Many patients struggle to lose weight. Excessive weight is a risk factor for complications like high blood pressure and diabetes. One of the treatments Kalpana Desai, MD, a family practice physician Lady Lake recommends for patients seeking to lose weight fast, is the use of the hCG diet. This medical intervention can help you lose weight fast by suppressing your appetite and increasing your metabolism.
Although the diet may be effective in weight loss, the Food and Drug Administration does not recognize the hCG diet but deems the diet harmful and illegal. It is essential to seek professional advice before getting on the hCG diet if your goals include weight loss.
What is hCG?
The production of the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone is higher during early pregnancy. When conducting a home pregnancy test, the presence of human gonadotropin hormone is a positive marker of pregnancy. The hCG hormone is essential during pregnancy because it helps maintain the production of other necessary pregnancy hormones like progesterone.
Albert Simeons, a British doctor, was the pioneer of using hCG to assist in weight loss. A patient on a diet would need to consume 500 calories a day and hCG hormone injections. However, this is not the only form of hCG. Patients can now consume hCG via pellets, oral drops, or sprays.
How can you lose weight on the hCG diet?
If you want to lose weight using hCG, you need to understand why and how the diet works. Since your body is on ultra-low calorie intake, the only way to provide the necessary energy you need to perform functions is for your body to burn excess fat. In the process, you lose weight. However, your body compensates for ultra-low calories with increased hunger and appetite. HCG helps to reduce hunger, thus making you eat less.
Working with a specialist before getting on the hCG diet to ensure treatment efficacy is essential. For example, you need to know specific rules to the diet, including the crucial steps to follow. The first step of the hCG diet is the loading phase, where you begin taking hCG injections while eating a calorie surplus. This phase only takes two days.
The next stage of the hCG diet takes three to six weeks, the weight loss phase. You will only consume 500 calories a day during this phase while Stoll takes hCG injections.
The last phase of the hCG diet includes stopping taking hCG injections. During this time, you will gradually increase your calorie intake. However, you should stay away from sugar and starch for at least three weeks.
If you want extreme results, you should focus on the second phase of the hCG diet by spending more weeks on it. You will only be taking two meals a day. Alternatively, you may repeat the entire process to get maximum results. Although you are eating less, you should ensure that your meals remain balanced. A nutritionist should develop an appropriate meal plan for you that will guarantee results.
Contact Kalpana Desai, MD, if you have questions about the hCG diet and learn how to maintain your weight loss results.
