New to the website. Mom of 4: considering HCG. Suggestions?

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I have never been skinny but after having my fourth baby a year ago I have really struggled to loose all that baby weight. It is so hard with four little ones and a husband who is always gone.

However, I have been REALLY good the last month with my exercise and I have been trying to watch what I eat (although I need to be better) but so far I havent lost ANY weight....so frustrating. I joined here to see if journaling my food would help. I hope so.

If I still havent lost any weight in a month I am considering trying the HCG diet. Has anyone else tried it? Is it as good as I have heard? I really have no knowlege of how it works. I have only heard that it DOES work. So, any tips or info would be appreciated. THANKS!
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Replies

  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    It's not something I would ever risk my health to do, but then that's just me. I've found eating healthier foods and enough cals that my body needs and working out to be the best for my body.

    Welcome to MFP:flowerforyou:

    Becca
  • Jenn97355
    Jenn97355 Posts: 103 Member
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    Hi, welcome to MFP... I am new here also, only been a few months, and I can tell you that the first month I didn't lose any weight--I gained 3 lbs!! I was so frustrated! Come to find out, I wasn't eating enough... which is odd to hear! So far I have LOST 8lbs in 5wks! I love this site, and the encouragement... I have tried about every diet in the world, and finally got sick of "dieting" and changed my lifestyle.. As a mom, I know it's harder to lose weight(we always seem to just eat their leftovers!)

    Just keep up the good work, drink lots of water... and cheat once or twice a week... that's how I don't fail! And also, I do not own a scale. Every Fri, I go to the Dr's office and weigh myself(I had one at home but kind of OCD, would weigh EVERY morning, and get upset!)

    Congratulations on actively trying to become a healthier person~~You are a better mother for doing this for YOU~~~ and your rewards are amazing :-) Good Luck to You
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
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    HCG is a hot hot topic . . . you are going to find both ends of the opinion spectrum on this one.
    I've been of the philosophy that these companies are in the business to make money, they ultimately don't care about your health, they care about their bottom line.
    I've historically tried many "fad" diets, this one is just that . . . another "quick" weight loss scheme by a company in the business of making your wallet lighter.
    Any weight loss done any other way but with CLEAN honest healthy food and hard work in exercise is not the route to go. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this fad.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Options
    HCG is a hot hot topic . . . you are going to find both ends of the opinion spectrum on this one.
    I've been of the philosophy that these companies are in the business to make money, they ultimately don't care about your health, they care about their bottom line.
    I've historically tried many "fad" diets, this one is just that . . . another "quick" weight loss scheme by a company in the business of making your wallet lighter.
    Any weight loss done any other way but with CLEAN honest healthy food and hard work in exercise is not the route to go. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this fad.
    :flowerforyou:
  • eubie
    Options
    I walked in and saw a customer that I hadn't seen for 4-6 weeks and he looked different. I couldn't put my finger on it, and then I noticed his face was thinner! He said he had been dieting for approximately 60 days on a 500 calorie per day diet. ( HCG ) Bob had lost 23 lbs. in that time frame. I decided to try it too, so he ordered it for me. I chose the drops and it cost $30 for the 2 bottle deal.( That included the shipping too).
    After 60 days I had lost 28 lbs., but I worked out at least 30 minutes per day faithfully. I have been off the diet for 30 days and I have been able to maintain my weight, while continuing to exercise. I would like to lose about 10-15 more lbs. and I am thinking about trying it again. I can see no adverse affects, and I have had plenty of energy! I recently had a physical, and my blood work was great. My cholesterol was down 60 points. I was surprised that it worked so quickly! Ask your doctor and see if they have anything to say.
  • whitneyc78
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    I knew someone who tried it and lost weight but it was only temporary. If you're looking for a quick fix, sure try it. Just know that it won't be permanent as with any crash diet. The woman I knew who tried it had no appetite, which is obviously why she lost weight. My coworkers heard a radio show talking about how it contained horse urine:noway: , which I'm not sure is true or not. But I certainly wouldn't take the chance. I agree with everyone else in saying that a lifestyle change is the only way to go. Some people have it easy and don't have to worry about it. Unfortunately, many of us have to think about our choices every day of our lives. It's up to you! Good luck! :happy:
  • TheKitsune6
    TheKitsune6 Posts: 5,798 Member
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    There are positives and negatives. My friend went on it until her Doctor begged her to get off it and had her go to a real dietitian.

    To be frank: Don't start any radical exercise/diet regimen without going first to your family doctor and asking them. There's only so much information you can get from the internet and you really can't trust it all!
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    However, I have been REALLY good the last month with my exercise and I have been trying to watch what I eat (although I need to be better) but so far I havent lost ANY weight....so frustrating. I joined here to see if journaling my food would help. I hope so.

    I was the same. And I was very surprised to learn that being good wasn't good enough!! :laugh: How wrong my guesses were once I started weighing and tracking calories. You tend to forget tea with sugar or olive oil in the pan or the odd ice cream when you dont actually log, let alone portion sizes!! :noway:

    Once I start tracking honestly and consistently, I lose weight.

    I was on a different site before MFP. Only been here 2 weeks, but MFP has the support the other site was lacking.

    I think you'll lose weight now you're here. :flowerforyou:
  • nightmerr
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    Thanks for all the input. I agree with you that the only way is to put in the hard work...it has just been frustrating to not see any difference yet. I am definately not ready to try it yet...it would be more of a "last ditch effort" if nothing else worked. I am interested that no one really said anything positive about it...I thought at least someone would have lost weight on it (it seems so popular right now) and liked it.
  • boogsmom
    boogsmom Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi, I'm a little late coming to this party, but I have this circle of friends who many have been doing the Hcg diet. One of my friends, in particular, has suffered for many years with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. As a result, she deals with fluctuations of hormones and has had a terrible time trying to lose weight. She said she has tried every diet she could think of: Atkins, South Beach, etc. but nothing worked. She seemed to just keep gaining weight. She heard about the Hcg diet from another friend of hers who has been extremely successful (over 70lbs. lost) and doesn't appear to be suffering from any serious consequences. So she decided to give it a try. So far she has been on it for about 4 months and has lost over 50 lbs. It is definitely extreme. In the beginning you are only eating 500 calories. I read an opinion the other day that said anyone would lose weight if they are only eating 500 calories! However, the key to it is the Hcg hormone. This is supposed to help you with the hunger associated with eating such a low calorie diet. My friend has finished that part of the diet and is now up to 1300-1500 cals a day and feels that she would not have continued if she had not seen the results she was getting. It helped her stay motivated.
    I'm not sure about it myself. I have thought several times about starting, but the money makes me shy away. My friend paid around $500 to get started, that included some other homeopathic drops she needed to balance some of the other things going on in her body. I know there are places where you can get it cheaper, but am just not prepared to spend that kind of money when i can go to a website like this and get all the support and tools I need to lose weight.
    Some research online lead me to an individual that said it could lead to blood clots and high blood pressure. I don't know if there is truth to this, but it made me stop and think.
    My friend has been very successful and she also does not seem to be suffering from any ill side effects, but she is seeing a homeopathic doctor who is monitoring her progress and such.
    My suggestion is, if you are really thinking about it, I would definitely consult your doctor and get his opinion on it. Can your body take such an extreme life change, even if temporary.
    Even though so many of my friends are on it and seem to be doing just fine and losing large amounts of weight. I have chosen the old-fashion way. I know that hard work, strong will-power (which I need to work on), and dedication will give me the results I want. It may not be instant, but that's ok. I just need a permanent life change, not a temporary one.
  • kmmschaefer
    kmmschaefer Posts: 82 Member
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    Day 34 Down 20.1 pounds (two days I cheated and that cost me a week) I feel great! Unless you commit everyday for the rest of your life to diet and exercise you will gain the weight back I did in just 10 days i was on vacation and gained back all the weight It took me 3 months to lose working out. HCG resets your metabolism gland so you should not gained the weight back unless of course you go to an all you can eat buffet every night and stuff your face. Do your research and read about all the people who have had and are having success with HCG. If you can stick to the protocol it will change your life!!
  • darkerrose
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    I'm also a mom of 4. Just had #4 August 9th. I had lost 60lbs over a year before I got pregnant with my last child. After getting pregnant I put on.....60lbs. Oh well. So I'm now dieting again, but carefully because I'm nursing.

    As far as HCG goes, I have several friends at work that have done it. One has lost almost 40lbs. The rest go off and on it and seem to have a hard time sticking with it. Like someone else said, if you eat 500 calories its almost impossible not to lose weight.

    Honestly, there is no quick fix. I found that gaining control of your appetite is the first step. Don't go cold turkey. Ease into portion control. That's how I lost 60lbs before and I've already dropped from 208 post-delivery to 181. I'm only really counting the weight I've lost from 189 down as real dieting success because that is where my weight plateaued.

    Take a good long look at what you are eating and how much. I was shocked to realize how much I was putting away at each meal (not including snacks). I eat out of boredom.

    Also, I find that when I give up soda completely and drink water, or crystal light, the weight melts off much easier.

    The important thing is, don't give up! Stay strong and believe in yourself.
  • frekwentflier
    Options
    I'm not sure what great expense you're all talking about. I'm doing it myself. It cost me about $30 for mixing supplies and $60 for 2 months' supply of HCG. Of course, my food bill is down by about 90%, so I'll more than make that back over the next few weeks.

    There's no way it can lead to blood clots. Whoever wrote that was probably selling some other diet program.

    If you eat 500 calories/day without HCG you will feel extremely hungry, moody, and will lose more muscle than fat. With HCG, you feel fantastic, have tons of energy, and only lose fat. I know this b/c the last time I did it I actually got stronger while I was on HCG, so no muscle loss for me!

    There's no need to go to expensive clinics or anything like that. Just research and do it yourself. Take control of your own health!
  • katierakel
    katierakel Posts: 3 Member
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    Welcome to MFP. If you search for "hcg" in the forums you'll find the HCG thread that the MFP'ers use. It has a lot of helpful info as well as people doing HCG currently and on maintenance.
  • kmmschaefer
    kmmschaefer Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I'm not sure what great expense you're all talking about. I'm doing it myself. It cost me about $30 for mixing supplies and $60 for 2 months' supply of HCG. Of course, my food bill is down by about 90%, so I'll more than make that back over the next few weeks.

    There's no way it can lead to blood clots. Whoever wrote that was probably selling some other diet program.

    If you eat 500 calories/day without HCG you will feel extremely hungry, moody, and will lose more muscle than fat. With HCG, you feel fantastic, have tons of energy, and only lose fat. I know this b/c the last time I did it I actually got stronger while I was on HCG, so no muscle loss for me!

    There's no need to go to expensive clinics or anything like that. Just research and do it yourself. Take control of your own health!


    Where do you order yours from? How much have you lost in how long?
  • lpoincot
    lpoincot Posts: 3 Member
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    Are you doing the drops or injections?
  • frekwentflier
    Options
    @kmmschaefer, I ordered mine from pharmacyescrow.com last year. I see their prices have increased a lot since then, maybe because more people are doing it. But it's still far cheaper than going to a clinic.

    @lpoincot, I do sublingual liquid made with real HCG, Vitamin B liquid, and colloidal silver liquid, not the homeopathic drops. I found the recipe online by watching the success videos a woman posted on Youtube. I don't have anything against homeopathy, I just wanted the real thing.
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    Options
    Hi, I'm a little late coming to this party, but I have this circle of friends who many have been doing the Hcg diet. One of my friends, in particular, has suffered for many years with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. As a result, she deals with fluctuations of hormones and has had a terrible time trying to lose weight. She said she has tried every diet she could think of: Atkins, South Beach, etc. but nothing worked. She seemed to just keep gaining weight. She heard about the Hcg diet from another friend of hers who has been extremely successful (over 70lbs. lost) and doesn't appear to be suffering from any serious consequences. So she decided to give it a try. So far she has been on it for about 4 months and has lost over 50 lbs. It is definitely extreme. In the beginning you are only eating 500 calories. I read an opinion the other day that said anyone would lose weight if they are only eating 500 calories! However, the key to it is the Hcg hormone. This is supposed to help you with the hunger associated with eating such a low calorie diet. My friend has finished that part of the diet and is now up to 1300-1500 cals a day and feels that she would not have continued if she had not seen the results she was getting. It helped her stay motivated.
    I'm not sure about it myself. I have thought several times about starting, but the money makes me shy away. My friend paid around $500 to get started, that included some other homeopathic drops she needed to balance some of the other things going on in her body. I know there are places where you can get it cheaper, but am just not prepared to spend that kind of money when i can go to a website like this and get all the support and tools I need to lose weight.
    Some research online lead me to an individual that said it could lead to blood clots and high blood pressure. I don't know if there is truth to this, but it made me stop and think.
    My friend has been very successful and she also does not seem to be suffering from any ill side effects, but she is seeing a homeopathic doctor who is monitoring her progress and such.
    My suggestion is, if you are really thinking about it, I would definitely consult your doctor and get his opinion on it. Can your body take such an extreme life change, even if temporary.
    Even though so many of my friends are on it and seem to be doing just fine and losing large amounts of weight. I have chosen the old-fashion way. I know that hard work, strong will-power (which I need to work on), and dedication will give me the results I want. It may not be instant, but that's ok. I just need a permanent life change, not a temporary one.

    :indifferent:
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    Options
    Day 34 Down 20.1 pounds (two days I cheated and that cost me a week) I feel great! Unless you commit everyday for the rest of your life to diet and exercise you will gain the weight back I did in just 10 days i was on vacation and gained back all the weight It took me 3 months to lose working out. HCG resets your metabolism gland so you should not gained the weight back unless of course you go to an all you can eat buffet every night and stuff your face. Do your research and read about all the people who have had and are having success with HCG. If you can stick to the protocol it will change your life!!

    :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    Options
    HCG is a hot hot topic . . . you are going to find both ends of the opinion spectrum on this one.
    I've been of the philosophy that these companies are in the business to make money, they ultimately don't care about your health, they care about their bottom line.
    I've historically tried many "fad" diets, this one is just that . . . another "quick" weight loss scheme by a company in the business of making your wallet lighter.
    Any weight loss done any other way but with CLEAN honest healthy food and hard work in exercise is not the route to go. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this fad.


    :indifferent: :yawn: