HELP! HCG Diet opinions?

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Replies

  • JaneDough_
    JaneDough_ Posts: 301 Member
    Eek! 6 months from now she will see the weight bounce back.
  • brinsy
    brinsy Posts: 226 Member
    The breast cancer risks on the hcg diet were enough to turn me off it completely
  • Flora_k
    Flora_k Posts: 72 Member
    One of my side effects was a breast lump and I had found stories online from women who believed their cancer was caused by the hCG diet. That did make me a bit nervous. Fortunately, the results were benign. They believe that the very low calorie diet affected my cycle (made it heavier than it had ever been and more frequent) which in turn changed the tissue in my breast. Of course, we'll continue to monitor the lump but we know it was not there before I began the diet. And, seriously, while I was going though such an awful time with the diet. The response was to talk to my distributor (Omnitrition) and maybe there was another product she could give me to help. ARGHHHH!!!!

    This isn't just a snake oil diet. This can be very dangerous!
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    Medical studies show that an HCG diet does not work and doctors & the FDA do not recommend it. Your sister is losing weight because she's only taking in 500 calories. If she does not learn proper nutrition, she won't keep it off. My brother's co-worker actually swears by it though-- he has to restart the diet every few months to keep the weight off.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/an02091

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/hcg-diet-for-weight-loss_b_809660.html

    http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/the-hcg-diet-yet-another-ineffective-quick-fix-diet-plan-and-supplement/
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    You might as well try the bulimia diet plan. Puke up everything you eat. Just don't have to buy any "supplements."

    But seriously. I did the bulimia thing. Great short term but I didn't change anything about how I ate. And it took a couple decades to overcome the behaviors.

    There is no "quick fix."
    As others have so eloquently stated. Permanent change requires a permanent life style change. It requires actual work to changes years, even decades, of poor habits that have become engrained.

    Come on. 500 calories a day? I eat that for breakfast. Some days twice that. Yet i still lose weight.
    It is not the "HCG." It is the starvation that temporarily causes a lot of water weight loss and some fat and muscle loss. Marketing companies know that the lazy will buy anything that promises something for nothing.
    Selling wight loss without changing is just another aspect of that.
  • Flora_k
    Flora_k Posts: 72 Member
    The scary thing about this diet is people are contacting me and telling me that this either led to bulimia / anorexia or they were just drawn to it because they've bee bulimic or anorexic.

    I like what one person pointed out online. 500 calories a day is a six-inch sandwich from Subway. Jared ate THREE of those a day and lost massive amounts of weight.
  • Bbsanchez
    Bbsanchez Posts: 4 Member
    One of my side effects was a breast lump and I had found stories online from women who believed their cancer was caused by the hCG diet. That did make me a bit nervous. Fortunately, the results were benign. They believe that the very low calorie diet affected my cycle (made it heavier than it had ever been and more frequent) which in turn changed the tissue in my breast. Of course, we'll continue to monitor the lump but we know it was not there before I began the diet. And, seriously, while I was going though such an awful time with the diet. The response was to talk to my distributor (Omnitrition) and maybe there was another product she could give me to help. ARGHHHH!!!!

    This isn't just a snake oil diet. This can be very dangerous!


    you know they found the hcg DOES cause your benign cancer cells to develop. i've been going to a homeopathic doctor for this treatment and they did a cancer screening before placing me on the diet. you are also NOT supposed to take the HCG while you are menstruating. too many hormones. you're supposed to stop taking it while you're on your heaviest days. you really shouldn't be taking any over the counter HCG. Go to a doctor that will monitor your progress and assess your risks because they can actually give you the prescription for the HCG which are the shots or the sublingual drops.
  • tryskinni
    tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
    There are lots of females out there who won't smoke, do drugs, engage in risk behavior (like skydiving), put themselves in situations of danger (walk alone at night), and help others ensure they stay same. But when it comes to losing 5lbs to 10lbs, it's like all the stop lights go off and everything is a green light even if it can compromise health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Could I quote that on my hCG story page? It is so very true. I know I'm smart enough that I was really skeptical but the friend posting success stories relentlessly finally wore me down. Do you know, I found out, the friend who got me to do this really hasn't lost weight on this program. She'll do it and lose a bit and then stop just to get people losing with her. This diet is purely about making money. Even she knows it's not sustainable. I had to ask her so many times how much she lost before she sort-of fessed up. Honestly, if you're doing any version of this with distributors be careful. I really think many of them are scam artists.


    Standard tandem skydiving is not dangerous, fyi.
  • watermillion
    watermillion Posts: 87 Member
    I don't know why people think this only applies to fad diets but you will gain the weight back with any diet if you revert back to the same old unhealthy eating habits. Once your sister reaches her goal weight, she can simply increase her calories to a point that helps her maintain her weight.
  • onezeronine
    onezeronine Posts: 37 Member
    One of my side effects was a breast lump and I had found stories online from women who believed their cancer was caused by the hCG diet. That did make me a bit nervous. Fortunately, the results were benign. They believe that the very low calorie diet affected my cycle (made it heavier than it had ever been and more frequent) which in turn changed the tissue in my breast. Of course, we'll continue to monitor the lump but we know it was not there before I began the diet. And, seriously, while I was going though such an awful time with the diet. The response was to talk to my distributor (Omnitrition) and maybe there was another product she could give me to help. ARGHHHH!!!!

    This isn't just a snake oil diet. This can be very dangerous!


    you know they found the hcg DOES cause your benign cancer cells to develop. i've been going to a homeopathic doctor for this treatment and they did a cancer screening before placing me on the diet. you are also NOT supposed to take the HCG while you are menstruating. too many hormones. you're supposed to stop taking it while you're on your heaviest days. you really shouldn't be taking any over the counter HCG. Go to a doctor that will monitor your progress and assess your risks because they can actually give you the prescription for the HCG which are the shots or the sublingual drops.

    You know there's no actual hCG in "homeopathic" hCG, right? First of all, it's illegal. So you're paying a whole bunch of money for what is essentially water drops. If you'd like to continue on that path, I have a fantastic deal for you - take whatever you're paying for the drops, cut it in half, and I'll sell you all the homeopathic hCG you want for THAT PRICE. You can't beat this deal.
  • Flora_k
    Flora_k Posts: 72 Member
    and even if there was hCG in the drops (there's not), it would never absorb under the tongue. The molecules are too big. Same reason diatabetics have to use injections.

    The whole hCG diet thing is just such a fraud and, unfortunately as I learned the hard way, a dangerous one!
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
    I have 11 friends who have done the diet--none have kept the weight off. In fact, 9 of them gained it all back plus some. They were all grouchy as hell while they were doing it too.

    But I think about it this way: how much time and effort do we spent trying to avoid hormones in our food? And then we go TAKE THEM ON PURPOSE??? It doesn't make any sense to me.
  • allisonrinkel
    allisonrinkel Posts: 224 Member
    Your continued success the healthy way will one day make her realize that her short term extreme diet is not long term effective. Not that I hope she gains it back, but it's likely she will *probably* gain some after the diet stops.
  • maraq
    maraq Posts: 38 Member
    Can you help teach her some healthy habits during her continued weight loss? Rather than tell her what she's doing wrong, show her what she can do right. Invite her for walk or a hike, cook a healthy meal together, take a yoga class etc. People are more open to changing their ways when you don't tell them what they are doing is the wrong way (especially when it's working for her). Giving her more tools to be healthy can help her maintain what she has already lost once she stops the HCG.
  • ea101367
    ea101367 Posts: 175 Member
    Hcg, the miracle diet!! Anyone can lose weight on Hcg, and muscle, and hair and so on. I bought into it! Did 3 separate 40 day rounds. Round 1, lost 35 lbs. put 18 back on following their high protein/ high fat / high calorie/no exercise needed program.
    Round 2, lost the regained 18 lbs plus lbs plus another 14. Gained back 20 lbs. Round 3 opted for the 21 day program and relost my 20 lbs AGAIN! That was a year and a half ago. As a result of this DIET my metabolism is screwed up, my hair is thin,my muscle tone is gone. When finished this diet I could barely open a bottle of juice or water for my kids. That was my real A-HA moment. When i gained weight back Even though I still weigh less than I did I was the same size as my heaviest because there is more fat now and NO muscle. I find i'm way more blubbery than before Hcg and it is taking alot of effort to get that muscle back. I also find I'm VERY sensitive to carbs, and I'm not only talking refined flour and sugar but also whole grains and fruit. The Hcg groups are VERY supportive as long as you conform to their way of thinking. Those that support Hcg are constantly redoing rounds to lose the weight they've gained back. I still linger on the groups just to see who is still under that spell. Evem the group moderators are constantly using Hcg over and over just to " redefine" or "Tone up" their body claiming it "re-Shaped" them. The only reshaping I experienced was a very lose and blubbery lower belly, but and thighs!

    HELLO SQUATS, SIT UPS , CARDIO ETC. MY NEW DIET BUDDIES!!
  • autumnpennell
    autumnpennell Posts: 196 Member
    Thank you so much @maraq ! I agree with this! But I live in minneapolis and she lives in Michigan, I am so worried :(
  • karliRose87
    karliRose87 Posts: 1 Member
    I did this diet last year. I lost almost 25 pounds from it and managed to keep it off for about 5 months. It was great. However, I have since then put all the weight back on and am having a really hard time losing it. It also redistributed on my body in an uneven manner. Furthermore, my hair stopped growing and I developed a very large cyst on my ovary which my gynecologist said was quite possibly a result from this diet. If this is true, I don't know but I have never had any cysts in my body and it came only a few months after I completed this diet. HCG is only a quick fix. Stick to losing weight the HEALTHY way and your body will be happy.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,956 Member
    There are lots of females out there who won't smoke, do drugs, engage in risk behavior (like skydiving), put themselves in situations of danger (walk alone at night), and help others ensure they stay same. But when it comes to losing 5lbs to 10lbs, it's like all the stop lights go off and everything is a green light even if it can compromise health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Could I quote that on my hCG story page? It is so very true. I know I'm smart enough that I was really skeptical but the friend posting success stories relentlessly finally wore me down. Do you know, I found out, the friend who got me to do this really hasn't lost weight on this program. She'll do it and lose a bit and then stop just to get people losing with her. This diet is purely about making money. Even she knows it's not sustainable. I had to ask her so many times how much she lost before she sort-of fessed up. Honestly, if you're doing any version of this with distributors be careful. I really think many of them are scam artists.


    Standard tandem skydiving is not dangerous, fyi.
    Risk behavior means just that. If the chutes don't open, then life would probably be over. Skiiing amongst general population is low risk however skiing in places where avalanches can occur increase risk exponentially.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • seaandsun85
    seaandsun85 Posts: 5
    How is your sister doing?
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    Alex Posts: 10,137 MFP Staff
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