How Much Can I Expect to Lose in a “Round” of the HCG Diet?

After the first 2 days of taking your weight loss drops and “gorging” or “loading” high-fat foods, you will likely see a weight gain. Depending on how much you gorge and on your body, you could gain as much as 4 to 6 pounds. However, you must proceed with the gorge because this rapid 2-day gain stocks the normal fat reserves which your body uses the first few days of the low-calorie diet, whereas the subsequent loss is from the abnormal fat deposits. Additionally, this gain is usually lost in the first 48 hours of dieting. After the fourth or fifth day of low calorie phase dieting, the daily loss of weight begins to decrease to one pound or less per day for an average of 3 pounds per week. That is why it is important for you to purchase a scale that measures in pounds and ounces. It is very encouraging to see the weight loss each day and helps you to keep on track.

Some people get upset after seeing so much weight come off in the first week and when the rate of loss slows down, they think they are stalling. A good check to do (after the first week on the low-calorie phase of the diet) to see if you are stalling is to compare your current weight to your weight from 1 week ago. If you are down 2-5 lbs., you are still losing and are not experiencing a stall! You might lose as much as 10 pounds in that first week of dieting. But with an average weight loss of 3 pounds or more per week, added to the first week’s loss of 10 pounds, for a woman, a total of 20-30 pounds by the end of the 40-day maximum time spent dieting, is certainly achievable. Men generally lose more weight and at a faster pace than women and can expect to lose as much as 30-40 pounds by the end of six weeks. Keep in mind that everyone’s bodies are different. Therefore, some people will lose more and some people lose less. Men typically report losing .75 - 1.5 pounds per day and women typically report losing .5 - 1 pounds per day when the diet is followed properly.

Plateaus and Stalls

Some people will lose absolutely no weight for 4-6 days. This is referred to as a “plateau”.  Those who are losing more than the average will have a plateau sooner or later but it frequently occurs during the second half of a full round.  The body normally corrects itself, so there is no need to worry about whether you are responding normally to the diet. If a “plateau” lasts longer than 6 days, it is considered a “stall.” First, you should check your food journal to make sure you are following the diet correctly. If you are, here are some suggestions on breaking the stall:

• Drink extra water; increase your intake to 2-3 quarts per day.
• Add a glass or two of green tea to your day.
• Cut down or cut out American ground beef.
• Consider that oranges, tomatoes and shrimp stall some people.
• Check all condiments for sugar, anything ending in -ose, -tol, or -dextrin.
• If you are mixing vegetables, stop.
• Consider dropping one or both of the ‘breads’ and/or one of your fruits, etc.
• Consider adding a brisk walk to your day a few times a week—anything that raises the heart rate, but not muscle-building exercises.
• Make sure you are getting enough sleep.