hcg diet

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Amb1976
Amb1976 Posts: 241 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
so i talked to this nurse at a clinic i went to last night for my son....i asked her what she could tell me about the HCG diet...she told me they give you injections that u give yourself daily and restrict you to a 500 cal diet.....they give you a b12 shot as well to keep your energy up....the four week program is 400, the 6 wk is like 600 and the 8 wk is 850.00....you get weighed and measured weekly and this is supposed to reset your metabolism to burn off the bad fat we all carry....the thing that got me, is everyone on here says eat your 1200 cals and 1200 is like the bare min req'd for the body to function....how is the hcg diet effective on only a 500 cal diet?...it sounds interesting, but insurance doesnt cover this....

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  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    I have never heard of this? It doesnt seem safe but I am un educated on it.
  • daniface
    daniface Posts: 338 Member
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    666

    its not effective. it's another quick fix.
  • Amb1976
    Amb1976 Posts: 241 Member
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    that just seems strange that drs would support it though doesnt it?
  • lisamt83
    lisamt83 Posts: 119
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    that just seems strange that drs would support it though doesnt it?

    It does....but I wouldn't recommend it either....you do put your body in that starvation mode...and while you may lose weight pretty quickly...when you stop with the diet and start eating normally again you will put the weight all back on and then some....and when you eat only 500 calories...you aren't getting enough nutrition....
  • lisamt83
    lisamt83 Posts: 119
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    And if you decide to do it...(I REALLY DO NOT recommend it) but if you do...they have drops...you don't have to go to the dr...my friend did this diet and she ordered her drops online...
  • Amb1976
    Amb1976 Posts: 241 Member
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    thats what i figured too, furthermore, it doesnt seem worth it to only loose 1-2 lbs a day....i mean, im averaging about that now anyways...im not saying it wont slow down, but i drop about a pound a day it seems...
  • hiltonheadagain
    hiltonheadagain Posts: 42
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    It sounds so unhealthy and expensive. Stick with myfitnesspal.....give it time and it'll work!:smile:
  • Amb1976
    Amb1976 Posts: 241 Member
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    yeah, i wasnt gonna do it...i cant afford 400.00 for the same results i can get on my own lol!
  • lisamt83
    lisamt83 Posts: 119
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    It sounds so unhealthy and expensive. Stick with myfitnesspal.....give it time and it'll work!:smile:

    I agree with her....stay with myfitnesspal...I have had to learn this...it takes time to lose the weight the HEALTHY way...I do get frustrated because I want it off NOW...but I want to focus on becoming a healthier me...not just a skinnier me...
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    It's a quick fix and it will work but what a horrible quality of life you will be living until it’s done.

    Once it’s done and you eat regularly again you will gain the weight back then some. Your metabolism will be shot at the end of this period. The vitamins they give you are just to supplement the lack of strength and energy you will have, it will not help maintain your metabolism.

    If someone wants to do something so drastic I have no idea why they pay for the HCG chemical, just eat 500 cals a day and take your own multi vitamin. That being said DO NOT EAT 500 CALS A DAY, just if you want to be crazy and unsafe, don't give up your hard earned money too.
  • EmilyStrick
    EmilyStrick Posts: 267
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    i know a very heavy person that did this before it became more well known. she was urged by her doc to do it, essentially in lieu of surgical intervention. her weight affected her ability to exercise in that her knees and ankles couldn't handle the stress. so, she went on this diet to lose enough weight to get to a point where she could exercise and diet normally. so, lengthy explanation aside, i think this diet is meant for extreme cases, not every day dieters or people who can exercise.
  • daniface
    daniface Posts: 338 Member
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    that just seems strange that drs would support it though doesnt it?

    it seems strange that doctors support most things that are unhealthy; doctors support things that make them money. precription drugs instead of nutrition treament , HGC instead of a gym memebership.
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    i know a very heavy person that did this before it became more well known. she was urged by her doc to do it, essentially in lieu of surgical intervention. her weight affected her ability to exercise in that her knees and ankles couldn't handle the stress. so, she went on this diet to lose enough weight to get to a point where she could exercise and diet normally. so, lengthy explanation aside, i think this diet is meant for extreme cases, not every day dieters or people who can exercise.

    That makes sense.
  • pcronberg
    pcronberg Posts: 224
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    I am new here, so pardon me for "butting" in, but I do have some insight on the diet. I have done TONS of research, picked doctor's brains and am actually on the diet myself (although I don't go to the doctor for the shots, I do it at home). The way the diet works is by putting the HCG hormone (which is found in pregnant women) into your body. The first 2 days of the diet are called "loading" days, which means that you eat as much fatty, sugary junk as you can possibly stuff yourself with. The reason for this is to restore the normal fat you have depleted your body of by dieting over the years. Once you do that, the HCG will react towards your abnormal fat, which is the fat stored away by your body for a much later use. Your normal fats are used daily to do your daily activities, while your abnormal fats are not even touched until your normal fats are all used up. So the HCG makes it to where the abnormal fats are able to be used for your body's daily functions again. While you are eating a 500 calorie diet, the HCG is pulling on the abnormal fats to make up the extra calories your body needs on a daily basis. You are not putting your body into starvation mode, AS LONG AS YOU TAKE THE HCG! I have been on it since January 15th, lost almost 5 pounds since my loading days, and feel great! I do not take the B12 injections, although yesterday I did take a B12 pill, but that was because I was up REALLY early and needed a boost of energy come lunch time. I did get headaches the first day or two after the loading days, but that was because of lack of caffeine (by choice), and my body getting rid of all the toxins in my body. I also woke up feeling really hungry the first day after loading, but now, I don't feel hungry even when it's time to eat! This diet has been around since the 50's and has been proven very effective. I am doing this diet, not because I am a lazy person, but because nothing has worked for me, including hiring a personal trainer for 6 months only to find out I gained 2 pounds and lost NOTHING! Yes I was eating right, yes I did my exercises like I was supposed to, no I did not cheat... I wanted to lose the weight, and it wasn't working... AT ALL. HCG is something that is thought to be dangerous, until you actually learn about it, and understand it all. That is why doctors are recommending the diet to people, because it actually works. Just thought I would help everyone understand a little more about it.
  • VezNo1
    VezNo1 Posts: 83
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    Hi All,
    I did the hcg via daily drops for about 30 days in Nov, it is pitched in the UK as a homeopathic diet and is sold/administered by clinics with counselling and nutrition support due to it's drastic nature. A really exspensive solution. I got my drops via mail order in the US and I lost a stone (14lbs) in 5 weeks and have been maintaining it successfully since by increasing to 1200 cals per day and keeping a very close eye on what I am putting in.

    Rapid weight loss has it's place, but is not a one size fits all solution. For me, what i did get from this crash approach is some serious practice in making limited ingredients tasty and really thinking about planning my meals. Some of the things I cut out like wine or potatoes, are greatly reduced in my new eating habits. HCG has served as a kick start for me.

    I have now introduced pilates and wii fit to my weeks in manageable chunks. The weight loss has slowed and i am not going to do a second course, but my mindset is evolving and I am making better food choices, drinking a lot less wine, cooking more and drinking plenty of water. It's the everyday and long lasting changes to any relationship with food is what I feel needs that extra help, my feeling is that, spending lots of money on these rapid result diets can help in the short term but we should be prepared to invest equally in ourselves, for me I want to try hypnotherapy to identify the triggers resulting in bad choices. No idea what I will get from it but, I for one am done with the miracle, fast, guaranteed results offerings on the market.

    The question I found myself asking was; If a diet or healthy eating plan can't give me a reason to cook and be responsible for what goes in, then how am I taking responsibility for my ongoing health?

    MFP has given me the routine and structure you get from all these 'paid for' solutions, tracking the food, seeing how other people are spending calories instead of money is a great resource, the stories are motivating and real. The only diet related products I buy now are dance dvd's, exercise classes or Wii fit games and recipe books.
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    that just seems strange that drs would support it though doesnt it?

    it seems strange that doctors support most things that are unhealthy; doctors support things that make them money. precription drugs instead of nutrition treament , HGC instead of a gym memebership.

    My mom is a registered Dietician, and she even tells me how much doctors don't know about nutrition. They have a broad knowledge of everything, but focus on their main areas, and stuff they see more often.

    HCG is an expensive crock, and any doctor who supports it, obviously needs to take some nutrition classes.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    I've done it and had great success with it. It's a short term diet though, not a lifestyle change. For it to be successful, you have to follow it carefully. It's not for everyone, and a lot of people have judged me (especially on here) for doing it. I think to each his own!

    I have never done the injections, I've done the drops. They're not that expensive (just the cost of a couple nights out at dinner with drinks - which you don't do on the diet, so it balances out).

    I don't find it puts you in starvation mode because the hormone tells your body to pull its energy from your stored fat. I, like any other diet, lost water weight quickly in the beginning but after that, I lost INCHES. I fit into clothes I hadn't worn in years. When I finished my diet, I resumed normal working out and watched what I ate. I didn't really follow the stabilization and maintenance plans that are supposed to follow this diet (to reset the hypthalamus and help you stabilize and maintain your new weight). I did gain a little bit back, but nowhere near all of it (plus I was a month out from my wedding and finding comfort in food/alocohol as the stress mounted).

    Like I said, to each his own. Research it and if it isn't right for you, don't do it. MFP is a wonderful tool whether you do HCG or not and you will lose weight regardless as long as you commit to a new lifestyle.

    Good luck!

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