Lose Body Fat and Get Lean
Specific supplements offer hope to those who constantly battle a slow metabolism or overeat at meal or snack time. While not a panacea, they can be part of your dieting arsenal along with calorie restriction and exercise. Take the products below in addition to foundational products (multi-vitamins and minerals, whey protein, flaxseed and fish oil). If you're on a more limited budget, use products in the first three categories, then add products as your budget allows to attack stubborn, unsightly fat.
Whey Protein
The Best Foundational Products already include one serving a day of whey protein. We suggest you add one more serving per day. Eating smaller meals (about 5 per day) has been scientifically shown to speed your metabolism and cause you to lose more weight than eating an equal number of calories in 1 or 2 meals.
Whey Isolates are fat-free, low carb and are loaded with branched-chain amino acids (a certain type of protein) which can help preserve muscle tissue so you don't develop that gaunt, drawn look so common with unhealthy crash diets.
Whey Concentrates have about 10% more carbs than isolates, but are still very low carb, about 5 grams per 25 grams of protein. Our 5 pound sizes are a great value, costing 55 cents a serving—cheaper than any protein breakfast around! Mixing the whey in water when you're in a dieting down phase still tastes pretty good. Have one between meals (around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) when you're feeling hungry to prevent you from overeating later. Or, use it as your protein at breakfast and eat grains, fruit and vegetables to make a complete meal.
Try Fitness Labs WheyFit Isolate or WheyFit Protein.
Thermogenic Diet Formulas Take a multi-ingredient
thermogenic diet formula 1-3 times a day before meals. It may boost energy levels, speed the fat burning process, and counteract a slow metabolism resulting from dieting. Typical ingredients include green tea extract, bitter orange, yerba mate and guggulsterones.
Be sure to use formulas with the potencies used in the studies that showed clinical results. You don't want a product that just has a token amount of green tea unless it has the same amount of the active ingredient, EGCG, used in the study.
Examples of popular complete thermogenic formulas include Lindberg
Diet Support, Fitness Labs
Diet Stack and
Thermo Rip Diet, and Cytogenix Laboratories
Xenadrine RFA-X.
Green Tea
Green tea has gone from an exotic beverage to one of the most popular weight loss ingredients. A green tea catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), when combined with caffeine, was shown to boost metabolism beyond that of caffeine alone. Green tea may slow carbohydrate absorption and increase fat burning by improving insulin function.
Popular formulas include Fitness Labs Green Tea Extract "Decaffeinated" and Green Tea Diet, and Irwin Naturals Green Tea Fat Metabolizer and Triple-Tea Fat Burner.
Hoodia
The herb
hoodia comes from a cactus that grows in the Kalahari desert of Africa. Traditionally, it has been used to supress appetite. The active ingredient, P57 acts on the brain like glucose, tricking it into thinking it is full when you have not eaten. It also helps reduce interest in food and delays the time it takes for you to begin to feel hunger again.
Our favorites include Fitness Labs
Hoodia Diet and Irwin Naturals
Hoodia Action.
Carb Blockers We all love carbs because they momentarily make us feel better. Unfortunately, overeating carbs can send your blood sugar soaring. Then, excess blood sugar (glucose) converts to fat. That's not good.
Carb blockers work by blocking the enzyme, alpha-amylase, which converts carbs into glucose. This amylase inhibitor is made from a bean extract. It's all-natural and stimulant free. In 2001, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 60 people showed those who took this amylase inhibitor lost an average of 6.45 pounds in 30 days compared to less than 1 pound for placebo. Due to improved processing techniques, it does not have the side effects that carb blockers from the 1980s had, such as diarrhea and excess gas. Just take 500 to 1,500 mg of Northern white kidney bean extract 30 minutes before or at the beginning of a carb or starch-rich meal.
An important tip: Carb blockers do not block sugar absorption. Sugar is already in a predigested form. It does not need the alpha-amylase enzyme from your body to break it down further. Sugar, basically, goes right into your bloodstream. So watch the sugary sodas and candy. Carb blockers only work on non-sugar based carbs (starches) like bread or pasta.
Try Fitness Labs Carb Erase or Carb & Fat Erase or Lindberg Calorie Quencher .
Chitosan A fiber called
chitosan can bind with some of the fat in a meal and carry it out of your body undigested. While dieting, undoubtedly you'll need to attend birthday parties or events where it's virtually impossible to avoid ice cream, pizza, burgers or other fatty foods. Just take 2-3 capsules before a fat-laden meal so you don't have to deprive yourself.
Try Fitness Labs
Fat Erase Diet Chitosan 500 mg or LifeTime
Chitosan 1000 mg .
CLA
Short for conjugated linoleic acid,
CLA is a fatty acid from safflower oil can actually help you reduce body fat and increase muscle tone, according to some preliminary studies. The studies didn't demonstrate much actual weight loss, but rather a redistribution of weight from fat to muscle. Since muscle is denser than fat, you lose inches off your waist, hips and thighs as you increase your lean muscle mass. Studies on overweight and obese humans have shown an effective dose to be about 750 mg of CLA taken three times a day. Since most products are about 75% CLA and 25% other fats found in safflower oil, you'll want to take three 1,000 mg capsules a day. Tonalin is the brand of CLA that most manufacturers put in their products.
Try Twinlab
CLA Fuel , or Fitness Labs
CLA Tonalin 1,000 mg or
CLA 1,000 mg .
Chromium
The trace mineral chromium supports healthy insulin function, which helps regulate blood sugar and is necessary for proper metabolism. Keeping blood sugar levels in check may support weight loss.
Try Fitness Labs
Chromium Picolinate.
Glucomannan A natural, soluble fiber,
glucomannan works by absorbing water in your stomach and forming a gel that carries moisture through your digestive system. It also helps you feel full due to its swelling action. The good news is you don't need 10 pills for it to work. Only 1 gram (about 2 capsules) is all you need. Take it 1 hour before each meal to help you feel semi-full at your meal, which will lessen your desire to overeat.
Try Fitness Labs
Fiber Diet Glucomannan or Natural Factors
WellBetX PGX .
While you don't need to take all these products, start at the top of the list and work your way down to find the ones that meet your needs. Supplements can speed your fat loss, making it much easier to reach your weight loss goals.
