Physician-Supervised Medical Wellness and Weight-Loss Center for Adults Interested in Reaching & Maintaining Optimal Weight
Physician Supervised HCG Diet: HCG is a pro-hormone which helps the body make more hormones. Since hormone deficiency or imbalance is usually part of the reason for weight gain, whether it’s your thyroid, or menopause (or andropause), this hormone offers help.
Dr Oz On The HCG Diet
Do HCG injections work for weight loss? Dr. Oz says: "yes, absolutely".
Physician Supervised HCG Diet
The HCG diet is a longstanding diet using the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) to help with fat redistribution and weight loss. It is a very low calorie diet of 500 calories per day and can be followed for one to two months, depending on weight loss desired.
There are three versions of the medicine HCG:
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Homeopathic drops that go under the tongue. These are over the counter and much lower dose than the prescription version.
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Nasal spray which is prescription and squirted into one nostril, one squirt per day.
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Injectable form that can either be injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly, one dose daily.
There are pros and cons to each version. It is our opinion that the injectable version is the most effective and it is the form that Dr. Colantonio uses. We purchase prescription strength HCG solution from a licensed and American compounding pharmacy. We will prepare the kit for you during your office visit.
Undertaking such a drastic diet takes care and planning, but the reward of rapid weight loss that is maintainable is well worth it for many people. Typically people lose about 1 pound per day. After one month, most women have lost 20 lbs. and men have lost 30 lbs.
We are happy to supervise patients interested in safely using this diet plan. The treatment involves an initial consult with one of our physicians, lab work, and screening for any medical contraindications.
We will teach you the self-injection technique.
Weekly weigh-ins with our medical assistant, blood pressure measurement are the protocol and a monthly visit with the physician for additional labs (as indicated by the patient’s individual medical status). Diabetics need to see the physician weekly and have more frequent blood work to ensure the safety of the diet.
Contraindications: any hormone responsive tumors in the body (examples: breast or prostate cancer). Other relative contraindications: gallstones can become symptomatic with rapid weight loss; gout patients can have attacks and must to be managed aggressively before starting the diet.
Losing excessive weight can improve a person’s health in many ways: diabetic control, blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis, urinary incontinence, and reflux are several good examples.
HCG Diet
The diet has three phases:
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Fat loading phase. Eat all the fatty foods you desire for 2 days before beginning the very low calorie diet. This is very important to fill up the healthy body stores and stave off hunger. Injections are started on the first day of fat loading. Inject .2 cc of HCG subcutaneously.
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Diet phase. Begin the VLCD (Very low calorie diet). Stay on the diet for 21-60 days depending on weight loss goals. If the goal weight isn’t met after 60 days, a 2 month maintenance break is taken before resuming another course of the HCG medication. The last 3 days of the diet phase are once the goal weight is achieved, the VLCD is followed for 3 days without the HCG injections. This resets the body’s metabolism. This phase will be carried out anywhere from 21 days to 2 months, depending on the weight loss desired and progress/health of the dieter.
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Maintenance. This is the most important of all. Eat phase: Eating the same low fat, low carbohydrate foods as during the diet phase, but increase calories the caloric intake is increased to 1500-2000 calories per day. Weigh with careful daily attention to weight. This phase lasts three weeks.
After completing maintenance, the dieter is free to resume a healthy diet, but not to develop bad habits of highly caloric snacks or fast foot. If 2 lbs. are gained, have a steak day with an apple or tomato. We encourage a free weigh in with us as needed.
HCG Diet plan
No substitutions or exceptions are allowed, unless there is a medical reason.
Breakfast:
Tea or coffee without sugar. Stevia or saccharin may be used as sweeteners. One tablespoon of milk is allowed per day.
Lunch:
4 ounces of lean protein (the size of a deck of cards.) Protein sources are: Lean beef, chicken without the skin, whitefish (no salmon or tuna), lobster, crab or shrimp. Remove all visible fat before cooking. Weigh before cooking. Grill or broil without fat.
One breadstick or one Melba toast.
Two cups of vegetables from the following list: spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, beet greens, chicory, cucumbers, onions, asparagus, cabbage, green salad, fennel, red radishes, chard. Only one type of vegetable may be eaten per meal with the exception of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers may be eaten together.
One piece of fruit: apple (any size), orange, half grapefruit, or 6-9 strawberries.
Dinner: same menu as lunch.
Many people choose to use their fruit as a mid-morning snack or late night snack.
Also allowed: Juice of one lemon per day.
Coffee, tea and water in any amount.
Seasonings: salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, basil, parsley, thyme etc.
Not allowed: Oil, butter, dressing, pop, beer, wine or alcohol, Crystal Light or flavored beverages.