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Woman Claims Hoodia Lollipops Work for Weight Loss
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by crap-princess | February 8, 2007 at 08:30 pm
909 views | 0 Recommendations | 3 comments
While there's still no scientific research that Hoodia works in supplement form, there's a company called Fun Unlimited, Inc. selling what they call "Power Pops." One of the ingredients is Hoodia, but another is guarana, which is basically caffeine. A dietician speculates on whether it is the oral absorption of the Hoodia, the guarana, the physical action, or just placebo effect. I'm definitely skeptical, especially after visiting the company's website that focuses on a business opportunity with a compensation plan.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 22:21 on February 8th, 2007
I see a lot of Hoodia ads; I've been seeing them more and more over the past few years. I also see people getting heavier and not heathier.
Anything that boosts your metabolism will, prima facie, help you lose weight, as your body burns calories by carrying out the business of simply existing. "Anything that boosts your metabolism" would include Ecstasy, cocaine, ephedra, amphetamine (in its various forms), and caffeine.
Are any of these sensible building blocks for a weight-loss plan? Nope.
Here's how you do it:
1. Exercise regulary. Not once a month. Regularly, as in, three times weekly. If you drive to work, park further away. If you take mass transit, get off a stop early. Make sure your gym is between your job/school and your home.
2. Don't eat a lot of junk food. This actually is not as easy as it sounds.
Here's how you don't do it:
1. Take pills advertised on NYC public transit.
I understand that weight-loss is difficult, but please, please, please do not expect the solution to come from a little jar full of powder and promises. Because it won't. It's difficult, yeah, but it's not impossible. Trust yourself and a personal trainer, not some marketing exec and a bunch of pills.
at 01:20 on February 9th, 2007
Agreed. More than likely, it's just a matter of time before there's a class action lawsuit for the lollipops. It seems to eventually happen for all the diet gimmicks. My guess is that parents of kids who think these are regular suckers will start the backlash on this one.
For those of us who can't afford personal trainers, I'd add that the hardest part is to get moving at the beginning. Exercise creates a more consistent boost than the pills, and you'll have the energy to keep moving.
As far as the difficulty of not eating junk food, when you first start exercising, it's even more difficult because your body wants to remain at the status quo, so it seems like the more you work out, the hungrier you feel! I'm working on solving this problem right now - and drinking more water - I read that dehydration can feel like hunger pains. Distraction (long ramblings on comments for instance) seems to be the key.
at 09:51 on February 9th, 2007
Agreed. I've never used a personal trainer, as my shortish attention span makes me an exercise junkie. If I don't do some sort of physical activity at least five days per week, my mind wanders. Ironically, had I been raised in the nineties, I'd have likely been on Ritalin!