Even though weight loss is just a simple equation (calories in vs. calories out) and it can be easily achieved through a proper diet and regular exercise, people always try to find shortcuts. Individuals looking to lose weight are constantly searching for that "magic pill" that will help them lose weight over night,while doing no exercise and eating just like before.
Unfortunately this is not possible. Yes, supplements can be useful and can help you reach your goals faster, but they are made only to supplement a proper diet and regular exercise. For example if you take a weight loss pill that helps you burn an extra 100 calories per day, but you consume 500 calories above your maintenance level, the diet pill will be useless. In this example, since you are on a caloric surplus, you will actually gain weight, even though you take that magic pill you've seen on TV commercials and all over the internet.
So with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most popular and effective ingredients found in weight loss supplements. Even though the package and the name of the product is different, most of the popular fat loss supplements contain one or more of these ingredients:
Caffeine - Yes, you've read that right. One of the most popular ingredients is the good ol' caffeine, the same that you'll find in your daily morning coffee. It is a stimulant and it will increase rates of fat burning while also allowing your body to use more fat, rather than carbohydrates. It also increases your resting metabolic rate for a short period, but it's no magical ingredient, especially if you are already a die-hard coffee drinker.
Green Tea Extract - Green tea is also a good stimulant and it helps your fat loss efforts by increasing metabolism and fat oxidation. You can drink one or two cups of green tea every day, but you will get much better results by taking a green tea extract, or a product that has this ingredient among others.
Guarana - is also a stimulant that increases metabolism and fat oxidation, and it's used in many weight loss products as well as in energy drinks or pills.
Hoodia Gordonii - very popular on the fat loss market, this plant is an appetite suppressant. There isn't enough data yet to support its efectiveness, but companies seem to use it a lot.
Other popular appetite suppressants are Yerba Mate and Chromium picolinate.
Psyllium - this is a form of fiber made from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant’s seeds. It is mostly used as a laxative, so it will help improve intestinal motility and increase the frequency or quality of bowel movements. Psyllium is also able to bind to fatty acids and cholesterol from the diet, helping you burn fat.
Garcinia Cambogia - one of the most popular ingredients out there, Garcinia Cambogia featured on Dr. Oz Show is a good source of hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is shown to help weight loss.
Chitosan - creates a barrier in the intestines that prevents fat from getting through to the digestive system.
7-Keto DHEA - Levels decrease as you age and that is why supplementation is necessary. In addition to enhanced rates of metabolism, 7-Keto also promotes stable energy levels.
There you go. These are some of the most popular ingredients found in fat loss products all over the world. As we said before, they can assist your weight loss journey along with a good diet and exercise, but they won't do magic on their own.
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