Weight-Loss Apocalypse: Emotional Eating Rehab Through the hCG Protocol

If you are planning the protocol, you want this book in your lap. It is worth the money. The hardcover book is printed with the finest plant-based ink on acid-free paper.The author, Robin Phipps Woodall, is an intellectually curious personal trainer with a degree in exercise physiology. Many years ago, Woodall's sister, a registered dietician, had already been doing the protocol for a week, when she first told her sister, the author, about it. Although skeptical from the very start, Woodall soon approached the protocol with scientific scrutiny. She read "Pounds and Inches" and was very impressed.According to her book, Woodall found a doctor willing to prescribe hCG, then found six willing participants among her exercise clients, and proceeded to accumulate physiological data from them, before and after the protocol, to measure the effects that the protocol had on them. She measured: cardiovascular endurance on a treadmill; blood pressure; resting heart rate; flexibility testing; push-up and sit-up endurance; bench-press strength; two different body-fat assessments, as well as circumference measurements.This book is the first book that I could find that explicitly attempts to explain (with the latest understanding of metabolic functions) how the hcg protocol works. However, the book really excels in specifying how we can better prepare ourselves for success with the hcg protocol.Woodall does not alter the original protocol, but goes further. She explains in the book, that she has personally guided hundreds of hcg protocol patients. So she seems to have picked up where Simeons left off, with his untimely death, shortly after he published the original manuscript of "Pounds and Inches." But, of course, Woodall also delves into the tremendous wealth of biological knowledge accumulated since Simeons wrote the protocol. She writes with convinction about what works and what doesn't, and how to focus on important details - pleasant addendums to the original protocol work of dear "Saint" Simeons - researched and developed in India and Rome, Italy at mid-20th century.The other "HCG books" I have investigated or read, are a useless exercises in sensationalism and money-making. These other books have the potential to disrupt the endocrine balance and reduce the at-rest metabolism, of people reading them and following their advice. It is obvious that these authors and publishers are simply conspiring to profit from the sensational popularity caused by the sudden awareness of hcg protocol results (when done correctly.)In the first half of Woodall's book, she explains her system of charting different forms of hunger, and identifies the dynamics of "emotional eating" which is useful therapy when doing the protocol. The book goes into the biochemistry of the current state of knowledge involving hormones, especially leptin, and how metabolism interacts with hormone balance (or imbalance.) The last part of the book is a bone fide supplement to the work of Dr. Simeons, with some time-tested advice that goes beyond the original manuscript.If one is considering doing the protocol, I would recommend first reading "Pounds and Inches: A new approach to obesity" by A.T.W. Simeons (1967) before anything else, even before this book being reviewed. But Woodall's book must be the second book to read. Beyond that, books on paleo/low-carbohydrate diet would also be a good preparation, as would be an hCG "tracking" notebook/chart of some kind.Before you start any kind of protocol involving injections, if there is no clinic (such as Woodall's in the Midwest, where she lives) you should look for a physician or nurse for consultation while doing the protocol, and of course, a physician that can write prescriptions in your State for hCG. If you can find a physician willing to participate in this therapuetic protocol, you may have to give yourself your own shots for economic reasons, that is, if you cannot afford a daily appointment for a physician or nurse. For self-education, I would recommend ordering a heavy-duty clinical nursing skills manual/textbook, the kind used in standard nursing courses, the lastest edition usually retails for $60-$70. However, at certain times of the academic year, you can find "new" old stock of past print runs for $10 or $15. (These are even better that the lastest printing, as most of the toxic vapors of petro-based ink have gassed-off.) Learn the chapters/sections on injection procedures, and all the chapters/sections about mixing/calibrating dosages you can find, before beginning. A beam scale (a "doctor's office" scale) is a lifelong family investment. A Detecto brand with a height measure, was available on Amazon for around $150 when I bought ours. I call it the "truth machine." Try to find an old-style cloth tape measure, or a new professional tape measure that's flexible and doesn't stretch. Most I've seen are cheap vinyl that stretch and gets curly.It is important to remember that a diet too high in carbohydrates is a strong component in how the body develops a disposition towards an obesity condition (acquiring "abnormal" fat that accumulates, but won't burn off.) Processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, trans fats (hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils) etc. are all suspect, contributing to the development of an obesity condition. They give the body the wrong messages it needs to metabolize/store calories properly.In our family, my wife and I have switched traditional roles. I am the homemaker with two children, a house-husband, as it were. I did research on weight-loss issues for my wife, who works a steady job, and too tired to do research herself, when she gets home. I am her personal trainer and life coach. While I myself never had an obesity problem, I have had many digestive conditions, the worst of which is yeast overgrowth syndrome, which I struggled twice, for several years, to reverse. I developed a severe chemical sensitivity (MCS)problem starting mildly in 1998, but progressed rapidly to severe over the following few years. This causes spontaneous bouts of migraine pain, everyday. I wear a "painters" mask in public. While not "cured" of either problem, I have been able to adjust my diet and lifestyle to live relatively comfortable with a minimum of pain. I keep a mask handy in the house, and don't leave home without it. It is a 3M 8577, which I buy by the box or case from the local Airgas supply store.From the research of my own health challenges, I have realized that many petro-chemical synthetics are also entering our bodies directly through respiratory system, which dumps it into our bloodstream, and then throughoout our bodies. This is clearly demonstrated by the common fact that people who inhale tobacco vapors get addicted to nicotime. The obvious conclusion is that hormone/metabolism balance can be disrupted by common everyday "toxic" vapors getting into the blood through inhalation, as nicotine does with smoking.Most fragrances since the 1970s are petroleum industry by-products. Other toxic synthetic vapors come from cleaners; pesticides, herbicides, electronic insulating plastics; vinyl; car and truck pollutants; Pesticides and fungicides from imported products in retail stores (overseas shipping containers must be treated for bugs and mold, etc.) The list goes on.It is a scientific fact that there are proven endocrine disruptors everywhere. Most people are exposed to these on a daily basis without realizing it. I have a doctor for much chemical sensitity diagnosis and consultation. He is an MD allergist, who belongs to many associations, has several certifications, and has had a professional interest in severe human chemical sensitivity conditions, since the 1960s. I found him through the American Academy of Environmental Medicine doctor referral, years ago. He recently suggested I read a book called, "Clean, Green, and Lean: Get Rid of the Toxins That Make You Fat" by Walter Crinnion. About $17 for hardcover.My wife has done a 23-day course of homeopathic hCG (recommended by a primary physician) with mixed results. The first week was good, but results after that was spotty, possibly even reverting to starvation mode near the end (not good.) She is only 4'9" and did lose 10 pounds (from 113 to 103) and managed to only gain one pound since, eating only when hungry. But we now question if this was healthy weight loss, because the gut and a few other places were not impacted much at all. I am not sure if she lost much of the bad fat. We are going to use a tape measure next time. Woodall notes the importance of two or three days of "bulking up" before the protocol. This is important for the endocrine shift needed for the protocol, but "bulking up" also restores some of the healthy fat, muscle, etc. lost from past "dieting," and futile attempts to lose the bad fat. Woodall notes in her book, that homeopathic is less reliable than injections. This may be true. I no longer recommend homeopathic hcg to anyone. We are still unsure how much of this loss was good fat (which we did not intend to lose) because virtually all of the bad "obesity" fat is still there.The MD doctor who originally recommended homeopathic hCG to us got "cold feet" and no longer recommends ANY form of hCG use for bad fat weight loss (obesity syndrome.) There have been memos from FDA and FTC floating around the hCG circuit, warning of legal action, fines, etc. if doctors promote homeopathic hCG for weight loss. The memos reportedly state there are "false claims" about weight-loss, but also states worries about malnutrition occurring from the 500-calorie diet. I don't have any solid information link for how the FDA tested it, or how they did, or did not, test it."Real" hCG (not homeopathic) supposedly can be legally purchased on the web from overseas pharmacies without a prescription, but cannot be resold in the U.S.Some feedback on this would be appreciated. I only know what the vendors on the web are telling me. Here's what I have read on internet vendor sites:It is legal to personally import (without a prescription) some prescription pharmaceuticals (hCG among them) by internet mail order from overseas.The imported drugs cannot be legally resold in the U.S. (by the internet purchaser) but must be intended only for personal use.We tried this and found it quite interesting. Everything seemed legitimate and our sample, after mixing, tested moderately postive for hCG, using an hCG pregnancy test stick. We were aiming for a 125 IU dose, but might have left something in the mixing vile, undissolved.However, buying drugs mail order overseas drugs gave us the "creeps." So you may want to follow the advice Woodall gives us on her website, to find a local MD or DO that is willing to write an "off label" prescription. On Woodall's one of Woodall's website pages she says, "You can get a prescription of hCG 'off label' from a doctor if they know what the protocol is and are willing to perscribe it for weight loss." It should not be very expensive. Pharmacuetical hCG is usually legally used in fertility therapy, for men and women in one large mega-doses (10 to 30 times greater than the hCG protocol daily dosages.) It is not considered harmful or dangerous by regulators, as a fertility enhancer, even at those mega-dosages.As far as I know, the current web hCG comes in powder form that must be mixed with bacteriostatic water. The dry powder has a shelf life of 3 years, but once it is mixed it starts to degrade, must be refrigerated, and must be used within 30 days. Mixing for injections, and instructions for subcutaneous injections are all over the internet - from the hCG kit vendors. We got the one 5,000 IU bottle from an internet vendor (because 5,000 IU seemed most economical) but in retrospect, I've found it makes more sense to mix three 2,000 IU bottles with the bacteriostatic water. It would be easier to dose, and it would be fresher to use, as well.A word about concentrations of hCG in solution: When calibrating dosages for mixing, bear in mind that smaller, more concentrated dosages are much easier to inject subcutaneously, than larger, more diluted mixtures. For some, the advantage of a more concentrated hCG solutions is easier, less uncomfortable, less traumatic injections. (i.e.: For people who develop skin reactions to injections like bruising, redness, etc.) this is very important. The advantage of bigger shots (of more dilute dosages) is obviously greater dosage precision.My wife hopes to try Simeons' original subcutaneous ("skin") injections, doing the protocol, starting with 125 IU doses of hCG (not homeopathic.) My wife is hoping to lose about ten pounds (or more) of the most persistent belly, side torso, and back fat, that has plagued her worse and worse, for 20 years. If she loses her 10 pounds or so, of bad fat, she may well end up weighing about the same (or not losing much overall weight) but hopefully will have lost all of her "bad" fat, while restoring some normal, healthy fat. Read "The Emaciated Lady" on page 20 of "Pounds and Inches" (the original Simeons Protocol) to better understand this kind of obesity disorder and how Simeons used the hCG protocol to reshape this woman, and "reset" her kind of metabolic accumulation of bad fat.It is fine to be a few pounds overweight with normal healthy fat, the kind that comes off with normal diet and exercise. But, if most of your remaining fat is abnormal, that should come off.Losing all our abnormal fat once-and-for-all can also be a good body "detox" as well, since the so-called "persistent" man-made compounds in the environment, especially compounds such as DDT, PCBs, PBDE & DecaBDE fire retardants, etc. which tend to accumulate in fat tissue of all species, and stay there until there is no fat to harbor it. When released from fat, not sure if it breaks down and/or simply leaves the body through the bloodstream, but may redistribute itself, if it is not broken down and excreted. In preparation for our protocol, my wife and I have been doing Dr Mercola's Chlorella, and Milk Thistle, in various dosages. Theoretically, the Chlorella releases the toxins into the blood, and the Milk Thistle helps the liver break them down and excrete them.I will edit this review to update my wife's progress if we ever get around to doing her hCG shots. It may be a while. Keep checking this review - "stay tuned".My wife is partially vegetarian. She only eats true fish (not shellfish) and chicken, for meat, so I calculated 100 gram counts for chicken and the fish which she eats.Here is something we put together. These calorie counts may MAY BE HELPFUL TO SOME READERS TO COPY/PASTE into their records, if intending to do the protocol:--------------------------------------------------------FOOD ITEM CALORIESLean fish and chicken, with all fat and skin removed, if anyraw, calories per 100 grams(3.6 ounces)cooked, calories per 85 grams ( 2.9 ounces)CHICKEN (lean breast) 170 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)FLOUNDER 119 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)HADDOCK 114 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)HALIBUT 143 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)SHRIMP 247 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)TUNA 187 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)WHITE FISH 103 calories for 100 grams (3.6 ounces)FOOD ITEM CALORIES for SPECIFIED PORTIONSASPARAGUS 25 calories for 1/2 cup, boiledBEET-GREENS 8 calories per ounceCABBAGE 15 calories for 1/2 cup, boiledCELERY 10 calories for 1/2 cup, for raw-dicedCHARD 35 calories for 1 cupCUCUMBER 20 calories for 5-ounce weightFENNEL 27 calories per 1 cup, for raw-slicedGREEN SALAD 35 calories for 1 and a half cupsONION 30 calories for 1/2 cup, for chopped-cookedSPINACH 40 calories for 1 cup, boiledTOMATO 25 calories for 4 ounces-weightGRAPEFRUIT 10 calories per ounce-weightORANGE 15 calories per ounce-weightLEMON 12 calories for Juice of 1 lemon, raw-freshMILK 4 calories per TablespoonRICE CRACKER AND RICE CAKE EQUIVALENTS FOR BREADSTICKS AND MELBA TOASTRICE CRACKERSRice Crackers are SESMARK rice thins (3.5 oz. Package)20 calories for 3 Rice Crackers3 Rice Crackers = 1 breadstick1 Rice Cracker = 1 melba toastRICE CAKERice Cakes are KOYO organic plain rice cakes20 calories for 1/2 Rice Cake1/2 Rice Cake = 1 breadstick1/3 Rice Cake = 1 melba toast1 Rice Cake = 3 melba toast

This is a must-read book for anyone interested in the HCG protocol for weight loss. It's the only book I've encountered that even attempts to relate the HCG protocol to modern understandings of human biology.Author Robin Woodall has done a great job bringing up to date research findings to bear on Dr Simeons original writings & clinical work with the HCG protocol (see Dr Simeons' book “Pounds and Inches”, published in 1954, which is freely available on the web). She's gone to a lot of trouble to thoroughly investigate the latest research on leptin and it's role in appetite and weight gain, and I found her model of how HCG interacts with leptin and other hormones to be fascinating as well as credible.This doesn't begin until Chapter 14, however.I had to push through the first few chapters, in which I found the author's repeated railing against “gluttony” to be personally jarring. (I counted 6 references in Chapter 1, including the chapter title, 5 in Chapter 2, and lost count thereafter.) Although she states in the earlier part of the book that “many falsely assume the more fat a person has, the more flawed his or her character must be”, in my opinion she perpetuates this thinking by her repeated use of the moralistic term “gluttony”.It's apparent that Ms Woodall does not truly understand the addictive process, either the physiological or the emotional aspects, and how hunger can take on a life of its own. Considering the research she has done on the biological underpinnings of hunger and appetite, as well as her clinical experience, this stopped me in my tracks.Her emphasis on eating only when hungry, and stopping when hunger is moderately satiated, makes sense and is an excellent strategy.It's not quite that simple, though!Ms Woodall is not a foodie. She doesn't show any sign of understanding that food is meant to be pleasurable – it's built into our biology. In the natural world, “sweet” indicates nutritious foods (fruits with their anti-oxidants & other goodies) while “bitter” generally indicates poison. This natural pleasure in food and eating has become perverted by modern food processing and the sheer availability of junk food. Nevertheless our bodies can guide us if we allow it, not just with hunger signals, but with the type of food we need. When we are hungry, we crave substantial foods with protein and fat, when we are salt-deprived, we crave salt. The pleasure of eating the absolutely right food is the essential feedback we need to continue to listen to our bodies' signals.The author herself apparently suffered from an eating disorder (which sounds like anorexia from her description) & it appears that this, rather than obesity, was her initial personal trigger for interest in exercise, obesity, and the HCG protocol. Her own emotional inclination was to reject food – and any tendency to put on fat – and she doesn't seem to really understand emotional eating or the ambivalence underlying it – that eating (like refusal to eat) can be simultaneously a way of taking control, and being out of control.Ms Woodall has her own ambivalence towards her obese clients. For example, statements such as,”I'm always amazed how people who are addicted don't realise self-disgust is not a helpful emotion” are interspersed with case studies which praise or castigate clients for their “emotional strength” or lack thereof.Emotional strength is a good thing to develop – but decades of losing the battle with overweight by trying to apply willpower should teach us that simple determination is not going to cut it.In this regard, I highly recommend Dr Susie Orbach's classic “Fat is a Feminist Issue”, which discusses how food, eating and weight become loaded with a lot of emotional issues that don't belong there: we learn and we teach our children that every emotional pain can be soothed with food (or alcohol, or some other instant physiological fix). (Okay, I realise this dates me, but it's still a great book!)Robin Woodall is quite correct that we as a society have become dysfunctional about food and eating, and for the most part, completely out of touch with our hunger signals. Part of this dysfunction is because of the sheer availability of food, and our cultural expectation of more or less continuous eating. Part is because of the quality (or lack thereof) of the food, especially the prevalence of junk carbohydrates – white sugar & white flour are junky enough, but now we have high fructose sweeteners and chemical additives to add extra poison to the mix.In reality, the interaction between the physiological triggers and the psychological triggers for eating and weight gain is complex and subtle, and as weight is gained, we enter a vicious cycle of increasingly disrupted leptin response and hunger signals. Leptin is not the only substance modulating appetite & satiety, of course – serotonin & other neurotransmitters also play a role, as do cortisol & other hormones... the list is long.The HCG protocol is one way to break this cycle – it provides an opportunity to reset the hypothalamus and leptin mechanism. If you are thinking of tackling this, I highly recommend Robin Woodall's book as providing a new perspective and understanding of how this works, and how to follow up the initial weight loss with an ongoing plan.As well as simple monitoring of hunger signals, though, I suggest a deeper look at some of the factors that feed into dysfunctional eating – Susie Orbach's book “Fat is a Feminist Issue” is still very relevant today, and it's not just about the social or feminist aspects of food and body image, but about the personal and emotional aspects as well. Another author who offers valuable insights into the deeper issues around weight gain and loss is Jon Gabriel (see The Gabriel Method).Both these authors offer a gentler and less adversarial approach to dealing with emotional eating, than simply saying (as Robin Woodall does) that we must fight to develop emotional strength and overcome all the temptations, dysfunctional eating patterns and biological imperatives that have caused our “culture of normalised gluttony”. Another book with a nice approach to this topic that I have not read myself but like the look of & have ordered, is “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribold & Elyse Resch.I'm giving Weight Loss Apocalypse 3 stars – in spite of the crusader tone of the book, and the fact that her technical chapter was a bit too technical, I think that Robin Woodall has indeed “started the conversation” about developing a new way of looking at the HCG protocol, and integrating it with a healthier approach to food and eating.My own professional background has been in clinical psychology and physiology, especially brain science, and I've also had an ongoing personal interest in weight loss, being overweight since I was a child (ranging from a few pounds to around 35 pounds at different times of my life). I've tried the HCG protocol several times, with homeopathic drops and once with sublingual drops. Though the drops did help, even so I struggled horribly with hunger on the prescribed 500 calorie per day diet – and I'm not talking about psychological hunger, but real physical hunger. I know how emotional eating can lead to weight gain – but it's real hunger that stops you losing it.I don't think the HCG protocol is the ultimate miracle weight loss cure – but I do agree with Robin Woodall that it can help break the cycle (from both the biological and the psychological sides). And... sorry, I don't have the ultimate answer... when I do, I'll come back and give you an update!

This book give an excellent, science based explanation to the hcg diet, why it works and why the original protocol is one everyone comes back to. There is some redundancy that could have been taken out because it can get repetitive but I recommend this book to any and everyone interested in this life changing diet!

A superb book from someone who has studied the subject as well as helped people implement the diet successfully in her work as a nutritionist and coach. An insightful book about how to use the HCG diet properly to not just lose weight but to eat to stay slim for life. It explains the science behind the way HCG works and gives real life examples and tips and advice. Really worth the money if you want to understand the HCG DIET and make it work long term from someone who isn't peddling products and has actually done a great deal of research and work on the way the diet works. Really adds and updates the original Simeon's diet which is available free in the internet.

If you are interested loosing weight for good read this book. The HCG protocol if followed properly will get rid of the weight BUT you have to have an understanding of why you got there and re educate yourself on your relationship with food. I didn't think I had to do this but I did. I am 20lbs down since Jan 2nd 2013 and keeping it off. I have read probably 10 other books and this is the best. BUY IT !

Weight-loss Apocalypse was revolutionary in redefining my knowledge of the HCG protocol and how we eat. I was fairly knowledgeable about the weight loss aspects of the protocol but learned so much about leptin and the hormone side of the protocol. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to gain a deeper look into the hcg protocol, and more importantly, freedom from eating emotionally. I will never look at eating in the same way after this. Thank you Robin Phipps Woodall!

I love it! Is so helpful and u can understand many things of diet and behavior.Only problem is a bit big and hard to have it all time with u.Should be a bit shorter.

Very informative book. Inspiring and helpful. Would have earned more stars for it's helpfulness but it was difficult to get through as it was too repititious at times. I did go on the diet and kept 20 pounds off so it was worth the money. Author is very clever and well informed on helping people deal with deeper weight gain issues as well as helping people ditch the unwanted fat.