HCG Diet Maintenance Down the Rabbit Hole with the Food Pyramid

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When it comes to healthy eating and maintenance on the HCG Diet, common sense rules. Eat whole, high fiber, unprocessed food and a diet rich in healthy fats, proteins, and fruits and vegetables. When it comes to politics I’m fairly apolitical …except for the food industry and the food pyramid.

When I say “Down the rabbit hole” in regards to the food pyramid and the food industry I refer to two concepts. One, that the more you learn, the more there is to learn and the scarier it gets. And two, that the food pyramid is upside down, turned around. Black is white and everything is backwards.

So, here are a few of my health musings for you to enjoy or at least contemplate carefully.

Fat: Eating fat isn’t bad for you. Your body needs fat to function optimally. Without it, you starve various body systems and create imbalances. Fat along with protein actually assists in blocking the rapid rush of sugar into the system from certain foods you eat which keeps a rush of insulin from flooding the body. Choose healthy fats like olive oil, nut oils, real butter, and delicious coconut oils. Also, foods like wild salmon and other fatty fish have healthy oils like omega 3. Nuts and avocados are another source of healthy oils. Fat helps you feel full after a meal and is a building block for many organs including the brain. Isn’t it Interesting that fat is listed as the food you should eat the least of by the food pyramid.
Protein: Here the government is pretty good although I would add an extra serving to their “recommended 4+ servings per day” Actually, I would generally recommend that you consider approximately half your body weight in grams daily rather than focus on the number of servings. Too much or too little just isn’t healthy. Great sources of protein are meat, poultry, seafood, beans and legumes, eggs, and nuts and rice protein powder.
Dairy: is an interesting addition to the food pyramid. Evidence suggests that the dairy industry paid someone to be included in the classic food pyramid but the fact is that the body can gain all the benefits of protein, calcium and other nutrients from other sources and dairy really isn’t necessary in the diet. Now, I love cheese and dairy so I’m not likely to exclude it entirely from my diet any time soon but I gave up drinking cows milk many years ago. I use half and half or cream in my coffee and also prefer goats milk to cows milk because it is more easily digestible.
Fruits and Vegetables: Well, the more the better I say. The food pyramid recommends approximately 7 servings a day and I say that should be the minimum. There is no better source of natural vitamins, antioxidents and phytonutrients than is found in fruits and vegetables. They are a great source of fiber. I love juicing fresh veggies to get an extra punch of nutrition during the day. Fruits, because of the fructose should be eaten in their whole form whenever possible. Try to eat a portion of your vegetables raw or lightly steamed to preserve the nutrients.
Breads and Cereals: The simple fact is that most people eat too many grain based carbohydrates in their diet. The food pyramid recommends 6-11 servings a day. Now carbohydrates are essential for their conversion to glucose and energy in the body but the best and healthiest source of them is through fruits and vegetables. Excess grain servings, particularly processed white bread and carbs sometimes act like pure sugar on the body and can create insulin resistance and often promote food cravings. Many people are sensitive to wheat products in general. Often, people who suffer from excessive weight have massive bread and sugar cravings. I know I did for many years. So, I’m not saying that you can never have bread but I have found that limiting grain servings to 3 a day and increasing carb intake from fruits and vegetables is much healthier.

I also recommend when maintaining on the HCG Diet to choose high fiber carbs like brown rice, sprouted grain ezekiel bread, or super healthy beans and legumes in lieu of white bread, pasta, and other overly processed foods. These more natural carbohydrates release glucose more slowly into the body, fill you up, and don’t cause as many food cravings as their nutrient stripped cousins. Choosing grain products that are relatively unprocessed also gives you additional nutrients, fiber, and protein.

So, Backwards and turned around is right when describing the government recommended food pyramid. A diet of 40% protein 35% fats, and 25% healthy carbohydrates is a good ratio to consider. On the HCG Diet, remember to eat the recommended kinds and portions of food for both Phase 2 and Phase 3. When you transition to maintenance, you can have your favorite foods again but choose the healthiest version of those foods. Small changes can go a long way to helping you maintain your weight loss.

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4 Responses to HCG Diet Maintenance Down the Rabbit Hole with the Food Pyramid

  1. Doris February 8, 2011 at 4:55 pm #

    I have just started the HCG diet and I am quite nervous. Today is the first day for the 500 calorie. I have tried almost every diet on the market and not a one of them worked. I work in an office at a desk and not much excercise. Any tips, help, is most appreciative. Thank you.

    • Tammy February 9, 2011 at 9:35 pm #

      Hi Doris,

      You know…. you sound a lot like me when I first discovered this diet. Of course I can’t make claims specific to you or anyone but I will tell you this… This diet has worked for me and countless other people just like us. I wish you well. Best advice I can give you is to stick to the program as closely as possible. Stay positive. Look at this as a shift and a change in lifestyle and the way you look at food long after the 500 calorie phase is over. Drink a lot of water, eat all your food, Take before and after measurements and pictures.

      All the best,

      Tammy

  2. Anita Miller March 12, 2011 at 7:00 pm #

    Tammy,
    I have your new P2 Cookbook and LOVE< LOVE<LOVE it! However, I am about to go to P3 and on page 131 you mention that you have a cookbook for that phase also. I am having trouble finding it on line. Can you tell me where I can get it?

    • Tammy March 16, 2011 at 11:27 pm #

      Hi Anita,

      I am working on the P3 cookbook and also the Fibernoodle Shirataki Cookbook which will be mostly P3 friendly. I’ll be blogging about it here for sure and plan to release it later this year.

      So glad you LOVE the Cookbook!!!! Makes me so happy to hear that! You made my day. When the new cookbooks come out.. you can purchase them at http://www.hcgrecipes.com

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