In Depth: Phase 2

I decided to do some in depth posts about each individual phase. I briefly outlined them in my "What The Heck is HCG?" post, but I thought it might be more beneficial to really get down to the nitty gritty. So here we go!

I'm omitting "Phase 1" because it's an optional cleanse before you get to Phase 2. Dr. Simeon did not require this cleanse. The "Phases" were made popular in Kevin Trudeau's book "The Weight Loss Cure They Don't Want You To Know About".

PHASE 2
Phase 2 is the phase in which you begin to dose yourself with the HCG (whether you are injecting, or taking drops sublingually).

• The first two days are referred to as "Load Days". During these days you will begin to take your HCG. It is important on these days to load your body with as much fatty food as you possibly can to build up your fat reserves. It is important to have healthy fats too, but you are pretty much allowed to eat whatever you want to. It's a good time to get in all your favorite foods since you won't be having them for awhile.
• It is not uncommon to gain on these loading days. Some people gain as much as 5 pounds when loading (Personal Experience: My first time loading I only ended up gaining a total of 0.2 pounds. I gained nothing after the first day, and then after the second day I gained the 0.2). This gain is different for everyone and will typically come off within the first few days of the diet.
• On day 3 you begin the "Very Low Calorie Diet", or VLCD, of 500 calories per day. Day 3 would be VLCD 1.
• You must be on Phase 2 for a minimum of 23 days. According to Dr. Simeon, if you have less than 15 pounds to lose this is the minimum number. If you happen to reach your goal before 23 days are up, you must increase your calorie intake and maintain your weight for the rest of the 23 days. After 23 days you must also stay on the VLCD for 3 additional days while your body still has HCG in its system.
• If you have more than 15 pounds to lose, you can stay on Phase 2 for a maximum of 43 days. As above, you must continue the 500 calorie diet for 3 days once you take your last dose while the HCG is still in your system.

This is what Dr. Simeon presented as the sample menu in his original manuscript. Hardcore HCG dieters follow this to the T:

Breakfast: Coffee or Tea in any quantity without sugar. Only 1 tablespoon of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or other sweeteners may be used.

Lunch:

1. 100 grams (3.5 oz) of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.
2. One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagas, cabbage.
3. One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast
4. An apple or an orange or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit

Dinner: The same four choices as lunch

Allowed items: 1 Tablespoon Fat Free Milk with coffee. Juice of one lemon, salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram, etc. may be used for seasoning.

You should not exercise during Phase 2. During Phase 2 it is important to weigh yourself every day. Some people even take their measurements every day. (Personal Experience: I found that because I tend to gain weight all over my body and lose it the same way, I just took my initial measurements and will take my final measurements once P2 is over) I do weigh myself every day. I keep track of ny weight in a journal, and now on here. Also, I have an app on my iPhone called "Calorie Count" that also tracks weight as well as helps me keep track of how many calories I consume daily. It's free, I'd urge you to check it out. According to Dr. Simeon and Dr. Trudeau it is best to weigh yourself first thing in the morning, in the nude, and preferably after you've had a bowel movement.

Some helpful tips I've collected so far:

• Take a multivitamin and possibly other supplements (I take a women's multivitamin, Super B Complex, B12, Potassium, and Magnesium. B vitamins help you convert food to energy faster, potassium will help your body "feel" better, and magnesium will help to keep you regular since constipation is one of the biggest problems associated with this diet)
• No medications are allowed on the low calorie diet except for aspirin (to help with inflammation or pain) and birth control if you are on it.
• Women can expect to gain weight while on their period (Personal Experience: I am on a birth control that restricts my periods to one every 3 months, so I haven't had to see how a period would affect my weight. However, the friend that is doing this with me did get her period while on the diet and she did notice a gain, but then she lost it. I only assume it has to be water weight associated with bloating. Totally normal!)
• To break a stall on Phase 2 you may do an "apple day". You eat 6 large apples throughout the day and nothing else and drink as little water as possible. (From experience, THESE WORK!)
• Vary up your cooking to keep Phase 2 different. A lot of people's fear for Phase 2 is getting bored with such a restricted diet, but honestly if you just change everything up you won't get bored. I know for me, I got into adding a lot of seasonings and spices to my food when I cooked. It helps "spice" up the diet so it doesn't get monotonous (Get it - spice? Huh? Huh? Okay...sorry)
• If you have one type of protein for lunch, have a different kind for dinner. I do this every day. Most often I will have turkey and fish. I don't eat beef at all and sometimes I will have chicken, but no matter what I do I don't have the same kind of meat twice in one day. The same goes for fruits and veggies. I just like to think that it helps keep my body guessing if I switch it up.

Well. That's about all I can think of to tell about Phase 2. I hope this has been helpful to some people. I know for me, my biggest problem starting out was just getting information because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! Lol. Happy dieting!