Has anyone ever tried the acai berry for fat loss??

[Julpost]

I admit, I'm desperate here. I've been working out for a month and only lost 3 lbs. I know it must be that I'm now 36yo and losing weight isn't as easy as it used to be. But 3 lbs. in a month??? Also, I admit I've mainly been using the Wii Fit which is not a very strenuous workout at all. I add 9 lbs. weights to the advanced step just to get my muscles to feel like they're working and increase my heart rate. I've been running on the trampoline during the run and then doing the hula for 6-10 min. I do strength building exercises every day too. I added jumping jacks and a new exercise from elementary school where you squat down, extend your body into a push up position, then jump back into the squat and stand up. Well, I could definitely feel my belly fat all bunched up when I was down in the squat position. I am trying so hard to lose this weight because I'm in serious jeopardy of becoming complacent about it. I tend to feel like I'm fine, it's only when I see a picture or look at my clothing size that I realize how big I've gotten. I'm now a tight 14, comfortable 16. That's not at all acceptable to me, I'm 173 lbs. at 5'7". Somehow I gained 15 lbs. this Christmas. I guess I can't eat sweets like I used to. :) The final straw was my Wii calling me overweight. Now it's official.

 

Anyway, I keep seeing these ads online for the acai berry that's supposed to "melt belly fat" away. I know that can't be true....but I kinda hope maybe it is.

 

Anyone ever tried it? Or perhaps have a suggestion for a super fat buring exercise? I have another question. Why is it so much easier to run on the trampoline....I don't feel out of breath at all. But I can hardly run on a flat surface for more than 30 seconds.

[OnTheBrink]

Acai berry is a great antioxidant, but there is NO proof it melts fat. AT all. I saw a report on GMA about this, as I was tempted to try one of those "free trials" I see on the net.

 

1) Those "free trials" are a scam; your CC will be charged for the rest of your life and you can't opt out easily.

 

2) From what the GMA report said, there's no proof Acai berry does squat for fat burning.

 

I'm guessing that you're building muscle while you're losing fat and that's why the scale is only showing 3lbs. Have you measured yourself? I've lost 32 lbs since January, by eating better and doing my wii fit.

 

Check out Sparkpeople.com or read the Three Hour Diet (which has worked VERY well for me.) Don't lose hope! Make sure you're drinking lots of water and watch your salt intake. Also, don't eat 3 hours before going to bed, and make sure you eat breakfast within an hour of rising, and before you work out (although, there are opposing viewpoints on this. A nutritionist told me that the body retains fat if you workout on an empty stomach; other people disagree. YMMV)

[Julpost]

Acai berry is a great antioxidant, but there is NO proof it melts fat. AT all. I saw a report on GMA about this, as I was tempted to try one of those "free trials" I see on the net.

 

1) Those "free trials" are a scam; your CC will be charged for the rest of your life and you can't opt out easily.

 

2) From what the GMA report said, there's no proof Acai berry does squat for fat burning.

 

I'm guessing that you're building muscle while you're losing fat and that's why the scale is only showing 3lbs. Have you measured yourself? I've lost 32 lbs since January, by eating better and doing my wii fit.

 

Check out Sparkpeople.com or read the Three Hour Diet (which has worked VERY well for me.) Don't lose hope! Make sure you're drinking lots of water and watch your salt intake. Also, don't eat 3 hours before going to bed, and make sure you eat breakfast within an hour of rising, and before you work out (although, there are opposing viewpoints on this. A nutritionist told me that the body retains fat if you workout on an empty stomach; other people disagree. YMMV)

 

Oh thank you-I tell you, I was ONE click away from completing one of those free trial offers. Somehow I just couldn't do it. Praise the Lord, the impulse is over and I read your reply! :)

 

SOO...I am inspired that you lose 32 lbs. using your Wii Fit. Would you mind sharing the exercises you do on it. I'll check out that 3 Hour Diet. I'm also TERRIBLE about drinking water and I do tend to eat out quite a bit, so my salt intake is higher than it should be. I'm trying to eat at home more and not eat at night.

 

Thanks again for your reply. It was the cold splash I needed!

[OnTheBrink]

I'm glad I spared you the torture of being scammed!

 

On my Wiifit, I do about 10 minutes of yoga to stretch and warm up. Then, depending on how I feel that day, I will either do the 10 minute stair step (or I'll do the "free step" which I think goes up to 20 minutes), I also do the 30 minute "free run". I like that, because I can switch the channel to The Price is Right and the wii mote keeps me on top of how much longer I have to run. And, watching TPIR makes the time go by faster. LOL

 

I've done the boxing, but I re-injured my shoulder punching too hard, so if you have shoulder issues, be careful! I hate the hula hooping, so I mostly do the stair stepping and running in place. On occasion, I'll do the balance games, but not that often. I don't do any strength training yet, I have a lot of weight to lose first before I want to build up muscle.

 

I have trouble drinking a lot of fluids, too. I make a huge cup of iced tea (unsweetened) and try to drink at least 4 of those a day. As for eating out, there is a LOT of hidden salt and fat in restaurant food. If I eat out, I try to make the healthiest choices I can and then I really push drinking water to flush out the salt. Applebees has Weight Watcher's meals, which are pretty good; at fast food places, I try to stay under 400 calories, so I opt for grilled over fried, no potatoes, water or unsweetened tea to drink.

 

Also, I allow myself treats. I give myself one day a week to not be diligent about what I eat. I don't go insane with it, but if I want some hot wings, I'll have them and account for them by eating better on the other meals. If I want a dish of ice cream, I do get the lower fat version, and eat it in a smaller bowl. For me, not feeling deprived and feeling that these new eating habits are doable for life has helped me. For me, thinking that I'll never be able to have chocolate or popcorn just makes me feel defeated from the get-go. So, I CAN have those things, but I'm going to have them in moderation and infrequently, because I WANT to lose weight, not because I HAVE to obey some plan.

 

I've also bought the Biggest Loser Family cookbook and the Sonoma Diet cook book and make meals from them. After a few months, I've gotten pretty good at discerning the appropriate serving size and I even feel really full after a small meal. Eating every three hours has really helped me not feel like I'm starving between meals and it's kept my blood sugar level and my metabolism working. Also, avoid diet sodas. Very high in sodium and the body metabolizes them the same as sugary sodas. There is nothing good about them at all.

 

Another tool I use is http://www.my-calorie-counter.com to count my calories. If they don't have a food in their database, you can add it in yourself, so it's been very helpful. You can also enter in how much you exercise, too. It's been a great help, and it's free. :)