just started the hcg diet, any advice?

Well said!!!

This diet gave me back MY life!!!!

I have lost over 70 lbs using the HCG diet and have maintained that loss!!!

As with ANY plan IF you revert to your previous unhealthy eating you WILL GAIN WEIGHT!!

I went from 211 lbs to 140 lbs in 10 months ...From a sixe 20 to a size 6 ...From OBESE BMI to a HEALTHY BMI.

There is NO need to bash fellow MFP members for THEIR choices and if you disagree there is a NICE human and decent way to voice a discenting opinion.

That's my 2 cents.

Done the same with clients in the same amount of time, but now they have more strength, stamina, and muscle tone. Does HCG do the same? Doubt it.
People keep saying we're bashing MFPers. We're bashing the diet and any "proof" that supposedly exists that it's a safe way to lose weight. Again it's irresponsible to tout a drug that really has no merits in weight loss where people who are desperate to lose may take this up without knowing the full impact.

You dont starve at all well just a few days of the first week if u didnt load well but if u did no problems with that
i would recogmend it to anyone that is overweight and wants to change their eating habits and life if not i wouldnt even say anything

step away from the magic pregnant lady pee

But it tastes good when you sweeten it with Stevia!

LOLOLOL.

You dont starve at all well just a few days of the first week if u didnt load well but if u did no problems with that
i would recogmend it to anyone that is overweight and wants to change their eating habits and life if not i wouldnt even say anything

Why? The HCG simply cannot work, for reasons already outlined. The very low calorie diet has been demonstrated empirically to be both health-threatening, and ultimately ineffective.

What would you recommend it *for*?

The 'successes' cited here could all have been achieved with an ordinary healthy lifestyle, calorie control and exercise. Why would anyone want to do it with snake oil and an unhealthily restrictive diet?

.

I've been on the hcg since last month - on phase 3 now. Eventually, my appetite did decrease - couldn't believe it. Drinking a lot of water really helps as well. Let's face it, 500 calories is nothing, but I was determined to try. After a few days, I got use to it and I had to learn how to eat slow. So far, I have dropped 17 pounds - but now I added more calories on this phase. Good Luck - plus I prayed, too! I'm going back to the drops in 4 more weeks to reach my goal.

I've been on the hcg since last month - on phase 3 now. Eventually, my appetite did decrease - couldn't believe it. Drinking a lot of water really helps as well. Let's face it, 500 calories is nothing, but I was determined to try. After a few days, I got use to it and I had to learn how to eat slow. So far, I have dropped 17 pounds - but now I added more calories on this phase. Good Luck - plus I prayed, too! I'm going back to the drops in 4 more weeks to reach my goal.

i'd say that the prayer probably did more than the HCG.

My advice is to give it up, its a scam.

This. The 2.5lbs you've lost is probably water weight.

Once you start actually eating again, you will gain it all back. At 500 calories, you are starving yourself.

You can gain all the weight back no matter how you lose the weight. I"ve lost over 80 lbs eating healthy and exercising only to gain all of it and then some.

Now that I've been on the HCG diet...even when I've gone off of it I haven't gained any weight back. I even went on a cruise and gained nothing...and I ate and drank. The difference isn't how I'm losing the weight, but my attitude and life changes. I'm eating the most healthy meat and all kinds of veggies.

I'm learning portion control and more importantly what works for my body and what doesn't. I know how different meats and especially sugar affects me - it's immediate. Plus, the inches that have come off...I've lost 50 inches since I started in February and that's even with the phase of cheating that I went through (and side note: even with the cheating, I didn't gain any weight). I don't have the sagging fat...it is like I'm losing the fat. Most importantly I'm learning so much about my body.

I have lost 31 pounds the ole' fashioned way, and also learned portion control, what works for my body, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I don't need magic pregger pee to teach me that.

I can learn that all on my lonesome.

I've been on HCG for nearly 30 days...and will stop at 40. I'm down 15 lbs...and I don't always stick to the 500 cal limit, a little over on some days and I still lose. To those who say it's bunk, or it's not a healthy way to lose...well, i tried the "safe" way...

I was on the portion control plan, counting callories at 1200 calories a day with working out 5 times a week...and over two months, I lost 3 lbs.- that's it. This program resets your metabolism to work differently on burning your fat.

My body was not burning the fat. I injured a knee and couldn't work out for two months and decided to see what HCG could do for me. It works. but, at the end of next week, I alsolook forward to going back to working out, and a modified diet i learned while on HCG. no processed sugar and no starches.

QUOTE from spammyanna-
I have lost 31 pounds the ole' fashioned way, and also learned portion control, what works for my body, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I don't need magic pregger pee to teach me that.

I can learn that all on my lonesome.

spammyanna - that's wonderful! I'm glad that worked for you. I don't understand why you have to knock or put down other ways to lose weight. I thought we're all on the same path...to get healthier. And if HCG works for me...that's great. After trying for over 15 years to do it the ole' fashioned way, this is what my doctor suggested...and it is working.

If you are under doctor supervision, I think that's great! I don't think anyone should try to do the HCG on their own as there are too many risks. But if that is working for you with your doctors supervision and help, good for you.
I think that too many people go into that diet thinking that it's perfectly safe and it's a quick fix, and there are so many dangers to only eating that much.

Being informed is the best thing you can be! Good luck!

I was on the portion control plan, counting callories at 1200 calories a day with working out 5 times a week...and over two months, I lost 3 lbs.- that's it. This program resets your metabolism to work differently on burning your fat.

My body was not burning the fat.

Yeah, that's not in fact the 'safe way' is it? Working out on 1200 cals, you were way under the recommended calorie level.

You weren't losing because you were busy messing with your metabolism.

Starving yourself does not in fact 'reset' your metabolism. It will simply mess with your metabolism even more.

As to all the 'each to their own' comments.... well, sure, each to their own if you're not promoting an entirely unhealthy and dangerous lifestyle to others. Very calorie restricted diets are dangerous - with or without mystical hormone supplements. This is a very well established medical fact. If you want to screw up your body.... well, I'd rather you didn't, frankly, but if you feel you must, that's up to you. But don't be telling other people it's a healthy choice. Cause you know what? Anorexia works too. People lose weight being anorexic. It doesn't make it a good lifestyle choice....

I was on the portion control plan, counting callories at 1200 calories a day with working out 5 times a week...and over two months, I lost 3 lbs.- that's it. This program resets your metabolism to work differently on burning your fat.

My body was not burning the fat.

Yeah, that's not in fact the 'safe way' is it? Working out on 1200 cals, you were way under the recommended calorie level.

You weren't losing because you were busy messing with your metabolism.

Starving yourself does not in fact 'reset' your metabolism. It will simply mess with your metabolism even more.

As to all the 'each to their own' comments.... well, sure, each to their own if you're not promoting an entirely unhealthy and dangerous lifestyle to others. Very calorie restricted diets are dangerous - with or without mystical hormone supplements. This is a very well established medical fact. If you want to screw up your body.... well, I'd rather you didn't, frankly, but if you feel you must, that's up to you. But don't be telling other people it's a healthy choice. Cause you know what? Anorexia works too. People lose weight being anorexic. It doesn't make it a good lifestyle choice....

Quoting this because it is a great post.

I also agree that weight was not lost if all the other poster was eating was 1200 cals and working out 5 days a week.

Eat more, move more, lose more!

I'm not going to drone on and on about "starvation mode" It's a term too loosely thrown around the boards. The fact of the matter is that your body needs energy. Your body gets energy from food IE Calories. Our bodies are designed from hundred of years of non- evolution to HOLD on to fat stores in a time of stress or when food isn't plentiful. HCG forces your body to use those stores. What happens when you begin to eat? Your body stores fat. Now not only do you have a slow metabolism (body reserving for the next period of not having plentiful food) you will have to rebuild your vitamin and minerals. They are for the most part not storable. It would be great if there was a long term get thin magic way, but there isn't. Take that motivation you have and apply it o working out and eating well. You will be thankful in the long run. Remember its not just about changing your body; it's about changing your lifestyle for the better.

you will be fine, just keep plugging along

Bad advice. :drinker: