Making it Through the First Week of Phase 2

The first week of the Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD) can be the most difficult days you might experience on Phase 2 of the diet. As your body adjusts, you may experience headaches and hunger pains in these first few days. There are three main reasons for this.

1. Psychological hunger. It may very well be in your head! One way to combat this is to try and distract yourself by keeping your mind busy for this first week on VLCD and stay positive! You must remind yourself that the diet drops are releasing between 1,500 and 4,000 calories a day into your bloodstream, and that you can be satisfied with your 500 calorie meals.
2. Not enough water. It’s important to drink a minimum of 2 liters of water each day on the diet. If you don’t drink enough water, your body will not be able to get the fat and toxins out of your system, so you won’t lose as much as quickly as you could. And, know that any coffee or tea you drink should not replace water, but be in addition to the 2 liters you drink per day. Tip: hot liquids help you feel more full than cold liquids.
3. Detoxing. Most people eat too much fat, sugar, salt, caffeine, and carbohydrates daily than they should. As a reaction, when eating the clean and simple foods on the VLCD/Phase 2 of the diet, your body can take some time to adjust. This is the reason most people experience headaches in the first week. Feel free to take an aspirin or ibuprofen (non-gel cap and non-sugar-coated forms). If you have a headache, know that your body is going to love you for making the smart choice to lose weight and get healthy.

Here are a few more helpful hints for surviving the first week on the diet:

• Green vegetables are unlimited! They should only be eaten during mealtimes (no snacking in between). So, have as much of that lettuce, spinach, celery, etc. as you want until you’re full.
• If you prefer to start your day with breakfast, know that you can split your fruit and Grissini breadsticks or melba toast apart from your lunch and dinner. So, for example, you can have a handful of strawberries and a Grissini breadstick, then just leave the fruit and carb servings out of your lunch. Likewise, if want a snack or “dessert” in the evening, you can skip your fruit and/or Grissini at dinner to have later in the evening. Just try not to eat too late at night or else it may keep you from losing at your best.

Do you have any tips or advice for making it through the first week of Phase 2?