Dr. Simeons' diet for weight loss: effective menu, reviews

Getting rid of fat on the stomach and sides is the most difficult. But he will literally begin to melt on the diet of Simeons, a British endocrinologist who discovered a revolutionary way to lose 20 kg in just 40 days!

Author: Kristina Lobanovskaya, doctor, practicing nutritionist Article updated: 11/10/2020

British-born endocrinologist Albert Simeons lived and worked in Italy. The heyday of his activity occurred in the mid-twentieth century. The doctor developed his own method of losing weight, which was very popular among wealthy people of that time. For 10 years, people suffering from excess weight, with the help of Simeons, have been realizing their dream of a slim and beautiful body.

The essence of the system

According to Dr. Simeons, human fat is divided into three types:

A healthy fat layer that protects organs from damage and allows them to function fully.
Fat that acts as an energy reserve. It disappears perfectly with intense physical activity.
And finally, the so-called bad fat. It is located on the most problematic areas - hips, waist and stomach. It is almost impossible to get rid of it even with diet and exercise. The body does not want to part with this fat, as if it were saving it for a rainy day.

That is why, even torturing ourselves with diets and sports, we do not achieve the desired result. And if we achieve it, we observe unpleasant phenomena: weakness and apathy, sagging skin, bad mood and the desire to quit everything.

Dr. Simeons saw a way out of the situation by taking medications containing the hCG hormone. This human choriogonadotropin hormone burns reserves of problematic fat. The body converts them into energy, releasing approximately 1,500 calories. It turns out that there are only 500 calories left to the daily requirement, which must be brought in with food.

Thus, in total, the introduction of injections with hCG into the body and a low-calorie diet led to an excellent effect: loss of 400-500 g of excess weight per day.

The diet lasts for 40 days in total. During this time, the plumb line will be 15-20 kilos.

HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone secreted by the placenta during pregnancy, which begins to be produced from the moment the embryo is implanted into the uterus and increases exponentially every two days. Thanks to it, another very important pregnancy hormone, progesterone, is produced.

Even if the diet of the expectant mother leaves much to be desired, the child still receives all the nutrients necessary for development. And they come precisely from that same “bad” fat. This is what the Simeons diet is based on.

Background of the diet

In his work “Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity,” Albert Simeons hypothesized that there are three types of fat in the human body, almost independently of each other:

fat that forms a “cushion” between internal organs; the fat layer is a source of “fast” energy when there is a lack of calories; fat ballast for a rainy day.

It is the third type that is “bad fat” - these are deposits on the stomach, hips, and arms that prevent us from achieving an ideal figure. Therefore, the goal of any diet is to target “bad fat.” Simeons believed that it was necessary to force the body to feed on unnecessary kilograms, and subsequently program it to minimize fat deposits.

Positive and negative aspects of the technique

The doctor himself considered his brainchild scientifically sound and completely harmless to the body. However, more recent studies have outlined significant negative health effects.

pros

The diet is effective from the first day.
A person does not experience a painful feeling of hunger, despite the fact that the daily menu contains only 500 energy units.
Due to the increase in the hormone testosterone, which is responsible for the anabolic state, muscle mass does not decrease.
Thanks to the use of the hormone, metabolism is normalized. This means that excess weight will not return in the future.
You don't have to play sports at all. Anti-gym deniers can rejoice.

Minuses

In this weight loss system, a hormonal effect occurs on the body. HCG can cause a lot of health problems: the growth of various tumors, the occurrence of hydatidiform moles, breast enlargement in men, regular headaches and depression, and malfunction of the adrenal glands.
Eating such an insignificant amount of calories per day leads to the fact that the body literally begins to devour itself. Protein is even sucked out of the heart muscle. And this leads to gastric tachycardia and sudden cardiac arrest. Not to mention the lack of nutrients that a person experiences during extreme weight loss.
Dr. Simeons' diet is contraindicated for people with any chronic diseases.

Disadvantages and contraindications

It is known that the use of hormones can have unpredictable effects on the body. So, in a diet situation, a person gets rid of obesity, but at the same time he may get another problem. One of the big dangers is that hCG can stimulate the growth of tumors.

The consequences of using the hormone are as follows:

Depressed state.
Constant headaches.
The appearance of blood clots.
Increasing the ability to fertilize.
Impaired functioning of the adrenal glands.

Yes, thanks to the diet, weight loss will occur quickly and steadily. But is there a need to interfere with the body’s functioning? After all, the result can be not only weight loss, but also the acquisition of various health problems.

Most importantly, before deciding on a diet, you should always consult your doctor.

In addition, in many countries it is prohibited to sell drops containing HCG, since in addition to tumors, it can cause hydatidiform mole; in men, obesity can occur according to the female type.

The very use of an unbalanced low-calorie diet is also dangerous. The body will not have enough nutrients so necessary for normal functioning. After discontinuation of the hormonal drug, sudden weight gain may occur due to uncontrolled gluttony.

HCG in therapy

In some foreign countries, drugs based on human chorionic gonadotropin are prohibited. In Russia, hCG is widely used in medicine for the treatment of gynecological diseases in women: infertility, recurrent miscarriage, delayed puberty, artificial insemination, etc. In men, it is used to treat azoospermia (absence or a small number of sperm in the ejaculate), testicular hypoplasia , decreased function of the gonads, cryptorchidism, etc.

Gonadotropin is also used in sports to increase muscle mass. There is even such an unfortunate fact that female athletes became pregnant on purpose before the Olympics. When, according to their calculations, the level of hCG in the body reached its highest point, an abortion was performed. And as a result, they achieved significant success in competitions.

HCG is available in the form of a white powder, from which injections are made for intramuscular administration. The dose and number of injections are calculated only by the doctor, taking into account the patient’s condition. The most well-known drugs containing gonadotropin: Pregnil, Horagon, Ovitrel, Perfinil.

Does the hCG diet help you lose weight?

hCG diet

Proponents claim that it speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose a lot of fat.

In one study, scientists used hCG, vitamins, probiotics, etc. They experimented with diets as well as supplements such as. The lipid profile of each patient was assessed. The scientists found that patients had reduced fat mass and improved their lipid profile.

Various theories attempt to explain the mechanism behind hCG and weight loss. However, numerous studies have shown that the hCG diet

He concluded that the weight loss achieved with the drug was associated only with a very low-calorie diet and had absolutely nothing to do with the hCG hormone.

These studies compared the effects of hCG injections and placebo in people on a calorie-restricted diet.

It was found that weight loss between the two groups was almost the same. Moreover, it was found that the hCG hormone does not significantly reduce hunger.

There is no other scientific evidence showing similar results. In fact, following a low-calorie diet for too long can have an adverse effect.

That is, the body will go into “starvation mode” and begin to store calories in the form of fat. This, in turn, can cause an increase in fat mass.

Loss of muscle mass is a common side effect of weight loss and severely limits your calorie intake. hCG diet

Often found in diets such as. This can trick the body into thinking it is starving and reduce the number of calories it burns to save energy.

Diet stages

Preparatory. Lasts two days. During this time, we cleanse the body of toxins, toxic substances and feces. Fasting days on water, vegetables, berries and fruits will help us with this.
Nutritious. For these we carefully fatten up with any high-calorie dishes in order to create a fat layer.
Intensive stage. We stick to it until the 23rd day of the weight loss course. We eat 500 calories a day and take the hCG hormone.
Fixing. From 24 to 26 and from 41 to 43 days we refuse the hormone, but also adhere to a low-calorie diet.
Restorative. Within three weeks, we return to our usual diet, gradually increasing our daily caloric intake every day. Any products are allowed, except sugar- and starch-containing ones.

How does the diet work?

The diet of Albert Simeons with Anat Stern distinguishes four stages:

Preparation.
Main stage.
Quitting the diet.
Recovery.

The first two days continue to prepare for further stages of the weight loss procedure: it is necessary to prepare for a reduction in diet, as well as cleanse the body of toxins. At this time, it is advisable to eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible, and also drink a lot of clean water.

The most important stage of the Simeons diet is divided into three successive steps:

Two or three days are devoted to adjusting to a strict limit in food, and to dull the desire to eat high-calorie foods. The menu should be low-calorie, and you need to start taking the hCG drug.
Based on the person’s weight and the result he wants to achieve, the duration of the second step of the diet can be 21, 28 or 40 days. HCG intake continues, and nutrition is limited: only 500 kcal per day.
The third step is to wean yourself off HCG. Weaning should occur within three days and the body should learn to maintain proper metabolism without additional stimulation. Nutrition remains the same - no more than 500 kcal per day.

Three weeks - that's how long it takes to get off the Simeons diet.

You need to get out of strict food restrictions slowly, reaching 1400-1800 kcal per day. Sugar and starchy carbohydrates (sweets, flour products, potatoes) remain on the list of foods prohibited by the doctor.

The last stage of Dr. Simeons' diet is aimed at ensuring that the digestive system regains its ability to accept and digest any food. For three weeks, you must include carbohydrates in the menu, adhering to the following rules:

during the first week you can eat only one starchy product per day;
next week you are allowed to eat two different foods, but at different meals;
in the third week, any combination of carbohydrates is allowed.

If the diet of Simeons and Anat Stern did not give an ideal result, and there is still excess weight, the whole process can be repeated. But this should be done no earlier than three months later! Although, if you follow the principles of a healthy diet, weight loss will continue on its own, because the body has already set up the correct metabolism.

Menu for the week

According to the rules of the Simeons diet, you need to eat three to four times a day, and for breakfast there is always tea or coffee with skim milk. Each meal includes 100g of protein and some carbohydrates in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fats are not allowed.

Monday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled veal, lettuce salad and 3 cherry tomatoes.
Afternoon snack: green apple.

Tuesday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled chicken breast, sliced two cucumbers with herbs.
Afternoon snack: orange.

Wednesday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled pollock and lettuce.
Afternoon snack: pear.

Thursday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled cod, two leaves of white cabbage with a bunch of greens.
Afternoon snack: grapefruit.

Friday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled seafood (shrimp or mussels), salad of two radishes.
Afternoon snack: 6 strawberries.

Saturday

Lunch: 50 g of boiled seafood, two leaves of red cabbage with a bunch of herbs.
Afternoon snack: 3 kiwis.

Sunday

Lunch: 50 g of cottage cheese and steamed asparagus.
Afternoon snack: persimmon, 1 piece.

In the above menu, dinner is identical to lunch. It is not necessary to follow exactly this sequence of days, the main thing is that the daily calorie content does not exceed 500 units.

Lean meat is allowed: veal, chicken and seafood. Vegetables: red radishes, asparagus, cabbage of all kinds, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, celery, onions. Everything else, including sugar and alcohol, is prohibited.

Sample hCG diet menu

Loading phase

FOOD	WHAT IS
Breakfast (08:00)	2 boiled eggs + 1 glass of warm milk + 4 almonds
Lunch (12:30)	1 cup tuna or mushroom salad
Afternoon tea (16:00)	10 shelled peanuts + 1 glass of green tea
Dinner (19:00)	1 medium bowl lentil soup + 1 cup grilled vegetables

Weight loss phase (500 calories)

FOOD	WHAT IS
Breakfast (08:00)	1 boiled egg + 1 glass of green tea
Lunch (12:30)	1 cup lentil soup
Dinner (19:00)	½ cup boiled beans + 1 cup greens

Maintenance phase

FOOD	WHAT IS
Breakfast (08:00)	Banana oatmeal + 1 cup black coffee or green tea
Lunch (12:30)	1 bowl of salad or soup + 1 cup of cottage cheese
Afternoon tea (16:00)	1 glass of green tea + 1 biscuit
Dinner (19:00)	Grilled chicken + 1 cup vegetables + 1 cup warm milk

Exposure

At the time of Dr. Simeons, scientists had not yet learned to secrete the natural hormone. Therefore, the doctor developed a herbal analogue of hCG - a spray based on seaweed. However, we know that seaweed can in no way replace human gonadotropin. And poisoning the body with real hormones is fraught with disruption of the reproductive system and the growth of tumors.

And then, if you consume only 500 calories every day, you will lose a lot of weight without any injections or sprays. But this is very harmful to the body, and it’s not far from anorexia. After all, the usual norm is 1800-2000 kcal.

And most importantly, not a single clinical trial has proven the effectiveness of the Simeons diet. Although the followers of the technique do not mention this anywhere.

However, this method of losing weight is still popular in the USA and some other countries. But we strongly recommend that you turn your attention to less strict diets.

Does the HCG diet improve body composition?

A common side effect of losing weight is decreased muscle mass. This is especially the HCG diet

This is common in diets that severely restrict calorie intake. The body thinks it is starving and may reduce the calories it burns to conserve energy.

However, the HCG diet

Proponents claim that it promotes weight loss through fat loss rather than muscle loss.

They claim that hCG increases other hormones, speeds up metabolism, and puts it in a growth-promoting (anabolic) state.

However, there is no scientific research available to support these claims.

If you are following a low-calorie diet, you can do so in many other ways without taking hCG to prevent muscle loss and slow metabolism.

Lifting weights is the most effective strategy. Additionally, eating plenty of high-protein foods and taking occasional breaks from your diet can also boost your metabolism.

Reviews and results of losing weight

Olga Alexandrovna, 45 years old

At my age, losing excess weight is very difficult. Still, metabolism slows down, activity decreases, and the years take their toll. Yes, I didn’t like sports even when I was young. On the Internet I came across the book “Pounds and Inches” by Dr. Simeons. And the method described in it interested me. But, of course, I didn’t give myself hormonal injections. I replaced them with homeopathic drops RestorHCG. Lost 10 kg in a month. I didn’t feel hungry, although I ate very little, as it should be according to the rules of the Simeons diet. I am pleased.

Reviews of Dr. Simeons' diet with Anat Stern

There is no consensus on the diet. There are no negative reviews on the official website; women of all ages unanimously praise the unique technique and describe good weights of up to 15-20 kg.

In the official Russian VKontakte group, everything is not so welcoming: girls cautiously ask Russian representative Elena Bystritskaya about possible contraindications, complain that they are afraid of the ban on the legal sale of the hormone, and sometimes you can find sharply negative reviews. Some write that they have not noticed any changes, others complain of feeling unwell, and others call the diet an outright lie and a money grab.

An ideal example is the official representative, Estonian Anat Stern. In her book, she says that with the help of Dr. Simeons' diet, she lost 15 kg, and this weight has not returned for many years. There are other positive reviews in which girls share their experiences of successful weight loss.

Whether you believe or not that Dr. Simeons’ diet with Anat Stern can rid you of extra pounds and restore self-confidence is up to you. But first, weigh all the pros and cons, so that later you don’t end up with nothing - thin, but with a considerable number of diseases. Eat right, exercise - and you will look your best!

Reviews from doctors and specialists

Oleg Ivanov, nutritionist-endocrinologist

I categorically do not recommend Dr. Simeons' diet. In 1963, studies were conducted: 20 women with severe obesity were divided into two identical groups. Both groups ate the same diet (500 kcal per day), but the first group was administered the hCG drug daily. And the latter received a placebo in the form of saline solution. After 45 days, the scientists found that women in both groups had lost about 20 pounds. Which indicates the uselessness of the drug for weight loss. But the list of side effects of the hormone is amazing.

To lose weight, just limit your diet and move more. This is the only secret to a beautiful figure.

Pros and cons of the diet

The creator of the diet, Dr. Simeons, considers it absolutely safe and has no contraindications. Anat Stern is no less enthusiastic about this diet. She highlights the following advantages of the diet:

Fitness, gym and any physical activity are not needed;
A person loses weight very quickly, losing about 400 grams per day during the weight loss stage;
Thanks to taking the hCG drug, there is no feeling of hunger, and an emotional upsurge appears;
Metabolic processes in the body are accelerated;

Lost kilograms do not come back.

Cons: incredible side effects of human chorionic gonadotropin. Another dubious aspect is the lack of a minimum balance in nutrition. The range of products is extremely limited, and the diet lasts at least one month. Without a sufficient amount of fatty acids, vitamins and microelements, the condition of hair, skin, and internal organs worsens. The body suffers a serious blow, and this leads not only to physical illness, but also to depression.

With such a diet and the almost narcotic feeding of the body with the hCG hormone during the diet, anorexia can develop, and this problem is much more difficult to treat than extra pounds.

Masha Lopatova's blog: About the beauty of the body. HCG diet

So, we are returning again to the topic of a healthy lifestyle, nutrition systems and ways to lose weight.
Today on the agenda is the hCG diet. HСG diet (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a diet based on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). As you know, hCG is the same hormone that is secreted by the placenta during pregnancy and causes the second line to appear in a pregnancy test.

This hormone accelerates the mobilization of fat and uses it as a source of energy. Portions of hCG allow you not to feel hungry and reduce the need for food.

The hormone can be taken in drops, injections, and even rubbed into the skin in the form of a cream. They say this particular diet is now very popular in Hollywood.

Of course, this diet is not approved by the Department of Health and its consequences are unknown, but despite this, a good half of America is on it and seems pleased with the results.

The mechanism is like this:

The diet lasts from three weeks or longer, depending on how many kilograms you intend to lose.

In my opinion, the diet is ideal for those who want to prepare for the swimming season in the shortest possible time or those who are not severely overweight. Simply put, if you want to lose those hated 3-5 kilograms that just don’t want to go away, this diet may be right for you.

In three weeks, as a rule, you can get rid of five kilograms. Agree, it's nice!

In the first days you can lose up to a kilogram per day. By the way, nutritionists do not recommend any diet in which weight loss per day is more than one kilogram. Then 300-500 grams will be consumed per day, no more.

You are allowed to consume only 500 calories per day. This is very little! And everyone will probably be surprised - what can you eat with these 500 calories?!

Breakfast:

Tea or coffee - unlimited, but without sugar and milk (sugar can be replaced with saccharin or stevia).

Dinner:

- 100 grams of any lean protein (veal, chicken breast, white fish, lobster, crab, shrimp); Fatty fish (salmon, eel, tuna, herring) or lamb are not allowed. In addition, the “protein” should be weighed before cooking and make sure that its weight does not exceed the stated 100 grams. Obviously, the protein must be without any kind of skin or skin.

— Any vegetable of your choice: spinach, chicory, tomatoes, celery, fennel, cucumber, asparagus, cabbage, green lettuce.

As you noticed, you should not eat any fatty avocados!

— One loaf of bread (preferably rye or whole grain).

— One apple/ or one orange/ or half a grapefruit/ or 50 grams of strawberries.

Dinner:

Variation on the theme of lunch: roughly speaking, if you had chicken for lunch, then you can have fish for dinner.

The consumption of any fat, animal or plant origin is excluded.

You can use salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard (powdered), garlic, basil, parsley, cilantro.

By the way, during the diet period you should not apply fatty creams or massage your body. This is due to the fact that from a lack of fats that do not enter through the gastrointestinal tract, the body can replenish the missing fats even through fatty creams. Massage, in turn, speeds up metabolic processes, which can interfere with the hCG diet.

That is, ideally, this diet is especially effective during a period of some rest, without exposure to active physical activity or massage on the body.

As the doctors explained to me, within three weeks, with such a nutrition plan and the effect of hCG on the brain, namely the hypothalamus, metabolic processes in the body begin to work as if from scratch. Roughly speaking, we trick the brain by programming it to consume fewer calories.

Moreover, the hCG hormone, acting on the brain, sends a signal that a person is full. Therefore, you can stay on this diet for a very long time and lose 20-25 kilograms in 2-3 months.

By the way, the number of calories after the first week can be increased to 900, and after the second - to 1100 (this is not prescribed in the diet, but many people do it anyway, because in reality only very sick or very mentally stable people can live on 500 calories a day People).

Naturally, everyone will say that if you consume so many calories, the effect will come in any case, BUT: the idea of this particular diet is to avoid gaining extra pounds after its completion.

HCG just rearranges all metabolic processes in the right way. If a person is a hero and has endured at least three weeks on hCG, then there’s nothing to worry about!

Somehow, magically, people wean themselves off sweets and baked goods and switch to 2000 calories a day of healthy food without sauces and gravy, casseroles and jellied meat.

By the way, the only pleasant thing about this diet is that in the first two days, when taking the first doses of hCG, you need to eat as much fatty food as possible. In this way, the body is mobilized, adjusted to the diet and prevents hunger.

I have seen the results of this diet - they are phenomenal! But its main drawback: no one knows what consequences this diet has and whether it really will not harm the body. Somehow you subconsciously feel discomfort when you find out that “hormones” and the “cerebellum” are involved in the diet, don’t you agree?

What to eat on the HCG diet?

vegetables

Vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, radishes, carrots, beets, arugula, chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant.

Fruits

Fruits such as apple, banana, avocado, pineapple, watermelon, melon, peach, pear, plum, pomegranate, grapefruit, lemon, tangerine and orange.

Protein

Eggs, salmon, turkey, tuna, haddock, mackerel, tofu, soy and legumes.

cereals

Red rice, black rice, brown rice, oats and cracked wheat.

milk

Milk and buttermilk.

oils

Olive oil, avocado oil and fish oil.

Nuts and seeds

Almonds, flax seeds, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds.

Herbs and spices

Coriander, cumin, garlic powder, ginger powder, pepper, turmeric, chilli powder, cloves, cardamom, basil, thyme, dill, fennel, star anise, cinnamon, saffron, mint and mustard.