Alcohol and the HCG Diet

A common question we get from our clients is, “Can I drink alcohol on the HCG Diet, low-calorie phase?” Although you can find a variety of answers to this question out on the web, we follow Dr. Simeons, who formulated the HCG Diet, and his answer is a simple “no”.  Why?

1. Alcoholic drinks may be high in calories, sugar and carbs, especially in mixed drinks and beer.
2. Alcohol affects the appetite centers of the brain, making a person feel hungrier than they normally would.
3. Snacks that are usually unhealthy and carb-filled are, generally, the ones offered when alcohol is served. (You won’t see someone sipping a beer and munching on a hunk of broccoli!)
4. Alcohol consumption tends to impair a person’s decision-making capabilities.

Of course, we’ve had clients who put Dr. Simeons’ advice to the test. One woman called us every day to tell us that she drank some wine the previous day and still showed a loss on the scale that morning. However, after one week, she quit calling and we never heard back from her.

Other clients, albeit not as extreme as the one above, have reported that they consumed alcohol and still lost weight. Our response is that we believe they would’ve lost more if they had stayed clear of the alcohol!

According to Dr. Richard Lipman, M.D.,
“Alcohol stops fat burning - it decreases your metabolism and may interfere with HCG’s effect on metabolism. When we eat protein, fat, or carbs, some of the food is burned immediately and some of it is stored for future use. However, this does not occur when drinking alcohol. Alcohol is used for metabolism first and is used for energy until all of the alcohol is gone from the blood stream. As this is happening, the body cannot use protein, fat or carbs for metabolism and turns them into fat.

Less than 5 percent of the alcohol calories you drink are turned into fat. The beer belly occurs not because alcohol is turned into fat but because for long periods of time the alcohol, instead of the stored fat, is being used for energy. Remember, what is not burned turns to fat, and if alcohol is around, everything you eat turns to fat.”

The HCG Diet Protocol while very effective and rewarding, is also very restrictive during the low-calorie diet phase, which lasts between 21 and 40 days. Our recommendation is to follow Dr. Simeons advice and avoid alcohol during that short period of time. Then, per Dr. Simeons, once you reach maintenance, you can enjoy “A” glass of wine. Here’s to your success on the HCG Diet! Click here to see other DIYHCG successful customers.