i don't want to offend anyone BUT....

sarah307
sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I am 100% against the HCG diet.

The reason i am posting this is because my friend recently told me she has lost 11 lbs in 8 days on HCG. but she feels like ****. We had an "ice cream party" today for the new people coming to our school and she couldn't have any.

*like i said, I don't want to upset anyone who has had great success with this or whatever - i just think this information should be put out there for those thinking about doing it. I have never done it, so i can't COMPLETELY say I know what is going on. But i have two friends who have tried it and done lots of research...

http://rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/thinking-about-hcg-diet-look-elsewhere-for-weight-loss/

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Things that should alert you .... (in the above website)

"500-calories per day is severely restrictive! In fact, it is not enough calories to support normal brain function."

[Personally, I'd like to keep my brain functioning throughout the day with lots of healthy proteins/carbs/fats.]

"Before you can lose true weight, you will be so irritable, lightheaded, and cranky that you’ll reach for whatever food you can get your hands on and have a field day."

[Personally, I don't want to lose all my friends because I 'snap' at them from not eating breakfast...]

"There is no scientific evidence supporting HCG injections as a weight loss strategy. In addition, these injections have not been approved by the FDA for use in weight loss."

[Personally, I like having proof something is going to work... like healthy eating and exercising... and I usually don't like taking things that aren't FDA approved for their 'success'...]

"The common side effects include headaches, mood swings, depression, blood clots, confusion, and dizziness."

[Personally, I would rather have a clear, focused mind, a positive attitude, and lots of energy! ... also no blood clots, please.]

HMMMM? if you are mad about this post, you are probably not really mad about the post - It is actually the fact that you are so irritable/angry/crazy from only eating 500 calories a day and would rather: A. punch me in the face.. B. eat like five cheeseburgers... and/or C. cry yourself to sleep every night from the hunger pangs.
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Replies

  • yoghurtand
    yoghurtand Posts: 119
    I hate very low calorie diets and always have. They REALLY irritate me. But I think you will find that there are quite a few people on here who do not care about any of the reasons why the diet is seen as being bad and to be fair, jt does seem to be working for them with few (perceived) side effects so I just shrug when people (online) say they're on it.
  • I agree! I could not live on just 500 calories a day.
  • feenie
    feenie Posts: 1 Member
    I agree.. a friend of mine did it too and her first day off the diet she ate a truffle and had cold sweats and tremors and was light headed.. eventually she vomited and went home. She lost 76 pounds on that diet a year ago and has since gained back close to 90. :(
  • kcrojas630
    kcrojas630 Posts: 145 Member
    I did it and had none of these side effects! Just saying. But you are definitely entitled to your opinions.

    ETA: I never felt hungry on the diet. It is really restrictive and takes lots of self control, but the results have been great. I think that there are pros and cons to every diet/ lifestyle, etc. Some people do well with low fat, high carb... some do well with high fat low carb. Everyone just needs to find what works for them and what they can stick with. HCG is a tool. If you do your rounds of hcg, lose the weight, then go back to eating how you did before hcg to gain all the weight in the first place, of course you are going to gain all that weight back. It's no different than exercising, eating sensibly until you get to your desired weight, then once you hit that desired weight you go back to sitting on the couch and eating krispy kreme's all day, you're going to gain all that weight again. Common sense is what's needed in controlling our own weight loss/ maintenance! HCG helped me kick my carb addiction. Carbs and my body do not go well together. I lost 35 lbs and have kept it off for the past 6 months.
  • Nanadena
    Nanadena Posts: 739 Member
    I, personally, could and would not do this. My Dad did it years ago and gained everything back over and over again. But, to each their own.
  • rmartin72
    rmartin72 Posts: 1,085 Member
    Thank you Sarah for sharing this information, I had no idea this was going on. This is really good information you have found. Your a great friend. I hope they apprieciate your friendship and that you honestly care for them.
  • soknurdy
    soknurdy Posts: 74 Member
    That diet sounds like anorexia in the making.. Or a yo-yo diet.
  • peanut613
    peanut613 Posts: 438 Member
    Yeah..... everything I've read about HCG makes it sound like a terrible idea. (And I did some looking into it, since I didn't know what it was...)

    Your closing made me chuckle though :)
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    not saying it doesn't work, I just don't think it's the HEALTHIEST thing to do.
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Yeah..... everything I've read about HCG makes it sound like a terrible idea. (And I did some looking into it, since I didn't know what it was...)

    Your closing made me chuckle though :)

    haha :)
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Thank you Sarah for sharing this information, I had no idea this was going on. This is really good information you have found. Your a great friend. I hope they apprieciate your friendship and that you honestly care for them.

    yeah! i just don't want people to think it's a 'quick fix' and be miserable... and thinking being miserable is the only way to lose weight/be healthy - and then just give up :(
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I'll tell you what sets off a red flag in my brain more than severely restricting your calories or the weight you'll likely gain back (like any restrictive diet) when you stop.

    Is the hormones I'm injecting into my body. I'm not comfortable injecting something into me that is going to convince my body that we are pregnant when we aren't. I just don't think I like the idea of doing that to my body just to see if I can lose weight. Why not do it in a healthy and safe manner? Eat less, eat healthier and workout?
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Don't worry about offending people.
    HCG is a scam.
    Telling the truth protects people.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    "500-calories per day is severely restrictive! In fact, it is not enough calories to support normal brain function."


    Suddenly.. I understand HCG users.
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Don't worry about offending people.
    HCG is a scam.
    Telling the truth protects people.

    YES
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    "500-calories per day is severely restrictive! In fact, it is not enough calories to support normal brain function."


    Suddenly.. I understand HCG users.

    PAHAHAA
  • SusanneWhittington
    SusanneWhittington Posts: 339 Member
    I would guess there are not that many people here who would try that, because what I like on this MFP is that it flags you when you are too low in calories and explains the starvation mode etc. I don't want to just loose weight, I want to loose weight and maintain a healthy life style afterwards and a life without ice cream... not in my life!!! Loved the end of your post, made my day!
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    I don't understand this diet, because the last time I had HCG in my body I blew up like balllon and 9 months later tiny humans forced their way out of my vagina...It happened twice and it smarted just a bit. I am so not doing that AGAIN.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    This is tame compared to the thread I started about questioning the support thread of it.
  • Magic_Girl
    Magic_Girl Posts: 158
    I hated the HCG diet! I tried it and only lost 5 pounds and it cost me $80!!! I didn't lose more because I couldn't follow the diet at ALL!!!

    I actually felt MORE hungry because I couldn't eat the foods I really wanted to eat! I lose way more weight on MFP just by eating what I want and making sure I burn any extra calories!

    Totally a scam!
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    To add to all that you ain't surpose to really exercise with HCG what the hell type of a diet tells you to limit your exercise? Seriously, my breakfast is nearly 500 calories. I completly agree, I am against the HCG diet! People are crazy!!! People are always just lookin for the easy way out!!!
  • lilcuteness
    lilcuteness Posts: 11 Member
    My friend did it, and he lost thirty pounds. Then he put back on twenty (although I will say his eating habits are improved). So he's doing it again. Oy. What diet plan makes you exclude the vast majority of vegetables? C'mon...avocados and artichokes? Who can eat enough of them anyway to gain weight??? I think it's scary.
  • njean888
    njean888 Posts: 399 Member
    I hate to disagree with you all but I did it and lost 16 pounds about a year ago. To date I have only gained back 2. I did it as a kick start to my weightloss and the only downfall for me was not being able to workout. I love going to the gym so that was a major bummer.

    I would not do it again but only because I love working out to much and could not stop for twenty whatever days the HCG protocol is for.
  • amandarada
    amandarada Posts: 8 Member
    I don't understand this diet, because the last time I had HCG in my body I blew up like balllon and 9 months later tiny humans forced their way out of my vagina...It happened twice and it smarted just a bit. I am so not doing that AGAIN.

    lmao!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    glad to hear MFP users are understanding not only the craziness of this but the dangers - where i live, there is a bunch of hype about it! i hear about it almost everyday - i'm like NO.

    glad for you njean888, but even more glad that you wouldn't do it again as you enjoy exercise :):)
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I don't understand this diet, because the last time I had HCG in my body I blew up like balllon and 9 months later tiny humans forced their way out of my vagina...It happened twice and it smarted just a bit. I am so not doing that AGAIN.

    lmao!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    HAHAHAHAHA awesome.
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    My cousin's ex gf did this diet. She consumed 500 calories a day and dropped 20lbs in a month. She went from size 6 to a size DOUBLE 0 in a month.

    This is the diet she used. I told her she was crazy and lucky she didn't die.

    http://ovationmedspa.com/Body Contouring/WeightLoss/diet.html
  • I have a co-worker who is doing a version of this. She looks incredible and hasn't exhibited the mood swings (at least, not at work) but I still hate the thought of it. When she told me she only got 500 calories a day (a co-worker's sister, who is quite large, gets a whopping 600), I nearly choked. Even on my strictest "diets", I've never gone below 1000 and I know how crappy I felt. There's no way she can be ingesting that little and still function normally.

    I guess it's different stroke for different folks, but I'll pass.
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    His ex-gf looked sickly to say the least.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    A diet is a diet is a diet. A diet is supposed to make you lose weight. If you can comply, great. Whether it is safe depends on your body's hormones. This is just like going through ketosis. Some can do it, some cannot.

    I am not defending any diet. I am defending the right to make a decision based upon an individual's state. Just like saturated fat is good for some people and not for others.

    What is telling about a diet is what the individual does after the weight loss target has been achieved. Again, this is not the diet so much but the individual's awareness and willingness to learn nutrition and to follow it after the weight loss.

    I personally am not on the diet, I don't want the injections, but I cannot help but admire those who have the courage to change their lives.
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