Tag fat loss

Royal Sport Ltd. Burn Review

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RS Burn
Burn is Royal Sport Ltd.’s thermogenic fat burner, but it also has water shedding properties thanks to cranberry, dandelion, and holy basil. This fat burner is more stripped down than others on the market, providing a cleaner option for individuals who still want the effects but with fewer ingredients. Burn contains caffeine anhydrous, bitter orange extract, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, niacinamide, cyanocobalamin, cocoa seed extract, and griffonia. The result is a capsule which provides sustained energy without jitters or increased heart rate.

RS Burn IngredientsI have tried a LOT of fat burners on the market. A few are notorious for producing jitters, dizziness, headaches, or nausea, but some people tolerate them quite well and prefer a wired, zingy effect. Most people, however, prefer to take a fat burner which produces a sustained boost in energy that doesn’t clobber them over the head. The best way to describe the way that Burn makes me feel is to compare it to a very smooth plane takeoff, a flight with zero turbulence, and a smooth landing on the tarmac. Even when I take a second capsule of Burn, I never run the risk of getting the jitters.

All in all, Burn is a great product for providing a boost of energy that is completely manageable and pleasant, along with a great sense of well-being and excellent focus.

Royal Sport Ltd. Target Review

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Target is a supplement made by Royal Sport Ltd. which is designed to control appetite and cravings, elevate mood and promote weight loss. It contains Garcinia Cambogia, Green Coffee Bean Extract, Raspberry ketones, and Griffonia. It can be stacked with other products in the Royal Sport line for enhanced results. I have only used this product alone, and personally haven’t noticed much in the way of fat loss, but my food cravings are almost completely eliminated, which I hadn’t expected at all. I honestly think that, for me, Target would work best when stacked with other products in the Royal Sport line because my body is just acting stubborn. However, many people have reported amazing results while using Target alone, proving that what works for some people might not work for others.

royaltarget
I love the fact that Target is stimulant free yet offers fat loss and metabolic benefits for people who want to push themselves over the edge and reach their fitness and wellness goals. It’s certainly worth adding Target to a weight loss or fat loss regimen!

One last thing: I ADORE Royal Sport packaging! It’s low key yet distinctive, and it features my favorite color! I love the rubberized lids too.

Venus Freeze Treatments For Cellulite

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No, this is NOT me, but this shows how effective the Venus Freeze can be in reducing the appearance of cellulite.

No, this is NOT me, but this shows how effective the Venus Freeze can be in reducing the appearance of cellulite.

I am a sucker for any non-invasive treatments that promise to reduce the appearance of cellulite or tighten loose skin. So when I kept hearing about the Venus Freeze treatment and its promises to address both of these issues, my curiosity grew. The Venus Freeze employs radio frequency waves to heat up treated tissues, causing it to contract, while magnets stimulate production of collagen and elastin. While many platforms will only treat the face OR the body, the Venus Freeze can be used anywhere on the body. You can expect to see response to the treatments after a few weeks to up to 3 months following the first treatment. The best results are seen when treatments are done weekly, for a total of 8 to 10 treatments. About 10% of people who undergo the Venus Freeze treatments will show no response, which is indeed frustrating both for the non-responder and for the practitioner who is administering the treatments. However, there is no way to determine who falls into that 10% until treatments are well under way. The good news is that the majority of individuals who undergo this treatment should see noticeable improvement in the areas treated.

Here’s where I was completely sold: the treatment feels like a hot stone massage, with no pain involved, and there is no down time. After enduring two rounds of the intensely painful BodyFx treatment, which incidentally did NOTHING to improve the cellulite on the backs of my legs, I was ready to try something that did NOT have me writhing in pain on a treatment table.

I had my first treatment last week at a wonderful facility called Laser Creations in Simi Valley, CA (http://www.lasercreations.org/venus-freeze-skin-tightening-and-body/) and am happy to report that I felt no pain at all during the entire treatment. It truly did feel remarkably similar to a hot stone massage, down to a couple of hot spots which were almost at the point of pain but not quite. After the treatment was completed, the area was massaged manually, and some fat pockets popped from this manipulation. It was a strange sensation, feeling those pockets pop, but I felt victorious because I knew that the technology was already bringing about an effect.

I noticed no change in the quality of my skin, nor did I see any improvement in the appearance of cellulite after the first treatment, but that is normal after only one treatment. I did notice that the more proximal areas (areas closer to my glutes and on my glutes) actually looked more pronounced with respect to the dimpling, but I think that has something to do with the localized swelling. I returned today for my second treatment in the series and experienced one spot which zapped me for a second, causing me to flinch. However, the rest of the treatment was fine, and the heat, though intense, was not painful at all. We got more pockets to pop today, but not as many as from the first treatment. I am very excited to see if visible changes begin to emerge after this second treatment! There are six more treatments left in the series for me, with cumulative effects expected over time. I also practice very clean eating and I drink 1-1/2 gallons of water a day, which will enhance the process of lipolysis (breakdown of fats in fat cells).

I am hoping that a noticeable difference in the areas treated will emerge shortly after my fourth treatment. As a physician who actively works in the field of aesthetic medicine, I am well aware that it takes the body about 5 to 6 months to fully generate a round of collagen, and that small, visible changes can be seen about 30 days into a Venus Freeze treatment regimen.

Green Coffee Bean Extract

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You may be wondering what green coffee extract is, especially when the roasted variety has such a characteristic mahogany brown color. “Green” coffee refers to the most pure and raw form of coffee before it is roasted and processed in other ways. When coffee beans are roasted, a powerful chemical called chlorogenic acid is leached out, and it is this chemical which is believed to slow absorption of fat and glucose from foods, resulting in less fat deposition and greater weight loss. Dr. Oz was a major factor in popularizing this supplement, and allegedly conducted his own study using the extract, demonstrating effectiveness in his subjects. There are several studies which have concluded that green coffee extract can have a modest effect on individuals looking to lose weight, even if all other factors (diet, physical activity) remain unchanged.

I am very much a skeptic when it comes to supplements with weight loss claims, but green coffee extract seems to have some validity. I am seeing more thermogenic formulas with green coffee extract as part of the formulation, and feel comfortable recommending it either alone or in combination. The recommended dosage of green coffee extract is 800 milligrams twice daily before meals.

green coffee

Gamma Linolenic Acid

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GLAOne supplement which has gotten attention from Dr. Oz lately as a potential fat buster and weight loss aid is gamma-linolenic acid. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid which stimulates the brown fat in the body and trigger utilization of white fat for energy. GLA also raises serotonin levels in the brain, creating a feeling of satiety sooner. There have been numerous studies to suggest that GLA can be an effective weight loss aid. Another nifty benefit of GLA is the body’s conversion of it into dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid, which is a precursor of the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E1.

The Dr. Oz website recommends taking 1,000 milligrams of GLA before every meal for one week to mobilize fat stores for energy, while other sites recommend anywhere from 500 to 2,000 milligrams daily split into several doses. However, many studies state that the effects of GLA can only be seen after prolonged supplementation. GLA derived from black currant seed oil is a bit safer to take since the GLA derived from evening primrose oil may have estrogenic activity in some individuals.

GLA can also help with symptoms of PMS, rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure, and it can be excellent for the skin and hair. I am actually quite intrigued with the benefits for skin since I work extensively in the field of aesthetic dermatology and am always searching for skin cures. Of course this means that there is a chance that I will give GLA supplementation a try so that I can report my individual findings in a later blog post.

Make sure that if you decide to supplement with GLA to take this supplement with food to enhance absorption. Also make sure to allow several weeks for the effects to manifest. Lastly, bear in mind that this supplement tends to be very unstable and can turn rancid, so store in a cool, dry, dark place.

Calcium Pyruvate

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Magic-Pill-300x152Calcium pyruvate has gotten a lot of attention lately, being touted as a fat blaster extraordinaire by Dr. Oz and by other medical and health professionals. Supposedly there has been research pointing to calcium pyruvate’s effectiveness in mobilizing storage fat as a fuel source. The general recommendation is to take 1000 milligrams before each meal for a period of one week to jump start the body’s utilization of fat.

Here’s the big problem with such a claim. It’s completely bogus. In order to reap the fat blasting benefits of calcium pyruvate, you would need to consume 30 grams per day. That’s a pretty massive dose, and pretty expensive to boot. It would be a rare person indeed who would be willing to spend the serious coin necessary and take the massive amounts of capsules each day just to gain such a fat torching benefit. I know I wouldn’t do it. Calcium pyruvate is also very poorly absorbed, so when you load your body with high doses, you can expect to spend a LOT of time in the restroom dealing with a very uncomfortable aftermath. Also, if you are crapping out most of the supplement, you are just wasting money and wreaking havoc on your digestive tract to boot.

The main reason why calcium pyruvate is a recent hot topic is because Dr. Oz made a big deal about it, proving that media hype can make just about ANY supplement appealing because people want to believe in anything that is offering promise as a magic weight loss pill. Magic wand in a supplement? I don’t think so. I recently was told by a client that she was going to begin taking this supplement, despite my very unenthusiastic review of it. All I can do in such a situation is throw my hands up and say, “Do what you want, but I’m not recommending or endorsing this.”

The take home lesson here is don’t believe the hype when a new supplement comes on the horizon, especially one that promises to zap storage fat.

Invasix Body Fx Treatments…If You Are Lean, Beware!

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BodyFxI have a problem area which is constantly being tortured in an effort to to correct the issue, namely, mild but stubborn cellulite on my hamstring area. In the past I have tried Exilis treatments, and I always make sure to do infrared body wraps before I compete to minimize the appearance of cellulite in this region. However, the results of both of these procedures are temporary, and consequently I am always on the hunt for something more effective.

Enter BodyFx by Invasix, which is a radio-frequency and vacuum device which allegedly targets fat cells while also tightening the dermis and causing collagen contracture. The promise of less fat along with tighter skin seemed too good to be true, but I was willing to try this technology 1) because I am a physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine, 2) I will be stepping onstage very soon, and 3) I HATE the dimpling on the backs of my thighs.

I was told that the treatment, which combines focused radio-frequency energy, deep tissue heating, and suction coupled negative pressure, would be uncomfortable, but MAN OH MAN! Between the intense someone-is-lighting-me-on-fire heat and the intermittent zapping sensation I experienced at the end of some of the pulses, I was in agony. I am a tough cookie with a high pain threshold too, which should tell you a lot. The procedure was so painful that I was yelling obscenities and grabbing onto the treatment table, getting a great chest workout as I wrestled it like it was an enormous squeeze ball. I know that my body fat is at around 14% right now, that I have very little storage fat on the backs of my legs, and that the leaner a patient is, the more painful the BodyFx treatment tends to be.

Here’s a YouTube video which describes the technology:

I find it amazing that the patient featured in this video only reported mild heat sensation, so I am guessing that she has significantly more body fat than I do. Truth be told, my procedure hurt like the dickens. I had to endure ten minutes on each thigh, with more distal and lateral aspects of my posterior thigh being the most intensely painful areas. It was no picnic!

BodyFx treatments must be performed weekly for an 8 week treatment period, which means that I must endure SEVEN more weekly sessions to see optimal results. A one treatment maintenance every 6 months is also part of the treatment protocol. Oh goodie. I am honestly dreading the pain I will be experiencing later this week when I go in for my second BodyFx treatment. But you know what? If it truly works, all the pain will be worth it.

L-Carnitine For Energy And Fat Loss

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L-CarnitineI am personally a big fan of l-carnitine supplementation and make sure to add it to my intra-workout drink each day that I train. This amino acid compound, consisting of lysine and methionine, can be found in a couple of different forms. This article discusses L-carnitine tartrate, which is the form known to benefit athletic performance and recovery.

There are a couple of important points to consider when supplementing with carnitine. First of all, insulin must be present in the body for carnitine to enter muscle. One way of taking carnitine is to ingest carnitine with carbs so that there is an insulin release, but another effective option is to ingest carnitine with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids optimize cell membrane health, thus making cells more sensitive to insulin. Carnitine serves as a delivery system for fatty acids, so if carnitine levels are high, more fatty acids will be shuttled into cells to be utilized for energy. Conversely, when carnitine levels are low, fewer fatty acids are moved into the cells and are instead stored as fat. Supplementation with carnitine before intense exercise will switch the focus on burning fat rather than utilizing glycogen stores, resulting in longer sessions before glycogen stores are depleted. In addition, the presence of carnitine inhibits production of lactic acid, so recovery from intense exercise is more rapid.

Carnitine is not only an excellent performance supplement, it also serves as an excellent means of addressing metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, characterized by diabetes, atherosclerosis and high cholesterol, can be countered by carnitine’s ability to induce fat loss, prevent atherosclerosis and minimize the development of diabetes. After several months of carnitine supplementation, carnitine levels reach a level at which energy production and performance are enhanced. For this reason, it is best to consider carnitine an essential supplement in your daily regimen rather than as something taken only periodically.

Take 500 to 2,000 milligrams of l-carnitine tartrate daily with omega-3 fatty acids and a small amount of carbohydrates.

Ladies, Lift Those Heavier Weights!

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Lift Heavy WeightsIt still boggles my mind how many women are afraid to lift weights for fear that they will become huge and look like big, hulking men. How wrong they are! I often speak with female patients of all ages who lament the fact that they cannot get the sculpted, lean bodies they covet despite working out regularly. The problem stems from a couple of things:

1. They do not feed their bodies properly.
2. They do not lift weights, or if they do, they do not practice a lifting regimen that would bring about the physical changes they want.

I see ladies at the gym who will jump on a cardio machine for 20 to 30 minutes of easy cardio, then, if they had an indulgent night of eating or partying, they may extend their cardio sessions for a longer period of time at the same intensity. Before or after this, they may hit a few sets of uninspired exercises with light weights. These women barely break a sweat, yet they expect their bodies to transform. I’ve got news for you: that type of workout will ensure that you remain at the same level of fitness, and over time, you will see what little conditioning you may have plummet despite all your consistency.

It is a gross misconception that by lifting light weights and taking it easy at the gym, they will avoid getting bulky and will tone their muscles. Women are built differently than men, and simply do not have the testosterone levels necessary to build significant, bulky muscle mass. You need to challenge your body and create the muscle microtears necessary to build shapely, lean muscle. That means you need to lift heavier weights and break a sweat!

There are a multitude of benefits to lifting heavier weights, which I detail below.

CURVY, LEAN MUSCLE:

When you lift heavier weights, you will be rewarded with better muscle definition. Lifting very light weights will never challenge the muscles, so the muscles will never grow. I know I have scared some ladies, but think about a woman who has great muscle tone, but is still lean and feminine. A woman like that lifts weights that are heavy enough to spark muscle growth. If you follow suit, you will end up lean and more defined without being bulky.

GREATER OVERALL STRENGTH:

By lifting heavier weights, you will become stronger, and everyday activities will become easier to perform. You will also gain more structural stability from the greater muscle density which can protect your back and your joints.

IMPROVED BALANCE, COORDINATION AND POSTURE:

By improving muscle tone through weight training, you will enjoy better balance, greater overall coordination, and better posture.

IMPROVED BONE DENSITY:

Resistance training improves bone density by stressing the bones, thus triggering bone growth. This confers a protective effect against development of osteoporosis, especially in petite women.

HIGHER METABOLISM:

When you work out with heavier weights, you create tears in the muscles worked. When you do this, you expend a greater number of calories in order to repair those microtears.

LOWER BODY FAT:

Your body fat stores, particularly in the midsection, will be better utilized when you perform weight training with heavier weights.

PREVENTION OF MAJOR DISEASES:

Challenging weight training with heavier weights will reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It will also lower LDL cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol. In addition, your risk of diabetes and breast cancer will drop significantly.

BETTER IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTION:

Moderate exercise reduces stress, and by doing so, enables your body to produce more white blood cells to combat infection. In addition, the shift in attention from the troubles of the day while you are weight training will reduce the stress which can suppress your immune system.

GREATER WELL-BEING:

Vigorous resistance training boosts endorphin (natural opiates produced in the brain) levels, which create a sense of well-being. It will also stave off depression and produce a more restful sleep.

REDUCED PMS SYMPTOMS:

As stated previously, weight training is a terrific mood elevator and regulator. It also has a positive impact on hormone levels, increasing blood levels of estrogen, growth hormone, and testosterone. This counteracts the drop in estrogen and rise in progesterone which occurs right around the time before menstruation.