The HCG Weight Loss Program

The HCG Weight Loss Program is unique for fad diet plans in that it utilizes a hormone normally only found in the body during pregnancy to supposedly stimulate stored fat burning for quick weight loss.


The HCG hormone is said to also suppress appetite making an extremely low-calorie diet bearable.

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Type - Quick Weight Loss

Are special products required? - Yes

Is eating out possible? - No

Is the plan family friendly? - No

Do you have to buy a book? - No

Is the diet easy to maintain? - No

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So how does it work?...

The foundation of the program is the injections or drops of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) that are administered once to three times per day for a period of 26-40 days.


HCG is produced during the first three months of pregnancy in order to ensure that nutrients are available to a developing fetus.


The HCG stimulates the body to burn stored abdomen fat and send it to the fetus so that no matter how much food the mother eats, the fetus has enough to survive. HCG is still used as an indicator of pregnancy in pregnancy tests.


In overweight men and women, the introduction of HCG supposedly stimulates the burning of stored belly fat which facilitates weight loss.


The HCG also allegedly makes the body feel full, allowing dieters to subsist on a very low-calorie diet during the 26-40 day course without feeling hunger pangs or discomfort.

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The Diet Plan...

The plan is based around taking injections or drops of HCG hormone daily. In the case of the drops, they are placed under the tongue three times per day.


The diet plan demands that dieters restrict their calories to only 500 per day and allows no processed sugars, alcohol, or dairy. The 500 calories should also be low carb and high in protein.


The theory behind the method of the HCG Weight Loss Program is that while the dieter restricts his or her calories to only 500 per day, they will create a huge calorie deficit that triggers weight loss.


The addition of HCG into the body accelerates the fat loss and tricks the body into feeling full.


The program is very expensive, costing hundreds of dollars for just one 26-day course of the hormone. The body becomes desensitized to the hormone after 40 days, which is the maximum length of treatment.

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Is it good for you?...

The problem with the HCG Weight Loss Program is that it's claims are unsubstantiated. Although when first discovered certain studies backed up the original claims of accelerated weight loss, later trials found no difference between the HCG Weight Loss Program and a placebo.


Though weight loss can be achieved through this pricey program, similar results can be achieved without the hormone. Severe hunger pangs are reported as often by people using the HCG hormone as those using the placebo, so there is no advantage there, either.


Furthermore the HCG Weight Loss Program may be dangerous. The FDA has approved HCG use as a fertility drug, meaning that any women taking this drug for weight loss may be at a high risk of becoming pregnant.


Additionally, the FDA has said that marketing this drug for weight loss is downright fraudulent and possibly dangerous.


At least one person has died from a blood clot while using the HCG Weight Loss Program due to the way that this hormone causes blood clots, along with headaches, leg cramps, diarrhea, and other side effects. HCG can also cause dangerous conditions in the ovaries.


Proponents of the program point out that the levels of HCG administered are below the natural levels found in healthy pregnant women, but it’s important to note that even “natural” levels of hormones can be dangerous and unhealthy.


The last thing to note about the HCG Weight Loss Program is that any weight lost is temporary and is bound to come back once normal eating habits return. It is not a long term plan.

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Example Day...

Breakfast
• 3 drops of HCG under the tongue
• 1/2 grapefruit
• Whole wheat tortilla wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomatoes

Lunch
• 3 Drops of HCG under the tongue
• Garden salad
• 1 apple

Dinner
• 3 Drops of HCG under the tongue
• Lean grilled chicken
• Garden salad
• Melon cubes

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