There was a craze about this certain supplement called Garcinia Cambogia which started as early as last year. This was probably driven by Dr. Oz show wherein he shared amazing facts about Garcinia Cambogia which makes you burn fat quicker and more efficiently. You can lose weight or burn fat without exercise and without changing your diet! Who wouldn’t want an easy fix like this, right? 

Image from web

The Garcinia Cambogia extract is from a fruit native to Indonesia but has now spread across Southeast Asia, South Africa and India. This extract contains HCA or hydroxycitric acid which blocks fats and sugar PLUS it also suppresses appetite. Seems to good to be true? Unbelievable? Well, scientists have done research and tests on this (you can check out some videos from Dr. Oz show to understand more).

The great thing is that this extract has dual action on our body: 

1) it blocks fat and sugar = FAT BUSTER

2) it helps to control cravings, emotional or stress eating = APPETITE SUPPRESSANT 

Like some people who also experience or suffer from cravings, I also tend to eat unhealthy food, specially during my monthly period. I crave for sweet food, mainly chocolates, doughnuts and cakes. I sometimes even have the urge to drink carbonated beverages which result to my fat belly. Since early this year, after changing to marketing management for a non-retail brand where I rarely need to go malling, I had a massive weight gain of 5 kilos within 3 months!

 

I was convinced to try the supplement. However, I’m very cautious of weight-loss supplements as I’ve seen a lot of different brands before and I somehow doubt whether it’s safe or not. I did some research online and I found that GNC has Garcinia Cambogia supplements. Bad news is, when I checked the store, this particular supplement is already out-of-stock and you need to pre-order. Well, this is also a good sign that a lot of people are taking it and more probable that it’s effective. 

Good thing that the GNC staff was clever to recommend an alternative. There was a variant with added nutrients to make weight loss even more effective with gardenia cambogia called Chitosan Plus. It also contained L-Carnitine, an amino acid that helps the body convert fat to energy. 

So, yes, I decided to try the Chitosan Plus. It comes in a bottle of 120 tablets in white bottle with blue sticker and, of course, the GNC logo. One bottle will last 30 days since you will need to take 4 tablets a day. It costs RM196.90 but you can get 20% off as a GNC member. 

GNC Chitosan Plus 120 tablets

Directions for use: 

As a dietary supplement, take 2 tablets 30 minutes before lunch and 2 tablets 30 minutes before dinner daily with each meal. Consume with 8 ounces of water. 

Here’s the Supplement Facts at the back of the bottle:

GNC Chitosan Plus Supplement Facts

No Sugar, No Starch,  No Artificial Colors, No Artificial Flavors, No Preservatives, No Wheat, No Dairy. 

The bottle is secured with seal after removing the cap. 

The tablets are in cream color. Downside is it’s not easy to swallow so you really need to consume with lots of water. My tip to those who are challenged with this size, take 1 tablet at a time, give a few seconds of interval before you take the next tablet. 

GNC Chitosan Plus tablets

I’ve been taking Chitosan Plus now for the past 2 months and I’m amazed with the results on my eating habits. I don’t crave anymore and rarely eat supper, unless my husband brings back food late at night. And when I do eat supper, I can only eat a little. Not that I put effort into not eating more but I just feel naturally satisfied with what I’ve eaten sufficiently. I don’t overeat like before and even during my monthly period, my appetite is still like normal with no intense craving for sweets!

Within 2 months of just taking this supplement, I managed to lose 1 kilogram which is a big achievement for me. Few months before I started taking Chitosan Plus, I actually tried doing daily morning exercise (running on machine) and counting calories to control my food intake. It was alright, I lost 0.4kg within 2 months but counting calories and controlling my appetite  don’t work quite well. It’s really difficult to fight emotional appetite and cravings. 

But taking Chitosan Plus which contains Garcinia Cambogia has been great. I don’t need to fight off cravings, I feel normal. This doesn’t mean I’m eating irresponsibly, I still make an effort to eat proper food, less junk. Instead of indulging on chocolates, I’ve been taking dried fruits. I still take KitKat and others occasionally but that’s probably only once or twice a week. 

This month, I have started adding exercise to my weight loss program. I do daily quick exercise and weekend running or cycling. I feel great! 

My progress might seem a bit slow for some people but I’ve learned how to count my achievements, even small ones. So I take small steps at a time and I don’t expect miracles within a short time. I’ve nursed my extra weight for 3 years now and it won’t come off in a month or 2, would it? For those who are battling with extra weight like me, let’s all try watching our eating habits, physical activities and lifestyle. If you do want to explore taking supplements, visit a trustworthy shop, check with your doctor and go start losing weight!