HCG Diet – Calorie Counter
October 17th, 2008 Posted in PersonalHere is a breakdown of the approximate calories of each food allowed during the HCG diet. As a refresher, HCG, short for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin is a hormone found in pregnant women that when taken allows a person to survive on a low calorie diet (500 calories a day) and in which case they are able to lose on average about a pound or two a day, all while maintaining a healthy physique and not experiencing the usual hunger pains that accompany many diets. Read “How I Lost 40 Pounds in 40 Days” for more information on this astounding diet.
The actual food consumption consists of lunch and dinner (no breakfast) and the following items per meal:
- 3.5 ounces of selected lean meats (see below)
- 3.5 ounces of selected vegetables (see below)
- 1 Grissini Breadstick or Melba Toast
- Selected fruit (see below)
You are encouraged to drink lots of water (I averaged over 100 ounces a day) and you can drink all the coffee and tea you want as well as moderate levels of 0 calorie diet sodas.
And now for the calorie count of allowable foods.
Fish (avg 98 calories)
- Cod (3.5 oz) – 83 calories
- Crab Meat (3.5 oz) – 100 calories
- Flounder (3.5 oz) – 90 calories
- Haddock (3.5 oz) – 88 calories
- Halibut (3.5 oz) – 110 calories
- Lobster (3.5 oz) – 98 calories
- Red Snapper (3.5 oz) – 110 calories
- Shrimp (3.5 oz) – 110 calories
- Tilapia (3.5 oz) – 94 calories
Additional white fish are listed at the bottom of the page.
Very Lean Beef (avg 152 calories)
- 93/7 Lean Ground Beef (3.5 oz) – 150 calories
- Cube Steak (3.5 oz) – 160 calories
- Sirloin Tip Side Steaks (3.5 oz) – 130 calories
- Top Round Steak (3.5 oz) – 166 calories
- Tri-Tip Steak (3.5 oz) – 154 calories
Chicken
- Chicken Breast (3.5 oz) – 87 calories
Veal (avg 114 calories)
- Veal, sirloin (3.5 oz) – 110 calories
- Veal, loin chop (3.5 oz) – 117 calories
Vegetables (avg 18.8 cal)
- Asparagus (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
- Asparagus (2″ tip) – 1 calories
- Asparagus (small spear) – 2 calories
- Asparagus (medium spear) – 3 calories
- Asparagus (large spear) – 4 calories
- Broccoli (3.5 oz) – 34 calories
- Broccoli (1 cup – 88g) – 30 calories
- Broccoli (5″ spear – 31 g) – 11 calories
- Celery (3.5 oz) – 15 cal
- Celery (medium stalk) – 6 calories
- Cabbage (3.5 oz) – 24 calories
- Cabbage (1 cup shredded) – 17 calories
- Cauliflower (3.5 oz) – 22 calories
- Cauliflower (1 cup) – 28 calories
- Cauliflower (3 flowerets) – 12 calories
- Cucumber (3.5 oz) – 12 calories
- Cucumber (small) – 19 calories
- Cucumber (medium) – 24 calories
- Cucumber (large) – 34 calories
- Cucumber (English long) – 60 calories
- Lettuce, all varieties (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
- Lettuce, all varieties (1 cup) – 8 calories
- Lettuce, all varieties (small head) – 32 calories
- Red Radishes (3.5 oz) – 12 calories
- Red Radishes (one medium) – 1 calories
- Spinach, raw (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
- Spinach, raw (1 cup) – 7 calories
- Spinach, frozen (3.5 oz) – 23 calories
- Spinach, frozen (1 cup) – 41 calories
- Spinach, cooked (3.5 oz) – 31 calories
- Spinach, cooked (1 cup) – 48 calories
- Tomato (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
- Tomato (cherry) – 3 calories
- Tomato (plumb) – 11 calories
- Tomato (small) – 16 calories
- Tomato (medium) – 22 calories
- Tomato (large) – 33 calories
Fruit
- Apple (small) – 55 calories
- Apple (medium) – 72 calories
- Apple (large) – 110 calories
- Orange (navel) – 69 calories
- Orange (Florida) – 65 calories
- Orange (California) – 59 calories
- Strawberries, 12 large – 72 calories
- Strawberries, 20 medium – 80 calories
- Pink Grapefruit (California) – 92 calories
- Pink Grapefruit (Florida) – 74 calories
Bread
- Grissini Breadstick (3 g) – 12 calories
- Melba Toast (3 gram) – 12 calories
- Melba Toast (5 gram) – 20 calories
White Fish List
- Ayr
- Cat Fish
- Cod
- Coley
- Dover Sole
- Flounder
- Flying Fish
- Haddock
- Hake
- Halibut
- Hoki
- John Dory
- Kalabasu
- Lemon Sole
- Ling
- Monk Fish
- Parrot Fish
- Plaice
- Pollack
- Pomfret
- Red & Grey Mullet
- Red Fish
- Red Snapper
- Rock Salmon/Dogfish
- Rohu
- Sea Bass
- Sea Bream
- Shark
- Skate
- Tilapia Turbot
- Whiting
Keep in mind that all the above calorie counts on meats and vegetables do not include any sauces, salad dressing or butter. You are in fact encouraged not to us sauces such as barbecue sauce, A-1 Steak Sauce, etc., on meats nor any salad dressings on salads or butter on vegetables.
One trick I learned in phase two of my diet is that I could use Louisiana Hot Sauce on chicken as it has zero calories. That has helped immensely and because it is spicy, you feel fuller. I also use Balsamic Vinegar on Spinach salads which is quite tasty.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Hello Everyone-Has anyone tried the “Miracle Noodles” yet? They sound fantastic, but are we allowed to have them? If we are, how much of them?
March 11th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Momgaug,
Try taking sublingual B-12 while on the diet. This will help with your energy levels. I am also on phase 3 of the diet. I have lost around 100 pounds on the 1st two rounds. But then again, I continue the diet even though I’m not taking the injections, I just bump the foods back up to normal portions when i’m not doin the shots, no starch, bread, sugar, ect…
I did not do B12 on the 1st round. I had a very hard time the 1st go around. I saw an hcg kit somewhere on one of the web site which included B12 shots! So, I went to the local grocery store and bought sublingual B12 (goes under the tongue) I took 2 in the morning and 2 at lunch while doing the injections on the 2nd round and it made a world of difference! Also, I lost from the outwards of my body to the inward parts, 1st round I lost in my feet(2 shoe sizes), arms, legs and everywhere BUT my stomach! 2nd round took from extremeties and then a noticable difference in what I lost in my lower stomach. I’m excited to see what round 3 will bring!
Good luck to you all!
March 11th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Dionne,
You asked why you are not suppose to take the injections while on your menstrual cycle. It is because women naturally produce the hormone we are injecting, therefore, if we take the shots while on our period we can become immune to it faster. Also, you are suppose to have 12 daysw of injections prior to starting your period. It is suggested that the best time to start the diet is the day after your menstrual cycle ends. If you go google ” hcg diet simeon” you can download the original protocaol and the information I have given you is in there.
abrennabear@aol.com
March 11th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Rachel – I have been drinking vodka, club soda and lime or lemon juice and have been fine. Go for it! however, stay away from wine as i drank 2 glasses and gained a pound!
March 11th, 2010 at 11:39 am
rachael
i am on p2 and i have had vodka and diet 7 up a few times and have still managed to lose weight! Im on day 17 and i have lost 15lbs…so i dont see why it would hurt to have a little…
March 11th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Is there any approved alcohol in P3? Vodka and soda water perhaps?
March 11th, 2010 at 1:14 am
Maggie from Austin ~
Just get back on the wagon like you never fell off! I have cheated before and just continued on. BUT I am on the drops (hhcg) and it might be different than the injections. Might be more helpful to have someone who does injections respond.
Heather
March 10th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I need to know if anyone has cheated and if so, do I need to restart the whole program? I am taking the HCG by injection. I went to Las Vegas and although I didn’t go totally wild-I didn’t stay on my VLCD for four days. I did continue to take my shots. Now I am home and I am back on track but I am wondering if I have to restart everything. Anyone else been in this situation?
March 9th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Hello everyone,
It has been a while since I’ve been on the site. I completed 1 round with HCG drops from a medical clinic. I lost about 17 lbs in 30 days. Unfortunately, my first round ended right during the holidays. I blew it all over the place andI gained everything back except 4 lbs.
I’m trying again except this time I got the HCG on line. It’s not going as well as it did the first time. I am much hungrier and the weight is coming off slower. I have read things that say not all the HCG drops have the same amount of actual HCG. Has anyone else read this and if so, how do you find out how many “i.u.’s” of HCG are in your bottle.
My second question is, does anyone know WHY you are not supposed to take the drops during your cycle? I have read in several places that you shouldn’t but nothing tells me why. I remember on my first round I took it during my cycle because the instructions from my doctor didnt tell me not to. When I found the actual protocol from Simeon and read where he says to stop taking HCG during your cycle I was surprised. Well, this time around I want to do everything by the book. Nothing happened when I took them during my cycle the first time. My weight loss stalled a little but right after my cycle it fell off, just like any other time. So, can anyone tell me what’s supposed to happen if we take the drops during?
March 9th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Sonia – muscle weekness is very common with the use of HCG. Dr. Simeone warns us about this. I dont think it is until after your 6 weeks that it gets better. I completed my first round 3 weeks ago and my muscles still throb but i still work out. I have 50 more pounds to lose!
March 9th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Jessica,
We counted everthing except the spices and lemon juice. If it had calories, it went in the log.
Twelve days? Seven pounds? You are doing good. Yes, you can expect your weight to fluctuate a little bit. Weigh yourself every morning just like the protocol says to. But, and this is important, don’t get too hung up on the day to day changes. Watch what happens over a few days or a week.
Keep on keepin on. You’ll fit in that wedding dress just fine.
Harvel
March 8th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
HI all!! I hope everyone is doing great on their hcg – however you take it!
I am on day 29 and have lost 22 pounds and over 12 inches! LOVEN IT!! One thing that has really helped me is having a great support group. I joined homeopathichcgdieters group on yahoo. You don’t have to do the oral Hcg diet to join the group. It’s a great group of people who are there for support and advice if needed. I know many of the people in the group have saved me when I wanted to cheat or just want to share my excitement. 
Have a great day all!
March 8th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
opps forgot do you guys go buy the menu you know qualified fruit for breakfast meat and veggie etc everyday just like that or do you count everything?
March 8th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Hi everyone, I have been doing hcg the oral drops and following the protocol since Febuary 22 so after the first two fat loading days I have been on the 500 calorie diet for 12 days and have lost only 7 lbs. Its been weird. Last thursday I was totally stoked because I weighed 179.5 and let me tell you its been a while since I seen that! then the next day I weighed 180! then back at 179.5 soooooooooo discouraging Im 5′8 and started at 186. Is this normal or has happened to any of you guys? It really brought me down. Im doing everything how Im supposed to and no cheats , Im getting married in august and want to feel good on my wedding day. Any tips ? anything HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you in advance and good luck to all!
March 8th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
kim
i dont think anyone is ignoring you, i just think we dont know an answer. where did she hear to do this 1/2 dose thing? i understand that if you take hcg and eat more than 500 cals you will gain, except if you have maxed out your abnormal fat loss, then you do 800 cal till you hit 23 or 40 days max. (injections) otherwise you risk immunity. sorry i cant help more…
March 8th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
I am on day 14 of p2 and i have lost 13lbs! I am not as hungry as i was the first week. I’ve been eating sugar free jello to curb my sweet tooth addiction and so far that works!
March 8th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
I have asked this before but didn’t get many replies so I am going to ask again. I am on the begin of my fifth week of phase 2. I have lost 23 pounds and feel great!! My mom, who has been on this diet before, has told me to take 1/2 doses while on phase 3 because she said that when you do that you lose inches. She lost 45 pounds after 2 times of doing the diet. She has kept it off for a little over a year. I don’t see how that can be. If you are losing inches wouldn’t you end up losing weight while on phase 3? And you are suppose to maintain, right?
Thanks for any replies!
March 8th, 2010 at 10:06 am
I had stalled in P2 for 13 days so I decided I would extend my intake for another week. However, is it absolutely critical not to extend beyond the 42 days? I gained 2lbs this morning and I’m racking my brain to what may have caused this. Now I definitely want to continue taking the drops for another week but I’m wondering if maybe I gained because I’ve been on it for longer than recommended?? I’m flustered.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:17 am
I have 4 days left in Phase 2. I am taking the injections. I plan to do the Rx drops next. My question to everyone is: Can I do the first three weeks of Phase 3 and then start Phase 1 & 2 again with the drops,or do I need to do the whole 6 weeks first?
March 8th, 2010 at 1:11 am
iam on the gch shots and need to know if anyone on the gch has Muscle weakness? TNX you
March 7th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Momgaug
B12 D3 and iron all help IMMENSELY with energy. I was dead with out my D3. i take 6000mg yes 6000. i was deficient and it is a life saver…you can be tested for it if you are not sure.
March 7th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Momgaug try taking a vitamin. this should help with your energy level.
March 7th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I have found that when you travel the best thing to do is to take a small george foreman grill – it works out great in the hotel room. for dinner meetings the only thing you can do is salad with no dressing unless you take your own.
March 7th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Everyone who is losing gradually – dont get discouraged. My loss didnt kick in until my last week of the drops. It is very discouraging though.
March 7th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Faith – i think it varies for everyone. I have been drinking vodka with club soda and lime juice in p3 and i have been maintaining my weight. I think the sugar in the wine is probably the reason you gained 3 pounds. i have been staying away from the wine.
March 7th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
aryka – you will be able to go back to eating regular but you will always have to watch it. you will not be able to eat lots of fats and sugar. the diet is great. so far i have lost 28 pounds. i am doing ok. i am in phase 3 now. one more week and i can go back to normal eating. i dont plan on doing that – i have at leat 50 more pounds to lose.
March 7th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Amanada – i think this happens to everyone. my daughter told me the weight comes off the last place it came on. Usually we gain weight in our face lastly. Good luck on the 12 pound loss.
March 7th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Pam, I have been absent from this site for several months. My wife has completed three courses of the HCG diet and I have completed two. I lost about 60 pounds and the wife lost a little over 30.
Coconut Oil is good stuff. It is a medium chain fat and is not hydrogenated if you get the pure stuff. However, during the HCG VLCD you won’t be eating any coconut oil because you need to keep the fats to a minimum. during Phase 3, the “maintenace phase”, you will be adding fats and oils. At that point, your calories shoud be somewhere in the 1500 range so the calories for the coconut oil will be a small part of the total.
Fruits and vegetables: The selection we were given, which was almost pure Simeon, was pretty limited. One small apple, 1 small grapefruit, 6 strawberries, and 1 small orange. The vegetables were spinach, lettuce (not “iceberg”), cucumber, asparagus, cabbage, chard, Beet Greens (ugh), celery, onions and tomatoes (but not grape or cherry–too much sugar).
When I was planning our daily menues, I would start with the calories in the protein, add in the fruit selection for the day and make up the difference with vegetables. Often, we were up to 10 or 11 ounces of vegetables, sometimes more.
We tried to go organic as much as possible and we chose the dark colored vegetables.
I hope this helps.
Harvel
March 7th, 2010 at 10:27 am
Why do they tell you to have a minimum of 2 Tsp of Coconut oil when its 130 calories a Tblsp. Thats a lot of calories.
Is it necessary?
March 7th, 2010 at 10:21 am
I have several question:
Why so many variations pertaining to the fruits to eat and ounces of vegtables you can have per meal?
Some say ONLY apples and grapefruits with others saying you can have strawberries and oranges also.
How many ounces of vegatbles? Simeons say 3.5. Some say two handfulls. Where I purchased my drops, HealthyHCG.com, says 8 ounces. That’s a HUGE difference.
I’m by the book and want to do the right thing.
PLEASE HELP!!!
March 6th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
I am on phase three and I am absolutely exhausted. I have been this way for about 4 weeks now, and I feel like my get up and go, got up and went! I think I have turned into one of Snow Whites 7 little friends, and my name is “SLEEPY”. Oh and I should say that I have not gained any weight, but I have maintained. Suggestions???
March 6th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Did anyone try the HCG Spray[orally] and how did it work.
March 5th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
help iam craving sweets ,, its killing me
March 5th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
seda,
it will be hard. salads with out dressing are your friend…chicken strips (may be able to pre-estimate the weight and cals based on the length/size) Plain shrimp cocktail (no sauce) just lemon. lots of tea and coffee…it will be hard to avoid pastries since they are usually every where at these meetings. bring calorie free flavors to add to drinks to satisfy the ‘cookie and donut’ attacks in the afternoon. some places have hard boiled eggs for salads, etc and you could ask for some and throw out the yolks. most restaurants have steamed veggies. ask for no butter. try in advance to figure out what 3.5 oz looks like after it is cooked (ie broccoli, asparagus) good luck…you can do it, keep you eye on the prize…
March 5th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I exercised during the whole P2 because i have always exercised and figured it is part of my routine and should not affect anything. The thing i noticed is i did not have as much energy. i want to lose weight on the scale, but i am not as concerned with the numbers…if i loose fat and build muscle and the scale doesnt change as much, so what. a toned, lean body is better than just a skinny physique. i dont mind ‘bigger’ arms, shoulders if they are muscle. just my opinion…(i also think that back when this diet was developed, women were expected to have less muscle than we do now; it wasnt as acceptable)
March 5th, 2010 at 8:28 am
everything should be weigh raw.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Hello-are we supposed to weigh the cabbage and spinach raw or cooked? Thanks!
March 4th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Hello! I am on my 13th day and lost about 9lbs… I am very worried because I am going on a business trip for 6 days and don’t know what to eat… Please help!
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Hello Everyone,
I think it would be good if we posted which type of HCG we were using and what website we got the stuff from. I am still waiting to hear if anyone did the shots one round and then the drops.
I did the shots from a natropath.. too expensive. I lost many inches 25lbs. I have been in P3 for 3.5 weeks. I gained 2 lbs one day from eating pasta. I did the steak day with tomatoe and went back to my last shot weight.
Rachael,
P3 is important no sugar no starches.
1. Can we mix vegetables, fruit and protein in each meal now? YES
2. Is oils (EVOO, Canola, etc.) and butter still off limits? YES OILS AND BUTTER IN MODERATION
3. What types of cheeses is everyone else eating and how much daily? WHATEVER I WANT 2-3 OZ
4. Eggs… Egg whites only?? YES ALL EGGS
5. Protein… nothing is off limits right? Salmon, tuna, pork, lamb YES EAT ANYTHING
I am going to start round 2 of diet on March 20th want to loose 20 more. Going to get drops from http://www.diyhcg.com
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:36 am
Alexandra- Most woman average between .4-.75 loss per day. You are right on track. Be patient the loss will come.
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:16 am
Wondering if I can get some input on what scale I should buy. Mine is pretty outdated. Body…not food scale! LOL
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:20 am
Hello everyone
I started the HCG diet about 10 days ago and I’m using the oral drops. It seems that I’m only loosing 0.4 lbs/day is that normal? I heard from other sources that you loose at least 1-2 lbs/day. I’m going strict by the rules! Does anybody have the same experience? I’m 5′4 and started out at 141.6 lbs.
Thanks & keep on loosing those pounds
March 2nd, 2010 at 7:31 pm
When you start Phase 3 are you allowed to lose weight by exercising or just maintain the weight from last injection and still no exercise? The book says you lose muscle mass if you lose weight but if you are exercising won’t you even it out?
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Can someone please provide a step by step process of mixing the HCG bought from Pharmacy escrow? It frightens me a little to do it…
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:00 pm
just found out i mixed my hcg wrong. when received the info did not tell to throw the saline water away so my mixture is diluted. It has been working but i am on day 17 and only down 6-7lbs which is better than nothing but looking forward to my next batch to be done correctly.
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:22 am
I have been on the Hcg protocol for 17 days and this is my 13th vlcd. I have lost a total of 16lbs, I am 5′6 and my starting wt was 228.4lbs ughhh. It’s working so far not hungry anymore at first it was rough and i truly was starving!!! Any questions let me know my goal weight is 180lbs… Hope i get there!!!
March 1st, 2010 at 9:16 am
Hope everyone had a great weekend losing weight. I moved over the weekend so making meals was not doable for me. I grabbed what I thought was oil free/butter chicken kabobs. Clearly not…2.5 lbs gain the next morning. OUCH! Now I’m working to get it back off. I’ve had so much going on with moving that I thought I had 1 more bottle of Hcg and evidently I don’t! I’m fresh out this morning and I’m still 8 days short of my 40 day mark. I ordered some more online last night with a rush but it won’t arrive until tomorrow. Will I be okay without my dosage this evening and tomorrow morning?
As I gear up for P3 I have some questions:
1. Can we mix vegetables, fruit and protein in each meal now?
2. Is oils (EVOO, Canola, etc.) and butter still off limits?
3. What types of cheeses is everyone else eating and how much daily?
4. Eggs… Egg whites only??
5. Protein… nothing is off limits right? Salmon, tuna, pork, lamb.
Thanks for any feedback you can give me… happy losing this week
March 1st, 2010 at 7:31 am
Well I know how it feels not to loose and I am doing it by the book….not sure what is going on but I am going to continue on and hope for it to really kick in.
February 28th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Tiffany
check your HCG- may be ineffective, expired, etc…might want to see if you can get more or a different batch.
February 28th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Hi everyone,
I have been on 0% alcohol hcg drops for 5 days now. I have lost 8 pounds so far. I am now 221 lb. and 5′5″. I want to lose 80 pounds. I have been following protocol to a “T”. I have been using sweet and low in my coffee in the mornings along with a little stevia. I dont like the stevia much, but it helps with my sugar cravings. I use it on my strawberries for dessert after dinner.
While on this diet, I have been a little hungry. My 5th day was the worst. I had to eat a little bit more cabbage and a bread stick for snack in between lunch and dinner. I am also using Mrs. Dash (all flavors) to spice up my meats and vegetables. Even my kids have enjoyed eating what Im eating. Im drinking almost a gallon of water a day. I think that is what is keeping from being hungry and losing the weight that I have lost. I am striving to lose 17 more pounds before the end of this bottle of hcg.
Good luck everyone!!