Here's looking at . . . me!: My Secret Weapon

My "secret weapon" is a product I was introduced to about ten years ago by one of my clients who was a coach and distributor.

Whether you are trying to lose, maintain or gain weight, it is very important that, in addition to eating properly, your plan provides you all of the important vitamins and minerals in the amounts necessary to maintain good health. I use Advocare's Metabolic Nutrition System.

The program is easy to follow: Each day you consume the contents of four pouches. The contents of each of the two labeled "gold" are taken thirty minutes before breakfast and lunch. The remaining two "white" packets contain a total of three tablets and one capsule which are taken with one of those meals, preferably breakfast.

How does it work? Advocare says that the system "includes the appetite suppressants, metabolic enhancers and thermogenic products needed to help control appetite, reduce cravings (especially for carbohydrates and sweets) and gently increase energy levels."

The Metabolic Nutrition System comes in three different formulations: Basic, Maximum Energy and Maximum Appetite Control.

Advocare specializes in providing high quality, safe nutritional supplements, meal replacement shakes, energy bars, skin care products, etc. The products are used by many professional athletes, some of whom are official endorsers. (Click here to see the list.)

What does Advocare do for me? I find that I have more energy, but not that miserable "buzzed" or nervous feeling that results, for instance, from drinking too much caffeine. Proper nutrition regulates and normalizes all functions -- the product assists with that process.

There is, of course, no scientific way to assess how much of one's motivation to eat a proper diet and exert control over the desire eat too much or the wrong kinds of food can be attributed to psychological changes as opposed to utilizing nutritional supplements, but, overall, my desire to power down desserts and other sweets is virtually gone. Ditto the urge to overload on carbohydrates. I look at the slice of four-layer chocolate cake on the dessert cart in the restaurant and experience no craving for it. These days, it just looks like an upset stomach waiting to happen. Ditto the chicken fettuccine Alfredo I used to adore.

It is imperative that you consult with your physician to see if Advocare products are right for you before using them. Yesterday, we took the box setting forth all of the ingredients and nutritional details to our family physician and she recommended that my hubby not use the product due to his diabetes.

To learn more about the products, contact a distributor in your area or contact the company directly at (800) 542-4800 or customerservice@advocare.com.

In case you're wondering . . . no, I'm not a distributor, so I have no financial motivation to provide this information to you.