HCG Diet on The Morning Show: Safe and Effective, or Dangerous? Does it Matter?
Posted on May 1, 2008
Filed Under Health & Wellness, Science & Medicine, Weight Loss
The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet recently featured a segment on the HCG Diet – which involves injections of HCG (Human ChorioGonadotropin) Hormone and a 500-calorie per day diet regimen. As with any diet plan, there were experts on both sides of the issue; and, as with any diet discussion between experts, the point was missed – again. The point remains: There is only one way to effectively and permanently reduce your weight; and it is not with any diet or plan. Diets simply don’t work; and, if it doesn’t work, safety shouldn’t be an issue. Why waste your time, energy, and money doing things that do not work, when you could be learning about what does work?
HCG, just like any other diet remedy, is used with mixed results – and mixed opinions. The same is true of any drug; and, the opponents often start off as proponents – and then experience failure or disillusionment. Or, desperate people, who have tried everything else and failed, experience some results and swear by this new wonder-cure – until some time later when the hype has died down and their “condition” has returned in one degree or another. Further, placebo studies carry a very powerful message to those not focused on a particular agenda; that message: “For many people, it doesn’t matter what’s in the pill; a significant percentage of people will benefit from taking sugar-pills regardless of their condition or problem.” Shouldn’t we be figuring out how to get in THAT group?
I read a letter on one HCG web site from a lady who swears by HCG without listening to the reality of what she’s saying. Her letter starts off by saying that she needed to lose 60-pounds; and, after taking HCG injection, she lost 50-pounds and was satisfied. But then, three-years later, she needed to lose 40-pounds; and, guess what…HCG worked again! So good, in fact, that a few years later, when she needed to lose 80-pounds, she was able to – for a while – but, since the oral HCG doesn’t work as well, she needs to lose that 80-pounds again… So, in a period of about 10-years, or less, she went from 60-pounds overweight to 10-pounds overweight to 40-pounds overweight to her “ideal?” weight to 80-pounds overweight back to “something less than that” and back to 80-pounds overweight – which is presumably where she was when she wrote her testimonial about how well HCG works! I don’t know what her definition of “success” is; but this is typical yo-yo dieting – not a success. She started out 60-pounds overweight; and, after several ups and downs, she is now 80-pounds overweight. But the drug is a miracle?
The only way to let-go of unwanted weight is to let-go of unwanted emotional baggage, let-go of fears and worries, let-go of guilt and shame, let-go of self-hatred and self-loathing, and let-go of the crazy beliefs about food, fat, weight, and dieting, that the “establishment” has fed you all your life. Look in the mirror. Look around you. What you’ve been told simply isn’t an accurate perspective of reality; it simply doesn’t work the way they say it does. It isn’t what you eat that’s making you fat; it’s what’s eating you. Most people say, “I’ll be happy when I lose this extra weight;” but, the truth is, this kind of “happiness” will last only as long as you keep the weight off. Finding true happiness, however, can be the greatest weight-reduction plan ever; and there are techniques now available that can help you release the programming that “covered-up” your happiness – freeing you to live the way you want to live.
There are several change-techniques available today that can help you let-go of unwanted pounds by helping you let-go of unwanted thoughts and emotions. Many of them can be quickly and easily learned – for Free! And, many of them are used by weight-loss gurus such as Paul McKenna, as well as success gurus, such as the teachers featured in “The Secret.” If you want to try fad diets and drugs, that’s your choice; but you owe it to yourself to at least first try something that’s Free, easy, and safe. Methods such as EFT, The Z-Point Process, and TAT, have been successfully used for over a decade; and they have each produced many “permanent” successes. I personally lost 55-pounds (just once – not over and over…) using prayer, understanding, forgiveness, and the techniques listed above. That was 5-years ago; and I didn’t change my diet, or exercise habits – just my perspective and beliefs about food and my body. In other words, I changed my body by first changing my mind and then letting the rest happen naturally.
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21 Responses to “HCG Diet on The Morning Show: Safe and Effective, or Dangerous? Does it Matter?”
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The Belief Formula
This comment has been slightly modified and posted as an article on this site (and several other sites) — May 1, 2008.
I’m speechless!!!!! This is my life. Where do I start??? Please reply.I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Kelley
This is the truth of it: there are no shortcuts when it comes to getting control over eating disorders, weight and overall health. These are lifestyle and programming issues.
Right on.
Now, please pass the placebo.
Last year I took the task on of loosing weight before my 30th birthday. I had done well lost about 40lbs in about four months through old fashioned diet and exercise. I hit a plato however three months before my birthday. Desperate I did the HCG diet. First month drops and I lost 20plus lbs. So i took about one month off maybe gained 2lbs back. But could not loose more weight. So my “doctor” suggested I do the shots of HCG. So I did. Yes I lost weight, but here is the big but! It made me a crazy person on the diet. My family begged me to stop I had mood swings from hell, facial acne, and horrible cramps. When I got off the diet, I started gaining the weight back at a crazy pace. Not only the wight I lost on hcg,but all the weight I worked so hard to loose in the beginning of my Journey. It also left me with horrible periods every two weeks that make me feel so week that its hard for me to function. I had my tubes tied after my second child. But my Family dr had to put me on birth control in order to re regulate all the damage to my female system that this diet did to me. I can live with the weight gain ( all though unhappily) but the damage this did to my body makes me so angry I did this to myself. What makes me more angry is that I was told through my weight loss “doctor” and multiple websites that this diet had little or no side effects. What a crock, they are not wanting to help people, just make a dollar! DONT DO THE HCG DIET!
Thanks Allison! I soooo needed to hear that-my salon is now having a consultant come in and “share/sell” this success diet and metabolic correction change. I had so many questions that she couldn’t answer for me that I was really unsure and skeptical. It sounds like a combo diet-weight watchers, detox, atkins, natural/organic mix of a diet. I asked about periods, and migraines, liver damage, and getting my thyroid checked as my doctor recommended since she was certain the hcg corrected hormonal balance and she was so sure that it was a “cure all” but couldn’t tell me how it worked and even told me not to follow my doctor’s advice of getting my tyroid checked even though i have a strong family history. Why kill myself over this or spend $400 a month just for consultation. She wanted me to give up EVERYTHING-all my shampoos, lotions, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick, and don’t touch other people-hello! I have a child! And how do you really live healthy off of 500 calories a day when you have to take a bunch of supplements to substitute the food your not eating?
I was reading your comments. I was on the HCG for 2 months. Late in the 2nd month I started bleeding and I am in menopause. Decided to take a break. Anyone know anything about that?? It is a hormone.
This is very interesting and I wish more people would really look into this diet. I am a personal trainer and for years and years people have tried “quick” diets. BUT diets don’t work! Losing weight and being healthy is a LIFESTYLE change! I don’t care how old you are..you can still lose weight. No one said it’s easy but wouldn’t you rather work your butt off in the gym and be able to tell people YOU did it rather than admit to a “quick fix”? Point is…if you can take the time to put weight on than you should be able to take the time to take it off…neither happen over night! No one said it’s easy, but working out will make you feel a lot better! It’s proven to be one of the best ways to release stress! Of course it’s hard to make time because of work and life, but if you really want to feel better you will make time.
I did HCG for 7 days and became ill! I had headaches so bad I couldn’t function! I felt horrible and do believe this is not for everyone! Hard work and healthy changes are where thing really pay off. I feel like I wasted my time, energy and 7 days of happiness for nothing!
This site and these comments are so useful! I found a group on facebook for people to write about how great HCG is and and you can actually contact a company to buy it straight from facebook. It made me angry that they were advertising like that saying there were no side effects! There is even a 14 year old girl that found that page and started using it. It’s sick! I posted a linkto this page with a recommendation to at least read this before trying HCG!
Wow… I am so glad I found these comments. I was getting ready to order the hcg diet. I am 42 and stopped taking birthcontrol pills ages ago and started with this lady comp old fashioned taking my temp every morning just to stay clear of extra hormones. Thanks now I will do it with good ole sweat and tears.
I appreciate all of the comments. I have been going back and forth about starting the HCG Diet for two months. I work out hard at the gym at least 5 days a week. I have to admit my eating habits could be better, but I still keep trying to be healthier everyday. Being frustated plattowing, I considered this diet. A young lady introduced me to it at the gym. She has drastically lost weight over a two month period. It was very tempting to try it, especially after seeing how quickly she lost the weight. After much thought, I’ve decided to continue exercising and making healthier food choices. It will take longer but I know it will be worth it. It is true what they say. Nothing good in life comes easy. Just my opinion. Good Luck to all.
I came on here in researching this HCG craze, as my mother really wants me to try it. I have to say that I agree with the main posting above… For everyone struggling with their weight, you HAVE to read the book “The Gabriel Method”. It’s the first book I’ve read specifically dealing with your body that relates in such an exact way to your emotions, heart, spirituality (any kind!), unfulfilled dreams, past incidents, etc. It truly affected my life, and anyone dieting and exercising really needs to read it in order to shift their body into ‘wanting’ to be slim. I LOVE IT. Good luck everyone!
Thanks everyone for the interesting reading. I was going to order the hCG today but something in the pit of my stomache kept telling me to do more research. I am 5′9″, wear a size 12 (want to be a 10, exercise 4 - 5 days a week and my eating habits aren’t bad, though honestly they could be better. I kept thinking “I want to look better for swimsuit season”. After reading this article and everones comments I decided there was a reason my gut feeling was telling me to research more. My health is NOT worth risking! I will stick to what I am doing and pray for better success.
I have heard a lot about this diet and I myself need to lose about 50 lbs; but I do not want to harm myself in the process. I would like people to really look at this diet with open eyes, as an overweight person myself I would love it to work. I am betting it does; but why does it work…? As overweight people know, if we all cut our caloric intake to 500 calories a day, I [we] would drop a bunch of weight, to. That has nothing to do with HCG!!! Come on people, we all know how it is done: Real hard work. We (myself included) want a easy way out!!! There isn’t one.
Does anyone know where the urine comes from? It is weird that we are okay about putting someones urine into our bodies for the sake of losing weight. Hello! What illnesses have they been tested for? Who wouldn’t lose weight on 500 calories a day?! Boy, if I could stick to a 500 calorie a day diet, I wouldn’t need another pill to help with the weight loss. Plus, who is willing to pay the fee of 400-600 dollars a month to put a pill made out of a pregnant womens’ urine or plasciata? What have we come too?
I have experienced that each time I go on a diet I will loose weight… but I gain back that weight and more! I quit dieting for that reason. I have become complacent being fat and happy that I am not doing the yoyo thing and ending up even bigger. I have stayed the same weight no matter what I do just by not going on a diet. I just want to share this in hope of helping others keep from getting bigger after each attempt.
Thanks for posting about this diet.
I swore off dieting a year ago because diets do NOT work and I have actually dieted myself up to almost 200 pounds.
I am working with my doctor now trying to get my body temperature up abouve 98 (check out Wilson’s Syndrome) and running/walking almost two miles a day and beginning to eat intuitively. I write down everything I eat and will continue to change my lifestyle and eating habits and consequently lose the 25 to 50 pounds I need to shed very slowly.
Thank goodness I found this site today as my friend almost had me convinced to try this!
Hello, I so appreciate this article and all the comments. I too have tried many things weight watchers, the phen phen. I was looking to Hcg . I have been changing my diet and walking more each week and lost ten pound by myself. A personal trainer friend told me about HCG and has said the only side effects are I might get pregnant . Wow after reading all this I definatley will not be trying it. Eat less junk , Move around more and eat healthier foods.Good luck everyone and love the size you are! ANd the skin you are in!
Curvy in AZ
I am glad to hear all the posing about HCD. I had lost 100 lbs. by exercise and eating healthy. I managed to keep the weight off for 4 years. Recently after the lose of a loved one I returned to emotional eating and gained back 25 lbs. I have been strongly considering the HCD diet. I had been verbalizing that I am being tempted by this as a quick fix and after reading here I now know I am right about that. I am going to return to the gym and work hard at doing it the right way. Thanks
My thought is to asses your blood type and eat accordingly. I am O+ so what works for me is higher protein and vegetables, gluten free (You really have to check labels because that stuff is hidden EVERYWHERE!, and should be on animal proteins, so therefore being Vegetarian (The Natalie Portman or other fad diets) does not work for me. This ties into the above mentioned. Know who you are and run like hell if someone says I can get you to lose weight rapidly. Never play God with your hormones-ever. This is a banned substance, and will get you ejected from any sports competition if tests find it in you (just look at professional athletes who are banned) You will not become superman, only hooked on a drug that will yo-yo your weight id you go off. Remember, of all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the correct one…
The hcg diet is a joke, I know people loose weight, but at 500 calories how can you not. That is not enough calories to maintain a elderly person confined to a wheelchair, but a active person could not do this diet, you are not allowed to exercise because of the low calories. Any doctor that prescribes or even suggests this diet needs to have his medical license revoked. Everyone wants a quick fix, but the weight will not stay off. I think its a matter of common sense.