Isagenixs, Qivana, Xocai, Visalus

Submitted by support on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 03:02

which is the best weight loss program

There are lots of weight loss programs out there – and many MLM weight loss programs…you need to be able to determine what is REALLY going to work for you before you put your time and effort into it.

This article is going to address the following:

a) Questions to ask yourself
b) Theories behind weight loss – this will surprise most of you
c) Causes for long term weight loss
d) Questions to ask about the formulators / science behind the program
e) Financial benefits of the company or MLM
f) Simplistic overview of different companies
g) Summary of exercise

Note: this is not an exhaustive or comprehensive review but rather a simple summarization to help you decide what you need to do for yourself. Here’s to your Health!

There are a few questions you can ask yourself and the program…

1) Do you want the program for financial benefits or for health benefits

a. Several MLM weight loss programs out there have great marketing strategies behind them. With these companies you may achieve good results in the short term both financially and with your weight….But, the long term doesn’t look so good
b. I would certainly rather use a good MLM and get paid for telling my friends about it; then pay for a non-MLM program and get no reimbursement for my efforts – but the choice is yours

2) You need to look past the marketing and the hype – if you are interested in the long term - to determine whether it is a health company and/or product. So you need to ask yourself the following questions…

Healthy Program : What is the science behind their program

a. Many weight loss programs don’t even understand the different theoretical models for good healthy weight loss. Everyone broadly claims that it is no longer about diet; or that they focus on metabolism, as if that is a new concept; etc . This is very outdated and old…let’s look at the real issues…

i. Detoxification of liver and gut – necessary for effective uptake of good nutrition and effective elimination of toxin & waste
ii. Regulation & strengthening of the hypothalamic – thyroid – adrenal axis – this axis is huge in controlling the body’s ability to metabolize
iii. Increased muscle metabolism and caloric burn – this is where gyms and trainers get into the picture – but there are many philosophies behind what is really effective
Dr. Sear’s program – 90 second oscillations
Ayurvedic medicine says – stop exertion when you break a sweat because you lose too much glutathione & other important minerals and molecules
Some say you need cardio; or you need weight training; or you need 10 minutes vs 20 minutes vs an hour
Some say you need to eat a,b,c before; some say you should eat b,d,f after –
suggestions are at the end
iv. Regulation/balance of leptin/grehlin – the two most important hormones in food metabolism (that do many necessary additional functions as well)
v. Nutritional typing:
1. common one today: carb, protein and mixed typing;
2. Ayurvedic medicine looked at the: Vata, Pitta, Kapha
3. Traditional Chinese Medicine looked at Yin, Yang and Qi
vi. pH: we are all way too acidic. Does the program help alkalinity? An ascidic body is more likely to gain weight. Negatively charged water surrounds fat cells and lock in the toxins – difficult to penetrate and release the toxins or turn the fat cells into fatty acids to burn as energy if this isn’t altered

b. What is the long term success rate of the individual for weight loss :

i. Is the weight loss: water, fat, or muscle – if you did not rebuild muscle (and in fact lost it) then the probability of keeping the weight off is minimal
ii. If you did not regulate the leptin & grehlin, then the probability of keeping the weight off is minimal
iii. If the adrenals are not strengthened and continue to pump out corticosteroids that turn into free radicals and disrupt several aspects of the metabolic system then the probability of keeping the weight off is minimal
iv. If the liver and gastrointestinal tract was not effectively detoxed then your capacity to absorb healthy nutrient and eliminate effectively was not established and the probability of keeping your weight off is minimal
v. If the pH is not kept alkaline then the body is simply going to gain the weight again – as the toxins were probably not released; and too many cells are still negatively charged and the probability of keeping the weight off is minimal – this is one of many reasons it is important to drink good alkaline water

Note: most anyone who stops eating processed foods, bad fat foods, pasteurized and microwaved foods, sugar, flour and fast foods; starts eating protein shakes for breakfast & lunch; throws in some vitamins and minerals; and eats a healthy dinner, is going to loose weight – you do not have to pay large MLMs; or weight loss programs to achieve that!!!

However, if you want health in the long term; if you want to reset your body’s metabolism; if you want more than simple short term weight loss – then choose carefully…

c. What is the training, behind the formulators

i. Many physicians will sell their names for endorsements – doesn’t mean anything

Physicians have precious little training in nutrition, i.e., 3 hours in 4.5 years!!!
Secondly, physicians are not trained as scientists. Precious few have gone on to become scientists.
Thirdly, physicians are more familiar with correlative results and not causal results

ii. Many will claim they have the scientific background and understanding that they don’t have. A big problem in North America is that everyone is taught to “sell” himself. This is interpreted as claiming that they are experts, when in fact the vast majority are not.

iii. This is similar to a financial advisor who has taken a couple of courses and claims to be on par with someone who has years of training and application. Or a life/career/whatever coach who has studied for a couple of weeks or months and claims to be on par with a psychologist who has 12 years of training, practicums and internships.

1. Now the flip side to that argument is that too often people who have a lot of training in a given specialty or in a given field, can become closed minded, too focused and end up in what we call the “old men’s club” trying to defend what they practiced and/or preached their whole career without looking outside the “box” to new, effective innovative studies
2. So it becomes important to look at the breadth and depth of their training and whether their research is up to date and supported

iv. Even those that we would like to believe are experts, often are not. When I did a review of study skills of students in different programs, even the Ivy League universities pushed professors to give grades and recognition to students who: didn’t show up; didn’t do their homework; and didn’t pass exams. Administration said: we are here to sell degrees!!! So who do you believe?

v. This is where you need to take responsibility for yourself and do your own homework. I am simply providing you with some of the questions you might want to explore. Remember: the body is a very interactive dynamic system and there are always a lot of variables to consider

Financial Program

What is their track record

i. A company may have a lousy track record and still be good.
ii. I remember when I was initially researching a herbal formulation called Protandim (info listed under products). Another company I questioned about Protandim – simply wrote it off because the company that produced Protandim had a lousy financial track record!!!
iii. Since that time, it became an MLM; with 25 universities studying it, all with phenomenal success, it is doing wonderfully well – so much for simply looking at the track record

So you may say – shoot, I don’t have the time to do all that research – and I don’t even want to…Sooo I have provided the following simple summary for you.

Isagenix:

works with the detox principle
chocolate is dutch pressed (looses up to 80% of anti-oxidants & other nutrients)
uses stearates in some products (reduces absorption)

Qivana:

works with muscle metabolism (patented clinically studied amino acid formulation)
adrenal/thyroid axis (utilizing special herbs they have sole rights to)
well backed by science and experts in the field

Visalus:

Science department could not provide any of the weight loss theories; nor
identify the theoretical application they were working with
No independent clinical studies or laboratory testing
Short term results

Xocai:

works with whole food nutritional packaging (special patented processing that protects all of the ingredients in the seed)
pH (real whole chocolate is loaded with alkalizing minerals – primary source of magnesium, an excellent alkalizing mineral required for over 300 enzymes processes in every cell and particularly important to the heart)
detox (highest combination of anti-oxidants in the combined cocoa/
acai/blueberry combination = 3 pieces has an ORAC = 80,000)
muscle metabolism (not the special formulation of amino acids that Qivana has but contains the 19 amino acids that cocoa seeds & acai are naturally composed of
well backed by science; independent laboratory tests and clinical trials and the only company asked to present at the Bariatric conference 2011
ALSO: lots of clinical studies regarding cardio health, diabetes, dental
AND its chocolate!!! Cocoa seeds are the most nutrient dense food there is and has a tremendous benefit to the body

Both Visalus and Qivana will provide you with free product when you sign up three.

All claim to have the best compensation plans; the best formulators; the best marketing strategies – you decide for yourself.

What to do when it comes to exercise:

a) The body needs movement; it keeps the lymphatic, vascular system, and muscle systems moving

b) Does it need to be cardio or weight training – NO

a. Yoga, stretching, palates can be just as or even more effective
b. Be sure to drink good alkaline water and not tap or bottled water!

Good Luck with whatever you choose and here’s to your HEALTH!!!

For more information, contact: Dr Holly at holly@choicesunlimited.ca

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