Day 11... Determined even though

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 145.8
Loss 1 day: 0
Total Loss: 10.2 lbs

Feeling A.M.: I didn't wake up hungry today and I woke up in a good mood.  I didn't lose AGAIN!  But I'm not discouraged, I feel determined today.  Thinking about things I want to get done and staying focused. I'm doing this diet from start to finish.  When it's all over I can imagine the feeling of accomplishment and that keeps me going.

Feeling P.M.: Felt energetic again and made and portioned out 16 meals!  Made the chili again and had some for dinner.  Also tried something new.  I'll talk about it below.

Journal Log:

As I was portioning out the meat today I set up my laptop and watched youtube videos on HCG recipes phase 2.  In it I came across a women who was on day 40-something and she shared a vegetarian recipe that the Simeon handbook seems to say that it's okay to replace my meat portion with 100 grams of cottage cheese.  So here's what you do...
You take your apple portion, pop it in the microwave for 1:30 mins, add your truvia and cinnamon and mix.  You'll notice that it makes a syrup at the bottom.  Then add a 1/2 cup of non-fat cottage cheese, mix together and enjoy. - you still can have your veggies later for a snack.  (WARNING: I lost the next day but I'm not sure if it's something that I can eat often and still lose.  You'll just have to try and see I guess)

Day 10... still going strong.

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 145.8
Loss 1 day: 0
Total Loss: 10.2 lbs

Feeling A.M.: I woke up feeling really hungry.  Something that I haven't really felt in the last 7 days.  I also didn't lose any weight and I felt a hollowness in my stomach.  Another thing is that I was bloated and gassy in the morning. (see post from day before on why this happened HERE) Went for a morning walk and drank 4 cups of water within an hour of waking up.  Maybe I'll get back on track today.

Feeling P.M.: It's about 4p and I just feel really tired and I feel like I NEED CARBS bad.  I think this is directly related to eating those shirataki noodles last night, not having a ton of vegetables and not having my 2nd portion of fruit.  Last night was the only night I didn't really follow the diet exactly so I guess I'm not doing THAT again.

Journal Log:

Tonight was really hard.  I even unwrapped a hershey kiss and had it right by my mouth before I said NO!  I will not mess this up for a drop of chocolate!  Even the dinner I made had me gagging.  I don't know what was up.  The day before I was fine.  I decided to distract myself with cleaning and going through my mail drawer.  That was a great idea.  At the end of the day, my kitchen was cleaned and organized and I didn't think about food.  Here's hoping tomorrow will be better.

Day 9: First Milestone Met

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 145.8
Loss 1 day: 1.2
Total Loss: 10.2 lbs

Feeling A.M.: I'm 10 lbs lighter and most importantly I feel great.  I feel accomplished and healthier then I did 9 days ago.  I can't believe that I have made it this far with such a strict diet.

Feeling P.M.: Felt fine all day.  Wasn't hungry until about 8p though and then I realized that I should probably make something to eat.  I'm going to try some new products tonight and I'll tell you about them below.

Journal Log:

My friend Danyale told me about these "Miracle Noodles", actual name Shirataki, that were safe to eat on the diet.  I read about them on the internet and they have 0 everything almost.  She did warn me that when she did eat them she would not lose any weight usually the next day but she wouldn't gain either. I went to the asian food store and looked for them but the specific brand that Danyale suggested they didn't carry so I bought these instead.

These are not the product mentioned above.  It's what I settled for.  5 cal/serv and 1g of carbs

These were amazing, but they did have 5 calories per serving and 1 gram of carbs in them.  I know that's cheating but I wanted to see what would happen if I ate them after losing 10 lbs.  I made a sweet chili pepper sauce and mixed in the noodles with 100 grams of chicken.  It was really delicious and reminded me of something I would get at a Thai restaurant.  I was left feeling full and satisfied.  So much so that I also didn't eat my fruit later.   

The Results: I woke up feeling really hungry.  Something that I haven't really felt in the last 7 days.  I also didn't lose any weight and I felt a hollowness in my stomach.  Another thing is that I was bloated and gassy in the morning.  I think that if you don't mind not losing weight for one day and/or you are at a point in the diet where you feel like if you don't have something different you might cheat, that this is a good option.  Also, I set myself up to know that I might not lose and I was fine with it.  I told myself that having these were a reward for breaking a milestone and it seemed to help when I weighed myself the following morning. I wouldn't make it a part of my daily consumption.  Also I would try harder to find the actual product that Danyale mentioned next time.

This is what I really wanted.  It comes in angel hair, spaghetti, fettucinni.  Perhaps your local grocery store will special order them for you.  Doesn't hurt to ask.

LUNCH: "Hamburger" with Kale Chips

If you want something crunchy, bake some kale at 350 for 10-12 mins and season to your liking

DINNER: Sweet Chili Pepper Chicken with Shirataki noodles

Day 8: Stinky Girl

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 147
Loss 1 day: 1 lbs
Total Loss: 9 lbs

Feeling A.M.: Got about 3 hours of sleep and woke up and rushed out the door for work.  Made it a goal last night to be in bed by 10p (I usually go to bed at 1a) Thank God!  I was called in to work 3 hours later for an emergency.  Made it through the short crisis shift without thinking of food.  I was too tired to think about it.

Feeling P.M.: My husband carefully alerted me of the unusual aroma I'm expelling.  It was really embarrassing because he told me after we left the house to go to the movies.  The smell is probably a combination of this crap natural deodorant I've been wearing that doesn't do the job (bad) and toxins leaving my body (good).  Worst part of it... I work closely with people all day and didn't even know I smelled.

Journal Log:

I'm running off of 3 hours of sleep and I'm super tired.  I had a long productive day that started at 2am.  My husband told me I smelled today..."not like b.o", he said, "it's a different type of an unusual odor."  Great! I've been with people all day long and I didn't even know I smelled bad...or rather..."unusual".  After sitting through a 90 min movie at the theater, not wanting to sit by or move by anyone we went to the store and looked for some products to fix my "odor".  Here's what I found.

No Oil and guaranteed to keep you not smelling "unusual" all day.

No oil and after brushing your teeth with baking soda for 10 days this is a godsend.  Thanks Burt's Bees

Lunch: Ground Beef salad w/ cherry tomatoes, Trader Joe's organic salsa (no oil or sugar)
Dinner: Cabbage Soup with Tilapia

Day 7...more pounds lost then days!

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 148
Loss 1 day: 1.6 lbs
Total Loss: 8 lbs

Feeling A.M.: Woke up early this morning alert and feeling normal.  Stepped on the scale and lost another pound and a half.  That was motivating enough to get ready for my morning walk.  Later that morning I hopped in the shower and weighed myself again just for the heck of it.  Mostly to see if it was really true.  The scale read 147.6.  I thought could that be right?  We'll see tomorrow.  It really motivates me to not cheat at all though.  I'm too paranoid to ruin it.

Feeling P.M.: I notice that I'm really hungry about 2 hours after lunch. If I have a snack I'm usually not that hungry at dinner time until 2 hours after I eat. Weird.

Journal Log:

I had a pretty busy afternoon again but managed to make some delicious meals for myself that really helped with the diet today.  Also I tried a grapefruit.  It was soooo good.  I don't know much about grapefruit but I always thought they were super bitter.  These were not.  They were sweet and juicy.  New favorite.

Lunch: Tilapia, grated cabbage and steamed asparagus

Dinner:  Protein style burger, homemade sugar free ketchup, side of asparagus

Day 6... crossing the line

Quick day reference:

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 149.6
Loss 1 day: 1.2 lbs
Total Loss: 6.4 lbs

Feeling A.M.: Started a new morning routine (hopefully) today.  Got up and went for a walk with my husband.  It was so awesome getting fresh morning air and hearing the birds singing. LOST over a pound too.  Had to rush to work and packed a pretty boring lunch.  Was not impressed with my plain steak salad today.
(FOR WOMEN ONLY) got my period today and I'm gonna tell you, having to pee all the time 'cause of all the water you're drinking on your period is no fun!!

Feeling P.M.: I had another bowl of last nights Cabbage Soup with ground turkey.  Thoroughly enjoyed that.  Kept my mind off of food tonight with homeschooling the kids and blogging.  Dared myself to not eat after 9am.  Eating organic is expensive!

Journal Log:

     I lost another pound today!  Hooray!  I feel really happy about that.  I'm on day 6 of the 500 calorie diet and so far I have lost 6 lbs.  I also saw the number 4 in the tenths place again and that was enough to celebrate.  I rushed out of the house with a bland salad I threw together and that was really disappointing come noon.  It might be a good idea to limit my salt intake.  I only ate to curve my hunger not to enjoy the food.  So I figured that if I make not so delicious meals (that have quite a bit of salt) on days I work, I will have no option but to eat what I bring and that's that.  Right?  Right.

     I had some pretty negative news today at work and I was shocked at how fast I thought about food to bring me comfort.  I was really ready to just say "forget this!" for a ritz cracker.  I quickly closed the cupboard and left the kitchen and the 2nd thought that satan put in my head was, alcohol has helped in the past.  I was seriously going to call my friends on the HCG diet and ask if a glass of wine was okay.  I'm glad that my faith in Jesus intervened and I was reminded that He is the great comforter.  Thank you Lord.

     Earlier that day, my husband came to drop off the girls at my office and go to work himself.  He accidentally took my keys and drove to his job an hour and a half away.  I thought about calling some friends to give us a ride but decided that maybe taking the city bus home would take my mind off of the negative news and FOOD.   My daughters have never been on a city bus before so they were so in despite the 30 degree weather outside.  We bundled up and headed to the bus stop about a block away.  I'm so glad we did that.  Not only was it an INCREDIBLE adventure in their minds but it was a really helpful fun distraction.  Added bonus: I got some more exercise in.

     So far, I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking through this diet the way that I have.  It's been making me really rely on Jesus' strength and love to get me through some intruding thoughts.  I have also not had any caffeine for 6 days and I feel like I'm not as tired all the time anymore.  I still think that the key to this diet is staying busy and also premade dinners help a whole bunch.

LUNCH: Boring salad with bland steak (don't recommend)

DINNER: Cabbage Soup with ground turkey and a side of steamed asparagus w/ cajun seasoning.

My first city bus ride since we've moved here 5 years ago. My daughters have never been on a bus so it was a pretty exciting day.

Day 5... Doing great today!

Quick day reference:

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in:150.8
Loss 1 day: 1 lbs
Total Loss: 5.8

Feeling A.M.:  I woke up not feeling hungry at all.  It's Sunday today so off to church with a scheduled Taco Feed Fellowship Lunch.  So I'm packing up my ground beef, just in case the meat they offer isn't cooked with HCG friendly ingredients, and having a taco salad.  Having a busy morning helps A LOT!

Feeling P.M.:  The desserts were brutal at church but I made it.  I was able to have a taco salad and be satisfied.  I felt pretty hungry a couple of hours later and had an apple.  Around 7pm I still wasnt feeling hungry but decided to make myself a bowl of cabbage soup and added 100 grams of ground turkey.  YUM!  I think the secret to this diet so far is STAY BUSY!

Journal Log:

     I woke up today and weighed in at 1 pound lighter then yesterday.  I instantly thought, "that's it?!" and sorta threw a fit.  Then I thought that's a pound and if I lose a pound by tomorrow I'll be in the 140s and I haven't seen those digits on the scale for a long long time.  My whole attitude changed and then I grabbed the measuring tape that is now hanging on my towel rack.  I also lost 1 inch off of my waist and hips!  I think that celebrating was definitely a better way to start off the day.

     All morning long as I walked past the donut table at church and cleaned up the dessert table after lunch, I thought about that pound and that inch lost and that was enough for me to not even want to lick my finger when I accidentally got frosting on it. I'm looking forward to seeing these results that everyone keeps talking about and I just keep praying and asking God to help me with the will power to follow through with this thing completely.  I need all the help I can get.

Lunch:  Taco Salad

Dinner:  Cabbage Soup w/ Ground Turkey <-- recipe found here

This was more than satisfying.  So good with 100 grams of ground turkey.

H20 and HCG

     Having a 32oz water bucket is really nice to have so I can keep track of my water intake. Apparently its super important to drink tons of water, so I'm on my 3rd one today and its only 3:30p.

     I recommend that you have a nice water container that helps you track water.  Oh! Preferably one with a lid. Its nice to just grab it when you leave home.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Day 4- Not Hungry, Just Disappointed

Quick day reference:

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 151.2
Loss 1 day: 6 oz
Total Loss: 4.8

Feeling A.M.:  Woke up in a better mood.  Not hungry at all this morning.  Also no headache.  I'm disappointed though because I only lost 6 oz and I was really hoping for more.  BUT it's my first week and altogether I lost 4.8 lbs and I should be satisfied with that.  If I was on any other diet I would be ecstatic.

Feeling P.M.:  Feeling pretty satisfied today with my hunger not really affecting me.  It helps that I've been keeping busy with homeschooling the kids, blogging, cleaning and learning more about this diet.

Journal Log:

     I didn't feel hungry at all this morning until I ate lunch at about 11:30a.  It was a first for me because I'm usually starving in the morning.  This definitely made my life easier.  I'm also noticeably less irritable today, which is good.  Even making breakfast for the kids didn't make me crazy.  

     It's 12:06 now and I just finished lunch and although I know it was enough food I all of sudden want more.  I think it was because it was really good and I just want good food in my mouth.  About to make lunch for the kids and they are asking for some PB&J and goldfish crackers. It sounds so good!

     If I remember, I would like to start taking a picture of the food I'm eating too and posting it on this blog.  I'll try to remember when it's all pretty on my plate.  I usually am so anxious to eat it I dig in before I sit down at the table.  I need to practice self-control I know.
     There so much information out there about this diet and it all gets so confusing.  Had a great dinner tonight too and made a cabbage soup for tomorrow.  It smells delicious and I'm excited.  I wanted to pre-make my food so I won't be tempted to cheat.  If I can just grab something when I'm hungry, I'm pretty sure I can make it through.  Almost done with day 6!  Time for art to keep busy.

Lunch:  HCG Barbeque grilled chicken and a side salad; lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chili powder.

Dinner: Curry Chicken recipe on my Favorite HCG Recipes post

This was absolutely delicious.  I put it over grated cabbage 

I usually eat this with basmati rice so I wanted to have a similar texture.

It was so so good.

Day 3- doing okay...I think

Quick day reference:

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 151.8
Loss: 0
Total Loss: 4.2

Feeling A.M.: slight headache went away when I started drinking water, noticeably irritated. Not as hungry as yesterday, but I was also trying to be a lot more busy this morning then I was yesterday, the distraction must have helped out.

Feeling P.M.: Definitely some mood swings tonight.  Poor kids.  BUT I tried a delicious recipe to curve my sweet craving.  Scroll down for the Cinnamon Truvia Apples recipe.

Journal Log:

I didn't lose any weight which sorta makes me wonder if I did anything wrong.  I'm on day 5 and I woke up feeling a bit grumpy.  I was trying my hardest not to take it out on my kids and husband this morning so I left the house to get the kids some milk for their oatmeal.  The fresh air helped and coming home to the family cleaning up was a plus.  I drank water all morning and kept busy with work, emails and cleaning.  That helped out a lot.  It seemed like the morning went by super quick and all of a sudden it was lunch time and I got to eat. Here is the recipe I tried and I thought it was delicious!  I will have the same thing tonight for dinner switching out the meats so I won't have the same animal twice in one day.

Tomato Chili Salad

Ingredients:

Tomato Chili:
1 28 oz can of Organic Diced Tomatoes (make sure it is just tomatoes, no sugars or any other additives)
1 handful of chopped cabbage
1 handful of chopped onions
2 stalks of chopped celery
Sea Salt (to taste)
Black Peppercorn (to taste)
Organic Chili Powder (to taste)
Organic Red Cayenne (to taste)
(makes enough for approximately 4-6 cooking spoonful servings)

Additional ingredients
100 grams of chopped meat your choice (ground beef, chicken, ground turkey, etc)
1 handful of any kind of lettuce

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients to make a tomato chili and slow cook on the stove.  The longer it slow cooks the better it tastes.
2. Combine a cooking spoonful of the tomato chili with 100 grams of meat and a handful of lettuce to make one delicious and satisfying salad.

Cinnamon Truvia Apples

Ingredients:
1 small apple
1/2 packet of Truvia or whatever sugar substitute you like
Dash of Cinnamon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and stick in microwave for 30 secs for a warm crisp apple, 1 min 30 secs for a warm soft apple pie-like filling.  ENJOY this delicious tasty treat

Day 2: Hungry

Quick day reference:

Start Weight: 156
Weigh in: 151.8
Loss: 2.8
Total Loss: 4.2

Feeling A.M.: I had a pounding headache this morning and finally took 2 aspirin after hours of pain.  I was also super hungry and lethargic. Ate around 11am 'cause I couldn't wait any longer.

Feeling P.M.:  Felt fine.  Ate around 6p but was tempted so much by every smell by 9p.  Had a couple of apples in between meals, helped some but left me wanting more!

Journal Log:

It's my 2nd day and I got to admit all I'm thinking about is food.  So I decided that as one of my distractions that I would blog about how things are going.  The distraction off of food is helping but we'll see how often I can keep it up.  It was really motivating to see the scale move down 2.8 lbs this morning.  I've been pretty paranoid about touching anything with oil, which has made washing the dishes and kitchen even more dreadful then before.  I spoke to my friend Danyale about this and she laughed and said she felt the same way at first but eventually just did the best she could.

Some tips for avoiding oil on your skin

1. Use gloves when washing dishes
2. Use a dish scrubber with a handle
3. submerge greasy pans and dishes in hot water and dish soap and let water drain before washing

Shopping List

My friend Danyale did a bunch of work when she started the HCG diet (HCG Activator NOT SHOTS) that saved me a ton of time.  Reading labels is not my thing but when you're on this diet it's a must.  I'm glad I had this starter shopping list to get me going, otherwise I know I would've kept putting it off.

Below is a list of things that she loved using and that were okay to use while on this diet.  I will add my own comments in blue.

Meats:

eat 100 grams (weighed raw) of cooked (no oil or fat) for lunch and dinner, alternating meats.  Do not eat the same type of animal for both meals in a day.

1. Organic grass fed beef or 
   veal or
2. Organic chicken breast (skinless) or
3. Wild Chilean sea bass or
4. Flounder or
5. Sole or
6. Halibut 
7. Shrimp
8. Crab 
9. Scallops
10. Lobster

Vegetables:
These can be eaten raw, steamed, grilled (without oil), or gently boiled. Do mix vegetables in the same meal.  You can have as many vegetables as you want if you are using the activator.

1. Spinach
2. Chard
3. Beet greens
4. Lettuces of any kind
5. Tomatoes
6. Celery
7. Fennel
8. White, yellow, or red onions
9. Red Radishes
10. Cucumbers
11. Asparagus, or
12. Cabbage
13. Bionaturae Organic Diced Tomatoes (bought at local food co-op)

Seasonings:

You are able to use any seasoning as long as it doesn't contain sugar or starch.  You may season any of the food with:

1. juice of half an organic lemon,
2. white or black pepper, 
3. organic raw apple cider vinegar, 
4. sea salt, 
5. organic garlic,
6. organic basil, 
7. organic parsley, 
8. organic thyme, 
9. organic marjoram, or 
10. other organic herb

Absolutely no oil, butter, dressings, or anything else.

Fruits:

1. 2 small organic apples, or 
2. 2 small organic grapefruits or 
3. 2 handfuls of organic strawberries

separately, throughout the day, usually in between meals


Hair Products:

1. Garnier Fructis shampoo pure clean
2. Garnier Fructis conditioner
3. Hair sprays (aerosol) are usually okay, NO hair gels and leave in conditioners/oils
4. Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner

Body Products:

1. Body Boost, or Moisture Works
2. Garnier Fructis facial wash/cleanser
3. Ivory clean&simple Aloe scented body wash (works well for shaving)
4. Degree Deodorant Clinical Protection
5. Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal (roll on or spray, NOT the actual rock)
1. this was about $2.99 at our local co-op.  I usually use clinically proven deodorant and I was afraid that this natural stuff wasn't going to cut it.  So far I have no complaints about my body odor.
6. Johnson's natural head-to-toe booming baby wash (good for hand soap too)

Lotions:

1. Vanicream Lite Lotion 
2. Angel on Mine Creamy Baby oil, with aloe and vitamin E 
3. Trader Joe's Nourish oil-free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer
4. Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline or other) Add eye shadow makes lip gloss!

Make-up:

1. Almay products (most are oil free)
2. Almay clear complexion oil-free
3. Wet your eye shadows use with brush for eye liner, or brows
4. Keep mascaras away from skin if possible, waterproof has less oil usually

Other:

1. Baking Soda to brush teeth with works great! Almost all toothpaste has oil or fennel oil. 
1. If you have never used baking soda to brush your teeth, warning: it's salty.  I mix it with hydrogen peroxide and swish my mouth with equal amounts of peroxide and water when I'm done brushing.  It does work well though.
2. Mint and menthol is okay too. 
3. Spry Gum sweetened with Xylitol, NO ASPARTAME
4. All powders are fine
5. Huggies Shea Butter wipes

Favorite HCG Recipes

These are recipes that I'm trying based on my own understanding on what I can eat and not eat.  Every recipe on this page has been tested by me.  If you try them out and like them please leave a comment so that others can make a good choice.  Thanks.

*NOTE: this is for those who are using the HCG Activator Drops only NOT the HCG Shots.  On the this diet you are allowed to eat as many of the allowable vegetables and spices as you want.  Limiting only your meat and fruit intake.

Tomato Chili Salad

Ingredients:

Tomato Chili:
1 28 oz can of Organic Diced Tomatoes (make sure it is just tomatoes, no sugars or any other additives)
1 handful of chopped cabbage
1 handful of chopped onions
2 stalks of chopped celery
Sea Salt (to taste)
Black Peppercorn (to taste)
Organic Chili Powder (to taste)
Organic Red Cayenne (to taste)
(makes enough for approximately 4-6 cooking spoonful servings)

Additional ingredients
100 grams of chopped meat your choice (ground beef, chicken, ground turkey, etc)
1 handful of any kind of lettuce

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients to make a tomato chili and slow cook on the stove.  The longer it slow cooks the better it tastes.
2. Combine a cooking spoonful of the tomato chili with 100 grams of meat and a handful of lettuce to make one delicious and satisfying salad.

Strawberry Salad 

w/ Apple Vinegar Dressing

4 tbsp of Apple Vinegar

1/2 packet of stevia

1 handful of strawberries

1/2 chopped cucumber

1 handful of chopped lettuce or cabbage

Combine apple vinegar and stevia to make into a sweet dressing and pour over other ingredients to make a quick snack salad.

HCG Allowed BBQ Sauce

Courtney's Recipe

Ingredients:
4 T sugar free tomato sauce
4-6 T water
1 t dehydrated minced onion
1 t red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 t sugar free liquid smoke
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t cloves
1/4-1/2 t sugar substitute (if needed)


Directions: 
Put all ingredients in small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Let simmer for 15-20min.
Add 1T of water at a time if it starts getting too thick as it’s simmering.
If you add 3T of water add 1T of sugar free tomato sauce.

Courtney: I had this bbq sauce over rotisserie seasoned chicken. Yummy! If you like spicy things add an extra pinch of chili powder. It has just a tiny hint of zip to it as is, but I’m going add a little more chili powder next time.

Cinnamon Truvia Apples

Ingredients:

1 small apple

1/2 packet of Truvia or whatever sugar substitute you like

Dash of Cinnamon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and stick in microwave for 30 secs for a warm crisp apple, 1 min 30 secs for a warm soft apple pie-like filling.  ENJOY this delicious tasty treat!

Strawberry Tea Smoothie

A delicious smoothie no matter where you are on the plan...

Danyale's Recipe

Ingredients:

1 bag Fresh or frozen strawberries
Ice
7 Lipton green tea superfruit (Red Goji and Raspberry)
7 packets Truvia
a bit of water about a glass full or more if you like

Directions:
Steep all your tea bags in 1 cup hot water for a couple minutes, then add into the other ingredients in the blender. You can try some fresh lemon juice with this but it doesn't really need it. 
Makes a really good smoothie, you can freeze the extra in ice cube trays, cut up some straws and freeze them into the cube for a stick! A nice quick treat if you need one.

Curry for Chicken
Stephanie recipe

Grating cabbage really helps make your mind think your eating rice.
Not completely, but it helps.

Ingredients:

1 Med Yellow Onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ginger minced
1 Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seed
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
3" stick of cinnamon (or 1 tsp cinnmon powder)
1 cups water
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp. gharum masala
12 packets of Truvia

(all ingredient measurements are estimates, I don't ever use measuring tools in the kitchen.  I just use each spice to my liking.  Feel free to experiment)

Directions

1. Add a bit of water to bottom of pan, add chopped onion. Saute until tender. 
2. Add garlic and ginger, make sure there is enough moisture so that nothing sticks. 
3. Add cumin and mustard seed. Heat until the mustard seeds begin to "pop". 
4. Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir constantly to prevent any sticking. 
5. Stir the "paste" until the curry powder becomes fragrant; this usually takes 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the curry powder). 
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until they form a sauce (3-4 minutes). 
7. Add the 1 cup of water, cinnamon stick, and Truvia. Cover and simmer (approximately 10-15 minutes). 
8. Stir in the gharaum masala, 100 grams of chicken and serve over finely grated cabbage.

This was so delicious and I would eat it even if I wasn't on the diet.

It's low-sodium but you can add a bit more salt to taste.  The grated cabbage helped.

I usually like eating this dish with basmati rice so I like the texture of grated cabbage. 

TIP:

*I grilled up my chicken, let it cool and separated it into individual ziplock bags.  I then poured the curry sauce into the bags and stored them in the fridge for an easy grab and go meal.

*use a cheese grater to grate the cabbage.  The texture makes a big difference for me and kinda reminds me a bit like eating rice.  Steam a bowl of cabbage and pour the curry chicken mixture on top.

Cabbage Soup

Stephanie recipe

Ingredients:

This was so incredibly delicious with 100 grams of ground turkey.

1 28oz can of organic diced tomatoes (no sugar)

8 cups of water

1/2 chopped onion

6 stalks of chopped celery

2 handfuls of chopped cabbage

2 minced garlic cloves

Chili Powder to taste

Sea Salt to taste

Black Pepper Corn to taste

Paprika to taste

a dash of cilantro (fresh or dehydrated)

a dash of chives

Italian Seasoning to taste
*add your allotted 100 grams of meat of choice to soup bowl when done cooking

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in large pot and cook on low for 30 mins.  This is great when you add ground beef, turkey or finely chopped steak.  I suppose you can add any kind of meat to this including fish!

TIP:

*I saved the soup separate from the meat so that I can make sure I add the 100 grams to it for my meals.  This way I can have different meals.

**Also, you can change the flavor of the whole meal by adding lemon juice and hot sauce or if you add chicken it makes it a bit more bland which is nice if, like me, you get tired of the same flavors over and over again.

***Adding some low-fat cottage cheese (if it's allotted) will make the broth a bit creamy.  You can have a bit of low-fat cottage cheese every now and again if you get really desperate.

Hamburger "HCG Style"

Ingredients:
100 grams of ground beef in patty form
two pieces of lettuce (any kind, I use Butter Lettuce)
thick slice of tomato
onion
HCG Ketchup (recipe in this post)
red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Assemble the same way you would a regular hamburger but instead of bread for the top and bottom use pieces of lettuce.

TIP:
*There's something about sandwiching the patty, picking it up and taking a bite out of it that really psyches your mind out.  It is delicious.
** Goes great with kale chips (recipe below)

HCG Ketchup

as seen on HCG Diet 411

Ingredients:

• can of tomato paste
• 3 Tablespoons - Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon - Lemon Juice
• 1/4 teaspoon - Celery Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon - Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon - Mustard Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon - Onion Powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon - Garlic Powder 
• Tiny Pinch - Nutmeg
• Tiny Pinch - Clove 
• Stevia or Truvia to taste

Directions:
Dissolve spices in the vinegar and lemon juice. Then add the Tomato Paste and mix thoroughly.

TIP:
**  Add additional lemon juice, vinegar, or a little bit of water until it reaches your desired thickness. 

Kale Chips

Ingredients:
Fresh Kale

seasoning of choice

Directions:
Rip stems off of kale and rip into pieces.  Sprinkle kale with water (or lemon juice) just enough for seasoning to stick to leaves.  Sprinkle any seasoning you would like and mix well.  Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins.

Sweet Chili Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:
Follow the directions of the HCG Ketchup above add the following
Red Pepper flakes and maybe more truvia to make it really sweet

Cucumber Salad Dressing

HCG Cucumber Salad Dressing

credit to HCG 411 website

Here's what you'll need...

1 Whole - Cucumber (Peeled)

1/2 teaspoon - Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoon - Cummin

3 Tablespoons - Apple Cider Vinegar

A little Cilantro to taste

The Juice From - 1 Whole lemon

1 pinch - Stevia

1 pinch - Salt

1 pinch - Pepper

Directions:

1. - Throw all of these ingredients into a blender and puree until everything is nice and mixed.

2. - Then, pour it into a bowl and refrigerate for about 1 - 2 hours.

3. - Now you can enjoy it on your salad or even just to dip your veggies in.

Buffalo Chicken, Steak or Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
Franks Red Hot Original Sauce

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

100 grams of shredded chicken or steak or shrimp
Whole lead lettuce
Fresh chopped Onions
Fresh sliced tomato

Directions:
Cook you meat in Franks sauce.  Put together like a taco inside a whole leaf lettuce, chopped onion and a slice of tomato.  Made 4 lettuce wraps.

Buffalo Steak Lettuce Wraps

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

*This is one of my favorites, BE CAREFUL with how much Franks you use though.  It is high in sodium.

Helpful Tips and FAQs

Here's a collection of helpful tips that I got from others who have gone through this.  I've had a lot of questions so far so I know that you all may too.  Hope this is encouraging and a good reference page.  I will be updating it often.

Websites that were extremely helpful
HCG Diet 411
HDI Health- The Leading HCG Diet Authority

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I avoid touching oil?  It's everywhere!
A.

1. Use gloves when washing dishes
2. Use a dish scrubber with a handle
3. submerge greasy pans and dishes in hot water and dish soap and let water drain before washing
4. Do the best you can and wash your skin immediately after contact

Q. Can I use any kind of spice?

A. Yes, as long as it doesn't have sugar, starch, or MSG.  It's best if you stay organic and try to limit salt intake as much as possible.

Q. I'm on my first week and I'm thinking about doing an apple day already.  Should I wait?

A.  Yes, everybody's body responds differently.  Don't be discouraged if you don't lose weight in the first week for a day or two as long as you don't gain any.  Try to hold off on an apple day for a real plateau down the line when you know for sure you are not going to budge without a little help.

**TIP: By one of my friends who finished the diet

Hello!
I started round two on October 13th. I did round one from Jan 1 – Jan 22 earlier this year. I lost 34 lbs the first time. I started round two at the exact weight that I ended round one at on Jan 22, so it really does work. I wanted to share three things that helped me and might encourage you:

First, I took measurements every week (or more often if needed). That way, even during time when I wasn't losing, I could see the inches change. 

Second, after the first week, I began noticing non-weight changes. I felt good in the morning instead of felling sick and tired. Also, I stopped snoring (my wife alerted me to that one).

Last, I talked to my body. Each morning, I commanded the abnormal fat in my body to disintegrate. Then, I asked the Holy Spirit to consume any unhealthy cells in my body and replace them with Holy Spirit ones. Kinda silly, but it worked.

Keep up the hard work, the results are worth it!

Welcome to my journey...

Hello everyone,

I decided to try out the HCG diet that a lot of the ladies at my church have completed successfully.  I have gained 30lbs in the last year from stress, unhealthy eating habits and my very demanding job.  I have gotten to a point where exercising felt like torture and eating better was nearly impossible with my busy schedule.  Plus, as a mom of 2 beautiful picky eaters, it was so much easier to make starchy, cheesy, or fried food to keep from dealing with the complaining of hungry kids refusing to eat lean meats and vegetables.  I am not perfect and for the most part I was choosing to cook healthy meals and force feed my kids on most nights, but I got to be honest, when I had a hard day and didn't care to clean the kitchen just so I can make a mess again, McDonald's came to the rescue more often then I liked.

At the beginning of the year I did attempt to eat better, cut out processed food and exercise, but after not seeing the scale budge or my belt line I was discouraged and gave up...again.  I noticed that some of the women at my church were all trying the HCG Activator Drops and loosing a lot of weight fast.  They all looked extremely happy with the results and claimed that it was the only diet that had worked for them.  Although I was hesitant at first I finally coughed up the cash to get the drops and start on this journey.  So here I am.

I'm starting this blog to document the journey and just get real with it.  I'm also using it as a distraction from eating which is on my list of things to do.  This list is one of the things that the creators of the diet tell you to do in order to prepare and be successful.

I also wanted to document some of the things that I'm eating to keep a food journal and the products that I'm using to remind me of some of my favorite things.  It was really helpful that the person that recommended this diet to me, Danyale, made a list for people already.  You can find that list by clicking on my Shopping List entry.  It saved me a lot of time.  So I hope that this blog will be helpful to anyone doing this diet.

Oh!  Disclaimer: I am not an expert in this diet and anything you read here is simply my opinion or things that I have tried that either work or did not work for me.  I suggest that you all read the HCG Diet ebook (by clicking on the link) yourselves and do your own research before starting.  You can get more information on this website.

Here are some more helpful links:

HCG Diet ebook
HCG Diet Quick Reference Eating Schedule
HCG Diet Recipes
HCG Diet Report

Take 10 drops 3 times daily.  Tastes like cheap vodka.