Winning at Losing :: Food and Nutrition

Winning at Losing

Even without looking at the numbers on the bathroom scale, you know the score. Your weight’s up, your energy’s down. Natural weight loss support products can help you get the results you want more quickly and with less stress.

Here are 11 natural products available in your health food store to help you win at weight loss.

Meal replacement powders are one of the best methods for getting immediate control of calorie consumption and overeating habits. Made with a balance of the three macronutrients–protein, carbohydrates, and fats–meal replacement powders can be used to replace as many meals per day as you choose. Some meal replacement powders contain a special fibre, glucomannan, from Japanese konjac root to appease appetite and regulate blood sugar levels.

Adding your own frozen or fresh berries to blended meal replacement shakes adds variety and protective phytonutrients. Choose a meal replacement powder that is low in sugar and doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners.

For the quickest weight loss results, replace breakfast and lunch with a blended or shaken meal replacement drink made with water or skim milk. For dinner, eat a small portion of a high protein food and a very large leafy green and vegetable salad dressed with high quality cold pressed oils and lemon juice or vinegar.

Protein powders can be used in a similar way to meal replacement powders for jump-starting a weight loss program. Lower in calories, fats, and carbohydrates than a serving of ready-made meal replacement powder, protein powders are a great foundation for creating your own meal replacement shake. Add fresh or frozen fruit and a tablespoon of good fats, such as flax, hemp, or olive oil, and you’ve designed your own version of a higher protein meal replacement powder.

When it comes to losing excess body fat, protein powders ensure adequate protein requirements are met without adding too many calories, carbs, or fat. Primarily derived from dairy whey protein concentrates and isolates or from vegetable soy, protein powders supply a convenient, low calorie source of readily assimilated protein. For example, a blended protein shake made simply with a scoop of whey protein powder, filtered water, and fresh or frozen berries will supply an average of 20 g of protein, less than 100 calories, 2 g of carbs, and 1 g of fat. This kind of protein shake is an ideal snack replacement for a low-calorie dieter because it satisfies the appetite, encourages fat burning, and builds lean tissue.

Other good protein powder sources include fermented soy, rice, pea, and hemp. Avoid protein powders and bars that contain gelatin or collagen, a byproduct made from the bones, hooves, and skins of cattle and pigs.

Multiple Vitamins and Minerals

A daily dose of a high quality complete multivitamin and mineral supplement is a simple, economical way to ensure that daily micronutrient requirements are being met. An encouraging article published in the Journal of American Dietetics Association (July 2005) stated that body weight was lower in people who used nutritional supplements, especially vitamins A, C, and E, niacin (vitamin B3), folic acid, and iron. Taking a complete daily multivitamin and mineral formulation is the ideal foundation for providing these important nutrients.

B-complex Vitamins

In addition to the B vitamins in your multi, take two or three daily doses of a medium-potency B-complex with each meal or meal replacement shake. The Bs support and nourish the nervous system while contributing to the overall sense of emotional and mental well-being needed to succeed at weight loss.

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) has been found to assist in the loss of body fat when taken in doses ranging from 1,800 to 4,200 mg daily.

Green tea by the cup or in supplement form is rich in the phytochemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and has shown promise for weight loss by increasing the body’s energy expenditure.

Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) combined with caffeine and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) decreased body fat after six weeks of use in overweight adults in one study.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) has been shown in three controlled trials to reduce appetite and promote weight loss. In a two-month controlled study, overweight women and obese people with diabetes who took 750 mg per day for two weeks significantly reduced their carbohydrate and fat intake and lost an average of 4.6 lb (2 kg), compared with 0.2 lb (0.09 kg) in the placebo group.

Niacin-bound chromium caused a significant loss of fat after just eight weeks in dieting, exercising women in a US study. An essential trace mineral that helps to regulate glucose metabolism and insulin levels, chromium supplementation can combat the sugar cravings that often sabotage weight loss.

Hoodia (Hoodia gordonii) is a cactus native to Africa’s Kalahari Desert. Traditionally, hoodia is eaten by native tribes to stave off hunger while on a long journey. It has been found to contain a molecule that appears to positively affect nerve cells in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls appetite.

Fibre from a wide range of food sources helps appease appetite and keep bowels regular. Be sure to eat at least 40 g of fibre from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds every day.

Source: alive #291, January 2007

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