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Weight Loss Exercise

Does Conjugated Linoleic Acid Work?

Conjugated linoleic acid is a natural substance found in many of our foods that according to many studies can reduce fat and improve muscle mass in the body. Taken as a supplement with no change in eating or exercise habits, it would not make you lose weight but it could help you lose fat. It is often taken by men looking to lose weight and bodybuild at the same time, but it can also be useful for anyone who is overweight and under-exercising, as any increase in muscle will increase the metabolism, burning more calories.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Like many natural weight loss products, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) combined with a flexible healthy eating plan can lead to gradual long term weight loss and help you get out of the yoyo dieting cycle where you are constantly losing and gaining the same 10, 20 or 50 pounds. Yoyo dieting is very bad for the health. It is better to remain overweight than to keep on losing and gaining, losing and gaining.

CLA SupplementsMost experts (unless they are trying to sell you something) agree that the diet that works best in the long term is the non-diet, where instead of eating special foods and banning others, you eat slightly smaller quantities of a normal healthy diet. If you are currently living entirely on pizza, fries and chocolate, then okay, some changes may be overdue. But you can still have small portions of all of those foods from time to time. If this is the kind of diet that you want, then CLA can help reinforce your plan by boosting your fat loss. Dr Michael Pariza of University of Wisconsin-Madison, reported to the American Chemical Society that CLA “doesn’t make a big fat cell get little. What it rather does is keep a little fat cell from getting big.”

Many studies have been done on CLA. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that people taking CLA lost on average six pounds of body fat more than a group that took a placebo. The researchers discovered that you need around 3.4 grams of CLA per day for it to be effective. CLA is found in food, especially meat and dairy products, but supplementation is necessary for most people to reach that level.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Studies

Another study at Purdue University, Indiana, found that CLA improved insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetics, and slightly decreased their blood glucose level and triglyceride levels, suggesting that it may help to maintain normal insulin levels. But see your doctor before taking any supplements if you have diabetes.

There are no magic pills for weight loss but if you are willing to commit to reducing your body fat permanently, CLA may help you. Keep in mind that its main effect is to convert fat to muscle, which by itself will not weigh any less. But your body will look slimmer and feel healthier if you do this, and combined with a good weight control eating plan conjugated linoleic acid can help you move toward your ideal weight too.

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Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Why Tracking Is Key To Weight Loss Success


You may have tried various fad diets to try to lose weight, and all of them yielded the same results; you failed miserably. This is probably due to the fact that you went on a diet that you couldn’t maintain for the long-term. To lose weight, you need to undertake a lifestyle change, not a temporary diet. It’s more effective if you can just adjust your current lifestyle by making it healthier in several key areas.

One of the main ways you can start practicing this is by tracking the amount of calories you take in and burn on a daily basis to get a better understanding of why your old lifestyle caused you to put on weight.

Here are some reasons why tracking is one of the main keys to weight loss success:

Tracking can help you stay motivated on your weight loss journey as it is a systematic way for you to keep track of what you are eating. By tracking your calories, you will be less tempted to stray from your healthy eating plan, since if you want, you can always allocate calories for a special treat that you love, or if you overeat at a particular meal, you can compensate during another meal by eating fewer calories. This way, you will see results and stay motivated.

Tracking your calorie intake helps you change your eating habits, as you can learn portion control and learn to swap high-calorie options with lower calorie ones. Since you have a set amount of calories per day, you will be very careful with how much of the high-calorie foods you let enter your mouth.

Tracking the amount of calories you burn with your fitness endeavors will help you budget how much extra you can eat to stay on your goal, and at the same time give you a boost of encouragement every day when you see how many calories you have burned from your efforts. You will be more motivated to push yourself during workouts this way. More intense workouts mean more calories burned!

Tracking your weight loss or body measurements are a great motivation tool; when you can see the progress you’ve made in black and white, you will be very motivated to keep on going and achieve your goals. Sometimes subtle changes can be hard to see in the mirror. But when you see them on paper, you’ll know that you’re getting somewhere.

So as you can see, there are many benefits that you can get if you start tracking your calories and your progress in your weight loss. And don’t forget to make the most of the various websites and apps out there to help you keep track.


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