It’s difficult to move through life without coming across the countless covert and sometimes overt messages telling us that we need to lose weight. No matter where you go, you’re constantly being bombarded with messages that tell you that thin is beautiful and that being overweight is unattractive.
The unsociable messaging that is rife in society is a side effect of a more deep-rooted issue, which is diet culture. Diet culture tells us that we can never be thin enough and that being thin is the same as being beautiful and healthy.
Diet culture is also, unfortunately, a multi-billion-dollar industry. The weight loss industry creates a problem by convincing people they will never be thin enough and then selling supplements that don’t work. When weight loss products fail, you rarely blame the products and instead blame yourself.
Somewhere Between Diet Culture and the Obesity Epidemic Lies the Answer
This is an indisputable fact that we have an issue in our community. Obesity is a major problem that the World Health Organization has been aware of for years. Today, one out of every four adults in Canada is considered obese.
Not coincidentally, we’re sicker than ever, with 44% of adults suffering from one of the following chronic illnesses:
- hypertension
- diabetes
- osteoporosis
- osteoarthritis
- asthma
- mood or anxiety disorders
- cancer
- dementia
- ischemic heart disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
In other words, not everyone who searches for “how to lose weight” online is a victim of diet culture. Some people need to prioritize losing weight to live a long and healthy life.
Some people want to lose weight for personal reasons that are not related to how they look. For example, sometimes people gain weight when they start a sedentary job. They may want to lose this weight.
The balance that is being referred to is between being too skinny and too overweight. The text is saying that being fit is a valid goal and that being skinny does not mean you are automatically fit. We should discuss weight loss delicately and figure out the motives before proceeding.
Addressing the Weight Loss Supplement Elephant
You might be wondering why a supplement company is discussing diet culture or whether it’s hypocritical of us to speak out against diet culture while selling weight-loss supplements. Let’s address those concerns.
There is a balance to be found between adhering to diet culture (the idea that all people need to be thin) and pursuing weight loss to achieve a healthier lifestyle. That’s where we live. We like to encourage health and lifestyle changes that do not focus on weight, but weight loss may be an added result.
At FitnessGoals, we not only believe in helping people achieve their fitness goals but also in providing quality supplements to help support them along the way. Whether your goal is to lose weight or build muscle, we have the products and resources you need to succeed. The key piece here is quality.
The supplement industry is full of opportunities to mislead people and exploit diet culture. The Supplement Superstore only sells brands that are reputable and have ingredients that are based on research.
What Are Weight Loss Supplements?
Weight loss supplements are a subcategory of health supplements marketed to assist in weight loss through typical ingredients like:
- vitamins
- minerals
- herbs
- fiber
There are weight loss supplements that aim to help reduce body weight or fat.
- appetite suppression
- thermogenesis
- water weight loss
- increased energy
- blocking fat absorption
Weight loss supplements commonly contain many different ingredients that work together to support weight loss.
Popular Types of Weight Loss Supplements
First, let’s discuss some common types of weight loss supplements that you’ll come across, and then, we will talk about common ingredients and how they support the goal.
Fat-Burning Supplements
There is a difference between fat-burning supplements and weight-loss supplements. Sometimes they are used interchangeably, but fat-burning supplements are designed to increase metabolism and burn fat, while weight-loss supplements are designed to reduce appetite and cravings. A weight loss supplement helps you to lose weight by reducing your appetite, boosting your metabolism, or both. This text discusses different types of weight loss, including water weight loss, fat loss, and muscle loss.
A fat-burning supplement targets fat specifically rather than just reducing scale weight. Typically, these fat-burning supplements contain ingredients that are known to help reduce and prevent stored body fat.
Nighttime Fat-Burning Supplements
Nighttime fat-burning supplements are products that help you lose fat while you sleep. The ingredients in these beverages are similar to those that promote wakefulness, but they lack stimulants and instead contain components that help promote more restful sleep and recovery.
CLA Supplements
CLA is short for conjugated linolic acid. CLA is a fatty acid that is found in animal products such as dairy and meat. Many people believe that this supplement is effective in weight loss due to its natural properties and the research that has been conducted on it.
CLA is believed to increase fat metabolism and lead to a reduction in body fat.
Detox Supplements
Detox supplements are commonly promoted as weight loss supplements, though not always. Health experts strongly dislike this. The term “detox” is a bit of a misnomer because the human body has a natural detox process (the liver), and nothing you ingest can make your body do anything more than it is already doing.
Detox supplements are thought to help with weight loss by getting rid of toxins in the body and resetting the metabolism. They can also focus on supporting the liver to encourage better natural detoxification.
Detox supplements typically contain herbal ingredients, and users are often instructed to drink plenty of water and to avoid certain foods. Other things that could make you lose weight are:
Diuretics
Water pills, or diuretic supplements, help the kidneys get rid of water and salt through urine. This reduces the amount of water in your body. This results in temporary water weight loss. Additionally, diuretics are typically used to control blood pressure as a first medical intervention.
Bodybuilders sometimes take diuretic supplements before competitions or photoshoots in order to lose water weight and create a leaner appearance.
What Are Weight Loss Pills?
Weight loss pills are pills that help you lose weight by taking them regularly.
How they work can vary, and the effects can be different for each person.
Some weight loss pills accelerate metabolism and increase the rate of fat burning, while others suppress appetite or limit the amount of fat and calories that the body can absorb from food.
The three types of weight-loss pills are those available only by prescription, those available over the counter, and dietary supplements. To be most effective, weight-loss pills should be used as part of an overall approach to weight loss that includes a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet habits.
They are not designed to be the only solution for fast and easy weight loss.
GPs usually prescribe diet pills to people who need to lose a significant amount of weight, usually people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27 or higher.
Do Slimming Pills Work?
The first step to losing weight is ensuring that your diet and activity levels are up to par.
You cannot rely on pills or supplements to make you healthy; a combination of healthy eating, exercise, and a caloric deficit is necessary.
Exercise
Do you work out frequently throughout the week with a mix of aerobic and strength exercises to help burn calories?
Daily Activity
Your daily activity is important, too. To stay healthy, aim to walk around 10,000 steps each day and keep your body moving as much as possible.
Staying active is important for burning calories and staying in shape. It’s also good for your well-being too.
Nutrition
You should make sure you are eating a healthy diet that will help you lose weight and keep your body healthy.
The key to a healthy diet is consistency, and you should eat foods that are rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Calorie Deficit
You will lose weight if you create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than your body burns.
If you consume more calories than your body requires, it will store them as fat, which can result in weight gain. The recommended daily calorie intake is the same for both men and women and is 2,000 cal.
BMI
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated based on your weight and height. It is generally used to assess health risks.
A person with a BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight, and a person with a BMI over 30 is considered obese. As your BMI score increases, so does your likelihood of developing obesity-related health conditions.
Eating Habits
Do you snack in between meals? Skip some meals and not others? You should eat sugary and processed food at certain times of the day or night.
Tracker If you want to be successful in controlling your calorie intake, it can be helpful to map out your eating habits and figure out what you’re eating and not eating. This will give you a better understanding of where you can cut back or make healthier choices.
Medical Conditions
Some people may gain weight due to genes or a medical condition, such as Cushing’s disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or PCOS.
Some medications can cause weight gain as a side effect. These include antihistamines for allergies, insulin for diabetes, and alpha or beta blockers for high blood pressure.
It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a weight loss plan, especially if there are any underlying medical conditions that need to be taken into account.
Time
Losing weight gradually is the best way to keep it off. One pound of fat is equivalent to around 3,500 calories. This means that if you want to lose one pound of fat, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories.
Weight loss is a journey; it doesn’t happen overnight. You will be successful if you have the right attitude and keep working hard.
How Do Diet Pills Work?
There is no product that can melt fat off of your body. If only that were possible. Making small changes to your diet can help you lose weight and lower your body fat percentage. Diet pills work in several different ways, some of which we’ve listed below:
More energy. This will allow you to be more active throughout the day, burn more calories, and lose weight.
Focus. Working out with a friend can help you stay focused and motivated so that you put more effort in and burn more calories.
Burn calories. The supplements will include natural ingredients that help increase your body’s ability to burn energy. This can lead to burning a small but significant number of extra calories each day.
Curb hunger. Foods that are high in fiber can help you feel fuller and less hungry throughout the day, making it easier to resist snacks and treat.
Fat-binding properties. There are some weight loss pills that work by binding the fat in food with dietary fiber. This means that the bound fat-fiber mass isn’t absorbed by the small intestine and passes out of the body and isn’t absorbed by the body.
Carb blockers. There are also weight loss tablets that work by preventing the action of the digestive enzyme alpha-amylase. Alpha-amylase allows some of the carbohydrates from food to pass through and out of the gut undigested.
Appetite suppressants. Weight loss pills that contain the plant ingredient h
Hoodia Gordonii reportedly works by suppressing your appetite. However, there is limited research to prove this.
Metabolism boosters. -Chili and capsicum weight loss pills reportedly help by speeding up your metabolism to burn more calories and lose pounds.
Breaking down fat. Some weight loss pills available for purchase absorb fat instead of allowing the body to break it down. By inhibiting the digestive enzymes that break down fat, these pills prevent the body from absorbing the fat. These pills are only prescribed to people who have been unable to reduce their weight through lifestyle changes, such as diet changes and increased physical activity, and have a BMI of at least 28.
Summary
There are various pills, tablets, and supplements that can help with weight loss, and they can be obtained via prescription, over-the-counter, or as part of a dietary supplement. These products are designed to help people achieve their weight loss goals. They aren’t a quick and easy weight loss solution.
