I have always wondered about that too but haven't tried them. I've heard that OTC hcg is much different from that in a doctor's office, and the whole thing is controversial although I just heard it mentioned positively regarding testosterone generation!!! Yikes!
But you're right, 500 calories a day will make just about anyone lose weight. Twice in my life (I'm 51) I've lost weight quickly on diet between 550-1,000 calories a day (for four weeks) and both times the weight stayed off for 10 years. Obviously this is going to backfire for a time period much longer than that from boredom and frustration. But I chose the lowest-calorie veg and animal proteins along with a small amount of fruit and very small amount of whole grains and tiny amount of healthy fat, and I was quite frankly stuffed and full of energy as I was eating far more whole and raw foods than usual. It kinda taught me which foods are healthful, ironically. You can eat a LOT of veg for a couple hundred calories!
I lost 25 lbs each time and it stayed off for years. The quick weight loss was really encouraging, and I am fairly sure I got all the necessary amounts of carbs, protein and fiber. However, with any kind of thyroid disorder I would ask an endocronologist for guidance. You will certainly lose weight with 1200-1600 cals, I would think. I like Jillian Michaels' strategy of cal counting and tracking cals burned -- and also the lifestyle lessons of the WW points plus system.
I think the super low-cal diet is really only good for the last few "vanity pounds" as Jillian puts it and wouldn't advise it until then if at all. And although I don't know enough about HCG to comment intelligently, I have heard it referred to as a fad diet. I wonder if your thyroid condition has changed at all?
Last edited by crimsons; 10-27-2011 at 05:44 PM.
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