Diet alone

This article is about the idea that a person will lose weight solely by eating good foods and an all around healthy diet. I know, that's going to sound like the strangest weight loss myth you've ever heard. So, I figured the best way I can make it seem less strange is to reenact a conversation that I have too often been a part of. It's between me and someone who believes in this myth. We'll just call them "Someone."

Someone: I want to lose weight, but it's just not happening. I actually gained a few pounds recently.
Me: Do you workout at all?
Someone: Not as much as I should. But still, I don't eat any fattening foods. I certainly shouldn't be gaining weight with what I eat. My diet is pretty good.
Me: What exactly is your diet like?
Someone: It's really good. I don't eat anything bad. I really don't eat any junk food. I eat a lot of good healthy foods.
Me: Well, it's not so much the foods themselves, it's the total amount you eat that causes weight loss or weight gain.
Someone: But I eat good foods!
Me: Do you happen to know how many calories you eat each day?
Someone: Who has time to keep track of that? I just make sure I eat mostly good foods and very little junk food. I really do have a healthy diet.
Me: I understand, but if you are eating too much of these good foods, you will still gain weight just the same.
Someone: But I don't eat anything bad! Nothing I eat is fattening. I eat good foods!
Me: I'll bet you do, but um, just because the foods are "good" and you may be eating what you consider to be a healthy diet, it doesn't mean you'll automatically lose weight. It is important to eat good foods, but it's the total amount you eat that determines what your weight will do. You could eat nothing but raisins and egg whites all day and still not lose weight if you're eating too much of it. As far as your weight goes, calories are calories. It doesn't matter if they come from good foods or bad foods, a healthy diet or an unhealthy diet. If you're eating too much of anything, you will gain weight just the same.
Someone: But I eat good foods!!!

Supplements

important I need to explain first.

My definition of the best weight loss supplements may differ from a lot of other people's definitions. What do I mean by that, you ask? Quite simply, they MUST meet the following 2 requirements:

1. First, they must be scientifically proven to be useful or beneficial in some way. I don't fall for stupid marketing crap and false claims. I only believe science, facts and real world results. You should too.
2. Second, they must be completely safe. If it's even remotely dangerous or unsafe in any way, I'm not interested. The reason for taking supplements is to help improve our bodies, not hurt them.

With that being said, here's what I feel are the Best Weight loss Supplements...

1. Fish Oil

While this list isn't in any specific order, fish oil would still be at the very top of my list of recommended supplements. Why? Well, how shall I put this. Hmmm. Alright, I got it.

Fish oil improves our body's ability to do damn near everything!

And yes, that includes lose fat. Now how's that for a description?

You know how there's "good" fat and "bad" fat? Well, fish oil contains the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are the VERY BEST fats. What makes them the best, you ask?

What are the benefits?

Well, for starters, the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation and joint stiffness, and treat various mood disorders. Fish oil has also been shown to either help improve or prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia, depression, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, hyperactivity, ADHD and more.

Many people who take it also report an overall improved sense of well being and mental clarity.

Not bad, huh? But, you're probably wondering what specifically makes it one of the best weight loss supplements, right?

How does it help with weight loss?

Well, while it's not some magical pill that will actually cause fat loss itself (there is no such thing), it WILL help your body do everything required of it (lose fat, build & maintain muscle, recover from exercise, etc.) just a little bit better. This includes improved insulin sensitivity and calorie partitioning (meaning calories would be more likely to be used for something useful rather than get stored on your body as fat).

I've also seen 2 studies now, one published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the other in the International Journal of Obesity, and both came to the conclusion that people lose more weight when they combine proper diet and exercise with a fish oil supplement, as opposed to people who just eat right and exercise correctly without fish oil.

The difference wasn't super huge, but it definitely exists. And when you add any possible fat loss benefits to that long list of general health benefits I mentioned earlier, you can clearly see why fish oil is at the top of my list of recommended weight loss supplements.

What is the best brand?

As for fish oil brands, I use and fully recommend Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega.

As someone who is extra cautious about supplements and what I put into my body in general, I spent a lot of time doing a lot of research on fish oil (including reading 2 different independent lab tests) before coming to the conclusion that Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega is honestly as high quality as fish oil supplements get. I personally order it from right here for the best price I've seen it sold for.

2. Protein Powder

Protein is an essential part of every diet no matter what your goals are (weight loss, building muscle, just being healthy in general, etc.), as it plays a key role in muscle, cell and organ function as well as being present in bone, skin and hair.

That's all well and good, but you're probably wondering what specifically makes protein powder my pick for being one of the 3 best weight loss supplements, right? I actually have 2 really good reasons.

How does it help with weight loss?

First, protein is satiating (which is a fancy word for"filling"). Studies have been done and all modern research shows that protein is much more filling than either fat or carbs, and this makes it an extremely important factor in controlling your appetite and avoiding hunger cravings. It's one of the main reasons most weight loss diets are high in protein. It will keep you fuller longer, and that will prevent you from eating something you shouldn't or just eating too much in general. But wait, there's more!

The second reason protein powder is on my list of best weight loss supplements is that, in addition to being necessary for building and repairing muscle tissue, protein is also a requirement for maintaining muscle. Your goal might be "weight" loss, but it's really fat that you're looking to lose, not muscle. Ensuring you eat enough protein each day is key in preventing muscle loss.

For all of these reasons and more, it is recommended that the average healthy adult diet should contain AT LEAST 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight (so the minimum for a 200lb person would be 100 grams of protein per day). But again, that's just a minimum.

Someone who is working out and getting in shape and actively trying to lose fat or build muscle has higher protein requirements than the average person. The most common recommendation in this case is close to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (a 200lb person would shoot for 200 grams of protein per day).

Now a lot of people are going to see that protein recommendation and think "Wow, how am I supposed to eat that much protein each day? I'd have to do nothing but sit around cooking chicken and fish." Here's where protein powder comes in, and here's why it's on my list of best weight loss supplements.

While you should get the majority of your protein intake from high protein foods (chicken, fish, turkey, lean meats, egg whites, etc.), protein powder is a quick, simple, convenient way to ensure you get enough protein each day. Take a scoop, pour in any liquid you want (water is fine), mix with a spoon for about 10 seconds, and taaadaaa, you have yourself an extremely low calorie, muscle protecting, hunger preventing serving of protein.

And not only that, but all research shows that a whey protein shake along with some type of carb source is the ideal meal for right after your workout. Why? Because your goal at this time is to get nutrients into your body and digested as soon as possible, and whey protein powder is the fastest absorbing source of protein. Plus, the fact that it's in liquid form (instead of a whole food) allows it to be digested by your body and shuttled to your muscles even quicker.

What is the best brand?

As for a specific brand, I use and fully recommendDesigner Whey Protein Powder. I've been using this brand for nearly 8 years now because it's very high quality, mixes easily, and tastes better than any protein powder I've ever tasted (I like the strawberry and chocolate flavors). I personally always order it from right here for literally $15.00 CHEAPER than GNC sells it for.

3. Multivitamin

This one shouldn't really surprise anyone like the first 2 supplements might have. We all know what a multivitamin is. We all know they contain the vitamins and minerals our bodies require to keep us alive, healthy and functioning properly. This is all very obvious information, right? So then, what the hell is it doing on a list of the best weight loss supplements?

How does it help with weight loss?

Simple. In order to lose weight, we need to be alive, healthy and functioning properly. If a multivitamin contains the things our bodies need to help make this happen, then it indirectly helps make weight loss happen. Obviously we were meant to get these important vitamins and minerals through the foods we eat, but unfortunately, the average person these days doesn't eat the way the human body was meant too. This usually leads to most diets being low in many of the good things it shouldn't be low in.

And that's where a multivitamin comes in. It sort of works as your diet's backup plan. That's exactly why I take one. My diet is quite good. I eat better and healthier than most of the population. But, I still love the idea of taking a multivitamin each day to serve as my little nutrition insurance policy making sure my body gets everything it needs everyday.

Maybe the average out of shape person sitting on the couch all day could get by without it, but as someone who works out pretty hard on a regular basis, I like knowing my body is pretty much guaranteed to have all of the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep me healthy and functioning at the highest possible level. That's why I take a multivitamin, and that's why it's on my list of the best weight loss supplements.

What is the best brand?

As for the best multivitamin brand, based on an independent lab test I saw, it appears that many of the basic multivitamins on the market are just fine, including the cheaper store brands. Of course, many of the brands tested contained more or less of certain vitamins and minerals than they were supposed to, which isn't so great.

So if you'd feel better getting a specific recommendation from me, here it comes. I personally use and fully recommend GNC's Mega Men for men, and for women I like GNC's Women's Ultra Mega. Both passed all independent lab tests just fine and both contain sane amounts of what we need on a daily basis.

If you're over the age of 50, GNC also makes a "50 Plus" version of those same multivitamins (and they also passed the same independent testing), so those might be a more beneficial choice for people that age. Mega Men 50 Plus is the men's version, and Ultra Mega 50 Plusis the women's version.

What about side effects? What about other supplements?

So that's it. That's my list of the best weight loss supplements. The way I see it, there's really only 2 questions you might still have at this point.

Are there any side effects?

The very easy answer is NO. Did you seriously think I would recommend unsafe weight loss supplements? Of course not.

Fish oil (which just comes from fish), protein powder (which is just protein), and multivitamins (which contain the vitamins and minerals found in the healthy foods we are supposed to be eating) are all perfectly safe for the typical healthy adult. Obviously if you have any known medical issues, are taking any kind of medications, or are pregnant or nursing, you should definitely check with your doctor first.

But if you are just the average healthy person... these 3 supplements are as safe as it gets. In fact, I'd even say they are the 3 safest supplements there is.

What about other supplements?

Honestly? They are all complete and utter garbage. Some are unsafe, some are absolutely useless, some are a combination of both. Either way, 99% of the weight loss supplements (or really ANY kind of supplements) on the market these days are crap and should be avoided completely.

No matter what it claims on the bottle or in the ad, no matter what you hear from the idiot in the supplement store or your friend at the gym, no matter what before and after pictures you see or what testimonials you read... this is it. These are practically the only 3 safe and scientifically proven supplements in existence for someone whose primary goal is weight loss or just being as healthy as they can be.

I've personally taken all 3 of them myself for years now, and fully recommend you do as well.

Loose fast

think it's pretty safe to assume that no one wants to lose weight slowly. No, they want to lose it fast. But, in order to truly understand quick weight loss, you'd really first need to understand that there are two different kinds.

There's the impossible kind, and then there's the unsafe kind.

Let's start with the impossible.

The impossible way to lose weight fast.

Wait. Hold on. What?!?

Are you serious? You really thought this article was going to be about the amazingly safe and very-much-possible ways that you can actually lose weight fast? HA! I don't mean to laugh, but... HA! Sorry. It doesn't mean you are stupid for thinking that quick weight loss is actually possible and/or safe. It just means you watch TV, read magazines, and are a normal human being living on the planet earth.

You see, it is the jobs of so many people to put the idea of quick weight loss into your head. They spend millions of dollars trying to do just that. They want you to want it, hope for it, and believe in it. Oh, and they also want you to buy whatever weight loss or diet pill, product, or supplement they are trying to sell you in order to make these supposed rapid results happen.

This is the type of quick weight loss that I have nicknamed the "impossible" type. It's the type that only exists in some sort of diet product fantasy world where lies really do come true. In the real world however, they are just plain os product was "Buy this fitness product so you can lose weight at the normal recommended speed!!" They probably wouldn't make too much money like that, and, if you didn't already know, weight loss is all about making money.

That's typically why the only real time you see, hear, or think the phrase "lose weight fast" is when something is being sold to you. For example, how many amazing before and after pictures have you seen? And, after seeing them, how many times have you wished that you could get those same results just as quick and easy as they say they did?

Well, here's a quick tip. As soon as before and after pictures are presented to you in an attempt to prove some type of diet or weight loss product actually works (and works fast), you should run far, far away. Stop watching, stop reading, stop listening. It's all lies. Every person, every word.

- They are paid actors and models.
- They all looked that good long before whatever quick weight loss product they are advertising was even invented.
- The pictures are fake.
- They are heads on different bodies.
- They are 6 months apart instead of 6 weeks apart.
- The lighting has been changed.
- The person is flexing and smiling instead of slouching and frowning.
- They were ugly and pale, now they're pretty and tan.
- The "after" picture is really the before picture, and they then had this in-shape person purposely gain weight to create a "before" picture.

Something, somehow, in someway, is a lie.

Equally fake are the claims that they were able to lose weight fast. "I lost 30 pounds in just 2 weeks!" The only way you're going to lose that much weight that fast is if you are involved in some kind of chainsaw accident. Seriously, any weight loss claim that seems way too good to be true always is. Remember that.

Tips

 consider a weight loss tip to be anything that could in any way be helpful to a person looking to lose weight. It could have something to do with your diet plan or workout program, or maybe just the mental aspect of weight loss such as staying motivated and sticking to your diet. It could just be some way of improving your lifestyle so that it becomes more ideal for losing weight.

Really, any piece of information that could positively benefit someone trying to lose weight will be included on this list. Also, along with each weight loss tip will be sort of a "tip review." By that I mean I will include my own common sense opinion of the usefulness of that tip. You're welcome to disagree with this opinion of course, however in most cases you'll probably be thinking the exact same thing.

This list of weight loss tips will be updated on an ongoing basis, by the way. So, whenever something new pops into my head or somehow comes to my attention, I'll be sure to add it to this list.

Tip rating system:
A - Would probably be useful to everyone, and I myself do it.
B - Could be useful to some people.
F - Useless, or stupid, or unsafe, or any combination of the three.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

This is one of the most popular weight loss tips on this list. I've seen this one everywhere. But, let's be honest here... unless you live or work on the 400th floor, taking the stairs instead of the elevator isn't going to do much for you in terms of losing weight. Sure, you'll walk a little extra, and that's obviously always good. But uh, 1 or 2 flights of stairs a few times a week won't have much (if any) effect on the weight loss of most people.

Tip Rating: B
I gave this one a B instead of an F because I don't want to sound like I'm discouraging extra walking of any kind. Yes, walking is great for everyone. However, don't expect an occasional flight of stairs to make 20 pounds disappear.