Benefit of Whey Protein #1:  Aid in Muscle Growth, Recovery and Strength

Whey protein provides all the amino acids needed for growth of body tissues and most important, it promotes muscle strength.  Muscle building is essential in a healthy weight loss program, as muscle helps burn more calories.  Since muscles are built from protein, we need to ensure they are healthy. That is why we recommend whey protein for healthy weight loss purpose.

In fact, whey protein is very important to anyone who involved with physical training, especially for resistance and strength training. This is because muscle stress quickly depletes the available protein levels in our body.  Acting as a precursor to muscle building and recovery function, whey protein stimulates the acids responsible for muscle enhancement, endurance and growth. You should add in whey protein if you are serious in your healthy weight loss program.

Benefit of Whey Protein #2:  Serve as Powerful Antioxidants

Whey protein is a great source of cysteine, an amino acid that is needed in the formation of glutathione, one of the body’s main antioxidant.

Glutathione is found mainly in the liver where it detoxifies harmful substances. Besides, glutathione also presents in the lung, blood and intestinal tract.  This great antioxidant protects our body from the damaging effects by free radicals, which proved to be the main cause of chronic diseases.    The level of glutathione is reducing as we grow older.  So taking whey protein can help preventing premature aging besides help in muscle building in the healthy weight loss program.

Benefit of Whey Protein #3:   Enhance Immune System

Whey protein contains lactoferrin, a protein that binds with the mineral iron, making the iron unavailable to certain harmful intestinal bacteria, which need it to growth.  Therefore, whey protein can enhance immune system by protecting body cells against bacterial infection besides serve as powerful antioxidant, reducing damaging effects of free radicals.

Conclusion

Whey protein is an excellent source of protein for bodybuilders and people looking to build muscle, especially in a healthy weight loss program. Always fill your body with good quality of protein foods if you want to see healthy weight loss results besides obtaining more weight loss tips.  Of course, whey protein is always a good choice if you want as whey protein can be easily obtained in any health food store.

GLA is essential to human health besides assist in any program for weight loss.  It is the precursor for a lot of important prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that may affect blood thickness, cholesterol levels, joint health, dilation and constriction of blood vessels, inflammation, and etc.  Although omega-6 fatty acids are readily available in the diet and consumed in large quantities in our diet, a lot of people are still found deficient in GLA.  According to some scientists, this is because many oils that contain omega-6 are hydrogenated, which can inhibit the conversion of omega-6 to GLA.

How does GLP help in healthy weight loss

GLA plays a role in healthy weight loss as it stimulates brown adipose tissue, which translates to less body fat accumulation and more fat burning.  There are quite a number of people break the weight loss plateaus just by adding GLA in their program for weight loss.  However, taking GLA alone does not have strong clinical evidence helping in any program for weight loss. Results only show when taking together with a moderate caloric diet and perform some regular exercises.

There is a study suggesting that if GLA is going to work, it does so mainly for overweight people for whom obesity runs in the family.  A few other clinical studies suggest that the more overweight you are, the more likely the GLA will help.  If your body weight is only 10% above healthy body weight range, GLA is not going to help you losing weight.

Other study reveals that GLA helps in overweight women with PMS issues.  In fact, GLA supplements in EPO form or other sources have been used for decades as important PMS treatment.  Since cravings and carbohydrates binges are normally part of PMS, we can improve the healthy weight loss results by improving the PMS symptoms.

Things to consider when taking GLA

People might consider taking GLA supplements not only for healthy weight loss purpose.  A lot of studies suggest that GLA may assist in few health care issues, including diabetes, eye disease (dry eyes), eczema and allergies, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis as well as joint issues.

Generally, there should be a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in our body.  The ratio should be in the range of 2:1 – 4:1 for omega-6 to omega-3.  Although the average diet provides sufficient omega-6 fatty acids, GLA is somehow recommended as a lot of people are still found deficient in GLA.

As the usual sources for GLA are borage oil, evening primrose oil and black currant oil, people use to take these types of supplements, usually packaged in oil containing capsules.  However, some doctors or nutrient consultants recommend getting the pure GLA supplements.  According to them, it makes more sense to take directly GLA as there is vegetable oil inside EPO, for example which you might not need or want it.

Although GLA brings various benefits to overall health and healthy weight loss, we should aware that eating a well balance diet and perform right exercise are keys in any program for healthy weight loss.

There are 3 basic types of omega 3 fatty acids are consumed: ALA (alpha linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).  ALA is found commonly in flaxseeds while EPA and DHA are found in fish.  Our body is supposed to make EPA and DHA from ALA, as both of them are very essential to us.  However, approximately 20% of ALA is eventually winded up as EPA and DHA, and thus people usually consume some omega 3 supplements.

Omega 3 is not specifically a supplement for weight loss program.  Anyway, it helps in 4 areas that can stall your health and weight loss progress and thus is recommended for healthy weight loss purpose.

1) Reduce triglycerides and increase good cholesterol

It has been shown in various clinical studies which omega 3 fatty acids are significantly effective in lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, increasing HDL (good cholesterol).  As such, omega 3 fatty acids are highly recommended not only to people with high risk of cardiovascular disease or being overweight, but also to patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and healthy people like you and me.

2) Increase insulin sensitivity

One of the reasons of being overweight is high sugar levels in the bloodstream.  This cause high insulin level, results in promoting fat storage and inhibiting fat breakdown.  When omega 3 fatty acids are taken regularly, it helps lowering the insulin level by reducing the amount of a fatty substance named triglyceride.  This encourages the breakdown of stored fats and they can be better utilized for energy in your daily activities.

3) Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects

Omega 3 fatty acids can lower creative protein, a measure of inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease that is often increased in diabetics.  As omega 3 is the first of the fatty acid to be depleted when you lose fat, so the need for omega 3 increases for healthy weight loss purpose.

4) Improve joint health

Arthritis or joint issue is always a nightmare to those who like to exercise, which is highly recommended in a healthy weight loss program.  As such, omega 3 fatty acids are suitable for them.  Various studies show that omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil can help reducing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.  Besides, another study indicates that consumption of broiled or baked fish with 2 or more servings per week is associated with up to 43% decreased risk of arthritis issue.

Besides 4 benefits stated above, omega 3 fatty acids have other health benefits towards our body besides other food and nutrition aspects.  One thing for sure, omega 3 fatty acids are highly recommended even though you are not in a healthy weight loss program.

Vitamin C

Known as Ascorbic Acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble, antioxidant vitamin.  It basically helps almost everything, including development of collagen, improve body defense system, increase healthy cell growth and proper calcium absorption, prevent blood clotting and bruising.

When you have high blood sugar, vitamin C cannot travel into cells.  While by itself vitamin C probably does not promote weight loss, it is depleted by stress – understandable, since it is found in very high levels in adrenals and the brain.  Similar with vitamin B6, vitamin C is necessary for making serotonin.  If stress or depression contributes to your weight issues, you should definitely consume vitamin C for healthy weight loss purpose.

Besides taking supplements, you can get vitamin C from daily food sources.  Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, kiwi fruit, mango, broccoli olives, guava, green peppers, watermelon, papaya, strawberry, tomatoes, cauliflower and cabbage. Remember, eating foods rich in Vitamin C in their fresh, raw form is the finest way to maximize intake of vitamin C.

Vitamin E

Studies published in Cardiovascular Research and Journal of Nutrition show that Vitamin E has a demonstrable effect on insulin resistance, and thus reduce the risk of diabetes.  According to the diabetes expect, vitamin E, similar function with alpha lipoic acid, can reduce glycosylation, one of the most destructive and aging effects of high blood sugar.  That is why vitamin E is always included as one of the supplements for healthy weight loss purpose.

Alpha-tocopherol is the most commonly sold vitamin E among the eight different components in vitamin E.  Taking alpha-tocopherol by itself does not give you the maximum benefit.  In fact, we need to look for a combination of vitamin E includes alpha, beta, gamma, delta-tocopherol and tocotrienols.

A good food source of vitamin E includes asparagus, avocado, egg, milk, seeds and nuts such as almonds, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, wheat germ and whole grain foods.  Of course, beware of the food portion for high calories food such as nuts if you treat it as a source of vitamin E.

Besides taking supplements such as vitamin C and vitamin E, you need to go back to the basic for succeed in a healthy weight loss program- adjust your diet habit and perform regular exercise, especially strength and resistance training that can let you burn more calories.

The consumer version of the PDR (Physicians’ Desk Reference) says that people should take appetite suppressants only for a short period of time, and under the supervision of doctors.  When you build up tolerance for these appetite suppressants, you should stop using them.

The most common side effect of the appetite suppressants is jitters, which people sometimes feel weird and have a sense that their heart is beating faster.

The main appetite suppressants on the market include phentermine, phendimetrazine, diethylpropion, benzphetamine and sibutramine (meridia).  Among the appetite suppressants, only sibutramine or meridia is approved for long term use in the obesity treatment in program for weight loss.  Another type of weight loss pill that has been approved for long term use is xenical, the category of digestive inhibitors.

In fact, all appetite suppressants have a potential for abuse.  That is why it only can be use for a short period of time.  And, all of these appetite suppressants except phentermine are somewhat old-fashioned and are rarely used nowadays.

Sibutramine | Meridia

Being one of the appetite suppressants that approved by FDA for long term use, sibutramine is originally studied as an antidepressant but it does not perform well.  During the studies on depression, it is found to cause weight loss effect, that subsequently be used as an appetite suppressants.

Sibutramine works directly on the centers in the brain that tell you that you are full or satisfied.  In addition, these appetite suppressants can raise metabolism as it can stimulate brown fat metabolism.  Brown fat is a particular kind of fat that causes the body to burn calories.

Although studies with rodents show that there is a 30% increase in metabolism with these appetite suppressants, however it has a different result when studies are carried in humans.  In fact, studies in human body reveal that these appetite suppressants may stimulate brown fat metabolism, but only by approximately 2% to 4% and for less than 24 hours.

Other studies reveal some weight loss results after using these appetite suppressants.  However, evidence accumulated in the clinical trials suggests that the effectiveness of these appetite suppressants is less than impressive.  Total annual weight reduction tends to be in the range of 8-20 pounds.  In addition, the highest weight loss tends to be achieved by patients who participate in supervised trials involving a combination of appetite suppressants and diet, exercise as well as counseling.  This makes it difficult to ascertain the precise effect of the appetite depressants on itself.

Apart from that, study published at Canadian Medical Association Journal in May 2002 reveals that FDA in the United States received reports of 397 adverse events related t to these appetite depressants, including 143 cardiac arrhythmias.  In the United Kingdom, there were 215 reports of 411 adverse reactions, including 95 serious ones.  Besides, these appetite depressants were taken off the market in Italy after 50 adverse reactions and 2 deaths from cardiovascular causes reported in this country.

Conclusion

Even though you are allowed to take appetite suppressants pills under the supervision of the doctors, they normally include these weight loss pills as part of an overall program for weight loss.   A good doctor will always advise their patients to review and make change of lifestyle and diet habit.

In a healthy program for weight loss, it is always recommended to understand the correct weight loss concept first.  Apart from that, perform regular exercise as well as eat a well balanced diet are important to get a healthy body weight range.

CLA is actually a fatty acid that is found in small amount in meat and dairy products.  Anyway, please do not plan on obtaining the benefits of CLA from eating directly these foods as there is just not enough CLA present.  In fact, supplement companies have found a way to convert the linoleic acid from safflower oil into conjugated linoleic acid.  This allows us a convenient and an affordable way to get the CLA and enjoy its benefits.

Although a lot of people tend to worry about any kind of supplement that promises weight loss effect, CLA is a healthy alternative as it does not have any harmful side effects and thus suit for those who seek for healthy weight loss.  However, you need to smart enough in choosing a reliable and trustworthy brand of CLA food supplements that available on the market.

Studies have shown promising results using dosages of 3 to 4 grams of CLA per day for 8 to 12 weeks time.  Most supplement companies sell CLA in dosages from 500 milligrams to 1 gram per pill, so you need to take few pills at a time to have the optimal results.  CLA is different from many weight loss pills as it does not contain stimulants and you will not have any feelings or symptoms similar with taking weight loss pills such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation and other possible side effects.  That is why CLA is recommended for healthy weight loss purpose.

Below are research findings on CLA that brings benefits for healthy weight loss and overall health purposes:

1) CLA helps in increasing metabolic rate

Increase metabolic rate means burn more calories, and this is most desired thing in a healthy weight loss program.  Besides, this would obviously be a positive benefit for thyroid patients, as hypothyroidism even when they are treated.

2) CLA helps in reducing abdominal fat

As CLA helps in reducing abdominal fat, it brings benefit especially to those who have a lot of stress.  This is because people under stress tend to accumulate fat at their abdominal part of the body.

3) CLA enhances muscle growth

Muscle burns more calories than fat, and muscle also helps to burn fat.  This contributes to increase our metabolic rate, and thus help in healthy weight loss program.

4) CLA aids in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides levels

CLA helps in decreasing cholesterol and triglycerides levels, thus people who suffer from high cholesterol and triglycerides can also consume it.

5) CLA helps in Lowering insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a risk for some overweight people and even hypothyroid patients.  Lowering it can also help prevent adult-onset diabetes and make it easier for weight control.

6) CLA enhances immune system

Our body immune system determines our health status.  As such, enhancing our body immune system’s ability is always brings positive impact to our health.

Although CLA brings a lot of benefits to healthy weight loss and overall health, it should not be misconstrued as magic supplements.  Like many other similar products, CLA supplements will not work wonders in the body at over night time.  For optimal healthy weight loss results, you would have to take the required dosage regularly for a fixed period of time, besides performing right exercise and build a correct diet habit.

What is Green Tea
Although all teas are derived from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), they are basically grouped into three main types: Green tea, oolong tea and black tea based on their preparation.  For example, black tea is withered, rolled, fermented and dried for curing.  Through the flavor-enhancing fermentation process, the bioactive polyphenols of the fresh leaf are oxidized, causing the loss of its full complement of beneficial polyphenols.  Green tea, on the other hand, is prepared from lightly steamed and dried leaves.  This steaming process inactivates the enzymes responsible for oxidation, leaving the polyphenols content intact.

The more oxidization a tea undergoes during its preparation, the darker it becomes.  Heavily oxidized tea is very dark with more flavors and more caffeine.   However, green tea is unoxidized.  Although green tea has less aroma and caffeine, it retains much more of polyphenols, the powerful nutrients and antioxidants.

How does Green Tea help in Weight Loss
In fact, studies indicate that green tea do help in healthy weight loss program, especially consuming it in conjunction with right exercise and diet habit.

1) Green Tea helps in Boosting Metabolism

Compounds in green tea can boost your metabolism.  The particular compound responsible for raising metabolism is known as EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate.  It works by increasing the production of noradrenaline, which turns up your metabolism.  EGCG, along with the caffeine in green tea, stimulates the central nervous system and causes fat to be released into the blood stream for the body to use as fuel. The process of fat being used for energy is called thermogenesis.  Besides providing extra energy, it also sheds excess water and helps to burn body fat.

Actually, caffeine by itself can stimulate the metabolism through this way.  However, studies indicate that the combined ingredients of green tea are much more effective at this process than just caffeine by itself.

2) Green Tea helps in Burning Fat

When we consume food like carbohydrates and fat, it will be synthesized into a substance, named triglyceride in our liver and small intestine.  It is then carried into the bloodstream to other parts of our body tissues.

In fact, triglyceride is needed as a source of energy for life support and physical activities.  However, excess amounts of triglyceride will turn into fat which subsequently causes overweight and obesity.  When you take green tea, it helps in reducing this condition as green tea contains high amounts of polyphenols which activate the enzyme that is responsible for dissolving excess triglyceride.  This means that green tea effectively aids in burning fat in the long run.

3) Green Tea helps in Exercising Longer

Performing right exercise is very important in a healthy weight loss program, as exercise burns calories, increases your energy and builds lean muscle which in turn helps in boosting your metabolism.  The catechin polyphenols in green tea appear to stimulate the use of fatty acids by liver and muscle cells. Subsequently, it reduces the usage of carbohydrates and allows for more endurance and longer exercise times. In fact, a study using green tea extract on lab rats increased the amount of time the animals could swim before becoming exhausted by as much as 24%.

If you have more endurance, you may have extended the exercise time.  This means more calories burned, and ends up in more pounds lost for healthy weight loss purpose.

Conclusion

In fact, green tea is one of the plants that are widely known and useful for overall health, especially in a healthy weight loss program.  So, you may take green tea supplements as a replacement of drinking green tea as you would need to drink 5 or more cups of the tea to get the amount of EGCG required to produce an effect.

Besides, you can also read my weight loss program article if you are interested in knowing other proven ingredients or supplements in the market that help in a healthy weight loss program.  There are 3 challenges you might face in any ways to lose weight, and you might surprise that there are different targeted supplements for different challenges you face before you can lose extra pounds of your weight.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic acid is actually a good helper for the adrenal glands.  Vitamin B5 is used in the stress hormones production.  If you are under stress or your adrenals are in danger of being exhausted, you most certainly need this supplement.  Vitamin B5 is good for healthy weight loss as people tend to stress under any program for weight loss.  When you feel stress, your body will start conserving fat and slow down the whole weight loss progress.  In fact, studies indicate that Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid can help resisting or withstanding stress in general.  So, you may consider taking it in conjunction with your program for weight loss plan.

Vitamin B6

Besides Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6 is also recommended for healthy weight loss purpose.  Vitamin B6 is necessary to convert tryptophan into serotonin, and also for the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine, all neurotransmitters that give affection on weight and appetite.  For example, if you have low serotonin level, then it will cause you craving for foods especially carbohydrates.

Vitamin B6 is particularly important in women’s health.  This is because Vitamin B6 can help converting estradiol, an active form of estrogen into estriol.  Besides, you need Vitamin B6 if you are taking birth controlling pills as birth controlling pills deplete the body of Vitamin B6 and taking Vitamin B6 can help relieve the depression that sometimes accompanies use of birth controlling pills.

B Complex

A lot of people feel energizing after taking B complex.  Besides provide energizing, B complex or B vitamins are necessary for metabolizing carbohydrates, fats and protein.  In fact, certain members of the B vitamins such as B5, B6, choline and inositol do play an important role in the program for weight loss.  For example, choline functions its role in fat transportation and metabolism.  Inositol is vital for the uptake of fatty acids by the cells.  And both choline and inositol have been shown to alleviate, prevent and improve fatty liver.  As such, they are normally included in B complex formula.  You may consume B complex or a multivitamin supplement that includes B complex for healthy weight loss and overall health purpose.

If you are in your program for weight loss, taking some supplements such as Vitamin B and B complex might help in certain extent.  You may also take them for health maintaining purpose.  Anyway, the most important part in a healthy weight loss program is creating caloric deficit in as mentioned in your body weight workouts article, through correct weight loss exercise as well as adjust your diet habit.

In fact, chromium is one type of mineral which is found in common foods such as meats, vegetables and whole grain breads.  It is sold as a popular supplement too as chromium aids in the function of insulin, subsequently helps in weight loss.  As such, those who want to have a healthy weight loss can make use of chromium besides perform right exercise and have correct diet habit.

Studies in chromium
In fact, chromium has been tested in various studies, specifically for weight loss and muscle building aspects.  Studies show that by chromium itself, it probably does not serve weight loss purpose.  Anyway, it automatically helps to control one of the biggest obstacles to healthy weight loss by its ability to increase the effectiveness of insulin.

A study on effects of chromium supplements on body composition in overweight African-American women shows that the women with chromium consumption group (200 mg three times a day) have a significant loss of fat and a sparing of muscle.  Another study indicates that while chromium supplementation does not have an effect on everyone, it has positive effect on fasting insulin levels in those subjects who have high fasting levels at the beginning stage.

Conclusion:  There have been mixed results in studies on the examination of chromium’s role as a weight loss aid.  Anyway, most studies show that it has positive effect on increasing the effectiveness of insulin.

Is it safe to take chromium?
Actually, chromium supplements consists of several different forms of chromium like chromium nicotinate, chromium polynicotinate, chromium arginate, with the most popular one, chromium picolinate.

There are some claims about over dosage of chromium supplements can cause some health risk, including DNA damage and precancerous conditions related to chromium picolinate.  Anyway, all the studies are just focused on the possible damaging effects of pocolinic acid in chromium picolinate, and do not cast any doubt whatsoever on the safety of chromium itself, which has been proved to be one of the safest nutrients people can consume.  In fact, a review published in Journal of Nutrition indicates that doses of chromium that are about 300 times the current daily recommended intake have been found safe in animals.

Dosage of Chromium
Normally, the recommended dose for chromium is 200mg three times a day, although sometimes it is used in dosages up to 1,000 mg with no negative effects.

Chromium is generally not well absorbed, and it is recommended be taken on an empty stomach.  In fact, you can also take multivitamin supplements that include chromium for optimal health benefit.  For healthy weight loss purpose, get more weight loss tips and understand correct weight loss concept before jump into any program for weight loss.

How does Xenical work?
If you want to include Xenical or Orlistat in your program for weight loss, you need to know how it works in your body.  Xenical works by blocking some of the fat that you eat from being digested and assimilated.  It does this by blocking up to 75% of the digestive enzyme lipase, an enzyme which breaks down fat, resulting in as much as 30% of the fat you consume not going to be digested.  This undigested fat cannot be absorbed and is eliminated in your bowel movements.

Normally, people use Xenical in conjunction with lower calorie diet to lose weight in a program for weight loss.  For example, if you consume 2,000 calories a day and 30% of them are from fat, it means you will take in 600 fat calories.  By consuming Xenical, you are now taking only 400 fat calories.  Stick to this plan for a week, you will find that you will consume 1,400 calories less a week, or 6,000 calories less a month, which equivalent to 0.78kg.

Clinical studies
A European study published in Lancet about Xenical was carried for 2 years.  In the first year, participants were put on a lower calorie diet in the program for weight loss, and they are adhered to a maintenance diet during the second year.  The Xenical group lost between 2% to 3% more weight than the placebo group.  During the second 2-year European trial, the participants were put on a reduced-calorie diet (decrease of 600 calories from regular calorie intake) and given 120 mg of Xenical 3 times a day.  At the end of the year, they had lost about 4kg more than the placebo group (0.34kg a month)

A similar study published in Journal of the American Medical Association indicated an average of a mere 0.23kg a month more in Xenical group than in the placebo group.

Another study revealed that 120 mg 3 times a day produced weight loss results no more than 0.15kg to 0.23kg per week greater than placebo, while another research showed an average of 0.25kg per month greater than placebo over 1-year course of program for weight loss.

Conclusion:  All the studies on Xenical do not show great attractive results in losing weight.  You may give it a try and include in your program for weight loss if you want as Xenical is considered having a good safety profile.

(Note: 1 kg = 2.2046 pounds)

Possible Symptoms
If you want to include Xenical or Orlistat in your program for weight loss, you have to aware that Xenical does nothing for the existing fat that is already on your hips.  Beware when you take it as Xenical or Orlistat keeps some fat from being absorbed, it can have a bunch of very unpleasant side effect, known as anal leakage.  The typical symptoms of taking Xenical include flatus with discharge, oil spotting, fecal urgency, fatty or oily stools, oily diarrhea, fecal incontinence, and increase defecation and spotting.

As Xenical interferes with your body’s absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins, it is recommended to take daily multivitamin that contains vitamins A, D, E, and K when you use this weight loss pills.

Always get medical advice before taking Xenical or Orlistat.  In fact, if you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you need to go back to the basic things – eat a well-balanced diet and perform regular exercise, especially the strength and resistance training to build lean muscle tissue.  Of course, get the correct weight loss concept and weight loss tips as they can enhance your successful rate in losing weight.