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Q: I heard that the HCG diet can help you lean outfast. Are there any drawbacks?
A: Ah, yes. Youve heard the claims. But do you know the origins? HCG is for those so hell-bent on slimming down at lightening speed (a pound a day plus, compared to a healthy rate of two pounds per week), that they inject a pregnancy hormoneor take it under-tongue.
Science to support recommending this diet is lacking, says Joy Dubost, PhD, RD, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. Weight loss results from its extremely restrictive nature and low caloric intake. Period. Exclamation point.
Is the Paleo Diet Really Healthy?>>>
Whats hCG? Its human chorionic gonadotropin, the hormone in urine that determines pregnancy test outcomes and that also spurs genital development. Its link to weight loss dates to the 1930s, when endocrinologist A.T.W Simeons discovered that young boys with pituitary-gland malfunctions taking hCG to aid gonad development lost weight by eating little without experiencing hunger pangs. He later combined the drug with calorie-cutting to develop the diet, and today's offshoots involve 26-day prescription-based treatments that cost around $450.
At 40 days, immunity can occur, so dieters must take a six-week break. And after dose three, dieters restrict daily calories to 800. No dairy, sugar, or alcohol are allowed. Plus you're encouraged to eat only high-protein foods low in starches and carbs. Yep, sounds like a real joy ride to us, too.
Can Masturbating Help You Lose Weight?>>>
But even worseand more problematicare the very real risks. The FDA has approved hCG only as a fertility drug treatment, and it recently issued warnings to seven companies marketing over-the-counter hCG products labeled homeopathic for weight loss. Among possible hCG side effects? Breast enlargement (yes, were talking man boobs), irritability, headache, depression, water weight, hair thinning, nausea, and diarrhea.
What's more, such caloric restriction could be considered starvation. Needs vary according to how active you are, but men generally require 2,000 to 3,000 calories daily to stay healthy. When attempting weight-loss, dieters may chop to 1,200 to 1,500 calories daily, but dipping below 1,200 isn't advised by experts. On such few calories, you cant get all the nutrients your body needsand you can forget about the energy and muscle fuel to work out.
How Do Hormones Impact My Body and Workouts?>>>
One British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology meta-analysis concluded there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being.
Malnourished Slim Jims? Not so sexy. Trust us, you're better with another slim-down, get-lean strategy.
MF EXPERT: Joy Dubost, PhD, RD, CSSD is a Sports Dietician and an experienced Food Scientist with over 15 years of experience, as well as a spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Nutrition Q&A: Does the HCG Diet Work? | Men's Fitness
The Everett HCG Diet is designed forrapid weightloss for patients with over 20 pounds or more to lose. This medically supervised program can be combined with prescription HCG, B-12 or lipotropics* and other cutting edge medical weight loss enhancers.
Our hCG diet is a modern updated version of the original HCG Diet introduced by a Dr. Simeons, MD over 50 years ago.
Over the last 50 years medical science has reported on many important medical discoveries that not only results in more effective weight loss but increased weight loss. The Everett HCG diet combines these latest medical discoveries with the basics of Dr. Simeons original HCG Diet program. Our modern hCG diet has eliminated the serious health problems associated with the original hCG.
For an Appointment Call 1-425-905-2497
Disclaimer:As with any weight loss program, there are no guarantees for individual weight loss. Information provided herein is based on historical research, studies, and results from the many thousands of former HCG (human chorionic gonaditropin) weight loss clients. Individual success is dependent upon a variety of factors. Contact our Everett HCG weight loss center now to schedule a consultation.
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Everett HCG Diet | HCG Diet Weight Loss Center in Everett ...
Csar A. Lara M.D
Tampa HCG Doctor, Csar Lara, M.D. helps women and men to lose weight using the HCG diet in the Tampa area.In his quest to empower his patients and get to the root of their problems rather than just contain them, Csar Lara, M.D. created a vastly successful weight management practice through which he has been able to help thousands of patients regain their health by getting rid of their excess weight and keep it off with lifestyle modification.
Dr. Csar Lara is board-certified in Obesity Medicine and has an Advanced Certification in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). Dr. Csar Lara, HCG Medical Weight Loss Program is designed to treat obesity as a disease, NOT a weakness in character.
Dr. Lara has created a weight loss program that utilizes medical diagnostic tools to identify hormonal imbalances that hinder patients from reaching their optimal health, and creates a unique approach to bring balance back to their bodies and their lives. Csar Lara, M.D. has finally realized his dream of empowering his patients to achieve optimal physical health, thus restoring their emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The HCG diet has been in practice for over 60 years after it was developed following the discovery of the affects of the HCG hormone in the 1950s by Doctor A.T.W. Simeons. While doing research and practicing medicine in India, Dr. Simeons noticed that malnourished pregnant Indian women were often able to give birth to healthy babies.
After extensive research, he found that the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) hormone was responsible for this phenomenon as HCG would use the mothers fat stores to supply her unborn child with the nutrients needed to develop and grow normally. Dr. Simeons then successfully began using the hormone in individuals that were not pregnant to trigger fat stores to be metabolized naturally by the body, resulting in dramatic yet safe weight loss results.
The HCG diet encourages the body burn fat reserves as fuel using HCG supplementation and a low-calorie diet. Because of the HCG hormones interaction with the hypothalamus, the body is able to endure a low calorie diet of around 500 calories per day without causing harm or undesirable side effects usually associated with other low-calorie diets such as fatigue, headaches, and stomach pain. Without the use of the HCG hormone, a 500 calorie per day diet would cause these side effects and would put the body into conservation mode, causing it to store up even more fat and burn muscle mass for fuel.
Tampa HCG Doctor Csar Lara, M.D. helps patients to lose weight more easily and effectively with the HCG diet.
Most people on the HCG diet are able to lose around one pound per day, which can add up to a total loss of thirty or more pounds of fat after only one course of an HCG diet plan.
Most diets cause a patient to only lose water weight and muscle tissue. Extremely low-calorie diets often cause the body to metabolize muscle as it is a fast protein source and provides immediate energy to the body. Consuming an inadequate amount of calories with the intention of losing weight without proper supervision and HCG supplementation can cause muscle loss and may even increase the bodys fat stores over time.
While on the HCG diet, thousands of calories from fat stores are being metabolized by the body, and despite the low calorie diet, most patients do not experience fatigue, hunger pains or other side effects generally associated with a low-calorie diet.
The HCG diet can cause patients to lose large amounts of fat in a short period of time, which sets it apart from other diets. Some diets can deliver weight loss results yet the weight is easily gained back shortly after finishing the diet program; however, the HCG diet plan can lead to greater amounts of weight loss with a low rate of regain due to the total metabolic reset instigated by the HCG hormone.
While the HCG hormone does not target specific areas in the body, it does tend to break down fat where it is most abundant. Typical results are seen in the waist, buttocks, thighs, and arms when following a properly administered and supervised HCG diet plan.
Because the HCG diet works directly with the hypothalamus, the bodys metabolism can get reset to a new point after weight loss. Many people have been able to retain their new metabolic function even after finishing the HCG diet.
The main reason that people fail to stay on diets is that subsiding on a reduced daily caloric intake makes them physically uncomfortable. They experience hunger pangs, weakness, irritability, headaches, and many other unpleasant symptoms. The constant cycle of losing and gaining weight takes a toll on the body and makes it increasingly difficult to lose weight and keep it off. Another problem with traditional diets is that the body stores fat for survival when it is in starvation mode. It pulls its energy from muscle instead, which helps to explain the overall fatigue most people feel when they are dieting.
If the thought of living comfortably on a 500-calorie per day diet seems impossible, you need to know more about the HCG diet. The HCG hormone, which a womans body produces naturally when she is pregnant, helps to keep your appetite under control during the first part of the program. Once you get past the first few days of restricted eating, you may be surprised to find that you feel satisfied and dont think much about food at all. The pounds drop off when you dont have to constantly fight the urge to give in to hunger, leading to an increase in confidence and an even greater desire to make the HCG diet your last one.
The HCG diet offers results that you just cant find anywhere else. The average participant loses between one and two pounds every day during the initial 23 to 40 days on the program. Just imagine for a moment how good you would feel with that much weight gone from your body. If you need to lose more, CsarLara, M.D. requires you wait for several weeks to let your body adjust before starting another course of HCG supplementation and dieting. The skills you learned during your first time through the program, such as making smart food choices and staying hydrated with water, will serve you well should you decide to enroll for a second time.
View before and after photos of Dr. Laras HCG Diet patients!
Tampa HCG Doctor, Csar Lara, M.D. has used the HCG diet to help patients lose significant amounts of weight in a fast and healthy way. Countless people have been able to reach their weight loss goals and overcome the challenges of obesity with an HCG diet plan.
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Dr. Csar Lara M.D.- Tampa HCG Doctor - HCG Diet Tampa
HCG Diet Drops Guide
What you need to know when taking HCG drops
HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin, and is a natural hormone created by the human body.
Its first connection to weight loss was made by Dr. Simeons, who found that it had tremendous benefits when it came to losing weight, due to its appetite suppressing properties.
The hormone within the HCG drops allows the body to burn up excess abnormal fat stores and can also curb your cravings for starch and sugar.
26-Day Kit vs. 40-Day Kit
There is no treatment lasting less than 26 days for patients who only want to lose a few pounds.
If patients reach a normal weight faster than the 26 days, they are given a diet of 800 1000 calories for the rest of treatment. This ensures that their weight remains constant throughout the remaining days on the HCG hormone.
Treatment is stopped when either 34 pounds are lost or 40 injections/drops have been given. The only exception to this rule is for grotesquely obese patients who are allowed an extra 5-6 pounds of weight loss before the limit of 40 cycles of drops has been reached.
Tips and Tricks While on the HCG diet
Make sure you are taking your doses three times a day. Getting The HCG formula in your system not only help you release stored fat throughout the day so you are burning an adequate amount of calories each day, but it also helps the amino acidswork in your body.
The HCG formula contains ingredients to help your body through the low calorie portion of the diet. If you arent getting the right amount of drops, you might feel too hungry, or you might run out early! Both of these things can be avoid if you learn the proper dosage for HCG Drops.
You may use the glass dropper in the bottle and count 8 drops under your tongue three times a day. Or you can use 0.38ML under the tongue three times per day.
The oral syringe can be tricky to use, but when you pull the syringe, allow the liquid to come up the tube, and stop as soon as the drops touch the black line.
Homeopathic Vs. Real HCG Drops
HCG drops are the most simple method of consuming the HCG hormone. It involves no mixing, needles, syringes, or injections. The drops can be obtained from local medical offices, pharmacies or through an online distributor.
The drawbacks to taking the drops over the injections could be the thirty minutes you must wait before eating. This is done to ensure the drops are absorbed, and limits the possibility of the drops not affecting the body correctly.
If the body does not absorb the drops properly, it will leave dieters hungry, and without consistent results.
Amino Acids and Vitamin B
HCG Triumph drops do not require a prescription, are completely in compliance with FDA regulations and are safe to use. Our brand particularly uses a FDA regulated laboratory that procures HCG in a purified way to make the HCG formula with amino acids. Trace amounts of HCG can be found in your urine and that is why the doctors take a urine sample when performing a pregnancy test. It has nothing to do with urine it is just flushed out of your body by urination. Therefore those trace amounts can be extracted and utilized for other purposed through a separation and purification process in a FDA regulated lab that procures a pharmaceutical grade of the HCG that is enough to be effective on your diet program. Once the HCG hormone has been extracted and purified, it is combined into our formula that also includes amino acids to help support your body during the duration of the diet.
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Best 25+ Hcg diet ideas on Pinterest | Vlcd diet, Hcg meal plan and Diet meal plans 1200 Calorie a day, one page, full week, menu and shopping list - Menu Plan for Weight Loss - Tap the pin if you love super heroes too! Cause guess what? you will LOVE these super hero fitness shirts!See MoreWhen doing the HCG diet, drinking plenty of water and shying away from caffeine can help get the best results. This infographic from a medical weight loss center in Orlando has more information on the diet.See MoreHCG diet friendly vegetables - I need to have more of these handySee MorePre measured servings with different seasonings. oz pre cooked for meal prep hcg diet.See MoreA Look at HCG Diet Drops Used For Weight Loss in 2017 Buy HCG Diet Drops Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Drops There is a diet craze travelling across the internet and it is known as the HCG Diet. The main weight-loss component in the HCG Diet is.See More
The 4 Keys to Proper Running Breathing
We usually eat for taste not for low calorie. If we dont get taste most probably most of the people will stop eating as we dont like eat something tasteless. But we cannot kept on eating everyday tasty and yummy dishes as it is no low calorie foods
We offer medical grade HCG diet plan in Phoenix and surrounding cities. Give us a call to learn more about this weight loss method at
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HCG Weight Loss Program
Many people are having difficulty understanding the HCG diet.
HCG is a natural substance that is produced in the human body during pregnancy.
Although it is a natural substance, it is classified as a drug and available only by prescription. You must get HCG from a medical doctor with a prescription. The FDA has not approved HCG to be used in weight loss treatment but it is not illegal. According to the FDA, it is in fact, legal for doctors in America to prescribe medications for purposes that are not yet approved by the FDA.
The HCG diet is an effective weight-loss program that requires a diet of about 500 calories a day. Many people may think that if you consume 500 calories a day, you will still lose weight. Yes, this is true, but by practicing only the diet part of the plan, you might lose energy, muscle mass and experience extreme hunger episodes. The HCG hormone provides patients with energy, quicker fat metabolism (not muscle depletion), and acts as an appetite suppressant.
We offer our patients several HCG program options such as our effective HCG 23-day program or our successful HCG 40-day program. Patients will meet with Dr. Li on a regular basis to track their weight-loss progress and in order to address any questions or concerns they may have.
It is important for patients to take the necessary supplements and prescription medications in order to maintain a healthy nutritional balance. Our clinic will make recommendations, based on your medical intake package or blood work, of supplements that will help you achieve an even greater weight loss. It is also imperative that you continue to take any necessary prescription medications that your primary doctor has ordered.
So if youre wondering whether it is safe to combine medications and supplements with the HCG diet, it is safe, when under the care of our certified physicians.
Researchers have found that HCG can actually help the body burn fat, and can be used to aid in weight loss when combined with a healthy low calorie diet and a moderate exercise routine. This discovery confirmed the work of Dr. A.T.W. Simeons, who used HCG in accordance with a 500-calorie per day diet to direct the bodies of overweight people to burn fat instead of muscle. Although HCG is associated with pregnancy, it can safely be used by both men and women that are looking to achieve successful weight-loss or maintenance.
Additional positive side effects associated with HCG therapy may include:
A few negative side effects associated with HCG therapy may include:
*These are generally mild and are not very troublesome to most people.
The grass roots use of HCG in weight loss is growing fast. Local radio stations are advertising the program in spas and clinics. Hundreds of blogs and forums on the internet expound on the miracle of HCG. Kevin Trudeau and his Weight Loss Cure book and products are getting a lot of attention because of his infomercials and intense marketing. While individual results, of course, will vary and no one can guaranty a 100% success rate overall, positive testimonials are pouring in by the thousands.
At our clinic, we conduct the HCG diet in its most authentic form in order to achieve success. At our medical weight-loss center, you will be handed a consent form and several brochures discussing facts and concerns regarding the HCG diet plan.
If you have any additional questions, Dr. Li will be more than happy to answer them for you.
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HCG Diet | HCG Weight Loss - Dr. Li Wellness
Simply put, HCG helps dieters lose weight by metabolizing the bodys stored fat during the dieting process. This not only keeps you energized while on a very low calorie diet, but it also helps you lose inches faster than with diet and exercise alone.
There are two types of fat in your body. The first type is visceral fat, which provides short-term energy storage. When you engage in short bursts of activity, you burn visceral fat. The second type is subcutaneous fat, which your body uses for long-term energy storage. Visceral fat is located in the abdomen, situated around your vital organs. Subcutaneous fat is located all over your body. Generally, about 90% of the fat in the human body is subcutaneous. Additionally, women typically have a higher percentage of subcutaneous fat as opposed to men, who typically carry more visceral fat. Regardless of sex, however, this subcutaneous fat is the stubborn fat that is hard to lose with diet and exercise. Subcutaneous fat is the same stored fat that HCG metabolizes.
HCG metabolizes your subcutaneous fat by communicating with your hypothalamus, a very important part of your brain that regulates most of your metabolic functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, fatigue and more. In the case that you are undernourished that is, you are consuming fewer calories than you are burning HCG will tell your hypothalamus to metabolize your subcutaneous fat for adequate nourishment. HCG allows your body to retrieve your stored energy by burning that stubborn fat.
The amazing effects of HCG on the hypothalamus were discovered by Dr. Albert T. W. Simeons who observed that malnourished women tend to give birth to health babies with normal birth weights. Dr. Simeons concluded that women are able to do this because the HCG hormone that their bodies naturally produced during pregnancy helped their bodies to metabolize subcutaneous fat. During pregnancy, HCG was able to provide proper nourishment for not only the babies but also the mothers by tapping into the mothers stored energy.
Dr. Simeons later used HCG to treat obesity with great success. His methods, which are still used by physicians today, are laid out in his 1954 bookPounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity. We include a copy of Dr. Simeons book in every order, so you can fully understand the science behind the method and ensure the best results possible!
Exercise is a great way to shed unwanted pounds, relieve stress, and keep you vibrant and healthy. So with all these amazing benefits, is exercise recommended while on the HCG diet? Many experts think not. In fact, rigorous exercise is frowned upon by professionals while on the HCG diet due to many factors. Let's delve into them to have a better understanding of how the HCG diet works.
Due to the fact that one doesn't consume as many calories on the HCG diet and most people follow a strict 500 calorie per day diet, strenuous exercise like heavy cardio and lifting weights is discouraged. HCG drops take the stored fat deposits in your body and make them constantly available for your body to use as nourishment and energy. Since a lot of food isn't going straight into the stomach to be used for fueling the body, there aren't enough calories to use for energy during an intense workout.
With this diet, the stored fat deposits take a bit of time to break down to be used for energy and if you add working out to the equation, the body will utilize the stored fat as an energy source causing the body to be extremely undernourished. This will make your body incredibly hungry and exhausted all at once.
With added hunger means added food and calories, making it easier to binge on cheat meals and eat more than you should on the HCG diet. Ultimately, this throws the entire diet off balance. The point of the HCG diet is to suppress your hunger while using energy that is already stored as fat, thus helping you shed unwanted pounds quickly.
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hCG Drops Diet Plan to Lose Weight! Is Exercise Required ...
What is HCG and the HCG Diet Plan?
It is a well-known fact that millions of people throughout the world are struggling to lose excess pounds and avoid weight related health problems. The HCG diet plan has recently moved to the forefront as a popular program for those who have not experienced success with traditional weight loss methods. Although developed over 60 years ago, this particular diet did not become well known until 2008. The plan is a combination of severe caloric restriction and the use of HCG supplements, which can be taken in the form of an injection or through the use of sublingual drops.
HCG is an abbreviation for Human Chrorionic Gonadotropin-a pregnancy hormone that signals a womans body to burn stored fat throughout the entire course of her pregnancy. When this hormone is taken by individuals who are not pregnant, its fat burning effect is the same. This makes it possible for one to drastically slash the number of calories he or she consumes without becoming weak or listless. Provided the HCG drops or injections are taken regularly, the persons body will burn its fat stores to replace the missing calories, thus allowing the dieter to lose a significant amount of weight in a short time.
Men and women following this diet typically find that despite the severe restriction of calories, they do not experience the fatigue, physical weakness or mental dullness usually associated with very low calorie diet programs. The absence of these unpleasant effects is the result of the HCG hormones presence in the dieters system.
As with all weight loss plans, there are both benefits and risks associated with the use of the HCG program. The advantage of the plan is obviously the fact that one can reduce the number of calories eaten quite radically, while still having an adequate amount of energy to complete his or her normal daily activities. The hormone supplement is also thought to quell the hunger pains that almost always accompany diets featuring severe caloric restrictions, thus making it easier for dieters to resist forbidden foods.
There are two HCG hormone administration methods from which dieters can choose: HCG injections or sublingual drops. Injections must be administered in a diet clinic or similar facility by a qualified individual and are given subcutaneously, usually in the upper arm. Drops are the newly developed and less complicated method of delivery for the HCG hormone, as well as the most popular. Taking the hormone supplement through this route is pain-free as well as less costly. Through standard homeopathic medicine principles, the hormone supplement is distilled two or more times, and each time it gains a higher potency. The drops are then ingested by placing them under the tongue several times a day. Sublingual drops offer the same dramatic weight loss results seen with the injectable form, but in a way that is more convenient, less expensive and pain-free.
The way one chooses to take the hormone supplement has a lot to do with the type of side effects he or she will experience. Injections and sublingual drops are the two methods of delivery through which one can receive his or her daily does of HCG. Formerly, injections were the only avenue through which the body could adequately absorb the hormone and while some dieters still choose this route, they must be aware of the potential for after effects such as leg cramps, fatigue, headaches, stomach pain, mood swings and rashes. These side effects are not typically seen when drops are used.
However, regardless of the administration method one chooses, there are potential risks associated with the HCG diet. For example, most health care professionals believe that such a severe restriction of calories will result in certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Additionally, those with underlying health problems such as diabetes or high or low blood pressure may unknowingly exacerbate their conditions when following such a diet. Another concern is that many individuals enroll in programs of this type without first seeking the advice of a physician. This can lead to mistakes along the way, such as misuse of the HCG supplements.
Many people have stated that they shed pounds quickly when following the HCG diet. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved the Human Chrorionic Gonadotropin hormone for this purpose. Therefore, as with all weight reduction plans and dietary supplements, individuals should consider both the risks and benefits of the HCG diet plan prior to beginning the program. Also, anyone who experiences unusual or serious side effects from any diet or supplement should immediately cease participation. In addition, it is always in ones best interest to discuss any new weight loss program or supplement with a doctor or other licensed health care practitioner. safe and effective.
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What is the HCG Diet Plan? | Risk and Benefits
Follow these instructions to the letter to have amazing results on your hCG Diet.
The hCG diet consists of three stages. The hCG Diet stages are:
The loading stage requires that you begin taking the hCG and load with foods that are high in carbohydrates and fats. This is done so that your body will begin to adapt to the effects of the hCG.
In the burning stage you begin the VLCD (very-low calorie diet, this diet is outlined in the hCG Meal Plan section) while continuing with the drops.
The maintenance stage requires that you not eat any sugar or starches for 3 weeks.
I use this bathroom scale for my weigh-ins. It is very sleek looking and has a nice big back-lit lcd display so you can see your weight.
Days 1 and 2 require that you load up on high-calorie, fatty foods. You may think this is counter-intuitive, or crazy, but it is absolutely necessary for the diet to work properly. Go ahead, go have a great meal!
You should set a goal before you begin as to the number of pounds you would like to lose. It isn't uncommon for people lose upwards of 30 pounds on a 25-day cycle of the hCG, however, your results will vary as every person's body is uniquely different.
The diet requires that you do the burning phase for at least 21 days and no more than 42 days. If you achieve your weight goal before the 21 days then you may bump up the number of calories you are eating, but continue with the burning phase until you have been in the burning phase for a minimum of 21 days. If you do not achieve your weight goal and you have been in the burning phase for 42 days, then you must continue to the maintenance phase.
During this phase, FOLLOW THE HCG MEAL PLAN. This is your menu through the duration of the burning phase. Stick with it, you will be glad that you did.
Some other things to note in this stage:
Before returning to a normal diet, you must follow this step to help your body adapt to other foods.
For the next three weeks, you must not eat any starches or sugars, otherwise you may begin to return to a normal diet. Your body needs this time to stabilize, so as the three weeks pass, reintroduce foods into your diet. When you near the end of the maintenance phase, slowly introduce sugars and starches into your diet.
Continue to record your weight each morning, and if you have gained more than two pounds in any given day, you should skip a meal. This helps your body regulate your appetite and weight.
That's it! You should be proud of the results that you achieved, congratulations!
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The hCG Diet | hCG Meal Plan
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True story: A few years ago, a fabulously fit friend of mine was paid a substantial amount of money by a popular diet pill company to use his image in their advertising. The catch? His current competition-ready state was the "after" pictureand then he had to quickly gain some weight, lose his tan, and pose pouty for the "before" shot.
This kind of duplicity, along with photo retouching, misleading labeling, and other trickery is rampant in the diet supplement industry and has been for a long time. That's why it was so surprising when the FDA came down hard on the hCG diet, declaring it "fraudulent,""dangerous," and "illegal." What's so bad about this particular diet supplement that makes it so much worse than all the other fakes on the market?
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a hormone produced during pregnancy to help the baby grow. While it has been used for different purposes in the medical community for decades, it has recently become the centerpiece of the hCG fad diet that uses hCG drops, shots, or pills to suppress appetite and cause weight loss. Here's what you need to know about the hCG diet plan:
What can you eat on thehCG diet? Turns out, not much. Following the rules set forth in Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity, byA.T.W. Simeons, M.D., which is the recognized protocol for the diet, means you only consume 500 calories a day. (To put that in context, the average active adult woman requires2,200 to 2,400 calories a day, according to the National Institutes of Health.) And those 500 calories are limited to specific kinds of animal protein(chicken breast, beef, veal, fresh white fish, crab, lobster, or shrimp), and certain vegetables, fruits, and grains. One noticeable thing that you can't eat on the hCG diet: oilseven ifthey are healthy cooking oils such as avocado and EVOO. With all that restrictive dieting and energy intake, it's easy to see how someone might lose weight on the hCG diet plan. But, FYI,cutting calories to lose weight will almost certainly backfire.
Even if the hCG hormone or the hCG diet did work to suppress appetite, true hCG requires a doctor and a prescription to dispense. In fact, the FDA clearly states that "hCG is not approved for OTC sale for any purpose" and hCG products are illegal. Confused? Most of thesupplements sold over the counter to the public are labeled and sold as "homeopathic," which means they have leniency regarding what's actually in these products, becausesupplements are not regulatedand controlled by the FDA.
To be considered a homeopathic treatment by the FDA, it needs to appear in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS), which is essentially the official list of active ingredients that can be used in homeopathic drugs. To be included, a product has to meet very specific and thorough criteria, which these hCG supplements donot.HCG is not on this list and cannot be sold as a homeopathic medication for any purpose, saysElisabeth Walther, a pharmacist at the FDA.
Besides being cranky and hangry,taking illegal hCG shots and pills (yikes) could lead to headaches, fatigue, and more irritability. The severe calorie restriction could set you up forgallstones, an irregular heartbeat, or even an imbalance of the electrolytes that keep the body's muscles and nerves functioning properly, as we previously reported (Government Cracks Down on HCG Weight-Loss Supplements).
There just isn't any science-backed evidence that says the hCG diet works, nor that hCG should be used as a weight-loss tool. In fact, the hCG hormone is more often safely used to treat fertility issues, as the hormone is produced by the placenta during pregnancy."In the case of the homeopathic hCG remedies, people think that if they're losing weight, hCGmust be working," says Elizabeth Miller, acting director of the FDA's division of non-prescription drugs and health fraud, in a statement. "But the data simply does not support thisany weight loss is from severe calorie restriction. Not from the hCG."
Bottom line:The hCG diet only adds to the weight-loss confusion out there. (Be sure you're not falling for any of the top nine most popular diet myths.) Quick fixes can be tempting for anyone trying to lose weight, but you should definitelyskip this extreme diet and opt for good nutrition and regular exercise instead. BTW, that's called the anti-diet, and it's the healthiest diet you could ever be on. It's not as exciting, but your body will thank youand if you do lose weight the traditional way, you're much more likely to keep the weight off for good.
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The hCG Diet Plan Dangers and Misleading Weight Loss ...
