Many people might be wondering what HCG actually is. I hadn't a clue what it was when I first heard about it. HCG is a natural hormone that is found in pregnant women. This hormone allows the body to mobilize fat and use it as energy. Although pregnant women have extremely high levels of HCG, only a small amount is needed for weight loss. Using HCG does not mimic pregnancy, so it may be used on men as well as women. HCG can be administered through injections, pills, or drops. I opted for the drops which I will be taking four times a day.
There are four phases to the diet.
Phase 1. Start taking the drops. The first two days I can eat anything I want, in fact I want to load up on high caloric/high fat foods. This phase is known as the "Loading Phase." I am trying to prepare my body for a period of low calorie intake. This keeps my body from going into starvation mode. I like to think of myself as a bear before winter. I have to say that this step kind of excites and scares me at the same time!
Phase 2. Continue taking drops. I will then start a very strict diet with an intake of 500 calories a day at the most. This sounds crazy, right?! 500 calories?! I know, that's what I thought. After reading and hearing about people who went on the diet, it doesn't seem so crazy. The HCG works as an appetite suppressant so the 500 calories won't make me feel too hungry. All I will be eating are organic fruits, veggies, and lean protein. This will give me enough energy to go about my day. Instead of drawing the rest of my energy from my muscles and bones, my body will take the energy from my fat stores. This phase lasts anywhere from 23 (the minimum amount of time it take to re-program that Hypothalamus) to 45 days. It all depends on how much weight you want to lose.
Phase 3. This phase lasts 3 days. It's when I will be going off the HCG drops but remaining on the 500 calorie diet.
Phase 4. This phase is 3 weeks and is known as the Maintenance Phase. During the process I will be gradually adding in more foods while staying away from sugar and starch.
One of the reasons I chose this diet, other than having amazing results, is that after getting off the diet, the dieter can maintain the new healthy weight. I wanted something long term. Even though I will definitely be changing my eating habits, I will splurge every once in a while. I don't want to gain my weight back the minute after I start eating more than 500 calories! I want to be able to eat 1200-1500 calories on a normal day and keep the healthy weight.
In case you are wondering, here is my food list during the weight loss phase:
Fruit-2 different/servings a day. Apple, half a grapefruit, handful of strawberries, orange
Veggies- 2 servings/different veggies a day. (each serving=3.5 oz) Spinach, lettuce, cucumber, asparagus, cabbage, bokchoy, swiss chard, beet greens, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, tomato, celery, onions. Green and Red salsa with no sugar is okay to eat as well.
Meats- 2 different servings a day weighing 3.5 oz uncooked. Chicken breast, Cod, Flounder, Halibut, sole, tilapia, sea bass, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops. I can also eat a serving of lean beef once a week.
Drinks- WATER! Tea and Coffee. But only 1 tbsp of milk a day. >_< I can add lemon/lime to my water. Pretty much calorie/carb/sugar/aspartame/nutrasweet free drinks are okay. (Stevia is a good sugar replacement although I hate the taste! Guess I'll have to get used to it.)
Seasonings- Anything without added sugar or starches. No oils!
An odd rule on the diet is that I am not allowed to wear lotion or use hair products with oil! Apparently they contain calories which your skin absorbs, interfering with the diet. I honestly did not know that the skin could absorb calories.
I tried to make the explanation rather short...ish. There is just SO much information! It's taken me days to research and I still feel unprepared. As I start to go through the phases I will elaborate on the rules and tidbits I left out. If there are any questions feel free to ask! :)
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