Tiny amounts of HCG are administered by injection. The amount used is much less than what is present during a woman's pregnancy. The HCG then takes abnormal fat that has been stored and changes it into an energy that the body can use. This is equal to burning 200 or more calories in a day. Continuous dieting or yo-yo dieting damages the body's natural ability to regulate weight. HCG stimulates the part of the brain that regulates weight and works to restore this ability. This prevents regaining the weight that is lost. As HCG makes the stored abnormal fat available for consumption, the body starts using the fat to live off of. The fat is now providing a source of energy similar to the energy provided by food consumption. Patients are instructed to consume no more than 500 calories from food intake per day. Because the abnormal fat has been turned into energy, the reduced calorie intake is not noticed, and hunger is not a side effect. The new energy source is equal to 3,500 calories being consumed on a daily basis.
For the process to work, the individual must stay on a strict diet and remain under medical supervision. While about one pound of weight is lost per day, the weight loss does not always happen in an even manner.