An HCG diet is a multi-phase regimen that consists of calorie loading followed by a very low calorie diet and a stabilization phase. Along with the diet is a hormone supplement component. HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is used to suppress feelings of hunger and change how your body stores fat. HCG is available over-the-counter and as a prescription. If you are interested in following a plan that is not medically supervised, you should discuss the risks with your doctor.
History of the HCG Protocol
The HCG diet was developed in the 1950s by a British endocrinologist. While in India working with obese young men, A.T.W. Simeons found that the combination of a very low calorie diet along with the HCG hormone could lead to dramatic weight loss. Dr. Simeons writes in his book, "Pounds and Inches," that HCG supplements help eliminate a ravenous appetite. The hormone did not cause weight loss nor weight gain, but did, supposedly, change the boys' shape, including distinctly decreasing waist circumference. HCG was responsible for, according to Dr. Simeons, abnormal fat deposits moving away from the hips. While in transition, the body may utilize the fat as fuel, which would help prevent starvation, while dramatically limiting calorie intake. In Dr. Simeon's original protocol, there were no phases.
HCG Phases
The modern HCG diet regained popularity in 2007 when Kevin Trudeau published "The Weight Loss Cure." His book took Dr. Simeons original research and converted it into a multi-phase program. Trudeau claimed that by following the phases, you could reshape your body, get rid of abnormal fat, increase your metabolism, eliminate hunger and food cravings and cleanse the body of toxins.
Cleansing
The first phase, based on the plan developed by Trudeau, is a detoxifying cleanse. It's a 30-day phase with 10 steps. During this phase, you drink up to a gallon of spring water daily. You are also instructed to walk one hour every day, preferably outside, using a treadmill only if you can't walk outdoors. You should also take 2 tsp. of extra virgin raw coconut oil every day and eat two organic apples and grapefruits daily. Additionally, you should take 3 tbsp. of raw organic apple cider vinegar each day, which you can also add to food. Other components of the phase include colonics for the purposes of improving digestion and treating gas and bloating. There is no HCG component to phase 1 of Trudeau's protocol.
Calorie Loading
Another way to start an HCG diet is with calorie loading. The concept is that while on a very low calorie diet in phase 2, your body will rely on fat stores. The loading phase can last anywhere from two days to a week. You're encouraged to eat high calorie foods, processed foods, baked snacks -- anything that ups your fat stores. One HCG protocol, called GreenHCG, claims that force-feeding yourself encourages the hypothalamus to burn more fat. In actuality, gorging yourself should trigger your hypothalamus to signal your brain that you've had enough food and to stop eating, according to Shu-Zhen Kuang, a Bryn Mawr College nutrition researcher. If this phase lasts too long, or you're a yo-yo HCG dieter, you could trip your hypothalamus and actually deactivate the satiety signal, which could result in obesity.
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