UltimateFatBurner's Fat Burning Blog

Recent Reviews On UltimateFatBurner.com

2007-05-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

Oops!

I've been a bit tardy posting the latest fat burner reviews from UltimateFatBurner.com to my blog. Mea culpa -- just had a few other things on my plate, including the building of a very cool new sister site to UltimateFatBurner.com. But I digress... I can't tell you about that until we get closer to launch date!

Anyhow, here are a few of the most recent reviews -- enjoy!

Cravex:

Cravex offers natural appetite suppression and clinically proven weight
loss in one nice, attractively packaged product. At least that's what the advertising claims. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot -- its a carb controller too!

Of course, inquiring minds want to know... does Cravex eliminate excess body fat? Does increase the metabolic rate and balance blood glucose regulation as claimed by the advertising literature?

Click here for the full review!

Hoodia Bites:

Here's a new spin on the whole "hoodia scam" -- bite sized, candied hoodia chews which work fast to crush any hunger cravings in 5 minutes flat. Hoodia Bites claims to be the most absorbable, fastest acting hoodia available. Apparently, it's the only Hoodia product clinically proven to work in America, and contains "certified organic" African Hoodia.

Click here for the full review!

Proactol:

Recently I received an e-mail from a site visitor, inquiring whether or not Proactol™ works, and whether it is, as proclaimed on the marketing web site, "clinically proven." Seems he'd received a few unsolicited bulk e-mails (i.e. "spam") promoting the product, and was interested in purchasing it.

Here's the thing though...

In many countries -- including the U.S. and Canada, it is illegal to send unsolicited bulk e-mail. Therefore any retailers who do so, or who condone affiliates who do so, are in direct violation of the law. A such, they have absolutely zero credibility and even fewer ethics.

Click here for the full review!

Akavar 20/50:

Touted as the "European Weight Loss Breakthrough" Akavar 20 / 50 allows users to "eat all you want and still lose weight." And, according to their web site, they "couldn't say it in print if that wasn't true."

Hmm... great. I haven't even got to reading the product details yet, and already they are lying to me.

Click here for the full review!

Thermocerin:

Thermocerin claims to be the "world's most powerful fat burner now available without prescription."

Big deal.

Just about every fat burner makes this claim. Heck, if I had a dollar for every time I either heard or read this, I'd be retired by now.

Click here for the full review!

Are You Drinking Your Daily Caloric Intake?

2007-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Are You Drinking Your Daily Caloric Intake?

It's astounding how many calories and how many grams of sugar some sodas and "fruit drinks" contain. And of course, let's not forget to mention specialty coffees -- a Starbucks venti Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino Blended Coffee contains a whopping 83 grams of sugar -- about 20 teaspoons. That's a little more than 3/4 of a cup of sugar -- yikes! Diabetes, anyone?

The problem is with this is that many people simply have no idea just how many calories and/or how much sugar is in their drinks. After all, it's hard to imagine a quarter cup or more of sugar in a relatively small beverage. And the labelling on some of these products can be a bit deceptive in some instances too -- quoting ingredients per serving size, which is often half the size of the serving container. As if you're going to drink half a serving, and then recap the can?

So just what are the worst offenders, sugar-wise? This article, from Diet-Blog.com highlights the top 7 worst offenders. Check out the "Hype" energy drink, boasting 67 grams in an 8.4 ounce serving.

Unbelievable.

So... are you drinking your calories? Remember, sodas may taste good, but they offer zero nutritional value and provide nothing but "empty" calories. Fruit drinks too are highly suspect, as are many of the energy drinks and specialty coffees. When used as a treat, these beverages can provide a nice dose of variety to your diet. But as far as regular use goes?

Forget it!

Staying Fit After 40... It Can Be Done!

2007-04-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

It's a common question, one I get often from visitors to UltimateFatBurner.com...

I'm over 40, and I'm trying to lose some weight and get in shape. However, I just find it SO hard. What am I doing wrong? It used to be so easy to lose weight before, but now I find it almost impossible. What do I need to do?

Well, let me assure you about one thing... it usually is harder to lose weight when you are over 40. There are numerous reasons for this -- for instance, your metabolism is a lot slower than it was 20 years ago. This isn't necessarily because you are older, but because of the lifestyle you may have adopted over the years. For example, if you are a "typical North American" as you migrated from high school to college/university to work to marriage and family, it's very likely you became less and less active. After all, the demands on your time did nothing but increase. Leisure activities, outdoor activities, ACTIVE activities were severely (if not completely) curtailed.

As a result, greater amounts of time were spent performing sedentary activities, which, without a corresponding reduction in caloric requirements, leads to weight gain. It also leads to a loss of muscle mass. This is important, since muscle is metabolically active tissue -- i.e., it burns calories even at rest (fat requires almost no calories to sustain itself). For every ounce of muscle you lose, your body requires fewer and fewer calories to sustain itself (that's why every successful "smart" weight loss program today includes some manner of resistance training).

Of course, there are other reasons as well -- the demands on your time are still overwhelming -- from kids, colleagues, spouse, aging parents, your job... the list goes on and on. Let's face it... when you get home at night, you're tired, and you do not want to exercise or deprive yourself of small joys -- like a nice meal.

So yes, it is hard. There is good news though...

First, as you get started, you will feel better than you have in ages. Invigorated, life will acquire a new "shine."

Two, there's a great publication that addresses the issue of "getting fit after 40." It's by Jon Benson and Tom Venuto. It covers all the issues you can expect, and then some. And it does it well. Very well indeed.

Instead of going into great detail here, I'll link to the review I wrote a little while ago. It's a great publication, and I highly recommend it...

Click here to read the Fit Over 40 review!

The Fifth Element!

2007-04-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

I've just finished reading Tom Venuto's The Fifth Element.

If you haven't heard of him, Tom Venuto is a well known "weight loss guru" -- and a darn good one at that. He's the author of "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle" which just happens to be one of my favorite diets of all time. (I reviewed BurnThe Fat some time ago. If you're in the market for a diet, one that really works, I highly recommend you read the review...

http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/burn-the-fat.html

The Fifth Element is a great read -- yes, even though it has no connection with the movie of the same name that stars Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich. Instead, Tom Venuto's Fifth Element is about his search for the last final "key" (or in this case, "element") that virtually guarantees weight loss for anyone. You see, Tom has been working as a trainer for years and has seen some people attain fantastic successes,while others struggled and failed.

So what was the differentiating factor between these two groups? After all, the first three elements were present in both groups' programs...

1) cardio
2) strength training
3) sound nutrition

That's a good question.

After some study and serious contemplation, Tom determined that "the mind" plays a serious role in success and failure (which is why his "Burn The Fat" diet contains a "positive mind programming" element to give you the right "attitude" to lose weight). That, he determined, was the fourth element. But there was still something missing. One critical piece of the weight loss puzzle -- one piece, that when combined with the other elements, increased any individual's chance of losing the weight and keeping it off by a huge factor.

That piece of the puzzle is The Fifth Element.

And it is revealed in Tom's Special Report, which you can download and read for free (right click the link below and select "Save Target As". Save to a folder of your liking)...

http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/pdfs/fifthelement-B.pdf

The Fifth Element is an Adobe PDF file, and you will need the Acrobat Reader to view it. Don't worry -- it's probably already on your machine. If not, there's no charge for it,and you can get it here...

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

And here's the link to The Fifth Element again...

http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/pdfs/fifthelement-B.pdf

I highly recommend you download and read this report... it will open your eyes!

Subway Selling Pizza? What Gives?

2007-04-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, but this news about Subway selling pizza to capitalize on the dwindling market share of Pizza Hut and Dominoes...

Click here to read the full news story!

... really aggravated the "you-know-what" out of me. Hey Jared? What's up with that? Like to try the "Subway diet" all over again, this time substituting your burgers and fries for pizza and pop?

What happened to the "heathy eating" alternative to fast food restaurants so crucial to Subway's corporate branding? 'Cause pizza, as delicious as it may be, isn't a healthy alternative to anything -- and I don't care how much lycopene is contained in the tomato paste. It's outrageously high in fat, it's chock-full of simple, high glycemic carbs, and its about as dense in calories as you can get.

So what does Subway's "about face" reveal to us?

It's simple really... the "healthy eating" image is nothing more than corporate branding, dreamed up by the people in their advertising department to differentiate themselves from their competitors. They themselves actually could care less about healthy eating and the good health of their clientele. It's all a sham, a facade. Because if Subway really did care, they wouldn't be falling over themselves in their haste to to market pizza -- they'd be coming up with healthy, tasty alternatives.

Thanks for the integrity, Subway. from now on, I'll be having Quiznos!

The Fat Burner Free Trial Scam!

2007-04-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...

Just wanted to throw up a quick post to tell you about a new article I recently completed and posted to UltimateFatBurner.com. It's on a subject near and dear to my heart... the 5-7 day free trial scam. You've probably seen these before -- they are common to weight loss products sold online -- the merchant offers the visitor a free 5-7 day trial of their product, just to prove "how effective" it is.

However, in order to receive the free trial, you must pay a small shipping and handling fee, thereby surrendering your credit card info. And that's what these scumbags really want... your credit data so they can add you to an autoship program. That's where you get a new bottle of the product each and every month (and your card is charged accordingly) until "you know what freezes over" (most retailers claim to honor cancellation requests promptly and professionally, but the feedback I've received indicates anything but).

Anyhow, if you're considering a product that offers such a program, or you know someone who is, you must read this article. Here's the link...

The 5-7 Day Fat Burner Free Trial And Why You Must Avoid It!

Enjoy!

New Reviews On UltimateFatBurner.com

2007-04-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

What's new on UltimateFatBurner.com?

As usual, I've got a few new fat burner reviews for you to check out, and I'll get to them in a minute. Before I do, I'd like to introduce a product that I've been very excited about since I first tried it back in late 2005 (yeah, yeah, I know... it has taken me awhile to get to it).

That product is H+ Blocker.

No, it's not a fat burner or weight loss supplement, but a body building supplement. I don't write about these very often (although I'm seriously thinking about expanding this part of the site), because the main topic of interest of my site is fat burners. However, I'm pretty passionate about weight training and about supplements, and as you can imagine I experiment with as many as I can get my little hands on.

Once in a great while, a product actually works like its advertising claims it does. The first one I can think of is creatine, and it blew me away the first time I tried it back in 1996. Since then, I've been on the look out for another creatine. I like NO2 supplements -- like Dymatize's Expand, BSN's NOXplode, Ultimate Nutritions' HorsePower and the new Armageddon. But none of these had that "blow me away" quality that creatine had over 10 years ago.

Until I tried H+ Blocker. One word...

WOW!

And thats all I'm going to say for now. If you want to know more...

You can read the H+ Blocker review here!

As promised, I also have a few new fat burners for you to check out. They are...

1) Brazilian Slim, BugreLife, JungleBurn:

Apparently, the key to a beautiful Brazilian body is Chá de Bugre, the main ingredient in fat burners like TrimLife's Brazilian Slim, BugreLife, Jungle Burn and others. According to the advertising hype I've encountered, Chá de Bugre puts ephedra to shame, although no clinical studies are mentioned to validate this comment -- in fact, no evidence of any sort is brought forth to support any of the advertising statements.

Read the full review here!

2) Zylorin:

Reviewing the Zylorin diet pill made my day. You see, I haven't laughed so hard for quite a while.

Why?

The retailers of Zylorin don't seem to have any compunctions about "pushing the envelope" when it comes to making product claims. And the claims are so ridiculous, it's actually pretty funny.

Read the full review here!

Enjoy!

What The Heck Is Gastric Electrical Stimulation?

2007-04-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Man, oh man.

Things are getting freakier by the second. Here I was thinking that eating right and exercise were the key to weight loss, but nooooo...

... at least not when you have Gastric Electrical Stimulation at your beck and call. I know what you're thinking (no, no, this isn't a psychic hotline commercial)...

What the heck is Gastric Electrical Stimulation? Well, I know that's what I was thinking.

Are you ready for this?

It's the stimulation of the stomach with low level electrical charges.

The process begins by inserting an anti-obesity device into the abdomen. This "anti-obesity" device is a little pacemaker unit the size of a matchbox. It is attached to the stomach wall by electrodes. This device then sends a series of small electrical charges through the electrodes to the stomach.

How does this stimulate weight loss? Here's how, according to the Medtronic web site...

'While the exact way in which GES causes weight loss is not fully understood, it is believed that through low-level electrical pulses the therapy slows the intrinsic electrical waves in the stomach. Animal studies have shown that this electrical stimulation causes the stomach to relax, resulting in distension of the stomach. This distension triggers nerves in the stomach involved in digestion to send signals via the central nervous system to the brain that the stomach is “full”.'

Wow!

Oh yes... if you're thinking that this is one new electronic gizmo you could really go for, here's the bad news...

Gastric Electrical Stimulation therapy has not yet been approved for use in the U.S.

Currently it is undergoing clinical trials in the United Kingdom.

I guess until then, we're stuck with diet and exercise, eh?

Dieting? Watch The Tuna Consumption!

2007-04-02T09:53:00.001-07:00

Tuna has long been the cornerstone of many a smart eating plan. Fitness fanatics, body builders, athletes and dieters the world over have enjoyed tuna as a cost-effective source of lean protein, devoid of carbs, and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

If you count yourself among this group, here's something to consider...

While it's difficult to argue against the benefits offered by tuna, it is a well-known fact that tuna can contain mercury -- an extremely dangerous substance. Consuming fish contaminated with high levels of mercury can affect the heart, brain and immune system. Of course, tuna prepared for the open market is tested to ensure it meets the minimum safe standard -- this varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but in Canada it is .5 parts per million.

What's alarming is that a recent CBC study (you can view the details of the study here!) found that 13% of the white/albacore tuna they tested exceeded these guidelines.

In light of this, Health Canada issued some new regulations...

Pregnant or breastfeeding women can eat up to four servings of canned albacore tuna per week.
Children between the ages of one and four years can eat up to one serving per week.
Children between the ages of five and 11 years can eat up to two servings per week.

Pregnant women and children are the ones most likely to be negatively affected by increased mercury levels, and should therefore limit consumption of tuna.

Two other important points...

While Health Canada has set its own levels of acceptable mercury consumption, not everyone is in agreement with them. Other countries and jurisdictions have different guidelines -- some insisting no more than a can a week is safe for pregnant women and children.

The bottom line is that no one really knows what the long term consumption of low levels of mercury contaminated fish will do to you, so I suggest you use your own judgment when it comes to determining how much tuna you will consume. Personally, I'm not comfortable consuming more than 2-3 cans a week.

The other thing to keep in m ind is that other types of tuna -- skipjack tuna, for example -- are lower in mercury and can provide you with an alternative, should you be unwilling to reduce your tuna consumption somewhat.

Regardless -- anyone dieting, training, or is using tuna as a significant part of their eating plan needs to be aware of the dangers of mercury contamination. It might be time to look for a new protein source too!

New Look And Feel On UltimateFatBurner.com

2007-03-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Over the years, UltimateFatBurner.com has grown into one of the largest "real" fat burner review sites on the Net (I say "real" because we actually provide an unbiased synopsis of the fat burners we review. We don't simply regurgitate the retailer's marketing message and forward the visitor to said retailer for an affiliate commission).

That's led to problems... the site has gotten so big, it's difficult for visitors to find what they want quickly and efficiently. And that's bothersome, because I feel people need quick access to our material.

And that includes the customer comments and feedback posted for many of the products reviewed. Our visitors love this material because it is real. Most of the time, all you see on web sites are manufactured testimonials. Not so on UltimateFatBurner.com. You'll see real comments from real visitors... and many of them are pissed!

Anyhow, enough rambling, here's the new design...

http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/

What do you think?

Hah! Atkins Diet Wins Again!

2007-03-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

You gotta love it. And I bet the late Dr. Atkins really loves it. Another study, this one published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, indicates that not only is the Atkins diet more effective than more the more conventional Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets, it also leads to better blood lipid, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels as well.

Am I happy about this? You bet. For ages, one of my biggest pet peeves has been nutritional and diet "experts" who have dismissed the Atkins diet completely out of hand, labelling it dangerous and even "reckless." None of these "experts" had ever really studied the diet in detail, assuming it allowed nothing but the consumption of meat, eggs, and cheese (in fact, it's only the induction phase of the diet that severely limits carbohydrates. Afterwards, low glycemic fruits and vegetables -- all required for optimal health -- are reintroduced to the diet).

A short time ago, another study was released indicating much the same thing, but since it was not a long term study, once again the "experts" dismissed it out of hand. Well "experts", it's time for you to eat your words... or end your affiliation with the sugar and grain lobby (whatever works best for you). This study, conducted over a year, conclusively demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of the Atkins diet, and questions the long-held belief that low fat, high carb diets were the best solution.

You can read the abstract of the study here!

So there!

Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, my girlfriend's new web site is finally up!

Once Again, Diet Pill Retailers Fined For Scummy Behavior!

2007-03-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Sigh. Here we go again. Yup, the FTC has recently charged several companies with making false and unsubstantiated claims about their products. Fines run into the millions of dollars -- and why shouldn't they? After all, the unsuspecting public has been swindled of their cash and duped into believing there's some sort of magic pill for weight loss -- which of course, does not exist. In some cases, the retailers had studies validating the efficacy of their products. Unfortunately, no such studies existed.

So who got fined?

The marketers of CortiSlim and CortiStress -- Window Rock Health Laboratories -- got nailed with $12 million in fines.

Trimspa, the makers of Trimspa X32, LipoSpa and several other high profile products got assessed $ 1.5 million in fines (Trimspa and the now late Anna Nicole Smith have also been named in a class action suit... boy, has this company got some serious credibility problems!).

Nutraquest (formerly Cytodyne) will be paying a between a whopping 8 and 12.8 million fines for the comments it made about its fat burner Xenadrine EFX.

And lastly is Bayer Corp (yes, Bayer!) who will be handing over $3.2 million from its coffers.

Is there anything the average. moderately-overweight consumer can learn from this?
Absolutely...

Any retailer that makes claim contrary to common sense, any retailer that promises instant results with no effort on your part... well they're only after one thing. A quick buck. Because in most cases, they cannot validate any of their claims with real science.

And that should concern you.

An Unsettling Trend...

2007-02-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

I've been noticing an unsettling trend with the claims made by supplement retailers lately. Seems it's no longer enough to make one outrageous claim about your product -- i.e., "lose 20 lbs. in 10 days." Nope, now retailers are pushing the envelope even farther, some of them making two and even three ridiculous, unsubstantiated claims about their products. Check this out for instance...

Zalestrim (reviewed here) a product targeted at women and sold primarily on eBay, claims to be a potent fat burner, while at the same time boosting libido and increasing breast size.

Lipovox (reviewed here) another eBay-marketed product, claims to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, eliminate acne, and cause significant weight loss.

Finally, Myoffeine (reviewed here), a male-targeted product, claims to make users "freaky lean with bulging muscles", not "skinny with flat muscles" (whatever that means).

Of course, none of the claims made by any of these products are validated with anything resembling real evidence. No natural product, for instance, has ever been shown to increase breast size, and the FTC has acted on several companies who marketed products which made similar claims. Bodybuilders know that gaining muscle while losing fat is almost impossible to do, which is why they employ "bulking" and "cutting" training cycles. And any product rich in antioxidants (like Lipovox) can make the claim that they are "anti-aging".

So what's going on here? Have consumers been so bombarded by the message that they "can lose 20lbs in 20 days" that it no longer makes any impact? Is it only by promising miracles that retailers can elicit a response from their audience? Or is it simply an underhanded tactic to obtain the upper hand on competitors?

Any way you want to slice it, it's an unsettling trend!

New Fat Burner Reviews On UltimateFatBurner.com!

2006-10-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Ephedra Ban... Here We Go Again!

2006-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

On April 14 2005, Judge Tena Campbell of the U. S. District Court in Salt Lake City struck down the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) ban on the sale of the herbal supplement ephedra. According to the judge, the FDA had not met the burden of proof that any specific dosage of the controversial weight-loss drug ephedra was dangerous (read more about the overturning of the ban here!)

Now, a US Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has overturned her decision, ruling that the FDA was correct in their analysis, and has met the required burdon of proof necessary to ban the supplement.

Click here to read the press release of this decision!

What's this really mean to you?

Well, it means that you will no longer be able to buy ephedra fat burners online... a real shame for those of you who use this helpful supplement sensibly.

On the other hand, here's something you might find a bit odd... this ban does not pertain to herbal teas which are considered conventional foods and perhaps even more bizarre, FDA approved drugs that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine (these include over the counter cough and cold remedies, decongestants, and allergy medications).

In other words, the message appears to be that ephedra is dangerous when sold in products unregulated by the FDA, and benign in those that are regulated and approved? Hello? If ephedra's so darn dangerous, why not remove it from all products?

So how do you get your ephedra back?

That's the question answered by Todd Massey in his superb publication, "The Black Market Report On Ephedrine." He'll show you how to legally maneouver around the ban, and buy your ephedra safely and legally!

Read my review of "The Black Market Report On Ephedrine," and get your ephedra back!

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Is A Winner!

2006-09-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Conjugated linoleic acid (or CLA) is a non-essential fatty acid present in meat, cheese, and dairy products (it's only present in low concentrations, so supplementation is necessary to obtain the benefits CLA offers).

And what are those benefits?

Well, several studies indicate it's a fairly potent fat burner. Recently, researchers from The Netherlands and Norway tested 105 overweight adults with either 3.2 grams of CLA daily or a placebo. Those on CLA had a 5.6% drop in body fat over the course of the study (6 months).

You can read complete details on the study here!

I've written about CLA on UltimateFatBurner.com, and reviewed several popular fat burners that contain significant amounts of CLA. The most recent such product reviewed was Lipitrex (you can read that review here!).

The exciting thing about CLA is that it appears to be the "real deal." Combined with a proper diet and exercise program, supplementation with at least three grams daily may be just the thing needed to break past those weight loss barriers.

Have you used CLA? Tell me about it! Either post here to this blog, or contact me here!

Missing The Point... By A Country Mile!

2006-08-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of visitor feedback on UltimateFatBurner.com -- the vast majority of it is hugely positive. Great feedback makes my day... I'm happy that I've been able to help so many people make informed purchasing decisions as well as unveiling some of the nefarious doings commonplace to much of the supplement industry today.

Occasionally though, I get a visitor or two who "just doesn't get it." Their e-mails usually go something like this...

Dear "expletive deleted,"

You're an "expletive deleted." What's the matter with you? Why must you bad mouth every product out there? Don't you realize that natural products are a healthy alternative to dangerous drugs? Do you have any real proof that all the products you bad mouth don't do what they say?

And so on, and so on, and so on.

Unfortunately, these few visitors are missing the point. First of all...

I do have positive things but only when circumstances merit. For instance, you'll find positive comments on my new fat burner chart. And I've always had good things to say about Isatori's Lean System 7 (reviewed here!), one of the few fat burners with real clinical evidence validating its claims. But unlike many of the other "review" sites out there, whose real mandate is to regurgitate marketing messages and to sell fat burners, UltimateFatBurner.com is supported by advertising, and its only mandate is balanced, unbiased product reviews.

Second, whether or not natural products are a safer alternative to prescription drugs (a debatable topic in any event) has nothing to do with why I say what I say. If a product has no evidence to support its claims, I could care less whether or not it comes from natural sources. A scam is a scam, regardless of its ingredient profile.

Third, it is the onus of the supplement manufacturers to prove their marketing claims. It is not up to me to set up double-blind, placebo controlled studies to prove or disprove their various claims. I point out that most retailers exaggerate or fabricate the claims made about their products. It is then up to the manufacturers to present evidence to the contrary. They can't do that. If they could, how many times do you think I'd be sued for slander by now?

The bottom line is that the majority of supplement retailers are not looking after your best interests. They're interested in packing their Cayman Islands tax havens to the rafters with cash. If a few of my visitors care to think otherwise, that's their prerogative. In the meantime, I'll keep on doing what I'm doing!

Visit UltimateFatBurner.com today!

The Value Of Visitor Feedback!

2006-08-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Most companies selling weight loss supplements are quick to use glowing testimonials
to sell their products. I'm sure you've seen zillions of them by now. They usually go
something like this...

"Wow! I can't believe this product. I've been stuck in a rut for years, and must have
tried a hundred different diets. Since I've tried (insert product name here!), the
weight has been dropping off like crazy. No doubt about it, this is the only product
I've ever used that has delivered on its promises." Chris H, Missouri

Or...

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've lost 20 lbs in three weeks with (insert product
name here!), and I feel great. My friends and family are all telling me how amazing I
look, and my husband has taken a new interest in me. Thanks for giving me my life
back." Wanda M, Washington

Sound familiar? Uh huh. That's what I thought. But here's something you should know...

1) Unverifiable testimonials are no better than no testimonials at all. Since you
can't ever confirm that these words actually came from a real individual, and not some
employee in the company's advertising department, you have you assume the worst. And
what's that, exactly? That these "glowing reports" are actually manufactured. Shocked?
Don't be. Deceptive advertising practices are used all the time. All you need to do is
to look into some of the actions taken by the US Federal Trade Commission against
the deceptive advertising practices of some supplement retailers, and you'll see what
I mean.

2) Even when feedback is genuine, it is highly anecdotal. For instance, most people
are not aware that it is your bodyfat percentage, and not your weight (usually
measured by the bathroom scales) that determines your diet success or failure. Since
muscle weighs more than fat, a diet program that includes resistance/weight training
could be successful even if that success is not reflected on the scales by a loss of
body weight. Other people continue to overconsume calories or do not implement a
healthy eating and exercise plan along with product supplementation, so their feedback
is not an accurate representation of a product's capabilites either.

Also, remember that unlike supplements, all regulated pharmaceuticals are rigorously
tested against a placebo (a sugar pill). For some people, the power of suggestion is
enough to elict a response on its own. In other words, an individual who genuinely
believes a product has worked miracles for him or her, may be completely incorrect. So
a positive review doesn't necessarily mean anything.

In a nutshell?

Using customer feedback to influence your purchasing decision is not always a wise
choice. But here's the rub...

Although all customer feedback should be approached with caution, I do post customer
comments and experiences on UltimateFatBurner.com (it's an extremely popular element
of the web site, and I use only comments from visitors willing to surrender their names and
e-mail addresses).

Why do I do so?

Well, for one it is a valuable way for visitors to warn others of bad purchasing
experiences, which is sometimes one of the biggest issues for anyone ordering online.
It's fairly common to be added to a recurring billing program without consent, for
example.

Next, I like visitors to be able to see what real testimonials "look" like.

They seldom look anything like the two examples I've included above. I also think it's
valuable to present a counterpoint to the other "review" web sites, which represent
their top fat burners as receiving a 95% approval or positive rating. I can tell you
from positive experience that no fat burner in the world receives such a positive
rating. It's simple really... almost all retailers grossly exaggerate the kind of results an individual will accomplish with their products. The effects are not in accordance with the laws of human physiology, and are therefore unattainable. Ergo, there's no way any product marketed in this manner will receive more than a tiny percentage of positive feedback.

Last, it provides a gitty, down-in-the-trenches element that visitors enjoy.

Bottom line?

Testimonials, provided they are real and can be verified, can enhance the visitor's experience, even if they are anecdotal. To see what I mean, check out some of the newest feedback posted on UltimateFatBurner.com for yourself...

Rev XP feedback!

Lipozene feedback!

Miracleburn feedback!

Propolene feedback!

New Fat Burner Reviews On UltimateFatBurner.com!

2006-08-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again... time to announce the newest fat burner reviews on UltimateFatBurner.com. They are...

1) Lipitrex: this fat burner brought to you by Progressive Health, sports an "exclusive" formulation. According to the product advertising, Lipitrex supports four beneficial actions...

Appetite Control
Helps to Minimize the Storage of Fat
Increases Metabolic Rate
Enhances Energy Levels

Of course, just about every fat burner on the market today claims to offer similar benefits.
Read the full review here!

2) TwinLab's Ripped Fuel Extreme: TwinLab's Ripped Fuel has gone through many different formula changes over the last few years. Originally, Ripped Fuel contained a variation of the standard ephedrine stack. This was the version I experimented with and quite enjoyed. Since then, Ripped Fuel has had to evolve according to the changing U.S. laws regulating the use of ephedra.

Read the full review here!

Enjoy!

UltimateFatBurner.com Now Support 8 Major Languages

2006-08-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Considering the subject matter, it is not surprising that UltimateFatBurner.com appeals to a vast worldwide audience. Of course, only a small percentage of this audience is fluent in English -- my only language, and the main language in use on the Net. I've often considered having my site professionally translated in Spanish, and perhaps even French and Italian. However, the cost to do so -- to hire a professional -- was simply too prohibitive, so I have never persued this option further. Until recently that is...

Yup, I was lucky enough to introduced to a simple script which will translate the pages of UltimateFatBurner.com into 8 official languages...

German
Spanish
French
Italian
Portuguese
Japanese
Korean
Chinese (simplified)

Of course, this is only a script (a piece of software), so please don't expect it to be entirely perfect. For those of you for whom English is not your first language, you will find this translation service helps you get the best out of UltimateFatBurner.com... easier.

How do you translate the site into your language? Simply visit UltimateFatBurner.com, scroll to the very bottom of the page, and click on the flag which represents your language. The page will then reload in the selected language. Click the links to the pages of interest, and they too will be translated into your selected language.

Enjoy!

Kiwis lash Out Against Scummy Celluslim Retailers!

2006-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd include this story here to illustrate that scummy behavior, especially in the weight loss supplement industry, knows no international bounds...

A New Zealand court recently ordered Dennis O'Neill and Martini Limited to pay NZ$256,000 in customer redress. These funds would cover fines and refunds in relation to the fraudulent marketing of their weight loss product, Celluslim. Apparently, Celluslim could melt away both fat and cellulite -- it would disappear in just three weeks -- without diet or exercise! Yeah, right!

And here's where it gets even better. O'Neill and Martini claimed that Celluslim had been tested by the emminent Doctor Malissi at the Saint Alto Research Centre, Switzerland. Guess what? There is no Doctor Malissi. There isn't even a Saint Alto Research Centre in Switzerland. Worst of all, this sort of thing happens all the time. Unethical companies often misrepresent
their spokespeople, and occassionally even their own staff, as medical authorities.

What's annoying about this is obvious. When we are being marketed to we expect the company doing so to play by the rules, and follow some sort of ethical code of conduct. In other words, if a company tells us their product has been successfully tested by some emminent doctor in a foreign country, we believe them. Our first inclination is NOT to think...

"Hmmm... I wonder of said doctor and said research facility exists."

However, the supplement industry has demonstrated to us time and time again that this is EXACTLY what we should think. Once again, it all boils down to this...

Weight loss is never quick and easy, as much as we'd like it to be. Any product that makes claims contrary to this does not have your best interests at heart, and should be approached with a hearty dose of skepticism. And if the product has "emminent" doctors proclaiming its miraculous virtues, be very concerned. After all, real doctors are well aware that weight loss is about hard work... and not some miracle pill.

The Fat Burner Comparison Chart Is Here!

2006-07-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

Phew! Finally!

Yes, the fat burner comparison chart is up at UltimateFatBurner.com! Want to compare and review all your favorite fat burners easily and efficiently? Want to see how they stack up against each each other? Want to determine which are the best and which are the worst? The new fat burner comparison chart makes it all easy. If you've been pulling your hair out trying to determine which products may be worth further investigation, you're going just love this new tool! Here's the link...

Fat burner comparison chart on UltimateFatBurner.com!

Enjoy!

New Fat Burner Reviews On UltimateFatBurner.com

2006-07-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again... time to announce a new series of fat burner reviews on UltimateFatBurner.com. Ready? Let's get started. Here are the new reviews...

1) Formula 9: Against a backdrop of writhing, fit bodies and rhythmic dance music, the announcer triumphantly announces the arrival of Formula 9, the most powerful fat burner ever. Of course, TV commercials are hardly known for being understated, and Formula 9 is hardly the first fat burner that has claimed to be the "most powerful." Nonetheless, it piqued my interest, so let's take a closer look at Formula 9.

Read the full review here!

2) Xyience's Xtreme Carb / Fat Blocker: The Xtreme Carb / Fat Blocker product makes two claims -- one, to inhibit the absorption of dietary fat, and two, to reduce the absorption of simple carbohydrates by impeding the action of the enzyme alpha amylase. Of course, there are problems with these claims...

Read the full review here!

3) Xyience's Xtreme Fat Burner: Xyience's Xtreme Fat Burner (labeled as an "AM" formula) claims to be a "thermogenic formula to promote energy, fat loss, and lean muscle appearance." According to Xyience, "it's perfect for anyone who wants to decrease their appetite and lose weight."
Hmmm. Seems like I've heard this sort of thing before. Let's have a closer look at the Xtreme Fat Burner formula to see if there's anything to these claims. What's in it?...

Read the full review here!

Phew! That's it for now, enjoy!

Ephedra Proven Safe And Effective Once Again!

2006-06-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

A recent study by researchers from the University of California, Davis determined that a low-dose ephedra and caffeine combination was beneficial for weight loss. In this nine month study, the researchers found that overweight women who received a combination of 40 mg ephedra + 100 mg caffeine daily (plus vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids) lost nearly 17 pounds. Perhaps more interesting, considering the recent ephedra "scare", was the improvement in several critical parameters, such as heart rate, triglycerides, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and insulin levels.

Wild, eh?

Participants in the study also reported more energy and less fatigue (no surprise here). Side effects were relatively minor and included insomnia, dry mouth, irregular heart beat, and nervousness. In the end, the researchers concluded...

"A dietary supplement containing a low potency ephedra/caffeine mixture appeared safe and effective in causing loss of weight and body fat, and improving several metabolic parameters, including insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles when tested under physician supervision. Such supplements could be a useful tool to assist with weight loss."

You can read the abstract of this study (published in the International Journal of Obesity) here!

Un fortunately, despite the lifting of the ephedra ban last year, ephedra is still relatively hard to find. If you're interested in purchasing the ephedra stack, read my review of BetaFuel (a 10 mg ephedra stack) here!

Reviews And News from UltimateFatBurner.com!

2006-06-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

First of all, we've got a few new fat burner reviews on UltimatefatBurner.com...

1) BetaFuel: Ever since the U.S. ephedra ban (on products containing 10mg or less of ephedra per serving) was lifted by Judge Tena Campbell of the U. S. District Court, visitors to this Web site have been asking me over and over...

Where can I find ephedra?

You see, even though low dose ephedra is no longer illegal, most of the major supplement retailers continue to manufacture their fat burners without it. Many have been stung by frivolous law suits in the past, and reformulating their products to include ephedra may make them vulnerable once again.

Read the full review here!

2) Xenadrine Hardcore : Well, the new version of Xenadrine has finally arrived... and it's called Xenadrine Hardcore. Many of you have expressed interest in seeing this Xenadrine Hardcore reviewed -- after all, Cytodyne (the makers of this product) has a significant brand awareness, and many of you were fans of the original ephedra-based Xenadrine RFA-1.

Read the full review here!

What else is new? Well, Will Brink has updated his superb "Diet Supplement Revealed" -- it's bigger and better than ever. If you're into supplements, and want to ensure you spend your dollars on products that work, you'll be interested in this publication. Check out my review of the updated "Diet Supplements Revealed" here!

Also, we've closed down our online supplement store. For the last year or so, it's been a money-losing proposition for us. After all, it's very hard to write balanced, unbiased reviews of products if you have a vested interest in selling them. So in the interest of providing our visitors with real reviews they can trust, the store has continued to suffer. In the end, it simply didn't make any sense to keep it open. However, I do recognize that some of you are indeed looking for a credible online resource from which to purchase your supplements. For that reason, we've partnered with Affordable Supplements This company will provide you with same quality product and stellar service you've come to expect from our own now closed store.

Looking for supplements? Visit Affordable Supplements today!

Phew! Now you're updated. Enjoy your summer, and don't forget to stay in shape!

Free Health And Fitness Ebooks For Download!

2006-06-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was going through some files the other day when I realized I had a ton of free ebooks I could provide you with, yet had somehow forgotten to provide them with the exposure they deserved. And while free, rest assured, these ebooks are no lightweights... each is jam-packed with valuable info. You won't be wasting your time reading these. Oh, and before I forget... feel free to share these files with friends, family, and co-workers.

Special Note:
7 Fat Burning Secrets and the other free downloads presented here is are Adobe PDF formatted e-books. You will need Adobe's free Acrobat to view these files. Most computers already come with Acrobat installed, so chances are you already have it on your machine. If not...

Download the newest version of Acrobat here!

Free download #1

1) 7 Fat Burning Secrets: written by yours truly, this ebook contains 7 easy to use, easy to implement, deadly effective fat burning secrets... all for free! To download the free 7 Fat Burning Secrets, right click on this link, and select "Save Target As." Save to a file to your hard drive, making careful note where you save it, so you can find it again later.

Free download #2

2) Tasty Fat Loss and Muscle Building Recipes: Written by supplement guru will Brink, this publication offers 25 healthy and tasty recipes... yours free! This is an attractive, nicely formatted PDF e-book that you're sure to enjoy. To download, right click this link, select "Save Target As", and from the following window, select where to save the file on your machine.

Free download #3

3) The "Whey" It Is: Whey protein is a fantastic supplement that provides health benefits to everyone. It is really not just a supplement for body builders and professional athletes. This publication, also written by supplement guru Will Brink will show you why whey protein should become a part of any healthy diet... including yours! To download, right click this link, select "Save Target As", and from the following window, select where to save the file on your machine.

My recommendation?

Download all three files and read at your leisure! Enjoy!

New Reviews Ready For Your Perusal!

2006-05-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well, the newest series of fat burner reviews are up at UltimateFatBurner.com, and this time we've got a couple of great ones -- including the most requested hydroxycut hardcore! Check it out these excerpts...

1) Hydroxycut Hardcore: Over the years, Muscle Tech's popular Hydroxycut fat burner has been modified several times, mostly to deal with changing supplement laws. Initially, Hydroxycut was "the" ephedra stack, and many people who contact me still rue the day that this popular product was discontinued. Alas, there's nothing we can do about that, so instead we'll have to consider the newest version of hydroxycut... hydroxycut hardcore.

Read the full review here!

2) SesaThin: What is SesaThin? It's basically a sesame seed oil supplement, standardized for something called "sesamin." Sesamin is a "lignan" -- a phytoestrogen also found in cereals, fruits, vegetables, and flaxseed. Sesamin offers all sorts of benefits -- it protects the liver, demonstrates cholesterol-lowering effects and may help to prevent high blood pressure. It's also a potent antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory.

Read the full review here!

3) PediaLean: Pedilean is a fat burner "designed" specifically for children. It's manufactured and sold by Klein-Becker, a company well-known for its outrageously priced products. Advertising "claims" are interesting too.

Read the full review here!

Enjoy!

$3,000,000 In Penalties For Supplement Retailers!

2006-05-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

If you've visited this blog before, you'll know I often write about supplement retailers who engage in deceptive marketing practices, and their ongoing battles with the U.S. FTC (Federal Trade Commission). Well, here's another incidence of the "good guys" winning...

Recently, the marketers of several weight loss products have agreed to pay $3 million in penalties and to "refrain from making unsubstantiated claims or misrepresenting studies in the future." The companies include Basic Research, LLC; A.G., Waterhouse, LLC; Klein Becker USA, LLC; NutraSport, LLC; Sovage, Dermalogic Laboratories, LLC, and BAN LLC. Three individuals were also involved -- Dennis Gay, Daniel Mowrey and Mitchell Friedlander.

Products deceptively promoted include the transdermal "cutting gels" Tummy Flattening Gel, Cutting Gel, and Dermalin AG (you can read a full review of these gels on UltimateFatBurner.com). Fat burners Leptoprin and Anorex were also under the gun, as was PediaLean, the fat burner for overweight children.

In a nutshell, the FTC indicated these retailers had nothing on which to base their claims. From the FTC press release...

"The FTC alleged the marketers lacked a reasonable basis to back up these claims. In addition, the FTC alleged the ads falsely claimed that clinical testing proved those claims for four of the challenged products and misrepresented their spokesperson as a medical doctor."

You can review the full FTC press release here...

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/basicresearch.htm

What's the morale of the story?

As usual, if a product claims sound too good to be true, you can bet they are. An unfortunate number of supplement retailers are more interested in generating revenue than providing real solutions for their clients. And they'll stop at nothing to market their products.

Buyer beware!

Underhanded Behavior From Supplement Retailers

2006-05-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

As the webmaster of UltimateFatBurner.com, I receive a lot of comments and feedback from individuals who have experimented with various fat burning supplements -- many of which were sold via radio and television ads, as well as on the Internet. More often than not, these products promise amazing results (with little or no efforts on the part of the user), and are usually backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. While not all products sold in this manner are sold by unethical marketers, many are.

For example, many people have complained that they were added (without consent) to a recurring billing program. In other words, these people continue to receive product each and every month (and accompanying charges on their credit cards) even though they have not requested such a service. Then, when they try to cancel the service, it's nearly impossible to do so. Same goes for dissatisfied customers trying to take advantage of a 100% money-back guarantee... good luck with that.

So how often does this happen? From my experiences, far too often. For example, the Better Business Bureau of Utah recently issued a warning about Ultralife Fitness (this company sells supplements from web sites trugenixhoodia.com and trugenixfitness.com). In a single year, the Better Business Bureau received in excess of 500 complaints about this company. What did they do? From the BBB report...

" Consumers who filed complaints with the BBB indicate this company offers free diet pills or a 30 day trial and then charges the consumer without authorization. If the consumer receives the 30 day trial they have been unable to contact the company in order to cancel the product before they are charged."

Yup, hapless customers suddenly found they had signed up for recurring charges up to $99.

Nice, eh? And the moral of this story...

If you are considering purchasing a "As Seen On TV" (or radio or Internet advertised) product, it's important to take steps to protect yourself. Please review this article on UltimateFatBurner.com to find out how!

To Weigh Or Not To Weigh...

2006-05-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

Using the scales as the sole indicator of success for your weight loss program is not the best idea. After all, weight can fluctuate almost daily, and exercises like resistance training, for instance, can actually raise your bodyweight as you become thinner (that's because muscle is more dense, and weighs more than fat). That's why tracking your bodyfat percentage (see this article for more details) is a much better indicator of success than a complete reliance on the bathroom scales. However, researchers have found that using the bathroom scales may indeed help your program...

For instance, a study led by researchers from the Minnesota found that when it comes to weight loss success, the bathroom scales do play a big role. For instance, researchers found that people who weighed themselves daily lost two times the amount of weight as those who weighed themselves only occassionally. Those individuals who never weighed themselves actually gained weight during the study (Ann Behav Med, 30:210-216, 2005).

So, while the scales aren't perfect, they do play a role... it seems they certainly keep focused on the task hand -- your diet and weight loss plan!

The Food Industry's Role in Rising Childhood Obesity Rates!

2006-05-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote a little bit about rising obesity rates in children and adolescents (see this post for more details!) On May 6, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services released a report, outlining a series of steps the food industry can take to help in the battle against childhood obesity. As I indicated in my earlier post, the levels of childhood obesity have been skyrocketing since the early 80's. The report was the result of a workshop in which participants were urged "to examine the role of the private sector in addressing rising childhood obesity rates in the United States." The bottom line was simple -- although there are many causes for the increasing childhood obesity rates, "responsible marketing can play a positive role in improving children’s diets and exercise behavior."

Although the complete press release can be found here...

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/childhoodobesity.htm

Some of the report's recommendations include that food companies...

Intensify their efforts to create new products and reformulate existing products to make them lower in calories, more nutritious, more appealing to children, and more convenient to prepare and eat
Help consumers control portion sizes and calories through smaller portions, single-serving packages, and other packaging cues;
Explore labeling initiatives, including icons and seals, to identify lower-calorie, nutritious foods clearly and in a manner that does not mislead consumers
Review and revise their marketing practices with the goal of improving the overall nutritional profile of the foods marketed to children, for example, by adopting minimum nutritional standards for the foods they market to children, or by otherwise shifting emphasis to lower-calorie, more nutritious products
Generally explore ways to improve efforts to educate consumers about nutrition and fitness, with simple and effective messages
Review and revise their policies to improve the overall nutritional profile of the products they market and sell in schools.

If you're interested at all in the issue of rising obesity rates in children and adolscents, and the food industry's role in preventing the continuation of this trend, please see the FTC press release for more details...

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/05/childhoodobesity.htm

The Best Aerobic Exercise!

2006-04-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to trim down, you need to exercise. Yeah, yeah, I know that's not exactly a profound statement. Everyone knows that increasing caloric burn through weight/resistance training and aerobics is one of the core principles of successful weight loss. But if you're going to include aerobics or "cardio" in your exercise program, what sort should you do? After all, some types of cardio-exercises are more efficient at burning calories than others. And if you're already investing that sweat equity, you may as well get as much in the way of results as you can for your efforts.

Maximize your caloric burn, that's what I say!

So what's it going to be? The treadmill? The stairclimber? How about the stationary bike or that intimidating looking rowing machine? Well, guess what?...

Scientific study has revealed the treadmill is by far the best aerobic exercise tool for energy expenditure. A recent study (Energy Expenditure with Indoor Exercise Machines, JAMA 275, 1424-1427, 2001) showed that the treadmill burned calories more efficiently and at a greater rate than other popular aerobic exercise machines.

Here's what the study indicated...

The hands-down winner was the treadmill. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 580 calories while heavy intensity burned 850 calories. Tied for runner up in second place for the best aerobic exercise machine is the stairclimber. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 540 calories while heavy intensity burned 700 calories.
Tied with the stairclimber as the second best aerobic exercise machine is the rowing ergometer. One hour of easy intensity exercise burned 540 calories while heavy intensity burned 700 calories. If this study indicated a BIG loser among exercise machines, it was the stationary bike. One hour of heavy intensity burns 500 calories -- 350 less than our first ranked treadmill. And an hour of easy intensity exercise? A meager 370 calories.

I guess I don't need to point out that if you're going to invest an hour of your time doing cardio, you're best off to spend it on the treadmill. After all...

Every calorie counts!

An Introduction To The Glycemic Index

2006-04-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a chronic dieter or new to the dieting scene -- especially the low carb dieting scene -- you've probably heard of the Glycemic Index (G.I.).

So what really is the Glycemic Index?

Well, it's a numerical score between 1-100 attributed to carbohydrates. The "score" reflects the rate at which the carbohydrate is broken down, digested and released as sugar (glucose) into the bloodstream. If a carbohydrate has a low score (say, a grapefruit), it is broken down and released slowly into the body. Carbohydrates with a high score (i.e., white bread or common breakfast cereals) are digested and released quickly into the bloodstream.

Why should you care about this?

Well, low G.I.foods tend to instigate a mild insulin response, while high G.I. foods cause a much more dramatic insulin response (insulin is released by the body in order to lower blood sugar levels by shuttling it to where it is needed). When large amounts of sugar is released very quickly, the body responds by releasing a large amount of insulin from the pancreas to counter this rapid rise in blood sugar. When large amounts of insulin are present in the body, the body...

1) goes immediately into fat-storing mode
2) responds by reducing blood sugar levels so quickly that you experience an energy crash, followed by unbelievable cravings for high-G.I. goods -- mostly sweets and simple carbs like breads. Thus the cycle continues over and over. Worse still, an overconsumption of high carbohydrate foods can cause the body to become immune to the effects of insulin, leading to Adult Type II diabetes.

Obviously, therefore, any dieter's main goal should be to avoid as much as possible high G.I. foods (like white breads, etc) and eat mainly low G.I. foods. Next question? How can you find out the G.I. value of all your favorite carbohydrate foods? Good question. I highly recommend you download the document below from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It provides a full list of the G.I. ratings of all your favorite foods, as well a complete discussion of G.I. and glycemic load.

To download this PDF document, right click this link and choose "Save Target As." Choose a file within your computer to save the document (pay close attention, so you can find it later). Read and enjoy... it's a beauty!

If you're interested in a practical diet based on the Glycemic Index, click here to check out my review of "The Low G.I. Diet Breakthrough."

Want To Lose Weight? Buy A Dog!

2006-04-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here's something interesting for any of you chronic dieters...

Researchers at the University of Missouri found that individuals who walked a dog regularly lost around 14 lbs. annually. Believe it or not, that's more than they would have achieved had they participated in a nationally recognized diet program. These individuals spent a mere 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week walking with Rover in tow.

What's this study show us?

First, it emphasizes the power of simple walking. Any sensible diet plan must include exercise, but this study shows us that you needn't "suffer" through intense aerobic sessions or resistance training programs to achieve results. Walking is easy, enjoyable, and as this study plainly shows... effective.

Second, owning or taking responsibility for a pet forces you to get out each and every day... regardless of how you feel, or the state of the weather. Rover needs to get, and therefore, so do you!

Moral of this story?

If you want to lose weight... buy a dog or take responsibility for walking a neigbour's pet!

Rising Childhood Obesity and Children's Weight Loss Supplements

2006-04-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

One of the most disturbing trends I've encountered in my work with UltimateFatBurner.com is the continuing rise in childhood obesity rates. This report from the Center for Disease Control (already 4 years old) shows a disturbing upward trend; a 45% increase in childhood obesity levels over data obtained in 1988-1994. The ramifications of this are significant, as an increasingly younger, overweight and obese population will put massive strain on an already overburdoned health care system. Why childhood obesity is rising is open to debate -- a lack of after school programs, parents' lack of nutritional knowledge, a growing trend towards more indoor, inactive activities (like video games and TV), and greater reliance on takeout food when both parents are working -- these could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps what's even worse is that there are supplement manufacturers who are more than willing to capitalize on this "opportunity." Yes... there are fat burners available specifically formulated for children. Unfortunately, most are little use for anything other than separating parents from hard earned cash which would be better spent elsewhere. Lately the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has taken action against manufactures of several "weight loss for kids" supplements, including PediaLean, Skinny Pills for Kids, and PediaLoss. Here's the relevant links from the FTC Web site for you to check out...

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/04/dynamichealth.htm (PediaLoss)

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/06/dietsupp.htm (PediaLean)

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/02/skinnypill.htm (Skinny Pills)

Bottom line?

The answer to effective weight loss, whether it's for kids or adults is simple... a sensible diet with coupled with an effective exercise program (and no, a sensible diet does not include pizza and coke... unless it's only once per week. :-).

Looking for an effective diet plan? You can read reviews of all the top diets on UltimateFatBurner.com!

An Introduction To Blood Sugar Moderators

2006-04-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

Blood sugar moderators work by regulating insulin function,stabilizing the vacillating blood sugar levels that lead to uncontrollable cravings for sweets, binge eating, anddepressed energy levels. While they do not actually burn fat or raise your metabolism, their insulin regulating effects help you avoid the over eating of all the wrong foods. This of course, keeps your diet on target, and could, in a roundabout way, lead to weight loss.

Helpful ingredients include chromium polynicotinate, alpha lipoic acid, vanadium, banaba extract, and gymnema sylvestre (several of these are reviewed in detail on UltimateFatBurner.com)

For anyone who is hypoglycemic or consumes too many simple carbohydrates (sweets, refined grains, or any high G.I.foods) a blood sugar moderator -- either in isolation, orpart of a more comprehensive forumla, is a no brainer. My current favorite is alpha lipoic acid, which also happens tobe a fantastic antioxidant. Be sure to take your single 100mg capsule with a meal... otherwise, you'll need to have an anti-acid handy!

New Reviews Available On UltimateFatBurner.com!

2006-04-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, just thought I'd let you know about the latest series of fat burner reviews on UltimateFatBurner.com. They are...

1) Accelis: Accelis claims to be "a revolutionary stimulant-free weight-loss supplement that can help you lose an average of 10.65 pounds fast." The retailers even claim to have a clinical study backing up their claims.

Read the complete review!

2) EverSlim: EverSlim is the fat burner that promises to help you "lose 3.5 times MORE weight than diet and exercise alone!" They base this claim a the positive clinical study performed on several of the key ingredients in EverSlim. Here's the good news...

There is a valid, albeit small clinical study (conducted in India, see PubMed for complete details) that does indeed support this retailer's claims that three of the key ingredients in their product (Garcinia cambogia extract, chromium polynicotinate, and Gymnema sylvestre extract) have been shown useful for weight loss.

Read the complete review!

3) Metabothin: Metabothin is American Generic Laboratories version of the now discontinued popular fat burner from Metabolife... Metabolife 365.

Metabothin is a rarity these days, as it is a full-fledged ephedra-based fat burner. Ephedra may be making a come-back, as on April 15, 2005, Judge Tena Campbell of the U. S. District Court in Salt Lake City struck down the FDA’s (Food and Drug administration) ban on the sale of the herbal supplement.

Read the complete review!

OK... there's the latest reviews for your enjoyment. I'll see you over at UltimateFatBurner.com!

Health Canada Warns Against Chinese Diet Pills!

2006-04-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Although not currently available in Canada, Health Canada is warning consumers to avoid two weight loss products from China. These products, called "Super Fat Burning" and "LiDa Daidaihua Slimming Capsules" have been found to contain sibutramine, a prescription diet drug also known as meridia (for a full review of the meridia diet pill, please click here!). Meridia is prescribed for weight loss, and is fairly potent as far as this goes. However, its use must be prescribed and overseen by a licensed physician as it does exhibit some fairly serious side effects, including increased heart rate and blood pressure. It also interacts with antidepressants that effect serotonin levels.

For more information, see the Health Canada Web site...

Slow Metabolism? Chronic Dieter?

2006-04-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Are you a chronic dieter? Has your metabolism slowed to a crawl as a result of years of yo-yo dieting and extreme calorie restriction? While smart eating habits (especially consuming 5-6 small meals a day) and exercise will help reverse this, for some of you, a fat burner likeMetabolic Thyrolean may be well worth experimenting with.

Thyrolean contains guggulsterones, l-tyrosine, phosphates,and garcinia cambogia, a combination shown in one study to result in modest weight loss (Curr Ther Res 1999;60(4):220-227). Guggulsterones have been shown in several studies to increase thyroid activity by ramping up the conversion of T4 to T3 (Planta Med. 1984 Feb;(1):78-80.) L-tyrosine, too, may have a benefical effect on thyroid hormone levels.

Of course, always check with your doctor to confirm that you do indeed have depressed thyroid levels. Also, ensure a natural alternative is appropriate in your case -- for some of you, prescription thyroid drugs may be more appropriate. Again, only your doctor can tell you this...

One other thing... beware of thyroid products containing bladderwrack (also labeled as fucus or kelp) for its iodine concentration. Iodine is a vital substrate of the main thyroid hormones. However, bladder wrack should be used with caution because of its high iodine content. Too much iodine can cause many more problems than it solves. Generally, any supplement that provides more that 150mcg/iodine per day should be avoided.

Bladder wrack is also notorious for its ability toc oncentrate heavy metals, and such poisoning can occur at higher dosage levels.

Do Fat Blockers Really Work?

2006-04-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just as we have products claiming to block the absorption of carbohydrate calories into the body, we also have those that claim to block the absorption of fat. Is there any more hope for these products? Do they actually "block" fat?

Again, the evidence does not support such claims.

Most fat blocker products contain something called "chitosan" (an extract of the shells of crustaceans). A recent study (Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004 Sep;28(9):1149-56) on the effects of chitosan concluded...

"In this 24-week trial, chitosan treatment did not result in a clinically significant loss of body weight compared with placebo."

Other studies, including one conducted by Dr. Judy Stern of the University of California, Davis, concluded much the same thing.

Chitosan may be able to positively effect cholesterol levels, but so far, research into its abilities to do so are inconclusive.

Given the shoddy evidence supporting Chitosan's fat burning claims, it is not surprising to find that the U.S. FTC has acted against many retailers of such product, citing them for making false and unsubstantiated claims (for an example of such actions...

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/08/pvt.htm )

Bottom line?

Chitosan based fat blockers can hardly be described as a rip-roaring success. And despite what you may think, a pill that indiscriminately blocks fat is not necessarily a good idea. Certain vitamins (E,A,D,F,K) are fat-soluble, and extended Chitosan use could lead to deficiencies in them. Fat too, of course, is required for optimum bodily health, especially the Omega 3-6-9 fatty acids. Again, if Chitosan was a viable fat blocker, it would block these vital fats as well. Keep in mind too, that for those individuals who really do require a fat blocker, prescritpion options (i.e. Xenical -- click here for a review of Xenical), do exist.

Do Carb Blockers Really Work?

2006-04-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you've got a few pounds to lose, you've probably been tempted by the claims of one of the numerous carb blocker products on the market these days. Some of the more outrageous ones include the all-too-common "eat all you want and still lose weight!" This apparently, is facilitated by the carb blocker's ability to block the absorption of carb calories into the body. While this certainly sounds good, the question really is...

Do carb blockers really work? To answer that consider this...

Manufacturers of numerous carb and fat blockers productshave been aggressively targeted by the FDA over the last few years for making false and misleading claims in theirproduct advertising. No surprise here. Anyone who statesthat you can "eat all you want and still lose weight"obviously does not have your best interests at heart.

But what about "scientific claims" these manufacturers useto validate their claims? It's shoddy at best. Here's anexcerpt from the FDA press release that announced its intentto pursue 16 manufacturers of such products...
"After reviewing the claims of the various products, the FDAconcluded that claims being made regarding these productsare not supported by reliable scientific evidence."

Exactly. For instance...

The most common ingredient in "carb blockers" is whitekidney bean extract, or phaseolus vulgaris. In vitrostudies showed that phaseolus vulgaris inhibited theactivity of an enzyme called alpha-amylase, which is neededto break starches down into the simple sugars that areeasily absorbed by the body. But it's too early to claimmiraculous weight loss effects in humans. In fact, a recent UCLA clinical study on phaseolus vulgaris concluded...

"Clinical trends were identified for weight loss and adecrease in triglycerides, although statistical significance was not reached."

In other words, white kidney bean extract looks promising,but its effects are hardly earth shattering. To emphasize this, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to 16 dietary supplement distributors making false and misleading claims for weight loss products promoted over the internet...

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01045.html

Many of these are "carb blockers."

Save your money. I rest my case.

5-6 Meals A Day Is The Way To Weight Loss!

2006-03-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Although it may seem unlikely, eating many small meals throughout the day -- separated by 2-3 hours -- is one of the most effective methods of losing weight.

Why?

Several reasons...

First, eating often helps keep the metabolism elevated. One of the worst mistakes dieters make is to stop eating altogether, or to dramatically reduce the size and number of meals they eat. While severe caloric restriction works for weight loss initially, it does not last for long, because the body to responds to a reduced calorie intake by reducing the metabolic rate. In other words, the fewer calories you take in, the slower your metabolism. Eating often helps reduce this trend, even if the meals you consume are relatively small.

Secondly, eating often helps balance blood sugar and therefore, energy levels. By avoiding huge spikes in insulin, one can avoid putting the body into "fat storage mode" -- something that happens in the face of elevated insulin levels. Best of all, it helps to curtail those unbelievable craving for sweets that occur in the face of huge vacillations in blood insulin levels.

Is it easy to eat 5-6 small meals a day? No, it does require some preparation -- you will need to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time, or use a meal replacement supplement (I've written quite a bit about meal replacements on UltimateFatBurner.com -- click here to learn more about them).

How many calories should each meal be? Depends on your weight, of course. The best thing to do is to multiply your weight by 10 to 15 and divide by 5 or 6 (use the lower value if you're fairly sedentary and your goal is weight loss -- use the higher number if you're working out and want to gain some muscle. You'll need to tweak things a bit, of course, but this is a good place to start).

So if you weight 150lbs, multiply that number by 10 and you get 1500 calories. That translates into 5 small meals of 300 calories. Multiply by 15, and you've got 5 small meals of 450 calories, or 6 of 375.

Give it a try... you'll find that despite the hassles, eating often will help you attain your weight loss goals much more quickly, and leave you energized throughout the day.

Newest Fat Burner Reviews For Your Perusal!

2006-03-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

UltimateFatBurner.com has been providing reviews of fat burners, diet supplements and weight loss programs since 1999. Since that time, our audience has been trusting us to provide the real bottom line on what they can expect from these products. Most "review" sites have only one interest... selling products. We're interested only in providing balanced, unbiased reviews of products -- our site is supported mostly by Google advertising; we do not need to sell products to survive online.

While all manner of supplements are reviewed on UltimateFatBurner.com (even prescription diet pills), our main focus continues to be fat burners.

Why?

Put simply, that's what the majority of our audience wants. Therefore it makes most sense to devote the majority of our resources to such reviews. With that said, here are the four latest fat burner reviews posted on UltimateFatBurner.com (as of late March 2006)...

1) Lean Balance: Lean Balance is a caffeine-free fat burner offered by Liposystems. It contains 3 sources of calcium which "enhances the body's own ability to burn fat." Of course, Lean Balance also contains a slew of other ingredients, all of which we'll examine in a moment...

Read the Lean Balance review!

2) Lipozene: Lipozene, the newest offering from Obesity Research Institute LLC, offers the usual... weight loss without a whole lot of work. Lipozene is also as an "As Seen On TV" product. I've written about this many times, but the biggest "scam" weight loss products are the ones sold via radio and TV advertisements.

Read the Lipozene review!

3) Zotrim: Despite the hype, the Zotrim "slimming pill" is a pretty common formula containing a blend of 3 herbs -- mate, guarana, and damiana (exactly how much of each ingredient is included in the formula is hidden from us -- it is displayed as a percentage of the formula, making it impossible to access the efficacy of this product).

Read the Zotrim review!

4) Nxcare's NV: NxCare's NV claims to be the first rapid fat burner with "beauty enhancing properties." In other words, NxCare claims NV can help you lose weight fast, while improving the look of the your skin, hair, and nails.

Read the NV review!

Enjoy!

Green Tea Is a Winner!

2006-03-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

In the world of outrageous product claims, green tea is one supplement that actually shows real promise -- both as a fat burner and for overall health. First of all, it's a fantastic antioxidant (meaning it effectively neutralizes free radicals within the body). Researcher indicates the active ingredient in green tea -- epigallocatechin gallate -- may be 200 times more powerful than vitamin E as an antioxidant.

And of interest to dieters?

Green tea may be useful as a glucose regulator. -- meaning it slows the rise in blood sugar following a meal.
It does this by slowing the action of a the digestive enzyme amylase. This enzyme is pivotal in the breakdown of starches (carbs), that can cause blood sugar levels to soar following a meal. This is pretty exciting stuff -- along with a chromium, and possibly a vanadyl supplement (both useful insulin regulators) green tea might be the missing link in proper glucose management.

Green tea also contains caffeine, which itself has thermogenic (fat burning) properties. Preliminary research indicates green tea may have a positive effect on the metabolic rate, causing increased calorie burn for those who use it. additionally, a recent study further validates green tea's effectivness for fat burning. A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 81, No. 1, 122-129, January 2005), indicated the ingestion of a tea rich in catechins (catechins are a major component of green tea extract) leads to both a lowering of bodyfat AND of cholesterol levels.

While green tea is certainly a promising supplement, it is still not a miracle pill. There's no understating the importance of a good diet and exercise program in any weight loss program, and without them, even the best weight supplements will provide you with little in the way of benefits. For reviews of the best and the worst weight loss programs, please visit UltimateFatBurner.com today!

Protein Offers Fat Burning Benefits!

2006-03-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

I've been talking a bit about protein lately, so I'll continue the trend with today's post.

Not only is it safe to eat a high protein diet (see this post for more details), but it seems that eating in this manner may actually benefit you in ways you didn't expect. It seems, for example, that a protein rich diet may actually help you burn fat. For instance, recent studies have indicated that high-protein meals actually raise post-meal thermogenisis (fat burning) and resting energy expenditure (Source: Journal of American College of Nutrition, 21(1):55-61, 2002).

Other research presented recently at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity showed that protein rich foods (like lean meat, fish, chicken, turkey and so on) can increase feelings of satiety. In other words, you feel fuller longer. This is increases the likelihood you'll stay on your diet.

If that weren't enough, a recent four month study from the University of Illinois found that overweight subjects who exercised regularly and ate a low calorie, high protein diet lost significantly more weight than an identical group who exercised but ate a low calorie, high carbohydrate diet instead (J Nutrition, 135:1903-1910, 2005).

Still on the high-carb bandwagon? Maybe it's time you switched...

High Protein Diets are Safe!

2006-03-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

A while back I wrote a brief piece on the Atkins diet, and how it always irritated me that the people critiquing it never seemed have any idea what they were talking about. One of the beefs these experts always had with the Atkins diet (and any low carb/higher protein diet diet) was its higher protein intake. Increased protein intake, these "experts" claimed, was dangerous, and could impede kidney function. While I agreed that people with kidney disease would be ill-advised to implement a high-protein diet, there was absolutely no evidence of any sort to indicate a higher-protein diet had negative health implications in healthy individuals.

Well, guess what?

A recent review of available research material by University of Connecticut researchers determined that there is "no significant evidence for a detrimental effect of high protein intakes on kidney function in healthy persons."

So once again, if you're eating a higher protein diet, don't be swayed by negative comments from the "experts." The evidence does not justify their comments.

This research is available for your review online, at the Nutrition and Metabolism web site. Click here to visit the site, or right click this link and choose "Save Target As" to download the PDF report of this research.

The Hoodia Scam

2006-03-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hoodia gordonii is one of the most hyped weight loss supplements on the Net. According to the advertising, Hoodia crushes hunger cravings, inevitably leading to weight loss. Unfortunantely, there's very little evidence Hoodia is good for anything (I've written exclusively about Hoodia on UltimateFatBurner.com. For a complete review of Hoodia, please click here!). But there's another problem as well...

According to ConsumerLabs.com...

"It has been speculated that there is more hoodia being sold today than could possibly be made from all the Hoodia gordonii plants in existence. It is believed that some products may be derived from other species of Hoodia or similar succulents from around the world. In such cases, consumers are likely not getting what they expect from the product."

It should also be noted that Hoodia is both endangered and rare and is protected by stringent conservation laws in both South Africa and Namibia. For that reason as well, it's even less likely that your Hoodia weight loss product actually contains any Hoodia.

As usual... buyer beware!

For those of you who are interested, I highly recommended a membership to ConsumerLabs.com. These guys independently evaluate many health/fitness/weight loss products and provide the real skinny on their label claims and more. You can find out more about a ConsumerLabs membership by clicking here!

Eating to Burn!

2006-03-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

What's a smart way to eat if you're looking to lose weight? That's right... replace high glycemic carbs (like breads, pastas, sweets, and so on) with high fiber fruits and vegetables. That's one important strategy. Here's another...

Increase your protein intake. Recent studies have indicated that high-protein meals actually raise post-meal thermogenisis (fat burning) and resting energy expenditure (Source: Journal of American College of Nutrition, 21(1):55-61, 2002). Secondly, it requires 25-30% of the caloric value of any protein source to be digested and utilized by the body. So a 400 calorie protein-based meal would only add 275-300 calories to your daily caloric intake. The remainder of those calories would be required for processing. For carbs, only 6-8% of calories is required for processing, and for fats, it's only 2-3%.

So what are good sources of protein? Good question! Lean sources of beef, pork, turkey, chicken, fish, and even some dairy sources are fantastic sources of high quality protein (for more on sources of lean proteins and even data for individual cuts, please click here!)

For individuals "on the run", high quality whey proteins and meal replacements may be the answer (click here for more on these supplements).

Bottom line? However you want to do it, adding protein-rich foods to your diet is a great weight loss strategy for anybody!

Warning for Users of Brazilian Diet Pill and Herbathin

2006-03-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

If you're using or thinking of purchasing Emagrece Sim (also known as the Brazilian Diet Pill), or Herbathin you need to be very concerned. It has been found that these Brazilian manufactured diet supplements actually contain prescription controlled pharmaceutical compounds that can be dangerous. This, from a recent Health Canada release...

"Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that Emagrece Sim, also known as the Brazilian Diet Pill, and Herbathin, contain the prescription-only pharmaceutical compound fluoxetine HCl (the active ingredient in Prozac), the controlled substance chlordiazepoxide HCl (an active ingredient in Librax) and the controlled substance fenproporex. Emagrece Sim and Herbathin are not authorized for sale in Canada.

Consumers who are taking these products are advised to continue taking them and consult with their physicians immediately, as medical supervision is required for discontinuing chlordiazepoxide HCl, fluoxetine HCl, and fenproporex. Abrupt withdrawal of these drugs could lead to serious physical and psychological symptoms, such as fatigue, agitation, accelerated heart beat, anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts."

Wow! Isn't that something. This really emphasizes the fact that it's sometimes dangerous to buy products outside Canada and/or the U.S. (via the Internet, for example), as these products may have different quality control and asessment criteria than those sold from within these countries. If you're using either one of these two "supplements", I'd suggest printing off the Health Canada press release, and bringing it with you on your next trip to your doctor -- professional advice would definitely be an asset when discontinuing the use of either of these products.

Many Small Meals Keeps Your Metabolism Revved!

2006-03-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

I love nature shows. I was watching one recently that focused on a group of alligators somewhere in Africa (I've forgotten exactly where). This group of alligators lived in a stream that was frequented twice yearly by migrating wildebeast. The rest of the time, they were pretty much on their own. Of course, when the wildebeast showed up, all you-know-what broke loose. The alligators took down as many wildebeast as they could and feasted mightily. I was amazed to hear the narrator say that the alligators would now not need to worry about eating for months, so slow were their collective metabolisms.

Of course, after that I got thinking about dieters and the plague of the slow metabolism. So many people think that the best way to lose weight is to drastically reduce caloric intake. While this works intially, it does not work for long, because the less you eat, the less calories you require, and the slower your metabolism. The body quickly adjusts to the reduced caloric intake, and the weight loss stops or even reverses. Obviously, if you want to lose weight you need to keep your metabolism as elevated as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to eat many small meals throughout the day. This balances blood sugar levels, meaning waning energy levels and cravings are a thing of the past. Eating often keeps the body in "burn" mose as opposed to store mode... critical for weight loss. How big should your meals be? Take your weight, multiple by 10 or 12, and divide by 6. A 180 lb. man, for example should consume between 1800 and 2160 calories daily, with each meal containing between 300 and 360 calories.

Simple right? And, oh so effective...

Click here for even more ways to boost your metabolism naturally... and easily!

Latest Fat Bustin' Newsletter is Up for Review!

2006-03-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let you now the latest version of UltimateFatBurner.com's newsletter has been mailed out, and the back issue is available for your perusal right here!

What's covered in this issue? Well, there are new fat burner reviews for NxCare's NV and the "slimming pill" Zotrim. I've also got a good bit of material on Nitric Oxide (NO2) supplements, if you're into working out and body building supplements. Pete Sisco (known for his work with Iron Man magazine) has updated his fantastic "Train Smart" Precision Training publication and re-released it as "Lifetime Strength" -- and that's discussed too.

The newsletter is published roughly twice a month, and often contains a synopsis of the new material presented on the Web site. Many of our subscribers enjoy this feature, as it keeps them abreast of any updates without needing to visit the site regularly. If you'd like to join our over 30,000 subscribers, you can do so here. Please do not use a free Internet address as these often block our newsletter (much weight less material is arbitrarily labeled as "spam") from entering your mailbox. If you're subscribing from Earthlink or any service that requires a manual verification process, please whitelist our service, as I do not process manual verifications.

Hope to see you subscribed for the next issue!

Help... There's Fiber In My Fat Burner!

2006-03-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

Fiber is an understated but effective weapon in the battle of the bulge. Why? Basically, it fills you up without adding much in the way of calories and slows the release of glucose into the body... thus slowing the release of insulin. Unfortunately, fiber doesn't have much sex appeal and rarely gains the attention it merits. Too bad... Nancy Howarth, a nutritionist from Tuft's University in Boston, suggests people who add an extra 14 grams per day to their diet could expect to lose 4 pounds and decrease food intake by 10% in 4 months. This is actually quite easy to do (just add a serving of Kellogg's All Bran Buds to your daily routine), since the typical low quality North American diet does contain nearly enough fiber. The average North American consumes 15 grams of fiber daily -- 10 grams less than the minimum recommended amount of 25 mg.

It not surprising therefore, that an exciting new fiber supplement is turning up more and more on the labels of top selling fat burners. That fiber supplement is called glucomannan. Glucomannan is an unabsorbable polysaccharide derived from the konjac root. Several clinical studies validate glucomannan's ability to lower LDL cholesterol and blood lipid levels -- as well as blood sugar levels. There also appears to be some preliminary evidence that 1 gram of glucomannan, taken with 8 oz. of water one hour prior to meals, has a significant influence on weight loss (one study showed almost 6 pounds of fat lost in two months -- with no changes in eating habits).

While consuming a fat burner containing glucomannan won't end your weight loss woes (and certainly is not an alternative to consumer high fiber fruits and vegetables), it is an option worth looking into, especially if a specifically hectic lifestyle makes it difficult to consume properly structured meals rich in fat-busting fiber.

Relacore Surprises Everyone... Including Me!

2006-03-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

If you're one of the few that hasn't seen the commercial, Relacore is a highly advertised fat burner that claims "excess belly flab is not your fault." The problem, the makers of Relacore contend, is cortisol -- a nasty little stress hormone. In other words, you're not fat because you're sedentary and overconsume calories, you're fat because your stressful, hectic lifestyle is making you fat.

Great marketing. No wonder people are buying this stuff by the truckload. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to justify any of the advertising claims made by Relacore. In fact, it's a mystery to me why the FTC or the FDA haven't moved against these guys yet. After all, they did move against the makers of Cortislim, a nearly identical product advertised much in the same way! (At this time, a possible Relacore class action lawsuit is being investigated. Click here for more details!)

Anyhow, the title of this post indicated that Relacore had surprised me... how has it done that? Well, I reviewed Relacore on UltimateFatBurner.com and asked visitors for their feedback. Here's what was interesting...

Although not all the comments were glowing, many respondents said they were happy with the product -- not because it had been effective for weight loss -- but because it was useful for reducing stress levels. That's not all that surprising really... Relacore contains magnolia bark, standardized for something called honokiol.

Here's what Supplement Watch has to say about Magnolia bark...

"... a small dose of honokiol, or a magnolia bark extract standardized for honokiol content, can help to "de-stress" you without making you sleepy, while a larger dose might have the effect of knocking you out. When compared to pharmaceutical agents such as Valium (diazepam), honokiol appears to be as effective in its anti-anxiety activity, yet not nearly as powerful in its sedative ability."

Interesting, eh?

Of course it also bodes the question... why not advertise Relacore as a "de-stresser" (as which it appears to offer some value) instead of a weight loss product (as which it offers none?). It's time for companies to begin acting and advertising in a more ethical manner... and one that truly meets the needs of their respective audiences.

FTC Pulls Plug On Lipodrene, Stimerex-ES and Betadrene

2006-03-09T05:32:00.000-08:00

Ephedra is a controversial but popular ingredient in weight loss products, over the counter cold remedies, and herbal bronchodilators. The US government recently outlawed the sale ephedra in fat burners -- this law was later overturned by Judge Tena Campbell (of the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City) who struck down the ban on the sale of supplements containing 10 mg or less of ephedra per serving. In her opinion, the FDA had failed to make its case that ephedra was dangerous at that dosage. This was good news for fans of ephedra -- a compound that has been highly demonized and plagued by inaccurate and inflammatory media reporting. Low dose ephedra products began to reappear on the market.

Unfortunately, not everyone plays by the rules, and some retailers continued to manufacture full-dose ephedra products (containing 25 mg ephedra per serving) despite the continuing ban on products containing higher levels of ephedra. Well the chickens came home to roost lately. Under the directions of the FDA, US Marshalls moved to seize large amounts of Lipodrene, Stimerex-ES and Betadrene, as well as the raw materials required to manufacture them. To review the full FDA press release detailing the action, click here! These products were all labeled as containing 25 mg of ephedra per tablet -- 2 and a half times the legal limit.

What's most irritating about the behavior of some supplement companies is that by their irresponsible behavior, they run the risk of ruining it for everyone else. If you're a fan of ephedra, chances are you'll be happy being able to get your hands on any product providing the legal 10 mg/dose. But if some manufacturers continue to ignore the ban, we run the risk of the re-establishing of a full ban on ephedra. And like I say... if you're a fan, that's really not good.

If you are a fan, there are plenty of legal ways you can have your ephedra back. Click here to learn how!

In Defence of The Dr. Atkins Diet

2006-03-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

It always drives me stark raving crazy when I see some 15-second news clip on TV featuring some nutritionist or other bad-mouthing the Dr. Atkins diet. Of course, they never have anything positive to say... "this low carb diet is dangerous", or "high protein diets are dangerous" is usually what can be expected to come out of said "expert's" mouth. To anyone familiar with the Atkins diet, it's obvious that our esteemed expert has done little more than read the back flap of the Atkins diet, and has no real experience with it. Calling the Atkins diet a low carb diet is a gross simplification of the plan, and does an injustice to individuals unfamiliar with the diet. True, the Atkins diet does start with an induction period, where carbohydrates are reduced in order to reduce the body's reliance on glucose and to reduce insulin resistance. This induction period is relatively short however, and shortly afterwards dieters are encouraged to reintroduce low-glycemic fruit and vegetables back into their diets. At this point, overall carbohydrate consumption will fall far short of what was typically normal in the individual's diet -- but that's because carbs of low value -- breads, buns, pastas, sweets, etc. have been eliminated. This is certainly not detrimental or dangerous... on the contrary!

And what about the "dangerous" high protein element of this diet? First of all, the Atkins diet isn't a high protein diet... it's a higher protein diet. Typical North American diets are chronically low in high quality protein. True, a bout on the Atkins diet might see your daily consumption of protein skyrocket from 30-40 grams per day to 100-150 grams per day. This is neither excessive nor dangerous. In fact, I challenge any "expert" to provide proof (in the form of a credible, peer-reviewed, double blind clinical study) that a moderately elevated protein intake leads to serious health issues in healthy people (i.e. those without kidney issues). While I am aware increased protein intake does increase levels of phosphorus, potassium and urea and does increase strain on the kidneys, there is no evidence that this is not easily dealt with by the body... especially with all the water you should be drinking on your diet.

Bottom line? If you're going to put down the Atkins diet, at least be familiar with it, and provide arguments that hold water. Because in the end, the Atkins diet still remains the diet I've seen friends and associates achieve the most dramatic results with.

Fight Back Against Unethical Supplement Companies!

2006-03-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

While I don't like to tarnish the whole supplement industry with one brush, I can honestly say this is one industry in which unethical behavior -- manifesting itself mostly as false and unethical claims -- runs rampant. While there are governing bodies in place to stop this sort of thing, they are for the most part under-staffed, and unable to deal with the huge number of wonderous fat burners on the market, all offering incredible results with a minimum of work. Occassionally though, the good guys win... it wasn't too far back that the Federal Trade Commission successfully sued the makers of Cortislim for making fakse and unsubstantiated claims.

The problem you as a consumer faces is, of course, how to receive
redress when you've been sold a pig in a poke (and by that I mean a fat burner supplement that promises great results but delivers nothing?). The good news is that you can do something! While you shouldn't expect miracles overnight, you can fight back against unethical weight loss and supplement companies by lodging a complaint with the appropriate regulatory government body.

In the U.S., you should submit your complaint to the Federal Trade Commission. You can do that by using the form found here!

In Canada, you should submit your complaint to the Canadian competition bureau. Use the form here to do so!

If you've been "stiffed" by an unscrupulous supplement retailer, or are tired ridiculous claims, do your part to stem the tide... file a complaint today!