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!
