Weight Loss and HCG
Nothing tastes as good as thin feels, have said Kate Moss, Tony Robbins and Stephen Covey. Some might also add that Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.
Lately, I’ve been feeling pretty good. Weight loss shows me down 12 pounds after 13 days, following the HCG regimen as part of a 30-day program that limits me to 500 calories per day.
The following are some of the foods that are forbidden:
- Sugar and most artificial sweeteners. Stevia only.
- Alcohol. No wine or beer (though clear and clean vodka and gin may be allowed)
- Grains (no breads, cereals, quinoa)
- Legumes and Beans.
- Fats (no bacon, no avocados, no olive oil, nuts, nada)
- Dairy (no cheese!) Like one teaspoon of milk in coffee and limited non-fat cottage cheese and no-fat feta.
- Mushrooms, bananas,
- Eggplant
- Egg yolks
- Salmon and tuna
I went to the doctor’s office in early April wanting to lose the proverbial 15 pounds–and thought/hoped there might be a magic pill.
It took some convincing, but she explained the benefits of the HCG diet, twice-weekly lipo shots and horror….daily shots of the HGC compound that I was supposed to inject into my tummy each morning. That nearly killed the deal for me (I remember being unable to give a penicillin shot to my ailing horse and had a friend come over to do it instead). The physician gave me an injection lesson, which turned out to be a painless and bloodless event.
Since that first appointment, I’ve become an expert at tummy injections, a master chef at making salads with lean protein and a happy camper each morning when I step on the scales. I feel wonderful, awake early each morning, and have loads of energy to get me thorough the day.
Foods allowed and encouraged include:
- Grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries, lemons
- Egg whites
- Lettuce, radishes, some tomatoes, onions, fennel, spinach (but no kale)
- 3.5-4 raw ounces lean filet mignon
- Shrimp, crab and other shell fish
- Ultra lean ground beef (3.5 to 4 ounces raw)
- Lean white fishes
- Chicken breast (same raw weight as above)
- Stevia as sweetener
- Coffee and Tea
- My personal favorite: Organic Lemon Love
The goal is a diet that is free as possible from sugars, fats, simple carbs, all gluten, and alcohol. I have found no prepared foods that will conform to the HCG diet. So everything we eat is whole and healthy. Additionally, heavy exercise is discouraged. Walking and stretching are fine. Not sure why, but I decided to cooperate and graduate!
With a specialization in endocrinology and dermatology, clinician Bahar Forousan, MPA, PAC, at Premier Medical Wellness in Solana Beach is also a strong proponent of bio-identical hormones and their health benefits. I’ll be exploring those when my 30 days is up. I believe the lipo shots contain necessary hormones as well.
I am almost a halfway point in this regimen and am amazed how simple the diet is to maintain at home–and how difficult it is when dining out. I’ve only done so twice, and both times felt like one of those fussy customers who annoyingly ask the waiter to remove such and such from the dish and add something else. Oh, and no dressing. Vinegar only. The fun is lost unless I’m with a fun and understanding friend.
This is just an update on my near-halfway mark into the HCG diet and so far, would say it is a resounding success. But the day and weekend continue and I am most impressed with my willpower to go through Costco and not taste a single sample.
More to follow if time (and success) allows! If not successful, will be feasting on crow.
