Some Common Side Effects of the HCG Diet Protocol
While all of us are “created equal”, that unfortunately does not mean that our bodies look the same, much less function the same. Our bodies can be very different from each other and, therefore, can respond very differently to diet plans, medications, supplements, and exercise. As a plus, our beloved HCG Diet often serves as a thorough detoxification program. However, detoxification can produce some common, as well as not so common, unpleasant side effects. Most participants are suddenly eating whole, unprocessed foods, and suddenly eliminating processed foods, drinks, and alcohol—which can be quite different from their normal eating habits. Let’s look at some of the possible side effects due to this process:
Abnormal Sleep Patterns and Fatigue – The nature of the HCG Diet can trigger the body to purge toxins which can necessitate a greater internal workload than the body is used to. This workload can result in fatigue and, sometimes, disrupted sleep. Anticipate feeling tired and plan to rest more than usual. Also, make sure to get 8 hours of sleep at night. This is super important since it is while we are sleeping that our body works efficiently to repair and cleanse itself.
Headache – One of the most common side effects of detoxification is a dull, drug out headache. A prolonged headache can be a product of withdrawal from alcohol, sugar, gluten, processed foods, etc. If you are on the diet, you can take a tablet form of whatever over the counter medication, i.e., aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, you normally take for a headache. Avoid chewable, liquid, and gel capped since these forms of medication may contain sugar and other ingredients that could slow or stall your weight loss.
Frequent Bathroom Breaks, Loose Stools, Digestive System Upset – Our bodies don’t really like a drastic change in our intake. Additionally, the HCG Diet seems to quickly cleanse the body of things like processed foods! Urination and loose stools are the body’s modus operandi as it works to eliminate toxins and adjusts to major changes in our diet. As you eliminate the “bad” foods and add the “good” foods to your diet, your body works hard to purge toxins and excess hormones which, in turn, stimulate frequent digestion and urination to get rid of this “bad stuff”. As a side note, this process can be dehydrating to the body making it crucial that you drink a lot of WATER — at least 8-10 glasses per day*.
We find it very interesting that most of the vegetables that Dr. Simeons chose for the HCG Protocol naturally facilitate digestion and have diuretic properties. So when a person starts the low calorie phase of the HCG Diet, i.e., all of a sudden stops eating processed foods and starts eating only raw veggies and fruits, you can imagine what a shock to the body that can be! If this scenario of digestive disruption describes you, you may want to begin the diet eating cooked vegetables (which are easier on the digestive system) and then slowly swap out with raw veggies.
The unpleasant detoxification side effects of the HCG Diet generally only last a few days before participants feel much better than before embarking on this exciting journey of weight loss. The payoff is well worth it, so hang in there and let the pounds fall away.
*The amount of water that your body needs also depends on the amount and kind of physical activity you participate in, your current weight and what foods/drinks you intake on a daily basis. Items like tea and coffee are dehydrating while items like cabbage and spinach are hydrating. If you’re not sure how much water to drink, gage your intake by paying attention to the color of your urine; it should be a pale yellow to clear.
