So many people on HCG

I havent heard of one person keeping it off

THANK YOU! Fad diets get under my skin! The mindset of those doing fad diets and/or diet pills make me crazy! There is no rationalizing.. none. I just have to walk away because I don't understand how someone can choose chemicals over proper eating and exercising. Just as the OP said, not looking to offend anyone - to each their own - I just don't understand the thought process behind fads and pills.

I personally don't do any diets because I know once I get off of it, ill gain the weight back. I'm eating less than I did before and working out more.. its a life style change for me and I know I can do that the rest of my life.. therefore I shouldn't have a problem keeping the weight off.

From someone who has done many fad diets - it is like everything else - you live and learn. Now I am here and doing well. The weight doesn't come off quick but doing it slowly changes habits and allows new thought processes. But each person has to come to this realization for themselves.

HCG is the hormone the female body creates when it is pregnant. I don't want to inject my body with a hormone when I am not pregnant.. let alone see a MAN inject his body with it. this screams long term health problems.

HCG is a hormone supplement. In a addition to a very low calories diet (Simeons therapy), supposedly helps you lose fat rather than lean tissue.

FWIW, I found a meta-analysis of this diet on pubmed. They said,

"Of the 14 randomized studies, 12 reported that the weight loss with the use of HCG was no greater than with the use of placebo or with the use of diet only... We conclude there is no scientific evidence that HCG causes weight loss, a redistribution of fat, staves off hunger, or induces a feeling of well being."

citation (British Journal of Clinical Pharmocology): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1365103/

As I have said before, at 53 I am lucky enough that so far I haven't had any menopause symptons. Even though there are a ton of people close to me on HCG, losing like crazy, I'm afraid if I tried it, It might mess up my system. I'll just have to go the slow route by eating healthy and exercise.

Alright... I have decided to comment on this. I just completed the HCG diet. I felt fine during the entire process. I did this program through a doctor and I thoroughly researched it before I went forward, including reading Dr. Simeon's manuscript. I lost 31 pounds on the entire 3-month program.

Yes, you are only eating 500 calories for 40 days, but because the HCG is metabolizing your stored fat, your body is actually getting 1200-1500 calories a day. -- And the food you eat is very healthy, so during this entire time, you are relearning how to eat by making healthy choices. The amount of HCG injected is incredibly small compared to what a pregnant woman produces. Pregnant women produce thousands of units of HCG per day. The amount injected is 0.2 - not even an entire unit. I think stating that "It screams long-term health problems" is quite a stretch considering it is a hormone your body produces naturally, anyway. It is not some chemical foreign to your body.

While I was on the program, I have been mentally preparing myself for success after the program. I have learned how to make good choices about carbs, protein, etc. I have also started running three times a week in order to maintain/continue losing. I knew from day one of the program that this was going to be a lifestyle change and not just something to do in the short-term. This was my leaping point to get me on the right track.

I just completed the program yesterday and saw my doctor. He counseled me on maintenance strategies and wants me to read a book called "The 4-Day Win" by Martha Beck to help me make this a permanent lifestyle change.

Okay, so that's the two cents from the other side of the fence.

... I have been mentally preparing myself for success after the program. I have learned how to make good choices about carbs, protein, etc. I have also started running three times a week in order to maintain/continue losing. I knew from day one of the program that this was going to be a lifestyle change and not just something to do in the short-term. This was my leaping point to get me on the right track….

I think, whether the stuff is good for you or not, YOU specifically are on the right track to keeping it off because you are here and you have been preparing for the days ahead when you are off the diet. Of ALL the fad diets I have been on, even one that was doctor monitored, NONE made me aware of what I need to be thinking when I accomplish my goal. Or if they did, it must have been in the fine print.

I wish you the best of luck.

Alright... I have decided to comment on this. I just completed the HCG diet. I felt fine during the entire process. I did this program through a doctor and I thoroughly researched it before I went forward, including reading Dr. Simeon's manuscript. I lost 31 pounds on the entire 3-month program.

Yes, you are only eating 500 calories for 40 days, but because the HCG is metabolizing your stored fat, your body is actually getting 1200-1500 calories a day. -- And the food you eat is very healthy, so during this entire time, you are relearning how to eat by making healthy choices. The amount of HCG injected is incredibly small compared to what a pregnant woman produces. Pregnant women produce thousands of units of HCG per day. The amount injected is 0.2 - not even an entire unit. I think stating that "It screams long-term health problems" is quite a stretch considering it is a hormone your body produces naturally, anyway. It is not some chemical foreign to your body.

While I was on the program, I have been mentally preparing myself for success after the program. I have learned how to make good choices about carbs, protein, etc. I have also started running three times a week in order to maintain/continue losing. I knew from day one of the program that this was going to be a lifestyle change and not just something to do in the short-term. This was my leaping point to get me on the right track.

I just completed the program yesterday and saw my doctor. He counseled me on maintenance strategies and wants me to read a book called "The 4-Day Win" by Martha Beck to help me make this a permanent lifestyle change.

Okay, so that's the two cents from the other side of the fence.

Congrats to you! My sister is doing this.... she just finished her first week and lost 9 lbs

Crazy measures for people desperate to lose weight fast is never healthy..

We were crazy when we stuffed our faces over the last X years being out of control. We will do [just about] anything to eliminate the problem. We will "risk it all" if we can just make it go away and feel normal. We know it's not healthy, but when society throws it in our faces at every turn that we should be skinny and we should be able to control ourselves and that being fat is costing everyone who is skinny more money for health insurance and we see a new diet pill/drug/plan/craze/whatever come out all the time it just makes us even crazier, we want so badly to make it stop and just go away. My profile statement says "Last shot…" for a reason. My next move is bariatric options and I REALLY REALLY don't want to go there to have to lose weight. And you know what? You can cheat those options too and gain it all back or never lose it to begin with. And as far as risk goes, it's surgery on a morbidly obese person so it's much riskier than diet and exercise. All that said, yes I agree, it's crazy, but I've been crazy enough to think about that one too when I learned about it.

*My small disclaimer here is that "we" may not encompass everyone who is overweight, but I bet there's a lot "we" of out there.