The Hcg Diet...

The reason you aren't hungry is because it's burning fat stores. Rather than your muscle. Which is what the hormone does when you are pregnant. Which is why you can not keep anything down for 3 months and NOT feel hungry. While you are sometimes losing weight! And that the cells multiplying at such a rapid rate causes MOST pregnant women to be exhausted the first trimester.

Can you cite any reputable, non-sales sources to back this claim up?

Re: Not being hungry...

I've known lots of girls with eating disorders, and was on the verge of one myself at times, and they always say they're not hungry. When I didn't eat enough, I wasn't hungry, either. The brain does crazy things when it's deprived, and you get to a point where you don't get good hunger signals.

Food, on the other hand, is the best appetite stimulant there is.

Can you cite any reputable, non-sales sources to back this claim up?

Yes. Pounds and Inches is by Dr. Simeons. I can't link a thing. But if you google it a PDF version comes up and you can read it. The whole diet is based on his research and his SUCCESS with resetting the metabolism of obese patients. I am not suggesting that there are not scams out there. But his research and results seem sound. And for everyone who is continuing to say that the weight loss is being cause by the VLC diet.....you are missing the part where people are able to do that without being HUNGRY. I am not saying people wouldn't lose weight on a VLC diet. Just that they would want to eat their own arm in the process.

When stacking Dr. Simeons' recommendations against the oodles of recommendations by reputable doctor and scientists, I would conclude that Dr. Simeon's protocol is quackery. Any doctors prescribing this are misled, and have not done their homework, as studies have proven it to be quackery. Nobody has been able to replicate Dr. Simeon's results, which would lead one to believe that it was an anomaly, other factors were present, or it was fraudulent.

"We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG causes weight-loss, a redistribution of fat, staves off hunger or induces a feeling of well-being. Therefore, the use of HCG should be regarded as an inappropriate therapy for weight reduction, particularly because HCG is obtained from the urine of pregnant women who donate their urine idealistically in the belief that it will be used to treat an entirely different condition, namely infertility."

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

"Numerous clinical trials have shown HCG to be ineffectual in producing weight loss. HCG injections can induce a slight increase in muscle mass in androgen-deficient males. The diet used in the Simeons method provides a lower protein intake than is advisable in view of current knowledge and practice. There are few medical literature reports favorable to the Simeons method; the overwhelming majority of medical reports are critical of it. Physicians employing either the HCG or the diet recommended by Simeons may expose themselves to criticism from other physicians, from insurers, or from government bodies."

- American Society of Bariatric Physicians (http://www.asbp.org/resources/uploads/files/HCG Position Statement.pdf)

In 1976, the FTC ordered the Simeon Management Corporation, Simeon Weight Clinics Foundation, Bariatrics Management Corporation, C.M. Norcal, Inc., and HCG Weight Clinics Foundation and their officers to stop claiming that their HCG-based programs were safe, effective, and/or approved by the FDA for weight-control. Although the order did not stop the clinics from using HCG, it required that patients who contract for the treatment be informed in writing that:

THESE WEIGHT REDUCTION TREATMENTS INCLUDE THE INJECTION OF HCG, A DRUG WHICH HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF OBSITY OR WEIGHT CONTROL. THERE IS NO SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT HCG INCEASES WEIGHT LOSS BEYOND THAT RESULTING FROM CALORIC RESTRICTION, THAT IT CAUSES A MORE ATTRACTIVE OR "NORMAL" DISTRIBUTION OF FAT, OR THAT IT DECREASES THE HUNGER AND DISCOMFORT ASSOCIATED WITH CALORIE-RESTRICTIVE DIETS (Federal Trade Commission Decisions. Complaint in the matter of Simeon Management Corporation et al. Order, opinion etc., in regard to alleged violation of Secs. 5 and 12 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Docket 8996. Complaint, Oct 15, 1974. Final Order April 29, 1976.).

Since 1975, the FDA has required labeling and advertising of HCG to state:

HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or "normal" distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.

Someone who did the diet said they were not hungry on 500 calories a day. On a VLC diet without the drops that doesn't happen. You'd be starving. The reason you aren't hungry is because it's burning fat stores. Rather than your muscle. Which is what the hormone does when you are pregnant. Which is why you can not keep anything down for 3 months and NOT feel hungry. While you are sometimes losing weight! And that the cells multiplying at such a rapid rate causes MOST pregnant women to be exhausted the first trimester. Regardless of whether or not they have morning sickness. So I'd argue that takes a great deal of energy.
And people doing MFP who journal are losing 2lbs a week. People on the HCG Diet lose .5 lbs to a 1 lb a day. And whether or not you keep it off depends on how well you do on the phases AFTER the VLC phase. The phase 3 is much like the The South beach diet. And actually The VLC phase is much like that plan as well. It's getting rid of your cravings for Sugar, starch and white carbs. If you come out of the VLC phase and start eating cookies and French Fries yeah, you are going to gain it all back. But I would argue that MOST people need to really limit their refined sugar and carb intake in general. And I think that the journaling is great. All the time. But I also understand wanting to lose more than 4-8lbs a month.

Someone who did the diet said they were not hungry on 500 calories a day. On a VLC diet without the drops that doesn't happen. You'd be starving. The reason you aren't hungry is because it's burning fat stores. Rather than your muscle. Which is what the hormone does when you are pregnant. Which is why you can not keep anything down for 3 months and NOT feel hungry. While you are sometimes losing weight! And that the cells multiplying at such a rapid rate causes MOST pregnant women to be exhausted the first trimester. Regardless of whether or not they have morning sickness. So I'd argue that takes a great deal of energy.
And people doing MFP who journal are losing 2lbs a week. People on the HCG Diet lose .5 lbs to a 1 lb a day. And whether or not you keep it off depends on how well you do on the phases AFTER the VLC phase. The phase 3 is much like the The South beach diet. And actually The VLC phase is much like that plan as well. It's getting rid of your cravings for Sugar, starch and white carbs. If you come out of the VLC phase and start eating cookies and French Fries yeah, you are going to gain it all back. But I would argue that MOST people need to really limit their refined sugar and carb intake in general. And I think that the journaling is great. All the time. But I also understand wanting to lose more than 4-8lbs a month.

I'm very curious to know if anyone has ever taken HCG but NOT followed the 500 cal diet. If HCG works then shouldn't you be able to follow a healthy calorie diet of 1200 - 1500, take HCG, and see results?

The reason you aren't hungry is because it's burning fat stores. Rather than your muscle. Which is what the hormone does when you are pregnant. Which is why you can not keep anything down for 3 months and NOT feel hungry. While you are sometimes losing weight! And that the cells multiplying at such a rapid rate causes MOST pregnant women to be exhausted the first trimester.

Can you cite any reputable, non-sales sources to back this claim up?

Yes. Pounds and Inches is by Dr. Simeons. I can't link a thing. But if you google it a PDF version comes up and you can read it. The whole diet is based on his research and his SUCCESS with resetting the metabolism of obese patients. I am not suggesting that there are not scams out there. But his research and results seem sound. And for everyone who is continuing to say that the weight loss being cause by the VLC diet.....you are missing the part where people are able to do that without being HUNGRY. I am not saying people wouldn't lose weight on a VLC diet. Just that they would want to eat their own arm in the process.

Well my thinking is this...my mom is doing HCG, and I'm doing Weight Watchers and MFP along with exercise (P90x). The first 6 weeks while my mom did HCG she lost 20ish lbs. Those same 6 weeks for my I was only down 5.5 lbs. But now that shes moved on to the 2nd 6 weeks, she has to maintain and not lose anything. I on the other hand have still continued to lose and i've lost another 15lbs. So we've both lost about 20lbs, and I've been able to enjoy all my food, and not deny myself anything if it fit in my diet. On top of that I've lost 2 pants sizes while my mom just 1. I just don't see the point if in the end you are still losing at about the same rate.

Rachel, maybe HCG didn't work for your friend, but it worked for me. This is my second time taking HcG. I lost 34 lbs the first time taking it and took a 1 month break from it after phase 3. I followed all directions and never cheated and I was able to keep the weight off. I am on it a second time and have already lost 9 lbs after 1 week. Me and my girlfriend did it together. We were both satisfied and did it a second time. 44 lbs lost and counting on HCG.