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If you’ve ever tried to lose a significant amount of weight, then you don’t need me to tell you how hard it can be. The food and exercise regimens we have to stick to require so much discipline, that it’s really no wonder there are so many different “miracle” solutions out there. One of the most common solutions in the “get thin quick” market is various weight burning supplements. With more and more of these popping up in our local health shops, many of us are left wondering if they’re too good to be true. Here, we’ll debunk some of the most common myths associated with weight loss supplements.
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The first, and most damaging myth everyone needs to be aware of, is that with weight loss supplements you don’t need to diet or exercise as much. Ask any dietitian or weight loss expert, or read the label of any weight loss supplement, and you’ll get the same answer time and time again. If you want to shed those pounds, you’ll need to combine your supplement intake with a healthy diet and regular, vigorous exercise. This is true even for weaker, over-the counter supplements. Sure, you can order orlistat tablets for weight loss easily enough. However, if you’re not combining these with a healthy diet and exercise, you won’t see much difference in your weight loss, and may experience some uncomfortable side effects. Many popular weight loss supplements work by stopping your gut from absorbing some of the fat that you eat. This means that if you eat too much fat in a meal, it will simply be flushed through, and you’ll end up feeling horribly bloated. Weight loss supplements aren’t intrinsically bad, but they can be fairly unhealthy if you don’t back them up with the correct lifestyle.
Another widely believed myth is that if the supplement is on the shelves of a health store, then it must be fine to take. If you have this attitude, then you’ve got a lot to learn! Although there’s certainly some degree of regulation for supplements in the UK, it can often be loose and inconsistent. While there are rules concerning the mineral and vitamin substances permitted for use in supplements, as well as the advertising and labelling, there are still certain supplements that slip through the net, and wind up on the shelves despite being useless or even detrimental to your health. This goes for all vitamins and supplements, not just the ones specifically marketed for weight loss. There have been many weight-loss supplements right from the shelves of health shops which have been found to be tainted with laxatives, prescription weight-loss drugs and diuretics. Various other medications which aren’t listed on the label can also be found in shelf-bought supplements. Before you take anything home and start taking it, always read the label and do your own research. If you notice some new product hitting the shelves, leave it alone for about a month before you consider buying it.
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Another commonly espoused myth about weight loss supplements is that they can be used to target the fat on certain parts of your body. As I’m sure you’re aware, there are many products and exercises which are supposed to reduce the fat in certain places. These promise to get rid of belly fat, bingo wings and so on. While you can certainly do exercises which will build muscle in certain areas, you can’t target one specific area for losing weight. When your body sheds weight, it’s shedding it from the entire body. Sure, some areas, like your belly, may have more fat than others. In many cases though, these will be the last stores to go after enough dieting and exercise. Despite what the ads would have you believe, you can’t get rid of the fat in one isolated area of the body by doing certain exercises, buying a muscle stimulation device, or indeed taking supplements. That’s not to say that weight loss supplements won’t help you in getting rid of the fat on certain areas of your body. They will, but they’ll also do the same thing for every other area of your body. We all have certain areas of our body which we’d like to change, but taking a certain supplement won’t get you there.
Hopefully, this post has given you a slightly clearer view of weight loss supplements. The next time you’re going to have a look around your local health store, make sure you’re not taken in by these myths!
