Dr. Oz and the HCG Diet

The HCG diet is a weight-loss plan that requires dieters to eat a strict 500 calories per day and undergo injections of the hormone HCG which is usually used to increase fertility. Though hundreds claim to have experienced rapid weight loss on this diet, there is some doubt as to its safety and effectiveness. Dr. Oz recently investigated the diet on his show. These are some of the highlights from that episode.

The sample meal plan

Dr. Oz displayed a sample meal plan for the HCG diet. Breakfast consists of only black coffee and a small amount of fruit. Lunch includes three ounces of lean meat with a lot of lettuce, and dinner is three ounces of meat with another vegetable. Dieters get two snacks: Melba toast and another piece of fruit.

Personal success stories

Several stories of personal success were shown on Dr. Oz's show. A woman named Lisa claimed that she was only hungry for the first two days of the diet, but then it was easy to follow. She lost 45 pounds in three weeks. Mary lost about 30 pounds in six weeks and also claimed that she was not hungry while following the diet.

Before going on any diet, especially one this drastic, talk to your doctor. He or she is trained to prescribe regimens of physical activity and dietary intake that actually work.

Negative accounts

Dr. Oz also had several people on the show who had terrible experiences with the HCG diet. One woman, named Nicole, tried the diet for one week and felt very fatigued. She also suffered from severe headaches and passed out once in the second week of the plan. In the months that followed, she missed several menstrual cycles.

The HCG diet is extreme, but some see it as an effective way to lose weight rapidly. Dr. Oz concluded that the effects depended on the person and his or her own personal chemistry.

Breakfast consists of only black coffee and a small amount of fruit