Calories In Versus Calories Out

Big surprise here, eating too much causes weight gain. Thanks. Great. Got it. Really!

A recent study shows that even eating a high protein diet was unhealthy if it was excessive. It was still better than a comparatively excessive diet of processed high fat/ high carb diets, however. The high protein diet showed weight gain and the protection of lean muscle not found in the other diet.

What the study ultimately showed was that a balanced diet was the success to weight management. It comes down to a simple equation: calories in versus calories out equals weight change. No special “diet” required. No, you do not have to eat only protein, give up carbs, eat only foods that begin with the letter “Y”, or whatever new fad diet the industry can figure out to foist on desperate people tomorrow.

It is simple. When looking at your plate, it should have a handful of protein from a good whole food source, the same amount of good carbs, and fill the rest of the plate with vegetables. A balanced diet high in vegetables and fruit has been shown time and again to be the key to good health and weight.

Need a snack? Fresh fruit is a winner. Berries or nuts are also a great option, providing potent antioxidants or healthy fats. You do not have to starve to lose weight - in fact, if you are, you are in danger of storing calories. Just pick healthy foods and exercise.

Lose 10 Pounds Overnight!

I had someone ask me yesterday for a selection of diuretics and colon cleanses. She was going someplace warm for her vacation in a few days, and wanted to look better in her swimsuit. A “trainer” at a gym told her to get these items. Technically, he was correct, she would lose 10 pounds after a few very uncomfortable days. His advice had all the real merit of telling someone to roll down the windows because the car radio is too loud.

If your goal is to lose 10 pounds of fat to look better in a few days, the best thing you can be told is IT CAN NOT BE DONE!

Think about it.  You spent your life to look the way you do.  Are you really going to change that in days? I have been eating right and exercising for years, and I am no fitness model. It takes time to change your body especially without professional help.

With people making resolutions this time of year, I recommend changing what you eat, exercising, and using supplements to complement your efforts. You can build a house without a hammer, but it ain't easy! That is why I use supplements.

I have in the past recommended a foundation of supplements for body shaping: protein, creatine, glutamine, and arginine. I would add CLA. Conjugated linoleic acid is a great tool for the management of body fat. It used to be part of our diets when we were eating grass feed meat. One more thing we lost when “grain-feed” became a good thing. It works to prevent the absorption of bad fats from food, the reduction of empty fat cells in the body, and the production of lean muscle. It is generally safe, with little to no side effects. I would take 1 gram in the morning, 2 at lunch and 2 at supper. CLA will not win any races for speedy results, however. Most studies done are conducted over 1 year.

Another thing you could try is a product call SafSlim. Like CLA, it comes from safflower seed oil, but it has been shown to be more effective on belly fat in a 16 week trial. CLA was overall more effective on body fat, but SafSlim was more focused so it may be a better option.

Remember that you spent a lifetime looking the way you do. It will take time to change that. This weekend, just have fun and plan for the next vacation now.

Fair Product Reviews Need to Be Complete

I have spent a considerable amount of time helping people manage their weight. These conversations frequently start with the question: “Do any of these products work?” The expectation is that supplements to help people manage their weight are all scams. There are certainly enough scams out there to warrant some skepticism, but I find that the larger issue lies with the use and expectation of the supplements available. People looking for the magic pill should try the end of the rainbow.

When I read the review of a supplement on Diet-blog,  I felt that they undervalued the ingredients of the product and did not tie them back to the manufacturer's claims. This kind of review only perpetuates the problems of the industry and does not educate the reader effectively.

I have not tried this product and I am not familiar with it or the manufacturer outside of the review. The product line is called Quick Trim. In an effort to fairly review it, I will only be able to speak to its ingredients, not to the product itself. If these ingredients are just “names on a label”, they will not have the effects I am talking about.

From the review:

Ingredients

Caffeine (200 mg), Vitamin C, Niacin, Chromium, Amino Acids, Banaba Leaf Extract, Sage Leaf Extract, Willow Leaf Extract, Cocoa Extract, Black Pepper Extract, Fruit Extracts, Green Tea, Aloe, Oat Fiber, Various Seed and Root Extracts

Quick Trim Claims

• Cleanse and detoxify
• Burn fat and boost metabolism (burn up to 8,000 calories per month)
• Reduce cellulite to shape and tone your body
• Boost energy levels and increase mood
• Decrease bloating and water retention
• Maintain blood sugar levels
• Curb cravings
  

The Conclusion

The caffeine (which you can find in two cups of coffee), acts as a mild stimulant, a temporary diuretic, and a mild appetite reducer. The niacin may make your face feel hot and flushed to give you the sensation that the product is working. Chromium has been heavily studied and researchers are still unsure if it may help promote stable blood sugar. All of the other ingredients in Quick Trim are fairly insignificant. A few may act as a mild laxative or add a few grams of fiber to your diet.
Mainly, Quick Trim could likely calm your appetite for about 15 to 60 minutes and act as a mild laxative. However, I don't believe it is going to help you shed pounds. This supplement is likely safe, but every person is different and those allergic to caffeine or who have low caffeine tolerance should be cautious. Quick Trim is not FDA approved. As always, proper diet and exercise is the key to safe and long term weight loss.

Of the ingredients that were listed but not discussed, the first I was surprised to see was banaba leaf.  I have previously written about this supplement and feel it supports healthy blood sugar levels, which does help craving control. Cocoa extract is a source of theobromine, which acts to control appetite and cravings. It also helps with mental focus. Black pepper extract can improve the absorption of the other ingredients in the supplement. Left out of the review was the fact that caffeine is also a diuretic, which speaks to the claim regarding bloating and water retention. I would have to know what aminos and fruit extracts are in the product, but these too can be very effective in the battle over the bulge.

Outrageous claims and jaded reviews do nothing to educate the consumer, and many will fall victim to both and give up on their health as a result.

This Has Got to Be Stopped

“Could Stomach 'Pacemaker' Be NewWeight-Loss Tool?”

Please explain how invasive surgery is the go-to answer for weight management. The death rate for this type of surgery is about 0.5%, or 1 out of 200. 

That may sound good but I can look out my window and see that many people go by every minute or two. This is the number that are dieing to loose weight.

It must be said that for some incredibly small segment of the population, surgery is the correct and life saving option. However, I think that the source of most people's lack of success with weight control is given in this quote from the article:

"The first realization was that diets didn't work and actually made things worse, as after finishing the diet I put the weight I'd lost back on,"

You cannot go back to eating poorly and expect to stay healthy; after all that is how the weight problem started.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

Gonna get off my soapbox now.