Sponsored Post: Review of www.DoesIsagenixwork.com

Imagine losing almost 30 pounds of fat in thirty days.  That’s exactly what happened to JP Richards, who chronicles his experience at www.DoesIsagenixwork.com. 

JP got his great results with the Isagenix Weight Loss cleanse.  The cleanse includes special snacks, supplements and shakes that are designed to release the fat-storing impurities in your body.  There are two programs: a 30-Day Isagenix Cleanse and a 9-Day Isagenix Cleanse.  The 30-Day plan is designed for folks who need to lose more than 15 pounds.  The 9-Day plan is for people who only have 5-15 pounds of fat to lose.

So what were JP’s final results after thirty days?  He lost a total of 17.5 pounds, plus he added 10 pounds of lean muscle for a total fat loss of 27.5 pounds.  He lost 12.5% body fat, and whittled 3.5 pounds off his waistline.  Check out his website for his photo transformations.

The cleanse includes a lot of liquids and few "real" foods.  Most of the "real" foods are Isagenix snacks or "healthy" meals–and the focus tends to be on organic, vegetarian foods.  The supplements are designed to provide the body with plenty of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that help nourish and cleanse. 

As for exercise, JP did workout during this thirty day period.  The Isagenix program recommends 20 minutes of exercise (or walks) daily.  But JP believes in higher intensity exercise coupled with weight training–one of the smartest ways to lose weight, gain muscle and re-shape your body.  In fact, he even posts a free download for a "300 Movie Workout" on his site.

It’s impossible to argue with the success seen in his photos, so if you’re interested in the plan, check out JP’s website.  His personal trainer–and fiancé–has some extra perks for you if you sign up for the program, including an email consultation, a fitness journal, a cookbook and other tools.

Sponsored Post: Review of GT Xpress 101™

Many busy folks need a time-saving appliance that can help them prepare healthy food in minutes.  But is the GT Xpress 101™ the solution?

The GT Xpress 101™ is the typical Made-For-TV product.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean the item is just a gimmick.  Many infomercial products actually perform as claimed, and eventually become a staple in many American households.

Designed like a cross between a sandwich maker and George Foreman grill (which is basically a modified waffle maker), the GT Xpress 101™ claims to make everything from cakes to sandwiches.  The website includes photos of foods made with the appliance, including stuffed chicken breasts, berry pancakes and grilled wraps.

So what are the benefits of this appliance?  The nonstick surface means that you need less fat for cooking, plus it makes for easy cleanup.  The appliance itself uses very little energy and generates little heat in your home.  Moreover, the double-sided heat means it takes less time for your food to cook.

The current price of this appliance is just 2 payments of $19.95 (plus shipping), and it includes freebies like a spatula and recipe book.

With regards to its ability to cook low calorie foods, the responsibility lies mostly in the hands of the chef.  The GT Xpress 101™ has the potential to create healthy meals, including things like fish stuffed with asparagus tips or "grilled" chicken breast.  If you like convenience and easy cleanup–and you have the counter space to spare–the GT Xpress 101™ could help you prepare healthy, low calorie meals.

Sponsored Post: Review of Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™

Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™ claims to assist weight loss by boosting the metabolism and flushing fat from the body.  It is sold as loose tea and includes a mesh tea infuser.  A thirty-six day supply is $37 and includes the mesh infuser.  The website suggests that you drink three cups of wu-long tea each day for the maximum metabolism boost.

So what are the ingredients in Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™?  Wu-long is, apparently, another name for oolong tea.  Many consider it a cross between black and green tea, with the healthy benefits of both.

With regards to its taste, it tends to be a bit sweeter than black tea.  If you’ve ever dined in a Chinese restaurant, it’s likely that the tea served to you was oolong tea.  However, the Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™ website suggests that you can add milk, sweeteners, etc. if desired.

Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™ does come with a one year guarantee.  If, at any point, you are unsatisfied with the product, you can return the tea for a refund.

Although the health benefits of tea have been documented, there’s little to suggest that wu-long–or oolong–is superior to other types of tea.  Green tea and white tea, for example, have recently received press for their high antioxidant content.

Moreover, any wu-long tea–which includes, presumably, Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea–contains caffeine (unless it’s specifically a decaffeinated version).  Drinking this tea at night before bed as suggested could lead to sleeplessness for some folks.

Dr. Chong’s Wu-Long Tea™ might be beneficial for both overall health and weight loss, but it’s unlikely that it’s significantly more beneficial than other teas.

Sponsored Post: Review of My-Calorie-Counter.com

My-Calorie-Counter.com is an online weight loss journal, blog and community.  A basic membership is free.  When you join, you enter information about your age, weight and height.

The primary features include:

A simple-to-use daily journal:  You log the food you eat each day, including the portion sizes.  The website automatically calculates things like calories, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein and more.  You can also log your physical activity for the day–such as aerobics or yoga.  The website will then subtract calories for your exercise, so you end up with a total calorie count for the entire day.

Charts/graphs/calendars:  You can see your results in charts, graphs or a monthly calendar, making it easy to view your progress over time.  The summary report allows you to see how close you are to your weight loss goals.

Tools:  My-Calorie-Counter.com also offers a wide range of tools, such as a BMI calculator, Body Fat % calculator, Meal Plan Wizard and MySpace codes.

Community:  You can connect with other members of My-Calorie-Counter.com through a blog and an online message forum, allowing you to receive support, encouragement and advice from other folks with weight loss goals.

THE PROS

•    Very user friendly.  Almost anyone with basic computer skills can use this website.
•    Large database of foods and activities, so it’s unlikely you’ll input something that doesn’t already have calorie values.
•    The community support can be very useful to folks who need encouragement and assistance during their weight loss journey.

THE CONS

•    Some features–such as ‘custom foods’–are only available to paid, premium members.
•    In some cases, choosing portion sizes for food entries may require calculations or math on the part of the user.

Premium membership is relatively inexpensive, costing $5 a month, $35 a year or $99 for a lifetime membership.