Preparing for My HCG Diet Loading Days

About my hcg diet blog: I am the founder of HCG Diet Info, the leading authority on the HCG Diet.  In 2002, I lost nearly 90 lbs on the HCG Diet and kept it off for over 10 years. I am now starting my 2nd HCG Diet experience to shed 75 pounds after having a baby.

My HCG Diet Overview:  500-800 calories daily using HCG daily. I am taking a path considered “rogue” or “alternative protocol” rather than OP, (original protocol) this time.  I’m taking supplements including Vitamin B, Vitamin D, Garcinia, and herbal teas (I LOVE TEA!) 

More importantly, I am volunteering myself as a guinea pig to answer the thousands of questions I receive from my readers and forum members such as… “Can sweeteners make me stall?” (so far, I’ve found; YES!)

This is how I am preparing for my second HCG diet experience.  I’m basing my choices on what worked for me when I was last on the diet (in 2002) and what I now know of my body and how it responds to certain foods, supplements and exercise.

I have already ordered my HCG injections here and it arrived within the week. Honestly, I was expecting it to take far more time, so I wasn’t prepared!  Instead, I’m preparing as my HCG and all the supplies wait patiently for me in my kitchen.

My HCG Diet Necessities

Since all my mixing and hcg supplies come with the HCG I ordered from a legit Hcg purchasing source, I really only need a few other things:

• HCG Diet Cookbooks (I love Tammy Skye’s Gourmet Cookbook!)
• Heart rate monitor (This is life-changing. If you haven’t tried one before, I highly recommend reading this: “How a heart rate monitor changed my life.” I have used mine for years and will be treating myself to a FitBit this time around- a little early reward for a diet-well-done!
• Sharps containers (I get the 1 quart sharps containers from amazon because they’re small enough to fit in my cabinet.)
• Kitchen scale. Last time around, I learned the importance of this one. They are so inexpensive, yet hugely useful in learning portions and avoiding unnecessary stalls.
• New Yoga stuff.  I will continue to do yoga and walking until well into phase 2, and then increase my workout based on how I feel.
• Yoga subscription to Gaiam (although there are TONS of free yoga videos on youtube and endless free class offers on Groupon for local studios in most areas.
• Supplies for my hcg: I won’t need them since my hCG pharmacy sends everything; even alcohol swabs which surprised me.
• Supplements: I am a huge fan of Vitamin B, Garcinia Cambogia, and a few others that I will be blogging about throughout Phase 2.
• Foods for my loading phase and foods for my phase 2 epic experience.

Creating my hcg diet food lists!

The first list, was a list of foods I wanted to eat during my loading days.  This includes foods that I felt would meet my caloric requirements  appropriate for Loading.  This list also included foods I wanted to enjoy before beginning phase 2, where I wouldn’t be having those foods.  I also included foods I wanted to say goodbye to.  

The last time I was on the diet, my palette changed and certain foods (fast foods, cookies, etc) were no longer appealing to me. I am anticipating the same thing to happen this time around and wanted to say goodbye to those foods.  Bye bye Kombucha addiction, and bye bye turkey dogs wrapped in light crescent rolls; two things I know aren’t that bad, but I know will probably not be appealing after the “Hcg diet cleanse.”

My HCG Diet Loading Foods List:

• In N Out Cheeseburger (Oh ya baby!)
• Chocolate Milkshake
• Breakfast sandwich with turkey sausage, whole eggs (yolks and all) and pepperjack cheese on a sandwich thin.
• Beef spare ribs with barbecue sauce.
• Cheesy garlic bread.
• Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
• Lobster Bites (Cheesy goodness)
• Chocolate everything (For years I have only eaten dark chocolate and in moderation)
• My weight in Kombucha tea (I have a bit of a Kombucha addiction ;))
• Buffalo Chicken
• Pizza!
• Pastry desserts
• Whole Fat Greek Yogurt
• Avocados
• Celery slathered in Almond Butter
• Almond Flour shortbread cookies (I’ll post my recipe for P3. These are also Paleo friendly!)
• Coconut Milk Ice Cream (I’ll post my recipe for this too)
• Salmon, lots of salmon
• Avocado smoothies with flax seed, spinach, green apple and cucumber. (I can’t wait to have these again!)
• Everything else is healthy but higher in fat or quantity than I usually eat.

My Food List for Phase 2

The second food list I created, was a list of groceries I would use while on Phase 2.  This list will be my go-to list for the next several weeks.  This makes it easier to buy groceries and lowers the risk of my buying something with hidden ingredients and/or off-protocol culprits.

My Phase 2 Grocery List:

Pretty much everything on Dr. Simeons 500 calorie Food List but these are high on my list and a few “rogue” options:

• Organic Chicken Breast
• Steak (Leanest steak options)
• Organic Ground Turkey (94% lean)
• Lobster
• Crab
• Shrimp
• Eggs
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Strawberries
• Apples (Mostly green apples since they are lower in sugar.)
• Oranges (For testing; I’m not planning on having these on my diet consistently although they are on Simeons list.)
• Grissini breadsticks
• Melba Toast
• Asparagus (love this stuff but I’ll miss the butter!)
• More spinach
• Lots and lots of teas
• Himalayan pink salt
• Lots of spices for my hcg diet recipes

My HCG Diet Menu

I highly recommend everyone does this!

The third food list I’m creating… is a menu, that I stick on my fridge.  When I’m hungry, I will refer to my menu, just as I would in a restaurant.  Nothing else is an option.  This makes it sooooooo much easier than searching around the kitchen for what I want AND it makes Phase 2 so much simpler with less risk of straying from your diet.  This list will also include my “go to” meals.  Which interestingly enough, my favorite “go-to hcg diet meal” in 2002, is still one that I absolutely love today:

• Spinach and or Arugula salad
• Extra lean turkey pepperoni,
• Kuva spice from Young Living (or substitute seasoning,)
• Vegan pepperjack rice cheese (rarely and very little)
• Sprayed with Braggs Amino Acids (sprayed, not poured; mostly because of portion control for sodium. I buy a dressing spritzer from Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond.)

I could honestly eat this all day.  You can also add egg white or vary with strawberries (but then skip the braggs and go for an hcg diet friendly vinaigrette recipe.)

Mental Preparation for the HCG Diet

The most important thing I am doing to prepare for my HCG Diet is meeting the psychological factor.  I am making promises to myself that will ensure my success. This list is going on my fridge and on my bathroom mirror.  I may get really crazy and write it on my shower walls in lipliner ha! I am also snapping a photo of it and making it my computer and iPhone background.  I may even fold it up and stick it in my wallet for good luck! 😉

• I promise myself that I will absolutely reach my goal. Nothing will stop me.
• I promise I will think positive throughout this experience.
• I promise to share my experience with my readers, to answer questions, inspire and motivate.
• If I stray, I promise to get right back on track within the hour.
• If I stray, I promise not to regret it, nor punish myself.
• If I feel like having something off-menu, I promise to remind myself I can have it in [x] amount of days if I still want it.
• I promise to exercise every single day. (Raising my heart rate for at least 20 minutes a day.)
• I promise to treat my body with love: massages, spa days, peaceful walks, nourishing foods and teas.
• I promise to visualize myself with my body at my goal weight and fitness level.

I will add to this list as I move through the diet.  I really believe focusing on this list is the most essential piece of long term weight loss because it is the first step in establishing the mindset for living healthy.  I will be reading this list every day, and focusing on each individual item separately as they resonate.

Onward ho to my HCG Diet Loading Days….