HCG diet may seem like a lot at the face of it, but it is not that complicated. There is a number of restrictions that one must follow for this diet to be successful but the rules are pretty straightforward. Just acquainting yourself with basic do’s and don’ts before you start your journey can make it easy for you to adhere to the routine.
Apart from maintaining a very low-calorie diet, here are some of the things you need to keep in mind while you are on HCG diet.
Do’s
Weigh-in Consistently
You need to make a schedule of regular weigh-ins that must happen at the same time every day. This will help you see your results and ensure that the weight loss is consistent. In fact, experts reveal that not weighing yourself in at the same time every day can lead to unreliable results. It can become difficult to monitor your progress when your numbers are not what they should be. The best time to measure yourself is in the morning, right after you wake up. This will make your practice consistent and ensure that you weigh yourself on an empty stomach. This is one of the best tricks to motivate yourself about the weight loss.
Maintain a food Journal
Did you know that the people who do not maintain a food journal often eat more than they should? If you notice that your pounds are not dropping, then you can quickly refer to your food journal to see what you ate outside the prescribed list of foods. You can also refer to the week that gave you best results to check what you did then that you didn’t do now. This is also a good way to check if you are getting enough calories every day. Just like a keeping a track of your weight is important, so is tracking your food. It is the key to determining the success of this diet.
Measure Every Inch
Don’t just measure the pounds, also measure the inches to see how much you have lost and from where. It can be incredibly satisfying to lose inches from your waistline. Some days you may notice that the number on the scale is the same as yesterday but you may still have lost an inch from your waist. This is why it is important to measure yourself in inches and nit just pounds. These multiple methods of keeping a track may seem like a lot but monitoring your progress closely will not only keep you motivated but also lead to successful weight loss.
Mix it Up
Step away from mundane and make your HCG diet an exciting phase. Why eat the same boring food when you can experiment with various recipes? Don’t allow yourself to get bored of your food because that is when you are most vulnerable to cheating. Eating the same thing every day, in every meal is not only punishing but can also lead to a stall. However, you don’t have to do that because there are so many recipes that are HCG diet friendly. For instance, check this blog post for delicious recipes that will make dieting fun! Just remember to only use HCG approved foods to ensure that you are still within the purview of your routine. Straying from the list will only compromise your success.
Keep a List of Permissible Foods Handy
You should always keep the list of permissible foods accessible to ensure that the forbidden foods did not accidentally sneak into your meal. This is especially crucial in the beginning as you are likely to get it wrong if you try to do this from your memory.
Stay Busy & Motivated
The best way to stay motivated is to stay busy. The less you think about it the more focused you will be. Micro-managing your diet can be a big pain as you will often see yourself hyperventilating if the scale looks unfavorable. However, getting involved in an activity or a hobby will not only take your mind off the whole dieting thing but also keep you happy and inspired. You can take up yoga or practice meditation to be more of mindful of your changing lifestyle.
Kick-Start Your Day with Morning Tea/Coffee
No need to give up your morning dose of coffee or tea. This is one of the few things that are great about HCG diet. Even though you give up a lot of things in this plan, you are allowed to take your morning coffee so why not start with a cuppa with some flavored stevia? Starting your day well can make a huge difference to the success of your diet.
Know Your Spices
HCG diet does not permit store-bought spices because they contain added sugars and oils. You can only consume pure spices such as parsley, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Don’ts
Skip Using Oil-Based Cosmetics
Check all your personal care products and stop using anything that has an oil base. From your moisturizer to your lipstick and foundation, you need to give up all. For the success of HCG diet, it is important to use oil-free products because this oil can seep into your body and affect the protocol, sometimes even slow down the weight loss. Don’t just focus on what you eat. It is also important to know what you are feeding your skin.
Don’t Panic if You Are Not Hungry Anymore
When you are on HCG diet, you may notice that your appetite has reduced significantly. However, no need to worry because it is common for the body to react that way. So if you are cutting down your meals because you cannot finish them anymore, then start with bread first. Then next should be fruit. Always try to finish your veggies and protein. You are free to eat that breadstick when you feel hungry later in the day. But never should you eat two fruits or bread left over from one meal together. Space them out during the day.
Don’t Forget your HCG Dos
This one sort of goes without saying! The most important component of your HCG diet is the HCG itself. It is not easy to survive on 500 calories a day without taking HCG. You need to release this hormone in your body to discharge abnormal fat into your bloodstream. This will help your body derive its nutrients from the fat that will keep you active through the day. Without the HCG component, your body will starve at 500 calories and make it impossible to survive the whole routine.
Don’t Lose Patience
While HCG diet is known to show quick results, sometimes you may not see any action within the first few days. Don’t let this worry you because it is not uncommon. Allow your body to adjust to the new system and show results at its own pace. Just relax and place your faith in the process.
Don’t Cheat
During the course of this diet, you may often feel tempted to give in and indulge in foods that you are not supposed to eat. However, this one small misstep can jeopardize all the efforts you made so far. HCG diet is a step-by-step protocol and requires time to work. While it is doing its job, you need to do yours that is to adhere to the protocol.
If you are wondering if the weight-loss really does happen, then yes it does! Just follow these do’s and don’ts and allow magic to happen.
