Anyone here try that HCG diet??

[luckyduck]

I was standing around Barnes & Noble the other day for a Harry Potter party and so I had a couple of hours to kill. I skimmed that new Kevin Trudeau book "Weight Loss Cures they Don't Want You to Know About" and he talks about this HCG stuff. Now, I am not particularly fond of this Kevin Trudeau guy, but this stuff sounds pretty cool. Here is a brief description:

What is the HCG Diet?
hCG stands for Human Choriogonadotropin, the hormone produced by pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy. Research suggests a small, daily hcg injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of apprx 500 calories).


I did ALOT of hunting on the internet, and the easiest place to get more info is at hcgdietinfo dot com. Also, if you go to Yahoo groups and type in HCG, you will find 3 support groups for people doing the HCG diet.

The big thing about the HCG diet is that 1) you are not hungry on only 500 calories, and 2) it forces your body to pull fat out of those stubborn spots that regular dieting and exercise never seem to touch. You can pay a doctor to do the injections (which is pricey) or you can do it yourself at home (which is what most people seem to be doing).

I am planning on giving this stuff a try because I have been at goal weight for about 1 yr now and have been exercising like crazy w/Pilates, T-tapp, etc, and I STILL have beefy knees and legs. Doing one 23 day course of this HCG stuff at home will cost about $100-$150, which is a heck of alot cheaper than lipo. You can't purchase it yourself here in the US - most people buy it through a Canadian pharmacy over the internet. It takes a couple of weeks to receive, but I will come back here and post my results.

[Acura]

Oh please do come back and share, this sounds really interesting. Just 1 question, what kind of injections are they.

[Violet Skye]

Research suggests a small, daily hcg injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of apprx 500 calories).

Please reconsider this plan - 500 calories isn't enough to sustain a kitten, and even if it were safe, the Kimkins people achieve the same weight loss without the injections on their starvation scheme - I mean "WOE".

If your legs are "beefy", maybe that's the way you're built, and you certainly exercise enough to have good muscle development in that part of your body. Who's to say that you won't lose everywhere but those areas, making them look even larger in contrast? You're already maintaining at a healthy goal weight, and by my way of thinking, it ain't broke, so don't run the risk of making things worse by tring to "fix" something unnecessarily.

[haystar]

I guess I'm just a skeptic of everything when I first hear about it...but sustaining on only 500 calories a day in any way, fashion, or form seems unhealthy to me.... Also, if that is how you're losing weight, what happens once you've lost all you want to lose and you get off the injections and your calories are upped again? Something about this just doesn't seem right/healthy to me......interested to hear others' opinions though.

[dae_tona]

From my own personal experience of eating less calories (800 per day), I discovered that the ONLY way to maintain my weight loss was to eat 500 calories a day.

So if you start out eating 500 calories a day, the ONLY way you will be able to maintain your weight loss will be to eat around 200 calories a day.

So not worth it.

I've seen people who are lean & healthy & they followed a mix of cardo & weight training along with a whole foods approach. That tells me that exercise & clean eating WILL get rid of fat everywhere & anywhere on your body. (reducing overall body fat is what achieves this)

One last note: Kevin Trudeau is bogus. He doesn't even go into detail in his book 'Cures they don't want you to know about' about how to cure certain illnesses & symptoms - he doesn't even tell you what they are. If he were for REAL, he'd tell you. I had a friend who spent a lot of money on his stuff & discovered that he was a quack & he got ALL his money back.

Don't buy into it. Don't buy it.

[BABSY]

I made the mistake and bought that stupid cure book. Thats right. He doesnt tell you any cures at all. He just directs you to a web site to find the cure where you will be charged lots of money for the answers. It is a big joke! You have to be a member of the site for like over 300 dollars. I dont even remember how often you have to pay that.

[Violet Skye]

So, the real thing the plan cures is Kevin Trudeau's lack of a mansion and yacht? I betcha he sells those injectables, too. [sarcasm]Sweeeeeet! [/sarcasm]

[scubagirl1]

Sorry something sounds fishy to me. I just remember being ravenous my first three months of pregnancy when this HCG hormone is running rampant, and he is promoting it to lose weight???? I never ate so much as when I was pregnant. I bloated up and retained water too. Pregnancy hormones to lose weight??? Doesn't sound right.

[jezzie]

Originally Posted by BABSY

I made the mistake and bought that stupid cure book. Thats right. He doesnt tell you any cures at all. He just directs you to a web site to find the cure where you will be charged lots of money for the answers. It is a big joke! You have to be a member of the site for like over 300 dollars. I dont even remember how often you have to pay that.

My son bought it for me and I didn't even open it.
I have no interest in the Trudeaus and Mercolas of the world.

I also have no interest in getting upset over how anyone else chooses to eat.
I hope things work out for the best for the believers.

[DixieMoon]

He's a quack. Isn't that the book where you are supposed to avoid air conditioning and fluorescent lighting to help with weight loss? hmmmmm

[fawn]

Messing with hormones is a very dangerous step to take.

Sometimes we have to accept our imperfections as individuals. I know my knees are beefy.....that's just me.

[luckyduck]

This Kevin Trudeau did NOT come up with this diet plan - a doctor by the name of Simeons came up with it in the 70's (I personally think that Trudeau is a crook). Anyways, you really need to read more about it before automatically deciding that it is bogus - there is actually alot of science behind it (please keep an open mind - alot of people think that low-carb is bogus as well). As for the 500 calorie thing, I myself do not believe in starving to lose weight. When you read the plan, they explain how you are acually living off of more like 2500 calories, when you factor in the fat being pulled from your trouble spots.

[HappyHomeschoolMom]

I am immediately and profoundly skeptical of any "diet" or "plan" that requires artificial addition of chemicals not already present in the body.

It is counter-intuitive to me to consider a diet that requires a hormone designed to nurish a fetus.

I can go as far as our food supply is compromised by hormones, chemicals, depleted soil and the haste to go from production to market. I can go as far as that's the primary reason macro and micro nutrient supplements are advised.

But injections are not only suspect from a biological standpoint, they are also suspect in terms of the foundational changes needed to sustain weight loss and health gains: changes from the inside mentally, physically and behaviorally.

[MistyLoo]

From the website: I've heard about being strict on fats, but cosmetics and shampoo??


Prohibited while on HCG:
Lotions, Conditioners, Fat-containing cosmetics and shampoos.

(Lipsticks, eyebrow pencils, and powder are allowed.)

No medications are allowed (bye bye Nyquil.) This does not mean prescription medications and a doctor should be consulted before going on this diet regarding how your medications may be effected, and any complications between your prescription and HCG.

(Aspirin and birth control are allowed on the Simeons HCG Diet.)

No massage of any kind.

[ItsNot2L8]

Originally Posted by MistyLoo

No massage of any kind.

Sorry, that's a dealbreaker for me...

Seriously, I'm firmly on the side of "keep your body healthy and fit, and love it for what it is." How much of that "beefiness" is muscle, if you've been at goal weight for a year and exercising like crazy?

[LadyJulieAnn]

Don't mess with mother nature...

[shadowzip]

My cousin did this diet in the early 80's and was going to a Dr. for the injections. She was not supposed to use any lotion or oil for her skin and also wear gloves to remove the fat from the meats she was eating and to remove chicken skin. The first three days were supposed to be as much baked or roasted beef as you felt like eating. Then a very low calorie diet. Lots of egg whites, and chicken. Every time she went to the Dr. she had to blow in something to measure her keytones. Hmmmm. Sound familiar.

I remember she did very well on it but gained her weight back eventually. Of course this can be said of most people on most diets, me included, until this time.

[weasel!]

Originally Posted by luckyduck

What is the HCG Diet?
hCG stands for Human Choriogonadotropin, the hormone produced by pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy. Research suggests a small, daily hcg injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of apprx 500 calories).

Oh no, this is hilarious! What a ludicrous notion! Is this plan a joke?

"This strange and convoluted procedure, when accompanied by a diet consisting of very close to nothing, results in weight loss."

Let me tell you about the magic wrist charms I sell -- they cure the common cold in just ten days! Without the magic charm, the cold lasts a week and a half. Do you get my drift?

But wait, maybe this plan is not so funny if people are actually falling for it.

Please, please tell us you're not going to put yourself at risk starving yourself and injecting yourself with chemicals! If you're at goal, and you do all that exercise, I have a sneaking suspicion your legs are beautiful and shapely -- not "beefy." What do your friends and family say about your shape?

[fawn]

Hey weasel.....where do I send my check for one of those bracelets?

[StephanieK]

Originally Posted by luckyduck

I was standing around Barnes & Noble the other day for a Harry Potter party and so I had a couple of hours to kill. I skimmed that new Kevin Trudeau book "Weight Loss Cures they Don't Want You to Know About" and he talks about this HCG stuff. Now, I am not particularly fond of this Kevin Trudeau guy, but this stuff sounds pretty cool. Here is a brief description:

What is the HCG Diet?
hCG stands for Human Choriogonadotropin, the hormone produced by pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy. Research suggests a small, daily hcg injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of apprx 500 calories).


I did ALOT of hunting on the internet, and the easiest place to get more info is at hcgdietinfo dot com. Also, if you go to Yahoo groups and type in HCG, you will find 3 support groups for people doing the HCG diet.

The big thing about the HCG diet is that 1) you are not hungry on only 500 calories, and 2) it forces your body to pull fat out of those stubborn spots that regular dieting and exercise never seem to touch. You can pay a doctor to do the injections (which is pricey) or you can do it yourself at home (which is what most people seem to be doing).

I am planning on giving this stuff a try because I have been at goal weight for about 1 yr now and have been exercising like crazy w/Pilates, T-tapp, etc, and I STILL have beefy knees and legs. Doing one 23 day course of this HCG stuff at home will cost about $100-$150, which is a heck of alot cheaper than lipo. You can't purchase it yourself here in the US - most people buy it through a Canadian pharmacy over the internet. It takes a couple of weeks to receive, but I will come back here and post my results.

I did this years ago under doctor's supervision and yes I lost weight like crazy but that was basically from the 500 cal next to no fat, no carbs and barely any food. I could not force myself to do it twice. When I did it I took the shots for six weeks and then took a break for six weeks and simply followed about a 1000 calorie diet for the six weeks off then supposed to do the six weeks of starvation/shots and so on. I had periods of dizziness, blackouts, ketobreath from hades.

Personally you will probably do more longterm damage because this type of diet sets you up to yo-yo. You will not be able to sustain it for long without a major binge more than likely. BTDT

One question about your thighs and legs, where they always bigger? The reason I ask is I was born with bigger legs and it won't matter how much weight I lose, I will always have those thunder thighs. My sister and I were only 1 ounce different in birth weight and she was born with bird legs and has never had fat thighs even when she gained a lot of weight. She was the classic apple shape and her health went down rapidly when she gained weight with all of the typical obesity related health issues. I've been very healthy even though I actually weighed more than she did. I am a classic pear shape.

There was a recent study that thunder thighs are more healthy.

Fat Thighs May Benefit Health, Say Researchers (halfway down the page)

by Carey Goldberg

For all the women who look down on their ample thighs with loathing: Fret no more. There is new reason to love that dimpled plumpness. For many people, mainly women, fat on legs, hips, and buttocks may actually help ward off heart disease and diabetes, recent research suggests.

University of Colorado researchers reported that in a study of 95 women past menopause, being bottom-heavy was linked to better scores on several ominous markers in the blood, including triglycerides and high sugar levels. When women were also heavy above the waist, most advantages of the leg fat vanished, but thick thighs still improved their scores on triglycerides, potentially harmful fats in the blood. "Our body of research, as well as some others, suggest that leg fat is good fat," said Rachael Van Pelt, the lead researcher on this week's study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. "It's protective, at least with respect to the risk factors we've looked at."

Researchers are not sure exactly why leg fat carries benefits, but this latest study complements the growing understanding that all fat is not alike. In recent years it has become clearer that "visceral fat," which wraps around organs and swells waistlines, poses the greatest health danger, while "peripheral fat" on arms and legs is more benign and, according to recent research, may even be helpful. Researchers caution that their work does not translate into advice to gain or retain excess weight. Though people tend toward either a bottom-heavy pear shape or a top-heavy apple shape, there is no way to gain only peripheral fat without gaining visceral fat, as well. But researches say that it raises questions about liposuction and whether surgically removing thigh fat is a good idea.

Many women may obsess over slimming their thighs, but "you want to pay attention to controlling your waistline, and if that's under control, that's more important than physical appearance per se," said Dr Anne B Newman, a University of Pittsburgh professor. Newman co-authored another recent study that found that among more than 3,000 men and women in their 70s, thigh fat was often linked to lower rates of ''metabolic syndrome," a cluster of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease that includes high levels of sugar and bad cholesterol in the blood. In that study, thigh fat was linked to better scores on those measures among overweight women and among both men and women fat enough to qualify as obese.

[Kerry_Will_Win]

I thoroughly researched this plan and am doing it and loving it. I could never ever live on 500cal w/o the HCG and have not lost muscle. I have friends that have completed the program and they have no trouble keeping it off with low carb eating.

I am pre-diabetic with metabolic syndrome and already my doc has taken me off all diabetes meds AND high blood pressure pills AND we have had to cut back on other meds.

I do use the same shampoo I always have and soap and certain lotions. I dont use gloves when i remove fat off food.

I will be happy to report long term results as they occur.

Started 244 June 5th Now 214 July 1st Most all loss from stomach, Hips.

Too much HCG will not work--this is only 125iu per day...very small amount. The body gets the calories it needs from your own fat while you do the 500 cal. As soon as the HCG leaves your system you MUST eat all the food you want except sugar and starch. I can live with that.

I am reading Dr. Perricone book on inflammation in the body and how damaging this is. He likens fat to a TUMOR.. I have been overweight my entire life and this is a blessing for me to be able to get rid of my 'tumor'.

I did bring this protocol to my Doctor who knows my history, ect and I have her blessing and support. She had already done the research. So to each his own, but I love this program.

[KOO]

Maybe this is my missing ingrediant for losing weight. I always lost weight in the beginnings of my pregnancies, maybe that I need some HCG

[Savannah]

Hi!
I did this in the mid 70's under doctor supervision. Starved, spent thousands of dollars &, of course gained it all back because I could not live on 500 cals
& learned nothing about healthy eating. It's a temporary fix & who knows the
long term effects of HCG??? I was young & desperate to be thin

[Kerry_Will_Win]

HCG is found in massive amounts during pregnancy and is also present every month during TOM. It is used for fertility treatment in larger doses as well as other disorders.

My understanding is in the 70's many weight loss clinics popped up as money makers and gave HCG injections but did not adhere to the Simeons Protocol which led to many getting less than satisfactory results. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[LoraJR72]

Originally Posted by luckyduck

I was standing around Barnes & Noble the other day for a Harry Potter party and so I had a couple of hours to kill. I skimmed that new Kevin Trudeau book "Weight Loss Cures they Don't Want You to Know About" and he talks about this HCG stuff. Now, I am not particularly fond of this Kevin Trudeau guy, but this stuff sounds pretty cool. Here is a brief description:

What is the HCG Diet?
hCG stands for Human Choriogonadotropin, the hormone produced by pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy. Research suggests a small, daily hcg injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of apprx 500 calories).


I did ALOT of hunting on the internet, and the easiest place to get more info is at hcgdietinfo dot com. Also, if you go to Yahoo groups and type in HCG, you will find 3 support groups for people doing the HCG diet.

The big thing about the HCG diet is that 1) you are not hungry on only 500 calories, and 2) it forces your body to pull fat out of those stubborn spots that regular dieting and exercise never seem to touch. You can pay a doctor to do the injections (which is pricey) or you can do it yourself at home (which is what most people seem to be doing).

I am planning on giving this stuff a try because I have been at goal weight for about 1 yr now and have been exercising like crazy w/Pilates, T-tapp, etc, and I STILL have beefy knees and legs. Doing one 23 day course of this HCG stuff at home will cost about $100-$150, which is a heck of alot cheaper than lipo. You can't purchase it yourself here in the US - most people buy it through a Canadian pharmacy over the internet. It takes a couple of weeks to receive, but I will come back here and post my results.

I hope you do lots of research before you do anything drastic!!

IMHO, your wasting your time and money.

[wifezilla]

If you want to take weight loss advice from a convicted felon, you go right ahead.

[Kerry_Will_Win]

Zilla,

You obviously havent read the thread because the convicted felon has nothing to do with Dr. ATW Simeons. Do YOUR homework.

[cowgirl07]

I have used HCG in the form of Releana from a clinic. I don't inject, I do it sublinquilly (sp?) - basically under the tongue. I was on it a couple of months ago and lost about 18 pounds in 30 days...only sticking to the protocol about 60% of the time. I had some vacations and work trips coming up so I went off of it because I just thought it would be too hard to travel with..you have to keep it refrigerated in a dark place, etc. I have my last bus. trip this week for quite a while so Friday I am going back to the Dr. to get started again. This stuff really works. I have lost about 70 pounds on Atkins and I used to think it was the cure all. But then I stopped losing and haven't found anything since that worked. I was even working out 2 - 3 hours/day. Until Releana-

The basics of the diet are no breakfast, at least 2 liters of water/day, 2 fruits, and lunch and dinner consists of 3.5 ounces protein and about 1 cup vegetable (only one kind, no mixing veggies in a meal). Calories should be under 500 and absolutely no fat used in cooking. If you knew nothing else, this would freak a person out and quite frankly it does - just look at the prior posts on this thread alone. But if you do your research and study the science behind it, it makes perfect sense. My interpretation of how HCG works is this - when you are pregnant, your body has to continually feed the fetus 24/7 whether you are eating or not by using HCG. You are constantly releasing stored fat for the baby. This is what the HCG does on the protocol - it boosts your metabolism by releasing around 2000 - 2500 calories/day of stored fat for use by the body. This is the reason for eating only 500 calories - to force your body to pull from this stored fat (same basic principles as Atkins). If you take the HCG and eat normally you will not lose weight, this is why pregnant women don't lose weight with the higher amounts of HCG in their body. The average weight loss is .5 to 1 pound per day. How can you beat that? There's much more to the science and I encourage you to do some research on it if you think it is for you. Check out mamaclok on youtube - she has some VLOGs that are really impressive. You can literally watch her shrink.

Just remember, Atkins had (and still has) skeptics too.

And I totally think the Trudeau guy is a quack too. He's just trying to make money off of something he really knows nothing about.

Kerry, please keep me updated on your progress! I am SO excited to get started on Friday. I'm going to load Friday and Saturday and go VLC on Sunday. With the Releana I'm not supposed to build immunity but we'll see.

[Kerry_Will_Win]

I'm on phase 3 right now cowgirl. Holding my own. I know alot of people use the sublingual/ releana and do well. The eating plan is the same for simeons but he allows you to eat less if desired so because of my blood sugar problems I did without the fruit and stuck to the protein/veggie no mixing. I have been very happy with the protocol. I lost 44lbs during phase2.... 35 injections, no cheating. It definitely works. Keep me posted on how you are doing.

[fib-by-40]

Cowgirl07,

My supplies were shipped last week. Hopefully I will just be a few days behind you. I have been doing Atkins for 4 months and have lost 30 pounds but it is really starting to slow down to only a pound or so a week. I'm hoping this will jump start the weight loss again. I still have about 50 pounds to lose.

Im scared to death to do tho 2 load days. I am past the point of having any cravings and dont want to go back threw the carb, and sugar cravings again. Do you think it would be ok to load just on fatty meat, nut, butter and cheese?

If you have any suggestions or good recipes I could use all the help I can get.