Are Weight Loss Aids all a Farse?

I get this question at work all the time. It’s either this, or “Do you have something that will make me lose weight?”

Let me be clear. YOU are the only thing that can make you lose weight. Does this mean that weight loss supplements are a complete waste of money? Absolutely not. But it’s important to understand exactly what they do, and what they don’t do.

They are called weight loss “aids” because they assist in accelerating the weight loss process, and help you maintain a high-functioning metabolism during times of dieting. They can be helpful for ensuring your body is burning fat and preserving lean muscle tissue, and, depending on the supplement, they may help curb cravings and appetite.

Weight loss aids are NOT, however, a magic pill. Nothing is. There is no product on the market today that is designed to work without the implementation of a proper diet and exercise plan. So, if you are scrolling through Facebook and come across an article (i.e. advertisement) claiming fast and easy results just by taking a pill, “and you can eat whatever you want!”, run the other way. Even Keto products are designed to be taken alongside a high-fat, low-carb diet (“Keto” actually stands for “Ketogenic Diet”).

So, which weight loss aids are actually worth your hard-earned cash and energy? There are a few ways you can go here:

1) Thermogenic Fat-Burners

These are your high-stimulant, preworkout-style fat burning formulas which utilize compounds such as caffeine, beta alanine and/or synephrine, among other things, to raise your heart rate and body temperature, causing you to burn calories and fat more efficiently. They are effective; however, they are not safe for everyone. I would not recommend these supplements for anyone with high blood pressure or anxiety, anyone on blood pressure or heart medication, anyone with a seizure disorder, anyone with adrenal or thyroid dysfunction, anyone taking prescription anti-depressant, anti-anxiety or sleep medication, and certainly not anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.

2) Non-Stimulant Fat-Burners

A safer, more natural way to go are the non-stimulant fat-burners, like CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been shown to reduce body fat, build muscle, and increase energy and endurance. This is sometimes taken in a stack along with carnitine, an amino acid which shuttles fatty acids from the blood into the mitochondria, so that the fatty acids can be burned as fuel. PGX is another natural, non-stimulant weight loss aid that is among the top 5 most effective supplements on the market. It’s a simple high dose of soluble fibre, which works by making us feel full (making it more difficult to overeat), and balancing our blood sugar, which both curbs cravings and prevents fat storage. Non-stimulant fat-burners may take longer to produce results than thermogenics, but they are safe for most people and virtually free of side effects.

3) Appetite Suppressants

Garcinia Cambogia is an herbal appetite suppressant you may have heard of. It does make a difference for some, but it’s important to keep in mind the wide variety of factors that go into appetite, from age to starting weight, hormone levels, blood sugar levels, level of physical activity, boredom, psychological factors, etc. So there is no guarantee that garcinia is going to get you results. A cheaper and simpler option which works for just about everyone is chromium. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that can improve insulin sensitivity and enhance protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. By helping to balance blood sugar, chromium effectively suppresses appetite and prevents cravings for sweets or high-carbohydrate foods, while at the same time preventing those fat-storing insulin spikes.

It’s important to recognize that everyone’s body is different, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another, or may not work as quickly. Similarly to appetite, there are many factors that go into metabolism and effect the rate of weight loss, not least among them being age, gender, starting weight, diet, hormone levels, and your level of physical activity. So while one person may see results in a matter of weeks, it may takes months for someone else.

So, if you come into the store asking for “something to help you lose weight”, I can point you in the right direction. But without doing a full health assessment, I cannot guarantee a product’s effectiveness for you personally, nor can I tell you how fast you can expect to see results. You still need to do the work. Fortunately, this is something I CAN help you with. There is no more effective weight loss strategy than a healthy diet and exercise plan. I can create one for you, tailored to your unique needs and goals.