I always think if one person is wondering about something, there are probably a lot more who didn’t write. Here’s a question someone wrote to me this week.
I’m on my second round of the hCG diet and am applying all I learned the first time so this round is smoother. I found the hard way much of what you’ve discovered about (eating) no beef and no stevia. (or other artificial sweeteners)
But I am very tired this time. I don’t eat the breadsticks and sometimes cut back on my fruit. I’ve known I have blood sugar irregularities so this helps. I bought chromium picolinate and feel a tiny bit better. Any suggestions? It’s not that I’m sleepy, just SO fatigued.”
I replied, “I am sorry to hear you are so tired. 1) Taking chromium is a very good idea. If you are healthy and don’t have diabetes, 800 mg is a good dose. Feeling tired is probably related to metabolism which can slow down when dieting.
2) Taking a lot of vitamin B can help, if you aren’t already doing that. I suggest you take a super B multiple besides any other vitamins. It can be a capsule or you can get a liquid B complex that you drop with a dropper into the mouth. Either one costs about $7 or a little more at health food stores. You can also get B dots, for about the same price. You dissolve them under the tongue. They are generally B-12. I have taken all three when dieting. Your body will eliminate any extra B you don’t need, so you don’t have to worry about an overdose.
3) Using a small amount of coconut oil each day can help increase metabolism and weight loss. (It also helps hunger) I never thought I’d be saying this, but I finally learned and believed it is true after hearing about it for several years. I even did a few weeks of the diet in Sept. using homeopathic pellets and I used 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of coconut oil per day with cooking and I lost 17.5 pounds in 2 weeks. Coconut oil is processed in the body differently than other oils and it’s the only oil I would ever suggest anyone use on the HCG Diet. As you know, the diet is as low fat as possible. I usually suggest anyone keep fat grams to 5 or less per meal, and 10 or less per day. But if you use coconut oil, you do not have to count the fat grams or calories of the coconut oil. There are whole books written on the benefits of coconut oil. Don’t be afraid of it. You can buy it at health food stores and some grocery stores. Usually it has a coconut taste and takes a little getting used to, but I found it was pretty good when I fried a little onion in it and then added an egg. If you don’t know, Dr. Simeons allowed one egg and 3 egg whites for a meat replacement, especially for vegetarians. If you haven’t seen my page on cooking with eggs, you can at hcgamazingdiet.com.
4) The next thing I can suggest that will give you a more immediate response to feeling tired is to walk. The exercise itself increases metabolism. It can increase your rate of energy and metabolism and therefore fat burning for up to 24 hours. But that is not all. It increases your seratonin levels. That is the feel good hormone. It’s immensely helpful. If you can, pick a time that is for you. Put yourself first and figure out a time to walk. If you don’t normally do much walking, start with 20 min. Then make it 30. If you can do 45 min. per day within a week, you will really notice an increase in energy levels. Generally you need to walk at least 20 min. to increase metabolism.
Depending on the weather, you can walk at a mall, which is especially nice before they open. Most malls are open for walkers about 1/2 hour before the stores open. Or you can walk the inside of a Walmart, pushing your cart, as if you are shopping and heading to the other side of the store. Think about where walking would work for you. If you aren’t convinced or think you don’t have the time, try it just once. And pay attention and notice how in a few hours, you will feel more alert and energetic. It’s amazing how well this works. Walking is a perfect exercise because you don’t need to buy equipment and you can start immediately and feel the results the same day. Walking can make you short of breath, but what it’s doing is helping you increase your deep breathing and it gets easier. And when you take deep breaths, that even helps metabolism. The oxygen exchange is like fanning a fire, making it burn brighter, only you are fanning your own metabolism. Be sure to take time to notice if you feel better later in the day and even the next day.
When I worked nights as a nurse, I learned that if I went walking before I went to bed in the morning, I felt so much better later in the day. When I woke up, I wasn’t as groggy. And if I wanted to stay up because it was going to be my night off, I was feeling much better, too. I could get up easily after 3-5 hours, but if I didn’t walk, I wanted 8-9! I experienced this time after time, until I knew it was no coincidence.
5) One thing you can do right this minute is take a few really deep breaths and hold the air in a few seconds. Try it right now while you are reading this. That can wake you up and make you feel more alert and energetic right away. Once I had to drive a long distance after working all night and I did deep breathing exercises during most of the drive and it was wonderful for keeping me awake.
6) Drinking green tea is known to increase metabolism. That means it gives you more energy and also helps burn calories. It is a known fat-burner. It improves endurance when exercising. It improves fat metabolism. It helps thyroid function. If you haven’t tried it before, try drinking one cup with a meal, and then eventually with every meal and then between meals. Drink it hot or over ice and get it flavored if you prefer it or want variety. It’s amazing how good it can taste when you get it flavored and you can buy it anywhere. My favorite is Lipton’s Orange, Passion Fruit and Jasmine.
You can also buy green tea diet energy capsules in almost any drugstore or health food store.
7) Try to find homeopathic hCG with amino acids or get the pellets with amino acids. They really help energy levels and hunger, too. L-glutamine is one of the amino acids that can help you feel better. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins found in meats. Don’t overlook them. I think that is why HCG pellets have become so popular.
I know it’s hard to walk if you feel tired. It was hard for me to go walking after working all night. It’s hard to do almost anything if you feel tired. But if you want to feel more energetic, then it’s important to move around. Expending energy actually increases energy. If you want, figure out a reward for yourself. Walk to a destination, like a coffee shop. (Coffee is allowed.) Or take a child or dog for a walk. Take your camera. Take some music. Make it fun! You can ever trick yourself into walking longer if you figure out a circle path of several blocks and when you get half way, you still have to walk back home. You don’t have any choice.
Dieting is all about attitude. A lot of it is about energy levels. If you feel more energetic, you can just naturally do more. If you review these 7 ways to increase energy levels and implement some of them, you will have much better success with any diet.
