I don’t know if you saw my video review of the movie Food Inc. I watched most of it with my mouth gaping open in the dark theatre. You can still it out here: Video review of Food Inc

When I saw the Sensa Weight Loss system on The Shopping Channel, I had the same reaction. I simply stood in front of my telly for about 15 minutes with my mouth was so wide open I could have fit a whole apple in there. I just was in amazement that over 4,000 innocent souls had dished out that kind of money to lose weight.

I’ll start by saying that, no I’ve not tried the Sensa Weight Loss system and I’m not saying their testimonials are not genuine (I have no way of knowing, but I assume that there must be a governmental body that regulates those types of claims).

The post you are about to read is purely my own opinion and based on the premise that I think that North Americans (and Brits now are doing a really good job at it, too) are making this whole healthy eating thing far too complicated. In my opinion, the Sensa Weight Loss system is proof of that.

I kid you not, I would have continued channel surfing had it not been for the fact that I recognized Dayna Devon from Extra! (she’s got that unmistakable voice) and I wondered what she was doing on TV promoting a weight loss product.

>>>> So, what the heck is the Sensa Weight Loss system?

Created by Dr. Alan Hirsch, the Sensa Weight Loss system is based on 25 years of research. The product is said to be an all-natural food base called tastant that you sprinkle on food. The tastant is not supposed to change the taste of food, rather it is meant to signal your brain to help you stop eating sooner. It sort of sends a trigger to your brain to say “stop eating, I’m full!”

The idea is that in time, and with regular use, you will learn to eat less because your brain will be getting that frequent signal that it is full.

Sensa’s Web site states that a 6-month study was conducted on 1,436 women and men between the ages of 19 and 55 who sprinkled tastants on everything they ate and lost an average of 30.5 pounds. Many of the forums and Web sites containing rants from disillusioned Sensa Weight Loss system users question these facts, asking “who are these 1,436 people … we’ve never seen them … and we don’t know if they’ve kept the weight off?”

I’ll be honest, just like for most of the contestants from the Biggest Losers (have you read this: The Biggest Loser falls short) , I always wonder if people are able to keep off the weight they’ve lost of such systems/programs one, two, three, five years later. In the case of the Sensa Weight Loss system, the question that pops to mind is are those participants able to keep the weight off if they spot using the Sensa Weight Loss system?

>>> Sensa Weight Loss system testimonials

* I’ve read a number of positive testimonials from people who dropped a lot of weight, but no one talked about having learned how to eat properly and nourish your body (I found these after hours of surfing testimonials).

* I’ve even seen a few of the “success stories” — during the show, Dayna Devon introduced Dolly, who lost 72 lbs in 14 months; Nick (Dolly’s brother) who lost 29 lbs in 6 months and Victoria, who lost 50 lbs in 3 months (which is far too much weight loss in too short a time frame, in my opinion).

* I’ve also read a number of testimonials from people who say they gained weight during the time they were using the Sensa Weight Loss system (I also found these after hours of surfing testimonials).

* I’ve read many testimonials from people saying that it flat-out didn’t work (there loads of sites on the internet with all these testimonials).

* I’ve read about people commenting that they didn’t know they had to sprinkle the tastant on everything they eat, all the time!

* I’ve read many testimonials from people complaining about the cost – it seems like two containers per month might not be sufficient if you are sprinkling the tastant on all your food.

* Some people said the smell of the tastant was really terrible and it worried them.

>>>> Here’s what I think of the Sensa Weight Loss system:

* In my opinion, the Sensa Weight Loss system is not an effective means to help you lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight. I feel it is a costly solution laced with sleek PR.

* The system is extremely expensive when used over the course of a lifetime — why not learn how to eat properly instead?

* I’m not a doctor and I didn’t develop this product, but I have concerns that if you stop sprinkling your food with the tastant, you could put on even more weight than you have lost.

* From what I saw on the Sensa Web site, there was a lot of space devoted to marketing, but not much explaining the exact composition of the tastant. What is in that white powder? I didn’t find much information. There are details on the product, creator and the results some of their test subject benefited from, but I could find all that much on the ingredients.

* The Sensa Weight Loss system doesn’t teach you how to eat food that supports your weight loss goals, it doesn’t teach you how to appreciate good food and it doesn’t teach your body to recognize when it’s full on its own.

* In this time of major recession, it’s a lot of money to spend on a product with unproven results.

* I am not comfortable with the idea of sprinkling a white powdery substance on food … the product has not been on the market long enough to study its effect on  your long-term health. I have concerns that, 20 years from now, it could potentially cause health issues as you age.

* The Sensa Weight Loss system doesn’t teach you about the important of adopting a fitness regime and finding an exercise that you really love.

* I find it disappointing the consumer doesn’t need to make a true commitment to reach his or her weight loss goals … just sprinkle some tastant with no further effort. You’re not learning how to make lifestyle changes which will give you real long-term results.

* Yes, all the ingredients in the Sensa Weight Loss system are approved by the FDA, but so are ingredients like fructose, corn syrup, Splenda, MSG and white sugar — it doesn’t mean I want to put them in my food.

I’m sure this post will create a flurry of reactions and I’m happy to read them all. This is my own opinion, but the reality is that so many fad diets and weight loss systems come and go, and people spend a lot of money and have high hopes just to be deflated, disappointed and often fatter than before they started out.

In my opinion and based on my own experience, the only real way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight for life is to make healthy food choices, adopt healthy eating habits and embrace healthy living!

On the Sensa Weight Loss system Web site, there is page titled “Sensa vs dieting”. (http://www.trysensa.com/proof.htm) I say neither. I say embrace healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle instead!

If you want to read more about this diet product, you can find more there: Sensa Weight Loss system.

>>> Regardless if you agree or disagree with me, I’d love to hear from you — and if you are using the Sensa Weight Loss system, I’d love to hear about your progress in more detail.

>>> YouTube video: Sensa Weight Loss system in the news (here’s a news report that demonstrates really good work on the part of the publicity firm that manages the Sensa Weight Loss system):

*** I don’t know about you, but you will never (ever!) see anyone using tastants in countries like France or Italy because sprinkling (or touching) your food at the dinner table like that would be considered extremely rude!***

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I know Hollywood seems to make yo-yo dieting look quite sexy, but it’s not!

Your body hates it when you gain a boatload of weight then drop it quickly to look sexy for a red carpet event.

I remember watching a show not long ago and Gwen Stefani was admitting to letting herself go in between tours or red carpet events, but then she’d go into a mad dash to lose the weight and look semi-perfect for her fans.

Not long ago, I was surfing and fell on an article that stated: “yo-yo dieting is not that bad for your health”. I know I’m not a medical doctor, but that kind of nonsense makes me want to scream.

Yo-yo dieting might be a way of life for many celebs and many non-celebs (aka ordinary people) but I can assure you there is nothing healthy about it in my view.

Can someone explain to me how binging and then crash dieting and then binging (again) and going back to a crash diet is good for your health? I don’t get that part.

I was watching a U.K. report on celebs who are notorious yo-yo dieters and a doctor was explaining the many dangers of yo-yo dieting.

I know a lot of people will skip this post and shrug their shoulders and even shake their heads, but for those who want to know, here are a few health dangers associated with yo-yo dieting:

* Loss of muscle mass

* Lower your metabolism

* Weakening your liver’s ability to function properly

* Could cause high blood pressure

* Could cause a stroke

* You cut years out of your lifespan

* You’re exposing your heart to all sorts of health issues

… and the list goes on!

I know the alternatives to yo-yo dieting won’t appeal to a lot of people, but unfortunately they are quite basic and simple.  Here are a few non-yo-yo dieting strategies to get a slimmer and fitter body:

* Watch what you eat

* Eat a clean diet (aka eliminate junk food and processed foods from your vocabulary)

* Cut back on sugar, sweets and desserts (I didn’t say eliminate altogether … I did say cut back!)

* Get moving and make fitness a part of your life so it’s as natural as brushing your teeth

* Weight lifting is my ultimate diet/fitness secret! I cannot tell you how a few hours of weight training per week can help trim you down beautifully. Remember: muscle burns fat and the more muscles you have the more easily you’ll burn fat!!!

* Say NO to fad diets! You know you won’t be able to spend the rest of your life on a fad diet so why on earth would you want to start something that will lead to failure anyways?

Here’s my list of 8 infamous celebrity yo-yo dieters:

1) Robbie Williams: This British superstar is notorious for gaining weight and then losing it. In the U.K., they’ve given him the nasty pseudonym of “fat Elvis Rob”! That’s not very flattering. Lately, we’ve been seeing a trimmer, slimmer and healthier looking Robbie.

You can see a heavier versus a slimmer Robbie here: Robbie Williams

2) Jack Osbourne: You must remember him from MTV’s “The Osbournes” reality show. Well, just like his sister Kelly and his mother Sharon, Jack has also suffered from severe weight gain and weight loss. He really looks like a totally different person when he’s slimmer. One great thing about Jack Osbourne’s weight loss is the fact that unlike his mom who got a gastric bypass surgery to reduce the size of her stomach (that’s why Sharon looks so fierce these days), he used fitness to drop the weight.

You can see a heavier versus a slimmer Jack here: Jack Osbourne

3) Janet Jackson:

I know, I know Janet still wants us to believe she had packed on 60 lbs for a role, but I think all this talk is laced with a PR stunt to cover the fact that Janet lets herself go when she’s not on tour or promoting a new album (end of story). The slimmer Janet is an inspiration and has always been to me. That woman has abs that make me want to cry, but seeing that she gained so much weight when she was no longer that active brought home the fact that you NEED to maintain your diet, health and fitness regime all the time because having to lose 60 lbs must be a monumental challenge!

4) Jared Leto: WOW! That’s all I have to say. I could not believe the before and after photos of Jared Leto. He put on sooooooooooo much weight to star as John Lennon’s killer Mark Chapman in the film “Chapter 27”. Men lose weight more easily than women because they naturally have more muscle mass than us and Jared was able to quickly get back to a healthier weight.

You can see a heavier versus a slimmer Jared here: Jared Leto

5) Renée Zellweger:

I did add Renée to this list, but I’d say she’s a yo-yo dieter by profession. Renée has always been quite thin and fit, but she did put on 25 lbs for the hilarious role of Bridget Jones (God, I loved that movie). She actually had to do that twice (for the second Bridget Jones movie) and she still managed to lose the weight!

6) Amy Winehouse:

Amy Winehouse is the poster child to show us all how a severe addiction to drugs can turn a healthy looking person into a sickly one (one of the obvious side effects of drug abuse/addiction). When I bought Amy’s first album a few years ago, I could barely believe the powerful voice coming out of such a young body (she was in her late teens at the time). We’ve seen our share of Amy Winehouse looking so frail, thin and unhealthy it was scary. After months in St. Lucia she looks a LOT better and it also seems like she might have put on some much needed weight.

Take a look at the photo of a healthier Amy (from a few years ago) and you let me know she doesn’t look amazing with a little meat on her bones!

7) Kirstie Alley:

I’d say that Kirstie Alley might be one of the most notorious yo-yo dieters. After losing 70 lbs using the Jenny Craig system, she was seen recently on Oprah apologizing to America for having put the weight back on. Every time I see Kirstie, I still remember her from the hugely successful show “Cheers” and she looked amazing. She wasn’t too thin at all … she just looked very healthy! I think since Kirstie is in her late 50s (she’s 58, born January 12, 1951), her need to lose weight is more a question of remaining in good health rather than trying to fit into a size 2.

#8) Queen Oprah Winfrey:

Before readers send me emails, yes I do know Oprah has a thyroid condition that was diagnosed in 2008, but if we take a trip down memory lane then we can all remember how many times we’ve seen Oprah lose weight and then gain it back again. Oprah has a long dysfunctional history with food and she’s been quite candid about it all.

What a strange sentence: “Katie Holmes diet secret”! I mean the woman is so tiny you’d have to wonder why does she need to diet and what exactly is she hoping to lose … because she’s got no body fat to lose.

There are so many stories of Katie Holmes and her best friend Victoria Beckham going for lunch and sharing a salad and a diet coke … it’s true that it’s hard to tell what’s true and what is rumour but just by looking at the two rail thin celebrity wives, it’s almost impossible not to come to the conclusion that they both have some sort of an eating problem.

This said, I was taken aback when I stumbled upon stories about Katie Holmes drinking Celsius drinks to help you burn calories and I was fully ready to make fun of the whole situation, but when I did a bit more research, I found out there is a huge following for this calorie-burning-drink and there might be far more than meet the eye, so I decided to investigate a bit more.

Celsius drinks are only sold in the U.S. (for now anyways), therefore many people reading this will never have heard of the product, but it’s quite popular in the U.S.  and it’s also received a long list of industry awards!

Celsius drinks have been features in some of these women’s magazines: Women’s Health and Self.

They’ve also been featured on countless news segments on TV and on the radio.

Basically, Celsius is a calorie burning drink that promises to burn up to 100 calories of more, raise your metabolism (over a period of 3 hours to help burn more calories) and increase your energy.

The drink doesn’t contain any sugar, preservatives, benzonates, fructose, corn syrup. Artificial flavour or colour and it’s low in sodium.

The Celsius drinks are mostly made of water, natural colour, natural flavours, citric acid and sucrolose.

The drink comes in five sparkling flavours and two non carbonated green teas.

The main calorie-burning ingredients are:

1) Green tea to enhance the metabolism.

2) Ginger extract to help remove toxins.

3) Caffeine to boost your energy.

4) Guarana, which is 2.5 times stronger than caffeine found in coffee.

5) B6 vitamins to help both your immune system and your nervous system to function better.

6) B12 vitamins to maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells.

7) Biotin to help release the energy of the foods you eat and helps maintain blood sugar levels in your body.

#8) Vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant.

9) Calcium, which is good for your bones and teeth.

9) Chromium, which eliminates excess sugar in the blood.

All of these ingredients are pretty much natural and would only do your body good.

The only question mark I have is on the use of sucralose as a sweetener. Sucralose is quite controversial at this point although it can be found in a lot of low fat products and products designed for diabetics.

That said, I did taste the Celsius drinks and they actually do taste good. I also have had a few people on the team taste them and some flavours stood out more. I found the raspberry Acai to taste quite nice and many people really liked the orange flavour. I didn’t drink the Celsius drinks to burn calories because I’m already on a fairly strict fitness regime, but I just wanted to be able to taste the product before featuring it … and since its only available in the U.S., it would be hard for me to stick to a 10-week test.

I don’t think the idea is to drink Celsius drinks for the rest of your life to lose weight, but maybe to look at their 10-week challenge as a way to help get your body into burning mode as you integrate better eating choices and exercise.

Celsius has conducted studies where participants did moderate exercise for 10 weeks and added one single serving of Celsius each day to their diet and here are some of the results they’re reported:

* Increased loss of fat mass

* Increased gain of muscle mass

* Improved endurance

Celsius drinks aren’t very expensive. They’ll set you back $1.99 for each can.