HCG 500 Calorie Diet

Weight loss can be a difficult and demanding process. People lose faith when they only lose one to two pounds a week and they gain the weight back quickly. One crash diet that is causing a stir is the hCG diet. The hCG diet involves growth hormone injections and a strict 500 calorie a day diet. Understanding the hCG diet (and its potential risks) can help you decide if it is the right diet for you.

What is hCG?

hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone found in men and women which is most prominently used by women during pregnancy. This hormone speeds up the metabolism of pregnant women so they can more efficiently digest food. It is injected during the hCG diet. The dosage level depends on the doctor. The hCG is supposed to increase metabolism. This increased metabolism, combined with the 500 calorie a day regiment is supposed to burn weight quickly and efficiently. The website Diets in Review states that people have been found to burn one to two pounds per day.

500 Calories a Day

The 500 calories on this diet are regimented strictly. The allowed foods are limited and precise. For example, breakfast is tea or coffee with no sugar. You are allowed one tablespoon of milk per day. Lunch and supper consist of four categories that have to be eaten at every meal. No more than one of each category can be eaten per meal. These categories consist of 100 grams of fatless veal, beef, chicken breast, white fish, lobster, crab or shrimp. No other meat can be eaten. Vegetables include spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus and cabbage. Fruits include one apple, orange, a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit. You are also allowed a bread stick or slice of Melba toast per meal. This incredibly low calorie diet is designed to give you enough base energy to get through the day. It maximizes your weight loss by minimizing your calorie input. Calories burned during the day will be almost entirely from your reserve of body fat. Try to minimize diet boredom by trying new meats, vegetables and fruits (that are allowed within the diet) every meal.

Problems with the hCG Diet

There are many problems to consider before starting this diet. The first problem is potential malnutrition. Denying your body the vitamins and minerals it needs everyday can cause health problems including low energy and increased heart rate. This is also an extreme crash diet. This diet generally lasts only three weeks under careful doctor supervision. After the diet, your metabolism will go back to its normal rate and may in fact be at a lower rate due to your restricted calorie intake. This can cause quick weight gain that can damage your body. Another problem is that there is no proof that hCG injections actually help promote weight loss. Diets in Review states that the main cause of weight loss is most likely low calorie intake, instead of hormone injections. Think carefully before starting this diet.