hCG Injections for Weight Loss: Do They Really Work?
By: Nicole Nichols,
SparkPeople Blogger
7/24/2009 6:31 AM
: 194 comments
: 322,264 Views
What if I told you that we've discovered the secret to weight loss—something so amazing, easy, and effective that it can help you drop several pounds a day, lose that stubborn belly fat for good, and finally "fix" your metabolism so that you'll never suffer from weight problems again? Sounds great, right?
All you have to do is never eat any brand name foods from big food companies, eliminate all artificial sweeteners, white sugar and flour (and a handful of other things), switch to a 100% organic diet, eat big salads at lunch and dinner, consume no more than 500 calories a day and inject yourself with a special "solution" each day while you do it. Your reaction to that should be "no thanks, I'll pass," but many others think it sounds like the weight-loss breakthrough they've been waiting for.
It's called the hCG diet. If you haven't heard of it, it's not your fault. Proponents of this diet claim that it's so effective that the government has worked hard to cover it up for years because it would solve obesity and health problems that would put pharmaceutical companies out of business.
That may seem plausible. I love a good conspiracy theory myself. But the deeper you dig, the more red flags you'll find about the hCG diet and its infamous injections.
I do my best to stay on top of current weight-loss trends, but I hadn't heard about this until Coach Jen and SparkPeople Dietitian Becky Hand, a licensed and registered dietitian with 20 years of experience, alerted me about it. They've received lots of questions about these hCG injections and the hCG diet. So with Becky's help and some research on my part (which wasn't easy because most websites you'll find when you search for hCG information are completely one-sided and trying to sell hCG to you), here's what you need to know.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. It is made by cells in the placenta and helps to maintain progesterone production throughout pregnancy, among other functions. One of the possible roles of hCG during pregnancy is breaking down stored abdominal fat so that it can be used as an energy source for the growing fetus, a process that slightly increases the mother’s metabolism. Because of this, some people have hypothesized that hCG could be used as a weight-loss aid.
In the 1950s, A British endocrinologist named Dr. Albert T. Simeons created a weight-loss plan that involved injecting people with the hCG hormone based on his theory that it will help break down fat stores, increase metabolism and promote weight loss and satiety on an extremely low-calorie diet. He even opened some hCG weight-loss clinics during the mid-century.
In more recent history (2007), Kevin Trudeau, a controversial businessman with no medical or nutrition credentials, wrote a book called The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About that outlines a restrictive hCG diet and recommends the use of hCG injections for weight loss. This has led to a consumer resurgence and interest in hCG. However, it should be noted that Trudeau has made a living selling "natural cures" in books and infomercials and has lost several lawsuits brought on by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and has also been convicted of both fraud and larceny. In November 2007, just seven months after his Weight Loss Cure book was published, a court found Trudeau in contempt for making deceptive claims in his book and ultimately fined him $37 million. Some people view Trudeau as a crusader or hero for sharing these cover-ups with the public when no one else would. Others (myself included) view his background and run-ins with the FTC as big red flags. How can you trust someone with a history like this and no medical or nutrition education or experience?
Trudeau and other proponents of the hCG diet and hCG injections for weight loss continue to make a lot of big claims, but these are just claims—not facts. NONE of these claims is backed by reputable resources or any science.
According to SparkPeople's head dietitian Becky Hand, "Numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies conducted between the 1970s and 1990s (see a list of selected sources below) have shown that hCG injections provide NO weight-loss advantage. In study after study, researchers compared two groups: a control group who followed the diet only and another group who followed the same diet AND received hCG injections. Time after time, the weight loss between the two groups was identical, demonstrating that hCG injections offer no weight-loss advantage over dieting alone." Or in layman's terms, "hCG injections have nothing to do with the weight loss. SAVE YOUR MONEY!" cautions Becky.
After all, if you're completely changing your diet and eating a third of the calories you should be eating to stay healthy, it's hard to know what's really causing weight loss: the diet, the injection or both. These studies show that the diet is responsible—that hCG injections aren't really doing anything to promote weight loss. On top of that, says Becky, who reviewed the published research on hCG says, "researchers observed NO statistically significant differences in body composition, waist-to-hip ratio, hunger level, spot reduction, or mood among the groups." This counters the very claims made by hCG promoters—that hCG burns belly fat and makes you able to withstand the extreme hunger you're likely to experience if you only eat 500 calories a day. Reputable research says otherwise.
Even if hCG injections do work, how do you know that what a supplement company is selling you is the real thing? Part of the risk of taking supplements—whether we're talking vitamins, herbal concoctions or hormones like hCG—is that supplements are not regulated. No one is overseeing these companies to ensure that what they say is in a bottle is really in there. No one is making sure that the pill or liquid or whatever it may be is free of contaminants or provides a safe or healthy dosage. Prescription drugs on the other hand are regulated for safety, ingredients and potency. But you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor who will administer hCG injections for you because the FDA has never approved hCG injections for weight-loss treatment in the U.S. In fact, since 1975, the FDA has required labeling and advertising of hCG to state:
Beyond that, the diet alone is restrictive and dangerously low in calories. The reason SparkPeople (and other nutrition recommendations) have calorie floors (women should never eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day, for example) is because it is not possible to meet your body's needs for protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals when eating so little food. Certainly an extremely low-calorie diet will result in weight loss—for a while. But it'll likely slow your metabolism down and make you feel lethargic and pretty darn hungry.
One of the things I always tell people when they ask me about the latest diet pill or program is this: If it REALLY worked, everyone would know about it. Seriously—everyone really would. You'd constantly hear about it on the news, in magazines and newspapers, in statements from reputable organizations, from doctors—from everyone. Why? Because everyone really DOES want a safe and reliable cure for obesity. If that existed in the form of a pill or injection or special food combination, you better believe that no one would be able to truly "suppress" that information. Pharmaceutical companies have been searching for this very cure for years, as have university and medical researchers who aren't affiliated with pharmaceutical companies. If weight loss came in a pill, trust me—you'd know about it and you'd probably be taking it. "The use of hCG injections for weight loss remains a popular treatment," says Becky, "but it is just another dieting scam."
The next thing I want you to ask yourself is, "Who profits from telling you this?" If "who profits" is a bunch of supplement companies or weight-loss clinics or a controversial book author, well there you go. Medical organizations, health organizations, the government, nutrition professionals, even SparkPeople—none of us either "win" or "lose" by telling you that something is a scam. The people who have the "agenda" are the ones who are trying to profit off of consumers with high hopes for this secret cure.
All you have to do is never eat any brand name foods from big food companies, eliminate all artificial sweeteners, white sugar and flour (and a handful of other things), switch to a 100% organic diet, eat big salads at lunch and dinner, consume no more than 500 calories a day and inject yourself with a special "solution" each day while you do it. Your reaction to that should be "no thanks, I'll pass," but many others think it sounds like the weight-loss breakthrough they've been waiting for.
It's called the hCG diet. If you haven't heard of it, it's not your fault. Proponents of this diet claim that it's so effective that the government has worked hard to cover it up for years because it would solve obesity and health problems that would put pharmaceutical companies out of business.
That may seem plausible. I love a good conspiracy theory myself. But the deeper you dig, the more red flags you'll find about the hCG diet and its infamous injections.
I do my best to stay on top of current weight-loss trends, but I hadn't heard about this until Coach Jen and SparkPeople Dietitian Becky Hand, a licensed and registered dietitian with 20 years of experience, alerted me about it. They've received lots of questions about these hCG injections and the hCG diet. So with Becky's help and some research on my part (which wasn't easy because most websites you'll find when you search for hCG information are completely one-sided and trying to sell hCG to you), here's what you need to know.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. It is made by cells in the placenta and helps to maintain progesterone production throughout pregnancy, among other functions. One of the possible roles of hCG during pregnancy is breaking down stored abdominal fat so that it can be used as an energy source for the growing fetus, a process that slightly increases the mother’s metabolism. Because of this, some people have hypothesized that hCG could be used as a weight-loss aid.
In the 1950s, A British endocrinologist named Dr. Albert T. Simeons created a weight-loss plan that involved injecting people with the hCG hormone based on his theory that it will help break down fat stores, increase metabolism and promote weight loss and satiety on an extremely low-calorie diet. He even opened some hCG weight-loss clinics during the mid-century.
In more recent history (2007), Kevin Trudeau, a controversial businessman with no medical or nutrition credentials, wrote a book called The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About that outlines a restrictive hCG diet and recommends the use of hCG injections for weight loss. This has led to a consumer resurgence and interest in hCG. However, it should be noted that Trudeau has made a living selling "natural cures" in books and infomercials and has lost several lawsuits brought on by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and has also been convicted of both fraud and larceny. In November 2007, just seven months after his Weight Loss Cure book was published, a court found Trudeau in contempt for making deceptive claims in his book and ultimately fined him $37 million. Some people view Trudeau as a crusader or hero for sharing these cover-ups with the public when no one else would. Others (myself included) view his background and run-ins with the FTC as big red flags. How can you trust someone with a history like this and no medical or nutrition education or experience?
Trudeau and other proponents of the hCG diet and hCG injections for weight loss continue to make a lot of big claims, but these are just claims—not facts. NONE of these claims is backed by reputable resources or any science.
According to SparkPeople's head dietitian Becky Hand, "Numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies conducted between the 1970s and 1990s (see a list of selected sources below) have shown that hCG injections provide NO weight-loss advantage. In study after study, researchers compared two groups: a control group who followed the diet only and another group who followed the same diet AND received hCG injections. Time after time, the weight loss between the two groups was identical, demonstrating that hCG injections offer no weight-loss advantage over dieting alone." Or in layman's terms, "hCG injections have nothing to do with the weight loss. SAVE YOUR MONEY!" cautions Becky.
After all, if you're completely changing your diet and eating a third of the calories you should be eating to stay healthy, it's hard to know what's really causing weight loss: the diet, the injection or both. These studies show that the diet is responsible—that hCG injections aren't really doing anything to promote weight loss. On top of that, says Becky, who reviewed the published research on hCG says, "researchers observed NO statistically significant differences in body composition, waist-to-hip ratio, hunger level, spot reduction, or mood among the groups." This counters the very claims made by hCG promoters—that hCG burns belly fat and makes you able to withstand the extreme hunger you're likely to experience if you only eat 500 calories a day. Reputable research says otherwise.
Even if hCG injections do work, how do you know that what a supplement company is selling you is the real thing? Part of the risk of taking supplements—whether we're talking vitamins, herbal concoctions or hormones like hCG—is that supplements are not regulated. No one is overseeing these companies to ensure that what they say is in a bottle is really in there. No one is making sure that the pill or liquid or whatever it may be is free of contaminants or provides a safe or healthy dosage. Prescription drugs on the other hand are regulated for safety, ingredients and potency. But you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor who will administer hCG injections for you because the FDA has never approved hCG injections for weight-loss treatment in the U.S. In fact, 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."
Beyond that, the diet alone is restrictive and dangerously low in calories. The reason SparkPeople (and other nutrition recommendations) have calorie floors (women should never eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day, for example) is because it is not possible to meet your body's needs for protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals when eating so little food. Certainly an extremely low-calorie diet will result in weight loss—for a while. But it'll likely slow your metabolism down and make you feel lethargic and pretty darn hungry.
One of the things I always tell people when they ask me about the latest diet pill or program is this: If it REALLY worked, everyone would know about it. Seriously—everyone really would. You'd constantly hear about it on the news, in magazines and newspapers, in statements from reputable organizations, from doctors—from everyone. Why? Because everyone really DOES want a safe and reliable cure for obesity. If that existed in the form of a pill or injection or special food combination, you better believe that no one would be able to truly "suppress" that information. Pharmaceutical companies have been searching for this very cure for years, as have university and medical researchers who aren't affiliated with pharmaceutical companies. If weight loss came in a pill, trust me—you'd know about it and you'd probably be taking it. "The use of hCG injections for weight loss remains a popular treatment," says Becky, "but it is just another dieting scam."
The next thing I want you to ask yourself is, "Who profits from telling you this?" If "who profits" is a bunch of supplement companies or weight-loss clinics or a controversial book author, well there you go. Medical organizations, health organizations, the government, nutrition professionals, even SparkPeople—none of us either "win" or "lose" by telling you that something is a scam. The people who have the "agenda" are the ones who are trying to profit off of consumers with high hopes for this secret cure.
Selected Sources:
Bosch B, Venter I, Stewart RI, Bertram SR. Feb. 1990. Human chorionic gonadotrophin and weight loss. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. South African Medical Journal. 77(4):185-9.
Greenway FL, Bray GA. Dec. 1977. Human chorionic gonadotropin in the treatment of obesity: A critical assessment of the simeons method. The Western Journal of Medicine. 127(6):461-3.
Miller R, Schneiderman LJ. Mar. 1977. A clinical study of the use of human chorionic gonadotrophin in weight reduction. Journal of Family Practice. 4(3):445-8.
Shetty KR, Kalkhoff RK. Feb. 1977. Human chorionic gonadotropin treatment of obesity. Archives of Internal Medicine. 137(2):151-5.
Stein MR, Julis RE, Peck CC, Hinshaw W, Sawicki JE, Deller JJ. Sept. 1976. Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin in weight reduction: A double-blind study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 29(9):940-948.
Young RL, Fuchs RJ, Woltjen MJ. Nov. 1976. Chorionic gonadotropin in weight control: A double-blind crossover study. Journal of the American Medical Association. 236(22):2495-7.
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Comments
To me...its not a good diet. It basically calls for starvation. Any diet that asks for elimination of entire food groups or meals is unhealthy, in my opinion.
- 4/28/2013 4:47:22 AM
To me...its not a good diet. It basically calls for starvation. Any diet that asks for elimination of entire food groups or meals is unhealthy, in my opinion.
- 4/28/2013 4:47:00 AM
ds-and-Inches "dot" htm
I have hypothyroidism, and after being a size 5-7, 130lbs my entire life and eating anything I wanted, even lost weight after both kids, my thryoid went out and I gained 50lbs in a matter of a couple of months! Doctor put me on synthroid (a CHEMICALLY made pill that kept me suffering from thyroid symptoms and SICK for 5 years) all the while fighting with my doctor that it wasn't working. Lots of research and find a doctor who offerred me NATURAL thryroid treatment (made from pig thyroid glands)--also NOT FDA approved (most natural medications are not!)--I am now the person I was before in terms of feeling great! I began exercising, doing aerobics, eating healthy--only to keep losing and regaining the same 10lbs. My DOCTOR (who is on the board of a hospitcal and a respected DO), put me on the HCG diet injections. I lost 28lbs in 30days and felt awesome!! I was able to go off cholesterol medication! And I've kept it off for 2 years! I look and feel better than I have in 15 years!!
2 things I want to point out in the comments I've read above:
1. Your body is NOT starving. It is using your fat stores for fuel--it doesn't attack muscle--the same way when you are pregnant the body takes the fat for the baby, not the muscle. Read the protocol!
Before I tried HCG, I used 'my fitness pal' to count calories and tried eating 1000 a day--my body actually did go into starvation mode and I gained weight!
2. You do this diet no longer than 30-45 days at most per round.
3. The diet in phase 3, helps you understanding what foods YOU as an individual can get and still maintain your weight. It teaches you to understanding how YOUR body responds to food. And in Phase 4, that is maintaining your weight--yes exercising and eating heathly. I know people who have gained weight back from every diet there is! You have to change lifestyle after any diet or it doesn't stick!
4. I don't care what studies have shown, what works for some doesn't work for everyone. My HCG was obtained via a prescription through my doctor and compounding pharmacy--not some online store--I would never buy this online!! This protocol (not actually a diet), worked for me and countless friends who have done it--and we have all kept it off! No side affects whatsoever for any of us. That's a good enough study for me.
5. Lastly, let's not judge others. That is the problem with this world. We are not a 'one size fits all' when it comes to anything! We are all unique and have our own sets of circumstances, genetics, etc. Everyone is struggling with something, so give people a break and be kind.
- 4/17/2013 11:52:35 AM
The science is behind us on this one. The reason this research is old is because there have been no significant advancements in this field since they were run. Not because there's a weird conspiracy.
If you lose weight, it's because you're starving yourself... not because of the injections. - 3/26/2013 7:48:48 PM
Hi,
Its called diet and exercise, and it works. People want to lose weight fast so they spend hundreds of dollars on products like HCG which can't possibly keep off the weight in the long run...I suppose unless you keep spending those hundreds of dollars and continue to eat 500 calories a day (which is less than some anorexics, btw.). In reality, you can save money by eating less and you can go run outside for free.
People are obese because they keep eating and not exercising. Spark people seems like a great site for people to track their calories, find out about new exercises, etc. Its strange that so many HCG users are a part of the Spark community.
It also seems that you lose the whole "way to go, I really accomplished something" that you get with improving your physical ability through exercise. The more you exercise, the stronger you get, the better you feel.
Way to go, you can inject yourself with some hormone and eat 500 calories a day...not impressed. - 2/22/2012 11:57:09 PM
I never used beta-hcg injections however as an obese person I lost 15 k"g on my first pregnancy, and 10 k"g on my second,15 years ago and 9 years ago respectively. There were no beta-hcg diet "trends" at that point.
I was not on a diet, I hadn't any nausia not on the first , middle or last trimester, and had no eatting disorder other than the one i was familliar with which led me to obesity.
I was just less hungry then ever, to a level which I told myself I am no longer an obsessive compulsive eater.
At that point and until now i am convinced that the pregnancy sort of "arranged" my metabolism; be it the beta-hcg or something else.
I became more forgiving to myself for any weight I had gained later, since it clarified to me that I am not a weak character person that cannot control herself.
I have a 7 month success currently with total obstination from sugar, although I consume honey to sweeten my tea. I obstain from gluten containing carbohydrates. I have managed to do this for 7 months now resulting in a 20-21 k"g reduction. This is still not enough. The quantities of food and the hunger still control me- I do experience hunger although I eat freely everything other than the listed above.
Science is young in terms of in-vivo metabolism research. there is much to be learned. sad to think that it will not be in our lifetime maybe.
Good luck to all of you.
- 12/4/2011 9:11:05 AM
Looking through comments, it also frustrates me that so many comments are from inaccessible Spark accounts. The internet is flooded with hCG "defenders" who are trying to defend something they're selling. It's hard to find those blind studies on hCG because you have to wade through pages and pages of searches that turn up these planted messages. - 12/2/2011 11:34:29 AM
What about all the other drugs out there with listed and known side effects? Just because the fda gave its stamp of approval, everyone should blindly think it's safe/effective? Those side effects are listed because it happened to some people but not everyone. No drug is a one size fits all, period. There never will be in my opinion because everyone has different genetic makeup. Why are some children born with certain problems even when family genetics don't predisposed them to it in any way? The human body is so complex that we have little idea why it reacts the way it does for some people and not others.
I imagine that hcg, or any other weight loss supplement, will work for some but not everyone. And even if it only helps a few, there is likely something else out there that will help someone else. I have a cousin that was extremely successful with hcg but my parents have not been. Yet they have done great with another type of diet. Every person is going to have have a different experience with every drug or supplement out there and in some cases, its trial and error to fond out what your body will respond to.
Why does everyone need a single magic pill that works for every person equally? We don't live in a world where anything is equal, so why should this be different for weight loss? We can compare it to smoking cessation aids if you care to as well. Or gastric bypass, or bariatric surgery? What about cosmetic surgery..all regulated, none are a good option but they work for some people and not for others. Please stop being so blinded by thinking that just because its regulated or not that its either good or bad. Its not so black or white. - 11/30/2011 1:32:41 PM
I am skeptical about the claim too, don’t get me wrong. Who wouldn’t be? I decided to try it, sort of do my own “study.” After 2 load / 10 VLCD days, I’ve lost almost 16lbs (2.5lbs in the last two days alone; 12lbs when you exclude the load “gain”). The typical BMR formula says I should have only lost 4.5 lbs. I keep a running calculation of projected loss given my caloric intake, age, weight, and activities, versus actual scale loss. I logged all of my daily data, food journals, charts, photos, and so on here: http: hcg-review-weight-loss-diet.blogspo
t.com p about-me.html)(space=/). I keep thinking it has to be a fluke - maybe it's the HCG, maybe it's not. But if it's not, do me a favor and look at my data. Then, you tell me what it is. - 10/1/2011 3:43:28 PM
I have been seriously harassed on Sparkpeople about being on hCG. I wonder what Sparkpeople will do about that? I don't think that it's fair that people can do that to others and get away with it. My choice of diet is my choice. I shouldn't be harassed for doing what is working for me. - 10/1/2011 11:57:44 AM
Diet and exercise. And patience. You didn't put the weight on in a day; you shouldn't take it off in a day. I was up to 240 lbs right after high school, and today, I am 155 lbs.
I am literally horrified at humanity. Every single person who claims that this diet is wonderful and that hCG really works, immediately follows it up with, "I ate 500 calories a day", or "I ate 1200 calories a day or below". It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you lost weight because you restricted your calories. What's scarier is that this hormone doesn't provide all of the nutrients your body needs to function, which would come from eating healthy food.
I believe it is reasonable to assume that anyone who does this is nothing but impatient and vain. You've "tried everything", right? Try harder. You are not trying hard enough. It took me more than a month of consistent diet and exercise to see results.
If you're overly stressed out, it could be adversely affecting your progress. Perhaps there is a root cause, as well - late-night snacking, inadequate sleep, not measuring portion size. I've found that I will not lose any weight whatsoever if I eyeball portions. Write down what you eat, and be truthful.
Or figure out what medical condition you have that prevents you from losing weight, and treat THAT. Being unable to lose weight (really, truly unable) is a symptom of a greater problem. Injecting yourself with a hormone won't solve what could be a serious issue.
I also explored many avenues of weight loss, and came to realize that eating well and exercising regularly are plenty effective. They are supported by everyone because they are tried and true, and good for you. You just have to be smart about it. See a nutritionist; obtain a personal trainer.
"Don't knock it til you try it". Really?? Oh wait, I haven't tried anabolic steroids yet, but I can't knock them til I try them! They'll pump me up and make me gorgeous and muscular, but at what cost? PEOPLE - YOU ARE INJECTING YOURSELVES WITH A H O R M O N E. A hormone! Why are you not taking this seriously?!
Oh, well. All I can say is that, unfortunately, those who try this hCG diet will eventually learn (the hard way) that there is no miracle for sustainable weight loss. I just had to learn to be more in tune with my body, be less lazy, and be accountable. After that, it was so easy. - 9/14/2011 12:33:59 PM
you might think that it doesnt work but i'm proof that it does. i work 5 days a week and parttime on weekends, i am able to do this with out being weak and drained. I only have about 15-20 lbs i want to loose. I work-out whenever my schedule permits but it is never as often as i would like for very long. i might sneak in 3 weeks straight but will find life would come in and rearrange my schedule. I cant believe that i am only hungry @ meal times. I bring my food with my to work, which means that i'm saving money on impulse purchases. i love this plan. it works for me and if you allow it it can work for you too. Hubby is not able to bring food from home to work so he's only loosing about a lb a day instead of the normal 2 lbs that men usually use. but on weekends when he's home he does loose 2lbs per day. i make sure that his meals are protocol when i can.
good luck to all who venture to try. This hormone cant be worst then the unknown ones in your govement regulated food, or the Phen-fen that was also govement regulated. well judge for yourself!! Ta-ta.
- 8/5/2011 12:23:59 PM
Yes you have to eat 500 calories for 6 weeks and then you are taken off because your body gets immune to the HCG. For the ones that need to lose extra will go off the HCG for six weeks, go into phase 3 for six weeks and then back into phase 2 for six weeks and then back to phase 3 and so on. That goes on until you lose the weight that you need to lose. I can't say if it's a miracle shot, but there is no way I could get through the 500 calories a day without it. Other than that, if you follow the diet, you will lose the weight.
You're not on the 500 calories or taking the injections for the rest of your life. Your putting your body through a type of training through 4 phases that will help you live the rest of your life through portion control.
Been there, done that, still doing it and still losing weight!!! - 7/29/2011 9:24:38 AM
Went from a 36-38 relaxed fit pants to 32 slim. 17 1/2 neck shirts to 16. I'm 61, now weigh 163. I was 175 when we got married 37 years ago..Doctor said we'd get back to near high school weight. Wife lost 35 lbs and she looks awesome! Fits in clothes she never thought she would. Off of it a couple of months now and fluctuate 1 - 2 lbs. Wife is going to do it again in the fall for another 25 lbs.
Had more energy than I can remember, started and completed some major remodeling projects during the process.
We both feel great, cholestoral is now 150, LDL is at 50, blood sugar problems are gone...actually gained about 20 years in youthfulness, and the Doctor can't be happier for us. He calls us a text book success.
Like anything, to be successful you have to work at it. You have to make the committment, do it correctly, stick to it and don't get crazy when you stop the program.
I think it is best under Doctor supervison, you can trust the HCG compound, and there is a real comfort level being monitored. Our Doctor is a forward thinking anti-aging specialist. I will also say, it is easier if a couple does it together, but either way I would reccommend it for anyone who is serious about wanting to change their lifestyle and feeling GREAT as a result ! - 7/22/2011 11:26:25 AM
1) Most people, including myself, feel no hunger, and often find it difficult to even eat the 500 calories required. Try that on any other calorie restricted diet.
2) I lost weight (1 pound each day) even on the first three pig-out days where you "force feed" yourself all the junk you can eat.
3) Energy. I've been on sub-1000 calorie diets before and always felt low on energy. With the HCG diet, because you're body is actually consuming its own fat as energy, I have, in fact, had far more energy than I usually feel.
4) But, finally, the key for me is where the weight is lost. I have been on a lot of diets and could never get rid of certain fat areas. These are areas of "abnormal fat", per Dr. Simeon. This HCG diet open those areas as a food source for energy while you're calorie restricted, and gets rid of those difficult fat areas.
As to user PDT1PDT1 concern that HCG will turn out to be another fen-phen, please keep in mind that this has been used for over 50 years. So, highly doubtful we're suddenly going to find out any deleterious effects from HCG.
To the folks who say something to the effect, "I knew a guy who lost a lot of weight on the HCG diet and then put it all back on". This is true with any diet or program (even working out and eating right). Once you stop doing what worked for you, you can mess yourself up again. You wouldn't say, "I knew a guy who worked out and ate right and lost lots of weight, but then put it back on after stopping the program." But, some feel perfectly justified in saying the same ridiculous thing about the HCG diet. Remember, the 500 calorie phase is only PART of the program. After the set number of days, you gradually bring your calories up by eating more and more healthy foods. This whole program is designed to re-establish your metabolic set point so that it's more difficult to gain weight when you do cheat. But, it's assumed that those cheat times will be occasional. No program can insulate you if you're an idiot who thinks, "Great! My metabolic set point is reset. Now, I can eat anything I want, anytime I want, and my body will just burn it up." These people don't understand the program. So, don't judge the program based on what your friends do, based on a poor read of the program.
Ron
- 7/11/2011 11:24:15 AM
Since then however 2 weeks ago my doctor advised i needed to try the shots and that the homepathic mixture sold on the internet is not always the real thing. So i started the shots Friday 7-1-11 and since i have lost 6lbs and that includes me cheating one day by having a chicken chipotle bowl for lunch. Plus i do 10 minutes on a elliptical as well at this time cant do more do to shortness of breath but the shots and the diet plan seem to be working for me. So i am like Ksmitty221 dont knock it till you try it.
- 7/6/2011 8:59:15 AM
I came across an article in Marie Claire that impressed me by its authenticity. I could relate to the writer's feelings of stress, the pressure for women over 40 in LA to look a certain way, the lack of energy. Her account convinced me because she wasn't pushing the diet, wasn't selling it, flat out said she'd never done fad diets before ... and concluded that the two rounds of injections for a total cost of $1250 were well worth it. ( http://www.marieclaire.com/health-f
itness/advice/tips/controversial-hc
g-diet )
I didn't have that kind of money, so I read everything I could about cheaper alternatives. And from what I've read from SP threads and other blogs, it works well enough initially -- and that's good enough for me. I know what I need to do to maintain the loss. I don't need double blind studies. I just need laser focus. I need to remember that food is just fuel - the cleaner the better. I need to remember realistic portion sizes, and 3 oz of cooked protein twice a day doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I need to remember the appeal of fresh or lightly cooked veggies, instead of spending hours on elaborate food prep and storage. I have already eliminated processed foods, corn-derived fillers, sweeteners, sodas, white flour/sugars, farmed fish and factory-raised animals.
Food can be the focus of many joyful social occasions, but should not the addiction it is fast becoming in my life. Getting back to the basics is the point of the HCG protocol, not the initial 500-calorie/day diet that is being roundly condemned here. Whether the HCG is a placebo, or whether the drops are bogus, if the experience forces me to re-adjust my relationship to food, and gives me the energy to resume yoga and enjoy time with my children, what is the harm? I'm out 3 weeks of my life and $75 - a small price to pay for the potential upside.
I bought my kit from Celeste (and would love to hear back from someone else about the potency of her products). I'm just finishing the load phase today. After stuffing myself with ice cream and fatty foods for the past two days, I look forward to the VLCD. The idea of a clean slate with just fresh veggies and fruits and lean proteins is very appealing. I'll update when I've finished with the kit or lose 15 pounds, whichever comes first. - 5/10/2011 3:09:37 AM
- 4/17/2011 10:29:23 AM
- 4/17/2011 10:27:12 AM
Losing weight isn't always as simple as calorie restriction and more activity!!! Anyone who thinks that has never had a serious weight problem or a thyroid issue that the doctor didn't spot because the numbers didn't indicate it was a problem. My doc swore it was my thyroid and, yet, my numbers said NO. I swear it was too. I was doing everything right. I eat organic, drink raw milk, juice my food. It wasn't until I learned the sugar and carb connection that I got it right! HCG is a godsend for many! AND, not for others. There's no one size fits all involved with our bodies. There's NOTHING that will work for everyone except for oxygen and gravity. Other than that, it's pretty safe to say that it works for some and not for others!!! You can continue to doubt its effects. Science says A LOT of things and they're wrong about many, like the diarrhea and fever connection with little babies. They say it just has no reasonable explanation and, yet, many parents experience feverish babies who cry all night while teething. There may not be a TON of science behind HCG but a great deal of empirical evidence supports. Dr. Oz just did a show about it and some of you may like to check it out...I'm not trying to convince anyone to try HCG. I don't care what any of you do as long as you find what works FOR YOU and helps you maintain optimal health. - 3/1/2011 10:18:14 AM
Can you feel my sarcasm???
I have exercised, learned portion control, and proper nutrition and have lost 42 lbs.. Guess I should have gone the easy way, huh? - 2/23/2011 10:37:24 AM
I guess it is really true what PT Barnum was quoted as saying "There's a sucker born every minute."
NO THANKS! I'll stick with what works - a holistic approach of proper nutrition, reasonable exercise, 8-12 cups of water, and 7-8 hours of sleep per night. That has sustained me through 10 months and 67 pounds of weight loss. There is NO way I could have done the hGC starvation diet! - 1/18/2011 7:38:07 PM
I wish someone had destroyed that stupid Simeons protocol before it ever saw the light of day so people would not have put their faith in such a dangerous theory. And yes, I did read it. Everyone I know that is in the medical field says the so-called science behind it is completely bogus.
- 1/16/2011 5:33:40 PM
The implied logic, then, is that it's not just eating 500 calories that makes you lose weight, it's eating 500 calories AND taking the hormone.
How does anyone really believe this? If you are literally STARVING yourself, can you show that an injection or a drop actually starves you faster?
The answer, which you already know if you've read the above Spark article, is that you can't. Studies have shown that the weight loss is identical whether you take the hormone or not. There is no proof out there that gives even a glimmer of hope that taking the hormone actually makes you lose weight faster than just starving yourself.
So why spend the money on something that no one has ever proven does anything? The answer from the faithful is, of course, "It works!"
Right. - 1/5/2011 3:08:35 PM
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