Stalls

[minimonkey]

Okay, so I was doing some reading about stalls on p2 tonight, and happened across some people discussing their experiences -- apparently third week stalls are quite common, and it is also not uncommon to stall for as much as two weeks The good news, however, is that if you ride it out, apparently you not only get a pretty good loss when the stall breaks, but also tend to resume your earlier rate of loss for the last part of the round. (Most of these people were doing 40 days.)

I feel better hearing that from several sources, though I hope my stall is more like the ones Paula described, and that it only lasts a few days.

Anyhow, thought that might be helpful for those of us who are new to this.

[torister]

You are 5 lbs from your goal weight, so naturally things are going to slow up a bit. I don't call a few days to 2 weeks a stall, but rather an adjustment because while you may not be losing weight you are no doubt losing inches. Remember in traditional dieting a stall is not truly a stall

We get used to losing on this diet faster than others and when our bodies say whoa...whats going on...lets slow down and regroup we get impatient. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture of how much we have lost per day on average or by week and think about when the last time it was that you could lose that amount of weight in a week on a diet...other than the first week when you lose mostly water weight.

I saw ride it out and the scale will eventually budge.

[MagieDen]

Originally Posted by torister

You are 5 lbs from your goal weight, so naturally things are going to slow up a bit. I don't call a few days to 2 weeks a stall, but rather an adjustment because while you may not be losing weight you are no doubt losing inches. Remember in traditional dieting a stall is not truly a stall

We get used to losing on this diet faster than others and when our bodies say whoa...whats going on...lets slow down and regroup we get impatient. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture of how much we have lost per day on average or by week and think about when the last time it was that you could lose that amount of weight in a week on a diet...other than the first week when you lose mostly water weight.

I saw ride it out and the scale will eventually budge.

ditto!

[makeup]

Originally Posted by torister

You are 5 lbs from your goal weight, so naturally things are going to slow up a bit. I don't call a few days to 2 weeks a stall, but rather an adjustment because while you may not be losing weight you are no doubt losing inches. Remember in traditional dieting a stall is not truly a stall

We get used to losing on this diet faster than others and when our bodies say whoa...whats going on...lets slow down and regroup we get impatient. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture of how much we have lost per day on average or by week and think about when the last time it was that you could lose that amount of weight in a week on a diet...other than the first week when you lose mostly water weight.

I saw ride it out and the scale will eventually budge.

Ditto! I have been there. It's not fun. What I did is not get on the scale for a few days. Sometimes, just taking the focus off the number helps. My brain told me that it's impossible for my body to not eventually give it up on such low calories. I just focused on other goals. Often on this diet I seem to become obsessed with the entire process. I tried to resume some form of normal life and create other goals for a distraction. This too shall pass.

Makeup:hugs

[paulabob]

Yeah the only time I had one longer than six days was during my 35 day round...and it was partly due to cheating. I had several hunger issues that round and had some 800 calorie days thrown into the mix during that 'stall'.

After that I learned to incorporate the cottage cheese option...really helped me with some of my cravings (yes I'm a dairy girl!)

I can't wait to see you reach your goal! You are getting so close!

makeup has the best advice...wish I could not be so scale obsessed! It's hard not to get addicted to the daily losses though!

[baugherk]

Paula--what do you mean exactly by the cottage cheese option? Just using that for your protein? Do you think it helped get the scale moving? I love cottage cheese and I bought some for the diet but have not had it yet. Please explain--and thanks!

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by baugherk

Paula--what do you mean exactly by the cottage cheese option? Just using that for your protein? Do you think it helped get the scale moving? I love cottage cheese and I bought some for the diet but have not had it yet. Please explain--and thanks!

Simeon's says "In countries where cottage cheese made from skimmed milk is available 100 grams may occasionally be used instead of the meat, but no other cheeses are allowed."

To be honest I had more than that, as I wasn't doing fruit/melba. Anyways, I don't think it improved my losses, but it helped me not cheat!

Eggs are also allowed:
"Very occasionally we allow egg - boiled, poached or raw -to patients who develop an aversion to meat, but in this case they must add the white of three eggs to the one they eat whole."

I do think that was good for my losses. I'd make egg drop soup with it and some ginger, very good!

[minimonkey]

Thanks, everyone. It is easy to get obsessive about this process. I am holding strong and true, and we'll see what happens.

[lucky_d]

I'm just now starting week 3 of a 3 week P2 and I can see that my losses are slowing. I lost 7 pounds in 14 days which is good but it's not exactly phenomenal. Definitely not phenomenal enough for me to keep banging away at it if I'm not getting results. If things don't pick up again pretty soon, I'm calling it done and moving on to a new phase. I'm going to keep taking the drops but come up with a rogue plan with more calories and more exercise.

Next weekend was going to be my final weekend on VLCD but if Friday rolls around and I'm not losing, I'm going out with my husband instead!

[baugherk]

Thanks Paula. I just wondered how it worked for you. I had boiled eggs and turkey bacon last night on a salad--yummmmmm

[minimonkey]

Lucky -- I'd say those are pretty amazing results, actually -- considering that with another plan it would take me 2 months to lose 7 lbs! Still, I am curious to see how your new plan goes.

I am going to ride out the protocol for 40 days, and pray for another big drop near the end. I will be up a little foodwise tomorrow, because I am visiting my mom... but I requested grilled chicken, salad, and veggies. I'll be able to stick close to protocol, if not perfectly on it.

[jabbok]

Originally Posted by lucky_d

I'm just now starting week 3 of a 3 week P2 and I can see that my losses are slowing. I lost 7 pounds in 14 days which is good but it's not exactly phenomenal. Definitely not phenomenal enough for me to keep banging away at it if I'm not getting results. If things don't pick up again pretty soon, I'm calling it done and moving on to a new phase. I'm going to keep taking the drops but come up with a rogue plan with more calories and more exercise.

Next weekend was going to be my final weekend on VLCD but if Friday rolls around and I'm not losing, I'm going out with my husband instead!

That is a good loss as Dr. Simeon said it is normal for women to lose an average of 1/2 pound per day so you are going good.

[lucky_d]

Good luck Mini! You are so tiny already. It's going to be tough shedding those last few, but it seems like you definitely have the willpower to push through. I'm going to gradually increase cals and exercise, nothing far out but I know my body enough to know that if it's starting to slow down it's not going to speed back up on it's own. I think the best benefit for me has been the detox part. It has made me a lot more conscious of what I am eating and I have no desire to return to junky food and re-pollute myself. I'm thinking that in itself is a major achievement!

[lucky_d]

Originally Posted by jabbok

That is a good loss as Dr. Simeon said it is normal for women to lose an average of 1/2 pound per day so you are going good.

Thank you for these words of encouragement! I do feel that I have had a good loss, I'm just saying that if it is to continue, I don't think continuing to eat so low cal and do no activities is going to keep working. At some point I just start to move less and less and less and I know that is because my metabolism is lowering and I do not want that to happen. If it picks up in the next few days and I start getting some bigger losses again I will think twice but something inside just tells me it's time to move on from 500 cals.

[jabbok]

Originally Posted by lucky_d

Thank you for these words of encouragement! I do feel that I have had a good loss, I'm just saying that if it is to continue, I don't think continuing to eat so low cal and do no activities is going to keep working. At some point I just start to move less and less and less and I know that is because my metabolism is lowering and I do not want that to happen. If it picks up in the next few days and I start getting some bigger losses again I will think twice but something inside just tells me it's time to move on from 500 cals.

Just make sure you get a full round of P2 in so you will keep the weight off, I think Dawn was the one that told me that we are supposed to get at least the 21 vlcd before moving on to P3. If you have done 14 vlcd you only have 7 left to go.

I know what it is like to lose so little and try to stay positive and want to keep going, this is my 2nd week I have only lost 1.4 pounds in 6 days I am on vlcd14 have lost a total of 8.4 pounds.

[minimonkey]

I also think adhering to the full minimum round is a good idea...

[Deb294evr]

Originally Posted by lucky_d

Thank you for these words of encouragement! I do feel that I have had a good loss, I'm just saying that if it is to continue, I don't think continuing to eat so low cal and do no activities is going to keep working. At some point I just start to move less and less and less and I know that is because my metabolism is lowering and I do not want that to happen. If it picks up in the next few days and I start getting some bigger losses again I will think twice but something inside just tells me it's time to move on from 500 cals.

I think you are very wise...

[minimonkey]

Make sure you are also measuring yourself, Lucky. I seem to be losing a lot of inches right now during this stall.

[lucky_d]

I wish I had measured myself to begin with. Forgot to do that! I think I am shrinking though. My gym pants which I have not put on for 2 weeks were pretty loose today. My jeans fit more comfortably yesterday. It's about what I would expect for having lost 7 pounds. I don't deny that it has been working and I am glad to have gotten off the first 7 pounds so fast, but I'm just ready to ramp it up a bit before my metabolism completely shuts down. That's not saying that it will shut down for anyone else, but I just know myself enough to know the signs. I'm not completely ditching the whole plan just adding in a few more supplements and a P2-ish breakfast and some exercise. I'm hoping that will ward off a stall, rather than to wait for it to happen and then make the change. Anyway, that is what I think will work for me

[minimonkey]

I think most of us know our own bodies, so I trust your plan will work, Lucky. The stall is frustrating, but I am so, so stubborn -- I am going to wait this thing out.

I am hungry and tired this evening, though, and that doesn't help. I am also a bit lightheaded (first time since starting this). Your plan may well be much wiser than mine!

[lucky_d]

Well it seems to have worked out for me. I was down .6 this morning which is 3x what I have been getting the last few days. Plus I feel great again. I think the key is to get something in you that has high nutrient value but not a lot of calories.

The main thing I try to avoid is INERTIA. Once I get stuck or God-forbid going the wrong direction, I have a hard time getting it back going again.

[minimonkey]

I am still bouncing around this same pound, but at least I am down .4 again today. This was definitely a setpoint for me at one time, so perhaps that explains it.

Also, at the beginning of this round when I first saw the 114-115 on the scale, I was looking at my body thinking "I don't look like I've lost 10 lbs!" -- and I didn't. Now, I do. My body is changing, and the inches are coming off, so I am not going to get too hung up on the scale.

[lucky_d]

The last 5 pounds are always so hard. I've been there once before and couldn't quite do it. I think they ought to have a special "Biggest Loser" season, called "The Last Five Pounds" edition! They could get a bunch of people like you, Mini, who are down to the last 5 pounds and have them duke it out for cash!

[minimonkey]

lol -- good idea! I am still not sure if I am 5 or 10 lbs from goal... I was originally thinking I'd lower it, but now my body is looking *much* more like it is 5 lbs from goal... so I am waiting to make a decision there. Either way, I am going to tough this thing out, and keep going. I have some great jeans that I want to be back into... whatever the scale says at that point is just fine.

[Be_Gone]

Originally Posted by torister

You are 5 lbs from your goal weight, so naturally things are going to slow up a bit. I don't call a few days to 2 weeks a stall, but rather an adjustment because while you may not be losing weight you are no doubt losing inches. Remember in traditional dieting a stall is not truly a stall

We get used to losing on this diet faster than others and when our bodies say whoa...whats going on...lets slow down and regroup we get impatient. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture of how much we have lost per day on average or by week and think about when the last time it was that you could lose that amount of weight in a week on a diet...other than the first week when you lose mostly water weight.

I saw ride it out and the scale will eventually budge.

So agree!

Its easy to get consumed byt the scale. I knew that before I started HCG that I wanted inches lost, unfortunately when you around so many that are focused with numbers on a scale its easy to get sidetracked. Going into my second round I will be more focused on my clothes rather than the scale.

[Be_Gone]

Just wanted to add I did stall on the second week of P2, but I was also eating the dreaded chili. However I was losing inches like crazy especially in my midsection.

[azjacque]

Mini! You are so strong and I commend you for sticking with it through your stalls! Hang in there!

[CJoy]

Originally Posted by lucky_d

The last 5 pounds are always so hard. I've been there once before and couldn't quite do it. I think they ought to have a special "Biggest Loser" season, called "The Last Five Pounds" edition! They could get a bunch of people like you, Mini, who are down to the last 5 pounds and have them duke it out for cash!

HA, ain't that the truth, great idea lucky!

[minimonkey]

Thanks everyone! I may well skip weighing for a few days if this keeps up. I know it has to give at some point, and I am not giving in before that happens!

[michlady]

I'm so glad I came across this thread...I'm on day 4 of a stall. No biggie because I know I'm following the plan to a T...waiting patiently for the stall to end and to jump start the losses again! I'm in R2, and was looking back at my R1 stats, and I did this same exact stall in R1....my body is just too darned predictable!! I wish I could hide the scales for a few days, but I'm addicted to weighing in every morning...which is a far cry from my heaviest days when I avoided the scales at all costs!!

Mini...how has it been doing for you these past few days??