Hello! This morning I set out for an easy 5 miler to see how my legs felt. My ipod and Garmin were both dead, but this is for the best because I like to pay attention to how my body feels after a race. I actually feel pretty good considering I wasn’t totally trained for 26 miles! My quads are a little tired, but I’m not sore at all.
Weight Loss Wednesday – Diet Markers
A lot of people have been asking if / how I lost weight, but I am not ready to write about it just yet because:
1. I haven’t weighed myself in a long time so I don’t really know if / how much weight I lost. I mean, maybe my camera is just suddenly taking off 10 pounds instead of adding them?
2. I am still figuring out my thyroid supplements and diet situation. I don’t want to say “I lost weight because I do xyz!” And then change it up because it’s not working.
3. I’m really just sucking it in.
So, please be patient as I figure it all out. Thanks.
Today’s Weight Loss Wednesday is about a new product I was approached to try – Whiffits. They are diet markers that you sniff to help suppress your appetite and lose weight.
Yes, when I first heard about these I rolled my eyes and thought it was a gimmick. But I’ll try anything once so I decided to give it a whirl (or a whiff) for the sake of the blog. 
A few weeks ago I got a three pack of the markers. Five minutes before eating you are supposed to take 3 gentle sniffs of on of the markers in each nostril. Studies have shown that smelling something pleasant trick your brain into eating less or thinking that you’ve eaten. 
They come in 3 different scents and all smell really pleasant. I think this one smells like pineapple. Ironically, I want to eat it.
Obviously the drawback is that you are sticking something in your nose when you eat in public. You could go to the restroom to use them, but that’s a pain.
The plus side is that it’s not like a pill or something that may have detrimental side effects. I am all for any kind of tool that helps someone hit their weight loss goals without hurting them. This may really be a case of placebo effect for the people who say it works, but that’s okay.
They do have research from clinical studies to support the sniff theory:
The effectiveness of Whiffits has been proven through clinical studies, showing a significant decrease in food cravings and noticeable weight loss. This method has been proven to be successful on its own, but combining it with a diet and healthy lifestyle will only expedite the process further.
The official BioTem Clinical Report confirms the effectiveness of the revolutionary new diet wand with average weight loss of 19 lbs per participant over the course of the study. The study subjects reported an impressive 50% decrease in food cravings within 5 minutes of inhaling the special diet wand aromas. Directly from BioTem’s official Clinical Report – “This study conclusively proves that inhaling these specially developed scents in the diet pens results in weight loss without any conscious changes in diet or exercise.” Another study – The Role of Specific Olfactory Stimulation in Appetite Suppression and Weight Loss compiled by the Division of BioTem Cytotechnologies– also confirms this information.
Overall: I don’t think they made me eat any less, but I’ve been extra hungry lately from all the running I’ve been doing. It takes a lot more than a smell to get me to eat less – I am pretty sure I would finish all my food even if I had to eat all my meals at the county dump in the middle of August. Don’t judge.
Question: What’s your favorite smell?
I love vanilla and cocoa butter. On boys I actually really like those axe body sprays, but my favorite will always be the Old Spice guy.
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
My favorite smell is fresh cut grass! I can’t believe it’s not a food smell! Ha!
fresh cut grass is my favorite smell too! And a close second is fresh copied paper….weirdo, i know.
coconut!
I love the smell of coconut! Lavender is great too, especially on my sheets! Not sure about sticking a pineapple up the nose, I would probably just end up craving it all day and eat an entire real one instead.
Hmm this idea of markers that suppress your appetite is interesting. Will it make me not crave sugar?
So since we’re on the topic of weight loss, I’m doing a semi-weight loss oriented challenge. I’ve decided to try Paleo for 30 days, mostly because I want to stop craving sugar but also bc it couldn’t hurt to lose a few lbs. Wish me luck!
Good luck!
I <3 that commercial! BTW – my hubs uses Old Spice now – yeow!
My favorite smell is coconut, especially if it’s coconut tanning oil. It takes me to the beach. I also love the smell of coconut rum
I love gingerbread, the christmas tree smell and fresh baked cookies…but then I really just want to eat them.
I think you have lost weight! You look great! (not that you didn’t before but you know what I mean!) and I don’t know how I feel about sniffing a whiffit. That makes the think of these old school markers.. http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh19zq7gZf1qhpzp8o1_500.jpg
who cares what you weigh?! you look fantastic!!
The smell of freshly baked cookies can’t be beat!
Amen.
This simultaneously reminds me of kids sniffing markers and whippets, the inhalant drug. No thank you.
Those markers are weird…I like lemon.
You look great, Monica! I think it’s important to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel!
Thanks Heather! But really – you are the one looking great! I don’t think you have any weight to lose, but I’m fully supportive of your challenges lately
Thank you so much, Monica!
Oh wow, they really do have ALL types of weight loss products these days!
Vanilla and coconut smells are my faaaave!
Cinnamon and apples. Anything that smells like apple pie!
The Kidless Kronicles
In high school I once had a guy try to pick me up by asking if I liked the smell of Old Spice…. I was thoroughly confused to say the least. Are you asking me if I like the smell of your pits?!? Poor guy, hope he found a better pickup line.
Ha! Thank you for sharing this
I love the smell of cake mix, like when you open up the cake box and the dry powder! Very weird I know! I also love the smell of rosemary and lemon!
Haha, these made me giggle. Honestly, what are they going to come up with next?!
I totally understand not wanting to share your diet plan with everyone until you’ve got it all figured out. But! I just wanted to say, that yeah woman you are looking great! Don’t discourage yourself!!
Smelling markers?? wow people will do anything to lose weight. LOL My hubs would think I was looney toons if I broke out those markers at dinner!
Snorting meth will help you lose weight too, or drinking nothing but diet soda. Not everything is worth a try though.
if I were going to sniff something to lose weight i would want it to be something a lot more fun than markers. i do love the smell of anything baking though.
Coconut and fig are two of my favourites because they remind me of vacations…
My dad and grandpa wear Old Spice, so I make sure my husband does not wear it. I love the smell of coffee.
I remember that commercial – great pic.
I’m not a fan of gimmicks like the smelly markers. I believe they may help people lose some weight (if they actually decrease your appetite), but I do not believe they will help anybody keep the weight off permanently. I challenge my weight loss clients to learn long-term skills so that their results last forever!
Everyday reader here…your body is definetly changing shape and yes, you look FABulous! I can’t wait to hear, but I will be patient. I have given up wine, dessert, and ranch for 6 weeks now. Problem is…I can’t decide which one I miss the most. I think-WINE! Glad you had a blast in NOLA!
Love the smell of the the salty ocean!
Interesting. Often I’ll turn on a sweet scentsy if I’m craving sugar and just sort of visualize eating it if I don’t want to justify the calories. My fave smells are coconut/tropical scents and cinnamon.
Also, you are looking fab lately and something is working
. Looking forward to you sharing your secret!
Mmmmm, Old Spice reminds me of how my dad smelled when I was growing-up, which has good memories for me. I love the classic mens Polo scent! As for smells in general, anything buttery, cakey & chocolatey! I think I’m hungry as I type this. Those markers kind of skeeve me out!
I must agree whatever you are doing or not doing is working, you look great. Or perhaps the bigger I get the smaller everyone else looks? Whatever go with it ; )
Not to sure about that pen deal. It surely wouldn’t stop me.
Those are the craziest thing I ever heard of!!
I love the apple/cinnamon Christmas time smell. Or Yankle Candle Vanilla Cupcake. Maybe those candles do the same thing!
Breakfast smells, specifically brewing coffee and frying bacon, turn me on!
I love the smell of Marigolds….and my husband.
I run eat repeat and have so far lost 60 pounds.
I love the smell of pizza!
Art
Those markers are strange. I will however say that I have been sick for a week and from Saturday-Monday, I could not smell or taste my food. It was awful. It made me not want to eat at all so I definitely could see how eating and smells are very related!
I hope you know that you look wonderful! Whether you’ve lost, gained, whatever. Obviously you’re healthy and active and freakin’ gorgeous!!!
Love the smell of freshly baked bread. Drool.
You look fabulous! Thanks for the inspiration!
Freshly ground coffee beans… best smell ever!!!!!!!!
Yeah I didn’t think these would work. Anyway, I like vanilla and peppermint – I use these essential oils for my burner in the room.
One idea to help you with your weight loss is to stop buttering your bread and start dipping it in olive oil instead. You are likely to eat less fat with your bread if you do. Since olive oil is a healthier fat than butter or margarine is, this change contributes to your overall wellness, also.
I love the smell of sea air and cocunut!! Can’t wait for my vacations! yes…coffee beans smell good..although I don’t drink it a lot.
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