HCG Diet

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Many of my friends and coworkers are having success with the HCG diet. Anyone else try it?
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  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    This is a FAD diet. I have never tried it but the only thing proven to make you lose weight and KEEP IT OFF is diet and exercise.. and I mean diet like counting calories and eating healthy. You know.. the hard way. Sorry..
  • pcronberg
    pcronberg Posts: 224
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    Bump
  • MuffinMan25
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    eating only 500 cals a day is not good!!!
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    This is a FAD diet. I have never tried it but the only thing proven to make you lose weight and KEEP IT OFF is diet and exercise.. and I mean diet like counting calories and eating healthy. You know.. the hard way. Sorry..

    ^ AGREE!!!^

    Tell you a true story.... I lost 85lbs and have kept it off for 3 years now. I did it the HARD way, I watched what I ate and I exercised!
  • pcronberg
    pcronberg Posts: 224
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    I wanted to make sure I did not lose this thread while I went and looked for the forum for people on HCG or thinking about doing it.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/310170-hcg-progress-updates-page-2-for-people-on-it-or-thinking-a

    I am currently doing the diet again. It is not for everyone, there is a protocol "Pounds and Inches" that I highly recommend reading before beginning the diet. It works if you follow it, just like anything else though. Look us up, and you will get all the info you need, and all the help you need to make a decision.
  • Chrisandsteph99
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    Don't do it!! Do your research on it. They are only losing weight cuz they are eating 500 calories. They will gain the weight back plus some when they are finished. Diet and exercise is the best way. They are finding the shot is causing tumors.
  • IrishHarpy1
    IrishHarpy1 Posts: 399 Member
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    Just reading the few posts here on the forums, I can see that a lot of people are "doing the diet again." THAT'S the problem -- the "again" part. You need to make a lifestyle change, not rely on a quick fix every few months.

    And quite frankly, I had enough of HCG during my infertility treatment days. The thought of injecting someone else's urine extract into MY body is a bit less appealing once you really think about it. :P
  • MuffinMan25
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    Just reading the few posts here on the forums, I can see that a lot of people are "doing the diet again." THAT'S the problem -- the "again" part. You need to make a lifestyle change, not rely on a quick fix every few months.

    And quite frankly, I had enough of HCG during my infertility treatment days. The thought of injecting someone else's urine extract into MY body is a bit less appealing once you really think about it. :P


    I found the info on the web that explains how they "process HCG" NASTY!!! AGREE With above
  • mussmom
    mussmom Posts: 362 Member
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    Many of my friends and coworkers are having success with the HCG diet. Anyone else try it?

    I was curious about it and asked our school nurse who also works in an area hospital emergency room. She came back the next day with literature on the "diet", and it scared the bejeezus out of me. All three of the doctors she consulted with said it can cause kidney problems (people don't drink enough water and the kidney's can't filter properly), and all kinds of side effects from putting your body through that-to most likely put weight back on. Also, have you ever seen someone in the latter stages of this "diet"? They look awful and unhealthy! Just note the "wrong" skin tone color-kind of grayish greenish yuckyness. No way.

    If you are going to only eat 500 cal. a day-why not just do it right in the first place? Find your calorie range, exercise, eat back your calories. It is hard work-but not as hard as eating lettuce (certain kinds), and traumatizing your body. This "diet" and researching it led me to MFP...24lbs later I feel better than I have felt since college. Good luck in whatever you choose!
  • Kalrez
    Kalrez Posts: 655 Member
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    Hmmmm HCG .... let me drink this pregnant lady's pee so I can magically lose weight.

    Yeah, that's a great idea.
  • fitzie63
    fitzie63 Posts: 508 Member
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    Dr. Mehmet Oz, a HEART SURGEON, has written and spoken about that HCG program many times. The HCG program (medication) has caused major ORGAN FAILURE and TUMORS in many people. Not only that but any 500 calorie diet is not adequate for your body to "survive". You might lose the weight quickly but it will be MUSCLE WASTING loss. Many years ago, I had to lose 35 pounds very fast due to pending surgery. You really do not want to experience the PAIN I had in my legs and arms from that fast weight loss along with severe shortness of breath.

    DIETS WILL MAKE YOU FAT: Yes, they most certainly will. You will lose the weight but as soon as you go "off the diet", you will gain back what you lost plus gain additional weight on top of what you lost. That happens because, each time we do the yo-yo diet routine, our body "protects itself" by building/creating NEW FAT CELLS. That physiological defense mechanism is something that we cannot prevent.

    There is NO successful quick fix for obesity. PORTION CONTROL and INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY are the two key factors to your success in becoming heart healthy again. I'm posting this for you right now but will add an additional post after I copy & paste some tips I shared with another friend a while back.
    :)
  • Kalrez
    Kalrez Posts: 655 Member
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    Dr. Mehmet Oz, a HEART SURGEON, has written and spoken about that HCG program many times. The HCG program (medication) has caused major ORGAN FAILURE and TUMORS in many people. Not only that but any 500 calorie diet is not adequate for your body to "survive". You might lose the weight quickly but it will be MUSCLE WASTING loss. Many years ago, I had to lose 35 pounds very fast due to pending surgery. You really do not want to experience the PAIN I had in my legs and arms from that fast weight loss along with severe shortness of breath.

    DIETS WILL MAKE YOU FAT: Yes, they most certainly will. You will lose the weight but as soon as you go "off the diet", you will gain back what you lost plus gain additional weight on top of what you lost. That happens because, each time we do the yo-yo diet routine, our body "protects itself" by building/creating NEW FAT CELLS. That physiological defense mechanism is something that we cannot prevent.

    There is NO successful quick fix for obesity. PORTION CONTROL and INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY are the two key factors to your success in becoming heart healthy again. I'm posting this for you right now but will add an additional post after I copy & paste some tips I shared with another friend a while back.
    :)

    Not to say that HCG is good or anything, but Dr Oz is a joke. He's a TV personality just like Dr Phil. He get's paid to push certain products and ideas. I'm sure he was a legit doctor before he got a TV show, but now .... he's a TV host. As with everything else you see on TV, take it with a huge chunk of salt.

    Plus, I'm pretty sure I've seen "Try Dr Oz's pregnancy diet" stuff floating around in reference to HCG. So yeah. There's that.

    TV talk show host = Not real advice.
  • sandyfeet10
    sandyfeet10 Posts: 280 Member
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    I tried it a little over a year ago. I took the drops and really enjoyed the 2 binge days before the diet started.

    You are eating 500 calories in a day and I'm not gonna lie...I felt miserable. I was REALLY cranky and felt weak. It was not right for my body.

    I have a close friend who lost 40 lbs in a few months doing it, but I couldn't keep it up for longer than 2 weeks.
  • jenswansonrn
    jenswansonrn Posts: 1 Member
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    It seems as though the HCG diet does teach people how to eat better and make better choices about what they put into their bodies, It is a high protein low carb diet not unlike many others out there, they are required to count calories and also eat calorie dense veggies. AS with any "Diet" if you go back to your old habits... you will gain the weight back. I know that my friend that did it has kept the weight off for over 2 years, she only had 15 to loose... so she did not need another round. The main part of the diet does consist of consuming 500 cals... but it seems like a decent amount of food, when you look at the amt that you are consuming... 3.5 oz of meat, 1 cup of veggies, apples.. etc. They are encouraged to drink around 4 liters of water per day. the next part of the diet is where fats are introduced back in (cheese, oils) but not carbs... this is where they stabalize their weight, then after they stabilize they can eat carbs again. This is not an easy diet to follow, esp since my friend is a teacher and a parent... it took her a lot of wheel power not snack or eat the treats that her student's parent brought in. LIKE any means of losing wt... it is a lifestyle change... even w gastric bypass... people that return to their old habits will gain wt again (i have another friend that did that... and is gaining wt back bc she isn't eating right). If you have questions... the people over on the HCG/progress updates are more than happy to answer questions. It seems they the reason people do the diet again is; if they have a LARGE amt of wt to lose or if they totally didn't change their eating habits (like any diet or workout program)... It def seems to be a lifestyle change and although i didnt do it, I did learn a lot from my friend about the nurtrional content in foods and what I was putting into my mouth that was high in cals... she quicky pointed out that the gummy bears I ate are 0.7 cals each.. i ate handfulls at a time.... i just didnt pay attention to their caloric content , LOL... I'm not doing that anymore;) I learned a lot through her... esp on how to cook healthier meals. Like with any diet or fitness or program.... it is a lifestyle change.... not easy... but like they say... "if living a healthy life, working out and eating right were easy.... EVERYBODY would be healthy and FIT"... so much easier to get off after working 8-12 hrs and go home cook something quick or processed and veg out in frint of the TV... instead of taking your exhuasted self to the gym and working out... then going home and cooking a real meal of veggies, protein and a little carb. Remember, It requires a calorie deficit of 3500 cal per week to loose one POUND!! Good luck to everybody in their goals.... nice to see so many out there with the same goal of improve health.... regardlesss of the means to get there:)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    Many of my friends and coworkers are having success with the HCG diet. Anyone else try it?
    If you're looking for approval for the use of it, go to the HCG support thread. As a trainer and after posting NUMEROUS links to studies that show that it's not a sensible way to lose weight, I am obviously not for it. A child needs about 600 calories a day for regular brain function.
  • LovingMe19
    LovingMe19 Posts: 380 Member
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    I tried it, and after a week I quit. I was miserable, weak, tired, and *****y. I fell due to dizziness and blacking out numerous times. I found myself crying in the evenings because I was so hungry and was sick of eating chicken. I will NEVER do that diet again. I would rather lose slower and be thin, fit, and strong, than lose faster and be weak, and sick looking. I've known a few people who have succesfully completed the diet and lost large amounts of weight. But there are always "going back on it" due to gaining the weight right back. Don't do it. Its a waste of time and health.
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
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    My dad, my brother-in-law, my uncle and my aunt are on this diet. They are miserable mean people! They are very weak too. AND they all look like a balloon that let the air out.

    It's a FAD diet for sure and NOT an easy one or fun one. Do something fun workout and eat ice cream :) haha.
  • talon1977
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    Hello,
    I looked it up and found an interesting article that will help you determine for yourself. Apparently a lot more cons than pros.

    http://www.consumerhealthanswers.com/hcg-diet.html
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    What's funny to hear is men on the diet and claiming the hormone is natural. Pregnancy hormone normal in men...........................:sick:
  • klabeau
    klabeau Posts: 261 Member
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    It seems as though the HCG diet does teach people how to eat better and make better choices about what they put into their bodies, It is a high protein low carb diet not unlike many others out there, they are required to count calories and also eat calorie dense veggies. AS with any "Diet" if you go back to your old habits... you will gain the weight back. I know that my friend that did it has kept the weight off for over 2 years, she only had 15 to loose... so she did not need another round. The main part of the diet does consist of consuming 500 cals... but it seems like a decent amount of food, when you look at the amt that you are consuming... 3.5 oz of meat, 1 cup of veggies, apples.. etc. They are encouraged to drink around 4 liters of water per day. the next part of the diet is where fats are introduced back in (cheese, oils) but not carbs... this is where they stabalize their weight, then after they stabilize they can eat carbs again. This is not an easy diet to follow, esp since my friend is a teacher and a parent... it took her a lot of wheel power not snack or eat the treats that her student's parent brought in. LIKE any means of losing wt... it is a lifestyle change... even w gastric bypass... people that return to their old habits will gain wt again (i have another friend that did that... and is gaining wt back bc she isn't eating right). If you have questions... the people over on the HCG/progress updates are more than happy to answer questions. It seems they the reason people do the diet again is; if they have a LARGE amt of wt to lose or if they totally didn't change their eating habits (like any diet or workout program)... It def seems to be a lifestyle change and although i didnt do it, I did learn a lot from my friend about the nurtrional content in foods and what I was putting into my mouth that was high in cals... she quicky pointed out that the gummy bears I ate are 0.7 cals each.. i ate handfulls at a time.... i just didnt pay attention to their caloric content , LOL... I'm not doing that anymore;) I learned a lot through her... esp on how to cook healthier meals. Like with any diet or fitness or program.... it is a lifestyle change.... not easy... but like they say... "if living a healthy life, working out and eating right were easy.... EVERYBODY would be healthy and FIT"... so much easier to get off after working 8-12 hrs and go home cook something quick or processed and veg out in frint of the TV... instead of taking your exhuasted self to the gym and working out... then going home and cooking a real meal of veggies, protein and a little carb. Remember, It requires a calorie deficit of 3500 cal per week to loose one POUND!! Good luck to everybody in their goals.... nice to see so many out there with the same goal of improve health.... regardlesss of the means to get there:)

    Very, very well said!!!