Here 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.
Need HCG? Click here to buy quality HCG and HCG Diet Supplies
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.
Need HCG? Click here to buy quality HCG and HCG Diet Supplies
{ 5677 comments }
← Previous Comments
Thanks for that Harvel. You are such a practical voice here in this weight loss arena. Us girls tend to get a little emotional!
Sherrie, stuff all the fat you can today, don’t regret that you didn’t tomorrow! If I were loading today, I’d drink a dairy queent chocolate malt though a funnel attached to their machine! Yep, typical steak day… I’m starving and it’s not quite 2pm. 4:36 is waiting for me!
Rachael,
we must quit following each other in this fashion!!! LOL. You know, I ate a lot yesterday too, but I didn’t over eat. I did eat a yogurt and spoon of peanutbutter late, around 9pm, because I was hungry. Throughout the day I ate every couple of hours… Oh well, I learned last steak day that the morning after is quite satisfying. I do have a graduation to go to this evening that involves a reception… I’ll eat my steak right before I go. This time, I’m cooking to 8 oz steaks for myself. Last time I had about 12 oz and I was still hungyr. The protocol says get the biggest juiciest and enjoy. I’m doin that this time!
=) Thanks Heather and I will be sure to be safe.
Thanks Sherrie. I am going to Kentucky to visit a friend. It is going to be hard though. I havent had a White Castle burger in years and I am already craving them knowing they are every where along my drive there… I am hoping that I can stay strong and not cheat… They just remind me of when I was young and my grandpa use to take me there..
Brandy. Yes, you can use the microwave. I used it the whole time I was on p2. I take my meals with me to work, and if my spinach needs heated up, it goes in the microwave. I also reheat my chicken in the microwave if I want to get the chill off of it.
That’s very wise of you to take your meals with you! Have a safe trip. Where you headed too?
Brandy, I tend to cook all my meat (which lately has just been shrimp) on Fridays for the week. My week starts on Saturday. I have had no issue with microwaving. I think you should be ok.
Have a safe road trip.
i have read to avoid vitamins a and e. is that because many are oil-based? if so, seems that any oil-based supplement like coq10 should also be avoided….?
I have a question. I am about to go on a road trip and I wanted to know if it is okay to prepare my meals in advance and freeze them and then when it is time to eat microwave them? I had read somewhere to stay away from the microwave but I am scared of not taking prepared food with me for the drive… It is a 14 hour drive one way. I do not want to gain anyting back. Please let me know any advice. Thanks =)
Rachael,
Wow, a triathlon? And you weighed more the day after? I’m not suprised. In addition to the stuff you ate, your muscles are somewhat inflamed and swollen with water as a result of the exertion. You did well, I hope?
Harvel
Angie,
This diet does not lead to weight loss every single day. There will be fluctuations. 0.2# up is within a perfectly normal range of fluctuation. You’re not doing anything wrong if you are following the protocol. Not to worry. I’ll bet that tomorrow morning will see a gratifying loss. Watch the average daily loss as well as the individual daily changes. If you are drinking too much water, you’ll just spend more time in the bathroom. Your body doesn’t hang onto the excess.
Harvel
Here it is day 6 of my 500 cal diet. I gained a .2 and haven’t cheated one bit. I was very disappointed. Could I be drinking too much water? Is that possible?
Janet, were in the same boat again. Im doing a Steak Day too, after doing a triathlon yesterday and ravaging everything in sight. I kept thinking my body can have that after the work its done. not so much. up 3 lbs! ouch!
Janet,
Sunburned skin, or any similar injury to the skin, will cause it to swell with water. The weight gain could well be from that and not a change in the fat content of your body. I don’t see any harm in a steak day. I’m suggesting another cause of the weight gain for you to consider.
Harvel
Janet, that is ALL water retention. Sun burns will do that to you, even if you’re outside sweating. That has happened to me before too. I know if you’re on p3 you have to do the steak day, but if you were drinking your water yesterday you’re just retaining and it probably would have been off tomorrow
Now, I was up 3 lbs even this morning after my first load day.:( Now, that’s depressing, but again, it will come off fast and I’m not too worried about it. Sure did hate seeing the 170′s again though. Back to 500 calories for me tomorrow. This weekend sure is going by fast.
Guess what today is? STEAK DAY! AGAIN! Yesterday I was working all day helping install a fence. Ate small meals all day. Sunburned, didn’t sleep well. Up 2.2 lbs. Yikes. I knew it wasn’t safe to declare victory.
Janet,
I am already down the pound and more today. Odd. Think it was a bathroom issue. Still having issues there.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Debbie
Okay, my load day
2 donuts for breakfast(had to take a break in between, as the first one was kind of burning the roof of my mouth..??)
Lunch strawberries(stevia)
pbj sandwich with butter included
sweet and salty bugles
milk
Now, I didn’t really want to eat, but I made myself. I have 2 pb cups sitting out and a butterfinger egg, but neither one even looks appealing to me. Now you have to remember, pb cups are like my all time favorite candy. I’m also NOT craving my milkshake anymore that I’ve been looking so forward too on these load days. What’s happening to me?? LOL
Debbie,
seems like the first week on phase 3 is going for you like it did for me. I’m not willing to declare totally victory just yet, but it is looking much closer than the first 4 days.
I know you aren’t worried, but don’t worry! Just do the same things you told me, you will do great.
Debbie,
me too, never felt better. I have more energy and more motivation for my work and every day chores since doing this diet than I have had in months. I didn’t realize 15 extra lbs dragged me down that far. But obviously it did!
I haven’t had my cholesterol checked, but I’m guess it’s down as well. I have always had low blood pressure, so that is not something I check.
Last time I went to the doc I wouldn’t let them weigh me. I told the nurse I knew how much I weighed and seeing it again would just depress me. The doc got so mad at me and told me next time let her weigh me. Can’t wait for the next time!
Donna,
everything I have read by Dr. Simeons says that if you find yourself hungry while taking hcg and your weight isn’t moving, that means you are at your “statistically correct” weight, and it’s time to stop. Now I’m not telling you what to do, but if you are at that point and you force yourself to continue losing, most likely you will put those extra lost pounds right back on as soon as you start eating normally again.
It might now be worth it in the long run. I do feel your frustration, and I will pray for you. That’s all I know to do.
Do not increase your injections, try decreasing a tiny bit. you are close. Stick to the plan it will budge
Debbie
Harvel,
Of course you are! LOL
Debbie
My weight hasn’t budged in one week. I’ve toyed around with increasing my HCG injections but it seems to have made me even more hungry. Could that be right? The apple day didn’t help. The 1 lb just came back. I’ve tried Green Tea caps to curb my hunger and nothing works. I’m 6 lbs. away from my goal but I have to end Phase 2 by next Friday. I’m going away all weekend and there’s no way I can eat out in restaurants for 3 days on Phase 2. I can totally stick with Phase 3 being away.
So with that said… Providing I don’t lose any weight in Phase 3, 6 lbs is too little of weight for me to start Phase 2 again, and frankly I’m sick of Phase 2! Sick, sick, sick! I’ve lost 12 lbs so far, my goal was 17. I really wanted *at least* 4 more lbs by next Friday… there’s still hope I guess!
What to do?
Debbie,
I’m with your husband on this one. No reason to waste a good thing, what with the flat tummy and all.
← Previous Comments