What is the HCG diet (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) and why should it affect weight gain or loss? How does the HCG enter your body, how often, and is it even actually HCG? What do you eat? As to the first question, HCG is produced in the human placenta and therefore is present only in pregnant women and purported to help women not gain excessive weight during pregnancy while allowing full access to fat reserves to the fetus.

There are two or in a sense three ways to put HCG into your body. In theory at least, HCG could be taken orally but like any hormone, it will be destroyed in the stomach. The so-called homoeopathic HCG drops are what they claim. By definition, homeopathic remedies are prepared by successive dilutions of the “active” ingredient and these dilutions often continue until none of the original substance remains. Therefore, for about $150 per month you get some amino acids and a few vitamins. Interestingly, a web site selling HCG drops actually links to a “protocol” written by the apparent inventor of the diet. In fact, the HCG diet protocol requires injections of HCG and daily examination by a doctor. Therefore, your only real choice is to rush to your medical spa or clinic to obtain the benefits of the HCG.

This brings us to the food intake in the HCG diet. With the HCG diet, you are restricted to just 500 calories per day. Fortunately, at least some clinics/spas discourage exercise. You are consuming so few calories that you will easily burn off weight just lounging around. If you exercise for at least one hour a day, you will actually have no calories left and you will begin to burn protein as well as fat. Of course, if you follow the Mayo Clinic diet and consume about 1250 calories per day and exercise, you will also loose weight and save money.