What do P90X and the HCG Diet have in common? Give up yet? They both are the same old concepts! I’m often asked about both programs and do they work. The short answer is yes. However, it might not be as simple as you think.

First, let’s break down P90X. It’s a hardcore workout program that is done 6-7 days a week. Will you get in better shape doing this? Of course… that’s a lot of exercise. You could get similar results doing jumping jacks for an hour, 6 days a week. Though I’m sure that would get boring rather fast. The point is you can get results with hard work. Don’t buy P90X thinking it’s a miracle program and will yield results over night.  

Second, the HCG diet is the latest craze to help drop weight via eating and a drug called HCG. New and exciting, right?! Not so much. HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. It was discovered in pregnant women’s urine in 1927. In fact this is how home pregnancy tests work. They look for the presences of HCG in the urine. Dr. Simeons developed the HCG diet about 50 years ago! So what else do you do in this program besides taking HCG? You restrict your calories! You’re only allowed to eat 500 calories a day. This is what’s called a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet). Are any of these concepts new? Heck no!  Just a new spin on an old idea. Also, if you are thinking of doing this diet with the HCG “drops”, you might as well flush your money down the toilet! It must be injected to work. This diet must be monitored by a doctor because it is so low in calories and requires a prescription drug. Rapid weight loss has been seen with this program. The problem is some of that weight is muscle! Also, rapid weight loss can make skin sag since the body doesn’t have enough time to try and tighten up. Finally, is the weight loss permanent? Most likely not if you don’t change your eating after you’re done with the diet and add weekly exercise.

As you can see there is no magic in either program. Make sure you do your research before spending your hard earned money! Remember for 2011 that small permanent changes can make lasting results! Check out my program A New You in 52® (Calendar and DVD) for weekly tips, workouts, inspirational quotes, measurement tracking, and better eating!