The Facts

The HCG Diet

When I started to express I was interested in this diet, I had a lot of different feedback. I had support from some, questions from others, and ridicule from a few. A lot of people asked how is the HCG Diet healthy? I myself was included in this. I kept pushing back my start date because I wanted to know more. Now, I want to share my learning and my experience with others, because I want to help someone the way others have helped me.
Before beginning this diet, I highly recommend reading Dr. A.T.W. Simeons book, Pounds and Inches. The book can be found here online, or you can purchase a hard copy from Barnes and Noble for about $9. I personally prefer the hard copy because I have it for reference, can highlight things, and it is small enough to be carried around. It contains everything you need to know about the diet. But, I will put what I have learned in this first post, so you can get an idea before you invest time in something you might not even be interested in.

So, what is the HCG Diet? 
Dr. Simeons developed this diet on the idea that obesity is a disorder. He said there are 3 kinds of fat; the fat that pads our organs, the fat we use for fuel, and abnormal fat. The abnormal fat is used as a last resort, so when we diet, yes we lose weight, but we first burn through our reserved fat, then our lean muscle fat, and last the abnormal fat. So once the diet ceases, it is almost in evident that the fat is going to come back, increasing weight and inches. Instead, Dr. Simeons developed a low calorie diet with the assistance of hCG to reset the body to use the abnormal fat, so your body an be reshaped. Basically, the hCG resets your hypothalamus as to use the stored abnormal fats and leave the fats we need to be healthy. On the diet, it is extremely important to eat 500 calories a day in addition to your hCG (either by injection, the most effective way, or by sublingual drops) no more, no less, because otherwise your body will cling to the fat for energy and not allow it to be release and used.
Is the HCG Diet healthy?
Yes, the HCG diet is healthy because again, you are using abnormal stored fat, and not your reserve fat. Generally it has been recommended that a person should lose no more than 2 pounds per week. On the HCG diet, on average a female would lose 25-28 pounds in 40 days, males more. This is because normal dieting you are using a different type of fat.
In addition to the health aspect, it is important to take vitamins while on this diet. It was developed in the 1950's, and food contained more nutritional value than it does today. This would be something you might want to consult with your physician to see how many vitamins you need, or you could just take a daily multi-vitamin, given it does not contain any oils or sugars.
How does the diet work?
As previously mentioned, you are allowed 500 calories with specific amounts of protein, fruits and vegetables. You must follow the strict diet for at least 30 days, up to 40. You must also eliminate all oils and sugars from your daily products such as shampoo, deodorant, etc. Oils slow down weight loss, so it is important to get rid of them. The diet is broken into 4 phases. Phase 1 is your loading days, you take the hCG but eat as much as you can, this helps reset your hypothalamus. Phase 2 is the diet portion. Phase 3, you slowly introduce some foods into your diet, no hCG and increase your calories. Not all foods are allowed. Phase 4 is the lifetime phase, in which you introduce limited amounts of everything, but still must continue a healthy lifestyle. If you return to eating McDonalds every day the weight will come back on, more slowly, but eventually the reset will undo.
You can multiple rounds of the diet, but a certain amount of time is needed between rounds. 
Q & A
Below are some questions I have been asked, and their answers for what I have discovered.

1. Will the diet have any effect on my fertility? Not negatively. Because HCG is a traditional pregnancy hormone, and is used in much much larger doses for fertility treatments, women find after being on the HCG for an extended period of time, it is easier to become pregnant. 
2.  Is the diet safe for men, since HCG is a hormone traditionally produced by women? Yes, the HCG diet is just as safe for men as it is for women, and in fat men will likely have better results than women. The HCG simply aids in correcting the disorder, and does not in any feminize a man or effect his hormones. (Estrogen is used for sex-changes, NOT HCG)
3. Do I have to exercise? NO! You do not have to exercise. Walking 30-60 minutes a day is recommended, simply for your healthy but is not required. This diet is one of the top diets for patients who have disabilities that deter them from exercising for this very reason. 
4. What happens if I cheat? If you cheat, you can expect it will take 3 days to catch up. This is at most 40 days, you can do ANYTHING for 40 days. It isn't worth it to cheat.  
5. What is the difference between store-bought (like Walmart brand) HCG and prescription? Huge difference! Store bought HCG does not contain any HCG, it is a mix of amino acids which "tell" your body to produce HCG. If your body DOES not produce enough HCG it needs, you will feel hungry, weak and you will use the good fat, not the abnormal fat. The FDA has cracked down on over the counter products, and real HCG can only be purchased with a prescription, or over sea's. DO NOT let your doctor tell you this is an over the counter diet. I can help you find a reputable, reliable distributor at a fair price, but I have been told by several health food stores (GNC, Vitamin World, and Vitamin Shoppe) that they do NOT recommend the product they carry. 

*If you have a question, feel free to post a comment or ask me privately at brittanyyankowski@gmail.com. I will do my best to find the answer. 

**Please note, I am still beginning this diet, and learning as I go along. There are other seasoned veterans that I get a lot of information from, as well as various readings, including the original protocol. I do not claim to know everything, but I will share everything I do know!