Supplement is a word defined by Webster as such: Something added to
complete a thing or to make up for a deficiency. Even so; some weight
loss supplement companies market their products as magic pills and some
consumers think of them as such.
I believe weight loss supplements
can be beneficial if we learn to look past the hype and use them in
addition to improved eating habits as well as increased physical
activity.
Know what you want out of your weight loss supplement:
Are
you looking for decreased appetite, carb blocking ability or increased
metabolism? What is the manufacturer promising? What are the active
ingredients and what studies and dosages were done on them?
Look for reviews and testimonials:
This
is something I almost did not want to mention because reviews and
testimonials can be very conflicting. Reading weight loss supplement
reviews and testimonials is going to require you to think for yourself
and determine if the review or testimonial makes a valid point or not. I
recently read a review for a weight loss product that said something to
this effect: "I did not like this product; I continued to eat the way I
always do and actually gained weight on this product." My
interpretation of this is that the person probably did not carefully
monitor what they were eating. They were gaining weight before "eating
what they normally eat" and were expecting this pill to magically cause
them to lose weight. On the other hand, a weight loss testimonial that
says "I eat anything I want and am still losing weight!" is equally
suspicious to me. Weight loss product testimonials and reviews can be
helpful in your decision if you weed through the hype and incomplete
information. Look for clues such as: Did this product decrease the
customers' appetite? Did the customer experience more energy? Was the
reviewer jittery?
Is it too good to be true?
We have a
tendency to believe what we want to believe. But when it comes to weight
loss supplements we have to be honest with our self. Are the claims
exaggerated? Is the company telling us we do not need to change our
lifestyle? Does it appear the company wants us to lead a healthy
lifestyle or does the company want to sell millions of pills? Remember
weight loss supplements are going to help you reach your goals, not
carry you to the completion of your weight loss goals.
Best seller does not always mean the best product.
I
was a distributor for a branch of a very reputable supplement company
and attended a convention they sponsored. The speaker was talking about
making claims when trying to sell product and how they did not want us
making any claims that have not been backed by science. Someone asked
the question about other companies and why they could make outlandish
weight loss claims and experience such great sales while we could only
state scientific fact. The speaker acknowledge the fact that these
companies would sell millions of dollars worth of product but they would
not earn repeat customers and more than likely would not even exist in
the long run. Ask yourself if the product you are interested in is a
best seller because of hype or because the company is reputable and has a
quality weight loss product.
Has the company been around for a while?
While
the fact that a company is new does not mean it is low quality, a
company that has been around for years usually has happy customers. Read the directions and warnings very carefully.
I
knew a lady that was taking a Chitosan product and getting sick. She
asked me about it and I quickly asked her if she was allergic to
shellfish-She was. Fortunately for her it was only a mild allergen and
she did not suffer seriously. It was clearly stated on the label; "Do
not take if you are allergic to shellfish." Also don't have the
mentality that if one pill is good then two must be better. Natural
weight loss products can be very powerful and should be treated with
respect.
Take a break from time to time.
Occasionally take a
break from your weight loss supplement regimen especially if you are
using a weight loss product that contains a stimulant such as caffeine
or other powerful herbs. I even do this with my multi-vitamin. I just
believe it is a good idea to give your body a break from time to time.
Conclusion:
I
believe weight loss supplements can help you reach your weight loss
goals, I also believe you can reach your weight loss goals without
weight loss supplements, however I have always been the type of person
that wanted every edge I can get. So if you are like me, and you decide
to use weight loss supplements, think of your weight loss goal as a
three legged table. One leg represents healthy eating, one leg
represents activity, and the other leg represents your weight loss
supplementation. Remove any one leg and the table will fall. Rely on
only one leg and you will not reach your weight loss goal. Shop
carefully, have realistic expectations, follow safety guidelines and
reach your weight loss goal!
I wish for you the best of health!