Hello lovely hCGers. This interview is part of what is now a plethora of weight loss success stories with real everyday women (and men! There’s a few dude interviews in there) who have used either hCG injections or drops with the hCG Diet protocol to lose between 20 and 150 lbs. You can see the current episodes available here.

Pamela’s Basic hCG Diet Weight Loss Journey:

• Starting Weight: 157 lbs
• Ending Weight: 122 lbs
• Weight Loss: 35 lbs
• Starting Size: Size 12
• Ending Size: Size 2
• Age: 60 years old
• Height: 5’6″
• She had health problems which were stress-induced (PTSD) physiological dysfunction and she struggled with this for 5 years.

Supplements Pamela mentioned in this interview:

• DigestaCure® – AUTOIMMUNE-X® is a concentrated extract of long-chain immune modulating components from a cultured 20th generation Aloe botanical (No genetic manipulation) which has been bred to produce modulating components in high quality and quantity. DigestaCure® – AUTOIMMUNE-X® contains long-chain immune modulators ranging from 1 million Dalton to over 10 million Dalton.
• Organifi Green Juice – Organic Healthy Greens Powder In a Bottle. Contains Chlorella, Moringa, Spirulina, Mint, Beets, Matcha Green Tea, Wheatgrass, Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Lemon, Coconut Water
• New Earth’s Wild Essentials BODY – Organic algae supplement
• Global Healing Center’s Oxy-Powder – colon cleanse product that uses the power of oxygen to gently cleanse and detoxify your entire digestive tract and relieve bloating, gas and occasional constipation.
• Global Healing Center’s Selenium – is extracted from 100% certified organic mustard seed. Highly bioavailable and vegan-friendly, this essential trace mineral functions as a powerful antioxidant and supports a healthy thyroid and immune system
• RegeneMax™ Liquid Advanced Collagen Generator – provides ch-OSA^® (choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid), that helps naturally nourish your body’s beauty proteins. This helps with hair loss.

You can visit her doctor’s site for more info on autoimmune issues here:

Dr. Ronald Drucker

Pamela’s Experience with

the hCG Protocol in her own words:

Basics:  (age, height, menopause? any medical details you feel are important- i.e. thyroid etc).

I am 60 years young, 5’6”, weights 129lbs and I have been through menopause (or experience very few symptoms anymore).

I have plenty to share on thyroid issue, stress, auto-immune dysfunction and WHY it’s very difficult to lose and keep weight off when one is out of balance.

There is a product I want to be sure and mention, it’s called Digestacure Auto-ImmuneX… it is a totally safe, organic super-potent strain of aloe (powder in capsules) supplement that works to restore the immune system right down to the bone marrow (also, you can take it while using HCG).  ALL of my symptoms disappeared using Digestacure as directed, and BTW, expert consultation to tailor dosage is available/included with purchase.

Check it out here, http://drrondrucker.com. Dr. Drucker is awesome and check out the User Reports, the testimonials are for real!  http://drrondrucker.com/user-reports  Like one of the people in their testimonial, I too, once HAD Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, my antibodies were over 800, and when I was tested 6 months ago, I had NONE.  My Endocrinologist said once you have it, the antibodies never go away… well, he’s either wrong about that or I was misdiagnosed.

In any case, you really can “flip the switch off” with the right supplement therapy when you strengthen the immune system.

How much weight you’ve lost with hCG/starting weight/ending weight/ clothing size change.  How many rounds did you do, how long was each round? stuff like that.

My first three *half* rounds were

• June 2010 – prescription drops
• Oct 2010 – homeopathic hcg spray
• APR/2011 – homeopathic hcg spray
• Most recent round – hCG Injections (Note from pamela: I had not used injections until this last round, and personally, I found them more effective overall, i.e.., true ketosis, testing with strips daily).

Over this one-year period of 2010-2011, I melted away 35 lbs & 53 inches. In between rounds I was able to easily maintain, but each time found that I wanted to lose a bit more until I finally reached my rock bottom: 122 lbs. I knew this had happened because I suddenly became very hungry two weeks into the third half-round, but stayed on the diet just increasing the calories until I completed the 23 days.  Eventually, my weight stabilized at 125 for over a year, and that was just perfect for me – until I started having health problems (hormone dysfunction – wherein I suddenly gained 20 lbs. in less than 2 months! (let’s chat about THAT).

In June of 2010 I was wearing size 12 flight attendant uniforms and a year later after three half rounds and all those inches melted, a size 2!!

How long have you currently been maintaining (or where are you currently at in your hCG journey)?

Once I had health problems, it was like pulling teeth to lose weight!!  We must discuss WHY… it was stress-induced (PTSD) physiological dysfunction and I struggled with this for the next 5 years, until this last full round of HCG injections.  I was also forced to retire from my career prematurely (permanent disability from injury on duty), which was just personally devastating on so many levels.  Long story short, so a multitude of factors set me up for all kinds of health problems.

Tell us how you came to be overweight and your struggles with that?

I’m now the same size I was in my 20’s and was always naturally thin until my mid 30’s.  Over a period of the next 20 years, I just slowly gained until I topped out at 168 lbs; but it was so slow that I didn’t really notice until my mother died of morbid obesity in March 2010.  It was a huge wake-up call to be told that she was over 500 lbs. at her death and couldn’t even be cremated normally, had to be transported somewhere to have this accomplished.

This was not only very sad, but extremely sobering and it would be good to chat how/why this affected me, *suddenly realizing* “OMG, I’m fat!! I don’t want to end up like her!”

What type of hCG did you use? If injections or prescription drops, what dose worked best for you?

I’ve done it all. Prescription drops under clinical guidance, HHCG (homeopathic spray), and HCG injections.  During the second week of injections, I finally found my HCG dose at 130 and my last round was 50 days, and I melted away 22 lbs. and 38.5”.

I had not used injections until this last round, and personally, I found them more effective overall, i.e.., true ketosis, testing with strips daily

What would you say your experience was the first week on phase 2? Easy or hard? explain. Could also discuss how you loaded if you like. What parts of the protocol were easier for you and which parts were more challenging? How did you handle the challenging aspects?

Phase 2 is always easy for me because I’m never hungry, and beforehand, I just get my head in the right space, have tons of self-discipline, and very motivated to be thin knowing how much better I feel.  Pre-loading I already ate a LOT of fat, but just kicked it up a few notches with full-fat yogurt, butter, cheese… mostly clean loading, very little sweets really, but must admit to potato chips and whole milk (my “comfort” food).

My MO has been a “starchy” salty carb-aholic; but fortunately, doing a round of HCG totally annihilates those cravings – IF you don’t go back to old habits afterwards!  The important thing is, not to start back on the *white* starches and sugars (except in strict moderation *after* P3) then it’s easy to maintain.

What did you find yourself liking to eat during Phase 2/vlcd – how would you prepare your meals?

My Phase 2 diet is probably very boring to the average normal person, actually.  But because I’m not hungry, it’s no big deal.  I am mostly vegetarian, with 96/4 grass-fed Angus beef twice a week or so; I use a large cast iron skillet (cleaned with vinegar to eliminate any oil residue) 1 lb. of beef fully cooked with added taco spice seasoning (homemade, no sugar), and cooked in water; this will get me 4 meals, divided evenly.  I will have this on a large bed of romaine lettuce.

I also eat Wallaby nonfat Greek yogurt (3/4 cup) with a few ounces of fresh blueberries, nonfat Cottage Cheese (Trader Joe’s Organic brand has no additives and tastes best); OneWorldWhey.com protein shakes (sometimes I even did 3 shakes in one day (20 gm protein per shake) and STILL the scale went down the next day… amazing, super high-quality protein, the best I’ve found!  I would also have the one whole egg/3 liquid whites twice a week or so; I used large (not Jumbo) sized eggs and Organic Valley Egg Whites; also, with the exception of fresh blueberries only the allowed fruits, and veggies, and even the plain “Classic” Melba Toast twice daily.  I may have dropped weight faster if I cut out the fruit and melba, but then I’d have to eat more protein to get the calories and I do NOT enjoy eating chicken or fish, so very limited in that department.  I also didn’t eat until 11:30 AM or later most days; sometimes I’d have a shake first thing in the morning, just whatever felt right that day; and I never ate anything after 7 pm at night.

What tricks do you have up your sleeve to stay sane while on Phase 2?

1. I look at my Bullmastiff doggie, CB, and think: “He gets the same diet everyday, so if he can do it, so can I”.  Seriously, he inspires me, the way he just loves his two meals a day, even though they are always the same.  Again, I don’t get hungry so P2 is really easy for me and cheating doesn’t even cross my mind.
2. I do NOT obsess over the day I can finally “eat normal again”… I just look forward to the FAT I can start eating on P3!
3. AVOIDING HAIR LOSS:
   • Using one scoop of Organifi.com green powder in shake once per day
   • Wild Essentials Body whole Bluegreen Algae supplement (2 grams)
   • 1 capsule Bio-True Selenium daily; aside from the Digestacure, these were the supplements I continued taking.
   • Prior to using injections, I had some hair loss using HHCG (homeopathic) nearly every round unless I supplemented with algae and/or RegeneMax Collagen Regenerator (liquid preparation, only sold through natural health practitioners – amazing stuff, BTW!)  However, using the green powder once per day in a vanilla or strawberry protein shake, no hair loss; in fact just the opposite, my hair is now super-thick and grows faster since adding these food supplements to my daily diet about 6 months ago.

What Lessons have you learned during Phase 3 – give us the good and the bad! What types of things did you discover when it came to maintenance that did and didn’t work?

Adding too many calories too quickly of even the right foods will make me gain, especially in the first week of P3.  Adding new foods slowly in small amounts is the key; the first week I still stay strict to the P2 diet, just upping my calories, whole eggs with butter, half n’ half in my coffee, full fat dressing on salads, that sort of thing.

After that, slowly adding some mozzarella string cheese, pepper jack, sunflower seeds (added to my yogurt with blueberries), almonds (sea salted, roasted or raw, small handful), homemade marinara sauce with fresh Parmesan on zucchini noodles (1 large zucchini skillet seared with butter and olive oil) – basically, healthy, clean foods!

A real “treat” is dried, raw coconut flakes (I like the “Let’s Do Organic” brand and it’s great fiber.  I can also indulge in a 6-8 oz. glass of wine WITH my main meal or with cheese. My rule of thumb: no wine without a *protein* food… it’s absorbed a lot slower and won’t cost me a blood sugar spike – I feel this is what triggers the body to retain water when too many carbs are consumed (flood the bloodstream) too quickly.

Rayzel’s note: If you want something structured to follow in Phase 3, my P3 to Life Structured Phase 3 program is now available- you can learn about that at P3tolife.com.

In Phase 4: Can you tell us what types of foods you eat now in everyday life? And how is this different from what you used to eat on a normal basis?

Pretty much what I’ve already described, always opting for the *fat*, and NOT the non-fat versions as those foods are processed and have more sugar/carbs.  I may have an occasional baked potato (maybe, not sure I want to go there yet, LOL) down the road.

I would LOVE to have Mexican food: refried beans, rice, and white corn tortilla chips, but starting down that road is potentially hazardous (especially the chips – they really are a very BAD concentrated carb for me to get started with again).  The beans and rice are fine in moderation with veggies and cheese though, but only occasionally.

I love pizza, but don’t eat white flour; instead I make my own pizza.

• I use Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas
• Bake them crisp at 450 degrees for 4-5 minutes, (this is key to having a crispy crust)
• Top with marinara sauce, Trader Joe’s Quattro Fromaggio Cheese, fresh garlic, tomatoes, black olives
• Bake at 425 degrees for 12 min.

One 8” pizza “crust” is 24g carbs, but because the whole grains are *sprouted* they are digested slower than ground *flour* tortillas.  One pizza is very filling and satisfying; this would be my main mid-day meal.

What have been your tools for maintaining your weight loss?

Another rule of thumb is: Stay under 100 carbs per day!

When I stay STRICT to this rule, I don’t gain at all, even if I don’t “work-out”.  A nurse at the first HCG clinic I went to told me this, and it’s always worked – but you have to stick with it as a daily, ongoing habit/lifestyle change – and you still get to eat all kinds of GREAT food and the occasional treat (Rayzel note: the P3tolife Program which takes you into maintenance as well does this!)

The Calorie King’s 2017 version reference book: “Calorie, FAT & Carbohydrate Counter” is easy to use/read and also lists pretty much all popular restaurant foods.  I found this guide indispensable on ALL phases of the diet protocol.

Do you have any memories of your life/body pre hCG that are totally different for you now?

Yes, my blood sugars are now stable between 90-105.  Before, they fluctuated way too much into nearly the pre-diabetic range.  In fact, my Endocrinologist told me flat out right before beginning this last round: “If you gain more than another 5 lbs., you will be pre-diabetic, guaranteed”.  At the time, I was 151 lbs., but the thing is, diabetes is a horrific killer in my family on my dad’s side: all 8 siblings have various stages of diabetes; (one of them lost both legs and an eye, then died from it).  And, my mom, of course, had it too.

Avoiding diabetes by eating healthy is now my main motivation in keeping the weight off, NOT just feeling comfortable in my size 2’s!

When you want a treat now, give us a couple examples of what you might eat? Also, are you ever able to indulge in a regular treat, like cake at a party, and still maintain?

I don’t really think about treats the same way a lot of people do.  I look at added refined sugar more like *poison*.  I do love cake, but won’t indulge in just any kind – especially true for refined junk food sweets that look temptingly pretty, but are actually the worst.

For instance, if I know the ingredients are high-quality, organic (like something I’d make myself) then I’ll just have 1/2 a cupcake, instead of a whole one all in one sitting.  A little trick is to freeze treats like this and then just slice off a piece now and then. I know that sounds CRAZY to people who absolutely love sweets (like my hubby), but it works for me.  Liquid Stevia (organic Trader Joe’s is best taste and price) is something I *always* have in my purse for iced tea when going out (my hubby LOVES this stuff) – but I also use it to sweeten plain yogurt.

However, the very best natural sweet treat I’ve found: “Carmel Pecan Turtles” made with 1/2 Medjool Date and 1/2 of a whole pecan pressed together and kept in the freezer.  These are ambrosia – they will not totally freeze, so it’s more like having a chewy “carmel”!

These Carmel Pecan Turtles are for Phase 4

What factors have you noticed to play a role in people NOT succeeding on hCG?

There are 3 things: Reading/understanding Dr. Simeon’s Protocol manuscript; honoring the Protocol and the process; but the biggest of all?   SELF-DISCIPLINE

What do you feel are the most important keys to success on the hcg protocol? If someone said they want to have the same results you have, what would you tell them?

• While ON the Protocol, weighing and recording/charting progress is important.  Weighing is something I didn’t do for YEARS before HCG; and look what happened, the weight slowly crept on until I topped-out at 168 lbs!  However, I do NOT weigh daily *after* P3, but only once-weekly; being obsessive about this ongoing is not healthy for me as it creates unnecessary stress.
• Getting in the right “head space” mentally before one begins is really key!  It’s a total commitment, and that afterwards, it’s the small lifestyle changes that make all the difference.
• That you must want to be HEALTHY, first and foremost, not just thin.

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The post hCG Diet Interviews – Episode 51 – Pamela appeared first on The HCG Diet Plan with HCGChica.