The Luscious Dare: L-Carnitine and Green Tea, Grapeseed Oil and Malunggay

I decided to lose weight to keep up with the demands of having a toddler and baby running around the whole day. I hated being sluggish and how cranky I was from having such low energy. Having come from childbirth and its complications, poor diet, no exercise and being overweight to begin with, it was high time for a change and reclaim my life from unhealthiness.

With eating smart, eating right and balancing my diet, I decided to support my weight loss with health supplements as my body had just come from childbirth and I am still breastfeeding Olly. It is important not to deprive the body as it could do more harm than good. Instead of getting your natural metabolism in gear, it could slow down further as your body thinks it's being deprived due to a famine. It's a normal response of the body protecting itself and why crash diets don't work in the long run. You stand to gain twice what you initially lost. You may think it's working but what you're losing is just water and mass.

L-Carnitine and Green Tea Extract seemed to be my best bet as I needed the energy boost and the anti-oxidant. I was apprehensive about it at first but a quick email to my OB put my mind at ease. She even sent me this link and surprised me by saying pregnant and breastfeeding mothers do need the supplement as these are high energy activities. Even babies needed l-carnitine that they get from breastmilk! Sometimes the body expends more than is produced because of this, so capsule intake may be prescribed.

I did not want to take just any supplement with appetite suppressants as eating less would interfere with my breastfeeding. So I decided on Luxxe Slim as it only had l-carnitine and green tea and no other unfamiliar ingredients in their formulation.

L-Carnitine converts body fat to fuel, metabolizes sugars, starches, and other carbohydrates. It promotes good circulation of the kidney, pancreas, good digestion and replenishes bone mass. Protects the heart from damage, clears the bloodstream and can be used to supplement breastfeeding mothers.

Green Tea's antioxidant qualities promote increased metabolism and fat oxidation, detoxification, enhances immunity and has cancer prevention properties.

Luxxe Protect's Grapeseed Oil on the other hand is 20 times more potent than Vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than Vitamin E.

It is good for the skin and vision and is an antihistamine, anti-inflamatory and lowers cholesterol level.

Malunggay or Moringana Olifeira capsules are packed with natural multi-vitamins many times over than artificial multi-vitamins. It also promotes lactation and keeps up my milk supply for Olly.

Calcium and Iron multivitamins are also usually needed as I'm a breastfeeding mom. Most of my supply are being transferred to Olly that's why my teeth, bones and hair are suffering for it. My period also resumed after being absent for so long so I need to build up my iron reserves. I felt so weak and dizzy on my first day from the blood loss!

Luckily though I've been taking malunggay. Imagine how weak I would have felt if I wasn't. After my period stops, I can stop the extra calcium and iron and just stick to the malunggay and other supplements.

So far, these are the supporting health supplements I take with lots of water and a regulated diet.

How Do I Feel?

With the extra vitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants flooding my body for about a week now, I definitely feel better. During the first few days though, when my body began to give up the toxins it had accumulated, I had a cold. I also itched, sweat a lot, felt tired, sleepy and cranky. My period also resumed after several months of amenorrhoea.

I read up that the colds, the sweating and the skin itching I had were due to the normal expulsion of toxins. Our skin and respiratory systems are organs that help eliminate our body's waste. My sleepiness and lack of energy was due to my monthlies whose recurrence I would put down to the metabolic boost the supplements gave my body. After all, that's part of the body's cleansing process.

After my body got used to the new balance of things, I felt much lighter, cleaner and definitely less cranky. Losing 5lbs worth of toxins after a week is definitely progress! :D I can't wait to see how much I lose again after another week!

Previous: How To Start
Next: The Diet

I Have A New Blog! *drumroll* LIVING LUSCIOUSNESS

I decided that my soul-searching merited a new blog.



living lusciousness

 Mainly for my health, wellness and beauty rants, raves and food for the soul, this will also chronicle my very own personal journey to inner and outer beauty, self-acceptance and a positive self-image.

It was just a small topic that blossomed as my introspection grew. I guess after years of feeling ugly, and denying myself the affirmation of my own inner light, I'm done with feeling like a victim. I am moving from the backseat and taking control of my life.

Being a mom can really open up so many things for a woman.

Though I have gone through so much and really lived it up in my colorful youth, I want to be a good role model for my girls now that I'm a mother. Someday, I want them to be proud of the woman I am now and when they're old enough to actually be embarassable in school, I still want them to be able to say, "Yep, that's my Mom!"; my wild child youth included in that statement of pride.

So without further ado, please visit and leave some love at Living Lusciousness.

The Luscious Dare: How To Start

Before I even started on this, I had to prepare myself mentally and physiologically. I didn't want to start abruptly and then stop because I thought up of an excuse I could live with or physically, my body would be in cahoots with my reasoning and feel *something* even vaguely justifiable. Yes, I am playing mind games with myself. If this sounds crazy, it's not a result of a starved brain. This is a normal day in my head.

Seriously, any venture has to be thought out before it's started. Especially the ones that require this much commitment. You have to be sure that you'll stick to it no matter the setbacks you'll encounter, criticisms you'll hear or the impatience you might feel over time. Why you are doing this has to be crystal clear and embedded firmly in your mind. In my case, I do this for my kids. I want to be more for them, to live longer and better so that they can have more out of life!

Of course I talk about it in dieting and health terms but it is also applicable to the other changes in my life that I am preparing to undergo. :)

Physical preparations included getting my OB's go signal to diet and use supplements while I breastfeed. Never start dieting, taking supplements or medication and going on an exercise regimen without consulting your GP, OB and other specialists if you have a condition. Anything is possible by human will but you have to be sure the body is willing too!

To say it's all in the mind would be correct. You have to get your mind right first :)

I find that making a list helps me keep things in perspective. So here's my list for a good start.

1. Set your goal.
Reach as far as you can! Aim for the stars! Put in a crazy number if you like but just be aware that you shouldn't have unreasonable expectations.

2. Be clear about your motivation.
Why you are doing this, why you are daring yourself to make a change. More importantly, are you doing this for yourself or for someone else's idea of who you should be? Address your issues and don't be afraid to face them once and for all.


3. Commit to a time line.
Again, be reasonable and leave room to adjust. Be sure it's a schedule you will be able to live with. I would suggest nothing too radical so that whatever you do would be able to mesh well with the rest of your normal everyday activities.


4. Create a reward.
Claim it when you achieve your goal. Though your good health is the best reward you could ever have, material rewards are also good :) A dress, an event or even a trip where you can flaunt your hard-earned change!


Health First!



5. List down the steps you will take.

Evaluate accordingly. Is it safe? Is it feasible, reasonable and achievable? Don't set yourself up to fail by being unreasonable.

6. List what you should avoid.
This not only means bad, unhealthy food, but bad habits that don't contribute to your goal as well.


7. Enlist the help and support of friends and family.
Having a support group will help you through the tough early days when you're just starting to break habits and when you feel like giving up.

8. Check in with your doctor.
Your health and safety is of paramount importance. Have a complete check up and let them know your plans. Bring along whatever medication or supplement you wish to use. Ask for recommendations and advice.


9. Be ready for the adjustments your mind and body will make.
At first it won't be good as your body eliminates toxins with the help of the supplements, the healthy diet and activities. You'll also experience mood swings as you detoxify. It's only temporary. Stick to your guns and know that it's the bad stuff coming out of your system.


10. Start.

I know it sounds like a long list but these are the stuff I started with. It's my way to throw myself completely into this "project". I study, read, prepare and prepare some more. I am committed and the two major reasons for this are sleeping sweetly as I type this to seal the commitment. This is parenting and motherhood for me, striving to be the best I can be for these kids.

If I can do it, I'm sure you can too! :D

Previous: The Luscious Dare
Next: The Supplements

The Luscious Dare

So in the middle of setting up the foundations for a business, homemaker duties, motherhood and surviving the day, I have officially kicked off the journey to a luscious me.

On September 29, 2010 I weighed 179 lbs. at 5'1.

I have lost 30 lbs. by December 9, 2010. Yup, the power of affirmative thinking and claiming your future breeds positive action and results.

10 weeks. Lose 3 lbs a week.

Hoo-rah.