HCG

Has anyone done the HCG Diet? I am on it now for a short term diet it is awesome. Getting married in March and my first gown fitting is the first week in February, plus I have not felt better while on the HCG drops!

I am suprised no one has responded to this yet lol... there is a general dislike of that diet here. I'd do a search through the forums for "HCG" and read through some peoples comments, they summarize my thoughts on it. Most people feel pretty strongly about this one! It's your choice and your body, I recognize everyone is different, but I would definitely say make sure you do your research and know what you are doing! Good luck!

I've never done this diet but I work with several women that have done this and lost tons of weight. However, a year or so later they've all gained it back and then some. Eating a mere 500 calories a day is setting yourself up for being ravanous and binging.

Jamie

I did it and ended up with gallstones that I dealt with for over a year. Yeah, it was great that I lost 33lbs in 6 weeks but... I gained it all back, plus had debilitating pain, plus headaches. Atkins has produced almost the same results without restricting myself, eating whole foods, and I feel great. I'm at 21lbs in 8 weeks. Just my thoughts.

the diet does work for a short term thing. my mother and my brother both lost a lot of weight. The bad thing is it is a temporary. If you don't change your eating lifestyle you will gain it all back. It is a lifestyle change. Eat right and exercise is all you have to do!!!!!! Lower carb's and walk 30 min to 1 hr a day

I started my first round of hcg in mid august and in one month I lost 24 pounds. I was not hungry following the plan. After my first round I took a break because I had some road races that I was running and you can't do a road race on 500 calories. I waited until after all of the holidays to start again because I still had about 20 pounds to lose. During the Holidays I did not watch what I ate and I did gain 6 pounds from the end of September thru January 6th. One of the posts stated a life style change and that is true. You need to change your habits if you want to stay at your goal weight no matter what type of weight loss program you are doing. I am back on hcg since January 8th and I have only 13.8 pounds to go until I reach my goal! Good Luck DeeJayBee245.

I also did a round of HCG (injections & supervision with a naturopath) last year, and I'm at the end of a second round right now. Between the two 23-day rounds, I have lost 41 lbs. I had no problem stabilizing after my first round because I went on a strict paleo diet. And, the others are right, it has to be a PERMANENT life change afterwards. And, although the hunger is virtually gone, which is wonderful, it is a very fragile protocol more of the medical flavor than the dieting. After all, you are taking advantage of the side effects of a hormone to change the way your brain works. If you mess with the protocol at all, then you run the risk of gaining it all back later, aggravating health problems that already exist, and more problems.

Additionally, this site is probably a bad place to do your research and make an informed decision. I highly recommend the yahoo group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HcgDieters

there are nearly 30,000 members, and the majority who follow the protocol correctly have amazing success. Additionally, you just read the original protocol from the Dr. who developed it. It's called "Pounds and Inches" by Dr. Simeons.

But, it may not be the thing to do with all of the stress of a wedding coming soon, too. Honestly, my friend tried and failed, but a combo of medifast and ediets is working great for her now.

Best of luck and congrats on the wedding!

You realize that HCG drops are bogus, right? FDA proven to be no more effective than a placebo! Yes, if you want to find people that support this diet, it is best to go to an HCG only forum because if you actually look for balanced reviews on this diet elsewhere, you won't find them. The only people who actually think it's a good thing are those making money off it! It's not even an established diet on this site because they got rid of it. Try check out trusted medical sites.

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

WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss (Check out the update on top on how the FDA has sent warning letters to company marketing it...)

MedicineNet: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=140544

Discovery Health: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/diets/hcg-diet3.htm

Dr Oz: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/hcg-diet-fact-vs-fiction

and while not a health site, here's a good news article:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2011/03/14/hcg-diet-dangers-is-fast-weight-loss-worth-the-risk

Oh, and before I started my google search, I didn't know that the drops are actually ILLEGAL: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm

Does this sound like a healthy approach to weight loss to you?????

Sorry to break it to you but there is no magic bullet. Weight loss is tough and fraught with setbacks but the easy way out will not give you lasting results. People are constantly falling for these miracle diet but have you ever wondered why there's another one every week? Because they don't work, people stop buying it, and people have to find some new miracle to sell you. Keep your money- or better yet, spend it on quality food and a good pair of athletic shoes.