Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It?
What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss supplements out there on the shelves today? Are they worth the money? Will they actually help you lose weight? How do you know which ones are going to work for you? Is there any proof that these products work? I've taken some time and researched some of the most popular product to try to find the answers for you. The truth is, most products won't help you lose anything but money. There are a few, however, with some research behind them that prove that they actually work. What are these supplements that work? It seems that only four products hold the best promise for those of us who want to slim down. They are Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Hydroxycitic Acid (HCA), phaseolomine, and possibly 5-HTP.
1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid, CLA, has a number of research studies behind it. It is a fatty acid that has been found to reduce cancer risks, body fat and to increase lean muscle tissue. The Journal of Nutrition reported a Scandanavian Research team found CLA to increase the lean body mass of humans and also to decrease the fat mass. Subjects also had lower blodd fat and cholestrol after taking CLA.
CLA does occur naturally in meat and dairy products, but the levels are pretty low. Also, if you're following a healthy low-fat diet, you tend to not get as much meat and dairy, so supplementation may be the answer for getting a healthy dose of CLA. 2. Hydroxycitic Acid, HCA, is derived from a fruit, Garcinia cambogia or Malabar tamarind. It seems to work by inhibiting an enzyme that converts carbohydrates to fat.
It also seems to suppress the appetite. Studies on humans have had mixed results with one study showing significant weight loss in participants. Another study using a high fiber diet, showed HCA had no effect on weight loss. Critics think the high fiber diet prevented absorbtion of the HCA. So, if you're on a high fiber diet, HCA may not be for you.
3. Phaseolomine is derived from the white kidney bean. It works by reducing your body's absorbtion of starchy carbohydrates. Since you absorb fewer calories, you lose weight. Seems like this supplement would be great to take if you knew you were going to indulge.
Research has also shown that you burn more fat while taking phaseolomine. Subjects in one study lost 10% of their body fat in 30 days. Phaseolomine is typically found in carb blocker products. 4. 5HTP works by increasing the level of Serotonin in the brain resulting in more stable emotions, better sleep and weight loss.
I take 5HTP myself and have found it to be an excellent appetite suppresant as well as a mild mood booster. In one study where women were given either a placebo or 5HTP and a 1200 calorie diet, those who took the placebo lost 2.28 pounds and those who took 5HTP lost 10.34 pounds. This was accomplished in 6 weeks. Are there other supplements that work? There may be others that will stand the test of time and research, but for now these are the best non-prescription supplements I've found to enhance your weight loss efforts. Good luck losing the weight you want to lose! Valerie de Armas ?2003 All Rights Reserved.
To find other weight loss tips, advice, articles and resources, visit Valerie's Best Weight Loss web site at http://www.best-weightloss.com Be sure to subscribe to Valerie's free newsletter, "Best Weight Loss Tips" for all the best ways to lose weight. valerie@best-weightloss.comChinese Gooseberries and Oprah?
Oprah and Harpo Productions, consistently reap awe-inspiring progress and record-breaking profits even after 25 years. While Oprah consistently soars with stellar growth, the rest of the industry seems to stumble, tumble or even disappear. So, just what is it about Oprah that has her consistently reaping hilacious growth for more than two decades and still remain fresh and vivacious as ever? Oprah Winfrey has reinvented herself so smoothly, so successfully and with such precision, very few have consciously noticed! I believe Oprah is aware of the fact that annuals are-by nature-dormant for seasons at a time. She innovatively capitalizes on this truth and remains a "perennial classic."You Grow, Girl! Oprah consistently manifests phenomenal growth professionally, intellectually, spiritually, financially and socially every "season" of her year. Whereas others, seem content to rely primarily on the harvest of their "falls." Oprah is not only acutely aware of her environment, but she plans...
Chinese Gooseberries and Oprah?
Fruit baskets > Chinese Gooseberries and Oprah?
Fall for Outdoor Entertaining This Autumn
Aaaah, autumn! It's the perfect time to entertain outdoors -- most of the bugs are gone, the sun isn't scorching even though it's warm enough to enjoy an afternoon or evening al fresco, and there's a bounty of good things to serve for an outdoor meal. Because the days are shorter in the autumn, outdoor entertaining in the fall calls for special attention to lighting and temperature. LightingThe earlier sunset will afford you an ideal opportunity to bathe your outdoor space in evening lights. Use soft light, but use plenty of it. Try dozens of votive candles in jars and glasses to protect the flame from the wind, hurricane lamps, or kerosene lanterns set on low.
Create cozy seating areas and equip each with a glowing light source. HeatingThe method you'll use to chase the chill from the night will vary depending on your climate and your outdoor space. If you have a yard (and community by-laws allow), a campfire is a wonderful informal party setting. In smaller gardens, consider...
Fall for Outdoor Entertaining This Autumn
Fruit baskets > Fall for Outdoor Entertaining This Autumn
I stopped eating gluten and the weight just fell off
Ever wondered why low-carb diets work really well for 6 months, and then quite often, with no change in eating pattern, the weight piles back on again? Seems we may be missing something here. One fact that may be relevant about low-carb is that in the process of cutting out the carbs, most people end up drastically reducing their gluten intake.
Gluten intolerance, when ignored, can end up preventing certain nutrients from being absorbed, leading to that feeling of needing to eat, even though you just had a meal. The body knows it's missing something, so it triggers a craving for more food, even though it's not calories (energy) it needs.
When someone who is gluten intolerant stops eating gluten, their ability to absorb the nutrients in food gradually improves. In general, by cutting out gluten you will also end up eating more of the types of food that have a high nutrient value - it's well known that you don't get much goodness from a cake or a biscuit...
Fruit baskets > I stopped eating gluten and the weight just fell off
Your Body?s Secret Wisdom-- Eating from the Tree of Life
Your body's secret wisdom is as ancient as humankind and encoded in every cell. It knows the perfect food for you to eat at any point in time. Yet we have lost touch with that perfect knowledge in this industrial society. We have lost touch with our birthright of absolute health.
It doesn't matter how old or how young you are.
Your body can heal and rejuvenate itself from the inside out, and does so throughout your lifetime. If that is true, why is there such an epidemic of obesity and chronic illness plaguing the wealthiest society in the world?
We wear our suffering and lost connection to that secret wisdom in the form of excess fat, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. We no longer appreciate the sacred quality of every food we eat, or the myriad life forms that compose our physical nature, our cells.
This Do in Remembrance of Me
One way to reconnect is to take a little time to reflect on the food you are...
Fruit baskets > Your Body?s Secret Wisdom-- Eating from the Tree of Life