HCG Diet Phase 4 Day 3

Funny how my weight fluctuates up and down about a 3 lb range but so far stays within 2 lbs of my LDW


Breakfast - (447 calories)
*Veggie omelet and bacon
1 large egg
.5 cups eggbeaters
90 grams baby portobello mushrooms
70 grams bell pepper, chopped
70 grams onion, chopped
1 oz Tillamook medium cheddar cheese, grated
15 grams Anaheim chili, diced
2 tsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light Mediterranean Blend
1 serving Hormel Black Label Low Sodium bacon
10 oz coffee
1 tbsp half & half

Lunch - (331 grams)
*the sandwich experiment
1 Oroweat Sandwich Thin Whole Wheat Sub
1 serving AppleGate Farms Antibiotic Free turkey breast
40 grams kosher baby dill pickle, sliced
30 grams Goldy's Roasted Garlic cheese spread
50 grams avocado
2 tsp yellow mustard
10 grams onion, thin sliced

I made a sandwich using the avocado and mustard for instead of mayonnaise.

Dinner - (815 calories)
*Bunless turkey burgers with green chili and jack cheese
11 oz (raw weight) ground turkey patties
1.5 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 oz green chili peppers, diced
25 grams avocado
1 tbsp Duke's Mayonnaise
1 tbsp Organicville Ketchup
10 grams onion, thin sliced

The turkey burgers came premade with some chilis and cheese in them.  I added a bit of my own on top.

Total calories for the day  1,593.

HCG Diet Phase 4 Day 2

Hey.. steak day works to keep my weight down well.

I'm going to make a huge attempt to stay away from white starchy carbs and processed sugar.  So no more white rice, only brown or wild rice.  No more white bread, only whole grain breads.  I might have a bit of potato occassionally, but I'm planning on doing two things.  First, take a carbblocker of which I've selected Cheaters Relief by BSN.  Secondly, take digestive enzymes with every meal.  I've been taking a digestive enzyme at dinner time, but I've decided to switch brands and take one with each meal.  I've selected Digest More Ultra by Renew Life.

Lastly and what I think may prove to be very important. On meals that I plan on having starchy carbs, I will reduce or eliminate the amount of fat in that meal and perhaps in entire day. I believe from all my reading about this diet that you can't have it all ways. You can have high protein and high fats, provided they are good fats. You can have high protein and high carbs. You CANNOT have high fats and high carbs in the same mix. The carbs will win out every time and be used for energy while the fats... well.. they become fat!

Breakfast - (166 calories)
1 container Fage 2% Greek yogurt
40 grams strawberries
stevia to taste
10 oz coffee
1 tbsp half & half

Lunch - (293 calories)
*Coleslaw salad
140 grams Angel Hair cole slaw cabbage
80 grams kosher baby dill pickle, sliced
80 grams giardiniera, diced
3 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch dressing
106 grams Foster Farms hickory smoked turkey breast, diced

Afternoon snack - (35 calories)
3 Mary's Gone Crackers, Original Seed Crackers

**This is to see how I might handle some brown rice carbs in a cracker form. I have bought golden flax meal in order to make flax crackers, but ran across the Mary's brand and thought I'd see how I did.  Also note that a serving is way more than 3 crackers, but I didn't want to push my luck.

Dinner - (788 calories)
13.45 oz (raw weight) beef chuck steak thin sliced, sauted
12 oz broccoli/cauliflower mix in a steamable bag
3 tbsp Briann's Real French Vinaigrette
1.5 tbsp capers

Can you tell I like to use thin sliced meats?  They saute up so quickly.
I microwaved the broccoli/ cauliflower in less time than the package recommended so they were mushy.  I used the vinaigrette and capers on the veggies.


Evening snack - (344 calories)
*Salad with blue cheese
300 grams iceberg lettuce
31 grams reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
3 tbsp Brianna's Real French Vinaigrett
120 grams kosher baby dill pickle, sliced

Total calories for the day 1,626

HCG Diet Phase 4 Day 1

I've made it to day 1 of Phase 4 of my first round of HCG.  Three weeks ago I was so skeptical going into the maintenance phase that I could add back fats and other items and maintain my weight.  In fact, be able to eat more calories per day than before the diet without packing the pounds back on.  I've maintained.  I weight no more than I did at the end of the low calorie diet phase.  Incredible.

From Dr Simeons book "Pounds & Inches"  Phase 4 is called Get a Life.. and it goes like this...


"after three weeks, very gradually add starch in small quantities, always controlled by morning weighing."

Interesting that he doesn't mention adding back sugar.  The idea is go to slowly, adding one small portion of a starchy item and then see how the scale reacts.  If the scale stays the same or close, then that food is likely okay, and you're clear to try another, again, waiting to see what the scale does.  By doing this, you learn what your trigger foods are and what to avoid. 

Always remember the Golden Rule of the HCG Diet,

"Any day that the scale is more than 2 pounds over your last drop weight or last injection weight, you must immediately that day do a steak day.  Drinking plenty of fluids through the day, and eating the biggest steak you can for dinner followed by an apple or a tomato."

The key is to follow this for life (or until the next round) and your set!


On this day, I was so swamped the entire day that I only had coffee in the morning with a bit of half & half.  By the time, 3pm rolled around and I still hadn't eaten, I decided what they heck.. steak day.  After all, I love steak.

Dinner - (799 calories)
388 grams of thin sliced ribeye, sauted in it's own juices
180 grams roma tomato

Well that done.. I had company over.  It had been an insane day.  I did 3 shots of silver tequila (hey.. I deserved it!)  That totaled 207 calories.

Total calories for the day 1,006

HCG Diet Phase 3 Day 21

I can't believe it's been three weeks already since I moved from Phase 2 and eating 500 calories per day to Phase 3 and working my way up to over 1500 calories per day.

Breakfast - (465 calories)
*Beef and Blue Scramble
5 oz lean ground beef
80 grams mushrooms
60 grams onion
1 clove garlic
1 large egg
1/2 cup eggbeaters
28 grams blue cheese crumbles
10 oz coffee
1 tbsp half & half

Saute the ground beef, onions, mushrooms, and garlic until cooked.  Mix egg and eggbeaters and add to skillet.  Let cook on low until set then start scrambling lightly until as hard as you like.  Top with blue cheese.



Lunch - (356 calories)
4 oz hickory smoked turkey breast
1 oz Tillamook Vintage White Cheddar
1 container greek yogurt
50 grams strawberries
stevia to taste



Dinner - (786 calories)
*Carne Asada Salad
12.5 oz (raw weight) Trader Joe's Carne Asada Sirloin
210 grams iceberg lettuce
180 grams cucumber
2 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Caesar Parmigiano Dressing
1 deep fried cheese wonton (yeah I know, everyone else had Chinese take out)

Cook sirloin as desired.  Cut into bite-sized pieces and let cool.  Add to salad.


Total calories for the day 1,607

HCG Diet Phase 3 Day 20

Dropped back down a bit to below my LDW (last drop weight).  I think it's partially the effect of having more beef.

Breakfast - (586 calories)
*Ukranian Joe's Special as a Frittata
5 oz ground sirloin
60 grams baby spinach, chopped
60 grams mushrooms, chopped
50 grams onion, chopped
1 large eggs
1/2 cup eggbeaters
1 tbsp butter
pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp sour cream
1 oz parmesan cheese, grated

A favorite restaurant of mine makes a Joe's Special called a Ukranian Joe.  It's an egg scramble.  This is my version as a frittata.  Saute ground sirloin or ground beef in a skillet with an oven safe handle.  Add garlic, mushrooms and onions, cover and saute until softened.  Add baby spinach and cook until wilted.  Remove from stove and left cool some.  Beat two eggs with a fork.  Whisk the eggbeaters until frothy.  Preheat oven broiler on high setting.  Add eggs to beef mixture, then gently stir in eggbeaters gently.  Heat skillet again with butter until it just starts to bubble.  Add the egg/beef mixture, turn heat to low and cover.  Cook about 5 minutes until edges and bottom are set but the middle is still runny.  Remove from stove and put under broiler for 2 minutes or until eggs are completely set in the middle.  Slide frittata out of skillet and top with parmesan cheese and sour cream.

Lunch - (427 calories)
1 container Fage 2% Greek Yogurt
50 grams blackberries
4.75 oz Foster Farms Hickory Smoked turkey breast
1.5 oz Tillamook Garlic and Red Pepper cheddar cheese

Dinner - (730 calories)
151 grams Private Selection Angus chuck patty
1 slice pepper jack cheese
chopped green chilis or zesty pepper rings
200 grams romaine lettuce
100 grams roma tomato
3 tbsp Brianna's Real French dressing

Did the burger patty with cheese and pepper rings, served with a small amount of ketchup and yellow mustard.  Prepared the romaine, tomato and dressing as a salad.

Total Calories for the day 1,743

HCG Diet Phase 3 Day 19

I did okay yesterday even with a lunch at a restaurant.

Breakfast - (384 calories)
Remainder of my green tomato and leek frittata from last night
10 oz coffee
1 tbsp half & half


Lunch - (466 calories)
4 oz Foster Farms Hickory Smoked turkey breast
2 oz Tillamook medium cheddar cheese
1 container greek yogurt
60 grams strawberries, sliced


Dinner - (600 calories)
9.44 oz (raw weight) thin sliced sirloin steak
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp lime juice
skant oil in saute pan
12 oz broccoli cauliflower steam in bag pack
3 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Caesar Parmigiano Dressing

Saute the sirloin in a skillet with a small amount of oil and the lime juice. Add capers when finished and heat through.   Use the dressing on the steamed veggies.

Total calories for the day 1,450

HCG Diet Phase 3 Day 18

Still holding steady.  Not positive that my set point is going to end up being as high as I'd like, but I'm still trying...


Breakfast was just coffee and half and half this morning since we were doing lunch at a restaurant.

Lunch - (662 calories, estimated)
*California burger, bunless
4 oz angus beef patty
1 slice pepper jack cheese
2 tsp chipolte mayo
1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp green chili
2 slices avocado

Afternoon snack - (323 calories)
*leftover pepperjack chicken
192 grams (cooked weight) chicken breast
1 slice pepper jack cheese
1 oz Vlasic pepper rings

Dinner - (360 calories)
*Green tomato and leek frittata  (recipe from MarthaStewart.com)
* 2 1/2 cups sliced leeks, about 1 1/2 pounds whole leeks, white and light-green parts only
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 2 medium green tomatoes, about 9 ounces, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 4 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
* 2 large egg whites
* 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions

1. Place sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift them out of the water, and pat dry.
2. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; stir. Raise heat to medium, and cook until tomatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
3. Heat broiler. Place 4 whole eggs in a large bowl, and beat with a fork. Add leek-and-tomato mixture, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, Parmesan, and basil; mix to combine.
4. Whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites into egg mixture.
5. Heat butter in a medium nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium heat. As soon as butter begins to foam, but not brown, pour in egg mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until eggs start to set and thicken but the surface is still runny, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Remove cover, and place skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top of the frittata is set, but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from broiler.
7. Run a spatula under frittata to loosen it from the pan, and transfer to a serving dish. Cut into six wedges, and serve immediately, or let stand for up to 1 hour, and serve at room temperature.

Serves 6  (but since it's dinner, I ate half of it)
when I put it in the recipe calculator it comes out to about 120 calories per serving.
Total Fat 6.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.2 g
Cholesterol 144.0 mg
Sodium 660.1 mg
Potassium 289.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.5 g
Dietary Fiber 1.8 g
Sugars 1.5 g
Protein 6.7 g


Evening snack - (226 calories)
*garden salad
150 grams romaine lettuce
50 grams onion
90 grams roma tomato
28 grams avocado
3 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Caesar Parmigiano Dressing



Total calories for the day 1,571