Weight loss plans are one of the things our society has in abundance. New ones are being developed every day by would-be weight loss gurus across the country. Sometimes, though, weight loss methods are discovered quite by accident and the HCG diet is one of those cases.
HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that is naturally found in pregnant women. It is responsible for aiding the growth of the gestating fetus and making sure both it and the mother have the calories necessary to continue living as healthy as possible. In the 1950s, a British researcher by the name of Dr. A.T.W. Simeons was doing a study on the effects of HCG on fertility in women. During his study, several of the subjects reported weight loss with little change in diet and exercise. Upon conducting further research, Dr. Simeons concluded that HCG supplementation, along with a low calorie diet, can cause rapid weight loss in typically hard to lose places like the belly, upper arms and thighs.
When HCG is present in the system, it stimulates the hypothalamus to release stores of fat into the bloodstream. For pregnant women, this allows nutrients that are stored in fat to also be released into the bloodstream and subsequently absorbed by the growing fetus. When pregnancy is not a factor, the HCG still provides this function and can result in weight loss.
The low calorie diet consists of no more than 500 calories a day. This ensures that as much fat as possible is converted into energy. Normally, people get the calories and energy they require from the food that they eat. The HCG diet is designed to exploit this fat-reducing function of HCG and allow dieters to experience rapid weight loss with minimal effort.
The diet must be rigidly adhered to in order for maximum weight loss to occur. In his book Pounds & Inches, Dr. Simeons provides a very specific list of approved foods that are to be eaten while following his HCG diet protocol. These foods contain very little fat and absolutely no starches. Abstaining from starches is a must while on the HCG diet because they can interfere with the effects of HCG and reduce the total weight lost over the duration of the program. Sugars are also to be avoided, as they metabolize in a similar fashion to starches and would cause the same problems with the diet. Some sugar is allowed, however, in the form of low-sugar fruits like apples, oranges, grapefruits and strawberries.
If you’d like to get more HCG diet information, then pick up Dr. Simeons HCG diet book. It is the original source of info on the HCG diet and contains a wealth of information. The book has been around for awhile, though, and since then other HCG diet books have been written, many of which are equally useful. Also, check out the HCG diet forums online. There are many of them out there, and you can use them to speak directly to people currently undergoing the diet for themselves. They can help provide you with not only information, but useful hints and tips to help complete the HCG diet and maximize your weight loss.
Your doctor would also be a valuable source of information as he or she can help guide you through the process and help instruct you on the proper methods of supplementing your HCG.
