garcinia cambogia?

You're better off spending your money on a decent nutrition or fitness plan.

You don't have to take my word for it though:

Garcinia cambogia

Hydroxycitric acid is obtained from extracts of G. cambogia and has been shown to inhibit citrate cleavage enzyme, suppress de novo fatty acid synthesis and food intake, and decrease body weight gain (20). We identified a double-blind RCT, which tested the effects of 3 g G. cambogia extract/d, which contained 50% hydroxycitric acid, in patients with an average BMI of 32 (20). The results suggest the absence of a significantly greater weight loss in the treatment group than in the placebo group. Two further double-blind RCTs report effects in favor of treatment with G. cambogia compared with placebo (Ramos et al, unpublished observations; cited in 20, 21). This is supported by a trial testing the effects of hydroxycitric acid (22). Other double-blind RCTs, however, that tested G. cambogia extract–or hydroxycitric acid–containing combination preparations with or without dietary alterations (Kaats et al, unpublished observations; cited in 20, 23–25) report conflicting results. Overall, the evidence for G. cambogia is not compelling. Adverse events are reported in the reviewed trials and are listed in Table 1⇑.

See here: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/4/529.full

Birdy989 wrote: »

DerekVTX wrote: »

Birdy989 wrote: »

Well, I'm going to be the opposing viewpoint on here. A friend turned me onto Thermoxyn about 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I have been doing cardio and some strength training and eating super clean (mostly Paleo) according to my calories and macros. But I have a SUPER SLOW and broken metabolism due to years of VLC and starvation dieting. I had hit a plateau, and couldn't seem to muster up the energy in my dark, cold climate (I live in northern MI). He's a bodybuilder, and when I asked him about something legitimate that could help rev up my metabolism and keep me focused on the long-term goal without giving into winter/holiday cravings, he recommended Thermoxyn. He had beta tested it himself with good results. The stuff has been a life saver for me. It works! I dropped about 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks (which is a lot for me) and I have an incredible amount of energy and my cravings for pasta, sweets and other bad carbs went completely away. I also feel warmer, and love the little boost of "awakeness" it gives me in the morning. No, there is no magic pill out there. But sometimes these supplements can give the right boost in the right way at the right time if we use them correctly.

Just sayin'...

Are you seriously offering advise based on 2 weeks of a magic pill? I can fluctuate 4lbs from one day to the next.

So how do you know you have a "SUPER SLOW" metabolism? I thought I had a super slow metabolism too until I got off my butt and did something about it. Following the MFP plan by carefully tracking every single thing that passes through your lips (Weighing and Measuring and Logging) is the key. We have no idea what that crap may be doing to your liver.

I'm not offering advice (not sure where you saw me do that). I just said that I loved the way I felt while taking it. I also didn't specifically say that it was the garcinia cambogia that was working for me -- it very well could just be the uptick in caffeine from the pills.

And, I DO know I have a super slow metabolism. I started my journey back in the spring of 2013 when I did the 100 Day Real Food Challenge (no processed foods) and began hiking/running on the local trails. I barely had any change in body composition and only lost about 5 lbs that entire summer. I needed to lose a good 45 lbs. I gained the 5 lbs back over that winter of 2013, and so then this past May I started it up again. No franken foods, and a commitment to go out on the trails at least 3 times a week. Again, after 5 months, I only lost 5 lbs. It takes FOREVER for me to lose a lb. I don't fluctuate up and down 5 lbs like most people. I weigh myself every day, and every day it's the same. I might have a fluctuation of a half lb, and a couple of times here and there I've gone up/down a pound, but I consistently have stayed at the same weight. So for me to lose 4 lbs in 2 weeks when it's taken me 5 months to lose 5 lbs, I'm thrilled. But like I said, I just liked the way I felt. I had no traces of sluggishness or brain fog whatsoever, and it pushed me to move from simply jogging to actual running. I'm not suggesting anyone else take it, nor am I offering advice that others should. I just answered the OP's question honestly. And if I'm the only single person in the universe who's had a positive response to supplements like this, then hey... that's totally okay with me.

(edited to add: And I can't imagine it's harming my liver any more than all the tons of alcohol I drank in my 20s. I also want to say that I don't plan on taking this long-term. Just for a month or two in order to get me through these short, dark cold days of winter. If it helps keep me active and moving, then I'm happy with it. Again, it could very well be the placebo effect, but does that really matter?)

Were you tracking your calorie intake? All you said is that you weren't eating any processed foods (which has nothing to do with weight loss), but you never said how many calories you were consuming.

Birdy989 wrote: »

DerekVTX wrote: »

Birdy989 wrote: »

Well, I'm going to be the opposing viewpoint on here. A friend turned me onto Thermoxyn about 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I have been doing cardio and some strength training and eating super clean (mostly Paleo) according to my calories and macros. But I have a SUPER SLOW and broken metabolism due to years of VLC and starvation dieting. I had hit a plateau, and couldn't seem to muster up the energy in my dark, cold climate (I live in northern MI). He's a bodybuilder, and when I asked him about something legitimate that could help rev up my metabolism and keep me focused on the long-term goal without giving into winter/holiday cravings, he recommended Thermoxyn. He had beta tested it himself with good results. The stuff has been a life saver for me. It works! I dropped about 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks (which is a lot for me) and I have an incredible amount of energy and my cravings for pasta, sweets and other bad carbs went completely away. I also feel warmer, and love the little boost of "awakeness" it gives me in the morning. No, there is no magic pill out there. But sometimes these supplements can give the right boost in the right way at the right time if we use them correctly.

Just sayin'...

Are you seriously offering advise based on 2 weeks of a magic pill? I can fluctuate 4lbs from one day to the next.

So how do you know you have a "SUPER SLOW" metabolism? I thought I had a super slow metabolism too until I got off my butt and did something about it. Following the MFP plan by carefully tracking every single thing that passes through your lips (Weighing and Measuring and Logging) is the key. We have no idea what that crap may be doing to your liver.

I'm not offering advice (not sure where you saw me do that). I just said that I loved the way I felt while taking it. I also didn't specifically say that it was the garcinia cambogia that was working for me -- it very well could just be the uptick in caffeine from the pills.

And, I DO know I have a super slow metabolism. I started my journey back in the spring of 2013 when I did the 100 Day Real Food Challenge (no processed foods) and began hiking/running on the local trails. I barely had any change in body composition and only lost about 5 lbs that entire summer. I needed to lose a good 45 lbs. I gained the 5 lbs back over that winter of 2013, and so then this past May I started it up again. No franken foods, and a commitment to go out on the trails at least 3 times a week. Again, after 5 months, I only lost 5 lbs. It takes FOREVER for me to lose a lb. I don't fluctuate up and down 5 lbs like most people. I weigh myself every day, and every day it's the same. I might have a fluctuation of a half lb, and a couple of times here and there I've gone up/down a pound, but I consistently have stayed at the same weight. So for me to lose 4 lbs in 2 weeks when it's taken me 5 months to lose 5 lbs, I'm thrilled. But like I said, I just liked the way I felt. I had no traces of sluggishness or brain fog whatsoever, and it pushed me to move from simply jogging to actual running. I'm not suggesting anyone else take it, nor am I offering advice that others should. I just answered the OP's question honestly. And if I'm the only single person in the universe who's had a positive response to supplements like this, then hey... that's totally okay with me.

(edited to add: And I can't imagine it's harming my liver any more than all the tons of alcohol I drank in my 20s. I also want to say that I don't plan on taking this long-term. Just for a month or two in order to get me through these short, dark cold days of winter. If it helps keep me active and moving, then I'm happy with it. Again, it could very well be the placebo effect, but does that really matter?)

Actually yes, it does matter, since the OP asked if taking GC helped with weight loss, and you are offering your opinion that it does.

The fact is, without a sufficient caloric deficit (through diet, exercise, or both), weight loss cannot be achieved. Taking GC or any other Dr. Oz approved waste of money supplement won't help in the least bit.

If you are happy with your weight loss, that's great. But to state that GC is the reason just isn't true. To blame your metabolism, unless you have a medical condition, isn't the answer. Move more to increase metabolism, but eat more than you burn, and you are back in the same place. Looking at your diary, I noticed you haven't logged for a while. My humble opinion is to log your foods accurately, so that you know exactly why you are, or aren't, losing weight.

psk2347 wrote: »

Garcinia Cambogia works very slowly. I would talk to your doctor about Phentermene. Its amazing sutff.

This is TERRIBLE advice.


OP, seriously though, supplements and pills are not where the magic happens. The magic happens when you have a calorie deficit. Weigh & log your food everyday (to get an accurate intake/deficit/etc) and you will see results.

This thread highlights why I find MFP so maddening, particularly when it comes to discussions involving nutrition. There was very little helpful advice here. While I agree that most pills do not do what their manufacturers claim, I also do not believe that the medical profession and "science" have all the slam-dunk answers. I have seen too many cases where people have accomplished good things nutritionally and physically while flying in the face of conventional medical and scientific "wisdom". It is difficult to read an article on anything that does not get contradicted or refuted a relatively short time later by yet another scientific or medical journal. Things that were true six months ago are no longer true today, but might be again next year. About the only thing I find to be reliable is the way my body reacts to eating a certain way or doing certain types of exercises.

The thing that I find to be one of the most un-helpful things on MFP (and seems to be all the rage) is the concept that it doesn't matter what you eat as long as it is at a calorie deficit. And yeah, I get the idea and technically it is true. If you eat less than you burn you will lose weight. But that does not mean you will be healthy. Telling people that eating Oreos is just as good as eating a baked sweet potato and a salad is just horrid advice. Can you lose weight by just eating Oreos and Big Macs as long as you are at a deficit? Sure. Will you feel awesome? Healthy? Strong? Energetic? No. Again, technically fuel is fuel, but there is a reason I don't put kerosene in my Corvette.

I don't have a problem with people preaching the "calorie deficit" gospel, but I think it needs to go hand in hand with encouraging better eating habits. If profile pics are to be believed, then a majority of the "calorie deficit" people are not chowing Twinkies and McDonald's as their main dietary base. Occasionally indulge? Sure... why not? But I don't think people who have little experience achieving fitness and are wanting to lose weight should be led to believe they can eat whatever they want and achieve optimal health and fitness as long as they are in deficit.

ndj1979 wrote: »

dieselbyte wrote: »

LoneWolfRunner wrote: »

This thread highlights why I find MFP so maddening, particularly when it comes to discussions involving nutrition. There was very little helpful advice here. While I agree that most pills do not do what their manufacturers claim, I also do not believe that the medical profession and "science" have all the slam-dunk answers. I have seen too many cases where people have accomplished good things nutritionally and physically while flying in the face of conventional medical and scientific "wisdom". It is difficult to read an article on anything that does not get contradicted or refuted a relatively short time later by yet another scientific or medical journal. Things that were true six months ago are no longer true today, but might be again next year. About the only thing I find to be reliable is the way my body reacts to eating a certain way or doing certain types of exercises.

The thing that I find to be one of the most un-helpful things on MFP (and seems to be all the rage) is the concept that it doesn't matter what you eat as long as it is at a calorie deficit. And yeah, I get the idea and technically it is true. If you eat less than you burn you will lose weight. But that does not mean you will be healthy. Telling people that eating Oreos is just as good as eating a baked sweet potato and a salad is just horrid advice. Can you lose weight by just eating Oreos and Big Macs as long as you are at a deficit? Sure. Will you feel awesome? Healthy? Strong? Energetic? No. Again, technically fuel is fuel, but there is a reason I don't put kerosene in my Corvette.

I don't have a problem with people preaching the "calorie deficit" gospel, but I think it needs to go hand in hand with encouraging better eating habits. If profile pics are to be believed, then a majority of the "calorie deficit" people are not chowing Twinkies and McDonald's as their main dietary base. Occasionally indulge? Sure... why not? But I don't think people who have little experience achieving fitness and are wanting to lose weight should be led to believe they can eat whatever they want and achieve optimal health and fitness as long as they are in deficit.

Law of Thermodynamics. Calories in vs out. It really is that simple. Your problem is you've taken the answers to the OP's question out of context. The question was about weight loss using GC. The answers focus on the OP's exact question. To determine overall health, one cannot only look at food choices. Your statement suggests that you determine one's health based ONLY on their diet. So would you consider an obese diabetic smoker "healthy" because a few of their meals consists of chicken, brown rice and broccoli? Overall health is determined by a number of factors, not just the food choices we make.

Where did you see anyone suggest to only eat a diet of Mcdonalds and Twinkies? Who suggested to eat oreos over sweet potato? Can you honestly correlate energy and strength to dietary food choices? And comparing the body to a car, while the argument is popular, is flat out wrong. The body isn't a car. The body is more dynamic than a car can ever be. Your argument about gas choice for a car doesn't fit.

Outside of medical reasons to do so, there isn't a reason to restrict any food from a diet. Every one that I see "preach" CICO NEVER says to only eat cookies or ice cream. Those in the know understand the importance of micro-nutrient dense foods along with moderation, and follow the 80-20 rule: 80% of the diet from micro-nutrient dense whole foods, 20% whatever. You don't get extra credit for eating 100% "clean" foods. In fact, eating a 100% restrictive diet can lead to micro-nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.

I eat a bowl of ice-cream every night before bed. I eat donuts with my coffee. I eat candy. I also eat broccoli, spinach, banana's, apples etc. I don't feel any more "energy" from broccoli or rice than I do from donuts.

+ 1
I will just add go ahead and google the twinkie diet...guy ate nothing but twinkies, maintained a calorie deficit, lost weight, and had better over all health markers...

While I agree with you, you may need to Google the Twinkie diet if you are going to reference it. The guy did not eat nothing but Twinkies.

dieselbyte wrote: »

Birdy989 wrote: »

DerekVTX wrote: »

Birdy989 wrote: »

Well, I'm going to be the opposing viewpoint on here. A friend turned me onto Thermoxyn about 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I have been doing cardio and some strength training and eating super clean (mostly Paleo) according to my calories and macros. But I have a SUPER SLOW and broken metabolism due to years of VLC and starvation dieting. I had hit a plateau, and couldn't seem to muster up the energy in my dark, cold climate (I live in northern MI). He's a bodybuilder, and when I asked him about something legitimate that could help rev up my metabolism and keep me focused on the long-term goal without giving into winter/holiday cravings, he recommended Thermoxyn. He had beta tested it himself with good results. The stuff has been a life saver for me. It works! I dropped about 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks (which is a lot for me) and I have an incredible amount of energy and my cravings for pasta, sweets and other bad carbs went completely away. I also feel warmer, and love the little boost of "awakeness" it gives me in the morning. No, there is no magic pill out there. But sometimes these supplements can give the right boost in the right way at the right time if we use them correctly.

Just sayin'...

Are you seriously offering advise based on 2 weeks of a magic pill? I can fluctuate 4lbs from one day to the next.

So how do you know you have a "SUPER SLOW" metabolism? I thought I had a super slow metabolism too until I got off my butt and did something about it. Following the MFP plan by carefully tracking every single thing that passes through your lips (Weighing and Measuring and Logging) is the key. We have no idea what that crap may be doing to your liver.

I'm not offering advice (not sure where you saw me do that). I just said that I loved the way I felt while taking it. I also didn't specifically say that it was the garcinia cambogia that was working for me -- it very well could just be the uptick in caffeine from the pills.

And, I DO know I have a super slow metabolism. I started my journey back in the spring of 2013 when I did the 100 Day Real Food Challenge (no processed foods) and began hiking/running on the local trails. I barely had any change in body composition and only lost about 5 lbs that entire summer. I needed to lose a good 45 lbs. I gained the 5 lbs back over that winter of 2013, and so then this past May I started it up again. No franken foods, and a commitment to go out on the trails at least 3 times a week. Again, after 5 months, I only lost 5 lbs. It takes FOREVER for me to lose a lb. I don't fluctuate up and down 5 lbs like most people. I weigh myself every day, and every day it's the same. I might have a fluctuation of a half lb, and a couple of times here and there I've gone up/down a pound, but I consistently have stayed at the same weight. So for me to lose 4 lbs in 2 weeks when it's taken me 5 months to lose 5 lbs, I'm thrilled. But like I said, I just liked the way I felt. I had no traces of sluggishness or brain fog whatsoever, and it pushed me to move from simply jogging to actual running. I'm not suggesting anyone else take it, nor am I offering advice that others should. I just answered the OP's question honestly. And if I'm the only single person in the universe who's had a positive response to supplements like this, then hey... that's totally okay with me.

(edited to add: And I can't imagine it's harming my liver any more than all the tons of alcohol I drank in my 20s. I also want to say that I don't plan on taking this long-term. Just for a month or two in order to get me through these short, dark cold days of winter. If it helps keep me active and moving, then I'm happy with it. Again, it could very well be the placebo effect, but does that really matter?)

Actually yes, it does matter, since the OP asked if taking GC helped with weight loss, and you are offering your opinion that it does.

The fact is, without a sufficient caloric deficit (through diet, exercise, or both), weight loss cannot be achieved. Taking GC or any other Dr. Oz approved waste of money supplement won't help in the least bit.

If you are happy with your weight loss, that's great. But to state that GC is the reason just isn't true. To blame your metabolism, unless you have a medical condition, isn't the answer. Move more to increase metabolism, but eat more than you burn, and you are back in the same place. Looking at your diary, I noticed you haven't logged for a while. My humble opinion is to log your foods accurately, so that you know exactly why you are, or aren't, losing weight.

I guess I'm pretty much done with this thread, because honestly, people keep putting words in my mouth. I never said that was the reason I was losing weight. In fact, I said it could be the significant uptick in caffeine or even the placebo effect. Or maybe it IS the GC. Or maybe I've finally just broken through a very long plateau. What I DID say is that I loved the way I felt on Thermoxyn, and that I could definitely tell a noticeable difference.