to wait in between rounds! But I think a steak day might get you back on track.
Do let me know! I am sure that others have the same types of issues, and I am always wanting to know what works!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I am almost done and had some rocky days while on injections. I am craving exercise and just craving variety. Anyway. I cheated one week pretty bad on & off while injecting..but I started losing again right away from what I gained which was 3 lbs – so I think the steak day or just a protein day (no fruit, veggies or melba) split up through out the day would work too. Not to exceed 500 calories. I bet it comes right off. Good luck in phase 3! Keep us posted. I’m heading there in a Week and I’m so nervous! About R1D32 loss 20 (would have been more if I didn’t cheat!)
Hi Melissa, thanks for your encouragement. I have lost 13.4lbs. I stalled for a while and then started to lose again. My last injection was Friday 5/20. I weighed this morning and I didn’t gain any weight, but of course with what I ate yesterday I didn’t lose any either. My LIW is still holding thank God. But my I’m still 2lbs from my goal weight of 155. That’s the weight I’m comfortable at and it feels good to me. I’m 157.2. Today I’m back in the saddle of the 3 days of VLCD. I’m going to do a partial steak and 1/2 tomatoe today. To see if it will push me where I need to be. I’m praying I don’t gain anything and that by Tuesday when I start the maitenance phase I’m at 155.
Hi Barb, thanks for responding! I didn’t gain anything from what I ate yesterday thank God! But of course I didn’t lose either. Ive lost 13.4 lbs on a 23 day program. I would have lost more I think, but I stalled for a week. However, my goal was to get to 155 or 150. I’m comfortable at that weight. My LIW is 157.2 which is where I am today even after I messed up yesterday. I’m hoping with a steak day I can at least get to that 155. I’m supposed to stay on the 500 calories through Monday, start maitenance on Tuesday. I know I can make it. I appreciate you responding. I don’t want to go another round for 5lbs. So, if I can get to 155 I will be more than satisfied. You think I can drop 2 more pounds before I go into phase 3? Thanks! Theresa
Hi!
Great that you didn’t gain anything. Be careful, however. Sometimes the weight gain takes a day to show up, so I do think that the Steak day or modified steak day is a great idea.
You certainly might lose weight while in LIMBO (the 3 days between P2 and P3) however, in my experience, once you stop the drops, that weight does NOT stay off. That is why your LIW / LDW (last injection weight or last drop weight) is considered the LAST day that you take drops. I have dropped 1-3 pounds during LIMBO< but it always comes right back on. It is more realistic to plan to maintain at your LIW for now. Maybe do another round at a later date, a 3 week round. I have found that those last 5 pounds take ALOT to get off and keep off. It goes very slowly. I am older than you however, you might be able to do it once you maintain for 6 weeks using other methods. 🙂 For me, the only thing that works is HCG! Let me know how it goes! Good luck, ~inspired Girl aka Barbara PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
Thanks Barb! My weight was 157.2 when I took my last injection on Friday. So, just be sure I’m clear you are saying that I should focus on the 157.2 that I was at on Friday? I’m good with being 2lbs away from goal where I wanted to be. I was thinking that I could’ve gotten to 150, but I’m good at 155 too. I am with you that the only thing that works is HCG. I am 42, will be 43 in December and I have struggled with weight on/off all of my adult life. However, I feel god having lost the 13.4 and was shooting for 15. So, with that being said, I will be just fine if I don’t gain anything so I can start to stabilize on Tuesday. Thanks for all your help. Theresa
Hi Theresa,
Yes, your LIW wight is 157.2. That should be your goal, to stay within 2 pounds of that for the next 6 weeks. Keep in mind that the closer you are to your goal weight, the slower the weight loss is. And I have found that age makes a difference also. For me, being in menopause, and only a few pounds left to lose, it takes FOREVER! 🙂 and more work to keep it off.
You lost 13.4 pounds, that is great! Remind me, in how long??? My first round took me 42 days to lose about 15! =)
Once you stabilize, you can focus on the last 2-5 pounds; hcg chica has some great suggestions for losing small amounts. Or you could do another round and get to your goal of 150. I have found that the LONGER I wait between rounds the better!
Thanks for staying in touch! Do let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 😉
Barb, I only did a 23 day round of hcg injections. I would have lost more I believe but I stalled for about a week. I also became constipated too. So, 13.4 in the 23 days I felt was pretty good. I like that the 157.2 is my LIW. I will stay focused there. I hope that I can lose the last 5-7 pounds later. But even if I don’t, I’m happy. My focus will be to stabilize the loss and maintain it. I’m doing the steak and tomatoe today. I’ve already drank 40oz of water today and will do at least 20oz more before bed tonight. By Monday I will be ready to enter phase 3. I will keep you posted.
Thanks for remind me 🙂 THAT is ALOT of weight in 23 days! Good for you. Everyone stalls! It always balances out between big weight loss and then stalls.
Your average was .58 per day, that is really high! Just so you know, mine is generally about .33 or so. and I think that for many women, it is .4 – .45
Congratulations!
🙂
What size steak should I eat? 8-16 oz? Please let me know.
Here is my info on how to do a steak day:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-how-to-do-a-steak-day-p3-phase-3-maintenence/
The protocol simply says eat a large steak. I don’t think I have ever seen any info on the size. I get the largest one I can, anywhere from 12-16 ounces or more. and I can almost always finish the whole thing! 🙂
I just remembered, you are NOT really in P3 yet, you are still in that LIMBO between P2 and P3. I might limit the steak size at this point. I don’t really have a CORRECT answer, but if it were me, I might eat 5-8 ounces at MOST and be careful not to get too full.
Good luck! Enjoy it!
You are such a blessing! I had a 16oz ribeye with 4 slices of tomatoe. I ate the whole thing. I also had another 20oz of water. I recently moved to Fort Lauderdale so I sat on the beach and got some sun, so that I can relax. Now I’m heading home. I feel good having support. I’m done for the day. Hopefully I will not have shot this process to hell. Tomorrow I will remain on the 500 VLCD and Tuesday I begin stabilization. I’m gonna pray all goes well. I will keep you posted! Thanks!
Hi Theresa!
So glad to be able to help. Sounds like you are back on a good track.
Good luck!
=)
Oh NO! I ate before 6p and I had the sliced tomatoes. But I also had a sliced apple earlier with 20oz of water. But I’m done for the day except more water and maybe a cup a green tea before bed. I go to bed at 10p.
Hi!
Let me know how it goes!
=)
HELP! HELP! HELP!!
Today was my first day without an injection. I’m supposed to stay on 500 calories through Monday and start maintenance on Tuesday. Today I messed up! I had Mac and cheese and a spoon full of mashed potatoes. What do I do? Did I screw up so bad that I’m going to gain a large amount of weight? Do I stay on 500 tomorrow and Monday like I’m supposed to or start another 23 day program over? Please help. I’m freaking out.
I’m doing HCG under a doc’s close supervision. I’m on 26 units of HCG by injection daily. I have been mixing veggies (I hadn’t heard that was an issue). I’ve been on the diet for two weeks and have barely lost 5 lbs. My doc keeps upping my dose but my weight isn’t budging. I’m VERY athletic and have never been able to lose weight the traditional ways (I have seen dozens of docs and naturopaths). I’m also celiac and gained about 60 lbs when I went off gluten. I have 30-40 to lose. It’s not making sense to me, with such a low calorie diet, why I’m not dropping more. I have stagnated the last four days with no body composition change. I’m ready to tear my hair out. I hear all these stories of rapid weight loss and I’m plugging along barely losing anything. My doc did approve gum (xylitol only). My husband accidentally bought me some with sugar and I chewed the pack. Could that be what has stalled me out? I’ve always been a clean, paleo eater, so this protocol isn’t a huge shock. Please give me some advise. I’m ready to go crazy. Thanks!
Hi Ashley!
Thanks for reaching out. I am so sorry you are having a hard time. It is really hard to work so hard at this and lose so slowly. The best thing I can offer is that everyone is different, and you might stall for a long time, but then drop a bunch of weight, so it is worth hanging in there. YES xylitol and sugar can definitely affect your weight loss. With HCG even small cheats can have big effects.
Things like mixing vegies are not always an issue, however if your weight loss is slow, I would stop.
Here are my suggestions for enhancing weight loss, I have found that doing all of these things makes a BIG difference if your weight loss is slow:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-phase-2-tips-for-enhancing-your-weight-loss/
I have found that increasing your dose is not always the best solution. Sometimes lowering the dose is better. IT all depends on hunger. You should NOT be hungry on HCG. It will actually SLOW your weight loss Here are some tips on dosage and hunger:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
Finally, everyone is different and the rate and timing of your weight loss can really vary. It is not a good idea to compare to others. I think that a realistic expectation is about .3 to .4 pounds per day OVER a 40 day period, so 15 – 20 pounds is the norm. 5 pounds in 14 days is about .35 per day, yes a bit slow, but i bet that you have lost a bunch of inches. And you might find that you drop 2-3 pounds in a few days all of a sudden.
It certainly is worth finding out if you have any health issues (low thyroid, etc etc) from your doctor!
Other than that, hang in there! Keep in mind that everyone is different.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi there. I posted a little bit ago before starting HCG injections from Nu Image (mine also have B12 & MIC included) & wanted to update everyone. I loaded & it was not as fun as I thought! After loading I was 190.6 (this was also bloat from day berore loading i drank beer at a friends party) and its a week later on LC and I’m at 177.8. I’m also 5’3 ? I have lost inches & jeans I couldn’t button, I can button now (with muffin top ?) normally a size 12 but getting loose. I always did work out before on & off so I am heavier for my size cause I do have muscle. It has been hard some days but only if I didn’t eat enough. I was told to start at 200 dosage for injections & after playing around I’m about 150-160. So dose is important & its hard to get dose right when you are on drops or pellets, otherwise you may experience some hunger here & there. My husband is on pellets and he does have more hunger than me but he cheats! I will admit, I created my own protocol to suit me. I wouldn’t recommend it cause I don’t want to be the reason your HCG doesn’t work lol but I eat 3 servings of 3.5-4oz weighed raw protein per day. I do eat veggies occasionally and I have had 2 servings of fruit all week. No Melba. I do this because I feel more satisfied on protein and i hate veggies raw and cooked without olive oil. I sometimes eat plain raw lettuce, celery or steamed broccoli but not every day. I would rather have 350-500 calories in protein & since its just for 40 days…IMO its not the end of the world.
HI Melissa,
Thanks for checking in! Sounds like you are doing well! Keep it going. and ya, it is NOT the end of the world, and it is short time in the bigger scheme of things.
Keep it going!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
I need help! I’m on day 7 of the hcg injection under Doctor supervision and I lost nothing today, well .2—– I’m very concerned with a stall like this. I’ve checked, rechecked everything to the letter for the protocol. I’m freaking out.
Hi Theresa,
Stalls, and low weight loss on some days are totally normal and to be expected. How much have you lost so far? You can expect a total of 15 – 20 pounds in a 40 day round. Some people do lose as much as 25 if they have a lot to lose. Some days you might lose, NOTHING, and other days a whole pound. It is important to keep the big picture in mind! Some people weigh themselves less often so as not to get caught up in the day to day attention on small amounts.
It is always good to slow down, be patient, and trust the protocol; it really does work.
Here are some tips for you:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-realistic-goals-how-much-weight-should-you-be-losing/
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-phase-2-tips-for-enhancing-your-weight-loss/
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi! Thanks for the response. I started on the 500 calories on April 30, and I was 170.6 and I am down to 161.2. I have not waivered or deviated from the protocol at all. I stalled and I am worried.
HI!
You have lost 9.4 pounds in 5 days? That is A LOT of weight! That is an average of 1.88 pounds per day. Your body will naturally balance that out, and you will average more likely about .4 per day, MAYBE .5 per day. So you might stall for quite awhile. I have stalled for over a week sometimes, to balance out the large weight loss. Hang in there! The protocol works. Just be sure that your expectations are realistic; it is important to realize that you WILL likley stall often when you have large weight losses like that. It is part of the process!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success
Thank you! Your responses are encouraging! I’m definitely going to stay calm and run the course. I’m on a 23 day program and I know I can make it! I just freaked out. I will keep you posted!
Hang in there! The most important thing in a stall is to try to not freak out and to stay POP. It is so easy to get discouraged, and then cheat. But the protocol works! Just stay the course
=)
Hi Theresa. I know a stall is SO frustrating! But I’m on day 18 and lost 17lbs. I started at 190.6 (after load) so I will lose more since I have more to lose. I have been on point too no cheats and had a 5 day stall with a small increase one day. I didn’t do an apple day because I read SO many blogs and watched videos that the weight loss always picks up and you did lose a lot already so it seems like a stall is a natural part of your body catching up. I had two great losses again after my stall and leveles out between .4-.8 per day. I feel like at this point I’m itching to work out again so I think I’m doing (2) 26 day plans vs one 46. I need variety. Good luck to you! You are doing great!
That’s really awesome! It’s weird because this morning I weighed myself after emptying my bladder, it said 161. I walked to the kitchen and just weighed myself again for kicks it said 160.4. I don’t know which to record. But I’m trying hard not to get discouraged but I am doing everything by the book on this protocol. I’m not doing an apple day. I’m just going to hope the weight continues as I am obidiant to the protocol.
Hi I am thinking about doing hcg. I am 5’2 and weigh 145. I am very active but can’t seem to get the weight off that I want! I would like to be 130 would hcg be a good fit for me?
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for reaching out. I LOVE HCG. I started my first round at 135, and lost 15 pounds in 40 days, got to 120. I am also 5’2″. I eat well, and am very active, but being in menopause and after surgery, I just couldn’t lose, in fact, I was gaining. So yes, I personally think HCG is great! Everyone is different =)
One thing to keep in mind is that when you don’t have ALOT to lose, the weight loss is slower. Maybe .25 – .33 per day. But that is still great!
I hope that this helps.
Do let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
Hello. I lost 90lbs on weight watchers and cannot get off the last ten I’m 5’4″ 145. I started hcg with b12 complex once a week. Today was my first weight in I lost .8 I was so disappointed I follow the diet to a t. I don’t know what is going on I heard the first week is the biggest loss I’m trying so hard to not get discouraged. Is this normal
Hi Nikki,
I am so sorry you are having this experience! When you say your first ‘weigh in’, how many days have you been on the protocol? and how recently did you lose the 90 pounds? Recent weight loss will affect how quickly you lose I would guess. Also, be SURE that you are not using any body products that have oil in them. It really does make a difference, and are you reading ALL labels on foods? Small amounts of fat, sugar and starches, that are hidden in foods have an affect.
The other thing to consider and rule out is any medical issues, such as thyroid problems or other deficiencies.
Finally, assuming that you are not getting any hidden oils, starches, or sugars, and that there are no medical issues, do keep in mind that everyone is different. Lots of people do seem to lose alot the first week, but then have long stalls the second week. You might do the opposite. I do know that the protocol DOES work, and that it is important to keep the bigger picture in mind. And if you recently lost a bunch of weight, you might just lose the ‘inches’ first, the abnormal fat, and the pounds later.
Let me know what you think, and let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi! Not sure if you still check this, but I’m having a rough time. I’m on day 22. For the last week, I have been fluctuating between 125.6 and 126.6 – 8 days now, actually. (I’ve only lost 8.5 total lbs in three weeks.) My TOM came early and I didn’t do the drops for 36 hours but stuck to VLCD. I have not mixed veggies, I mostly eat apples and grapefruit or no fruit, & I try to avoid any bread/crackers at all.
I’ve been drinking 64+ ounces of water a day…I wanted to stop at day 21, but I have three lbs to my goal. Any other suggestions? Should I plan on 40 days? I’ve never had to do 40 days before – the weight just usually falls off before the 21 days mark. (I’ve done this a couple of times since my first round 6 years ago.) & I usually end up around 121-123.
I’ve never had this much of a stall before. It’s so frustrating. Should I increase my drops? I do around 12 – 3x a day. I don’t want to give up on reaching my goal but I don’t know how much longer I can go.
Thanks for any insight. 🙂
Dear Kara,
Thanks for reaching out, and yes, I check this often.
I have personally found that every round is different, so it is important to remember that. IN addition, with your weight being so low, it makes sense that your weight loss would be slow. I have found that since my weight has been around 120 and lower, my weight loss CRAWLS, its so slow. I stalled for 10 days on my last round. I did then, however, drop about 3 pounds in a few days. I wound up doing 28 days instead of only 21.
The other thing is, I have HEARD (but really don’t know what the Original Protocol would say) that on DROPS, you should NOT stop during your period. You might want to check with HCG CHICA on this, or others who are more medically knowledge than I am.
Regarding you dosage adjustment, are you overly hungry or weak? IF you are, that will slow your weight loss down, and yes a dose adjustment is called for.
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
If you feel good, then personally, I would just hang in there. Have you taken your measurements, or tried on clothes? I only lost about 6-10 pounds in my 21-28 day rounds, because I, like you did not have much weight to lose. But I HAVE found, that with each successive round I am SMALLER, at the same weight, ie at 117 NOW I wear smaller clothes than I did the first time I got to 117 AND my weight is more stable. Keep in mind that there is so much more going on than just the number on the scale.
I have also found that the closer I have gotten to my goal, the less fat on my body to release, I did have to adjust my dose to not be hungry, but I actually had to eat MORE protein. I increase my protein and vegie intake a bit, (NOT FRUIT OR BREAD), and I still lost.
If it were me, I would hang in there for at least 28 days or so, unless you feel horrible, or sick, or if there is any medical reason not to. You have come this far, another week or so is nothing in comparison to what it takes to do a round with loading, etc etc. TRUST the protocol, it works, try not to freak out, and stay POP. Sounds like you are doing everything right, but be sure to check your body products, NO OILS, it makes a difference. You can also do an apple day, a half apple day, or a mini steak day. They all work great, as long as you aren’t overly hungry.
Please do let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Thank you so much for your encouragement and advice. It really helped me through my last few days. I did end up losing another 3.5 lbs and finished P2 on day 28! Now to get through the 48 hrs VLCD w/o drops & P3! I appreciate all your posts and advice so much. Having had major thyroid issues in the past – this is the only “diet” that gets me back to where I want to be w/o feeling like it’s impossible. It’s nice to have others who understand this.
Have a great week!
Yea! Good for you. So glad these thoughts and ideas helped. Stick with in P3! It is so worth it!
Do let me know how it goes
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Hi there, started HCG diet on my cycle day 20 planning to just stop once I started my period. I’m now cycle day 32 and know that I should have started by now. I do not suspect I am pregnant whatsoever, but I do think I am retaining water and weighing heavier due to the impending cycle start!
Thoughts? Should I stop the shots for a few days? Do I just wait patiently?
Dear Stacey,
Thanks for reaching out. Sorry to say, I have only done the DROPS, and have not dealt with the stop and start issue and the menstrual cycle issue. I would say, however, if you are really late, in might be worth getting a doctor’s opinion. Also, HCGchica is amazing, and really an expert when it comes to HCG. I would bet she has some great information regarding your question.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
May I ask where you get your HCG, and how many rounds do you do per year?
HI Tammy,
I did my first round in fall (42 days or so). I waited about 18 months to my second round. I waited about 12 months to my third round, and another 10 to my recent round. I find that the longer I wait, the more effect it is 😉
I used BIOGENESIS HCG from Rockwell Nutrition my first three rounds and I thought it was great. However, they stopped selling it, and I used Miracle Skinny Drops my last round, and I do have to say, I think it was more potent. In addition, they have a FACEBOOK support page which I find very inspiring, and the administrators seem really knowledgeable; it’s a great place to get questions answered, ideas, and support.
Whatever type of drops you choose, be very careful that is it ‘professional strength’ and that it has REAL HCG in it.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Great, thank you! I have previously purchased the oral pellets from Nu Image and just finished a 23 day round. Not quite where I want to be, so I’m considering another round before summer. Do you know why the Miracle Skinny Drops don’t need a prescription?
Hi Tammy,
So far, I have not needed a prescription for any drops. I sure hope it stays that way! I would personally wait at least 12 weeks between rounds, and more if possible. I know that the original protocol suggests less time than that for your first and second round, but I am cautious. That is just me, and everyone is different! I have had friends, however, who did rounds back to to back and didn’t lose much, or feel very good. So just be careful and trust your body!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Great advice. Thanks again!
You are very welcome. Do let me know how it goes! 🙂
Hi there. Did u find you were hungry on the pellets? I just ordered from Nu Image as well. Pellets for hubby since he travels and injections for me but I’m kind of freaking out about that but I’m trying to go all In.
Hi!
I did not do pellets, I did homeopathic drops. However, hunger is not based on what you are using, it is more about DOSAGE. AS long as the product has REAL HCG in it (not a scam!), when you get your dosage correct, you should NOT be hungry! If you are hungry, you will not lose as much weight, plus, you can’t last on this program HUNGRY.
Here is some information I wrote about dosing:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Yes, Melissa, I did get great results with the pellets from Nu Image. I took one every morning before I even got out of bed and let it dissolve under my tongue. Then I didn’t eat or drink anything for 30 minutes. Didn’t have to think about it again until the next morning, so it was VERY convenient, and my losses were good. I just switched to Miracle Skinny Drops because they are so much cheaper, and I also had great results – in fact almost identical. The only draw back with the MSD is that I had to remember to take them 3 times per day and then not eat or drink for 15 min before or after.
Oh, and also, No, I was not hungry on either the pellets or the drops, except right around meal time when I should have been hungry. Nothing out of the ordinary or extreme. 🙂 Good luck!!!
Hi, I have been getting my HCG through a clinic via injections. I am in week 5 and lost about 18 pounds. Had issues with constipation for the last 2 days. I had eaten the wrong thing this past Saturday with sodium. Got back on tract. No weight loss today. Any idea, when body will get back on
Tract?
Hi Laurie,
Everyone is different. It just takes time. There is no formula for how quickly you will bounce back! The best thing for me is to just stay POP, be patient, and trust the protocol. Always keep the big picture in mind, not just daily weight loss. Measurements help too so you can see how much your body is changing.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I am in the 3rd week of my Hcg diet. I am doing the injections. Best diet I have ever done and so happy I found out about it. I am doing the 21 day version of this diet. I don’t think I will hit my goal when it is over but that is because I made a very tough goal. My question is after I get done with the injections could I start on the liquid oral Hcg right away and keep going maybe for another two weeks on that. And if I did that which oral Hcg do you recommend. Also I read that you have to keep it under your tongue for a long time and not swallow it. I think you said it’s the only way you have taken Hcg so wanted your opinion on it. I only have done injections so want to make a good choice if I go this route. Thank you.
Hi Jenn!
Thanks for reaching out. I am glad you found HCG also…. changed my life!
Are you saying you want to extend your round from a 21 day round to a 40 round, yes?
I do think that if you stop, you should do P3 and P4 before you start again, but if you stay ON the protocol, you can go up to 40 days.
I actually don’t know about switching from injections to the homeopathic drops. I have one friend who did it, and had success, but I don’t know what a doctor would say about it, or if it will be effective for you. If it were me, I would certainly give it a try unless there were some medical issues indicating that you shouldn’t. I have found and keep finding that everyone is different, and finding the best way to do HCG for each person is a lot of research, and following the protocol, but then also some trial and error to find what works best for you.
I have had great success with Miracle Skinny Drops. Before that I used biogenesis Oral HCG, and I loved it, however, they went out of business. I found that Miracle Skinny drops seemed more potent. In addition, they have a GREAT support page on FB, with 100’s of women on it, that is an amazing source of answers and inspiration. Whichever version you get, BE CERTAIN that is has REAL HCG in it! Professional strength with real HCG.
I have only done homeopathic and had great success. It IS a bit of a pain however, so you have to be really disciplined. Here is my write up on it:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-dosage-hunger-adjusting-your-homeopathic-dose-and-a-sample-meal-plan/
ONE key to homeopathic is that you have to have NOTHING in your mouth for 20-30 minutes before you dose, and 20-30 minutes after. I found that 30 minutes was better. And yes, you leave it under your tongue until it dissolves (about 30 secs to 1 min). I also found that breaking my dosage up to 4 times per day instead of 3 really worked best. Doing that, AND getting all of your fluids and your foods in is definitely quite challenging. I had alarms going off all day! But I got in a rhythm. I have completed four rounds and feel great about it!
I hope this helps. Let me know what you think.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂
I started HCG drops on January 23rd 2016
Weight Loss:
Saturday Day 1: 199
Sun Day 2: 197 Loss 2lbs
Mon Day 3: 196 Loss 1lbs
Tues Day 4: 193 Loss 3lbs
Wed Day 5: 192 Loss 1lbs
Thur Day 6: 191 Loss 1lbs
Fri Day 7: 190 Loss 1lbs
Sat Day 8: 189 Loss 1lbs
Sun Day 9: 189 Loss 0 lbs
Mon Day 10: 189 Loss 0 lbs
I’ve stalled how do I break the stall? The last two days I’ve dru my water really late and I skipped snacks on Sumday. Could this be the reason for the stal?
Hi!
It looks to me like you lost 10 pounds in 10 days, total, even with a 3 day stall. THAT is amazing! Keep in mind that stalls are normal. I have stalled for up to 7-10 days at times. Your weight loss average might likely be around .5 pounds per day at best (depending on how much you have to lose). So when you lose a pound a day like you did, you will have lots of ‘stall’ days to balance it out. Just remember not to ‘freak out’ about it, keep the bigger picture in mind, and trust the protocol, it works!
Some things you CAN do to help include:
-Re-read the allowed foods for Phase 2 (P2) / VCLD (very low calorie diet). Be sure you are eating ONLY what is on the list and nothing else.
-Be certain that your protein portion is about 100 grams or 3.5 ounces of protein. Be sure to cut the fat off of beef, and take the skin off of chicken before you cook it, to lower the amount of fats you consume.
-Keep your fruit to either Apples or 1/2 grapefruit as suggested in the original program. Stop eating strawberries or oranges.
-Be sure that your ‘cracker’ is 20 calories or less and that it has no sugars or extras in it.
-Double check all ingredients on everything you are eating and be sure you know what you are eating. It is safest to eat home cooked foods with organic ingredients.
-Be certain there are NO OILS or FATS in your foods. It is shocking to realize that even a small amount of FAT or OIL can stop your weight loss, even though the calorie count could be low. Most people don’t want to believe this; you will be surprised at the increased weight loss if you cut out ALL fats and oils.
-Be certain that there are no hidden sugars or starches in your foods. Many foods have added sugar or starch that you may not recognize. ‘Cane Juice’, ‘Dextrose’ ‘Corn Syrup’ etc are all examples of sugars that will greatly inhibit your weight loss. Starches include things like Malt, Wheat Starch, Vegetable gum, etc. There are many more names that could hide some sugar or starch; it is important that you are ruthless in eliminating these items from you diet while you are in phase 2.
-If you are taking any supplements, be sure that the do NOT contain oils, wheat, or sugars.
-Be certain that you are drinking more than enough fluids.
-Double check all of your body products including shampoos, toothpaste, and lotions. Stop using anything with oils. Most people think that they can get away with using oily body products. You can’t. Your weight loss will slow down or stop.
-If you are mixing vegetables, stop.
-If you are eating a lot of tomatoes, cut down.
-If you are eating anything outside of the original protocol, stop.
IF you are sure of all of the above, you can do an apple day, a half apple day, a ‘mini steak day’, or a protein & vegie only day. I have found all of those to be helpful.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi Jenn..how did you make out with weight loss and P3? I have my injections in hand and I also ordered the added MIC from Nu Image. Husband got his pellets cause he travels. Now I’m excited to start but we have two events in April so I’m start end of April so I can dedicate 40 plus days.
Hello. My husband and I both did the injections. The injections were so easy to give. And we both lost 15 pounds on the 21 day diet. We both loved it and so happy we did it. To lose 15 pounds on a regular dieting would have taken a lifetime to lose. The injections help you so you don’t feel hungry. And I had plenty of energy through the 3 weeks. And the P3 was easier then I thought. We kept the weight off and actually lost 2 more pounds during that time. You really start thinking about what you are eating and the quantity. You realize you don’t need big portions anymore. Plus you worked so hard in my 21 day diet to lose the weight that I didn’t want to jeopardize my weight so I continued to watch all my portions and not eat many carbs. I am fine eating protein and fats with vegetables and a little fruit. So there is a lot of mental work going on in my head to keep me from overeating again. I used to do that and I don’t do that anymore. I don’t need it. It’s not necessary. Enjoy your food but eat correct portions. You just start learning that and I can’t see me ever going back to my old bad habits of overeating and eating heavy bad carbs. I have found many new recipes that are lite carb or carb free and we are happy eating it. If I get a sweet tooth then I eat sugar free candy. But I was pleasantly surprised that I have been able to keep the weight off. I didn’t go into the 40 day diet. After reading more and more people said to do one session at a time and then rest and wait before starting another. I only have 5 pounds left to my goal so I hope in about a month to start up again on another session and get those 5 pounds off. But it really was the best diet I have ever done. I have struggled for years with trying to lose weight with no success. This diet was amazing for us. So happy and hope you have the same success. Stick with it. Don’t cheat. Don’t give up. It really is worth the sacrifice. If you get frustrated then look at your food sizes and what you are eating. Be honest. Weigh your food. It’s very important. Write it all down so you can see it. Drink the water. The hard work will pay off. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help because I have walked in those shoes. Good luck.
Thars awesome! Congrats on your success. Makes me so excited. I think I will shoot for the 40 day because I’m 187 lbs so I’m good at 130/140 or less. I’m a size 12 so I feel I carry my weight well since I work out. But I’m excited to learn about food portions..I try and follow low carb to begin with so I think P3 will be good after P2 but I know it’s so important to follow it. No deviating. Thank you for your input..I will let u know how we make out. ☺
I found this blog today in search of some answer to my current stall on hcg. I’m on 29th day, had lost 10.5 lbs by day 14. Then I don’t know if it is because of the hormone, but I started menses, after being menopausal for the last 6 months. Ugh. So, according to instructions, I quit taking the hcg during my period, but remained on vlcd. This is usually what causes a stall for me. I did go down 3 more lbs after that- but have had digestive problems since the no-hcg days. Severe diarrhea, and now constipation with indigestion. Now I have gained back 1.5 lbs! How do I get past this bloated, yucky feeling, I wonder? The hcg dose only with water and coffee in the mornings seems to make me feel worse.
Hi Susan,
Sorry you have been having a hard time, I hope it has improved since you wrote to me. I have never done the shots, only homeopathic, but it sounds like perhaps you should get checked out … a doctor’s opinion on your period restarting? I just don’t know much about stopping during your period etc.
Regarding your weight loss, from what I have seen, many people lose a lot really quickly, like you, 10.5 in 14 days, but then they stall for a long time. The average weight loss is about .35 – .5 per day, so up to about 20 pounds in 40 days. If you lost a total of 10.5 pounds in 29 days, that is an average of .36 per day. My personal averages have been about .25 to about .33. I have also found that after long stalls, my weight loss picked up again. You have to remember to keep the bigger picture in mind, and not focus so much on the day to day fluctuations.
Regarding not feeling good, perhaps you need to split up your meals and have your ‘bread’ or something in the morning? And I have found that ‘mini’ steak days, or apple days really help. I really don’t know, but I am not sure that doing the ‘no hcg’ days is a good thing. Have you look at hcgchica’s web site? She might have some great insight into that. She is very knowledgeable and knows much more about the shots than me.
Let me know what you think and how you are doing now.
Good luck!
~inspired girl, aka Barbara
My weight has stalled for over a week now. I’ve tried the apple day and it didn’t work! I’m sticking to the VLCD diet and sometimes even skip dinner by having just 1 apple. I was doing so good in week 1, lost about 10 lbs in total but its been day 18 and I haven’t lost anything since my 10 lbs lost. Getting demotivated. How do I fix this?
=(
Hi Alyssa,
Thanks for reaching out. Ugh, I know that long stalls can be so frustrating!
I am not a doctor nor am I am expert in the field … and nothing I say here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success.
That being said, from what I have seen and read, the AVERAGE weight loss for most women is about .3 – .5 per day at best. I think the total average can depend on 1) how much weight you have to lose 2) your age, 3) how long you have had the weight on your body and many other factors, I am sure.
That is great that you lost 10 pounds in a week, however, that 10 pounds is going to balance out. In other words, you lost about 1.42 pounds per day in 1 week. AMAZING! However, since your total average in 40 days (if you are doing a 40 day round), is likely to be 15-20 pounds, of course your weight loss will slow way down.
If you are on day 18, and you have lost 10 pounds, that means your average is .55 per day. That is a HIGH average weight loss still. You are actually doing GREAT! I know how hard it can be when you get excited losing over a pound a day, we all do it the first week or two, but it always balances out from what I have seen. Men do tend to lose more, and faster.
The thing to remember is that you are still getting smaller, and losing fat, even if your weight isn’t changing. I hope you took your measurements? Retake them, you will see how much smaller you are getting.
My last round, I stalled for 10 days. However, in all 3 rounds I have completed, I lost a bunch the last week.
From day 18, if you have 22 more days to go, you might lose another 5-10 pounds total. That is still A LOT of weight in a short period of time.
The best way to get remotivated is to have realistic goals, patience, and TRUST. You will lose another 5-10 pounds if you are staying on the VCLD for 40 days. Remember the bigger picture.
Keeping all of the above in mind, the best ways to end stalls that I have experienced:
1. Be sure you are on the ORIGINAL protocol. 500 calories, NO extras, no oils, no fats, no sugars no starches, etc.
2. Only eat apples or grapefruit as your fruit.
3. If you are mixing vegetables, stop.
4. Cut way down on tomatoes.
5. Cut way down on red meat.
6. Be sure that the ‘bread’ you are eating is only 20 calories.
7. Drink more fluids.
8. Do an apple day, or a ½ apple day.
I hope that this helps!
You are doing great, even if it doesn’t seem like it now. Hang in there!
Let me know what you think about the above, and let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thanks for the much explanation! The doctor did mention that it could be structural fat that I’m losing hence won’t see it much on the scales.
Would it be better to separate out instead of doing a 40 day straight? Like do 23 days then do the remaining days in the subsequent cycle?
For me, it depends on how you feel. As long as I feel good and healthy, I would prefer to do a 40 day round rather than two rounds. Getting started, and maintenence (P3 and P4) are challenging, and If I am on a roll I would prefer 1 longer round to two rounds. And you are losing fat and inches, even in a stall. I have found that I lose a bunch of weight after a long stall.
So it is really up to you and what feels best! I wouldn’t stop though just because of a stall. From what I have seen, everyone stalls, especially when they lose a bunch of weight fast at first.
Good luck!
~inspired girl, aka Barbara
I am on my 10th day, I lost 6 lbs the first week, yesterday I gained 1 lb and today I gained 2 a total of 3 lbs in 2 days, I am doing the protocol exactly, don’t understand how I could be gaining weight with so little calories??
Cheryl
HI Cheryl,
Weight fluctuations are normal from what I can tell. I am not a doctor, and nothing I say is ever intended as medical advice, in other words if you have on going problems, it is great to get a doctor’s input.
Most women lose an average of .4 to .5 pounds a day total. So if you lose 6 pounds right away, it makes sense that you might gain a bit. Sounds like you have lost a total of 4 pounds in 10 days, which is equal to .4 pounds per day overall. This is a good average! Weight loss is not a steady downhill, at all. You might lose a bunch, then none, gain a bit, then drop a bunch more. You have to keep the big picture in mind. If you have lost 4 pounds in 10 days, that is equal to 16 pounds in 40 days which is a good weight loss for an HCG round. I think that you can expect somewhere between 16 and 20 pounds in 40 days. Some women do lose more, I know, but from what I can tell, often not more than about 24 total. It does depends on your age, how much you have to lose, how long you have had the weight on, how you ate before HCG, etc, I think.
Some other things to consider 1) Are you getting enough fluids? 2) Are you getting ANY hidden starches, sugars, fats, or ANYTHING at all outside of the protocol? 3) If you are mixing vegetables, stop 4) Eat only apples or grapefruit as your fruit (no strawberries or oranges) 4) Is your dose right?
IF you are TOO hungry, then your dose is off, and you will lose weight more slowly.
Other than that, all I can say is patience!!! Just remember the big picture. My last round I stalled for 10 long days, and then dropped a bunch of weight the last few days. So just hang in there, stay consistent, and keep your expectations realistic, ie 16-20 pounds total in 40 days.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes,
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I’ve been keeping up with all the posts where ppl are concerned that their weight loss isn’t what they think it should be. After doing the hcg diet for multiple rounds, I found that the absolute best way (for me) to avoid discouragement, is just not to weigh at all except on the first and last days of the protocol. What I do is write down what I think I should weigh, conservatively. You consistently remind ppl their daily loss should be average .4 (or even .3 when there’s not as much to lose). So I just write down a steady loss of .4 per day so I can see where my weight is, approximately. That way, I’m not seeing a huge loss, followed by a gain, followed by stalls and then suddenly a drop, which I’ll feel entitled to keep seeing, haha. This way, I don’t get discouraged. I’ve done this the past 2 rounds and am now on a new round and I don’t plan to weigh myself until the last day. It’s much more rewarding this way, knowing I’m POP and, in the end, will see a reasonable loss. No worrying myself silly. No depression or desperation. I just assume. And it’s worked for me. I’m relaxed and confident and can enjoy the process much more.
Thanks Anna for your experience and suggestion. I think this is a great idea for some people so that they don’t get caught up in the ups and downs of the daily losses, stalls and gains. It can really help to just focus on the big picture, and know that you will lose about .4 per day.
I personally like to see the scale, and monitor it, but after doing 3 rounds, I don’t get freaked out by stalls, and love seeing my progress regularly. Everyone is different however, and I think that for many people your idea is a great one!
THANK YOU!
~inpsired girl aka Barbara
This is what i plan on doing when i start monday. Lord knows im scared to step on the scale monday morning after a week of no injections or protocol, but i only plan on weighing when i start and a day beore ending. Im trying to decide on the best way to start back on protocol. Just immediately start protocol or eat apples or gorge. Ive read to not gorge, just start protocol. Idk! :/
Good luck Jessica! Let me know how it goes 🙂
you could possibly be gaining water weight which happens in this diet as we do drink ALOT of water!! I cheated my first 2 days and the 2 days after I did OK! The scale says I’m either 140 or 137 because of my water weight. What my friends have also told me is that if your period or anything is coming you will get bloated which will lead to the scale saying you weigh more. And also if you’d cheated you are something high in calories carbs and or starchy things you gain more weight eating those things then you normally would gain.
Hi,
I do think that most people’s weight loss fluctuates; it is not always a consistent downhill slope. Yes, water weight can affect your daily weight, but I think overall, most people see a consistent weight loss. It is important to remember to see the big picture, not just ONE day’s losses.
I am not a doctor, and nothing I say is ever intended as medical adivce. I am just another HCGer who has had some success. That being said, I have found that sometimes ‘cheating’ / eating outside of the protocol doesn’t show up the next day, it can affect your weight loss for days after.
Eating more P2 approved foods may not affect your weight loss much. I have found that when on HCG, ANY OILS, FATS, or STARCHES (other than approved P2 foods) definitely make people gain weight, quickly and ALOT. Very likely MORE than normal because of the HCG in your system. You can find the scientific reasons for this on line or in Linda Prinster’s HCG book.
If you ‘cheated’ once, I would say, just keep going. I think everyone makes a few mistakes in the long run on this protocol. If you are having trouble sticking to the protocol in the long term, it might be a good idea to get some support or help. HCG (any weight loss program) brings up all of our issues regarding our bodies, and our relationship to food. I personally believe that in order to lose weight, and transform eating habits, it is important to look at the deeper issues involved.
I hope this helps!
Let me know how it goes,
Good luck!!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thank you for this article. Very informative and inspirational. I started on the hcg injections on April the 11th 2015 and to date may 6th 2015 I have lost a total of 24-25lbs. I unfortunately do not look like it. I know that I myself will not see it, but no one else see it. it’s literally numbers dropping but no change in appearance. I’ve been at the same weight now for about 7 days +or-a pound. Ive become discouraged and frustrated. Plus on top of that ive been bleeding. I know for a fact its becuz of the rapid weight loss and hormones are out of balance now. ive been on birth control for over a yr and no issues. Theres nothing to be done about that besides time and hoping my hormones get back in balance. Ill go see my obgyn about that soon. I do have symptoms of pcos but never diagnosed. for the first time since April 11th I ate out tonight. any suggestion on how to get back on track? what should I do? should I continue injecting? how can I reset my body? does gorging help and then begin to inject again? will that help? any suggestions? Thank you again.
Dear Jess,
Sorry for the slow response, I have been gone. Our bodies lose weight unevenly. Sometimes you lose weight but no inches. Then, you don’t lose weight but your body gets smaller. I hope that you have been measuring yourself, it really helps.
You lost 24 pounds in 26 days????? That is outrageous and wild! Amazing. Congratulations. The average for most women, is about .4 to .5 per day. So what happens is that perhaps you lose a pound a day, but then you have many stall days to balance it out. This is pretty typical. In my last round I stalled for 10 days! Just be patient.
Regarding the bleeding I know nothing about this. I am not a doctor, and nothing I say is ever intended as medical advice. I strongly suggest that you go see a doctor. I have no idea about your hormone issues or bleeding issues. I have not had those type of problems from HCG, and that is definitely something to look into.
I would NOT stop and start HCG if it were me. Just get back on track. HCG is not for everyone. If you find it too difficult to stick with it, you might want to get some support, a group or some counseling along the way can really help with any food issues that this protocol might bring up for you. But I would bet lots of people have one cheat here or there, if that all it is than just get right back to it. Get some support if you need it.
Regarding the weight loss, you are doing great, just be patient. But getting your overall health checked could be very important for you.
Good luck!
Let me know how it goes,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thanks for responding!!
Thank you for this article. Its been very helpful and inspirational! I started the hcg diet on 4/11 and to date 5/6/2015, I’ve lost 24-25lbs. I dont look like it at all. I know im not gonna see it myself but others will, but its not there. Ive been at the same weight for about a week or longer. i know its the smallest thing that can stall weightloss in which a couple of days I will say i ate one too shrimp or an extra piece of chicken. Im frustrated And dont know what to do. Then on top of the frustration, im bleeding and i know its becuz of the rapid loss and hormones are out of balance now. I dont know what to do. I have about 20 more days to go. how can i reset my body? Will starting over help, like gorge for 2 days then start injecting back? I did eat out for the first time tonight. It included fries a chicken sandwich and a drink. I feel like giving up. The bleeding doesn’t help the frustration. there’s nothing that can be done about that. Im on birth control. Ive been on it for over a yr with no problems. I do have symptoms of pcos but never diagnosed. Any suggestions on how to reset? Suggestions on the bleeding? What should i do now, since ive messed up by eating out tonight? How can i get back on track? I know i wont be weighing myself for a couple days. Thanks for the article and any suggestions.
HI again Jess,
As I said in my other response, I would not simply stop and restart with a gorge, etc. Rayzel (hcgchica.com) has information on her site regarding how to take a break. But I don’t think you do P1 (gorging again). I wouldn’t. It takes 3-4 weeks or more to reset your body. Except for getting your health issues checked up, because they could be part of the problem, the rest is simply patience and consistency.
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thank you for responding!! I’ll get back to it!!
Hi. This is my 2nd go around with HCG. I did well the first time, and started out well this time. I definitely hit the stall period for about a week and decided today to the the apple day.
I am in the middle of week 3 and have lost 11 pounds. I lost 9 in the first week and then only 2 in the 2nd.
I came across your blog tonight and really liked the suggestions of not mixing veggies, only sticking to apples and grapefruit. I was eating strawberries and oranges the whole 2nd week.
The other thing I am hung up on is broth. Do you have suggestions for a store bought chicken or veggie broth that is “legal”? Eating soup or adding my protien into soup makes me feel like I am eating more. 🙂
Lastly, what about salsa? It says that PACE is acceptable, but I’m sure it is the sodium that makes it an issue. Any other suggestions here?
Thanks for making this available. I found it really motivational!
HI!
Sounds like you are doing great. Stalls can be so frustrating, I know. You are at about day 17, yes? That would be about .65 pounds per day. That is a HIGH average. I have found that most women lose about .4 to .5 per day at most. It can be so misleading to lose more than a pound per day that first week because for every day you lose a pound, you will likely have a stall day to balance it out. From the people I have supported, about 20 pounds in 40 days is likely. Just to give you some perspective, you are doing great.
The salsa…. hmmmm, I don’t know about PACE. I just looked up the ingredients, and personally, I wouldn’t eat it on P2, but I tend to be very strict. Jalapenos are NOT in the original protocol. ‘Natural Flavoring’ can be a name used to hide MSG, or other starches. I love salsa, myself. You can make your own with onions, tomatoes and spices, however only if you are mixing vegetables.
My last round (recently) I spent so much time looking for a chicken broth that had organic chicken, salt and water. I used to be able to get it. I searched and searched and couldn’t find any. Even the cleanest ones had other vegies. I LOVE eating soup on P2 also! Ate it almost everyday. I just made my own. Boiled the chicken, some onions, tomato, garlic, cumin, salt & pepper and about 6 cups of water for awhile, then simmered awhile longer. Sometimes I added spinach or cabbage. Again, only when I was mixing vegies. Great way to get lots of fluids and it is very satisfying. You are smart to be choosing about the broth. I did find a few ‘organic bone broths’ online that seemed to have few ingredients, but they were ridiculously expensive, I think something like $25 for 8 ounces? I don’t quite remember.
So glad that you found my post helpful and motivational!
Do let me know how it goes,
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I have 14 days with the drops and I’m at my ideal weight . do not want to lose more weight I can let the drops and move to phase 3
Hi!
Congratulations! That is great. Is this your first and only round?
I am not a doctor, and this is never intended as medical advice. I am just an fellow hcg-er with some experience.
That being said, here are a few things to consider. My understanding from the original protocol is that it takes 21 days to reset your metabolism and that in order to keep the weight off long term, you need to do a minimum of 21 days. In addition, I have found, for every round I have completed (3) and what I have seen from friends, most people stabilize 2-4 pounds above their LIW.
You might want to consider losing a pound or 2 more for this reason. If you choose to stay on the protocol for 7 more days, you can 1) raise your protein alot, even double it. 2) add an extra fruit or starch 3) add tomatoes and more vegies. I definitely do NOT recommend adding ANY FATS or oils, you will gain back fat. But by increasing your ‘approved’ P2 foods you will just slow or stop your weight loss.
My last round, I was very close to my goal weight and wanted to stop after 2 weeks but hung in there the whole time. I got my weight 2 pounds below my goal weight, and now, about 10 weeks later, have stabilized at my goal weight.
On the other hand, I have been very curious about the 2 week thing, and have considered trying it. I DO feel like it takes the full 3 weeks to really change how I feel towards food. But i wonder if two weeks would work and I am sure I might try it sometime. It certainly could be worth a try.
I hope this helps. Please do let me know what you think and how it goes. And if you do try a 2 week round, I really want to know if it works for you!
Best of luck!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thank you. Yes this is my first round. I decided to follow protocol seven days more to complete the 21 days. I will take you advice to add more fruit or vegetable to maintain my weight. Thanks!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck 🙂
~inspired girl aka Barbara
ive been on the hcg diet for 12 days now. lost 14.6 pounds my first week ive been on this stall for about 6 days now ive tried the apple day 3 times and still no weight lose. is it possible to stop taking the hcg drops and wait the recommended days which is 3 days and restart the diet
HI!
Wow, 14.6 pounds is ALOT! Of course you will stall after that. Keep in mind, that the AVERAGE weight loss most women get is between .25 per day to .4 per day, from what I have heard. It seems that the rare woman loses about .5 per day. So at 12 days, with a 14.6 pound loss, your average is 1.2 per day. VERY HIGH. You might stall for awhile. It always balances out. My last round, I lost a bunch the first week, and then stalled for 10 days, and then dropped 2-3 in 2 days. Stalls are NORMAL. You are still losing FAT. You really have to keep the average amount of weight lost in mind, not the daily ups and downs.
I do not think that stopping the diet is a good idea, but that is just my opinion. I am not a doctor, and this is not intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer with some experience 🙂
Personally, I would just keep on going. You are doing great! I would be careful on the apple days and not do too many. Apples are very sweet. Try a few protein and vegie days perhaps. But you are doing great. Most women can expect a total weight loss of 15-25 pounds maximum in a 40 day round. You lost that 14.6 right away. you might only lose a total of 5 more…maybe a bit more, but that seems to be what i have seen.
Some things you can do: double check to be sure that you are doing everything exactly according to the original protocol; I think that it creates the best weight loss. Do not mix vegetables. Cut back on tomatoes and red meat. Be sure that there are NO OILS in any of the products you put on your body; it really does make a difference.
Other than that. Patience!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~Inspired Girl aka Barbara
Thank you so much for reminding me to look back at my average loss! Had a discouraging week, but looked back to find that I have lost 12lbs after 14 days on VLCD (14 if you include my binge weight)! I will take that!
I must add….this is my 3rd week and after racking my brain to figure out why I had a stall day and a small gain day……I finally figured it out! I am usually very careful about checking all products that might come in to contact with my skin, but after a small gain 2 days ago I remembered I prepared 24 sets of clay for my Kindergartners…..checked the ingredients in clay….it has oil in it! I wanted to scream! So frustrating to follow protocol and gain because of product!!
It is really amazing how every little thing can affect you on HCG. Yes, you really need to be extra careful what you put on your skin. Also, just an FYI, it is pretty normal to fluctuate a bit in the process, most of us do it, especially after losing a bunch of weight fast.
Thanks for letting me know, good info!
Good luck!
Let me know how it goes 🙂
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Hi there! Day 18 of p2, started at 183 (after loading days) now at 164.5. I only have a scale that weighs in .5 increments 🙁 trying to get to 145-150! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Wow, that is a lot of weight in a short time. You are doing great! Good luck, and let me know how it goes! Don’t get freaked out if you get into a stall for awhile, my last round I stalled for 10 days but then dropped a bunch at the end. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I have been stalling for 5days . I have followed the diet strictly with exception on wen i had a cheat day in the beginning… ihave lost 10pound so far and today is my 35th day . Am wondering why is my weight loss so low compared to other pple am 211right now and shottin to be 180lbs some day… am frustrated. Am using hcg drops which i ran out and had to go with a diffrerent product 123 instead could this
have been why i havent lost any weight?
Hi!
So sorry you are having a hard time. Long stalls are actually normal. 10 pounds in 35 days, does seem a bit low however, that is an average of .29 per day. Just so you know, I have averaged .25 to .33 per day. Some people just lose slower than others.
I do not know anything about the drops your using, however, I do think that the potency of the drops makes a difference. Are you overly hungry? If you are sticking exactly to the protocol, and not abnormally hungry, that is a good sign that you have a potent dose. You can always test it (look on online for ways to test HCG with a pregnancy test. Be sure that your drops are PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH with REAL HCG.
Also, along with sticking exactly to the protocol, be sure that there are NO OILS OR SUGAR OR STARCH in your food. This stuff is often hidden. Be sure that there are NO OILS in the products you put on your body, that you are drinking enough fluids, getting enough sleep, and not exercising.
Some things that can enhance your weight loss include apple days, mini steak days, protein days & vegies days, and ensuring that you are NOT mixing vegetables. Cutting back on tomatoes, and eating only Apples or Grapefruit as your fruit helps also.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes,
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Thank you so much i will check the potency never thought of that.. mhhh we sure do learn new things everyday.. i will try and cut back on something.. i actually never changed body lotions so mayb… i feel a renewed energy i will try an apple day.. will let you know how everything goes..
thanks again
Zyron
Believe it or not body lotions, shampoos, soaps, make up, eye drops, toothpaste, etc …. everything has oils in it. And that can really affect your weight loss. Those oils get sucked into your body. If you really want to enhance your weight loss, STOP using all of them. Find oil free products. There are whole lines of HCG safe products, easy to find online. It might just make the difference you are looking for.
Good luck! Do let me know how it goes,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Inspired girl!
Please help me!!!
I have done hcg about 8 months ago and got down to 125 lbs! My goal weight… But this time around…. I’m two weeks into phase two I have lost 5 lbs after the loading phase and I have continually stalled for 1.5 weeks. I’ve been sooooo careful with my food and I’m honestly just thinking of stopping. It’s totally not worth it this time? Any advice to a sad dieter??
Lindsay
Dear Lindsay,
UGH! I know how frustrating this can be. DO NOT give up 🙂 My last round, I stalled for 10 days (in a 3 week round) but then lost 2.5 pounds in 2 days. No matter what, you are getting thinner and losing fat. Also, keep in mind, the closer you are to your goal weight, the slower you lose. What was your weight when you started, and what is your ideal weight? Again, in my last round, I only lost a total of about 6 pounds! But my weight was LOW to start with. Hang in there!!! Really! and let me know your info on your weight and loss this round, it might help me give you more insight.
Good luck, keep going!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
PS Also, keep in mind that hen you are close to your ideal weight, if you haven’t been below the weight you are at now in a LONG time, it might take awhile for your body to go there…..
Barbara,
Thankyou for your feedback. I am 140 lbs now so I have plenty to loose seeing that I’m 5’3. I’m thinking that I didn’t gorge enough. I’m going to wait and start over because I have honestly not lost any weight.
What do you think??
Lindsay
Hi Lindsey,
You certainly have to do what feels right to you. For me, i wouldn’t give up yet thought. I have not heard that not gorging enough effects your weight loss, it just leaves you hungry.
Are you too hungry? If you are overly hungry, that means that your dose if incorrect, which will slow your weight loss down.
Have you tested your HCG to be sure that it is potent?
Have you confirmed all of the following?
•Re-read the allowed foods for Phase 2 (P2) / VCLD (very low calorie diet). Be sure you are eating ONLY what is on the list and nothing else.
•Be certain that your protein portion is about 100 grams or 3.5 ounces of protein. Be sure to cut the fat off of beef, and take the skin off of chicken before you cook it, to lower the amount of fats you consume.
•Keep your fruit to either Apples or 1/2 grapefruit as suggested in the original program. Stop eating strawberries or oranges.
•Be sure that your ‘cracker’ is 20 calories or less and that it has no sugars or extras in it.
•Double check all ingredients on everything you are eating and be sure you know what you are eating. It is safest to eat home cooked foods with organic ingredients.
•Be certain there are NO OILS or FATS in your foods. It is shocking to realize that even a small amount of FAT or OIL can stop your weight loss, even though the calorie count could be low. Most people don’t want to believe this; you will be surprised at the increased weight loss if you cut out ALL fats and oils.
•Be certain that there are no hidden sugars or starches in your foods. Many foods have added sugar or starch that you may not recognize. ‘Cane Juice’, ‘Dextrose’ ‘Corn Syrup’ etc are all examples of sugars that will greatly inhibit your weight loss. Starches include things like Malt, Wheat Starch, Vegetable gum, etc. There are many more names that could hide some sugar or starch; it is important that you are ruthless in eliminating these items from you diet while you are in phase 2.
•If you are taking any supplements, be sure that the do NOT contain oils, wheat, or sugars.
•Be certain that you are drinking more than enough fluids.
•Double check all of your body products including shampoos, toothpaste, and lotions. Stop using anything with oils. Most people think that they can get away with using oily body products. You can’t. Your weight loss will slow down or stop.
•If you are mixing vegetables, stop.
•If you are eating a lot of tomatoes, cut down or stop.
•If you are eating anything outside of the original protocol, stop.
If it were me, I would adjust according to this list above. Get really strict. That should help. And have you tried an Apple day? They work! And/or a protein & vegie only day? Even a few in a row, if you are NOT too hungry.
I hope that this helps! Let me know what you decide and how it goes.
Good luck!
~inspired girl, aka Barbara
Hi Lindsey,
If I can add a comment to Barbara’s most excellent tips…
I am also 5 foot 3, and 140lbs. I was 165 when I started my first round of HCG and my goal was initially to get to 125, as that’s what I was in my 20s (I am 42 now). I have done 2 rounds, and have gotten down to 135, but my body and frame type seems to be most comfortable and happy at 140. In fact, when I did get to 135, people said I looked too thin and I often felt cold. I had originally planned 3 rounds, but right now, I am exercising a lot and feel really good, and have decided to put it off.
At the end of the day, it’s about how YOU feel and what your body type is. I am not a skinny girl body type, and I like very much the muscles and being more athletic looking. But that is my body type, if you feel that yours suits a lower weight, then go for it. We’re all beautiful no matter what!
Ur blog is so helpful.. I’m on day 35 of 46 skiping 1 injection a week. I was 199 and now 171.8 but this week I’ve been stuck only loosing .2,.4 lbs a day and some times my weight goes up .2lbs.I would hate to have to stop because I still have injections left and would hate to waist them.what should I do?
Hi Lucy!
I am so glad that you have found my blog helpful 🙂 You have lost 27.2 pounds in 35 days????? Whoa! That is amazing. You are rockin’ this. It sounds like you are feeling physically well also?
Your average has been .78 per day. That is really amazing! Just for an example, my highest average was about .4 per day, and when close to goal, I lost at .25 per day. I think most women average around .5 per day. So I am not at all surprised that your weight loss has slowed down. Don’t worry, you body is adjusting, you are still getting smaller.
I just finished my third round. I lost really fast, and then hit a 10 DAY STALL! Went up and down for 10 days. Then, I lost 2.5 pounds in a few days. It always balances out. It is easy to get excited when you are losing a bunch quickly, but most people generally have stall days to average out those days where you lost a pound per day.
I am not a doctor, and this is never intended as medical advice. My thought is that as long as you are feeling good, and you don’t have any medical reason not to stay on for the full round, then I would keep going. You never know what could happen in those last days. In all three rounds I have completed (the first was 42 days, and the other two were 25 days) my weight loss picked up near the end.
I think that the original protocol recommends 40 days. I did 42 days with no problem. I have heard of people (no one I know personally) that have gone longer, even up to 60 days. However, I have seen people who stay on longer than 40 days and feel horrible, and even get pretty sick. Everyone is different. Do what feels right for you.
Regardless of what you do, be sure to be very strict in P3 and P4. Maintenance is what makes HCG different than most diets, and it is what can help you keep the weight off over time.
Good luck! Do let me know how it goes and how you do, I would love to hear.
And CONGRATULATIONS on getting this far. This is really great!
~inspired girl
I had another quick question. My body fat pecentage keeps going up and down between 38 and 40 pecent is that normal,or should it continue to go down? My BMI is still going down every day about .2 percent.
HI!
I am wondering if you are using a body fat percentage based on a scale? I have found those to be really unreliable, and inconsistent, changing radically daily. I think if you do want to get your body fat info, it is much better to do one of the ‘real’ tests. I also think that it is better to measure it before you start, and then again at the end of P2 or P3, rather than daily, because I do think it fluctuates. Of course, I am not a doctor, and this not intended as medical advice, however I think that the best indicator we can get at home with normal scales is pounds lost and inches measured 🙂
Good luck!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Good luck!
Hi I’m now on round 2 day 12 ive lost 9-10lbs the past 4 day I’ve stalled. Every other day I have to do a stake or apple day because I either stay the same or like today gained .6 lbs. Yesterday I ate letuse with limon, pepper, Himalayan salt, chicken , for dinner a limon chicken soup witch has spinach in it. O ya and Melba toast and 1 apple. I don’t see what I’m doing wrong. Should I be doing steak/apple days or continue eatting regular??
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for reaching out. You are doing GREAT! If you lost 10 pounds in 12 days, that is about .85 per day. That is a VERY high average. Most women, from what I have seen and heard, lose about .4 to .5 per day. In addition, for every round that I have completed (3 rounds) and for most of the people I have supported, we tend to hit stalls, sometimes long stalls, around day 12-17. My last round, I hit a 10 day stall but my overall average was higher than I expected!
What this means for you is that because your average is so high, you might stall for quite awhile. This is NORMAL. You are still losing fat, and getting smaller, even if your weight is not changing. Since your overall average might be about .4, for every day that you lose a full pound, you might have a stall day.
It is important to remember the big picture. In 40 days, most women lose around 15 -20 pounds. I think 20 pounds total is a good number to shoot for (depending on your age, how much you have to lose, how long you have been carrying the weight, etc).
Since you lost 10 pounds so fast, remember that if you are doing a 40 day round, you have another 28 days to lose 10 more pounds. My last round I stalled for 10 days, and then dropped a bunch the last few days.
As long as you are sure that you are sticking to the ORIGINAL protocol exactly (which it sounds like you are), just keep consistent and focused.
On my post, I wrote about what to check for and how to adjust
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-stalls-frustration-and-fears-o-my/
I am not a doctor, and nothing I say is intended as medical advice. That being said, I personally wouldn’t do too many apple or steak days. All that apple days do really is help with water weight. Just keep doing what you are doing, and set realistic expectations for yourself (15-20 pounds total)
Good luck!
Let me know how it goes,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I seem not to be able to pass the 137lbs mark and im beginning to get very frustrated and discouraged to the point of wanting to give up. I will lose a pound one day and gain it back the very next day im staying very pop and nothing is working im at a loss i dont know what to do.
Hi,
How long have you been on the protocol? and how much have you lost so far? Sometimes people have really long stalls. I just finished my third round. At first I dropped quickly, and then I had a 10 DAY stall, where I went up and down by .5 – 1 pound, like you, for 10 days! All the sudden, however, after 10 days, I dropped a pound a day for a number of days. The weight loss always balances out. Depending on how much you are wanting to lose, .3 – .4 pounds a day as an overall AVERAGE is what women tend to lose. So if you lost a pound a day for awhile, you might not lose anything for the same amount of days while your weight loss averages out.
BE 100% sure that you double check that you are doing the original protocol exactly. Be sure that you are not getting ANY HIDDEN sugar, oils, or starches. If you are mixing vegetables, stop. You can also try cutting out tomatoes, and eating only apples or grapefruit as your fruit. Be sure that the products you put on your body have NO OILS in them.
Have you tried an apple day, a protein day, or a ‘mini’ steak day? Each of these can be effective. Don’t give up! It is so worth hanging in there. It is also a great idea to look at any emotional blocks to losing more weight. Most of us have all kinds of hidden issues that get triggered as we start to get thinner.
Let me know how long you have been on the protocol and how much you have lost so far. And do let me know how it goes.
Good luck!
~inspired girl
If you are close to your goal weight and losing very slowly, has anyone ever upped their calorie intake to make sure their body wasn’t going into starvation mode?
Hi Ivanna!
That is a great question. I have heard from a number of people that this is the perfect thing to do. I have heard that it can be really hard to get your dose correct when you are close to your goal because you just don’t have enough fat to release.
I personally did this exact thing in my second round (I only wanted to lose about 6 pounds) and my third round, only 6 pounds to lose also. Personally, I think that adding more protein is a great idea, and more vegies (ONLY P2 approved protein and vegies), but I personally wouldn’t add the ‘bread’ or more fruit, except on occasion. Of course, I am not a doctor, and I do not intend for this to be taken as medical advice, it is just my personal experience.
I seemed to lose weight just fine. I upped my protein to 4 ounces, and even 5 or 6 ounces at times. I found that I wasn’t hungry and each time I lost all the weight i wanted to in about 24 days. Occasionally, I ate an extra apple, and even more rarely and extra bread. I did eat LARGE portions of vegetables (P2 approved).
I hope that this helps. Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired girl
I am on day 4. I gained 3lbs during loading phase and haven’t lost any of it… I’m afraid I don’t lose anything since I’m heading so many people lose duo much in the beginning. I am pop and drinking almost a gallon of water a day. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated
Hi Dawn,
Best advice is to just be patient! Truly. Everyone is different, and every round is different. The weight WILL come off if you stick with it. Perhaps you will have a long stall now, but lose it the second week.
Here are some other things to consider:
*You are sure you are POP? I strongly suggest sticking with the original protocol. No tofu, yogurt, eggs etc. 500 calories or less.
*Is your dose correct? You should not be overly hungry. Is your HCG potent? if it is NOT, you would be starving, and when you are too hungry, you will not lose weight. ‘Normal’ hunger for a meal is ok 😉
*One way to move through a stall is to cut down on tomatoes, even eliminate them, and if you are mixing vegies, stop.
•Eat Apples and grapefruit only, no strawberries or oranges.
*eat mostly approved chicken and approved fish, less meat.
*are you sure that your bread sticks are correct and 20 calories or less?
*if you are using body products that have ANY OIL in them, STOP!
*Be certain that your food has no sugars or oils!
*if you stall for more than 4 days, do an apple day. or a ‘mini’ steak day, or just a protein and vegie day (cut out fruit and bread)
*if you are exercising, STOP! I know it is counter intuitive, but it slows down the weight loss.
The other thing to consider is how much weight you have to lose. My second round, I only had 6 pounds to lose and it came off VERY VERY slowly. The closer you are to your goal weight, the slower you will lose.
I hope this helps. Since you said you are POP, I would guess that what you need is trust and patience. It really will come off, just hang in there. Are you planning on doing a 3 week or 6 week round?
Good luck, and do let me know how it goes!
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Im not having a problem following the plan which is pretty easy but am scared at the end I will gain it back after I start eating normally
Hi Sharon,
Maintenance is definitely the most important most challenging part of this protocol. It is smart to be cautious. Notice my article on P3, how to get started. I find that adding calories and foods slowly and carefully is much better than just jumping in and eating whatever you wnat. Stick to P3 and P4 very strictly! and I personally did P4 for months longer than required. I found that weighing myself and counting calories for about a year after really helped me maintain the weight loss. After that I am used to eating in such a way that keeps my weight in a range i am happy with. It is also important to notice which food make you gain weight, you might be surprised.
Good luck!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I found this blog accidentally and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I’m back on hCG after having had tremendous success nearly two years ago. This post is OUTSTANDING! Your blog is definitely one to follow as I continue this journey for the second tine.
Hi Raquel!
I am so glad you are finding it helpful. For me, the second round was easier than the first, and I lost weight easily. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Best to you,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
Thank you for this post I realized that I have underlying issues and the hcg is quiet frustrating. I would like to know if you could recommend any groups of support so that I can continue my hcg diet and also get past my relationship with food.thanks
Hi Lilli,
Yes, HCG definitely brings up any issues that people have with food. And in order to follow the protocol, it is important to deal with those issues. I am glad that you get this! I do now know where you are located. I have referrals in the Santa Barbara or Ventura area, if that would be helpful. Other than that, I do know of treatment centers in this state and a few others. If you are not in this area, I would suggest you do a search on line for therapists in your area that specialize in working with people in healing their relationship to food. Let me know if you would like any referrals in this area. Good luck to you!
~inspiredgirl akak Barbara