HCG diet

travhill
travhill Posts: 5
edited November 10 in Introduce Yourself
What's your opinion on the HCG diet?

Replies

  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
    Are you talking the doctor supervised version, or over-the-counter? Two of my sisters did the doctor supervised version. They were both successful at losing weight... But who wouldn't be with eating 500 calories/day? The only problem is, you don't stay on it forever... One of them gained every bit back and it was almost as fast as how quickly they lost it, and it was VERY expensive. My other sister was on it a lot longer and she is still down in her weight. She has only been off the diet for a short while so it's really still too soon to say.

    I guess I don't necessarily want to yay or nay it... but that's what I know about it and the results... My doctor thought it was a crock though.
  • I am a skeptic, although people on it and who have used it speak to its virtues. A friend of mine did both the doctor supervised (shots) and unsupervised (droplets or something). She lost with the doctor supervised, but gained it back. She is losing now as well, about 12 pounds so far.

    However, three facts:

    Some doctors think that HCG is largely placebo in effect, generating a type of euphoria that lets people FEEL less hungry when in fact the drug is doing nothing at all.

    Then too, at 500 calories a day (usually for 21 days or so), you will automatically lose anyway. Basically as long as you are consuming less than your resting metabolic rate (a variation on BMR), you will lose. And such drastic calorie restriction might have adverse effects on some people's hearts.

    Finally, many people regain the weight. Most of the people I am aware of who have been on it, are periodically having to go back into the deep calorie restriction phase in order to jump start the weight loss again.

    Bottom line it kind of depends on your doctors, you, your understanding of how weight loss works, and how authentic you want your "diet" to be. Do you want a diet, a mechanism, or do you want a life change that you can practice day in and day out.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Desperation diet.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Terrible! Anyone would lose weight on a 500 calorie a day diet. The HCG does nothing. Almost everyone gain it back after they stop it since they have learned nothing and are eating more than 500 calories a day.

    People here aren't very friendly or supportive when it comes to this "diet". It's terrible for you. You gain everything back for the most part and lose muscle. Not sure why anyone would want to do it but if it's something you wanna do go for it.

    I could be wrong but I believe the drops/shots/whatever way of delivering the HCG that is used is being pulled off the market.
  • Thanks for the info!!
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    Here is more info, in case anyone needs it.

    In my opinion, any doctor that recommends any version of the HCG diet or prescribes HCG so their patients can do that dangerous 500 calorie a day scam diet should be reported to their state medical board for malpractice!

    http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm

    http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/hcg-diet-dangerous-1428

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/weight-loss-cure-dont-want-you-to-know

    http://www.dietscam.org/reports/hcg.shtml

    http://www.tucsonmedical.com/pages/hcg.php
  • Stinalynn121
    Stinalynn121 Posts: 42 Member
    Not sure if it has gone through yet or not, but I know the FDA is in the process of banning it
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