Weight Loss Supplements to Consider

A common myth about weight loss supplements: you have to pay an enormous price for a teeny tiny'"but magical '" weight loss pill. The big fat truth: there is no "magic" pill that will banish the excess weight overnight. In addition, many of the ones that claim to slim you down in a short amount of time contain ingredients that may be risky if you have certain conditions. For example, consuming too much caffeine can pose health concerns for someone who is battling hypertension.

However, research indicates that for some individuals, selected supplements just might help ease their efforts in losing weight. Please be certain to check with your health care provider before changing your diet or trying a supplement.

Here are four weight loss supplements that may be worth considering:

1. Green tea: A variety of studies have shown that green tea can help with weight loss goals in terms of helping you burn fat more efficiently. However, that doesn't mean that you should rush out and spend big bucks on green tea capsules! If you want to try drinking green tea, first check with your health care provider to see if there are any special concerns (for example, it does contain caffeine). Then try drinking a few cups a day. Because research indicates that sipping soda (even if it's diet) can hamper weight loss efforts, simply substituting green tea for soda can accelerate weight loss.

2. Alli: This over-the-counter version of a prescription drug has been shown to be helpful for weight loss when used in combination with a sensible diet. As always, check with your health care provider before starting this OTC drug.

3. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): Although a few studies have shown that CLA may help to lower body fat, it is still in the research stages. Some research also has indicated that CLA might assist in building muscle. This may sound counter-intuitive for weight loss, but muscle burns more calories than fat (hence the reason why those wanting to lose weight are encouraged to do strength-training as well as cardio exercise).

4. Water: If you did a double-take at seeing water listed as a weight loss supplement, read on! Repeated medical studies have shown that one of the MOST common causes of diet failure stems from would-be-virtuous dieters who don't count beverages in their daily calorie, carb, and fat counts. Consuming 200 calories of orange juice doesn't fill you up anymore than drinking a glass of water '" but if you drink four glasses of orange juice a day, you've just consumed what for some dieters is half a day's worth of calories! Add in a few cappuccinos and it's all too easy to drink your entire diet's allotment of calories without having consumed any food. By substituting water and other calorie-free beverages, such as tea, for juices, coffee drinks, etc., you can enhance your weight loss more successfully than any supplement '" and it's free!
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Sources: The author, Joanne Eglash, has an M.S. (master of science) in holistic nutrition and thus has studied extensively in this area. Additional research completed on Alli.