Disclaimer: Note that this is not an advertorial and the mentioned brand has not paid/contacted me to do any sort of write-up. I'm writing this based solely on my own personal experience with the product and because there isn't an extensive and detailed enough testimonial out there. 



Over the course of the past week (started May 17th 2011), I've been working my butt off at the gym and taking a totally recommended product to boost my productivity at the gym.

Lipo-6 by Nutrex definitely has its good & bad reviews, but most of the reviews on body building websites seems to have been generated by marketers. I only decided to give it a go after hearing REAL testimonies from people I know. So far, most of the good reviews are actually spot on. Here's the breakdown.


PROS
- Lipo-6 is known for its caffeine content, which gives you a  boost of energy (equivalent to drinking a cup of coffee) to be able to workout without feel tired so soon. I love the fact that it works. I'm not a coffee drinker and I hate how coffee stains your teeth, so this is definitely a better alternative to coffee. However, if you're used to having caffeine in your system on a daily basis, it's quite possible that this will not be as effective for you due to your body's caffeine tolerance. You'll require Nutrex's stronger variants. Also, people who are not used to caffeine (like myself) should take only 1 pill at a time (instead of the recommended 2 pills) to see if you are affected by caffeine - being jittery, headaches or nausea. Personally, I was affected by a very mild nausea, but I find that it goes away when I keep moving instead of just sitting down.





- Being dubbed as a 'fat-burner', it helps especially during workouts when you will find yourself sweating a lot more, feeling the extra burn and being able to push yourself further. Many people have misconceptions thinking that Lipo-6 is a miracle pill and by taking a 'fat-burner' pill, they will lose weight. NOT TRUE. It will only burn the fats off when you get your ass off the couch and workout. Taking the pill alone will not do anything unless you work it. That's where most of the negative reviews come from, people who think this is a miracle pill which requires no exercising. You are sorely mistaken.

- It's true when they say this product makes you thirsty, it keeps me in check with my water intake so it's a good thing. People have reviewed that it makes you 'pee like a horse' but seriously, you only pee like one because you don't work out. When you work out, the water is expelled as sweat. So when you don't work it all out, the only way out is down under. Common sense, duh?

- It suppresses the appetite. One of the main reasons why I love it. I feel full most of the time, I only eat to curb any impending hunger. It helps me to not overeat or binge, which I think is great.

- I'm really energized throughout the entire day while on Lipo-6. I find that I'm not as sleepy or sluggish as I used to be. Hence the rationale behind drinking coffee to keep yourself awake. It's the caffeine at work. But this one lasts me throughout the entire day, without staining my teeth.


CONS
- If taken less than 6 hours before bedtime, you won't get to sleep. This varies with different people and especially for people who are sensitive to caffeine, you will be up all night. So it's wise to not take Lipo-6 less than 6 hours prior to bedtime. Hence why the instruction label says to take it twice a day, once in the morning and one more in the early afternoon - NOT in the evening.

- Side effects on certain people. When took my first pill (30 minutes before breakfast), I didn't feel a thing. After I had my breakfast, I experienced a slight hint of nausea but it was all better after 20 minutes. Other people have been said to experience dizziness and jitters. I guess this is a side effect that affects certain people and you are always advised to consult your doctor before taking any supplements. I didn't, seeing that I've never experienced any bad side effects when it comes to medication. I am lucky to have felt nothing other than the caffeine's mild effects. But please, do consult your doctor if you're unsure.




- It increases your heart rate. I placed this under 'cons' because although your burn more with an increased heart rate, I don't think it's healthy to exert your heart un-naturally. Here's a chart for the recommended heart rate by age. Seeing that I'm 22 years old, my heart rate zone should be between 120-170. For instance, on the treadmill, my usual heart rate when speed-walking is between 130-150 and when I run, it's usually between 150 -165, but never over 170. However, on the first day I had ONE Lipo-6 pill, my speed walk heart rate was up between 150-170 and when I run, it hits 160-180. That's pretty close to exceeding the maximum of 200 HR. Constant over-exertion may lead to heart problems in future, that's all I'm saying.



Overall, there isn't much to complain about this product. It's all round a really good product for people like me who want to speed up the fat burning process. But let's not forget that your diet & workouts play a big role in weight loss. Lipo-6 is not a miracle pill, you work for what you want and the pills only aid in speeding the burn process and getting you revved up to push yourself further.




So, here's a recap on some of the important points that you need to remember while taking Lipo-6.

- Take 1 or 2 pills 30-45 minutes before breakfast and another 1 or 2 again 30-45 minutes before lunch.
- Never take them 6 hours before bedtime (I'd usually count 8 hours, to be safe).
- Drink at least 2-4 liters of water daily.
- You may take Lipo-6 for up to 6-8 weeks (daily) then stop for a week or two before you start again. (As recommended by Nutrex)
- While on the 6-8 week program, take at least two pills every day even if you're not working out.
- This is NOT a miracle pill. You need to work to achieve your goals - Lipo-6 floors only 10% of the work.

For it's full effect & great results, many people have recommended watching your diet as well. You are what you eat after all. I wouldn't tell you to start counting calories because I don't do so myself but it will definitely make a difference to be eating less calories than the usual. I'm not a total workout expert yet but I do have a few good tips for beginners like myself:

- Water, drink lots of it.
- Never skip meals. (I'm serious) Skipping meals will lead to binge eating sooner or later. Just eat enough to curb your hunger.
- Load up on the protein before you work out. (Try to eat food with fish, eggs, chicken, etc)
- Shed 40% of carbs, for now. (Carbs are important, but too much will lead to weight gain. So eat 40% less carbs from your plate for starters. Eg: White rice, potatoes.)
- Cut the sugar out. (No sodas, sugary treats, milk chocs, etc. The occasional sweet is alright, but only ONE) If you must have a treat, try dark chocolate instead.
- Sleep at least 7-8 hours. (Something which I've been trying to do for some time now)
- Always have some good music (My very own GymJam playlist) for when you work out. Increases effectiveness by 10%

I know it's hard to motivate yourself at times, but coming from a girl who used to think changing my clothes is a form of exercise - if I can do it, so can you. :)


xxx


UPDATE:
I lost 8kg in 5 months, using only one cycle of Lipo-6 to help boost my metabolism. This product works great with daily workout (or at least 5 times a week, in my case) and eating healthy. You can read about how I lost all that weight here.