The Best Weight Loss Supplement

The question at issue is -

Does a 'best' weight loss supplement actually exist? (Or even a good one, come to that...)

The answer lies in what you think the word 'supplement' means.

If you want something that will let you miss out solid meals, then that's not a weight loss supplement...

That's a meal-replacement product. Not the same thing at all.

Meal replacements aren't a great idea, anyway. They're not very satisfying, so you still want to eat after you've had them. And they don't take much digestive effort, which means that the body doesn't work much.

Far better to have solid food at every meal, to keep your internal fires banked high. That's the way to burn off body fat most effectively.

Fortunately, you can use a weight loss supplement and still do that. Here's how.

Food For Weight Loss

Sounds odd that, doesn't it? We're used to seeing weight loss bracketed with reduction in calories (which is to say, less food).

So how does "Food For Weight Loss" work?

It's extremely important to know what you eat, as well as how much of it.

Most diets fail because they concentrate solely on how many calories you eat during a day. They take little or no account of how your nutrients are balanced against one another.

And that's not the best way to get the results you want.

The first step in a successful weight loss program - and by successful I mean in the long term - is to understand as much as possible about the food you eat.

Let me give you an example here. Most 'fast food' is high in fat or sugar (or both), which make it hard to resist and very 'more-ish'. Worse than that, many examples have additives that are included for only one reason. They make you want to eat more!

That could explain why few slimmers experience weight loss success when they include fast food in their diets. It's hard to eat less when the food you eat is designed to make you want more!

Natural Weight Loss

This occurs once you feed your body properly. 'Real' natural food satisfies your body's needs without making you want more of it even if you're full.

Fresh food contains lots of essential nutrients, so that your body's requirements are satisfied by less of it.

Human beings are animals, of course, and we weren't designed to eat some of the stuff we feed ourselves nowadays. In fact, the more processed the food you eat, the lower the chance that you'll ever shed that excess weight permanently!

If what you're eating has been squeezed down a tube in a factory, it is probably partly responsible for your excess body weight.

Make a list of the things you would least like to give up, and I bet 95% of them are processed foods.

It's hardly 'forensic' evidence, of course, but it paints a picture, doesn't it?

Using A Weight Loss Supplement

As part of an overall weight loss plan, there's nothing wrong with supplements. In fact, for vegetarians, they probably provide one of the few ways to ensure that all the necessary nutrients - in the correct amounts - are present in the diet.

A good baseline approach to food types is:

Carbohydrates 55%, Protein 25%, Fat 20%.

It won't be possible to achieve that exact mix every day, but it's a good aim to have. Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with 'a bit more of this one' and 'a bit less of that', just to see what suits you best.

I still see people making the same mistakes that I did many years ago and it's sad, really.

They slog away at this form of exercise and that one, but pay no attention to the constituents of their diets. Yet a moment's reflection confirms that, if you've just run off 300 calories and you have that cheesecake that's in the fridge, you just undid all the good work. In fact, you're probably 200 calories worse off!

Exercise is important as part of any sensible weight loss program...

... But food is the key to successful weight loss.

And if it takes a weight loss supplement to help you get there, where's the problem?

'Best' Weight Loss Supplement

So which is the best weight loss supplement? That depends on what you need to balance your diet for most effective weight loss.

Few of us find it a problem to eat enough carbohydrates. And many of us, as we are often advised, eat far too much fat. That leaves protein as the key missing ingredient in most weight loss diets.

There are hundreds of protein supplements from which to choose. Go for one that has at least 80% protein by calories. Many have a higher carbohydrate content than is necessary. And, since you are probably getting all the carbs you need from 'ordinary' foods, it doesn't make sense to pay a premium price for a weight loss supplement that gives you more carbs.

One difference between products (normally reflected in the price) is whether they're made from concentrates or isolates. The latter are more expensive, but are claimed to be more effectively used by the body. If you're a champion bodybuilder, that might be significant. If you're just looking to increase your protein intake to help you shed body fat, you probably don't need to worry about the difference.

Some protein weight loss supplements are whey based, and some are soya based. The best of them are micro-filtered and have smaller grains. That means they mix better and are more easily digested. If you're paying good money for a protein supplement, you want to get the most benefit out of it. And you can't do that unless you digest as much of it as possible.

Check out the ingredients before you buy. The label should give this information (per 100 grams):

Energy (in kcals which are often termed 'calories')
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fat
Fibre
Sodium (which is salt)

There will also be some information about elements like Calcium and Phosphorus, but they need not concern you.

Go for a product that has at least 75% protein, and isn't too high in salt (less than 0.5%, say).

That will give you plenty of choice in today's weight loss supplement market. After that, it's down to finding a product that tastes good for you. After all, it costs good money, so it shouldn't make you screw up your face when you drink it.

Use your chosen weight loss supplement wisely, and it should be a good ally in your campaign to lose weight.

Find out more about this, and about how to keep the weight off after you've lost it by checking out my weight loss articles.

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