Your morning tea: buy a box of Chamomile (I bought Chamomile with honey and vanilla for a little sweeter taste) and a Fruit Tea Sampler. Mix it up every other day. One day, have the Chamomile. The next day, try something new from your sampler. The little bit of variety and the element of surprise changed what could have been a boring morning tea into something enjoyable.
Buy pre-cut and washed veggies and salad. Unfortunately for me, my grocery store only had salad and broccoli pre-washed and cut, but even that has been a huge help. There will be many times when you'll be starving or in a rush and you'll look in your cupboard or your fridge waiting for something to pop out at you screaming eat me! Let that thing be your broccoli. :) In a pinch, I can stick a bunch of pre-prepared broccoli in a bowl, add a bit of water and nuke it for two minutes and I've got a yummy vegetable with no waiting. Helps a ton.
Make extra meat. Whenever you're making shrimp, or fish or chicken--whatever meat it is that you're preparing, make a little extra. Stick it in the fridge so when you are having that moment like I mentioned above, you can grab a little protein to go along with your broccoli. Two minutes and you could be sitting down at the table with a yummy lunch.
Lemon & Pepper seasoning. This stuff is fabulous! A friend of mine who had done this diet before recommended this seasoning and it has become a favorite of mine. I used to think steamed broccoli was boring unless it was doused in butter or cheese sauce. Now I love it freshly warm sprinkled heartily with Lemon & Pepper seasoning. Very yummy. Even my boys loved it. And super-duper healthy and good for you. Hurray!
Try new things. It can be really easy to just stick with broiled fish and salad. Broiled chicken and salad. Grilled steak and salad. Not that there's anything wrong with those things, but after three weeks (or longer) those simple meals can get pretty old. Try branching out a little. Make some soup. Try a new recipe, like the Baked Tilapia or Tangy Chicken. These simple recipes can make a big difference to your satisfaction level.
Buy a George Foreman Grill. Seriously. Buy one. I got mine, a small one, for $19.99 and it has been worth every penny. The other day I was in a bind ... had to eat fast. I got out my grill, grabbed a handful of medium pre-prepared shrimp from the freezer and threw them on the grill. The nice thing about this grill is that you don't need to spray it or use oil of any kind. You close the lid and it cooks your meat on the top and bottom with pretty grill lines so you don't even have to tend it. Three minutes later--the time it took me to grab some salad from the bag, chop up a tomato and throw some cucumber I had cut at a previous meal onto my plate--my shrimp was done. I tossed them onto my salad and enjoyed a yummy shrimp salad.
Salad Spritzers. These are not strictly legal on the diet, but I love them and they have made a world of difference for me. Just a couple squirts and you have enough to satisfy and add some variety to your salads. I have tried the Balsamic Breeze and Raspberry Bliss. The Balsamic was my favorite.
Be creative with your fruit. You are allowed fruit twice a day. I don't like grapefruit, but I think you're allowed a half of one twice a day. I do however like apples, oranges and strawberries, all of which are allowed on the diet. I bought two of each type of apple they had at my store. This way, I get a little something different each time. I've discovered some new favorites! Try a Granny Smith apple with that cinnamon sauce one night when you're in the mood for munchies. Or put a handful of strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with Stevia--makes you feel like you're getting something special ... and you are!
Exercise. Yes, exercise. I know how much we love that word. But really? If you're losing weight, and starting to feel in control again ... you won't mind exercising so much. I swear. And the nice thing about this diet is they don't expect you to go crazy. Just walk. It's all you have to do, but it will help with the weight loss--never mind the emotional ways that exercise helps.
And Water. Drink lots of it.
That's all I can think of at the moment. I hope this helps! If you come up with any tips & tricks of your own, will you please share? We'd love to hear them.
Also, Kristi mentioned that she's concerned about the emotional eating. Twice while doing the hCG diet, I have had days where I really wanted to cheat. Really. I can't say how I managed to not give in, but I did. Remember "This too shall pass." Eat an orange. The tactile experience of it, and it's sweet juiciness seems to be particularly satisfying for me when I'm feeling the need to pig out. And, if you cheat a tiny, tiny bit (like I did with my two Rollos last week when I was feeling sad) it's not the end of the world. Just don't do it again :)
Good luck!
