HCG is an extreme diet for rapid weight loss, based on a hormone that is produced during pregnancy – HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
HCG is a diet that aims for quick results – between 0.5 to 1 kg of weight loss per day.
HCG is actually a hormone that is released in the body during pregnancy and reaches its highest levels around 12-15 weeks of gestation. It is important for the proper development of the fetus and the preservation of the pregnancy.
In 1954, however, the British endocrinologist Albert Simons first saw this hormone as a means of losing weight by preparing a diet that consisted of a combination of:
HCG injection
What Simons found is that human chorionic gonadotropin accelerates metabolism, which in combination with physical activity and low-calorie intake leads to rapid weight loss, but not excessive muscle loss. In addition to speeding up metabolism, HCG affects appetite by reducing the feeling of hunger for fatty foods.
What are the risks of the HCG diet?
However, HCG injection had its side effects, which included headaches, fatigue, breast enlargement in both sexes, irritability, and blood clots. That is why this diet is met with solid criticism from health organizations. In addition, too low a calorie intake per day (less than 1300-1500 per day) can have very negative consequences for the body.
Nowadays, HCG is available in the form of tablets, drops or spray, but injections remain the most effective but are prescribed by a doctor.
However, the Food and Drug Administration considers the use of such a hormonal injection for weight loss to be dangerous and approves its use only for the treatment of fertility problems.
Scheme of application in HCG diet
If you still want to go on the HCG diet, here is an example scheme:
Phase One – This is the time when you need to store your body with enough fat and calories. The reason is that when taking HCG, its absorption is not instantaneous, but requires time. This phase lasts two days.
Phase Two – This is the phase of actual weight loss and involves a low-calorie diet. You are given two meals a day (lunch and dinner) and about 500 calories. Each serving should contain protein, vegetables, a slice of bread, and fruit. It is important to drink plenty of water. Coffee and tea are also allowed. Many people take extra vitamins, as this diet can lead to beriberi. This phase lasts between 3 and 6 weeks.
Phase Three – this is the time to maintain your weight by slowly increasing your calorie intake (up to 1000-1500) and fat, but avoiding sweets and carbohydrates.
Those with minimal results should continue the second phase for no more than three weeks, and those with heavyweight loss and no health side effects may continue the second phase for six weeks and even repeat several times the whole cycle of three phases of the diet.
