21 day metabolic diet: How to reach your desired weight

Our body is constantly in the process of transforming substances or substrates through chemical and physical processes, for example, in order to obtain energy from them. With special treatment, the metabolism is stimulated and our body will be detoxified.

The main adjustment screw here is the diet and the corresponding change in food selection. Usually, a calorie deficit is also set, which is why the term metabolic diet is often associated with it.

HCG is a hormone,which is formed in women in pregnancy in order to preserve the fetus. If the nutrient supply is not sufficient, the hormone ensures that the fat reserves are increasingly used for energy production and thus broken down.

In the original hCG diet, this hormone was injected into the patients. Today alternative non-medicinal and hormone-free hCG drops or tablets are taken during the diet.

The total metabolic diet length amounts to several weeks and is divided into different phases. The main phase – the diet phase – lasts at least 21 days, i.e. three weeks. If the desired weight still hasn’t been reached after this time, the diet phase is extended accordingly until the target weight is reached.

The real hCG hormone is not approved as a drug for pure weight loss and is usually not available over-the-counter. Instead, you can find the hCG globules, especially as a component for homeopathic medicines. The main component of the globules is sucrose, that is, table sugar. In some cases, however, some of the globules also consist of flour or sugar substitutes, such as xylitol. The globules should be taken in addition to the food during the metabolic diet in order to additionally boost fat burning and inhibit appetite. 

The metabolic diet aims to boost the metabolism in such a way that, on the one hand, fat burning is strongly stimulated and, on the other hand, that the lower weight after the diet is maintained as long as possible. Weight loss during the diet is achieved mainly by changing the diet and the associated calorie deficit.

How exactly does a metabolic diet work? As already mentioned, there are various phases that are passed through during the diet. Which phases are involved and what happens as a result will now be explained step by step:

In preparation for the main phase of the metabolism boost, the diet phase, two so-called loading days are planned. Here you already start with the daily intake of the globules. On these days, you should consciously eat a lot – especially foods that are as high in fat and calories as possible.

The two-day loading phase is intended to increase the desire for healthy food, as you deliberately overeat unhealthy foods. Once you have your stomach full of fatty and sugar-rich foods, it tends to be easier for you to switch to vegetables and the like.

Once the loading days are over, the actual diet phase of at least 21 days begins. During this period, fat and carbohydrates, especially in the form of sugar, are completely prohibited. A maximum of 500-800 calories are eaten daily, continuing to take the globules. The composition of meals is also strictly prescribed: a lean source of protein is combined with a vegetable variety, and as a snack you are allowed to eat breadsticks or a slice of toast with some fruit.

This is what both lunch and dinner look like – before that you’re only allowed to drink water, tea or coffee with a maximum of a splash of milk. It is best to count the calories during this time to be sure to stay within the limit of 800 calories.

It is recommended to drink at least 2 litres of water per day and to exercise in addition to the diet. As long as you stick to the guidelines, the diet phase is expected to result in a weight reduction of about 10%. 

If you have successfully completed the 21 diet days and survived, the so-called stabilization phase of about three weeks follows. During this phase, the calories are slowly increased again and foods that were forbidden during the diet phase may be partially reintegrated into the diet. In addition, the globules no longer need to be supplemented for nutrition. However, in order to maintain the weight in the long term, a fundamental change in diet and a balanced diet are advised.

During the diet phase, the main thing is to eat foods that are as low in calories as possible. Protein and vegetables are the main component of meals, on the one hand, to prevent muscle breakdown and, on the other hand, to feel relatively full, which is difficult to implement anyway due to the small amount of calories. So it’s best to rely on protein-rich and low-calorie recipes!

Here is a list of recommended/permitted foods during the metabolic diet:

• Low-sugar vegetables
• Eggs
• Lean meat/fish
• Tofu/Seitan
• Low-fat yoghurt/quark
• Fruit, such as apples, strawberries or grapefruit
• Water, tea, coffee

In order to stay within the prescribed calories, you should avoid sugar, fat and generally high-calorie foods as much as possible. These usually cause the calorie content of a meal to skyrocket quite quickly. Alcohol is also prohibited during the diet phase.

Here is a list of foods that should be avoided or prohibited:

• Sugar
• Fat, e.g. from butter or oil
• Milk
• Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, pasta and sweets
• Sugar-rich fruits and vegetables
• Alcohol and sweetened drinks

In order to put the effectiveness of this diet to the scientific test, we have broken the method down to numbers to find out how much weight you can actually lose with it:

Example calculation for a female office assistant:

• Age: 30 years
• Height: 5.4 feet
• Weight: 11.03 st
• Activity: Sport 1-2 times a week
• Calorie requirement:- Approx. 2,200-2,500 calories/day

Caloric intake during metabolic treatment: 500 kcal/day
→ Calorie deficit: At least 1,700 kcal/day
→ 1,700 kcal x 21 days = 35,700 calorie deficit in three weeks
→ 35,700 / 7,000 kcal (7,000 kcal = 1 kg fat) = around 11.02 lbs

Purely mathematically, the person in this example would lose about 5 kilos in three weeks – if they would adhere to the nutrition plan of the metabolic diet and would not consume more than 500 calories daily. In order to lose the promised 10% weight, the woman would have to lose 15.43 lbs.

In view of the very strict nutrition plan during a metabolic diet, the question remains whether the effort, discipline and renunciation will pay off in the end. As can be seen from the example calculation, the metabolic diet, properly carried out, actually leads to weight loss.

However, it should be noted here that weight loss most likely results from the loss of muscle mass and less from fat loss. In this article, you will find out why muscles are reduced instead of fat in such radical diets. A consequence of this is that after the decrease, the lost weight can quickly be put back on, if you are not careful – then all the effort was in vain.

The recommended intake of the globules ultimately brings with it, if at all, a placebo effect. Since the right hCG hormone is not readily available for sale, strictly speaking, you only take small sugar globules. These neither stimulate fat burning greatly, nor do they inhibit the appetite or ensure that the weight is kept permanently low. This is scientifically impossible and therefore a pure marketing strategy to sell the expensive sugar compounds.

Basically, you should consider making a more sensible diet change if you want to lose weight or want to eat healthier. In doing so you should introduce healthy habits by having routines that you can also implement in your everyday life for the long term.

Probably not – you shouldn’t and you don’t have to! In the following, we will explain why this can actually have serious consequences for your health.

From a health point of view, a metabolic diet is strongly discouraged. The extremely high calorie deficit is far below the basal metabolic rate of most people.

Above all, boosting your metabolism in this way brings stress both for the body and for the psyche. We have listed a few typical consequences of the radical diet to illustrate how dangerous such a diet can actually be:

• • Strong and constant feeling of hunger
  • Food cravings
  • Nutritional and mineral and vitamin deficiencies
  • Water retention
  • Muscle breakdown
  • Yo-yo effect after the diet
  • Headache, fatigue
  • Depression
  • Loss of efficiency
  • Hair loss
  • Loss of periods in women

Since the amount of food is reduced to a minimum during the diet, you will certainly save a few pounds when shopping for food, which would otherwise have been spent, for example, on bread, sweets or takeaways.

However, you should take into account the cost of the globules and necessary dietary supplements. For the globules you spend an average of 20 GBP, which is still comparatively little if you add up the costs for e.g. Omega 3 capsules, any vitamin supplements and protein powders.

These dietary supplements are theoretically absolutely necessary in order to stay within the prescribed calorie specification and still provide your body with the nutrients it urgently needs. The expenses for this can well and gladly amount to several hundred pounds.

The metabolic diet is suitable for everyone who wants to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest possible time – without taking their health into account. The best possible conditions for carrying out the metabolic treatment are low stress in everyday life and very good self-control.

The diet alone brings enough stress due to the strong calorie reduction, which can also cause a lack of energy in everyday life. If you are prone to cravings and love food, it will be difficult for you to eat just one or two small portions a day, which probably won’t even be very tasty and satisfying for most.

With a lot of discipline and restriction, this diet is therefore quite feasible, but not recommended. In principle, there are also much healthier and more sustainable ways to reduce weight without having to limit yourself so much.

If you are looking for healthy alternatives to the metabolic diet, the choice is great. There are many different ways to achieve your desired weight – even without giving up and starving!

The basis for this remains a healthy, balanced diet that can be integrated into everyday life in the long term and gives you pleasure.

Yes – something like that actually exists! A healthy lifestyle also includes physical exercise, which supports weight loss and maintains your weight management in the long term. At Upfit, we are happy to help you find a nutrition plan that will take you to your destination with fun and enjoyment, without having to worry about your health!

Even if it sounds tempting to lose several pounds in just 21 days, you should not be fooled by the appearance! In our opinion, the metabolic treatment has many more disadvantages than having just 11 pounds less on the scales.

The FDA also confirms that taking hCG has no proven effect on the weight loss result. Even with the use of the right hormone, there would be more health impairments, such as headaches or depression, than there would be a dietary advantage to gain.

There are much healthier alternatives to boost your metabolism and lose weight.