No supplements work, otherwise they would all be approved by the FDA. (There is an old post from JulieMarie about this - she's a research scientist). I took the Excel for three months to test it. It did nothing. I actually got more help controlling my appetite w/Xenadrine than I did with this. When I mentioned this I was told it's because Xcel is made not to give people the shakes. It's less caffeine. So for me it didn't control my appetite and definitely didn't speed up any weight loss.
It didn't work for me either- just cost a lot of money and was a hassle to remember to take before a meal. I am learning through this whole journey that "you only get out what you put in." There is no magic and it took me years to get here and it will probably take me years to get to where I want my body to be. I am not on a diet- this is relearning how to eat forever.
Stephanie
Exactly! It's all about progress, not perfection. You didn't put these pounds on in a month and it won't take a month to take them off. And if you want them off for good, you need to know that it's going to be a lifetime struggle. A lifetime of making good choices. Yes, there will be days when you won't eat the best for your body, but making those days a lot fewer than the days you properly fuel your body will provide you with a lifetime of health.
I agree. You certainly do not want to take supplements for the rest of your life. And since this is a life change and not a quick fix, I think it's best to do things that you know you can stick with.
Well, I guess I will chime in with a different opinion. I like Xcel. It is not a miracle quick fix by any means. However, it seems to keep my cravings to a minimum and takes away my urge to cheat. I also get a bit of a lift from it without the jitters. In the past, I tried other supplements and really did not like them. I don't much like the price, but I've managed to buy some on Ebay. I don't know how much longer I'll stay on the Xcel because DD will be starting an expensive college soon and I'll need to cut costs. But for now, Xcel gets my positive vote.
Well, I guess I will chime in with a different opinion. I like Xcel. It is not a miracle quick fix by any means. However, it seems to keep my cravings to a minimum and takes away my urge to cheat. I also get a bit of a lift from it without the jitters.
It could be my addiction to caffeine makes it not work for me. And taking that into consideration it could be an option for those that get the jitters easily. So... I would say that as long as you don't think taking it will help you lose faster, but it will just enable you to stay OP easier, you have some options.
Thank you for your answers. I might check it out. If it helps at least cut down my cravings I might check it out. Or maybe I will try out Xenadrine. I need to get rid of my cravings. I’m really struggling these days.
If you try the Xenadrine, don't take it after 2:00 p.m. or so. I'm a hardened caffeine addict and I only take it 2x/day when I do take it. Otherwise I don't sleep.
Oh - and just to clarify - I don't take the Xenadrine every day. I just keep it for when I seem to really have cravings or when I know I need to go all day and may not have food available. Usually a day or two and the cravings go away.
I have also found Xcel to be good at keeping cravings at bay and give a bit of an energy boost. Again, though, as someone mentioned above, it is not a magic pill but to help "supplement" your efforts.
I have also found that the Reduce Plus works well at reducing inches.
Granted, they are both expensive so I normally turn to ebay. Beware of a seller called "lifoxsys" or something like that. This person does not always have the product and has been notoriously late in shipping. Otherwise, I haven't had any other problems with other sellers.
In addition to the Xcel, I've also been using the Reduce Plus. And I have been losing inches like crazy. I was attributing that to the gym, but the manager at the COD absolutely swears by the Reduce. She loves Reduce Plus and Carb Cravers. She claims that those are the two products that are the absolute best and work really well. The only problem I've had with the Reduce is that the pills started sticking together as I got down further into the bottle. I didn't have that problem with my first bottle and I now just started a new bottle. Anyone else have that problem, because it was really annoying? Also, did anyone else notice that sometimes Ebay prices come out way higher than the prices that you can get at the center? At least at my center, the counselors try and give me some good discounts.
Jill
Yeah, I noticed the sticking togetherness of the Reduce Plus. I think its because they are essentially an oil maybe?
Your center must have good deals on the supplements. I have yet to see a really good deal on mine. I think once they had it "on sale" for $69 (rather than the regular $89) but I was still able to get some off ebay plus shipping for less. Still, I'd much rather buy from the center but if I can find it on ebay cheaper, I won't pass that up.