Diet And Weightloss

Conjugated linoleic acid is a natural substance found in many of our foods that according to many studies, can reduce fat and improve muscle mass in the body. It would not make you lose weight but it could help you lose fat taken as a supplement with no change in eating or exercise habits. It is often taken by men wanting to lose weight and bodybuild at the same time. It can also be useful for anyone who is overweight and under-exercising. Any increase in muscle will increase the metabolic rate, burning more calories.

Like many natural weight loss products, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) combined with a flexible healthy eating plan, can lead to gradual long term weight loss and help you get out of the yoyo dieting cycle where you are constantly losing and gaining the same 10, 20 or 50 pounds.Yoyo dieting is very bad for our health and it is better to remain overweight than to keep on losing and gaining, losing and gaining.

Most experts (unless they are trying to sell you something) agree that the diet that works best in the long run is the non-diet. Instead of eating special foods and banning others, you eat slightly smaller quantities of a normal healthy diet. If you are currently living entirely on pizza, fries and chocolate, then obviously, some changes are overdue. You can still have small portions of all of those foods but only from time to time.  If the healthy diet is what you want, then CLA can help reinforce your plan by boosting your fat loss. Dr. Michael Pariza of University of Wisconsin-Madison reported to the American Chemical Society that CLA “doesn’t make a big fat cell get little, rather, is does keep a little fat cell from getting big.”

Many studies have been done on CLA. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that people taking CLA lost on average, six pounds of body fat more than a group that took a placebo. The researchers discovered that you need around 3.4 grams of CLA per day for it to be effective. CLA is found in food, especially meat and dairy products, but supplementation is necessary for most people to reach that level.

If you are a diabetic, make sure you see your doctor before taking any supplements. Another study at Purdue University, Indiana, found that CLA improved insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetics and slightly decreased their blood glucose and triglyceride levels, suggesting that it may help to maintain normal insulin levels.

There are no magic pills for weight loss, but if you are willing to commit to reducing your body fat permanently, CLA may help you. Keep in mind that as you lose fat but gain muscle, you could send up staying the same weight. Don’t forget, muscle weighs more than fat. The big difference will be that your body will look slimmer and feel healthier. Combined with a good weight control eating plan, conjugated linoleic acid can help you move toward your ideal weight goal.