HCG Diet - Thoughts/Stories????

miltongurl05
miltongurl05 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What are your views on the HCG diet? I know it's been pretty controversial. Has anyone done it and what were the results?
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Replies

  • ilikepandasyay
    ilikepandasyay Posts: 96 Member
    Any diet where you're only eating 500 cals is probably going to show some short term weightloss.
  • creativephoenix
    creativephoenix Posts: 23 Member
    I did it and lost 35 lbs. The only thing I've noticed (at least for myself), is that once you stop doing it you REALLY have to keep eating a healthy diet and exercising. Otherwise it's easy to gain it back.
  • FitGrandma61
    FitGrandma61 Posts: 10
    My thoughts on this are that generally when something is a quick fix, you will gain the weight back once you are not taking the product any longer. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you need to make a lifestyle change and eat healthy foods for life, taking a cheat day occasionally of course.
  • Sarah1023
    Sarah1023 Posts: 194 Member
    I agree. It's not the HCG, it's the 500 calorie limitation. And the next question would be, can this be kept up as a lifestyle? NO. No one can live off of 500 calories daily and not see other health issues. In addition, as soon as their calorie level is increased back to normal or they binge because they are starving, that weight comes back on, plus some. I have a high school friend that lost some weight recently with it. I'm anxious to see her 6 months from now...
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    It is an absurd and rather dangerous and pointless 'plan' in my opinion, and like most other faddy diets that drastically restrict calories, most likely to result in health issues and/or a regaining of most if not all of the weight lost once a diet anywhere near normal is resumed.

    It is also a topic that is not permitted on this forum, thus this topic will be locked sooner, rather than later. :)
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    It's a great idea and a huge money maker. There is no end to the money that can be made profiting from idiots.
  • Reneefit135
    Reneefit135 Posts: 170
    I had a thread on this awhile back. If you do a search for HCG you will find several threads, really helpful
  • xynyth
    xynyth Posts: 89 Member
    It is an absurd and rather dangerous and pointless 'plan' in my opinion, and like most other faddy diets that drastically restrict calories, most likely to result in health issues and/or a regaining of most if not all of the weight lost once a diet anywhere near normal is resumed.

    It is also a topic that is not permitted on this forum, thus this topic will be locked sooner, rather than later. :)

    Just curious, why is it not allowed?
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    My thoughts are I can't wait until MFP has concluded its "research" and bans this topic completely :flowerforyou:
  • peridot1383
    peridot1383 Posts: 49 Member
    I tried it for about a week. I lost 4-5 lbs in that week, sure, but i felt HORRIBLE. I did everything by the book and not only was I completely hungry, I was getting weird pains in my legs from lactic acid buildup. You're not supposed to work out at all and I was living in Queens and working in Manahattan, NY so even without working out, I had to climb subway stairs and walk a lot. The pain in my legs forced me to stop. The truth is, the HCG diet is restrictive of carbs and sugars and lots of things that are bad for you anyway. Take them out of your diet and stick to a 1200-1600 calorie diet depending on exercising. You will see results. You don't need HCG.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    A diet whereby you consume 500cal daily and either ingest or are injected with a substance derived from pregnant lady pee controversial?

    There's a reason why the FDA has banned HCG drops and it's banned in a number of countries. The HCG itself does nothing, it's just another VLCD with expensive, ineffective supplementation.
  • miltongurl05
    miltongurl05 Posts: 64 Member
    I'm sorry, Graelwyn75...........I'm new here and did not know this topic was not allowed. I was just wondering about it because I've been hearing a lot. Again, my apologies.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Its not a very smart protocol
  • creativephoenix
    creativephoenix Posts: 23 Member
    The caloric limit is actually closer to 800 calories or so. The reason this is done, is because the fat the HCG hormone is causing you to burn is replacing some of the normal intake calories you would eat. And actually, you don't really feel super hungry throughout the program.

    For when you finish, they actually do offer a maintenance portion of the program to get you back into regular amounts of food and eating healthily for a lifestyle change.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    It is an absurd and rather dangerous and pointless 'plan' in my opinion, and like most other faddy diets that drastically restrict calories, most likely to result in health issues and/or a regaining of most if not all of the weight lost once a diet anywhere near normal is resumed.

    It is also a topic that is not permitted on this forum, thus this topic will be locked sooner, rather than later. :)

    Just curious, why is it not allowed?

    Because topics on diets and eating patterns that are considered dangerous are not allowed. The site is focussed towards people losing weight/keeping fit in a healthy and sustainable way. Encouragement of unhealthy diets and eating disorders are both disallowed.
  • ionamorgana
    ionamorgana Posts: 30 Member
    Because it is considered a dangerous diet method, which is not allowed on MFP
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I'm wondering if the HCG part of it helps, why can't you just eat a regular healthy diet and still take the HCG? If the hormone part was a helpful part why do you need to do that AND eat so much less?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I have a story.

    Once upon a time, someone came up with weight loss product # 32412 that claimed to induce weightloss when combined with a massive calorie deficit. People believed it was the product and not the calorie deficit.

    Lots of money was wasted.
    People starved themselves.
    And MFP mods deleted threads with lightning speed.


    The end.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I have a story.

    Once upon a time, someone came up with weight loss product # 32412 that claimed to induce weightloss when combined with a massive calorie deficit. People believed it was the product and not the calorie deficit.

    Lots of money was wasted.
    People starved themselves.
    And MFP mods deleted threads with lightning speed.


    The end.

    *slowclap*
  • melodyfrommars
    melodyfrommars Posts: 33
    okay well let me speak for the idiots who tried the diet... for me, it worked. i was only able to stay on it for 14 days (it is sooooo restrictive) and lost ten pounds. but it was incredibly hard to stick to, mentally and physically... i actually had a crying spell while in the deli section of a safeway. one thing: be extra sure where you are getting your hcg from and make sure it actually has HCG IN IT. there are a lot of knock offs out there that are hormone free. do some market research first.

    i did not gain the weight back right away, in fact i kept losing it to a goal of 20 pounds. then i was put on medication that had me blow up like a balloon, and here i am.

    good luck!
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    I have a story.

    Once upon a time, someone came up with weight loss product # 32412 that claimed to induce weightloss when combined with a massive calorie deficit. People believed it was the product and not the calorie deficit.

    Lots of money was wasted.
    People starved themselves.
    And MFP mods deleted threads with lightning speed.


    The end.

    I love that story!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    HCG helps people lose weight in much the same way Dumbo's magic feather helped him to fly.
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    I have a story.

    Once upon a time, someone came up with weight loss product # 32412 that claimed to induce weightloss when combined with a massive calorie deficit. People believed it was the product and not the calorie deficit.

    Lots of money was wasted.
    People starved themselves.
    And MFP mods deleted threads with lightning speed.


    The end.

    I love that story!

    ^^This. I've done some research on the topic, and no legitimate sources claim lasting weight loss as a result. And 500 calories? I'd be crying in a ball on the floor. Isn't just working out and eating right easier than hating yourself on the 500-calorie days??
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    HCG helps people lose weight in much the same way Dumbo's magic feather helped him to fly.

    :laugh:
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
    1. Pretty happy on 500 calories a day. The HCG seems to mostly help keep you not hungry. I have kept muscle mass mostly and lost mostly body fat. I still work out (lifting very heavy) and feel fine.
    2. Don't do it without doctor supervision.
    3. Everyone is different and MFP's 1200 minimum guideline might not work for you. If anyone would like to question that, I have a very reputable endocrinologist who suggested that I limit myself to 600 or so calories a day to lose weight. Why did he recommend that? Because he spent time looking over bloodwork and other lab tests. So did my naturopath and so did my other MD (though she just told me to lose weight, not how). Again, see #2.
    4. Yes, it's some effort to keep this up afterwards. That goes for any weight loss. Stop paying attention and watch yourself go back to where you started (hi pot! it's me kettle!).
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    The HCG diet is a VERY BAD idea.

    It is a scam, based on an unproven theory a quack doctor came up with in the 1950s.

    Any doctor that will "help" someone do the HCG diet should be reported to the state medical board for promoting a known medical fraud.

    Here are a few good articles from dependable sources on that diet;

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

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

    http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm

    http://www.drwalt.com/blog/?p=934
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    In before the lock. :drinker:
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    My only thought about it is. DONT.
  • krim12
    krim12 Posts: 102
    I always wondered why the prego hormone would make you lose weight when being prego makes you gain weight??? I guess its cuz its all hype.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Everyone is different and MFP's 1200 minimum guideline might not work for you. If anyone would like to question that, I have a very reputable endocrinologist who suggested that I limit myself to 600 or so calories a day to lose weight. Why did he recommend that? Because he spent time looking over bloodwork and other lab tests. So did my naturopath and so did my other MD (though she just told me to lose weight, not how). Again, see #2.

    He determined your calorie needs based on blood work?? I've heard of using metabolic chambers, but never a blood test. Sounds a bit quacky to me...
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