HCG Diet In 4 Stages : Mandatory Diet While Taking HCG Drops!

HCG Diet Decoded In 4 Stages – Explained By A Certified Nutritionist

When armed with proper and detailed instructions, you minimize the risk of failure – and that’s true for anything in life, hCG diet included. By strictly following the original hCG diet protocol created by Dr. Simeons and the specific recommendations provided by the manufacturer of your hCG oral drops, you’ll be staying on the path of effective and durable weight-loss.

In this article, you will find a detailed description of the hCG diet in general and of each phase specifically, receive valuable recommendations and info on many tricks that will help you follow through every crucial aspect of your diet. We’ve tried to keep it as simple and as informative as possible, but if you’re still left with unresolved questions of any kind – feel free to contact us for more information. Let’s get started!

What is hCG Diet?

This particular weight-loss regime was designed by Dr. Albert Theodore William Simeons, a British endocrinologist. After years of studying the problem of excess weight and obesity, in 1954 he proposed an innovative dietary model that became later known as the hCG VLCD diet (human chorionic gonadotropin very low calorie diet) in his book “Pounds and Inches. A New Approach to Obesity”. And moreover, this strict diet is being followed by top celebrities around the world.

Read full article on “What is HCG” before going to HCG Diet >

Doctor Simeons came up with the idea of using hCG for weight reduction while studying the effects of the said hormone both present naturally (in pregnant women) and taken from the outside (for pituitary disorders treatment). The result was basically the same: under guidance of hCG, the human body burns body fat more actively under conditions of calorie and fat deficiency. This is thought to be one of hCG’s main benefits during pregnancy and serves to protect the developing fetus from possible malnutrition. In other words, when the mother hasn’t the possibility to eat well, the hCG resent in your body will gently break up the excess fat present in her body in order to provide her baby with the nutrients and energy necessary.

The diet itself is a complex of recommendations that, when followed strictly (this is the reason why FDA banned HCG products in the market), reveal the hCG’s potential to its maximum. We will cover in details every aspect of the diet, so you can understand the underlying processes, but in any case – always double check with the instructions and details provided by your manufacturer.

Read full article on Who is Dr Simeons and What did he said about HCG Diet >

List Of Phases of the hCG VLCD Diet

Traditionally, the classic hCG diet is divided into four separate stages: loading, diet (weight-loss), stabilization and maintenance. This segregation is explained by the fact that your body needs several consecutive steps when adapting to something new – boy weight included. It’s impossible to cut off 40 pounds off yourself in a couple of days without going under the surgeon’s knife. If you want it done naturally and sustainable in the long run, it’s crucial to give your body the necessary time and resources to get used to the process of weight loss and to your new weight as well – and the 4 phases of the hCG diet ensure that just right.

Phase 1: Loading

Also known as the “gorging” or “bingeing” days, this phase is somewhat paradoxical: in order to lose weight in the following stages, you must first stuff yourself for a couple of days. Eat up to the point of nauseating – mostly with the help of fatty high-calorie products and dishes.

What is the goal of this phase? To load your body with enough energy substrate that will be used up later in the following stages. This is of particular need in the beginning of phase two, while your body still has not adapted to its fullest. Any given hCG product needs a couple of days to start burning your fat reserves. Meanwhile, you need to receive plenty of energy from any other source available – so the food you intake during the loading phase will do just fine.

Keep in mind that people that neglect the meaning of this stage usually feel a lot more hungry and tired on the following weeks, while those who follow it and eat plenty of fatty food usually feet energetic and ready to keep on dieting.

To summarize: on the phase 1 (loading) you start taking your hCG oral drops and eat as much high-calorie and high-fat food as you physically can (without traumatizing yourself, of course) in order to give your hypothalamus the time it needs to tune your metabolism into burning excess fat. This phase usually takes 1-2 days (3-4 days if you’re going out of a previous different diet).

Here is a list of products particularly recommended to eat during phase 1:

All kinds of fried meals, including potato chips, fried eggs, fried bacon, etc.
All kind of pastries, especially the creamy ones
Milk chocolate
Plenty of fried meat, especially pork
Butter in any form – be it a thick layer on a piece of bread or as a ingredient in baked foods
Mayonnaise is also a valuable ally during this phase
Ice cream, cookies, sweets
Hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, pizza.

Phase 2: Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD)

This is the stage in which the magic starts. Lasting from 15 to 40 days (depending on multiple factors, including the peculiar properties of the specific hCG oral drops you’ve chosen), the main goal of this diet is to get rid of your abnormal fat for good.

This is done through a strict following of a 500 calorie per day diet. The effect is astonishing because the normal calorie intake for an adult male is about 2500 calories per day, while females should intake at least 2000 calories. The difference between these two numbers will be the amount of fatty tissue your body will be burning in order to receive the energy necessary. For example, if your usual calorie intake is 2500 and you receive just 500 with your food – 2000 calories will be received by means of breaking up your body fat.

One may ask – what is the point in taking hCG here, if I can just follow the VLCD diet itself? Of course, if you don’t take any hCG and still stick to your 500 calories per day diet, you’ll lose weight just right. But:

The pounds lost will be greatly consisting of useful (muscle) weight.
The amount of total weight lost won’t be as great as it would be with hCG.
Without hCG, you’ll feel much hungrier and much more exhausted, because your organism won’t be adapting to the starvation. You need hCG in order to properly tune your body into using up the body fat stored previously.

Besides that, as strange as it may sound, your body is more inclined towards building fat during the hungry times than burning it for energy. And that’s explained simply: your body will do its best to store every single calorie left just in case this hunger will last on. hCG helps you to prevent and break that mechanism, adjusting your inner processes towards fat burning. Other components of popular modern hCG formulas aid you in muscle building too, so you’re not just losing excess weight: you’re giving your organism the resources necessary to be stronger and healthier by increasing muscle mass.

Therefore, take your hCG oral drops according to the official instructions that come with your oral drops and stick to the following diet: 2 servings of identical proteins per day (lean meat or fish), 2 identical vegetables per day, 2 identical fruits per day, 2 pieces of one type of bread from the allowed (breadsticks or melba toasts) per day, 2-3 liters of allowed liquids (water, mineral water, sugar-free tea, sugar-free coffee) daily.

Check the lists of foods recommended for this stage a bit further!

Main principles of the second phase of the hCG diet:

Don’t forget to continue taking your hCG oral drops according to your instructions.
In terms of food, only 500 calories per day should be taken. No more and ABSOLUTELY no less.
Never skip a meal. Your day should have at least three of them: breakfast, lunch and dinner. If needed, a snack between meals is possible, as long as it’s not any extra food besides the allowed and prescribed for a daily intake. Besides that, never eat two servings of proteins, two vegetables, two breads or two fruits at once – always split them throughout the day.
Drink a lot. While normal liquid intake for an average adult is about 1.5 liters, you should drink at least 2.5 – 3 liters per day. You can choose from the following beverages ONLY: water, mineral water, coffee or tea (without sugar). Of course, stay sane in this matter and don’t ever try to drink 10 liters daily, that won’t do you any good. But about 3.5 liters would be great.
Never skip your proteins. You should eat 100 g of the meat or fish of your choice (from the approved list) for lunch and another 100 g for dinner (and be sure to take the same kind of protein source twice per day). If you take less protein than that, your weight might even increase due to the so-called “hunger edema”, during which your body holds up water in order to compensate a drop in blood protein levels. Also, be sure to remove any visible fat from the meat before preparing it.
The possible ways to cook your proteins are: broiling, boiling, frying, baking and grilling – WITH NO ADDITIONAL FAT. Also, be sure to weight you meat while still in the raw state.
Do not eat two fruits or two vegetables together.
Eat the same vegetable and the same fruit twice per given day on this phase.
Any spices and seasonings are good to use in your cooking, if they don’t have any fatty components in them. But we recommend using only the natural ones: salt, peppers, herbs, lemon acid, etc. Why? Because the seasonings and sauces that can be bought from the market are usually very high-calorie. They could destroy all your efforts in a blink of an eye.

Now that you know the principles, start making your menu!

Pick two identical fruits per day: an apple, a handful of strawberries, one-half grapefruit or orange.
Pick two identical vegetables per day: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.
Pick two servings (100 g weighted raw) of the protein source of your choice per day: veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab or shrimp.
Pick two pieces of the same bread from the allowed: one breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast.
Drink a lot of liquid without sugar. Stevia or saccharin can be used in your drinks instead of sugar, if you wish. Also, one tablespoon of fat-free milk is allowed per day, so be sure to add it into your coffee, for example!

A viable example of the menu suited for phase 2:

Breakfast: unlimited coffee without sugar (but with 1 tablespoon of milk), half a grapefruit.

Lunch: 100 g of fat-free grilled chicken breast, a tomato, a melba toast.

Afternoon snack: half a grapefruit, unlimited tea with stevia.

Dinner: same choices as for lunch.

You can make your meal the way you like it, as long as you follow the main principles listed above. Also, it is recommended to always have at hand a table with the caloric value of everything you’re eating in order to be sure that you’re not eating more than 500 calories per day.

Phase 3: Stabilization

By this stage you’ll be already feeling like a hero, a winner, a triumphant achiever of your goals. If you’d followed the recommendations for phases 1 and 2 of the hCG diet, the weight lost will be easily noticed with the naked eye – no need to measure anything at all. But you know that’s not the end. Not yet. And that’s the reason why there’s a third stage in the hCG diet protocol. The goal of this phase is to carve in stone the results you managed to achieve, because we’re aiming for long-term results here, not just a fleeting experience, a fading image of something healthy. We’re seizing real well-being; therefore your weight needs to be stabilized.

During the stabilization phase, you should stop taking your hCG drops and start eating some new foods, previously forbidden during phase 2. Be sure to still follow the 500 calories per day restriction and carefully count the caloric value of everything you eat! Wouldn’t want to destroy everything you’ve fulfilled, right?

Here’s a list of some the new vegetables allowed during phase 3: broccoli, eggplant, pumpkin, pickles, sauerkraut, zucchini, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers or red chili peppers, kohlrabi, bamboo shoots.

Or, maybe, you were craving for a couple of new fruits? Check these ones out: cranberries, papaya, pears, plums, watermelon, kiwi, guava, pineapples. Just be sure to check their calorie content and adjust the portion accordingly. Especially, be aware of those fruit that taste sweeter than the others – the slightest error in counting their weight or value may cost you enormous amounts of efforts put previously into your diet.

New approved sources of proteins: nuts, tofu, soy, bacon, elk, turkey, duck, ham, lamb, liver, eel, herring, mussles, oysters, salmon, sardines, trout, pork chops, Vienna sausages, ground beef. Be sure to weight your protein servings before preparing them – 100 g for one serving is just the right amount to go. Also, its preferred to prepare your proteins without adding extra fat – just like you did during the previous phase of this diet.

Main principles of the third phase of the hCG diet:

Do not take your hCG oral drops, but still remain on your 500 calories per day diet.
The principles of food preparation and eating stay the same as during the previous phase – but now more ingredients are allowed for you to eat.
Add new foods one by one. Ideally, every day you should add just one new thing – no more. Give your body enough time to adjust to the refreshed diet.
Remember to weigh yourself every morning. If on any given day you gain more than 2 pounds compared to your last hCG-assisted day – skip breakfast and lunch and eat a huge steak for dinner with a fruit or vegetable of your choice. This will help you to get back on track. Such days became known as “steak days” in the community of people that tried out the hCG VLCD diet In fact, many of them see these “steak days” as a great source of support not only useful for their weight, but for their mood and enthusiasm as well.

Phase 4: Maintenance

This is the grand finale, so to speak. On this stage, you gradually increase your calorie intake level up to 1500 calories per day. It’s important that the things you eat are still healthy, but now you’re not restricted as violently as on the previous stages. During maintenance phase, you can slowly re-introduce sugars (hooray!) and starches into your diet. Main point here: re-introduce them SLOWLY, bit by bit. By now, you shouldn’t have much of a craving for them, due to the long period of abstinence. Yet still, don’t be over hesitated on the matter and stay on the healthy lane.

One more important point: as in the previous phase, if on any given day you find your weight 2 pounds (or more than that) greater than the one you saw on your last hCG assisted day, give yourself a “steak day”. Just like on phase 3, skip breakfast and lunch – and savor an enormous steak with one vegetable or fruit of your liking. Don’t forget to drink plenty during steak days.

Main principles of the fourth stage of the hCG diet:

Do not take your hCG drops – and follow a 1500 calories per day diet. No less, no more than that. This is important.
Eat any proteins, vegetables and fruits that you want to eat, just be sure to remain inside the 1500 calories restriction. Also, it’s always preferred to consume only healthy food – but that’s up to you.
Weigh yourself every day. If you find yourself 2 pounds heavier than you were on your last hCG assisted day – immediately carry out a steak day. Skip breakfast and lunch and eat a large steak for dinner, with one single vegetable or fruit of your choice.
Add sugars and starches bit by bit, if you want. Your craving should be less by now, so that won’t be a problem.

But remember that every single hCG product has something that makes it different from the other ones. Therefore, the diet regimes can slightly vary, and that’s understandable. We’ve disclosed you in details the general scheme of the traditional hCG VLCD diet, but in order to achieve the best results and discover for yourself the true power of hCG – stick to the official instructions provided by your hCG product manufacturer. Also, if any questions arise at any phase of your diet – never hesitate to ask for help either somebody from the community or your authorized manufacturer and seller.

The diet is over. What’s next?

If you had a lot of excess weight and you couldn’t get rid of it in one single hCG diet session – give yourself a break of a couple of weeks and repeat the diet at will.

But, in general – now you’re free! Free of your fatty burden, ready to engage in all sorts of healthy exciting activities. Do your best to stay on the right path and always strive to keep your well-being a top priority. With the help of the hCG diet, you’d seen how great a life without excess weight can be. The best you can do after that – is to keep up with the good work! Well, and maybe share the word with a friend that needs help with dealing with his excess weight too.

Remember that the hCG diet is not a “dead” soulless alimentary regime. It’s the base for a community of happy people that became passionate about healthy lifestyle thanks to the effects of hCG! Join the crowd, share your experience and help newbies with their diet. Together with hCG, we can make the world a better place, that’s for sure!