If I were to promise you that there was a diet out there that required no exercise or surgery, no raging hunger, and you could actually burn fat while you sleep…how many of you would be quick to jump on board??
In a perfect world, this would seem like the answer we are all looking for! How glorious!! I LOVE sleep!!
Reality check: THIS IS NOT A PERFECT WORLD. If something sounds too good to be true….that’s because it IS! I’m just as gullable as the next guy, but the HCG diet has trouble written all over it!
We'll see about that...
What Is HCG??
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or HCG is a hormone found in both genders, that signals the hypothalamus (the part of your brain that directly affects metabolism) to mobilize fat stores. The hormone is particularly important in pregnancy because it provides nutrients for the fetus for growth and development and slightly increases metabolism. Yay for moms and babies!!
How The HCG Diet Began
Dr. Albert T. Simeons, a British endocrinologist from the 1950′s, was the first to propose the HCG hormone as a weight-loss cure. He thought, since mom’s metabolism increases during pregnancy, maybe it would work for everyone! He stated that the injection of HCG hormone would allow dieter’s to survive comfortably on 500 calories per day because it suppresses appetite while shedding fat stores. He wrote a book called Pounds and Inches, further describing the diet. I truly eat 500 calories for breakfast alone!!
The Claims
Apparently, if you religiously follow the 500 calorie per day diet and inject yourself with HCG hormone daily, you will lose 1-3 pounds PER DAY! Well, OF COURSE you lose weight! You’re surviving on next to nothing!!
The Evidence
To date, there is NO scientific research that proves HCG works as a weight-loss miracle and it is NOT approved by the FDA. In fact, in 1975, the FDA required any HCG advertising to state:
“HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or “normal” distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.”
I don’t always support the FDA but THIS is something worth supporting!
Kevin Trudeau: “The Weight-Loss Cure THEY Don’t Want You To Know About”
In 2007, Kevin Trudeau, a NY Times Best Selling author, brought the diet back to life with his book, “The Weight-Loss Cure THEY Don’t Want You To Know About.” The diet he proposed consists of three phases. In the first phase, you must follow 60 some odd diet ”do’s and don’ts,” take 9 different pills daily, do regular colon, liver, and heavy metal cleansings, and eat 100% organically for 30 days. If you get through Phase I, Phase II follows all the same rules, except now you are required to receive daily injections of the HCG hormone for 45 days. Then Phase III continues on the diet but without the injections. OH! and keep in mind that you must consume no more than 500 calories PER DAY! That is a freakishly low amount of calories that will only lead to malnutrition.
So I did a little background check on good ol’ Trudeau and read that he has NO medical OR nutritional background and has numerous civil suits, felonies, and misdemeanors leading to arrests, fines, and jail time. The Federal Trade Commission banned him from infomercials in 2004 because of his misrepresentations and unsubstantiated claims. Seems like someone we should all be trusting with our health….huh??
A Dietitian’s Viewpoint
All reasearch and sarcasm aside, let’s just look at the facts: the injections are NOT what is leading to weightloss!! The body cannot survive on 500 calories per day. To meet BASIC functions it needs at least 1200 calories. Dropping below that level means you are STARVING your body and slowing your metabolism! You will lose weight, but also begin to experience mental fatigue, irritability, headaches, and confusion. Your weight-loss will eventually slow and once you start eating again, the body will hold on to every morsel (injection or not). Weight gain will be inevitable. Come on, it’s the year 2010! Any diet that tells you to SKIP entire food groups and restrict below 1200 calories per day, has definitely NOT done their research. Besides, I would rather be a little chunky than not be able to eat!
I encourage anyone reading this article to pass it on to friends and family members that may or may not have heard of this diet. It’s important to be informed. This is a dangerous diet to follow and if you have a physician administering these injections, be careful! No dietitian would ever condone this!! Please look out for your loved ones!
What are your thoughts? Do you know anyone following this diet? Please share, I would love to get a discussion going!
Good article, very useful. Thank you for sharing
Great post!
THANK YOU for speakin the truth!
i hate it when “experts” try to lead people astray to make money. it’s so wrong.
keep it up girl!
-r
WOW…that is crazy!!! But not surprising. We live in a world where the quick fix is what everyone is looking for! Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog…I appreciate it!
Yes, fad diets are ridiculous! I feel like the women who are NOT on diets, seem healthier and happier. Don’t you??
i have heard of this and one of my girlfriends did it but as soon as she was done she gained weight again……..diets suck!
Wow, I’m with you – I eat 500 calories at breakfast alone. I would die if I didn’t get to eat anything else all day (not just because I’d have no energy, etc, but simply because I LOVE TO EAT!)
500 cal wow of course you would loose weight, how is it possible to only eat 500cals daily??? one salad
ughhhhhh- this makes me sick! People!- everything in moderation and exercise. Why are we always looking for a short cut!
These silly diet fads. Gosh, 500 cals is a low number for a breakfast even….I have way more than that even
Yeah, I hate these 1200 calorie diets. Its so wrong it feels…entertaining anyway…too bad people fall trap to them.