life after HCG = weight loss disaster, help!

Sabine_Stroehm

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!

Everyone on this thread had "great success" losing weight on HCG. No one seems to have had good luck keeping it off.

_Danno_

Weird fad diet results in weight gain shocker!

Cp731

HCG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat infertility in both men and women. But its weight-loss roots trace back to the 1950s, when British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons realized that giving obese patients small, regular doses of the hormone helped them lose stubborn clumps of fat. It only worked, however, when coupled with a near-starvation diet. Simeons began touting hCG as a potent appetite suppressant that would make anything more than 500 daily calories unbearable. And he claimed the hormone could blast fat in key trouble spots like the upper arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks, while preserving muscle. Save for a few tweaks, the modern-day incarnation is largely as Simeons presented it: Dieters supplement an extremely low-calorie meal plan with daily injections prescribed off-label by medical professionals, or take diluted, homeopathic hCG— typically in drop form—sold online, in drugstores, and at nutritional supplement stores.

IN CASE NONE OF YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S REALLY FOR!!! Lesson Learned also, You should know better.

[img]http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii452/bluecynder/Animated GIFS/Coleman_wtf.gif[/img]

myofibril

I would suggest the following (it's counterintuitive but bear with me...)

1. Forget about losing weight for the time being.
2. Give yourself permission to put on a little bit more weight up to a maximum of 7-10 lbs
3. Every week add 50 calories onto your current calorie total
4. Don't freak out if the scale increases in the short term - it's part of the plan
5. Do moderate low - medium intensity exercise for short periods of time (2-3 sessions is more than enough)
6. Get to the stage where you get your calories are as high as possible so that your weight is maintained consistently for 6 weeks within that maximum range of 7-10 lbs more than your current weight
7. Recommence trying to lose weight using a reasonable deficit (20 - 25% under maintenance will be fine)
8. Be patient.

This is a short term pain (the weight gain) for a long term gain (or loss should that be...)

This is essentially reverse dieting. Not a huge amount of science to support why it works but it does work

HiyaDee

I encourage you to do some research on Metabolic damage...former fitness competitors are suffering with the same result. All the hard work and diet to extreme makes it impossible to loose weight or normalize the metabolism with serious intervention.

krazykat23

Hi, what is MFP?

melissafaith24

I did HCG in 2011 and through 3 rounds lost a total of 36 lbs. I'll be the first to admit its partly my fault for gaining it all back. I followed the maintenance phase for a good while and did ok. Then i started the "oh well this 1 slice of cake wont do too much damage" and then the next week another, then another then more frequently.

HOWEVER.

While, yes I lost weight, I also lost alot of my hair (to the point my part was embarrassing and id shy away from photos) and it was killing my immune system. I wanted off that ride and quick. Im sure the 500 cal diet was a big part too.

I have a friend that is still doing it and has been since before I started and shes had great success. I havent heard of any side effects from her so I cant speak for her.

Thankfully my hair has since regrown and my immune system is alot stronger.

Good luck with your research and journey!

iWillGetCrowSomeday

HCG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat infertility in both men and women. But its weight-loss roots trace back to the 1950s, when British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons realized that giving obese patients small, regular doses of the hormone helped them lose stubborn clumps of fat. It only worked, however, when coupled with a near-starvation diet. Simeons began touting hCG as a potent appetite suppressant that would make anything more than 500 daily calories unbearable. And he claimed the hormone could blast fat in key trouble spots like the upper arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks, while preserving muscle. Save for a few tweaks, the modern-day incarnation is largely as Simeons presented it: Dieters supplement an extremely low-calorie meal plan with daily injections prescribed off-label by medical professionals, or take diluted, homeopathic hCG— typically in drop form—sold online, in drugstores, and at nutritional supplement stores.

IN CASE NONE OF YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S REALLY FOR!!! Lesson Learned also, You should know better.

[img]http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii452/bluecynder/Animated GIFS/Coleman_wtf.gif[/img]

Yes, HCG is used to treat infertility. That's fine. But pairing it with a 500 calorie diet for weight loss? Dangerous. If your doc prescribes it for weight loss -which is not FDA approved- report him or her to the medical board and run.

Bretto

I had your same experience a few years back. I am in your same boat though with eating fairly well and exercising. I got back on MFP a couple weeks ago and am tracking everything, even if I go over for the day. It is making me think twice about what I am eating and putting in my body. Finally after 3 weeks I feel like I am starting to make a little progress.

The biggest thing I realized was all those bite here, drink there, treat here calories I was taking in and not even thinking about it. SO be diligent, patient and track everything.

Remember we didn't create our bad habits overnight so it will take time for our bodies to adjust to a healthy lifestyle.

joleenl

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!!

I did 3 rounds of HCG. I gained all my weight back and then some too. I find that the HCG made me very carb sensitive. It's was like every time I ate pasta or bread or any other carb.... I would gain instant weight. What I did is go low carb for a few months. While doing low carb I slowly introduced whole food carbs like quinoa, brown rice, and steel cut oats. I started with1200 calories and eating back at least 50% of exercise calories back. Then I gradually increased my calories to 1550 with eating back 50 to 100% of exercise calories. I have lost 32 pounds in 4 months and maintained for a month. I only maintained for a month because my life was crazy with not much time for exercise and lots of social eating.

You can add me if you want and we can fight this together.

escloflowneCHANGED

I'm just going to link this thread whenever I see a HCG thread for support lol


It should be sticky'd to the top!

PrimalGirl

Hi

If you're low carb and high protein, you're not eating an actual fuel source (the protein just contributes to muscular health and satiety), which means your body will never expend more than it has to and your exercise won't benefit you.

If low carb suits you, try going low carb, high fat, medium protein - paleo lifestyle. Healthy, filling, natural foods and your body uses the fat as its fuel source. Then, when your dietary fat has run out, it will automatically switch to burning bodyfat.

skullshank

hey mods...wanna sticky this so pro-HCG peeps can check it out before they post a thread and get butthurt at the responses?

Thriceshy

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.

Yep, yep--you can find qualified nutritionists, but you have to really look at their credentials/education.

http://eatrightdc.org/dietitian-vs-nutritionist/

odusgolp

It is seriously heartbreaking to see what people do to their bodies with this ****.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

While I do think talking to your doctor and a dietician is a good idea, I will also say that it takes time. My husband did HCG about 2 1/2 years ago. It took him about a year and a half after stopping it to get back to where he could lose weight in a healthy way. But definitely consult a dietician about what you should do now.

whierd

The advice about seeing a dietician is solid. I am sorry, OP.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Hi, what is MFP?

That's where you are. My Fitness Pal.

sayhitostephz

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.

^^ THIS!!

I'm in the same boat from a 'medically supervised' 'cookie' diet I did a while back. Same story and now I'm trying to reset my metabolism and follow the TDEE-20% plan.

Thriceshy

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!

And you got these drops . . . where? From a DOCTOR? Because they're not available legally, and the crap in the stores isn't HCG. There are BS products they CALL HCG, ridiculous "homeopathic" concoctions, but not real HCG. Either way, real or fake, it's a BS scam--you lose the weight because you're drastically reducing your caloric intake. That's all it is. The rest is crappy hype meant to lure folks in because everyone wants a magic fix..

http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm281333.htm

Kris

Thriceshy

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.

Exactly this.

http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm281333.htm

DarkAngel262

I rarely post on these topics but a coworker started her first rounds of HCG the same time I started my regimen. Here's how it' panned out so far...

Me (diet and exercise):
Lost 12-15lbs
Lost 3% body fat
Reduced inches on my waist, bust, and arms
Increase energy
Better sleeping patterns
Less anxiety

Those are just to name a few. Now I didn't bash her choice, just declined to join and she has kept me posted on her results.

Her (HCG)
Gained 26lbs
Hair has fallen out
Severe panic attacks (possibly from the insomnia she's complained about)
Stomach cramps
Irregular bowel movements and inconsistent menstral cycles

So yeah, nasty stuff =/

FatIsNotGood4Me

I don't have any advice, sorry, I just want to share that 2 women in my town were doing this diet and they both ended up in a Mental institution ... It seems their hormones went crazy and they lost it. I'd check with my doctor first before to start any diet program but that's just me. Good luck.

ajstacey

My Dad went on this HCG diet at Christmas, when he told me about just coffee for breakfast, special magic drops and only 500 calories a day I wanted to smack him?!? :noway: By the time he told me he had already lost about 20 lbs in 20 days, so he was SOLD on it and REFUSED to listen to me when I told him that he could be doing real damage to his body.
He did manage to lose around 27 lbs in total over 35 or 45 days, and he claims to feel better than ever when on it.
I'm watching him very skeptically to see if he gains it back, I think he's been able to keep it off......for now.
I just don't want him to mess with his system too much, he's 73, over weight, diabetic, and had a stroke in the past.

ninerbuff

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!!

It may be that your body is "figuring" out that your doing calorie deficit again and since it started with HCG, it may be resistant to calorie deficit of any type by slowing metabolic rate. I'd get checked by an endocrinologist to ensure your hormones are balanced and then possible get a metabolic test done.
Sorry you had to learn the hard way.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

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!

STOP PLEASE. You're on a ride that has been done by many and usually ends up bad in the end. Doing this for 30 years, I've heard this same story in the beginning of every HCG "success". A year later, the same person is sobbing about how they can't get the weight off.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

jennide

I had a similar experience. I did one round of HCG & lost 27 lbs. I continued to eat only the food that I ate while on HCG, got back to the gym & still gained the 27 back plus another 30 making me bigger than I was than when I was pregnant!! Grrrrr... I should have known better when the doctor's office I pulled up to was a dentist office that charges up the A** for the HCG shots in the back office. On top of that, they told me it would be an additional $200 to do a 2nd round but when it came time for it, they said oh, no, that was wrong, it's an additional $600 to do the 2nd round. No way! So, like I said, I continued to eat the foods recommended while on HCG, just bigger portions & I was going to the gym, despite all this I still gained. I hate the body I have now & am trying very, very hard to get the pounds off again. I feel like I was betrayed by the HCG diet & totally ripped off by the "doctor" that sold it to me. Good luck to you!

xxDearyen

I did one round of HCG and went from 110lbs to 90lbs (height: 5'0). All the weight (plus and additional 10lbs) came back soon afterwards, even while eating moderately.

I was lucky, as my metabolism did bounce back and I am currently successfully reshaping my body (It also helps that I am in my early twenties). But it took six months of letting my body nourish itself (probably at a bit of an excess) and enjoying life while studying overseas. After six months of virtually no exercise beyond walking, I came back to my hometown to finish my degree. Once back, I started slow with workout videos and began improving myself again. Almost 10 months later, I am burning through intense strength training and HIIT sessions at the gym, 6days/week, 1-2 hours a day, and I feel invincible.

I think it's been suggested already, but maybe you should give your body a chance to re-establish suitable metabolism levels?

As a side-note, I'm currently a wonderfully muscly 100lbs, and look better/have better measurements than I did when I was 90lbs.

missshyeviolett

I had a similar experience. I did one round of HCG & lost 27 lbs. I continued to eat only the food that I ate while on HCG, got back to the gym & still gained the 27 back plus another 30 making me bigger than I was than when I was pregnant!! Grrrrr... I should have known better when the doctor's office I pulled up to was a dentist office that charges up the A** for the HCG shots in the back office. On top of that, they told me it would be an additional $200 to do a 2nd round but when it came time for it, they said oh, no, that was wrong, it's an additional $600 to do the 2nd round. No way! So, like I said, I continued to eat the foods recommended while on HCG, just bigger portions & I was going to the gym, despite all this I still gained. I hate the body I have now & am trying very, very hard to get the pounds off again. I feel like I was betrayed by the HCG diet & totally ripped off by the "doctor" that sold it to me. Good luck to you!

I hope you've reported this!

fysty75

This is a really interesting thread as HCG had been recommended to me by someone. I did some research and never did order any. BOY AM I GLAD!!

As this round of weightloss is NOT my first rodeo, I know that diet (as in healthy balanced eating) and exercise is the ONLY way to go when compared to any type of medication (Rx or OTC).

I'm glad to be here on MFP and have the support and accountability.