This summer I set out on a 15-pound weight loss mission. Eating right and exercising didn’t seem to be working by themselves, so I decided to see if the diet pills, Hydroxycut, would help with my weight loss plan. I investigated a few diet pills before I decided on testing Hydroxycut. WebMD helped in my weight loss decision making. Here’s what their site says about Hydroxycut:
“At the doses found in Hydroxycut and similar weight loss products, hydroxycitric acid appears to be nontoxic and safe. In the numerous studies on hydroxycitric acid, it caused no significant ill effects. People taking HCA had no more side effects than those taking a placebo.
And after reading different opinions from everyday people, I figured Hydroxycut was worth the try. Quite a few said they did see a weight loss, and no side effects, including running to the bathroom every ten minutes, were mentioned. I simply hoped it would kick up the metabolism a bit and help get rid of these extra pounds. It is kind of expensive – 60 pills were $19.99, but as they say, if it works it’ll be worth it.
So, there I was, about to start the Hydroxycut weight loss regime to see how it worked.
The Hydroxycut Test – Day One
The first day went well. I remembered to take 2 out of 3 pills – I was out shopping from lunch to dinner and didn’t take the diet pills with me. So I had dinner without taking the third pill for the day. And they tell you not to take Hydroxycut too close to bedtime, so the third diet pill never happened. I did feel refreshed, more energy, but that usually happens when I feel I’m finally doing something to better myself. It’s amazing what a little self-congratulatory behavior does for your outlook!
I purposely tried not to change my eating habits too much. Since I started watching what I ate at the beginning of the summer, I really wanted to see what Hydroxycut did without drastically redoing my lifestyle. Dinner was Italian, but since it was kind of late for me to be eating (8:30), I stuck to minestrone soup, a small salad, and a couple of rolls. I really wasn’t all that hungry – maybe because I don’t like eating late, or maybe that’s the Hydroxycut’s doing – it is purportedly an appetite suppressant.
Other than walking around the mall for a couple of hours, I also didn’t get any extra exercise. I was already in the habit of riding my bike about 10-12 miles every other day. I live near the Silver Comet Trail, which is very convenient. I recommend biking if you have a safe place to ride – it’s better on the joints, and even helps build the muscles around your knees.
Day one went by with no negative side effects – no headaches or dizziness, no extra bathroom runs. I didn’t want to step on the scale for a week, so I don’t know about a drop in weight. Since I felt good about what I was doing, I didn’t want to ruin it by looking at the scales and possibly being discouraged. I tend to do that – get discouraged in my weight loss efforts by what seems like a lack of results and give up too quickly. So on to tomorrow, since tomorrow is another day, as Scarlet O’Hara would say!
The Hydroxycut Test – Day 2
Still no side effects. We had friends from Chicago whom we hadn’t seen in a few years call and say they were in town. So we ate quite a bit more than we usually do. My husband made breakfast for us all (blueberry pancakes and bacon – not exactly a weight loss breakfast!) and then we took them to our favorite coffee house for what we call “real” coffee. It’s a mom and pop place that’s just fun to go to, and our friends had to experience that! But instead of just getting coffee as I had planned, I ate half a chicken salad sandwich.
After socializing for a little bit, we hit the movies. I’m pretty good at not eating while watching a movie, however, so that was not an issue for me. Then back to the house to drink a Coke (diet for me, of course) and catch up with what all everyone had been up to. We took the kids to the neighborhood pool. The kids swam while the parents sat and watched and gabbed. Pizza for dinner so we could watch Monk’s season premier. The rest of the bunch went bowling at 10:00, but since I had to work the next morning, I didn’t join them.
So, if you look carefully at the day’s events, we ate and sat around a lot. Nowhere in there is there anything about getting exercise! No activities that supported a weight loss plan. So, like I said, if Hydroxycut helped me shed pounds after a day like that, I’d be sold on it!
The Hydroxycut Test – Days 3 – 5
Day 3 went pretty much like day two. I got my bike ride in and ate normally. Nothing unusual.
On Day 4, the bottle of pills says to double up – two pills at a time 3 times a day. I did as told, and on Day 5… well, let’s say it was lucky for me, I didn’t go anywhere on Day 5, because the digestive system rebelled at last. Proximity to the bathroom was not a drastic need, but a necessary one. I suppose it was the doubling up that caused the reaction, but it’s a reaction I don’t tolerate well.
So, I still need a weight loss plan. I still want to lose the extra weight I’m carrying around, but now I know from personal experience that diet pills aren’t the answer. You can try the diet pills if you want – everyone has different stories, but for me, I’m done spending the money on shortcuts. Back to exercising and eating healthy.
References:
“Hydroxycitric Acid (Hydroxycut).” WebMD Medical Reference
