life after HCG = weight loss disaster, help!

sarahkatara

Definitely see a doctor! As some have said it could be your thyroid. I found out mine was underactive and have now been on medication to correct it for about 8 years. It makes a difference. Either way though, you need to consult a professional who can help you understand what the problem is. You don't want to mess around with your metabolism, vitamin and mineral levels, bone density, etc. It's excellent that you saw a nutritionist- well done! I would encourage you to go back to her as you figure out what is going on with your body. Definitely do NOT lower your calories to a crazy low level or anything. Keep doing what you're doing with your healthy eating and exercise and see the doctor. Good luck to you! And I'm so happy that you learned (unfortunately the hard way) to not do crazy things to lose weight. Your health is worth so much more!!

skullshank

Op, sorry to hear about your struggles.

Mods, please sticky this thread as a point of reference for the pro-hcg crowd.

Good luck op!

geekyjock76

Any "weight loss" doctor prescribing HCG to one with only 15 lbs to lose should be not practicing, period.

miracle4me

I agree with others very low calories slows metabolism down, mine went to a crawl . I abused my body this way but not with hcg. OUR BODIES WILL TAKE REVENGE SOONER OR LATER when we starve it of nutrients needed for fuel.

poohpoohpeapod

you screwed with your metabolic rate. I know, I did it. You need to eat a decent 1700-2,000 calories a day for a year or so. Then start again. Your body needs to know it will get enough calories everyday. I know some will disagrfee. However I was nburning only 1340 v20 tested bmr then after consistent eating, Last check vo2 tested 1890 bmr.

ifrog3n1

I didn't read this entire thread, so if this has been posted already, sorry for the duplication. Anyone considering or on HCG....or if you know someone who is, here is Mayo's link about it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/an02091

MissBee0507

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.

^^ Thank you for this! Most people do not know the difference and our profession appreciates it!

rplawfice

I've been reading all your stories and now I'm scared cause I'm on hcg and been on 21 days lost 17 lbs but want to get off but after reading this I'm terrified of gaining it back. I still want to lose at least another 20. I've done a round before but also gained it back but not for awhile but I know why I did...I got very careless since I am an emotional eater and ate for all other reasons. So yeah I was successful but I think the harder part is to maintain and stop all the bad habits of eating and drinking.

rplawfice

Re: Karenjnation's post:

October 05, 2013 11:40 pm
I am having the same problem. I literaly want to die! i am obsessed ith my weight and my metabolism was so slow b4 HCG, I have been told I am in starvation mode, since age of 15. I am now 52. I am literally anorexic. I am 5 ft 3 and weigh about 185, I think, scared to get on scale. Hcg was only time I ever lost weight without megadosing on diet pills and exercise and starvation. I did 4 rounds lost 75 lbs and as soon as I got off immediately started gaining, I went on atkins...big mistake. Gained like 30 lbs in like 6 months, now I am on a very lean atkins and only carbs I have is greek yogurt and some berries for lunch. Eat about 800 calories a day most days. Dont even have much of a cheat day. Have yet to eat a plate of real food or go to a restaurant and order something fattening! The gained has slowed but still up another 10 or more in about 14 months so about 45 lbs gained in 14 months while dieting. I admit I dont excersie much, so depressed over life. I dont know what to do! It ruined my body as well. Iused to have a nice figure even when I was heavy I was curvy and had a flatter stomache, now my stomache is huge. I have rolls of fat! I cant wear jeans anymore! I always wore jeans even at my heavist. I wear dresses that hide my fat rolls and only wear black. My daughter is going through the same thing... HELP! I am going insane!

I am the same age as you, same height and started hcg at 187. I am down 17 lbs and want to get off. I've been on 21 days and I'm terrified after reading all these posts. Has anyone done a shorter round and been successful? When moving to phase 3, I was told to increase my calories by 200 per day while taking the hcg for 3 days then stop taking it and keep increasing calories until you stabilize...if you gain then you need to cut back calories and if you are losing then add calories....it makes sense to me but I'm just not sure about the short round. Any suggestions?

ChafingTheDream

I took HCG and also found it very hard to keep the weight off long-term. I kept it off for about 2 months, and then gradually gained it back. HCG is NOT a diet, it's a lifestyle change starter. It's a good diet to be on if you are starting a GAPS diet (not weight-loss diet, just every day diet). It's not good for long-term weight loss, especially if you do no stay hardcore throughout P2 and P3, and MOST ESPECIALLY P4. Try a low-carb diet with no wheat, no low-fats, no unsoaked grains, no gluten, no soy, no processed foods or GMOs, and little natural sugars (fruits, honey, cane sugar).

daily meal example:

breakfast: tea
snack: almonds
lunch: salad with strawberries, balsamic vineager, sesame seeds and grilled chicken or fish
snack: edemame beans
dinner: 1 egg, 4 slices of bacon, raw veggies

that's what worked for me when i lost weight the second time and it worked, only reason I gained the weight back was excessive consumption of junk food.

also remember it's 70% diet, 30% exercise. On HCG you can't workout, or your body will get used to it, and you will gain weight if you don't. Not the healthiest diet choice.

Good luck!

ChafingTheDream

QUOTE:

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.

REPLY:
^^ Thank you for this! Most people do not know the difference and our profession appreciates it!

^^^Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't dieticians have to follow the government platform of a diet? The government platform diet for the average human contains way more carbs than a normal person should be intaking per day, as well as trying to make money off of selling things such as 'low-fat' that are actually horrible for our bodies. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just curious if they are allowed to do their own research of what is healthy for each particular human being, because from my understanding that's what a nutritionist does.

rplawfice

I took HCG and also found it very hard to keep the weight off long-term. I kept it off for about 2 months, and then gradually gained it back. HCG is NOT a diet, it's a lifestyle change starter. It's a good diet to be on if you are starting a GAPS diet (not weight-loss diet, just every day diet). It's not good for long-term weight loss, especially if you do no stay hardcore throughout P2 and P3, and MOST ESPECIALLY P4. Try a low-carb diet with no wheat, no low-fats, no unsoaked grains, no gluten, no soy, no processed foods or GMOs, and little natural sugars (fruits, honey, cane sugar).

daily meal example:

breakfast: tea
snack: almonds
lunch: salad with strawberries, balsamic vineager, sesame seeds and grilled chicken or fish
snack: edemame beans
dinner: 1 egg, 4 slices of bacon, raw veggies

that's what worked for me when i lost weight the second time and it worked, only reason I gained the weight back was excessive consumption of junk food.

also remember it's 70% diet, 30% exercise. On HCG you can't workout, or your body will get used to it, and you will gain weight if you don't. Not the healthiest diet choice.

Good luck!

Oh great and I've been exercising on this hcg almost everyday...UGH! I will stop for a few days awhile weening off the P2

SarahMakePretty

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!

I had a similar situation. Honestly, it took me a really long time to straighten back out. A long time of just eating normally and hanging out with the weight. I mean years long time. The weight is finally starting to move again. Never, ever again will I do HCG! Worst idea ever.

TigerBite

Never mind, didn't realize this thread was so old ...

AccioFitness

Agreeing with the other replies to this thread, it should definitely get a sticky so that there's easier access to these stories. OP, you've already been given any advice I could think of. I hope you are getting to a healthier place!

Now for story time with Auntie Accio!

I did a round and a half of HCG ~4 years ago. I still had a good bit of pregnancy/baby weight on me and i was too lazy to dedicate towards a lifestyle change. HCG seemed perfect, no effort required! And I droppe weight fast. I was ecstatic about losing the weight and had all this confidence...

... And then my hair started falling out. And my skin looked like crap. And my kidneys started shutting down. And I started pooing blood. And I went into a depression tailspin. And -- well, you get the idea.

I stopped the diet immediately (and my doctor ripped me a new one for being so stupid). I gained back all the weight (I had lost 25lbs) plus 10 additional pounds. It took almost a year for my kidneys to properly recover and my metabolism took a by longer. I discovered I had hypothyroidism and my previously (somewhat) autoimmune disease reared its nasty head and have me hell.

Moral of the story, kids? DON'T TAKE THIS CRAP, YOUR HEALTH IS WORTH MORE THAN THIS.

shogunning

The reason you gained the weight back is probably the reason that you were overweight to begin with which is not taking full and complete responsibility. Anyone who STICKS to the HCG diet and follows the correct post HCG weaning period to take in more calories slowly before getting back to maintenence keeps the weight off. HCG keeps your metabolism artificially high relative to the calories you are taking in, in other words, even though you are taking in 500 calories a day your metabolism isn't slowing down like it normally would based on this type of low calorie diet. This is also why you load for the first 2 or 3 days so it tricks your body into thinking you are taking in more calories and it takes about 48 hours for your metabolism to adjust and then the HCG sends a signal to your body to maintain this metabolism despite dropping to 500 calories but the KEY is you CAN NOT have anything that you aren't supposed to have because it will deactivate the effects of the HCG and then your metabolism says wait a minute, something isn't right and slows down. So if you ever eat something you aren't allowed to, you have to start all over and reload again.

shogunning

"Moral of the story, kids? DON'T TAKE THIS CRAP, YOUR HEALTH IS WORTH MORE THAN THIS"

that is because of a unique health condition you had, that really isn't a moral of a story

meribethd

I ate close to 500 calories for breakfast this morning.

HCG is dangerous. I know this thread is old, but OP, I hope you were able to receive some help and guidance.

TR0berts

The reason you gained the weight back is probably the reason that you were overweight to begin with which is not taking full and complete responsibility. Anyone who STICKS to the HCG diet and follows the correct post HCG weaning period to take in more calories slowly before getting back to maintenence keeps the weight off. HCG keeps your metabolism artificially high relative to the calories you are taking in, in other words, even though you are taking in 500 calories a day your metabolism isn't slowing down like it normally would based on this type of low calorie diet. This is also why you load for the first 2 or 3 days so it tricks your body into thinking you are taking in more calories and it takes about 48 hours for your metabolism to adjust and then the HCG sends a signal to your body to maintain this metabolism despite dropping to 500 calories but the KEY is you CAN NOT have anything that you aren't supposed to have because it will deactivate the effects of the HCG and then your metabolism says wait a minute, something isn't right and slows down. So if you ever eat something you aren't allowed to, you have to start all over and reload again.

Translation: I know nothing of adaptive thermogenesis.

Pattinan

Good to know. Short cuts can be tempting.