Going Vegetarian on the HCG Diet: Ideas and Inspiration

March 16. 2023

The hCG diet is a low-calorie regimen combined with hormone injections. The hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is actually a pregnancy hormone that can redistribute fat and suppress hunger. Generally said, the hCG diet and ketosis are excellent weight loss diets that can be combined with fasting to speed up the fat-burning process. Nowadays, many people with a vegetarian lifestyle want to start the hCG diet. But with this specific diet, they find a roadblock.

Now comes the tricky part for vegetarians: this particular diet plan allows you to consume 500 calories a day, about half of which must come from animal protein. Is there any solution for those who exclude products of animal origin from their diet?

Our answer is definitely YES.

If you are a vegetarian and want to lose weight, you are in the right place. Besides the essential tips you’ll find by the end of the article, make sure to check our vegetarian meal plan that will support your weight loss.

Vegetarian HCG Diet

First of all, let our weight loss clinic in Chicago experts clarify the main types of vegetarian diets. They, of course, all have something in common – the exclusion of meat products such as veal, steak, chicken, and others.

Vegans, for example, also don’t consume animal products like dairy, cheese, or eggs. On the other hand, Lacto-Vegetarians still consume some dairy products like cottage cheese and milk. Lacto-Ovo vegetarians will actually include eggs and dairy products in their diet too.

When talking about the vegetarian hCG diet, these differences are more than essential.

The main concern for all vegetarians on the hCG diet is meat protein replacement. Other types of protein, like nuts and legumes, are too high in fat and calories, so they aren’t permitted. That’s quite problematic since most vegetarian-friendly proteins and fats come exactly from these very sources. One of the possible solutions for non-meat eaters is drinking organic milk as a protein substitute. Non-organic milk can affect your metabolism due to the hormones contained within, so make sure to stick to fully organic milk if you decide that it’s your substitute of choice.

Besides this change, your diet and that of non-vegetarians are practically the same: two servings of fruit, two vegetables, only two slices of toast or breadsticks a day, and any quantity of coffee or tea.

Another concern is vitamins; some vegetarians take daily vitamin supplements to fill nutritional gaps. While a few hCG diet vitamins are allowed – those you must take only if necessary – most are prohibited during the extent of the diet.

Essential Groceries

As we already said, a vegetarian hCG diet can seem complicated at first since you do not consume animal protein. But you can focus on these high-protein alternatives, which can help you reach your recommended daily protein intake:

• Cottage cheese contains approximately about 30g of protein per cup. Add it to your favorite salad and mix it with protein powder. 
• Tofu is really versatile, and it contains 20g of protein per cup.
• Legumes are excellent for vegetarians – especially soy, like miso, with a low-fat level and a really high protein constituency. Pea protein is a great source of amino acids. 
• Eggs are definitely allowed on the hCG diet. A serving should contain one whole egg and three egg whites.

What Can You Eat?

These are three main phases of the vegetarian hCG diet:

• Phase 1:  The Loading Phase

This phase of the diet protocol lasts 48 hours, during which you are allowed to eat plenty of foods high in calories and healthy fats. It’s only the beginning of the weight loss process. The whole point of eating during the first 48 hours is to build up your fat stores.

At the start of each day, you will take your hCG injection. The overload of calorie-dense foods consumed over the initial two days signals to the hypothalamus that it should release and trigger hormones necessary for the weight loss process.

• Phase 2: The Weight Loss Phase

Here is the part that actually lasts three to six weeks. It’s during this particular phase that you’ll see the progress. You’ll need to continue with hCG injection and limit your daily caloric intake to 500-1200 calories. Of course, it’s necessary to consult your healthcare provider before you start this diet as, for some people, it can be more than they bargained for. Some people also opt to include fasting during this second phase. Achieving weight loss can be easier in some cases thanks to the fasting benefits by hour.

• Phase 3: The Maintenance Phase

As in phase one, you shouldn’t expect to lose any more weight in this phase. As a vegetarian, however, you have some solid options available. Although typically, a person would not eat legumes during this phase, you can ask your doctor if an exception to the rule will still be effective. Also, you can eat full-fat dairy products, but, as we said earlier, make sure they’re organic to reduce the risk of side effects.

Diet Plan

• Breakfast: You can drink tea or coffee in whatever quantity your heart desires with one tablespoon of milk (11 calories) max. 

Of course, you can use Stevia to sweeten since it’s the only sweetener that won’t slow the weight loss process down (unlike Truvia) since it has a total of 0 calories.

• Lunch and Dinner: Try to choose ONLY one item from each food category. It’s preferable that you diversify the two meals. Don’t just eat the same thing twice a day. You can spice up your meals with an approved hCG salad dressing.
• One Serving of Protein

You can use one scoop of protein powder, which equals one VLCD serving of protein. Other protein powders should contain 5 grams of carbs or less per serving and should be sweetened strictly with Stevia and Xylitol. Also, you can eat eggs or tofu as a protein substitute.

• One Serving of Vegetables

Choose one vegetable per meal, cooked or raw but not mixed with any other. You can eat it until you are satisfied or you have reached 500 calories a day. Here is the list: Spinach (3 cups raw = 21 calories or six calories/oz), Tomatoes (1 cup cherry = 18 calories or 5 calories/oz), Celery (2 cups raw = 32 calories or 4 calories/oz), Onions (1 cup raw = 64 calories or 11 calories/oz), Cucumbers (2 cups = 32 calories or 3 calories/oz), Lettuce (2 cups raw = 15 calories or 4 calories/oz), Cabbage (2 cups raw = 44 calories or 7 calories/oz).

• One of the Following Fruits

You can have two servings per day, 4-6 hours apart. Here are some of the high-protein fruits: Guava (1 cup = 112 calories), Avocado (1 cup = 240 calories), Orange (1 cup = 85 calories), Fig (1 cup = 111), and Mango (1 cup = 100 calories).

• Beverages

You can drink mineral water, spring water, tea, and coffee in any quantity, whenever you want. Make sure to drink no less than 75 ounces of water a day, too, or better yet, aim for a daily water intake of one-half of your current weight in ounces. You can also have a single lemon juice once a day- it’s about 12 calories. Drinking plenty of fluids while on the hCG diet will also help you avoid constipation. Can constipation cause weight gain? While not directly, weight gain and constipation are intertwined. So that is another reason to drink enough water during your day.

After the Vegetarian HCG Diet

The hCG shots work as appetitive suppressants, such as Phentermine for weight loss. What happens after you finish the hormone injections and the diet?

After the vegetarian hCG diet, your metabolism takes about nine months to fully reset. Once you complete the last phase – maintenance – you should still be gentle with your body for a while. Slowly reintroduce sugars or starchy foods, and gradually increase your calorie intake. All that will help you avoid rapid weight gain after hCG diet.

To prevent protein deficiency, dieters have to eat, for example, two eggs for breakfast, a huge steak for lunch or dinner, and a large helping of cheese.

If you aren’t vegetarian and you’d like to try the diet this way, talk with a specialist. Your health provider will tell you more about protein replacements and meal prep tips, and you’ll be able to adapt the hCG diet to your body and your needs.

Final thoughts

This diet is definitely great if you want a simple and customizable solution with excellent results. If you are a vegetarian and wonder how to stay healthy while following this diet, don’t worry; there are meal plans that can meet your needs.

Do you need more information about the vegetarian hCG diet or other weight loss programs, such as Ozempic weight loss? We are happy to advise you.

Schedule a call with us today, and let’s find the perfect weight loss journey for you.

Author

Nurse Walton

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Chanay received her Practical Nurse licensure and went to work in clinical specialties such as Home Health, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care and Dialysis Centers. Through this work, she realized the importance of diet, nutrition and weight loss among her patients. This led her to open A Better Weigh, Inc. Medical Weight Loss Center in 2009.