HCG Diet- thoughts, opinions?

stephc0711

My NP told me I could really benefit and lose weight well from it... I've heard good, I've heard bad. I want thoughts, opinions and experiences... Thanks!

AbsoluteNG

You're about to get a flood storm of people in here that says it's unhealthy for you. I think you'd be better off juicing or becoming a vegan for a month.

dwh77tx

I'm sure you will lose weight on it- a good amount too-if you follow it. However, once you go off it, you will probably gain back most of it. Just what I've heard. I wouldn't do it. I've heard most of the weight loss is from the extreme 500 cal diet, not the HCG.

stroutman81

Here's an article I wrote for my newsletter a while back about the hcg diet:

I've received a slew of queries pertaining to the hCG Diet recently. It saddens me that so many folks are still looking for shortcuts. How many special diets is it going to take until you wake up to the fact that permanent weight control stems from permanent behavior modification?

You can't have one without the other. I know, I know... "this time it's different though." Sure thing, whatever you say.

If what you're currently doing to control weight isn't something you can see yourself doing forever, the chances are extremely high that you're wasting your time. And money. Don't believe me? Just check the stats pertaining to long term success rates of the average diet. Do you think they go up or down when extreme tactics are used?

Heck, the long term success rates of sensible dieting are pretty atrocious. Stop looking for the quick fix. Experiment with logical, sane approaches until you find something that you can stick with indefinitely. And accept the fact that weight loss/control is a continuous, never-ending process. It's not something that you work really hard at for a short while and then stop once the weight is gone.

Onto the hCG diet...

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone that's produced in women during pregnancy. It's used as a fertility drug. It's also what helps women find out they're pregnant when they pee on a stick. Leave it to the diet industry to also suggest using it as a weight loss aid.

The diet protocol entails injecting hCG into your body. You can also use sprays, pills, drops, pellets, and powders. Some people even go as far as having pregnant women pee on them.

Yeah...

I made that last part up.

Along with supplementing with hCG, the protocol also has you eating 500 calories per day.

Read that again.

YOU HAVE TO EAT 500 CALORIES PER DAY.

Knowing what we know about calories and their role in weight loss, do you really believe that it's the hCG rather than the enormous calorie shortage that is causing the fast weight loss? That would be akin to suggesting that magic fairies sprinkled pixie dust on you while you slept causing you to gain the excess weight in the first place. Never mind the fact that you were in a calorie surplus over the last few years... it had to be those damn fairies and their pixie dust.

Come on people!

You might have a case for the use of hCG for weight loss if the research suggested its effectiveness. But it doesn't.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1365103/

Don't believe me or the research? How about a little self-experiment? First, eat the number of calories your body needs to maintain itself. If you don't know how to calculate this, check out my Nutrition 101 article. While eating your maintenance calories for a month or so, inject or ingest hCG. Watch the weight literally melt off. Or not.

Then nix the hCG from the equation, but slash calories down to 500 per day for a month or so.

If I were a betting man, let's just say I'd be letting it ride on the latter approach for attaining the most weight loss.

This doesn't even factor in the possible side effects of using hCG. And what sort of relationship with food are you developing when you slash calories down to 500 per day? That's the calorie range that some anorexics use to achieve the skeleton look. I don't think it's a relationship that's going to lead to optimal health or long-term success... that's for sure.

I truly do understand the desire for quick fixes. It's very easy to pack on pounds in our culture of calorie-laden, easy-to-no prep foods. Due to our genetics and biology, it's not easy to lose the excess pounds either. The deck is stacked against you.

What's more... there's an endless array of programs that offer magical results. Desperation mixed with confusion isn't what I'd consider "stable ground" for making logical decisions. I assure you that the path of quick fix gimmicks is paved with a lot of frustration.

Obesity and overweight are conditions that are attained from a long-term trend of hypercaloric eating. You're consuming more calories than your body needs, which, in turn, leads to storage in fat cells. No pill, potion, or injection is going to erase this.

You need to flip the switch and eat hypocalorically... in other words, you need a calorie deficit. You can use huge deficits (such as 500 calories of total intake per day) or you can use conservative/moderate deficits. You have to be as objective and honest with yourself as you possibly can, though. If you choose the former route consisting of very low calories, where do you think that path ultimately ends? Are you taking one step forward that's only going to lead to three steps in reverse?

If you do diet with starvation tactics (such as those utilized in the hCG protocol), you will experience short-term success. And it'll feel good. But you won't be changing the mindset and behavior patterns that led to the fat gain to begin with. And unless you plan on starving yourself for the rest of your life, the fat's going to come right back once you resume your old habits.

CATindeeHAT

You're about to get lectured by everyone and their mom for posting this topic.

About 30% of the people here are actually nice and the rest take beef with everything. I know it says these are 'support forums' but they're mostly just a bunch of people telling other people their stupid, incapable, etc. because they hate themselves.

Just thought you'd appreciate the warning. Keep your head up!

lizziebeth1028

Not healthy!! Why subject yourself to such extreme measures when weight loss can be achieved through a reasonable calorie deficit and a healthy lifestyle change. That is the sustainable way to do it. Shortcuts and fad diets are for the weak. Be confidant, be strong and change your life for the better!

And yes, brace yourself for the *kitten* storm of replies you'll get on this post :flowerforyou:

stephc0711

I know it's like asking people who the true God is or which presidental hopeful isn't the spawn of Satan... But I know I have my opinions on it, but I'm trying to find BOTH sets of opinions, and possibly a person or two who has used it. I'm not going to, just for the simple fact that I don't have the money to do it. But, this was a health care provider giving me the advice (though for the sake of time and space, I won't go into the entire discussion, but it was a half hearted comment!), so it just made me wonder what others thought.

babyhazelz1

Ive tried it and aside from wanting to stab my boyfriend for a bite of his dinner, it did work. HOWEVER- i stopoped after a few weeks and gained everything back then some. It's just not realistic. Yes, I lost 14 lbs in 2 eeks, but I was miserable.

Tracking my cals and exercise on here is so much easier.

Helloitsdan

My NP told me I could really benefit and lose weight well from it... I've heard good, I've heard bad. I want thoughts, opinions and experiences... Thanks!

Since Mods are going to shut this down ill start by saying DONT DO IT!
And
Use the search!
And
Just eat like a normal human sand youll lose weight!

Heres a scientific chart chowing people who use HCG diet...

HopefulLeigh

The problem with these quick fix fad diets is that they're like putting a bandaid on a crack in a dam. In the long run, not helpful at all and a whole lot of chaos could be avoided by just fixing the actual problem.

_granola

I know it's like asking people who the true God is or which presidental hopeful isn't the spawn of Satan... But I know I have my opinions on it, but I'm trying to find BOTH sets of opinions, and possibly a person or two who has used it. I'm not going to, just for the simple fact that I don't have the money to do it. But, this was a health care provider giving me the advice (though for the sake of time and space, I won't go into the entire discussion, but it was a half hearted comment!), so it just made me wonder what others thought.

There aren't just "sets of opinions" on this. There are the facts, and then there are the opinions of people who don't understand the facts.

Helloitsdan

The problem with HCG is they say the drops work but they are pairing it with a 500calorie diet.
So IMO its a waste of money.
Just eat 500cals but thats stupid too!

Heres why:

The 4 major biological functions of fat tissue are
(1) energy storage
(2) toxin storage
(3) protection against insulin resistance, and
(4) protection against estrogen decline in women.
Eliminate the functions of fat tissue also eliminates the reasons for its existence.

If you diet down at 500cals, what do you think happens once you start eating a normal amount?
Or if you go out with friends and have a drink and eat?
Fat storage for one of the above.

So eat at a moderate deficit of 15-20% below TDEE depending on your body fat and lose weight naturally.

penrbrown

If that pregnancy hormone worked the way it's 'supposed' to, you wouldn't need to cut your calories to 500 a day to lose weight.

It's a scam.

I had a friend who went on the HCG diet. She gained all the weight back once she stopped taking the hormone.

Don't look for a fix that you will be dependent on for life. Instead try the good old fashioned eat only what you need and move more diet. It will work and you can sustain it forever.

dayone987

You will get varying opinions but double blind studies have shown there is no difference between HCG and placebo diets; no difference in % fat loss either.

http://www.obesitypanacea.com/2009/04/human-chorionic-gonadotropin-hcg-for.html

minkakross

Fad, anyone would lose weight eating 500 calories a day. The HCG injections are so they can charge you for the privilage of not eating.

nicleed

Wow! This is the first time I had heard of this. Thankfully it hasn't hit our shored yet (Australia). But I am guessing with the weight I gained from seven failed pregnancies HCG didn't do me much good at all

Health_Gal

The HCG diet is a SCAM and the only reason people lose weight is the dangerously low calorie diet.

It is NOT safe to lose weight that quickly. It is very stressful on your body, and can cause a multitude of health problems. That is why doctors recommend that people not try and lose more than a pound or two a week.

You will most likely regain any weight you loe on that dangerously low calorie diet.

This is what the medical experts at WebMD have to say about that dangerous fad diet:

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

Health_Gal

My NP told me I could really benefit and lose weight well from it... I've heard good, I've heard bad. I want thoughts, opinions and experiences... Thanks!

Please fire the NP that told you it was safe to attempt that dangerously low calorie diet!

They should lose their license to practice medicine for recommending such a dangerous and unscientific approach to weight loss!

VelociMama

<-- has more HCG running through my veins than ever before.... gained 20 lbs in the last 5 months.

I've been duped.

nw00778

I've been doing HCG and got it from a very well respected doctor in the state i live in. I have friends who have done it and kept all the weight off. I never go to bed hungry, in fact i have to force myself to eat all the food. I've lost 30 lbs, its not from low cal its from HCG...I needed it to get a kick start on weight loss. There is a phase after you finish the drops that most people dont follow, thats why they gain it back.

stroutman81

I've been doing HCG and got it from a very well respected doctor in the state i live in. I have friends who have done it and kept all the weight off. I never go to bed hungry, in fact i have to force myself to eat all the food. I've lost 30 lbs, its not from low cal its from HCG...I needed it to get a kick start on weight loss. There is a phase after you finish the drops that most people dont follow, thats why they gain it back.

Do you mind me asking how you know it's "not from teh low cal its from HCG"?

I'm not trying to be combative. I'm simply trying to understand where you're coming from with that statement.

nw00778

Ive tried 500 calorie diets before and never had this much success. There are days I don't take HCG(brand name- Releana), like when I go out of town (because it has to be refrigerated). I'll still do the diet those days, but don't lose any weight.

I'm just trying to lose the weight I gained in college and I am confident when I am done I will keep it off. A lot of people gain the weight back because they go back to their old eating habits. Its a lifestyle change once you are done. You have to work out and eat right and introduce carbs and sugars back into your diet slowly. My doctor told me to get to my goal and then lose 5 more because I will gain 5 back. I gained 30 lbs in the past 3 years, it was not the weight my body was used to. I'm not trying to get skinny, I've always been about a healthy size 8 even when working out and that what I want to get back to.

I used to go to the gym everyday to do cardio and yoga, I just fell off when I transfered to a party school, haha.

roro1925

I know I'm gonna get **** for this but i actually don't care and I'm simply responding to the OP's question and for others to see this who might have the same questions or experience but don't want to post. I have no intention of further debating this....so that being said,
I did the HCG drops and lost 30lbs in about 7 weeks. NO I was not starving NO I did not have any side affects except the obvious weight loss and NO this is not for everybody. This particular diet worked for ME and I wouldn't dare push it on anyone else or put someone down for choosing a different weight loss method. Everybody is different!! I have kept the weight off, and actually loss an additional 4lbs, since being off the drops and diet. I have adapted entirely new eating habits and have never felt better. I exercise every single day now...whereas before, I hardly ever did. If done properly, it is extremely effective and absolutely life-changing. But again....it is not for everyone!! But people shouldn't judge others for doing what works best for them and makes them healthier.

SoDamnHungry

Basically you fill yourself up with hormones and starve for a set period of time. You're better just cutting calories, eating better, and exercising some.

People say that you aren't starving, but you just don't feel like you are. The whole point of the hormones is to block those hunger signals. Eating 500 calories a day is starving yourself, plain and simple.

Captain_Tightpants

Listen to Troutman. The dude knows his stuff.

zaph0d

There's a sucker born every minute.

melissafaith24

Ive done it. Yes I lost alot of weight pretty fast...however i gained it all back once stopping and it killed my immune system and made me lose hair in the process.

do what you want.

mynameiscarrie

In before the lock.

Seriously though... dumb idea. And this thread will get locked since there is a group for HCG dieters and MFP does not promote fad diets (see forum guidelines).

nursevee

Wow! This is the first time I had heard of this. Thankfully it hasn't hit our shored yet (Australia). But I am guessing with the weight I gained from seven failed pregnancies HCG didn't do me much good at all

LOL. Oh it did hit the Aussie shores... I think there is less publicity about it is all.

nw00778

Ya 500 calories is starving but Im doing HCG(Releana) ..this is what I eat

Breakfast-Apple ,small cup of coffee

Lunch-Steak or Chicken - Salad with lemon juice/brocolli/almost any green veggie

snack after work- strawberries

Dinner- STEAK and a veggie

again Im not starving lol I know my body, I don't like when others assume how they felt on it is how everyone feels.
I wish diet success for everyone whatever route they choose to take. Releana is not a hormone or men could not take it (i even asked my doctor who is an OBGYN), its a chemical that causes your body to release its own HCG. It burns fat.

thelovelyLIZ

Scam. If you eat 500 calories a day, you'll lose weight. No magic drops contribute to that. You're also likely to gain the weight back. Combine this with the fact a lot of HGC sold contains very minimal amounts of the stuff, it's not worth the money.