One of the best parts of going on a diet is discovering all the new, delicious foods you’ve been missing out on. Fresh salads, tasty veggies and juicy fruit can be combined into mouth-watering meals.
What makes it even better? The more you eat healthy, the more your body appreciates the great taste and nutrients healthy food offers. You’ll actually stop craving (and even liking) drive-through options after a while.
However, getting to the point where you don’t want fast food is one of the hardest parts of any diet. Your body is actually addicted to the carbohydrates and white sugars contained in most fast food, so cravings during the first part of your diet are common.
Don’t worry, though–there’s good news. You can actually make your diet foods taste great without sacrificing your calorie count. Here are some of the best tips.
Spice it Up
- Parsley–Makes a great garnish!
- Garlic–A little goes a long way
- Rosemary–Delicious with beef
- Mint–Adds a subtle flavor
- Salt–Don’t overdo it, though.
Other approved spices include basil, dill (fresh), ginger, nutmeg, onion powder and cayenne pepper. (You can call our diet coaches for some free information about other HCG Diet approved spices).
Make Dieting Sweet
Of course, sometimes your cravings are the result of your sweet tooth acting up as you go through sugar withdrawals. You can counter this by adding Stevia (the only HCG Diet approved sweetener) to any meal to taste. Since Stevia is three times as sweet as sugar, you won’t need much to add a smooth, tasty sweetness to your food.
Here’s an HCG Diet approved recipe for a sweet drink that’ll get your taste buds watering:
Strawberry Sunrise Smoothie
- 5 large strawberries, rinsed
- 2 teaspoons non-fat milk
- Orange flavored Stevia, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves (optional)
- Ice cubes
Place strawberries, milk, Stevia, lemon juice and mint leaves in a blender. Add ice cubes gradually to reach desired consistency and taste.
Counts as: 1 fruit serving
Treat Yourself
Finally, make sure to treat yourself if you’re doing good on the diet. This doesn’t mean cheating on your diet–it simply means enjoying HCG Diet approved treats every now and then. Here are a few ideas you can try:
Orange Delight
- 3.5 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 orange, chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- Stevia (regular or orange flavored), to taste
Place cottage cheese in bowl. Add orange zest, Stevia and chopped orange. Mix well.
Counts as: 1 protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Mock Apple Crisp
- 1 Melba toast, crushed
- 1 tart apple, peeled, cored & chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Dash of cloves
- Powdered Stevia, to taste
Place the apples and lemon juice in a small baking dish. Crush the Melba toast and mix with the cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves in a non-stick saute pan. Cook the crumb mixture over low until it lightly toasts. Spread the crumb mixture over the apples. Cover and cook at 350 degrees until apples are soft.
Counts as: 1 fruit serving, 1 Melba toast serving
Diet food can be delicious–if you know the right tricks. Give one of the above tips a try and see how tasty HCG Diet-approved food can be.
