Confusion abounds about the increasingly popular HCG Diet Protocol.
It has been in the news, on Dr Oz, and of course all over the web.
I have done considerable research regarding this subject, along with actually doing the protocol several times, and thought I would share what I have found and hopefully ease some of the confusion.
The HCG Diet originated in the 1950's by Dr Simeon was developed after years of his studies on obesity.
The diet was again brought to the forefront around 2007 by author Kevin Trudeau with the release of his book entitled " The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About"
I have read Dr Simeon's book in its entirety and many excerpts from Trudeau.
What is HCG?
HCG literally means "Human Chorionic Gonadotropin", a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women.
True HCG is not approved for weight loss treatment in the US.
As such, many labs have spent years testing and perfecting a homeopathic hormone free version.
Our HCG Alternative at EZ to Be Thin is hormone free and completely safe.
"Not all Fat is Equal"
There are three types of fat in the body:
structural fat, normal fat reserves and abnormal stored fat.
Structural fat provides protection for the body's major organs and joints and is not burned for metabolism. Normal fat reserves are spread all over the body and are reused for fuel when the body is faced with immediate nutritional or caloric insufficiencies.
These first two types of fat are needed for good health.
Abnormal stored fat, or adipose fat, is kept in storage under the skin and around the organs as a "spare fuel supply" for severe nutritional emergencies. In the obese person, it tends to collect in places like the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms and neck.
this is the fat that not only causes the body to be misshapen but also causes other health problems.
Under normal dieting programs, the body will release structural and normal fat reserves.
It will also burn muscle and water. The very last fat that a supple body will burn is the abnormal fat reserves, since it is the body's final survival strategy for a severely malnourished body.
So, try as dieters might, all that bulging, distorting fat around the gut, hips and thighs will never be touched. Instead, these people become gaunt, saggy and weak as they lose their structural and reserve fat supplies....
and further diminish their hypothalamic functions.
Dr Simeons found that HCG keeps the structural fat and muscle intact while only breaking down the abnormal body fat, using it as fuel and causing a person to not only to lose pounds but also inches.
With HCG, the body releases and transforms the abnormal fat into 1500 - 3000 calories a day of energy and nutrition.
The more stored fat there is, the greater the daily fat loss.
When HCg is given in conjunction with a very low calorie diet, a condition is simulated in the body, "tricking" it into acting as though it were dealing with an emergency starvation situation. As a result,
the hypothalamus signals the release of stored fat reserves,
Perhaps the most significant benefits of the HCG protocol are improvements in the metabolism and resetting of the hypothalamus. After you complete the program, with lasts 6-12 weeks depending on how much wight you decide to lose, and make the appropriate changes to diet and lifestyle, the new set point will hold.
For people who are obese, several rounds of the HCG diet will be necessary.
The best The best thing about HCG is that it is undeniably safe. Remember, pregnant
women can experience high levels of HCG with no negative effects. The
small amount ingested during the weight loss program comes with absolutely
no adverse side effects.
(The above excerpts are taken from "What every woman must know" by Sherrill Sherman, ND and can be read in its entirety here:
What Every Woman Must Know I do
HIGHLY recommend you read it)
The HCG Protocol is done in four phases.
Phase one is considering the "gorging" phase. The first two to three days of the diet.
Phase two starts the intake of the HCG (sublingual or drops) and can run either 20 or more days, depending on the amount of weight loss desired. Phase 2 also involves the very low calorie diet, (VLCD) of 500 calories. The VLCD is specific in terms of how and what to eat and is described in Dr. Simeon’s “Pounds and Inches”
Excerpts of Dr Simeon's Book. This is a must read if you are considering the diet. We have recipes available to help your meals be enjoyable.. On the last day the HCG stops, but the VLCD continues for another three days.
Phase three is also known as the maintenance phase which runs 3 weeks before doing another “round” going back to Phase 1 loading. Add a week to Phase 3 for each round. It is a continuation of Phase 2, except that the calorie restriction is significantly lifted as well as the food choices. One must still avoid all starch and sugar. However cheeses and nuts are welcome additions. This phase is important for recalibrating the body’s weight set point.
Phase four is the rest of your life. The vast majority of those who have completed the HCG diet do not regain the weight lost. This may be due to a combination of a reset metabolism and lifestyle changes adopted during the diet.
Everyone is Different!
As stated previously, I have done several rounds of the protocol, using the
HCG Alternative drops and have lost over 40 lbs. to date. I would not recommend attempting the low calorie diet without the drops.
When reading the above calorie restrictions I am sure you are thinking, well of course if you only eat 500 calories a day you will lose weight. In my case that is not true. I had to increase daily calorie intake to 800-1000 calories to see the scale move. But move it did!
I was not hungry, had more energy, and more peace of mind that I had finally found a way to reach my health goals of losing many unwanted pounds.
I have had no adverse effects and will do a few more rounds to reach my ultimate goal.
I experimented on a couple of rounds to find what did and did not work for me.
I did learn that if you do not follow the basic concepts of the protocol, you will not be successful.
However if you do follow the basics, then the weight loss you have been attempting is very much possible.
You CAN reach your goals of a healthier, happier, NEW YOU!
To get started today, click the link to order your supply of our HCG Alternative.