Q: What are some of the reasons why a person’s weight stalls on Phase 2?
A: Every person’s body is made up different cell memories, conditioned responses, stress reactions, and emotional triggers. Because of this, each person is a new, individual case when it comes to this program. Where one person may have extreme success in losing quickly without many (or any) stall patterns, another person may feel that their Phase 2 is riddled with ups and downs or stalls on their weight loss chart. It is important that we do not compare our weight loss with anyone else. There are a good portion of people that lose an average of .8 pounds per day over the course of each round, however, there are many people that average anywhere from .4 to .8 pounds per day. (Take your total weight lost so far and divide that by the total number of days you have been in Phase 2, to find your daily average weight loss)
If we stepped into this program with the perception that we would lose 1/2 pound a day, we would be so happy that we were losing 1 pound every 2 days . . . Right?! But, because some people lose weight a bit more quickly, we become disappointed with our own amazing results!
Here are some reasons for stalls or gains:
1) Addition of oils or fats into the diet or absorbed through the skin.
2) Old weight set-point (your body feels safe at “this” weight)
3) Emotional issues: fear of success, fear of attention or advances from opposite sex, fear of giving up the excuse to be: sad, lonely, sick, tired, less than wonderful, less than beautiful, less than needed, less than worthy, less than . . .
4) Release of toxins (fat soluble toxins) back into the system which increases acidic nature of the internal terrain of the body. When the body becomes too acidic, it retains water to help alkalize the internal terrain. This extra water retention can show up as weight gain or a stall.
Q: It’s time for Phase 3 and I’m soooo scared to eat!
A: Let’s face it, Phase 2 is “safe”. We have a certain portion of food that we eat, in a set manner, that has finally moved us in a new direction with regards to our stubborn weight. It is scary to come away from that safety net, to what seems like “the scary world of food”. Let me tell you, though, you will LOVE Phase 3!
This was my rule for Phase 3:
Eat when hungry, stop eating just as soon as the hunger pangs go away, and wait for the body to tell you when to eat again. It is that simple! The biggest lesson I learned in Phase 3 is that the old habits of hoarding, and gobbling massive meals has to be a thing of the past. Just light meals here and there throughout the day.
Those old food habits must go. You need to retrain your brain in Phase 3 to graze and use food as fuel, not entertainment or as a solution for emotional ups and downs. I learned that my body asks for water, many more times during the day than food. So, a good rule of thumb to start with is this: When you feel hunger, or cravings, drink water first, then go for the food. The other thing I did was to make sure I was getting some kind of protein with every meal or snack. Hard boiled eggs and string cheese can be very handy. Add them to any other food like apples, carrots, and nuts.
Here is a sample Phase 3 day of eating:
Breakfast: Bacon (cuz I missed it so much!) and spinach omelette
Snack: Nuts and cheese
Lunch: Protein shake and small salad with avocado
Snack: Almond butter with an apple
Dinner: Small piece of grilled meat with Veggie
Dessert: Plain yogurt sweetened with Stevia and some frozen blueberries.
Yes, compared to Phase 2 this is a bunch of food!!! But you’ll be amazed at when you get on the scale in the morning, your weight only moves slightly up and down the scale within your 2 pounds of the last HCG weight. If you happen to eat something that is inflammatory to your body, you’ll know it because the scale will be higher. Easy resolve. Just fast with liquids for breakfast and lunch (you can have V8 juice now) and have a big juicy steak with an apple or tomato for an early dinner. This will bring you down to a lower weight and you are back on track again! Embrace Phase 3 – it is wonderful!!
Q: Is it important for me to take my HCG drops at a certain time during the day?
A: It is good to have the HCG drops taken throughout the day to help suppress your appetite. Some people are very specific about their timing, others are somewhat random in taking their HCG drops. There isn’t a set in stone rule for taking the HCG. As long as you are taking the drops in spread out intervals during the day, that is good. Try to take HCG drops sometime in the morning, it doesn’t have to be before a meal. Then take another dose sometime mid-day or early afternoon. Take your last dose sometime in the evening, or even before bed. The best time to take your HCG is when it is best for you and your schedule.
Q: The book says to stop taking the HCG during menstruation. How many days do I stop taking it?
A: The majority of information given in the book, “HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide”, has to do with injections of the HCG hormone. In his protocol, Dr. Simeon had women stop taking the hormone injections during their menstrual cycle. However, most women who take the injections, continue to take the HCG throughout their entire cycle because their hunger returns
The Homeopathic HCG is a different story. The Homeopathic, since it is the frequency of the hormone, can be taken the entire Phase 2 round without interruption.
Q: Help! I’m getting ready to go into Phase 3. I’m scared because I don’t want to gain the weight back. What do I eat?!
A: Once you have completed the VLCD (very low calorie days) without HCG at the end of Phase 2, you are now free to add oils and fats back into your diet. In Phase 3 you are allowed to eat fatty meats like turkey, ham, pork, tuna, salmon, etc. You also have a wider variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from.
Linda Prinster’s book, “HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide” has wonderful food guide charts that are a great resource for this transition. If you have not ordered the book, I highly recommend you do. You can find the book on Amazon.
Phase 3 is a three week long maintenance period that is most important for resetting the hypothalamus. Still no sugars or starches. You will continue to weigh every day and maintain your weight within 2 pounds either side of your last HCG weight. If at any time your weight is higher than 2 pounds of your last HCG weight, you will do a “steak day”. Fast on liquids for breakfast and lunch and then eat either an apple or tomato and large steak for an early dinner.
This should drop your weight to back within range of your last HCG weight. From that point on, eat as your body tells you to and eat smaller meals more frequently.
Q: I’m a big soda pop drinker. Can I continue to drink diet soda while I’m on the VLCD (very low calorie diet) portion of Phase 2?
A: I’m so glad you asked! It is important to understand that the chemicals in diet soda have a negative effect on the glands, organs, hormones, and on neurology. The toxic effect of the artificial sweeteners on the body has been proven and should be avoided now, and always! I know that is not what you want to hear, however, there is an alternative.
If you need the bubbles, there is a way to get it without putting so much strain on the body. Sparkling water, low sodium club soda, mineral water, seltzer water, etc., all have fizz. Add stevia to the seltzer water of your choice and you now have a soda that is much less harmful to the body. Nu-Naturals Vanilla Stevia has a very smooth aftertaste and can give sparkling water the flavor of Cream Soda. Now add any flavored stevia, (Sweet Leaf brand carries many flavors) and you can have root-beer, lemon-lime, orange, etc. This is a great alternative, and, another wonderful advantage to using Stevia is that it actually helps to balance blood sugar levels in the body!! Double Bonus!
Q: What do you recommend I use for lotion?
A: During Phase 2, it is very important not to use any lotions, body or face creams that have digestible oils in them. The HCG opens up the adipose fat tissue to be used as fuel, however, it is a two way street. Not only will the body use the adipose fat for fuel, but it also allows the storage of new fat, (whether eaten or absorbed through the skin), in the adipose layer! That is why Dr. Simeon insisted on an oil free, fat free diet while taking the HCG. He knew that the body would store fat if ingested.
Therefore, by eliminating all external fat sources, the body will be forced to use it’s internal sources of fat for fuel.
One fellow HCG user, (with more than 20 pounds lost, I might add) has found this product to be wonderful as a moisturizer and lotion.
You can get it at The Vitamin Shoppe for $7.00
Na-PCA Information:
NAPCA with Aloe Vera liquid provides quick relief from dry skin, burns, shaving irritation, detergent rash and other skin irritation. Na-PCA with Aloe Vera is a Ph-balanced, concentrated solution of the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (the natural moisturizing factor found in human skin), combined with the highest quality aloe vera gel. Na-PCA is synthesized from glutamic acid, a nonessential amino acid. The skin contains natural moisturizers, the most important being Na-PCA. Old skin contains only about half the amount of Na-PCA as that found in young skin. The ability of skin to hold moisture is directly related to its Na-PCA content. It is water, and not oil, that keeps skin soft a supple. Na-PCA pulls water out of the air, moisturizing the skin, improving its appearance, and giving it a moist and youthful glow. This is not a cosmetic cover up, it is a physiological correction of an age-related deficiency state. Na-PCA with Aloe Vera provides quick relief from dry and cracked skin, burns, shaving irritations, detergent rash and other minor skin irritations. The aloe vera gel in this fine product is produced from the crystal clear gel of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera line) by a unique extraction and purification process exclusively developed by Twinlab. The aloe vera gel has never been powdered, frozen or reconstituted. Therefore, it retains its maximum biological activity and effectiveness.
Na-PCA Ingredients
Pure Aloe Vera Gel, Na-PCA (the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid), Purified Water, Methyl Paraben
Na-PCA Suggested Usage
After bath or shower spray Na-PCA on the hands and apply to the face and other skin areas. It can be applied under makeup or skin cream, or used under shaving cream for a more close, non-irritating and smooth shave. Na-PCA can be sprayed on live plants to enrich their moisture content.
Q: I just started P2 (phase 2). When do the hunger pangs get better? Also I’m a little confused when I should take the hcg. Is it right before you eat, or anytime you are really hungry or around lunch and dinner? Also, is it alright to eat the melba toast or part of fruit in the morning? I found I was really hungry in the morning.
A: Hunger is really common during the first few days. People experience different forms of “hunger”. Some say their stomach grumbles and grumbles, some say it feels like a an empty feeling in the pit of their stomach (like when you’ve gone way too long without food). Until this initial feeling goes away, there are a few things you can do.
1) make sure you are drinking plenty of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces each day!). Heavy teas like chai tea also can be helpful. (Celestial Seasonings Ch- no sugar) Also, mineral water, with bubbles (low sodium please) can settle the stomach grumbles quite well.
2) You can spread your food out throughout the day. If hunger sets in at 10:30am, eat some or all of your melba toast, or 1/2 of one of your fruit servings.
3) You can take a bit more of the HCG if you feel you need it. A few drops under the tongue can be very helpful to stave off cravings. Everyone is a bit different when it comes to effective HCG amounts (.5 up to 1ml – 3x per day) and the timing of taking their HCG. You will find your own rhythm and finally settle on what works best for you.
Q: Is there a good way to measure veggies?
A: Dr. Simeon’s manuscript is not very specific regarding veggie amounts. Linda Prinster’s book has actual measuring charts. I personally followed the ‘handful’ rule. On lettuce, salad mix, shredded cabbage and spinach, I used as much as I could grab. Which, usually turned out to be 1 1/2 handfuls. Asparagus, I tried to eyeball it, but never actually cut it up to put in a measuring cup.
I guess what I’m saying is try not to fret over serving size so much. The most important rule to follow is the lean meats at 100 grams weighed raw. This was the one thing that Dr. Simeon actually gave specifics on. Just use common sense and your best judgement.
Q: Can I take over the counter pain relievers?
A: There is always a chance that adding a chemical to our system can stall or slow down the process of fat loss. Chemicals are acid in the body. When the body becomes acidic, it has to retain water and fat to neutralize the acid. This could be interpreted as a stall on the scale. However, when the body has regained a safe pH, it will release the toxin, or chemical, or emotion, and weight reduction will continue. Use pain relievers if necessary, and remember to not be alarmed if your weight loss is slowed a bit. This too shall pass.
Q: When should I break a stall?
A: Marilyn, who stalled for 8 days, said that she would never let a stall go on longer for more than 3 days. I agree. She did a mini steak day to break her stall. Fast with liquids for breakfast and lunch. For an early dinner, 100 grams of lean steak and an apple or a tomato. This enabled her to lose 2-3 pounds and she continued to go down from there without any problems.
Q: How important is water consumption? I only really drink tea and coffee.
A: Very!!! Water is vital to the body functioning properly. Water helps to flush toxins out, (you’ve heard that before). Here’s why: When the body releases waste from the cells, which happens every second of the day, it has to protect itself by moving this acidic waste out of the system. One way to decrease acid in the system is to dilute it with water. So, here’s a good scenario: You are doing great in your fat loss, you’ve had three good days of losing .8, .6, and 1 pound. You’re thrilled! Then whammmmm, you stall for 2 days in a row. What happened? One possibility is that your body is diluting the newly released acid in you body by retaining water. This dilution will allow your body to remove these toxins more easily without harm. So, after your 2 day stall, you miraculously drop 1.2 pounds! Your body neutralized the acid and was able to release the waste and the extra water it took to neutralize it. This is why consumption of water is so, so, so important! When we lose weight at this rate, our body is releasing fat soluble toxins back into the system. More water will help your body neutralize the acidic toxins with greater ease. Tea and coffee are, by nature, acidic. If this is all you are drinking, you are keeping your body in a state of acidosis. Rethink your lifestyle choices and benefit greatly! eight Loss
1. Question: Can you start the HCG Diet the last two days of your period, or would that prevent the HCG
from entering your system?
Typically we recommend if a woman is on her period that she waits until the period is over before she starts the
HCG. If she’s already on the HCG, the she can either continue while she’s on her period or get off the HCG for
a few days while she’s doing her period. It kind of depends on the individual and whether they’re having any
difficulties or not.
2. Question: What happens if you cheat on the HCG Diet?
If you cheat on the HCG Diet you will not be successful. We tell the patients that typically if you cheat one day
a small amount you can lose as many as two to three days or more toward your progress. You may not lose any
weight during a given week. It’s very important that the client be advised that they have to strictly follow the
diet. We know what works.
3. Question: Can I make my own meal plan for the HCG Diet as long as it’s in the 500 calorie diet?
No. You cannot make your own meal plan because the recommended food is very important. You can’t have
fat, you can’t have sugar. It’s very important that you follow the recommendations of the strict protocol.
4. Question: Is it possible to lose 50 pounds in three months on the HCG Diet?
Of course anything is possible, but that’s probably unrealistic. Basically you have 40 days, and in another
month you’d have to get off of it before you went on a second round. So it’s possible, but probably unlikely.
5. Question: Is it safe to purchase HCG online?
It may be safe, but it also may be illegal. Plus, you don’t know what you’re getting when you go online to
purchase what is supposedly a prescription item. It could come from China, it could come from Mexico, and it
could come from places known to have contaminants in it. It’s very important to keep in mind that this is not
only a low calorie diet, but a medical diet.
6. Question: Does this HCG Diet actually help you get pregnant?
No, it does not help you get pregnant.
7. Question: Has anyone lost 70 or more pounds on the HCG Diet?
Yes, but not on one round. We have had clients lose as much as 175 pounds, but they have done multiple
rounds.
8. Question: Is 55 too old for the HCG Diet?
No. There’s really no age limitation, either for use or for older people. We’ve had people in their 60’s and in
their 70’s experience great success on this diet.
9. Question: If you eat the HCG Diet without injecting HCG will you get the same effects?
No. If you do a 500 calorie diet you’re probably going to be tired and hungry. You’re going to lose muscle
and your body’s going to slow down metabolically. You may also end up with lose skin, which doesn’t happen
when ingesting HCG.
10. Question: While on the HCG Diet do you always feel starved?
No, you should not feel hungry. Typically if someone’s hungry it’s around day three, four, or five. After that
you should not feel hungry. This means that something has to be adjusted.
11. Question: I am a 250 pound male and I can’t imagine living on 500 calories.
We’ve had a number of males who are much larger than 250 pounds—including well over 400 pounds—who
have done quite well on the 500 calorie diet.
12. Question: Is the HCG Diet good for losing weight quickly?
It is the best diet for losing weight quickly and safely.
13. Question: How long does it take for the HCG Diet start working?
Typically, within the first week females should lose a half a pound to three quarters of a pound per day and
males should lose three quarters to one pound per day.
14. Question: Is the HCG Diet safe for men?
Yes. Men actually tend to have more results or lose more weight than the females do.
15. Question: Does a liquid HCG work?
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by liquid HCG. We do know that the injectable HCG is the most effective
and there sublingual HCG, if that’s what we’re talking about here, that also work well.
16. Question: Can using the HCG Diet make you unable to have kids?
No. Not in our experience or not in any medical literature that we’ve ever read or heard of.
17. Question: Can I use my prescription topical acne medications while on the HCG Diet?
Typically you can use almost any medication while on the HCG Diet, but specific medications should be addressed
to your physician.
18. Question: Has anyone ever missed their period on the HCG Diet?
Yes. This can happen and that is nothing to be concerned about. It has happened to several of our patients.
19. Question: What happens after the HCG Diet?
How do you keep the weight off? Again, in our program we provide the metabolic reset diet. At that time your
appetite hormone—Leptin—is actually quite healthy. Sometimes people have trouble eating the higher calories
for a while. If you maintain the healthy eating program and you continue to exercise and you adjust any hormones
that need to be adjusted, it should be no problem to keep your weight off.
20. Question: How does the HCG Diet work?
Again, the HCG Diet works because you’re on a 500 calorie restricted diet. This diet allows the body to attack
the reserve body fat, so you’re losing what we call unhealthy body fat. Again, HCG does three things: helps
you preserve muscle, keeps your metabolic rate the same, and seems to affect the leptin hormone, your appetite
hormone.
