How to lose weight without dieting, jogging and going to the gym? By swallowing supplements that improve your metabolism, they block the absorption of fats and reduce your appetite. Their producers promise it, and Poles believe them. They spend several billion a year on… placebo.
Slimming
If nothing changes, one in three adults in Poland will be obese by 2030. It’s not just a question of aesthetics, although those who are dieting tend to be worried about their appearance the most. The biggest problem is not how we will present ourselves on a bikini beach, but the fact that extra kilos are a greater risk of diabetes, cancer and depression. Effective slimming is a long process that does not have to be a fasting process, but it can be a pleasure. All you need to do is change your current lifestyle and a little self-denial. The diet does not have to be boring, it can be colorful, varied and, above all, tasty. In effective weight loss, healthy fats are important, which regulate blood sugar levels, thanks to which we stay full for longer. Unsaturated fatty acids are found, among others, in olive oil, avocados and nuts. When losing weight, it is also worth remembering about omega-3 acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 fatty acids are found, for example, in fatty fish.
Slimming drugs
– “Light” products do not work – says Dr. Tomasz Podgórski from the Academy of Physical Education in Poznań. The Poznań biochemist issued an equally radical opinion about slimming preparations, which we have in Polish pharmacies. It’s just that the amount of active substance in a preparation is usually so low that it has no chance to speed up the metabolism. And it is not known at all whether it could actually work if there were more of it, because to sell supplements, you do not need to have any clinical trials. And no one makes them out of zeal because they are simply expensive.
Poles spend as much as PLN 11 billion a year on dietary supplements. Most of all Europeans. We succumb to intrusive advertising, we buy pseudo-drugs that end up in pharmacies without supervision. Concerned, NIK conducted an audit of this market. She came out pale (this is a euphemism). Dietary supplements are the most numerous, but unfortunately the least reliable group of products available in pharmacies. Producers of this type of preparations do not have to perform any tests before placing them on the market. No effects of specific dietary supplements or deviations from the composition declared on the packaging have been found many times. And not only those that are supposed to lose weight. The only thing the manufacturer has to do is send the packaging design to the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate and inform about the launch. The simplified procedure does not require evidence of efficacy, test results or a safety profile. The quality of the dietary supplement is monitored by the Sanepid, but these are random and irregular checks.
Among the most effective ingredients of diet pills that have been scientifically proven, there are:
- caffeine– accelerating the metabolic process (people suffering from cardiovascular diseases should avoid this ingredient),
- beanamine– reducing the caloric content of consumed foods by partially hindering the absorption of starch,
- dietary fiber– giving you satiety for a long time (it swells after consumption and increases its volume in the stomach),
- chrome– stabilizing the carbohydrate balance and reducing the craving for sweets.
Always consult your doctor before consuming any supplements, especially if you are taking other medications or supplements that may interact.
Obesity and L-carnitine
Obesity is not a new problem. It has been going on for several dozen years! And that in all regions of the world. This infamous progress is related to, among others with a decrease in physical activity and an increase in the consumption of high-energy products, rich in animal fats and simple sugars. Increasing pace of life and the stress load are also important factors, leading to eating disorders (e.g. eating compulsive syndrome).
What is worse, the problem of obesity does not only concern adults. More and more often the problem affects children who are not educated in any way and do not know how to eat.
Obesity is a disease and therefore it is necessary to ensure proper treatment, e.g. through a proper diet, psychological help and prescribing appropriate physical activity. Patients should also have access to pharmacological methods and bariatric surgery (i.e. dealing with obesity treatment). But treating obesity with supplements is a mistake, to say the least. A scam, really.
As an example of “fraudulent” supplements, Dr. Podgórski, in an interview with PAP, mentions L-carnitine, which has been popular for years, which has been heard by not only overweight people, but also by athletes. – Unfortunately, the conducted studies have shown that this preparation simply does not work – says Dr. Podgórski. There are many preparations of plant origin in Polish pharmacies that are intended to lose weight. They include, among others cayenne pepper or caffeine. Caffeine does have slimming properties, but it must be emphasized – slight. But when it comes to pepper and other plants, no one has unequivocally proven such an effect. The biochemist from Poznań also warns against “light” products if we choose them to lose weight. Those who eat and drink “lighty” tend to be fatter than those who eat and drink “as often”. – We cannot cheat the brain in the long run. He is used to combining two basic functions: the sweetness of a given food with its calorific value. In the case of deceiving the brain with low-calorie and sweet products, after some time we simply eat these products much more than normal – says Podgórski.
Diet for weight loss
What’s more, the scientist warns against fashionable diets, such as high-protein diets (the so-called Dukan diet). Long-term use of these diets can damage organs, including kidney and liver, he says.
– Unfortunately, few supplements have been clinically tested – says Dr. Anna Ukleja, assistant professor at the Department of Human Nutrition of the Medical University of Warsaw and lecturer in the field of clinical dietetics and clinical nutrition, author of many publications in the field of dietetics. – These positive exceptions include Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium and folic acid, he says. – Poles, in addition to slimming preparations, most often use vitamin and mineral substances, including magnesium, which is advertised as a remedy for all ailments, and vitamin A + E called the vitamin of youth. The second place is the so-called beauty sector: supplements for skin, hair and nails. Poles also eagerly reach for measures supporting the functioning of the digestive, urinary, bone-muscular and immune systems. Supplements that improve sexual performance are invariably popular. Dr. Ukleja advises those who have decided to support themselves with supplements to contact a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian. – Today we can buy dietary supplements everywhere, in pharmacies, grocery stores, drugstores, the Internet or even in bazaars. In the case of using several substances of similar composition, an overdose of substances and deterioration of health may occur. For example, excessive accumulation of certain types of vitamins can cause digestive system disorders. Ingredients of dietary supplements may reduce the absorption of drugs or disturb the metabolism of some of them. The biggest mistake is buying supplements from dubious sources or online. We forget that there may be illegal or counterfeit substances on sale outside the pharmacy, he says.
The ideal solution for those who want to lose weight would be to consult a dietitian and do some basic blood laboratory tests, and then adjust the appropriate diet for the person. Although, in general, Dr. Tomasz Podgórski advises those who want to lose weight two simplest things: diet and increasing physical activity.
Herbs for weight loss
A herbal diet can be both a slimming diet and a cleansing diet (its purpose is to reduce body fat and cleanse the body of toxins). Herbs used during weight loss work very well on the human body, among other things, by strengthening the immune system and protecting against free radicals. Herbs contain natural antioxidants – vitamins, minerals and flavonoids.
A herbal slimming diet can include:
- drinking every 2-3 infusions prepared from specific herbs and consuming only vegetables and fruits (usually it takes 3 days);
- the 28-day diet, which consists in drinking a warm infusion of a mixture of herbs or a specific herb in the morning and in the evening. Such treatment may be extended up to three months.
One of the most effective herbs used in a slimming diet is Yerba Mate. They are ground and dried leaves of the Paraguay holly, the consumption of which makes you feel full and reduces your appetite. Yerba Mate also accelerates the metabolism, all thanks to the caffeine (mateine) content. It also has slimming properties green and red teawhich in turn contain theine (tea caffeine). Another source of caffeine (the largest) still remains Guaranawhich prevents the storage of unnecessary fat and stimulates the cells to burn it.
Be aware that too much caffeine can lead to insomnia and anxiety. For this reason, the herbs mentioned above should be used with common sense and in moderate amounts. The herbal slimming diet is definitely not intended for people suffering from hypertension.
Speaking of herbs in the diet, it is also worth mentioning diuretic herbs that remove toxins from the body. These are, among others: coriander, nettle and beetle hawk. Infusions prepared from these herbs can be drunk 3-4 times a day.
Also read: Slimming pills