I don’t believe in diets. I have been a strong advocate for ‘breaking free’ from diets in the tradition of Geneen Roth and others for a very long time. In addition, I believe that for many of us, our addiction to food is as powerful of a disease as alcohol and other drugs and I believe that recovery requires confronting and dealing with the addiction to food.
I have a personal history of both compulsive overeating and bulimia. My recovery started at age 25 when I swore I would never go on a diet again. At age 30, I started leading groups and supporting people in healing from disordered eating, and I also worked with other therapists and dieticians in learning how to help people free themselves from the cycle of dieting and yo-yo weight gains and losses that dieting creates.
Through 25 years of recovery and diet free living, I learned to love my body, had found exercise that I loved, and I had managed to healthfully lose weight and maintain that loss through moderation and deliberation.
In 2007, I had cancer. I managed to stay healthy and maintain my weight through 3 surgeries, chemotherapy, and recovery. But then came the estrogen inhibitors which lower the risk of getting cancer again, and put me into early menopause. I gained 15 pounds while barely eating anything even though I was maintaining a carbohydrate and sugar free diet. In addition, I have a very active lifestyle which didn’t help.
Most doctors shrugged their shoulders at my upset about my weight gain. At first it was only about 4-5 pounds and I still appeared thin, so they just looked at me like I was crazy because I wanted to stop it before it got out of hand. They suggested that since I am alive and cancer free, the weight gain shouldn’t matter.
Of course, my first thoughts about the hCG Diet were pure skepticism. But I was desperate, and unwilling to accept that I had no options. I really trusted my alternative doctor and I found the HCG youtube community online. It clearly shows real people who have transformed their lives with HCG. And then I found HCG Chica – Rayzel Lam. She is an inspiring, generous and knowledgeable HCG guru. Her results, her honesty, and her ability to keep off the weight she personally lost with HCG, supported my decision to try it.
My biggest concern was not if I could lose the weight or not, but rather, would I be able to maintain my weight loss long term and achieve a healthy metabolism? What really does makes HCG a real game changer is that YES, it really does change your metabolism. At least it did for me. And I have heard the same thing from others. It IS called the weight loss cure, and I do believe that for certain people in can be just that. (For more information on this read Dr Simeons’ original manuscript “Pounds and Inches” and Linda Prinsters’ book, ‘HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide’. And be sure to check out HCG Chica’s web site.
I stayed on the diet for the full 6 weeks and lost 15 pounds. I was amazed that I was barely hungry, that I felt great, and that I lost weight in all the right places. One of the benefits of HCG is that you lose ‘abnormal fat’ rather than ‘structural fat’. I didn’t really believe this would happen, however, I was pleasantly blown away when my ‘love handles’ disappeared as well as the fat around my armpits, areas where I had never lost weight before.
Here is a transcript of my email to Rayzel (hcgchica) at the end of my 6 weeks of the maintenance part of the HCG protocol. (This was 6 weeks after I had completed the HCG weight loss portion of the protocol, in other words, 12 weeks since I began)
“Today is my official end to P4, yea! I weighed exactly 120 lbs this morning, my exact weight at the end of the hCG weight loss protocol, even though I ate almost 2000 calories yesterday! (I was super hungry for some reason). I ate healthy food, but some carbs like peanut butter, and an organic high protein cliff bar (OMG, I never been able to eat that stuff) and edamame.
I do still eat a grapefruit and 2 apples every day, and raw fresh coconut, as well as drink at least 64 ounces of fluid, and I believe that all of this helps my digestion and my metabolism. I eat often. I eat small amounts all day long. And like you, I have been eating a lot of fruit.
One other thing I noticed is this. I can eat higher HEALTHY carbs amounts if I keep the calorie count lower (1500-1600). I can eat more calories if i keep the carb count lower. And my weight seems to be more and more stable with time.”
I lost 15 lbs total in 1 round of HCG. I was only about 15 lbs overweight. In other words at 56 years of age, in menopause, I am now at my perfect weight; I still weigh 120 pounds 4 months later. But more importantly, I am maintaining it, even though I eat 1500-1700 calories a day, and some days upwards of 2000 calories. Keep in mind, that before embarking on the HCG diet protocol, I was gaining weight when I even approached the 1200 calorie mark, despite eating a very low carb, gluten and sugar free diet. This is a good indicator that my metabolism not only hasn’t been ruined by the hCG diet, but has actually improved.
HCG 15 Pound Weight Loss: Still Maintaining 4 months later!
I still don’t believe in diets. I would NOT have been able to stay on the HCG protocol years ago while engaging in my eating disorder. I would not be able to maintain my weight if I didn’t have years of recovery and an already gluten and sugar free diet. I believe that to truly transform your weight and your relationship to your body, you have to dig in and do the work, learn to love your body as it is, confront your food addiction, and learn to feed yourself with what you truly want, not just food. (more on this later, in other articles)
However, I believe that the HCG protocol is not your typical diet. If you are willing to deal with your food and body issues, and do some core level healing along the way, HCG really can be a cure for dieting. Because of the way it heals your metabolism it can give you a second chance and a clean slate to start over with.
Do I still have to work really hard at keeping my body at a good weight, remember to loving myself and my body, and continue to be deliberate in my food choices? You betcha! More than ever! But one thing I can tell you for certain that it is a lot more fun and rewarding working at eating well at 120 pounds than it was at 135 pounds or 145 pounds or 155 pounds or 165 pounds!
For the full story, check out HCG Chica’s interview with me:
https://hcgchica.com/hcg-diet-reviews-2/
And if you want to learn more about HCG check out HCG Chica’s amazing website!
Thanks for the info! wao I have never seen who awesome hcg works, i am thinking about a hcg treatments by injections with http://www.vidamaxmc.com/ do you recommend to do it like that?
Hi Johanna,
I am glad that you are finding my blog helpful. I do not know much about which companies are good for injections, sorry to say. I do think that injections can be very effective! You might want to check out hcgchica’s site for information on the best places to get this product.
Best of luck to you. Do let me know how it goes!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Hi, i have read your article, its very good and informative post about weight loss. Thanks for sharing your good thoughts with us.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Its very helpful and inspirational for people having weight issues.
I am so glad you found it helpful!
~inspiredgirl aka Barbara
I am currently doing the HCG diet. I just started week 3. I have done this diet twice in the past and I lost weight but I didnt keep it off. This time I plan to really try and keep it off after I am done. I have PCOS so its very hard for me to lose weight and I have tried every diet and just diet and exercise and nothing as worked for me except this. With that being said, my first week on the HCG diet, this time around,I would lose a pound to 2 pounds a day. I lost 8 pounds and then my weight stayed the same for 6 days. I did an apple day, lost 2 more pounds, but now my weight is still the same since last Friday. Its frustrating because in the beginning I lost something everyday and now nothing. I am following this diet strict so I dont know what I should do. I only want to lose 10-15 more pounds so I was only planning on doing this diet for another week or two, but now that I stopped losing,I am not sure what to do. What is the longest I should be going with out losing anything? Also, if you have any suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated!
HI!
Thanks for reaching out. It is very important to remember that every round is different. I have completed 4 rounds and each one was really different, so if you can, it is best not to compare to your other round. Also, every person is different, do keep that in mind.
I have stalled for as long as 10 days, but then my weight dropped quickly after that. It is important to remember that the average weight loss per day will balance out at about .4 or maybe .5 pounds per day. So if you lose 8 pounds in 8 days, you would likely stall for 8 more days to balance it out to half a pound per day. Also, I do think some people lose more on their first round.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the less you have to lose, the closer to you goal weight you are, the slower you will likely lose. I only lost about 6 pounds in 3 weeks my last round, but I was below my goal weight. Again, everyone is different.
That being said, being patient is important and trust the protocol. It does work. Hang in there. and be sure that your goals are realistic 😉 In a short 3 week round, losing 7-10 pound might be the norm. Of course, like I said, everyone is different, and you will discover what the norm is for you. Don’t let a stall stop you.
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-stalls-frustration-and-fears-o-my/
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Hi there, I realize that I am reading these comments years later as I am personally now on my hCG and weight loss journey. Round 3 nearly complete and going strongly – having lost almost 30 lbs! I felt compelled to reply because I too have frankly suffered and struggled with PCOS for many years – the most awful symptom for me being sudden and extreme weight gain, which was directly caused by prescription birth control pills. PCOS at its core is a serious hormonal imbalance (namely low progesterone, estrogen dominance, high insulin and cortisol levels, often elevated testosterone, among other nutritional deficiencies, particularly magnesium and Vitamin D / sunlight deficiency). So while I have educated myself thoroughly on healing my body’s imbalances, it is only the hCG protocol that was able to quickly bypass all of my injured hormonal systems for truly significant weight loss (via hypothalamus, to over-simplify the process).
While I cannot say I ever had a blatant ED, I know that at different points in my life I exhibited disordered eating patterns during times of severe stress. So I wholeheartedly agree that healing our broken relationship to food is also essential. And for those of us with extreme hormonal disorders like PCOS, all the more vital.
In this 3rd (and I believe final) round of hCG I took the time to closely study HCG Chica’s P3 to Life program in advance. Her coaching section alone is invaluable. As is Inspired Girl’s blog! I recently came across Weston A. Price Foundation’s food principles, doing a ton of reading on the WAPF website and a book called Nourishing Traditions authored by Sally Fallon – and wholly intend to apply those wonderful daily principles when I complete my hCG round next week. Weekly farmer’s market shopping is now part of my life.
I also urge anyone considering the hCG protocol to FIRSTLY read the original Pounds and Inches manuscript by Dr. Simeons; then visit HCG Chica’s website for any and all remaining questions you have (I guarantee her blog answers like 98.9% of them). And truly, take Inspired Girl’s wise words and informative articles to heart; they were personally for me the extra push I needed to more closely examine my sometimes-troubled relationship to food, plus learning the difference between eating just to eat versus true nourishment. Making thoughtful choices and going as far as making great lists and charts for favorite/good foods I plan to have. (Namely, delicious whole foods and recipes including both quality animal and plant sources.)
I, too, noticed slower loss after days I did hardcore exercise such as zumba. Leisure long walks and short, easy bike rides on the other hand, aided my weight loss. I feel that it’s important to remember that hCG is in itself a rigorous weight loss process; so don’t let 4-6 weeks of reduced activity get you down! Because as soon as you successfully finish the protocol, you will (and honestly should) get right back to being active to help maintain your hard-earned weight loss and new body. Try yoga or dance! This point was definitely covered in Dr. Simeons manuscript, so take his words to heart as well. He did lengthy, extensive work to fine-tune the efficacy of hCG on his many patients. We must be just as meticulous when we decide to undertake the hCG weight cure endeavor.
More practical advice I’d like to share – HCG Chica’s Workbook is probably best in the printed format (check on Amazon). During my 1st round, my computer oddly decided it didn’t love the electronic PDF version and erased my entire record. Not to mention, the physical copy is just so organized and it’s nice to have that colorful, visual book reminder during your protocol.
Apple Days really do help break 3+ day stalls.
Good supplements that support weight loss and life balance, whether on or off hCG:
-Natural-based daily multivitamin
-Additional magnesium supplement (300-800 mg daily total is vital)
-Choline and Inositol
-Chromium
(I find all of these at Vitamin Shoppe; and frankly without them my weight loss efforts, both on and off hCG, are usually diminished)
-Probiotics help. (I found a good pill form at Trader Joe’s)
-Last but not least, evening primrose oil which can be found in capsule form, is downright magical for curing female ailments including severe hormone imbalances like PCOS, PMS or peri/menopause issues. Give yourself at least a month or 2 to see some very wonderful and tangible results.
And finally, speaking from my experience and again because of my PCOS dilemma, I actually did better by cutting out the Melba/Grissini cracker during my last hCG round. But I urge PCOS ladies to NOT cut out the 2 fruit portions despite any opposing advice. Refined carbs and nature-provided fruits are two very things metabolically speaking. Our already struggling bodies genuinely benefit from the daily fruit and veggie options, not just the animal protein servings. <3
I wish you all the best on your healing journeys; and thank you ladies (and gentlemen) for sharing your stories. Thank YOU Barbara for sharing your lovely insight and great vibes. In case it wasn't entirely clear, I did locate your blog via HCG Chica and her wealth of information & videos. 🙂
Thank you for all of this!!! Great ideas and suggestions. YES HCG chica’s website and books are invaluable. Her knowledge, research, and practical information makes all the difference. and I agree, EVERYONE should read the original protocol at least a few times before they start.
Planning for P3 and living with it is really what makes HCG different and unique. HCG Chica’s workbooks make it so easy; many people get lost in the possibilities, whereas her workbook gives you a great structure.
Best of luck to you in this round and ongoing!!! Thanks so much for sharing! Let us know how it goes.
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Hey there I started P2 this week and have been doing great…down 9lbs. I’m on day 5 of injections and lowered my done from 150 to 140 cause I had been super hungry in the morning and early afternoon. I’m a surgical nurse and today was just killer…I ran my butt off and felt like I was almost gonna pass out. I know I’m not supposed to exercise but my job requires it. What’s your thoughts on increasing my calories by 100 on those days. Do you think it will mess me up?
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for reaching out! You should NOT be hungry, and it sounds like you know that. I have often found that I had to RAISE my dose as I lost weight. I am wondering if your dose is correct? It usually takes me about 12-24 hours to feel the affects of a dose adjustment.
I do think everyone is different, but I have heard of and used these guidelines:
•If you are painfully hungry before you eat, then your dose is too low.
•If eating makes you even hungrier, than your dose is too high.
•If you are simply starving all the time, it is likely that your dose is too high, but it could be too low.
Regarding exercise, I did work out my first round, and I did lose weight more slowly and was more tired. But I still lost =)
Regarding eating more, how much do you plan to lose? And is this your first round? In my 2-4th round, I only had a small amount to lose, about 6-8 pounds. I had heard that the less fat you have on your body, the more food you need because HCG just can’t release fat fast enough to prevent hunger.
I only do the OP (original protocol). I ate 4-7 ounces of protein at meals. AND extra vegies (p2 approved only). Lots of lean red meat. I did NOT increase my fruit or starch. I don’t skip any of the foods in a day even if I don’t think I need it, because I think it makes me hungrier the next day. That seemed to work and I lost my expected amount of weight. I KNEW however that my weight loss would be low because I didn’t have much to lose.
I supported my husband in doing HCG, and he was just way too hungry at 100 grams of protein. So he did the same thing. He only had 15 pounds to lose. He ate 4-7 ounces of protein each meal, extra vegies (P2 approved only, original protocol) but no extra starch or fruit. He lost 15 pounds in 21 days. He is quite thin, so that was all he needed to lose.
That is a long winded way of saying it depends! Actually, I do think that in some instances, and IF you are sure your dose is correct, extra protein is a good thing and doesn’t affect weight loss. You will have to test it out for yourself, but adding protein would be a good thing to try. I don’t thinking that adding fruit or starches is wise, and certainly nothing with fat.
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Thank you for your blog. I just started P2 and I am excited to finally see some results. After I turned 40 the pounds just started creeping on. I tried numerous diets and nothing worked. I did a very restrictive 21 day diet with a crazy 6 day a week exerxcise program and lost nothing. Not one pound. I was so discouraged. Which then of course led to more destructive binging and more weight gain. I hope I finally get some results with HCG. I have been following HCGCHICA and got her workbook. Thank you again for your motivation. There is true hope for us peri/ menopausal women.
Hi Heidi!
Thanks for reaching out.
YES, for ME, HCG is the only thing that helped me in menopause. It truly changed my life in amazing ways. I am so glad you found it, and that you found HCG chica and me. Good luck!!! STAY POP. and really truly take P3 and P4 seriously. It is so worth it.
Best of luck, and let me know how it goes!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success J
Is it true HCG cause cancer down the line? I am worried if I should start?
Hi Tanya,
Thanks for reaching out. I really have no idea about this. I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success. I cannot speak to any negative consequences or any results with HCG. I am sure that you can find more information on the web.
Good luck to you!
~inspired Girl aka Barbara
HI, I am very inspired by your writing. When you spoke about the emotional reasons for eating, I was able to finally hear the information. Thank you and, please keep writing – you are amazing with words.
I have done the HCG diet 3xs now. The first time very successfully, the 2nd and 3rd not so much. I crave comfort from food and realize this mind set has to be changed before I start another round to lose the weight I gained yet again. Here is my other concern:
flabby muscle tone that won’t firm up. I feel like I lose the weight and my muscle tone gets worse. I can’t seem to gain muscle tone. DO you find this happening?
Hi!
I am so glad that you find my blog helpful! Yes, I definitely need to post some more. I have not had that issue with Muscle tone, but everyone is different. I do high intensity yoga, and some weight lifting, etc, and perhaps that helps? This might be something good for you to get input from a personal trainer on, just a thought.
I do agree that having the correct mind set, and dealing with your relationship to food and your body has be a part of any diet or weight loss protocol in order to make real and lasting change.
Best of luck to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I am on week 4 of the 43 day protocol, and have lost 16 lbs. so far! My daughter is also doing it and has lost 18 lbs. We both have had horrible problems losing weight. Mine is mostly due to menopause and my problem with eating for comfort and under stress situations. My daughter has PCOS and the comfort food situation as well. I am not going to lie, it is difficult to pass up on the foods that ‘everyone else’ is eating, especially when you are going to sporting or special events and having to bring your food, while others eat the concession stand food or go to restaurants. I did manage to eat at a couple of places and asked them to make a house salad with nothing but veggies in it and a small steak with nothing on it and no oils. I would usually only eat half and give the rest to hubby! That did not cause any problems with me but, I was very nervous! This is our first round. I have around 2 weeks before starting on phase 3 and I am starting to study up on phase 3 so I don’t mess anything up!! I was very skeptical at first but thank goodness I happened upon Rayzel’s site, HCGchica.com! I have to say that I probably would not have done it if it wasn’t for her site and all of the information and go-to help! I feel (and I think I can speak for my daughter as well) that for the first time in my life, I am the one in control!!!
Good for you!!! Yes, HCGchica is the best, and her help and website is invaluable. I have found that HCG has actually made reaching my perfect weight possible. It’s amazing. Check out my pages on P3, and read up as much as you can find. It is worth taking the time to do P3 & P4 correctly, and maintenance is really the key. https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-maintenence-phase-3-tips-on-getting-started-on-p3/ https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-p3-foods-you-can-eat-and-a-sample-menu-meal-plan/
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Best to you,
~inspired girl aka Barbara
Your post was well written and readable for that reason. I have taken hcg 3xs now and have found it hard to maintain the weight loss. I know that I reach for food more often than not when I am in distress – I have lots of distress for years now – the other piece to the weight gain is cortisol which gets released in stress too and causes weight gain because elevated cortisol can cause cravings for carbs. FOr me there is a loop of feeling stressed, angry, anxious, rejected, shame, whatever triggers this in my life, then comes the cortisol, then comes the reaching for food to stuff down, comfort, distract, soothe and then comes the disgust, the guilt, the self rejection then comes the promises to self to “get healthy” then the failure to do this” loop, loop, loop.
Hi,
I am glad that you are finding my post helpful. Yes, maintenance is the key to this protocol. As you know, if you go back to over eating, you will gain the weight back, of course, and then HCG just becomes another failed diet. Be sure to read up on P3 and P4, including my posts:
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-p3-foods-you-can-eat-and-a-sample-menu-meal-plan/
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-maintenence-phase-3-tips-on-getting-started-on-p3/
https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-phase-4-p4-weight-loss-maintenance-how-to-do-it-and-what-to-eat/
I find that it is very important to be very strict in P3 and P4, not only because your weight is unstable and you will gain easily, but because this is the time when you get the opportunity to really change your eating habits. Along with my posts, there is much information on the web regarding how to do P3 and P4. It is important to plan for it and to really commit to it for the entire time. I have personally found that it takes about 6-12 weeks for my weight to stabilize, so as you can see from my posts, I take it very slowly and carefully. After all the work in P2 to lose the weight, to me, it is just not worth gaining it back. It is important to remember that it is not forever.
I have also found that whatever food and body and emotional issues people have, they can very easily get triggered during this time. If you find it impossible to stick with the maintenance program, it is worth getting some support in the way of a group or counseling. Most of us have all kinds of issues related to why we eat, and dealing with those issues is vital to really changing your relationship to food in the long run.
It sounds like you are putting the time and energy into the protocol, it is worth taking this to transform your relationship to food and your body on an ongoing basis.
Good luck with this!
Best to you
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I can’t believe as someone who says they have worked with people with eating disorders, you would suggest the Simeon Protcol/HCG diet and frame it positively. As someone who struggled with being a little overweight most of my adult life, I did not have the crippling problems of a severe eating disorder until I was shown the tools and rules of the Simeon Protocol and HCG. Purging, going days without eating. Doing 4 Apple days just to look a certain way for an event… And why eat 4 apples when you can eat one. Any of that sound healthy? I’ve read a lot on the subject and the relationship between ED and HcG diet. And what I’m learning is I’m not the only one who developed ED from being on HCG. After going through 6 months of intense ED rehabilitation therapy, I no longer am crippled by my need to binge and purge or to go days without eating. However, I still struggle with the lasting effects. I have no real metabolism to speak of, and acid reflux issues from purging. I see this topic you posted is old, but I feel like the truth needed to be stated if someone stumbled upon this. HCG (Simeon Protocol) has caused many girls with ED to fall back into habits and girls with no real eating disorders, develop them. I used to think, anorexia and buliemia aren’t that bad– they are all so thin, and I love food, so I’d never be THAT girl. And then I became her, and every restaurant and every meal was a personal hell. And when you are driving to a pub after dinner on your birthday, and you are trying to convince yourself not to pull into the gas station bathroom so you can throw up, your life is pretty awful. I hope this reaches at least one person and stops them from going through what I did.
HI,
I am so very sorry to hear that you had this experience. Having had a compulsive eating disorder myself, as well as an atypical bulimia, I really do know first hand what hell it is.
I know that when I was in my disorder (over 35 years ago), I did HCG, Weight Watchers, Atkins, and many more diets, which created and exacerbated my eating disorder. Even Weight Watchers, the healthiest of programs, if taken out of context can be bad. When I did it while in the midst of my compulsive eating, I obsessed over every ounce, and then would go binge horribly after weigh ins. Etc.
I did not begin recovery until one day I swore I would never go on a diet again. From there I did the 12 steps, in addition to Geneen Roth’s breaking free protocol, for over 30 years. I was an educator in the field for therapists and nutritionists, as well as led groups and worked with individuals in healing their relationship to food.
I agree with you, that without recovery, HCG, or any diet or weight loss program, no matter how well intended can be really harmful. And the HCG diet, when taken out of context, can definitely cause problems. Some of the things you mention about the HCG diet do not fit my personal understanding of the HCG protocol, BTW.
I started recovery at about age 25. I spent over 20 years learning to love my body and heal my relationship to food. I slowly lost some weight, but was pretty comfortable even though I was about 20 – 30 pounds overweight. I got and stay married to a man who loves me as I am, in all my incarnations.
At about age 45, I decided to lose weight within the context of recovery and abstinence. I took 3 years, and lost 30 pounds, which I kept off easily, comfortably, naturally, and healthfully.
Then I got cancer. And the after anti estrogen cancer drugs caused weight gain. I had spent my life working to get where I was healthfully, and I did not want to go back.
I NEVER would have tried HCG, if 1) I wasn’t desperate 2) A doctor I really trust suggested it, and 3) I hadn’t found HCG chica who healed herself of her eating disorder in the midst of rounds of HCG.
In addition, I would not have tried it without 25 years of very solid recovery and personal growth behind me.
What I discovered truly changed my life. In addition, it took my recovery to a whole new level. I feel so much more at choice than ever before. But I spent months studying the HCG protocol. I read up on it, learned how to do it right, committed to maintenance, and I got support in case my eating disorder decided to rear it’s head. I already ate gluten free, sugar free, alcohol free, so the HCG protocol was not a huge dramatic food change for me.
I have supported others who used HCG to heal their relationship to food and their bodies. I have also seen people who don’t take on the original protocol, or who don’t do the maintenance program strictly or else they quit in the middle, or gain the weight back. Everyone is different. I really don’t think that HCG is for everyone.
There are many, many HCG scams out there. I only recommend and trust the original protocol, Linda Prinster’s information, and HCG Chica who is an expert in this field. From your description of your understanding of some of the HCG protocol, it doesn’t sound like my personal understanding of the original protocol.
I still feel the same regarding eating disorder recovery. People need to learn to love their bodies, heal their underlying food issues and emotional pain, and learn to eat balanced and freely over time in order to heal. I am quick to tell people that in order to succeed at HCG, or any program that supports you in changing your eating habits, you have to change your relationship to food and to your body. In addition, you have to address the underlying issues and use it to change your life.
HCG, if taken on as a diet, is just like any other diet and can certainly be detrimental. So can any diet. Without addressing the underlying issues in our relationship to food and our bodies, diets do not tend to create lasting positive change, and often, they can be unhealthy and set people in the wrong direction and down a bad path. I agree.
AT some point, I will write a blog post on ‘how to prepare for HCG; and ‘how do know if you are ready to do HCG’ and I will certainly address this issue more.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. I am glad you have done so much healing. I wish you the best of luck in your ongoing recovery.
~inspired Girl
This is amazing, I just started HCG and this makes me even more excited for my journey! I’ll be sharing my experience on the blog I made to keep myself accountable.
Good for you!!! I look forward to hearing about your journey. Hang in there, take it slowly, don’t let stalls freak you out, and keep the big picture in mind. Best of luck!
~inspired girl aka Barbara
I plan to try HCG, I’m going to purchase the book today and figure out when I can really do it. My main concern is that I work out so hard in the gym 4x a week and I understand you are not supposed to work out that hard while doing HCG. Honestly, that scares me!
I know what you mean! I LOVE working out! you definitely should NOT do weights or hard intense workouts on HCG. It will slow your weightloss down. I worked out some, but others find that they do better if they do NOT at all. YES it is scary. HOWEVER, it is only 40 days, and you can lose about a 20 pounds and feel GREAT. It is sooooo worth it! It is 4.5 months since I did it and I am keeping the weight off and feel better than ever! =)
Right on Sister!! You look FABULOUS at 56 🙂
Hcg IS a game changer.. I recently lost 20 pounds in ‘Phase 2’ and am learning how to maintain that loss in ‘Phase 3’ of the Hcg Protocol. This rang true, thank you for this article!
…. confront your food addiction, and learn to feed yourself with what you truly want, not just food.
Thanks B! You go girl, you are doing great! Congrats on your focus and commitment, 20 pounds WOOO HOOO! =)
Gotta try this! My body is still so whacked out from pregnancy. The blog looks great B! xoxo
It’s intense! but I found it to be life changing & transformative … Do your research first, but you might love it! xo
Great article barbara! It’s so nice to hear your story from your own mouth. I love that you said this, “I would NOT have been able to stay on the HCG protocol years ago while engaging in my eating disorder. I would not be able to maintain my weight if I didn’t have years of recovery and an already gluten and sugar free diet.”- addressing real problems behind eating and body image I agree are so important to making a real success to the hCG Diet. The pic looks great- you so tiny girl!
Thank you Rayzel! You have been such a great support and inspiration! and I LOVE how you have turned your own relationship to food and your body around, you are amazing!
Barbara, thank you for sharing your experience with the HCG Diet. I am currently in Phase 2 and find your article motivating and INSPIRING!
I am so glad!!! Phase 2 HCG / VCLD is so challenging, but so exciting. You are rocking it, and I love how committed you are.