Quick weight loss: 6 sneaky treats that will ensure you don’t fail on the hCG diet
Quick weight loss is virtually guaranteed on the hCG diet. Not only do you shed kilos fast, your metabolism is reset to a new fat burning point so that you keep the weight off. You’re also given lifelong tools for healthy eating that will allow you to stay at your desired weight and quickly rectify things when the scales start creeping up again.
But let’s get real: it’s a strict diet, particularly phase 2. That’s where you stick to 500 calories a day. While the hCG homeopathic drops work to keep hunger at bay and cause your body to burn its hard to shift brown fat stores for energy, there are times when your mind might try to sabotage your efforts with thoughts like:
- “I’m achieving my quick weight loss, the scales are plummeting, I deserve a little treat (like a block of chocolate)”
- “I’m bored with eating a small amount of meat and one vegetable for my meals, how can I add some variation?”
- “It’s hot and I want a cold, sweet drink to quench my thirst but soft drink is a big no-no, what can I have?”
- “It’s cold and I want a hot, sweet drink to warm me up, but I can’t have coffee or a hot chocolate and I’m up to my eyeballs in tea.”
We all need little treats in our daily lives, even those of us aiming for quick weight loss. So rather than denying yourself and sticking to the diet through sheer force of will – which can cause you to crash and burn, then ditch the diet altogether as you smash some hot chips into your mouth – try these sneaky treats.
Scrumptious treats that won’t interfere with your quick weight loss efforts
YES, you are allowed to have all of these on phase 2 of the hCG diet. Who would have guessed? OK, so they may not seem like the kind of decadent indulgence you had in mind, but trust me: when you are following the hCG diet to the letter, any little treat like this is a godsend and tastes ten times better than it usually does.
1. Hot chocolate
Made with organic cocoa or cacao powder. You can save your one tablespoon of milk for a hot chocolate, or just have it with water. You can sweeten it with stevia or maybe a little xylitol. When I did the hCG diet, my biggest challenge was getting through a day of work at the office surrounded by people snacking, drinking coffee loaded with sugar, and a snack table that my bosses keep topped up with chips, lollies, cakes and biscuits. So that I wasn’t tempted, I made sure I had my own little treats for work that wouldn’t impede my quick weight loss. I took a packet of organic cacao powder and a great brand of stevia powder called Natvia (no bitter aftertaste, negligible calories, tastes just like sugar). Every afternoon around 3pm, when my co-workers were getting sugar cravings and energy slumps, I had my sugar-free hot chocolate, made on cacao powder, water and stevia, and it was just the sweet boost I needed to get me through the afternoon with no hunger pangs, no sugar cravings and no feelings of deprivation.
2. Strawberry and mint water
We’ve got the recipe for this delightful summer drink here on the website. I did the hCG diet in late spring/early summer and it was HOT. This delicious drink was so thirst quenching and satisfying, I decided to make it regularly throughout the summer, even after I’d finished the diet. I added stevia to the recipe to make it just a little bit sweeter. I had mint growing in the garden and I always had strawberries in the fridge. I used my Nutri-Ninja, which made it very quick and easy. I just threw the strawberries, mint, ice, water and stevia into the Nutri-Ninja and blended it for about 20 seconds. It made such a fruity, refreshing drink that I loved having as a kind of dessert after lunch. So yummy!
3. Konjac noodles
If you want to achieve quick weight loss, these noodles are your best buddies. We’ve written about them in more depth in this blog post, but let me tell you now, they are an absolute godsend. If you’re a bit of a carb junkie like me, the foods you might really miss on the hCG diet are pasta and noodles. The taste, the texture, the way they fill you up. Noodles and pasta are just so satisfying and versatile, whether you add them to stir-fries, soups or salads. But they are a big no-no on the hCG diet. Enter the incredible konjac noodles. They’re made from the root of the konjac tree and have virtually no calories, no gluten, no fat and no sugar, but are high in fibre, which can really help keep you regular. You can add them to your lunches or dinners while you’re following phase 2 of the diet, and they won’t impede your quick weight loss efforts in the slightest. One of my favourite meals was to dry-fry some chicken seasoned with garlic powder, then add chopped tomatoes and fresh basil from the garden, and serve it over a bowl of konjac noodles. It was incredibly yummy, filling and really became my go-to meal when I couldn’t think of anything else to cook.
4. Lemon slushie
Doesn’t your mouth water just thinking about drinking a lemon slushie? It’s got tang, it’s got sweetness, it’s got no fat or calories and it’s delectable on a hot day when plain water or mineral water with a squeeze of lemon just doesn’t cut it. To make a hCG diet-friendly lemon slushie, just squeeze half a big organic lemon, add one-third of a cup of water, eight ice cubes and organic stevia and xylitol to a blender. Whizz it up and voila! It’s a variation on the strawberry and mint water that you can enjoy a couple of times a day if you like.
Please note, do not give xylitol to your animals in particular dogs, it is life threatening. This informative article explains why: https://yourdogadvisor.com/xylitol/
5. Frozen orange ice-blocks
Instead of eating an orange for your fruit allocation, you can squeeze the juice of an orange and mix it with water to make your own ice-blocks. Most supermarkets sell ice-block moulds, so grab yourself a set and get to work. If your oranges aren’t particularly sweet, feel free to add stevia or xylitol. If you find yourself feeling like something a bit yummy after dinner, don’t give in to the temptation to sit in front of the TV and pig out on a bowl of ice-cream. That’s not going to give you that quick weight loss you’re aiming for. In fact, it will send the scales soaring in the wrong direction, not to mention your blood sugar levels. Instead, pop out an orange ice-block and go for a nice evening stroll while you suck on it like a little kid. You’ll feel so much better and you won’t dread the impact on the scales the next morning.
6. Broths
Grandma knew what she was doing – bone broths are the bomb. They’re an absolute lifesaver on phase 2 of the hCG diet, when you need all the nutrition you can get. I would recommend making up some chicken and beef broth before you begin the diet and freezing it in batches, because it’s such a staple that you can add to any meal to add flavour, substance and nutrition. You can drink broths during the day if you’re feeling a little peckish or low on energy, you can use them for soups, stews and sauces and they are super-nourishing. They are low in calories and fat, so they won’t hamper your efforts in achieving quick weight loss in the slightest. In fact, they’ll assist your body in doing the healing and repairing it needs to do in order for you to reach your weight loss goals. Here’s a link to our homemade chicken broth recipe. If you’re used to using stock cubes or packaged broths from the store, you’ll be surprised at how much better all of your meals taste when you use properly prepared homemade broths. Seriously, if you haven’t gotten on the broth bandwagon yet, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. Even when you finish phase 2 of the diet, it will help keep you on track in phase 3 and remain an excellent addition to your arsenal of nutritious and tasty meals throughout your lifetime.
Which foods have you craved the most when you’ve followed other diets in the past? Did they cause you to break your diet?