EC Stack
strongmindstrongbody
Posts: 315 Member
After coming to the realization that I don't burn mad calories from my workouts and I don't have the metabolism of a hummingbird, I started looking for ideas on curbing my appetite. Came across something called EC stack (ephedrine and caffeine). I'm especially dealing with hunger that wakes me up at night. Does anyone have experience with the EC stack? Does it really make you less hungry? I thought caffeine was supposed to stimulate the appetite, not suppress it.
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I don't have any personal experience with it, but yes, it should reduce appetite.
I would look at reducing meal frequency first though.0 -
1700 calories seems pretty low for your weight. Also you could try to eat foods with more volume per calorie although your diet seems okay.
I actually upped my calories after a stall with weight loss and strength gains.
Try lowering your weight loss per week goals so you can eat a bit more.
I really don't like those supplements as once you stop taking them, you're hunger will return0 -
I wouldn't go down that road if I were you. I took Phentermine, prescribed by my doctor, for a few months and lost weight but eventually the efficacy decreases. And you definitely don't want to fall into the trap of increasing the dosage to combat that. It's not healthy for your heart and to be honest, it's really just a crutch. After I went off them, I gained back 14 pounds pretty quickly. It's taken me a year to lose that 14 pounds but I'd rather do it slowly and safely then have to rely on ever increasing dosages of amphetamines.
I took a quick peek at your diary and your calorie goal of 1700 and your other macros look good. I would agree with the other poster who suggested you eat less frequently. There's no evidence that eating every few hours helps with weight loss. If you just like to eat that way, that's fine but I would never feel satiated if I ate several small meals a day. Try saving more calories for dinner and eat something that feels like a real "meal" and see if that helps.
My goal is 1600 calories a day. My diary is open so feel free to take a look
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After coming to the realization that I don't burn mad calories from my workouts and I don't have the metabolism of a hummingbird, I started looking for ideas on curbing my appetite. Came across something called EC stack (ephedrine and caffeine). I'm especially dealing with hunger that wakes me up at night. Does anyone have experience with the EC stack? Does it really make you less hungry? I thought caffeine was supposed to stimulate the appetite, not suppress it.
It does at first but that effect eventually wears down, however it can be brought back with the addition of 500mg-1g og L-Tyrosine0 -
ECA (ephedrine Caffiene aspirin) has been shown to work but also shuts down normal adrenal gland function and can cause withdrawal pains/symptoms when you stop.
If you are so hungry that you wake up at night with hunger pains you are starving yourself.
You need to eat more, not less. Starving yourself is not a long-term solution for weight control/body recomp.0 -
No, I'm not starving myself. Maybe my body just needs to get used to a lower calorie amount? I stalled for 3 weeks (no scale movement or with measurements), then lowered calories and the weight loss began progressing again, so lowering calories is what I need. I feel pretty good throughout the day (got my moments, but nothing major). It's just that stupid middle of the night hunger that gets me. Me likes sleep!
I didn't realize the EC stack could cause withdrawals. That right there is enough for me to back away. I had also been thinking of making some green tea to drink when I wake up in the middle of the night. Sounds safer anyway.
I eat several smaller meals because it helps me feels like I've got a lot to eat. Plus with my forever-hungry kids, it's nice to have a snack with them instead of feeling deprived.
Bound4beauty, that phentermine sounds awful with the risk of rebound weight gain. During the one and only conversation I had with my doctor about my weight, she recommended those pills. Glad now I said no thanks. Sorry you had to go through that.0 -
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-ephedrine-ephedra.aspx
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-ephedrine-ephedra-2.aspx
Most people take ECA for the energy and appetite suppressant effects...the metabolic benefits are going to be minimal, I seem to recall this being in the area of 4%.
On another note, not sure if ephedrine is legal in the USA and if not and how SS and sara feel about illegal substances being discussed on this board.0 -
The short answer is yes it does work but no it isn't worth the risk.
Ephedrine is an ingredient used in many over-the-counter remedies and also prescribed for sufferers of asthma so not a banned substance but is often mis-sold / abused for it's appetite suppression action and specifically states not be taken with other stimulants i.e. caffeine.
It's structurally very similar to methamphetamine!! and like this also tolerance and dependance forming.
If you are thinking of putting anything in your body I would strongly suggest reading up some chemcial safety data first, it is available for most herbal and pharmaceutical compounds
Ephedrine chemical safety data link - http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/pharm/pim209.htm0 -
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-ephedrine-ephedra.aspx
http://articles.muscletalk.co.uk/article-ephedrine-ephedra-2.aspx
Most people take ECA for the energy and appetite suppressant effects...the metabolic benefits are going to be minimal, I seem to recall this being in the area of 4%.
On another note, not sure if ephedrine is legal in the USA and if not and how SS and sara feel about illegal substances being discussed on this board.
I don't have an issue with discussion about pretty much anything related to fitness/nutrition/etc.
Regarding the OP, I agree with Rock. I'd look at what you can do meal related/food related first. Reducing meal frequency/number of meals (and consequently increasing meal size), select more foods that have lower calorie density so you can eat larger volumes, etc.0 -
I used to take ECA when it was still legal (ephedrine was actually a main ingredient of many cough syrups, including ones for kids) and I remember it worked great for energy boost, but didn't suppress my appetite at all (mind you, nothing can suppress my appetite, I was hungry even after visiting a morgue). The problem with ephedrine is that it works great at the beginning, but you quickly get resilient and tempted to bring back that original energy boost by increasing the dosage... And that can lead to a real charlie foxtrot. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody with addictive personality, that's for sure.0
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It's structurally very similar to methamphetamine!!
Oxygen is structurally very similar to carbon monoxide.0 -
ephedrine is illegal in the states... why is this even being discussed in here?? It is illegal for a reason ...... don't even think about using it OP ....
Change up the diet, something like Rock and SS suggested. Please .....
My friend is one of those people with a very addictive personality. He used to pop Killer Bees like candy. Right up until he had a massive heart attack at the age of 27 ...0 -
ephedrine is illegal in the states...
You can buy it at Walmart0 -
I don't have an issue with discussion about pretty much anything related to fitness/nutrition/etc.
My 'cocaine diet' thread will be up shortly.0 -
I don't have an issue with discussion about pretty much anything related to fitness/nutrition/etc.
My 'cocaine diet' thread will be up shortly.
I did that one in the early 90s. Side effect - clear sinuses. Totally clear. I could store sh1t in them.0 -
I have struggled with hunger quite a bit (!) myself. A few things have really helped me:
1) Eating a much lower proportion of my calories as carbohydrates and a much higher proportion as fats. I'm not in ketosis or Atkins range, but I aim for about 75 grams of carbs a day net (that is, after subtracting fiber). I save about 100 to 200 calories for later at night and have a tablespoon or two of sunflower butter or coconut butter before I go to sleep if I feel hungry. A higher carbohydrate diet, for whatever reason, just makes me really, really hungry.
2) I also reduced the number of meals I was eating, and delay between them as long as I can. A 200 calorie snack just doesn't do much for me, but if I can add those 200 calories to a 400 calorie meal it's much more satiating.
3) Homemade bone broth helps quell my hunger as well, either because it's nutritious, because it's a bunch of water or both. Maybe when your kids sit down for a snack you could have a cup of this or of green tea instead. Sometimes I drink 2 cups of bone broth after dinner. It's about 60 calories. Properly prepared, it has glycosaminoglycans (which help your body repair cartilage), collagen, gelatin, calcium, magnesium, etc. You get the picture. For whatever reason, I haven't found the broth that you can buy in cans and boxes nearly as satiating, so I use my crockpot and freeze it. It's very easy to make. See:
http://offthegrain.com/how-to-make-bone-broth-in-a-crock-pot/
http://thenourishingcook.com/go-primal-stock-up-on-stock/
4) Eating more protein. However, I looked at your diary, and your protein intake looks pretty good, so I'd play around with your calories between carbs and fats.
Ephedra can do damage to your heart--see the link below. Try switching up your diet instead! You're trying to take care of yourself, not hurt yourself, right?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ephedra/NS_patient-ephedra/DSECTION=safety
Good, good luck with this. When you are able to get your hunger under control in a healthy, sustainable way everything becomes easier.0 -
Those links on ephedrine were an eye-opener. The health risks, no matter how small, isn't worth it to me. I'll suck it up and deal with the hunger until my body adjusts.
I got the idea about the EC stack from an article on dealing with hunger from Lyle McDonald's website. I wasn't aware there was a legal concern about the stuff.
AbbeyDove, thanks for the advice. The bone broth sounds like a good idea!0 -
The VOLUME if what you eat seems small relative to the calories you're eating.
Can you eat oatmeal? For the calories, the volume is pretty big and might keep you fuller, longer.0 -
I don't have an issue with discussion about pretty much anything related to fitness/nutrition/etc.
My 'cocaine diet' thread will be up shortly.
:bigsmile:
I was going to suggest that the OP cut out the middleman and just bought some high-quality speed....
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ephedrine is illegal in the states...
You can buy it at Walmart
Okay, you are correct, I was misinformed. But here, you have to buy it OTC from the pharmacy. And they right down all your info, and you can only buy a certain amount. If you go around "shopping" it, you WILL get a visit from the POPO ...0 -
Locking so we can track active threads better. If you have further questions, please PM me, and include a link to this thread and I will unlock so you can pose them.0
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