Choose a time for your weekly meal planning strategy and stick to it. One of the biggest mistakes that bring diets to a screeching halt is grabbing quick foodstuffs in order to calm a soaring hunger. Being stressed, arriving home late from work or not having sufficient time are common excuses that can drive you to the refrigerator and hurt no one but yourself. More than likely your schedule is not going to change so take the proper steps to work with it.

Make sure that you have an adequate supply of the fresh foods that are necessary to get you through the week. If you have a family, they are going to be curious about your new diet. Instinctively, fruits and vegetables will be picked up as a snack. You may even begin to see lemon wedges in empty water bottles. Instead of scolding family members over taking your weekly supply of food, encourage them!
Buy more than you expect to use and watch as your kids and husband jump on the health wagon.

Here is a list of foodstuffs for sample HCG diet meal plans that you should begin keeping in your kitchen to plan healthy 500-calorie meals. Vegetables will not stay fresh for over a week so rotate to keep a variety of taste.

Meat

Veal, beef, chicken breast, lobster, crab, shrimp and fresh white fish

Vegetables

Celery, tomatoes, red radishes, onions, cucumbers, cabbage, asparagus, spinach, chard, fennel, beet greens, salad greens and chicory

Fruit

Apples, oranges, grapefruit and strawberries

Bread

Melba toast, Grissino breadsticks

Drinks

Coffee, tea, water

Seasonings

Salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, parsley, mustard powder, sweet basil, etc.

When you first enter into the HCG Diet, this list may seem small. This is where your education of knowing what the body needs in order to be alkaline, fit and energetic comes in. You know how important the right foods and the proper balance is in order for your system to operate correctly. Compare your new weight-loss journey to when you are ill and need an antibiotic. The antibiotic treatment may have undesirable side effects but you will do almost anything to feel well again. Where you are now, you are sluggish, tired, and your body aches and feels out of shape. You need the right treatment to improve this situation and within a couple of weeks, this same list will appear huge as your body begins to tell you that 2,000 calories do not make you feel better.

If you are having problems with creating meals without the regular fats, breads and processed
ingredients, there are hundreds of recipe books designed just for sample HCG diet meal plans. Read through a couple of these and you will be amazed at such luscious recipes.

When you work during the day, always prepare your lunchtime meal the evening or weekend before in one serving containers. You will find this method saves time, energy and will not tempt you to run to a fast food restaurant. Preparing evening meals can be a time of relaxation when everything is planned in advance and your ingredients are all conveniently available. Buying organic foods are the best for your body and fresh, never canned vegetables and fruits, are a must. Canned foods contain a high amount of sugar and chemical preservatives, exactly what your body does not need.

Many beginners worry about being hungry all the time. Consider that foods that are deep fried, full of glucose, sugar and made of flour do nothing but add empty calories that are not even worth counting. Your body will begin to thank you into the second week of your HCG Diet by using the right foods to maintain balance. Discover how much less your body needs to function when the right sample HCG diet meal plans are implemented.

The pregnancy hormone diet is quite simple. It has a two step process that you must follow in order to be successful. It has been called the Pregnancy Hormone Diet because the first part of the diet is injections or drops of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin that the body makes naturally when a woman is pregnant. The drops or injections are administered for either 26 days or 40 days depending on the plan that you choose.

The second part of the diet is a strict low calorie meal plan. This meal plan consists of a 500 day allotment of calories that can never be deviated from. It must always be followed for the diet to be effective.

The diet is very simple to follow and has three phases to complete. Each phase leads you directly into the next phase. Phase one is loading, phase two is maintenance and phase three is stabilization.

Phase one or the loading phase is one of the most important phases of the diet as this provides you with all of the fat stores needed to start and maintain the diet. Phase one consists of eating high fat, high calorie foods for 2 days in addition to eating at least 2000 calories per day. This will build up your fat stores and last you throughout the diet. You will also take six to ten drops of HCG six times a day. Make sure that you eat as much as possible and you can eat anything you want from fried chicken to pizza. Think of this as a time to gorge on all of the foods that will be restricted to you during the next phase of the diet.

During phase two of the diet you will continue to take six to ten drops a day of HCG. This phase of the diet, called the maintenance phase, will last from 21 to 40 days depending on how much weight you want to lose. During this phase you will be on a strict low calorie diet. This plan includes drinking as much non-sweetened tea and water that you want. The food choices consist of lean meats like chicken breast, lobster, shrimp, crab, veal and beef. Vegetable choices include spinach, red radishes, onions, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, chard, fennels, cabbage, asparagus, cucumbers, chicory, and beet greens, plus one breadstick and one apple, orange or half a grapefruit for both lunch and dinner. Following this 500 calorie meal plan will reset and strengthen your metabolism. It targets your fat stores from all over your body including the stores from phase one.

Phase three is the stabilization phase. This phase is started after you have been on the maintenance phase for 21-40 days. During this phase you are to follow a moderate diet of 800 calories for women and 1000 calories for men and make sure to avoid any starches and sugars. HCG drops are no longer needed in this phase of the diet.

If you follow the diet correctly, and pay attention to all of the restrictions of the diet, you can lose up to 34 pounds in about 44 days of dieting. If you have more than 34 pounds that you want to lose then you can do several rounds of the HCG Diet. The next round should be started within six weeks of the end of your first round.

The Pregnancy Hormone Diet is actually a diet that can work for you. You can lose up to 2 pounds a day depending on how much weight you need to lose. This a simple diet that will not only help you to get rid of extra weight but will also coach you how to effectively make good food choices and keep the weight off after the diet is over.

If you have ever been pregnant or known somebody who has been pregnant, you may already be familiar with HCG. It stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, and is the hormone which helps deliver nutrients from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy. It works by distributing nourishment to both mother and baby through the placenta. Researchers have been successful using HCG as a method of weight loss in laboratory settings, and recently were able to bottle this miracle weight loss method in a safe, easy to follow regimen which can allow dieters to lose 2 pounds per day while on the diet. People can lose literally inches in just a few weeks time while on the HCG diet.

People have three types of fat in their bodies. The first type of fat is essential to life. It is found between connective tissue and surrounding organs and is vital to sustain healthy living. The second type of fat is an insulating layer which the body will then use to sustain itself in times of calorie deprivation and malnourishment. The third type of fat is completely unneccessary, and is found in most people’s trouble areas–around the hips and thighs, belly, upper arms, and other areas of the body adding inches and extra weight to a person’s frame. When a person goes on a traditional diet of calorie reduction and frequent exercise, their insulating fat, the type which surrounds most of the body in a thin layer, is often depleted and redistributed, and the unnecessary fat stays behind. The HCG diet combats this third type of fat by eliminating it from the problem areas. The HCG targets the unnecessary fat in the body and turns it into energy. You can literally see the pounds and inches melt away on the HCG diet as this excess fat diminishes.

The HCG diet also has a multitude of positive side effects. While on the diet, testosterone levels increase. This results in an increase in libido among both men and women. Cravings for sweets and starch are also shown to be diminished among people on the HCG diet, making it easier to maintain a healthy style of eating. Dieters are then able to combat two of the most common problems most people on fad diets complain of–they are able to maintain their diet because cravings are all but eliminated and they see immediate measurable results.

The HCG diet is an easy and inexpensive diet to follow. During the first several days of the diet, you will load up on calories while taking HCG. This lets your body know right away what the HCG is supposed to do. It programs your body, in a sense, to target the unnecessary fat in your body. After the first few days, you will move to the second phase of the diet. The second phase is typically a reduced calorie diet while supplementing with HCG. You will mainly eat fruits and vegetables during this phase, avoiding starches and sugary foods, and allowing a small amount of protein per day. During phase 2, you will continue with the HCG supplement as well, and you will notice you aren’t having any cravings for the sweets and the starch. In the first part of phase 3, you will continue with the reduced calorie diet, but you will stop taking the HCG and allow it to leave your system. You will then begin a healthier way of eating in which you will have no more cravings.

The HCG diet has proven time and time again to be an effective means of weight loss. It teaches the body to eliminate the unnecessary fat in your body instead of redistributing the fat your body needs. The results speak for themselves, and dieters have been able to lose pounds and inches in a very short amount of time while on the HCG diet.

One of the most popular of the recent weight loss programs that has proven its amazing results for people in a very large age group is the HCG diet. Known as the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, HCG is a naturally produced hormone in pregnant women. Its basic attributes include ovary protection, immune tolerance during pregnancy, progesterone level upkeep, but in addition to all this, it also serves as a fat burner that speeds up the weight loss process.

Is HCG Safe?

HCG is able to decrease calorie intake by focusing on the hypothalamus, where the homeostatic control of food intake is located, thus altering your eating behavior. This part of the brain is also responsible for receiving metabolic signals and responding accordingly to any cues from the digestive system.

Unlike other weight loss pills or programs that focus more on short-term results and force the body to change its rhythm, the HCG is often recommended by dietitians primarily because it causes no harm to your overall health.

First of all, HCG is safe because it is a naturally occurring hormone, created by the body of pregnant women to nourish the fetus by converting fat reserves into nutrition. More than that, it drains the fat cells and produces positive natural energy which, needless to say, it is beneficial for any person struggling with obesity and other weight problems. Thus, the body is not deprived of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain the well functioning of internal organs.

Not only is HCG sage for the body by presenting minimal side effects and negative consequences, but it is also beneficial for people with diabetes because, as it was proven by studies and research, HCG boosts insulin levels and helps the metabolism. HCG will suppress your hunger not by forcing you to starve to death, but by using the added fat particles to provide satiety.

HCG allows your body to access extra fat storages without releasing the usual sensation of hunger that’s triggered by a slowed metabolism. After the diet, your body will recognize your new weight as the new setpoint and it hovers there, even after you return to a normal eating routine, so the weight stays off without any additional efforts. It is this easy to lose weight by being on this diet for a month or two and enjoying the results for many months to come.

For more than 60 years, HCG has been proven efficient as a part of weight loss programs, helping people lose fat from their hips, thighs and all those places where you don’t want any fat storage. Provided that you follow the diet strictly and according to the instructions, you will finally realize that you can actually lose weight without feeling completely miserable or causing harm to your body.

HCG Diet- Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!

People who enroll in this weight loss program will not only lose pounds faster than they ever thought was possible, but it will also improve their eating habits and help them make the pass to a more balanced, healthier life. With most diets, you must either starve yourself to death or eat a lot of unhealthy, bad tasting foods that will maybe provide you with a quick fix, but will have disastrous results in the long run.

The HCG diet provides a healthy diet plan, which is another argument in favor of the fact that this diet is actually safe for the human body. You will be eating a lot of fruits, vegetables and proteins, allowing the body to stay nourished even during an aggressive diet. Most importantly, after you finish the diet, you will not be returning to the initial weight, which is the case of most diets. The majority of people who have been on this diet have improved their eating habits and the overall quality of life.

Your Physical Build and Fitness Levels

One of the first factors that everyone who are trying to lose weight should consider is your physical build. This will ensure that you have a much more realistic picture in your mind and are not trying to achieve something that could mean harm to your body. For example, those with a larger frame should not try to attain 110 pounds, since it is just not realistic given the conditions. You have to learn to accept your body and work in the best interest of it. No matter what type of build you are, you can always attain a slim and firm body figure.

Another factor you should take into account is your fitness level, meaning that if you have been visiting the gym for the last few months or so, your body will also be more muscular. It is important to note that more muscles usually add more weight, but it makes your body fitter and healthier at the same time, which can produce favorable results nevertheless.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

How to find your ideal weight? Well, the additional way to find that out is by studying your body mass index (BMI). Body mass index is one of the more scientific approaches to calculate your ideal weight, but should only be used as a rough estimation of your ballpark figure and it is not intended to be used as sole mean of determining your ideal weight. BMI takes your weight, height and your sex in its equation. The numeral you get from it is an approximate value of what your ideal weight should be. Most precise way to calculate body mass index is by taking current body weight, body fat percentage, body fat weight, your lean body weight and your anticipated body fat percentage into equation, but all that data must be known to you in order to make a proper calculation.

This might sound very confusing to some, which is why many websites try to make this process as simple as possible by offering many tools and resources that can help you calculate your BMI. You may also refer to your local body weight professional to learn additional methods on how to find your ideal weight or simply allowing him or her to deal with the matter at hand.

How the Body Mass Index Works and How to Calculate It Yourself

In order to avoid paying your body weight professional expensive services, you can calculate your BMI yourself. The simple and effective method to do so is to look at your current true weight in relation to your height. The true weight is the weight of your body in the morning after your toilet needs and before the consumption of any liquids or foods.

The outcome of your BMI falls within a certain range, which is either the range considered as normal, or the range that is above or below that value and considered as overweight or underweight. For example, someone who is 6 feet tall and weighs between 145 and 182 pounds would be considered to have a normal weight.

So how to find your ideal weight with the help of BMI yourself? If you make calculation in pounds then your equation is your weight divided by your height on square, and the result you get, multiplied by 703. For example, a person that weighs 145 pounds and is 5 feet 8 inches tall (68 inches), would divide 145 with 4624 (68 on square), which would result in 0.0313. This number is then multiplied with 703, giving the BMI of 22.00. For those dealing with kilograms, the equation is a bit simpler and is done without the use of 703. You only divide your weight by your height on square and the result you get is your BMI. For example, a person that weighs 70 kg and is 1.80 m tall would divide 70 with 3.24 (1.80×1.80), which would equal 21.60.

If you still find it confusing to calculate your body mass index yourself, just go through the last paragraph again and you will find out that it is actually a fairly simple process.

The diet mentioned above is an extremely popular model where consumers are encouraged to order pre-packaged meals from a distributor in order to help them lose body fat. However, these types of diets cannot yield permanent results because fat loss results rely on the consumer spending hundreds of dollars every month in order to get meals that supposedly abide by strict nutritional guidelines in order to aid in fat loss. The results from these types of diets are usually very brief as consumers get tired of paying hundreds of dollars for the same food that is far less expensive in the grocery store.

The second type of diet that has become very popular is a low carbohydrate diet. This type of diet comes in many forms. Popular protocols such as the South Beach diet and the Atkins diet promise large amounts of weight loss in a short period of time. The only issue with this type of diet is that compliance is extremely difficult because, when someone is cutting their carbs, dehydration usually results which can cause extreme lethargy. This diet has been very popular since the mid-1800s and although it can produce some results, it is not an easy-to-follow plan and more people fail on it than succeed.

<h2> How HCG Stacks Up Against Other Popular Diets</h2>

There are countless other types of diets such as diets that restrict the amount of sugar that you eat on a daily basis as well as other diets that require you to drink a protein drink 2-3 times per day. However, no single diet has been as successful in helping people lose a large amount of body fat as the HCG diet. This diet incorporates HCG drops in order to assist the body in burning off a large amount of fat in a restricted calorie setting. HCG has been around since the mid-1950s when Dr. Simeon conducted research using HCG hormones to assist those who were obese lose a large amount of body fat.

<h2> How Does HCG Work?</h2>

When levels of the HCG hormone are used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet, this hormone will prompt the body to maximize fat loss by burning an average of 2000 calories per day from fat cells. What is the difference between a low-calorie diet and a low-calorie diet with HCG incorporated? Generally, on a low-calorie diet, your body will quickly utilize muscle for energy on a 2 to 1 ratio. That means for every 3 pounds of weight that you lose on a low calorie diet, 2 pounds will come from precious muscle tissue. Preserving muscle tissue is the goal in dieting because it helps accelerate your basal metabolic rate which keeps your body consistently using food for energy. HCG also helps the body to preserve muscle tissue, and in doing so, almost all physical energy is derived from fat cells during extreme dieting.

This type of dieting, which has been steadily gaining in popularity over the last five years is one of the fastest ways for dieters to lose a large amount of body fat without having to sacrifice their muscle tissue in the process. What is the greatest benefit of HCG? Those who lose weight on this diet tend to keep it off as opposed to other diets that promote a yo-yo a pattern where dieters will move from one diet to the next in order to try to lose body fat. During this process of trying to find the best weight loss diet, dieters will rarely be able to create positive body composition changes, and many time, will only resemble a smaller version of themselves before they began dieting. HCG can help a dieter lose weight as well as shape their body in a favorable way. People who try HCG are extremely satisfied with their results, which is why it has become one of the most popular diets to date. Learning how HCG stacks up against popular diets can save you time, money and frustration with your weight loss efforts.

Am I Obese?

To find out if you are obese you must first determine your body mass index (BMI). BMI is the relationship between your height and weight that determines your body fat in kg/m2. The simple formula used to determine BMI is:

BMI = kg/m2 OR BMI = lb * 703/in2

In the formula kg or lb represent you actual body weight and m or in represent your height. If your BMI is 30 or above, then you are considered obese. A normal weight is presented in BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. Overweight, but not quite to the point of obese is measured between 25 to 29.9 BMI. If you have determined through this formula that you are obese, then you should consider speaking with your health provider, beginning a daily exercise routine and searching for a diet that has proven results for people who are obese.

I Am Obese, Now What?

As discussed above, obesity is a serious concern and has several harmful side effects. The first thing you should do if you have discovered that you are obese is to determine to lose weight. There are several things you should do to begin this journey.

First, talk to your healthcare provider. Your doctor should be able to tell you which class of obesity you fall into; there are three classes each with varying levels of severity. You should also ask your doctor to check for side effects that may already be progressing. Your doctor should test you for diabetes, run tests for your heart and talk to you about the possibility of resulting sleep apnea or osteoarthritis. Finally, you should discuss a plan to reverse your situation. Your doctor will be able to explain the benefits of becoming or remaining active and the available diets that are helpful in eliminating obesity.

Next, you should get moving. The medical community strongly believes that obesity is usually a result of consuming too much energy from food and then not using that energy. A sedentary lifestyle is second only to overeating in terms of the possibilities of developing obesity. You should determine to begin an exercise routine and stick with it. Work with your doctor or a fitness trainer to understand how to create a program that will work for you.

Finally, start dieting. We have explained that obesity results from the over-consumption of energy. Look for diets that work with the hormones in your body to naturally eliminate this overage of energy. You should find a diet that limits caloric intake throughout the day. If you are interested in diet pills, consider ones that claim to have appetite suppressants. Some diet programs are more effective than others but, usually with a diet that restricts caloric intake and provides an appetite suppressant dieters can expect to lose between half a pound to two pounds per day. You will be well on your way to fighting the battle with obesity in no time.

WORKS CITED

“Does the HCG Diet Work?”. americanhealthandbeauty.com. http://www.americanhealthandbeauty.com/articles/?article=4545. 2012. 18 February 2012.

“Obesity”. wikipedia.com. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity. 2012. 18 February 2012.

While there are side effects for everyone who does the HCG Diet, there are several HCG Side Effects in Women. The diet basically consists of injections or pills of the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone and a restrictive 500 calorie diet. HCG is the hormone that is normally produced by women when they are pregnant so it is a natural occurring hormone in the woman’s body.

The use of the injections or drops when the woman is not pregnant has been shown to cause some side effects in women. One of these side effects that may affect women is the loss of hair. Changes in the hormone levels in the body in addition to the reduced calorie diet can cause the hair loss that many women may experience on the HCG Diet. The low calorie diet that you have to follow limits the nutrients that you receive. This will cause hair loss as this is what your hair needs to grow and stay healthy.

Skin problems are another common type of HCG Side Effects in Women. This is more commonly seen in women who are taking their HCG in injection form. The site of the injection may become infected or raised due to swelling. It may also cause other types of skin problems such as irritation or rashes on the skin.

Weakness is another common side effect that women who are on the HCG Diet may experience. This is most commonly due to the restrictive diet of 500 calories a day that you are expected to follow with this diet. The low amount of calories can cause weakness due to the body going into starvation mode. This may also include headaches, and mood swings.

Women also will experience pregnancy like symptoms while on the HCG drops or injections. This is because this is the hormone that the body naturally makes when a woman is pregnant. The hormone levels are raised when HCG is present in the body creating higher levels of estrogen. This may include several common ailments that pregnant women normally experience such as tender or swollen breasts, retention of fluids, and swelling in the hands, feet and legs.

Ovulation problems may also occur for women who have been on the HCG injection or pill for a while. This is typically due to the fact that this is a hormonal injection and this injection is more commonly used for women with infertility issues. Long time use of HCG may stimulate the ovaries causing an overproduction of eggs to be released from the ovaries. This in turn can lead to Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. Common symptoms of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrom are breathing problems, vomiting, constant or excessive urinating and breathing problems. This can be a sign of major medical problems, so make sure to speak to your doctor immediately if you notice any of these type of symptoms.

Some other more common side effects that you may experience are pain near the injection sight, severe headaches, a feeling of being bloated, feelings of restlessness and depression. All of these symptoms can affect women too. Remember, that most of the side effects that you may experience are temporary due to the added hormones in your body and the restrictive diet that you must follow. Some women may experience no side effects while some women will experience almost all of them.

Knowing about all of the potential HCG Side Effects in Women is vital in knowing if this is the right diet for you. That is why the number one rule in dieting is to ask your doctor about what diet would be the best and safest way to lose the weight you have to lose. Being educated in all of the side effects that you may experience as a woman is very important vital to your health.

While some men are afraid of growing male breasts or being seen less manly by having this hormone injected in their bodies, HCG side effects in men are not nearly as dramatic or life-threatening as they believe. In fact, it’s been a long time since HCG has started to be used in young males who have a hard time with puberty and are looking for a way to jumpstart the process and has been reported beneficial in improving sexual drive, sperm count and body strength.

HCG Side Effects in Men- Are Males in Danger?

Provided that HCG is used correctly and in strict accordance with the instructions, there is no risk or dangerous or life-threatening side effects in both males and females. Products containing HCG can be safely used as a weight loss aid for individuals who are trying to keep their weight under control. Probable HCG side effects in men are common symptoms associated with diets in general and pose no serious threat to the overall health of the body.

In fact, this hormone is commonly given to boys before puberty to facilitate the dropping of testicles into the scrotum and it has been extensively used as an aid for normal sexual development. HCG stimulates the man’s body to produce testosterone and other male hormones.

Common HCG Side Effects in Men- Are the Benefits Greater than the Risks?

Considering that headaches, restlessness, irritability, swelling or tenderness in the injected region are some of the most common side effects in men, there are clearly more benefits to this diet than risks.

The occurrence of side effects is actually influenced by age, health condition, weight and responsiveness to the treatment, so while some people might have to deal with headaches or soreness in the first days of the diet, others can very well go through with it without feeling any of these symptoms.

Common side effects such as headaches or leg cramps are actually signs that the HCG is doing its work successfully. The headaches are just a sign that your body is undergoing a massive detox and throws out all those toxins that have been building up in your body. As you drink more water as part of the diet and consume fewer calories, the body is feeding off of fat storages that contain chemicals and toxins and this can result in headaches in the first couple of days of the routine.

Leg cramps can also be accounted for- the lack of potassium is causing them because, while on this diet, you are not allowed to eat bananas or other potassium sources. However, you can easily take a potassium supplement and provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs.

Fatigue, food craving and hunger pangs can also be included in HCG side effects in men, but these symptoms are quite common and imminent when it comes to weight loss programs. In order to avoid such problems, you can spread the food intake throughout the day so that you can enjoy several smaller serving amounts. These symptoms will improve once you get used to the diet and the meal plan.

As a man interested in shedding some extra kilos in a short amount of time, you can safely use HCG drops or injections to lose weight faster than you ever thought. You don’t have to worry about HCG side effects in men if you are taking the medication correctly and respect the dosage accordingly. All the above mentioned symptoms are common in every diet that really works and they usually improve after your body readjusts to the current eating routine, so you can rest assured that you will not jeopardize your health by trying to lose weight with HCG.