When it comes to weight loss, most people know that proper nutrition and exercise lay the groundwork for success. These two components are absolutely essential and are a part of any comprehensive weight loss or weight management program.
While eating less calories and increasing your energy expenditure are very important and will eventually lead to weight loss there are also other methods for getting your weight under control that you should consider using.
This article will shed some light on just a few of the lesser known weight loss methods that have been shown in clinical studies to be effective. Each of these tips can help make your weight loss journey faster and easier.
Supplements for Weight Loss
Supplements are a great way to lose weight and improve your overall health. While many popular weight loss supplements such as ephedrine can be dangerous leading to harsh side effects there are a number of natural and healthy supplements that can improve your health and help you shed body fat.
One such supplement is vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of the most essential nutrients your body can get and is needed in the formation of collagen, a protein found in your skin and other tissue and while most people know vitamin C is important very few people realize that vitamin C is involved in the burning of fat.
A study done at Arizona State University aimed to see whether or not having low levels of vitamin C in your body could affect the amount of fat someone could burn. The study had people with low levels of vitamin C exercise on a treadmill and compared the amount of fat they were able to burn with the amount of fat people with adequate levels of vitamin C could burn.
The study found that people who did not have enough vitamin C in there body burned up to 25% less fat than people who had higher levels of vitamin C. The results of this study show that vitamin C is clearly involved in fat loss.
Vitamin C isn’t the only supplement that can help with fat loss. Fish oil is another supplement that has been shown to make weight reduction easier. Many people have heard of fish oil’s benefits for the cardiovascular system and how it is a very heart healthy substance but studies have also examined how it affects weight loss.
A study done at the University of Iceland wanted to see if going on a low calorie diet that included fish oil would cause more weight loss than a similar diet that did not include fish oil. The study involved 324 overweight men and women who went on either a diet that did not include fish oil, a diet that included fish or a diet that included fish oil supplements.
The study found that when people dieted and included fish oil in their diet they lost 1kg more in body weight after 1 month than those who did not. These findings strongly suggest that fish oil can help with weight loss.
Green Tea Works Miracles
Another little known tip that can help with weight loss is to drink green tea. Green tea contains something called catechin which has been shown to aid in weight loss. A study done by Provident Clinical Research tested the hypothesis that drinking green tea could increase weight loss. The study involved 107 obese people who completed the study and who either drank a beverage with catechin or a placebo drink.
The study found that participants who drank the beverage containing catechin were able to lose more abdominal fat than participants who drank the placebo after 12 weeks. This study supports the claim the green tea can actually improve weight loss.
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References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16945143
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17502874
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19074207
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