SUPPLEMENTING FAT LOSS - THE QUICK FIX AND THE LIE BEHIND IT

Americans love quick fixes. Nothing pleases us better than a fast answer to a nasty problem, and if it happens to be easy too, even better. Conversely, we hate long winded replies, especially when they are filled with what we don't want to hear.

No where is this more true than in health and fitness. For over a century hucksters have been very successfully suckering folks looking for an easy solution to their medical woes.

If you happen across a reprint of some of the old ads hawking tape worms for weight loss or cigarettes for better circulation, it is natural to laugh at the ignorance of the past. But before your jelly belly begins to jiggle with laughter, you might want to check your own shelves for some modern quackery.

Modern Advantages

The truth is, people will shell out big bucks for anything they think will help them to shed pounds fast, just as much now as back then. Only two things separate the modern consumer from those suckers in the PC (Pre-Computer, Pre-Cable, and Pre-Color TV!) age, and you better know them well. If not, you might as well set aside some money to cram down your garbage chute this year.

1. Exercise
   • The first advantage afforded the current consumer is the least used. It is the power of exercise. Keep readin', smarty pants. I got news for ya, no legal supplement is going to make an iota of difference in your waistline without exercise.
   • You have heard it before, and it is true:calories in versus calories out. You have to burn more than you ingest to instigate fat loss. No way around it, it's a numbers game.
   • Supplements are exactly what they say they are: supplements to a healthy diet AND exercise regimen. If they claim to melt fat while you indent the couch with your burgeoning buttocks, put it back on the shelf. If the product has good data demonstrating that Group A exercised 'x' number of time weekly while using their product and lost twice as much fat as Group B who did the same without it, you know it is worth considering.
2. Knowledge
   • The second ability of today's fitness fanatic that didn't exist in the past is KNOWLEDGE. We are in the information age. The internet is probably the most powerful tool conceived by mankind. Use it.
   • Do some research on the ingredients listed on product labels. Yes, the FDA does their best to insure our safety against unsafe products and ridiculous claims, but they are horribly out gunned in the supplement industry.
   • You can't always assume that a product is safe for you, or that it will not interact with other medications or supplements. Be informed, with safety as your primary guideline.
   • Secondly, research the product's efficacy. One of the best ways to do this is to use the forums on Bodybuilding.com. If there is not a thread on the product you are investigating, create one. Find out if the stuff works from real people, not from those endorsing the product.

Do I Even Need Supplements?

Now if you have read this far and you are thinking, "Jeez, I know that if I did the workouts and analyzed my diet and supplements that closely, I would lose weight, so why do I need any supplements at all?", you are starting to catch on!

It's not that you don't need supplements, the point is that you can do 80% of the process without them. They fill in the remaining pieces and speed the process, which is what makes them worthwhile. If you hate dieting as much as I do, you want to minimize it as much as possible. That's where the supplements come in - they reduce the time you have to spend dieting. And that is a beautiful thing.

Since I detest contest dieting I have definitely discovered my favorite supplements for fat loss.

I use these because I know they work. I realize that everyone has an opinion, so I am not saying that these are the only products on the market worth anything, just that they are the ones that I absolutely include while dieting. They are useful for anyone, whether preparing to go onstage or just to look better on the beach this summer.

Lean Out By Beverly International:

This stuff really helps to shed the fat. I take two with each meal pre-contest. I even take it twice daily in the off-season, as it really helps to keep body fat down. No stimulant effect.

7-Keto MuscLean By Beverly International:

This is one of my favorites for metabolic acceleration. This product is probably not as useful to the younger crowd. I find it most helpful the first month of dieting, then a break, and again the last month before a competition. MuscLean makes a very noticeable difference in fat loss. It contains a mild amount of caffeine.

L-Carnitine:

I like Energy Reserve by Beverly International though there are many sources for carnitine on the market. Carnitine definitely helps to speed fat loss. I take about a gram between meals. Note the name, Energy Reserve: although it is not a stimulant, carnitine really frees up fat for energy, so it is a real boost while dieting.

Conclusion

That is about it! Nothing revolutionary there but if used in conjunction with a progressively increasing routine and calorically restricted diet, it works! The moral of the story is Move More, Eat Less and Be Informed. Don't be the victim of the latest snake oil scam, or even worse, waste a good product by not giving it a chance.