To Supplement or Not
The American public is obsessed with weight loss. And while it has been said time and time again that there are no short-cuts to weight loss, there are lots of ways to achieve quick diet results, such as using Ephedra Hoodia and other supplements. You read the testimonials of those who lost weight using these techniques, but there are no follow-ups on them a year after the loss. Why? Because the vast majority have regained their lost weight and then some. Besides, herbal supplements are not governmentally supervised and as such can be dangerous. Remember- the term “herbal”, is considered to be naturally occurring as opposed to being man-made and therefore it is not subject to governmental supervision. That does NOT mean that it is safe for you to ingest (think poison mushrooms) or that you might not suffer some type of allergic reaction to it (poison ivy is “natural”). If something is supposed to increase your energy level so you want to move around more, then your heart rate is also being impacted, and if you go from being quite sedentary to being excessively active, or if you have an underlying (undiagnosed) problem, you could end up with a severe heart or blood pressure problems. These supplements also have impact upon other body organs such as liver and kidneys. And it may take many years before enough evidence of their negative effects is amassed to the point that they are withdrawn from consumption.
Even those who opt for liposuction can readily regain their weight. That procedure just sucks a layer of fat out (while it ruptures a number of small blood vessels, I might add- is that really healthy?) Liposuction doesn’t mean that you won’t create new fat cells. And gastric bypass ? Still no guarantee -check out the history of Carnie Wilson. She underwent the procedure (which is, after all, SURGERY), lost a ton of weight, and then gained it all back!
Everyone knows the advice of how important it is to eat a good breakfast,even when you are trying to lose weight. You use the most number of calories while you are awake, not asleep. So the earlier you consume these calories, the more time spent in active movement you are giving yourself to burn them up. Now, most of us eat a breakfast which is carbohydrate-heavy (cereals, toast, muffins, etc). Carbs give you instant energy, but they pass through the system so quickly that you can be hungry an hour later. Try adding protein to your breakfast. I started putting a quarter-cup of chopped walnuts on my cereal every day and discovered that I didn’t feel hungry again until mid-afternoon.! Also, the European style of eating the heaviest meal in the afternoon instead of at night makes a lot of sense. Obviously, the more calories you consume after 6 PM,or within 4 hours of your bed time, the less time you are giving yourself to burn them off. And finally, do not delude yourself into thinking that certain substitutes-e.g. Zeratol, Splenda & other sugar substitutes – are a positive move. Some studies suggest that they actually increase your desire for sweets. Also,” lo-carb” or “sugar-free” often equates to higher fat! There are only 16 calories in 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cut down by reading the labels of the foods you purchase- breads, and cereals- even yogurt- and check for the sugar portions – there are almost always equivalent brands which contain less sugar. If you deprive yourself of any food group, eventually you will feel an unavoidable compulsion to eat that very food and then you will likely binge on it! Moderation in everything is probably the wisest way to go.
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