Avoiding Common Pitfalls: The Dos and Don'ts of the hCG Diet

When following the hCG diet, there are many things you can do to have success.  There are also many mistakes that people make along the way.  Below, we’ll discuss the dos and don’ts of the hCG diet so that you can get the most success possible.

Do know what you’re getting yourself into?

Talk with your healthcare provider and get as much information as you can ahead of time.  The more you know, the easier it will be to stick to the plan and lose the weight.  Read books, look at message boards, and get yourself into the mindset you need to follow the program.

Don’t stray from the plan 

You can only eat 500 calories each day on the hCG program.  If you stray from the program, you’ll find that you don’t lose weight as fast as you’d like to.  Even one day of eating too many calories will hinder your success.

As you can imagine, 500 calories goes quickly.  However, most people on the hCG diet report that they don’t feel hungry after the first couple of days and that they have to force themselves to eat the food each day.

Do take your hormone at the same time each day

Don’t forget to take the hCG every single day at about the same time.  This will help your metabolism to get revved up and stay up. When you miss a dose, you’ll see it on the scale.  If you’re someone who is very forgetful, you’ll need to come up with a system.

Perhaps you can set an alarm each day to help remind you to take your hormone.  You can also add it to something you already do normally – such as brushing your teeth or taking your shower.  Once you get in the habit, it’ll be easier to maintain.

Don’t Exercise Strenuously

Again, it’s important to remember that this isn’t your typical diet and exercise plan.  If you exercise vigorously, you’ll actually prevent the diet from doing its job.  It’s okay to exercise moderately by walking, doing yoga, or stretching.

When you’re in the maintenance phase you can go back to a more vigorous workout routine if you choose to.  But while you’re in the initial phase of the diet, don’t exercise more than 15 minutes each day.

Do Seek Support

Many people are using the hCG diet to lose weight.  When you’re struggling with sticking to the program or if you have questions, it helps to have someone to talk with.  If you don’t know anyone in your immediate circle of friends who is trying the hCG diet, there are online resources.

There are many message board and social networking sites dedicated to people who are dieting and working to lose weight.  A quick search online will pull up hundreds of resources.  You’ll find you can ask questions and get advice from people who are in the same situation.

Don’t Start the Next Cycle Too Soon

If you’ve finished the first hCG cycle and had success, you’re probably anxious to start the next cycle and lose even more weight.  You may be tempted to start the next cycle right away so that you can get that weight off faster.

However, when you go back to the next cycle too soon you actually decrease the effectiveness of the program.  Your body begins to become tolerant to hCG and your metabolism begins to slow back down.

When you want to have permanent weight loss on the hCG diet, you have to follow the protocol to the letter.  Don’t try to rush things even if you’re very tempted.  This won’t help you to lose more weight – it will keep the diet from being effective.

Do Listen to Your Body

As your body is changing through the hCG diet, you may find that you notice those changes more.  Dieting can cause you to become more in tune with your body and this is a good thing – if you listen to it.

While you don’t need to rush to the doctor every time you have a little twinge or change, it’s a good idea to listen to your body’s signals.  If you’re having frequent headaches, fatigue, dizziness or other strange symptoms, make sure to get them checked.

Changing your hormones and eating a small number of calories can sometimes work against people who have conditions like diabetes and hypothyroidism.  You may uncover an underlying health condition you didn’t know you had. 

Make sure that you listen to your body and take what you observe seriously.  There’s nothing wrong with getting your healthcare provider’s opinion.  He or she may order lab work to check out what’s going on.

Don’t Buy hCG from Just Anyone

There are many places where you can buy hCG – both injectable and in drops – online.  But not all of those sources are reputable.  In fact, unless you follow certain precautions you may not be getting something safe or effective. Here are some guidelines for purchasing hCG:

·           Injectable hCG should never be purchased online unless it’s from a highly trusted resource.  You should always purchase it from a pharmacy using a prescription.

·           Buy hCG that’s manufactured in the United States and FDA approved.

·           Pay attention to the price – if it’s much cheaper than its competitors, there’s probably something wrong.

·           Make sure you buy with a money-back guarantee.

Remember that if something seems too good to be true, it probably be is.  Beware of people who want to take your money and prey on your desire to lose weight.  There are many reputable places to purchase hCG – use those!

Do Get into a Routine

Changing your eating habits can be very difficult.  One way to make things easy is to stick to a routine.  Many people find that eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch and only having variety at dinner is easier than trying to mix it up all the time.

While it seems like variety makes things more interesting, it also makes it harder to stick to a routine.  You only have to stick to 500 calories a day for a short time – don’t worry too much about getting bored with your food choices.

Don’t Stick to Bland Foods

When you’re limited to a small number of calories and food choices each day,  you want them to taste good.  Don’t be afraid to add spices and fresh herbs to make the food you’re eating more palatable.

If you don’t like the food on the diet program, you won’t stick to it -even if you have to do it for only a few weeks.  Bad food is bad food.  Instead, focus on finding ways to add flavor to your food.  Adding new spices to your cupboard is a great help in fighting the bad food blues.

Do Pack Your Lunch

Work is one of the hardest places to stick to a diet.  There are people all around you eating foods that you can’t have.  There’s also always someone bringing in treats for the break room.  Be prepared to fight these temptations by bringing in your own food.

Pack your lunch every day so that you have what you need to get through your program on the hCG diet.  Remember that when Phase Two is over, you’ll be able to gradually add treats back into your diet.  Be patient!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

When you’re starting a new diet program, you may feel like you have a lot of information and become overwhelmed.  Once you get into it for a few days, you’ll start to have questions you didn’t think about before.

Don’t be afraid to talk with someone also following the plan or with your healthcare provider.  There’s no such thing as a stupid question – especially when it comes to your health and your diet. 

Do Keep Your Journal

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to keep track of your success.  While it may seem simple and mundane, keeping a journal can be the key to your weight loss now and the key to maintaining your loss.

Write everything down – your food intake, your daily weigh-ins, and your measurements.  Also pay attention to your emotions.  You can use your journal to help look back on successes and also to try to pinpoint problems that caused your weight loss to slow.

Don’t Give Up!

The most important advice you can follow is to stick with the program.  Weight loss can often be a difficult battle.  If you’re focused on your goals and celebrate your successes, it will help you to stay motivated.

When you give up, you often will revert back to old habits that caused you to gain weight in the first place.  You’ll give up the benefits that come from losing weight and keeping it off such as improved health and vitality.

The hCG diet is an important program for losing weight and keeping it off permanently.  You’ll be able to set a new pace for your metabolism and enjoy a lifetime of feeling great and feeling great about yourself.

While this diet has many restrictions at first, they don’t last forever.  When you start to feel overwhelmed, bored, or frustrated by the diet remember that it is a temporary phase.  Within a short period of time, you’ll be able to add more calories and foods you enjoy to your plate.