hCG Weight Loss - Rapid and Long Lasting [Infographic]

HCG Diet Weight Loss - Rapid and Long Lasting [Infographic]

A friend of mine recently lost 18 pounds in one month on the HCG Weight Loss Diet.   Results like these are not uncommon.  Many individuals who have tried the diet have reported losing as much as one pound a day.

The traditional diet (often called the "Simeons Protocol") involves consuming only 500 calories a day while getting injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a pregnancy hormone.

Advocates of the diet say that the HCG tricks the body into burning fat and resets the metabolism without the need to exercise and without leaving one feeling hungry or weak.

Critics say that the diet is basically a starvation diet and that the extreme weight loss is due to the severe calorie restriction, not the effectiveness of HCG.  They also warn against potential loss of lean muscle mass and other possible side effects and negative health consequences.

HCG injections are normally prescribed by physicians, making it cost-prohibitive to many individuals. However, due to the massive popularity of this diet, HCG has become widely available in a much more affordable over-the-counter (OTC) droplet, pill and spray form.  Questions have arisen over the effectiveness of the OTC droplets, pills and sprays.

According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, there is still no evidence that the HCG droplets work; he has seen evidence only in support of the injectable prescription drug version.  Read what Dr. Joseph Mercola says about the safety and effectiveness of the HCG diet.

Interestingly, some dieters have evidently experimented with doing the 500 calorie a day diet without the HCG and vice-versa, taking the injections or the droplets without doing the diet.  In these cases, the results reported were mixed.

This infographic illustrates some of the key aspects of the diet and why HCG is a necessary component of the protocol.   Much more detailed information is available online and in various books on the subject. Various other (less calorie restrictive) versions of the original Simeons Protocol are now also being promoted.  Because this diet involves a prescription drug and a severely restricted caloric intake, it is my feeling that anyone considering this diet must first do their own research and homework and then only undertake the diet under the supervision of a qualified health professional.

Related:
10 Tips for Guaranteed Weight Loss
5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
15 Foods that Boost Metabolism
The Real Causes of Your Belly Fat
How to Lose Belly Fat Part I

Infographic source:  International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM)