Introduction to the HCG Diet
The HCG Diet is a weight loss protocol that combines a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) with the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy. Developed by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in the 1950s, the diet claims that HCG helps to mobilize stored fat, allowing the body to burn it for energy, while consuming a diet of only 500 calories per day. The diet consists of several phases: the Loading phase, the Weight Loss phase, and the Maintenance phase. Participants take HCG either through injections, drops, or pills while adhering to strict calorie restrictions and specific food lists.