I hate stalls with a serious mad passion.  But I've come to expect them. So I'm not totally freaked out that the scale didn't move at all this morning.  In fact, I seem to have entered Challenge Mode without even realizing it. I spent the better portion of my online time this afternoon looking for tried and true methods to break through a loss stall on hcg.

Here are some of the better ideas I've found, just in case you also require a way to beat a stall into the ground.

1. The Apple Day. I actually kind of love Apple Days, and I've been known to do one even when the scale is moving just fine.  On an Apple Day, you get six of the biggest, juiciest apples you can find and eat them throughout the day. That's it. And by "that's it," I mean, that's all you eat and that's as easy as it is.  The first time I decided to do an apple day, I was very apprehensive. Apples are yummy, sure, but  nothing except apples for an entire day? Blech.  However, I found that I really enjoyed the freedom of not having to plan my meals or carry food around with me if I were going to be out during a meal time. I just brought a couple apples with me.  So on days when I know I'm going to be running all over creation, I sometimes will do an Apple Day, just because it's easier.

2. The Detox Bath. I am a big fan of baths. I love to sit in warm water with some music playing, a large glass of water and a book or magazine.  It's one of my favorite ways to unwind. This bath is like that, just a little different.  This bath is full of all kinds of fun stuff to help pull the gunk out of you. Through your sweat pores. If you don't like to sweat, get over it.  Add 2 cups of baking soda, 2 cups of epsom salts and 1 cup of sea salt to a bath that's as hot as you can stand it.  If you've got some, throw in some ginger, maybe a little tea tree oil. If you want it to smell good, add some lavender oil, or another that you love. Soak in it for 40 minutes. You are going to sweat. If you're not sweating, make the water hotter.  I also use a portable heater to make my bathroom warm, since my skin is pretty sensitive to hot water. When the 40 minutes is up, drain the water and rinse off in a warm shower. Don't plan on taking a normal shower and washing your hair and stuff. Your body needs to rest.  In fact, this is an excellent time to go to bed. You may continue to sweat for a good while after your bath. Awesome! More detox! (If you have high blood pressure, you probably should skip this bath.)

3. Journal your Food. I use SparkPeople to track what I've eaten throughout the day and my daily weigh ins. When I'm not on protocol, I also use the site to track my workouts and calories burned.  If you're not writing down everything you eat and making sure you're hitting and/or not exceeding your allotted 500 calories for the day, you might want to start doing that during a stall. Remember, not eating enough is just as bad as eating too much!

4. Check your labels. I'm not talking food labels; I'm talking personal care products.  If there is oil in, say, your moisturizer, your skin may be absorbing enough that it's having an impact on your scale. And check all of it, not just obvious things. Oil can be in anything from lip gloss to shampoo.

5. Add some variety.  If you're eating chicken and spinach for two meals a day, your body is liable to think there's not enough food around, and start holding on to everything it's got. If you're stumped for things to eat, check out Lianne's blog over at My HCG Cooking for some great ideas.

6. Chinese Water Torture. Okay, not really. But upping your water intake can get the scale moving again.  You should be drinking 2L of water per day, as it is. If you're doing that and still facing a stall, try drinking even more.  My rule of thumb, whether I'm on protocol or not, is that my pee needs to be nearly clear. If it's not, I'm not drinking enough water.

7. Poop. Yeah, I said it. There's something about this diet that makes bowel movements somewhat rarer than they'd been previously.  Lots of people swear by Smooth Move Tea. I am not a big fan.  A friend who is an RN suggested Milk of Magnesia instead, and on the few occasions I've used it, I've been happy with the results.  Please understand that taking any kind of laxative is not PART of this diet and is not in any way required.  If you haven't had a bowel movement in a few days, though, you could be facing some compact issues, and might need a little boost in that department. Some people suggest taking a daily fiber supplement while you're on protocol to avoid this problem altogether.

8. Exercise. A little.  Too much strenuous activity on 500 calories a day is going to backfire. You're likely to make your stall last longer, and do some damage to your body in the process.  Best case scenario of overexercising while you're on the Very Low Calorie Diet, you're gonna end up with hands like Madonna or Sarah Jessica Parker. (Google them. Frightening.) So you definitely don't want to overdo it. But, a nice walk, or some gentle yoga, even a little extra playing in the yard with the kids can help to break through a stall.  Again, I'd avoid anything having to do with weights, because, seriously, look at SJP's hands!

For my part, I did a nice detox bath last night, drank enough water to drown a cow, and took a half mile walk today.  I'll report back in the morning!