Fitness & Wellness

Is the HCG Diet Healthy?

Before you decide whether you’re going to try the latest diet that’s supposed to help you shed pounds fast, you need to find out exactly what it it. The latest diet phenomena is the HCG diet. HCG is the acronym for human chorionic gonadotropin. That’s the hormone women make when they’re pregnant. The diet initially recommended a super low calorie menu of 500 calories a day, combined with injections of HCG. Initially, the diet followed the Simeons Protocol. It had some quirky rules, such as no use of body lotions, oils or hygiene products. It limited vegetable consumption to one per meal, did not allow exercise and had specific timing for HCG injections.

What did the HCG do?

While the low calorie diet did take off weight, some doctors claim its the HCG that actually helps you shed fat, so they raised the caloric intake to 1500 calories and increased the injections of HCG. According to these people, the diet does take off the weight, but the HCG changes how it comes off the body. It helps prevent loss of muscle tissue, reduces hunger pangs (think morning sickness) and boosts the hormone production in the body. According to those who are pro HCG, hormone deficiency can cause weight gain and HCG reverses it.

While some say HCG boosts metabolism and causes other changes to shed pounds, studies don’t agree.

There have been several studies that disagree with the benefit of HCG for weight loss. Blind studies compared two groups. One received placebo injections and the other received HCG. Both followed the severe calorie restricted diet. Both groups lost the identical amount of weight and both reported no reduction in hunger. It seems the diet, not the HCG was responsible for any pounds lost.

Even if it worked, there’s no lasting effects.

Just like any crash diet, you’ll lose weight. Much of the weight loss comes from water weight initially. Super low calorie diets throw your body into starvation mode, which means it slows the metabolism. When you go back to normal eating habits, not only does the weight return, people often gain even more weight. A better way to lose weight and keep it off is to make lifestyle changes and learn to eat healthier. Eating healthy means never having to diet again.

• In order to get the benefits of HCG, it has to be injected according to proponents. Inhaling, swallowing or rubbing it on the skin won’t get it into the bloodstream.
• Even though proponents report that the weight loss is from fat, not lean muscle mass, there’s no study that shows whether it’s true or not. A better way to shed pounds from fat and maintain muscle tissue is to combine weight lifting with a healthy diet.
• HCG products on the market often contain very little HCG and unless created to be injected, are virtually useless for boosting blood levels of HCG.
• The FDA has questioned the safety of the HCG diet. It has side effects that include headaches, depression and fatigue. One woman died from blood clots attributed to the diet.

Whether you want an alternative to the gym for those days you have to stay home because of a sick child—or even waiting for the cable guy—you may want a home gym. You can do turn any space into a home gym with a little creativity. You don’t even need all the fancy equipment. There are simple, easy to store options and workouts that require no equipment at all. You just need a space large enough to move around easily and one that’s easy to get ready, or already ready, for exercise.

Reorganize a storage area.

If you have a “junk” or storage room where you stow those items until you need them or decide what to do with them, it’s time to reorganize. Get rid of what you don’t need or want. You’ll be amazed at how much there is, particularly if you have bins of clothes. Put shelving on the wall for bins to hold all the items to remain. You should have an open area remaining that’s perfect for an exercise mat, weights and enough room to move for body weight exercises or calisthenics. It doesn’t have to look like a gym to get a good workout.

Spruce up spooky areas in your home.

Do you have a basement where nobody goes, fearing what might really be down there? Is there an attic area with easy access and a floor large enough to workout? These are potential workout areas, but they definitely do need work. Not enough time to get it ready? Use exercise time to clean them and get them ready. Nobody says pushups are the only way to exercise. Hard work is just that, hard on your body and great exercise. You’ll get a workout cleaning and painting and when you’re done, have more than a great body to show for it. You’ll also have a room you’ll enjoy using for your workouts.

Not everyone has basements, storage rooms or attics.

If you’re really cramped for space, get a storage bin for your workout items. Stow it in the closet and to take out when you’re ready. You can push back the chairs and coffee table to make room in the morning or afternoon workout. I have one client who works out of her home. On super busy days, she pushes back the chairs a few inches and moves the coffee table to create a 6’X8′ area where she does her “at home” routine. She did give one warning. Be aware of low hanging ceiling fans, especially if you’re tall and doing stretches.

• Ask your personal trainer to create a program you can do at home that requires very little equipment, if any and one that fits the space you have available.
• If you have an area large enough that can be devoted to strictly a home gym, choose your exercise equipment wisely. Don’t purchase it all at once and select the most versatile items first. Start small with weights or a kettlebell and exercise mat.
• Consider the garage as an option. Sure the car has to remain in the driveway, but you’ll have a fabulous body because of it.
• If you have an in-law—granny—house on your property or a guest room, it might be a great place for your home gym. If company comes for the weekend, scoot back the gym equipment and it’s ready for visitors.

If you want a taste treat, you don’t have to turn to high calorie foods. You’ll find many delicious low calorie foods that are sure to hit the spot and will even make guests ask for more. There’s nothing better tasting than the sweetness of fresh fruit, especially when it’s still fresh out of the garden. Not everyone has the luxury of opening their back door and picking fruit themselves, so here are a few tips that you’re sure to appreciate when you get your next attack of the munchies.

Keep a bowl of cut up cantaloupe available or fresh berries.

It doesn’t matter whether you buy a cantaloupe and have it sitting in the kitchen, you won’t snack on it because it takes too much work. As soon as you get home from the grocery store, slice and peel the cantaloupe and cut it into bite size squares. Keep those in the refrigerator for snacking. A whole medium size cantaloupe is only 186 calories, so grabbing a few pieces throughout the day won’t add pounds, but will satisfy the urge for something sweet. The same is true for berries or other fresh fruit. If it’s ready to pop in your mouth, it’s a great snack or dessert that tastes fantastic.

Stuffed red peppers that can be vegetarian or beefed up, taste delicious without being high in calories.

Remove the tops and seeds of 6 medium sweet red peppers and par boil them. Cook a pound of lean ground beef and drain. Use or chopped eggplant and/or mushrooms for the vegetarian version. Saute in a tablespoon of olive oil; one medium chopped zucchini, one medium chopped yellow squash, one finely chopped medium onion and 1/3rd cup of finely chopped green pepper for about 4-5 minutes. When those ingredients are tender, add 2 cups rough cut spinach and two to four cloves of minced garlic. The spinach should wilt in about one minute and it’s ready to mix with the beef, an 8-oz can of tomato sauce, a dash or two of salt, ½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese and a cup of wild rice. Stuff the peppers with the mixture, place them in a greased baking dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Take out and top with a half slice of low fat provolone cheese. Each stuffed pepper is 286 calories, lower with the vegetarian option.

Shrimp is yummy and low in calories.

If you want a low calorie main course option, you might turn to a four ounce serving of chicken breast without the skin. You’d be better off munching on a few shrimp. In fact, you could eat as many as 16 large shrimp before you’d hit the calorie count of the chicken breast. At 90 calories for ¼ cup of cocktail sauce, a few shrimp could be a snack or a dinner. Make foil packs for the barbecue with corn on the cob cut in fourths or fifths and added lime and cilantro, create cajun shrimp kabobs or add it to zucchini noodles (zoodles) for primavara zoodles with shrimp.

• Spinach salad made with low calorie dressing is delicious and won’t put on the pounds. You can even add a few sprinkles of bacon.
• Get adventurous, try a star fruit as a quick treat or a dessert. It’s high in antioxidants and vitamin C, too.
• Grilled asparagus with lemon juice, salt and pepper is delicious. It has 50 calories for a half pound serving, which may be far more than you eat. Drizzle with a ½ TBSP of melted butter (from grass fed cows) and you add another 50 calories.
• A delicious treat that can be a quick lunch or snack is a sliced tomato, drizzled with vinaigrette and lightly sprinkled with feta cheese.

How you live your life can make a difference between staying healthy and spending your more limited time in the care of a doctor. Luckily, you control that. It’s important to get a health strategy that suits your personal lifestyle and start making changes that will keep you active and viable for years to come. While almost everyone has heard of the ravages that drugs play on the body and the horrible price to pay for addiction, most people can’t relate that to legal addictions like caffeine, sugar and tobacco. Start looking for factors that you can change and identifying those that will be difficult to eliminate.

Exercise should be on your list of things to do for good health.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the factors that send people running to the doctor. It can be as simple as it causing back problems to obesity, which is now the leading cause of preventable deaths. Osteoporosis, dementia, depression and anxiety can all be helped with more activity. Exercise also extends the telomeres that protect the cells and keeps you younger longer. It boosts the immune system as well. The next time you jump in your car, see if walking to your destination is feasible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and get off the computer and enjoy some physical activity.

Eat healthy!

It seems simple enough but we’re a country of fast, premade foods that often aren’t the healthiest to consume. Sugary treats lurk close to every checkout counter and hidden sugar is in all our foods. Start eating more whole foods and eliminating sugar from your diet. You’ll still get some, since it’s in almost everything we eat that’s not a whole food. (https://www.burtonpools.com/) You’ll find your taste buds return and you’ll start to appreciate the taste of fresh vegetables and wholesome foods.

Get plenty of sleep.

As a nation, we are often shorting ourselves on hours of restful sleep. During sleep, the body not only repairs itself, it also uses fat exclusively as energy. If you’re trying to lose weight, getting a good night’s sleep can mean you’ll burn off more fat than muscle tissue. Sleep is important to heart health. It also helps regulate your mood, curbs inflammation, improves your memory and lowers levels of stress.

• Find the substances or outlets that feel like an addiction, because they probably are. Wean yourself off them. Cigarettes, sugar, computer time, alcohol and even television can be offenders.
• Get regular checkups and discuss your health plan with your primary health care professional. That can help ensure you’re healthy enough for exercise and may also bring up other changes you might make.
• Be aware of all the over-the-counter medications you take and find if you can relieve the problem in other ways. If you’re taking ibuprofen or other pain relievers daily, it can create a health issue.
• Get a social life. Studies show that people who have a healthy social life tend to live longer and healthier. You can learn something new by taking classes to provide it or join a group involved in something that interests you. It doesn’t have to be socially significant, such as saving the rain forest, just something that peaks your interest.

If you’re getting older and notice that it’s tougher to do the things you used to do, you’re not alone. The body starts losing muscle mass at about age thirty. The condition called sarcopenia causes muscle mass to disappear at about three to five percent each decade. That’s why people tend to look frail as they get old. It doesn’t have to occur. One study showed that a man in his 70s who has maintained a regimen of weight lifting for at least 15 to 20 years will have the same muscle mass as a man in his 20s. Best of all, it’s never too late to start. There are strength training benefits for aging bodies.

You might not have the beach bully body, but you will gain strength.

The older you get, the less likely you will be to build ripply muscle tissue. Even when you do, your skin may not fit it as well as it does the young lifeguard. What really counts, however, is not the bulging of the muscles, but the strength. Getting stronger is important at all ages. It makes the difference in some cases of living on your own and needing help to survive. It definitely makes a difference in the quality of life you live and that’s what’s most important.

Resistance training helps prevent or slow the progress of osteoporosis.

Many studies show that resistance or strength training can slow or stop bone loss. Some studies show that it can actually reverse it. There are also studies that show it’s better or at least equal to the results received from prescription drugs for osteoporosis. Best of all, the only side effects are a healthier body, more energy and a fitter appearance. Consider exercise as part of your medical care program as you age and you won’t be seeing the doctor nearly as frequently.

Building muscle tissue and strength helps you even when you walk.

One study showed that people who had a faster gait when they walked, lived longer. While it makes sense that someone who is feeble would walk slower than someone who is fit, walking faster may actually make you more fit. One way to improve that speed and gait is through high intensity resistance exercises. You’ll walk safer and faster, avoiding many of the pitfalls of aging.

• Lower limb strength is just as important as upper body strength. It’s not all about lifting with the arms, it’s about total body strength.
• Improved lower body strength can help prevent falls.
• Resistance bands are an inexpensive method of building strength and can be used in the home if you’re unable to make it to the gym.
• Maintaining a program of strength training also can help turn back the clock and make you look and feel years younger.