Menstruation is one of the most common interruptions during the HCG Diet that Dr. Simeon addresses in his manuscript “Pounds and Inches”. According to him, one must stop taking the HCG during the period and resume it as soon as the menstrual cycle is over. Why??
Why should you stop having your shot of HCG during the menstrual cycle?
Dr. Simeon recommends HCG dieters to stop taking their HCG shot during the menstrual cycle, but he didn’t actually mention why. However, many sources out there, (those who are not adhering strictly to the protocol of Dr. Simeon) are saying it’s due to hormonal consideration. During the menstrual cycle, the hormones produced overpowers the effects of the HCG. The amount of Luteinizing hormones (LH) and the Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH), produced by the pituitary gland to stimulate the menstrual cycle are in abundance. This overpowers the effects of the HCG while on the diet. So, the HCG won’t have any effects on your body while the Luteinizing hormone is present.
However, you will have to continue eating 500 calories of approved HCG Diet foods as the HCG hormone is still present in your system. The HCG in your system will help lessen some weight you’ve gained by retaining water due to the Luteinizing hormones during the menstrual cycle. When your cycle is over, you may resume taking your shot along with a very low calorie diet.
Exemptions to this rule are women who no longer have their period but are on the diet. You are free to continue with your diet without any interruption unless you are on the 46-day protocol.
Can HCG Diet delay my menstrual cycle?
The amount of HCG in your system is so small that it won’t cause any changes to your menstrual cycle. Nevertheless, it’s still best to avoid starting your HCG Diet if you are within 5-6 days of your menstrual period or much better if you will start your diet after having your menstrual period. If your period comes earlier and lasts longer, there’s nothing to worry about. The changes are based on the amount of fats you have. Fat produces estrogen and estrogen is a regular in menstruation. It’s also a sign that your body is responding to a change in your diet. So, when you start losing weight, the production of estrogen also changes, thus affecting your cycle in a lot of ways. We also suggest that you keep tabs on your cycle.
Do I really need to stop having my HCG shot during menstruation?
You have two options to choose from:
Option 1: Stop the injection
According to Dr. Simeons, the original creator of the HCG Diet, you must stop having the injection beginning on the first day of full flow but you must continue consuming 500 calories a day. When your period almost ends, you are just spotting, you must restart the injection. Your missed injection during your period will be added to the end of the program so you can get a full 46 or 23 days but I do not personally recommend women to do more than 21-day diet because of the menstrual cycle.
Again, Dr. Simeons did not mention in his book as to why to stop but he mentioned in his book that it takes 72 hours for the hormone to leave your system once you stopped having your shot. So, it’s plain and simple, during your period, you still have the HCG in your system even if you have stopped taking it beginning the first full flow.
Option 2: Many HCG Diet clinics are telling their patients to continue having their injections even during their heavy flow. The only difference is that those who have their shots of HCG during the menstrual cycle experienced a much heavier flow and longer cycle.
Will I be hungry during the menstrual cycle?
Some women who went off injections during their period reported they got pretty hungry because there isn’t any hormone that breaks down the fat in their system but, actually, this won’t happen as the HCG hormone is still in your system. The HCG takes about 72 hours or 3 days for it to completely leave your body. So, if you start spotting on day 1, stop the injection on days 2 and 3. By day 4 or 5, typically the last day of the menstrual cycle, you may start getting hungry as little HCG is left in your system. You may resume having your injection when your period almost ends and you’re just spotting.
HCG Diet right after menstrual period
It’s best to start your diet with HCG right after your period, as recommended also by Dr. Simeons so there would be no interruption. If you’ll be doing the 46-day protocol, you’ll have to do the NO SHOT day every week in addition to your No shot day during your period. This is to prevent “immunity” and it and nothing to do with your menstrual cycle. However, if you are doing the 26-day protocol and have started your diet right after your menstrual flow, you can do the diet without any interruptions.
Will menstruation affect weight loss?You may see the rate of your weight loss slows down for a couple of days during the menstrual period. You may also see sluggish weight loss during ovulation but this is perfectly normal and there’s nothing to worry about. Any weight gain during your menstrual flow is likely mostly water. As your period ends, you will lose the water weight and you’ll likely resume your weight loss.