Time to Spill my Guts!

Ok so here it goes.  I need to lose weight...a lot of weight.  After my last 2 kids I have gained and weigh more then I ever have and I hate it.  I feel horrible. I can barely look at myself in the mirror and let's face it the bedroom department with my fiance has suffered as well.  All stemming from my lack of confidence and frankly loathing of my body.  So the time has come for a drastic change.  After doing extensive research on diets and work outs and cookie diets (yeah I WISHED that worked!) I finally came across something that I am hoping will work for me.  The HCG Diet.  Now ok yes it is kind of a fad diet, however there is a lot more to it then what meets the eye.  First off this is a diet that has been around since Dr. Albert T. W. Simeons introduced his book "Pounds and Inches" in 1954.  So something that has been around for that long isn't exactly a fad now is it?  Also it claims that you can lose 1-2 lbs a day! A DAY!!!  Now I know that doesn't sound exactly like a healthy weight loss BUT I heard someone in my research say "If you are obese then you are not healthy and the sooner you can get to a healthy weight the better."  Ok so that is something I can get behind.  I also know myself.  If I don't see results quickly then I will lose my motivation.  Then I start to feel depressed...then I eat because I depressed and there you have it... I have gained weight instead of losing it.  So  I have decided to give this a try.  

So what exactly is the HCG Diet.  Well it is a couple of things.  First the drops (there is also a shot version but I am not doing that).  They are of the hormone, or a simulation of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).  You take 10 drops under your tongue 3 times a day.  They are supposed to help you not feel hungry and burn the bad fats in your body.  Now there is no medical evidence for why this is other then the thousands of happy customers.  Some doctors call this a placebo effect...to that I say well if it works who cares if it is just the power of suggestion, IT WORKED! And that is all I am interested in, something that will hep me lose weight.  The other aspect is the low calorie very strict diet and 4 phase plan.  Now the very strict part is only in phase 2.  And now this is where it gets a little complicated...4 phases, strict diet, no medical evidence, why even try it?  Well because of the many many testimonials out there that say it has changed their lives! So I start this crazy journey next week and I am excited to get to the new me that is buried inside this body.

Phase 1: Taking the hCG drops (3 & 6 Week Programs | Days 1 – 2)

For the first two days, start taking the hCG drops:

1. Place the drops under your tongue and hold them there for 60 seconds. Swallow the remaining liquid.
   
   Note: Be sure to take ten drops, three times per day, for a total of 30 drops. Once in the morning, 30 minutes before lunch, and then again 30 minutes before dinner.
2. During the first two days of taking the hCG drops, you'll also need to eat as much high fat food as you possibly can. You'll be storing fat to be used as energy during the low calorie portion of the diet (described later). Don't skip this step; your energy level will suffer if you do.

The best foods to eat are milk chocolate, pastries, ice cream, peanut butter, bread (with lots of butter), and pork. (I will seriously be enjoying this phase!!!)

Phase 2: Starting the Low Calorie Diet
            (3 week program | Days 3 – 21)
            (6 week program | Days 3 – 42)

1. On the third day, you'll begin the low calorie diet of 500 calories per day(or the 800,or 1200 cal version). Continue the low calorie diet for 3 weeks (if you're trying to lose 15 to 20 pounds), or 6 weeks (if you're trying to lose 34 to 40 pounds). Weigh yourself every morning when you wake up. You should see a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per day.
2. Eat only the foods from the following list. No variations are allowed. If an item is not on the list, then don't eat it!
   
   For the next two days, start taking the hCG drops
   1. On the third day, you'll begin the low calorie diet of 500 calories per day. Continue the low calorie diet for 3 weeks (if you're trying to lose 15 to 20 pounds), or 6 weeks (if you're trying to lose 34 to 40 pounds). Weigh yourself every morning when you wake up preferrably after using the restroom. You should see a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per day.
   2. Eat only the foods from the following list. No variations are allowed. If an item is not on the list, then don't eat it!
   
   Protein: Two 100-gram servings per day

   Chicken	White fish (tilapia, halibut)
   Shrimp	Extra lean ground beef
   Steak	Lobster
   Crab	Veal

   
   You'll need to remove all of the fat from the meat and weigh it before cooking. Don't use oils to cook the meat, and avoid using spices containing sugar.
   
   Note: The original protocol isn't specific about exactly how much a vegetable serving is, so use your best judgment. One serving is approximately two cups of salad, one tomato, one cucumber, one onion, or 1/2 cabbage. Be sure not to mix vegetables. Only one vegetable is allowed per meal.

   Green salad	Onions
   Cucumbers	Spinach
   Tomatoes	Chard
   Celery	Fennel
   Red radishes	Asparagus
   Cabbage	Chicory
   Beet greens

Bread: Two servings per day 

• 1 melba toast (1 piece per serving)
• 1 grissini (1 piece per serving)

Note:    Melba toast is available at most grocery stores. Grissini is available at health food stores and Italian markets. 

Fruit: Two servings per day 

• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 1/2 grapefruit
• Handful of strawberries

You can disperse the allotted food throughout the day as you choose. However, the best option is to skip breakfast and break up your allowed food into lunch, dinner, and two snacks. 

Beverages 

You can consume unlimited amounts of the following: 

• Black Coffee
• Water (distilled water is best)
• Sparkling water (Pellegrino, Perrier)
• Sweeteners

Try to consume at least two liters of fluids per day. 

Note:    Only Use stevia and saccharin (Sweet 'N' Low) only. Don't use aspartame, sucralose (Splenda), or sugar. 

Spices and Seasonings 

You can use any spice you want, just be sure it doesn't contain sugar. Salt and pepper are allowed. Be sure to read the ingredients of everything you consume. Even a minor intake of something that isn't allowed can slow down your diet considerably. 

Note:    You can have gum, just be sure it is flavored with xylitol(a natural sweetener). Most brands of gum use aspartame, which is not allowed. 

Phase 3: Stabilization
           (3 week program | Days 22 – 43)
           (6 week program | Days 43 – 64) 

On day 35, you can now begin to add more food back into your diet, just be sure to avoid sugar and starch for 3 weeks. It's best to add foods back in one at a time so you can see how your body reacts to each item. You can have dairy, nuts, fats and oils, but beware of extra-sweet fruit like bananas and mangoes during this phase. 

Once you have successfully stabilized your weight, you are ready to add normal foods back into your diet, including bread and other starchy foods like potatoes (in moderation, of course). You can also eat food containing sugar like mangoes, bananas, and sweets. At this point of the diet, you will have developed a taste for healthy foods. It should also be much easier for you to make good eating decisions as well. 

You'll still need to continue to weigh yourself every morning, and if you ever go two pounds above your lowest achieved weight, a steak day* will put you back on track. Just keep in mind that it is important to do the steak day on the same day as the gain. Otherwise it isn't as effective. You should be able to maintain your new weight forever by following this simple system. 

*A steak day is where you don't consume anything all day except water. For dinner, you'll eat a large steak. Later on that evening, you can either have one apple or one tomato. 
The following morning, you should be back within two pounds of your lowest achieved weight. This is how you keep yourself from gaining back all the weight you lost earlier in Phase 2: Starting the Low Calorie Diet. 

During Phase 3: Stabilization, you'll learn which foods your body doesn't digest well, and should be avoided.

Phase 4: Keeping Your Weight Off
           (3 week program | Days 44 – Forever)
           (6 week program | Days 65 – Forever) 

Did you know that habits (both good and bad) are made and broken in a 14-day time period? During your experience of the previous phases of the hCG diet, no doubt you may have created some new and healthy eating habits. At this point you may feel better physically and mentally than you ever have before. In addition, you may discovered a new self-confidence, and a new you! If you go right back to eating the wrong types of foods, chances are you'll find yourself feeling sick, and you'll soon realize that your body actually craves healthier foods. 

The hCG diet is all about making a change in your lifestyle. Sure, losing weight is a part of that change, but the key is to lose weight and keep it off, forever. Take time to educate yourself on the causes of obesity, and surround yourself with people who also share the same goals as you do. You can also consult your physician or other professionals that will help you stay on the right path to stay happy and healthy for the rest of your life.