Appetite Suppressants

With the recent recall of a long list of supplements, designed to build muscle-mass by reducing fat production, I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. So many products contain ingredients which, in and of themselves, are probably fairly safe. But, to my mind, when manufacturers throw a variety of appetite suppressants together in one capsule, the potential for problems just magnifies.

As I've mentioned on several occasions, one of the most common functions of weight loss / fat-burner supplements is called thermogenesis. Thermogenic products work to increase fat burning by increasing heat production in the body. It's a natural process, in and of itself; which is why exercise is a benefit to weight loss. However, artificially increasing that natural function, also tends to artificially increase the internal temperature of the body.

Participating in exercise or sports programs that already elevate body temperature while taking these supplements can magnify the chances of collapse from heat-exhaustion. Without knowing the exact levels of thermogenic ingredients in products that simply list 'proprietary' blends, it's virtually impossible to determine an individual's risk factors. Living in a place like Arizona, already increases the risk.

Normal exercise and a balanced diet are always the best weight-loss plan.

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Fitness Equipment

As many of you know, I have been window-shopping for fitness equipment for some time now. It's not been an easy process. I have to, first, find something that I'll actually use. Second, if it doesn't fit in the little spare room that we have, what's the point? Finally, it has to be something that we can afford.

Being less than enthusiastic about doing anything that makes me sweat, finding an appropriate piece of equipment is never easy. Then add in two bad knees and it gets really challenging. On top of all that, I really don't want to give up my recliner or - worse yet - my bed to fit in a machine that I may or may not use several times a week. Anything that costs in the neighborhood of a month's rent and doesn't come with a kitchen and bathroom, is just not even realistic.

Much to my surprise, there are places that sell used equipment. You know, the treadmill that's been used as a clothes rack for the last 3 years until the spouse says, "Get it out of here! Now!" The variety was better than I expected, and so are the prices.

Now, I have to get serious about this. Darn it!

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Getting in Shape

I've been trying to find some sort of home exercise equipment, that I can afford and that we can store in our little bit of space. My first thought was a treadmill. So many are small enough to fold and stuff under the bed these days.

Today, I learned about something else - smaller and (to me) very interesting. It's called a dip machine or dip bar or dip station. And it helps focus on upper-body strength. Which, happily, also helps with a less-than-trim waistline.

To start with, it's small. I wouldn't have to worry about where I was going to put it when I wasn't using it. It will fit just about anywhere. Then, much to my surprise, the machine supports a number of different exercises. This is important to me, since my entire body needs work. And I really don't want to have to buy a different piece of equipment for each section of my body.

I need one thing that helps me with a fairly thorough workout. It's out there, I just know it is.

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Weight Loss Supplement for Men

I was re-reviewing some weight loss information and was surprised to find a couple of new products. One, in particular, caught my eye. It's supposed to be for men only, as it contains testosterone boosters. Hmmmmm?! Is that a good thing?

Naturally, I had to do some investigation into the wisdom of boosting hormones indiscriminately. And, naturally, this turned out to be potentially risky. But, not necessarily bad.

There's a good chance that taking a supplement with these hormone boosters won't actually do much for testosterone levels. The ingredients aren't testosterone; they simply claim to stimulate hormone production. A claim, by the way, that hasn't actually been proven in clinical studies. (Although, there was mention of a 'stimulant' effect in lab animals.)

Since testosterone is, as one source explained, the original anabolic steroid, the side-effects of increasing production are remarkably similar. They include irrational behavior, sudden rage, 'shrinkage' of certain body parts, and anxiety. Combined with the caffeine boost in some of these supplements, not a good idea.

As always - questionable choice, questionable value. Not to mention, one of the review sites claimed a lifetime moneyback guarantee that, in fact, doesn't exist. The primary site for the product states, quite clearly, that they are the best so they don't give refunds. Rather interesting attitude.

Been sampling their own supplement, perhaps?!

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KettleWorx Exercise Package

Have you ever heard of the exercise program called KettleWorx? I hadn't until today. And, truth be told, if it wasn't for the incredible body that jumped off the page at me, I probably wouldn't have taken a second look. But, what can I say? I'm human and not (quite) blind.

Apparently, using a five-pound weight (included in the package) called a Kettlebell, the system requires a committment of just 20 minutes a day, three times a week, to get in shape. The DVDs include core, cardio, and resistance training; as well as a body sculpting collection, fast abs, and fat burning discs. Completing the package is a 42-day diet guide.

It's an interesting, although not new, concept. One hour a week isn't that much time, especially spread out over three days. If nothing else, the risk of overdoing and dampening enthusiasm would be reduced. And adding in the important factor of proper diet makes a lot of sense.

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Jules

All Fat Burner Reviews are NOT Created Equal

One of the things that upsets me, greatly, are websites that offer reviews and evaluations of fat burner pills that are, in fact, no more than a collection of links to product sites.

If you really start looking at what's out there, the similarities are incredible. By looking at more than one or two sites a day, you begin to see a pattern: the same products, in the same order, linking to the same information. Nothing new, nothing honest, and nothing reputible. (Sorry. Got a little perturbed!)

This morning, I found something a bit different. Refreshingly different, as a matter of fact. Apparent honesty in a product evaluation!

As someone who has looked at a great number of weight loss / fat burner supplements and sites, I am fairly familiar with what usually constitutes the Top 10 Products on the average webpage. I am also familiar with the hype surrounding these miracle weight-loss pills. Which is why I was so pleasantly surprised to see some thought behind the reviews.

While the top 10 weren't all that different on this site, the information was. One product, which contains a lot of stimulants, was given a rather honest safety rating. The evaluation noted that, due to possible problems with the levels of caffeine in this product, customers might be better served by a different product.

It's not earth-shattering. But it is a little more reality than I expected to find.

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Weight Loss Diet

Hunting for information on an effective weight loss diet, I was unhappy to find nothing of the sort on one website. Despite the name.

We are in diet-change mode at our house - again. This means that Mark and I are trying to rethink and retrain our cooking habits. It isn't the first time we have had to make dramatic changes, but it has been a nightmare. Most of our favorite foods are now off the menu and we frantically need new ideas.

During the last year or so before Mark's liver transplant his diet was literally life-or-death choices. Every day, we counted the protein grams and sodium milligrams in every single item that hit a plate or bowl. But carbs and sugar were never an issue. Mark could have all the fruit and candy and pasta and goodies he wanted - as long as they were low sodium, low potassium, and minimal protein. All in all, it was a fairly simple transition.

Now, with diabetes sitting at our table for every meal and snack, we are forced (again) to relearn how to cook. Carbs and sugar, no matter how careful we are, are literally everywhere! Fruits, for the most part, are a no-no. Potatoes, pasta, bread, crackers - all of the foods that we used to serve to keep Mark from feeling starved - now shoot his sugar levels through the roof, no matter how we try to limit them. With meat prices, it's not like we can afford three (or more) high-protein meals every day. It is so frustrating!

So, racking my brain for ideas, I thought that perhaps a weight-loss diet program would be a starting point, since obviously eliminating sugars and other empty calories are a primary part of any low-cal diet. Guess, I'll have to keep looking.

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Appetite Suppressants

Over the years, I have done battle with my weight. Truthfully? Most of the battles were an attempt to add pounds to my small-boned frame. While being terrified that I would gain too much weight (my mother was heavy and I didn't want to look in the mirror and see her body under my face), I wanted curves.

My fear of being fat and looking like my mother has haunted me for decades. Once I was actually diagnosed - gotta love this - as pre-anorexic. The diagnosis amuses me because I I knew I was a text-book anorexic and, recognizing my problem, asked for help. Why and how the doctors chose to ignore it frightens me, to this day.

Now, the marketplace is flooded with weight-loss products that present themselves as, among other things, an appetite suppressant. Interestingly enough, most of the sites that are touting these 'amazing' compounds are filled with half-truths and fake endorsements. While any single ingredient may be safe, the combinations may be dangerous.

Anorexics, especially those who have been denying themselves food for an extensive period of time, have weakened digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems. It wouldn't take much to push their bodies over the edge. The availability of appetite suppressants may seem like a gift to those who carry too many pounds on their body.

To those (of us) who are terrified of becoming fat, those suppressants can be dangerous.

My shape is not what it was in my teens - Thank the stars! But I'd still like curves.

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Weight Loss Pills

In my never-ending crusade to determine whether the latest 'popular' weight loss pills are effective, dangerous, or just ... junk, I have noticed a pattern.

Sites jump up, in your face, to tell you that Pill ABC is the best, most effective item on the market. All of this, after telling you, last week, that XYZ Pill was the only way to lose weight.

Some of those sites have links to more information about Pill ABC that are designed to make you feel that they have reviewed, tested, and confirmed their claims. (Okay, that's what virtually all of them do.) Why? Because many of them make serious money doing just that.

They are filled with testimonials that sound like a cheap ad campaign. The worst ones offer links to sites where they make money just because visitors clink that link. I seriously doubt that they do any research.

The bottom line is always the same, at least from where I'm sitting:

• Check out the ingredients
• Determine their safety
• Investigate the interaction between the ingredients

Bottom line: eat right, get some exercise, and don't believe that one pill can undo years of neglect.


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Jules

Fat Burners

Looking for the best way to lose belly fat? Me, too.

At my age, sadly, it's common for women to carry an extra layer of ... something unpleasant {groan} ... around the middle. It isn't something we like to admit or see, but it is a part of nature. In fact, it's documented - along with the discovery that the mother's brain shrinks during pregnancy. (Whoever wrote "I enjoy being a girl!" -- wasn't.)

If you believe the claims, it would be easy to swallow a pill and remove the fat. I disagree. Strongly!

I lost my ring-around-the-middle years ago without even trying, truth be told. It involved dietary changes, serious physical effort, and great genes. I didn't do it intentionally.

When Mark was seriously ill, heading toward hospice, I was carrying a wheel chair every place we went. In and out of the back of the truck, upand down stairs, it went with us everywhere. I ate, when I could and what I craved, protein and carbs. (I made a meal of chicken breast, poached in tomato juice with veggies and pasta that was amazing.) As my body always has, I dropped weight and built muscle.

Can you get that from a pill? Websites will tell you that you can.

Can you get that from a pill -- safely? Websites will tell you that you can.

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Apidexin Review

I've been reviewing diet pill review sites recently. Some are good and provide a (fairly) objective look at different products. Others, sadly, are filled with what they call reviews and links to sites where they get paid for sending customers. Rather annoying.

That said, I have also been looking into a product called apidexin.

Apidexin isn't exactly unique. It contains a combination of ingredients that are also found in several other products. In fact, I've probably looked at some of the other items on the market, and their ingredients, before.

As with so many diet / weight-loss products, many of the active ingredients are thermogenic. Singly, they may not be risky. In combination, they may cause a dangerous elevation in body temperature.

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Jules

Ephedra Diet Pills

There continues to be controversy over the safety of Ephedra in dietary supplements, product recalls and ingredient bans notwithstanding. In all fairness, not all of the species in the Ephedra genus contain the so-called 'Ephedra Alkaloids' that are at the center of the health issues. And the species that do, contain radically different levels of the six (6) different alkaloids.

This makes discussion of ephedra diet pills a little tricky. Obviously, the phrase 'supplement containing Ephedra alkaloids' can mean a lot of different things. One study, "Analysis of Alkaloids in Chinese Ephedra Species by Gas Chromatographic Methods," published in 1991, offers a bit of clarification:

"The results show that ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are the main components in these Herba Ephedrae, but the concentrations of the six Ephedra alkaloids vary greatly according to the plant species. The alkaloid contents of Ephedra sinica, E. equisetina, E. monos-perma and E. intermedia var. tibetica are high and ephedrine is the major component. In E. intermedia and E. tomatolepis the content of pseudoephedrine is higher than that of ephedrine. The content of methylephedrine is higher in E. intermedia var. tibetica gathered from Xizang (Tibet) and in E. sinica from Northeastern China than in the other species.
The results also show that E. przewalskii and E. tepidosperma contain so little of the Ephedra alkaloids (<0.1%) that they are not considered suitable to be used as the drug (Ma Huang)." Phytochemical Analysis, Vol. 2, 116-119 (1991)

Note: this study looked at the species found in 16 Chinese provinces.

What I found interesting is the implications of these test results (however old) in the real world. One manufacturer, when faced with the ban, claimed that their supplement contained Ephedra, but no alkaloids. This, we can see, is a possibility; is it true? and, more importantly, is it useful?

In theory, no alkaloids could move the product outside the scope of the ban and remove the risk factor. Right? But, all Chinese Ephedra, even E. przewalskii and E. tepidosperma, contain some alkaloids. Not to mention, aren't the alkaloids what make the supplement 'work'?

I think I'm more confused than when I started.


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Fat Burners

I've been looking at the effect of insulin on the body, related to diabetes management. But, what I've learned is that insulin also plays a major role in weight control.

In a nutshell, eating processed and sugary foods causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly. This triggers a corresponding spike in insulin production. Unfortunately, insulin promotes fat storage in the body, so these spikes increase fat levels - and weight.

Eliminating processed foods (e.g., white rice, white bread, cake, and sweets) and substituting complex carbohydrates (e.g., brown rice, whole grain breads and pastas, and root vegetables) will keep blood sugar and insulin from getting too high. This has the immediate effect of stopping new fat storage in the body.

Already have unwanted fat? Fat burners promise to speed up metabolism, to reduce weight. But, eating right is still essential. Complex carbs and essential fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, and oily fish) are key, as is not cutting too many calories from the diet.

Reducing daily calories below recommended levels (1,200/women and 1,800/men) triggers another response in the body - a negative one. At these levels, the body begins to think it's starving and stops burning fat; instead, the body burns muscle.

Yes, supplements can kickstart a weight loss program. Nothing is going to do as much good, in the long run, as a healthy diet and regular exercise.


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Jules

Diet Pill Research

There are, probably, hundreds of places on the Internet offering advice and information on diet pills. Some are just trying to get your money; some want to help.

The ones that scare me recommend products that aren't, necessarily, safe and don't mention that fact. Whether or not I would use some of these supplements, I do expect truth-in-advertising. Luckily, there are honest sites.

As I always say, read and research carefully - before - you try anything. What's good for me, might not be good for you. And vice versa.


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New Affiliate Partners

JMark Afghans, etc. is proud to announce that we have been approved by two new partners-in-shopping!

Jelly Belly:


I have always loved these, as they say, gourmet jelly beans. The flavors are amazing and so diverse. Who would have believed that you could have a candy that tasted exactly like a toasted marshmallow, or a caramel apple?

Years ago, my manager's husband worked for the company. She almost always had a Jelly Belly sampler in her desk. Let me tell you, it made working late a supreme joy! And, you don't have to eat the whole box; just a few satisfy that sweet tooth.

Please stop by and check out all of their wonderful products. You'll find that Jelly Belly offers more than gourmet jelly beans. Much more!

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eSource Nutrition:

As a teenager, my brother was into bodybuilding with the intent of competing. So, I am familiar with many of the types of products that eSource offers - protein powders, diuretics, and weight loss systems. But they're not just for exercise mavens and bodybuilders.

Many items are beneficial to those starting a weight-loss program. They help jumpstart the process by helping to safely eliminate excess fluids in the body - one of the first effects of almost all weight-loss products. (That's why you often get dramatic results in the first few days, then hit a plateau.)

Not to mention, something I am looking into - an all-natural sleep aid. Something I can take when I'm having trouble relaxing due to increased stress - just once in a while. I don't want something that a) I have to take for weeks or b) is filled with strong chemicals or c) is highly addictive. And I certainly don't need something every night.

Take a look at eSource Nutrition's products, FAQs, and supplement information for all of the details you need. There are no surprises, no mystery ingredients, and some really amazing prices.

---

We're excited about our new Shopping Partners and look forward to a long, happy relationship. I think you'll like what they offer, as much as we do.


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Jules

A New Kind of Diet Pill

I can honestly say - for now at least - I've heard / seen it all!

There is a diet pill, just for women, that apparently can change more than your weight. This amazing bit of chemical technology not only helps you slim down, it can increase your bust size and improve your libido. All with just 2-3 pills, a couple of times a day.

Frankly, I used to wonder - looking at those before-and-after photos - how women managed to lose inches everywhere, while their bust got bigger. Not just bigger, either, these bustlines were - for lack of a better word - 'perkier', too!

Guess they knew something that I just learned - you can (apparently) do both!


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Jules

Weight Loss Advice

I've been writing about weight loss pills quite a bit lately. In the beginning, because I was researching ways to lose weight. More recently, because I found that there are some questionable sites out there, masquerading as help.

My suggestion would be to read - carefully - the information provided on any website. Ideally, it should be objective and unbiased. For me, alarms go off when I read recommendations that people of a certain weight should take weight loss pills. Many times this advice isn't coming from medical professionals; nor does it include advice to consult with a physician before starting any drastic weight loss program.

The sites that say - This is what this pill claims. This is what it contains. This is what customers have experienced. These are the known side effects and risks. - give me confidence that they aren't trying to push me in any particular direction.

Any site which states, for example, that you should take Hoodia - without any additional information on contraindications and the need for medical consultations isn't doing their job. Individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, a bleeding or clotting disorder, or an eating disorder are strongly advised to see their physician before taking this supplement.

Any site which insists broadly "our products work" - strikes me as less than honest and reliable. Many items do work, for some people; many items don't work, for some people. If the site that you're exploring doesn't mention that - clearly and plainly - question their motives.

Me? I'm taking a good long look at my diet and activity levels. Still haven't found a pill that doesn't make me a little nervous.



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Jules

Finding the Right Way to Lose Weight

Those of you who faithfully read my musings know that I am battling a changed metabolism and reduced activity level - in other words, I've put on weight in the last few years.

I recently managed to lose a few pounds, which I am thrilled about. But I still need to shed a few more, as well as think about getting more (okay, some) regular exercise. Which leads me to the point of this post.....

Using diet pills is not a - pardon the pun - magic pill to fix bad eating habits and inactivity. Or, even more importantly, to 'cure' physical problems that contribute to weight gain - such as thyroid or other metabolic issues.

Some of the detox-type options are intriguing. I know that, being a smoker and living near 2 major roadways, my system is undoubtedly full of toxins. Ideally, I'd quit smoking and move to the country.

Realistically, I should quit smoking, eat organic foods, vacuum more often, bathe the cat, and keep my air filters cleaner. Oh, and exercise.

Where was that detox pill again?!



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Jules

Weight Loss Product

It's very easy to find a weight loss product in the stores or on the Internet. But how do you know if the product works or, more importantly, if it's safe?

Well, that's an easier question to answer than you might think. There are websites that have taken all of the work out of choosing the best diet pill.

Simply go online and read the reviews. Learn what works, what is just hype, and what might be risky to your health. In my case, I have blood sugar and blood pressure issues that make it very important for me to know exactly what I'm putting in my system.

Thankfully, I don't have to take unnecessary chances anymore. And neither do you.



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Jules