How to do the hcg diet to lose weight

The HCG diet is based on a very low calorie menu and daily use of the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (HCG), which is a hormone naturally produced by the placenta during pregnancy. In this diet, the use of the hormone would help inhibit hunger and stimulate fat burning, without favoring the loss of muscle mass.

However, research on the HCG diet has shown that this hormone has no effect on appetite and does not stimulate fat burning, and that the weight loss that occurs on this diet is linked only to low calorie consumption.

The HCG diet can also bring serious health risks, especially linked to the use of HCG and calorie restriction, such as:

Thrombosis: which is the formation of blood clots that clog blood vessels, causing complications such as stroke and pulmonary thromboembolism, which can lead to death; Infertility: due to changes in the production of hormones linked to reproduction; Weakness and loss of muscle mass: due to the very low consumption of food and nutrients, which can cause hypoglycemia, fainting and coma.

In addition, this diet also favors the accordion effect, because, naturally, the great restriction of food increases the desire to eat sweets and industrialized products right after the weight maintenance phase. Another problem is that it does not teach healthy eating, making the individual always go through cycles of weight gain and loss.

How this weight loss diet works

The HCG diet is divided into 4 main phases:

Phase 1: Start

This phase lasts 48 hours and it is necessary to take the hormone 1x / day, following medical supervision, but it is not necessary to start the diet. In fact, the diet should be rich in foods and calories and composed especially of foods high in fat, such as avocado, nuts, meat, olive oil, pizza and fried foods.

The intention of this phase is to show the body that there is already enough fat stored, and that it can begin the process of burning fat and losing weight.

Phase 2: Weight Loss

At this stage the use of HCG is maintained, but the diet is restricted to 500 kcal per day. This means only very small and light meals throughout the day, consisting mainly of teas, vegetables, fruits and small portions of meat and eggs.

The weight loss phase should last a maximum of 40 days, and can be stopped beforehand if the weight loss reaches the desired level. In addition, it is necessary to drink at least 2 liters of water a day to help eliminate toxins from the body and combat fluid retention. In general, women lose 8 to 10 kg per month.

Phase 3: Weight Stabilization

When reaching the desired weight or completing 40 days of diet, stop using the HCG hormone and continue the 500 kcal diet for another 2 days.

This phase serves to eliminate the hormone from the body and stabilize the lost weight, stimulating the body to return to its normal metabolism.

Phase 4: Weight Maintenance

This phase is characterized by the return to a normal and varied diet, seeking to find the balance so that a new weight gain does not occur. For this, food should be included again and the quantity of meals should be increased gradually, always observing changes in the balance.

To facilitate the process, one should prefer to eat whole foods rich in protein and good fats, avoiding sweets, fried pasta, soft drinks, white bread and refined wheat flour. The diet should consist mainly of foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, cheeses, nuts, avocado, coconut, olive oil and peanuts. Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, English potatoes, cassava and whole grain bread, should be introduced gradually and in small quantities.

HCG Diet Menu

The following table shows the example of a 3-day menu from phase 2 of the diet, in which 500 kcal should be consumed per day.

Meal	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Breakfast	1 glass of green juice: kale, lemon, ginger and 1 apple	1 low-fat plain yogurt + free tea or coffee	1 cup unsweetened tea + 1 toast with ricotta cream
Lunch dinner	100 g of grilled chicken + 3 col of raw vegetable soup	100 g of grilled maminha + 3 col of cauliflower rice	3 col of lean ground beef soup + 3 forks of zucchini noodles
Afternoon snack	150 ml skim milk + 5 strawberries	1 kiwi + 5 cashew nuts	1 cup of coffee + 1 slice of brown bread with cottage cheese

It is important to remember that it is not allowed to use oils to prepare meals and that the liquids that are released are just water, coffee, teas and unsweetened lemon juice.

Disadvantages and contraindications of the diet

A disadvantage of the HCG diet is the high calorie restriction, which also restricts the consumption of vitamins and minerals, which can cause problems such as hair loss, weak nails, general weakness, lethargy and malaise. In addition, the use of the hormone is expensive and can cause changes in metabolism and increase the risk of complications, especially when it is not done with medical monitoring.

In addition, as this diet is very calorie-restricted, it should not be done by people with any type of illness, especially without medical supervision, including diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, anemia and depression.

How to lose weight with health

To lose weight in health, you must maintain a balanced diet that consists mainly of natural and whole foods, such as meats, cheeses, eggs, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, brown bread, nuts, peanuts, seeds and olive oil.

In addition, it is important to reduce the consumption of processed foods rich in artificial fats, such as sausage, sausage, bologna and margarine, foods rich in sugar, such as ready-made juices, sweets, cookies and soft drinks, and foods rich in salt, such as diced spices., ready soups and frozen frozen food. See complete menu to lose weight in a healthy way.