HCG Weight loss

Christin09

What are your thoughts on this form of weight loss when accompanied by low calorie diet and exercise?

Krizzle4Rizzle

I have read alittle bit about this. For some reason it kinda scares me. From what I read you only eat about 500 calories a day. That just doesn't seem super healthy. But, maybe I'm wrong.

lotusfromthemud

If you search "HCG" here on the forum search (right above, there's a "search" option) you will get a LOT of discussion here on the boards.

It's a highly controversial (some would say very unhealthy) method.

Lisamarie1226

I actually did this for 20 days...I needed a little jump start to getting back on track. I'll be honest, I would NOT do it long term. It's not for me. BUT, I will say this, I do know that what works for some, may not work for others and you have to do what's best for you and YOUR goals.

My boyfriends' mom did it for a round of 40 days and lost 30+ lbs....then didn't follow the maintenance program very well so regained a few back. She got some promotional incentive, so she asked me if I wanted to do 20 days (she would pay for it), so I said "sure." The first day was hard but you do get used to it. I did stall after a few days and had to eat nothing but apples for a day in order to lose weight again.

You cannot/should not/do not have to work out while only taking in 500 calories a day. I tried to workout because I actually LIKE to work out and the gym is my sanctuary. I couldn't jog, only walk and I couldn't do it for a long period of time or for any decent speed or intensity to work up a good sweat. So after that failed attempt, I didn't work out while I was on the diet.

I lost 11 lbs and that was just the thing I needed to get back on track. So for ME, short term it was okay. I have a friend here at work that has lost 30 lbs and she is determined to stick with it for awhile (she doesn't like to exercise) and starting weight was close to 300 lbs. My BFs mom wants to do it again. She didn't ask me this time around because I've got this now ;-)

Do some research, see what other people who have done it have said (the GOOD and the BAD...a lot of people concentrate on the negative and they haven't even tried it). Good luck!

hpsnickers1

One article (I trust no product that claims it can promote fast weight loss. I don't see how 500 calories a day can be healthy at all. Our bodies need the nutrients from the healthy foods we eat. We can't even trust the multi-vitamins we take. The only pills we should be taking are Vitamin D, Calcium, and Omega - 3's.

http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/hcg-review.html

and:

http://www.dietscam.org/reports/hcg.shtml

and:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss

There is no safe treatment for fast weight loss. I don't care what the people trying to sell the products says. Lose it slow, change to healthier eating habits, exercise and don't worry too much about numbers on the scale. According to my scale I've lost a whole 2 pounds in the last couple of months. My clothes and mirror tell me another story. I've stopped caring about the numbers and focus on the way I feel which is wonderful!

MiloBloom83

There is lots of dicussion about this on the boards. You will get both sides of the issue. My opinion, based on what i have read, would be to avoid HCG and and opt for a life-style change instead. Diet and exercise are the the healthiest, most sustainable, and ,unfortunately, slowest, ways to lose weight. It seems dangerous to inject or otherwise induce a foriegn hormone into the body for the sole purpose of weight loss. A 500 calorie/day diet is not sustainable, you will be miserable and thinking about food all the time, and throwing your body into starvation mode to boot. On some posts, i have seen people say they have lost 30-60 pounds, only to gain it back(and then some) when they stop treatments. In that regard, i would call HCG a typical fad diet with yo-yo results, and that's not what you're after here. Long term, sustainable results require hard work and effort. You are worth the effort. Count those calories(old fashioned, i know!), and get off the couch and run(or at least walk). It works. I've lost over 30 lbs. in the last 2 years(10 of them in the last two months after joining MFP) by changing my diet, eating less buffet lunches, cutting out the soft drinks(but not 100%), and biking and running. My energy is through the roof, and i feel and sleep so much better.

One last thought. I don't see how any exercise program could be fueled by a 500 calorie diet. To lose weight, women should consume a minimum of 1200 calories per day, PLUS any exercise calories burned. I know, sounds crazy, but my wife has lost 27 pounds doing just that in the last 120 days.

Good luck in whatever you decide

rob1976

Anyone that is interested in HCG or is already on the HCG protocol can come to our support thread located here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/131832-hcg-progress-updates-page-2-for-people-on-it-or-thinking-a?hl=hcg&page=10#posts-1823378