A weight loss plateau on the HCG diet is to be expected. The HCG diet plateau may last up to a week or more if you do not take aggressive steps to stop it. Here are the best ways to do so.

The HCG Diet Plateau

This is simply the stoppage of your weight loss from one day to the next. This is why it is crucial for you to weigh yourself every day. Normal progress is a weight drop of a half a pound to a pound (sometimes more) from one day to the next.

When you weigh the same day after day, then you are on a plateau. Most people look at the lack of change as a fluke the first time they notice it. Depending on the individual, it may stop spontaneously after a couple of days. Sometimes it takes four to six days before you finally realize that you are stuck, meaning on a weight loss plateau.

1) Best Way: The Simeons Apple Day Strategy

In his book, Pounds and Inches, Dr. Simeons recommended an apple day on the very first day that you find yourself on a plateau. An apple day has two components: 1) eat nothing but six apples all day long; 2) drink as little water as possible. His explanation involves getting sludgy food moving again. It is a challenge to make sense out of this explanation in a physiological way, so just rest assured that it almost always works.

This method removes excess fluids in a hurry, so it is common for weight to drop two pounds from one day to the next. After that, your normal progress should be restored.

2) Increase Bowel Movements

Constipation and infrequent bowel movements are the main problem leading to an HCG weight loss plateau. This makes impeccable sense. You must move your bowels at least once per day during the protocol, and two or three times per day would be better.

Taking in more water is generally the easiest and most effective way to increase bowel movements. However, if this does not work as fast as you want, simply adding soluble fiber to a glass of water will accelerate the process. The easiest soluble fiber to find and use is psyllium powder. It is the main ingredient of Metamucil, although that product contains too many lousy ingredients to be recommended (e.g., sugar or aspartame, artificial color, etc.). Besides, a good nutrition store will offer pure, unadulterated psyllium powder at a much lower price than any grocery store brand.

3) Adhere More Closely to the Original Diet Protocol

Modern variations of the protocol include adding lean ground beef and mixing multiple vegetables at the same meal. The original protocol was more of a sure thing, so eliminate ground beef and have only one vegetable at a time instead of in mixed salads, etc. Also, make sure that your carbohydrate source (e.g., Melba toast) is just the right amount. You can even reduce this amount if need be.

4) Vary Your Food Sources Within the Same Day.

If you are in the habit of eating chicken breast at every meal, or otherwise the same kind of protein source, then substitute a different source for one of your meals. In other words, do not eat the same kind of meat twice in the same day. This also goes for eating the same type of fruit or the same type of vegetable. Change them up and see how this can move you off of your plateau.

5) Eat Enough!

If you think that eating less and less will be helpful, what you will find is that a too-low caloric intake will slow down your metabolism. You must eat the minimum daily amount of 500-550 calories to keep your metabolic rate just right for burning the abnormal fat from your body. When this rate goes too low, you will hit a plateau and stop losing weight. So eat enough!

All the best in overcoming your weight loss plateau,

Dr. D