life after HCG = weight loss disaster, help!

atlaw26

Hi all, just joined so I could write this post in your message boards. It seems like whenever i google "hcg" everyone only has positive things to say. I did four rounds of HCG over the course of 2 years. I started with about 15 lbs to lose, and then lost it on HCG, and gained back 20.... lost the 20 on round 2, but gained back 30! etc. etc. now i'm about 35 lbs over weight and even though I havent touched hcg in over a year, i am unable to lose weight!

I run, i do crossfit, I even paid 60/hr to go to a nutritionist to teach me how to eat properly -- which i do! I am low carb, high protein, multiple small meals a day.... but no matter what i do, i cant seem to lose weight. it is the most frustrating and defeating thing that i've ever gone through. especially because all of my friends and family have seen me lose and gain and lose and gain again and again. and not to mention how incredibly unhealthy this must be for my poor body to go through such weight fluctuations!

bottom line -- i need help. has anyone gone through this?? and what have you done to start losing again?

any help would be greatly appreciated!!

bawalker11

Have you had your thyroid levels tested? I went through something similar only to find out I had a slightly underactive thyroid, which I was medicated for and I began to lose weight again- it wasn't rapid but within a few months and after building muscle to help my metabolism I got back to normal

AleciaG724

"bump"

No advice, sorry, but my brother & SIL are currently on round two of HCG after gaining more back than they lost. I'm curious if many people have these results. Sounded crazy to me to mess with hormones...

atlaw26

I had them tested while i was doing the HCG and nothing was wrong.. might want to look into checking them now after the fact. thanks!

whierd

No advice. Please consult a physician and dietician.

atlaw26

Everyone i know that has done it has gained back more than they lost. it's really really bad for you. the people who post the comments about how great it is, are the people who are still on it and seeing the amazing results. give them a few months and they'll be in the exact same positon as i am

mattschwartz01

Did you go to a nutritionist or a dietitian? There is often a big difference between the two. Nutritionists are by and large not regulated whereas a dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition and is nationally certified via examination.

atlaw26

I went to a nutritionist.. i didn't know there was a difference. i'm going to look into going to a dietitian, thanks!

Flora_k

Oh my goodness, yes! I totally relate. I have been going through such an awful time because of the Omnitrition hCG drops. I ended up having terrible side effects and had to stop. Despite watching my diet and eating an amount of calories that would have had me losing before, I gained it all back. Worse, my body changed. Now the clothes that fit at this weight before are too tight. I know I lost muscle.

Here is my story: http://www.squidoo.com/unsafe_hcg_diet

I created that page because, like you, I noticed that everything was a warm fuzzy about this diet. Well, I realized it is because they delete most of the negative posts on hCG forums. For that reason, I am trying to get 'real' stories. If you want to leave a comment on my page about your side effects, you would greatly help others. You don't have to sign up. Just leave a comment. You don't even have to leave a real name.

If you need to chat to somebody going through this, send me a message!

The hCG diet is just plain dangerous. It can do terrible things to your body and I am convinced it makes people fat.

cfriend71

Let's put it this way, if you don't eat healthy and exercise after "stopping" ANY diet, you will gain your weight back. I've been on every diet in the book and this is what happens to all of us. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

herblackwings39

Since you've signed up on MFP use the tools it offers. Fill out your information, get your calorie goal and try it. Weigh and measure your food and track everything.

mountaingirl2207

I have nothing to add, I just want to say that this is so sad. I wish you luck on figuring things out.....Just remember that whatever you choose, you HAVE to eat enough calories that you will be able to maintain!

jennifershoo

You f*cked up your metabolism with that hcg crap-eating 500 cals a day diet.

tarayatesgosse

Haven't done it but a friend of a friend did and gained all plus more back. I Hadn't lost more then a pound in years and years and I started walking 3 miles a day and after about 7 months of that I had only lost about 6 pounds but they were staying off. Then I got on MFP and have been on it 135 days and lost 30lbs! I know some of it may be my metabolism FINALLY sped up after months of walking but counting calories helped tons!

SO the only advice I can give is start working out and stick with it so you give it time to speed up your metabolism and hopefully get you to the point you can start losing and keeping it off. I took metabolife in the early 2000's and lost 29lbs but gained it all back and then some. In the first 3 years I only gained about 20 back but gained 70 by the time I started walking last year. So it was not HCG but I did have a metabolism "drug" experience.

Flora_k

Let's put it this way, if you don't eat healthy and exercise after "stopping" ANY diet, you will gain your weight back. I've been on every diet in the book and this is what happens to all of us. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

I think you missed most of her message. She is watching what she eats and sounds like she's got the exercise thing down pat!

No, it's what has happened to so many of us. This stupid diet slows our metabolism so far down that we gain even when we are being careful. Before the hCG Diet, I would easily be losing with the calories I eat. Not so after the diet. I gained and gained quickly. Plus it totally changed my shape (in a not good way). My clothes that fit before at this weight are too tight now. I have been watching what I eat and am exercising now.

The hCG diet is bad news all around!

savithny

Some people's metabolisms get absolutely slaughtered by that kind of treatment, especially doing it repeatedly. Have you continued to cut calories to try to re-lose the weight since the last time?

Very low calorie diets, followed too long, can cause your metabolism to drop by so much that your "maintenance" after you stop is lower than some people's dieting goals. Look into having your BMR or RMR tested. You may need to figure out what "maintenance" is and eat close to that for awhile to convince your body you don't live in a famine zone, since doing HCG repeatedly sent it the message that you live someplace with frequent and severe famines.

run4yourlifegirl

This is my first EVER post on the forums but I decided I HAD to share my story.

---

I was 16 years old and 137 pounds and this is EXACTLY what happened to me!!!

Looking back I should have been happy with my weight and just did weight training to firm up, but instead I fell for it and did my first round of HCG.

I lost about 7 pounds the first round (they said I could lose 20!) but it came back RIGHT away. I'm talking, within the first month or two. Soon I was in the 140s and I could NOT get the weight off, even with eating healthy and running!

So (STUPIDEST decision ever) I decided to do ANOTHER round! AAAh!!! I lost even LESS this time, and it came back even FASTER.

I am now 18 and a super flabby 150 pounds. I've been trying for a year and half now to lose the weight (I feel good at about 125) and I've tried basically everything under the sun, but NOTHING. SEEMS. TO. WORK.

I don't know if my metabolism is ruined forever but I do know one thing...I AM NEVER DOING THE HCG DIET AGAIN! If you are considering the get-thin-quick HCG scheme, DON'T DO IT!!!!! Learn from my mistake!!

---

(anyone else have any ideas on how I can lose after this HCG diasaster?!!!)

Flora_k

(anyone else have any ideas on how I can lose after this HCG diasaster?!!!)

Maybe we need to start an hCG Recovery group!

atlaw26

HAHA I think we do all need a recovery group!! thank you all so much for the kind words of support.

I have been talking to a lot of people about my situation and am trying to come up with a solution. The problem (i have come to believe) lies in the fact that once we start restricting calories (as is the case in most any "diet"), our bodies remember the HCG 500 calorie a day, and automatically enter into starvation mode -- which prevents us from losing weight.

I am going to try to stick with the MFP plan, and even if i dont lose, i'll have an exact diary of what i've been eating and my exercise routine to take to a doctor in the event that after a month or so of this i have still not seen a change.

please feel free to add/message me if you are having a similar problem and i can let you know what i've done and what (hopefully) works for me!

neanderthin

You originally only had 15lbs to lose and did HCG.......

bevtyndall

bump

IamUndrCnstruction

bump

Raeontherun

You originally only had 15lbs to lose and did HCG.......

This!!!

MyJourney1960

I've never tried hcg, but hey there are people here with all kinds of issues - thyroid, compromised metabolism, people working night shifts , SAHMs who can't exercise, etc etc. The one thing you want to do is start, log everything you eat, log the exercise, and see if we can help troubleshoot your data.

And I'm sorry to read what you wrote. I didn't actually know what HGC is so I googled it - not a pretty picture. Sorry you got so messed up from it.

iWillGetCrowSomeday

Hey Ladies! Probably not what ya'll want to hear, but I am currently doing HCG, and have successfully completed a 20 day round of HCG previously. I take the drops, and I go to my personal dr. and get my weight/fat %/muscle mass/ect checked and I am just fine! No issues. I did not gain the weight back from the first time I did the program either. With your final phase to HCG you should be eating the same foods you were while you were doing the 500 calorie diet, just upping the intake to about 1200 calories a day! And after about a week of that, start adding cheese, pasta, bread, and sugars back in slowly! I'm sorry to hear ya'll had such a bad experience, but it really does work! It's not a gimmick, and I am no representative for anything! I am a college girl from Texas who has had a great success along with my fiancé on losing weight with this program!

I hate to tell you this, but you aren't taking HCG. Well, unless you're buying it illegally online, since the FDA banned it. Otherwise, whatever you're taking *is* just a gimmick and you've been duped into eating a dangerously low calorie diet. Womp womp.

Ladybud2

My sister in law did this a year ago. she did lose but has gain the weight back plus more. To me it doesn't sound like a healthy plan. To me weight loss is a healthy eating journey with exercise. Not a one time fix. Good luck to you!

jess7386

I would absolutely talk to a dietician as well.

In terms of advice, I'd say to stop the "diet" for a month or so. Figure out your TDEE (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ ) and eat at maintenance for a while. You might put on a couple more pounds but ultimately this is going to help your now-screwed-up metabolism in the long run. After about a month of eating at maintenance, eat at a 20% deficit. At this point you should start losing sensibly again.

Don't make the mistake of cutting calories even more in order to make up for the reduction in weight loss. If you'd like to give me your height/weight/calorie stats im happy to help you out.

missshyeviolett

Hey Ladies! Probably not what ya'll want to hear, but I am currently doing HCG, and have successfully completed a 20 day round of HCG previously. I take the drops, and I go to my personal dr. and get my weight/fat %/muscle mass/ect checked and I am just fine! No issues. I did not gain the weight back from the first time I did the program either. With your final phase to HCG you should be eating the same foods you were while you were doing the 500 calorie diet, just upping the intake to about 1200 calories a day! And after about a week of that, start adding cheese, pasta, bread, and sugars back in slowly! I'm sorry to hear ya'll had such a bad experience, but it really does work! It's not a gimmick, and I am no representative for anything! I am a college girl from Texas who has had a great success along with my fiancé on losing weight with this program!

skparker2

All I know is that your body gets all internally wacked out after using HCG, so it struggles way more to lose after being off it. Versus if you were just losing weight naturally.

I wish I could help as well, but I'm very anti-HCG. Wish you the best of luck!

doowop713

You originally only had 15lbs to lose and did HCG.......

This!!!

!!!

maab12

check your thyroid