After the weight is gone taking HCG....what next?

I've been losing at a very slow rate over the past 3 1/2 years, so technically I've been losing, not maintaining, but this has definitely been a long-term change for me. I've lost in such a way that my lifestyle, as it is now, will not be difficult to maintain for the rest of my life.

In the past, I have tried crazy, crash diets. Over and over and over! I lost weight quickly, burned myself out, gave up and gained it all right back, along with more. Much more! I finally saw the light, so to speak, and realized that eating normal foods at a moderate caloric deficit and getting out and moving my body a little bit on a regular basis was so much easier to do and I have been far more successful than ever in the past. This is the closest I have EVER come to being a healthy, "normal" weight and I am on track to hit my goal this year. Then, to celebrate hitting my goal, I'll get up the next morning and keep right on counting and tracking calories like I have every other day since I started this new way of life and I'll keep right on doing that every day until I die because I know myself. Without weighing, measuring and logging, I will gain the weight right back. The daily logging keeps me accountable - and also allows me to eat all the foods that I love and enjoy.

So I don't know a whole lot from personal experience about this diet, but I did do some reading when I first heard about it on MFP.

It is, from what I've read, a very low calorie diet. When you're only eating 500-800 calories/day you will definitely lose weight, even if you're not active. From what I read, many sources actually advise against using this diet because it's just not safe or effective.

Further, let's say instead of HCG you went through WLS and had gastric by pass or something. If you went through that, lost the weight you needed to but then somehow gained it all back no doctor in his/her right mind is going to give you that surgery again. If you have done HCG before but you've gained back all the weight you lost why would you even start to think this is something you should do again when it's really unsafe to begin in?

I know it can be frustrating to lose weight - it takes so much effort, planning and accountability and it's so much easier to just not care and eat whatever and be lazy if you want to. It doesn't seem like it took that much effort to gain the weight, right?

I get it - but we did it to ourselves (except actual, legitimate medical reasons) and now we have to own up to it. It takes time, consistency and work to get off the weight. However, it's up to you to do it; there can't be someone holding your hand the whole way through. There isn't going to be someone ripping stuff out of your hands when you shouldn't eat it. You need to get the control. The reason HCG helps you lose is because your calories are so restricted and you aren't eating more than you burn, so I don't think you really "know how to lose" when you're assisted by a severe calorie restriction. I would lose everything too if I went on something like Biggest Loser, but what would I do when the show is over and I don't have personal trainers yelling at me to move, celebrity chefs cooking me exactly what I should be eating or all day to work out? I'm busy - I work 60 hrs/week, I work out 6 days/week, I volunteer, I have friends and family . . . I'm busy. I need to have control myself over what I eat and how much I eat, when I work out, kick my butt to the gym at 5 am or 6pm when I'm done work. I need to do it - no one else is doing it for me.

I think you need to not do HCG, lose slow and steady and the weight will stay off. Figure out the nutrition your body needs, the caloric intake suitable for you and start exercising and moving around - you will feel better and probably notice the changes in your body, too.

jaqcan wrote: »

I'm asking to LEARN, so no jumping down my throat. Wouldn't you be able to set the MFP calorie goal to maintain the weight you are now, and if you ate at that level you would maintain?? Or would you gain some because of metabolism and restoring water weight with normal glycogen levels? Again I'm asking to learn something.

Initially you would gain I believe, but that should even out in natural fluctuations.
Don't quote me on that though.

I did the HCG diet and lost 40lbs and I have kept it off for almost 6 years now. I did end up lose all my muscle and started lifting weights but low weights at first because I wasnt strong. I also had to get a prescription for vitamin d because with that diet you were supposed to go in the sun for 30 mins but I didnt, I had no energy.