An update as to where to buy hCG?

I recently bought some new drops to do a maintenance round of the hCG diet during the holidays, so that I would still fit in my jeans great and not gain weight, but lose weight during this time of year.  It has been a little tough and it may sound crazy, but it is working great!  As with any round of this diet, once we made it through days 6-9, we were home free, as our stomachs had shrunk to a reasonable level to start melting the fat away.

Mediral is no longer making hCG drops and with so many brands of hCG out there, it is hard to know who to recommend to get your hCG from.  I received a message yesterday that said real hCG is no longer being allowed to be made by manufacturers as the FDA has shut them down.  I understand there is talk about a hormone free hCG, but I have no idea what that will be.  I bought some hCG drops just a few weeks ago from the following sites and as of today, they are still carrying them for the same price I have listed below.  One thing about something that is not manufactured anymore, people sky rocket the prices, so you may want to pick some hCG up quick before they go up in price.  Whether you are doing the diet in the next couple of weeks or the next several months or year, these have a shelf life of 3-4 years.

I thought I would go out on a limb and try 2 other brands of hCG homeopathic drops with the same potency as we had used with the Mediral brand of hCG.  The company we bought our drops through this time is evitaminmarket.com for $29.99 for a 2 oz bottle (so $15/1 oz).  When Mediral was still selling hCG and it was available on e-bay, the bottles were 1 oz and sold anywhere from $11-$19 for the 1 oz bottle.  So, actually with this deal you would be getting the $15/1 oz deal, just having to buy a 2 oz bottle.  Either the Vox 6x, 12x, 30x, 60x or the White Dove 6x, 12x, 30x, 60x seems to be working just as well as the Mediral did...

Vox - http://www.evitaminmarket.com/HCG-Homeopathic-2oz_p_667.html

White Dove - http://www.evitaminmarket.com/HCG-Detox-2oz_p_642.html

If you order 12 or more 2 oz bottles of the Vox, you can get it for $15/bottle or less at http://wholesalehcglabs.com/why-sell-hcg.php

My husband, Jared, is using the Vox and I am using the White Dove. The only thing I have found with the White Dove is it seems to be easier on my body to take 15 drops four times a day then the typical 10 drops 6 times a day we had done with the Mediral.  Everyone's body responds differently though.

To do a complete 40-day round, you will want to go ahead and get two 2-oz bottles per person just to leave room for error.

These drops have still helped us to keep from being hungry just as the Mediral brand did by taking either 10 drops or 15 drops under the tongue for 2 minutes 15 minutes after and before eating, which helping you not being hungry is the biggest key to the hCG drops. 

I have also found Musselman's natural applesauce is working just great as a variety to the apple (2 applesauce pre-measured cups or 1 measured cup of applesauce out of the jar = 1 apple).

Still having questions about this diet and whether it is right for you?  Visit this link to find answers to a few Frequently Asked Questions about the hCG diet... http://www.diyhcg.com/hcg-questions

Go back through my blog to find prior entries with other helpful information for the different phases of the diet too!

Good Luck!

Melinda :)

How about snacks and dessert for Phase 3?

In Phase 1 you gorged yourself and ate more food than any person should eat in 2 days and took your hCG.

In Phase 2 you ate only 500 calories per day and took your hCG.  At the end of Phase 2 you stopped taking the drops but continued eating 500 calories for 3 days or 72 hours.

Now you have made it to Phase 3 where you can add back everything but starches and sugars.  Starches include corn and potatoes and some beans, so be careful.  Even though you can eat all kinds of different vegetables now, not all are non-starch foods.  Other starches include of course breads and pasta and sugars include cookies and cakes, etc.  However, on Phase 3 you can have almond flour and coconut flour (make sure it is just almonds and just coconut that are the ingredients though and not additional flours).  I found these two flours for a fairly decent price at http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Coconut-16-OuncePouches/dp/B002O1IEII/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1319673077&sr=1-2 and http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Almond-Meal-Flour-Pound/dp/B0007NC0T4/ref=sr_1_11?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1319672757&sr=1-11.  I also searched out the internet and found some different recipes that include these flours such as muffins and pizza crust and strawberry shortcake (links down toward the bottom of this blog).
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On Phase 3, we ate a lot of omelets.  Below is the link for the microwavable omelet makers we used as it is so convenient to make them even for Jared (my husband) at work.  We had one for Jared to take to work and 2 that we left here at the house.  They came in really handy when we got to phase 3… the link is…

http://www.simplysmartliving.com/MiracleWare-Microwave-Omelet-Maker_p_129-390.html

The omelets that we made were:

- Ham, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, black olives, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese

- spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and swiss cheese

- prime rib or sirloin, asparagus, mushrooms, bacon and sharp cheddar cheese

- ham and sharp cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese and black olives

- sausage, bacon and swiss and cheddar cheese and black olives and sometimes mushrooms

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One thing that I majorly missed on the 500 calorie portion was dessert.  I found that we could have Fat Free Sugar Free pudding mix on Phase 3 as well as nuts and all varieties of fruits, so I came up with the following dessert recipe, a sort of cheesecake that is okay to eat during Phase 3 - Yum!

Crust:  Mixed nuts ground very fine mixed with 1-2 packets of stevia and 2 tablespoons of butter.

Filling:  Jello sugar free fat free white chocolate (or cheesecake) pudding with 2 cups milk.

Topping:  Thawed frozen blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries

This recipe is absolutely delicious, especially when you have a sweet tooth like I do – you get to eat ¼ of the pie or 2 slices of the 8-slice pie per serving – ½ cup.  You can do fresh berries on top too…

There are lots of different kinds of puddings that you can use – we tried the chocolate or butterscotch with whipped topping of heavy whipping cream.  You can have whipped cream from the container in small quantities, but using heavy whipping cream and liquid stevia is very yummy!  I would imagine banana or lemon pudding pie and vanilla pudding with bananas sliced on the bottom as part of your base before putting the pudding in the square glass pan and then put the pudding in and add bananas on top of the pudding would be good this way too J!!   I would imagine if you can find a recipe for homemade pudding and used stevia and other non-starch/non-sugar ingredients you could make a yummy homemade pudding as well!

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For breakfast I found a recipe for coconut flour pancakes (link is down toward the bottom of this blog), but also this banana pancake recipe.  Either one is very yummy!

*Banana pancakes are another recipe that we used during phase 3… This recipe is good whether on the diet or not and this recipe is for one serving, so to make more just double, triple, etc…

·  1/2 banana

·  1 egg

·  1/4 t vanilla

·  1/8 t cinnamon

1. Preheat non-stick pan over LO-MED heat.
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor.
3. Pulse 2-3 times.
4. Pour into non-stick pan to make 2-3 pancakes.
5. Flip as needed.
6. When cooked through, top with butter, Stevia, & cinnamon or Very Berry Syrup (just thawed frozen blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries with a little bit of water added before thawing in the microwave – you can mix these berries or have them individually).

TIP: The key to these is cooking them slowly over the lower heat. If you cook them too quickly, they will brown and the middle will not cook. So be patient. :)

Also, these are wonderful to cook up quite a few in advance and then freeze for even easier eating in the future.

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As a snack or quick protein we found meat roll-ups to be another great recipe for Phase 3…

Ingredients: 

One entire 2-oz package of lunch meat

2 tbsp Cream cheese

You will want to warm your cream cheese for 5-10 seconds in the microwave or let it sit out on the counter for 10-15 minutes so as to soften for smearing.  To make your meat roll-ups take one or two slices of lunch meat and smear cream cheese on the one side and rolled up into a tube shape – 4-6 per serving depending on the meats used – I like to do two different meats stacked one on top of the other like one slice of roast beef and one slice of chicken and smear the cream cheese on the top of the chicken slice and roll it all up together – you can do all variations of ham, turkey, chicken, roast beef, beef, etc.

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*Smuckers makes a Natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt (or you can get your own natural peanut butter from a natural food store but make sure that there is no sugar in the ingreditents list) and they also make a Simply Berry jam that you can have on phase 3 as well, if you want the jam on your banana pancakes or peanut butter on celery or the jam on the sesame melba toast – they make a nice treat… 

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*Easy Peanut Butter cookies – really good with jam on top (kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the bread)

1 egg

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter

3-4 packets of Stevia (do this to taste - you may want less or more)
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts

1 tsp. vanilla

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add remaining ingredients; beat until well blended.

SHAPE into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork.

BAKE 10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 1 min. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks; cool completely.

prep time: 15 min

total time: 25 min

makes: 3 doz. cookies or 18 servings, 2 cookies each

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Below is a list of links to different coconut flour recipes that I have tried.  All of the ones I printed off that I have gotten to try have been excellent.  I have also added a couple of links that I printed but didn’t get a chance to try yet…

http://www.cheeseslave.com/2008/10/17/coconut-flour-pancakes/ - we use the Walden Farms pancake syrup in place of the rapadura/raw honey/maple syrup selection and on top of the pancakes…

http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.com/2009/05/coconut-flour-pound-cake.html - this was absolutely amazing with fresh strawberries and some whipped cream… have only tried it once because it takes a while to make, but very worth the wait…

http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/recipe_Herbed_Gluten_Free_Coconut_Flour_Pizza_Crust.htm - I am not sure what their idea of small is, but this recipe made a 14” thin pizza crust… you don’t want it thick as the flavor will overpower the pizza (not in a good way), but it is a very good tasting pizza crust at the right thickness… a little extra milk will help thin it a little easier for spreading too…  you definitely want to use the parchment paper – didn’t use it one of the times we made it and it ended up being a mess of thick chunks of pizza crust…

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/coconutrmuffins.htm - I never actually made these muffins with raspberries… always used blueberries… a little extra milk makes it a tad bit thinner and you can actually make 12 regular sized muffins… even though it seems like a lot of sugar substitute to use, it actually seems to be what is required for sweetness, but you can definitely play with that part to see if more or less would work… haven’t tried this recipe with just regular sugar when it is time for Phase 4… but I imagine it would be really good…

http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/01/06/low-carb-bacon-egg-cheese-muffins/ - I have only tried these once and had burnt the bacon, but they were still pretty good with some cream cheese on top…  I imagine not burnt they would be scrumptious… J

http://www.simplycoconut.com/Coco%20Flour%20Recipes.pdf – there are a variety of different recipes in this .pdf file that look really good, I just haven’t taken the time to try them…

http://www.nourishingdays.com/2008/11/sugar-free-coconut-flour-cranberry-walnut-muffins/ - I actually haven’t gotten a chance to try these ones either, but they sound very yummy…

http://www.cheeseslave.com/2008/11/26/coconut-flour-bread/ - with the pound cake I linked to up above being so yummy, I didn’t actually try this bread as I knew the other one would be sweeter, but you can sure give it a try…

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You can have sugar free candy in moderation and sugar free ice cream in moderation during Phase 3 as well, but be very careful and limit yourself - make it a reward to yourself for exercising and choosing good foods for your body throughout the day.  By training yourself in the best ways to eat now, you will maintain your new weight for the long haul and not have to do this diet again.  Definitely exercise at least 15-30 minutes or more a day too as you go through Phase 3 and Phase 4 and continue maintenance exercise for life.  One article I read the other day said something to the effect of, "We think we have found the fountain of youth - exercise!"

Just as with anything, when coming off of this diet and gradually adding back everything, you want to eat everything in moderation.  It is hard not to want to eat everything just because you can, but limit yourself.  If you can gradually add back everything but starches and sugars for three weeks and then very gradually add back starches and sugars in Phase 4 for three weeks, you should maintain your new weight within 1-2 pounds.  You WILL have reset your metabolism at that point and you WILL maintain your new weight because you know how to eat right and exercise!

Best of Luck!

Melinda :)

Phase 2 soup recipes

The following is a list of soups that are okay to have in Phase 2 of the hCG diet (the 40 days or 21 days part of the diet when you are taking the hCG drops, injections, etc.).  I haven't tried them all, but they all sound very yummy.  Enjoy!

-Melinda :)

SOUPS

Tomato Basil Soup
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 ounces of tomato paste
4-6 leaves of fresh basil rolled and sliced
1-2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of marjoram
Salt and black pepper to taste
Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pour into a saucepan
and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot, garnish with fresh basil leaves or parsley.
Makes 2 servings (1 vegetable)

Chicken Meatball Soup
Meatballs
100 grams ground chicken breast
1 teaspoon minced onion
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
Pinch of sage
Pinch of marjoram
Pinch of thyme
Dash of onion powder
Dash of garlic powder
1 serving Melba toast crumbs (optional)
Broth
2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Chopped celery or tomato
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
1 bay leaf
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine ground chicken breast with spices, chopped garlic, onion, and
crushed Melba toast. Form into balls. Bring broth to a boil; add spices,
vinegar, Bragg’s liquid aminos, and chicken balls. Reduce to a simmer and
cook a minimum of 30 minutes adding the celery or tomato the last 5-10
minutes of cooking.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 Melba toast)

Chicken and Cabbage Soup
100 grams chicken
Cabbage
2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
2 tablespoons Bragg’s amino acids (optional)
2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
1 tablespoon chopped onion
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon rosemary
Cayenne to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine chicken and spices in medium saucepan. Bring broth to a boil.
Add cabbage. Reduce heat and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Add
additional water to broth as needed. Variations: change the spices and add
fresh tarragon or turmeric. Add a ¼ lemon with rind to the broth and
simmer for a rich lemon flavor.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)

Vegetable Beef Soup
100 grams lean beef cubed
Celery, cabbage, or tomato diced
2 cups beef or vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup of broth)
1 tablespoon onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine onion, garlic and spices with beef broth. Add celery and diced
beef. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for an
additional 5 minutes.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add additional vegetables such as zucchini, bell
peppers or a small amount of chopped carrots.

Savory Chicken Soup
100 grams chicken breast cubed
1-2 cups chopped celery or tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup of broth)
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 cloves garlic crushed and sliced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon organic poultry spice blend
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add onion, garlic and spices. Add chicken
and vegetables and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or more until chicken and cabbage are tender and fully cooked. Serve hot. Sprinkle with chives or parsley if desired.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)

Thai Beef Soup
100 grams beef
Celery
2 cups beef or vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
3 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 clove of garlic crushed and minced
Fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon chili powder or red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
Pinch of cinnamon
Stevia to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat up broth. Add dry spices, bay leaf, Bragg’s, garlic and onion and bring
to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add beef and celery and
cook for 20 to 30 minutes until soft. Add salt, pepper, and stevia. Garnish
with fresh chopped cilantro.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add chili or sesame oil and a few bean sprouts to the soup. Top with fresh sliced mushrooms.

Homemade Chicken Broth
3 large chicken breasts
10 or more cups of water
½ large onion chopped
4 stalks of celery chopped
5 cloves of garlic sliced
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot or crock pot combine chicken and 10 or more cups of
water. Water should slightly cover the chicken. Add celery and spices.
Heat to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Allow to slow cook for 4 hours.
Remove vegetables and chicken from broth. Refrigerate stock and skim off
the chicken fat. Put through a strainer for a clear broth. Save the chicken
and make chicken salad (page 43) or add to soups.
Makes multiple servings

Homemade Vegetable Broth
10 or more cups of water
½ large onion chopped
6-10 stalks celery
10 cloves of garlic chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring water to a boil in a large soup pot or crock-pot. Add vegetables and
spices. Slow cook for 2-4 hours. Strain out vegetables and cool. Use as a
base for soups.
Makes multiple servings

Fennel Soup
Fennel bulbs chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
¼ teaspoon allspice seasoning blend
Salt and pepper to taste
Add chopped fennel bulbs, spices, and minced onion to vegetable broth.
Heat in small saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Add lemon with rind to
the broth if desired. Serve warm with chopped sprigs of fennel for garnish.
Makes 1 serving (1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add half and half or cream.

Celery Soup
Celery
2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook celery until very soft or use crock-pot or vegetable broth cooked
celery. Puree in a food processor or blender with broth and spices. Simmer
in a saucepan for 20-30 minutes.
Makes 1 serving (1 vegetable)

Chili
100 grams lean ground beef (less than 7% fat)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup water
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of onion powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of oregano
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown ground beef in small frying pan, add onions and garlic. Stir in
tomatoes and water. Add spices and simmer slowly until liquid is reduced.
The longer it cooks the more tender and flavorful. Add a little water as
needed to prevent burning. Serve with chopped green onion or tomato
garnish and salt and pepper to taste.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Top with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.


Lemony Spinach and Chicken Soup
100 grams chicken
2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
½ lemon with rind
1-2 cup cups loosely packed spinach cut into strips
1 tablespoon onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 stalk lemongrass (optional)
¼ teaspoon thyme or to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Lightly brown the chicken in small saucepan with a little lemon juice. Add
the onion, garlic, spices and chicken broth. Add lemon with rind and
simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add the fresh spinach during the last five
minutes of cooking. Serve and enjoy.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Asparagus Soup
4-5 stalks asparagus
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
3 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons chopped onion
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Trim asparagus to remove the tough ends of the stalk and steam until soft.
Puree asparagus with broth and spices in a blender or food processor. Heat soup in a saucepan and enjoy. Add 100 grams diced chicken if desired. You can replace dried spices with 1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning if you
wish.
Makes 1 serving (1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Sauté the onion in a little butter, add sliced mushrooms, cheddar cheese and cream or half and half to the soup.

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
100 grams chicken breast diced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
½ lemon in quarters with rind
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
Cayenne pepper to taste
Pinch of chili powder or red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Stevia to taste (optional)
Boil lemon wedges with rind in 1 cup of water until pulp comes out of the
rind. Scrape out additional pulp and juice. Add the diced chicken, spices
and chicken broth. Simmer until cooked. Variation: You can add orange
juice as an option and your choice of approved vegetable or substitute
shrimp for chicken.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein)
Phase 3 modifications: Add a small amount of fresh pineapple juice. Add
vegetables such as zucchini, cauliflower, small amount of carrots etc. Add a little chili oil or paste to the soup for added heat and flavor.

Creole Gumbo
100 grams shrimp or 1 chicken sausage recipe (page 88)
2 cups vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
Tomatoes chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons green or white onion
2 cloves of garlic crushed and minced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Liquid smoke hickory smoke flavoring to taste
Fry up shrimp or chicken sausage in a saucepan with onions. Add tomato
paste, tomatoes, and broth. Mix well. Add the spices and vinegar. Simmer
for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add additional mixed protein ingredients like crab,
chicken, and sausage. Add additional vegetables such as okra, celery, and
bell pepper. Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream.

Middle Eastern Vegetable Soup
2 cups vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
Tomatoes chopped or celery
8 ounces tomato sauce or 3 ounces tomato paste (omit if celery is used)
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 tablespoon onion chopped
1/8 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, cilantro or mint
Combine broth, tomato sauce, and paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
add spices. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Makes 1 serving (1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add string beans, zucchini or other vegetables as
desired.

Crab Bisque
100 grams crab meat
1 cup tomatoes chopped
2 cups vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
1 tablespoon onion minced
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Puree tomatoes and broth in a food processor or blender. Heat up mixture in a small saucepan. Add the crab and spices and simmer for 20-30 minutes stirring frequently.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)
Phase 3 modifications: Add half and half or cream.


Sweet Strawberry Soup
6-7 medium strawberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup water
Vanilla liquid stevia or powdered vanilla to taste
Dash of cinnamon
Puree strawberries with spices, lemon juice, water and milk. Heat the
strawberry mixture in a small saucepan for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot or chilled
with a garnish of mint.
Makes one serving (1 fruit)
Phase 3 modifications: Add 3 tablespoons cream cheese, half and half, or
cream. Omit the lemon juice. Top with a sprinkle of chopped roasted nuts
or phase 3 chocolate shavings.

Hot and Sour Thai Shrimp Soup
100 grams shrimp
2 cups vegetable broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
Juice of ½ lemon with rind
1 lemon grass stalk
2-3 slices of fresh ginger
Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon green onion
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring the broth to a boil. Add the ginger, lemongrass, lemon juice, onion,
and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cilantro and
cook another 8 minutes. Serve hot. Remove lemongrass before serving.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein)
Phase 3 modifications: Add straw mushrooms and fish paste. Add a little
hot chili paste or chili oil.

French Onion Soup
2 cups beef broth
1 Melba toast crumbled or Melba croutons (page 42) (optional)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ to ½ of an onion in thin strips
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
Stevia to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Brown the onions in a little water and lemon juice. Add beef broth and
spices and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Top with Melba toast croutons.
Makes 1-2 servings (1 vegetable, 1 Melba toast)
Phase 3 modifications: Top with mozzarella or provolone cheese.

Meatball Soup
100 grams lean ground beef
1 serving Melba toast crumbs
Dash of onion powder
Dash of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon minced onion
1clove garlic crushed and minced
Pinch of cumin
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
Fresh tomatoes or celery
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 clove garlic crushed and minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Make meatballs by mixing ground beef, Melba crumbs, finely diced onion,
garlic, powdered spices and chopped cilantro. Form into balls and drop into
beef broth. Add spices, onion and garlic to the broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for a minimum of 30 minutes. Add your
choice of celery or tomato to the broth in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and oregano.
Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 Melba toast)
Phase 3 modifications: Add additional vegetables such as zucchini or a
small amount of carrots

Maintenance?

Maintenance would have to be the biggest key to this diet.  You have to be extremely careful as you come off from each phase of this diet and not go "hog wild."  One of the most important purposes of this diet is to learn how to eat right and exercise, to listen to your body and understand what it really needs, not what it wants.

After the 3 days or 72 hours of 500 calories after the hCG part of the diet with no more hCG being taken into your system (drops, injections, powders, tablets, or whatever you used), you will need to have a scale handy and you will need to make sure and eat a lot more than 500 calories.  1200-1400 calories is recommended for women and 1500-1700 calories is recommended for most men, sometimes a little more depending on your height.  I considered my calories as a bank account, but you might find a different way to use yours.  I would start the day with my 1200 calorie bank account and spend my calories wisely, paying attention to how much of the day I had left and if there were any particular items I would like to splurge a few calories on at the end of the day.  I would start my day with a pear or a bowl of cottage cheese and mandarin oranges and then eat as I felt hungry every couple of hours (kind of a grazing affect), but making sure what I was taking into my body was something that would sustain me for a couple of hours, not just a couple of peanuts here and a piece of celery there, but actually having 3 pieces of celery with peanut butter or a whole raw tomato sliced with cheese melted on top or a sweet carmelized onion chicken patty (costco Amylu brand) with a little extra cheese on top, or a salad with hard boiled eggs and veggies and dried cranberries, or... well, you get the picture...

Keep in mind, the goal during this phase is to maintain your new weight loss, NOT lose more weight.  If you have more weight to lose, you can do another round in 6 weeks (or more if this is not your first round).

Following is a summary of Dr. Simeons' maintenance phase: 
Eat what you want, when you want except no sugars and no starches (no starches includes potatoes and corn and some beans, so be wary even though vegetables are allowed).  Weigh EVERY DAY!  If you are 2.1 pounds over your last injection (hCG) weight, perform a steak day* or a 6 apple day**.

*Steak day:  "Skip breakfast and lunch, but take plenty to drink.  In the evening, eat a huge steak with only an apple or a raw tomato." - Dr. Simeons

**6 Apple day:  Eat 6 apples through the day and nothing else.  Eat an apple at breakfast, mid morning, lunch, afternoon snack time, dinner and after dinner snack time.  Make sure and get plenty to drink too.

You should review advice from Dr. Simeons' manuscript (Dr-Simeons-Manuscript.pdf) as you near the end of the 500 calorie phase, particularly the following paragraphs:  Concluding a Course, Skipping a Meal, Trouble after Treatment, Beware of Over-Enthusiasm, and Protein Deficiency.

If you find that you are stalling, a steak day or apple day can be used during the 40 (or 21 day) phases when you are still taking the hCG, with the exception that you would only eat a 3.5 ounce steak at the end of the day. 

Stay motivated to stick with the diet through the completing of both the 3 weeks adding back everything BUT starches and sugars and the 3 weeks adding back everything INCLUDING starches and sugars.  Be very careful not to overindulge.  I know this may sound easy after having just eaten only 500 calories for 40 days, but believe me you will get hungry on these next phases... if you are hungry eat a protein or a fruit or vegetable first even if it doesn't sound as good as a donut or a bag of Doritos.  If you eat the protein, fruit, or vegetable first you will find that you won't eat as many donuts or Doritos because your body got what it needed - nutrients.  There have been many times that I ate a handful of grapes or an apple or a handful of cherries not because they sounded good, but because I knew I was hungry and I needed something to eat and if I went for the junk food first, I was going to eat way too much of it.  A lot of times when your body is craving sweets, it really just needs a fruit.  When you are craving something salty, most likely you need a vegetable or protein.  If you are just hungry because it is time to eat, eat a protein first.  You will learn what your body really wants because of doing this diet, and even though I am not exactly certain why this idea of eating what your body needs not what it wants works well, I know it definitely works because I have been able to keep off the weight. 

The phrase "everything in moderation" is very important in maintaining your weight.  Your body will have reset itself after the second 3 weeks of adding back everything including starches and sugars, and you will maintain right around that weight for as long as you want, but it is a matter of getting to the end of that second 3 weeks without gaining any extra, or if within a couple of pounds. 

Exercise is also a huge key in the success of this diet.  Exercising at least a 1/2 hour every day makes your new weight stay more stable and you can eat a few more calories without fluctuating your weight much.  We did the power half hour series from www.beachbody.com as soon as we started in the 3 weeks of adding back everything BUT starches and sugars.  We kept on doing the power half hour series through the second 3 weeks of adding back everything INCLUDING starches and sugars.  We stopped doing the series as often once we completed that second 3 week phase of the diet and did more things like running outside and rollerblading with our sons and walking the dogs and still found that we could have a bowl of ice cream as a treat every now and then because we were exercising.

During the first 3 weeks of adding back everything BUT starches and sugars you can have in very mild amounts, sugar free items including candy and ice cream and sugar free syrups, however, be careful when eating these and make sure to eat the fruits, veggies, and proteins first still.  I also bought almond flour and coconut flour in 5 pound bags for the first 3 weeks when sugars and starches aren't allowed as these two flours are allowed in moderation.  I found ways to make pancakes and pizza crust and muffins and even cookies that were sugar free but taste amazingly good.  I also have a recipe to make a pudding pie that I will share in upcoming posts.

Literally watch what you eat and make sure it is what your body is really needing and you will be a much happier, healthier, lighter you! 

-Melinda :)

Just what the doctor ordered...

Basically if you can go 60 days without breads, pizza, cookies, candy bars, sugary snacks, etc., (starches and sugars) you can do this diet!!

The average weight loss for this diet is 20-30 pounds in 40 days.  This is not a “results may vary thing” it is a definite as long as you follow the diet religiously.  Men tend to lose more then women… Most of the women that I have helped through this have lost an average of 25-27 pounds per round… Most of the men that I have helped tended to lose between 43 and 51 pounds per round depending on how much they have to lose…

The first two phases are the only time you are taking the hCG drops (explained more below).  Do NOT exercise the first two phases, as your body has taken a diagram of your fat stores and when you exercise that fat is turned to muscle, making it so your body has to look harder for the fat, so it is easier to just let your body find the fat and burn it for you.  If you need to exercise, a light walk or something similar should be fine (just make sure you drink plenty of liquids and eat your meals on time as much as possible... don't space your meals too far apart).  The last two phases you are maintaining your new weight and you will want to exercise to help maintain as well (you feel really good at this point so you want to exercise)…

Summary of a Typical Round

Phase 1 (day 1 and 2):  Take the hCG and gorge yourself for two full days – eat more food than any one person should eat – even if you aren’t hungry, if you aren’t ready to throw up, eat – otherwise you will end up being crabby and have headaches and cramping the first week.

Phase 2 (starting with day 3):  500 calories (no breakfast, 1 protein, 2 cups vegetables (only 1 vegetable – not mixed), 1 fruit, 1 Grissini breadstick or Melba toast for lunch and dinner) – I actually eat the protein and vegetable (or fruit) for lunch and have my fruit (or vegetable) and breadstick for snacktime around 3:30 or 4:00 and around 7:30 for an after dinner snack.  You are on this phase for 40 days (or 20 days if you are doing a half round).  Drink as much 0 calorie tea, green tea, water, coffee as you like, but no sugar, creamer, or sweetener except Stevia.  Sweetleaf stevia granules and liquid taste best, Stevita stevia liquid also tastes good and costs a little less... these are the only ones that we found that didn’t have some other variant of sugar in them – causing you to stall in weight loss. 

Sometime after 20 hCG days, but before 41 hCG days:  Stop taking the hCG, but continue following the 500 calorie diet for 72 hours/3 days.  DO NOT exercise yet!!

Phase 3:   No starches or sugars.  You are adding back all meats, all vegetables (except potatoes, corn, beets, yams, sweet potatoes), and all fruits, all cheeses and milk, but no breads or sugary stuff yet…  All of a sudden you will switch to eating 1200-1700 calories per day (males will go with the 1500-1700 calorie count, females 1200-1400 calorie count... as the drops were taking the fat and melting it to burn for the additional 700-1200 calories – so if you try to stay on the 500 calories you will actually gain weight because your body goes into starvation mode).  You are on this phase for 3 weeks.  Start to exercise at least 15 minutes to 30 minutes each day – we did the Power half hour series by Tony Horton each evening from www.beachbody.com but even going for a jog or brisk walk for 30 minutes works pretty good…

Phase 4:  Gradually start adding back starches and sugars (breads, cookies, pizza, spaghetti, potatoes, corn, etc.), but make sure to weigh every day still to make sure you don’t go above 2 pounds from your lowest weight – if you do go up above the 2 pounds from your lowest weight, you can do a 6-apple day or steak day to bring your weight back down, but you have to do it the day you see your weight go up otherwise it won’t come right back off (explained more in the manuscript or I can give you more explanation if you decide you would like to try this)… You are on this phase for 3 weeks as well, and then you have reset your metabolism and you now know how to eat to give your body fuel and keep at your new weight instead of giving it fillers. 

For life:  You can eat whatever you like within reason, still maintaining smaller portion sizes, but really no restrictions on what foods… Keep exercising to help maintain – at this point you feel so good you want to exercise.  The one thing I have found is that if I exercise first and then have dessert, a bowl of ice cream, etc., that my body uses that as fuel instead of adding it in storage… Everything in moderation though!

If you have more weight to lose you can do this diet multiple times just wait an additional amount of time after each round, otherwise your body will become immune to it:

After completing phase 3 and phase 4 of the first round you can start directly into a second round.

After completing phase 3 and phase 4 of the second round you need to wait an additional six weeks to start into a third round.

After completing phase 3 and phase 4 of the third round you need to wait an additional twelve weeks to start into a fourth round…

After that additional 12 weeks of waiting in between phases, you can start over as if you were doing the diet for the first time… most people don’t have to do this diet more than 2-3 times, but you can do a half round like we did at the beginning of this year after the holidays, just as a maintenance round every year if you like…

The biggest thing this diet does is teach you how to eat right and exercise – just what the doctor ordered J!!

They call this the last diet you will ever need because if you see yourself going up 10 pounds or more again, you can just redo the diet to get those pounds back off quickly…

We used Jason Products Thin to Thick shampoo and conditioner (keeps your hair from falling out and/or thinning and helps grow new hair) found cheapest at http://www.vitacost.com/Jason-Thin-To-Thick-Shampoo, but they also have another shampoo and conditioner by Nature's Gate that seems to work in keeping your hair in place and clean too http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Gate-Biotin-Strengthening-Shampoo.  We used Dove bar soap, Aveeno oatmeal lotion or Dead Down Wind lotion because our hands both seemed to be drier.  We used Scent-A-Way hunting deodorant, but I found this one as well made by Hugo Naturals that is according to the hcg protocol http://www.vitacost.com/Hugo-Naturals-Unscented-Deodorant#IngredientFacts as well as Jason Products tooth paste http://www.vitacost.com/Jason-Healthy-Mouth-Toothpaste-Tea-Tree-Cinnamon - Certain products contain variants of oils and sugars, and these all seemed to follow the hcg protocol and not cause a problem with stalling in weight loss.  The mint toothpastes somehow affect the homeopathy from working as well, so cinnamon or baking soda tooth paste is more highly recommended…… Anything natural/organic should work fine as well…  You just want to avoid propylene glycol and sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate in any of the daily toiletry (soaps, deodorants, etc.) products you use…. You don’t have to be this strict, but if you start noticing that you are stalling in weight or not losing as much weight, start avoiding the items that have these chemicals in them…

We bought a George foreman grill for $24 from Walmart (84”-black) (to make it simpler to cook our meat and veggies without extra oils and butter) and the food scale to measure the 100 grams or 3.5 ounces for $4 and some change at Walmart… 

Weighing every day keeps you motivated to stick with it – the Wii Fit or Wii Fit Plus with the balance board make watching the BMI and weight go down that much more exciting and pretty exact as it will measure to the ounce that you lost…  however, using a regular bathroom scale will work too…

We also use the Magic Bullet to make slushies and stuff that requires a food processer, but any food processer or blender will do…

 
A side note as far as the hCG drops... 10-20 drops held under your tongue for 2 minutes 15 minutes before or after eating or drinking anything will give you the most benefit.  We found taking 10 drops six times a day made us not as hungry throughout the day versus 20 drops three times a day.   The six times a day started first thing in the morning when getting out of bed, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner, and evening time sometime between dinnertime and bed.

Good luck if you try this diet!! 

Make sure and post your results too!!  I love hearing how people do with this diet...

-Melinda :)

Whether you think you can or you think you cannot, either way you are right - Henry Ford

Commitment... This diet is a challenge.  Yes you are typically feeling good and losing weight each day.  Yet, there are always those parties, luncheons, weddings, and delicious brownies sitting on the counter that force you to answer one question: "Am I going to stick with this for a month to lose the weight and reset my metabolism or am I going to give in and just cheat a little?"  You have to decide before that question ever surfaces what your answer is going to be.  So, when it comes down to this, tell yourself, "I can do ANYTHING for a month!"  ...and you can...  Think about it, it really is such a short period of time to make a world of difference in your life.

Now that you have read the manuscript and purchased your hCG (drops, injections, tablets, spray or powder) and the recipe guide and pocket guide to the hCG diet... The next step in prepping for your course of the hCG diet is to plan your food choices for at least the first week and some stuff will carry into the following few weeks.

My normal shopping list for starting the diet includes:
*1 bag of romaine lettuce (can be mixed with other lettuces) (I only buy one bag of either lettuce or spinach a week because then it won't get all brown and slimy before you get to it)
*1 bag of spinach (a side salad from McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's is comparable to the serving size you will need - approximately 1-2 cups)
*4-6 tomatoes - to slice or make into soup
*1 box of 8 count Dole Organic diced tomatoes - to make quick tomato soup
*1 bag of frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts (can be tenderloins) - used to make chicken broth
*2-3 cucumbers (to slice and dip in the Walden Farms Bacon Ranch dressing)
*1 package of celery (to dip in the Walden Farms Bacon Ranch dressing)
*1-2 packages of fresh chicken breasts (you can also get grilled chicken breasts from McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and any other restaurant that sells grilled chicken sandwiches, just ask for the grilled chicken breast by itself)
*1 box of Alessi grissini sticks
*1 box of sea salt Melba toast (they have all kinds of different flavors, but sea salt seems to taste good with a lot of meals)
*1 bag of large shrimp (you can actually have any of the white fish like flounder, tilapia and orange roughy and crab legs) (you can get tilapia and flounder from Captain D's too... they usually serve it with rice, so just scrape the rice off and eat only the meat)
*2 bottles of Walden Farms Dressing (I prefer Bacon Ranch... we went through these pretty fast and they have them just as cheap at www.netrition.com and only $4.95 for shipping to the lower 48 states no matter how much you order - just do a search for Walden Farms on www.netrition.com)
*1 bottle of Walden Farms Hickory Smoked or Honey BBQ sauce (you can have any of the Walden Farms stuff during any phase of the diet except the peanut butter and mayonnaise and salsa - which isn't worth it anyway - we just mainly liked the dressings, BBQ sauces and the chocolate dip)
*1 container of Walden Farms Chocolate Dip - they aren't exactly like the real thing, but are very nice to dip apples into when you can't have the real thing...
*1 bottle of Maple Grove Farms No Sugar Added Raspberry Vinagrette dressing (for dipping shrimp into if you want)... the Walden Farms shrimp sauce is not great, but they do make it if you want to try it.
*2-3 bags of frozen strawberries - to make slushies (just add 1 tbsp of milk 15-20 drops of vanilla creme stevia and 10 drops of chocolate stevia) (you can get the stevia from Nature's pantry or from www.vitacost.com)
*several different kinds of flavored stevia and clear stevia and stevia packets (cheapest from www.vitacost.com (Sweetleaf brand granules taste best, but Stevita brand or Sweetleaf brand liquid stevias taste great)
*1 bottle of lemon juice (to use for lemon water - add some clear stevia or vanilla creme stevia and lemon juice to taste in a glass of water and you have lemonade) and you will want lemon juice for sprinkling over asparagus and fish or shrimp too...
*1 pound 93% lean ground beef (makes 4 servings - I usually take each of the four servings and separate them into two smaller patties, totally 8 patties all together, 2 per serving that way)
*1 container Mrs. Dash salt-free spices (just make sure there are no sugars in the spices and you can buy the mixed spices - I use this mostly on chicken)
*1 container Steak seasoning (I use this on the hamburger and steak)
*1 package of fresh strawberries (to use to make apples and strawberry sauce)
*1 dozen apples (Jonagold tastes best, but Gala, Pink Lady, or any of the others are fine too - whatever you like the taste of) (2 packages of apple fries from Burger King or 2 packages of apple slices from McDonalds or Subway are equivolent to one whole apple)
*1-2 boxes of green tea bags.
*1/2 or 1 gallon skim milk

Note:  This is my typical list when beginning the diet... you may choose other things that you like too, but these are the foods I liked to have on the diet.  Different recipes call for different spices and seasonings, so you may want to check into getting those too... 

500 Calorie Diet...The following is the summary directly from Dr. Simeons' Manuscript (with a couple of my added notes in parentheses):

The Diet

Breakfast:  Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar.  Only 1 tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours.  Saccharin or Stevia may be used (Sweetleaf Stevia granule packets taste best).

Lunch: 
1.  100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp (wild game such as wild venison is also allowed if you kill your own meat, however, venison and other wild game is not recommended if buying from a game farm).  All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw.  It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat.  Salmon, eel, tuna*, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.  The chicken breast must be removed from the bird (the serving size at most restaurants is right around the 100 grams or 3.5 oz size as well if you choose or need to eat out for any of your meals).
2.  One type of vegetable only to be chosen from teh following:  spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.
3.  One breadstick per serving (Alessi brand grissini sticks) or one Melba toast (the small round pieces you can have 2 of).
4.  An apple or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit, orange* (*in the original manuscript, but not in at least one version of the circulating manuscripts) (fresh tangelo, fresh tangerine, fresh (not canned) mandarin oranges are also allowed).

Dinner:  The same four choices as lunch.

The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes.  Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter, or dressing (other than the Walden Farms or Maple Grove Farms No Sugar Added dressings).

Tea, coffe, plain water, or mineral water are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times.

*In Dr. Simeons' time, tuna was only packed in oil.  However, now that you can get it packed in water, many people have had great success while using one 4 oz. can of tuna packed in water as their meat for their meal.

Though it may be tempting to use other meats such as pork or turkey or other vegetables such as broccolli, carrots, or green beans, or fruits such as watermelon, grapes, or other berries besides strawberries, etc., these are not recommended for the 500 calorie portion.  Each of the meats, vegetables and fruits chosen to eat on the 500 calorie portion (Phase 2) have been taken to an exact science to help you lose the most weight possible.

If you haven't already purchased it, I highly recommend the book 101 Worry-Free HCG Diet Recipes Book (available at http://www.diyhcg.com/hcg-books/hcg-weight-loss-cure-guide-linda-prinster-1).  It gives a lot of great recipes to help keep this diet from getting monotonous and a grocery list in the back.  I also highly recommend (if you haven't purchased it already) the Pocket Guide to the HCG Protocol (available at http://www.diyhcg.com/hcg-books/pocket-guide-to-the-hcg-protocol-prinster), which will guide you through the foods that are tested and proven down to what phase is okay to eat them and what serving sizes are, as well as calories, proteins, sugars, fats, and carbs breakdowns to help you lose the most weight possible and maintain your new weight.

Have fun shopping!

-Melinda

next step... what hCG to purchase???

Now that I have given you ample time to hopefully have read the manuscript by Dr. Simeons (http://www.diyhcg.com/media/Dr-Simeons-Manuscript.pdf)... what is the next step?

The next step is to buy whatever form of hCG you will be taking.  There are so many different varieties out there.  I have had friends who did the hCG powder, the injections with a physician, the hCG homeopathic spray, and I have done the hCG drops.  I have a feeling there are probably other ways that they make the hCG formula as well, but these are all of the ones I have heard of. 

Now, you may be thinking what is the best one, and honestly there are so many out there now, it is hard to know which one is the best one.  If you have done the diet, feel free to write in your comments about which types of hCG you have taken and how they worked for you.  The first round we did starting on Super Bowl Sunday in January of 2010 we started with the 2 oz homeopathic drops made by diyhcg.com hcg-diet-drops... however, both my husband, Jared, and I ran out of drops by about day 34, so we didn't get the final few days of drops and potential weight loss we were hoping for, though I lost 27 pounds that round and my husband lost 50 pounds.  The second round that we did started on May 1, 2010 and we decided to try the 1 oz bottles of Mediral brand homeopathic drops (we bought 3 bottles each for a full round, which allowed for the full 40 days and room for error in counting the drops under the tongue) mediral-hcg-diet-drops.  We were able to get the 1 oz Mediral hCG detox drops at that time on e-bay, but e-bay has since banned selling hCG on their website.  Jared only ended up doing a half round in May of 2010 as that was all the weight he needed to lose (he lost that last 15 pounds fairly quickly), and I lost another 27 pounds.  At the end of that round, I didn't have a whole lot of weight left to lose, but I wanted to see how far down my body would let me go (the one thing about this diet is that it will not let you get too skinny, models have tried but this diet won't allow you to go down too far), so I started another round in September of 2010.  By the end of that round, I had gotten down to my very lowest weight and had lost an additional 16 pounds. 

After the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday, we had both gained a little weight back, so we did one more half round with the 1 oz Mediral hCG detox drops as well (2 bottles each to allow room for error, but most of the second bottle remained).  When telling others about the diet later in the spring, we then found out that Mediral had stopped making the drops altogether, so that particular brand of hCG has become much more difficult to find.  The potency of these drops is 6x, 12x, 30x, 60x, which is how many times the formula has been diluted.  There are several other brands out there that use this potency and several that use different potencies and sound like they will have great results without spending too much per bottle.  The following are just a few I found in a quick "Google" search...

directsupercenter.com has Natural Health Labs Homeopathic hCG 2 fl oz for $19.95 + shipping. 

http://www.ecrater.com/p/11218892/hcg-pharmaceutical-grade-weight-loss $15.98 for hCG Pharmaceutical Grade Weight Loss Drops 2 oz SEALED! FREE SHIPPING!

http://www.alternativehealthcompany.com/hcgfahcgdr6x.html 2 Oz Bottle of HCG Factory HCG Drops 6X,12X,30X,60X SINGLE REMEDY WEIGHT LOSS PLUS FREE GOURMET COOKBOOK & MORE for $38.95 plus shipping!

Whichever drops or hCG formula you choose to use, hopefully you find one that works perfectly for you.  If you have one that doesn't seem to be working, try a different one.  There is no way to be certain that it is the hCG formula either, as the way you eat is key to this diet, as well as NO or minimal exercise for the drops portion of the diet (either the first 21 days in a half round or the first 40 days in a full round).  Once you have purchased your drops, powder, or spray, you will want to purchase two very important books that will help you through the diet as well as maintain the weight after you have finished each round; 101 Worry-Free HCG Diet Recipes Book (Mennemeier & Prinster) hcg-weight-loss-cure-guide - this will help make the diet less bland and provide a grocery list so you will be prepared for the foods you are about to eat for the next couple of months; and Pocket Guide to the HCG Protocol (Prinster) pocket-guide-to-the-hcg-protocol - this will help in guiding you through the stages to come back off of the diet in knowing what foods to eat, when you can start eating them and how much is a recommended serving. 

As you will have found in Dr. Simeons manuscript, he has taken this to a pretty exact science on what foods are best to eat and best to avoid and what amounts of days to do the diet (21 or 40) and wean back off of the diet (3 weeks gradually adding back everything but starches and sugars and 3 weeks gradually adding back starches and sugars). 

Note:  If you are following the hCG diet with a physician, there will be different things to eat with each time you weigh as the physician will possibly change the diet weekly to meet the most potential weight loss for your body. 

The one website that I have found very helpful for this whole diet and a lot of questions that people ask me is www.diyhcg.com, but search out the web for other potential sources of hCG drops, powders, or sprays to your liking.  I know there are other hCG products out there that work too, so don't be afraid to give some other products a try.  I do know, however, that the drops offered by diyhcg.com really work to help lose the weight quickly and keep it off, but are more pricey than other places too... which is why I had gone to e-bay to buy my drops.  For those that have done this diet too, add a note to let anyone else reading this blog know what other products and companies are working and not working for you, that way we hear all sides... and can learn from others stories too!

Happy Hunting!

-Melinda

What have You got to Lose???

What have you got to lose but.... Weight!!!

I did it and you can too!!  I lost 65 pounds in 2010 with the hCG diet.  The weight truly does come off very simply, however, the maintaining can be the tricky part.  I was literally changing sizes every week in the first 40 days of each round of the diet.  Me and the thrift store became very good friends - lol!!

I have decided to write a blog that would hopefully answer your questions about this diet.  Any information you want to know, I have probably already gone through, so give me your best shot!  The only negative feedback I have found regarding this diet is from people who haven't ever tried it... I have helped my friends and family through this process and we have all lost a lot of weight... and now I want to help you too!  I hope you can learn from my mistakes and receive the best results possible!

Whether you have 10-15 pounds all the way up to 100+ pounds to lose, this diet really does work, but there are a few tricks to the trade and it does require you to learn to eat right and add in exercise at least a few times a week if not every day!  I am getting ahead of myself here though.  The very first thing you will want to do is read this manuscript... http://www.diyhcg.com/media/Dr-Simeons-Manuscript.pdf... Anywhere it says shots, trade that out in your mind for drops (homeopathic drops under your tongue - much less painful).

After you have read the manuscript, come back here for your next step.  I will be doing a new post every couple of days, and I will guide you step-by-step in your process to lose weight!

Read the manuscript before you move to the next step!  Feel free to leave comments on your progress!  I love to hear people's success stories!  I am here to help if you have any questions too!

Best of Luck to you in achieving your weight loss goals!

- Melinda