Diet Experiment – Part 2 of 3

Finding my motivation to continue on the HCG diet program was easy after experiencing a dramatic loss of weight in the first 5 days. I’m beginning to think maybe it’s NOT too good to be true.

As outlined in Dr. A.T.W. Simeons’ manuscript entitled Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity, the HCG program includes a 500 calorie diet limiting food selections down to 26 liquids, fruits, vegetables and breads — eliminating dairy completely. Along with the diet, daily injections of the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone are self administered. No exercise necessary.

Derived from the urine of pregnant woman, the HCG hormone is hypothesized to release stored fat into the bloodstream so it can be utilized. Pregnant woman produce this hormone to assist them in nourishing their growing fetus sufficiently.

In dieters, Simeons suggests the hormone can be injected in men and woman to assist them in utilizing fat stores as energy. The idea is that by sticking to the 500 calorie diet as outlined, the body will turn to the circulating fat to use as energy, making up for the caloric deficit.

500 Calorie Diet Phase Begins

While on the diet, in the morning I usually drink herbal tea, eat 250 calories for lunch and 250 calories for dinner. A typical lunch or dinner consists of one Melba toast (medium-sized cracker), 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup cucumbers, and 3.5 ounces of boiled chicken (weighed when raw).

I eat slowly and cherish each bite. This has the surprising effect that the 250 calorie meal generally fills me up and takes the edge off my hunger for a long period of time.

The food visually fills a dinner plate. It’s amazing the quantity of food that can be consumed with only 250 calories when the selections aren’t processed or loaded with fat. I’ve began to realize the complex and subtle flavors of cherry tomatoes; a strawberry now tastes overwhelmingly sweet.

Weight Lost

The hormone generally takes 3 days to become effective. During this time you are encouraged to load up on high calorie foods.

I tried to eat as much as possible during the “loading” phase, consuming everything I thought I might crave or miss while on the diet. However, I felt because I hadn’t been attempting a diet previously, that I already had enough readily available energy stores to make it through the program without experiencing a significant loss of energy.

After the initial 3 loading days, I continued with the injections and began the 500 calorie diet. Having now been on the diet portion of the program for 4 days, I’ve lost 6.5 pounds. This has reduced my weight from 150 to 143.5 pounds.

Reflection

With only 4 days on the diet, I’ve noticed how often I’m tempted to eat when I’m not even hungry. “I realize that food for me is a habit and I don’t need it as much as I thought I did,” said Paula, who recently completed the HCG diet.

Driving by a restaurant, watching a commercial on TV, or hearing a radio announcement for Taco Bell can suddenly turn my thoughts to food, and build a craving strong enough to make me want it. I now mentally tell myself, “I just ate, I wasn’t thinking about food or feeling hungry before I heard this commercial; I don’t need it, this is only a craving.” And so far it’s worked, and kept my mind on my goal of downsizing from 150 to 130 pounds in time for summer.