The Zone Diet Program Really Is Effective For Helping Anyone Lose Weight

Do you want to try the zone diet program, but are not sure it will really be effective for helping you with weight loss? Then you need to be aware of why this program really is effective for anybody that wants to make this goal a reality.

One reason this program is so effective is because it follows a formula where you eat 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fats for every meal. The diet was created by Barry Sears PhD and his diet is allowing thousands of people to easily lose weight.

Even celebrities have used this diet to help keep themselves in shape and healthy. Not only will it help you lose weight effectively, but you can also improve your health.

The diet itself is scientifically balanced so that you are only eating what is healthy for you and the foods that will help you promote weight loss easily. There are three macronutrients that need to be adjusted so you eat the right amounts, which will help you keep your body in balance hormonally.

- Trigger fat burning by the release of hormone glucagon's by giving your body enough protein for maintaining muscle mass.

- Keeps you strong mentally when you eat enough low glycemic carbohydrates which will help feed your brain without making the blood sugar levels spike, which will lead to an insulin response.

- Help your body stay healthy for growth reproduction when you eat enough dietary fat that will help it absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, plus Linoleic acid.

Another reason this is an effective diet is that it is based around meal ratios that have been seen to allow anyone to lose weight. For anyone using this diet, you are going to need to use a ratio of 40% good carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.

This ratio will help you take control of your insulin levels so you are able to burn fat and not store it. Most people don't realize that insulin plays a role in whether you are successful at losing weight or not, but it really does.

This diet was created to allow you to take control of your insulin easily; you just have to decide to use it. You are the only one that will be able to decide this, so you can be sure that you make the best one for you so you will begin losing weight.

For anyone that has been searching for an effective way to achieve weight loss, you need to be sure that you check out the zone diet program for yourself. This diet has helped thousands of people be success with weight loss and it can help you to if you are really serious about making this goal a reality for you.

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For anyone that has found good information and help from this article by Jeff Schuman, please don't hesitate to come by and check out our Zone Diet Review website today where you will be provided access to information about the zone diet program. This will let you learn more about the zone diet success which numerous people are achieving for weight loss that can also be yours easily. http://www.zonedietreview.net/

Ultimate Trim Review: Is Ultimate Trim Really The Ultimate Fat Burner?

Ultimate Trim Review: Is It Really The Ultimate Fat Burner?SEARCH SITEe.g. Zantrex 3, Relacore, etc.

Home/Fat BurnersRecommendationsFunctional FoodsBodyBuildingVitamins/MineralsDiet PillsThe BlogArticlesDietsGlossary Ultimate Trim Review: Is It Really The Ultimate Fat Burner? Share|

Ultimate Trim claims to be the "Ultimate Fat Burner", allowing users to "lose 20 lbs. fast" with its "triple action weight loss formula." I found this last statement to be at odds with a comment made a mere 3 paragraphs later...

"...in order for any weight loss fat burning system to work, the solution must address the four key components of weight loss."

So is this a triple or quadruple action product?

The web site itself is typical of products like this; it features a mix of personal testimonials (all sporting impeccable grammar which is uncommon), quotes from Oprah and Dr. Nicholas Perricone regarding several "key" ingredients of the product, an offer for a free trial and the logos of several recognizable media outlets (CNN, FoxNews, etc.).

Of course, neither Oprah or Dr. Perricone endorse Ultimate Trim, and it hasn't been featured on any of the news channels featured prominently on the site. It's all part of the retailer's effort to add credibility to their product's claims.

In scouring UltimateTrimDirect.com I could find no information about the company providing this breakthrough product; no physical address or contact number is provided. An e-mail address and contact form are your only links with whomever is behind this company. This is never a good sign.

And check out the "About Us" link... there's no information there, just a re-posting of the company's money back guarantee, which customers allege isn't honored anyway.

So is there anything to the Ultimate Trim claims? Is there any reason to spend $70 on this product? Let's have a look at the product formulation...

1) Caralluma Fibriata: The Ultimate Trim sales copy makes much ado over the "fat burning powers" of this "wonder" ingredient. Despite all this, I was only able to find one positive study on Caralluma (see Appetite. 2007 May;48(3):338-44. Epub 2006 Nov 13). It concluded...

"While there was a trend towards a greater decrease in body weight, body mass index, hip circumference, body fat and energy intake between assessment time points in the experimental group, these were not significantly different between experimental and placebo groups. Caralluma extract appears to suppress appetite, and reduce waist circumference when compared to placebo over a 2 month period."

While positive, I would hardly describe the results of this study as a rip-roaring endorsement of Caralluma's amazing fat burning and appetite suppressing powers. Incidentally, it also appears to be the only published, peer-reviewed study on Caralluma's possible benefits for dieters.

Additionally, the clinical study calls for 1 gram (1,000 mg) of Caralluma daily ? and we can't confirm whether or not Ultimate Trim contains that much active ingredient (the daily intake of the proprietary Ultimate Trim blend comprises 1464 mg of ingredients).

Although Caralluma is listed first (ingredients are listed on labels in order of prominence), there are 5 other ingredients included here as well. In essence what that means is that if Caralluma is included in a dose strong enough to replicate the rather underwhelming results shown by the study above, the other 5 ingredients will be present in such a low dosage as to comprise little more than label dressing.

2) Green tea extract (50% EGCG): Green tea and an essential catechin thereof, EGCG, have been shown to be helpful for weight loss (read the full review of green tea here!). As I just indicated however, if Caralluma is included in a dose potent enough to have any effect, it's very unlikely there's enough green tea here to do anything -- especially considering there are still an additional 4 ingredients in the formula.

3) Cocoa extract: Ultimate Trim labels itself the "feel good" fat burner, probably on the basis of this ingredient. Usually this claim is based on the fact that cocoa extracts contain phenylethylamine (PEA), which is a chemical cousin of amphetamine. Unfortunately, PEA is metabolized by the enzyme monamine oxidase, preventing all but the tiniest amounts from entering the bloodstream.

In this formula the cocoa extract is standardized for l-tyrosine, theobromine, caffeine and a few other goodies. While caffeine is a proven thermogenic, and tyrosine has mood-elevating characteristics in multi-gram doses, it's doubtful any of these ingredients are present in high enough amounts to elicit much of an effect.

4) Cayenne: probably standardized for capsaicin, a chemical that gives chile peppers their "heat." The theory is that capsaicin "revs" up your metabolism by creating heat, thus burning off extra calories. However, this study (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13) says it best...

"Capsaicin has been shown to be effective, yet when it is used clinically it requires a strong compliance to a certain dosage, that has not been shown to be feasible yet."

In other words, in order for capsaicin to have an effect on your metabolism, it has to be taken in doses much too high to make it practical.

5) ATP: Or adenosine triphosphate. It's a nucleotide present in all cells in the human body. Its roles are many and complex; it's involved in everything from cellular metabolism, muscle contraction, cardiac function to the metabolism of glycogen in the liver. Does ATP help with weight loss? If it does, it isn't reflected in any clinical study I could find (I did find it helps mitigate weight loss in small cell lung cancer patients).

Additionally, any "benefits" offered by the tiny amount of ATP included in this formula are likely compromised by the caffeine also present; caffeine and other xanthines are competitive antagonists of adenosine on cell surface receptors (Anesthesiology 2002;97:938-43).

6) Slimaluma?: The patented version of the Caralluma (see ingredient #1) which comprises the majority of this formula. Including a small amount of it here seems silly and redundant.

At the end of the day what you're left with is a single ingredient that has only one credible study validating its effectiveness (Caralluma), and indeterminate amount of one other useful ingredient (green tea). The remainder of the formula adds relatively little value.

Can you lose 20 lbs fast with Ultimate Trim?

Not a chance.

There's absolutely no evidence to indicate this is even remotely possible.

For 50% of the cost of this product, you can buy much better formulated products that come with a real guarantee.

There are several other problems...

As mentioned earlier, consumer complaints allege this company does not honor its money-back guarantee.

Further detective work reveals this product appears to be distributed by Brock Felt and MarqiLife. MarqiLife distributes Nite Trim (which has also received complaints of deceptive billing practices), and BetaFuel (of which I have received complaints of deceptive billing practices).

As of August 2008, MarqiLife and Brock Felt were passing off their illegal ephedra-based product BetaFuel as legal (by failing to inform consumers that the ephedra ban lifted in 2005 was re-instated in 2006).

This company offers free trial incentives. These are not a "good faith" demonstration of the company's confidence in their product, but an attempt to lure you into a recurring billing program which you'll find nearly impossible to cancel from (for a video on the "dangers" of the free trial offer, click here!).

In short this product is overpriced, over hyped, and distributed by a company with a far from stellar record of billing and marketing practices.

 

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Phosphacore Fat Burner Review: Is It Really #1 For Weight Loss?

Phosphacore, claims the advertising copy, is a new "medical weight loss miracle that is helping thousands of men and women lose pounds of excess body weight... some as much as 25 pounds in only two weeks."

The advertising copy then goes on to talk about the recently discovered extract of "Carthamus tinctorius" that has received world-wide media attention. It talks authoritatively of clinical research performed in Norway, and promises that Phosphacore is clinically proven for weight loss—it melts 1.12" of belly fat per month, apparently.

The advertising even advises against cheap imitations, indicating that "only Phosphacore was named 2009 Diet Of The Year by Applied Nutritional Research Magazine."

This seems like it's a good enough place to start deconstructing the Phosphacore sales pitch.

First of all, it seems a little premature to proclaim Phosphacore as "the 2009 Diet Of The Year." After all, it's only May (at the time of this writing).

Secondly, it's hard to attribute a whole lot of credibility to such a recommendation when it's made in your own magazine. Yes, that's correct; Applied Nutritional Research is the company that sells Phosphacore (it's also brought us such "winners" as MoyoJava, reviewed here!). They awarded their own product the "diet of the year" award.

Go figure. Can you say "conflict of interest"?

Second, the miraculous "Carthamus tinctorius" is better known as safflower. It's a pretty common plant harvested for its oil.

But "Carthamus tinctorius" seems more scientific, and a heck of a lot more illustrious-sounding than safflower.

It also disguises the main ingredient, since safflower is used as a source of CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, which has been used as a weight loss aid for—oh, I don't know, since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

I guess that maybe they didn't want you to know that?

Is CLA the miracle belly fat melter, as claimed by the makers of Phosphacore? Does it "break up and flush away unhealthy adipose cells?"

Hardly.

However, at a high enough dosage, CLA seems to help with moderate weight loss. For example, one study (Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11) stated...

"Given at a dose of 3.2 g/d, CLA produces a modest loss in body fat in humans."

Other evidence does indicate that CLA is a decent, if not revolutionary weight loss supplement (see Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;79(6):1118-25, Br J Nutr. 2007 Mar;97(3):550-60, Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Mar;31(3):481-7. Epub 2006 Aug 22, Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11), although I've never ever heard from anyone who has experienced ground breaking results with it. It is, however, a viable alternative for individuals who cannot handle caffeine or other stimulant-based fat burners. And CLA on it's own is certainly cheap enough (Phosphacore is a different story altogether), so it won't break the bank if you want to experiment with it.

Phosphacore also contains interminable amounts of...

1) Vitamin C: A common antioxidant, more information on Vitamin C can be found here.

2) Phosphatidylserine: According to the makers of Phosphacore, this ingredient is responsible for a 30% reduction in the stress hormone cortisol—which is responsible for fat storage, especially in the abdominal region. In reality, the only study I could find indicated...

"The findings suggest that PS is an effective supplement for combating exercise-induced stress and preventing the physiological deterioration that can accompany too much exercise."

Did you get that? That's "exercise-induced" stress, and at a daily dose of 600 mg. If you're over-training, it's hardly likely that being overweight is a serious issue for you. The advertising doesn't address the correct context of this study. Nor is it revealed how much phosphatidylserine is included in the product to determine whether supplementation might offer some benefit—even if it's only to athletes.

Now that we know what's in it, let's sum up the problems with Phosphacore...

It is extremely expensive (a single bottle sells for $40).While the ingredients are revealed (if you look hard enough) the dosages are not. This makes it impossible to assess the true value of this formula. Phosphacore is not "clinically proven." There have been no published studies performed on the Phosphacore formula. While CLA shows some promise, it certainly doesn't exhibit the sort of dramatic results promised by the sales copy.

If you like the "sound" of CLA, go ahead and try supplementing with it (in fact CLA is one of the few products we recommend on our "recommendations page"), but buy a readily available version. There's no need to spend $40 on Phosphacore.

For example, at BodyBuilding.com, you can buy 180 caps of PrimaForce Max CLA for just under $16. At three caps per day, that's a two month's worth supply.

Studies indicate that CLA is most effective when consumed in the 3.2 to 4.7 grams per day range. Most CLA supplements (including the PrimaForce Max CLA) contain 1,000 mg of safflower oil per serving, usually standardized for about 70% CLA per serving.

That means to obtain the ideal dosage for weight loss, you need to consume between 5-7 caps per day, instead of the recommended 3 (which will only provide you with 2.1 grams of CLA). That means a 180 capsule bottle will last you between 25 and 35 days. But at $16, it's still a good value.

Have you used Phosphacore? Share your comments and
read what others have had to say about this product!

UltimateFatBurner.com Recommended Quick Links:

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4) To read what our visitors say about us, click here!
5) To watch our video on deceptive billing practices, click here!
6) To read the review of our recommended diet program, click here!
7) For an introduction to fat burners; what they are, what they do, and what you absolutely need to know about them, click here!

To find a specific product review, use the search function on the top right hand side of this page.

Have you been the victim of a product that makes exaggerated claims? Launch a complaint!

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SoloSlim® Fat Burner Review: Does SoloSlim® Really Work?

According to the advertising I reviewed, SoloSlim is the once-daily weight loss pill that's...

"... designed to help you safely slim down."

Unfortunately, I highly doubt that's the case. Why? There are several major problems with SoloSlim®. Let's start with the first...

1) First of all, Health Canada has issued a product alert as a result of a Hong Kong Department of Health warning. Seems SoloSlim® is contaminated with a sibutramine-related chemical (sibutramine is a prescription weight loss drug). Not good.

2) Next, SoloSlim® claims its single-capsule dosage is enough to provide dramatic results and last you through an entire day. The problem here is that the medicinal plants, food compounds and herbs that are typically found in weight loss products are much like pharmaceutical drugs; they need to be present in a potent enough dosage to have any effect.

Advertising your product as a "once-a-day, single-capsule" solution to weight loss may sound convenient, but in reality, you are all but ensuring most ingredients simply cannot be present in doses high enough to have any effect.

As an example...

The SoloSlim formulation contains glucomannan, which in essence is a fiber supplement. The good news is that there is some real, clinical evidence that indicates it may be helpful for weight loss. However, it needs to be taken in substantial amounts—the study I just referenced, for example, uses 1 gram of glucomannan 3 times daily, prior to meals.

That's the equivalent of 6 rather large, 500 mg capsules.

Uh-huh.

So we can be pretty darn sure that SoloSlim contains nowhere near the amount of glucomannan shown to be helpful in the various clinical studies. If it did, a single capsule would be too large to swallow.

3) Although the ingredients are revealed, just how much of each is included in the formula is not.

It is therefore impossible to determine if any of the ingredients are present in a dosage strong enough to elicit any effect. Basically, it makes it next to impossible to truly assess the value of this formula.

To be fair, most ingredients in this formula do not need to be present in as large a dose as the glucomannan. That said, most of the ingredients have relatively little supporting data behind them... at any dose. Here's a brief breakdown of some of the more promising remaining ingredients...

Citrus aurantium (standardized for synephrine): Once thought to be a credible alternative to ephedra, studies have shown synephrine to be spectacularly "unspectacular" for weight loss. Fucoxanthin: The good news is there is a small amount of promising evidence that indicates Fucoxanthin is useful for weight loss (see Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Jul 1;332(2):392-7, Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008;17 Suppl 1:196-9). The bad news is that to date, any published material has been based on animal studies. Additionally, there's the problem of low bioavailability of these compounds in humans. This study (see Br J Nutr. 2008 Aug;100(2):273-7) concluded...

"... results indicated that the plasma response to dietary epoxyxanthophylls was very low in humans even after 1-week intake of epoxyxanthophyll-rich diets."

L–Carnitine Tartrate: Used in fat burners almost forever, l-carnitine, even when used at extremely high doses—much higher than present here—shows relatively little weight loss effect. And the special "tartrate" version? There's no evidence it's any more (or less for that matter) effective than the regular stuff for weight loss. Decaffeinated green tea (standardized for EGCG): Green and tea and one of its critical components, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG for short) are one of the few bright lights in the natural weight loss supplement world. And while studies have shown that EGCG is beneficial to dieters, it really needs to be combined with caffeine and the other catechins naturally present in green tea to offer the greatest fat burning benefits (Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 26, No. 4, 396S-402S).

In other words, this formula would benefit more from caffeinated green tea. The web site advertising boasts about the "stimulant free" nature of SoloSlim® (i.e., no caffeine, no ephedra), but that boast "rings" a little hollow, given the inclusion of synephrine in this formula—it's an ingredient with well-established stimulant properties (see Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;40(1):53-7. Epub 2005 Nov 29).

At $39.99 per bottle, you're really not getting a heck of a lot of value for your money. For much less, you could buy a better formulated product, or a potent dose of the more promising ingredients—like glucomannan and green tea, for instance. Remember—the convenience of a single daily dose may sound appealing, but it virtually guarantees the majority of ingredients are not present in doses high enough to be helpful.

Give this one a miss.

Have you tried SoloSlim? Share your comments and read what others
have had to say about this product!

UltimateFatBurner.com Recommended Quick Links:

1) For a listing of popular women's fat burner reviews, click here!
2) For a listing of popular "unisex" fat burner reviews, click here!
3) To see which products we recommend, click here!
4) To read what our visitors say about us, click here!
5) To watch our video on deceptive billing practices, click here!
6) To read the review of our recommended diet program, click here!
7) For an introduction to fat burners; what they are, what they do, and what you absolutely need to know about them, click here!

To find a specific product review, use the search function on the top right hand side of this page.

Have you been the victim of a product that makes exaggerated claims? Launch a complaint!

US visitors should submit a complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission!

Canadians, submit a complaint at the Canadian Competition Bureau!

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