The HCG diet and weight loss
A lot of people we know are overweight and some are obese. There are cases where normal levels of exercise and dieting will not help reduce obesity. The hCG diet is a very effective method to do away with obesity and can produce better results, in a relatively short period of time.
The term hCg is short for Human Choriogonadotropin. It is a substance produced by the body early during pregnancy. A pregnant woman’s metabolism is controlled to a great extent by the hCG and ensures that the person does not get obese during the pregnancy period. However, the hCG used for obesity treatment is artificially produced in the laboratory. When males or women who are not pregnant consume hCG, the drug increases the overall metabolism in the body and releases fat stores. As a result, the person loses weight much faster than conventional weight loss methods.
Usually, hCG is administered in the form of injections. There are quite a few hCG protocols followed around the world. The original one was proposed by Dr.Simeons and is one of the most popular protocols. Then, there is the Kevin Trudeau’s very famous hCG diet. There is an oral hCG diet where patients intake hCg, in the form of hCG drops.
HCG Meal Plan
To be effective, an hCG diet must be accompanied with a very low calorie diet (VLCD). This puts some serious restrictions on what you can eat and cannot.
For breakfast, you can have a lot of tea and coffee – but with no sugar. Milk intake should be limited to one tablespoon per day.
Lunch can have some meat. Chicken, shrimps, lobsters, crabs etc would be good. Intake of the said items should not exceed 100g weighed raw. Vegetables like tomato, spinach, cucumbers and cabbage should be consumed. An apple or orange would complete your lunch. Kindly note that you should not eat more than one apple or orange as the high sugar content in such fruits can easily spoil the diet.
The only beverages allowed are tea and coffee. Water consumption should be more than two liters per day.
The Dangers
The hCG diet has drawn flak from many doctors and the FDA had long questioned its claim. Some doctors believe that the resultant weight loss is not due to hCG intake but is rather a result induced by the placebo effect and intense food control. Another danger is that if the body is denied proteins for a long time, it can scavenge internal organs, including the heart, for the required nutrients. This can lead to long term health problems and in some cases it results in premature death.
