The hCG program is a medically supervised weight-loss protocol.  In preparation for starting the program, we will undertake a thorough study of your past medical history, examine your blood work, and conduct a relevant physical exam.  If you are unhealthy, you may be asked to do a preparatory protocol before starting the weight loss program.  The protocol is rigorous in the sense that your body will be called upon to mobilize fat while consuming a very low-calorie diet, and stimulating your metabolism using the hormone of pregnancy, hCG.  Thus to hopefully prevent or minimize any complications, we will first embark on a cleansing and nourishing program to prepare the body for the rapid weight loss that is experienced during the hCG protocol.  As such, I ask that you read this document, and sign the Informed Consent agreement acknowledging that you have in fact chosen to participate in this program with full knowledge of the benefits, risks, and understand the procedures involved.

The SlimNow program requires the daily self-administration of a prescription drug, a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which is the hormone that is released during pregnancy. The hormone can be administered orally, as a liquid that is held in the mouth 2 times per day, for a few minutes until absorbed, or injected using a short, thin, painless needle just under the skin once a day.  The program as presented is a modified version of Dr. ATW Simeons™ clinical experience using this hormone for weight loss during the 1950s.

Dr. Simeons™ theorized that fat was stored in secure fat deposits because the hypothalamus was not functioning normally, which in turn produced a low metabolism, intense hunger, food cravings, the desire to eat when not hungry.  He noticed that hCG, when administered to young boys who had undescended testes, produced muscular development and loss of extra fat.  As a result, he tried using hCG as a therapy for weight loss.  Simeons theorized that since hCG is produced by the placenta in pregnancy, administering it daily causes the body to go into a state simulating the metabolic priorities of pregnancy.  When pregnant, the body overrides its programming to save fat depots reserved for mobilization only in the most dire state of starvation.  hCG appears to be a key hormonal signal that influences the hypothalamus to change the body’s metabolism.  Thus, the combination of placing the body in a metabolic state simulating pregnancy, while consuming a Very Low Calorie Diet, gives the body signals that cause it to respond as though it is pregnant during a famine.  The hypothalamus responds as though the unborn child’s health and life are at risk, and the body responds by mobilizing its most protected survival fat reserves.  The result is the mobilization and depletion of the resistant fat deposits, resulting in a reshaping of your body while keeping structural fat and muscle intact.  After the body goes through the process of what it believed was being pregnant and starving, and then returning to a normal healthy level of nutrition, it can then reset its hunger and metabolism setpoints to reflect a healthy level of food intake.  Thus, after the diet, most patients realize their metabolism has changed and they can eat normally without gaining weight.  The key term here is able to eat normally, since if a person returns to eating excessive amounts of food, he will regain the weight.  The hCG diet protocol usually improves the metabolism and normalizes an excessive appetite.

The Simeons™ theory may or may not be correct.  But, we do know that hCG is similar to LH (Leutenizing Hormone), which stimulates the production of testosterone, and is very high during pregnancy.  Thus, the effect may be as simple as activating the metabolism.  The concept of secure fat reserves may or may not be metabolically accurate, but everyone has noted that it is hard to lose weight from some places.  In short, the diet consists of eating small amounts of food, while taking the hCG hormone.  Statistically it appears that 80-90% of patients are able to lose weight on this diet.  Those who have difficulty with the diet are those who have an allergy to the hCG, experience excessive stimulation, or have some other reaction that is considered unpleasant.  Thus, if the routine can be tolerated and afforded, the weight will come off eventually.

There are many other approaches to weight loss, and including them as part of the SlimNow regimen can be helpful.  If the metabolism is sluggish, then thyroid and adrenal hormone can be prescribed, as well as stimulant herbs to increase metabolic rate.  Supplementation with vitamins is a good foundation for health.  Exercise is important to increase the rate of burning extra calories.  And for the long term, regulation of appetite can be supported by resolving mental/emotional/life issues that cause you to use food as a coping mechanism.  A good mental attitude may be supported by tools such as affirmations, hypnosis, and counseling.

The program can be used for anyone, regardless of the amount of weight that you want to lose, whether it is 5, 20, 50, 100 pounds, or much more.  This program is rigorous, requires discipline, takes time, and is moderately expensive.  But, it may save you from gastric bypass surgery, for a fraction of the cost, and return to you a body with improved functionality.  

The most essential part of the SlimNow program is the daily injection of a small amount of hCG (50-150 IU) using a very short, very thin, virtually painless, insulin needle into the subcutaneous fat of the thigh, abdomen, or hips (or taken orally if the psychological aspect of self-injection is too disturbing).

The second cornerstone of the SlimNow program is the 500 calorie per day Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) that Dr. Simeons recommended.  When consuming only 500 calories per day, it is physiologically impossible to not lose weight, eventually. With this caloric intake, weight will be lost with or without taking hCG.  The administration of hCG, with its fat and energy mobilizing ability, allows many patients to do the diet easily (after 3-7 days of adaptation), lose weight without hunger or fatigue, and to lose it from the right places.

The diet protocol is simple and consists of: 1) drinking only tea and water all morning.  2) Lunch and dinner each include about 3.5 ounces of protein, one vegetable, and one fruit.  3) Water is essential. 4) Green tea and B12 are important.  5) All the other recommendations for a healthy lifestyle and diet are optional.  6) Potassium may be required if you lose a lot of water weight quickly and develop cramps at the beginning of the program.

The weight will stay off as long as you maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen.  After the program, you should be able to eat normal amounts of food and not obsess about calories.  But, if you continue to eat excessively while maintaining a sedentary life, you will gain weight.  After finishing the hCG program, I recommend following the Schwarzbein Protocol diet as a healthy lifestyle diet to maintain your weight and health.  The maintenance diet includes: 1) Protein intake appropriate to your body weight and activity level, 2) Starchy vegetable intake proportional to your metabolism, 3) An unlimited amount of non-starchy veggies, with a minimum of 1 cup per meal recommended, and 4) healthy fats.

The cost of the hCG program varies depending on how much preparation you may require, and how much weight you want to lose.  Patients typically lose a great deal of water weight the first few days to a week as they lose the water of hydration associated with depleting their glycogen stores (a type of sugar stored in the liver and cells throughout the body).  After that period of rapid water loss, most patients lose ½ lb per day on average, (2-4 lbs/wk), depending on their muscle mass and activity level.  There will be periods of time when you will lose very little weight for several days in a row, and then lose several pounds quickly.  When you have a few days where you have not lost weight, remember, that it will eventually come off.  Stay calm and keep doing the program, you will eventually lose the weight and realize the reward for the hard work, discipline, and deprivation.  

Remember, if you are actually doing the program and eating only 500 calories a day, it is impossible to not lose weight, even if it is slowly.  Stored fat contains 3500 calories of energy, and the typical BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is 1500 calories/day. Thus, if you are eating 500 calories per day, you will be burning 1000 calories of fat, which will cause you to lose 1 lb every 3.5 days.  If you exercise, or have a higher BMR, you will lose it faster (men typically lose weight faster than women).  When your body has properly adjusted to the hormonal stimulation, which may take several days to a week, most patients report having an excellent mood and energy throughout the rest of the program.  Slide show presentation with before and after results: www.hCGobesity.org

Online hCG support group: https://www.forumotion.com/search/hcgsupportgroup.forumotion.com

The hCG diet has received extensive media coverage. HCG in the news

Enclosed you will find a list of important recommendations for a healthy lifestyle to begin incorporating in preparation for beginning the SlimNow diet.  This program is exciting because of the considerable success people achieve.  You can achieve your weight goals, but it will require dedication and discipline to follow the diet and lifestyle recommendations.  Your new body image and improved metabolism will be your reward.  The program is done in 40 day increments, and patients typically lose about 15-20 lbs in each 40 day increment.  The increments are separated by 6 weeks of healthy eating, after which the hCG and VLCD are restarted.  Thus, to lose 100 lbs will require doing at least 5 cycles of the diet.

The program includes many lifestyle recommendations, but none of these are essential to losing weight, other than following the diet and doing the daily injections (or oral drops). In general, the recommendations include drinking water, reducing toxins by eating organic foods, reducing stress, digesting well, getting exercise, sun, and fresh air, controlling your blood sugar, and consuming fiber and whole foods.

For inspiration about the efficacy of the program, consider reading the testimonials in Kevin Trudeau’s book, The Weight Loss Cure.  The program worked for him, and he relates a number of stories that illustrate how well the program can work for others.

The bottom line: this program is guaranteed.  If you do not lose weight, or have an unpleasant reaction, you will be refunded half the cost of the hCG prescription.  Enjoy the possibility of creating a new body and a new life for yourself.