[selayeffethy]

Hey folks,

I'm 43, 205lbs, target weight 170. The only diet I've ever done, about 10 years ago, was Atkins. After seeing 5 friends go through hcg, I decided to give it a run. I'm working with a local doctor and am taking injections. I'm also on a half dose of biodentical testosterone, which will go to a full dose after the diet is complete.

Today is day 3 (1st day of Phase 2). I have a couple of questions:

- my wife was reading a suzanne somers book Sexy for Life (or close to that), as she is interested in hormonal therapies, and will be getting bloodwork done soon. Anyway, in it, Somers states that hcg is effective to induce a low grade nausea. But that's it. I read Simeons article a while back and he claims that it mobilizes fat. I've also read that some people claim the hcg diet is nothing more than a Protein Sparing Modified Fast Diet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein..._Modified_Fast). So, I'm wondering, is hcg itelf as magical as Simeons et al claim, or is it used mainly for appetite control combined with the Modified Fast?

The answer to this is really academic b/c I'm already committed.

- I'm a habitual wine drinker, with a red with dinner and two more as the evening winds down. Of course, now I'm off it, and I'm concerned about getting to sleep. Anyone encounter this? What did you do? I will try melatonin tonight to assist.

Thanks!

Jeff

[Gintovtosik]

some people have had wine on occasion instead of one of their fruits- but of course this is off protocol.

i think science has shown since the protocol that fat doesn't "move" from one place to the other. you either lose it, or gain it. there are a number of theories as to how hcg actually helps appetite- but nothing has been proven for sure.

[celddiskend]

Knobby--I have done Atkins (or my own version of low-carb) several times, and have lost a lot of weight several times. Although any strict low-carb diet will do away with cravings, nothing does away with hunger like the HCG diet. I'm not sure how it works, but it does. Simeons says the HCG causes your fat stores to supply you with all the calories your body needs, which is why your intake is so restricted. I am on Round 2, Phase 2, and had a good Round 1 with no problem stabilizing in Phases 3&4. I'm hoping that doing it this way, with a chance to let my weight stabilize between rounds, will mean I can move into lifetime maintenance without gaining it back. I can already tell a difference in my skin. The last time I lost a lot of weight, my face looked old and gaunt. This time, after 44 lbs lost, I can't say that my wrinkles look any more pronounced than they did when I started. For a 54-year old, that's worth a lot!

[Cydayshosse]

Thanks for your input. I agree that the exact mechanism isn't terribly critical. As for sleep I took a dose of melatonin and Good Sleeping & Worry-Free herb that my acupuncturist gave me last year. I was out cold.

I bought some ketostix last night to track ketosis level.

My doctor has a far more expanded list of fruits, veggies and even proteins that I am allowed to eat, and wants me at 800 calories with moderate activity (20-30 minutes every day of walking alternating with resistance training). This leaves me a bit unsettled after having read Simeons but my local doctor has literally treated thousands of patients so I guess I'll go with it.