Still Stalled

P2 R2, VLCD Day 9

weigh in:  159.4 lbs
gain of: 0.2 pound (Yes, I still consider a 0.2 gain after 2-3 days of no losses and or miniscule  losses a stall- since I didn't commit any dietary errors.  Whether this is acceptable or not, I am not sure.)

After 5 rounds of HCG I am finally "getting used" to stalls.  They don't upset me like they used to or set me into a tailspin of thinking, "Oh my gosh, what have I done wrong?"  I mean, I still think about possible places of faulty dieting or a chance when something touched my skin that could affect weight loss, but I don't panic anymore.   

So, for those of you who are going to be new to this diet- if you can learn from us "veteran" HCGer's and not take stalls too seriously you will save yourself a lot of grief.  Even though I have read the following a million times it is still easy to forget, but the science makes perfect sense:  

"After the fourth or fifth day of dieting the daily loss of weight begins to decrease to one pound or somewhat less per day, and there is a smaller urinary output. Men often continue to lose regularly at that rate, but women are more irregular in spite of faultless dieting. There may be no drop at all for two or three days and then a sudden loss which reestablishes the normal average. These fluctuations are entirely due to variations in the retention and elimination of water, which are more marked in women than in men.

The weight registered by the scale is determined by two processes not necessarily synchronized under the influence of HCG. Fat is being extracted from the cells, in which it is stored in the fatty tissue. When these cells are empty and therefore serve no purpose, the body breaks down the cellular structure and absorbs it, but breaking up of useless cells, connective tissue, blood vessels, etc., may lag behind the process of fat-extraction. When this happens the body appears to replace some of the extracted fat with water which is retained for this purpose. As water is heavier than fat the scales may show no loss of weight, although sufficient fat has actually been consumed to make up for the deficit in the 500-Calorie diet. When such tissue is finally broken down, the water is liberated and there is a sudden flood of urine and a marked loss of weight. This simple interpretation of what is really an extremely complex mechanism is the one we give those patients who want to know why it is that on certain days they do not lose, though they have committed no dietary error." (Dr. Simeons' Manuscript, 24)

 In addition, here is the description of "a plateau" and "apple day."  

"A plateau lasts 4-6 days and frequently occurs during the second half of a full course, particularly in patients that have been doing well and whose overall average of nearly a pound per effective injection has been maintained. Those who are losing more than the average all have a plateau sooner or later. A plateau always corrects, itself, but many patients who have become accustomed to a regular daily loss get unnecessarily worried. No amount of explanation convinces them that a plateau does not mean that they are no longer responding normally to treatment.

In such cases we consider it permissible, for purely psychological reasons, to break up the plateau. This can be done in two ways. One is a so-called “apple day”. An apple-day begins at lunch and continues until just before lunch of the following day. The patients are given six large apples and are told to eat one whenever they feel the desire though six apples is the maximum allowed. During an apple-day no other food or liquids except plain water are allowed and of water they may only drink just enough to quench an uncomfortable thirst if eating an apple still leaves them thirsty. Most patients feel no need for water and are quite happy with their six apples. Needless to say, an apple-day may never be given on the day on which there is no injection. The apple-day produces a gratifying loss of weight on the following day, chiefly due to the elimination of water. This water is not regained when the patients resume their normal 500-calorie diet at lunch, and on the following days they continue to lose weight satisfactorily." (Dr. Simeons' Manuscript, 24-25)

Typically, my opinion of an apple day is that it is just that "permissable, for purely psychological reasons."  I have done an apple day successfully only a couple times before. It just seems so difficult to only eat 6 apples from noon one day to noon the next.  Also, a plateau is going to break when it is going to break and a 4-6 day plateau is nothing compared to how  long plateaus can last losing weight the old fashioned way.  

So, anyway I think I am just going to continue sticking to protocol rather than put myself through an apple day.  I just feel an apple day is too risky for me- I usually end up cheating when I try this approach and that is just not worth it...  Anyway, I hope this helps out those who need a little real life application in conjunction with the manuscript!

Happy HCGing!
(still haven't taken pictures... I am not sure when I will get to it- these last two days of the week are looking to be a little crazy!  I will get them taken sooner than later, though!  I can't wait to see the difference in photo form!)