Except for maybe spinning, crafting tends to be a very sedentary activity. Then there is my day job. While I usually am on my feet when I’m teaching, much more of my time is spent sitting as I grade papers and do other teacher-type tasks. Add that to getting up there in years, and my weight has become a constant battle for me. Honestly, even when I regularly exercise, I see little difference other than maybe toning up some, but as far as my weight…that dreaded number on the scale…nada. Exercise alone used to be all I needed when I was younger, but after a certain age, unless I spent hours and hours at the gym every day probably, it is not enough to control my weight.

It comes down to just not eating as much as I would like to..period…and that is for all foods. I have always eaten fairly healthy. Even when I was a child, I would not eat very much red meat. It drove my poor mother crazy. I have also always loved vegetables. Raw, cooked, there aren’t too many that I won’t eat. I like sweets, too, of course, but I’m fine if I have a few bites of chocolate a day. So how do you cut back on eating when you don’t eat junk food or indulge in lots of sweets? It comes down to cutting back on pretty much everything.

The problem seems so simple to solve, but for me it has not been as simple as it sounds until recently when my sister (after I told her I was curious about it) gave me a bottle of an essential oil product called Slim and Sassy. She has been experimenting with essential oils for awhile (see her blog post about it here), and eventually she became a doTerra distributor.

Admittedly, I was really dubious about this stuff. I read up about it online, and while many people did say it works, many also said it tastes awful. I’m pretty wimpy, so if I don’t like the taste of something, there is a good chance I won’t use it. Along with the bottle of oil, she gave me some empty capsules with instructions to put 3 to 4 drops in one of them and swallow it. I started trying it out 4 days ago. Even in the capsule, you can still kind of taste it, and while it’s not great tasting, I can tolerate it. In fact, today I just put a few drops in a little water and chugged it.

According to the manufacturer, you are supposed to put 8 drops in a 16oz glass of water, and you are supposed to take it in between meals. I’ve just been taking it once, 3 to 4 drops, in the morning, and it does help to take it first and then drink a good amount afterwards because the taste tends to linger for a few hours.

I was too chicken to step on the scale before I started this. I know the numbers would be horrifying, so I’ve decided to gauge how well this works by seeing how my cloths fit. I felt really good when I woke up this morning, so I bravely took out a pair of pants that I have had to struggle getting into lately. And…happy dance…I zipped them up with no problem!

So why and how does this stuff work? It is made up of natural products: grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger, and cinnamon. For whatever reason, as least for me, this combination curbs my appetite. If I get hungry at all, which I have not found that happening too much, it lasts for about 5 or 10 minutes, and then I’m fine. In fact, it’s a mild hungry feeling at best, not my usual must-eat-now-or-pass-out-feeling. On top of that, I feel a little extra zip, not wired up but just a general good and energetic feeling.

For anyone struggling with weight, I feel comfortable recommending this product, and I am shamefully suggesting anyone interested should contact my sister (at wonderfulworldofbags@gmail.com) to find out how to get a bottle, or you can shop directly on her web site. Slim and Sassy is under the oil blends section.

I know it’s not even been a week since I started using it, but I am sold that it does work. In fact, once those same pants start to be a little on the baggy side, I may even be brave enough to step on the scale again.