hCG Weight Loss Program – Days 3-5
Yes, it’s actually very amazing how little 500 calories really is! I’m certainly learning portion control. The fact is 3 oz (or 85 grams) is a normal (cooked) portion size. With this new knowledge, the first thing I realized I’m eating way too much. I soon realize what I eat is not particularly unhealthy, it’s the amount I am eating that is the problem (plus eating in restaurants). Ok, let’s get to the weight loss…. As I mentioned earlier, there are “non-effective” days, and “effective” days. So from now on, when I do my “days”, they will be starting from the “effective” days. So as I mentioned in a previous post, I lost 2.4lbs on the first “effective” day. On my second “effective” day I lost… 1.4 lbs!
So I started at 204 lbs, and now I’m 200.2lbs. How do I feel? During the day, I’m fine. In the evening, I do get a slight headache (not enough to take an aspirin). I’m certainly feeling a bit of hunger in the late evening (I think I should have actually eaten more during the gorge days, don’t underestimate how much you need to eat!). For me, coffee seems to keep me full all morning. Since there are less calories in brewed coffee versus espresso coffee, I decided to get a French Press coffee maker. It’s really cool, all you do is get coffee grounds, pour hot water in and voila, you have great tasting coffee in 4 minutes. I drink about 16 ounces in the morning (only 5 calories!). For lunch I had chicken and 1 Cup of sliced celery, and for dinner I had 1 cup of 100g of bison (buffalo) steak (while it’s not on the original protocol, since I’m sure they didn’t have buffalo roaming around Italy in the 1950’s, I’ve read this is a good beef substitute because its very lean).
Alright, things have been going well, and I’m ready to weigh in the next morning. As a side note, it’s important to weigh in at the same time every day. I try and weigh myself (without clothes) after I get up first thing in the morning. I jump on the scale and I’m 199.8, what only a .4 lb loss! I’ll kid you not, this was a big surprise to me! I’m sure I didn’t cheat, but its likely I didn’t do something right the last two days. So I get my daily food journal out and check off what I ate. The only thing that was not on the original protocol was the bison, well, maybe he did test it! Ok, bison is now off the list for the first phase. When you are eating only 500 calories a day and making all these sacrifices, I think it’s important that you follow the protocol as it was originally intended. For me, I don’t think it’s worth substituting 100g of buffalo steak for a lean beef steak. Now I’m not a huge fan of buffalo, so this isn’t a tough decision for me.
Right now, I’m feeling I don’t have a handle on the difference of calories, fat content, and protein content of 100g of boneless/skinless chicken breast and 100g of buffalo or beef steak. If you on a physician hCG program, you will most likely be coming in once a week for a weigh in, measurements, and getting your hCG for the next week. This is a great time to discuss your food journal with them. They will most likely have some great tips and diet advice for you. For me, I hit the bookstore and end up purchasing the Biggest Loser Calorie Counter book for a few dollars (you can also buy it on Amazon ). This book has really opened my eyes to the nutritional values of most foods and meals at popular restaurants. I also didn’t realize the impact of having two apples and 2 Melba toast a day were having on my daily calorie count. As per the manuscript I was having them as afternoon and evening snacks. But as I noticed in the Calorie Counter book (& my iLoseit.com app), a medium apple can have anywhere between 80-95 calories! The Melba toast has 20 Calories each. So, having two snacks of an apple and Melba toast cost me a whopping 200 calories!!! That only leaves 300 calories for the rest of the day! Since the bison I ate yesterday had 20 more calories that chicken or white fish, I soon realize, if I choose to have red meat, I can’t have an apple.
How do I feel today? Pretty much the same as yesterday, I have a mild headache and hungry in the late evening (after 8pm). But I do notice my legs feel a bit fatigued (like I recently ran 5 miles, which btw I haven’t). Today I’m very careful with what I eat, I eat lean white fish for lunch (with 1 cup radishes) and chicken breast (with Swiss chard). I only have one apple today. Hopefully tomorrow’s weight in is better….
Ok, its now day 5 (of my “effective” days, day 8 since I started), I get on the scale….198.4, yes I lost 1.4lbs! (total weight loss = 5.6lbs) Ok, I think I’m beginning to get this whole diet thing now. I find my iLoseit app very useful, because I can plan my day’s intake in advance. I enter in my coffees for breakfast, enter in what I’m having for lunch and dinner. Now I can see if I have enough calories left over so I can have an apple (or two) as a snack. For me, the Melba toast wasn’t very filling, so I think I’m going to drop it from my diet.
How do I feel today? Pretty much the same as yesterday, except I do feel a bit light headed during the day. My legs still feel fatigued so I’m thinking I’m not getting enough vitamins and minerals. The manuscript says you don’t need to take a supplement, but I’m not so sure. So I’m planning to go on the hunt for a multi-vitamin without any sugar or sweeteners later today.
In my next blog entry, I’ll discuss my next few days on the hCG Diet.
You can read more details about our hCG weight loss research on the IAPAM’s website, as well, physicians wanting to learn details of the how to incorporate hCG into their practice can also attend one of the IAPAM’s Medical Weight Management training programs. Please also Fan our hCG for Weight Loss Facebook Page!
I hope you’ll enjoy reading about my experience with the Simeons’ hCG weight loss protocol! And please feel free to leave a comment or question.
Cheers, Jeff Russell
Read the Previous Post: Certain Medical Conditions and hCG Don’t Mix
Jeff,
The physician supervised program that I am on supplied me with a multiple vitamin as part of the program and I haven’t seen a drop in my energy level at all and in fact quite the contrary.
I hit the wall when I weighed in this morning 0 lb weight loss after the roll I was on it was a little disappointing, if tomorrow morning is the same I will plan on an “apple day”.
By the way thanks for the recommendation of the loseit app it makes it so much easier to keep track and the reports that are available online are nice as well and I can print off my days consumption from their website to take with me when I visit my physician.
The calories I found on the loseit app for Melba toast was 20 but the box showed 12 I have been entering 20 though. I agree it doesn’t seem worth the calories, I am looking for the “Grissini” breadsticks that are also recommended and as I have read they are a little more satisfying than the Melba. I have been sticking with strawberries and oranges for my fruit as the apples are calorie laden relatively speaking when compared to the strawberries and oranges.
Tommy – Dallas
I actually had buffalo several times during my 3 rounds and it made no difference in my loss, but each body is different. I have done the protocol both with and without the starch (grissini/melba) and I found that eating them actually made me feel more hungry.
I work in a unique position in the operating room and frequently do not know when I can get out to eat (I don’t get breaks or an assured lunch). So I split my meals up into four having protein vege at 5am, fruit between 9am and noon, another protein/vege about 3-4pm then the last fruit 6-7pm. It helped me personally to space out the meals. When I was home, I would eat at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, and 6pm.
The headache should go away by the end of the week. Sounds like you are doing well so far.
Do you test for ketones? How much water do you have to drink?
Great feedback Tommy & Stacey. I also found eating the Melba toast made me hungry as well (I also find the apple does as well). Yes, the headaches are gone!
Hey Jeff!! I look forward to reading your entries every day! We are on the exact same day on the diet plan! I am under my doctors care as I go through this and he said before I even started if my legs start to get fatigued he will call in a prescription for potassium. So I’m sure that’s all you need! I’m a little bummed right now because I lost 8 lbs my first four days but my last four days I’ve only lost 1? So I’m anxious to hear where you are at now. Good luck!!
Hi Rachel,
Yes, the potassum is a good call, I remember it was part of the protocol for the ketogenic program I was on last year. Your initial weight loss, then plateau are quite common.
Here is some advice I have to one of our members:
The two biggest issues for plateaus are the diet and use of approved cosmetics. The other two issues are medications (i.e. most antibiotics contain cornstarch, so you will lose half the weight) and menstruation (see your doctor for more info).
First, you cannot go over 500 calories a day. This takes some planning. If you have an iPhone or iTouch, there is a great free app called loseit! It acts as a digital food journal. There are many website out there with food alternatives, it has been proven that these alternatives do not work (i.e. I saw one that says you can eat broccoli, but broccoli is a very starchy veg, and doesn’t work with the protocol). You must stay with the food that is indicated in the original manuscript. If you are eating apples, try substituting with strawberries or an orange. I don’t eat the Melba toast. I also try and go for a 20 minute walk once a day.
The other issue is moisturizers, especially in the winter! You may not have a dryness problem, but almost all moisturizers are not allowed. Plus you can only use mineral makeup (cannot be absorbed by the skin). Here are some skin care products that seem to work with the program:
Skin/Lip Moisturizers
• Aloe Vera 100% Gel
• Baby Oil (basically mineral oil)
• Mineral Oil
• Organic Coconut Oil (I’m really not too sure about this one)
If you haven’t lost for two days, you should probably do an “apple day” (see your doctor for the details).
One of the things we have just setup is a Facebook hCG (support) group, you can fan it here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/hCG-for-Weight-Loss/265565288919
I hope that helps!
One more thing, make sure you drink enough water! You should be drinking about 64 oz a day. This is a critical part of the program, it helps move the fat cells out of your body, without it you will not get consistent results.
Hi Patti,
You don’t have to test for ketones (I did, and I was definitely burning). You are supposed to drink at least 64oz (more is ok). If found drinking water helped with my hunger. I also drank (black) iced tea.
Hi there! Can you advise where I may locate a clinic or Dr who can administer the HCG program to me. I’m looking for someone in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area. Thanks!