Did you know that over half of all women and two thirds of all men in the UK are either overweight or obese and most would prefer not to be? That’s an awful lot of people who would like to lose weight. There is a simple answer consume less calories than your body uses in metabolism and you will lose weight but in reality it’s not as simple as that. Obesity is when someone has put on weight to the point that it could seriously endanger their health. This is caused by a combination of eating too many calories and not doing enough physical activity.
We are constantly told to eat healthily, eat our 5 a day fruit and vegetables, not too many fast food meals, eat less fat, no to sugary drinks, reduce alcohol and do more exercise. All these things are important and it is good advice to try and change our lifestyles to ensure we eat healthily and do enough exercise so we can enjoy a long and healthy life.
However, in today’s modern world with temptation all around and not enough time to exercise we have to be a bit more creative. Exercise doesn’t mean going down the gym 3 or 4 times a week or going out for a run in the cold and dark. Every time we move we are exercising and burning calories so we just have to move around more. If you work in an office building, walk up and down the stairs and don’t use the lift. If you use the tube walk up and down the escalators. Get off the bus one or two stops before you need to and walk to your destination. If you can, walk the children to school especially in the summer term when the weather is good. These types of activity I like to call “Free Exercise” as it doesn’t cost anything and requires little or no extra time. In terms of exercise all you need to do is to increase your heart rate by 10-15% for 45 minutes three times a week. Most people can achieve this within their normal daily routines, it just requires a little thought and maybe a few extra minutes.
So healthy eating and moderate exercise will make us all lose those extra pounds, well yes but again it’s not as simple as that. Sometimes we’ve gained weight over several years or due to illness, pregnancy yoyo dieting or some other reason and even though we’ve changed our life styles the extra weight is still not disappearing, its then that we need a bit of extra help.
Some natural herbs such as Spirulina, Hoodia and Green Tea can give us that extra push so we can achieve our goal of a healthy and sustainable weight. What are these three herbs and what do they do?
Spirulina
Spirulina is a fresh water alga that grows naturally in tropical lakes in China, Africa and Central America. People have consumed and lived on it for centuries and now it is grown in controlled conditions in countries as far apart as Cuba, Australia, New Zealand, India and the USA. Spirulina is the ultimate natural nutritional supplement, a true “Super Food”. It contains the most complete source of nutrients found in any single food. Spirulina typically contains over 65% protein, more than any other food including meat and fish. Proteins are necessary for maintaining tissues, sustaining growth and making hormones in the body. Spirulina contains the eight essential and 10 other amino acids and a greater concentration of vitamins and nutrients than any other natural food. Just 3 to 10 grams of Spirulina a day gives impressive amounts of beta carotene, B complex vitamins, Vitamin E, essential trace minerals and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Spirulina is also a major source of iron and calcium.
Spirulina helps in a weight loss programmne in two ways. It is the richest natural source of Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). It provides three times more GLA than Evening Primrose Oil. GLA helps regulate blood sugar levels and helps prevent cravings. Spirulina also contains the amino acid Phenylalanine, which helps satisfy your appetite as it triggers a substance that is found in the appetite control centre of the brain.
Hoodia
Hoodia
or more importantly Hoodia gordonii is a cactus that grows naturallyin the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa. Hoodia has long been known by the indigenous people of the region, who use the meat of the plant to suppress appetite when making long hunting trips.
Hoodia does help suppress your appetite if taken in sufficient quantity. The active ingredient called P57 acts on the appetite centers of the brain. Unlike spirulina hoodia does not counteract the blood sugar drops that occur following the consumption of refined carbohydrates like soft drinks, biscuits, white bread, white rice and other simple carbohydrates. Hoodia does not stop you from feeling hungry after strenuous exercise, in other words hoodia doesn't cause your body to lose its mind when your muscles are screaming out for calories.
However, hoodia is the best natural appetite suppressant available today and
is an integral part of Dr Taylor’s weight loss plan.
Green Tea
Green Tea
stimulates the metabolism and accelerates weight loss. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechin polyphenols that are responsible for many of the health benefits of green tea. One of them in particular, epigallocatechin gallate (or EGCG for short), has been found to stimulate the metabolism and accelerate weight loss.
EGCG, along with the caffeine in green tea, stimulates the central nervous system and causes fat to be released into the blood stream for the body to use as fuel. This process of fat being used for energy is called “thermogenesis”. It provides extra energy, sheds excess water, and also helps to burn body fat.
Food including sugar and fat is synthesized into a substance called “triglyceride” in the liver and small intestine. It is then carried into the bloodstream to other tissues in the body.
Triglyceride is used as source of energy for life support and physical activities, and is very necessary. The problem comes about when there are excess amounts of triglyceride, because then it’s turned into fat which subsequently causes obesity.
That’s where green tea comes in. It contains high amounts of polyphenols which activate the enzyme that is responsible for dissolving excess triglyceride. In the long run, this means that green tea effectively aids in burning fat.
For many people drinking Green Tea in the afternoon & evening can result in difficulty in sleeping due to the levels of caffeine being ingested. Green Tea extract with the caffeine having being removed can safely be consumed right up to bed time without the problem of not been able to sleep and in fact the green tea extract can help you lose weight whilst you sleep.
One cup of green tea contains between 10 & 40 mg of polyphenols. One capsule of Truly Natural Polyphenol Forte contains 275 mg of Green Tea & Grape Seed polyphenols, equivalent to between 7 & 25 cups of green tea.
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
If you choose to purchase Dr Taylor’s Weight Loss Package of Spirulina, Hoodia and Green Tea, make sure you have realistic expectations about what will really be required to lose weight. The package is not a magic bullet solution. Taking the three natural herbal supplements is not a license to eat. If you keep eating like you always have, you're going to gain weight. The package doesn't change the laws of physics. What it does is suppress your hunger, control your cravings and increase your metabolism allowing you to take control over your eating instead of letting your genes do the driving.
The only way you're going to lose weight is to eat less. The package taken as prescribed will give you the tool to do that, freeing you from the prison of hunger pangs. But Dr Taylor’s Weight Loss Package can't control your arms, your mouth or your tongue. If you keep on eating, you are going to get fat, plain and simple.
Also, the package isn't going to get you into shape. If you really want to lose weight, the best thing you can do for your body is boost your resting metabolism by adding some lean muscle mass by engaging in cardiovascular exercise (walking, jogging, and so on) and strength training. With your hunger turned down and your metabolism turned up, you should find yourself burning 1500 calories a day or more, causing a gradual and sustained weight loss!
How to tell if you are overweight or obese
You can tell from your Body Mass Index, or BMI, whether you are overweight or obese.
Your BMI is calculated using the following equation:
Your weight in kilogrammes (kg) divided by your height in metres (m) squared
So a man who weighs 85kg and is 1.75m tall will have a BMI of 28.
85/(1.75x1.75)
A body mass index over 25 is defined as overweight, and over 30 is defined as obese.