Diets
What Is The HCG Diet?
Sometimes, it seems as though there are almost as many diets and weight loss methods out there as there are people who need to lose weight. A basic search will reveal hundreds of different tactics and strategies and philosophies, all claiming to be the solution you need to put your weight loss woes behind you.
The HCG Diet is one program that will help you to lose weight and is different from most methods in a few key areas.
What Is It?
The HCG Diet is based on a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone is typically produced during pregnancy and helps a baby grow. It has been utilized within the medical community for different reasons, but when an endocrinologist named Dr. Simeon started using it paired with a low-calorie diet, he noticed a rapid weight loss effect.
Medically Supervised
Most experts agree that just about anyone is a candidate for the diet, as long as they are medically supervised while they are on it. The key is to speak to your doctor if you are having trouble achieving lasting weight loss, or if you’ve hit a plateau in your efforts.
Phases
The HCG Diet consists of three different phases, and it is wise to follow each one closely if you are serious about your weight loss.
- Phase 1 – typically involves consuming high amounts of fat and calories while taking HCG for the first few days. This phase is often bypassed or overlooked, but it’s essential to the overall success of the program.
- Phase 2 – this phase is usually the most challenging because it involves a calorie intake of 500 to 700 each day. Fish and chicken are often eaten, and the calories are typically spread out over two main meals later in the day. In many cases, patients stay on this kind of calorie restriction for up to 60 days.
- Phase 3 – in phase 3, you can increase the calorie intake and stop taking the HCG. It’s designed to get you on a stable diet that you can maintain and sustain over the long term.
Warnings
It’s important to be wary of any HCG Diet that isn’t prescribed by a doctor and monitored by a doctor. Over the counter, HCG Diets are out there, but they aren’t backed by the FDA. Safe weight loss is crucial, so if you’re interested in trying the real HCG Diet, talk to your doctor.