Myths about the Loading Days of the HCG Diet
The HCG diet loading days are one of the least understood parts of the HCG diet. The loading days make up the first two days of phase 2, so you will be taking HCG diet drops while loading. Some people call these the "gorge" or "binge" days, since the goal is to eat to capacity of the most fattening foods you can find. This seems like a pretty contradictory way to start losing weight, especially if you have not read Dr. Simeons' manuscript, Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity.
In Pounds and Inches we learn that the HCG loading days have three main purposes:
- Restock your healthy reserve fat
- Provide energy for the first few days until HCG diet drops start working
- Maximize your weight loss potential
If you've read Pounds and Inches, you probably know these things already. Unfortunately, not everyone has read it, and not everyone understands the HCG diet protocol as well as they should—even among those selling the product! This has led to some pretty strange ideas about the HCG loading days. Here are some myths about the loading days that have been propagated online. If you understand the real reason for the HCG diet's loading days, you'll recognize that these myths don't make sense.
- MYTH: "Loading will cause your body to recognize that too much fat is being supplied to your system so it will attempt to expel more fat from your stores."
- TRUTH: Eating extra fat does not cause your body to burn more fat (just try it!). What loading does is fill your healthy reserve fat to the right levels. The HCG diet drops then ensure that fat lost after the loading days comes from your abnormal, fixed fat deposits.
- MYTH: "Loading will alert the body that extra fat calories need burning."
- TRUTH: Loading will alert the body that its good fat reserves are intact. Combined with the HCG drops in your system, the body is now free to use abnormal, fixed fat deposits instead.
- MYTH: "Loading will encourage the hypothalamus to burn more fat, even after the ending of loading days."
- TRUTH: Loading has nothing to do with your hypothalamus. HCG diet drops are what fix your hypothalamus. However, loading will help reduce hunger cravings and help you stick to the diet more easily, which often does result in more fat lost than those who fail to load properly.
