The truth about HCG as told by Dr. Pete Grott

cparter

I know those who live and die by HCG and have the nerve to call it a success story will sling their arrows and stare angrily at the computer screens (plus a few choice words) but I am going to post this article anyway for those who are contemplating this dangerous "Diet Fad" but have not been sold just yet.

Dr. Peter Grott, United Media, Health Columnist, The Harvard Medical School Adviser, stated in a recent article the following as it refers to HCG:

This "Diet Fad" frightens me.
First, hCG (human Chorionic gonadotrophin) is a prescription drug for fertility. HCG is a hormone present in pregnant women's urine.
HCG plays many roles, including guaranteeing that a developing fetus receives the calories and nutrients it needs to grow. It is able to do this by releasing fat from the hips, buttocks, abdomen, and thighs to give the developing fetus nutrients.
In terms of the hCG diet, the user must inject the medication once a day for 23 to 40 straight days. The hCG must then be discontinued for at least six weeks because the body will develop temporary immunity.
Any "Diet" that restricts you to 500 calories a day is going to cause weight loss whether or not there is a medication involved. The reason for the weight loss is starvation, which will eventually lead to serious complications.
The initial published findings of hCG's ability to add weight loss have not held up to scrutiny.
Also, given that hCG is a naturally occurring pregnancy hormone, it can lead to symptoms of pregnancy, such as swollen, tender breasts and water retention. There are also reports of health problems resulting from the "Diet", including increased risk of blood clots, depression, restlessness and headaches.

Many of you will continue to swear by it and those who want to take the quick and easy way out but this is dangerous. The risk outweigh the short time results. Many of you or most of you will continue down this path which is your choice but once again I refuse to take this as a success story and will continue providing evidence that this is risky if not dangerous.

Chrissun

Good information. Whether people agree or not it certainly doesn't hurt to get more info.
I personally do not agree with the HCG + 500cal plan, I want to have a healthy lifestyle and have the energy to play with my family.
I'd rather take 1 year to lose the weight while setting a good example or a healthy lifestyle.

lisalynn35

Thank you for posting this. You're right there are those who will glare angrily at their monitors and you will most likely receive a few heated e-mails but people need to hear the facts. Of course you will lose weight if you only intake 500 calories a day but you WILL gain all of it, if not more back. A co-worker of mine ended up in the hospital for weeks because of this "diet". I know few of you will give up this farce but, with any, luck some will. Thanks again my brave friend.

cparter

Thank you for posting this. You're right there are those who will glare angrily at their monitors and you will most likely receive a few heated e-mails but people need to hear the facts. Of course you will lose weight if you only intake 500 calories a day but you WILL gain all of it, if not more back. A co-worker of mine ended up in the hospital for weeks because of this "diet". I know few of you will give up this farce but, with any, luck some will. Thanks again my brave friend.

Unfortunately some are hard to train. The HCG fans look past the danger because they want a shortcut. It is hard to receive if you are blinded by your own inability.

ChellieIrish

Thanks for sharing it CP:flowerforyou: I'd never heard of it over here :noway: but honestly I can now say I'm glad I never did :huh: It's a crazy diet to be undertaking not healthy at all by the sounds of it :noway:

amysj303

bump;)

fit2sit

:drinker: I'll raise my glass to you Cparter! I had never heard of this until I read a thread about it today. 500 Kcal/day is a crazy amount of food to live on. I'm not sure if the HCG diet has gone through the peer reviewed journal process or if the anti-HCG campain has done so either. I just don't see the FDA signing off any study on a 500 Kcal/day diet. Those days passed when the 60s ended from what I heard.

skinnytayy

I appreciate you posting this. Regardless of the few HCG fanatics on here, I think others need to hear the truth. Everytime someone posts something about this, it turns into WWIII. Great that its a well-respected individual speaking about it too.

stormieweather

Bump

EclaireP

Thank you so much for posting this. I have seen the HCG threads but not really looked into what it was as I want to be healthy and follow a sustainable plan rather than try yet another quick fix. This looks frightening to say the least!

Thanks again.

meaganmiller

Hi, all --

It is true that almost any posts about HCG draw "passion" from both sides! It is also easy to see how the diet seems scary -- it has many components that are outside conventional wisdom.

I have been researching the HCG diet for 5 solid weeks now -- reading everything I can find on it and meeting and talking with people who have done the diet.

About HCG itself, the dose is quite small, and can be taken under the tongue or via injection. It is available in homeopathic form, too.

It is great that concerned people offer information here, but it is important to remember that medical professionals are not united about the HCG diet -- many doctors support it, prescribe it and see helpful results for their patients. Also it is important to know that it has been around for 40 years, and so can't really be called a fad.

I also had to laugh when I saw a warning about HCG from a weight loss surgeon -- he could possibly have a big conflict of interest!! And certainly, surgery is more extreme than HCG.

The US FDA stance on HCG is not what some say it is -- their stance is actually that HCG has not been thoroughly studied for weight loss, not that it is contraindicated. HCG has been studied for fertility, at very high dosages, and has been ruled safe.

Regarding the low calorie diet, fasting is a common practice for many people, and the veggie, fruit and lean protien HCG plan is less extreme than that. Also, the 500 calorie diet is not the only thing nourishing the body while on HCG -- fat stores, and the nutrients held within them, are also nourishing the body during the short time one is on the plan. People report feeling very vital once the HCG has stabilized in their bodies, and not hungry.

Too many people seem to stay on HCG for a longer time than is recommended, shorten the protocol's break times between rounds, and also seem to cheat. This seems like it would place a lot of stress on any body.

I am in Europe right now for work, and here it is a regularly followed diet, that people regard as safe and very effective.

So, I hope people will make a calm, reasonable decision about what to do, but please don't allow one point of view to be your only guide.

Best wishes for success!

MM

Beebee78

*Cowering under the table ready to get bashed*...

See to me, a previously serial dieter, the HCG diet is no different to say Lighter Life, Slim Fast, All about w8 and the Cambridge Diet. All encourage people to eat well below what is healthy each day in terms of calories and all are a short term 'fix' which do not offer long term results.

I have tried all of the above diets and things like weight watchers, slim fast, the lemonade diet, thermoslim tablets, colon cleanse, akai berries...you name it I tried it. I lost lots of weight to start with but I felt like crap and as soon as I stopped following the plan I piled the weight straight back on and more. In desperation I even considered weightloss surgery but ironically I was too light. At the end of my dieting days I was a whole 3 stone heavier than when I ever started.

I would be the first one lining up for new diets in search of an easy way to lose the weight BUT I have learnt the hard way that these things are not the long term solution.

When approaching weightloss the only way to solve the problem is not to go on a 'diet' but to change the way you eat for good. To learn to eat healthily and most importantly to learn to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

I wish dr's would spend more time and money encouraging this in people than backing these diets xxx

frekwentflier

When you come to the logical conclusion that the only way doctors and pharmaceutical companies make money is if you're sick. And that fat, unhealthy people tend to get sick more often than thin, healthy people, it makes perfect sense that doctors denounce the HCG diet. Because it actually works and they can't make any money from it!

I personally compare them to Jiffy Lube Mechanics, always trying to scare you into purchasing more useless crap from them.

Everything this lying quack said was either a scare tactic or categorically false. And of course he has no facts to back up his false opinions. I'm a 275lb man. I've eaten 500 calories/day for 7 days in a row and haven't been hungry once. I'm not starving; the HCG is releasing fat and my body is burning it as energy. Pretty straight-forward! Why do I have to eat a lot when I'm burning 3500-4000 calories/day of pure fat? I wish the quack doctor would explain that. Your body doesn't care where the calories come from, as long as they're available.

It still amazes me how people still call it a quick fix when in actuality it is a lifelong plan of weight loss and weight maintenance. It'd be nice if you would at least learn what exactly it is before you denounce it.

Be scared if you want; believe these quacks who want you to be fat & sick so you'll come visit them more often and help them buy more BMWs. I for one have decided to take my health into my own hands, and the HCG diet is working fantastic for me.

fit2sit

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/29/9/940

a quick, albeit old read. I remember hearing how semi-starvation diets were really big back in the 60s and early 70s. I've even heard of a study done in the 60s where morbidly obese study participants were only given a multi-vitamin and allowed to drink water, and that was it. I'll see if I can look that one up. It might be bookmarked in my textbooks.

PJilly

Bump.

cparter

You may call him a quack with his Harvard credentials, etc. However he is not dumb. Any rational person will see that 500 calories taken with hormones is not rational thinking. Ok, he notes just like those who complained about this post that you will lose weight with that type of starvation but in the long run, the short term results (30 lbs or so) vs the long term outlook does not line up.

275 lbs, 185 lbs or 400 lbs, if you do not learn how to eat and realize that you did not get that way overnight you will never learn. I gained my weight slowly over 18 years so I do not expect to lose it within 9 months or so (had 80 lbs I wanted to lose even though 70 would have done well). I expect to enjoy the slow ride and get my body adjusted. The way I am doing it is not leaving loose flesh hanging here and there because my body did not adjust fast enough because I was losing weight too fast. When I am done losing weight I can look back and realize how precious the journey was and look ahead and embrace what I have learned and realize how precious my future is.

You can choose to hang on to hCG and take your quick fix or you can wake up and get your life on the right track. Learn how to eat. Control the food or it will continue to control you. Got off the couch and move your rear or you will never get in gear. Try for something you can hold onto for a life time instead of trying to get quick results that have no solid future. You can be one of the statistically few that lose the weight or at least most of it and then change your diet during the process and continue a road to recovery or you can be the statistical norm who lose the weight get over the "fad" that has been around 40 years and Surgeon General still does not endorse it and rebound back to where you came from or even higher. Life is about choices and that is your choice. I prefer to take the high road on this one and I will continue doing my research and distribution of medical reports so those who are wise will resist this temptation.

You all who disagree have a right to do so and you can call me or the docs what you wish but I will never call this a success. It goes against all conventional wisdom and has no leverage in a society who truly want to make a life style change.

cparter

When you come to the logical conclusion that the only way doctors and pharmaceutical companies make money is if you're sick. And that fat, unhealthy people tend to get sick more often than thin, healthy people, it makes perfect sense that doctors denounce the HCG diet. Because it actually works and they can't make any money from it!

I personally compare them to Jiffy Lube Mechanics, always trying to scare you into purchasing more useless crap from them.

Everything this lying quack said was either a scare tactic or categorically false. And of course he has no facts to back up his false opinions. I'm a 275lb man. I've eaten 500 calories/day for 7 days in a row and haven't been hungry once. I'm not starving; the HCG is releasing fat and my body is burning it as energy. Pretty straight-forward! Why do I have to eat a lot when I'm burning 3500-4000 calories/day of pure fat? I wish the quack doctor would explain that. Your body doesn't care where the calories come from, as long as they're available.

It still amazes me how people still call it a quick fix when in actuality it is a lifelong plan of weight loss and weight maintenance. It'd be nice if you would at least learn what exactly it is before you denounce it.

Be scared if you want; believe these quacks who want you to be fat & sick so you'll come visit them more often and help them buy more BMWs. I for one have decided to take my health into my own hands, and the HCG diet is working fantastic for me.

hummm.. look at lisa who has lost 117 lbs by changing her habits and feel great about with no drugs, pills or shakes. Look at the people who have lost 164, 200, 155, etc.. lbs that are all in the 100 and above range by simply learning how to eat right and exercise. Yes the progress was slow in the beginning but over two years these people saw the results and are happy to testify about it. Did the doctor continue to get rich because these people continued to be obese and sick? No, because these people slowly started to come off their meds they were living by and started to set examples for their families or others to follow. Heck, look at the testimony section from the my home page for the lady who went on today show because she lost over 100 lbs using this sight. She too did it without drugs, fad diets (which HCG will cotninue to be in my opinion even if it is 100 years in existence) by simply changing her life style which included her shopping habits, eating habits and got rid of her sedentary life style. She proved that wisdom is the key.

So, you can not discredit those who have walked this walk without the need of drugs and "fad diets" that the Surgeon General after 40 years or so of existence has refused to endorse. Do your research and learn how to eat/shop/move or what ever it takes to show that you are at once in control.

However, it is your choice and I truly hope the best of success to you but I will never endorse this unfortunate practice.

nursegirljay

Hi, all --

It is true that almost any posts about HCG draw "passion" from both sides! It is also easy to see how the diet seems scary -- it has many components that are outside conventional wisdom.

I have been researching the HCG diet for 5 solid weeks now -- reading everything I can find on it and meeting and talking with people who have done the diet.

About HCG itself, the dose is quite small, and can be taken under the tongue or via injection. It is available in homeopathic form, too.

It is great that concerned people offer information here, but it is important to remember that medical professionals are not united about the HCG diet -- many doctors support it, prescribe it and see helpful results for their patients. Also it is important to know that it has been around for 40 years, and so can't really be called a fad.

I also had to laugh when I saw a warning about HCG from a weight loss surgeon -- he could possibly have a big conflict of interest!! And certainly, surgery is more extreme than HCG.

The US FDA stance on HCG is not what some say it is -- their stance is actually that HCG has not been thoroughly studied for weight loss, not that it is contraindicated. HCG has been studied for fertility, at very high dosages, and has been ruled safe.

Regarding the low calorie diet, fasting is a common practice for many people, and the veggie, fruit and lean protien HCG plan is less extreme than that. Also, the 500 calorie diet is not the only thing nourishing the body while on HCG -- fat stores, and the nutrients held within them, are also nourishing the body during the short time one is on the plan. People report feeling very vital once the HCG has stabilized in their bodies, and not hungry.

Too many people seem to stay on HCG for a longer time than is recommended, shorten the protocol's break times between rounds, and also seem to cheat. This seems like it would place a lot of stress on any body.

I am in Europe right now for work, and here it is a regularly followed diet, that people regard as safe and very effective.

So, I hope people will make a calm, reasonable decision about what to do, but please don't allow one point of view to be your only guide.

Best wishes for success!

MM

I agree. From both sides this can be extreme, and everyone will always have their own opinions. However, if you believe that people are doing this just for "a quick fix" and will "gain it all back and then some" then you do not know enough about this diet to start bashing it. Yes, there are some physicians that are against it. And there are some that are NOT. Yea, if you eat 500 calories a day you will lose SOME weight, but then your body will go into starvation mode and you will stop. Hince where the HCG comes in. And I am eating much more healthy now, and not hungry at the end of the day. I have a hard time even eating the 500 calories I am supposed to eat because I am FULL. The whole point of this diet when followed correctly is to reset your hunger set-point in your hypothalamus. Which means when you are done with this diet, you will get full faster. So I wont gorge on 2000-3000 calories a day and still be hungry. It is much more than just losing weight quickly. And there are a lot of people who have done this with success and have kept it off. You should always consult a physician if you are thinking about doing any weight-loss program, and it would not be recommended not to. So, please try to get both sides of the story, and not just one. There is much more to this than just eating 500 calories, taking some hormones and losing weight. That is what someone with a blind eye sees. One side. For anyone wanting information about the diet and what the purpose of it is, and how it works I suggest reading this: http://powermaxnutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/pounds_and_inches.pdf

Now, I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and that is mine. You all can have yours, but please do not bash something without having all of the information on it first. Thank you. And congrats to everyone who is able to lose their weight the old fashioned way. I wish I could have, and have tried to for about 7 years now. I have finally found something that has worked for me, and everyone I know has noticed a huge difference in my eating/exercising habits. We are all here for one goal, and if we succeed without harm to oneself then I think that is fantastic :flowerforyou:

skinnytayy

When you come to the logical conclusion that the only way doctors and pharmaceutical companies make money is if you're sick. And that fat, unhealthy people tend to get sick more often than thin, healthy people, it makes perfect sense that doctors denounce the HCG diet. Because it actually works and they can't make any money from it!

I personally compare them to Jiffy Lube Mechanics, always trying to scare you into purchasing more useless crap from them.

Everything this lying quack said was either a scare tactic or categorically false. And of course he has no facts to back up his false opinions. I'm a 275lb man. I've eaten 500 calories/day for 7 days in a row and haven't been hungry once. I'm not starving; the HCG is releasing fat and my body is burning it as energy. Pretty straight-forward! Why do I have to eat a lot when I'm burning 3500-4000 calories/day of pure fat? I wish the quack doctor would explain that. Your body doesn't care where the calories come from, as long as they're available.

It still amazes me how people still call it a quick fix when in actuality it is a lifelong plan of weight loss and weight maintenance. It'd be nice if you would at least learn what exactly it is before you denounce it.

Be scared if you want; believe these quacks who want you to be fat & sick so you'll come visit them more often and help them buy more BMWs. I for one have decided to take my health into my own hands, and the HCG diet is working fantastic for me.

Call it a quack if you want but not all doctors are in the medical field just for the money. Many are but some aren't. I've went with my parents to their doctors and to my own doctor and they've never suggested ANY type of diet but told me to eat right, exercise a little, and the fat will come off. Since 8/29 I've lost 14lbs and I'm so incredibly proud of myself. I have so much confidence in myself now because I know that I don't NEED the latest magic pill or injection to lose weight. I have a higher self-esteem for myself because of my accomplishments. NOBODY needs any type of surgery, pills, injections, etc. to lose weight. And just about ANY health professional will tell you that losing more than 2-3lbs. per week is NOT healthy. The best way to lose weight is slow and steady or you risk stressing your heart and other vital organs and I can back that up. If you lose weight too fast, 90% of the time you'll gain it all right back. And unless you learn proper eating habits, you'll never be healthy and slim.

Now to back up my statements. I was watching "One Nation Overweight" (a special documentary on MSNBC or something like that, google it) and they had a morbidly obese man have bariatic (SP?) surgery and 2 months later he ended up having a heart attack and DYING. Why? Because it was an overnight change and it shocked his body. So go ahead and lose 1-2lbs. daily with HCG and have a heart attack. I'll keep losing my 1-3lbs per week and slowly adjust my body the healthy way. Now are you going to call me a liar? Have some common sense people.

Nich0le

Here's my thoughts, DIETS DONT WORK!!! It doesn't matter what the title, the pill or any hype because people think of diets as temporary, a means to reach a goal and then they get to their goal and realize how difficult or expensive it will be to maintain a diet plan.

Hcg will end up like all the others, a thing of the past.

For all of you who have tried and failed for years and years to do it the right way all I can say is you weren't trying hard enough, ya I know that was a bit harsh but I am one of those people and it wasn't until I realized I wasn't giving a 100% each and everyday that I finally took ownership for my weight. Eventually you are going to have to learn to exercise everyday and eat only the calories you need as fuel, until you do this you will continue to yo yo and fight the battle of the bulge.

What i want to know is why does spending so much money on ridiculous pills or shots and the following the "program" suddenly make people feel like this is the only plan that has ever worked for them. It's just like Alli, if you would just follow the low fat food plan and exercise you would still lose weight and that's a much better way than the poor women who have tried it and end up with anal leakage at parties because they ate a freaking steak.

In the end, it is up to each of us to decide our path in life and if you choose the path with quick fixes you will spend your life repairing those quick fixes so to each their own, you can try to reason on either side and the other is NEVER going to listen so let the diet pill poppers and shot takers and master cleanse drinkers learn their way and let the exercise and healthy food people do it their way and when it really counts is who maintains it best and according to the national diet registry the people in the latter will always prevail! :drinker: :drinker:

HealthyChanges2010

Here's my thoughts, DIETS DONT WORK!!! It doesn't matter what the title, the pill or any hype because people think of diets as temporary, a means to reach a goal and then they get to their goal and realize how difficult or expensive it will be to maintain a diet plan.

Hcg will end up like all the others, a thing of the past.

For all of you who have tried and failed for years and years to do it the right way all I can say is you weren't trying hard enough, ya I know that was a bit harsh but I am one of those people and it wasn't until I realized I wasn't giving a 100% each and everyday that I finally took ownership for my weight. Eventually you are going to have to learn to exercise everyday and eat only the calories you need as fuel, until you do this you will continue to yo yo and fight the battle of the bulge.

What i want to know is why does spending so much money on ridiculous pills or shots and the following the "program" suddenly make people feel like this is the only plan that has ever worked for them. It's just like Alli, if you would just follow the low fat food plan and exercise you would still lose weight and that's a much better way than the poor women who have tried it and end up with anal leakage at parties because they ate a freaking steak.

In the end, it is up to each of us to decide our path in life and if you choose the path with quick fixes you will spend your life repairing those quick fixes so to each their own, you can try to reason on either side and the other is NEVER going to listen so let the diet pill poppers and shot takers and master cleanse drinkers learn their way and let the exercise and healthy food people do it their way and when it really counts is who maintains it best and according to the national diet registry the people in the latter will always prevail! :drinker: :drinker:

Nice post Nich0le and very good points!:drinker:

Beebee78

When you come to the logical conclusion that the only way doctors and pharmaceutical companies make money is if you're sick. And that fat, unhealthy people tend to get sick more often than thin, healthy people, it makes perfect sense that doctors denounce the HCG diet. Because it actually works and they can't make any money from it!

I personally compare them to Jiffy Lube Mechanics, always trying to scare you into purchasing more useless crap from them.

Everything this lying quack said was either a scare tactic or categorically false. And of course he has no facts to back up his false opinions. I'm a 275lb man. I've eaten 500 calories/day for 7 days in a row and haven't been hungry once. I'm not starving; the HCG is releasing fat and my body is burning it as energy. Pretty straight-forward! Why do I have to eat a lot when I'm burning 3500-4000 calories/day of pure fat? I wish the quack doctor would explain that. Your body doesn't care where the calories come from, as long as they're available.

It still amazes me how people still call it a quick fix when in actuality it is a lifelong plan of weight loss and weight maintenance. It'd be nice if you would at least learn what exactly it is before you denounce it.

Be scared if you want; believe these quacks who want you to be fat & sick so you'll come visit them more often and help them buy more BMWs. I for one have decided to take my health into my own hands, and the HCG diet is working fantastic for me.

You might not feel hungry but that doesn't mean that medically your body isn't starving. And a starving body doesn't metabolise fat, it takes from where the energy is stored - muscle.

Honestly I can sit here and type this because I have been where you are - I honestly had to exhaust every diet opportunity to try and get my weight down for fertility treatment. Always kidding myself that fat people shouldn't exercise blah blah blah.

The HCG diet may be working for you right now because yes you are losing weight, but you're not getting fitter, you're not losing fat and once you stop the HCG your body will revert to it's old pattern and you will end up in the cycle of yo yo dieting.

You say this dr is a lying quack who wants to make money but honestly what do you think these diet companies are doing? They're not exactly giving you these things for free are they. Most of these low cal diets require you to actually stay on the packs pretty much for life if you wish to maintain your weight ( cleverly written in to their small print).

I come from the UK where dr's actually take obesity very seriously and are quick to try and help patients lose weight. I used to hate that they suggested exercise and looking at what I eat but I am now about to start the 4th week of eating right and exercising 6 days a week after years of spending anything up to £60 a week on these silly pills and potions, and I can honestly say I have never felt better.

Honestly from someone who has been there and learnt too late how to do this for good I just wish people would listen to what others are saying - we're not 'bashing' a fad, we're giving you sound advice and long term solutions to weight issues. Not because we sit here all skinny and high and mighty, but because we too are struggling but know from experience what works.

Nicole - fantastic reply xxx

Grokette

I appreciate you posting this. Regardless of the few HCG fanatics on here, I think others need to hear the truth. Everytime someone posts something about this, it turns into WWIII. Great that its a well-respected individual speaking about it too.

The funny thing is, the words spoken by this doctor are NOT the truth.

Any doctor that goes along with convential thinking and will not think out of the box for alternative treatments is not a good doctor in my eyes............

Another funny thing is my body is working like it supposed to, like getting a monthly cycle..........

I am losing fat, not losing any muscle and I have energy now I didn't have for years before hand. I am also eating very clean.

skinnytayy

I appreciate you posting this. Regardless of the few HCG fanatics on here, I think others need to hear the truth. Everytime someone posts something about this, it turns into WWIII. Great that its a well-respected individual speaking about it too.

The funny thing is, the words spoken by this doctor are NOT the truth.

Any doctor that goes along with convential thinking and will not think out of the box for alternative treatments is not a good doctor in my eyes............

Another funny thing is my body is working like it supposed to, like getting a monthly cycle..........

I am losing fat, not losing any muscle and I have energy now I didn't have for years before hand. I am also eating very clean.

Think what you want. To each his own. I'm allowed to have my own opinion. Every doctor I've talked to about weight issues has told me to do exactly what I'm doing now and slow and steady is best or you can cause a boatload of problems. Like a man that had weight loss surgery, lost a TON of weight fast, ended up having a heart attack 2 months later. It put stress on his heart and I'd rather not do that. Also, I don't think a good doctor is one that makes you a guinea pig for the latest diet. I think a good doctor is someone who will give their honest opinion on what is the most successful AND healthy way to lose weight which will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be the "old fashioned" way. I'm perfectly happy with my success and I KNOW that I can live this way forever. I couldn't live forever taking pills and shots.

Beebee78

I appreciate you posting this. Regardless of the few HCG fanatics on here, I think others need to hear the truth. Everytime someone posts something about this, it turns into WWIII. Great that its a well-respected individual speaking about it too.

The funny thing is, the words spoken by this doctor are NOT the truth.

Any doctor that goes along with convential thinking and will not think out of the box for alternative treatments is not a good doctor in my eyes............

Another funny thing is my body is working like it supposed to, like getting a monthly cycle..........

I am losing fat, not losing any muscle and I have energy now I didn't have for years before hand. I am also eating very clean.

I guess the fact that the AMA and FDA attribute weightloss on the HCG diet to the low calorie intake rather than the taking of the HCG hormone doesn't go anyway to showing that there is doubt as to this diet's effectiveness? The facts show that the use of HCG is based on theory alone. I guess that speaks for itself.

When I think about it all low cal diets allow you to lose the weight without having to take the HCG. The dr's point about depression is entirely true and has been proven by many of these low cal diets - to the point where in this country if you have suffered from depression, a dr is likely to not let you go ahead with it as the risk of developing depression again will be too high.

As for the monthly cycle, any rapid weightloss will affect this and change length of cycle etc. It doesn't necessarily mean that normal hormonal function has returned as it is entirely possible to have annovulatory cycles and still menstruate.

azmomof2

Hey my two cents and my opinion as well... it's already been given once I'll give it again http://www.hcgloss.com/pounds-and-inches.html.

In my opinion if you haven't fully read and researched this diet then your opinion means zero. Why would anyone want to jump on a bandwagon and not truly know what they are bashing? Please if you want to make a statement based on one Dr's opinion than at least be willing to read the other Dr's opinion..you know the one who actually researched. Read it go ahead I dare you :laugh:

stormieweather

Absolutely. I DO wish people would research it before they use it.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/982252/hcg_diet_studies_show_results_equal_pg2.html?cat=5

Here are the results of actual scientifically controlled studies which were conducted in 1976, 1987, 1990, and 1995. Do we really have to perform the study again every time the HCG marketing engine revs up for another round of money making? In 1976, Researchers Stein, Julis, Peck , Hinshaw, Sawicki, and Deller concluded: "There was no statistically significant difference in the means of the two groups in number of injections received, weight loss, percent of weight loss, hip and waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or in hunger ratings. HCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness of a rigidly imposed regimen for weight reduction." A review of 20 available studies published in the German Medical Journal "Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde" concluded "These studies showed a significant weight reduction during dieting, but no differences between treatment groups in respect of body weight, body proportions and feeling of hunger," and "...the opinion of the German steroid toxicology panel is still valid, that HCG is ineffective in dieting and should not be used." A review of the data by Lijesen, Theeuwen, Assendelft, and Van Der Wal published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology said plainly "We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being." There are more, but I'll save you the time, the conclusions are the same.

The FDA isn't just being 'difficult' by refusing to approve HCG, it simply doesn't work the way it's advertised to.

skinnytayy

Hey my two cents and my opinion as well... it's already been given once I'll give it again http://www.hcgloss.com/pounds-and-inches.html.

In my opinion if you haven't fully read and researched this diet then your opinion means zero. Why would anyone want to jump on a bandwagon and not truly know what they are bashing? Please if you want to make a statement based on one Dr's opinion than at least be willing to read the other Dr's opinion..you know the one who actually researched. Read it go ahead I dare you :laugh:

Actually I've read that ... 2 times. Just read it again today to refresh my memory. It's not so much the diet itself that I don't agree with its losing the weight so fast that I don't agree with. I don't agree with losing a few pounds daily because there are plenty of people out in this world who suffered tremendously from losing weight too fast. It stresses the heart and can cause things like heart attacks. You are supposedly to slowly adjust your body to change, not shock it by losing 10lbs per week. Also, I just don't see how most people would be able to keep the weight off afterwards. The faster you lose weight, the more likely it will come back with a vengeance. However, I'm smart enough to know that some people will be successful with HCG and to those who have done it and maintained for over a year, then congratulations! Major accomplishment!! BUT not everyone is cut out to do a diet like that (binge eaters,etc) and then there are some people who'd rather not use pills/shots just because its an UNBELIEVABLE sense of pride and accomplishment felt when you've lost weight all by yourself (that's me). The ONLY other thing I have against HCG is the fact that no current studies have been done on it. If the last clinical trial was done in 1995, then its possible that we know something now that we didn't know then and I'd just rather not risk my life over it although every day I've spent overweight I've risked my life. So to each his own. I'll personally NEVER spend the money or risk on HCG because it wouldn't give me the sense of pride that I get now, I don't want to risk my life by shocking my body, and I don't see the point in wasting money on something you can do yourself even though sometimes your body is stubborn.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Whether you choose atkins, south beach, slimfast, HCG protocols, or the old-fashioned way think about possible side effects and MOST IMPORTANTLY ask yourself this: Can I live this way forever?

And before I leave, congratulations to EVERYONE (HCGers included) for your weight loss successes! That's what we are here for - to support each other and receive support :flowerforyou:

cparter

Great discussion on both sides. I knew this post will bring out the bashers as well of "we" who have read other opinions by professional doctors. Along with our research and common sense we refuse to draw into the conclusing that this is good. If the FDA and College of Sports Mediciine approved of this then that is something I would take a second look at. Why would anyone be so set on something that is proposed by those trying to take your money when it has not been approved or supported by the governing world bodies that counts in the medical world.

Look past those articles that support it and those doctors filling your head with quick solutions. Look past your desperation and quick short time results. Open your mind and ask yourself; hummmm, after 40 years in existence why hasn't the Food and Drug Administration approved this product. Why does the American College of Sports Medicine reject this product as a "Diet Fad" instead of supporting it and recommending it to those who are having trouble losing weight.

Yes, i opened my mind and researched it. I see those who rave on it and there are many articles that do. Why wouldn't a doctor rave that he did such and such study and this is excellent for those who are trying to lose weight fast and failed over the years.

WAKE UP! HE WANTS YOUR MONEY AND YOU ARE WILLING TO LET HIM HAVE IT!

I am not trying to harsh but I am being bluntly serious about calling this a success story and those who keep lauding over it. You can continue using it and that is your choice but until you realize the truth behind a life style change you will eventually set yourself up for failure. Never in my life would I want some drug or surgery to be the key to my success. I will learn nothing through that. Now, to contradict myself, there are some of the hCG users who will succeed because a percentage of all "Dieters" will succeed (although that number is low) because eventually some of you will learn the true meaning of proper nutrition and exercise and after you have weened yourself from this dangerous cycle you will be a part of us on the other side of the spectacle who will continue rejecting this not just because it is a dirty word (diet) but because it relies on unsupported ideas/products.

I am here to support those who want to make a change for life and stay fit. I also support anyone who gain success but I wil never support this until I see the FDA or ACSM change their views and even then it will be difficult.