One of the key components of hCG diet plans is protein. It is critical to follow your dietary instructions as all proteins are not the same and their metabolic effects can vary. When on an hCG diet, these metabolic effects can have a profound impact on the amount of weight lost.
Protein as a source of calories actually requires energy to burn. In medical terms, this is referred to as “postprandial thermogenesis” and it can represent up to 10% of our caloric needs. So when eating and then digesting a protein meal, you can essentially increase the caloric needs requested of your body’s metabolism. This is due to the added energy needed for digestion. When you increase your caloric needs in any way, the scale is tipped in favor of losing more weight. As you burn more calories you will burn more of your fat stores.
In clinical practice, it has been observed that protein can provide a suppressive effect upon appetite. It has been shown that individuals who eat protein in the morning have less of an appetite later in the day. The breakfast habits of two groups of individuals were observed. The group that ate a breakfast high in carbohydrates ingested 30% more calories than the group that ingested a breakfast rich in protein. The appetite suppression effects of the protein digestion process can be helpful when combines with hCG diet plans.
One of the goals in the hCG diet plans are to normalize blood sugar and insulin levels. Protein in the diet tends not to elevate blood insulin levels. Carbohydrates tend to increase blood sugar and blood insulin levels, which is a problem because insulin is a fat storage hormone. By displacing carbohydrates with protein in your meals you will minimize the fat storing effects of elevated insulin levels in your body.
When you are on a restricted calorie diet such as the hCG diet, your body will metabolize sources other than fat stores, it will also look to muscle tissue to satisfy its caloric needs. It would be great if your body would automatically take the needed calories exclusively from fat, but unfortunately that is not how it works. Protein added to the diet along with pharmaceutical hCG has been shown to effect the body in such a way that it will tend to take the needed calories from fat instead of lean muscle.
If you are constipated due to your reduced calorie diet, you may want to take a fiber supplement. Fiber supplements can come in powdered or capsule form, when on the hCG diet you will want to take the fiber that is unsweetened or sugar free. The added benefits of supplemental fiber is a feeling of fullness and keeping you regular.
In conclusion, when following a low calorie diet, it is recommended to incorporate both high levels of protein and pharmaceutical hCG to assist with optimal fat burning and appetite suppression in order to reach your weight loss goals. This concept should be followed when on any of the hCG diet plans.
Want to find out more about the hCG Diet, then visit Dr. Larry Vickman’s site on how to choose the one of the best hCG Diet Plans for your needs.