Fitness Magazine

HCG Phase 2 Recipes: Delicious & Easy Meals

By Kenin Bassart @Constantramble

You officially start phase 2 of your hCG diet on either the second or third day depending on which protocol you are following. During this time period, you cut your calorie intake down to 500 calories per day and follow a strict and structured meal plan. Learning various hCG phase 2 recipes is critical in helping you maintain the diet and lose weight. It will make you feel satisfied after every meal and stave off your hunger for longer periods throughout the day.

Steps Needed to Succeed With Your HCG Diet

Here are the steps that you need to succeed with your weight loss on the hCG diet. These steps let you feel like the pounds are melting away.

  1. Phase 1 (also known as the Loading Phase): Phase 1 or the Loading Phase lasts for two to three days. This is the start of your diet. Over the course of 48 to 72 hours, you are allowed to eat whatever you want. It is imperative that you increase your calorie consumption with fatty foods to help you succeed at your diet when you drop down to only 500 calories per day.
  2. Phase 2: Phase 2 starts on day two or three of your hCG diet. This is the time when you drop your calorie intake to only 500 calories per day. You will eat no breakfast, but you will enjoy lunch and dinner. You are also allowed to snack. However, you cannot exceed the required 500 calories per day if you wish to start losing weight and keep it off.
  3. Prepare Foods in Advance: When you embark on phase 2 of your hCG diet and you drop down to only 500 calories per day it is highly beneficial to prepare foods in advance to avoid temptation. (1)
  4. Snacking: It is okay to cut your vegetable portions in half for lunch and dinner. Take the half of the vegetables that you save and prepare a small snack salad or munch on a couple of celery sticks to curb your appetite. You can also do the same with your melba toast cracker or your breadsticks. It is not necessary to consume all 500 calories during lunch and dinner. Instead, you can break it up a bit so you feel satisfied throughout the day and do not experience cravings. Some people will also not consume their fruit during lunch and dinner but pop a strawberry  or crunch an apple wedge if they start to feel like they require a sugar fix midday. (2)
  5. Drink Plenty of Fluids: Throughout the day you are encouraged to drink ample amounts of water, green tea, or black tea. Drinking a liquid is a wonderful way to feel full. It also keeps you hydrated and flushes out impurities in your system. You should drink half a gallon water per day on the hCG diet.  It is amazing how energized you will feel after drinking a refreshing glass of H2O.  If you opt to consume green or black tea, remember that you cannot put any sugar in the tea. (3)

HCG Phase 2 Recipes

Nobody ever said that dieting was easy and it can be extremely hard to adhere to the strict dietary requirements of the hCG diet plan. Let’s face the facts, 500 calories per day is not that many calories for most people. However, the trick to making it successfully through phase 2 so you lose weight and reset your body’s metabolism is picking recipes that satisfy you and make you feel full. Here are several hCG phase 2 recipes that you might want to try.

HCG Sirloin Steak and Tomato Kabobs

This tasty sirloin steak and tomato kabobs can be prepared ahead of time. They make a wonderful lunch or dinner choice. (4)

Ingredients:

  • 5 ounces of extra lean sirloin steak
  • 2 tbsp of oregano
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 fresh cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp of vinaigrette dressing
  • 1 large tomato

Preparation Steps

  1. Cut the steak into 1-inch size cubes
  2. Using a garlic press, press the cloves of garlic or you can also finely chop the garlic.
  3. Place the cubed steak and the vinaigrette dressing in a bowl. Cover and let marinate for one hour or for a more intense flavor you can marinate it overnight.
  4. Cube the tomato into pieces
  5. Place the sirloin steak chunks and the tomato on the kabob skewers. Alternative steak with tomato.
  6. You can either grill the kabobs or you can bake them in the oven until fully done.
  7. Serve the kabobs immediately or refrigerate them and use them for future meals.

Baked Fish With Asparagus

The baked fish with asparagus is yummy hCG diet recipe phase 2 choice for either lunch or dinner. (5)

Ingredients:

  • 5 grams of white fish
  • 1 minced clove of garlic
  • ½ a red onion finely minced
  • 3 stalks of asparagus
  • 4 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp caper juice
  • ½ cup of vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp of breadcrumbs
  • Parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon of dried dill
  • Pinch of tarragon
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation Steps

  1. Lay the asparagus in a baking dish and cover with the white fish.
  2. Mix the spices with the vegetable broth and add to the baking dish. Gently coating the surface of the fish.
  3. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs across the top of the fish
  4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until fish is completely done. Fish will appear white and flaky when fully cooked.
  5. Serve with a parsley garnish.

Apple and Asparagus Salad

The apple and asparagus salad is a great hCG diet recipe phase 2 that you can enjoy this dish as a side with lunch or dinner. You can also save it as an appetite-curbing snack. (6)

Ingredients:

  • One small apple sliced and cored
  • 8 stalks of asparagus. Chop into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 red onion that has been finely minced.
  • ¼ teaspoon of fresh cinnamon
  • Water
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Pinch of stevia
  • 4 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation Steps

  1. Mix the water, lemon juice, stevia, and cinnamon together
  2. Pour over the top of the asparagus and let marinate for 10 minutes
  3. Saute the asparagus lightly in a non-stick cooking pan.
  4. Mix in apple and onion.
  5. Add salt and pepper
  6. Refrigerate for 10 minutes
  7. Serve hot or cold

Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps are great to make in advance and heat up quickly for a yummy, satisfying, and quick meal. (7)

Ingredients:

  • Freshly washed lettuce leaves
  • 5 ounces of ground beef
  • 1 tbsp of finely minced red onion
  • 1 clove of pressed or minced garlic
  • A small dash of garlic powder
  • A tiny dash of onion powder
  • A pinch of dried oregano
  • Freshly chopped cilantro
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
  • A dash of salt and pepper

Preparation Steps

  1. Brown the ground beef in a non-stick frying pan
  2. Add onion, spices, garlic, and a ½ cup of water to the ground beef.
  3. Simmer for 10 minutes
  4. Add a dash of salt and pepper
  5. Serve in the lettuce leaves as if they were taco shells.

Quick Tip: These lettuce wraps can also be stuffed with diced chicken or steak if you do not wish to use the ground beef.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Sometimes nothing hits the spot like a bowl of hot soup, especially on a cold or rainy day. This Cream of Chicken Soup can be served fresh or you can freeze it for future meals. (8)

Ingredients:

  • 5 ounces of cooked chicken
  • Diced celery
  • 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 3 cloves of pressed or minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp of dehydrated minced onion
  • ½ tbsp of parsley
  • ½ tbsp of basil
  • Dash of salt and pepper as desired

Preparation Steps

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse process until the ingredients reach the consistency that you desire.
  2. Pour into a non-stick saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to thicken
  4. Serve hot or freeze for future meals

Kung Pao Chicken

This is a very hearty dish that is sure to bring you satisfaction without overstepping your calorie count. Kung Pao Chicken is relatively simple and can be made in advance. (9)

Ingredients:

  • 5 ounces of chicken that has been cut into chunks and grilled or broiled
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon of sambal oelek

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 part Bragg’s aminos
  • 1 part rice vinegar

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 3 cloves of pressed or minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger root

Sauce Ingredients

  • ½ cup of water
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid aminos
  • 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
  • Dash of salt

Preparation Steps

  1. Combine the marinade with the chicken in a dish
  2. Refrigerate the marinade and the chicken for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Mix the chicken with sambal oelek and cook in a non-stick saucepan on medium-high for 10 minutes
  4. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside
  5. Add the onion to the pan and saute until tender and caramelized
  6. Mix the seasoning with the onions and cook for an additional 1 to 3 minutes.
  7. Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 1 to 3 minutes
  8. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 1 to 3 minutes
  9. Add pepper and salt for flavor. You can also use red pepper flakes

This is a fast and fulfilling hCG diet recipe phase 2 choice. It is relatively fast and easy to prepare which is wonderful if you are in a hurry but you don’t want to skimp on your meal.

Hcg phase 2 recipes are the key to maintaining your 500-calorie per day diet plan so you lose weight quickly and keep it off. There is no reason why you can not eat tasty and wholesome food choices that leave you satisfied and happy.


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