HCG DIET IS DANGEROUS!!!

245

Replies

  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Isn't this the "urine shot" diet? If so, my brother in law did it to lose his baby fat after my niece was born. It worked, but he was just losing a few pounds off of his beefy, muscular frame before heading into Navy Seals training, he has very little body fat. But he didn't follow the diet/calorie plan either, just had the shots.

    He sent me all the info, and I just couldn't imagine injecting that stuff into myself. Granted that's not what it is, but that's from whence it was derived.

    Call me squeemish, I'll take the old fashioned route!

    No, your not injecting urine.............OMG, who told you that?????

    The HCG is extracted from pregnant women's urine...................

    Many women use it for infertility, which I have done in the past..................
  • CelticDragon
    CelticDragon Posts: 66 Member
    Isn't this the "urine shot" diet? If so, my brother in law did it to lose his baby fat after my niece was born. It worked, but he was just losing a few pounds off of his beefy, muscular frame before heading into Navy Seals training, he has very little body fat. But he didn't follow the diet/calorie plan either, just had the shots.

    He sent me all the info, and I just couldn't imagine injecting that stuff into myself. Granted that's not what it is, but that's from whence it was derived.

    Call me squeemish, I'll take the old fashioned route!

    No, your not injecting urine.............OMG, who told you that?????

    The HCG is extracted from pregnant women's urine...................

    Many women use it for infertility, which I have done in the past..................


    I did say that I knew that wasn't what it was, but where it came from, it's just the idea!

    I did read all of the literature his doctor gave him, I just knew it wasn't for me. But, like I said, it really worked for my b.i.l.!
  • nursegirljay,

    Would you mind, for those of us that are not familiar with the diet, explaining how the hypothalamus and chemicals in your body play a part in this diet? Also, is is suggested that you work out during those periods of 500 cal days? I haven't read the article, and I am certainly not bashing the diet, although it is something that I would not do, but it seems to me if you are working out as well as eating so few calories, you essentially have nothing to provide your body with the energy needed to get through the day. Again, I am not bashing or degrading anyone using this method of weight loss, but simply curious about the details that may not make sense to a lot of people.

    Thank you.

    Honestly, if you guys wanted me to type out about a 20 page reply I could, and wouldnt mind to. I just would have to take a few days to do it LOL. But honestly, if you look at the reply I had, copy and paste the link, read the first part of the book by Dr. Simeons. It will break it all down for you so that you can understand all of it and how all of that and other things play a role. There is soooo much more to this than just "eating 500 calories and losing weight". Here is a small section of the reading about the hypothalamus:

    The Diencephalon or Hypothalamus
    For those of us who refused to be discouraged there remained one slight hope. Buried deep down
    in the massive human brain there is a part which we have in common with all vertebrate animals the
    so-called diencephalon. It is a very primitive part of the brain and has in man been almost smothered
    by the huge masses of nervous tissue with which we think, reason and voluntarily move our body.
    The diencephalon is the part from which the central nervous system controls all the automatic animal
    functions of the body, such as breathing, the heart beat, digestion, sleep, sex, the urinary system, the
    autonomous or vegetative nervous system and via the pituitary the whole interplay of the endocrine
    glands.
    It was therefore not unreasonable to suppose that the complex operation of storing and issuing fuel
    to the body might also be controlled by the diencephalon. It has long been known that the content
    of sugar-another form of fuel-in the blood depends on a certain nervous center in the diencephalon.
    When this center is destroyed in laboratory animals they develop a condition rather similar to
    human stable diabetes. It has also long been known that the destruction of another diencephalic
    center produces a voracious appetite and a rapid gain in weight in animals which never get fat
    spontaneously.
    The Fat- bank
    Assuming that in man such a center controlling the movement of fat does exist, its function would
    have to be much like that of a bank. When the body assimilates from the intestinal tract more fuel
    than it needs at the moment, this surplus is deposited in what may be compared with a current
    account. Out of this account it can always be withdrawn as required. All normal fat reserves are
    in such a current account, and it is probable that a diencephalic center manages the deposits and
    withdrawals.
    When now, for reasons which will be discussed later, the deposits grow rapidly while small
    withdrawals become more frequent a point may be reached which goes beyond the diencephalon’s
    banking capacity. Just as a banker might suggest to a wealthy client that instead of accumulating
    a large and unmanageable current account he should invest his surplus capital, the body appears
    to establish a fixed deposit into which all surplus funds go but from which they can no longer be
    withdrawn by the procedure used in a current account. in this way the diericephalic “ fat-bank “
    frees itself from all work which goes beyond its normal banking capacity. The onset of obesity dates
    from the moment the diencephalon adopts this labor-saving ruse. Once a fixed deposit has been
    established the normal fat reserves are held at a minimum, while every available surplus is locked
    away in the fixed deposit and is therefore taken out of normal circulation.

    Now, honestly if you are interested in it or how it works, you need to read it. The whole thing. The first 30 pages at least. Because from there it discusses the technique. You do not have to do injections. I myself use the homeopathic drops that are sublingual, which means you place them under your tongue. And I get 2 bottles for $40 (one bottle lasts about 40 days). There are also sprays that are sublingual as well. So you have other options. I would recommend anyone who is interested in how this works to read the pounds and inches by dr simeons. again, here is the link: http://powermaxnutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/pounds_and_inches.pdf
    Please do not put down something that you do not understand or do not know anything of. This is something that is very effective-again-IF FOLLOWED CORRECTLY. Just as everything else, if you do it half-*kitten* you are not going to succeed. As far as exercise is concerned, you are not supposed to exercise anymore that what is "normal" for you. Or if you are used to running 4 miles a day, you might even do less than that. I am a stay at home mom and do not really get any exercise, so when I do go exercise I do not see as much of a weight loss. Because that is not what my body is used to. They do recommend starting an exercise program once you get into the later phases. Because once you are finished with this diet, you should eat healthy, and exercise. That is very important. This is not just a "weight loss" diet (although extremely effective at that), it is something that changes your way of thinking with food. It changes what your body will consider a "normal" amount of food and fat in your body. Which is why if anyone is wanting to do this, please do it under the close supervision of a physician. If not done properly, it really can do harm to your body.
  • I honestly don't think the title of this post means that it is bashing the program. After reading all of these posts, I do think that this diet can be dangerous to some. I also think being unhealthy and obese can be dangerous to some. This is a program for people that can really follow the guidelines strictly and under close doctor supervision so that any heath dangers can be addressed. That being said, I am still confused as to how any individual can consume merely 500 calories a day and continue to exercise. Burning 500 calories a day during exercise is not entirely difficult. So, for those of you on the diet....Do you have to restrict your exercise to compensate for the calories that you are not consuming? I still cannot understand how it may be ok to consume 500 calories in a day and burn more than 500 calories in that day working out. This means, for a non-professional like myself, that you are burning ALL And MORE of the calories you consume in a day... So, where does your energy come from?

    Just as if you were in the artic freezing, your body is going to use your "stored fat" for energy that it needs. That is the basis of it. You are consuming a small amount of calories, and your body is going to start using it's fat stores (and the bad fat stores, not the good ones that our body needs) as a means of energy.
  • I will plan on reading the article for my own benefit. Thank you for the information This plan contradicts a lot of the typical weight loss plans in that if you consume very few calories your body will start burning the stored fat. However, on this website it says to exercise for a certain amount per day and to try and burn those exercise calories because the lower your calorie intake, the slower your metabolism burns the stored calories because it needs those daily calories for energy. I hope I am not offending anyone, but as part of my own weight loss journey I love to learn about all of the recent research and details on the mos recent weight loss diets and fabs.
  • I will plan on reading the article for my own benefit. Thank you for the information This plan contradicts a lot of the typical weight loss plans in that if you consume very few calories your body will start burning the stored fat. However, on this website it says to exercise for a certain amount per day and to try and burn those exercise calories because the lower your calorie intake, the slower your metabolism burns the stored calories because it needs those daily calories for energy. I hope I am not offending anyone, but as part of my own weight loss journey I love to learn about all of the recent research and details on the mos recent weight loss diets and fabs.

    You are welcome. And I really do recommend that you read it. It really is completely different than anything else out there. I know that if you eat under 1200 calories your body will go into starvation mode and start to store everything you eat and you will actually gain weight. So when I heard about this diet, I was just as skeptical as everyone else. Until I read pounds and inches, and did my research on it. And I decided it was something that was for me. That is what the HCG is for when you eat that small amount of food, so that you dont think you are "starving" and just store everything. Trust me, you should read it. Or anyone else. It really does do a great job of explaining everything. It is not like anything else, and I do understand how people do not understand it either. It just doesnt make sense to only eat 500 calories per day, because everything out there tells us otherwise. Just thought I would try to help people understand. Being a nurse, we do not just choose one side or another, we present facts of both sides to people and let them decide for themselves.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    nursegirljay,

    Would you mind, for those of us that are not familiar with the diet, explaining how the hypothalamus and chemicals in your body play a part in this diet? Also, is is suggested that you work out during those periods of 500 cal days? I haven't read the article, and I am certainly not bashing the diet, although it is something that I would not do, but it seems to me if you are working out as well as eating so few calories, you essentially have nothing to provide your body with the energy needed to get through the day. Again, I am not bashing or degrading anyone using this method of weight loss, but simply curious about the details that may not make sense to a lot of people.

    Thank you.

    They don't. It is a lot of conjecture and "it makes sense" type of thinking. When the "theories" have been researched, it has been shown that virtually all of the "weight loss" effect is due to the VLCD and has nothing to do with HCG.

    People need to realize where this stuff comes from. This is not some new plan--the HCG plan started 50-60 years ago. It was researched and dismissed in the early 1960s. That's the way these things go. They lie low for a few years until they slip away from public consciousness and a new generation of marks is born. Then they are resurrected and, like all fads in the US, are embraced by the desperate and the gullible.

    In this case, from what I understand, the reality is even worse. The HCG plan was resurrected by one of the all-time scam artists--Kevin Trudeau. This is a guy who did time for larceny and credit card fraud, has been sued numerous times by various states and the FTC for deceptive trade practices,

    Taking any "health" advice from this guy would be like asking a pedophile to baby sit your kids.

    Here are four references-5 minutes with teh Google will yield many more.

    ttp://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/02/health/he-nutrition2

    http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/07/hcg-diet-look-elsewhere-for-weight-loss/

    http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/weight-loss/hcg-diet.htm

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091
  • Mayo Clinic - #1 Endocrine (hormone) Disorders Hospital in the United States has this to say about the HCG (hormone) diet:

    Question
    HCG diet: Is it safe and effective?
    Does the HCG diet work — and is it safe?

    Answer
    from Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D.
    Because the HCG diet combines injections or supplements of the HCG hormone along with severe calorie restriction, you may lose weight — at least for the short term. But it's the calorie restriction that causes the weight loss, not the HCG. In addition, the safety of HCG for weight loss is uncertain, and the hormone hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for obesity or weight control.

    HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy. As a prescription medication, HCG is used mainly to treat fertility issues.

    Proponents of the HCG diet say that HCG can help you lose weight, burn fat and redistribute fat away from your buttocks and stomach. On the HCG diet, you either receive injections of HCG or take HCG supplements. The HCG diet also requires you to drastically cut your calorie intake, typically consuming just 500 to 800 calories a day — about one-fourth to one-half of the standard calorie recommendations. The HCG diet is typically offered through weight-loss clinics that say they will provide medical supervision.

    Although researchers have studied the HCG diet for years, no high-quality studies have shown that the hormone itself helps weight loss. Following any very low calorie diet is likely to result in weight loss, regardless of taking HCG. And the HCG diet can have drawbacks. Severe calorie restriction can make it hard to meet all of your nutritional needs. And rapid weight loss can lead to gallstones. Also, HCG can cause side effects, including headache, fatigue, irritability and male breast enlargement. And be careful about buying HCG products on the Internet — they might not be what they say they are.

    Once you stop the HCG diet, you're likely to regain any weight you lost. The key to permanent weight loss is developing healthy eating and exercise habits — not following fad diets.

    Next question
    The Special K diet: Helpful for weight loss?
    See Also
    Atkins diet: What's behind the claims?
    Dieting? Beware of liquid calories
    The Cookie Diet: Can it help you lose weight?
    The Special K diet: Helpful for weight loss?
    Blood type diet: What is it? Does it work?
    Low-carb diet
    Weight loss: Choosing a diet that's right for you
    Coffee calories: Sabotaging your weight-loss plans?
    South Beach Diet
    Vegetarian diet: Will it help me lose weight?
    Energy density and weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories
    Artificial sweeteners: A safe alternative to sugar?
    High-protein diets: Are they safe?
    Ingredient substitutions: Make the switch for healthier recipes
    References
    AN02091
    June 26, 2010

    © 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
  • Since this protocol is done in phases, you are NOT encouraged to exercise during phase 2. This is the 500 calorie phase and the body is busy enough, burning fat. My tape measure and clothing can attest to this! I've lost just under 30 lbs since early June. My skin is wonderful, I don't look like I'm 'dieting' - HCG gives an all around feeling of 'well-being' for me. I'm using the homeopathic drops (6 drops, 3x/day under the tongue) which cost something like $50. I'm on my second round (I went through phase 3 which is adding healthy fats up to and beyond 2000 calories/day) and I didn't gain during that 30 days of calorie 'loading'! To me, this means it is working as the doctor described. By the way, the original bottle is still 1/4 full so the cost is incredible low. I have a new appreciation for REAL, sugar and starch free foods, I eat more veggies than I ever did, and I am SO thankful for this success.

    I too have thyroid issues (always borderline with lots of symptoms) and have had PCOS for many years. Wouldn't you know it, on HCG my cycles have regulated and my hormones seem to have awoken?! My doctors told me I was so out of whack that weight loss 'must be extremely difficult, if not impossible'. I was prescribed phentermine, took 1 and said 'no thanks'! Placebo? No way. My stomach hasn't growled ONCE during this time. In the past, I could eat thousands of calories and have a growling stomach within hours.

    I know the future will show the real testimony, I have seen people have long-term success and I realize this is a LIFE LONG BATTLE, and I must continue to watch what I eat and how much of it. HCG gives you the kick start and encourages a healthy relationship to REAL, healthy food!
  • kmmschaefer
    kmmschaefer Posts: 82 Member
    Day 25 on HCG 18.5 pounds gone!! I feel great!! This is by far more healthy then all the diet pills I have been taking for years, filled with chemicals and lord knows what all, and rapid heart rates. Everything diet pill and thermogenic on the market I have tried with no success. It took 3 minths to lose 14 pound doing 1200 calories and working out everyday and it only took 10 days to gain that back plus 2 pounds. You will also find on the internet pages warning you about ANYTHING. These come from people who do not know how the diet works and have never tried themselves or have tried it but did not follow protocol. Everyone has an opinion. If everyone had access to HCG america would not be the fattest country in the world. It makes you aware of what your eating and how your body reacts to certain foods. This is an amazing product and I recommend it to everyone!!!
  • Oh for goodness sake, to each their own, just try to be informed for your own safety and then make your choices. And to be really perfectly hontest, I did think it was irresponsible of OP to make this post with that title (whether it was the article title or not) when very quicky cruise through the boards would show that we have several people here who are on the diet.....minding their own business and supporting each other. It's common sense. A change of title and we could have avoided half of these posts.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Oh for goodness sake, to each their own, just try to be informed for your own safety and then make your choices. And to be really perfectly hontest, I did think it was irresponsible of OP to make this post with that title (whether it was the article title or not) when very quicky cruise through the boards would show that we have several people here who are on the diet.....minding their own business and supporting each other. It's common sense. A change of title and we could have avoided half of these posts.

    It's no more irresponsible than other topics that are posted extolling the "benefits" of this and encouraging others to try it.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Day 25 on HCG 18.5 pounds gone!! I feel great!! This is by far more healthy then all the diet pills I have been taking for years, filled with chemicals and lord knows what all, and rapid heart rates. Everything diet pill and thermogenic on the market I have tried with no success. It took 3 minths to lose 14 pound doing 1200 calories and working out everyday and it only took 10 days to gain that back plus 2 pounds. You will also find on the internet pages warning you about ANYTHING. These come from people who do not know how the diet works and have never tried themselves or have tried it but did not follow protocol. Everyone has an opinion. If everyone had access to HCG america would not be the fattest country in the world. It makes you aware of what your eating and how your body reacts to certain foods. This is an amazing product and I recommend it to everyone!!!

    People are entitled to their own opinions-they aren't entitled to their own facts.
  • What many of you are forgetting to mention is that real, licensed and practicing doctors are prescribing this diet to people who need to lose abnormal stores of fat. MY doctor prescribed this diet for me after years of me trying to lose weight "the old fashioned way."

    I can't say that I won't gain the weight back years from now due to stress, bad eating habits which have been ingrained in me since birth, and poor exercise, but I can say that "facts" can be altered on the internet. Do not believe everything you read, no. And I would never follow Trudeau's plan.

    However, there ARE proven cases of people using HCG to change their lifestyles and lose the weight/fat that they need to shed.

    Just like there are proven cases of people who lost weight slowly the old fashioned way and oops, gained it back.

    Every "diet" should end in a lifestyle change. If it doesn't, it doens't matter if you're taking HCG or just restricting calories, you will gain the weight back if you don't learn how to eat right, eat healthy, and get up and exercise.

    Please stop using logical fallicy scare tactics on this site which is meant to support. I have known more success on HCG than I ever have, in a shorter amount of time. I am being carefully monitored by both the weight loss clinic I go to every week and my personal physician. I agree that in uneducated hands, the HCG diet could be dangerous, but with proper education, literature (NOT Trudeau), and physician care, it is NOT dangerous.

    For someone who has had a life long struggle with weight, not just gained after high school weight or baby weight, but has been morbidly obese since she was eight years old, HCG is the extra help I need to get my hormones and appetite under control after years of abusing them.
  • raindancer
    raindancer Posts: 993 Member
    I have done this diet in the early 80s with little results except It made me nervous and mean. I for one will never do that low a calorie diet again. I had the daily shots and b12 3x weekly and still I only held out about 3 months. Of course the weight came back. I know we are all desperate to lose our excess weight but please be kind to yourself and your body. :flowerforyou:
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Ok, so lets assume that you're going to be burning fat stores while you're on this diet (due to the low calories) and not being hungry (due to the HCG). My question is:

    HOW ARE YOU GETTING THE NUTRITION YOUR BODY REQUIRES IN ORDER TO FUNCTION??? How are you ensuring you do not become malnurished?

    It doesn't come from fat, it doesn't come from hcg drops and it most certainly doesn't come from 500 calories a day. So where is the nutrition - the protein, the complex carbs, the vitamins, the minerals, the fiber??? We do eat food for a reason, not just to satisfy our gluttony, it is what keeps our bodies going.

    I know that a few days isn't going to seriously harm anyone, but these people are talking about 80 days!! (2 40 day supplies). That is nearly three months!

    Food is not the enemy. It is fuel. The problem isn't with eating food, it is in our heads as far as making nutritious choices and limiting ourselves to what we need instead of what we want. How on earth are you supposed to learn to do that on 500 calories a day?
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    People are entitled to their own opinions-they aren't entitled to their own facts.

    I agree wholeheartedly with you, and it makes me sad to think how angry and defensive people get about their 'diet' choices.

    I do not believe anyone should run around recommending this diet to their friends.

    If your doctor recommends it, hey, use your own discretion...but there are a lot of people who willingly trust others because they are looking for a quick fix. No matter what anyone can say, THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. You must make the LIFESTYLE CHANGE to lose and keep your weight off for good.

    This is about as crazy as the Phen-Fen phase used to be. Seems everyone I know these days is telling me they are on the HCG diet.

    In my CrossFit class, there are several girls/moms in there who started at the beginning of the year obese (250+ pounds) who are in better shape than me now! It is called hard work, healthy diet, and persistence. That's all!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    nursegirljay,

    Would you mind, for those of us that are not familiar with the diet, explaining how the hypothalamus and chemicals in your body play a part in this diet? Also, is is suggested that you work out during those periods of 500 cal days? I haven't read the article, and I am certainly not bashing the diet, although it is something that I would not do, but it seems to me if you are working out as well as eating so few calories, you essentially have nothing to provide your body with the energy needed to get through the day. Again, I am not bashing or degrading anyone using this method of weight loss, but simply curious about the details that may not make sense to a lot of people.

    Thank you.

    They don't. It is a lot of conjecture and "it makes sense" type of thinking. When the "theories" have been researched, it has been shown that virtually all of the "weight loss" effect is due to the VLCD and has nothing to do with HCG.

    People need to realize where this stuff comes from. This is not some new plan--the HCG plan started 50-60 years ago. It was researched and dismissed in the early 1960s. That's the way these things go. They lie low for a few years until they slip away from public consciousness and a new generation of marks is born. Then they are resurrected and, like all fads in the US, are embraced by the desperate and the gullible.

    In this case, from what I understand, the reality is even worse. The HCG plan was resurrected by one of the all-time scam artists--Kevin Trudeau. This is a guy who did time for larceny and credit card fraud, has been sued numerous times by various states and the FTC for deceptive trade practices,

    Taking any "health" advice from this guy would be like asking a pedophile to baby sit your kids.

    Here are four references-5 minutes with teh Google will yield many more.

    ttp://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/02/health/he-nutrition2

    http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/07/hcg-diet-look-elsewhere-for-weight-loss/

    http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/weight-loss/hcg-diet.htm

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091

    The plan was not dismissed. I talked to my dad and my aunt about this and it was very popular in the 1970's..............
    My aunt knows people that lost the weight back then and have kept it off to this date............
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    People are entitled to their own opinions-they aren't entitled to their own facts.

    I agree wholeheartedly with you, and it makes me sad to think how angry and defensive people get about their 'diet' choices.

    I do not believe anyone should run around recommending this diet to their friends.

    If your doctor recommends it, hey, use your own discretion...but there are a lot of people who willingly trust others because they are looking for a quick fix. No matter what anyone can say, THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. You must make the LIFESTYLE CHANGE to lose and keep your weight off for good.

    This is about as crazy as the Phen-Fen phase used to be. Seems everyone I know these days is telling me they are on the HCG diet.

    In my CrossFit class, there are several girls/moms in there who started at the beginning of the year obese (250+ pounds) who are in better shape than me now! It is called hard work, healthy diet, and persistence. That's all!

    Obviously you have not read the original protocol. It is not a quick fix and it is not an easy way out................

    For people that have over eating issues it forces them to look at food in a whole different light and your appetite becomes very, very different..............

    I am on this plan for another reason. We are treating my hormone and Endocrine related issues with this plan and so far, so good.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Ok, so lets assume that you're going to be burning fat stores while you're on this diet (due to the low calories) and not being hungry (due to the HCG). My question is:

    HOW ARE YOU GETTING THE NUTRITION YOUR BODY REQUIRES IN ORDER TO FUNCTION??? How are you ensuring you do not become malnurished?

    It doesn't come from fat, it doesn't come from hcg drops and it most certainly doesn't come from 500 calories a day. So where is the nutrition - the protein, the complex carbs, the vitamins, the minerals, the fiber??? We do eat food for a reason, not just to satisfy our gluttony, it is what keeps our bodies going.

    I know that a few days isn't going to seriously harm anyone, but these people are talking about 80 days!! (2 40 day supplies). That is nearly three months!

    Food is not the enemy. It is fuel. The problem isn't with eating food, it is in our heads as far as making nutritious choices and limiting ourselves to what we need instead of what we want. How on earth are you supposed to learn to do that on 500 calories a day?

    When you start burning your own body fat, vitamins and minerals that have been stored away are being released for absorption and use.

    I have more energy now that I am doing this than I have had in a long time.

    The 500 calories a day is only while you are dosing with the HCG, which is Phase 2. In Phase 3, you increase your caloric intake slowly and eat upwards of 2,000 calories a day. The rule in Phase 3 is no sugar, no starches...........

    In Phase 4, sugar and starches are slowly added to the eating plan . Phase 3 and 4 are for stabilizing the loss and maintaining.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Only A, D, K, and E are able to be stored.

    Water soluble vitamins are NOT stored in the body and those are necessary too -

    These are all water-soluble vitamins:

    •vitamin B6
    •vitamin B12
    •vitamin C
    •biotin
    •folic acid
    •niacin
    •pantothenic acid
    •riboflavin
    •thiamin

    Minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. We need them in the form they are found in food.

    Minerals can be found in varying amounts in a variety of foods such as meat, cereals (including cereal products such as bread), fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, fruit (especially dried fruit) and nuts.

    Minerals are necessary for three main reasons:

    •building strong bones and teeth
    •controlling body fluids inside and outside cells
    •turning the food we eat into energy

    These are all essential minerals:

    •calcium
    •iron
    •magnesium
    •phosphorus
    •potassium
    •sodium
    •sulphur
  • rob1976
    rob1976 Posts: 1,328 Member
    As before, I will let my results in my signature speak for themselves, but this time add that yesterday was the first day of 2nd round and I lost 3.3 lbs in one day.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Only A, D, K, and E are able to be stored.

    Water soluble vitamins are NOT stored in the body and those are necessary too -

    These are all water-soluble vitamins:

    •vitamin B6
    •vitamin B12
    •vitamin C
    •biotin
    •folic acid
    •niacin
    •pantothenic acid
    •riboflavin
    •thiamin

    Minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. We need them in the form they are found in food.

    Minerals can be found in varying amounts in a variety of foods such as meat, cereals (including cereal products such as bread), fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, fruit (especially dried fruit) and nuts.

    Minerals are necessary for three main reasons:

    •building strong bones and teeth
    •controlling body fluids inside and outside cells
    •turning the food we eat into energy

    These are all essential minerals:

    •calcium
    •iron
    •magnesium
    •phosphorus
    •potassium
    •sodium
    •sulphur

    You will never understand the plan or how you won't become malnourished or not starving yourself unless you Read the Original Pounds and Inches Protocol by Dr. Simeons...............Not that Kevin Trudeau B.S..........

    I had my blood work done BEFORE I started this plan. Everything was fine except I was Vitamin D Deficient............

    Just had blood work done AFTER I finished Phase 2. Again, everything is fine except the Vitamin D.

    She told me I need to get more sun.

    My first round was done using the homeopathic sublingual drops. My second round I will start over the weekend will be done with the injections..............

    My first round I lost 16 pounds and dropped 1 clothing size. It is slow for me, but I no longer ache in my knees, ankles and hips due to the weight loss..............

    You have to eat very, very, very clean on this plan..
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I think it's OK for people to do whatever they want, but I think it's important to be honest with ourselves, as well. Results are not the whole picture.

    I went through a tough breakup years ago. I didn't eat for two weeks. I lost 25 pounds. I had great results, but was it healthy? Was it something one should do? Anorexics and bulemics have "great results" that "speak for themselves." They're not healthy, though.

    Sorry, but to me, shooting up with hormones and living on 500 calories a day isn't to lose weight isn't worth it to me. I'd rather be healthy and give my body the fuel and nutrition it needs while still losing weight at a pretty decent clip. Even with "less to lose," I can drop almost 2 pounds a week just eating right and exercising. And it's not unusual to drop 1.5 inches in my waist in a week's time doing that, as well.

    So, I guess what I'm saying is that if the HCG diet is the way you choose to go, then good for you. But why pretend it's good for you?
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
    Controversial! You cvan go on the web and find just as many sites praising it as condemning it. It's like that with anything.

    Use common sense.
  • The HCG Protocol has taught me how to eat properly and exactly how much food I really "need" to eat in order to maintain a healthy weight. HGC allows your body to use the fat that just won't go away. It woked when I was pregnant and it worked now when I completed Phase 2 recently. I have been able to maintain my loss and will do another round.

    Anyone can make an argument for or against something. It's only when you've tried it that you can give an honest opinion from personal experience. Those who have done it know that it works.
  • My sister went on this diet in conjunction with the b12 shots and she dropped 75 lbs in 6 months (she couldn't stick to the 500 daily calories deal.) Expensive weekly doctor visits, etc. It has been one year and she has gained it all back and then some...One of the co-workers that went on the diet with her just passed away. She was 32 (had a 5 year old son) and was so obsessed with gaining her weight back, that she was starving herself! She died of an anurism that was most likely caused in part by her rapid weight loss and extremely low caloric intake.
    WOW!! I knew it didnt sound safe or healthy and I would never choose that route but this is really sad!

    Oh how awful. I heard about it being bad as well, but wow that's really terrible.
  • noneya2010
    noneya2010 Posts: 446 Member
    I'm actually on day 1 of the 500 phase and using drops. You don't stay on the 500 calorie plan forever - just in phase 1!!!

    My metabolism already is at a standstill and I've tried eating 1200 calories plus exercising and can only drop 10 pounds max. So I'm willing to try something new and different and just hoping for a jump-start.

    So I can't vouche for how great it is just yet, but there are real people everywhere who have done this (shots or drops) with great success. To me, 500 calories of good, healthy and clean food is a lot better than 1500+ of not eating so healthy.
  • Obtained from: http://spikediet.blogspot.com/2010/08/hcg-diet-is-dangerous.html

    The HCG Diet is all over the web and I am starting to see it in stores now too, but what is it?



    The HCG Diet is a diet based on extremely low calories, how low? 500 calories!!! Let me start with that; Only 500 calories a day of course you are going to lose weight, the average person will burn over 2,000 calories a day which means by diet alone there is a daily 1,500 calorie deficit which equals 3lb lost per week. The problem is you are starving yourself, and one meal away from flat out fasting. You will slip into "starvation mode" and your metabolism will slow down.

    Good luck maintaining a 500 calorie a day diet for the rest of your life, because once you go back to "normal" you will indeed gain the weight back too.. In my opinion this is the definition of a crash diet that is impossible to maintain as a lifestyle.

    HCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin, it's a hormone produced during pregnancy, and the reason why people thinks this is good for weight loss is because of Dr. A.T.W Simeons HCG Weight Loss Protocol, or the Original 500 Calorie a Day Diet. Apparently this hormone keeps the hunger away but according to numerous studies there is no difference in weight-loss through placebo or HCG and there is no difference in hunger either. Source LA Times

    HCG is expensive, shots can run hundreds of dollars a month, and since the FDA ruled that is not safe for weight loss you need a prescription for another issue, like what it's really used for, fertility.

    Sure you can buy it online from what may be a real source, but without a prescription you are breaking the law, and paying lots of money for nothing that really helps you lose weight.

    I am normally not one to knock another person's diet because there are a lot different plans that work, but this plan is flat out dangerous! I hope by getting the word out, I can stop someone from going down this unsafe path. You need to find a safe plan that works for you and your lifestyle, I have learned that if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to find something you can follow the rest of your life. Otherwise once you go back to "normal" the weight will come back too.

    To summarize, stay far away from anything related to HCG for weight-loss, here's why.

    - Extremely low calories, only 500 a day.
    - Injecting your body with a non-FDA approved drug for weight-loss
    - It's expensive
    - It's illegal without a prescription, which Doctor's are not supposed to prescribe for weight loss.
    - You do not need to starve yourself to lose weight, nor pump your body full of illegal drugs.

    Please share this with your friends and family, if they are trying to lose weight they will undoubtedly come across HCG. The marketers behind it are very smart and have websites everywhere keeping the real information about the dangers of HCG buried behind hundreds of Pro-HCG websites.

    I'm going to have to agree with you. I would never do it but that's my own personal choice. If I'm going to diet (like I have been for real since April) I'm going to educate myself on everything that has to do with eating, diet and excersice and it's totally worked. 500 calories a day is a bit extreme if you ask me, but I could also see how someone trying to "kick start" their diet or someone who has hit a major platue could turn to something like this. Fortunatly for me I can do it the all natural way and not have to refer to drastic measures like this diet. I hope for those of you that have chose this diet, that it works for you. It's just not for me, Even though I'm dieting, I still enjoy food, just because your wanting to lose weight doesn't mean you can't enjoy food, I still do and I think I honestly enjoy it now more then ever. I need what energy I do have, If I was eating 500 calories a day I'd be a blob on the couch all day, lol.
  • rob1976
    rob1976 Posts: 1,328 Member
    I can drop almost 2 pounds a week just eating right and exercising.
    Congratulations. The "eat less move more" theory doesn't work for me or my wife. The HCG protocol does.
    But why pretend it's good for you?
    Pretend? Who's pretending? Neither my wife or I have received any lab or physical screening results that have shown that it ISN'T good for us. In fact, the blood screenings and physicals with our doctor indicate the exact opposite. Both of us are healthier than we have been in years and our medical numbers support that statement.

    For the record, our doctor did NOT prescribe HCG for us. She hadn't even heard of it. We are going it alone, but doing so after over a year of painstaking research and interviews.
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