Quiting hCG Diet

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jessesgirl96
jessesgirl96 Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Well after only one week on the hCG diet I am quiting. The food restrictions were manageable but it was making me feel absolutely horrible! Weak and shaky all day with zero energy!! I lost 7 pounds in the first three days of the 500 cal diet but then the 4th & 5th day only lost barely half a pound. So I don't know if the homeopathic hCG just wasn't working and my body was going into starvation mode or what. Either way I think it will just be healthier for my body to do it the old fashioned way counting calories and exercising. If anyone has some good tips to share on loosing as fast as possible that would be great. I get discouraged so easily when I don't see the weight coming off fast. Which is the whole reason why I tried the hCG diet to begin with!
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  • blufire07
    blufire07 Posts: 14
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    im retarded i guess but what is the hcg diet
  • jessesgirl96
    jessesgirl96 Posts: 13
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    Basically you take the hCG hormone and eat a very restricted diet of 500 calories or less each day. Supposedly the hCG tells your body to burn the fat stores to make up for the calories you aren't eating.
  • mnquarles
    mnquarles Posts: 2
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    dont get discouraged the hcg diet really works. Drink plenty of water and get some sort of excercise in everyday. I'm doing that same diet myself except i havent dropped to the 500 calorie weeks yet. I'm trying to work myself up to that but with that being said i have done this diet two years ago and made really huge progress. i since had another baby so i was right back to square one. I'm down about 15pds so far i go for my apointment next week.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I know this isn't what a lot of people want to hear - but typically, slow and steady is best! I know it can be frustrating seeing slow weight loss, but think about this: 1 to 2 pounds a week = 52 to 104 pounds lost in a year! It will be so much better in the end to lose the weight through eating habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life. :flowerforyou: Good luck making this transition!
  • jessesgirl96
    jessesgirl96 Posts: 13
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    dont get discouraged the hcg diet really works. Drink plenty of water and get some sort of excercise in everyday. I'm doing that same diet myself except i havent dropped to the 500 calorie weeks yet. I'm trying to work myself up to that but with that being said i have done this diet two years ago and made really huge progress. i since had another baby so i was right back to square one. I'm down about 15pds so far i go for my apointment next week.

    I think the real hCG probably really does work but I was taking homeopathic and I really don't think it was working. I was starving all day and terribly weak & shaky.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    The HCG diet works on those persons that are a LOT overweight, that is where the extra energy is coming in from the fat burning........

    From your picture, you don't look that overweight, so you probably don't have a lot of abnormal fat to burn.
  • gabi_ele
    gabi_ele Posts: 460 Member
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    I have been on lot's of diets, for me they don't work. I lose a lot, get back to eating regular, gain everything back and then some. I am NOT on a diet! I eat healthy, move more then bevore and am shrinking slowly but surly away:bigsmile: Put all your information in MFP , track your exercise and enjoy the ride. Eat as much unprocessed food as possible, mostly complex carbs, lean meats and drink lots of water. It might take you a little longer to get to your goal, but at least you might stay at your goal and not go back and over where you are starting from. Good luck
  • mnquarles
    mnquarles Posts: 2
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    hcg is a hormone your body naturally produces when your pregnant. it speeds up you metabolism in pregancy. well they duplicated this hormone and made it as in injection that you get weekly and it helps you to burn fat. it usually take about 4 weeks to see some changes but they are remarkable. I always lost weight in the beginning of all my pregnancies but didnt stop eating or dieted, it just dropped. so now i can burn and metabolize this fat with the injection and take advantage of teh weight loss even though im not pregnant. but this time i wont have to worry about gaining it back because i wont be having any more kids. oh and since its a hormone injection it actually helps your body balance out. theres also a menu plan that you can follow to help you loose and manage when you get to your goal by counting calories etc.
    hope that gives you a little insight
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
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    :flowerforyou: YAY! So glad you got off that crazy diet!!! I think its rubbish...but thats beside the point. (I won't go there..haha)

    Some tips and things to remember are this:

    1) First, think about how long its taken you to put on the extra weight that you have. I know for me, it didn't happen in a month, nor did it happen in 6 months, therefore I shouldn't expect for it to come off as fast or easy. (It ain't gonna happen!). For me, it came on after 4 years of college and 2 years of marriage, thats 6 years! Now, I'm not saying it should take you just as long to get it off...but it helps put it into prespective. I've lost my 25 pounds in just less than a year. I've hit a couple of plateaus along (I'm talking 3-4 months with NO weight loss), but I keep pushing through. Because even if I'm not losing pounds, I'm shaping my body and doing my heart some good with exercise. So, be patient! Also, you don't have a lot to lose, so the weight will come off slower, especially when you get toward the finish line.

    2) Think of this as a lifestyle change rather than a fad DIET. If this is what you want, you need to think in longer terms, as in...your LIFE!

    3) Eat good foods. Avoid processed foods, MINIMIZE bad fats (processed sugar foods, chips, creamy salad dressings, etc), eat lots of veggies, eat fruits (about 2 servings per day), whole wheats, lean meats, and low fat dairy (if you are into dairy).

    4) Exercise. If you are just starting out, start with things you enjoy and make exercise a habit. As you continue to exercise you will need to continue to push yourself harder to achieve more results. Strength train to build muscle. Muscle burns fat. Mix up your routines so your body doesn't get used to the same routine. They need to be pushed.

    5) Be accountable. Don't lie to yourself as you track your food intake. If you aren't seeing any changes you can always go back and look at your Diary and see what things you could improve on. But, lying to yourself isn't going to help. So, if you happen to have a slice of chocolate, or some pizza for dinner, record it. You'll see what effects it had on your daily total goals. If it was worth it (which sometimes it can be), then just move on and start fresh the next day. That leads me to....

    6) Don't deprive yourself. Often times people try to diet rather than change their lifestyle and then when it doesn't work they give up. Its okay to induldge every once in a while, as long as it doesn't become a habit. You'll learn how to enjoy food better and when you do have a treat, you will savor the flavors. For me, I enjoy a nice little bowl of ice cream every once in a while, so I enjoy it, record it, and remind myself that it was a "treat", something that I don't get very often, so I better enjoy the flavors. Otherwise if you completely BANISH food, you may binge later on.

    7) There's no magic pill. I'm glad you realized the HCG thing didn't seem healthy. And typically if something sounds "too good to be true", it usually is. Plus, with you losing the weight on your own, you will treat your body with so much more respect and love knowing that YOU were the one who put all the hard working in meeting your goals. Just like when someone receives a car as a gift from a parent, they are less likely to take as good of care of the car. But, if they have to work hard and earn the money for the car they typically take care of it and are more aware of its needs. :smile:

    And...thats all I have. but, I wish you the best of luck. You are making a great decision in deciding to do this the correct and healthy way. It won't be easy, but its definitely worth it! :flowerforyou: Good luck!
  • jheller
    jheller Posts: 194
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    A co-worker has a friend who is doing this and has lost about 35lbs but I think its insane and very unhealthy. There is no magic pill, shot, potion, shake that will work long term. A few years ago I talked my doc into prescribing Merida (I think that's the name) for me. It tricks your brain into thinking you're full and it worked like a dream. I lost 40lbs in 5 months. Then I became immune to the effects and gained it all back in 4 months. I didn't learn anything at all. So, I'm happy to hear you are going back to the "old fashion" way. Good luck and be patient - it does work.
  • elmct57
    elmct57 Posts: 594 Member
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    i'm sorry you had a bad experience. i don't know what your source for the hcg was, but it sounds like either the dosage was totally wrong for you or the homeopathic wasn't what it claimed to be. good luck on your new diet.
  • erinliz
    erinliz Posts: 43 Member
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    I couldn't function on 500 calories a day! And I always wonder.....what happens when you go off the diet and increase your calories? I can keep the lifestyle I've started now for the rest of my life. I certainly believe diets like this will help you lose weight.....but will you be able to keep it off? That's my goal - healthy for life!
  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    i'm sorry you had a bad experience. i don't know what your source for the hcg was, but it sounds like either the dosage was totally wrong for you or the homeopathic wasn't what it claimed to be. good luck on your new diet.

    Good luck on your new diet??? How about hope you have success with your lifestyle change - if it's a "diet" it will always ultimately fail. ALWAYS!!! If you don't permanently change how you eat, you will gain back what ever you lose with what ever magic you try.

    to the op - you are making a wise decision to go the "old-fashioned" way. Changing how you interact with food and how you eat on a regular basis is the only way to make a lasting change in how your body looks and functions. Getting hormones injected may help you lose for now, but what does it teach you? Way to go and I wish you much success!
  • Jb27
    Jb27 Posts: 71 Member
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    wow as normal on this site people just love to bash the hcg , thats fine if you know nothing about it and dont understand how it works, but if you really did some research you would see this diet works for thousands of people does not make you week when you take the right dose and quality hcg and can reset your mind and body to , it is not a lifelong diet its a step in the right direction to correct what got you fat in the first place and help you to fix it. to each their own i guess and good luck to all on being healthy whatever way you choose to do it :)
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    wow as normal on this site people just love to bash the hcg , thats fine if you know nothing about it and dont understand how it works, but if you really did some research you would see this diet works for thousands of people does not make you week when you take the right dose and quality hcg and can reset your mind and body to , it is not a lifelong diet its a step in the right direction to correct what got you fat in the first place and help you to fix it. to each their own i guess and good luck to all on being healthy whatever way you choose to do it :)

    Of course it works...you only get to eat 500 calories a day. It's called starvation.
  • Jb27
    Jb27 Posts: 71 Member
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    wow as normal on this site people just love to bash the hcg , thats fine if you know nothing about it and dont understand how it works, but if you really did some research you would see this diet works for thousands of people does not make you week when you take the right dose and quality hcg and can reset your mind and body to , it is not a lifelong diet its a step in the right direction to correct what got you fat in the first place and help you to fix it. to each their own i guess and good luck to all on being healthy whatever way you choose to do it :)

    Of course it works...you only get to eat 500 calories a day. It's called starvation.

    and just how long do you think you could go on 500 cals , 23 days 43 days? no without the hcg your body would shut down you would starve
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    wow as normal on this site people just love to bash the hcg , thats fine if you know nothing about it and dont understand how it works, but if you really did some research you would see this diet works for thousands of people does not make you week when you take the right dose and quality hcg and can reset your mind and body to , it is not a lifelong diet its a step in the right direction to correct what got you fat in the first place and help you to fix it. to each their own i guess and good luck to all on being healthy whatever way you choose to do it :)

    Of course it works...you only get to eat 500 calories a day. It's called starvation.

    and just how long do you think you could go on 500 cals , 23 days 43 days? no without the hcg your body would shut down you would starve

    I have, I had anorexia for 3 years...don't start talking about something unless you know who you are talking to. And hcg is just a simple hormone that is released when a woman is pregnant for her body to release the stored fat if she is not injesting as much as her fetus needs. Therefor the only reason that hcg is prescribed to patients is to help release the fat (because they are not consuming it, based on 500 cals a day). Also, by only consuming 500 cals a day you are starving no matter how short a time...you are depriving your body of key nutrients that it needs to function. Yeah, you may not see the weight loss at first but your brain loses mass, your organs start to shrink and shut down....you just haven't seen the weight loss yet.
    While this is not a study per se...you might want to check it out:
    http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100257784
  • janet67
    janet67 Posts: 38
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    I agree. . .slow and steady is the only way to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF. The problem with many of the "fad diets" is that you can't maintain them for long and you will put the weight back on when you stop the diet. Also, 500 calories a day is downright unhealthy and will put your body into starvation mode. Much of what you eat will be stored as fat. In addition, your metabolism will slow down and you will feel fatigued and "shaky" possible due to low blood sugar which is very dangerous! While losing slowly is frustrating, it is really best. The experts recommend 1-2 pounds a week (7000 calorie deficit per week) Count your calories and watch your carb and fat intake and you will lose!
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Well after only one week on the hCG diet I am quiting. The food restrictions were manageable but it was making me feel absolutely horrible! Weak and shaky all day with zero energy!! I lost 7 pounds in the first three days of the 500 cal diet but then the 4th & 5th day only lost barely half a pound. So I don't know if the homeopathic hCG just wasn't working and my body was going into starvation mode or what. Either way I think it will just be healthier for my body to do it the old fashioned way counting calories and exercising. If anyone has some good tips to share on loosing as fast as possible that would be great. I get discouraged so easily when I don't see the weight coming off fast. Which is the whole reason why I tried the hCG diet to begin with!

    I am always so wary of anything that professes immediate, supersonic, ballistically fast weight loss - only for the reason that once you have lost your weight and want to eat more to maintain your weight, you can end up putting some of the weight back.

    Start as you mean to go on, eat foods you will always eat in the future, just cut back and exercise. Then once you are at your desired weight, you can maintain that by eating more - It just has to be easier.

    Wishing you all the very best with your weight loss :flowerforyou:
  • elmct57
    elmct57 Posts: 594 Member
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    @MTGirl
    get off your high horse on the semantics. my best wishes for the original poster are sincere.

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