Does It Really Work????

Hi A. -

I am in the same boat as you - trying to loose weight after the baby and although I haven't tried the product that you described, I can tell you from the experience that short cuts don't work!!! You might loose the weight initially, but then you'll gain twice as much and not to mention that those " loose the weight quickly products" generally make you loose the water weight, and you'll end up dehydrated, which is very unhealthy. I am on Weight Weight Watchers, and although it takes time, I have been loosing a little bit of weight every week and keeping it off too....Good Luck!

I don't know if they work or not, but I would be very cautious. I've heard that a lot of the free trials advertised are scams where they tell you it's free but they still collect your credit card information and all of the sudden you'll find charges on your account. If you do decide to try, I would make sure you are ordering from a reputable company, or purchasing from a retail store, not online.

I agree with the first writer - there is no quick fix. I am also almost 5-months post-partum and it is slow going to take off all of this weight. I also work full-time, so if you figure out how to squeeze exercise into the mix with everything else, let me know! I just don't think it will happen without exercise. What I'm trying to do this year is squeeze 5 and 10 minutes of exertion here and there. Try taking the stairs whenever possible, park at the farthest end of the parking lot, take a break and do a quick 20 sit-ups, things like that. Then on the weekends (when the weather is nicer) take your baby on a long stroller ride. That's going to have to suffice for me for now. I also try to always go to bed a little hungry - I think that's the secret. Hang in there! Oh, and the acai berries probably can't hurt you, but I wouldn't waste a lot of money on it.

Take it easy on yourself, it took you almost a year to get fully into baby shape, it takes about that long to lose the baby pudge. Also, if you are nursing any kind of cleanse is a bad idea, b/c all the stuff that gets cleansed out of system can end up in your breast milk too.

Take care, S.

The other posters have given some great advice already. I agree with Karen that even though it is SO hard, exercise really does need to be a part of your plan. What kind of lunch break do you get at work? You could bring tennis shoes and go for even a brisk 10-20 minute walk, starting twice a week and working up to every work day. On the weekends you can get your family out (when it's above freezing!) and get active.

Even though you are very tired exercising will actually help improve your stamina. It is so paradoxical, but when you add exercise into the mix you will sleep deeper, wake more refreshed and have more energy when you typically would run low. Just try to get a few 10-20 minute spurts of physical activity in your day and work up to an increased frequency or duration. Weight training is something else that will really help - muscle burns more calories even at rest!

Overall, even though I lose the pounds in the first two months it took me the better part of a year to get back in shape with my 2nd daughter (I got pregnant 8 months after my first, so didn't lose it all with her). I just ate in a reasonable manner and did light exercise at first until I felt I could handle more. I took my girls on A LOT of stroller rides and I made it a point to get them used to it - it was for my health and sanity, after all! I even took them out in cold weather (not like this, though!) and bundled them up and off we went. I added weight training around 7 months and did that a few times a week with an exercise video. By the time she was almost 1, I was able to really work out hard and got much of my muscle tone back. It does take a while, so relax and keep at it :) While you may lose the pounds it takes a little while to get your muscles back into shape.

I would be wary of any 'fad' diet, regardless of what the ads or celebrities say. Any 'diet' needs to be something that you can live with forever or you'll just end up gaining all the weight back when you stop. Programs like Weight Watchers are wonderful for teaching portion control and healthy choices.

Hang in there!

Hi A.,
I have just started taking the acai berry supplement. I got it at Walmart and take 2 in the morning. The first week I had more energy and got a bunch of little projects done around the house (cleaned out the pantry, laundry room, closets...). I've noticed the buzz has subsided some this week, but I'm still not vey hungry, which is nice. I have noticed that I've been a little constipated with the Acai pill, so I'm trying to figure out how to address that.
I've been debating adding the cleanse but don't know which to try. The internet one seems to be a financial scam. There are a few in Walmart, but the warning labels spook me.
I lost one or two pounds last week, nothing crazy. I'll let you know if anything works.

p.s. Yes, I know I still need to exercise if I want to tone.

I sell Xocai (sho-sigh) healthy chocolate that is mixed with acai berries & blueberries. Since all three are extremely high in antioxidants (chocolate is #1, acai is #2 in the 'high antioxidants' category!), Xocai chocolate is actually good for you. An unintentional side effect of this chocolate is that people found they were losing weight! It is made from cold-pressed (not boiled or roasted) cacao beans, and is sweetened with only REAL fruit low glycemic raw cane sugar, not processed or refined sugar. The result is that people got off the sugar-high, sugar-low rollercoaster, were still able to enjoy chocolate as a healthy snack, and as a result, are losing weight. I have lost & kept off 15 pounds (healthy now at 120 lbs) and my friend has lost & kept off 50 pounds (healthy now at 130 lbs) since taking this on board 18 months ago. She has 3 children and is much smaller now than before she had children! If you're interested, please check out my website: www.mxi.myvoffice.com/angelamcgaffin and email me at ____@____.com. I am in the Alexandria, VA area. I will also be at the Taste of Chocolate on the weekend of Feb 7-8 (Old Town Hall, City of Fairfax). Come by, try a sample & say hello!

A.,

Everyone else has give awesome advice and I have 2 kids and did Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers helped train me to not only eat healthier, but they trained me on what exercise helps me best. Not every exercise is right for everyone. I'm a SAHM, so it is a little easier for me, but even for working moms, getting that 20 minutes 3 times a week in is key. There are several office exercises you can do at your desk that can help. If you do a google search for exercises at your desk, you'll find some that take only a few minutes to do. Now I'm doing Tae Kwon Do and it has really helped me a lot. Get that exercise in there and you'll be fine. Like everyone else has said "there is no quick weight loss", it takes time to manage your weight and it's hard. One more thing I've found about exercise is that many people don't like doing it alone. That's one of the reasons I like TKD. Find a buddy so that it will be easier to get into the habit of working out. Have fun and God Bless.

Hello there - I myself haven't tried the Acai however I have heard never to go with the latest diet crazes. More often than not the really don't work and if they do it is just short term. I can completely relate with the struggle of loosing weight. I am completely against diet pills, can't stand them, however after having me second son it seemed as though my body was going to hold on the 15lbs. of extra weight forever!! I tried these pills called 3x slimming power, purchased mine through an owner of a salon (they can be found on amazon or internet) anyhow to my amazement I lost a lot of weight. I was 137 when I started and probably a month and half later dropped to 109. Never thought I would be that weight again. They helped suppress my appetite so I would eat what a normal portion actually is (instead of 3 portions like the typical person usually eats). Also should mention I had no weird jittery's or any of the other stuff (did get dry mouth though...). Anyhow I am not selling these pills, I have no personal interest in them just wanted to let you know what worked for me. I only took them a month and half then stopped - the weight is still off several months later. I have read some reviews though where these pills have not worked at all for some people. Oh forgot to mention when taking these pills I was not working out however I was active in other ways - cleaning, chasing baby around, little bit of walking etc.
Good luck with whatever you do!!

hi A.,
i'm sorry, but nothing really works efficiently and long-term except for eating less and working out. we've all been looking for short cuts for years. there aren't any. you have GOT to work out.
cleanses and weight loss are two different things. cleansing your colon is a great idea, but you don't need to buy anything to do it. something like the master cleanse, where you give your colon a break from processing food while keeping yourself going on the combo of maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne will make you feel like a million bucks. it's also insanely hard to do. but that's for cleaning out your system, not weight loss (although that's often a happy by-product.)
the acai berry may help a little with hunger pangs, but it's not going to be your magic bullet.
i'm truly sorry. i wish there was one.
khairete
S.

No one mentioned thyroid so I thought I would. After I had my son, I had every symptom of hypothyroidism, but a highly-recommended Dr. (who then the same person said wasn't good-go figure!) said no way. I didn't get my results from him and I didn't go to another Dr, which I now know I should have. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism almost 2 months ago and taking the synthroid has made all the difference. I lived for 3 years having no energy, losing a baby, not being able to nurse, trying everything to get the weight off and have energy, but nothing worked. I feel that it's at least worth checking into online (Mayo Clinic or WebMD) and if it seems like those symptoms match yours, go see your Dr and get a test done. I take one tiny pill every morning, and I feel like I did before I had my son, which is so refreshing after 3 yrs of exhaustion.