Awad Medical Aesthetics & Wellness in Tecumseh, ON

Medically Supervised Weight Loss

HCG diet

The hCG diet has been found to be the quickest way to lose weight without sacrificing your health and metabolism. Many people lose a pound a day and sometimes more!

Interested in Losing weight fast?

If you are trying to lose weight, HCG injections may be the answer for you. HCG can deliver a quick and efficient weight loss in as little as 3 weeks. At Awad Medical Aesthetics & Wellness, we have the added training, skill and knowledge to utilize these natural hormone injections with a strict, short-term diet to help you achieve safe and long-term weight loss.

The History of HCG for Weight Loss

HCG is the acronym for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone made in large amounts by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG for weight loss was discovered by British endocrinologist, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in the 1950s. Dr. Simeons studied pregnant women on a calorie deficient diet and successfully treated his patients with low-dose HCG, claiming that they lost fat rather than muscle. He theorized that HCG must be programming the hypothalamus (part of the brain that deals with hormones) to lose fat, not protein, in these patients in order to protect the developing fetus by promoting mobilization and removal of abnormal, excessive fat deposits. We have based our HCG diet on his original weight loss protocol.

How does the HCG diet protocol work?

How Does the Combination of hCG Injections and Diet Cause Weight Loss?

The HCG diet protocol works by telling the hypothalamus to release your stored

body fat. A daily small amount of HCG hormone can cause your stored body fat

to be released. This diet is effective in men and women. You eat 500-800 calories a day on the HCG diet. It is restrictive to prevent the fat cells from storing new fat and the new fat from being stored in the adipose tissues while you are actively on the diet.

In other words, on their own, hCG injections can cause some fat-burning and minimal weight loss over time. However, to reap the full benefits of this treatment–including re-balancing your metabolism and achieving maximum fat-burning–we combine injections with a 500-800 calorie diet. This diet supplies your body with the minimum required nutrition during treatment, causing your body to burn more fat and lose more weight. hCG signals the brain to only target nonessential fat, which means that fat that is vital for your muscles, blood vessels, and organs will not be burned.

Since your body is burning fat for energy, your appetite will be smaller than normal, making it easier to maintain the strict diet we prescribe. While this diet is not safe for long-term use, it is able to safely reset your metabolic functions with short-term use. It will cause your body to shed up to 0.5-3 pounds each day and successfully reduce your weight in a short amount of time. Once your final results are visible, you can plan to maintain or enhance your ideal image with a long-term, sustainable diet and regular exercise.

Remember there are 3 primary sources of fuel for the body:

Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats.

Your body will use carbohydrates 1st, then protein 2nd and fat 3rd

By restricting your intake to 500-800 cal/day while on the HCG diet protocol,

you force your body to use its stored fat for energy more often.

The HCG hormone causes body fat to be released into your blood

stream and fuel your body while the excess gets excreted as waste.

Are HCG Shots Safe?

hCG injections have been used for many years in the medical community. This hormone is naturally occurring in small amounts in both men and woman, and is used to treat infertility for women and undescended testicles in adolescent males (at a higher dose).

hCG for weight loss was first utilized in the 1950's and continues to be used today in clinics all across Canada and the US. When injected to aid in weight loss, hCG signals the hypothalamus to begin releasing and burning the body’s stored fat deposits.

hCG injections are safe to use to reduce or eliminate these fat deposits and, when combined with a special, 500-800 calorie diet, these injections can cause faster, more effective weight loss in a program as short as 2-3 weeks. This process is prescribed and overseen by our Nurse Practitioner.

What Are the Advantages of Treatment?

This treatment offers one of the fastest, most effective weight loss options available today. In a short time frame, you could lose a significant amount of weight, see your body completely transformed, and reset your metabolism to better regulate your normal appetite. Unlike fad diets, which often see patients regain weight almost immediately, patients on this diet are far more likely to successfully maintain their results in the long run. In addition, the entire treatment process is closely monitored by our Nurse Practitioner to ensure your safety.

The daily hCG injections are almost painless and have no side effects for most patients. Once the treatment process begins, our patients lose a minimum of 0.5 pounds and a maximum of 3 pounds each day on average.

Are hCG injections safe for everyone? In general, yes–most patients without significant dietary restrictions or medical conditions can pursue this treatment safely and see excellent, long-lasting results. Our Nurse Practitioner can help you decide whether this treatment is right for you, but it is certainly one of the fastest ways to safely transform your body.

What Kind of Diet Is Involved?

In order to cause dramatic weight loss, we combine hCG shots with a 500-800 calorie diet. This diet, which consists of 2 meals per day, requires you to avoid sugar, butter, and oils, among other foods. Each meal includes one protein, one vegetable, one fruit, and one piece of bread, portioned to meet the 500-800 calorie limit. You are allowed to drink unlimited water during this diet, and we recommend that you drink 1 glass of water every 2-3 hours to keep your body hydrated and help you feel full between meals.

You are also permitted to drink unlimited coffee and tea during this treatment. Some patients find that drinking caffeinated coffee or tea with a severely restricted diet causes them to become anxious or hyperactive. In this case, we recommend limiting your caffeine intake or drinking caffeinated beverages only after meals. Decaffeinated coffee and tea are also options. In general, our patients find that the fat-burning process triggered by the hCG helps them feel fuller and more satisfied throughout the day, making it easier to maintain this diet.

How Long Will My Treatment Take?

One of the biggest questions from patients considering this treatment is: are hCG injections safe for long-term weight loss use? The short answer is no–this treatment plan is intentionally limited due to its intensive nature. It is not healthy for the body to maintain this fat-burning state and exist on a 500-800 calorie diet for a long period of time. We recommend a personalized treatment plan for you based on your unique situation, an average treatment can last approximately 8 weeks in all phases and rarely extends past this point.

Are There Any Side Effects?

For most patients, this treatment involves no major side effects. The most commonly reported side effect is feelings of hunger, but these are typically suppressed by the energy produced by the body’s fat-burning processes. We also recommend drinking plenty of liquids to help you feel full between your meals. We also recommend that you change your normal exercise routine to avoid high intensity or weight lifting, to include low-impact exercises such as yoga or walking. These exercises will help you stay active while you experience lower energy levels during your treatment.

Are there other things to help me be successful?

It is recommended that this diet be paired with specific pharmaceutical grade vitamins. This will be discussed in your treatment plan consultation. Awad Medical Aesthetics & Wellness also offers select vitamins, minerals and nutrients by injection or intravenous methods.

A daily calendar or journal of your daily weight is helpful. Marking your end date and end weight goal is helpful also.

Plan a reward for milestones – perhaps a small getaway, a new outfit or new exercise routine post hCG diet.

Pre-planning is key! Read a few of our links for shopping lists, meal planning ideas or other FAQs that will help ease the stress of last minute hunger!

And don’t forget about self-care. Massage, facials, relaxation, mindfulness is helpful in your journey as well.

Will My Results Be Permanent?

Once your treatment is complete, the long-term maintenance of your final results is largely up to you. This treatment and accompanying diet require you to show your commitment to losing weight, but after you have lost weight, you must remain committed to maintaining your new body. Each person has a unique treatment process is divided into 3 stages, and we work with you to help your body safely transition back into a normal diet. We recommend that your “new normal” include a balanced, nutritious diet and a regular exercise regiment at least 3-5 days per week.

By following a long-term, sustainable diet, you can continue to improve your body’s overall health and avoid gaining weight back after treatment. In addition, exercising regularly can lead to further weight loss and allows you to tone and sculpt your body to better match your ideal image. Finally, this treatment should ideally be the launchpad for a better, healthier life. Making permanent changes to your lifestyle can make the results of this treatment permanent while also improving your health, wellness, and quality of life for years to come.

What Should I Expect?

At our clinic, we are committed to making this treatment experience safe and transformative for each of our patients. Each patient’s individual treatment and results vary, but here is a general idea of what you can look forward to from this treatment.

Consultation

To begin, we will meet with you to discuss your unique concerns and desired results. We will review your medical history and current medications, along with any medical conditions or concerns which could interact negatively with treatment. Bloodwork may be ordered. Once the Nurse Practitioner approves you for treatment, we will take weight and body measurements, as well "before" pictures of your body from the front and side. These pictures can be compared to your final results to give you a visual of the progress you make. We will record your current weight and explain your recommended personalized treatment plan in detail before you begin.

Treatment

Your treatment process will be based on the evaluation of your concerns, goals, and lifestyle. However, the general treatment process is divided into three stages.

1. Loading

This first stage is designed to jumpstart your weight loss process. You will begin having daily hCG injections, which are administered with a small, thin needle. For the first 2 days of treatment, you will eat foods that are high in fat and calories, as much as you want, which loads your system and allows the hCG to effectively signal the brain to start burning fat deposits for energy.

2. Weight Loss

The weight loss phase typically lasts for 3-6 weeks (depending on the individual plan) and involves daily injections of hCG. In addition, you will eat 2 meals (lunch and dinner) with a strict 500-800 calorie limit each day. 2 snacks are allowed per day. Thanks to the hCG triggering your body’s fat-burning process, your normal appetite should be suppressed, allowing you to continue with your normal daily activities as normal.

3. Completion

The final stage begins with your final injection of hCG. After this point, you will stop taking hCG as your body begins to return to normal. We will direct you as you begin to increase your daily caloric intake. During this stage, starches and sugars should be avoided for at least 3 weeks in this phase to avoid weight gain or stalling (not losing weight per day).

Results

Once your treatment is complete, you can expect to see noticeable changes in your body. The most significant change will be a dramatic decrease in fat, especially in your abdomen, hips, flanks, and thighs. You will be able to compare your final results to the pictures we took before treatment. Your overall weight should be decreased, and you should feel more satisfied and confident in the appearance of your body.

To maintain the results of your treatment, you will need to follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. We can help you make lifestyle changes and recommend additional treatments to help you achieve your goals. As long as you are consistent in your maintenance and remain committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, your results from treatment could be permanent.

Am I an Ideal Candidate?

If you are an adult man or woman who wants to lose weight quickly and start the journey to a healthier lifestyle, this treatment could be right for you. To pursue this treatment, you should be generally healthy and seeking to make long-term changes to your life and habits in order to keep your body at a healthy weight. This treatment is not ideal for pregnant or nursing women or patients with medical conditions such as diabetes, which could interact negatively with treatment. We can help you evaluate your unique situation to determine whether this treatment is right for you.

If you’re ready to learn more about this transformative weight-loss treatment, contact us to schedule an initial consultation today! We look forward to helping you achieve your weight loss goals!

Need Additional Information?

Not sure what you think yet? Here are some additional resources for you:

Here is the original manuscript with the protocols from the diet's founder, Dr. Simeon

Other FAQs

If HCG works so well for weight loss, why don’t pregnant women lose weight?

HCG works to mobilize fat for utilization by the body only when there is a significant decrease in calories and fat. A starvation state must exist for HCG to work. For weight loss, we use a very low calorie diet to trigger HCG to help rid the body of fat.

Will my metabolism slow down if I’m on a very low calorie diet?

Normally when we cut back our calories and fat, our bodies store fat and our

metabolisms slow down. This happens because fat is really a life-saving source of stored energy. When a very low calorie diet is used with HCG, the body is signaled to use the fat that is stored for energy or for elimination.

Wouldn’t I lose the same amount of weight eating a very low calorie diet without HCG?

You can lose weight by simply eating fewer calories and fat, but because the body stores fat during times of deprivation, you will most likely lose muscle before fat.

The HCG diet is very low in calories, so will I get hungry?

Because HCG mobilizes fat and makes it available to the body as an energy source, it

naturally reduces appetite. So, even though you are taking in fewer calories, your body is able to access the energy you have stored. Some may initially feel very hungry at the

start of the diet plan, but eventually most have plenty of energy and feel good while on

the program. For those who need help curbing their appetite in the beginning, an appetite suppressant can be prescribed.

How much weight can I expect to lose on the program?

On average, 15-30 pounds per month depending on individual client goals and length of program.

Is there anything additional I can do if I have problems losing the 1 pound per day?

Vitamin IV infusions (or injections). These tailored infusions give you nutrients to help

mobilize fat and lower cholesterol specifically with MIC (methionine, inositol and

choline), amino acids which play important roles in the body's use of fat.

BodyFx Radiofrequency Treatments: This is a targeted treatment for skin tightening, body contouring and cellulite. This is specifically important when losing significant amount of weight, as skin laxity is sometimes an issue. Treatments can be done in conjunction to avoid lose skin.

Remember, HCG is not a magic wand. It does not cure or eradicate obesity, but weight

loss is rapid, comfortable, and the maintenance period after treatment runs a smoother

course. It’s an appropriate approach to the treatment of obesity that also includes a

behavior modification program as well as pharmacological and dietary aspects.

Have more questions? Book a consultation to discuss further.

hCG Article