Weight Loss and Side Effects of CLA

Does Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) have any bad side effects? Does it work for weight loss? CLA has been sold for many years as a fat loss supplement based on the weight loss and body composition (i.e. losing fat and gaining muscle) changes seen in studies using mice and rats. Does is work in humans? More recently research in humans has shown that it can be used to increase fat loss. In this article we'll look at some of the benefits of CLA as well as some of the potential side effects. In addition to weight loss studies there have been (and are currently) countless studies looking at the effects of this fatty acid on reducing inflammation, fighting cancer, and in the treatment of other conditions.

Ever since 2007, there has been an increase in use of CLA as a fat burner. This is due to the release of a meta-analysis (basically a review of several scientific studies) published in the May 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which concluded that 3.2g/d of CLA can induce moderate weight loss in humans. CLA is an attractive weight loss supplement and many people use conjugated linoleic acid as part of a fat loss supplement stack (i.e. a group of compounds and herbs taken together to maximize effects) because unlike many other weight loss supplements it is not a stimulant and you don't suffer the nasty side effects of getting the jitters, increased heart rate, or worse - increased blood pressure. This is especially as there are not many effective options for non-stimulant fat burners on the market.

Let's now look at two more studies that involve people taking supplemental CLA. The first study was again published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers found that when people supplemented with 3.2 g/d of CLA (this is generally the recommended dosage for weight loss purposes) they burned more fat and more specifically they burned more fat when they slept!

This is true.

Not only did the subjects that took CLA burned more fat when they slept, the fat they burned was NOT fat they had recently eaten; it was actually stored body fat that they were burning. This study gets even better as the researchers reported that the individuals that took CLA had decreased urinary protein losses. In other words the CLA group had improved protein retention when they slept. These are really interesting findings. If I owned a supplement company that sold large dosages of CLA - my new headline would be "CLA - Scientifically Proven to Burn More Body Fat and Build Muscle while you SLEEP."

So CLA can work for weight loss but are there any side effects? Again in 2007, another study was published that looked at the effects of CLA on weight loss, this time in obese people. In this study, the participants were given CLA dosages of 0, 3.2, or 6.4 grams/day. At the end of the study the group that received the 6.4 g/d of CLA experienced a significant increase in a compound called C - reactive protein or CRP for short. C - reactive protein is a protein that is released from your liver. It is commonly used in the medical field as a general marker of the level of inflammation in your body - higher CRP means more inflammation.

While there was an increase in CRP, it was truly not clinically significant as CRP levels remained below what is considered normal (Normal CRP levels are 3mg/dL). It is also important to see realize that the people in the study that had increased CRP as a result of taking a CLA supplement were taking 2x the 'recommended' dose for weight loss and also that people that obese normally have higher CRP levels (this might have come into play here as well). The group that only took 3.2 grams per day did not have any increase in their CRP levels.
Based on the findings in the studies that I've mentioned above and the review of studies from article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is seems that 3.2 g/d of CLA can be safely taken to boost weight loss.

The next question that you should ask is...

What do you do with these findings? At the moment not a whole lot... CLA is a nice add-on to a fat loss program but "add-on" is the key word. CLA is perfect for nutrient stacking as combing these effects with a supplement like green tea extract (which has also been shown to boost weight loss), increased non-exercise physical activity, and multiple meals throughout the day will surely boost your fat loss. If you aren't spot on with your nutrition, training with weights 3x per week, and doing 3 interval sessions per week then don't waste your time with CLA and focus on the more important things.

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Mike Roussell is an author and nutrition doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University. Mike writings can be found in Men's Health and Men's Fitness and Ironman Magazines in addition to the internet's largest bodybuilding and fitness website - T-Nation.com. Learn more at http://www.warpspeedfatloss.com/

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Laxatives to Lose Weight

If you need to lose weight laxatives can be a great alternative, it's relatively inexpensive and works. So many have so many different opinions about losing weight by taking laxatives, I however when I was in the Army decided to use this approach. It worked for me and I will share with you how I did it. The first thing I did before PT was take a laxative, then we would exercise and then I would eat breakfast I then took another one for lunch and then with my evening meal. So here are some simple instructions that you can use and you may possible have to tweak it to get it customized to fit your lifestyle or needs. If you upon awakening take a laxative then have your normal meal, you will see the weight start to roll off. In order for the laxatives to work, you must devise a plan. For instance you should at least take a laxative before every meal, so if you eat three times a day then take a laxative before each of the meals that you take, that way everything you eat will be released.

You have to be sure to drink a lot of water because the bowel movements may be loose and cause you to lose body hydration. The key is to be able to take the laxatives in a safe way and be able to lose weight and maintain your body's elasticity so that it's not depleted of its natural water sources. Another way that you can use laxatives to lose weight is to simply take one in the morning when you wake up and in the evening before you go to bed. If you choose to do it this way then you need to make sure that you are prepared to be awakened in the nighttime. The main thing to know when taking a laxative to lose weight is to be sure that you have something in your system; no matter how little it is, just have something that can come out.

Now if you have suffered from constipation or have irregular bowels then, there will be no need to eat full meals, because you have accumulated waste still in your body that can be flushed with a laxative. Basically all that happens when you take laxative to lose weight is that the laxative flushes out what is left in your stomach, then goes through the intestines and gets the left overs. Now a laxative may not completely flush the lower intestine, but it will clean out enough to make your stomach flattened and the weight will come off.

So if you decide that this is the way that you want to take to lose weight then be sure that you have devised a plan, and are near a restroom, because this will make you not only lose weight but you will use the restroom too. In order to take laxatives in a healthy way it is important that they are taken in conjunction with supplements that restore important anti-oxidants to the body. Hoodia supplements help with improving the metabolic rate at which the body burns calories and restores important vitamins to the body in a healthy way. You can start losing weight with laxatives by following the Master Cleanse Diet Instructions

David Millers reviews laxatives and recommends that they be used with healthy anti-oxidant supplements from the Master Cleanse Diet

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Definition of Health Related Fitness

Health is related to fitness; that is one thing that can be easily overlooked. This is a basic fact, but with what the technology and other people have brought us, a lot of people forget to see this.

The definition of health related fitness is fitness done with balance among the development and improvement of the whole body. The definition can be better understood when elaborated. Health-related physical fitness includes two major parts; Activity and diet.

Activity (Cardio and Strength Training)

For health related fitness, the activity components included are not only for strength, and muscular development and endurance training. The lungs, heart, and circulatory system are also the focal points in health and fitness. The reason for this is to improve stamina, immune system, and maintain good body composition. Health-related fitness reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other diseases like cancer and arthritis, and may cure respiratory problems like asthma.

There are lots of activities that can be your favored workout plan. You may choose sports, aerobic any other or exercise work outs. The exercises are much better when you include another exercise that will focus on improving your strength, muscle development and endurance. It will make you less prone to injuries.

When strength training and cardiovascular fitness plans are combined, one will also look and feel younger. This will lead to improved self-esteem. Also, the level of stress and depression will decrease.

If you are wondering about the types of activities that will work best for you, visit a professional and consult with him or her. If you have certain health conditions, it is best if you consult with your doctor first. Aside from cardio and body composition, strength and muscular endurance, flexibility is another important thing that you need to consider. Your fitness health training program should be able to let you enhance your flexibility.

Healthy Diet

Eating proper and balanced food is a must. Your plan including any physical activity may render useless if you do not conform your lifestyle altogether. You are trying to become healthier, so eat healthy food. Your training will let you excrete the toxins in your body, but if you replace the flushed toxins with another unhealthy food, you are then wasting your time, because you will either take a very long time before you get a result, or might not be able to get a positive one in the end.

Also, it is best if you consult with your doctor or dietitian first. They can come up with a diets plan that will work best for you. Especially if you have a certain health condition, it is best to ask for recommendations to make sure your diet plan will not cause another health problem.

As suggested above, cardiovascular training plus strength training plus healthy eating is the definition of health related fitness. Movement and diet must complement each other, in short, opt for healthy lifestyles.

Health and fitness is something recommended to everyone. However, there are different categories that separate the needs that must be met for children, adolescent, young adults, and adults. Being healthy doesn't need to stop once one reaches the age of 99!

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Little White Lies, True Health and Fitness

Let's talk a little bit about the little white lies we tell ourselves to give us the out, to talk ourselves into being okay with being heavy or to justify our absences from the gym. These little white lies hold us back from creating a healthy and fit body. So how do we take this way of thinking and change it? This is where we use your internal personal trainer. Stop telling yourself you are happy the way you are; expect more of yourself. Use the personal trainer you are developing within to squash the little white lies, including the lie that you are happy with who you are if you are fat.

There is nothing happy about being fat or obese and not being able to control your eating habits or weight. If you are truly happy, I guarantee you would be happier if you lost the weight, because no one wants to carry around an extra 50 or 100 pounds everywhere they go. I know this because if you gave a person who is fit an extra 50 or 100 pounds to carry around everywhere they went, they would be very unhappy. Saying you are happy with who you are or happy with being heavy is a cop-out, and since we're talking about little white lies, I'm going to call you out on it bluntly.

I know you would be happier not carrying the extra weight around because not only is the weight a physical burden, but it exposes you to prejudice every day of your life. And being judged (negatively) everywhere you go about the way you look cannot make anyone happy. It's a fact of life in our society that there are prejudices about people who are overweight. They are considered lazy, greedy, weak, and/or lacking willpower or self-control. People do not look at fat people and say to themselves, "I know she's beautiful inside." As human beings, our reactions to visual stimuli are thoughts that appraise or judge the form, without an immediate filter of political correctness. So I'm not going to talk about obesity in a politically correct way. I'm not going to mince words in order to save you a little embarrassment, because my goal is to encourage you to be accountable for your negative or unhealthy habits.

So now that we've dispensed with the use of little white lies to accept our extra weight, let's discuss how we can use the little white lies for motivation. If we return to the idea of self-assessment, we can use our imaginations to envision the fitter and leaner self we desire, and then we can create and write down some little white lies to help us with the process. For example, if you envision the way your face will look without excess weight, you might say, I love my beautiful, pronounced cheekbones. It is a little white lie, but one that can motivate us into creating a positive self-image. It's a projection of where we are going. Those little white lies are a forecast of the end of your journey, and they are important because they start the process of changing the mind. Telling yourself you are beautiful during your assessment because you can see a slender person who is not obese in your mind's eye creates a positive change.

These little white lies can help create a detailed positive image that, once created, can lead to more positive thoughts. Let's say you are imagining your arms are smaller, your face is more sculpted, your thighs are thinner, and then you can imagine the smaller person within. If you can imagine the person within as a stronger person, you will become stronger. We become what we imagine; we will become what our mind's eye sees. This is a great strategy to use even before setting goals because during the journey this is exactly what's happening. As you are losing weight you are becoming stronger. The simple fact that you are exercising will help to compact the bones in your body which will make your bone density stronger. Not having to carry around the extra weight will make you more flexible, more mobile, and even faster.

Telling yourself this ahead of time, before it actually happens, allows you to create that positive foundation we discussed earlier. Moreover, your mind will become stronger. At the end of your journey when your body is stronger, you are carrying around less weight, your muscles are showing, and your body is sculpted, your mind will be stronger. This can be for many people a complete transformation of a former self. Imagine you are the caterpillar who is beautiful -- fat and chunky-- but still beautiful. The caterpillar is carrying more weight in order to make it through its metamorphosis in the cocoon. That caterpillar then emerges as a lightweight, sleek butterfly. The butterfly that was once the caterpillar shows a significant change and so will you.

Michaelson William applies a unique philosophy and psychology when thinking about success in health and fitness. As a former Mr. North Carolina Bodybuilding Champion, Michaelson understands the physical, mental, and emotional underpinnings of success in health and fitness. He has been in the fitness industry for over twenty-five years, as a martial-arts expert, fitness consultant and author. This book distills the principles of his I'm Core Fit philosophy that he has successfully used to help clients at his local and virtual fitness studios.

Find out more secrets to achieving greater health and fitness here: http://www.amazon.com/Im-Core-Fit-Success-Rest/dp/0615747469

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Why is Health and Fitness Important?

Have you ever asked the question, "Why is health and fitness important?" If you have, then it means that you have started to become aware of the importance of health and fitness in your life.

Most people are unmindful of the question until they experience signs and symptoms of various ailments. They then start to engage in some type of exercise and diet plan. They find it difficult to cope with exercise as they have left it too long and their symptoms get the better of them. It is therefore important to start your health and fitness regimen as early as possible.

There are several good reasons you need to know the answers to "why is health and fitness important?" You must understand that the body is primarily designed to be agile and mobile. Living an inactive and sedentary life is unsafe to one's health. Being immobile and stationary may lead to serious diseases and even death.

But sorry to say, the world we live in today is conducive to a sedentary life. The downside of technology is that it affords people to do things conveniently. You can either do things sitting comfortably or standing still. The body parts are not used as they should. What is the result? Health and fitness takes a backseat, and worse, suffers.

Consider this: instead of walking a few blocks, you take the cab or your car. You sit in the couch and simply press the remote control to switch on and off your television or change channels. You are content to get in touch with your family and friends via the internet rather than physically going to their place or even walking a few miles.

While all these bring much convenience, there is a disadvantage to your health and fitness. You do not move your body as you are supposed to be moving. It is no wonder that you will experience pains in your joints and muscles as a result.

Health and fitness is certainly essential to ensure not only your physical being, but also your mental and emotional well being. When you are healthy and physically fit, you do not only feel good but you also look good and can handle your daily routine better. When you feel better about yourself, you look at the world in a different perspective. You do not mind too much about the negatives and instead you tend to focus on the positives.

It does take a bit of discipline and determination to stay fit and healthy. It is important to think about the downside of ignoring your health and fitness as you will surely suffer in the future. Fortunately for you, technology is also making it possible to bring you all the activities and resources that will uphold your good health condition and physical fitness. No matter what the answers are to question "why is health and fitness important?" it is all up to you to choose the answers that suit you best.

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Healthy Weight Loss Programs

People who are overweight and want to lose those extra pounds are most likely in search of a plan or program to follow. However, healthy weight loss programs for losing weight differ, or should anyway, from some of the more, shall we say, spirited claims for losing weight.
There are so many weight loss programs out there, they have become trivialized. And a new fad diet seems to come along every day. Every form of media serves as a marketing tool for the latest craze in weight loss or fitness. Truthfully, there are many good ones. There are also some that could be downright dangerous to your overall health.
Nothing beats common sense when choosing a program. That, and knowing yourself and what sort of changes you are willing to make. Most any good program will help an individual lose weight. The trick is sticking with the program. Remember, the process of losing weight should be about long term changes that keep the weight off for good and allow you to live a healthier life. If you go through some form of dietary torture for two months and lose 30 pounds, it is doubtful you will stick with that kind of radical change for long.
The best programs seem to be those that offer education, incremental and flexible changes in dietary consumption, varied exercise routines and long term goal setting. And, people need and want to understand the process their minds and bodies will undergo while making changes. Staying motivated is a huge issue, and the more educated a person is about nutrition and fitness or how well a particular program educates the consumer, the more likely the individual is to achieve their long term goals. This is not rocket science. It is just about being a cautious, well informed consumer.
Even among the many very good healthy weight loss programs out there, each one may have systems or variations that make them good for one person and not another. Gather as much information as you can on the program, study it, then decide if it fits you and your goals. Don't rely on someone else to influence your decision. Do the necessary research yourself. Get informed before jumping headfirst into a cloudy pool!
Most really good healthy weight loss programs have quite a bit of flexibility. It should not be too hard to find one that is right for you. As in almost all other areas, we know a great deal more today about nutrition, health and fitness. Know what you want to achieve, know what works best for you, be informed and then Go! Be happy!

Boyce Henry has over 15 years researching and managing weight loss and weight loss products. To get a free report on the top diet scams, please go to http://www.yourweightlossinfo.com

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Health - Weight Loss Myths and Realities

Weight loss is at a minimum a $100 Billion industry with a double digit growth rate. That's why EVERYBODY would like to get a piece of it - doctors, drug companies, nutritionists, authors, supplement companies, food companies, gyms, exercise equipment, shoes - all aspects of lifestyle can play into this market and their messaging. Where do you go and who do listen to? How do maintain the body style & shape that you feel is right for you?
If you are a person who is concerned your current body shape, this will be an extremely helpful essay - if you are not currently concerned with your body shape, use this to help others make sensible personal choices and do some planning for yourself.
This article will focus on 3 areas - the size and scope of the issue or the fact that you're not alone; why you gain weight and the three most common weight loss myths.
You're Not Alone
North America has a problem and the world in general has a growing problem - weight management. The baby boomers (post WWII) and later generations are at a unique confluence - highly mobile, industrialized society with extremely lost cost, highly processed but nutritionally deficient food served in large quantities with an emphasis on speed of preparation.
This has resulted in the following conditions throughout the country

• 65% of the population is overweight.
• 33% of children are obese or at risk

What's so amazing is that this is tip of the iceberg; in the last two generations, weight management related diseases / ailments have exploded in all age groups.

• Type 2 Diabetes
• Acid Reflux
• Cancer
• Cholesterol
• Blood pressure
• Stress
• Fatigue
• Erectile Dysfunction

These conditions are the core of current health care crisis in the country and they are lifestyle issues and are all moderately to extremely controllable by the individual.. Example: 70% of all U.S. deaths are from heart disease, cancer or stroke and 50% of these deaths are diet related.
Why You Gain Weight
Let's demystify weight management. In general it's pretty straightforward but in specific everyone needs to personalize a program to their needs. This is not a cop out - it's just to say everyone's body chemistry is a little different and the individual needs to take general principles and translate them into a personalized program.
It's true what some companies say - "diets don't work" BUT they don't tell you why. First, because you can't stick to them (ex: grapefruit diet) - so you roller coaster; second most programs don't come with support - people lose, maintain or gain weight best if they have a support system, usually a coach they can talk to- not friends or your partner/spouse. Third, the person really isn't serious. Real, sustainable results take time - talk is cheap. An ounce of commitment is worth a pound of promises - stick to it!
You eat healthy now and can't lose weight - take a look at what you eat (be honest). Example low fat yogurt. While the term "low" is relative anything that says low fat means that its high in sugars and vis versa or take salads, ever see someone get a salad and then put a ton of dressing on top or the person who gets a burger and fries and then a has a Diet Coke to "cut" calories - the list goes on. Here's what a good eating program looks like:
What the Body Needs... American Diet... Nutritional Diet

• Sugar... High... Low
• Fat... High... Low
• Salt... High... Low
• Calories... High... Low
• Protein... Low... High
• Fiber... Low... High

Here's the math of why we all gain weight. Under the American Diet an average number of calories consumed daily = 4,000. The average number of calories need to maintain the body = 2,000. Net waistline growth per day = 2,000 calories. WOW!
This doesn't into account the effect of the lower nutritional value of those calories that you take in from food processing. Example: the pasteurization process that milk goes through kills all the bacteria BOTH good and bad. By killing the good bacteria they destroy most of the nutritional value and the flavor of milk. A slightly lower temperature would kill the bad and leave the good but it's a little more expensive so dairy processing companies don't use it. You can't tell me that an out of season hothouse tomato tastes anything like one right off the vine. "Organic" or otherwise makes no difference. It's the processing.
Weight Loss Myths
When it comes to losing weight we all have our own stories - let's walk through the BIG myths:

1. It's all about Calories - NO. Unhealthy weight loss is all about calories. HEALTHY weight loss is about Nutrition. You do need lower calories in relation to how much activity you have BUT it needs to be balanced or you will go hungry all the time and cheat. Also, don't fall for those commercials of eating packaged foods and getting ripped abs - won't happen.
2. It's all about exercise - NO. Exercise is a complement not a substitute for fewer calories. Exercise is for toning and shaping muscles and it takes a LOT of exercise to burn calories. Do not fall for equipment commercials that tell you 20 minutes a day of a routine workout get you those muscles - takes lots of exercise with the right diet, usually much higher in lean protein.
3. I Can't lose weight Myth - YES YOU CAN. ANYBODY can lose weight Here are the reasons why people don't have long term success - cheating, not enough water/detoxand too many of the wrong kind of calories

Magic answer/formula
Now you know the scope of the problem and you're not alone in fighting the battle of the bulge. You also know why you gain weight and the big myths that companies, friends, doctors and nutritionists like to tell us. Here is a framework that you can use with the right support coach in making great choices that fit your lifestyle.

• Healthy/can maintain weight loss = proper nutrition
• Faster loss = exercise
• Tone and shape = more exercise

Proper Nutrition - your choice - your results
Refined / Simple Carbohydrates: Sugars, white breads, rice & pasta, fruit juice & white potatoes. High hunger control But only lasts 10 minutes - this is what produces constant cravings.
Complex Carbohydrates: Fruits, veggies. and whole grains (whole oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta & bread). Produces low hunger control that lasts 30 - 60 minutes.
Lean Protein: Chicken, fish, lean beef, egg whites and soy products. Medium hunger control lasting 2-3 hours
Complex Carbohydrates + Lean Protein: Meal replacement shakes, balanced meals, and balanced snacks. High hunger control that lasts 3+ hours. THIS IS THE BEST.
Find out what works for you. REMEMBER you don't have to settle, your great just the way you are and accept personal responsibility for whatever choices you decide to make.

Lori and Gordon Townsend have over 40 years business experience in coaching and personal development. We specialize in the wellness and weight management business and have coached hundreds of people to reach their personal goals. Lori lost 28 pounds and 6 inches of body fat and went from a 8 to a 0 in 6 weeks. Her cholesterol level dropped 100 points in 5 weeks and she has been off prescription thyroid medication for 3 years! Gordon lost 30 pounds in 5 weeks and went size 34 waist to 30 and has kept it off for 4 years. Let us apply our hard won knowledge in helping you. For a free consultation visit us at http://www.loseweightnow.com/loriandgordon or email us at loriandgordon@gmail.com

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