What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others...."

[amy_b]

Please don't jump on me for asking this- I am just curious. I know that Cathe does not advocate any supplement besides a multivitamin and I have never taken any product for weight loss or other such thing. So...what are these products, and pills, and supplements and amino acids that I see advertised in fitness magazines? Are they unsafe? Why do you think fitness magazines that seem to be so pro-health would accept SO many ads for these products? It seems to me that most all fitness professionals in Oxygen Mag advise taking Hydroxycut or something like that.
Anyway, I don't know what I think about these and I am wondering what your experience has been. Right now, the promotion for these things is so heavy that I kind of wonder if I am reading the wrong magazines, b/c I don't think I am interested in this. Curious to hear what you think.

 

[CathydsRNA]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I know that a lot of hardcore female body builders use them and advocate them. Over on Ms. Fits site (www.theelitephysique.com) there has been much discussion of these products under the supplement forum.
I don't use them. All legally available "metabolism boosters" are now ephedra free but I don't know how safe or effective they are. I don't know if there have been any controlled studies done addressing these two issues because I haven't looked. If you find any, let us know. I may check this out for myself and if I come up with anything, I shall post.

 

[Soosan]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I picked up an Oxygen magazine yesterday, something I rarely do. As I was reading it, it struck me that most, if not all, of the featured bodybuilders are not going through their extreme routines/diet for health reasons. Their goal is to be as cut as possible with as low a body fat percentage as possible in order to look a certain way and compete. I don't think this equates with good health, even though the word "health" frequently appears in the articles. I'm not criticizing their goals, I'm just saying these women are not as much about health as they are about looks.

 

[allwildgirl]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I've tried Hydroxycut. All it does is make you jumpy and jittery and queasy as heck.

 

[red_mct]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

Shelley, that was my experience, too. I was mostly just really shaky.

Personally, though, I tend to be sensitive to medication, so my reaction might be on the extreme end.

Marie

 

[lisaannjam]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

My experience was the same as Shelley and Marie. I was pretty jittery. I think they are supposed to help suppress your appetite, and give you "energy" for your workut. I guess if you are cutting your calories and upping your workouts (to get ripped), they probably do need to take these supplements. I agree, though, I don't know how safe they are.

P.S. I'm so sorry I won't get to meet you Ladies at the Road Trip. I'm not able to go this year...I hope you have a blast and I cannot wait to hear all about it!!!

 

[kathryn]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

Why do you think
>fitness magazines that seem to be so pro-health would accept
>SO many ads for these products?

I don't think of Oxygen, Muscle and Fitness, etc. as "pro-health" necessarily. They are more "pro-appearance." The inclusion of ads for stuff like this, and articles on plastic surgery, shows that bend. "Pro-health" magazines would be like "Prevention."

They accept the ads because the companies selling the products pay premium prices for the ad space.

 

[amy_b]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

Well, I guess its a no-brainer that they would accept the ads that pay the money. I have also noticed that they sometimes drop it into an article, as well. Maybe Hydroxycut pays extra for the little plugs. Anyway, I think for myself, I need to purposely keep my goals health-based, rather than appearance based. I'm not competing for any kind of title (nor would win one! ), so I am going to stay away from things that might make me edge-y. Heaven knows I don't need that around here!

 

[kathryn]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I have also noticed that they sometimes
>drop it into an article, as well. Maybe Hydroxycut pays extra
>for the little plugs.
Are those the "ad-articles" or whatever they call them? They are actually 4 page ads for Hydroxycut, not articles at all. I used to be fooled by them, because the first page looks like it's going to be a useful article, then when you turn the page, the plus for Hydroxycut start. They usually say on the bottom of the first page (in small print) that is is an ad. Or at least they used to.

 

[carmenelectra]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I have tried many supplements, one of then being hydroxycut. Took it for awhile, lost weight then I started getting headaches from it so i stopped. Occasionally I still do take a diff one and it does suppress my appetite

 

[l23]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I tried this many years ago. It made my heart race, I was tired but couldn't sleep, I had a terrible headache. I basically just laid in bed. And I only took half the recommended dose! There was no way I would exercise. So I stopped after 2 days. Not worth it!

 

[Ritko1]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

I love the way they always follow these ads up with fine print that states, “To compliment your healthy diet and exercise regime,” or other such words. In reality those with a healthy diet and exercise regime wouldn’t need weight loss supplements.

It must be some sort of disclaimer wherein they can state that if it doesn’t work it’s because you didn’t eat right or exercise while taking it. Duhhh…is it the pill or the healthy diet and exercise that gets the results????


Laura

 

[kathryn]

RE: What is the deal with Hydroxycut and others....

>It must be some sort of disclaimer wherein they can state that
>if it doesn’t work it’s because you didn’t eat right or
>exercise while taking it. Duhhh…is it the pill or the healthy
>diet and exercise that gets the results????


It's just like all the fitness gizmos and gadgets they sell on infomercials, especially those "ab machines" that say you can lose up to X number of pounds in such-and-such an amount of time. The fine print always states "results achieved with diet and exercise in conjunction with said gadget." I think the results are far more due to the diet and added exercise than actually using the gadget (as if any ab machine would help you lose weight by itself!)