I should start this review by saying that I am an absolute cynic when it comes to slimming aids, so - much as I would love to find a miracle product that will have weight falling off with zero effort and above all no health risks or side effects - I don't actually believe it exists.
I should also give you a quick idea of my weight management profile before we begin. Different people need to lose weight for different reasons - they may eat too much or eat the wrong things, it may be a water retention problem, linked to medication or be the result of constant grazing on unhealthy snacks. My weight is actually very stable but I still have all my baby weight to lose from my pregnancy with Pierre but also the girls. I've been wanting to start shifting my excess weight for months now but, as I was still breastfeeding Pierre up until last month, I've been holding off. I was convinced I'd get into a healthy low-calorie eating regime as soon as we all went back to work and school but the best laid plans don't always work out - with this year's timetable, I'm having to eat at the school canteen four times a week. So much for controlling what I eat and cutting out the unhealthy stuff.
I was therefore intrigued by Decarb, which is a natural carbohydrate blocker that has been shown in clinical studies to stop the body absorbing up to two thirds of dietary carbohydrates. Lo-carb diets have been around for a long time and seem to get pretty good press, so cutting down on the carbohydrates that your body absorbs seems like it could be an effective way of losing weight. Decarb explain : "The product has been shown to lower calorie intake by blocking the production of the digestive enzyme that breaks down starchy carbohydrates (e.g. bread, pasta, and potatoes). This significantly reduces the carbohydrates absorbed from these foods by up to 66 per cent, which then pass through the body naturally instead of being metabolised. [...] Excess calories from surplus carbohydrate consumption not used are quickly stored by the body as fat, and can contribute to weight gain." The beauty of Decarb is that it's the totally lazy and hassle-free way of trying to lose weight - there's no calorie-counting, food weighing, forbidden foods or separate meals to prepare. If you're a busy mum who doesn't want to cook a separate meal or if you eat socially with friends or colleagues, you can just eat what you would normally eat and take some Decarb beforehand.
According to the manufacturers, "placebo-controlled and statistically significant clinical trials show that when taken before a carbohydrate heavy meal, DEcarb can stimulate weight loss of up to 2lbs a week. In addition, the reduced absorption of dietary carbohydrates helps flatten ‘sugar spikes’ and energy slumps, one of the key triggers of food cravings". You can take 1-3 tablets immediately before a meal (so you can modify the number of tablets depending on how high in carbohydrates it is) and should not exceed six tablets a day.
As I've been eating at school, I haven't been taking Decarb at all at lunchtime so I have been taking two or three tablets just before my evening meal for the past couple of weeks. Apart from trying to cut down on unhealthy snacks like sweets or biscuits, I haven't changed anything else in my diet at all, eating exactly the same food as the rest of the family and exactly what I would usually eat. I therefore thought it was nigh on impossible for it to have any effect on my weight whatsoever. The first week, I lost 1kg. I was surprised (and happy !) but put it down to all the extra rushing around with work and childcare. The next week, I lost another kilo, despite eating a roast dinner and a McDonalds' burger with the rest of the family. Hmmm it looks like it could be working then !
What I really love is that the weight is dropping off at a healthy rate - 1kg a week sounds absolutely perfect. Anything more extreme would have slightly worried me. I'm still pretty sceptical but I'm definitely going to carry on taking the tablets in the hope that the weight will continue to drop off - and I have to admit I'm starting to believe in it ! Celeb slimmers Gail Porter and Linda Robson claim to have shed loads of weight (over 1 stone for Gail and almost 2 stone for Linda) and most feedback online seems to be positive.
The active ingredient comes from white kidney beans, so it's actually a natural product, which is reassuring. I scanned the information sheet looking for nasty side effects and it did mention increased wind ! As a teacher, I was a bit worried about this, but I am pleased to say I have seen absolute no change whatsoever ! Having read some of the horror stories of other weight loss products, such as Alli telling you to wear dark clothing in case you suddenly poo yourself (I kid you not !), I was really pleased to see there were no side effects at all. I didn't feel tired, have stomach aches, upset stomach or anything else at all. Best of all, it can be incorporated into family life with absolutely zero upheaval to the usual routine. I have to say I'm seriously impressed and surprised at how well it's working.
star rating : 4.5/5
RRP : £29.95 for a pack of 60 tablets
Other reviews you may be interested in :
Slim.Fast's new 3.2.1 weight loss plan
Nature with a hint of ... snacks
Nakd Gluten/Wheat/Dairy-Free Raw Fruit & Nut Bars
No comments:
Post a Comment