There’s the Indy 500. There’s the Fortune 500. And now there’s the HCG 500. The objective of the first two is to win. The objective of the latter is to lose. Lose weight, that is. Dieters consider losing a big win.
HCG 500 is a radical diet that has taken center stage as a new method of losing weight — fast. It has stringent calorie restrictions that must be adhered to with military discipline, consumption of only two daily meals and absolutely no cheat days.
It’s not unusual for people on this diet to lose one pound a day. Effectiveness, as well as speed, contribute to its allure. Think you may be interested? Find out more about this new diet and how it may help you:
What is it?
HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a protein-based hormone released during pregnancy. It has now been incorporated into this new diet as an appetite suppressant that facilitates weight loss. This hormone can be administered via injection by your physician. You can also administer the injection yourself. It’s available online or in pharmacies as an over-the-counter product in drop, pellet, spray or liquid form.
What can i eat?
This diet is exceedingly restrictive, and it drastically limits fat consumption. You’ll need to meticulously plan your food intake, and may receive an extensive do and don’t list. The diet’s cornerstones are:
- 500 calories a day for 8 weeks
- Two scheduled meals a day (lunch and dinner)
- Two scheduled snacks a day (one breadstick and one fruit, eaten with or between meals, but not together)
- Unlimited amounts of water (half a gallon a day to lose 1-2 pounds of body fat a day)
- Some fruits: strawberries, apples, oranges, red grapefruit
- Non-starchy vegetables: broccoli, tomatoes, kale
- Lean meat: lean ground beef, shrimp, chicken breast (any visible fat must be completely trimmed)
- No fatty foods: nuts, red meat, butter, anything cooked with oil
- No starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, peas
- No sugar of any kind
How will I lose weight?
This diet consists of three phases:
- Loading Phase: You’ll begin by spending two days gorging on as many high fat, high cal foods as possible. Now’s the time to savor such temptations as chocolate cake, fried chicken and fast food. Why can you indulge in gastronomic debauchery when you’re on a diet? This boundless consumption of rich, unhealthy food overloads you with the type of fat that will slowly burn away during the stringent slog of Phase 2. You’re encouraged to eat a whopping 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day. If you don’t eat enough during loading, you may struggle during the home stretch.
- Weight Loss Phase: Take your HCG injection, drop or liquid product consistently and consume only the designated foods and portions every day for eight weeks. Rightfully, this challenging segment is nicknamed the “long round.” You must follow a limited menu, strict portioning, exacting preparation guidelines, and religiously take your injection, drop or liquid. You’ll need to scrutinize food labels for hidden sugar, salt or oil. Even cosmetics may contain oil that can enter your body and sabotage your goal.
The payoff, however, is life-changing results. One-hundred-pound weight losses have been observed in both women and men. During this segment, rapid, substantial weight decrease occurs because you’re eating substantially fewer units of energy than you burn. Vigorous exercise is prohibited, but you may do something less strenuous such as taking a 20-minute walk.
- Maintenance Phase: This portion of cementing your weight loss takes about three weeks. You’ll discontinue your injection, drop or liquid and gradually increase food intake. (Sugar and starch, however, are off limits for three weeks.) This careful reintroduction of the foods forbidden during Phase 2 allows your body to adjust to elevated intake of calories. Most people dedicate about three weeks to maintenance. If you still need to lose weight after completing this cycle, you may repeat it as often as necessary.
There is a saying that “drastic times call for drastic measures,” and it’s relevant to the HCG diet. If no diet has worked for you, this extreme weight loss program may be your answer. Not only will it help you lose pounds, it can instill grit, tenacity and discipline. These are wonderful qualities to enhance the svelte new you.
