Changing what you eat is the biggest factor in weight loss for most people. There are many different diets you can choose from, and many of them have a seemingly different focus, such as nixing carbs or adding protein, but all weight loss diets that work have something in common: they reduce calories in some way. The number of diets to choose from can be nearly overwhelming, but you can work towards selecting the right one for you by considering certain factors.
Weight Loss Supplements
Weight loss supplements, or diet pills, can work in various ways. They can help reduce hunger, increase metabolism to burn more calories, and block carbohydrate or fat absorption. Most have little effect, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. These are some ingredients that you might find in weight loss pills, along with their possible effects.
- African mango – reduces fat cell production.
- Beta-glucans – reduces hunger.
- Bitter orange – increases metabolism and reduces appetite.
- Caffeine – increases metabolism.
- Capsaicin – increases metabolism.
- Carnitine – increases fat burning.
- Garcinia cambogia – reduces fat cell production and appetite.
- Guar gum – reduces hunger.
- Hoodia – reduces appetite.
- White kidney bean – reduces carbohydrate (starch) absorption. Weight loss supplements carry many risks.
- They are regulated as dietary supplements, not drugs. That means that the manufacturer, and not the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is responsible for insuring safety and effectiveness.
- While some are relatively safe, others have side effects such as headaches, gastrointestinal distress, insomnia, nausea, muscle weakness, and nutrient deficiencies.
- More serious complications can include hives, heart palpitations, liver damage, and high blood pressure. If you choose to use weight loss drugs, be sure to do so only with the approval of your doctor, and under supervision. At the same time, you can work towards long-term success by changing your dietary habits.
Best Weight Loss Health Coach App
You are putting in the work, so you deserve to maximize the benefits. A weight loss health coach app can help you do just that. A health coach app serves all the functions of a regular coach: informing, motivating, guiding, cheering, and organizing. The best weight loss health coach app:
- Informs you about healthy ways to lose weight and incorporate healthy behaviors into your lifestyle.
- Motivates you to keep setting and chasing new goals.
- Guides you through your weight loss journey in your own way.
- Cheers your successes, your efforts, and, should you fall short of your goals for a time, your renewed dedication.
- Organizes by encouraging you to log your food, activity and weight, and storing that information. Lark Health Coach serves all of those roles, and then some. Lark is available 24/7 to be your coach and friend. Your health coach automatically customizes your program for you. Lark even learns your patterns and coaches around them. Do you prefer a gluten-free or dairy-free lifestyle? You'll get tips on healthy ways to get your nutrients without eating gluten or dairy products. Do you normally take an afternoon walk? Then do not be surprised if Lark gives you a gentle nudge if you forget to take it one day.
References
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27881395
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- https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-weight-loss-diets
- https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-bhnrc/beltsville-human-nutrition-research-center/food-surveys-research-group/docs/wweia-data-tables/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/low-carb-diet/art-20045831?pg=2
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- https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers
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- https://www.foxnews.com/health/few-eligible-patients-can-get-weight-loss-surgery
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/bariatric-surgery