I finally got a gym membership, and I eat healthy too. What's the best fat burning and muscle building suppliment that's natural? I'm looking to accelerate results, so I can stick with it better.
In the last 10 years I've lost (and gained back) a total of over 200lbs. The one thing I've learned is you can't "accelerate results". That's a recipe for disaster and the weight will pile right back on.
I'll assume you're a novice at the gym thing. My advice:
Eat 6 small meals a day, watch the total fat and carbs. Also, skew the carb heavier meals towards your morning and afternoon. This will serve to keep your metabolism going throughout the day.
Do some weight lifting (12-15 reps, 3 sets, very shot rest between sets) to keep your body burning calories while you rebuild (even hours after your workout). You probably don't want to body-build. Keep the weight light and high rep so it can also act as a cardio routine.
Don't neglect the elliptical and treadmill. Keep your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.
If you're looking to burn fat, I'd suggest doing your lifting before you run.
If your're looking to build muscle start at 1g protein per lb of body weight (if you're already a beast you probably want 2g/lb). Drink plenty of water because breaking down protein is hard on your kidneys (if nitrogen levels build up). Try and get 20-30g right after your workout, keep in mind you can't digest more than 60g in an hour and real protein (from meat/beans) has different thermogenic properties than what you get in bar or shake form.
Best advice I can give you is to make changes that you can support for the rest of your life. Anything you change short term will have a "bang for your buck" but as soon as you slip into old habits the weight will come back on.
8 Answers
It's really simple: there isn't one. Period. Anyone who says otherwise is full of it. The slower you take the weight off the more likely you are to keep it off. If you're losing more than 1-2 pounds per week chances are it's not going to stay off in the long run. Simply put, your body doesn't like it when you make sudden radical changes. Gradual is always better - doesn't matter if you're trying to lose weight, build strength or increase endurance. There are no magic pills. At best you'll be throwing your money away.
If you need motivation get an iPod with the Nike+ device and/or a heart rate monitor. Both are handy for keeping you motivated. Probably the best way to stick with it is to find an activity you enjoy. There are lots of activities that can get you in great shape - everything from running to cross-country skiing. Keep trying new sports until you find one you enjoy.
The answers so far are fairly traditional and mostly true. While most supplements lack any type of "magical" benefits, there have been studies that caffeine (a main ingredient in many supplements) is helpful in attenuating fatigue as well as increasing performance. So while this isn't as exciting as dropping ten lbs in one week, there is some added benefit to supplementing your workouts with caffeine (in moderation of course).
What you may find more beneficial than anything is trying interval training and crossfit (application of interval training http://www.crossfit.com/). A major problem for most people exercising is that endurance training takes 30+ minutes. Interval training cuts this time in half with similar results (http://www.intervaltraining.net/).
I do agree with the others about things like Nike+ a lot of people find that motivating as results are visually available. Monitoring heart rate is also important. Also, if you can find a workout buddy that makes things better too.
Good Luck.
Capsaicin, the hot ingredient in peppers has been shown to increase metabolism in some studies, as have caffeine. However, diet (both eating healthy and watching the amount you eat) and exercise are the only proven ways to lose weight.
I agree with many of the previous comments. I would just like to say that besides eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, while avoiding fried and heavily processed foods and copious amount of sugar, try drinking a gallon of water a day. This has helped me to not only satisfy my hunger but to lose weight.
As a personal trainer, I would agree that there is no magic supplement. Some supplements work, but rarely to the extent that validates their cost. My best tips for clients involve maximizing your metabolism to stay healthy and boost your gym results. A few key points: Try to work out in the morning, you are burning more fat since your body is using fat reserves for energy. Add some cardio, preferably running. People who run are practically guaranteed to stay fit. If you have trouble running, build up a little at a time. Run a 1/4 mile one day, 1/3 mile the next time, try to work up to 3- 30 minute runs per week. Running burns more calories than any other cardio. Drink ice water throughout the day. Your body has to warm up the water to use it, which boosts your metabolism. Caffeine. Caffeine is the only supplement that I would recommend taking. Preferably in pill form, it's calorie and fat free and gives you bursts of energy. Just try to develop a routine. If you can do something 21 days in a row, it becomes habit. Make yourself work out early in the morning, and after awhile you won't think twice about getting up early and hitting the gym.
I assume that you mean supplement to help your workouts. I guarantee there is no magic pill you can take to achieve results. If there was one of those, every single man in the world would be on the cover of Men's Fitness. With that in mind, I recommend Vega http://www.myvega.com as a protein/food supplement. It was developed by a vegan triathlete, Brendan Brazier, so you know it won't be synthetic. Best of all, it provides a lot of nutrients, fiber*, omega 3 and 6 acids, antioxidants and it's alkaline forming. Alkaline is a base, which neutralizes [lactic] acid, i.e. soreness. I've been using this for 5 months now, and I feel great.
*Take it easy at first. That fiber will clean you out if you're not used to it! Definitely lay off the yogurt for a few days, too.
In the last 10 years I've lost (and gained back) a total of over 200lbs. The one thing I've learned is you can't "accelerate results". That's a recipe for disaster and the weight will pile right back on.
I'll assume you're a novice at the gym thing. My advice:
Eat 6 small meals a day, watch the total fat and carbs. Also, skew the carb heavier meals towards your morning and afternoon. This will serve to keep your metabolism going throughout the day.
Do some weight lifting (12-15 reps, 3 sets, very shot rest between sets) to keep your body burning calories while you rebuild (even hours after your workout). You probably don't want to body-build. Keep the weight light and high rep so it can also act as a cardio routine.
Don't neglect the elliptical and treadmill. Keep your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.
If you're looking to burn fat, I'd suggest doing your lifting before you run.
If your're looking to build muscle start at 1g protein per lb of body weight (if you're already a beast you probably want 2g/lb). Drink plenty of water because breaking down protein is hard on your kidneys (if nitrogen levels build up). Try and get 20-30g right after your workout, keep in mind you can't digest more than 60g in an hour and real protein (from meat/beans) has different thermogenic properties than what you get in bar or shake form.
Best advice I can give you is to make changes that you can support for the rest of your life. Anything you change short term will have a "bang for your buck" but as soon as you slip into old habits the weight will come back on.