Thoughts on the HCG Diet..

A friend of mine has done it twice. She has lost about 15 lbs each time, but gains back about 5 of it for a net loss of 10. She bought the powder (I think it was powder) from Canada for a fraction of the cost of the injections. I might try it one of these days when she sends off her order again. I eat pretty healthy - I know how to eat right - I just eat too much. I need help with portion control, plus when I exercise I just eat more and more and never lose weight...

My previous company, a pharmaceutical company specializing in hormones, has been seeking an obesity (bad word when they're really working to develop products for weight loss) franchise for almost 20 years.

Because of my knowledge of many of the factors that go into weight loss and losing weight, I generally caution against diets unless you're working with a dietician.

I couldn't find any good, reputable websites who endorse the HCG diet which makes me pause. People had much success with low-carb plans, but the diets are hard to maintain in the long term.

Not knowing much about it, I'd recommend finding something different that is medically advised. Even a treatment for dissolving fat which has been on the market for several years and administered through physicians received a warning from the FDA last week because of no compelling data to support its effectiveness.

Good luck! Depending on your goals, I hope you find the right plan to get you there.

This came up recently with someone else, so I spent a couple days digging up research. All I know is from the research I have read and what some people have said. I had a friend who has been a recovering anorexic for years. She was told by her doctor anything less then 900 calories is anorexic. The HCG diet recommends you only eat 500 calories a day for the first phase, 15-45 days. Medical professionals say to not eat anything less then 1000 calories a day to maintain healthy brain function and to keep your body from using muscle tissue for fuel. Anything less also causes excess hair growth as your body attempts to keep warm, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, headaches, heart problems, etc. It is also restrictive on the types of foods you can eat. As for the HCG, the only thing it has conclusively been proven to do is help fertility (it is a hormone produced during pregnancy after all) and that is the only thing the FDA has approved it for. It was also shown to bring on puberty when it was used on young males in the '50's. In recent studies it appeared to help buoy the moods of those on the diet so they were not as affected by the hunger, but it doesn't appear to actually help with the weight loss. It can however cause pregnancy of multiples, pms symptoms and other problems. People do lose weight on this diet, as with any strict diet. But such low calories is bad for your body and as soon as a person stops, they will gain weight with a vengeance as their body attempts to recover. I have only talked to one person on this diet, I gave up trying to reason with her. She has been on it one month and insists she is/will be fine. It just goes against everything any reputable doctor has said.

I find it interesting that the people who are against it haven't tried it and those who tried it were successful with it. Hmmm Well, I did the HCG drops with much success! I actually had more energy while on the diet. My husband also joined me in the diet. It not only burns the FAT, it retrains the way you think about food. It teaches lots of self-control issues and made my husband and I both feel better about ourselves. It helps you see how much you were eating before and helps to get things under control. It is a short term low calorie diet too. It's only 23 days each session (or 41 if you choose to stay on the longer one). I have lost 30 lbs of fat and have done the diet twice to have a break in between. I have only gained back 2 lbs but now I feel so much better I can get into my exercise reutine again. Before, I just didn't have enough energy to exercise. You also loose it all over not just one area. I lost a lot of fat in my core! The drops is what I chose and they worked great. Like I said, I felt better on it after the first 3 or 4 days, than I did before. Not to mention, it made meal planning easy since you don't really have a whole lot to choose from. I highly recommend it to all my friends and family who are wanting to loose the fat. It does reset things and is so fun to loose and feel good again!!!

I did it years ago and remember it being very expensive and I believe it was only like 500 calories per day. My 2 cents is skip the shots and do the 500 calories on your own and you will lose...you will NOT be healthy and it will come back, but you will lose. Instead I would "eat less and exercise more" and in the long run that will work best. Good luck to you!

A girl at work tried this. and she was losing weight every day. she did it for about two weeks, and then went to a concert and almost passed out from so little food. she upped the calories to 750 instead of 500 and kept taking it, and gained 3 pounds the first day. she then quit it all together and gained everything back. personally i think it is dangerous, unless done under the supervision of a doctor. doctors do tests to make sure you are healthy enough for only 500 calories, check your heart all that stuff before letting you do it. this is the shot. i don't know anything about the drops or spray.

i asked my nurse about it. she said she did lose a lot of weight. i don't know how much. she is overweight (still?/again? i'm not sure which.) she said the diet is very limited both in calories and types of food. but the HCG was enough of an appetite suppressant for her to handle the super low calorie intake without feeling hungry. good luck with your decision!

My mom, mother in law and a lot of other familky members have been doing this diet, either with the oral drops or shots. And I just have to say, HOW can anyone think this to be a healthy diet?! 500 calories day is ridiculous, and not healthy. In fact, on the diet you are advised not to excercise due to the low amount of calories you are consuming. Honestly, I would rather have a few extra pounds but know that my heart is healthy and have my muscle tone from excercising daily.
My mom lost 16 pounds and gained that back plus more as soon as she quit the diet. I am sure others can keep it off, but if I were that deprived, I can totally see myself going hog-wild after the "diet" ends. Why not just make a lifestyle switch? I have been calorie-counting and use my phone to keep track of my calories consumed. The I phone has lots of handy apps. I started at 1700 calories a day and have worked my way down to 1200, I also work out 45 min a day 5 days a week. I have lost 10 pounds this month. My husband does weight watchers and works out 5 days a week and has lost 40 pounds in 3 months. Nothing works as well as good old excercise and watchiing what you eat.

K i don't know much about it but I know a few people who have done it. Only lady I know lost 25pounds on it and has kept it off. she just tries to make healthier food choices now that she is done with the diet. Another friend did it for a week and then couldn't take the extra low calorie intake but she did lose 8 pounds in one week. I also know another person that did it and also lost 25 pounds but after she was done she gained back about 10. I guess if you just do it to lose a lot of extra weight and then just start eating better after wards then it can work.

N.,
I think it is a very bad idea.
If you want some safer alternatives let me know.
Victoria

Ok... so not one of the other responses was someone that has actually done the diet and understands it. I have personally done the diet, my husband, sis n law, mom n law, brother n law and my mom. We have all lost weight and kept off all of it. My sis n law has lost nearly 70lbs and still has some to go and is doing great. She is the only one that is doing the shots. The rest of us did the oral spray. You can eat only 500 cal per day without the spray BUT that is not healthy...the spray contains ingredients that make it SAFE for you to do it for the first phase. I would not have been able to lose the 20lbs without this diet. It is hormone based and it resets your system like your metabolism. Before the diet I have excercised for more than 4 months straight 4-5 days a week and 1hr per day, watched what I ate and did NOT lose a single lb!!! So I believe in this diet... I also believe that we get to a certain age where it is harder to lose weight do to slowing of your metabolism. If you have more questions either email me or go to the website www.bodysolutionsrx.com. There you can speak to the DR or get the info online.

My husband did the HCG diet (I am nursing so I dont think its a good idea for me now) but he lost 20 pounds. My brother tried it as well and lost 18 pounds. After talking to my husband about the diet, he said he enjoyed it because it just jump started the process of losing weight. He just needed that little motivation to get started.

We researched a lot of different websites that sell HCG and we ended up buying from www.hcgweightdrops.com. We loved working with them and they have great customer service. They have great recipes and a little support group on facebook that was fun to join. Good luck!

I have never tried this diet, but I lost 40 pounds reading Healthy for Life. It is the first time that I can stick to a better way of eating and I get more than 500 calories..