WHEN 47-year-old pastry chef Marvalin McKoy’s doctor told her to lose weight or face the possibility of heart issues, she did not take his advice lightly.

“My doctor encouraged me to lose weight because the weight puts pressure on your heart,” explained McKoy, who was among patrons at the Proactive Lifestyle Store’s second anniversary event in Half-Way-Tree on Saturday, April 26. “I decided on my own that I was going to exercise.”

To compliment her exercise, the pastry chef also started a daily weight loss regime that included products such as cayenne pepper, fibre tablets and Bladderwrack Powder.

“A friend of mine was working at the (health and diet food products) store (Proactive Lifestyle) and recommended that I try cayenne pepper to lose weight,” McKoy confessed, explaining that she would make the cayenne pepper into a paste and apply it to her belly while wearing a belly band, which would help her burn fat.

McKoy also said she takes one fibre tablet with every meal, which helps to move the bowels and is “more affordable than the diet” programme. In addition to helping her lose weight, she said she uses the Bladderwrack Powder to balance her hormones.

“I have fibroids and had terrible (menstrual) bleeding,” McKoy shared. “The bleeding would become so heavy at times it would be so embarrassing for me to walk on the road.

“The doctors recommended that I do family planning injections, but my friend recommended that I try natural herb products,” she explained. “The Bladderwrack is made from seaweed. It is very raw, so what I would do is mix the powder until it becomes thick and then shape it into a pill and swallow it.

McKoy also suggested using the powder to make a shake and admitted that since she has been using the product she has not had issues with her menstruation.

When the 47-year-old started her diet regime, in October 2013, he weighed 235 pounds. When she stepped onto a scale at the event she was down to 205 pounds.

Proactive Lifestyle’s Business Development Manager Nataya Skyers further explained McKoy’s diet regime.

“Marvalin used fibre tablets, which is great for cleaning the colon. Prior to any diet programme you would want to start with a colon cleanse,” she said. “The fibre works in that it removes toxins from the body and prepares the body for the diet programme. In addition, your vitamins also work better with a colon cleanse.

“The Bladderwrack boosts your metabolism and sucks water weight from your skin, while the cayenne pepper isolates fatty tissue and burns fat,” she said.

Skyers said that customers who want to lose weight are first asked about their weight loss goal and their health status before offered a weight loss option. She also noted that health consultants are on hand to provide assistance.

McKoy had initially wanted to try the HCG diet programme, but was unable to afford it.

“Our HCG diet programme is the most popular programme,” said Skyers.”We have a variety of programmes and products such as Hydroxy Cut, which is another popular line. Our programmes depend on how much weight you want to lose and how fast you want to lose it… We (also) have programmes that work, but not as fast, that are on the cheaper side.”

While enjoying her meal replacement shake at the store’s anniversary event, McKoy spoke about her plans to increase her exercise routine to reach her goal of losing another 30 pounds.

“I don’t walk as much due to laziness,” McKoy confessed. “When I work it’s hard to find the time, but I am not satisfied, and I have more goals to meet,” admitting that it is sometimes challenging to maintain her weight loss programme.

McKoy said she now visits Proactive Lifestyle, located at Tropical Mall in Half-Way-Tree, and tries their products instead of visiting the doctor for various health issues

Cavalee Freeman is the coordinator for Workplace Wellness 2014, a corporate educational wellness initiative that impacts employees’ mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Contact her at info@clubelitelifestyle.com