What You Should Know About The HCG Diet

There are many different types of eating plans and diets around that promise to help you lose weight, even if every other diet you have tried hasn't worked. One such diet you might want to consider is called the HCG diet. This diet uses drops of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which is a hormone usually produced by women during pregnancy. The diet originated when it was discovered that HCG can help curb the appetite and burn excess body fat. Here is more information about the diet and the drops you need to take.

How the Drops Work

With the HCG diet, you can either get the drops or the injections. Injections of HCG are provided only by a medical professional. While this is still an option, many people opt for the drops, as they find them easier and more convenient. HCG drops from suppliers like Intermountain HCG contain the HCG hormone needed to reduce your food cravings and help your body burn fat to use for fuel. The drops will give instructions on how many you need to take each day, which depend on the HCG content in those drops. In most cases, you take multiple drops several times a day for the duration of the diet.

The HCG Diet

After obtaining your HCG drops, you also have a strict diet to follow in order for this plan to work. This is a diet with a very low calorie limit, food restrictions, and different phases. There are four phases in the HCG diet, as follows:

Phase One – During the first phase, you eat whatever you want for the first couple days of the diet, but you also drink as much water as you can. You will begin using the drops during these first two days, and avoid eating or drinking within a few minutes of taking the drops.

Phase Two – Starting on day three, and for the next couple weeks, you will be on phase two of the diet. During this time, you are asked to get plenty of rest at night, and take drops immediately upon waking. You should skip breakfast and have a very small lunch, consisting of only a small amount of meat, fruits, and vegetables. A slice of bread is also allowed for lunch. At dinner, you skip meat and only have fruits and vegetables.

Phase Three – During phase three, you begin adding a little more food, but still stick within the calorie limit. At this point, you can add a little more sugar and starch to your diet. This is also a good time to start increasing your physical activity. You can continue taking the drops during phase three.

Phase Four – Phase four is often considered the most difficult because at this point, you are no longer taking the HCG drops. It may be harder to control your eating because you might get your appetite back. You also need to be careful to monitor your weight. Phase four lasts for as long as you want to keep losing weight or maintaining your weight.

Drawbacks of the HCG Diet

Before you start any new diet, you should be aware of the risks. The main risks of this diet come from the lack of calories you consume. It can be hard adjusting to such a small amount of calories each day, which may lead to stomach cramps, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches. Ask your doctor first before you start this diet.

If you decide to try the HCG diet, you can get the drops from your local drug store, or your physician.