HCG Diet

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  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
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    HCG can be very productive but I, personally, recommend it for someone who is trying to lose more than 10-20 pounds. Your Diet afterwards is important, as with any diet, you will gain your weight back if you don't keep up with a healthy diet and excerise. Also, note that HCG is not the same as HGH.

    I would consult with an HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) specialist and get a full blood panel review. There may be other conditions working against your "feel good" and weightloss goals. As we age, our bodies just aren't as efficient as they used to be. HRT can help you get your body tuned up in a variety of ways. My boyfriend is an HRT patient consultant if anyone is interested in more information (doesn't matter where you live). I'll be happy to give you his info.
    Where's the peer reviewed scientific evidence that shows HCG is effective? At least HGH has many studies to show that it encourages body fat reduction and is a legit HRT. Can't say that about HCG.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I *think* most people think HCG will make you lose weight because, when women grow tiny people, their metabolism goes up. I mean, that's not really the most logical way of looking at it because having a hormone doesn't make you grow people but that's my guess on why people assume that's why it helps.
  • nwilson1213
    nwilson1213 Posts: 32 Member
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    A gal my hubby works for does it. She eats 500 calories a day and takes a pill. She has lost 30lbs in 4 weeks. Part of me is super jealous. Then the other part is like... Hey lady, want to try bootcamp with me?! :)


    Exactly! It takes way more than 500 calories to sustain an intense bootcamp workout! I like to eat about 400-500 calories in breakfast alone right after bootcamp!
  • bsktlvr
    bsktlvr Posts: 17
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    Keep doing what you're doing. You are doing great. The old saying, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies to you. I personally don't understand why any 'dr' would advise you taking something to lose weight. I agree with the other post that there is something about doing it on your own, no chemicals, no pills, to reach your success. Plus, in the long run, what is this diet, or others where you consume pills, chemicals, going to do to your body? And another thing, 500 calories!, that's crazy.
  • nightshade21
    nightshade21 Posts: 17 Member
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    I can't believe a doctor is encouraging you to 1, take a pregnancy hormone, and 2 eat 500 calories a day. Being overweight is unhealthy, sure, but losing weight that fast and in that way is WORSE. Being overweight and exercising a little has been proven to lower your weight-related health risks even if you don't lose weight. And you sound like you're doing well on your weight loss journey, so why would the he suggest changing it? A body has to break down muscle to survive when you take in that few calories, not just fat. ugh, I get so frustrated when people you are supposed to look to for medical advice give bad advice. :endrant: sorry!
  • crystal8208
    crystal8208 Posts: 284 Member
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    I worked at a compounding pharmacy where we were primarily HRT. There is nothing healthy about tricking your body into thinking it's pregnant. HCG is extremely expensive, not shown to be safely effective, and there are no long term trials to show the potential harm it can do over the long term. We were often asked to compound the HCG drops and injections. After much study between myself (supplement specialist/pharmacy tech) and our lead HRT pharmacist, our office refused to step into it at all. It is not safe and it will not help you long term. As a PP stated, 500 calories is not enough to promote healthy exercise and a true lifestyle change is highly unlikely. So, my advice, (not saying your doc is a quack), get a second opinion. 2nd opinions never hurt anyone. Then make your own decision.

    As a professional trained in the medical field, it is my opinion that HCG is not a safe way to lose or maintain weight. I am not a doctor. But I would not trust a doctor who does not share my opinion. Do research of your own. WebMD is a good source for the average consumer with medical questions. Just google HCG safety concerns. See what pops up. Good luck.
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
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    I LOL'd at Walmart yesterday when I saw that they sold HCG over the counter and how many were purchased from the stock.
  • bwmiller1
    bwmiller1 Posts: 98
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    This is weird b/c the guy i work with wants to do it. I told him why not try 500 calories a day first (which is nuts) for 2 weeks. Then, if he is not convinced, try the HCG (which i think is snake oil) and go from there. If your doctor is pushing you to do it, he/she might be getting a kick back from the supplier. You're doing awesome. And you're doing it right. Your chances for long term success are being built with your hard work.
  • christibam
    christibam Posts: 478 Member
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    I gotta ask:

    Is your Doctor a general practitioner or strictly a weight loss physician?
  • michelledill
    michelledill Posts: 2
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    I just watched a program about the HCG diet and how it has been banned by the FDA in the United States and the FDA is Gavin a huge problem getting it off the market because it is so huge right now. There is supposed to be a lot if risk involved with using HCG. I would think twice
  • livinginwoods
    livinginwoods Posts: 562 Member
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    Get a new Dr. fast!! You are doing very good on your own!!
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,849 Member
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    This is going to get locked very shortly.
  • casbar911
    casbar911 Posts: 61 Member
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    For all of you that think it is only 500 calories a day it isn't. You can have unlimited veggies, 2 fruits a day. The 500 calorie limit is for (protien sources, milk or cheese, fats etc..) so you can be eating a lot more then 500 cal.
    I thought my friend was crazy for doing it but then I went to one of her weekly weigh in's with her doctor and read all the information she had on it and got a bunch of questions answered.... I still wont do it 1 because of the cost, 2 becuase I dont want to have to take a shot everyday, and 3 if you eat as above anyway you will still lose weight - probably a little slower without the shots but it will still come off - but the "diet" part of it makes sense. - it the shots I dont agree with.

    So again I dont agree with it but people should do some research before they make statements that arent true.
  • tennillewade
    tennillewade Posts: 49 Member
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    If your Dr. is pushing something like that, find a new Doctor. There's not a damn thing healthy about it.

    I agree 100%! now if you were having a hard time losing weight and you were getting nutritious meals and excercising and still couldn't shed the pounds then maybe your dr's recommendation wouldn't seem so crazy to me but you are doing very well losing weight. If it aint broke don't fix it keep up with what you are doing, and i don't know a whole lot about the HCG diet but if all you can eat is 500 cals a day its called starvation and the weight will come back or you will starve to death first no one can sustain that kind of diet for a life time...
  • dustidawn
    dustidawn Posts: 18 Member
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    For those that are saying "it's not just 500 calories" who cares?! What is healthy about putting the hormones in your body if you don't need them. There is nothing healthy about it. And, it is true for some that it IS 500 calories. It was true for my friend who did it and I saw what she ate. I couldn't live off that and I'm sure that when people stop they go on a full binge due to having to restrict their diet so much. There's a reason the majority of people on this thread are saying DON"T DO IT and FIND A NEW LEGITIMATE DOCTOR. There are no quick fixes, no Biggest Losers for real life, no magic pills.
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 718 Member
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    Has anyone tried the HCG Diet?
    My Dr is really pushing me to try it and I have expressed how I feel about it.
    I have lost 10 lbs in one month making that 30 lbs total within 4.5 months.

    My advice is to fire that doctor! He is no better than a snake oil salesman.

    Tthe HCG diet has been studied by many scientific organizations, and they all concluded that HCG, even the "real" injectable version, is no more effective than a placebo, and eating only 500 calories a day for weeks, as recommended by that plan, can cause more health problems than it solves.

    The only reason people lose weight on that plan is you are only allowed to eat 500 calories a day. HCG has been scientifically proven to do NOTHING to help with weight loss or to make it safe to eat only 500 calories a day. It will not protect muscle, reset your metabolism or do anything else the snake oil salesmen that sell it claim. Dr. Simeons was a quack doctor. His "HCG protocol" has absolutely NO scientific backing and is not worth risking your health on.

    The MFP moderators have been cautioning members against attempting that diet because it is so dangerous.

    Please read the articles on these websites before you try HCG. I know some people that put their faith in the HCG diet, and became very ill from malnutrition as a result. It is NOT safe!

    The Government is now in the process of getting all that fraudulent stuff off the market, and it's about time!

    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
  • gdunican
    gdunican Posts: 20 Member
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    You are doing well with your own methods, why would you switch? The Doc must be getting kick backs from the purveyor. I'm a nutrition/dietetics student currently and have been studying Anatomy and Physiology for the past two semesters. The endocrine system is immensely complex. Altering any hormone level needs to be considered very carefully. Is your Doc a specialist in endocrinology? Also, apparently, the HCG diet is not exactly getting a big thumbs up from academia.

    Quote : "The controversy proceeds from warnings by the Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that hCG is neither safe nor effective as a weight-loss aid.

    A meta analysis found that studies supporting hCG for weight loss were of poor methodological quality and concluded that "there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss or fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being"."

    Glad you are my niece and my personal Dietitian!!!
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 718 Member
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    I think that any doctor that pushes the HCG starvation diet should be reported to the state medical board for malpractice!
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
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    Dear Posters,

    MyFitnessPal strongly recommends that our users follow the calorie guidelines automatically assigned by our site, unless they are under the direct supervision of a doctor. We are currently reviewing the medical literature on the HCG/500 calorie diet and reserve the right to moderate against discussions of this diet at any time in the future.

    For the time being, HCG discussions remain an option for members in private Groups. Please remember that even in Groups, all site wide rules must be correctly moderated, or the Group runs the risk of deletion. Specifically, endorsement of purchasing prescription supplements or medications without a prescription is in violation of the MyFitnessPal posting guidelines, which can be reviewed here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines

    Thank you all for your concern. We're definitely looking closely at this issue.
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