HCG Diet How Does It Work
Back in the 1950s, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons discovered that a hormone – HCG – could regulate the hunger signals in the hypothalamus. By increasing the level of human chorionic gonadotropin, it was possible to trick the brain into releasing excess stored fat. That is the theory behind the HCG Diet. How does it work to accomplish this goal? The hypothalamus receives the signal from HCG that the body is not starving. When that occurs, it allows for the release and burning of stored fat. Without HCG, the response to a very low-calorie diet is to hold onto fat stores and utilize muscle tissue for fuel. That is why people who cut calories without using HCG often lose crucial muscle mass and not fat.
The only way to get real HCG is with HCG Diet injections. Does it work to use homeopathic HCG drops or pills? No, these products do not contain real HCG and often do not produce the same lasting results. It is not the HCG itself that causes weight loss. Rather, it is the reduction in calories that stimulates the loss of weight. Real HCG protects your muscles from shrinkage and weakness by directing the body to release the stored fat.
Does the HCG Diet work for everyone?
No one diet works for each man and woman. While the HCG Diet does help most people, there are those who, for medical reasons, are not candidates for this program. Also, you must be willing to commit to following the protocol as directed.
Purpose of HCG Diet Injections
Weight loss is the only purpose of the HCG Diet. How does it work to accomplish this mission? When your body does not receive enough nutrition, you begin to feel hungry. Next, you may get a headache or feel weak. Your brain will sense that you are not getting enough nutrition and that signals the body into starvation mode. The response is to protect the fat stores for further emergency use, so the body pulls energy from muscle mass. HCG flips that around.
We can best explain the process by how HCG helps pregnant women. Many women experience nausea during the first trimester. They may not be able to consume enough calories to support the developing fetus. HCG production increases in a pregnant woman, and that signals the body to utilize stored fat for fuel and fetal nutrition.
Fat burning is the goal of the HCG Diet. Does it really work for men as well as it does for women?
The HCG Diet works for men and women equally as well. Men do tend to lose weight at a quicker pace just as with any diet program.
Why Calories Are Limited On the HCG Diet
It is not the HCG that causes weight loss – it is the extremely low-calorie diet. The only way to burn through stored fat is by causing the body to use it. You must expend more calories a day than you consume. There are two ways to accomplish this:
- Increase exercise and physical exertion
- Decrease caloric consumption
The more you know about the HCG Diet, how does it work, and the protocol to follow, the better your results.
The average person burns about 2,000 calories a day – based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of course, a person who sits all day will burn less, and one who is extremely active will burn more.
You have to cut calories significantly to facilitate weight loss on the HCG Diet. Why does it work with 500 to 700 calories but not 1,000 calories?
If a man normally consumes 3,000 calories a day and cuts back to 1,000 calories, he is likely to lose weight, especially if he is very active. The difference is that there is a specific protocol for what to eat on the HCG Diet plan. How does it work can be best understood by the explanation that it takes a dramatic caloric decrease to get the body burning through its fat stores. Without the caloric reduction, the HCG Diet is useless.
How to Maintain Long-Term Results from the HCG Diet
You may be wondering about results from the HCG Diet. Does it work long-term to keep the weight from coming back?
When a person follows the entire HCG Diet protocol as directed, the weight will remain off. It is only when a person goes back to eating how he or she did before – foods high in sugar and starch – and at too high a caloric content, that weight gain can occur.
Sticking to the healthier lifestyle and habits you develop while on the HCG Diet will help you maintain your results long-term.
If you have further questions about the HCG Diet, how does it work, how to get started, or what it entails, please contact Weight Loss Medical Center for a no-cost, no-obligation, confidential consultation.