Lose weight: ready, set, reset!

“Yo-yo dieting,” or frequent and dramatic weight fluctuation, is not only a frustrating process for the life-long calorie-counter, but it is not good for overall health or the body.

by Dr. Paul Stallone — 

“Yo-yo dieting,” or frequent and dramatic weight fluctuation, is not only a frustrating process for the life-long calorie-counter, but it also is not good for one’s overall health or the body. By subjecting the body to these highs and lows, an individual may be decreasing their immunity, predisposing themselves to exponential weight gain and/or increasing the risk of developing high blood pressure.

“I’ve tried everything and nothing works!” Such are the cries of the naysayers about any “new” plan that may be proposed, but many people are unaware that it is quite possible to “reset” that which has made their weight-loss journey unsuccessful.

This attempt to reset the body’s metabolism and the way it processes (and stores) calories, fat, protein, etc., involves a regimented system for weight loss developed by the late Dr. A.T.W. Simeons. In 1959, Simeons discovered that in trials using the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadatrophin), obese and overweight patients began experiencing unexpected weight loss with little to no relapse (i.e., gaining the weight back).

Through grounded and extensive research, it was ascertained that hCG injections, combined with a restricted diet, for either 23 or 40 days, produced an average weight decrease of one pound per day, without leaving the patient feeling hungry. Simeons spent the following 10 years perfecting the hCG weight-loss protocol. The hormone has been in use for more than 40 years. Currently, hCG has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of cryptorchidism, infertility and anti-aging.

So how exactly does the hCG work? It was further revealed through Simeons’ research that the hypothalamus gland, located in the brain, is the connecting link between the nervous system and the body’s hormones. The hypothalamus, more technically referred to as the diencephalon, acts as a sort of “fat thermostat” in the hunger center of the body. A successful hCG weight-loss program centers upon “tweaking” the hypothalamus in an effort to reset a patient’s fat thermostat and eliminate food cravings. It is not uncommon to see individuals safely shed about one pound per day while on the protocol, similar to the results produced by Simeons.

Once an individual has been deemed a candidate for the program by a licensed physician, through consultation, a physical exam, review of past and current medical history, and necessary blood tests, he or she may receive injections as infrequently as three times per week. This differs from the original protocol, as the last 40 years of research have proven that hCG will remain in the system for 72 hours upon administration. Therefore, it is less burdensome to receive the injections today than it was when Simeons treated patients in an in-patient facility during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

It is important to stress that blood tests are required to rule out any conditions that would disqualify patients from the program or require them to undergo treatments prior to beginning the protocol. These blood tests, a very specific diet, and overall monitoring from a licensed physician and medical staff, are all crucial elements that help ensure the success of the program, whose duration may not exceed 40 days, as the body can develop immunity to the hCG after this length of time. Therefore, if the desired amount of weight has not been lost during the 40 days, an individual must wait six weeks before resuming the protocol.

While a supervised hCG weight-loss program is certainly a stepping stone toward successfully reaching a healthy body weight, it is not the “end all.” Food choices are critical, both before and after the program, as is daily exercise. These are the true foundations upon which all of life’s future health choices and conditions lie. “The age-old diet and exercise lingo comes back to haunt us once again,” the naysayers may think quietly to themselves. Alas, it is true. Even with groundbreaking studies, such as those conducted by Simeons, lifelong habits are the only true way to ensure that one’s yo-yo days are in the past, and optimal overall health and bodily system functions are the way of the future.

Paul Stallone, N.M.D., founded the Arizona Integrative Medical Center, in Scottsdale, Ariz. He combines natural, alternative and conventional treatments to best fit and benefit each individual patient’s needs. www.drstallone.com or 480-214-3922.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 26, Number 6, December 2007/January 2008.