A healthy diet and regular exercise are the two best tools for sustainable weight loss. But, if you’re hoping to speed up the process a little or need a helping hand to kickstart your results, weight loss supplements can be a brilliant additional tool for helping you reach your healthiest point in a shorter period of time.
Of course, weight loss supplements shouldn’t be the first port of call and, before choosing to start taking any of them, it’s worth consulting a doctor or pharmacist to ensure that it’s a good fit for your goals, ideal for your body type and doesn’t interact with any other medications. But, if you’ve done all of the above and are ready to step into the world of weight loss supplements, we’ve pulled together options to suit you at all stages of your weight loss journey.
But first: a quick glossary of terms and important things to keep in mind before buying any of these products.
It’s important to research the ingredients in a weight loss supplement before taking it. Look for dietary add-ons that contain natural ingredients like green tea, caffeine or fibre and avoid those with a heavy number of artificial (and potentially dangerous) ingredients.
Some of the most popular ingredients used in weigh loss supplements include:
- Caffeine: a stimulant that can increase energy levels and boost your metabolism. It may also suppress appetite and help with fat burning. Check the caffeine content and compare that against your usual daily intake and, in case it wasn’t obvious, don’t take supplements that include caffeine late at night.
- Green tea extract: Green tea contains a compound called EGCG, which is thought to have fat-burning properties. It may also help to increase metabolism and decrease appetite when taken regularly.
- Fibre: This can help to encourage feelings of fullness and reduce your appetite, which can lead to reduced calorie intake and weight loss. It’s important to note that, if your weight issues are due to psychological-based overeating, fibre won’t do anything to curb your cravings – it’ll just make you feel fuller.
- Guarana: A plant native to the Amazon that contains caffeine. Guarana may help to reduce appetite and help to promote fat burning by increasing the release of stored fat from fat cells and improving the body’s ability to burn fat for energy.
- Potato extract: a relatively new ingredient in weight loss supplements, it’s thought to increase satiety or feelings of fullness. It may also help to regulate blood sugar levels, which can have an impact on weight loss.
We’ve rounded up all of the best weight loss supplements.