Original email for context: Can I replace the 500 calorie meal plan with pre-made shakes? (protein shakes, meal replacement shakes I think this can be done on occasion when you are super hurried or what not, but I don't personally think doing this to replace all your ... [Continue Reading]
Is chewing gum okay on the hCG Diet?
It can be - there's basically 2 considerations for the use of sugar free chewing gum. Some ladies have told me that chewing gum really helped them keep their sanity on P2. So there's real world feedback that it helped them.Keep in mind that gum tends to get the ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have Tofu on the hCG Diet for my protein?
Some consider using tofu for a meat protein because they are vegan or vegetarian, or because they are sick of meat. You can utilize Tofu on hCG- I have a more detailed help hub article on this here that will help with multiple options: Alternative protein sources ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have pickles on the hCG Diet? If so, which ones?
Yes on pickles! You just have to know which ones you can have and which ones you can't, so we'll go over that now. Before we do, you can also check out several hCG recipes I have that use pickles! Including....a P2 pizza, no joke. So first - pickles are cucumbers, ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have mustard on the hCG Diet?
Yep! Mustard is one of those things that's basically a spice. It's only zero to 5 calories per serving. vinegarmustard seed (a spice)other spicessalt Here's a couple photos of 2 organic mustards I own. Here you can see their ingredients are all things allowed on ... [Continue Reading]
How much Fat-free Greek yogurt is 1 protein serving on the hCG Diet?
Some people will utilize fat-free greek yogurt on P2 of the hCG Diet protocol as a protein portion since Dr. Simeons allowed the use of fat-free cottage cheese as a meat replacement. A 200g portion, or 7 oz. is about equal to replacing the 100g/3.5 oz meat portion. So ... [Continue Reading]
Generally do Hcgers avoid alcohol all together while on P2 of the hCG Diet?
I understand the question since many ladies do make modifications to the original hCG diet rules with success. However, in this case, it's not something you can get away with usually. I know this is kind of a bummer but keeping no alcohol on P2 is definitely best - this ... [Continue Reading]
Is BochaSweet okay to use on P2? It’s a sugar replacement made with Kabocha extract – zero cal, carbs, etc.
I looked this up- it sounded so promising! But if you read the reviews on the product - check out this one Bochasweet on Amazon - multiple people described severe gastric distress with this- I think this is best avoided. It does say it tastes the most like sugar of ... [Continue Reading]
Is it ok to eat miracle noodles on the hCG Diet at your lunch and dinner? They are filling me up but will they hinder my weight loss?
Yes, miracle noodles are OK but would like to add that just like any other modifications, not all people are okay with it. One thing to note though is that because they are very bulky and they also soak up liquid, the noodles could give the appearance of a stall or weight ... [Continue Reading]
Are there any “free” foods on the hCG Diet meaning that we don’t have to count the calories in those items?
Original email for context: Some folks have given me a list of free food like: 2 tbl skim milk a day, 2 tbl cottage cheese, 2 tbl onion for cooking, or even the small oil you make cook with or 1/2 cup broth to cook with. Are these really not to be counted in your ... [Continue Reading]
Gluten-Free alternative to the grissini / melba on the hCG Diet?
Original email for context: What does an HCg’er do about gluten sensitivities…….the melba toast/grissini bread sticks are made with wheat. Is there a substitute / What should I do? There's a couple options here. I'm gluten sensitive as well. Option 1: Many ladies don't ... [Continue Reading]
Is gelatin ok to have on P2 of the hCG Diet?
From what I can tell, while rogue or AP (alternate protocol - off original protocol), I think it would be fine because it’s basically just protein- here’s a screenshot of a brand on amazon - 1 tbsp has about 22-25 calories and 6g protein. So just figure those calories ... [Continue Reading]
Can I eat rice cakes on the hCG Diet?
Rice cakes are not on the original protocol and I don't have any familiarity with ladies using this, but some people who are gluten free replace the grissini/melba with a similiar gluten-free starch - it's possible that a rice cake equal in calories might be alright - for ... [Continue Reading]
Are the miracle noodles eaten in addition to protein, veggie & fruit as an added filler on the hCG Diet?
Yes that's correct. I never use the miracle noodles in place of any of my P2 foods since they don't really have any calories. Check out my full post that describes how I utilized Miracle Noodles and some tips and good things to know. And they really are a GREAT filler. ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have Lamb on Phase 2 of the hCG Diet?
Lamb is a very fatty meat, so it's not a meat we would eat on P2. All the allowed proteins of the hCG Diet are very lean and one of the main principles in Dr. Simeon's diet was keeping as much fat as possible out of the diet. The 2ndary reason we might apply is that being ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have Slimfast on the hCG Diet?
Original email for context: By chance can u take slimfast - 1gram of sugar & 1gram of carbs - on phase 2 of hCG? I noticed slimfast has a number of different products. To be honest, after looking up quite a number of nutrition labels of slimfast products online, MOST ... [Continue Reading]
Can I use almond milk on Phase 2?
While this is not on the original Dr. Simeons protocol, some use this in small amounts and find it to be okay - if you stick with the lowest calorie, unsweetened almond milks (for instance, one brand I like is Blue Diamond Almond-Cashew milk, which has only 25 calories ... [Continue Reading]
Is balsamic vinegar okay on P2 of the hCG Diet?
In short, yes IF you get a certain type. You want to use on Phase 2 a balsamic vinegar that has between 5-15 calories per 1 tbsp serving. If you look for that, you will be safe. Photo below to show you an example. This question comes up on occasion because unlike other ... [Continue Reading]
Can I take collagen on hCG diet?
Apparently collagen makes up 80% of your skins structure. This is a good article that lays what collagen helps with, but essentially collagen is high in 3 amino acids that are lacking in other whole proteins, that are desirable for building collagen in your own body. It ... [Continue Reading]
Can you do Hcg and herbalife shakes?
From my virtual assistant Li-An: Actually, I am familiar with Herbalife and I have used it previously to lose weight without hCG. It's good that it does not have added sugars but what could be missing is that a serving does not have enough protein. If I remember ... [Continue Reading]
Will one diet coke per day sabotage the Phase 2 diet?
It might not, however let me also give a few healthier options without aspartame sweetener that aren’t plain water that you might be able to replace it with! And for full disclosure, I did drink a diet coke pretty much daily on my very first round of hCG. So I have done ... [Continue Reading]
What drinks can I have besides water on hCG?
Since I get so many questions about various types and brands of drinks and if we can have them on hCG, I thought I'd make kind of a "master list" if you will to help us all out. And please remember, just because I am listing them here does not mean there's a guarantee ... [Continue Reading]
Can you use Pruvit liquid ketones on hCG?
I looked them up - they have a few kinds but this one here contains 45 calories and 7 grams of fat per sachet- that is from the MCT oil powder I believe. If you were doing the original Simeons protocol, you would avoid something like that, but if you are following an ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have Xylitol on Phase 2?
I think in reasonable quantities likely yes. It is definitely considered “AP” - alternate protocol. Of course in Dr. Simeons time xylitol didn’t exist, and he did allow the use of sugar-free sweeteners around then. These days most of us replace the ones he mentioned with ... [Continue Reading]
Do you have updated P2 foods ideas for the diet?
We do actually! I now have hcgchicarecipes.com which is chock-full of Phase 2 recipes for hCG and the way I’ve divided the recipes is “SP” and “AP”. SP means “strict protocol” recipes that go along with the original Simeons diet as he wrote it, for those who want to stick ... [Continue Reading]
Can I inject hCG with the Paleo Diet? I want to be in ketosis with hCG.
As you know, the original hCG protocol is almost entirely fat-free. Added to that and the carbs are pretty carefully controlled. The differences with the Paleo diet would be the use of regular fats, and also a variety of higher carb items like sweet potatoes and ... [Continue Reading]
I’m adding a protein or collagen shake after my workouts on Phase 2 hCG – is that right?
Original email for context: I just started hcg, I week ago. The days I worked out, I have added a pure protein /collagen shake with no sugar. Is this what you are suppose to do if you workout? It’s definitely a good idea to add a 3rd protein serving to your day after a ... [Continue Reading]
Are BareFoods Sauces okay for Phase 2?
Original email for context: I was wondering about the BareFoods sauces. I'm not familiar with these. I've tried Walden Farms products (Sucralose/Splenda) in the past and usually stalled. I have occasionally used Stevia without issue. I'm thinking about the sample pack. ... [Continue Reading]
I wanted to know if it’s safe to take Omegas or Evening Primrose oil on Phase 2 of hCG?
I feel like it's wise to avoid unnecessary oils wherever possible if you are following more closely the original premise of Dr. Simeon's protocol which was to keep all fats and oils out. And I figure in grand scheme of things, not taking a supplement for 3-6 weeks is ... [Continue Reading]
I don’t like stevia what can I use instead on Phase 2?
Original email for context: I would prefer to use stevia, but the problem is that I can’t seem to find one that actually taste good. Can you recommend one that taste good and that doesn't leave a bitter after taste? I will try my best to notate out a few ideas. Many ... [Continue Reading]
Can I use Crystal Light in my water on Phase 2 hCG Diet?
Original email for context: It is very hard for me to drink plain water or lemon water. I know its not protocol, but will it really hurt if I use crystal light in my water? It has no sugar. Many people do utilize various water flavorers on P2 without trouble. Like you ... [Continue Reading]
Why is it advised not to use a fiber supplement while on the hcg diet?
It's not that it is really not allowed, many hCGers use various fibers like pysllium husk, glucomannan, etc during hCG and they don't have problems with it. The only thing is this fiber is not on the original Dr. Simeon's protocol and some people gain from it (we all know ... [Continue Reading]
Can you have fat free cottage cheese on the VLCD HCG diet?
Yep! This is listed in Dr. Simeon’s original hCG protocol as being an allowable protein serving in place of meat. It’s 100 grams/3.5 oz fat free plain cottage cheese (use a kind without weird starchy/sugary additives) - it was intended to be an occasional meat/protein ... [Continue Reading]
Can I use Stur flavors on Phase 2 hCG?
I love stur!! Seriously, that are the way to make healthy sodas for me.Yes, they are made with stevia so I haven't seen these to be a problem on P2. Of course we can't guarantee so you'll have to experiment and see what works for you, but the likelihood of them being an ... [Continue Reading]
Can I take probiotics on hCG diet if it has potato starch in it – will it affect my losses?
Original email for context: I’ve been taking a probiotic for years now and have continued to take it throughout my hcg round. I just realized that potato starch is in the list of ingredients. Is this enough to affect my losses? First of all I love probiotics and I found ... [Continue Reading]
Specialty teas with dried fruit etc – do these have calories? Are they okay on P2 of the hCG Diet?
If they have no added sugar, I feel like I would personally be okay with consuming them on P2. And you can always leave them out a few days and see if your weight loss is different. Or if you do find yourself running into a stall, remove them to check. But my gut feeling ... [Continue Reading]
Protein Powders / Shakes on P2 and P3 hCG Diet – what brands do you recommend?
You may already know this, but just in case, protein shakes and powders are AP - meaning an alternate hCG protocol- not original - I’m not against them just want to make sure you know that. And also the following shakes are good for BOTH P2 and P3 - they have very little ... [Continue Reading]
Can we use MCT oil on Phase 2 of hCG diet?
This question comes up a lot. Some use it, some don't. You likely know that it wasn't in Dr. Simeon's original protocol to use any additional fats. However, some who have experimented with it feel that it either didn't hurt their weight loss, or even improved it. Myself, ... [Continue Reading]
Can you drink plain Kombucha during p2 of hCG diet?
I get this question a lot more frequently than I would expect! Everybody is so hip these days! We used to make kombucha at home years ago. And depending on how long you let it ferment, there is more or less sugar in the resulting drink right? Which you can usually taste. ... [Continue Reading]
Could stevia be making me stall?
I am doubtful that the stevia is affecting your results and I’ll share more about that in a moment. But you can certainly try removing it for 3-4 days to see. The hard thing about this is that sometimes when you adjust something for a day or 2, you have a high likelihood ... [Continue Reading]
Can I use coconut oil on Phase 2 of the hCG diet?
You can do anything you want of course! But I know that’s not why you’re asking me. ;) So Coconut oil is not part of the original Dr. Simeon’s protocol's food list and is also not in line with his basic principles of the diet which was to be as fat-free as possible- he ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have Dandyblend on Phase 2 of the hCG Diet? Coffee replacement
Dandyblend has 5 calories per tsp, so I think it’s totally a go on P2 of the hCG Diet personally. I typically used about 1 tbsp in 1 drink when I’ve used it so that’s only about 15 calories and 3 carbs. They have Dandyblend on Amazon! Large 2 lb pouch 25 single ... [Continue Reading]
Can I have La Croix sodas on Phase 2 for an evening out while on hCG?
Yes these are a great choice for keeping your sanity on an evening out while on the VLCD phase of the hCG Diet - they are calorie free and not even sweetened and I LOVE how many flavors they have now! It’s practically endless now. Some of my favorite flavors can be found ... [Continue Reading]
Did you have the same weight loss when you used Greek yogurt on the Phase 2 hCG diet vs. when you didn’t?
I have a detailed post about how I utilized fat-free Greek yogurt while on P2 here that you should definitely check out! But one thing I will add is that I did not lose 1 lb per day every day on the hCG protocol and neither would most women in my weight category. This is ... [Continue Reading]
Monk Fruit as a sweetener allowed on P2 and/or P3 of the hCG Diet?
I personally think Monk fruit sweetener on P2 would be fine. I'd suggest using small amounts to start just to be sure before using too much of course. I think it's a quite healthy sweetener- it tastes a bit too fruity for my palate, but I'm trying to get adjusted to it ... [Continue Reading]
How much of your Phase 2 hcgchicarecipes can I eat?
Original question for context: Your P2 hcgchicarecipes show the amount of calories per serving, but is the recipe shown considered one serving or more? In other words, if I make the recipe as shown can I eat the whole thing or do I need to figure out how much one serving ... [Continue Reading]
Can you eat salmon on the hCG Diet?
I personally never tried it, and it would definitely be an alternate protocol food since it’s not on Dr. Simeon's original list. My hCG interview with Kimberly in Episode 23 of the hCG Diet Interviews ate lean canned salmon on hCG without a problem though! And if ... [Continue Reading]
