Help Appreciated! I am stalled and need Advice....

[onedimsim]

Today over any other day I need encouragement and maybe advice!

I have been on a plateau basically since last Monday (only lost 1.5 lbs) - 8 days ago.

I did the "apple day" plateau breaker day (5 apples in 24 hr period) per the Simeon protocol this past Saturday (and b/c this is what my weight loss clinic suggested) - but no dice - down a pound, up a pound then today the very same.

I have been patient up until today - but i have to admit that same weight this morning left me frustrated - esp. since i have little options to "change up" my food this week since i packed it all and brought it with me (I travel for business Monday-Thursday)

My weight loss clinic is suggesting adding FAT into my diet for one meal (e.g., Cheese or full-fat salad dressing) - but they have also indoctrinated me to believe FAT is the ENEMY of HCG. They are guessing I think and I am a little leery of breaking protocol.

If i am the same tomorrow I think I may take their advice.

So i see my options as this:
1) Keep on Protocol and be Patient
2) Keep on Protocol and switch up some foods (harder b/c i will have to rely on restaurants)
3) Do the "bit of fat" recommendation of my Weight loss clinic

Any others??

Stats:
-started the VLCD part of the diet on 1/28 - so i am in week 4 -
- I have lost 18.5 lbs
- currently weigh 243.6
- I'm 42 yrs old
- 5'6"

Thanks in Advance!

[Sleepy]

i stalled for 11 days once
stick with it our or do a mini "refeed"

[onedimsim]

OK ... i am STILL stalled today!

I am having Bacon and Two eggs for breakfast - lets see what happens!

[walkingwoman]

Wishing you a loss for tomorrow!

[onedimsim]

Still stalled - not sure what to do?

[roscoe]

Is it near your period? Have you moved your bowels recently? Are you drinking enough water? Eating a lot of sodium? Are you hungry at all or do you feel you are the right dose of hcg? Basically, is there any other reason you can think of for you to be stalled this long?

It could just be that your body is catching up with the 18+ pounds you have already lost. I stalled in week two, after losing 10 pounds in week one and thinking wow, I'll be at my goal in no time. Nope. I did lose 1.8 doing an apple day but gained the following two days and was very discouraged. After that I did start losing again consistently, so I would definitely encourage you to hang in there. I'm stalling a bit again now because I have my period. In fact, the scale has gone up again the past two days. It's hard, but it's part of the process.

I do hope things start moving for you soon. I know psychologically it makes a HUGE difference!

Roscoe

[onedimsim]

Thanks Roscoe! I appreciate your words. I was "cool" with the plateau up until Tuesday, but today I am just very sad & frustrated! But I am trying to put on my big girl panties and just accept.

I had the "high fat" day yesterday coming in around ~900 calories @ suggestion of Weight loss clinic to shake things up. No dice so far but not a typical day for me.

I am in day 10 of this stall.

In answer to your questions:
- not close to the period (the birth control - Mirena - I am on pretty much stops that)
- not very high on sodium - very much all home-coooked food - like four mini pickles i have eaten since i have started this diet
- unsure about the dosage of HCG - the WL clinic had me on 150cc for the first 15 days then bumped me up to 175cc for the next 15 days
- drinking a lot of liquids ~120 oz per day (water and teas of different varieties)
- not very hungry (had some I'm-feeling-sorry-for-myself hunger today - but that is emotional)

The only thing i can think of is that I may have under-eaten some? i come in closer to 400 than 500 on some days.

The other thing is a lot of the same foods but in different combos - but in part that is b/c i travel for work 4 days a week (plane) and have packed my food for the past two weeks - so my food has been a little repetitive and have eaten a lot of Onion, chicken, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes.

No grissini. No melba.

I have also been mixing veggies (most ppl say this is OK though). tiny amout of cream in my morning coffee, but overall fat content is typically under 10 grams a day. Carbs typically under 40.

sooo.....trying to keep the faith!

Any other advice/suggestions would be appreciated!

[shelbyla]

Couple of questions for you...

- What kinds of fruit and how much are you eating? (If you are eating oranges, might want to switch them out for apples or strawberries. If you aren't eating them, add at least one. If you are eating two, maybe drop one for a day or so.)
- Are you on a plan that allows peppers? (The original list doesn't--maybe switch them out?)
- Both onions and tomatoes are stallers. Maybe switch them out for celery or cucumbers or radishes or something else portable?
- Did you switch out your personal products for oil free? Might cause a stall.


Other thoughts if you are open to them:
- Cut out the cream (it s**ks but sometimes ya gotta! )
- Stop mixing veggies (yeah it's boring but it's only for a little while)
- Lack of salt can actually CAUSE water retention as can too little potassium. Are you supplementing potassium? If so you need a little sodium (I like Celtic grey sea salt--no water retention). If not, you may need a couple of potassium pills.

[onedimsim]

Thanks Shelby!

- Skipping fruit on most days - but sometimes 1/2 grapefruit and/or berrries (Strawberries, Blueberries,Raspberries)
- Peppers are on my diet plan (my WL clinic) - but i have been eating a LOT of these so def. going to switch these out
- I am home this upcoming week so i can expand my food choices some
- "Both onions and tomatoes are stallers" - did not know this??? will definitely lay off these
- No lotions except for Rx face (no clue what is in it ) - pretty much going lotion-free (some occasional hand cream - ill check to see what is in it -

--I am trying the approach of switching up my foods some and less veggie combining....started that today
--I have not been taking too many potassium supplements, but will start (i have some good liquid stuff)
--Will go to black coffee for a while

--i probably should confess i have had small amts of Splenda (not every day but here and there) - is this a known staller?

We will see what happens!

[sillyme]

are you using the ez-sweets liquid sucralose? I would suggest that rather than powdered splenda. There is another liquid splenda that you can also buy at Walmart but i can't remember the name. They don't contain the fillers that the powdered versions have

[JHoberer]

I second the EZ-Sweetz- and they just started selling it at Walmart- 400 drop bottles for $5!

Try this kind of high fat P2 day called a "steaks and mac nut mug cake day". It works best for me at the end of P2.

R2P2-VLCD 49-57 Steak & Mug Cake (Off Protocol) + Size 10...

[onedimsim]

I am down 2.4 lbs this morning - I am a happy woman! my WL clinic had suggested a "high fat" day so i had bacon/eggs for breakfast on wednesday - no clue if this broke my stall ...but hopefully I am past this.....

thanks everyone for the assistance -

Will def try the "steaks and mac nut mug cake day" I hit a stall - in my heart i just am not a believer in the apple day concept - plus it was gross!

Do you only eat the steak and nut cakes? Any veg?

Send me the link for the mud cake recipe? <<UPDATE<< I found it!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Keep you posted!

[walkingwoman]

Woohoo! Congrats on breaking the stall and wtg on the nice loss!

[shelbyla]

Originally Posted by onedimsim

I am down 2.4 lbs this morning - I am a happy woman! my WL clinic had suggested a "high fat" day so i had bacon/eggs for breakfast on wednesday - no clue if this broke my stall ...but hopefully I am past this.....

thanks everyone for the assistance -

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Keep you posted!

Yay!

[MagieDen]

[onedimsim]

Thanks Ya'll! Down another 1.1 lbs today - so hopefully the stall is OVER!