I recently read an article (in the Houston Chronicle) about hoodia suppressing your appetite. Went on the web and found a lot of interesting information about it, but also found that all hoodia supplements aren't created equal.

Has anyone here successfully used hoodia? And if so, what brand? I ordered some, am waiting for it to arrive, but I'm not at all sure if it'll be effective .

The reason I'm looking at it is that I've low-carbed for many years (about 10, perhaps?) -- my initial wieght loss was really good, but in the past several years my weight has crept up. I now need to lose 25-30 pounds. Eating low-carb is automatic for me, and I even go induction-level on occasion (a style of eating that I'm not comfortable with for long term) -- so it must be that I'm eating too much of the right stuff?

I sometimes check myself for ketosis (usually light); I haven't knowingly ingested sugar/white flour for years; my "cheats" are typically foods such as an apple or a slice of heavy bread (such as Ezekiel's) -- though I never eat a lot of these types of foods, and then only very occasionally....

Thanks!

Bonnie

I have read all of the literature on the hoodia and feel that it is worth a shot. One of the ingredients in Trimspa is hoodia and I know that trimspa is effective if taken as directed.

I am considering it myself for those days that I am off and when I get bored I think I am hungry. I will let you know if and when I do buy some. As for now the only place to purchase this wonder supplement seems to be online.

HN

I've just picked up some hoodia supplement, and am giving it a try starting today. I'm very curious about your experiences with the coconut oil though...how has it worked for you, how much you take, how you take it etc...

Could you please elaborate?

Thanks!

Michelle

Hi Michelle -- please keep me updated on your results with the hoodia -- what brand did you get? and how much are you taking? and when do you take it?

I still haven't received my order -- maybe tonight....

coconut oil -- I started using it several months ago. Didn't see any weight loss that I can attribute to it, but then I haven't been able to take the full 3 T and at the same time cut that many calories elsewhere. I like it though, and plan to continue using it -- we use it as a cooking fat for most foods, only use butter when we want that particular flavor. I also put 10g into my morning "cereal" -- it keeps me feeling full for a long time. I use it as a hand cream, face mosturizer -- I like how my makeup goes on over it. My husband uses it as an aftershave balm, and frequently has me rub it on his back (he has dry skin).

I think that my weight problem is that I eat too much (even though of the right foods) -- and thus I need to cut calories when adding in the coconut oil, rather than just adding it to my diet. Since I tend to eat little fat (other than butter) this has been difficult -- this is a preference that was probably re-inforced during my low-fat days!

I've just purchased some hoodia as an experiment b/c I always get post meal hunger no matter whether I eat LC or not.

Here's a Consumer's Report to buying hoodia: http://www.thehoodiafactor.com/

Wanda

Hi Bonnie,

I bought Source Naturals Hoodia from the local health food store because I need immediate gratification <g> if I didn't, I wouldn't be fat! I figured I'd try it out before ordering it on the internet.

Have seen it on some site on line for 19.95/bottle with the 3rd bottle free, and I'll look for that ad again. I'm taking 2 250mg capsules, 2x/day, and yesterday my appetite was really down, but the reading I've done indicates it will take a full 3 weeks in your system before you're substantially cutting down calories without feeling it. Hope that helps.

Think I'll go fry myself an egg with coconut oil, and check it out. Did my skin and a scalp treatment last night and my husband said I smelled like a pina colada! Being a true sugar freak, I'm dreaming up low carb ways to make myself some coconut bars (ala "mounds") with the oil and some shredded coconut....old habits die hard, very hard!

Michelle

I still haven't gotten my order in -- well, maybe tonight! The site said that they've sent out all the orders, but that the warehouse is closed down for the holidays -- and of course, they're also saying that orders are being slowed by holiday mail. I guess it'll eventually come...

I also read that it may take 3 weeks to really settle in and take effect -- particularly if you're at all hypo-thyroid (I think?) -- anyway, I imagine that many of us have some thyroid problems.

I have to really watch how much I eat -- over the holidays my weight jumped up a few pounds, but it's back "down" to 153.5# -- and it needs to go down a LOT further. I've tried "eating until full, just being careful with what I eat" -- it doesn't work for me, I just keep on gradually adding weight. Maybe the hoodia will help get my appetite in line with my body's needs...

Michelle,

I tried making coconut candies with dessicated natural coconut, chocolate, coconut oil, almonds, and Splenda -- it turned out really good -- but I try to keep away from all sweets (even legal).... Apparently I'm one of those people who can't eat the treats with this WOE!

Maybe, if I ever lose this extra weight, I'll be able to eat some candies. The good news is that I'm going into the New Year's 3# lighter than last New Year's -- the bad news is that, in spite of rigorous dieting, I'm only down 3#.

I'm still looking for the solution

Bonnie,

I am taking thyroid meds, so far with no appreciable results, which is another reason why I was interested in the coconut oil. I read some material that indicated it sped your metabolism, as well as improving diabetes, etc..

No I'm not diagnosed as diabetic yet, but my doc says I will be...she looks at my sister and sees me, and insists its all in the genes, but I was fat most of my life and my older sister was thin up until about ten years ago. But if it helps our numbers, I'll get her on both the hoodia and the coconut oil too.

Let me know how you make out on the hoodia...incidentally, the site that had it for 19.95/bottle is www.hoodia.com but they do charge shipping of $5/bottle or $10 for 3 bottles. I just ordered 3 bottles to get my sister to join me on this next week. That product has I think 450/mg per capsule, so you only need 1 two or three times a day. There are 90 per bottle so each is a full month's supply for one.

Trying to finish this scrambled egg in coconut oil and it WILL NOT replace butter in my eyes, anytime soon! Then its off to curves.

Michelle

Michelle,

My father was diabetic (and he was always slim) -- he eventually died of it. I have a brother (younger than me) who is diabetic. My oldest daughter is a type-1 diabetic (though I'm fairly certain that's not genetic -- DNA studies were done with her, and they decided it was a mutation). I have many relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins) who are diabetic. And I had a diabetic dog -- also doubt that he was in my genetic line....

I think this WOE is my best defense against becoming diabetic myself. And I really think that I reduced my risk by losing a lot of weight (back in 1994).

re: coconut oil and metabolism: I've read that too, and I was impressed with the information. I took my temps several times a day, always very low (would be 95-96, once in a while got up to 97.x) -- but I simply couldn't seem to boost it up any higher. My doctor says that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my thyroid function and that low body temps don't mean a thing -- she also maintains that my low blood pressure (100/50 is not at all unusual for me) is meaningless. (Did I mention that one of my New Year's resolutions is to find a new doctor?!) I do have a lot of energy, and am in fairly reasonable shape for a 60-year-old woman -- and my cholesterol readings are very good.

I don't particularly like eggs fried in coconut oil either, unless I add cream cheese to the mix. However, one of the ways I found to take the oil was to mix a spoonful into a cup of hot (sugar-free, low-carb) cocoa. I also like to add a spoonful to my Atkins' cereal -- really improves the taste and makes the stuff keep me comfortably full.

My husband and I frequently smell coconutty, too -- fortunately, we both love the odor of coconut!

Dear Bonnie,

Sorry to hear about your father. Mine died also from complications with his diabetes. My mom and 3 of my grandparents died of heart disease, the fourth died of a stroke, which is why I'm on this WOE for life I guess.

My own diet history is what most complicates my weight loss probably. I've been "actively" dieting since I was 7 years old. I'm 50 now. The biggest problem is I dieted myself up to my current weight.

I'd say you were definitely suffering from thyroid problems regardless of what your blood tests show. My doctor took another electronic test and determined that I'm totally out of whack and might have been for my entire life. The blood tests also showed nothing, so find yourself another doctor...maybe even an endocrinologist if you can.

Yesterday was day 2 on the hoodia, and I feel fine but its really hard to tell if its working as I've had no real appetite since Christmas. I'm a nice Jewish woman from New York, transported to Texas with a Protestant husband who's kids are on the island, and it was non stop food for 4 days. Then again, maybe it is working, because I haven't been able to even LOOK at any of the leftovers.

I hope your supply arrives today and we can compare notes.

Michelle

PS: I'm hydrating the desicated coconut in coconut oil and water now, preparing to make sugar free "Mounds" for me and sugared for my husband. I'll let you know how it works out!

Hi Michelle,

No hoodia yet -- I emailed the supplier yesterday and they said that if it doesn't arrive by Friday, they'll ship another batch out... The lady who responded to my email said that a lot of the orders that they've filled aren't making it, even though everything is legal and has U.S. numbrers (the company is out of Canada) -- they are beginning to suspect theft...

Anyway, keep me posted on your reactions to it -- I'm really, really interested!

How nice to find a doctor who actually looked at your problem and did further needed tests! I think a good bit of my problem is that I'm not terribly overweight (I have about 20 pounds that I need to lose) and so they don't take my weight problem seriously. However, when I track my food intake, I typically eat about 900-1200 calories/day -- and that's not a lot of food. I go through spells where I get really hungry, but usually I just eat until whatever I've put on my plate is finished.... I often wonder if I had a thyroid problem, and if it were corrected, then would I be healthier than I am (right now I'm quite healthy, but I wouldn't mind better!) and would I have more energy (at the age of 60, I've noticed a slowing down....).

I didn't start dieting until after the birth of my third child (I was 32 then) -- but all my dieting did was pack weight on me.... I got up to around 190 (not really sure, I refused to weigh myself) at the age of 50 -- then did 3 things that affected my weight: 1) divorced my first husband and escaped an abusive relationship; 2) went to an acupuncturist for help with weight (and whatever he did really got my appetite totally under control -- but trying new ones recently I've not experienced the same results??); and 3) started low-carbing.

I'm in Austin -- we're neighbors (well, sort of) -- I saw that you had some snow over Christmas. We didn't have a single flake, just cold..........

So how did your "mounds" turn out? And how is the hoodia working??????

Dear Bonnie,

I just wrote this whole "saga" and lost it while I was finishing it up so rather than repeat what you didn't hear I'll just sum up!

Snow was great, we took pictures and had a snowball fight at midnite on christmas eve

mounds don't look so hot! they're falling apart but I'm sure they'll taste good to me.

How is lifelift? I've tried body flex and oxycise and the exercises are too hard for me. I just ordered the life lift, am still going to Curves 3 times a week and trying to get some walking in, but my "peri-menopausal" state still has managed to put an extra 10 pounds on me this year, despite the dieting and exercise....and thyroid meds.

Hope all is well and I can find that missing post somewhere!

Michelle

Hey Michelle -- welcome to Life Lift! I love the breathing exercises, they're apparently much more gentle than the oxycise ones. We have quite an email site with the product, I'll send you the link and you can join (I'll try to do it in a private message, if I can figure it out) -- come join us, we've just decided to form an accountability group for weight loss (each of us following our own particular plan -- though many of us seem to be low-carbers). It's a friendly, chatty place -- we are kind of like a group of friends chatting over our morning coffee....

And Rashelle, the individual who does the Life Lift videos, is a marvelous person -- she'll go online and answer our questions, give us pats on the back, send up prayers for our problems,etc., etc.

If I remeber right, I made the coconut-Splenda-chopped almonds into a gooey ball that held together, then dipped them in splenda-sweetened chocolate. I had to keep them refrigerated, the chocolate did NOT set up like the regular sugar-sweetened candy stuff (which I think has parafin in it?).

Bonnie

Hi Michelle,

Apparently you can't receive a private message -- so here goes... Don't know if this is appropriate for this board, but ...

"I imagine there is a regular way to get on the email list, darned if I remember how I started with it (for Life Lift). However, just send an email to the address below and you can start writing in (and then you'll get everyone's responses). If this doesn't work, let me know....

LifeLift~yahoogroups.com

Maybe there's an official way somewhere on the site? And then you could catch up on our chatting????"

Bonnie