is it hard to adjust from regular foods to 500 cals of food?

[Rouge]

Just wondering how you got adjusted to your diet when you first started. Can you share how you adjusted your eating to make it 500 cals...was it hard to do? Right now I'm working on 1200 calories.

Also, can you share what side effects have you experienced?

[emel]

That's what the hcg is for.

The hcg releases stored abnormal fat from our bodies and makes it available for use by the body, so we can exist on lower calories.

A lot of people think that hcg makes us lose weight. It doesn't. It provides support by 'activating' our fat, which allows us to do 500 calories, which is what makes us lose weight.

That's why you load for two days while taking the hcg. It gives it time to get into your system before you start the 500 cal diet.
Does that make sense?

ETA... that's one reason why you load. there are other reasons.

[Lbibclc]

It is real food! I miss the simple life of p2 when I'm not in it.

[CMac]

yeah im going to have to agree that I was eating real food before and I eat real food now only its far more simple to decide what im going to eat for the day. I only have a small menu to choose from. It ends up being very convenient. My comfort food during this is a grilled chicken salad. You can get them at any fast food joint when you are in a hurry you just have to order them correctly ( lettuce only, chicken grilled with no added oils ) most will microwave it for you if you ask.

I found the first 3 days on hcg the hard ones. I was hungry. I lowered my injection dose and ive not been hungry since besides those normal hunger cues you get when you are meant to eat. After I eat my meal ( 100g protein 100g veggie) I am full and I stay full.

I know it sounds scary and you wonder how the hell it could work but it really does.

[Chunk]

Originally Posted by Rouge

Just wondering how you got adjusted to your diet when you first started. Can you share how you adjusted your eating to make it 500 cals...was it hard to do? Right now I'm working on 1200 calories.

Also, can you share what side effects have you experienced?

Mentally this diet can be extremely difficult yet extremely easy at the same time. When you are in P2 you want P3 foods and when you are in P3 you miss the simplicity of P2 and 500 calories. Your brain can play tricks on you at times.

The best part about the 500 calories part is you begin to really learn that life is not all about food. You stay busy and just push forward and the food part is just a small thing you do but it's not a huge ordeal for me at least.

[Lbibclc]

Side effects that I had. Be warned this might be TMI!!
My first round I had the headache from toxins being released. That was hard. I did strict protocol that round but since have allowed myself tylenol or advil and that works better for me than aspirin.

I have had a few nights of leg cramps. Potassium helps for those.

My digestion really improved on P2. No gas, cramping etc. I did have infrequent stools. You just don't have much extra to get rid of. Magnesium and fiber helps with that although the fiber gives me gas. I use glycerin suppositories too.

You have to plan for lots of bathroom breaks because you pee a lot. Your fluid intake goes up and it comes out.

Surprising side effect. COLD. I am 52 and while on the drops/pellets I stopped having hot flashes. I went to Miami in early April when it was in the 80's. I wore a light sweater most of the time. I am going to save so much money this summer on cooling bills. I can wear light jackets all the time now. I don't dread summer things where I got so hot before like ball games and picnics.

The worse side effect is verbal. People asking what are you doing? If you tell them HHCG or RxHCG then you get mixed reactions. Be prepared with what you want to say. It's a low carb diet. I'm cutting calories. I'm taking an appetite suppressant or supplements. All true.

You do learn you eat to live not live to eat.

[debkeversole]

Originally Posted by Lbibclc

Side effects that I had. Be warned this might be TMI!!
My first round I had the headache from toxins being released. That was hard. I did strict protocol that round but since have allowed myself tylenol or advil and that works better for me than aspirin.

I have had a few nights of leg cramps. Potassium helps for those.

My digestion really improved on P2. No gas, cramping etc. I did have infrequent stools. You just don't have much extra to get rid of. Magnesium and fiber helps with that although the fiber gives me gas. I use glycerin suppositories too.

You have to plan for lots of bathroom breaks because you pee a lot. Your fluid intake goes up and it comes out.

Surprising side effect. COLD. I am 52 and while on the drops/pellets I stopped having hot flashes. I went to Miami in early April when it was in the 80's. I wore a light sweater most of the time. I am going to save so much money this summer on cooling bills. I can wear light jackets all the time now. I don't dread summer things where I got so hot before like ball games and picnics.

The worse side effect is verbal. People asking what are you doing? If you tell them HHCG or RxHCG then you get mixed reactions. Be prepared with what you want to say. It's a low carb diet. I'm cutting calories. I'm taking an appetite suppressant or supplements. All true.

You do learn you eat to live not live to eat.

SHORT DETOX DIET! works everytime and they don't seem to ask beyond that!

[LilacBruze]

It has not been hard for me at all. I like the simplicity of the menu items and the ease of the meals I prepare and eat. I find that I look forward to them and savor each bite instead of wolfing things down like I used to do. I have no cravings or hunger pangs. This really surprised me but it's true!

[Zbunny]

Originally Posted by LilacBruze

It has not been hard for me at all. I like the simplicity of the menu items and the ease of the meals I prepare and eat. I find that I look forward to them and savor each bite instead of wolfing things down like I used to do. I have no cravings or hunger pangs. This really surprised me but it's true!

I agree. I've really been enjoying my meals lately, which, given how much I enjoy rich foods, is frankly astonishing to me.

My favorites are "Bragg's chicken" with spinach (just chicken sprayed with Braggs and cooked in a pan + spinach wilted in a bit of chicken broth + s&p -- yummy) and beef with cabbage, which I read about on here and it is fanTASTIC! I season it up with red pepper flakes, a little chili powder, and Frank's hot sauce and it's amazing. Can you tell I like spicy food?

[SassieladyAZ]

Originally Posted by Zbunny

I agree. I've really been enjoying my meals lately, which, given how much I enjoy rich foods, is frankly astonishing to me.

My favorites are "Bragg's chicken" with spinach (just chicken sprayed with Braggs and cooked in a pan + spinach wilted in a bit of chicken broth + s&p -- yummy) and beef with cabbage, which I read about on here and it is fanTASTIC! I season it up with red pepper flakes, a little chili powder, and Frank's hot sauce and it's amazing. Can you tell I like spicy food?

Where can I find these recipes for the chicken and/or beef? Im considering starting HCG and want to be well prepared. Thanks!

[Zbunny]

Hi Sassie! I was scouring this site for weeks before I started and just started copying and pasting recipes. The two dishes I mentioned in my post above are right here:

Post your typical daily menu!

And there is a sticky at the top of this page called "Simeon's Recipes" or something close to that -- lots of great ideas there, but many of them are more complicated than what I like to make at this point in my plan (I love to cook, but I'm keeping it really simple right now).

Oh, on the link I posted above there is also a post from Lisa (BigBravesGirl) with a recipe for a goulash she makes. I haven't made it yet but I know she loves it and it sounds great. Here are some of my faves that I copied and pasted to a Word document along the way. I use these regularly:


Fry up your beef all the way, add spices you love. I add salt/pepper, minced dehydrated onions, cilantro and garlic powder. Then when it's all cooked up, I add a half can of Rotel tomatoes. I just turn off the stove and let the tomatoes heat up a few minutes, then pour it all into a bowl and scarf it up using a spoon. YUM.
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“Eggroll”: Ground beef and cabbage simmered together with onion flakes and garlic powder. A little soy sauce and you've got almost a stir fry dish thats pretty decent.
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Easy beef/spinach: I just cook ground beef and sautee spinach in with it. I usually add a little Franks Hot sauce and garlic powder and it's good to go.
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Chili:I made mine with 100g 95% lean ground beef, drained and blotted on paper towels. In a pan I added 1/2 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (5 calories, no carbs), 1 tsp minced fresh garlic, 200g shredded cabbage (100g for the batch I made for dinner), 1 tsp chili powder, 1 TB Frank's hot sauce. Cook that about 3-4 mins and add the ground beef, cook another 2 mins or so. This is SO filling and delicious!


Best of luck to you! Everyone here is super supportive, so if you have any questions, just ask!

[CMac]

I also have the "cold" symptoms. Im usually so hot and the one whos always turning the ac down to 65. Now Im constantly cold.