When it comes to losing a considerable amount of weight in a short amount of time, the name of the game is calorie restriction. There’s no magic about it: The difference between the calories you burn and the calories you consume will determine whether your weight goes up, down, or stays the same at the end of each day.

Sound simple? That’s because it is. The only not-simple part is actually living on a restricted calorie diet, or calorie deficit. That’s where HCG comes in. You see, HCG drops work to make you feel more satisfied with smaller portions, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.

But Phase I of the HCG Diet Plan runs contrary to this: In Phase 1, dieters are instructed to consume a lot of fat and calories. But why? Won’t this slow down weight loss?

HCG Phase 1: The Loading Phase

Ah, the Loading Phase.

For anyone who has experienced any kind of dieting, the Loading Phase is somewhat counter-intuitive. After all, wouldn’t consuming more calories and fats just lead to more weight gain? While that’s generally true, the key to Phase 1 of HCG involves the concept of fat stores.

Fat stores are a very natural thing for human beings; For hundreds of thousands of years, fat sores have allowed our species to survive extended periods of time when no food source could be found.

But here’s the thing: Our bodies “know” when it’s time to burn that fat to use as energy, or whether it needs to save it and use it as slowly as possible. If the fat stores are full, the body has an easier time going into “fat burning mode”, providing big momentum through the weight loss phase.

What Happens If I Skip the HCG Loading Phase?

If you enter Phase II of HCG without completing the loading phase, there is a good chance that your weight loss will be a little slower. That’s because bodies that are already running in a caloric deficit are more prone to “save” fat stores in case of emergency … and go for the muscle mass first.

But you don’t want to lose muscle mass. You want to lose fat. So do yourself a favor, and use Phase I to “kickstart” your body’s fat burning capacities. Once the fat burning starts, it will keep going for as long as you stick to the plan (but as usual, don’t go longer than 5 or six weeks at a time).

How Does HCG Work?

HCG is a naturally occurring hormone that helps the body handle hunger cravings. It does this by making the most of healthy proteins, fruits, and vegetables, keeping you feeling satisfied all day long. At the time, HCG is protecting your body’s muscle mass while optimizing fat burn.

But HCG alone isn’t what powers your fat burn … that’s your body doing what it is supposed to do while in a caloric deficit. So it’s very important that you combine the HCG drops with strict adherence to the HCG diet plan. This multi-phase meal plan is specifically designed to optimize weight loss, cut hunger, and maintain muscle.

Ready to Start Losing Weight with the HCG Diet Plan?

Click here to learn more about the HCG formula an HCG diet program. While you’re there, you can also find links to both prescription and OTC versions of HCG with no doctor office visit needed.