Yoga

Like Pilates, yoga does a lot of good for most people’s bodies by targeting muscle groups that are too often neglected. In addition, yoga heavily emphasizes proper breathing, which boosts metabolism and helps lower levels of stress hormones which can get in the way of losing weight (Our Breathing Tutorial offers a comprehensive guide to proper breathing technique). Yoga should also generally be combined with some form of additional resistance training and cardio for optimal weight loss results.

Supplements

Hoodia

Hoodia is the weight loss supplement de jure. Derived from an African plant that resembles a cactus, hoodia has been used by tribal people in Africa to stave off hunger and thirst for centuries. Hoodia extract is sold as an appetite suppressant and weight loss aid here in America over the counter.

Preliminary test results indicate that hoodia does help people reduce caloric intake and lose weight, although large scale investigations haven’t yet been conducted. We’re dubious about using hoodia simply because so little is known about the effects of long term use. Dietary supplements are almost completely unregulated. The most popular weight loss supplement of the 1990’s was ephedrine. It was effective for a lot of people in the short term, but was ultimately linked to a number of deaths and pulled from the market. In addition, over time, the body adapted to ephedrine and it stopped working. Ultimately, ephedrine lashed the adrenal glands, and left many people in a long term state of adrenal fatigue feeling exhausted and depressed with slowed metabolisms. No one really knows what hoodia does to the body. In any event, if you start eating whole foods and eating meals balanced for your metabolic type (find out your metabolic type when you sign up for your free ReEvolution Fitness Action Plan), your appetite should stay under control.

Metabolic Stimulant Supplements

With ephedrine banned from the market, other stimulant drugs are now marketed to help people control their appetite and boost metabolism. While these new products may not carry a significant risk for heart failure or other causes of sudden death, they invariably contribute to adrenal fatigue and a slowed metabolism just like ephedrine did. Any drug or supplement that artificially elevates metabolism is going to have negative side effects. Even caffeine is mildly addictive, and habitual coffee drinkers have less energy and a slower metabolism when they aren’t full of caffeine.

Weight loss and appetite control supplements carry a number of other drugs, like synephrine, an ephedrine analog, in addition to caffeine, that pack a much bigger punch than coffee. While these drugs initially elevate metabolism and energy levels and suppress appetite, there is almost invariably a backlash. After a few weeks of use, you end up needing the supplement just to feel normal and get your metabolism up to the rate it was working at prior to ever taking the supplement. As a general rule, leave weight loss supplements on the shelves. They’re short cut solutions, and the costs outweigh the benefits.

Chromium

Chromium is an essential mineral that our bodies require to process sugar. It is frequently touted as a weight loss aid on the premise that it helps regulate blood sugar levels, contributing to satiety and preventing overeating. There’s some validity to these claims. While there isn’t an enormous amount of conclusive scientific evidence that chromium effectively contributes to weight loss, many people find that it does help prevent food cravings, especially for sweets. With the depletion of minerals from our soil as a result of commercial farming techniques, there is also a good chance that your diet is deficient in chromium. Supplementing with about 200mcg (a standard dose) per day can alleviate this deficiency and may help you keep your appetite under better control.

Fish Oil

Everyone these days from alternative doctors to the American Heart Association is touting the benefits of Omega 3 fats and fish oil. Populations that consume high levels of Omega 3 fat are leaner and healthier than those of us in the west who get most of our fat calories from Omega 6 fat vegetable oils. Fish oil is the best source of Omega 3. It contains both EPA and DHA, the two essential Omega 3’s. Many people rely on flax oil for Omega 3 fat. The Omega 3 fat in flax cannot be used directly by the body. It needs to be converted into an active form by an enzyme called “delta 6”. Many people don’t actually have this enzyme and, as a result, aren’t getting useable Omega 3 fat from flax. Fish oil supplements can enhance just about everyone’s diet. They tend to promote cardiovascular health, energy, and mood, all of which can help you lose weight.

What Really Works

The central dogma of mainstream fitness is that if you want to lose weight, the key is to reduce your calorie intake and increase your calorie expenditure through exercise. When intelligently applied, this formula does works, but we take a different perspective. The human body tends to function pretty well and remain in good health when we exercise, eat, and live in a manner commensurate with its design. A healthy body generally has an easy time getting and staying lean and fit. Rather than looking at how to diet or exercise to drop weight fast, the key to fitness in the long term is to build the healthiest body possible. This requires understanding the basic requirements of our bodies for movement, food, and sleep, as well as our psychological requirements since, ultimately, mental and physical health are intimately tied together. For more on our health philosophy, read What is ReEvolution. As far as living a healthier life goes, check out The Pillars of Health, for an overview. The road to a fit healthy body isn’t a mystery, and getting and staying in shape doesn’t have to be a chore. It comes naturally when you learn to work with your body