[FONT=Arial]Hi everyone...I am new to this forum and I have started the Atkins diet a couple weeks ago. Before I started Atkins, I was on a low fat diet and was taking Stacker 3's. I had lost 8 lbs over a period of 3 months, but decided the Atkins diet would be the way to go for me. Since I had started the Atkins diet I have lost 4 lbs in two weeks! (Sure beats a month and a half!) Anyhow, I was wondering if it would be safe to continue on one Stacker 3 a day, as they really help keep my appetite reasonable. These are the ones that contain ephedra and caffeine. I have continued taking them while on Atkins, but was thinking about getting off them if need be. Have any of you done the Atkins diet while taking Stackers? Any experiences, comments, or opinions are welcome! Thanks so much!

Jackie

Hi Jackie. I would personally say chuck the Stackers. You really do not need them on Atkins. Your body, if you stick to the rules, will be a fat burning machine anyway. I had thought about using something similar at the beginning, but I'm glad I didn't. I haven't needed them.

There's a thread in the General Exercise forum ( http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=32311 ) that gives a lot of information about thermogenics like Stacker 3. One of the things they talk about there is that they're more effective if you do them for a couple of months, take a month off, then resume them. I've only been using them for six weeks, so I haven't tried going off them yet -- that happens on the 15th.

Stacker 2 worked to get me out of a stall -- I was stuck in the upper 170s, and I'm now in the low 170s. Sorry I can't be any more precise that, but I'm terrible about keeping records of weight loss.

IMHO - get rid of those things. Caffeine is bad enough but ephedra can quite literally be a killer. If you feel you need the caffeine then drink a cup of coffee or tea but get RID of the ephedra - real fast. Whoever sold those things to you should be drawn and quartered! If you are following the plan the way you should then you will lose weight and you won't be hungry. (Hungry is for those poor misguided fools on a low fat high carb diet.) This is a high fat low carb way of eating and the fat keeps you feeling full much longer than you would expect.

Please don't depend on an artificial means for trying to boost your weight loss. Atkins is about eating whole, healthy foods and getting our bodies healthy. The weight loss is the added bonus to getting our bodies back into a healthy mode.



shortstuff

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I will lay off the Stackers and see how it goes! I didn't take any today and I had no problems.

5 days cheat free!!!

Jackie

I use the stacker 3's without ephedra at home, and stacker 2's with ephedra while at work. I have built so much muscle with them!! I was getting weak on the Atkins diet alone, and a body building pal suggested the one's with ephedra to help in building muscle mass. It has really worked!! I have lost lots of flabby skin and fat, and kept and gained muscle. You are not suppose to use the ephedra if you have high blood pressure, or any heart problems so be very careful and get a physical if you decide to use them.

I've used a stacker the whole time I've been on Atkins and I think they helped me. I did do the use them for two months and go off for one thing. I had high blood pressure when I started and never had any trouble with the stacker. My blood pressure is low enough now I've gone off medication . I think if it helps use it, if not the weight will probably come off anyway. It's all a matter of time in the end.

Do the ephedra free stackers work well?

The stacker 3 and 2 I've seen in stores are all now ephedera free. In fact it can be hard to get ephedera stackers unless you order online.

Reading the ingredients on stacker 2 and 3 I'm pretty much just seeing large amounts of caffine. Almost all the ingredients in those you can get seperatly and suppliment. It means taking a few more pills, but is a heck of alot cheaper.

I'm in Louisiana and you can get the Stackers with ephedra at most gas stations and convienience stores. I've heard we are one of the last states to clear the shelves of ephedra products. I actually only know of one store that carries the ephedra free ones. I took one of my regular stackers before I went to work out and it gave me a nice little boost before my cardio, but I think I will only take the stackers before I work out.