{"id":23842,"date":"2011-03-18T01:43:35","date_gmt":"2011-03-18T05:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/23842\/hcg-diet-fraud\/"},"modified":"2011-03-18T01:43:35","modified_gmt":"2011-03-18T05:43:35","slug":"hcg-diet-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/23842\/hcg-diet-fraud\/","title":{"rendered":"The HCG Diet Fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted By:
\nAfSD\u2122(ADVOCATE FOR SAVING DOGS\u2122)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The HCG Diet Fraud<\/strong><\/h4>\n

posted by Lissa Rankin Mar 15, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n
No! Not again! Stop the madness!<\/strong><\/div>\n
I live in Marin County, the land of the fit, thin, and affluent, so
\nthe ads for the recently revived but long ago unproven HCG diet abound.
\n\u201cLOSE 40 POUNDS AND YOUR BELLY FAT IN 6 WEEKS WITHOUT HUNGER, AND KEEP
\nIT OFF!\u201d As an MD who ran an integrative medicine center before
\nswitching to a coaching practice<\/a>, I just have one thing to say. Bullshit.<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
Hear me out.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>What Is The HCG Diet?<\/strong><\/div>\n
It\u2019s based on the work of Dr. Albert Simeons from the 1950\u2019s, who
\ntouted HCG as the miracle weight loss drug, claiming that this hormone,
\nprocured from the urine of pregnant women, would help fat melt away,
\nreduce your appetite, and make you magically lose weight in all the
\nright places. He also claimed that this hormone would change your
\nmetabolic rate, making you unlikely to gain weight once you stopped the
\ndiet.<\/strong><\/div>\n
Keep in mind that HCG is a hormone most commonly used in fertility
\ntreatments and to aid adolescents with endocrine problems during
\npuberty. It is not \u2014 and never had been \u2014 a weight loss drug.<\/strong><\/div>\n
Dr. Simeon did a study to \u201cprove\u201d his claims, but no other
\nresearchers were ever able to reproduce his work. After the HCG diet
\nwas discredited by the scientific community, the diet mostly
\ndisappeared until 2007, when infomercial king Kevin Trudeau began
\npromoting it as the secret diet your doctor isn\u2019t telling you about.
\nAnd suddenly, products appeared all over the internet and doctors at
\nintegrative and alternative medicine centers started jumping on the
\nbandwagon, causing the diet to experience an unfortunate resurgence.
\nVariations of the diet exist, but most require daily HCG injections,
\ndrops, or sublingual dosing, and costs can run you up to $1500\/month
\n(padding the pockets of many a doc). The pregnancy hormone is combined
\nwith a highly restricted, low calorie diet of 500 calories\/day.<\/strong><\/div>\n
The pregnancy hormone tricks the body into believing that you\u2019re
\npregnant, and because you\u2019re starving the body, it starts eating away at
\nfat \u2014 and you get no hunger pangs! Sounds good, right?<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
<\/strong>What Can You Eat?<\/strong><\/div>\n
Dr. Simeons diet allowed starvers to eat no breakfast other than
\ncoffee or tea, but for lunch or dinner, they can eat the following:<\/strong><\/div>\n
Unlimited coffee or tea with saccharin or stevia but only 1 Tbsp milk per day<\/strong><\/div>\n
100 grams of lean meat, protein or seafood<\/strong><\/div>\n
Only one type of veggie from the following list: spinach, chard,
\nchicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red
\nradishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage<\/strong><\/div>\n
One breadstick or melba toast<\/strong><\/div>\n
An apple, orange, a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit<\/strong><\/div>\n
Variations on the diet abound, but you get the gist.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>Is It Healthy?<\/strong><\/div>\n
First off, let\u2019s start with talking about health. The FDA recommends
\nthat inactive women eat a 1500 calorie\/day diet to ensure adequate
\nnutrition. Your brain alone needs 600 calories\/day to function normally.
\nThe body needs protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients
\nin order to perform important metabolic functions. Even hospitalized
\npeople unable to eat are given nutrients through the IV. You simply
\ncan\u2019t be healthy unless you get adequate nutrition.<\/strong><\/div>\n
So at a caloric intake which is 1\/3 the low end of the recommended
\ncaloric allotment, the body suffers. Most anorexics consume around 500
\ncalories per day. So sure, people on this diet lose weight.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>Does It Really Work?<\/strong><\/div>\n
Long story short, the answer is no. It doesn\u2019t work. Starving your
\nbody is not the answer. Research shows that HCG doesn\u2019t cause weight
\nloss. It\u2019s not safe. It\u2019s unsustainable. And who can stick to a 500
\ncalorie\/day diet? So you wind up feeling like crap because you\u2019ve paid
\nall this money and find yourself cheating. Which sends you to the
\nfreezer for a pint of Ben \u2018n\u2019 Jerry\u2019s and a self-hate fest.<\/strong><\/div>\n
Numerous studies have shown that people do not lose weight beyond
\nwhat they would lose with such severe calorie restricting (also known
\nas \u201cstarving\u201d). And they lose weight where people usually lose weight,
\nnot in some special ideal distribution of belly, thighs, and butt.
\nSure, there\u2019s a placebo effect, but almost all drugs have a placebo
\neffect. If you think you\u2019ll lose weight and are paying a boatload of
\nmoney for it, you\u2019re simply more likely to lose weight. But it doesn\u2019t
\nmean it actually works, as a CNN article recently confirmed<\/a>. WebMD agrees<\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>The Whole Thing Is A Freakin\u2019 Fraud<\/strong><\/div>\n
Because of the research, Dr. Simeons diet was discredited, and in
\n1976, the FTC ordered his clinics to stop claiming that their HCG diet
\nwas safe, effective, and FDA-approved for weight loss. Since 1975, the
\nFDA has required that HCG be labeled with the following:<\/strong><\/div>\n
HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy
\nin the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it
\nincreases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction,
\nthat it causes a more attractive or \u201cnormal\u201d distribution of fat, or
\nthat it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with
\ncalorie-restricted diets.<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
But how many people paying all this money read the fine print on their injected medication?<\/strong><\/div>\n
These products are also all over the internet, and people are using
\nthis diet with no medical supervision whatsoever, which totally freaks
\nme out. And yet, people are in such pain from their desire to be thin
\nthat they will do anything for a quick weight loss fix. It breaks my
\nheart.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>How The HCG Diet Differs From Cheating<\/strong><\/div>\n
I\u2019m currently in the midst of a green juice cleanse, so you might ask
\nhow this kind of starvation diet differs from the popular detox
\ncleanses. And it\u2019s a good question. Some cleanses lack any nutrients and
\ncan be downright dangerous to your health and wellbeing and may be
\nused repetitively as a form of eating disorder. But the one I\u2019m doing
\nis a nutritional cleanse consisting of fresh green juices, avocados,
\nsprout salad, seaweed broth, herbal tea, stevia lemonade, and vegan
\nsoups. You eat healthy calories, although your caloric intake is
\nadmittedly limited. But because of the nature of what you do eat, the
\nbody starts to unload its toxic burden. And because cleansing the way I
\ndo is very self-love based, the weight you lose tends to stay off
\nbecause you feel so great that you\u2019re motivated to continue your
\nprogram of radical self care<\/a>. For more on cleansing, read my friend Kris Carr\u2019s book Crazy Sexy Diet<\/em><\/a> or read her blog at CrazySexyLife.com<\/a> and sign up for our newsletter if you want to be notified about the cleanse program we will be launching soon at OwningPink.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n
Does Detoxing Really Work?<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>Why Quick Fixes Never Work<\/strong><\/div>\n
So why is everybody jumping on the HCG bandwagon? Because everybody
\nwants a quick fix. The diet promises 40 pounds of weight loss in six
\nweeks. People will do anything to feel more beautiful, more valuable,
\nmore desired, more socially acceptable.<\/strong><\/div>\n
But losing weight from a place of hatred is never sustainable.<\/strong><\/div>\n
If you\u2019re starving yourself to fit in because you hate your belly
\nfat, forget it. Not only does the research prove that it won\u2019t work in
\nthe long term; you can guarantee you won\u2019t feel better about yourself
\neven if you do lose weight. Read here for tips on how to lose weight with love<\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/strong>Do Yourself A Favor & Steer Clear<\/strong><\/div>\n
Don\u2019t be tempted, my friends. The HCG diet is unsafe, it doesn\u2019t
\nwork, and it\u2019s little more than beautifully packaged snake oil. So do
\nyour body and your pocketbook a favor and steer clear.<\/strong><\/div>\n
Instead, if you need to lose weight to be healthy, do it the good old
\nfashioned way that really works. I know everyone wants a quick fix,
\nbut real, sustainable weight loss comes from eating less, focusing on a
\nwhole foods, largely veggie-based diet rich in superfoods<\/a> and green juices<\/a>. And you can\u2019t forget exercise<\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n
If you\u2019re really motivated to lose weight the healthy way, you must
\nstart by getting out of your own way and doing the mental, emotional,
\nand spiritual work to get you ready for the healthy body you desire. So
\nsign up for the free Get Out Of Your Own Way mini e-course here<\/a>
\nand stay tuned for more on healthy, self-loving weight loss, radical
\nself care, and the personal changes you\u2019ll need to undertake in order to
\nlose weight with love.<\/strong><\/div>\n
What do you think? Have you tried this diet? Did I convince you to
\nsteer clear? What weight loss techniques have worked for you? Dish.<\/strong><\/div>\n
3 Small Food Shifts With a Big Impact<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Weight-Loss Rules to Rethink<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source:
\nhttp:\/\/www.care2.com\/greenliving\/the-hcg-diet-fraud.html?page=2<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Please join me at Friendburst<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Advocate for Saving Dogs\u2122<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Animal Rights<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>\u2665We\u2665Are\u2665All\u2665Connected\u2665<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Wolfen Warriors<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Posted By: AfSD\u2122(ADVOCATE FOR SAVING DOGS\u2122) The HCG Diet Fraud posted by Lissa Rankin Mar 15, 2011 No! Not again! Stop the madness! I live in Marin County, the land of the fit, thin, and affluent, so the ads for the recently revived but long ago unproven HCG diet abound. \u201cLOSE 40 POUNDS AND YOUR […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-other"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}