HCG Diet Weight Loss in Everyday Language

It seems that there’s a lot of word of mouth communication about the HCG diet. Maybe you learned about the HCG diet when a bud returned from a business conference and told you about someone she knows who’d been on the diet and achieved remarkable results. Or maybe you caught wind of it online.

If you have the opportunity to do the HCG diet together with somebody, that’s cool. That way you can share what you’ve learned about the diet, compare personal results and perspectives.

It isn’t necessary to do the diet with a friend, but it does kind of seem that sometimes initially it takes a little effort to understand the diet. And in that sense, two minds put together might be helpful.

First of all, what is the HCG diet and what is the diet protocol?

Briefly, the HCG diet consists of a 500 calorie per day restricted diet of very specific foods taken with HCG drops for 23 to 40 days. HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone. It’s a hormone which is produced only during pregnancy. Dr. A.T.W.Simeons M.D. researched the use of HCG in conjunction with diet over many years, with many patients, beginning in the late 1940′s and then at his clinic in Rome in the 1950′s. The diet is limited to two meals per day of 250 calories each. The list of foods allowed and the quantities are restrictive, eliminating all sugar, starches and reducing fat to an absolute minimum.

The theory underlying the weight loss protocol and procedures is that HCG in conjunction with the reduced calorie intake causes the body to release fat from “abnormal fat storage areas” within the body without detrimental effects to muscle tissue as would occur on a 500 calorie diet without the use of HCG. The dieter is sustained and nourished by this released fat which compensates for the lack of caloric intake. Dr. Simeons manuscript, “Pounds And Inches: A New Approach To Obesity” purports that the diet works well for women or men, regardless of size or activity level. Of course each individual’s results will vary and women and men tend to loose weight at different rates. However the dosage of HCG administered and the amounts and variety of foods allowed are pretty much the same for everyone.

How does the diet procedure work in general and what does the dieter do?

The diet has been modified somewhat in recent years to include a number of preparatory and follow up “should and shouldn’t” recommendations. These are not part of original HCG diet. Dr. Simeons diet is comprised of taking HCG for a minimum of 23 days, up to 40 days. The first two days, while on HCG are “gorge days” (ie., eat as much fatty food as you possibly can, avoiding sugary foods). During days 3 through 23, up to day 40, calorie intake is limited to a total of 500 per day distributed between lunch and diner, no breakfast.This diet is maintained for 3 days after stopping the HCG to let the hormone clear out of the body. A Maintenance phase of 3 weeks is then begun during which all sugars and starches are at first restricted and then very gradually reintroduced into a normal diet. Daily weigh in is mandatory each and every morning form day one through the maintenance phase.

What foods are allowed and how much?

Meat: 100 grams (3.5 oz.) of one meat for each lunch and dinner. The dieter is cautioned not to eat the same things for both meals. beef (as lean as possible), veal, sea bass, buffalo, chicken (breast only, skinless), sole, flounder, halibut, shrimp, crab, lobster.

Vegetables: usually unlimited, only one per meal, no mixing. beet greens, swiss chard, lettuce, spinich, cabbage, fennel, celery, red radishes, aspergus, cucumber, tomatoes, onion.

Fruit: apple or orange (1 medium), grapefruit (half), strawberries (6-8 medium).

Breadstick (grissini 1, about 20 calories) or melba toast (1-2, about 20 calories).

Beverages: water, mineral water, coffee, tea, unlimited, at any time, 64 oz. per day or more is encouraged.

There are guidelines and restrictions about how to cook, no fat, dressings or sauces at all, but dried or fresh herbs are allowed. There are guidelines about savings portions from lunch to dinner, snacking and substituting fruits for vegetables, against saving anything for the next day and not eating anything that’s not on the list. Additionally there are cosmetic, vitamin, medication and hygine product guidelines and restrictions.

Dr. Simeons manusctipt, written about fifty years ago, makes brief, vague mention of the use of diet foods, suggesting artificial sweeteners are ok. Many current diet marketers have emphasized the all natural, organic approach. Stevia, a relatively new to the mass market, totally natually derived sweetener is on the allowed list but nothing similar.

Here are some observations and my experience learning about and going through the HCG diet.

The diet was created for the treatment of obesity, a less common affliction in the 1940′s and 1950′s than today. While taking HCG on the diet, the body undergoes a metabolic change, becoming “hypersensitive” to the intake of fat, sugars and starch which can be turned into fat. The body is in a state of ketosis, nourished by the fat released by the HCG. The less fat you take in, the better the diet is likely to work.

The HCG diet is now available to the public, without going through medical channels, through the efforts of companies and individuals selling information and products related to the HCG diet. This has made an effective product/service conveniently available to the general public. But in my attempts to get answers about the science behind the diet, how and why it worked, or reasons for certain restrictions, some of my questions went frustratingly unanswered. Answers  I received were of a pragmatic variety, “We don’t know the reason, we just know from experience that it works.” Even when I consulted Dr. Simeons manuscript I came across his comment that he was tired of having to explain why certain foods were not on the list and others were. The dieter should just accept that the protocol worked. Enough said.

If you want answers to most of the frequently asked questions about HCG and the diet, there are plenty of answers available at popular websites. Perhaps just not all the answers to all your questions.

My Experience:

When I began the diet I was 6ft. 5in. and 196 lbs. That weight and body mass index are well within normal limits. My percent of body fat was 21.5%, which although normal, could stand to be lower. I did the diet because I had belly fat as well as high cholesterol numbers, both of which we now know are health risk factors.

I took HCG for 24 days and lost 20.8 lbs. During the initial part of the maintenance phase I dropped another 2.2 lbs. for a total of 23 lbs. in 36 days. I’ve managed to stabilize weight at about 175 lbs. and a consistent 16.5% body fat. My doctor is pleased with the drop in my cholesterol numbers.

Does the HCG diet work?

Yes. It worked well for me and I was not the ideal candidate.

Was I rigid about adherence to the restrictions?

No. I mixed vegetables and didn’t eat the bread sticks.

Was it as easy and comfortable to do as claimed?

Not for me. I had no previous experience with dieting, did not see myself as obese and was less motivated at the beginning than I could have been.

Would I recommend the HCG diet?

Absolutely. Not only did I loose weight, but I learned to pay much closer attention to what and how I eat. This is an astounding benefit. You really pay attention after you have been on the protocol.

Will it work well for you?

The diet appears to work very well for those who follow it carefully. Each person is different, of course. I don’t think anyone can say for sure that you will lose, because only you know whether you are staying on the diet plan and following the guidelines.

There are tons of other weight loss options out there. You can’t do all of them. You have to pick one to start with. The main question is how motivated are you to lose weight and do something about your health? If you’ve had enough of the heavy life, this might be the answer for you.