THE HCG DIET

Initial office visit (about 35 minutes):

• Intake & medical assessment
• The history of the HCG Diet and how we've adapted it in our practice
• Overview of the medication, the process, and food choices
• What to expect during your first week

First week on the diet:

• Days 1–2 are loading days — eat generously; it's important to take in significant calories so the diet stays hunger-free.
• Day 3: drop to the 500-calorie diet.
• Day 7: return to the office to check in and review progress. Many of our patients lose 7–10 pounds in the first week, though results vary.

At your first visit we supply you with three days of medication and supplies; the pharmacy typically delivers the remainder within 24 hours.

The injections are either subcutaneous or sublingual dissolvable tablet, at your choice. Our nurse will teach you to self-administer at home. Most patients notice a significant decrease in appetite within the first week and have adequate energy while on the program.

Phase 1 — Loading (Days 1–2). Eat all you can of rich, nutrient-dense foods to load your body's normal fat stores. Skipping the load days is a mistake — it can leave you hungry and stall weight loss. Injections begin on day 1.

Phase 2 — Weight Loss. The 500-calorie diet begins on day 3. Weigh your food and yourself every day. Avoid lotions and makeup that contain oils. Our staff monitors your progress and is available for questions at any time.

Phase 3 — Lock It In. After your last injection, continue the 500-calorie diet for 3 more days while the HCG weans from your system. Then begin 3 weeks with no sugars and no starches (an Atkins-style plan). This is the most important part of the program — it helps reset your body to your new weight so you keep it off.

Phase 4 — Maintenance. Slowly reintroduce healthy carbohydrates and unrefined sugars while monitoring your weight each morning. If weight creeps up, cut carbs and sugars until it normalizes. Follow-up lab work a few months in is advisable.

After 6 consecutive weeks, some patients report a diminished effect of HCG. Most patients take a 4–6 week break after 6 weeks on the diet, then resume and do very well.

Fruits — 2 portions per day. A portion is: 1 apple (Granny Smith has the least sugar), ½ grapefruit (thin-skinned; avoid navel types — too sweet), or ½ cup strawberries. No oranges, pineapple, mango, bananas, grapes, or melon. No sweet fruit, no dried fruit.

Vegetables — 2 portions per day (at meal times). Spinach, chicory, chard, green salad, bok choy, cabbage, celery, tomatoes (no more than ¼), red radishes, onions (not too much), cucumbers (no more than ¼), asparagus. Eat mostly greens; raw is better than cooked. Avoid: mushrooms, beans, peas, snow peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, pickles, avocado, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini.

Proteins — 2 portions per day (100 grams each, weighed). Chicken breast, white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. No tofu, tuna, clams, scallops, tilapia, swordfish, salmon, catfish, beef, veal, pork, sausage, or burger of any kind — not even ground chicken. No turkey. Some people do well substituting 100 grams of egg whites or 100 calories of nonfat unflavored yogurt as a protein (others gain weight with it).

Do not cook protein and vegetables together. Do not cook with lemon juice or vinegar — it gets too sweet.

Sample day:

• 9:00 AM — Non-caloric fluids like coffee or tea
• 11:00 AM — One fruit portion + 20 oz fluids
• 12:30 PM — Lunch: 1 vegetable + 1 protein + 20 oz fluids
• 3:30 PM — One fruit portion + 20 oz fluids
• 6:30 PM — Dinner: 1 vegetable + 1 protein + 20 oz fluids
• Bedtime — 20 oz fluids. If you're not waking 2–3 times to urinate, drink more.

You will need: a food scale (you must weigh your protein) and a bathroom scale (weigh yourself every day). Call or text us any day you don't lose a pound.

Most patients feel good on the program, but a very low calorie diet is serious business and needs to be respected. The complications we watch for most closely:

• Dehydration — the most common issue. Burning fat produces ketones that must be flushed out. You'll need roughly a gallon of fluids per day.
• Constipation — common, especially in patients with a history of it. Call us early; don't wait.
• Electrolyte imbalance — a risk with any extraordinarily low calorie intake.
• Low energy — some fatigue is normal, particularly during the first week and sugar detox. Take Motrin or Tylenol as you normally would for a headache and increase water consumption.

Call or text our on-call registered nurse any time, day or night: (908) 598-0509.

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a natural human hormone present at high levels during pregnancy and puberty. About 50 years ago, Dr. A.T.W. Simeons observed that certain pregnant women lost stubborn abnormal fat stores — and developed a protocol combining a very low dose of HCG with a specific low-calorie diet.

The dose prescribed on the HCG Diet is roughly 125–200 I.U. daily — a small fraction of the 10,000 I.U. standard therapeutic dose used for fertility treatment, and far below the levels naturally present during pregnancy. All women who have been pregnant and all men who have gone through puberty have had HCG in their bodies at far higher levels than those taking HCG as part of this diet.

Our medical practice utilizes off-label prescription of HCG for weight loss. Our physician prescribes HCG only to patients who come into the office and are determined to be appropriate candidates, and we use only US-licensed pharmacies. We follow a refined version of Simeons' original protocol — see What Makes Us Different above — and the important disclosures at the bottom of this page.

After the 3-week no-sugar/no-starch phase, gradually reintroduce normal eating while watching the scale. If you gain weight, reduce sugars and carbs and skip an occasional meal.

Want to keep going? Ask about our other physician-supervised weight management options, or see the follow-up food plan in Resources below.

Prior to starting the diet, if you decide not to do the diet — or if, at the sole discretion of our medical staff, we believe you are not a good candidate because of medical history, current medications, emotional temperament, diet history, or in the event of shortages or a change in the regulatory climate relating to off-label use of HCG — you will receive a full 100% refund.

Off-label prescribing is the common, legal practice of a licensed physician prescribing an FDA-approved medication for a use other than its approved indication, based on the physician's professional judgment. The FDA regulates drug approval and marketing but does not regulate the practice of medicine. Off-label use is widespread across medicine — studies estimate up to one-fifth of all prescriptions are off-label.

HCG is prescribed off-label for weight loss. See the important disclosures below.

Our diet programs are self-pay, with transparent all-inclusive pricing. We accept cash, credit cards, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and CareCredit financing. Programs are FSA & HSA eligible.