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PrintSpecial Report: Better Burn
"I drink it before I go to the gym and my workouts are longer and I feel like I'm working harder," Rosen claims. "I have more energy to burn."
Celsius is the first soft drink that burns calories.
Steve Haley, CEO of Elite FX, is the creator of the new drink. He says it works because of a special 'thermogenic blend' of natural ingredients like green tea, guarana, ginger, and caffeine.
"It raises your metabolism. That's where the burning calories comes from," Haley explains.
So instead of just cutting calories with a diet drink, this one claims to give you a burst of energy to speed things up.
Erica Rosen calls the effect "A huge difference for me."
In a recent study, the drink was found to both raise your metabolism by 12 percent and help to burn as much as 77 calories in a 3-hour period. And that was without exercise.
"This is like two strong cups of coffee," Haley says.
Natural products that help boost metabolism have been available in supplements and powders for years. They work by raising your heart rate, causing your body temperature to rise and burn more calories.
Dr. Caroline Appovian of Boston Medical Center, however, is skeptical.
"They basically don't hurt you, but the evidence is not very strong that any of these ingredients can help you to lose weight," she said.
She's concerned with how much you?re getting with each sip.
"They're vague about their 'secret ingredients', and so we don't really know how much of these ingredients there are in the drink," she cautions. "I think that in the long run, this probably doesn't do much."
But don't tell that to Kristen Flegal. She says two a day has helped her lose some weight.
"By the end of the week, I have lost a pound or two," Flegal said.
For her, the drink is more about the energy spike she gets both on and off the tennis court.
Flegal explains, "In the afternoon when I am about ready to take a nap, it really helps out and gets me throughout the rest of the day."
Celsius may be a secret for slimming success for some, but if you want results you'll need a few of your own tricks.
Even Steve Haley, Elite FX's president, explains, "Celcius is no more of a silver bullet than anything out there. It should be part of a healthy diet."
It's not for everyone, as Dr. Apovian cautions.
"I don't think that this is a drink that is appropriate for children or adolescents."
"Or women that may be pregnant," Haley adds.
But for some, a better burn may be just a sip away.
CELSIUS CALORIE BURNING SODA
Steve Haley
President and CEO, Elite FX
906 SW 36th Court
Boynton Beach, FL 33435
866.423.5748
Director, Center for Nutrition and Weight Management
Boston Medical Center
88 East Newton Street
Building D Suite 614
Boston, MA 02460
617.638.8556
(Copyright 2005 by WHDHTV 7News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)