If you are ready to start the HCG treatment plan, you’ll notice that it is divided into three distinct phases. Each phase is targeted to modify the behavior of each individual dieter as well as trigger a biochemical change that will cause rapid weight loss.
Dieters who follow the Kevin Trudeau protocol will actually have four distinct phases, as Trudeau calls for a detoxifying routine prior to starting the load phase as specified by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons. You may wonder if you can actually get fast weight loss by skipping part of phase 2 of the plan, known as “loading.” Or if you are following the Trudeau protocol, you may want to skip both the detox and the loading to head straight into the VLCD (very low calorie diet) phase of the plan.
What is a “load” day?
If you are following the protocol, then you will have two days set aside before you begin the VLCD, which are called “load” days. During these two days, you are to eat as many high fat foods as you can until you are satiated. Don’t eat enough to make yourself sick, just enough fats that you are priming the pump, so to speak, for weight loss.
Even during these permissive days, the emphasis is not so much on bad fats as it is on olive oils, nut butters, and plant-based fats. After the second day of “loading,” you begin the VLCD protocol.
Why are “load” days important?
Load days are important for two major reasons. First, they allow you to indulge in all the high fat foods you wish for two days before you start the most restrictive phase of the plan. This gives dieters a healthy emotional release before heading into the more difficult, but rewarding, work ahead.
Secondly, the load days really set the stage for the VLCD to come. By loading up on fats and then severely restricting your caloric intake, your body is primed for the biochemical transformation that the hormone will make in your hypothalamus and your body.
What happens if I skip the load days?
Some dieters make the mistake of skipping load days in their haste to start the weight loss rolling on the VLCD phase of the diet. But this can actually backfire. Because loading is so important in setting the stage for the program, skipping it can cause the following issues:
- Hunger pains, even when taking the hormone and following the VLCD exactly;
- Fatigue, even when restricting exercise;
- Plateaus and stalls;
- Weight gain, in some extreme cases;
- Cheating, as dieters feel they cannot cope emotionally with the restrictions of the VLCD.