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How
Effective are Your Nutritional Supplements? |
by:
ARA |
(ARA)
– Excessive weight gain is a big problem
in America. According to the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey, a publication
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
nearly two thirds of U.S. adults are overweight
or obese. Most people want to do something
about it, but don’t always make good decisions.
This year alone, fifty million people will
go on some of form of weight-loss program,
spending some $33 billion on weight loss
products and services that are fad diets,
unsafe or ineffective nutritional supplements.
Countless others who have tried to lose
weight and failed will give up altogether.
“What people need to realize is that there
is no magic bullet when it comes to losing
weight and keeping it off,” says Jeff Zwiefel,
vice president of the Nutritional Products
Division of Life Time Fitness, a national
health, fitness, and nutrition company.
“For many people, losing weight can feel
like a daunting task. It takes a balanced
approach that includes education, exercise
and good nutrition, coupled with effective
weight-loss supplementation.”
A good beginning point is to gain a better
understanding of the mechanisms of weight
gain. Do you ever wonder why some people
can eat all the time and never gain weight
while others seem to put on pounds at every
sitting? “It’s all about metabolism,” says
Zwiefel.
Simply stated, your metabolism is the way
your body burns up all of the calories from
the food that you eat and regulates energy.
The speed at which your body burns up calories
is called your metabolic rate. The faster
your metabolism, the more calories you'll
burn, and the less likely that you'll be
overweight. “A small percentage of people
naturally have a better metabolism than
others, but for the most part, an individual’s
metabolism is determined by their lifestyle”,
says Zwiefel. So what can you do to place
yourself in a better position to manage
your weight?
Diet represents one of the primary ways
to shed those unwanted pounds and keep them
off. Although it might sound easy on paper
to simply put less food in your mouth, the
reality is that reducing calorie intake
is a significant problem for most of us.
It is more complex than just calories in
and calories out. Factors such as stress
and diet will dramatically impact how our
bodies process the calories we consume.
That’s why Life Time Fitness recommends
you not only change what you eat, but your
eating and lifestyle habits.
Instead of eating three meals a day ---
breakfast, lunch and dinner --- eat five
nutritionally balanced meals and two snacks
per day. Spreading your food intake over
the day is the best way keep your energy
levels up and to burn calories for energy
versus storing them.
You should also reduce the consumption of
simple and refined carbohydrates that offer
little nutritional value. Concentrate on
eating foods that are high in fiber to reduce
appetite and help reduce the risk of cancer.
Look for good sources of protein throughout
the day such as lean meats, fish, eggs,
low fat dairy products, beans and nuts.
Complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat
bread, wild rice, whole-wheat pasta, multigrain
cereal and potatoes are great ways to boost
your energy level throughout the day. Eat
4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables; take
a multivitamin with antioxidants each day
to ensure you are getting the nutrients
your body requires throughout the day.
Because our busy lifestyles can interfere
with upholding the ideal dietary plan, proper
supplementation can help fill in the gaps.
However, there are dozens of supplements
on the market today offering big promises.
How do you know which brand is best for
you?
“If a product promises, ‘effortless,’ weight
loss, it doesn’t have your long-term health
and wellness in mind,” says Dr. Bill Wheeler,
Ph.D. and R.D., a former staff nutritionist
to the President of the United States and
independent consultant for Life Time Fitness.
“Supplements need to be worked into your
overall plan.”
Life Time Fitness’ LeanSource weight loss
supplement is a patent-pending blend of
four active ingredients shown in recent
studies to help naturally speed up metabolism,
burn body fat, and curb sugar cravings without
the use of harmful stimulants. Unlike many
other supplements on the market today that
hype unbelievable before and after testimonials,
LeanSource is based on real science and
a proven safe and effective formulation.
All Life Time Fitness nutritional products
are regularly tested in independent lab
settings to assure consumers they really
contain what’s on the label.
Now available at Target, RiteAid, Kroeger,
Kmart and Meijer stores, as well as Life
Time Fitness locations nationwide and via
www.lifetimefitness.com, LeanSource products
are conveniently available in a gel cap
form, bars, and ready-to-drink shakes in
multiple flavors.
Good diet and the use of beneficial supplements
are just part of the equation. Regular and
balanced exercise is also a critical part
of the process. “Just going to the gym once
in a while isn’t going to cut it. You need
to make a commitment, and stick with it,”
says Zweifel.
Life Time Fitness recommends that people
who are serious about shedding the pounds
and keeping them off participate in aerobic
training exercise regimens a minimum of
three times per week for at least 30 minutes
at a time. Aerobic exercises include brisk
walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic
classes and dancing. Dieters are also urged
to take part in resistance training exercises,
such as weight lifting, at least twice a
week for a minimum of 30 minutes per session.
For more information about weight loss and
exercise programs offered through Life Time
Fitness, visit www.lifetimefitness.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content
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