Looking for peeps who did HCG diet...with bad results

_GlaDOS_

ok wow.
SO GLAD AND THANKFUL FOR THIS ! ! !

I am on day 14 of hcg. I've lost 8lbs. I bet I could have done it on my own... no, I know i could have. I just didnt know what or howto eat. . now, I do.

I've posted a few other places, but I am continuing to day 21 for my own personal experiment, so that when i come back and say "man this sucked!" I will have a full round of experience put into it. I got the idea from a blog i found online on whether it works or not. I found that after finding a blog about a guy who has been doing round and round and round since 2008 and still going!! Insane. This particular guy, I wanna say his name is Dan, ended up with some stomach bacteria or something on a few occasions. I thought, gross!!!
I'm maintaining my vitamins, and like I posted elsewhere , I'm actually taking in about 1000 cal. daily and exercising, so I'm not following it to a Tee... I'm scared of going any lower in calories.

After reading this , I can say that whatever the outcome of my personal experiment, I will NOT go back to hcg (I do injections), but I will take the nutritional knowledge I've learned with me.

Thanks again for the post!! ((( ahh hthe thought of losing hair = scary as hell! )))


On further thought - do you think there is any harm in stopping NOW versus continuing anothe rweek..... really having second thoughts

I personally think there are a lot of resources here on MFP, from the forums and people who have their diaries open and have been successful, that can help with the nutrition advice. So I think it IS harmful to continue this diet and I think if you stop now, you would be doing yourself some good. You may gain some weight back initially, but I really think you have to start changing your mindset first—this is not about weight loss. You have to believe you are doing this for your health first, and you’re really not healthy at 500 calories or even 1,000 calories per day, regardless of how much weight you lose.

LoserMom_3

ok wow.
SO GLAD AND THANKFUL FOR THIS ! ! !

I am on day 14 of hcg. I've lost 8lbs. I bet I could have done it on my own... no, I know i could have. I just didnt know what or howto eat. . now, I do.

I've posted a few other places, but I am continuing to day 21 for my own personal experiment, so that when i come back and say "man this sucked!" I will have a full round of experience put into it. I got the idea from a blog i found online on whether it works or not. I found that after finding a blog about a guy who has been doing round and round and round since 2008 and still going!! Insane. This particular guy, I wanna say his name is Dan, ended up with some stomach bacteria or something on a few occasions. I thought, gross!!!
I'm maintaining my vitamins, and like I posted elsewhere , I'm actually taking in about 1000 cal. daily and exercising, so I'm not following it to a Tee... I'm scared of going any lower in calories.

After reading this , I can say that whatever the outcome of my personal experiment, I will NOT go back to hcg (I do injections), but I will take the nutritional knowledge I've learned with me.

Thanks again for the post!! ((( ahh hthe thought of losing hair = scary as hell! )))


On further thought - do you think there is any harm in stopping NOW versus continuing anothe rweek..... really having second thoughts

I personally think there are a lot of resources here on MFP, from the forums and people who have their diaries open and have been successful, that can help with the nutrition advice. So I think it IS harmful to continue this diet and I think if you stop now, you would be doing yourself some good. You may gain some weight back initially,

this for your health first, and you’re really not healthy at 500 calories or even 1,000 calories per day, regardless of how much weight you lose.

You are so right.
wow.
I am supposed to go pick up my next week's hcg tomorrow andweigh in. I'm not going to go. I'm going to call them and tell them I'm not continuing and I am going to keep what I've lost off (or try darn hard!) and do it right wit hthe right support.
I'm so glad I came back to this site.

_GlaDOS_

ok wow.
SO GLAD AND THANKFUL FOR THIS ! ! !

I am on day 14 of hcg. I've lost 8lbs. I bet I could have done it on my own... no, I know i could have. I just didnt know what or howto eat. . now, I do.

I've posted a few other places, but I am continuing to day 21 for my own personal experiment, so that when i come back and say "man this sucked!" I will have a full round of experience put into it. I got the idea from a blog i found online on whether it works or not. I found that after finding a blog about a guy who has been doing round and round and round since 2008 and still going!! Insane. This particular guy, I wanna say his name is Dan, ended up with some stomach bacteria or something on a few occasions. I thought, gross!!!
I'm maintaining my vitamins, and like I posted elsewhere , I'm actually taking in about 1000 cal. daily and exercising, so I'm not following it to a Tee... I'm scared of going any lower in calories.

After reading this , I can say that whatever the outcome of my personal experiment, I will NOT go back to hcg (I do injections), but I will take the nutritional knowledge I've learned with me.

Thanks again for the post!! ((( ahh hthe thought of losing hair = scary as hell! )))


On further thought - do you think there is any harm in stopping NOW versus continuing anothe rweek..... really having second thoughts

I personally think there are a lot of resources here on MFP, from the forums and people who have their diaries open and have been successful, that can help with the nutrition advice. So I think it IS harmful to continue this diet and I think if you stop now, you would be doing yourself some good. You may gain some weight back initially,

this for your health first, and you’re really not healthy at 500 calories or even 1,000 calories per day, regardless of how much weight you lose.

You are so right.
wow.
I am supposed to go pick up my next week's hcg tomorrow andweigh in. I'm not going to go. I'm going to call them and tell them I'm not continuing and I am going to keep what I've lost off (or try darn hard!) and do it right wit hthe right support.
I'm so glad I came back to this site.

That sounds like a good idea. I am happy to help you in any way-- in terms of nutrition, health, weight loss, whatever you may need. I don't know everything, but I've learned from my many successes and failures along the way, and I have quite a few friends on here who have had healthy, successful weight loss and are so incredibly helpful. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Grokette

I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.

Doing the HCG plan got me off of thyroid medications and my thyroid is actually functioning properly again once I did 2 rounds and now I am able to lose weight naturally with the low carb plan once again..........................


To the OP, I am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I have not seen anyone that lost muscle mass from this plan, I lost purely fat (was tested by my doctor before and after both rounds), I didn't gain any or the weight lost back and I got off the last medication I was on for my thyroid.

It is not a scam.

_GlaDOS_

I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.

Doing the HCG plan got me off of thyroid medications and my thyroid is actually functioning properly again once I did 2 rounds and now I am able to lose weight naturally with the low carb plan once again..........................


To the OP, I am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I have not seen anyone that lost muscle mass from this plan, I lost purely fat (was tested by my doctor before and after both rounds), I didn't gain any or the weight lost back and I got off the last medication I was on for my thyroid.

It is not a scam.

It is not the HCG that does any of this. It is eating 500-1,000 calories a day that causes the weight loss. Losing weight is what likely caused you to be able to get off thyroid meds. Clinical research studies have shown that HCG does nothing for health or weight loss, when compared to a group on the same diet without taking HCG. It is something used to not only take money away from you, but to keep your mind off of the fact that you are eating so little, because once you start to lose weight, you start to think it’s the HCG injections or drops that are working, and you have the willpower to go on eating 500 calories per day. This is called the placebo effect, and I’m sorry, but most doctors lack the training in nutrition and the time to keep up with the research to give proper nutrition advice, especially to women, in my opinion. I doubt there is a nutritionist or dietitian out there who would recommend this.

chrissygirl77

was that MLM Diet Magic? by syymetry? we did not sign up to sell it but are documenting the results of it to see if it actually works and lives up to it's promise. Just curious.

_GlaDOS_

was that MLM Diet Magic? by syymetry? we did not sign up to sell it but are documenting the results of it to see if it actually works and lives up to it's promise. Just curious.

Are you using it with some sort of specific diet as well, such as eating 500 calories per day or something?

Grokette

I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.

Doing the HCG plan got me off of thyroid medications and my thyroid is actually functioning properly again once I did 2 rounds and now I am able to lose weight naturally with the low carb plan once again..........................


To the OP, I am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I have not seen anyone that lost muscle mass from this plan, I lost purely fat (was tested by my doctor before and after both rounds), I didn't gain any or the weight lost back and I got off the last medication I was on for my thyroid.

It is not a scam.

It is not the HCG that does any of this. It is eating 500-1,000 calories a day that causes the weight loss. Losing weight is what likely caused you to be able to get off thyroid meds. Clinical research studies have shown that HCG does nothing for health or weight loss, when compared to a group on the same diet without taking HCG. It is something used to not only take money away from you, but to keep your mind off of the fact that you are eating so little, because once you start to lose weight, you start to think it’s the HCG injections or drops that are working, and you have the willpower to go on eating 500 calories per day. This is called the placebo effect, and I’m sorry, but most doctors lack the training in nutrition and the time to keep up with the research to give proper nutrition advice, especially to women, in my opinion. I doubt there is a nutritionist or dietitian out there who would recommend this.

Actually it is the HCG that does this..............and I wouldn't go to a nutritionist or a dietician that subscribed to the knowledge of conventional wisdom. I, myself, have went on after learning so much from my Naturopathic Dr who is also a nutrition expert that I have become a licensed and holistic nutrition educator.

I did the 500 calorie per day without the HCG and was losing MUSCLE mass like crazy, no energy and was compromising my immune system.

However, I experienced the exact opposite with the HCG injections. No muscle loss, lots of energy and I was losing pure fat.

MY doctor who is an M.D., Naturopathic M.D. and Nuttrition expert for Washington University in St Louis, MO put me on the HCG plan for other reasons than weight loss, but told me the weight loss would help with hormonal issues I was also having, in which it did because my pituitary and thyroid functions went back to normal and I was able to cease taking medications for this.

The weight loss was an added benefit and I don't regret doing the 2 rounds - not for one minute.

_GlaDOS_

I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.

Doing the HCG plan got me off of thyroid medications and my thyroid is actually functioning properly again once I did 2 rounds and now I am able to lose weight naturally with the low carb plan once again..........................


To the OP, I am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I have not seen anyone that lost muscle mass from this plan, I lost purely fat (was tested by my doctor before and after both rounds), I didn't gain any or the weight lost back and I got off the last medication I was on for my thyroid.

It is not a scam.

It is not the HCG that does any of this. It is eating 500-1,000 calories a day that causes the weight loss. Losing weight is what likely caused you to be able to get off thyroid meds. Clinical research studies have shown that HCG does nothing for health or weight loss, when compared to a group on the same diet without taking HCG. It is something used to not only take money away from you, but to keep your mind off of the fact that you are eating so little, because once you start to lose weight, you start to think it’s the HCG injections or drops that are working, and you have the willpower to go on eating 500 calories per day. This is called the placebo effect, and I’m sorry, but most doctors lack the training in nutrition and the time to keep up with the research to give proper nutrition advice, especially to women, in my opinion. I doubt there is a nutritionist or dietitian out there who would recommend this.

Actually it is the HCG that does this..............and I wouldn't go to a nutritionist or a dietician that subscribed to the knowledge of conventional wisdom. I, myself, have went on after learning so much from my Naturopathic Dr who is also a nutrition expert that I have become a licensed and holistic nutrition educator.

I did the 500 calorie per day without the HCG and was losing MUSCLE mass like crazy, no energy and was compromising my immune system.

However, I experienced the exact opposite with the HCG injections. No muscle loss, lots of energy and I was losing pure fat.

MY doctor who is an M.D., Naturopathic M.D. and Nuttrition expert for Washington University in St Louis, MO put me on the HCG plan for other reasons than weight loss, but told me the weight loss would help with hormonal issues I was also having, in which it did because my pituitary and thyroid functions went back to normal and I was able to cease taking medications for this.

The weight loss was an added benefit and I don't regret doing the 2 rounds - not for one minute.

I'm sorry, but the current research shows there is no added weight loss benefit from a 500 calorie diet + HCG vs. a 500 calorie diet alone. The studies that do show more weight loss on the HCG diet are not statistically significant (meaning the "extra" weight loss is minimal). Nutritionists are NOT dietitians. And there is no way you or anyone else could say your hormone issues went away as a result of the HCG or just simply by losing weight (meaning if you had lost the weight with a healthy diet and exercise without the HCG, your hormone issues may have still gone away).

Grokette

I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.

Doing the HCG plan got me off of thyroid medications and my thyroid is actually functioning properly again once I did 2 rounds and now I am able to lose weight naturally with the low carb plan once again..........................


To the OP, I am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I have not seen anyone that lost muscle mass from this plan, I lost purely fat (was tested by my doctor before and after both rounds), I didn't gain any or the weight lost back and I got off the last medication I was on for my thyroid.

It is not a scam.

It is not the HCG that does any of this. It is eating 500-1,000 calories a day that causes the weight loss. Losing weight is what likely caused you to be able to get off thyroid meds. Clinical research studies have shown that HCG does nothing for health or weight loss, when compared to a group on the same diet without taking HCG. It is something used to not only take money away from you, but to keep your mind off of the fact that you are eating so little, because once you start to lose weight, you start to think it’s the HCG injections or drops that are working, and you have the willpower to go on eating 500 calories per day. This is called the placebo effect, and I’m sorry, but most doctors lack the training in nutrition and the time to keep up with the research to give proper nutrition advice, especially to women, in my opinion. I doubt there is a nutritionist or dietitian out there who would recommend this.

Actually it is the HCG that does this..............and I wouldn't go to a nutritionist or a dietician that subscribed to the knowledge of conventional wisdom. I, myself, have went on after learning so much from my Naturopathic Dr who is also a nutrition expert that I have become a licensed and holistic nutrition educator.

I did the 500 calorie per day without the HCG and was losing MUSCLE mass like crazy, no energy and was compromising my immune system.

However, I experienced the exact opposite with the HCG injections. No muscle loss, lots of energy and I was losing pure fat.

MY doctor who is an M.D., Naturopathic M.D. and Nuttrition expert for Washington University in St Louis, MO put me on the HCG plan for other reasons than weight loss, but told me the weight loss would help with hormonal issues I was also having, in which it did because my pituitary and thyroid functions went back to normal and I was able to cease taking medications for this.

The weight loss was an added benefit and I don't regret doing the 2 rounds - not for one minute.

I'm sorry, but the current research shows there is no added weight loss benefit from a 500 calorie diet + HCG vs. a 500 calorie diet alone. The studies that do show more weight loss on the HCG diet are not statistically significant (meaning the "extra" weight loss is minimal). Nutritionists are NOT dietitians. And there is no way you or anyone else could say your hormone issues went away as a result of the HCG or just simply by losing weight (meaning if you had lost the weight with a healthy diet and exercise without the HCG, your hormone issues may have still gone away).

Of course that is what their research shows..............it is not the truth though. The research will be this way so that the pharmaceutical companies don't lose money on the millions they make off weight loss drugs that have detrimental effects on someone's health.

HCG is not harmful. it is naturally occurring in every single human being and more abundant in pregnant women of course. There is nothing that the small amount of HCG you inject could do to harm the human body.

I injected doses about 1,000 times higher when I was trying to conceive via IVF..............

And I have lost weight the "normal" and "healthy" way before and did not get off the thyroid and pituitary meds............

smcassaro

I have not done this diet, but my best friend did & she lost A LOT of hair! I thought she looked sickly. Really wish she would have listened to me.

Diana2200

you lose the hair bc ur on a low fat diet- once you go back to normal eating after ur hypothalamus is reset, the hair grows back....and while doing the protocol it is advised to take biotin daily for the hair loss..... HCG works, and it is def not the placebo effect. With out the HCG a person can not continue eating a 500 calorie a day diet. Its just impossible---There have actually been studies done on actual placebos- and the results are all the same- people are starving, not losing weight as quickly- and losing all muscle mass. Opposed to Real HCG- where u can hardly finish ur 2 tiny meals and drop NOT only POUNDS but INCHES. On top of all of this information

---

how could you possibly say something doesn't work, if you haven't tried it? Maybe you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and try the actual 23 day Protocol. Then come back and say the same thing.

_GlaDOS_

you lose the hair bc ur on a low fat diet- once you go back to normal eating after ur hypothalamus is reset, the hair grows back....and while doing the protocol it is advised to take biotin daily for the hair loss..... HCG works, and it is def not the placebo effect. With out the HCG a person can not continue eating a 500 calorie a day diet. Its just impossible---There have actually been studies done on actual placebos- and the results are all the same- people are starving, not losing weight as quickly- and losing all muscle mass. Opposed to Real HCG- where u can hardly finish ur 2 tiny meals and drop NOT only POUNDS but INCHES. On top of all of this information

---

how could you possibly say something doesn't work, if you haven't tried it? Maybe you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and try the actual 23 day Protocol. Then come back and say the same thing.

This is all incorrect. Please show me this research you refer to.

I also haven't ever tried meth before, but I'm pretty sure it's not good for me. Cigarettes also supposedly help supress the appetite, but I'm pretty sure that would also be a terrible weight loss plan.

Losing your hair on a weight loss plan is not HEALTHY.

ninerbuff

Actually it is the HCG that does this..............and I wouldn't go to a nutritionist or a dietician that subscribed to the knowledge of conventional wisdom. I, myself, have went on after learning so much from my Naturopathic Dr who is also a nutrition expert that I have become a licensed and holistic nutrition educator.

I did the 500 calorie per day without the HCG and was losing MUSCLE mass like crazy, no energy and was compromising my immune system.

However, I experienced the exact opposite with the HCG injections. No muscle loss, lots of energy and I was losing pure fat.

MY doctor who is an M.D., Naturopathic M.D. and Nuttrition expert for Washington University in St Louis, MO put me on the HCG plan for other reasons than weight loss, but told me the weight loss would help with hormonal issues I was also having, in which it did because my pituitary and thyroid functions went back to normal and I was able to cease taking medications for this.

The weight loss was an added benefit and I don't regret doing the 2 rounds - not for one minute.

This is all anecdotal. How about some real clinical peer reviewed studies showing that NO MUSCLE is lost on HCG diet. There has to be some University, Independent lab or Science academy that has absolutely proven this to be true if that's what you're saying.


Also for those that don't know it. Male bodybuilder's (and some female bodybuilders) use HCG after they've done a cycle of steroids to "restart" their natural testosterone output. HCG in NY is a schedule III drug (like steroids are).

Cruz2Fit

I tried it, hated the deprivation, lost some weight, lost the diet much quicker. I just felt "angry" all the time. Besides, deep down I knew the loss wold not last! Glad to be off of it!

ninerbuff

Of course that is what their research shows..............it is not the truth though. The research will be this way so that the pharmaceutical companies don't lose money on the millions they make off weight loss drugs that have detrimental effects on someone's health.

HCG is not harmful. it is naturally occurring in every single human being and more abundant in pregnant women of course. There is nothing that the small amount of HCG you inject could do to harm the human body.

I injected doses about 1,000 times higher when I was trying to conceive via IVF..............

And I have lost weight the "normal" and "healthy" way before and did not get off the thyroid and pituitary meds............

Wait, but the research you believe with no validity to back it up (other than the discoverer's which wouldn't make it peer reviewed) is true? I'm sorry, but there's a reason it's not been picked up by a Pharmaceutical company..........because it doesn't work. Don't you think that the money hungry pharmaceutical companies would take advantage of it if it did? And real HCG isn't cheap. Think about it.

LisaKyle11

thanks for posting your experience. this diet is dangerous and i feel it's irresponsible for those who promote it. you will get your metabolism turned around, it will just take some time. good luck with your journey and again, thanks for sharing.

sharonlafleur

I don't have any research...only my own personal experience. I did HCG through a nutrition center where I had a doctor monitor my progress and a nutritionist help with meal planning. I took prescribed nutritional supplements at the same time to counter the nutrients I was not getting.

PROS:

Weight loss. I lost 20 pounds in a 21 day cycle.

Healthier eating habits. True, you can say that I could have accomplished that all without HCG, but without the instant reward of weight loss I wouldn't have tried nearly so hard. Because of HCG scaring me to death with their "you can't cheat at all or you lose everything mentality" I was terrified to mess up even once. I could do it only because I knew it was only 21 days then I could adjust however I wanted. I found after the 21 days were up that I on a daily basis continued to eat a much higher volume of veggies and fruit and even protein then I ever had before. I know that is a personal mental block but nonetheless one I had.

I was 100% more aware of my body and what I was putting in it at all times because everything was so precise and methodical. That worked for me.

It was expensive enough that I still to this day (with this program as support) want to maintain the weight loss and I have since lost an additional 15 pounds. HCG is not a miracle. If you don't maintain, as with any diet, you will re-gain the weight. I didn't want to throw my money away.

CONS:

I was EXTREMELY hormonal. (It's a hormone, go figure). I was uncharacteristically snappy and grumpy a lot of the time.

The food got VERY boring. You can only mix it up so much. The list of allowed foods is extremely limited.

It was socially difficult. You don't realize how much food plays a role in our society unless you have a highly restrictive diet.

At times I had to force myself to finish because the portions were SO big. I know, you're saying how? It's only 500 calories. But there are only 6 calories in 1 ounce of spinach. Do you know how much 40 calories of spinach is??? I would go through SO much produce. It was insane. Beyond the first week I was never really ever hungry, just bored with the food.

Remembering to take the shots. Luckily I remembered.


Conclusion: Would I go back and do it all over? I think so. I didn't have any of the health problems you've described though, or the hair loss. It was the HARDEST thing I have done weight loss-wise bar none. I know it sounds like a quick fix but unless you are an extremely dedicated person I wouldn't start it because you'll just get frustrated if you cheat. I don't need it anymore now not because I don't still have weight to lose but I think I learned all I needed to learn through the process. I will lose the rest slow and steady with diet and exercise. The structure ingrained in me the habits I have today. It worked for me. Honestly if I had not done it I don't think I would have the lifestyle I have today.

I have no prejudices either way. This is just my own personal viewpoint from my own experience.

amilynnM

Here are some peer reviewed studies showing no significant benefit in weight loss with HCG vs. placebo:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1875285/?page=1
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/321723
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2405506
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/786001
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/595585
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3609673

Here is a peer reviewed study that showed a significant difference between HCG patients' and placebo patients' weight loss (this study's methods have been "severely criticized" by the scientific community):

1. http://www.ajcn.org/content/26/2/211.long

The program is expensive and a 500 cal/day diet is below the daily calorie intake considered to be anorexic. I will add that just because an MD is administering the treatment does not mean that it is good. Not all doctors are entirely ethical in their practice. I worked for a doctor whose clinic also had a diet center peddling some meal replacement and appetite suppressant program. He was all about the money and a specialist in a completely unrelated area.

Gigi_licious

Bump for later reading....just because it's interesting...