Obesity is a condition that affects over 40% of adults in the United States. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that will cure it. However, there are two new types of medicines that, when combined with a low-calorie diet, promote excess weight loss and get rid of stubborn body fat.
Semaglutide is an anti-obesity medication that stands out in its prescription approach. This medication is used to treat obesity as a chronic metabolic disease rather than assuming the misconception that obesity is a problem that can be overcome by willpower. The HCG Diet program is a combination of a safe diet paired with HCG developed to help people lose weight and k
Read on to learn how you can utilize Semaglutide and/or the HCG Diet for weight loss treatment.
What Is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is an FDA-approved medication that also goes by the brand name Wegovy. Semaglutide is administered once per week by self-injection. If the thought of injecting yourself causes distress, rest assured that it's much simpler than you may think. The needle is extremely thin, and most patients find that they barely notice it after a few doses. The medication is stored in a pre-filled, pre-metered dosage pen, which you hold against your thigh or belly. With a quick press of a button, it's done.
Technically, Semaglutide functions by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone the body naturally produces. GLP-1 is normally secreted in the gut when we eat fats and carbohydrates. When this hormone is released, it targets various receptors in the body to help stimulate insulin release while also suppressing glucagon, slowing gastric emptying, and increasing feelings of fullness. GLP-1 receptor agonists were initially developed to help patients with type 2 diabetes, but it was later proven that the hormone mimicker also helps obese patients.
In basic terms, the actions this hormone takes when released, as described above, all add up to signal to the brain that we feel full and content after eating. With the steady supply of this hormone that Semaglutide provides, obese patients are finally able to receive the bodily signals telling them they are full after eating much smaller portions.
Semaglutide is also approved as a form of treatment for other use cases. Semaglutide has been approved for treating type 2 diabetes and is available under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus. There are, however, additional potential use cases that are being researched to prove their benefits, including:
- As a treatment for non-alcoholic liver disease
- Potential neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions
- Demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease
- Improved cognition has also been demonstrated in clinical studies for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
What Is HCG?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone. This hormone is produced in the early stages of pregnancy to control a woman’s metabolic function. Research suggests that it similarly increases metabolism and promotes lipolytic or fat-burning activity for non-pregnant women and men.
The use of HCG as a diet aid was first discussed in a report by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons published in 1954. His report included some interesting findings, such as:
- Patients using HCG could reduce their caloric intake without experiencing irritability, hunger pains, headaches, or weakness.
- HCG injections did more than just help his patients lose weight: they helped to NATURALLY reshape his patients’ bodies.
- This happened even if they did not engage in exercise while on the diet.
Dr. Simeons concluded this was because patients lost the most weight from fat tissue accumulations. His patients weren’t just losing weight, but fat—and a particular kind of fat. When most people think of fat, they often lump together the three distinct types of fat—two of which we need and one we don’t. Here's a breakdown:
- Structural fat: Cushions our organs. This is healthy and essential.
- Subcutaneous fat: Gives us a reserve of energy, fueling the body between meals. This is also healthy and essential.
- Visceral fat: The kind that ruins our appearance and is unhealthy. This unhealthy, unwanted fat is also almost impossible to lose because it is only burned in times of starvation and pregnancy.
Adding HCG makes the body burn this stored fat for energy, HCG does not deplete the two ‘healthy’ fats – the subcutaneous and structural fat.
Most HCG weight-loss participants notice a loss in girth (inches) and weight. However, when properly supervised, they also can achieve an overall improved body shape during and after treatment. Patients who struggle with fat in the stomach, buttocks, and hips can notice a reshaping of their body’s contours in these areas. HCG appears to reset the hypothalamus gland, along with areas of the brain that regulate various hormones, blood sugar metabolism, blood pressure, and other key body functions.
Note: Patients must follow the HCG diet under a doctor’s supervision.
Benefits of Semaglutide & the HCG Diet
While weight loss medications and diets have been around for decades, many are modestly effective at best. Some medications on the market are even deadly due to amphetamines and other potentially harmful substances, while some diets are deadly due to the ‘fads’ and unrealistic timeline expectations without doctor supervision. Luckily, Semaglutide and the HCG Diet are the first of their kind. These medications and low-calorie diets are heading up a new generation of safe and highly effective hormone-based weight-loss.
Semaglutide
The health benefits Semaglutide provides to overweight and obese patients are:
- Blood sugar-lowering effects without any increase in hypoglycemia.
- Reduced body weight, lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and subclinical atherosclerosis.
- Suppressed appetite.
- Enhanced β-cell proliferation with anti-apoptotic effects on these cells, which induces insulin synthesis.
- Enhanced glucose-dependent insulin secretion.
- Deescalates out-of-control glucagon levels, both in fasting and after eating.
- Promotes insulin secretion from B cells, while decreasing glucagon secretion in the pancreas.
- Promotes a sensation of fullness in the brain.
- Slows gastric emptying in the intestines to help feel fuller, longer.
- Reduces HbA1c.
- Weight loss.
In a clinical trial, Semaglutide helped most people with obesity lose at least 10 percent of their body weight, and more than half of them reduced their weight by at least 15 percent, according to results published in February 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Losing 15% of your body weight is an amount that most healthcare professionals say can help reduce the risk for future chronic illnesses.
People taking Semaglutide have also experienced greater improvements in cardiovascular risk factors like BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels than participants given a placebo.
The HCG Diet
HCG can help metabolize the stored body fat and release about 1500 - 2000 calories into the bloodstream. A low-calorie-per-day diet with "gorge days" can be followed without experiencing the normal fatigue, weakness, or hunger one would normally find from limiting one’s calories.
Participants have also observed that HCG helps with pain management and relieves pain in their body that they assumed was 'normal'.
In a study, HCG injections provided remarkably effective pain relief for patients with fibromyalgia and others who suffered from severe, intractable pain. Many of the patients in the study were taking morphine every day for pain.
Some of the conditions treated with HCG can include:
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Opioid-induced hormone imbalances
- Low testosterone
Often, we find ourselves in pain and are given little to no options to help get rid of it. The good news is that there are ALWAYS options. Sometimes, it’s just harder to discover what those options are and how to go about getting treatment. Many of us who suffer from chronic pain or discomfort have tried numerous therapies without any positive, long-lasting relief. HCG may be a solution.
Key Considerations When Contemplating Semaglutide and the HCG Diet
When considering any weight loss option, it’s essential to do your research. Of course, when taking Semaglutide or doing the HCG diet, it’s best to do so under a doctor's supervision. This ensures that your health remains the top priority and that you won't be given something that is either ineffective or too strong for your body. However, to help you understand Semaglutide and the HCG Diet, we’ve laid out a few things for you to take into consideration.
Common Side Effects of Semaglutide
Semaglutide helps optimize insulin and glucagon levels. Treating both insulin and glucagon can lead to normal glucose levels and weight loss while also naturally improving your metabolism over time. Combined with other lifestyle modifications, including exercise and a nutritious diet, this could be the answer many have been waiting for. Still, as with all medications, there is the potential for side effects.
The most common side effects of Semaglutide are:
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- constipation
- abdominal pain
- headache
- fatigue
- dyspepsia
- dizziness
- abdominal distension
- flatulence
- gastroenteritis
- hypoglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes
There are no known adverse cardiovascular events associated with this class of hormone-based weight loss drugs. This drug class has been linked to rare thyroid cancers in rats but not humans. As a precaution, Semaglutide is not prescribed to patients with any history of thyroid cancers.
Common Side Effects of the Hcg Diet
During the first few days of the HCG program, you may experience mild hunger because you are drastically reducing your food consumption. However, by the second week, most people find small servings of food to be quite satisfying. This is because HCG can help your body release calories from your stored fat, and these calories are now circulating throughout your body. It is also because your hypothalamus is making adjustments to your metabolic rate, which helps you feel full faster. Since each person has a different weight loss goal, the length of the program will be customized to your particular needs. Keep in mind that if you have a large amount of weight you want to lose, be aware that a second or third course of treatment may be needed.
It’s also important to note that those on the HCG Diet often find difficulty in going to the store. Temptations of other food may be difficult to overcome, but it is necessary for your personal weight loss success. Farmer’s Markets are a great alternative to grocery stores and ensure that you are getting fresh, local produce without having the temptations calling to you.
Proper planning for the HCG diet means more of a chance for success. Stick to this HCG diet shopping list, and you will be on your way to a thinner, more fit you.
Be Aware of HCG Diet Fraud
Unfortunately, the weight loss industry has seen a lot of HCG fraud in recent years. People have been misinformed about the HCG diet, and as a result, their health was put at risk because they were using a product that was ineffective, too strong, too weak, etc. There have also been attempts by the weight loss industry to fool many HCG dieters into buying fake or diluted products that don’t contain the HCG hormone. Unethical weight loss industry people have seen this diet work wonders, and they have tried to reproduce the HCG product idea (not the real thing) and sell it for profit. Those who don’t research the diet and pay close attention can fall prey to these gimmicks.
How TransformYou Can Help
TransformYou offers consultations for anyone looking into medical weight loss options. Whether you are looking into Semaglutide or the HCG Diet, in these consultations, we work together to develop a comprehensive medical weight loss plan that is safe and effectively tailored just for you. All patients receive direct support under the care of one of our dedicated physicians to ensure patient safety and confidentiality.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR HCG DIET PROGRAM
At TransformYou we offer a commercially available HCG (Pregnyl 10,000iu) option. With only one size option, these vials will still work for 3-6-week HCG diet plans.
HCG 40-Day Program: Designed for those wanting to lose 25+ pounds in the span of 40 days.
The following items will be provided to you during your HCG diet program:
- The TransformYou HCG Diet Manual - An electronic manual that contains all guidelines and instructions for the HCG diet.
- A Calorie Tracker Spreadsheet - Keep track of and plan your daily meals.
- The TransformYou HCG Diet Recipe Book - Includes over 400 recipes that are all safe on the HCG diet.
- Follow-ups - Scheduled weekly
- Direct email correspondence with your physicians throughout the entire dieting process.
- All HCG supplies (hormones, needles, etc.)
People from all different walks of life and various backgrounds have seen amazing benefits from our HCG Diet Program. All patients always work directly with one of our physicians to ensure patient safety and confidentiality. So if you are ready to accelerate your weight loss journey, TransformYou is here to help. Schedule your consultation today!