A Kiwi mum has revealed the secret behind a 10kg weight loss after years of trying to lose weight, going from a size 14 to a size 10 in six months.
"These last six months have seen a shift in my mindset, particularly in relation to when I eat food and my portion sizes," says Nicola Hall.
"I knew I wasn't 100 percent content with my weight and wanted to make a change, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what the issue was.
I worked out around four to five hours a week (a combination of HIIT, core training and weights) but before this year, and once I'd turned 40, I felt that I couldn't shift some of that extra weight which was hanging on to places it hadn't been before."
The 45-year-old mother-of-two lives in Takaka, near Golden Bay. Ms Hall says she was continually becoming more frustrated, not seeing the results she wanted even while working hard and exercising,
In April this year, she began taking locally developed Calocurb, a bitter appetite suppressant made from hops grown in her home region.
The key ingredient in Calocurb, a gel capsule taken an hour before meals, is a hop flower extract developed by Plant & Food Research, and registered as Amarasate. According to the site, Calocurb also contains rosemary leaf extract and canola oil.
"I saw it promoted on TV and wanted to give it a try. I also liked that it was made by a New Zealand company from a locally sourced material," Hall says.
"Six months after starting I had noticed a change in my body shape. I was fitting into clothes I hadn't been able to wear since before my children were born - I think even before I was married.
"You know those few dresses, tops and trousers that have been stuck at the back of the wardrobe for around 10 years? I could never quite bring myself to throw them out but wished I could fit into again... I finally did it!'
She says she's also developed "a more structured approach to eating".
"I have breakfast, lunch and dinner but have also cut back my portions especially at dinner. Before I would've put a third more carbs and protein on my plate, now I find it easy to plate up less and I don't feel like I am as hungry afterwards.
"But believe me it still isn't easy - I often still have a conversation with myself. For instance, 'Do I really need to have ice cream after tea?' or deciding not to have the chocolate biscuit with my coffee! It's about being pro-active.
"I am not cutting out food groups, I'm eating the same food and enjoying a wine at night but I'm taking away the snacking (muesli bars, biscuits and chips) and helping to control the amounts."
Costing $60 for a bottle that lasts a month, Calocurb is available online. It also launched in the United States earlier this year.
The natural supplements market in New Zealand is worth about $20 million a year.
Newshub
