What Is the HCG Diet?
There is a reason why some diets disappear after a year or two and others stay around for decades – results. All over the country, people are asking what is the HCG Diet and does it really work? The answers are simple to explain.
The HCG Diet is a program that allows you to stay on an 800 calorie a day diet for up to six weeks while you administer daily injections of human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that will provide the stimulus your brain needs to force the body into burning fat stored in your fat cells and not in your muscles. Unlike other very low-calorie diets that cause people to lose muscle mass before losing stored fat, the HCG Diet reverses that process so that you maintain your muscle tone but lose that unwanted fat.
Adults who often ask what is the HCG Diet plan are concerned about two things: losing weight and keeping it off. They want to know the program will be effective before they give up the foods they love. The excitement that sets in occurs when, upon hearing that you are only “dieting” for up to six weeks at a time, people realize that this is not an open-ended weight loss plan, but rather a carefully and thoughtfully laid out way of ridding your body of those excess pounds. At the same time, you will be changing the internal cravings and how you view, prepare, and enjoy foods while losing up to 30 pounds in 30 days.
What Are the Phases of the HCG Diet?
Unlike many other weight loss programs that provide you with one set of instructions that you follow for the entire duration until you reach your targeted goal, the HCG Diet has a series of phases, each designed for a particular purpose. What is the HCG Diet protocol and how long are the various phases of the program?
There are four distinct phases, and information on each is provided below:
- HCG Diet Phase 1
This 2-day phase encompasses day 1 and 2 of your HCG injections. The purpose here is to prepare your body for rapid weight loss. To do so, you need to provide the bloodstream with a healthy supply of fat that can be targeted the minute you reduce your caloric intake. For these two days, you will consume at least 2000 calories a day of foods with a high fat content. Go ahead and indulge in your favorite meals and desserts – just remember, we want foods high in fat and not just high in sugar.
- HCG Diet Phase 2
Phase 2 of the HCG Diet is the fat burning phase. This is for the balance of six weeks unless you are on the 4-week HCG Diet. The overall amount of weight you have to lose will determine this initial protocol. During these six weeks, you will administer daily HCG and vitamin B12 injections while consuming no more than 800 calories a day. You will have a specific meal plan and food list to follow, eliminating all dairy (except 1 tablespoon of skim milk for coffee), carbohydrates, starches, fats, and sugar from your diet. Do not worry, the recipes we provide will definitely keep you satisfied.
- HCG Diet Phase 3
On Phase 3 of the HCG Diet, you will stabilize your body at the lower weight you have reached. This will last for a few weeks as you slowly increase your caloric intake, first to 1000 and then to 1200. You will also add many of the removed foods back into your diet, except for sugar, starches, and carbohydrates. If you still have additional weight to lose, you will stay on Phase 3 for a shorter period of time and then repeat Phases 1 and 2 again.
- HCG Diet Phase 4
This is the maintenance part of the HCG Diet program. You will have reached your targeted weight and can now eat anything you want. Of course, you should maintain your healthy new style of preparing foods. Remember, if you go back to the unhealthy way you ate before, you may gain back what you have lost.
If you want to know what is the HCG Diet plan menu you will follow, just check out this report that features some incredible recipes you will enjoy during Phase 2.
Tips for Following the HCG Diet Program
It is time to give you some parting tips for following the HCG Diet program. We are frequently asked for pointers when cravings hit – especially in the early stages of Phase 2. What is the best HCG Diet tip we can give you to conquer cravings? Take a close look at what your body is telling you it wants. That is the thing you most need to change. For example, if you are craving sugar, it is because your body sees this as a comfort food. To help you satisfy your sweet tooth, check out the recipes we provide for smoothies and frozen cappuccinos. You may also make some baked apples for a sweet, after-dinner dessert.
What is the HCG Diet program secret to weight loss success? The first is the protocol we provide here at Weight Loss Medical Center. We start you out with breakfast each day (not on the original 500 calorie HCG Diet) so that you are not hungry. Second, we provide you with variety in the recipes that you can prepare. Finally, we give you the caring support that will help you reach your goal.
To learn more, contact Weight Loss Medical Center for a free consultation.