Finding the Best Weight Loss Supplement for You

If you are looking for the best weight loss supplement, there are several factors you need to take into consideration. Two major factors to consider include your sex and what your goals are.

You can’t just pick up a blanket supplement that covers everything, you need to choose supplements that are tailored to you. By taking the time to determine your goals, then determine the right weight loss supplement to help you meet those goals, you will have a much better chance of getting the results that you are looking for.

It’s also important that you do your homework before taking any supplements to ensure that they are both safe and effective. It’s unfortunate, but there are some unsafe supplements for losing weight that can cause health complications.

Fortunately, you can avoid any of these complications by having a good understanding of your overall health, and by looking at what possible side effects may exist in any supplement you are considering using.

Build A Healthy Foundation with Diet and Exercise

While there are many supplements to lose weight that are highly effective, there is no magic pill that will help you to lose weight in a healthy way without eating right and exercising regularly as well. While most people don’t like to hear it, the key to being able to lose weight is to eat a healthy and well-balanced diet, while also engaging in regular exercise.

Remember, a supplement is there to do just what its name implies, supplement your other efforts. If you are relying on any supplement to give you the results you want without incorporating diet and exercise, you are going to end up disappointed.

It’s also important that you treat your weight loss journey as a marathon instead of a sprint. It probably took you quite a while to gain the weight you now want to lose, so give yourself time to lose it. It may be tough to be patient, but you really have to be if you want to be able to reach your weight loss goals.

How Protein Supplements Help with Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, protein is the number one most important supplement. An increase in protein boosts your metabolism, helps control hunger, and also changes several weight-related hormones.

How exactly does protein help you lose weight?

First, it takes more energy to digest, which means your body is burning more calories just by processing it. Next, protein lowers levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is known as the hunger hormone. It also simultaneously boosts the production of appetite reducing hormones.

Anyone that has ever tried to lose weight will tell you that the biggest obstacle they face is hunger. Hunger erodes willpower and causes you to stray from your diet. Straying a little often leads to straying more, then before you know it you’ve given up.

By eating a high protein diet and supplementing with protein you can keep your hunger at bay and give yourself a better chance at sticking to your diet.

What Types of Protein Supplements Should You Use?

Protein Shakes

Protein shakes are the most widely used protein supplement due to their convenience, their high protein content, and the fact that they are very filling.

The most popular type of protein shake is whey protein powder. Whey protein is a milk-based protein that is high in branched chain amino acids that is fast digesting. Whey protein concentrate contains some lactose, whereas whey protein isolate contains very little. So, if you don’t do well with lactose, there is an option here for you.

When it comes to weight loss supplements for men, whey protein shakes should be at the top of every man’s list. Since it is a fast digesting protein it’s ideal for taking post workout to help aid in recovery.

While whey protein is the most popular type of protein shake, casein-based shakes might be a better option in some cases. Casein is a slow digesting protein. It’s a protein shake that can give your body a long, steady supply of protein. This is particularly useful when you go to bed at night. Your body recovers during sleep, and a single casein protein shake before bed can give it the fuel that it needs to recover more quickly.

Metabolism Boosting Supplements

Weight loss is a numbers game. It’s not overcomplicated like some people believe. It’s all about creating a calorie deficit where your body uses more calories on a daily basis than it takes in. That’s all there is to it. The bigger the calorie deficit, the faster you will lose weight.

Some people take this approach and overdo it by going on a starvation diet in an attempt to lose a lot of weight quickly. While this may work in the short term it is unsafe and unsustainable, so you shouldn’t try it.

Instead, there is a variety of things that you can use to create that calorie deficit. One of those is raising your metabolism so your body burns more calories at all times.

Green coffee beans taken daily appear to help with weight loss. In a 22-week study, 16 overweight men and women lost an average of 17 pounds while taking green coffee bean extract. While these men and women were physically active, they didn’t change their diet. While this is definitely not the recommended approach to losing weight, the fact that these people lost weight despite not changing their diet shows the tremendous fat burning power of this supplement. When you are looking for the best weight loss supplements for women and men, green coffee bean extract needs to be at the top of the list.

Another popular metabolism boosting supplement is caffeine. In fact, 6 different studies have shown that when people take at least 270 mg a day in caffeine they burn more calories. While caffeine is a powerful weight loss supplement, there are some things to keep in mind if you want to use it. First, if you are already a heavy caffeine user then supplementing with additional caffeine probably won’t be as effective. You also need to be careful when supplementing with caffeine, since it is a powerful stimulant it can cause unpleasant and sometimes dangerous effects in some people.

Green tea extract is a supplement that just about everybody has heard of. Why is that? Because many people have discovered what an amazing supplement this is due to the numerous ways it can boost your health. Green tea contains both caffeine and catechins, which are both potent metabolism boosters. When combined they work together to help your body burn more calories, which aids in weight loss.

Appetite Suppressing Supplements

Losing weight is all about creating a calorie deficit. There are two ways to do this. Option one is to burn more calories. You do this by raising your metabolism, and by exercising. Option two is to consume fewer calories. Dieting is difficult because of hunger. When you are hungry it’s a lot harder to resist the temptation of a candy bar than it is when you are not hungry. While eating a high protein diet can help you to feel full longer, that alone often is not enough to keep hunger at bay. Fortunately, there are several weight loss supplements that can help you to keep your hunger in check and your diet on track.

Fenugreek:

Fenugreek is an herb from the legume family that is high in soluble fibre. This soluble fibre means that it helps to lower cholesterol levels and helps to control hunger. How does it control hunger? It does it by slowing down the process of digestion by delaying fat and carbohydrate absorption. Fenugreek has been shown to be a very effective appetite suppressant, which makes it a great addition to any weight loss plan.

Glucomannan:

Glucomannan is another soluble fibre that can help to lower cholesterol as well as help to suppress your appetite. It works by delaying the emptying of your stomach which helps you to feel full longer after eating. Basically, since you digest food more slowly you won’t want to eat as frequently. That’s what makes Glucomannan such an effective weight loss supplement.

Losing Weight Is A Challenge, But It’s Definitely Worth It

Losing weight is a challenge, but most things in life worth having are worth working for. The key to succeeding is perseverance and patience.

• You have to be willing to push forward even when things don’t seem to be going your way.
• You must be confident that having a solid diet and exercise program and using the best weight loss supplement will keep you moving in the right direction.
• You also must be patient since losing weight takes time. It can be difficult, but choosing a slow, steady pace is the best way to safely lose weight.

Above all else, don’t get discouraged. Develop a solid plan, stick to the plan, and results will follow in time!

About Jason Spencer

Jason Spencer has a tremendous enthusiasm for all facets of health, fitness and physical performance that stems from an athletic lifestyle from childhood. Jason was fortunate enough to compete in collegiate football and learned to love the challenges that physical activity placed on the body. As Jason progressed through his higher education and became increasingly aware of how science is applied to physical activity and how it reveals the benefits of exercise, he realized very quickly that he wanted to pursue a career that gives him the opportunity to teach others to compete, challenge, and push themselves towards something more valuable to them than anything else; health, fitness and self worth. Being a fitness professional allows Jason to do this for them and he is always incredibly grateful for that. Jason has a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Neuroscience and his acquired knowledge of the nervous system and muscle stimulation techniques has been extremely instrumental towards building a unique ability and feel for training the body for optimal form and function. As a personal trainer he is certified with ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). He's also a strength & conditioning specialist with NSCA (National Strength & Conditioning Association). He has additional certifications in both kettlebell principles & techniques (Equinox), and Flexibility & Corrective Exercise (Swedish Institute of Health Sciences in NY). Jason has worked as a trainer and conditioning specialist in a variety of fitness facilities over the years such as: LA Fitness in Piscataway, NJ, the YMCA in Metuchen, NJ, and Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York, NY. He also does private in-home sessions all over the Manhattan area.