HCG and the 500 calorie a day diet.

1FitMomof4Girls

Disclaimer:

I would NEVER in a million years, EVER attempt this diet. I just heard about it last night, at church of all places.
(NOT part of the sermon)
A few of the ladies are going to start this program. I asked a couple questions/ voiced a couple of concerns...

I am curious to know what everyone else thinks of this.:flowerforyou:

jrueckert

Oh it's been the fad FOREVER now - but every single person I know who tried it is fat again. I tried it for about a week. It's just another way that people think they can lose weight fast without doing it the old fashioned (healthy) way.

leelee03

I actually have a guy friend who is beginning that program...He has a friend who is a professor that teaches nutrition who was very successful with it.

D1jana

OMGoodness. That seems dangerous. It may be good and work fast in the short run. But I highly doubt that this type of weightloss will keep the weight off long term. This could be a really big shock to your system and weight will come off really fast but as soon as they start eating more then 500 calories that will come back. I would think so

I can barely maintain 1200 calories a day...500? OMG!

goodthingslast

I did it this time last year, actually. It was a HUGE struggle for me. However, it did help me put the calorie count of things in perspective. For example a little debbie snack is about 300 calories....that was almost a full day's amount of calories!

I thought of doing it again and then a friend of mine introduced me to Beachbody products and that's been my route since November. I still have two bottles of the HCG drops in my bathroom cupboard and will hopefully never, ever use it! I was constantly tired, hungry and cranky. I lost 21 lbs on it and gained every ounce of it back!

HoopFire5602

My mother actually does this diet. She says it works for her. I think it is a starvation diet that will have dangerous consequences later on in life. But I guess it is easier for some to severly restrict their calories or not eat at all to avoid the hassle of counting. As a former anorexic/overexerciser I hate this diet and don't want people to ever suffer like I did. But at the same time people have to discover the truth for themselves, just as I did.

eillamarie

Sounds like a fad diet that is sure to trigger anorexia and quickly become one of the favorites of that community.

OLP76

If it sounds to good to be true...it probably is...:laugh:

nancyst

My sister is doing this and has lost a lot of weight. She goes to a nutritionist and doctor weekly to be checked. She has done this kind of thing in the past and put the weight right back on. Concerned that it will happen again but she has learned a lot about nutrition by going to dietician so it may work for her. I don't like the idea of using HCG and it just can't be healthy to eat just 500 calories a day...

myofibril

Disclaimer:

I would NEVER in a million years, EVER attempt this diet. I just heard about it last night, at church of all places.
(NOT part of the sermon)
A few of the ladies are going to start this program. I asked a couple questions/ voiced a couple of concerns...

I am curious to know what everyone else thinks of this.:flowerforyou:

Read this:

http://www.tomvenuto.com/asktom/HCG_diet_is_it_a_scam.shtml

kerriBB37

I don't know TOO much about it but my aunt and uncle and another aunt have tried it. At Christmas all three of them look great and the talked up the HGC product. They stated they were NOT hungry during the day either and they stuck to the 500 cals/day. I don't know. They tried to talk me into trying it but to me, good ol' diet and exercise is the best way for long term results! I haven't seen any of them since Christmas and I am really curious if they have kept it off. They had each lost anywhere from 20-30 pounds in just over a month--sounds like craziness and an unhealthy approach to me! That's just my experience with it.

PraiseHimAlways

http://www.myfox28columbus.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wtte_vid_9530.shtml

Here is a link from a FOX affiliate.
You'll have to copy and paste the link to watch the clip.
I have a friend who is doing this diet.
I would never do this diet myself.

Nhunt09

Gibson76, its the funniest thing...I think all church leaders are doing it in my area. And not to mention, that I work in healthcare and there are alot of people with specialized training who should know better than to do this type of diet, but they are still doing it. It is not healthy to reduce your caloric intake to 500 calories a day! And these drops? What exactly is it? There hasn't been any formal studies showing its effectiveness, nor that they are safe. And once they return to a normal diet, they will just gain the weight back. I love seeing results, but I'm not willing to go to extremes....

calequestrian

I know a couple of people who did it, and they did indeed lose the weight, but it just seemed so drastic, and they are always sick! The other people I know that started it, did ok but were so hungry all the time and therefore did not stick to it. Personally, I am using MFP and then I am excercising. I am using My Fitness Coach from Wii and the Wii Fitness (mostly to use the BMI and goal sheet), Denise Austin DVD's and Denise Austin's Yoga and Pilates. I am not melting away, but I am losing about a half pound to a pound per week, but the clothes are fitting better. I don't really buy into get skinny quick diets, the end result is that they often gain the weight back.. But that is my opinion...

fotofreak01

wow! How can anyone live on 500 calories a day?? I have a hard time some days with only taking in 1200. I agree w/ most everyone else, it can't be safe or healthy.

rautaty

I don't know, I don't recomend this, is it be done under medical supervision?
I heard people lose a lot of weight, but it could be because they eat only 500 a day. Plus playing with your hormons might have nasty side-effects.

scagneti

There are threads for support groups of users of the diet for more information. Most seem to have a lot of weight to lose so it's not something that I've really looked into as I'm a healthy BMI and haven't had struggles with traditional weight loss. I'm sure that one of the users of this method will have a lot more information about it than us who haven't used it and don't get past the "500 calories" part.

1FitMomof4Girls

Thanks folks!
I have had great sucess with losing the "old fashioned" way and these ladies have seen me do it. They talk about my dedication all the time....
Which is exactly why I have no idea why someone would want to do something that seems a so unhealthy and a little dangerous.

luv2ash

I am not completely familiar with the diet---but I would hope that it teaches all their individuals using it how to to eat and maintain their weight loss as you certainly cannot be on it forever.

I, too, am on a program--that has me eating 1000 calories a day, but I am geting all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals of a 2000 calorie diet--this has been doctor recommended and has been around for 30 years and has been life changing for me. But, the program is teaching me the health habits and tools that I need for long-term success. KEY!!!

amyoliver85

Hi Gibson76:

Having done the hcg diet, I can tell you that you should definitely be concerned for those ladies that are considering the diet. Having researched it plenty afterward, I can tell you that you should be doubly concerned.

1) Extreme weight loss can cause severe problems for your gallbladder. Since I lost mine to a rupture (which can kill you, btw), I happen to know a lot about the subject. My gallbladder problems, were as confirmed by a doctor, the result of extreme weight loss--just before my incident, I was on the hcg diet. Not to mention, I gained about 18 lbs. after my gallbladder came out because while doctors say it is not necessary, it actually does affect your body composition for many reasons I won't go into here.

2) 90% of people who go on hcg gain all of the weight back within 6 months - 1 year. Why? Because you can't maintain 500 calories per day forever. And without exercise, you will gain the weight back. So it's just wasted money.

3) Hcg will not give your friends the body they want. They think hcg is a miracle cure but unfortunately, while hcg can drop you a pant size or two in the timeframe allotted, it won't get rid of the shape associated with what caused the weight gain in the first place.

4) People who are NOT obese have no reason to use hcg. In the 70s, when this diet was first created it was meant only for the morbidly obese. Well unfortunately it's back on the market and back in advertising but with a caveat. The creator-doctor is not around to say, "THIS IS NOT FOR regular people who need to lose less than 100 pounds!!!" When the diet was first created, you couldn't get into this diet unless you had enormous amounts of weight to lose. Why is it different now??? I'll telly you why: advertising.

5) Your friends are going to be missing out on some major vitamins, proteins, etc. Getting these things from pills and capsules is NOT the same as getting them from real foods. You ARE what you EAT. Ask your friends what they want to be. I for one, do not want to be a pill or capsule. I also don't want to be hcg. I would much rather be comprised of 1200-1500 calories NET per day of veggies and fruits and fibers. All natural. And all beautiful.

6) If your friends are not 100% committed to losing the weight for life, this diet is going to backfire BIG TIME. Zero sugar, pretty much zero carbs. They can't just go on this diet and eat whatever they want. And even if they're committed to eating healthy, there are even restrictions in that arena. Like fruit...fruit is a SIMPLE SUGAR. So unless they're willing to give up pretty much all fruit, they won't be able to accomplish the diet.

7) They have to GAIN weight to lose weight on this diet. There are 3 loading days prior to the start of the actual "dieting". And during this phase you can gain anywhere from 6-15 pounds! But if they don't do it and they don't allow themselves to gain the weight, not only will the diet not work and they will lose very little if any weight during the entire process, but they will also be incredibly ILL for the duration.

8) Absolutely no fast food. Let them know that there's no going to Mcdonald's and just choosing healthy meals. And there's no going to a sit down restaurant either. Do they really want to stop living completely for 40 days?

9) Absolutely no alcohol. I know you go to church so these people probably aren't consuming much if any, but that means from all sources. No sugar alcohols like xylitol and no vanilla flavoring.

10) NO SODA! No even diet sodas are allowed because Aspartame and Splenda are not allowed.

11) They will probably have to give up their makeup, shampoo, lotions and possibly even their deodorant. That's right. This diet is SERIOUS about making sure you are not introducing any toxins at all into your system. So they need to be prepared for that. If they're not prepared to make those changes, this diet will not produce results.

Anywho, that's probably overkill for what you were expecting, but I can tell that you must really care about these ladies so I wanted to give you as many facts as possible to give them so they can make a truly educated decision.

I also hope they are actually doing to a medical diet clinic and not just buying this off the net or from some ramshackle store because you NEVER get the information you need if you go anywhere but a medical clinic. I am proof positive of that.

ahartery9891

This is ridiculous. Has anyone seen the video??

http://www.greenhcg.com/vlcd-diet-menu.php

I love how she refers to 'fat bags' all over your body. Also, what's with the binge-eating before? That can't be healthy.

Since starting here, I have put myself to a 1200 calorie diet. Even with this, I find myself going over on the daily intake of protein I am supposed to be taking. I could not imagine how difficult it would be to stick to a 500 calorie diet. People burn more calories at rest throughout the day!

For the people who have tried this - did you have enough energy throughout your day?

I'll stick to my own diet - portion control and not starving myself.

catcrazy

I am by no means a fan of HCG...you're paying thru the nose to starve yourself thin but if you go back to bad eating habits you will put the weight back on no matter how you lose it. There are people on here that lost all their weight doing it the "healthy" way but put it all back on.

I have known someone on HCG and the cambridge diet keep the weight off because they followed the reintroduction of food phase properly and then followed that with a healthy eating plan but they are the exception rather than the rule...and I believe this is purely because if you lose it fast you have little time or inclination to learn moderation etc.

AmberBarrios

I read an article a few months ago about the fact that the HCG hormone is only active when injected, the drops are bascially just pointless if it is not active. What causes the weight loss is the 500 calories a day! If I were only eating 500 calories a day not taking anything I am sure I could drop weight quick too.

I apologize if I offend anyone by my comments about this. I just have a very strong personal opinion about this particular subject.

amyoliver85

I apologize if I offend anyone by my comments about this. I just have a very strong personal opinion about this particular subject.

Everyone should have a strong opinion about hcg.And I don't think anyone can really be offended by what you have to say. You've read about the diet and formulated an opinion.

Likewise, I hope people will realize that my opinions about hcg are based entirely on facts I have learned about it and from actually doing the diet myself. There have actually been a few people on MFP who have gotten rather angry with me because I give them the advice to not do the diet and to stick with a healthy plan and make goals that are reasonable. One person told me that I was simply fat and would always be fat so I shouldn't talk. I found it rather humorous.

elfie9863

"Ok so research proved that HCG doesn't work and the biggest, most public promoter of HCG diets has been charged with fraud by the FTC. So why do so many people STILL pursue this fad? I don't know, but one reason may be because medical doctors are promoting it, and you tend to trust medical doctors. Some MD's have built a thriving business around this.

This is an example that (A) medical doctors are not always right and (B) some doctors will shill or promote bogus "weight loss cures" for money.

Below you will see a list of all the pertinent studies about HCG.... and the virtually unanimous conclusion is that HCG is baloney.

Word to the wise: Stay away from this stuff and from the people who promote it. "

Quote from previous article cited by MSF74.

njean888

I did it and lost 15 pounds in 23 days, of that 15 I gained 7 back. I still was thrilled. But in retrospect, I truly believe weight loss has to be a lifestyle change forever. Not just some program to do every now and then.

myofibril

If anyone is interested in some further reading this is a position statement from The American Society of Bariatric Physicians on the HCG diet:

http://www.asbp.org/resources/uploads/files/HCG Position Statement.pdf

Which states:

"Numerous clinical trials have shown HCG to be ineffectual in producing weight loss. HCG injections can induce a slight increase in muscle mass in androgen-deficient males. The diet used in the Simeons method provides a lower protein intake than is advisable in view of current knowledge and practice. There are few medical literature reports favorable to the Simeons
method; the overwhelming majority of medical reports are critical of it. Physicians employing either the HCG or the diet recommended by Simeons may expose themselves to criticism from other physicians, from insurers, or from government bodies"

Ultimately people are free to do what they wish and as they wish with their own bodies. I think sadly the profit motive and good health advice do not go hand and hand. The best anyone can do is present the relevant information for debate and hope in that way people can make informed decisions over what is best for them balancing the benefits and drawbacks of any approach.

boognish1972

Well, starvation is certainly one way to lose weight fast. I prefer to do it through exercise and healthy diet choices personally, but if they want to starve themselves, I guess it's up to them. But you can't live forever on a 500 calorie diet, so what happens when they go back to eating the same crappy food that made them fat in the first place? This diet is the poster child for the "Yo-Yo Effect".

I have a friend who swears by the Cabbage Soup diet, and uses it to lose weight whenever he starts packing it on. It works well for him, but in the end he always puts that weight back on.

kunmingmom

I searched the posts for this info because I have 2friends who have started this diet. I voiced my concern because I feel they are starving themselves and not going about weight loss in a healthy way!! I've been working at my weight loss for 2+ years and have lost 20 of my 30. It's slow but it's staying off!!!
Glad to have found this post, it validates my suspicions!!!!

AlexandraLove

If I was eating 500 calories really filling foods, then I could maybe pull it off... but I can barely handle 1200 with all the filling foods in the world.

The only time I was on 500 and it worked... I had the flu, was too sick to go out to shop, and only had cheerios, OJ, and a very low appetite to work with. Lost 5 pounds that week (quite a pleasant surprise when I got on the scale, actually...).

fricksmom

Okay, I'll let you throw stones at me. I'm on my second 30-day round of HCG and love this protocol. Thus far, I've lost 30 pounds.

First, I am under the care of my physician with weekly weigh in's, food diary reviews, health checks, as well as mental health checks. And, I am doing the injection method. You can only do the low calorie (500 calories) protocol for 30 days, then 3 weeks at 1500 calories, during which you consume no processed sugars or alcohol, and slowly bring back carbs watching your body's reaction and you begin exercising daily. After the 3 weeks of maintenance, if you want to do another round of HCG protocol, you can only do so after waiting an additional 3 weeks, so there is a 6-week lapse in-between rounds. Additionally, my physician will only allow 4 total rounds of HCG per patient.

During my first 6 weeks after completing my first round of HCG, I continued to lose weight and inches. By keeping a food and weight journal the entire time (a requirement in the program) and after having learned portion control during the 500 calorie protocol, I had learned what were good foods and what foods I needed to stay away from.

During all stages of HCG I have not been hungry and my energy level has been through the roof. Other changes: no more hot flashes, no indigestion (had severe indigestion that couldn't even be control with prescription meds), I truly think better and am less stressed--which means I'm more productive in my career, and my blood pressure decreased to 120/60. It was so high before the regimen, that I was being monitored with the next step being prescribed medication to bring it down.

The protocol during the low calorie is very strict:

(a) Fruit choices --- grapefruit, strawberries, oranges, apples.

(b) Protein allowed includes chicken breast, seafood (dolphin, shrimp, lobster, tilapia, flounder, grouper, crab, halibut, sole, Chilean sea bass, snapper, sole, catfish), beef (lean cuts--sirloin, 94-97% fat free hamburger, buffalo, veal).

(c) Veggies: cabbage, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, swiss chard, beet greens, romaine, fennel, asparagus, chicory and celery.

Organic produce and meat are highly recommended. No oils, sprays, butter allowed in cooking, and vegetables cannot be mixed during a meal, meaning some meals you will eat 2 cups of fresh asparagus with your 3.5 ounces of fish or chicken.

The protocol also calls for no oils in products used on the skin, which means your deodorant, shampoos/conditioners, make-up, etc. Before the HCG protocol, I had severely dry skin and had to use a prescribed cortisone cream to battle eczema on my hands and legs. When I heard no oils/creams, I was concerned; however organic aloe vera and other types of more natural products can be used. Following the protocol and using these alternative products has resulted in my eczema going away. For me that is huge as I have battled eczema since before I was a teenager.

Some posters in this thread stated you put your life on hold when doing this diet. I not only ate out, went to parties and concerts, I traveled internationally while on the low calorie portion of the diet. I simply ordered smartly and controlled my portions, and enjoyed sparkling water or ice tea in substitution of "adult libations." Restaurants will oblige when you ask for the use of no oils or butters and you can find organic fruits and veggies most places.

Is this diet for everyone? No. Are there dangers associated with it? Everyone is different and if doing the diet unsupervised or for longer than 30 days, I'm sure there could be negative consequences. Will I gain the weight back? I am determined not to and have learned the importance of portion control and exercise. If I went back to my old patterns, I'm sure the weight would come back.

I begin maintenance again next weekend. I'm looking forward to mixed salads, doubling my protein, adding back in good carbs, resuming my exercise regimen, and being able to lather up with my preferred shampoo and conditioner.

A third (and possibly a fourth) 30-day round of HCG is in my future, as I do have over 30 more pounds to lose.

For me, this protocol has been life changing. I am 50 years of age, have tried diet and exercise regimens in the past, but none of those have taught me what I have learned on this protocol.

I'm not here to convert or convince anyone that HCG is the way to go. I simply wish to educate others of the protocol (not more than 30 days) that there are many options out there, and each of us needs to make the best informed decision we can. HCG IS NOT for everyone, but at this time in my life and based upon the advice of my physician, it is a good one for me.