AdvoCare

First and foremost I am a very active person, I am a drywall finisher so I'm constantly on the go. I took AdvoCare about 4 years ago the slim program and it worked.

I just started the 24 day challenge and boy o boy..... I got through the cleanse, which was ok but you definitely can not drink alcohol with this. Learned the hard way....ugh so I just started the max. The first day was ok all the supplements I didn't hit my system yet.

By day three I was extremely sick. I was nauseous dizzy low grade fever felt hungry all the time almost like I had the flu. Let me reassure you I did not have the flu. I am going to stop taking the pills because I feel like they will put me in the hospital.

I'm not sure what happened within the four years of taking these supplements but I'm sure that's something has changed in them. I would not recommend this product!!!!

I was led to believe by a "Peddler" of Advocare that having Bipolar Panic Disorder and Being On LOTS of Psych Meds (also BP Meds), I would Be "Fine" taking this Product. I am a Pharmacy Technician and I have worked with meds for 15 years, so I was kind of scared when she said "You'll be fine" No Medical Backing.. Just "Fine"... I know for a Fact that Some Thing ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT BE TAKEN WITH PSYCH MEDS.. But against my better judgement she made me trust her, and BLUNTLY LIED TO MY FACE. The First day I Immediately knew something was wrong... I felt very sick, like I had the flu or a bad cold. Then it progressed to Extreme Fatigue, I Almost couldn't get out of Bed. I Finally left My House But didn't feel any Better, just worse. Then I started Getting Very Dizzy, and Had a Very Hard time Concentrating..My Head Just Felt Extremely Wierd. I couldn't Focus. Then My Chest Started Hurting and I Thought " Oh No, I'm going to Pass Out... (Mind you I was Driving at the Time). I Barely Made it to My home and got In the door. As soon as Did I collapsed from dizziness and started Shaking Uncontrollably. Then I went into a Horrible Panic Attack I couldn't Breathe. I yelled for my Boyfriend and he checked my Blood Pressure, it was 200/120. I was Extremely Flushed, and I Knew I was About to Have a Heart Attack. He Ran and Got My Meds along with Some Aspirin, I Crunched them in my Mouth and tried to Decide if I should call an Ambulance... I was still shaking uncontrollably and couldn't breathe. We kept a close Eye on my Blood Pressure and Heart Rate... Which was Still Very High. But I gave my Emergency Meds time to work, and things slowly started coming down. Tho, I still felt Wierd in my Head Couldn't Concentrate or Focus. I decided Not to Go to the ER that night. But I Truly Believe I was about to have a Heart Attack caused by THESE PRODUCTS.

I did more research and found out that The Spark Drink Can cause Severe Bipolar Mania Episodes in people With Bipolar Disorder. It can Also Shut Down Your Kidneys, Even Without Prior Kidney Problems. And The "Clease" can cause Electrolyte Embalances that Can Cause Blood Pressure Spikes and Heart Attacks.

I am Furious that I was Blatantly Lied to about the Product just to make a Sale. I Plan on Seeking Further Action Against the Company and The "Peddler" I dealt with.

Please Be Careful.

This is my very real, very FRANK review on the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, Meal Replacement Shakes, and Spark.

I got sucked into the Advocare recently, because I know quite a few people personally who have taken it, and yes, they apparently got results from it. They are also distributors of the product, and have advertised Advocare to everyone on their Facebook list. I get it. They got sucked into it too, and want to share their positive experiences with everyone. And maybe, just maybe, they are making money off of it.

Whether or not these people got their results simply by following this strict regimen word for word, pill for pill, is unknown. But I have followed it very strictly for the past month and have lost not one pound...or inch...because remember folks, it's not about the pounds, it's the INCHES lost. *Rolls eyes*

First let me start off with the positive aspects of this diet...I went into it, with lots of support and cheer-leading. That was nice. I had a support system to answer to, and I would hold myself accountable. First, I stopped smoking! No cigarettes for 4 weeks now! Just like that! I have been smoking for years, and suddenly I wanted to be healthy and lose weight, so I just stopped. Sure, I still get cravings, but there's something that's keeping me from lighting up. Secondly, I stopped drinking alcohol. Well, not completely...I will have a glass of wine maybe once or twice a month. For someone who drank on a weekly basis, whether it was wine, beer, or liquor...that was a huge feat! So yes, I am happy with myself on these choices now! Lastly, I cut out junk food, processed foods, etc. I replaced all of my foods with REAL food. You know, fruits, veges, foods that have only one or two ingredients in them, and not a bunch of fillers, chemicals, and byproducts.

I started with the cleanse. I did exactly as I was told. Exactly how the chart said to do. Take this pill. Eat a fruit. Choose a healthy balanced lunch. Take these pills...etc etc. I filled in the chart daily. I kept track of what I was eating. I kept a huge pitcher of water next to my desk (still do) and ran to the bathroom every 10 minutes. And Spark. Spark was great! The first day I took Spark, I got a million things done, and didn't stop until midnight. And then I got no sleep.

The rest of the cleanse has been a nightmare. I have pounding headaches every single day. I am super tired. Something just isn't right with my body. I take Spark twice a day. Once in the morning, and then again at 2:00pm. It's hit or miss. Sometimes it works in giving me that boost, other times I just feel tired and head-achy. This morning, I have been battling an extreme headache, as I am writing this. I took Spark to see if that would help...but it didn't work quickly enough. So I took Ibuprofen too. My headache is just now starting to go away. I couldn't tell you if it's going away because of the Spark or the meds. But either way, that's not a good sign. Am I addicted to Spark now, and if I don't have it, will I experience these withdrawals?

Also, I've been feeling sick to my stomach daily. I've had to go home early from work 4 or 5 times since I've started Advocare. I've been nauseous, have had horrible stomach cramps, and diarrhea. I go to the bathroom too many times a day to count anymore. I'm a receptionist at a prestigious firm, and I have had to literally RUN to the bathroom, almost knocking over other people in the office. I don't know about you, but that's a huge inconvenience.

While all of my friends were losing these inches and showing of photos of their jeans stretched out because they have lost so much, here I am, feeling like ***. I feel fatter than ever. What am I doing wrong? I've completely changed my diet. I've chosen a healthier lifestyle. I chalked it up to being on my menstrual cycle at first, but now that's not it. Yes, I could very well have some sort of health problem that is causing Advocare to do what it claims to do - I will be visiting my doctor next week to find out what's going on with that. Thyroid problem? Could very well be!

BUT!!! And here's my BIG BUT (pun intended!) - Look at the ingredients, people! I am no doctor, nutritionist, or dietician. But I do know that whatever is in this stuff - the pills, the meal replacement shakes, the Spark - there are so many things in it that are not natural. Things I can't pronounce. Things I know are BAD for the human body. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. I'm not ***, but I sure did fall for this gimmick...all because I was desperate to lose weight.

I am by no means saying that my friends are liars. They did the Advocare thing, they got the results they wanted. They changed their lifestyles to more healthier ways of living and eating. I did too, and for that I am so grateful! Advocare may have been the jump start that I personally needed to take charge of my body and my health! However, I do not think that this expensive product is worth it. I do not think that taking a bunch of pills and drinks that contain chemicals and God-knows-what in them. I say, talk to your DOCTOR. Read the reviews of people who have suffered very serious health problems because of it. If you do decide to take it, prepare yourself for the side effects. Or better yet, give your body the things it needs...organic fruits and veges...foods that are REAL, not manufactured in a plant. This review could probably be for any "miracle diet" plan, so please understand that I am not trying to bash a company. I am just writing from personal, real experience. That is just my two cents. ;)