My Synopsis - But PLEASE Read Dr. Simeons' Entire Book
Before starting this controversial diet, I decided to read Dr. Simeons' complete book. If you are considering using HCG I would recommend reading his book, as I believe it is important to understand the 500-Calorie diet and how hCG works in the body. As I understand hCG from reading Dr. Simeons' book, hCG:
1. Will reset the hypothalamus.
2. Will train the body to lose bad fat.
3. Is an appetite suppressant.
4. "Tells" the body to burn the bad fat for fuel and nutrients.
We have good fat according to Dr. Simeons, like the fat on the bottom of our feet. Maybe that is why, once I became overweight and started dieting, I'm having foot issues and my fat buttocks gets sore after sitting. Have I lost the good fat in the wrong places? I never had those problems when I was a size 2!
The Controversy
In researching this diet on the Internet, I quickly realized the controversy was in the 500-calorie diet, NOT the hCG itself; I could tell it was only because people didn't understand the concept. hCG it seems, is approved and used as a fertility drug but not for weight loss. I was only eating around 500 to 800 calories a day because of Myxedema. I believe that if most Americans removed the non-nutritional foods or the foods that have limited nutritional value from their diets, (like bagels, English muffins, pasta, sugar, etc.) they too would find they are only consuming about 800 calories a day of nutritional foods.
According to Wikipedia, "hCG is also produced in the pituitary gland of males and females of all ages." Could a deficit in the amount of hCG we are supposed to have actually be causing people to not be able to lose weight? Just a thought. Since hCG is a substance that naturally occurs in our bodies, it seems it would probably come under "bio-identical hormones." I'm guessing there won't soon be any studies.
There doesn't seem to be any controversy about eating foods that are full of high-fructose corn syrup, trans fat (partially hydrogenated oil), sugar and flour - all of which we know pack on the pounds. What else would the body do with "food" that it doesn't recognize except to shoot the cholesterol up and store it as fat? Surprisingly though, we seem to know what contributes to storing the fat but aside from strenuous exercise for 8 hours a day or starving ourselves, we don't seem to know how to "tell" our bodies to get rid of the stored fat. I don't know, but maybe hCG is the answer.
Wikipedia also states, "The controversy proceeds from warnings by the Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that hCG is neither safe, nor effective as a weight-loss aid" Not effective as a weight-loss aid? I think I'm living proof that it is not only a good weight-loss aid, but it is also an appetite suppressant.
Personally, I think it important to acquire this or anything else we put in our bodies from a reliable source. I am getting mine, with a doctor's prescription, from Northern New England Compounding Pharmacy in Littleton , New Hampshire . I also just ordered Green Web's from Amazon and am waiting for it to arrive. If you have purchased hCG and find you are constantly hungry or are not losing weight, perhaps there is no hCG in your bottle.
Is hCG a Miracle?
I did not have Myxedema because I did not have enough thyroid hormone in my blood, I had (have) Myxedema because the thyroid hormone was not getting into the cells at the "receptor site" as my doctor said. Lyme Disease might be the culprit. One of the worst (of the many) symptoms was edema. If you've ever had a really bad case of edema you know what it feels like. If not, it makes one feel like their weight is doubled and seriously impedes mobility.
When I decided to start hCG, I was still apprehensive. I understood everything Dr. Simeons was saying in his book, but wondered if it would work for me because of my current medical issues.
Days one and two are necessary overeating days while hCG is getting into the system. According to Dr. Simeon, those who overeat on these days get the best results. Day three I started the 500-calorie diet as instructed and since I am always the optimist, I thought the edema was subsiding. By day four I was astounded at the reduction in the edema - I finally felt like I could move. I now actually felt like eating - my appetite had turned around. Previously, I was eating only because I knew it was necessary.
Today is day 20. I am doing the drops and should have lost 20 pounds by now. Unfortunately, I've hit two roadblocks. The second weekend I was on hCG, I did major yard work and the weather was humid. I stuck to the diet and actually gained one pound; that was a huge disappointment. It worked out that in four days I had no change. The next weekend I needed to do more yard work and was told to just go off it and eat extra food to compensate for the calories I was burning - WRONG! I gained five pounds! I should have known, because Dr. Simeons warns to stay on the 500-calorie diet for three days AFTER taking the last hCG dose because it will cause a weight gain (because the body is still being flooded with nutrients from the hCG). I've ended up wasting four days on each of two weekends (eight total days - uggghhh). In short, exercise is NOT allowed on this diet. Overall, I am down today by only 11 pounds, but I'll take it! Where else can one find a diet that says, "Don't exercise"!
Nothing Can Stop Me Now!
Nothing can stop me now. I will not falter in my eating nor exert myself any more than absolutely necessary for the remaining 22 days that I will be doing the hCG and 500-calorie diet. I'm having guests for Father's Day and had originally planned to cheat - not anymore.
I must remember my goal and that, "NOTHING tastes better than a size 8"! Although I won't be down to a size 8 this time, after taking a six-week vacation from hCG (so that my body does not get immune to the drops) I will do another round of hCG. THEN I will be a size 8!
Summary
For me, hCG has been a miracle. I am a whole new person; a whole new person who today is 11 pounds lighter. My biggest fear is that I'll go off the hCG and the edema/myxedema will return. Only time will tell......
PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a doctor and am not giving advise, medical or otherwise. The above statements are a summary of what happened to me. My statements have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA or anyone else.
PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a doctor and am not giving advise, medical or otherwise. The above statements are a summary of what happened to me. My statements have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA or anyone else.