What do you do, if you just have to have something extra to eat? It is always best to stick to the HCG Diet exactly, if you can. But if you must cheat, some ways are better than others. I've done the diet three times and learned a few things.
1) First of all, try not to eat anything with sugar or starch. Sugar stimulates insulin and insulin turns it into fat. In "Pounds and Inches," Dr. Simeons cautions against eating sugar or starch during the three weeks just after doing the Hcg Diet. It's a big no-no during the diet, too. If you are wanting something extra to eat, you might be tempted by a donut someone brought into work, some chocolate, etc. But, read on and I have some suggestions.
2) Second, try to stay within the diet by eating something that is on it. I'll explain more in a second. Also, there are a few other foods you may not know about that are included at some Hcg Diet clinics.
3) Third, if you do cheat, try to pay attention to how whatever you eat satisfies. How do you feel after? (This is so you can be more prepared for the next time.) It is really good if you keep a food diary of just what you eat and how you are feeling. It is one of the best things you can do, so you can check your progress. You want to be able to look back and figure out what you did right on those days that you lost more than a pound a day and when you only lost half a pound. Sometimes it is really hard to figure out.
4) If you decide you must eat something totally not on the diet, you will be in effect doing a "loading day." (I don't recommend this!) I have done it, but it means it will be at least three days before you start losing weight again. If you must do this, then save it for a very special event and try not to do it more than once during your 23 or 40 days. This is intentional and planned and best of all you can tell yourself you are taking a day off or doing a loading day. It also works if you are in a stall or plateau.
5) Consider how much going off the diet will be costing you. Add up the costs for the diet plan, the hcg, the syringes, the alcohol wipes, the bottles of sterile water, shipping costs, etc., and divide the cost by 23 or 40 days and then multiply by 3 days and you will know what it costs you financially. If you go to a clinic or doctor, there is that cost, too.
6) Then there is the psychological cost. If you have to wait 3 days to see a new weight loss, it is very discouraging. Generally, if you eat anything not on the very specific diet, you will gain the next day. You'll lose the second, but it isn't until the third that you make new headway.
7) If you are set on having a candy bar, stop and think. Could you substitute a piece of watermelon? It would beat having a chocolate bar! And it can be quite satisfying. For those who are staying strictly on the Dr. Simeons diet, don't listen to this. It's just that I found out watermelon was allowed by a few Hcg Diet clinics. Also a few more fruits and vegetables.
8) One other thing that worked for me, when I felt hungry between meals. I would roll a bite or two of left over chicken into a leaf of lettuce like a sandwich and it made a good snack. Then I would cut back on the amount of meat (chicken, fish, etc.) at the next meal.
More hints: you may find some fat free, sugar free marinades and salad dressings. I like a fat free, sugar free dressing called Maple Grove Farms Raspberry Vinaigrette, that I get at Wal-Mart.
You can make yourself an iced coffee with Stevia. It's not quite like Starbucks, but you can try that. Also you may like to take your handful of strawberries and make a smoothie to drink. Just add water, ice and Stevia in your blender. You won't even be cheating!
9) To stay on the diet, I found that eating a sliced tomato or cucumber with salt and pepper between meals really helped to keep me going and on target with the next meal. You can even broil the tomato in the oven or toaster oven with some spices. I'm not sure why it was so satisfying. It is on the diet, and the few (fat free, sugar free) calories didn't seem to hinder my losing weight.
10) One last thing. When I got sick and tired of chicken or fish, occasionally I had a scrambled egg or hard boiled egg. Dr Simeons mentions in his manuscript, "Pounds and Inches, " about eggs for those who are vegetarians. I still kept losing just the same. I cooked the scrambled egg in a little water in a non-stick pan.
If you have read my other articles, then you know how I accidentally learned about eating salads, with more than one vegetable at a meal. I misunderstood and ate salads every single day and still lost weight really fast.
Remember that when you are taking Hcg, if you eat any calories over the 500 a day, that you will gain. It is the nature of Hcg. It only works to help you lose fat when you do the very low calorie diet, called VLCD. There is a great website that helps you calculate your calories, fat, proteins, etc. called fitday.com
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