How many pounds of weight lost is too many? For me, I’m not sure that number exists. If you recall from my post about July weight loss, I had made my original weight loss goal. It took me over a year to lose 20 pounds. I still felt puffy, so I figured I would continue on. But continue what? I’m not on a diet. I just eat right. I had even cut back a bit on exercise from last year, although I still posted a respectable average daily step/bike crank total in August.
After swimming 9 miles in July, I scaled back to 7 miles in August. So how did I lose 3 more pounds in August? I don’t have COVID or any other deadly disease. I’m starting to think it may have to do with one of the two mystery supplements I started taking at the beginning of June. They weren’t a mystery to me, but I have been teasing them a bit in this blog. Well, it’s time for their big reveal.
The first was Dr. Mercola’s Fermented Ginseng.
I had read that this was good for weight loss, but after further research, it appears that only Dr. Mercola thinks it is. I used it for 2 months and discontinued. I do eat other fermented foods.
The supplement that may actually be doing some good is Cordyceps sinensis that I take in this form.
Now what exactly is Cordyceps sinensis? In nature, it’s a rare fungus that grows above 15,000 feet in the Tibetan Highlands region of China … on caterpillars … and it looks like this.
Gross. It’s that stroma part that’s the Cordyceps sinensis. Here’s how it’s found in nature.
Even grosser. Fortunately, the Corydeps sinensis in the capsules I take is synthesized, not naturally growing out of a caterpillar’s head like a unicorn’s horn.
So, why would I take a horny caterpillar supplement? It may help the body increase production of the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and ATP is needed for weight loss. You can use the Google interweb machine to do your own research. I did and decided to give it a try. After a frustrating spring with no weight loss, I didn’t really do anything different than adding this Corydeps supplement, and I enjoyed weight loss every month summer. So, I will continue through the fall.
I think I’ll make a decision on Corydeps based on September’s results. Swimming in my pool will soon become impossible unless I break through the thin layer of ice every morning. It’s not that bad yet, but I did the last swim without putting my head under water because of cold water. I finished, and went in to shower off. The water from the showerhead felt so warm hitting my body. Then I tried to wash my hair. The shower water hitting my head was actually chilly. It’s just that my body was so cold that the chilly shower water felt nice and warm. Anyway, I will be mainly relying on biking or walking for exercise with perhaps an indoor pool swim from time to time for exercise in September.
Just to be clear, consult your doctor before starting a weight loss program or taking a wacky caterpillar head fungus supplement.
There is one more thing you can do before you start a weight loss program. Buy my award-winning book. Click this link to purchase. You’ll want something good to read to take your mind off that pizza you want as you wait for the pounds to melt off.
Jim Flanigan Looks at the World 