weight-loss Archives -

June 18, 2013October 12, 2017

Garcinia Cambogia for Weight Loss

Weight loss is a difficult to achieve. Sometimes even with frequent exercise and the correct diet the pounds don’t seem to go away. And with the hectic schedules most of us have nowadays, finding the time to do even that is seriously hard.

For either situation, luckily, there’s Garcinia Cambogia extract. The plant, native to India and Asia, is now more often known as Gambooge. Supplements are made from the skin of the fruit. Its active element is hydroxycitric acid, a derivative of citric acid which has been recently studied for its potential modulation of lipid metabolism, reduction of carbohydrate metabolism, and suppression of epididymal fat accumulation.

The Benefits of Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia Cambogia does not allow new fat cells to be generated within the body, thus causing your system to get rid of the fat. It is also an appetite suppressant. It should be taken an hour before eating and it will help you feel more satisfied with lower amounts of food; it has been used in India as an ingredient of soup to prevent people from eating too much meat. These elements make it particularly effective in eliminating belly fat, thus helping you reduce sizes even if the loss in weight is not so noticeable.

Another interesting fact about Garcinia Cambogia is that it increases serotonin levels, balancing mood and liming cortisol, a stress generated substance. Many people who eat a lot do so due to anxiety or depression, and boosting the mood is a great way to prevent eating your feelings.

Reports about the substance say that it is most helpful to lose large amounts of weight, whereas for slimmer people, the effects come more slowly. The recommended dosage goes from 500mg to 1500mg per day, but remember to start from the lowest dosage.

May 21, 2013October 15, 2017

Why the Body Plateaus And What To Do About It

plateaus can stop weightloss and muscle gain

You have probably heard of or even experienced plateaus. Plateauing is when whatever we have been doing to either lose weight or build muscle seems to suddenly stop working. This stall is despite the fact that you are still dieting and working out as hard as ever (maybe even harder!). What is going on here? There are a number of reasons why people reach plateaus and also ways to prevent and break free of these nasty situations.

Why Do We Plateau?

The human body loves balance. The body works hard to create a balance between energy (food) intake and output. When an exercise or diet program is first implemented, the body is shocked into making changes. You are essentially putting an overload of stress on the body and it is forced to adapt by losing weight and/or building muscle.

Unfortunately, this cannot last forever. The body eventually reaches a point where it has effectively compensated for the increased energy output. Once there are enough extra resources to handle the extra activity and stresses involved with the program, you will hit a plateau and then no more weight loss will occur for quite some time.

Preventing Plateaus:

The key concept to remember in terms of weight loss and muscle building is that everything works (for a while) and variety is the spice of life. Plateaus can be prevented with proper planning. This involves not eating the same foods each day. It is also helpful to vary caloric intake slightly from one day to the next.

In terms of exercise, vary your routines as well. Use both strength and aerobic routines and make sure to periodically change what you are doing. This might mean adding new exercises or performing sets in a different way. You might even be able to perform exercises at a different speed or in a slightly different range of motion. The bottom line is to keep your body guessing. Do not allow your system to accurately guess what might be coming next. Doing so can certainly prevent the body from becoming comfortable and will force it to continue losing weight and/or building muscle.

Breaking Free Of Plateaus:

If you are currently experiencing a plateau, the good news is that you can break free quite easily. What you need to do is change the overall environment or circumstances. This could mean increasing activity levels, decreasing overall caloric intake, or changing around your entire exercise program or routine. Basically, you need to try shocking your body once again in order to make it think that more stress is coming and it needs to prepare.

May 6, 2013September 23, 2015

African Mango Extract for weight loss

africna mango seed extract for weight loss

Weight loss supplements have become increasingly popular with the increase of obesity rates throughout the world over. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), Overweightness and obesity are the fifth leading risks for global deaths, and at least 2.8 million adults die yearly from being overweight. [1] There have been some studies conducted regarding the potential of African mango seed extract as a supplement to aid in weight loss.

What is African Mango Extract?

The African Mango extract is a supplement that is comes from a mango mostly found in Central Africa, particularly in Cameroon. Supplements from this mango are derived from the seed of the mango which has been used by the natives for a long time but has only found its way to the western world recently. [2]

Benefits of irvingia gabonensis extract

Because of the high fibre content of their seeds, the extract is said to be effective in the removal of cholesterol from the body. A study conducted on 40 subjects with an age range of 42.4 years. In this study 28 of the subjects received pure African mango extract for a period of one month. Results show that those who were given the irvingia gabonesis extract had reduced waist and hip circumference although the percentage of body fat was not significantly reduced. [3]

Another benefit when it comes to weight loss and the extract is its ability to suppress appetite. According to a study that was conducted in 2009 in which volunteers from 19-50 years old were given the extract for a period of ten weeks. After the experimental period, it was noted that the extract reduced levels of leptin which is responsible for controlling appetite. [4] This has been taken by some to imply that the pure African mango extract can be used as an appetite suppressant.

The African seed extract is also said to be effective in boosting metabolism. An experiment conducted on 102 volunteers in whom the extract was administered twice daily showed favourable impact of the extract on body weight and metabolism. [5] This can be explained because metabolism is responsible for producing energy from the food you eat. With increased energy and metabolism, you will be therefore able to lose weight.

Due to the above effect of the extract on the body, users of the supplement have reported increased energy with intake of the Africa mango extract. The explanation is clear: since your body is digesting more food and less fat is being stored, more of what you eat will be readily turned into energy. [6]

As with any other diet supplement, simply taking this extract will not do ‘miracles’ and make you slim-you have to combine proper amounts of exercise for it to be effective. Proper exercise helps boost the body’s metabolism and in turn burn fat. Some of the recommended programs to help with weight loss along with the supplement include:

Cardio vascular exercise. This exercise targets fat and will guarantee more fat being burned.
Weight training. This will not only burn fat but will turn fat into muscle which will also speed your metabolic rate.

When it comes to dosage, research recommends taking between 350mg to 3grams of irvingia gabonesis per day. [7] Instead of looking for the amount of extract the product contains, it is better to search for the amount of IGOB131 extract since this is what researchers use.

Sources
1. https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
2. https://www.healthierpost.com/what-does-african-mango-do/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1168905/
4. https://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1476-511X-8-7.pdf
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19254366
6. https://www.healthierpost.com/what-does-african-mango-do/
7. https://supplement-geek.com/review-irvingia-gabonensis-african-mango/

April 29, 2013October 19, 2017

Synergistic effects of Green Coffee Bean Extract and Raspberry Ketones

Green coffee is also known as the unroasted beans of coffea fruits. The green coffee beans are cleaned, dried, roasted, ground, and then brewed to produce healthy nutrient rich coffee. Green coffee beans and weight loss are often tied together, as multiple research studies have claimed that green coffee beans can help aid in weight loss. Green coffee bean capsules have generated a lot of buzz and many bloggers have been talking about it for a while now. Raspberry ketones on the other hand have also generated a lot of attention. So what exactly are raspberry ketones? Raspberry ketone is a molecule synthesized from raspberries that is often touted as a fat burning compound.

A lot of people ask how to take raspberry ketones because they have never heard of it before, but it is quite simple. Raspberry ketones supplements come in both capsule form and liquid form. A normal dose of raspberry ketones is usually around 100mg. Raspberry ketones are also reported to alter the levels of adinopectin, which is a hormone that is normally lower in overweight people. It has also said that adinopectin is a factor in insulin resistance (which is a major factor in type 2 diabetes). The hormone known as norepinephrine which affects metabolism is released by stimulation caused by the raspberry ketones as well. They also contain anti-oxidants which has its own health benefits.

Besides aiding in weight loss, green coffee bean extract benefits also include slowing down the aging process, stabilizing blood sugar levels, improving circulation and muscle tone. Unlike normal coffee, green coffee bean extract does not make you nervous or jittery. Compared to a normal cup of coffee, green coffee bean extract only has 20mg of caffeine per serving; a normal cup of coffee has around a 100mg of caffeine per serving. You cannot get the same effect you get from drinking regular coffee that you get from green coffee bean extract. This is because green coffee bean extract is not roasted. Roasting green coffee beans would result in removing the chlorogenic acid which is a powerful antioxidant. So green coffee bean extract is processed before the beans are roasted, while they are still raw and fresh.

Raspberry Ketones vs. Green Coffee Bean Extract

Now the big question is if green coffee bean extract and raspberry ketones be taken in a combination. The answer is yes, but there has not been many studies done on the combination of the tow and from what people have reported, there is not much of an increased effect. The two do not cancel each other out, yet they do not double the weight loss aid. If you have the extra money to spend, you can try and see if it works for you but it is usually not recommended. So which one should you choose as a weight loss aid if you have to choose between the two? Generally green coffee bean extract weight loss reports have noted that green coffee beans work better for inhibiting weight gain, while raspberry ketones have resulted in actual weight loss. So you should choose the one that you think will fit your goals but it would not hurt to give both a try in separate trials to see how your body reacts to them.

Sources

April 4, 2013October 19, 2017

Yohimbine for Athletes

Many athletes, both younger and older, often seek out beneficial supplements intended to help increase either muscle gain and retention, enhanced stamina and endurance, or, one of the most essential, assistance in weight loss and maintenance. Most athletes need a supplement that can help them either to better maintain their weight for the nature of their sport, such as wrestling or boxing, and to help them burn additional fat for added physical speed and energy for their sport, such as track, swimming, soccer, etc. While maintaining a healthy diet is essential to this type of maintenance, an additional supplement of Yohimbine can help an athlete reach their weight oriented fitness goals.

What is Yohimbine?

Yohimbine [2, 3] is a naturally occurring alkaloid known for its stimulant and fat loss enhancing properties. It is most often derived from different plants including Niando and Indian Snakeroot and is often referred to by other names including Yohimbe Bark and Corynanthe Yohimbe. Since Yohimbine works as a strong stimulant and energy production agent inside of the body, it is not recommended to exceed proper and healthy doses.

How can Yohimbine help?

Problems controlling weight, especially during peak competition preparation, can often be observed during the increased consumption of carbohydrates for lasting energy. This increased intake can result in unused resources that will be stored as fat in the body which subsequently increases overall body fat deposits and body weight. When enhancing a training program with Yohimbine [1, 2], the supplement performs as a compound that continues and regulates the body’s fat burning abilities from actually ceasing, unlike Ephedrine which claims to “kick start” fat metabolization. It performs this action by stimulating receptor systems of fat cells to promote proper activity of different enzymes responsible for correct thermogenesis.

Yohimbine [2] has also been shown increase the body’s ability to burn fat through the increase in the release of adrenaline in the body. One study [1] conducted with an elite team of soccer players concluded that Yohimbine acted effectively as a fat burning and weight loss component when introduced. The study supplemented 20 male soccer players who were placed into two different groups- placebo and Yohimbine supplemented. All athletes involved performed the same exercises and experienced the same levels of physical activity. By the end of the trial, the group supplemented with Yohimbine showed much lower overall fat mass and body weight versus the placebo group who only experienced traditional and expected fat loss. None of those involved in the study reported any adverse effects of the supplement. You can buy Yohimbine from this great shop here.

Sources

February 15, 2013October 27, 2017

Cissus Quadrangularis Benefits

Cissus Quadrangularis Extract

cissus quadrangularis for testosterone boost Cissus Quadrangularis is a succulent vine found in many places around Africa and South East Asia. It’s native to Sri Lanka and India, but has been imported to Brazil and the Southern United States over the years.

It is one of the most popular medicinal plants in Thailand and is part of traditional African medicine. Cissus Quadrangularis is also sometimes referred to as Veldt Grape or Devil’s Backbone.

What Are Its Uses?

Cissus vine, ground into a powder and consumed, has previously been used to speed up the healing of broken bones as well as the repair process of injured ligaments and tendons. Because of its positive effect on bones and joints, Cissus is now being used in some body building supplements.

While using Cissus powder as a pre-workout supplement, your muscle tissue will be better preserved during your routine through the anabolic and the antiglucocorticoid effects that it possesses. Simply put, this means that you will gain lean muscle faster than you normally would. [2]

Plus, not only does this supplement expediate healing and muscle growth, but it also considerably enhances weight loss in users with or without dietary adjustments in some recent studies. [2]

A final traditional use of Cissus is in the treatment of feminine disorders. The supplement has shown some success in treating and alleviating conditions brought on by menopause as well as treating libido and menstrual disorders. [4]

Cissus Benefits

As a Pre-workout Supplement

lift more with preworkout supplements

Using Cissus Quadrangularis as pre-workout supplement will help you get into your desired shape much faster than you would be able to otherwise. Adding Cissus powder to your already healthy workout and dietary routine will boost your muscle gain through the increased healing speed of deep muscle tissue and enhance your performance as well.

Plus, as it keeps your muscles preserved and rested, Cissus Quadrangularis benefits users by significantly reducing rest times between sets.

Of course, the most useful aspect of Cissus is its mending properties. Often over the course of intense training it’s common to strain or damage your body which can significantly hamper your progress.

If you can’t work out, then your muscle growth will stagnate or reverse, so a speedy recovery is key. However, prevention is even more important and that’s where the real effectiveness of Cissus lies.

Cissus Quadrangularis for Weight Loss

Even if you’re not planning on using Cissus to enhance your workout or recover from an injury, it’s still proven to be effective as a weight loss supplement. Experimental studies show that people who took 150 mg of Cissus powder twice per day for 10 weeks on average showed a mean weight loss of 8.7kg in people with initial weight of 99kg.

A fat burning experiment that combined Cissus with other weight loss supplements, such as green tea and chromium showed an incredibly impressive result of an 187% increase in weight loss compared to those receiving a placebo. It is thus speculated that Cissus acts as a fat blocker and appetite suppressor

Besides of this huge weight reduction, cholesterol levels and percentage body fat also decrease. Some studies showed that Cissus can lower blood sugar as well. However, it should be noted that more testing is needed to verify some of these results. [2]

Dosage Info

Depending on the desired results, there are a number of suggested dosages of this supplement. As a general dietary supplement it is suggested that individuals should take 500-1000 mg with meals. This should equal out to about 2000-2500 mg per day. This is a good way to determine whether or not you’re seeing any desired effects in terms of weight loss.

For quicker results, there is also a more intensive method that involves a “loading phase” of 2-3 weeks. In this method you are instructed to take 1500 mg, 3 times per day with your meals, followed by a maintenance phase of 1500mg with your morning meal and 1000 mg with the last meal of the day. [3]

While there are no specific instructions on using this supplement as a pre-workout booster, it should be noted that it becomes active within 30 minutes of consumption. With that in mind, it is probably best to take a pre-workout rather than immediately before you begin training. [4]