HCG... Has anyone tried this diet.

almeria1

One of my friends recommended teh HCG diet. What do you guiys think about it?

Saruman_w

It's crap.

MarieKae45

throw your energy behind eating healthy and moving your body, you'll be more successful in the long run.

dad106

500 calories and you get to use a hormone out of a pregnant womans pee.. Yea, sounds like a real winner to me.

P.S There is a search function.. I know theres a whole thread of HGC.. I highly suggest you look it up.

TheDeviation

At an extremely low calorie intake, they could give you bat droppings and you'd lose weight.

janegeno

At an extremely low calorie intake, they could give you bat droppings and you'd lose weight.

I predict The Guano Diet Primer would hit #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

infamousmk

... it must be Tuesday.

AlyRoseNYC

I know nothing about the diet except that it restricts you to 500 calories. I would not be happy eating that little amount of food. I love to eat

tkacomet

I won't lie - I tried it. giving solid proof that God is laughing - even on a 500 calorie diet I lost nothing. and I was a mean, ugly person. after three weeks I bumped back up to 1200, and immediately lost 2 pounds in a week. the silly expensive HCG made no difference at all. Now, this was with a supplement rather than the shots that a doctor oversees, so it may have been crap anyway. but the reality is: they promise that essentially your weight loss will be more efficient with the supplement, but you can do that yourself, healthier and less miserably, by eating right. keep your foods more nutritionally efficient. make sure you aren't "wasting" calories on crap. the weight will come off.

also - their diet requires you drink a metric buttload of water. if you actually do that, you'll be so full of water and spending so much time running to pee, you'll lose anyway. you don't need expensive supplements.

almeria1

A friend of mine lost 42 pounds in one month. I'm desperate to loose weight, and I go to the gym everyday, and watch my calories. This diet seems to promise great results.... I'm hesitant to try it because I would have to restrcit my workouts and eat too little.

I think I have to get my thyroid checked because nothing seems to work for me!

I won't lie - I tried it. giving solid proof that God is laughing - even on a 500 calorie diet I lost nothing. and I was a mean, ugly person. after three weeks I bumped back up to 1200, and immediately lost 2 pounds in a week. the silly expensive HCG made no difference at all. Now, this was with a supplement rather than the shots that a doctor oversees, so it may have been crap anyway. but the reality is: they promise that essentially your weight loss will be more efficient with the supplement, but you can do that yourself, healthier and less miserably, by eating right. keep your foods more nutritionally efficient. make sure you aren't "wasting" calories on crap. the weight will come off.

also - their diet requires you drink a metric buttload of water. if you actually do that, you'll be so full of water and spending so much time running to pee, you'll lose anyway. you don't need expensive supplements.

Saruman_w

You wanna lose weight? Do it the right way. Eat healthy and exercise. Sure, it'll take time but being impatient will only make you fail. Don't resort to pumping yourself with chemicals or hormones, or starving yourself to lose pounds.

bry_all01

if you enjoy throwing money into a toilet, getting injected with pregnant lady pee and not getting to eat, I'm sure you'll enjoy the Hungry Crazy Girl diet. Otherwise, not so much.

infamousmk

Are you being totally honest with yourself about what you're eating and how much you're working out? Are you eating wholesome, fresh and natural foods? Do you drink water every day? There are so many things that can affect weight loss, and jumping to "miracles" that have been proven as dangerous, or rushing to your doctor to check your thyroid are going to waste your time unless you can truly say, "I eat right and exercise plenty." I used to lie to myself all the time about how healthy I was actually being. Once I got for reals with myself, the weight started falling off.

Mudprints

The problem is if you get your body used to taking in 500 calories a day and then try to increase it to 1200+ calories per day without exercise. You will gain weight rapidly as your body starts to crave more and more food without the suppressant.

CakeFit21

It's crap.

LOL, actually it's piss! Pregnant lady pee! Yum!

TluvK

I read through the HCG diet thread once - not because I'm interested in using it, but I truly did want to know what is wrong with the people that think this is their only option. Anyway, I had to stop reading it when one of the women was suggesting to a newbie some vitamin to take that helps with hair loss...um...really???? You're ingesting something and starving yourself to the point of your hair falling out? FAIL!!!!!

dad106

A friend of mine lost 42 pounds in one month. I'm desperate to loose weight, and I go to the gym everyday, and watch my calories. This diet seems to promise great results.... I'm hesitant to try it because I would have to restrcit my workouts and eat too little.

I think I have to get my thyroid checked because nothing seems to work for me!

I won't lie - I tried it. giving solid proof that God is laughing - even on a 500 calorie diet I lost nothing. and I was a mean, ugly person. after three weeks I bumped back up to 1200, and immediately lost 2 pounds in a week. the silly expensive HCG made no difference at all. Now, this was with a supplement rather than the shots that a doctor oversees, so it may have been crap anyway. but the reality is: they promise that essentially your weight loss will be more efficient with the supplement, but you can do that yourself, healthier and less miserably, by eating right. keep your foods more nutritionally efficient. make sure you aren't "wasting" calories on crap. the weight will come off.

also - their diet requires you drink a metric buttload of water. if you actually do that, you'll be so full of water and spending so much time running to pee, you'll lose anyway. you don't need expensive supplements.

How long have you been trying to lose weight?

This is not something that happens overnight.. I hate to tell you.

If you're that desperate to lose weight, then you need to go talk to a doctor.. because I can tell you right now, you may lose all that weight but then the moment you go back to normal, it's all going to come flooding back and then some.

There is no replacement for a healthy diet and exercise.. period.

MrsCon40

500 calories without HCG would be considered a disordered eating plan. HCG has been scientifically proven time and again that it does not work.

Think about it... anything that promotes disordered eating and prohibits you from exercising CANNOT be healthy. Period.

You may be desperate to lose a lot of weight quickly... but as fast as it comes off, it goes right back on - and then some.

tkacomet

Are you being totally honest with yourself about what you're eating and how much you're working out? Are you eating wholesome, fresh and natural foods? Do you drink water every day? There are so many things that can affect weight loss, and jumping to "miracles" that have been proven as dangerous, or rushing to your doctor to check your thyroid are going to waste your time unless you can truly say, "I eat right and exercise plenty." I used to lie to myself all the time about how healthy I was actually being. Once I got for reals with myself, the weight started falling off.

This.

I have discovered through long and painful trial and error that no matter how many people tell you it's "calories in vs. calories out" that's just not true. I can eat the same number of calories, but if it's full of empty calories: sugar, refined grains, alcohol; I won't lose. if those same calories are high in protein, healthy fats, and tons of freshies, I lose. People can analyze the hell out of that all they want; I don't care WHY it works this way, it just does.

This is HARD - I'm a single mom working two jobs that both conflict with things like normal eating and working out times. I slack off. I eat out, I get tired and cram junk food in my face. I'm not speaking from on high, here. I'm just sharing my personal observations. if I can stick to healthy, nutrient rich foods, I lose. if I waste my calories on crap, I don't.

instead of throwing your money away on "quick fixes" instead invest your time. learn about nutrients, about what foods are the best bang for your caloric buck. then get to know quick-fix recipes you can do with those foods that take very little time and effort and thought. it takes some work but it's doable.

I chose to give myself one small challenge a week - first, I dropped all alcohol. (i'm a bartender and actor - that's a hard one!) then all breads, then all grains together. meanwhile, I made sure to add things that would make up for any nutrient deficiencies. it has been GREAT.

my next step is going to be sugars. (oh help! that one's going to be a pain in the butt!)

good luck. if you're worth investing the money for, you're worth investing the effort and time for. and you'll be so much happier.

ohwhataday

I highly recommend this diet!

starracer23

Again with this....there are already too many threads on this site about this sheeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Do some research, NOT ON MFP!!

If you want to lose weight it takes work! Not some expensive, "magic" and unhealthy way. You have to eat right (the amount and the proper foods to fuel your body) and you have to exercise.

You will not lose 56 lbs in a week...it's not healthy to do. You didn't gain the weight over night, you will NOT lose it that way.

Adynata

A friend of mine lost 42 pounds in one month. I'm desperate to loose weight, and I go to the gym everyday, and watch my calories. This diet seems to promise great results.... I'm hesitant to try it because I would have to restrcit my workouts and eat too little.

I think I have to get my thyroid checked because nothing seems to work for me!

42lbs in a month? What the hell?! That cannot be right. Nothing about that sounds healthy, unless the person was very overweight to begin with.

chantihayes

I am on HCG right now. You can message me if you want.
It is NOT "pregnant lady pee" as a couple have said. It is the hormone produced in high amounts in a pregnant woman... But anyone who has been pregnant knows that your HCG levels may be tested via BLOOD test. It is NOT exclusive to urine.
I do not take the drops, as they do not contain HCG. If you can get it without a prescription it is not HCG. HCG is approved by the FDA for fertility only, not weight loss. You have to be careful while on it (I'm fixed!). I go to a medical doctor for mine,through a weight loss program. I would never try to do this on my own as many in the HCG thread do. At my appointments I have my blood pressure checked, am weighed, and discuss any concerns. I also go over my week's diet / food intake and if I am lacking something the nurse makes sure I am made aware (has not happened yet though). The program is 800 calories , or 875 if you consume whole grains - which I do. I usually stay around 875 but sometimes go up to 900. Appettite supressants are given only in the first 2 weeks - after that they do no good anyway. I only take 1/2 of what they give anyway, because to be honest I am not that hungry. I think it is because I eat so balanced throughout the day - breakfast, am snack, lunch, dinner and pm snack.
Exercise IS allowed, and encouraged by my doctor. She wants me to do at least 30 min. a day of moderate cardio, and emphasizes strength training as well.
towards the end of the program, the nutritionist meets with me (and she is avail. anytime I need her mon-fri 7a-7p) to coem up with a plan to introduce more calories, keeping fat intake low.

I have tried this diet without hcg injections for the 2 weeks prior to my first appointment. I lost nothing, and i think I gained about 1 lb.
I am beginning my second week and am down 4 pounds - and the first week is the shortest because it takes the hcg 72hrs to get in your system, so technically that is in 4 days.

I am hypothyroid and felt like nothing would help me, and nothing WAS helping me... So i think it is up to you to make the decision that is best for you , but make sure you are fully informed.. feel free to check out www.transformationsweightloss.com - medically supervised.

Oh, and about hair falling out... well, that is with any calorie restrictive diet .. which is why it is SO important to take vitamins daily.

Ps - I was told that realistically about 15-20 lbs per month can be lost, which is not that unhealthy for those who are very overweight to begin with.. remember, the heavier you are, the quicker you lose in the beginning... and if you have less than like 10 or 15lbs to lose or something liek that, you're not allowed to go on the diet, although i've seen some on here do it for like 10lbs. I am doing 4 weeks for now to see where I end up. If it works well, I will do another 4 weeks and begin maintenance for 3 weeks. Then I will work on the last 10 or 15 pounds on my own .

Panda_Jack

I quite enjoy drinking preggo pee. In fact I had an 8 oz glass this morning with my breakfast of 1/8 slice of toast that I waved near some peanut butter to pick up the protein through osmosis.

Later on for lunch I'll be looking at some chicken and sniffing some veggies.

And for dinner I plan on walking by a salad.

TluvK

I quite enjoy drinking preggo pee. In fact I had an 8 oz glass this morning with my breakfast of 1/8 slice of toast that I waved near some peanut butter to pick up the protein through osmosis.

Later on for lunch I'll be looking at some chicken and sniffing some veggies.

And for dinner I plan on walking by a salad.

Seriously laughing out loud right now! I can't WAIT to sniff my lunch in a few hours. Do you think I'll have enough energy from the fumes to exercise for an hour today?

BeeElMarvin

Rather not drink p...

ninerbuff

One of my friends recommended teh HCG diet. What do you guiys think about it?

Your friend is uninformed. Do your own research on peer reviewed clinical studies on it.

iTim__

I did it back in January and tracked results. I lost 28 lbs in 30 days.

The down side is, I started gaining the weight back rapidly for the next couple of weeks to the point where it wouldn't have made a difference if I had done HCG or just the regular MFP calorie recommendations for 2 lbs a week.

I recommend doing it the MFP recommended way since the results were ultimately the same, but with MFP, you don't have to suffer on an extremely low-calorie diet or take hormones.

Slow and steady wins the race.

mrivera713

My brother and his wife tried it. They lost weight and probably some friends too. GRUMPY GRUMPY GRUMPY!!! lol... Just kidding... I don't know if they are still doing it, but my brother told me that he is quite a bit grumpier than usual... And he is a funny guy...

I suggest take the path less travelled. Exercise and healthy eating lifestyle.

ilookthetype

It's crap.

More like piss, but close enough.

I know people who did it, gained the weight back as soon as they started eating more than 500 cals. shocking.

pixlamarque

Contrary to what Chantihayes states, hCG is produced from the urine of pregnant human females. Perhaps doing some research would clear this up, but I would also assume that anyone who bothered to do research would have nothing to do with this "diet". You should also read the following prescription disclaimer:

"Users may report incidences of headaches, blood clots, restlessness, leg cramps, constipation, temporary hair thinning, depression and male breast enlargement".


HCG can also cause a potentially life-threatening condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), in which ovaries over-stimulated by hormones can swell and leak fluid into the abdomen. This can cause abdominal pain and weight gain but can lead to blood clots, kidney failure, fluid build-up in the abdomen or chest, and electrolyte imbalances. The FDA has also had at least one report of a hCG dieter who suffered a pulmonary embolism (potentially fatal blood clot in the lung). Also, you may have some pregnancy symptoms such as swelling, breast tenderness, and water retention.

It's crazy, but there are no reports of life-threatening side-effects from following a healthy diet.