hCG, also known as human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced at high levels during pregnancy. This hormone is always present in the human body, but during pregnancy, its levels significantly increase; it prevents the body from storing extra fat, allowing the growing baby to receive all the essential nutrients instead. In 1954, a British doctor discovered this hormone’s incredible benefits for losing weight. Since then, people have started using hCG injections to aid weight loss. But this hormone really works when combined with a proper diet. And that was when the hCG diet came to life The hCG hormone suppresses appetite and stimulates the body to burn fat. Paired with an ultra-low-calorie hCG diet, you can quickly lose significant amounts of fat. When following an hCG diet meal plan, you must stick to a 500 calories diet plan. That amount can differ depending on how much weight you are trying to lose; nonetheless, it won’t be much higher than 500 calories per day. The idea is to get your body to consume your stored fat for fuel. The hCG diet is often compared to the keto diet. The hCG diet plan is not much more strict regarding the foods you can eat; the meager amount of calories you can consume a day marks the real difference between these two diets.

The hCG diet plan lasts about two months; it has three different phases. You will have to stick to 500 calories a day in the middle phase, which lasts from 3 to 6 weeks. The times depend on how much you want to lose, your starting weight, age, gender, and other factors. Healthcare experts from our weight loss clinic in Chicago will advise you and guide you through the three phases to ensure you succeed at each one of them.

How challenging is the hCG diet to maintain?

We know that sticking to 500 calories per day sounds like a difficult challenge. Moreover, it’s never recommended you start such a journey without medical supervision. It’s important to keep in mind that hCG injections are there for a reason – they make the low-calorie journey much more manageable. In addition, the hCG diet doesn’t strictly cut any specific foods; it will be easier to find the perfect hCG diet plan for you and commit to it. And you will see that by following this diet, weight loss will happen so fast that you’ll be thrilled with the results.

The good news is that the hCG diet lasts between 6 to 9 weeks, so you will only have to maintain this strict food regimen for a short time. There are three hCG diet phases:

• The first one, known as the loading phase, only last two days. Those 48 hours prepare the body for the low-calorie intake it will go through in the upcoming weeks. In this phase, you start taking the hCG hormone injections. On those two days, you can eat pretty much whatever you want. You should make sure to consume foods high in fats and calories.
• The second phase is called the weight loss phase; it lasts about 3 to 6 weeks. That is when the real hard work starts. During this time, you continue taking hormone injections and begin a 500-calorie hCG diet meal plan. It is recommended you have only two meals a day, lunch and dinner. But as long as you stick to the calorie limit, you can enjoy breakfast and a low-carb snack.
• And last but not least: is the maintenance phase, which lasts three weeks. This phase shouldn’t be overlooked; otherwise, you can regain your lost weight. To avoid rapid weight gain after hCG diet, you will gradually increase your food and calorie intake during the maintenance phase. In this phase, you have to avoid sugar and starchy food.

A diet with this ultra-low amount of calories can negatively affect your mood, making you irritable, tired, and restless. Luckily, hCG hormones pair great with Lipo C injections. Besides helping you lose weight, lipotropic injections improve your mood by giving you more energy and mental clarity. You can consult our experts about how to boost your mood and weight loss journey by combining these two injections.

Creating an hCG-friendly grocery list

The best way to maintain this diet and not fail, especially through the weight loss phase, is to count on a good hCG diet meal plan. Knowing which foods are hCG-friendly and which ones aren’t will definitely help. Use the following food list to get some ideas for grocery shopping. If you are a vegetarian, that’s no problem. You can make a vegetarian hCG diet food list and consider adding a protein supplement to your shopping list.

Foods to include

The hCG diet meal plan includes a wide range of foods. For being such a restrictive diet regarding calorie intake, this diet is very versatile. In the loading phase, you can eat anything you like, and you should also include high-fat foods. The allowed foods for the two reaming phases are included in the following lists. In the third phase, the maintenance phase, you must slowly increase your calorie intake. And add other foods little by little.

Lean Proteins

A good protein intake is vital in the hCG diet. Protein helps you lose weight and prevent muscle loss. In the second diet phase, you should eat about 200g of proteins daily. Lean meat is the best option; lean beef, chicken breasts, lobster, shrimp, crab, and white fish—but also eggs, tofu, and cottage cheese. While dairy is not totally off the table, you should watch your dairy intake since most dairy products are high in calories.

Vegetables

Just like in most diets, veggies are important. There is only one rule here: stay away from starchy vegetables. Instead, shop for non-starchy veggies such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, celery, cabbage, onions, greens, cauliflower, and broccoli.

Fruits

You can have one serving of fruit with each meal. Try to pick apples, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, lemons, oranges, and grapefruits.

Beverages

Like in any diet, it is recommended to drink enough fluids throughout the day. You can have a cup of coffee or tea; for sweetener, use Stevia or another low-calorie sweetener. Avoid adding milk or cream to your beverages.

Foods to avoid

While there is no specific food or groups of foods you must strictly cut off this diet, you will have to at least lower your intake of some foods to stay on the calorie limit. Here is a list of the recommended foods to avoid:

Fats and oil

Once you are over the first two days of the hCG diet, say goodbye to fats and oil. Oil, butter, and dressings are off-limits. These foods are high in calories and will quickly take you to the calorie limit.

Added sugar

Sugar is strictly off the table. You can opt for Stevia or Saccharin. This rule applies to sugary drinks such as sodas and energy drinks.

Alcohol

No beer, no wine, no cocktails; believe it or not, alcohol is one of the main reasons people go off the hCG diet. Once passed the first week of phase three, you can start drinking alcoholic drinks, but you should do it in moderation. Alcohol is one of weight loss’s biggest enemies. If you could cut it down during the second phase, we recommend you keep going that way. It will benefit your weight loss journey and your overall health.

Desserts

Cookies, cakes, candies, pastries; all of these sweeteners are off while you’re on the hCG diet.

hCG diet meal plan samples

Now that you’re aware of the do and don’ts, following this diet will be easy. If you’re scratching your head trying to think of hCG meals ideas, you can use these sample menus:

The loading phase

There are no food restrictions in this phase; the idea is to consume meals with high-fat content. Here are some high-calorie, high-fat recipes.

Beef Burrito

In an oiled pan, fry one finely chopped onion. Add four chopped garlic cloves, oregano, salt, pepper, and your favorite spices. Cook for 1 minute, then add two chopped tomatoes and 1 lb of beef mince. Cook while stirring until the mince is brown. Add one can of black beans, and include the water from the can too. Cook while stirring for about 20 minutes. The great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare it two days ahead. When you’d decide to have the burritos, heat up the tortillas, add your favorite seasoning, and top it with the beef mince preparation. Fold over the end of the tortilla to make a roll. Each serving has 870 kcal and 32g of fat.

Summer Carbonara

For this dish, cook one package of spaghetti (16 ounces); drain and transfer it to a bowl. Heat a large skillet with 2 tbsp of olive oil; add one chopped onion, one diced yellow summer squash, a medium diced zucchini, and two minced garlic cloves. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Then add four chopped tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, then remove the preparation from the skillet. Set aside. Add two beaten eggs to the skillets, and cook while stirring. Once done, top the spaghetti with the eggs and vegetable preparation. This recipe makes six servings. Each serving has about 500 kcal and 17g of fat.

The weight loss phase

Prepare any of these hCG meals to stick to the 500-calorie plan:

Easy Asparagus Shrimp Soup

This soup only takes a few minutes to make, has a low-calorie count, and tastes so good. Simmer 4 cups of chopped asparagus and 7 oz shrimp in 2 cups of water – you can use low-calorie chicken broth. Add salt to the taste, 1 tsp turmeric, and 2 tsp coriander to the water. Blend everything together with an immersion blender, and voilà. This tasty soup has only 151 kcal per serving.

Basil Burgers

To make these delicious low-calorie burgers: grab a large bowl and mix 7 oz ground beef, 4 tsp coconut aminos, fresh basil finely chopped, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp ground black pepper. Combined all ingredients well and use you had to form the burgers. With his amounts, you’ll get small burgers. You can double the quantities to make some extra burgers and freeze them. Grill the burgers for 3 minutes on each side. One serving has 147 kcal and 21g of protein.

The maintenance phase

As mentioned before, what you eat during this final phase shouldn’t be overlooked. You can start to increase your calorie intake with these meals gradually:

Tasty Chicken Salad

For one serving, boil or grill 100g of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cut the chicken into small cubes and place them in a bowl. Chop two stalks of celery and a medium apple, and add them to the bowl with the chicken. About the dressing, keep in mind that oils are off the equation on this diet. Make sure to use an approved hCG salad dressing; you can also use apple cider vinegar. Depending on the dressing you use, this recipe has about 170 kcal.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich

For this salmon sandwich, you’ll need two slices of whole-wheat bread – you can toast the breast if you like; it will give the sandwich a nice crunchy touch. Spread 1 tbsp of cream chees on both slices. Top it with sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and greens. Salt the vegetables; add fresh ground pepper too. Finally, put a few slices of smoked salmon over the tomatoes and top with the remaining bread slice. This sandwich has 280 kcal.

Final thoughts

The hCG diet helps to achieve weight loss goals fast. If you use these meal plan ideas wisely, reaching your desired weight will be easy. Besides aiding weight loss, hCG injections improve your metabolism and provide energy. But once you are off the diet, committing to a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits will make you remain at your desired weight.

If you want to give the hCG diet a try, schedule your appointment with our weight loss team. We can guide you through each phase, assuring you safely and efficiently reach your weight goal.