Hcg Drops... - Marion,IA

Updated on October 19, 2011
K.W. asks from Marion, IA
13 answers

I just asked a question about Curves because I want to lose baby weight from my second child. However, I now have 3 friends who are taking something called Hcg drops and losing about a pound a day on them. While they look wonderful and they're gushing about how easy it is to take the drops and follow the strict diet, I'm leery of anything that makes someone drop weight that quickly. I'm wondering if any of you have taken Hcg drops for the full time and what happened AFTER the course of the diet was over. Did the weight come right back once you started eating normally? Or did the initial weight loss motivate you to keep living healthier and jump start an even bigger weight loss? Thanks for sharing your experiences!

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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

A better option would be to learn how to eat a healthy sustainable diet. 500 calories is not sustainable, and you won't learn how to maintain the weight loss. Just like the Tortoise and the Hare, slow and steady wins the race. (Lose weight slower in a more sustainable and healthy way, and you're more likely to keep it off.)

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B..

answers from Dallas on

Starvation diets are never healthy. Don't be fooled by anyone saying it's not a starvation diet. MOST people gain back all the weight and more within 2 years. In fact, I've never personally known anyone to not gain more weight back then they lost within one year.

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ღ..

answers from Detroit on

Its unhealthy, and everyone I know that has been on it, has gained it backed. I hate this diet and cringe when my friends tell me they are on it. I just want to say "GOOD LUCK!"

I have lost my baby weight with 3 kids from weight watchers. You lose about 2 lbs per week.

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C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

K.-

I did this diet a few months back and lost 20 lbs. It's very restrictive (500 cals a day like someone said) and they recommend you do not drink diet soda but I did. And honestly, I 'cheated' a few times. Like a bite here and there because it made it easier for me to be so restrictive during the day. I finished it two months ago and have gained between 2-5 of the 20 lbs depending on how bad I ate the day before I weighed myself.

While I don't think this is the best or most healthy option for losing weight, it worked for me. I want to lose 10-20 more lbs so I'm going to start round 2 tomorrow.

Basically what the drops do is suppress hunger. By only eating 500 cals per day your body takes the fat (remaining 1500 cals you SHOULD eat) from the fat already on your body, thus losing 1-2 lbs daily. I talked with my OB about it because I missed my period the month I did it and she said that it may be a result of the diet but did not discouarge me from doing it.

I felt no light headiness or true 'starvation' hunger on the diet. It was mostly about me learning to not 'feel' hungry when others are eating or when I'm bored. As a result of this diet, I now only eating three meals a day (I realize you should eat 5-6 small meals a day) but eating three meals a day works for me and I don't snack as often as I used to! And I've really cut out a lot of carbs in general when eating.

If you want to drop 20 lbs in a month and are committed to being very restricted, I'd say to try it. With the drops, protein water (to help if you feel hungry) and vitamins it cost me around $100 or less to do it. But I figure that is a few months worth of Weight Watchers so I was okay with that. Plus I had leftover pills and protein water for the second round. I'd plan to do it (it's at least 21 days - you can go up to 40) when you do not have a bunch of social committments where you will be tempted to eat (restaurants, parties, etc). My plan is to do it until Thanksgiving or a week before then maintain my weight until after the new year and then possibly do it a third time in 2012 if I have gained holiday weight or if I just want to lose more.

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C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

It is the VERY, VERY restrictive diet that I feel is the issue (I think 500 calories/day). Sure, anybody is going to lose weight at this rate if they are putting 5 ml of hcg, lemon juice or pepsi in their mouth. I work with physicians every day because I work for a laboratory, most of them I talk to are completely against it and are left to clean up the mess. Only a couple I have met (in Palm Springs, CA) assist their patients in this diet with monitoring and run tests before, during and after. I had a close friend just finish it...I want to see what happens now.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

I am with Molly....Weight Watchers...It is natural and affordable and most importantly realistic. Plus all the help on their website and etools. I am on Weight watchers now and have lost 14.2 lbs. You track what you eat and I can't say it enough...portion control. Any pills, drinks, drops....well they don't work...I've tried all that stuff. ugh good luck :)

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E.J.

answers from Lincoln on

I thought the Adkin's diet was bad, but the more I hear about the HCG diet, the more I hate it. When you deprive your body it goes into survival mode. 500 calories isn't enough to sustain anything. That much weight loss is dangerous. I've been reading about how when you're dieting you need to give yourself a day off and that will give your metabolism a boost to keep working and not get comfortable and stop.

I know you asked for people who had done the diet, which I have not, but I just hate any diet that promotes rapid weight loss. It's not healthy to loss that quickly. Hope your friend is okay and stays healthy!!!

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M.B.

answers from Orlando on

I would go to a dr who can help with the whole HCG diet. I have a friend who went that route and lost a total of 110lbs over the course of a year. So it wasn't to drastic and she didn't starve herself with 500cals a day. And she hasn't gained any back and it's been about a year since she's stopped the initial phase of the diet. Good luck

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K.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

I have one friend that did the drops and lost about 20 lbs in 4 weeks... She put it all right back on after she got off the drops.. You only eat 500 calories while your doing this...
My neighbor is doing the HCG shots. He has lost over 60 lbs in about 3 months and has kept it off because he's changed his whole diet and work out plan...
I had another friend that did the shots right after having a baby and ended up in the hospital for almost a week because she had a HORRIBLE reaction to it. VERY SCARY!!!!
I've heard GREAT stories and I've heard HORROR stories...

ANYONE that eats 500 calories per day is going to loose weight~

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

They are playing with fire! No one should do that diet imo. But if they choose to, it should be under strict supervisor with doctor.

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

My friend in Florida did this diet - he lost 35 lbs in one month - it's DANGEROUS!!!

The stress that you put on your body by losing a pound a day is ENORMOUS!

yeah - there have been some "success" stories - but really? think long term...the damage and stress to the heart for limiting your body intake as well as putting a CHEMICAL into your body...do NOT do it.

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D.M.

answers from Detroit on

Hi K.---Fad diets are dangerous at best. It is NOT safe to lose more than 3 lbs per week...3 lbs of fat that is. These reduced calorie diets cause the body to start eating itself for fuel, and muscle is easier to get to than fat, so... And think of it this way, a DIET is not a short-term strategy to lose weight. A proper diet is a way of life.

Your best method of achieving your ideal weight is to eat mostly plants. There is nothing in animal products that can't be gotten from plants. Plants contain lots of fiber to keep you feeling full without lots of calories. Plants contain the nutrients necessary for your body to keep you healthy and to prevent disease.

I am not saying you have to be a vegetarian or a vegan, but I do recommend eating a few veg meals each week. Get a copy of Vegetarian Times magazine. Recipes can be found at their website also. I work with lots of medical professionals and am taking a series of classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I have lots of info that could help you with strategies to lose and then maintain your normal weight. Feel free to contact me at any time. Until then, I'll get more info on the HCG diet from the Naturopath. Good luck...be well, D.

PS...I am from Iowa also, yea Iowa! Sioux City. And, if you'd like to know more about how to optimize your health, I have a friend, an RN, who will be giving a presentation next week in Cedar Rapids. Contact me for more info and/or the flyer. It's about self-care...because we can't count on the current medical system to keep us well.

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T.J.

answers from Seattle on

took them, lost 20 lbs that month, have kept it off for four months now. Did it with a naturopathic doctor friend of mine.

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