There are many different ways the HCG diet allows you to bounce back from a small weight gain or a cheat, and while it may not always be easy, it is very helpful and gets you back on track quickly. If you’ve heard of, or experienced, an apple day, then most likely you’ve also heard of one of the alternatives for it - a "steak day".
An HCG steak day can be helpful for dieters in phase 3 of the protocol who have gained a small bit of weight, although some people do use it during phase two, alongside the very low calorie diet. If you have put on a couple of pounds, and are wondering what you can do while you continue with phase three, a steak day can be a great option to lose those pounds and stay motivated.
Why Should I Try an HCG Steak Day?
When you are in the stabilization phase, or phase three, of your HCG diet you are encouraged to slowly introduce sugars and starches, and gradually increase your calorie intake. During this phase you should not be putting on more than two pounds from the weight you were when you ended phase two. If this does happen it can make you worry, and sometimes worry can turn into stress eating.
To counteract this weight gain, you can do a couple of things, but a steak day is easiest to do and can help you reevaluate your food choices at the same time.
Weight gain usually happens if you are not counting your calories, and are eating too many or even too little. Stick with your calorie plan each day for the week, and see which foods cause issues and which do not. Putting on pounds can also happen because a certain food caused a bad reaction, this often happens with certain dairy items, or some types of nuts.
How to Pull it off Successfully
In order to help you lose those extra pounds first you need to double check that you are following protocol instructions and meal plan. Just because you are able to eat sugars and carbs more often doesn’t mean you should throw out everything you know about healthy eating. While those treats are tempting, you don’t want to undo everything you’ve worked hard for during phase two.
While a slight weight gain after Phase 2 is expected, if you gain two or more pounds then it’s time for a steak day.
An HCG steak day can seem daunting. The rules are simple: you cannot eat anything until your evening meal, and then you eat only a comfortable amount of a large steak. An entire day without food isn’t a fun thought, but if you’ve weighed yourself that morning and found those extra pounds, you need to start a steak day. You know your health and lifestyle best though, so if you cannot do it that day, do it the next day or a day that is coming up soon when you know you will be busy enough to not think about food, but not so busy that you expel too much energy and feel run down by dinner time.
During steak day you can continue to drink the water you need, including coffee and tea, but continue to use only stevia. If you still feel hungry afterward, you can eat either a medium sized apple, or tomato slices. The positive side of a steak day is that it is only one day, and the next day you can go back to regular meals. You should spend your steak day going over your meals, and if you haven’t already started, keep a food journal to track what may be causing your weight gain.
Cooking Perfect Steak
Now when you know how to pull off a good steak day you may be wondering how to cook the best steak for it. Why not learn from the best chefs then? In this video Gordon Ramsay is showing how to cook your steak to perfection.
Conclusion
Phase three of the HCG diet is meant to help you maintain your weight loss, not to stress about gaining weight once phase two is over. While some weight may come back, two or more pounds is a sign that it is time for a steak day. While going the day without food can be frustrating, it’s more stressful to continue to put on pounds without understanding why.
With a steak day HCG dieters find it to be a great way to review portion sizes and calories, including foods that have been introduced, to see what caused them to gain two pounds in just one day. Sometimes this weight gain is simply fluid retention, and a steak day can help flush out your system to start the next day on the right foot. Whatever the reason for gaining weight is, you don’t want to have problems maintaining, so quick action is needed to correct the problem, and a steak day is the best way to do this.