HCG for weight loss

[steflou]

Before I tried raw I was going to use the HCG for weight loss-injections or sublingual drops of hcg where you gorge for two days on fatty food and follow a strict 500 calorie a day (not raw) low carb diet but it was too hard. Did anyone else try this diet before going raw? There is one lady who is an hcg advocate who uses hcg and recommends the Hallelujah Acres (85% raw) diet. Can you use it with a raw food diet once you reach your goal weight I wonder?:confused:

[Icequeen]

I have a few friends on this. Quite honestly, I think it's a health nightmare!!!! WHY do people do this to themselves???

The reality is... eat raw... you'll lose weight. There is no way NOT to lose weight on raw unless you gorge yourself on nut laden desserts every day. I've been raw for 3 months and I've lost almost 50 pounds. I've never been hungry.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i released 100 pounds in the first four months of being raw and a total of 145 pounds in the first year. my secret... eat raw live foods!!!

[JennaHoneyBear]

I tried the HCG diet, we sell HCG in my office. I couldn't make it too far on it following the 500 calorie diet. it was very difficult

[livin]

I have been trying to understand the HCG Diet

Had never heard of it untill I recently noticed several medical clinics/spas and weight loss clinics locally advertizing it. Some advertise the homeopathic hcg spray whille others the hcg drops. The medical places refer to theirs as HC3. Seems you also need to used B12 to help it work? I've even read an indication that using body lotions may interfere.

Every ad implies a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per day and some give sample menus for a vegan eating plan. I just don't understand why the hcg is needed if a person is eating so few calories and maybe even a vegan diet (I haven't noticed any mention of raw diet associated with hcg but raw veggies/fruit are indicated on the sample vegan menu). One of the ads I've seen says using hcg triggers more fat loss from the waist area. What about other areas like hips and arms?

Anybody understand the hcg plan and any benefits using it with raw?

[Otis]

I did the HCG diet for required 41 days and was successful in losing weight. My daugthter and granddaughter lost 28 and 32 pounds in the 41 days, however didn't continue after the 6 weeks required time off as their hair was falling out! I didn't experience that. It is a hormone produced by pregnant women to keep them healthy while the baby gets the nutrition it needs. I did a search on possible side effects before I began and there were none listed that I could find. Mine were the drops under the tongue. I agree with everyone that the raw diet is the best and healthiest diet on earth, just can't convince my taste buds!

[Aleesha Sattva]

Then you need to get a copy of Alissa's books and start preparing Otis... cause it's a very very very yummy way to live life!!!

[Mnbordergirl]

Hi there.

I do not have any experience with this, however, if HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, it is a pregnancy horomone.

A quick pubmed search showed the following (bolding by me):
Arch Intern Med. 1977 Feb;137(2):151-5.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) treatment of obesity.
Shetty KR, Kalkhoff RK.

Abstract
After a nine-day control period, six hospitalized obese women were placed on 500 calorie diets and were given 125 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) intramuscularly daily for 30 days. Another five obese women received injections of diluent only and consumed identical diets for the same period. Mean weight loss in the HCG-treated group was nearly identical to that achieved by women given the placebo. Reduction of triceps skinfold thickness or circumferential body measurements of the chest, waist, hips, and thighs were not different. Patters of change of a variety of plasma and urine substrates, electrolytes, and hormones were similar in the two groups and consistent with semistarvation and weight loss. These results indicate that HCG has no effects on chemical and hormonal parameters measured and offers no advantage over calorie restriction in promoting weight loss

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1995 Sep;40(3):237-43.

The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis.
Lijesen GK, Theeuwen I, Assendelft WJ, Van Der Wal G.

Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract
1. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess if there is scientific ground for the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. 2. Published papers relating to eight controlled and 16 uncontrolled trials that measured the effect of HCG in the treatment of obesity were traced by computer-aided search and citation tracking. 3. The trials were scored for the quality of the methods (based on four main categories: study population, interventions, measurement of effect, and data presentation and analysis) and the main conclusion of author(s) with regard to weight-loss, fat-redistribution, hunger, and feeling of well-being. 4. Methodological scores ranged from 16 to 73 points (maximum score 100), suggesting that most studies were of poor methodological quality. Of the 12 studies scoring 50 or more points, one reported that HCG was a useful adjunct. The studies scoring 50 or more points were all controlled. 5. We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being.

Try to get this one via your library. Published this year:
Harv Womens Health Watch. 2010 May;17(9):8.

By the way, doctor. I've been trying to lose weight for a long time and nothing seems to work. What do you know about the HCG diet?

This is free at pubmed.

Am J Clin Nutr. 1976 Sep;29(9):940-8.

Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin in weight reduction: a double-blind study.
Stein MR, Julis RE, Peck CC, Hinshaw W, Sawicki JE, Deller JJ Jr.

Abstract
Our investigation was designed to retest the hypothesis of the efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on weight reduction in obese women in a clinic setting. We sought to duplicate the Asher-Harper study (1973) which had found that the combination of 500 cal diet and HCG had a statistically significant benefit over the diet and placebo combination as evidenced by greater weight loss and decrease in hunger. Fifty-one women between the ages of 18 and 60 participated in our 32-day prospective, randomized, double-blind comparison of HCG versus placebo. Each patient was given the same diet (the one prescribed in the Asher-Harper study), was weighed daily Monday through Saturday and was counselled by one of the investigators who administered the injections. Laboratory studies were performed at the time of initial physical examinations and at the end of the study. Twenty of 25 in the HCG and 21 of 26 patients in the placebo groups completed 28 injections. There was no statistically significant difference in the means of the two groups in number of injections received, weight loss, percent of weight loss, hip and waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or in hunger ratings. HCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness of a rigidly imposed regimen for weight reduction.

[livin]

I did the HCG diet for required 41 days and was successful in losing weight. My daugthter and granddaughter lost 28 and 32 pounds in the 41 days, however didn't continue after the 6 weeks required time off as their hair was falling out! I didn't experience that.

Oh My! Did you daughter's and granddaughter's hair grow back when they stopped the hcg?
How much did you lose in 41 days & Have you been able to maintain your weight loss after you stopped using hcg ? I assume you have continued eating raw even though your taste buds are still adjusting?

[klomasius]

Sooo, not being familiar with any diets, what is this HCG diet?

Seriously, if it's human chorionic gonadatrophin, that's seriously TFU!

Can someone clarify?

[JCB44]

I tried this and lost about 50 pounds in 6 weeks, after stopping the drops, the maintenance part was very hard for me to do. The weight came back with a vengence!!! I am sticking to what I know. RAW RAW RAW.

[kevinfutures]

I am getting ready to start HCG and just waiting for my supplies to come.I am very excited and optimistic about it.The HCG Protocol is considered by many to be a weight loss cure not just another diet because it works with your hypothalamus to reprogram your metabolism.

[chelseydeann]

I actually used HCG to break my carb and sugar cravings before going raw. I had a very severe addiction to wheat, dairy and sugar, and even though I did not need to lose a large amount of weight (about 10-15 lbs) I knew that the HCG would re-program my cravings. I only did the hcg for 20 days and I used the sublingual drops. After I finished the cycle I went completely raw and have not had a single craving for ANYTHING that I was addicted to before. In fact, the smell of cooked food makes me nauseous. I can't get enough greens!!!!

My weight is perfectly stable, although I lost another 5lbs after going raw. (total of 18lbs w/ hcg)

To be completely honest, I don't know if this is the best way to do this. But I needed something to break my addictive cycle and this certainly has worked for me!

[Shine]

Well, I have never heard of this diet and maybe it's my ignorance, but it scares the **bleep** outta me :confused:

In reality, it only takes a minimum of 21 days to change a habit and a total of 30 to solidify it (from the minimal research I have done). Guess what??? Alissa's first book has a 30 Day Plan and this forum has a 30 Day Challenge thread :D

Try it - it seems to me to be so much healither than a diet that purposfully screws with your hormones!! :eek:

[JamesR]

Any diet program that includes words like gorge, binge, or even fast seems suspect to me!!

Our body is meant to eat, and eat healthy. Healthy amounts and, IMO, on a fairly regular basis. I eat throughout the day, mostly raw and vegan and have lost 25 lbs, kept it off. As a bonus, diabetes oral meds not required anymore, per my Doctor!

-JamesR

[AnnieinCali]

i released 100 pounds in the first four months of being raw and a total of 145 pounds in the first year. my secret... eat raw live foods!!!

Can I ask what you ate the first four months?

I've been 100% raw for 7 weeks this Saturday. I've only lost 13 pounds. Don't get me wrong, it's the easiest 13 pounds I've ever lost, but it seems like it's coming off slowly compared to others on raw.

Wondering if I'm eating the wrong combination of raw.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i just simply ATE. if it was raw and live... i ate it. i didn't analyze, i didn't measure... i just fed my body. ;)

of course i also did short fasts (3-9 days) during the course of that time as well.

then i added green smoothies a few months in.

[ManyLittles]

I've done the hcg diet. I lost around 23 pounds the first month, and a total of 37 pounds while on the diet. I did have a couple of cheat days, so I would have been more successful if I hadn't.

I found the diet to be pretty easy, but I did a modified version of it. I did mine through a clinic that lets you have 850 calories, and because you get more protein through a whey protein shake, you can stay on it indefinitely, instead of only doing it in short amounts of time, with "breaks" in between where you do a maintenance diet.

I haven't heard of anyone else's hair falling out, but that means they were missing something in their diet. I'm not saying this is ideal, it's definitely not. Raw food is the natural way to go. In my opinion the best part of the hcg diet is the fact that it targets the areas of the body where you have the biggest problems. It would take too long to go into to explain how and why it does that. You'd have to read the original diet to understand. But I'm living proof. While I've lost weight on raw and other diets, it was always all over, and seemed like it was never enough in my real trouble spots.

Doing hcg, I did lose weight all over, but also seemed to lose much faster than usual in my biggest trouble area, my overhanging stomach. While I lost 37 pounds in the 8 weeks I did the diet, it looked like I had lost a lot more. With other diets, muscle loss is more of a problem than it is with hcg, so there is a higher percentage of actual fat lost. So I went from a size 3x on top and a 4x/5x on the bottom, down to a size 1x in 8 weeks. That's a huge loss in inches. I looked like a different person.

As far as that study goes, it's BS. The reason for the hcg is to avoid hunger (if you follow the diet exactly--including drinking all the water--you won't be hungry) and to get your body to release the areas where you have abnormal amounts of fat stored (for me, my lower abdomen). And it did that for me. No hunger, unusually effective weight loss in trouble areas.

That being said, I'm not advocating the hcg diet over raw. Raw is the ideal diet. There are a couple of people doing a raw version of the hcg diet. Raw is healthier. And in the long run, it's probably cheaper. If you buy a vitamix, excalibur, etc. then it's not, but if you're just buying raw food it is, because doing hcg costs $100-150 a month AFTER the initial clinic visit. That doesn't include food costs. It can even cost a lot more than that (some places totally scam you).

Steflou, as far as using hcg after you reach your goal, I'm not sure I understand why you'd want to do that. hcg is for weight loss, not for maintenance. The hcg diet does have a maintenance phase, but you don't take hcg for that. If you lose your weight on raw food, you should stay on a raw food diet (all or high, your choice). hcg won't do a thing for you if you've lost all your weight. Well, actually it could if you were a normal weight but your weight was unevenly distributed. In one case, a woman was anorexic-looking on top and fat on the bottom. Hcg evened her out, though she didn't lose a pound. But if you're normal weight with normal weight distribution, then taking hcg would just be a waste of money.

If you are someone who can't or won't do raw, I think hcg is the most effective diet, and I don't think it's any less healthy than any other diet out there (aside from raw). People can trash-talk it, but most of those people don't know the research behind it or the effectiveness of it. I do.

But raw is definitely the way to go. You'll never feel better than with raw, especially if you do green smoothies with a high greens content. Plus, it's natural.

p.s. If you're wondering why I'm still fat if hcg works so well, it's because when I went off it (couldn't afford the hcg anymore), I didn't do the maintenance portion. With hcg, you have to do the maintenance phase to "lock in" the weight loss. If I had, the weight would have stayed off. I was an idiot as usual. :( I should have done a raw version of the maintenance diet, and then I would not have gained the weight back, and I would still be at 223 pounds.

[ManyLittles]

By the way, I'm with Aleesha. When I did raw before, especially when just starting it, I just ate til I was satisfied. I didn't worry about calories, etc. In my case I didn't need to watch my fats (coconut, nuts, avocado) but some people do. Some people have trouble with bananas as well. Everyone is different.

I can pretty much eat anything on raw and lose weight. When I first start, I always stuff myself full, so I don't have room to give in to the cravings I might have as I get off the toxic food. Then after 2-3 days, I eat normally, to satisfaction.

My biggest advice to those trying to lose weight or to just stay on raw: NEVER let yourself get hungry. That is always my achilles heel: I get lazy and don't feel like preparing a meal, so I let myself get too hungry. One minute I'm fine, and not feeling too hungry. The next minute I'm ravenous, and just end up stuffing my mouth with the first, easiest thing I see. Which is usually cooked food. That triggers my cooked food cravings. Next thing you know, I end up going weeks or months away from raw food.

So do yourself a favor and never let yourself go without food for too long.

[Stina]

My friend does those injections. She has to do them regularly with breaks in between to maintain her weight. It only works because you feel so good that you can damage your body with the limited calorie restriction.

Me, I love eating. Eating all raw allows me to go to town on delicious food while my body slowly but surely and safely takes the weight off.

[WendyLouWho]

I actually used HCG to break my carb and sugar cravings before going raw. I had a very severe addiction to wheat, dairy and sugar

To be completely honest, I don't know if this is the best way to do this. But I needed something to break my addictive cycle and this certainly has worked for me!

I'm almost afraid to chime in here, but I have done homeopathic hcg for very successful weight loss. I have to agree with the post I quoted above. I have no cravings now, eat significantly less with satisfaction and find it easier to keep raw in my diet (I am not 100% right now). I lost almost 50# and have kept it off without effort since July of last year.

when on hcg I try to keep all my veggies raw, btw.

Oh, and I never did a "resetting phase" that they do after hcg, I just went back to raw. I think they go well together.

Now my diet varies most days, but I would say I am 50% raw or higher, much higher in the warmer months. I try to follow my intuition.

Let me see if I can attach a photo. Here is a before and after of hcg + raw :)

[laughalways]

This is from an e-mail I received. Why do you want to take a short cut? I have a friend who has done this diet and she literally starved herself on 500 cals a day. I believe is high protein as well which has been shown via the Atkins diet to be bad for your health long-term. Any fast weight loss is weight that may come back on as quickly as it came off and studies show that one usually gains back more.

July 13, 2010

From the desk of The People's Chemist

The hCG Diet – Two Things You Must Know, Now!

By Shane “The People’s Chemist” Ellison

When I quit my job as a medicinal chemist, I was fat and had a lot of ideas for monetizing it. The most lucrative involved swindling other fat people into buying a “fad diet” via the promise that they would, “Never have to diet or exercise again.” I’d starve, get some contrived “before and after pics,” and post online…But, I would have probably ended up killing myself out of the shame that comes with being a crook. Plus, it’s already been done. It’s called the “hCG Diet.”

Devised in 1954 by a physician, the hCG diet was a hypothesis proven wrong. Enter marketer extraordinaire, and bestselling author Kevin Trudeau. Today, the hCG diet has reemerged on the Internet and television thanks to the Chicago based marketing whiz. Many have heard of it, few understand it. So I’m going to sum it up: It’s another fad diet destined to steal the hopes and dreams of fat people everywhere. A few telling quotes:

“I used HCG in my bodybuilding years & it ruined my metabolism & made me fatter years later...” - Sandi

“I’m worried about my wife, she started the hCG diet and is looking weak, pale and is very lethargic.” - Dan

Kevin Trudeau isn’t the only promoter. A few irresponsible chiropractors and naturopathic doctors are coming out of the intellectual-closet to push the diet too. I think they just like saying “hCG,” which stands for human chorionic gonadotropin hormone. It makes them feel like they’re finally a part of the scientific community. But, it proves their not. hCG has never been proven by science to cause fat loss. That’s the least of the bad news.

If you are messing around with hCG, the really bad news is - in the long run – that it can lead to overt obesity as well as type II diabetes and the mother of all disease, cancer! Before you let the Trudeau marketing noose tighten around your neck, you must know two things about the hCG diet.

hCG is the pregnancy hormone

The first hormone produced by a pregnant woman is hCG. It primes her body for carrying the new baby. Particularly, it turns on the faucet for the flow of progesterone and estrogen internally. These are the “Honey, I think I’m gaining weight, can you go buy me a pregnancy test,” hormones! And if not controlled, the estrogen dominance may lead to weight gain first, then type II diabetes.

The huckster of the diet tried to mask this symptom by telling users to go on a “very low calorie diet.” But, since starvation isn’t sustainable, the yo-yo effect kicked in faster than you can say “natural cures I wish I didn’t know about.”

The hCG hormone isn’t a one-trick pony

In addition to turning on the hormone faucet, hCG also preserves the early stages of pregnancy. But, if not pregnant, hCG preserves cancer growth by acting as a life-support to the biological superpower.

Specifically, hCG grants cancerous cells the ability to produce blood vessels, a process known technically as neovascularisation. The scientific journal known as Anticancer Research highlighted this in 2003, stating that, “hCG is able to induce neovascularisation in tumour cells.” Helping cancer cells grow is not a good thing. But this has been known for as long as scientists have understood pregnancy.

" Living young and taking charge of my health! Want my secret? Read Over the Counter Natural Cures! Proof positive - In January I was 40 pounds heavier." - Derek, Harvested from Facebook Page!

Hormone intelligence therapy (HIT) conquers all

Hormones are not to be messed with. I learned this as a chemist designing “hormone mimics.” I also learned that hormone balance was far more important than hormone “quantity” when it came to achieving your leanest, sexiest physique. Write that one down.

As highlighted in my book, Over-The-Counter Natural Cures, the body has its own “hormonal intelligence,” which it uses to optimize hormone balance. This intelligence is like the magic wand that causes excess fat to vanish at any age. It also helps the body produce life-preserving muscle.

To harness the magic, you have to minimize the “hidden sugars” in your foods and supplements, as well as space your meals out by 5 hours – limiting it to only 3 meals per day. Then, learn how to avoid yo-yo diet booby traps, disguised as scientific fact.

[kaybee]

putting extra hormones into your body seems unnatural and scary to me. even if it temporarily fixes a weight problem, i think it has a huge potential to just lead to more problems. I dont believe a treatment like this can really be harmless...both men and women are artificially introducing PREGNANCY hormones into their bodies??? seems like its going to mess up other things.

[sandra92]

Hi, I am a new user for hcg diet and hcg injection. I want to know which is more effecting and give fast results for reducing weight. I am on baby diet since a week and my hcg injection course is due for next month. How does this thing work in a body or do they have any side effects.

hcg diet menu (http://best-hcg-diet-plan.com/) | hcg diet plan (http://best-hcg-diet-plan.com/) | hcg injections (http://best-hcg-diet-plan.com/)

[SmartyPants]

i released 100 pounds in the first four months of being raw and a total of 145 pounds in the first year. my secret... eat raw live foods!!!

Aleesha...

If you don't mind my asking, what did you do to lose that first 100 pounds. What were you eating/drinking? Were you exercising? If so, how much exercise were you getting in per week/day?

[Choose2BWell]

Folks there are no short cuts, no magic bullets....... It took a long time to get where you are, so it will take time to reach the goal. I know that from my experience.....

500 cal a day? Of course you will loose wt, but is it safe and will it last? you need at least 1500 min to function. I see a nutritionist at work and she informed me that if she recommends the HCG plan to anyone, she will loose her license.

I lost 70lbs in 6 mos, by eating healthy, transitioning slowly, adding movement in increments; as the wt dropped I began walking, wts, P90x, running and now cross fit. And I am still eating raw/vegan.

Forget the shortcuts, commit to yourself and after you loose 20 lbs begin walking then build from that. Enjoy the journey, get some!