Day 1 - Lunch Time!

Since diets require planning, yesterday I got all set up for the first few days by doing some shopping, stocking us (my paramour and me) up on some of the allowed food items. Thanks to CostCo, we have plenty of spinach, cucumber, asparagus, chicken breast, tilapia and shrimp to last the first few days. I split the cornucopia, giving half to her and leaving the other half at home. Since I like to cook for us, typically at her house, this means we'll be ready for the weekend, regardless of where we might find ourselves.

My first "HCG" meal was lunch, which I just finished. With oils and fats of any kind out of the question, the options for cooking methods are a little limited. Fortunately, by working within the limitations allowed, I was able to make a tasty and healthy meal that has left me feeling pretty darn satisfied, I must say.

The menu included:

• Seared tilapia "tenderloin" with a crust of garlic, salt, and fresh ground pepper. I seared it in the pan for a couple of minutes on each side (I did use a flavorless non-stick spray with no fat or calories, just to keep the fish from sticking), then popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds to finish cooking the interior.
• Spinach, fast cooked over high heat in a bit of water with the juice of half a lemon, a few dashes of white vinegar and Tabasco Sauce, salt, pepper and red pepper flake.

It took maybe 7 minutes to prepare/cook all of it, so no worries there. I did weigh out all the ingredients on my OXO kitchen scale beforehand, which allowed to accurately count the calories - being limited to 500 a day on this crazy diet. Here's a breakdown (all caloric amounts taken from A Calorie Counter web site):

• 100g tilapia = 129 cal.
• 180g spinach = 35 cal.
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon = 5 cal.

That's a grand total of 169 calories. I forgot to get Melba Toast or grapefruit at the store yesterday, which would have added approximately 60 calories to the total. That said, I am actually feeling pretty full - or at least satisfied - so I think I'll save those items as potential snacks for after I hit the gym, in case I feel a craving for a few calories.

The 180g (5 cups) of spinach filled the colander I was using, so it looked like a lot. After cooking, however, it had of course wilted down to a much less impressive volume - about a single cup. Spinach is so sparse on calories (only 7 cal/cup raw), however, that adding two or three more cups worth would not over-tax the daily calorie bank. In fact, if I limit myself to half a grapefruit a day, that opens up a lot of room for more veggies, which I prefer anyway.

Karly's coming up for the evening (hurrah!). Of course, I will not subject her to this crazy diet, but I can make a batch of shrimp and a cucumber salad.  I'll use the recipe I used for the shrimp cocktails I made a week or two back (thanks to Alton Brown), minus the sugar/brine. Of course, there will be no cocktail sauce for me, but Karly can enjoy some, and I can make do with Tabasco, no worries.

Off to the gym. I refuse to quit working out during this diet. I may have to cut back though, especially once my body starts to notice the severe reduction in caloric intake... Oh, I should also start testing my blood sugar regularly, to make sure it doesn't take any drastic dips. Safety first!

Cheers!

- Rodney
The HCG Wingman