My HCG Diet Before and After Review
Those considering HCG injections often like to see if real people have had success. I am one of those people so I decided to write a review of my HCG diet before and after story. Before I get started it is probably a good idea to talk about the product.
HCG is an acronym for Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy which is given as a shot. Doctors prescribe HCG for a number of FDA approved reasons but they also prescribe the hormone as an “off label” weight loss aide.
Physicians often prescribe medicine for a reasons other than their original intent. Aspirin is a pain reliever that became an off label treatment for heart disease. Many years later the FDA approved aspirin as an official treatment for heart disease. This does not always happen, sometimes the medicine remains an “off label” product.
This is true in the case of HCG injections.
Our HCG Diet Reviews
We breakdown 11 different online HCG sources in our HCG diet reviews post to find out who the best suppliers are.
My Before HCG and After Pics
Before I move on I want to let you know why I feel I am able to discuss HCG. I am in marketing by trade, I am also very curious about topics that interest me. In 2010 I helped launch a company selling HCG on the web by taking care of their web search rankings. Because of this and my natural interest in fitness and weight loss, I learned all about HCG. I also took part in the HCG shot protocol on my own with great results. I will also show you a provider that is fast, reliable and provide only the best quality, real pharmaceutical HCG shots in the USA. Keep in mind once you order your HCG injections a medical professional will contact you before they release your order.
HCG Injections and Weight Loss
Dr. ATW Simeons created the HCG diet after seeing malnourished women from 3rd world countries give birth to full sized, healthy babies. Dr. Simeons concluded that HCG kept the child healthy even though the mother was very calorie starved. The theory was that HCG somehow kept the mother and child “fed” even though they ate very little. It was through this discovery that Simeons decided to test a low calorie diet with HCG shots in overweight patients.
Decades later the HCG diet remains a popular program for rapid weight loss in a short period of time. Some people have lost up to thirty pounds in just thirty days!
See HCG pricing on My Diet Doc’s website.
***Important*** This is real prescription HCG. In Order to Purchase HCG Shots Online a Medical Consult is Required, which is done via phone or Video Chat. The Steps are simple. Just Select your product, enroll and enter your payment information. A medical professional will contact you to approve your order! The discounts is for first time online orders only, no need to enter a coupon code in the coupon.***
How Does the HCG Diet Program Work
The HCG diet program is a 4 phase program that focuses on certain goals throughout each step.
Phase 1 of the HCG diet is a 2 day loading phase. While it seems odd, it is very important not to skip this part of the program. The loading phases is exactly as what it sounds like, you just eat whatever you like for days 1 and 2. This is also when you begin taking your HCG shots.
Phase 2 is the most challenging part of the program, lasting over 3 weeks usually. On the 3rd day you reduce your caloric intake to 500 calories a day. Not just that, you have a special diet that you consume within those 500 calories.
Phase 3 of the HCG diet plan is a maintenance phase. At this point you have used all of the HCG and you slowly increase your calories over a 3 week period. You should get to 1200/1500 calories a day but remain within a couple of pounds of your phase 2 weight. This is supposed to establish a new “set point” for you body to maintain.
Phase 4 of the HCG diet is known as “the rest of your life” phase. Your calories should be at a reasonable level and you can begin a fitness program. By now you should have developed a basic understanding of what to eat and you can adjust your plan to fit your needs.
Why Does the HCG Diet Program Work
HCG as a weight loss aide is a very controversial topic. While I achieved personal success on the HCG diet, my experience is anecdotal.
On the other hand, there are studies that show the diet has positive effects. In these studies patients not only lost weight, but maintained body composition.
Another reason why this diet works is that very low calorie diets have shown positive results, with or without HCG. This study showed that a low calorie diet had positive effects on weight and cholesterol levels.
The potential for a placebo effect also exist with this diet. One of the benefits of this program is that participants often say they are not hungry, even with the calorie restriction. Dr. Simeons theory was that the stored fat was responsible for patients feeling satisfied. Whether or not that is true, really should not matter.
If a program is effective for you, then do you really care why it worked? After all, some people use hypnosis to stop smoking. Others use meditation to calm their mind and some people listen to music to get fired up.
Lastly, the HCG diet program does follow some sound diet principles. During phase 2 and 3 you are eating lean protein, vegetables and reducing fats and sugar. Nearly every trainer will tell you that this is a positive way to eat. After over a month of eating this way, it is possible that this becomes the new normal.
How Do I Purchase HCG Injection Kits
If you want to begin this program you have 2 choices.
Choice #1: Go to a weight loss clinic. The HCG diet has exploded since the advent of the internet. It is not difficult at all to find a weight loss center that is willing to evaluate you.
The Pro to this method is obviously that you are supervised during the program.
The downside is that it can cost well over $1000 per month to do it this way. In fact, you are basically paying to weigh in weekly and a general consultation.
Choice #2: Purchase HCG Injections online.
The upside here is that you can find your HCG kits much cheaper! The cost can be as low as 1/2 to 1/3 the price of going to a clinic. You still get a general consult online and you usually get customer support 5 days a week.
The downside is you will have to wait a few days to get the product. You then will have to mix the HCG with solution and do the injections yourself. On the other hand, you will have to inject yourself anyway even if you choose a clinic. The injections are daily so unless you are going to drive everyday you will have to do it yourself.
*Note- Once you order online a Medical Professional will call you for your consultation.
Where Do I Purchase HCG Online
Having been part of the online HCG industry for several years I have some useful advice for you.
Tip#1: Purchase US made HCG Shots! You can certainly purchase your HCG from anywhere in the world if you look hard enough, but the USA has strict quality controls when it comes to prescription products. Any prescription medication is subject to potency, purity testing and has use by dates if they are made here. I cannot guarantee that other countries monitor quality and safety.
Tip#2: Along the same lines as tip 1, only purchase prescription HCG. Over the counter or homeopathic HCG is NOT REAL HCG. As a prescription product, HCG cannot be sold over the counter nor does it have a non prescription counterpart.
Tip#3: If you only have to fill out a basic form to order HCG, you are possibly buying from a company using questionable practices. HCG is a prescription product that requires a thorough screening to get. Reputable companies have a robust form and will have a physician or other medical professional contact you to complete the process.
The HCG Diet Expectations
I lost around twenty pounds in just a month. My friend Mike, lost thirty pounds in a month, and 20 more pounds two months later! Mike has not only kept the weight off but he is down to 200lbs from 297lbs!
Mikes Story 30 pounds lost in a Month!
You may be able to expect the same, depending on how much weight you have to lose. On the other hand, the less you have to lose the less you will lose.
I have found that after a few days, even while on the low calorie plan, my feelings of hunger went away. Having worked in the industry, many others have reported the same to me. I am not quite sure why that is but the theory is that the fat is being used to keep you “nourished”.
Former customers have also reported they maintained body composition. You do not want to lose too much muscle as you lose weight, you want that weight loss to come from fat.
You can see by this picture that I also maintained muscle tone during the diet. HCG is for men and women!
Before and After the HCG Diet Review
Getting started on the HCG diet was a little intimidating to be honest. The idea of restricting my calories to such an extent had me wondering if I was doing the right thing. My friend Mike did the program with modification, so I decided to do the same thing.
Instead of 500 calories I decided to stay between 800-1200 calories a day. The amount of calories I would consume was based on my weight loss progress and how I felt in general.
I also did some light exercise to make sure I did not lose muscle along with the fat. On days I did any weight lifting I made sure to stay closer to the 1000-1200 calorie figure.
Surprisingly, I did not really experience hunger while I was on HCG after the first day or two of limiting calories. I suppose that I was just more used to snacking whenever I wanted and I had to break the habit.
I did make sure to stick to the concept of the food list even though I was eating more than 500 calories. Just to briefly describe what I was eating my meals consisted of a lean meat, some vegetables and a fruit.
For example broiled chicken breast, salad with some vinegar and an apple. Almost all carbs were cut from my diet for that month.
I was very pleasantly surprised at my 20 pound weight loss. I was even happier that I did not seem to lose much muscle along with the fat. That is a real concern for people that are really restricting calories.
Maintaining Your HCG Weight Loss
I kept the weight off by switching to a moderate diet, low in simple sugars. The point of going on the HCG diet is to lose as much weight as possible, as quickly as possible. If you have accomplished that, then it makes sense to stay as close as possible to your goal weight.
I have to confess, I still fluctuate in weight from month to month. Perhaps you do too. But I have come nowhere near the 240lbs I used to be before I took HCG!
We have a number of articles and resources on the site regarding long term health. Once you have completed your HCG diet, come back and read through some of them. They will guide you through the rest of your life phase.
HCG Diet Testimonials
Janet N.
I started the program with diet doc I was at 210 pounds. I tried other exercise and low carb regimens as well some other popular diets but they just didn’t work. Diet doc changed my life. The hcg diet injections are amazing. With Diet Doc, I always felt supported. Help or advice was always just a phone call away. The company provides service nationwide. I felt that they were always there when I needed them. Today I weigh 155 pounds I’m very comfortable in my body and now I can work to maintain my weight through a low carb diet and exercise.
The HCG Buying Process
When you go to HCG sites you will be asked to enroll in their program. This is because REAL HCG is a pharmaceutical product. So you should forget about those over the counter drops or pills. They are not real HCG and in fact they should not be allowed to call those products HCG.
After you enroll and select your products you will speak to a medical professional either by phone or web chat. This is a requirement and you should not buy HCG from a company that does not do this.
When the consultation is complete they will send you everything you need to start the HCG Diet. Diet Doc has a physician on staff seven days a week.
Best Type of HCG
When you buy HCG you often have a choice of what type to buy. To me, the BEST HCG to buy is HCG Injections. There are a number of reason for this.
- HCG Injections enter your body quicker
- Drops might be fake and even if real are not bio-available as readily
- Pellets and Pills have to pass through the digestive process, making them less efficient
- HCG Shots are part of the original ATW Simeons HCG Diet Protocol
Your HCG Kit
Your HCG kit will arrive with all the syringes, the mixing solution, instructions and of course the HCG. Once you mix the product it is important to refrigerate the mixed solution. You will be able to call either company for product support if you have any questions about mixing.
HCG Injection Site- Sub Q Injection
You will begin injecting by pinching a bit of fat around your waist. Then you will insert the insulin syringe and inject the product directly into the fat. Yes, it really is that simple.
HCG with B12 or Without B12
If you buy HCG you may choose to use it with vitamin B12 as a mixing solution. Vitamin B12 is necessary for metabolism, nerve function and a host of other physical processes in your body. I have never seen anyone do worse by using B12 and it might even give you an extra boost of energy while on the diet.
You can read more about B12 injections here!
Lipo Shots and HCG
Most providers offer an upgrade to a Lipo shot. I discuss Lipo shots more HERE if you are interested in learning more. But to keep it brief, Lipo shots are fat burning shots. My friend Mike used the HCG and Lipo shot combo to lose 50lbs in three months. His story is mentioned below. Your needs will dictate if this is right for you.
Now What?
Are You Ready for Your Own HCG Diet Before and After Story?
